All Chapters of Kisses, Lies and Blurred Alibis : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Flashback…“Seriously?” Zoe’s voice cut through my misery, sharp and annoyed. She stood by the door, arms crossed, looking at me like I was weak. “You’re really going to keep crying over him? Over Tyler?” Zoe was the same as me, same face same height and body size everything was same except that she has a total different personality from me. She was the bold, wild and always the centre of attention.I was curled up on the bed, my face buried in a pillow, tears soaking the white sheets. My chest hurt like something sharp had been driven through it. No matter how hard I tried to breathe, it felt like I was choking on my own sobs.I sniffled, turning my face away. “You don’t understand… I loved him.”I said still sobbing.She rolled her eyes dramatically and walked over, yanking the pillow from under me. “Love? Please, Chloe. Stop humiliating yourself. You’re Chloe Rodriguez, daughter of Alejandro Rodriguez, one of the richest men in Venice. We don’t cry over boys. Boys cry over us.”Her

The study was thick with silence, the kind that pressed against the walls and made the air feel heavier than stone. Father’s words still rang in my ears. Marriage. Zoe. Jake Williams Martinez.Zoe slammed her palm against the polished oak desk, her voice sharp enough to cut glass. “What? Marriage? To that man? Are you serious, Dad?”Alejandro Rodriguez’s expression didn’t flinch. His eyes were cold, steady, as if he had already prepared himself for her tantrum. “This is not up for debate, Zoe. The company is hanging by a thread. The Martinez empire is our only chance at survival. Jake has agreed to step in…”“Step in?!” Zoe cut him off, her voice rising. “You mean he wants to trap me in some golden cage just to save your failing company. Why me? Why not Chloe? She’s the boring one!”I felt my chest tighten at her words, but Father didn’t even glance my way. His voice remained firm. “Because Jake asked for you. He specifically requested you, Zoe. He wants you, and this is bigger than y

The mirror didn’t lie.I looked at the woman staring back at me and almost didn’t recognize her. The veil framed my face in a soft blur, the gown clung to me in ways that felt both heavy and suffocating, and the red lipstick Zoe insisted on painted my lips into a stranger’s smile. My reflection whispered the truth I was trying to bury.This wasn’t me.This was Zoe Rodriguez.My twin sister’s identity wrapped around me like a mask, a disguise stitched together with silk and lies.Behind me, Zoe clapped her hands together, grinning wide. “Perfect. Absolutely perfect. No one will know the difference. Not Dad, not Jake, not anyone. You look exactly like me.”My stomach twisted. I pressed a hand against my gown, the fabric cool beneath my trembling fingers. “Zoe… I can’t breathe.”She rolled her eyes, stepping closer to fix a strand of hair out of my face. “Don’t start now, Chloe. You agreed to this. You said yes. And besides, you’re not allowed to back out. Not when we’ve come this far.”

The air in the room was thick after the shock in the hall. My heart still hadn’t stopped pounding from the hall. Not since Tyler’s eyes had caught mine, sharp and knowing, like he could rip the mask off me with a single look.Jake hadn’t seemed to notice. Or maybe he had, and was too disciplined to show it. He moved with his usual precision, making everything neat, perfect, official, as if tidying up a life that wasn’t really mine.“This is my younger brother,” Jake said finally, his voice calm but underpinned with a pride I hadn’t heard before. “Tyler Williams Martinez.”Tyler smirked, bowing his head just slightly, his damp hair catching the golden light like a dark halo. “Welcome to the family, Mrs. Zoe Rodriguez-Martinez.”The name felt like a knife between my ribs. I forced my lips into a smile, muscles straining with the effort. Pretend. Pretend. Pretend.Jake went on smoothly, gesturing to a young woman who stepped forward from the line of staff. “And this is Gold. She’ll be

Morning came too quickly. I hadn’t slept much, my mind replaying Jake’s words over and over. You’re not the Zoe I thought I knew.The sun poured through the curtains, warming the bed that suddenly felt too big. I dragged myself up, every step heavy. A soft knock came before the door opened and Gold slipped in, balancing a tray of breakfast.“Good morning, Señora,” she said gently.Her eyes met mine, searching, almost too carefully. She set the tray down, poured tea, and gave me a small smile. “You should eat. You’ll need your strength.”I nodded, forcing a weak smile. “Thank you, Gold.”She lingered a moment, her gaze flicking to my stomach before she left. My breath caught. Did she…? No. She couldn’t possibly know. Could she?Later that morning, I tried exploring the mansion. It was huge, endless halls lined with portraits, polished floors that made my steps echo. Every corner felt like it hid a secret.That’s when I met Ethan again.He stood in the library, sunlight hitting his feat