**Third person**“Yes, sir.”Charles pressed his lips together, his hand reaching for the photo album.His eyes scanned the faded photographs again, but the image still remained the same: a picture of a younger Cara, no more than ten years old, caught his eye. She was smiling brightly, holding a giant teddy bear with the small EpiPen holder clipped to her backpack strap.The image was a stark reminder of the truth he's desperately trying to avoid. He closed the album with a heavy sigh. She'd seemed very different this time, but he thought that it was due to her memory loss.Grandpa Charles couldn't ignore the growing evidence. Something wasn't right, and he needed to find answers fast.“Sir, are you still on the line?” The male voice rang from the receiver, snapping him out of his thoughts.“I need you to get everything you can on my granddaughter; when she returned to Miami, when she went into a coma... And also, I want you to look into her husband, Robert."I don't trust that lad,
**Third person**Jeff immediately sat up in his chair. “What did you find?”“You were right. Chloe is probably alive.”Jeff bolted upright, his heart hammering against his ribs, a frantic drum solo echoing his churning stomach. “Go on,” he gasped, desperate to hear every detail.“Apparently, when Chloe's mother, Elizabeth, left Chloe's father, she'd taken one of the children, Cara, with her. The girls were so little then, and that's why they didn't remember having a sister,” Richard started."Sure, that totally explains why she never mentioned it.” Jeff's voice trembled slightly.“Cara had a tough life growing up, you know." Richard stood up from the cushion in his living room and began pacing as he spoke."Elizabeth's new husband, Paul, wasn't exactly fond of her, and so they'd sent her abroad.”“It was probably the fact that she felt so alone growing up; maybe, just maybe, that's why she got into drugs in the first place.”Richard's voice was laced with pity; no one deserved to grow
**Third person**Just then, he realized that Jeff was trying to call him. “I'll call you back real quick. I need to get this call,” Richard explained before switching over to Jeff's call.“Hey, man. I was on the phone with Lily now. I was just about to ask if she knows anything about the twin situation or any clue to help us find her sister.”Jeff took in a sharp breath. “There's no need for that.”“Excuse me?” Richard was surprised. “We shouldn't bother her with that, especially since we haven't found anything yet on Chloe,” Jeff instructed. “Let's not raise her hopes and then crush them back soon after,” he explained. “Sure, man. I'll keep looking.”“Use all the resources available,” Jeff ordered. “We don't have the luxury of time. You should probably start with checking the hotel guest list.”Two days had already gone by. Robert was here to visit Chloe again, and Elizabeth immediately ushered him to the dining table for dinner when he arrived. Mealtime was silent, and afterwa
**CHLOE**My steps faltered as I entered the dimly lit, spacious living room, Lily by my side. I felt pitying eyes follow me, their hushed whispers drifting through the silence like wisps of smoke. “So they just got married last week?”“Yes, I hear she's a low-life country girl and her mother had run away when she was very young,”“Poor thing,”Seeking refuge, I sank into a corner of the room, but even there, the murmurs followed.“Is she Chloe?” I heard a red-haired girl ask an older woman, whom I assumed was her mother. The girl had tattoos drawn across her arms and piercings on both sides of her nose and chin.“Yes, she’s the one.” The woman responded weakly, her eyes red and heavy. I could bet she had been crying since she got the news.“Ah, I'm disappointed. I thought Jeffrey had great taste in women,” she scoffed, her eyes resting on my boots, before looking up at my loose-fitted black dress and heavy eyes.“Where's Robert?” The woman asked no one in particular. The girl gave
**CHLOE**“Jeffrey...” I said softly, feeling goosebumps rupture all over my skin.“Is this real?” Tears streamed down my cheeks. I held myself at arms length, fearing my mind was playing games on me.“It's me,” he said, closing the distance between us.“What happened? Tell me everything.” I looked into his eyes, my hands around his neck.“You left so suddenly after the wedding..." I didn't even try to stop my tears. "And why does everyone think you're dead?” He freed himself from my embrace and took a deep breath. “Say something, Jeff! You're driving me crazy,” I said, raising my voice.“You know I love you, right?” he said, holding my hands, and I nodded in affirmation."And I've always wanted a good life for us," he said, taking a breath. "I'm not Jeffrey. My brother is," he said hurriedly, as if to stop his voice from breaking.“And now… you're the widow of a billionaire..” His eyes lit, and there was a tint of excitement and jealousy in his tone. “Think of the possibilities! I
**CHLOE**It was Jeffrey. The real Jeffrey!“Are you okay?” I heard a faint voice say over me. Shit! How can I be?I sat up, trying to steady my breath."Yes, I'm fine. I was just feeling a bit dizzy.”Jeffrey stood above me and helped me up. “You're my wife?”What's this? Did he lose his memory from the accident?Maybe that could be a good thing.But what do I do now? He'll most probably find out soon.I coughed, almost choking, before I replied, “Yes.”Okay, his face looks like he believes me.But for how long?"Are you okay?" Richard asked Helen softly, his palms resting gently on her shoulders. She turned to give him a tender smile. I hadn't even noticed him by the side of the living room when I entered.I looked at Helen. Surprise tinged her face, laced with a hint of disappointment. She seemed to yearn for the familiar warmth of reconnection, the joy of reuniting with a loved one lost, only to be met with…“Please help me upstairs,” Jeffrey said, interrupting my thoughts. He
**CHLOE**“I'm not scared. I just need to speak to him,” I said as I skittered out of the room.Jeffrey watched me leave; he looked amused by my flustered escape.I didn't stop walking until I got to my room. I let out a relieved sigh as I leaned on my door, and then I threw myself on the bed. I can't wait to tell Lily everything! Finally, I snuggled into my soft pillow and eventually drifted off to sleep.Lily's eyes widened, and a squeal of excitement erupted from her lips. "No way!" she exclaimed.“But wait, you saw him in only briefs..” Lily gave me a naughty smirk. “How big was it?”“Lily!” I chuckled and slapped her arm playfully.“Well..?” She probed.I blinked.. “I didn't look at him that way,” I lied.It wasn't entirely a lie; I only looked at him very briefly, and it wasn't intentional.“That’s a lie..” Lily chuckled. “Your cheeks are even red.”“Have you heard from Mr. Dan?” I asked, trying to change the topic."I have.. You won't be getting your job back; they can't wa
**CHLOE**Rachel glanced at me. I was still seated in my chair by the table."Oh, look who's here," Rachel said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I was starting to think we'd seen the last of you," she added.Who's Laura, though? Her name echoed in my head. And why did her presence cause such unease in Jeffrey?Lost in thoughts, I barely registered Rachel's barbs.“Who's Laura?” I breathed; I didn't even know when my thoughts became audible.Rachel's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and then she let out an amused laugh. “Of course he didn't tell you about her. She was his fiance before…” Her voice trailed off, her eyes tracing a slow path from my head to my toes before landing back on my face. “Before you showed up.”Fiance?Just when I thought nothing more could surprise me,“I don't know what transpired between them and how he ended up with you, but I'm sure they'll patch things up soon.” Rachel continued, her voice adopting a falsely sympathetic tone: “Aww, and they're actually per