Chapter – 16

Brian Schultz

“Brian…that’s too much carb. You have to be fit for our wedding.”

My jaw clenched as I glared at Alana before pulling the bowl closer. “Stop telling me what to eat,” I hissed under my breath as she looked around the table, smiling sweetly.

“Others are listening.”

“Then you should just shut your mouth and concentrate on your food.” There was only so much a man could take. For the third time today, she made me question my decision to marry her. Maybe I should’ve waited. But it wasn’t like I had a choice.

Alana turned her attention to her friends, chatting while I shoveled my favorite chicken casserole into my mouth. It had been a week since I’d had proper food. She tried to control every aspect of my life, which I didn’t appreciate.

“Here is your dessert, sir.” The waiter placed the delicious chocolate mousse in front of me.

“I think you brought the wrong order. We ordered fruit salad.”

“That’s my order.” I cut her off.

Her face changed, not that I gave a damn about it. I didn’t have to be told what I could or couldn’t eat. I had kept myself fit for twenty-six years before she came into my life.

Alana stayed quiet until the dinner was over, and when it was time to leave, everyone posed for a selfie while I excused myself to the bathroom. I took a deep breath and tried to control my growing anger. I didn’t know why I was getting agitated. Maybe it was because of Arianna. I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to suppress my irritation.

When I exited and walked to my car, I knew what questions I would face.

“You talked to her again, didn’t you?” Alana’s voice was innocent, her face crestfallen. I almost felt bad for telling her off.

“No.”

“My friends noticed what happened. You embarrassed me in front of them, Brian. Why would you do that?”

“Maybe the next time, you should stop trying to make decisions for me,” I snapped. “We’re getting married, but it doesn’t mean you have to try to control everything about my life.”

“Is that what you think of me?” Her voice cracked. “I was just looking out for you.”

“Don’t.”

I cursed when her sobs grew louder. Fuck! I hated it when she did this. My grip tightened around the steering wheel as I stepped on the gas. My brain conjured several words I wanted to yell at her, and I had to bite the inside of my cheeks to stop them.

Not now.

When we reached our home, she ran inside. I sat in the car for a moment longer, wondering what went wrong. My thoughts were once again consumed by Arianna. I still remember the day I stumbled onto her.

It was my parents’ decision that I marry the Swansons’ daughter, their business partners, and friends. I never said no to my parents’ demands, and when I met Alana during a conference in New York, she was everything I wanted. A perfect wife and a daughter-in-law. She was a beauty to behold, and I had asked her out right away.

Our parents were elated and were already planning for our marriage. A month later, I was meeting Alana and her friends in a restaurant when I stumbled upon her in the parking lot. I had never seen Alana dressed down before, and it was startling seeing her in jean shorts and a tank top. A leather jacket hung loosely in her arms. Her untamed hair and wild eyes caught me off guard. I was so used to her formal socialite attire that this look surprised me.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” She tried to smile, but her eyes said otherwise.

Before I could ask what was wrong, my phone rang. I frowned when I saw it, and when I looked up, she was gone.

“Hey, Brian,” Alana’s chirpy voice greeted me as my gaze swept the parking lot. Was this a prank?

“Hey, I’m here.”

“Great! My friends are so excited to see you. Come on in.”

When I went in, Alana was at her best, wearing a tailored knee-length Gucci dress. The image of the girl from the parking lot flashed in my mind as I took a seat beside her.

Now, I reclined in my seat, watching the light going on in our bedroom. I didn’t want to go in right away. Her tears tired me.

Arianna rarely cried. She was strong and bold. She was everything Alana would never be. A deep sigh left my lips as my thoughts raced.

I was intrigued by the girl I met in the parking lot, and I soon learned who she was. The truth stunned me. She was Alana’s twin. Their differences surprised me. While Alana was polished, Arianna was rough around the edges.

I found myself thinking more about her, and whenever I was with Alana, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to be with Arianna. I wasn’t thinking clearly when I asked her out, something I regretted until now. I should’ve stayed true to Alana, but I couldn’t.

I had to know. By then, Arianna ruled my thoughts. The more I learned about her, the more I wanted to be with her. I loved her free-spirited nature. She spoke her mind and was brutally honest. With her, my life was never boring.

While Alana seemed like a well-trained wife material, Arianna was a breath of fresh air and gave me an adrenaline rush every time we were together. Three months had passed, and I was head over heels for Arianna. It was only a matter of getting our parents’ blessing.

The light in our bedroom went off, and I stepped out of the car, taking a deep breath. We lived alone, and though I owned this place, I felt like a foreigner here. No, it didn’t feel like home. It wasn’t my choice. I never wanted to stay in the heart of the city.

When my legs moved on autopilot to the entrance, I took in the landscape and the decorations. It made me realize how much had changed over the months. Alana never consulted me when she purchased this home or when she chose the interiors. It was all her choice.

Instead of going to the bedroom, I walked to the bar, pouring myself a generous glass of whiskey. I needed it now more than ever. My nerves were a wreck. When the amber liquid touched my lips, I welcomed the familiar burn. I could feel the drink traveling past my sternum as it filled my mouth with a bitter taste.

Why?

Why hadn’t things worked out for me?

For us?

When Arianna told me that my mother never liked her, I didn’t take it seriously. I thought she had misunderstood. But when I saw my mother’s hatred toward Arianna at one of the parties, I knew my chances of getting their blessing were slim.

As for Alana, she laughed in my face when I said I loved her sister. “You’re a fool, Brian. What does she have that I can’t give you?”

“Everything,” I answered.

Alana shook her head with a knowing smirk. “It won’t work. Your mom hates her.”

“I’ll take care of that.”

Alana shrugged, but I could tell that she was furious. “I’m not telling my parents anything now. Do whatever you want. When you realize she isn’t the one for you, I’ll be here.” She had walked away without looking back.

With Alana out of the way, now it was my parents. I needed them to accept Arianna because my father hadn’t given me a permanent position in his company yet. I also knew he wouldn’t hesitate to throw me out if I ever vocalized my feelings for the rebellious twin. At times, I worried Alana would ruin my plans by telling them, but she kept her mouth shut.

When I found no way to tell them, I resorted to the only thing I knew. I began to change Arianna to fit in. It was the only way I could make them see the difference. I had to prove to them that she could change. I believed if they saw her new personality, they would agree.

It almost happened when they sent Alana and me on a business trip to Europe. I decided to talk to my parents after my return. Arianna cried when she said goodbye.

However, once in Europe, things went south. I ended up in bed with Alana after having a few drinks, and it became a habit. I missed Arianna, and her look-alike was there in flesh and blood. It wasn’t like we’d never had sex before, but we stopped being together when things became serious with Arianna.

I knew what I was doing was wrong in every sense. I shouldn’t be sleeping with both sisters. Though I planned to break up with Alana several times, I couldn’t. Every night, she’d come to my room, and I ended up fucking her. The fact that they were identical didn’t help me in the least. To me, it was Arianna.

I often fantasized about Arianna as I fucked her sister. When I looked down at her face, it was Arianna I saw, and it was perfect. When I woke up in the morning beside her, I’d tell myself that I’d tell her the truth. But the thin line between right and wrong vanished as I found myself giving in day after day.

When it was time for us to return, I spoke to Alana again. “We should stop this. I can’t do this to her.”

Alana looked down as tears gathered in her eyes. “Have you ever thought about my feelings, Brian? I love you too. Why her? Why it isn’t me?”

“I’m sorry, Alana. You know why. She’s different.”

“You didn’t think that when we slept together,” her pained voice hissed. “Look at me, Brian. We have the same face, eyes, hair, even voice. What’s so wrong with me that you want her and not me?”

“Alana…”

“It’s okay. I get it, Brian. But tell me this. What are you going to do about our baby?”

“Baby?”

Alana nodded. “I just found out. What do you think Arianna will do when she finds out? She’ll know you were sleeping with me behind her back.”

“She’ll never know the truth. We have to do something.”

“I’m keeping the baby, Brian.”

“Alana—”

“I’m sorry, Brian. I knew you would plan something like this.” She wiped her tears. “I’ve already informed your mother. They’re meeting us at the airport when we land.”

“What?”

“You have no choice but to marry me, Brian. My sister will never want you when she learns the truth. The best thing would be for you to keep your mouth shut and pretend like it never happened.” Her voice had taken a sharp edge as her features hardened. It almost felt like she planned all this. But then, I should’ve known better. There was no excuse for what I did.

A humorless chuckle left my lips as I chugged the rest of the liquid down my throat. I couldn’t wipe off the look of horror and pain on Arianna’s face. I saw her storm out of the ballroom. I saw her tears, yet I was a selfish fool.

“Aren’t you coming to bed?”

I turned and saw Alana, who was dressed in a silk nightie. Her tummy was still flat, making me wonder if she was really pregnant, but I had seen the sonogram and concluded she wouldn’t have lied to me.

While I didn’t want to go to bed yet, I reminded myself that she was the mother of my unborn child. I knew better than to cause any distress. “You should be resting.” My voice was softer than before.

“I couldn’t sleep.”

“Come, I’ll lie down with you.” I stood and walked toward our bedroom.

“Do you still love her?” Alana asked when we lay in the darkness of the room.

“No.”

“I want this to work more than anything, Brian. I love you. I can’t imagine a life without you.”

I couldn’t respond. I didn’t want to tell her the same.

“What will make you love me more, Brian?”

Nothing. I wanted to tell her, but I held my tongue. It was my mistake from the beginning. I was too sheltered by my parents, and I didn’t get to experience the world outside the elite circle they drew for me. I was trained how to laugh and speak in public. They’d trained me to mask my emotions.

Meeting Ariana had changed me forever. For the first time, she showed me things I never knew existed. I felt free when I was with her.

“I asked you a question, Brian.”

Once again, I couldn’t help but wonder how Arianna would’ve reacted in a situation like this. Her face would grow redder as she yelled at me. She knew how to push my buttons. Arianna would show real emotions. I knew Alana wanted to cry out and shake me by my collar. Was it necessary to hide her emotions when we were alone? Why did she have to put her mask on, even in our private space?

“Be real, Alana. I want you to be real.”

“But—”

“I’m tired. Let’s go to sleep, please.”

Alana didn’t speak another word, and I relaxed. Inhaling, her perfume clouded my senses. I held her tighter, once again imagining her as Arianna.