1. BETRAYAL

{Scarlett}

Everyone has their own demon and mine is being my sister's doppelganger. We were admired as twins in public, but little did people know she was my nightmare and her family my thunderstorm. Somehow she gets everything I want and love. She and Nana make me regret ever accepting to go with them in the first place.

I'm the daughter of an abused mother and a violent father. My mother got beaten by my father for very little reasons. Most times for refusing to bring his dishes to the dining on time, for waiting too long before his return or even looking too good in an event.

At ten, my father's violence grew worse. One fateful day when I was back from school, he beat my poor mother to pulp, slamming her head on the wall severally because she spoke back at him.

I was scared, I screamed and begged, hoping he stopped hurting her but he never did. Her head oozed off blood and my heart was breaking seeing her weeping and groaning in deep pain. There was only one way to stop my father. I found myself marching into our little kitchen, I searched in our cutlery rack and the defense weapon I found useful was my mother's favorite kitchen knife.

Filled with anger, I walked back into the living room and the moment my mother collapsed to the floor, he made to move out but he was standing face to face with me. Looking at my mother lying in the pool of her own blood, I got angry and disheartened and dug the knife swiftly to his belly. I fidgeted and my hands trembled as he screamed in pain and fell to the floor. Rushing over to my mom I called out her name, shaking her vigorously but she never replied. She was dead, making me motherless at the age of ten.

I stared at my father's body and I was gripped by fear, my body damp with sweat. Now, I wasn't only motherless, I was an orphan. Quickly, I rushed to my room taking my guitar to the street. My mom handed that to me as a gift before her death. God knows I never meant to kill my father, I made sure our door was tightly locked and in the street of Atlanta, I sang. It made me feel a little ease, even though I was damn guilty of stabbing my father. Singing was my favorite thing.

Before long, a car pulled up in front of me, and a beautiful middle-aged woman approached me, looking aghast.

“Celine, oh my God!" She exclaimed.

“What are you doing over here? Dressed in these clothes and with a guitar?"

I was nervous and I only smiled.

“Stand up quickly! We're running late, we need to drop flowers for your father" she uttered, lifting me up.

I followed her, I was not Celine but I needed to leave that environment as quickly as possible. The moment she ignited the engine of her car, a young girl of about my age emerged tapping the wind screen of her car.

“Nana, you wanted to drive off without me?" She asked, folding her arms on her bosom.

Nana winds down and I was shocked as well as her.

“Celine?" Nana gasped.

Celine was the splitting image of me. The difference was the color of her eyes and her clothes. She looked a little better in appearance because she was from a richer family. I bet Nana never paid attention to my eyes.

“Who's sitting behind, mom?" She asked in surprise.

“Just get in, Celine" her mother assured and she sat opposite Nana, shoving a camera to her face.

“I captured something exciting today, Nana! Would you love to see it?"

“Sure, sweetie" Nana replied.

She played a video, and Nana gasped, glancing at my face behind her. I was puzzled by their stares, but Celine's loud shriek when she saw my face made everything clear. She had filmed my little scary secret.

“What-- what is she doing here, mom?" She blurted.

“Shhhhh--" Nana shut her up that instant, riding out of the street.

At home, I narrated the whole event and Nana looked like she sympathized with me. From then, I began to live with the Donalds, but my torture didn't end. They wrecked me of the cash I made from singing, Celine's elder brother, Alvan, constantly abused me but I dared not speak. I had a roof over my head, I was privileged to be put in the same school as Celine, and my singing videos made rounds on the internet even though the proceedings were taken by Nana and Celine got the credit. We had the same face so it was not hard to fake it.

At eighteen, I got married to the man of my dreams, Richard Dermott. A billionaire and C.E.O of Richardson Production, one of the biggest movie industries in Atlanta. We lived happily as a couple and in a year I had my son, Liam. A chubby sickly child diagnosed with Congenital Heart Disease.

“Ma'am... Mrs. Dermott!" I felt a hand brush over my shoulder, and I quickly wiped off my tears.

The doctor must have stood for a long time trying to shake me off my reverie.

“Your son's condition is getting worse by the day. You need to make little payment so we commence treatment on him immediately"

“I'm trying, doctor. I will get the money please, start the treatment. I don't want my son to die" I said between sobs.

The doctor shook his head pitifully.

“I'd love to help you ma'am, but things are not done that way. That's the hospital policy. I'm sorry" he said, leaving me with Liam.

The sound of the oxygen concentrator filled my ears, sending cold shivers down my spine. With trembling fingers, I dialled Richard's number one more time. He had earlier refused having a dime to spare on a child prone to die, but maybe this call will soften his heart.

I placed several calls, all of which he ignored. Kissing Liam's fingers and ruffling his hair, I promised I'll be back even though he couldn't hear me.

I walked through the hospital's reception area, burying my face as most people spotted me as Scarlett the popular artiste. I had earlier released a single and was quite happy for the first time to rightfully own my song, but not my money. Nana was still in charge of that, the same way Richard was in charge of my savings. Main reason I couldn't sort out Liam's hospital bills.

Minutes later, I parked in front of our estate and stepped in. A woman's loud giggling filled the air, and my heart pounded twice. I was very sure that was Celine's voice.

How come? She had left Atlanta a few months ago to India, after being diagnosed with kidney failure.

Walking into the living room, I heard the unmistakable sounds of kissing and my eyes landed on the naked sight of Richard gripping Celine's waist as she humped him. They were making out, right there in the living room.

“Celine" I muttered.

My eyes widened and my bag fell off my hands. I covered my face, too shocked to realize my husband was having fun with my foster sister, while his son was dying in the hospital.

“Well, well, look who we have here..." She purred.

“Our famous artiste, huh? What were you expecting? I should die right after my surgery?" She blurted, heading over to me still stark naked. She didn't even have the decency to cover herself up.

“You want me dead like the way you killed your father, huh?" She yelled and Richard just stared.

It hurt me to be labeled a murderer, especially when it came from Celine after I was made to donate my kidney to her. She wouldn't be standing, alive and breathing if I hadn't carried out that act.

I turned swiftly to Richard and blurted, “I can't believe I was in the hospital trying to save the life of our dying son, and you are right here having sex with my sister?!"

My heart churned from being betrayed by those I called family.

Richard let out a brief laugh and said, “You've always been naive and clueless, Scarlett! My love for Celine started way back in high school. I've had to keep up with feigning my love for you for four whole years! Now, I'm done! Liam is an evidence that we were never meant to be!"

He bent over to put on his pants before he continued, “I can't bear a sick child! My loins are filled with healthy children! You are a witch and you're the cause of your son's ailment, that's none of my business. Just make sure you don't kill him, like you killed your father!"

I held my ears, covering them and quaking in tears. For years, I've been labeled a murderer by the family I ran to for closure and support. Why would they always torment me with that?

Richard moved swiftly to the bedroom and emerged with a brown envelope in his hands.

“This is the divorce papers I prepared awaiting your return, sign them and get out of my life! I'm sick and tired of being your husband. I want a happy marriage, one I would make healthy babies and that I would get from the absolute love of my life, Celine" he uttered, clasping Celine's hand and giving her a kiss.

Celine giggled in response, rolling strands of her brown hair on her finger as she smirked.

Still shaking, I collapsed on my knees.

“Please Richard don't do this to me, I would be the kind of wife you want. Liam's illness is just temporary and if you would spare me some money from your savings, even my savings he would get well again. Please..." I begged passionately with tears streaming down my face.

Richards paced with his hands on his waist. He ignored my statement and went to get two glasses for the both of them, pouring the red wine and downing it to his throat before he eventually spoke, “You better sign those divorce papers. If you don't, you leave me with no option than telling the world how evil you are as a person"

Celine supported, using her fingers to make air quotes as she spoke,“Mmmh... How satisfying would this headline sound, honey? Secret Exposed: Popular RnB Artiste, Scarlett Dermott is a murderer, discovered to have killed her father!"

“Dermott for the time being, that name suits you better" Richard whispered loudly to her ears and they laughed heartily.

My heart broke and my legs trembled. Slowly, my tears grew more intense, blurring my sight as I stared at them. I was sick to kneel again for reconsideration, but I did. I desperately needed the money to cater for my sick child.

However, the moment I made to talk, Richard yelled “Security!"