One

*KELILAH'S POV*  

I had just gotten back from work, and now I lay on my bed, completely drained. Today had been one of the most exhausting days I could remember. Every inch of my body ached, and my mind was clouded with fatigue.  

My identical twin sister, Loveth, wasn’t home yet, leaving me alone in the quiet house. Our parents, as always, were the last to come home, and I was starving. Cooking was out of the question though—I had no idea how to cook, and frankly, I had no interest in learning.  

"Kelilah ?" A voice, accompanied by a knock on my door, jolted me slightly.  

I must’ve been close to drifting off to sleep because I hadn’t even noticed when my parents came home. With my legs barely cooperating, I staggered to the door, my eyes still half-closed. I turned the knob, letting the door swing open, but no one was there.  

"Mom? Dad?" I called out, my voice barely above a whisper as my grogginess quickly faded.  

The eerie silence that greeted me was unsettling. It was never this quiet when my family was around. Curious and slightly anxious, I made my way down the hallway toward the living room, hoping dinner was ready.  

As I stepped inside, I realized the lights were off, casting the room into an unfamiliar darkness. My heart began to race, a quiet dread creeping in. Something felt off.  

I groped along the wall, searching for the light switch, my fingers fumbling in the dark until—unexpectedly—another hand landed on the switch at the same time.  

"Ahh!" I screamed, jerking back just as the lights came on.  

"Happy birthday, Kelilah !" voices chorused.  

Blinking in surprise, I looked around and saw my family standing there, grinning widely. They held a cake, flowers, and a pile of candies. I had completely forgotten—it was my birthday. My 20th birthday, to be exact. I actually did remembered about it in the morning, but I was in quite a haste to wish Loveth or even myself.

"You scared me!" I scowled, though the relief was washing over me, replacing the fear.  

The room erupted into laughter at my expression, and despite myself, I couldn’t help but join in. In an instant, my exhaustion vanished.  

My mother stepped forward, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek.

 "Happy birthday, my princess."  

"Thank you, Mom," I said, feeling a warmth spread through me.  

"Happy birthday, princess," my dad chimed in, followed closely by Tyra.

 Both of them gave me quick kisses on the cheek, leaving me with pecks scattered all over my face.  

Why do they always call me princess, you ask? Well, that's because I am—literally. I am the second princess of the Kingdom of Astral, though sometimes I forget. My life outside the palace feels so...normal.  

After the small shower of affection, I glanced around, realizing someone was missing. 

"Where’s Loveth?" I asked, frowning slightly. It was our birthday after all, so why was I the only one being celebrated?  

Just then, as if summoned by my thoughts, Loveth walked out of the kitchen carrying a massive cake and singing happy birthday to me. I laughed as she placed the cake down and we rushed into each other’s arms, hugging tightly.  

"It’s your birthday too, you know," I teased.  

She chuckled softly.

 "Someone had to make the cake, right?"  

Of course. Loveth, the culinary genius of the house, had once again baked our birthday cake. 

Ever since our birth, loveth and I have been inseparable. We have always supported one another through thick and thin, and I love her just as much as i believe she loves me.

  When we were much younger, it was never easy for strangers to tell the difference between the two of us. Every aspect of us was exact the same. 

Some of our relatives said that as we grew older, it would get easier to tell us apart, but the reality was completely different. Everything about us, including our golden coloured hair, light brown eyes, height, weight, and voice was the same. The only people who could tell us apart were Mom, Dad, and Tyra, but even they struggled at times. 

I know you guys must be wondering who Tyra is to me. Well Tyra isn't a family relative, she's actually my bestie, but has grown to become the third daughter of our family. Always there for me when I need her 

In as much as Loveth and I had the same physical appearance, she was the exact opposite of me. She was the most intelligent, calm, obedient, and responsible person. I guess it's because she is the older one. And there I was, the mischievous one who got into trouble and destroyed things. 

Before we could get too emotional, Mom interrupted, nudging us toward the dining table.

 "Alright, my lovely ladies, let’s have dinner. Chef Loveth has prepared something special for us tonight, and once we’re settled, we can exchange gifts."  

We all moved to the table. Loveth took her seat next to Dad, while Tyra sat next to Mom. Normally, I’d sit beside Mom, but I chose to sit next to my twin tonight.   

After a delightful dinner, gifts were handed over to Loveth and I, until I was now our turn to exchange our gifts.

"Your gift, Kelilah ," she said, smiling warmly.  

Excited, I grabbed her face and showered her with kisses, making her laugh and push me away.

 Inside the bag, I found the most stunning red gown—the exact one I had fallen in love with at a store weeks ago but couldn’t buy because I’d lost my wallet.  

"Loveth!" I squealed, throwing my arms around her. "Thank you so much! You are the best."  

"Anything for you, Spare," she said affectionately.  

Ah, yes, "Spare"—a nickname she’d given me, because, as she liked to say, I was her other half, her spare part. More like a spare tyre.

As I dug deeper into the bag, I pulled out two plane tickets. My eyes widened. 

"Wait… are these…?"  

She grinned.

 "A trip to the capital. All expenses paid. For you and Jackson."  

I gasped, overwhelmed with emotion. Tears pricked my eyes as I hugged her tightly.

 "You’re amazing, Loveth. This is the best gift ever."  

"Don’t cry," Mom cooed from the other side of the table, and we all laughed.  

I pulled out my own gift for Loveth, a set of papers. When she realized what it was, her eyes went wide with disbelief.  

"Kelilah … is this…?"  

I nodded. "I bought the Edwards Company in your name."  

Loveth looked at me, stunned. "You did what?!"  

Mom’s eyes widened in shock, and Tyra gasped.  

"How did you manage that?" Tyra asked.  

I smirked. 

"I have a talent for persuasion," I winked. 

Besides baking and cooking, Loveth had always had this passion for her fashion designing business. She was determined to grow, and had tried buying the Edwards company over, but the Edwards would not sell. 

I made the decision to get it for her because she had been concerned about it. With only a hint of blackmail and threat, the Edwards immediately accepted my offer to purchase it. However, since my approach was unethical, I was not going to tell my family about it. 

I had moments of regret, but it was all worthwhile when I saw Loveth's happy expression. 

"You are the best, Spare," she complimented me. 

"I am aware. Nobody even comes close". I gave her a wink, and she giggled. 

I believe that at this point, she was starting to become overly excited and started acting inappropriately. 

"A lot needs to be done. Tomorrow, I have to leave early to put my office in order. Oh my goodness, I have a lot of work to do tomorrow," she continued. 

"Loveth, calm down. We will all be available to assist you in all you require," I reassured her. 

"But aren’t you supposed to spend the day with Jackson?" she asked. 

"He will comprehend. I am going to be with you tomorrow, okay? And, yes, there would be a whole revamp of your office, which I had arranged for", 

"Oh. You did not need to bother, Spare. I am aware of how busy you are with the impending wedding. Do not spend your money on me," she stated. 

"If you continue to talk like that, I will become very angry. You mean everything to me," I squeezed her arms. 

I guess we were now getting too dramatic at this point, because Tyra felt compelled to intervene. 

"Enough with that. You two are acting like a married couple," she said, rolling her eyes at us. 

"You are just envious. I know you wish you had a twin," I retorted, making faces at her, causing her to frown. 

We shared another laugh, but the lighthearted mood soon shifted when my father’s expression became serious.  

"Tomorrow is a non-work day," he announced.  

Loveth and I exchanged confused glances.  

"Why?" Loveth asked.  

"Tomorrow is the bridal selection," Dad said quietly.