2. The look-alike Iris Silver

IVY

“We can’t talk here, come with me.” He said as he stretched out his hand to lift me off the ground.

I had no idea if it was the way he talked or the aura around him but I know I absentmindedly placed my hand in his and let him lift me off the floor.

Getting into a car with a total stranger was something I didn’t ever see myself doing but for some reason, I got into his car with him and his driver drove away from the club. He didn’t say a single word to me, no matter how many times I asked who he was and what he wanted with me, he just kept staring out the window and tapping his fingers on his thighs gingerly as if he was worried about something.

As soon as we drove past a large black gate and what was a beautiful, private park, a breathtaking mansion came into view. The whole place was bathed in ethereal lights and even the fountain gave off some kind of glow that didn’t feel real.

Was I dreaming?

“Follow me.” The elderly man who had now introduced himself as Paul said as he alighted from the car and I did the same after him.

Why was I doing what he asked? I shouldn’t trust someone I had just met enough to follow him into a mansion like this.

I stopped at the foot of the stairs that led up to the building and he must have noticed my hesitation because he turned around and smiled at me,

“We won’t hurt you Ivy, we just need you to do something for us. It’s just a job that you need and you will be paid well for it, we both know you need the money for your mother.”

My eyes widened in shock,

“How do you know about my mother?”

“All your questions would be answered inside Ivy. Just come.” He responded before he turned back around and headed inside.

I hesitated for a second or two but then, I was curious to know who he was and know he knew so much about me already so I followed after him and the interior of the mansion was so much better than the exterior part of it.

I had never laid my eyes on anything more…

“This way.” Paul’s voice cut off my train of thought as he walked into a room and I had to put aside my admiration for the house and follow after him.

As soon as I walked in, my eyes landed on a middle-aged woman with golden hair and dressed in the most expensive clothing, standing close to the window with her back to us while Paul was now standing beside a strange man with brown hair, dressed somewhat like him with a few strands of white hair on his head.

I immediately noticed the tattoo on the back of his palm.

“See, I told you this could work, she looks just like her, and by the time she wears her clothes, no one other than us will ever know it’s not Iris,” Paul said.

“I don’t think this is a good idea brother. Alejandro didn’t earn the title of a serpent by being so easily deceived.” The strange man beside him replied, his eyes fixed on me.

“Trust me, just trust me, and let me handle this.”

The woman at the window had still not turned around even as Paul beckoned for me to come closer to them and take a seat at the table in the room.

As soon as I was seated, he pulled out a picture from his pocket and placed it on the table for me to see. I cocked my head sideways as I stared at the picture in disbelief, my splitting image staring right back at me but clothed in a dress I had never owned before and jewelry I had never seen in my entire life.

“T-This is me… how did you get this?” I asked, peering even harder at the picture with my brows furrowed, “But… how… I don’t remember taking any picture like this before or…” I stumbled over my own words. “Who are you and what is going on here?” I pushed back my seat and jumped to my feet in panic.

Paul and the strange man beside him shared a glance before he turned to face me.

“Calm down Ivy, the girl in the picture is not you, you’re two entirely different people. She is Iris Silver, an heiress of the Silver empire and you’re Ivy.” He explained and that only made it sound even more confusing.

“What does that mean? She looks just like me…”

“No Ivy, you… look like her and that’s what we need you for.”

“Is she… is she like a relative or something? Am I related to…”

“Trust me Ivy, you’re both not related in any way, I have the results of several DNA tests to prove it.”

“How did you do that? She can't look exactly like me in this manner, it’s just not possible.” My voice was now becoming a bit higher than intended because I was now panicking and had no idea what I was supposed to make of what was going on.

“You’re her doppelgänger,” a firm voice cut into the discussion and I turned in time to see the woman at the window who had been silent all along, turn around to face us, “how difficult can that be? As much as it is difficult for me to believe that someone like you looks like my precious daughter, we still need you.” She sighed heavily before she continued,

“Where exactly did you find this lowlife Paul? I doubt she would be able to fill Iris's shoes.” She added as she stared at me in disdain.

“Just let me handle this,” Paul said as he reached out to hold my shoulder, “I know this is too much for you to handle Ivy but we don’t have the luxury of time. Iris, my niece, was set to marry Alejandro Leone and she went missing a few days ago.”

“What does that have to do with me?” I asked, glancing around in confusion and panic.

“We need someone to marry Alejandro in her place, just for the meantime until she returns.”

“What?!”

“Just listen to me, we need this marriage to go through and your mother needs her medication. As soon as you agree and sign these papers, all your mother’s hospital bills will be paid and she will be placed in the VIP ward so she can have access to the best treatment money can buy.”

“I…I…” I had no idea what to say or think, especially now that he had mentioned the hospital bills.

“You know you can’t possibly come up with the money and her health is deteriorating fast, think before you give me a reply Ivy.” Paul probed further.

I was speechless as I stood there in front of these three strange people. How did I end up here?

“H-How can I trust you?”

“Just sign the papers and the part payment of the money you’ll be paid for this job will be deposited into your account. And as for the hospital, I’ll ask them to call you to confirm that every single bill has been settled and your mother has been upgraded.” Paul said.

“The clock is ticking.” The woman stated with a frown on her face.

I stared at their faces, my heart racing beyond control because I could tell there was something not right about this. But there was no denying the fact that Paul was right, I had just lost the highest-paying job and even if I didn’t, there was no way I could ever raise that money in time for her to get better.

I can’t let Mom die because I was too scared to take an opportunity.

What could be the worst that could happen in just getting married to someone in place of their daughter? They look rich so they should be able to find her as soon as possible so she can return to take her place and I’ll just walk away with the money.

It didn’t sound bad in my mind even though I was ignoring the alarm bells going off in my head.

“Six million dollars, as the initial deposit now and the remaining three after the job is done.” Paul highlighted and that was the last thing I needed to hear.

“And if I ever want to back down?” I inquired my thoughts all over the place.

“For your sake, I hope it never comes to that.” The strange man said as he handed over a pen to me, “Your time is up, sign now or the deal is off.”

I could barely think straight. I was so nervous that my palms were so sweaty and trembling lightly but I still managed to hold down the tip of the pen and scribble my signature where I needed to.

“Good. Now, you meet Alejandro.” Paul said, his eyes lit up with some sort of look that got me worried.

Did I make the right choice? Who was this Alejandro?

My phone buzzed in my pocket and as soon as I pulled it out, the notification of the money that had just dropped in my account popped up.

My mouth hung open in shock.

Six million dollars!!!

Who were these people and how the hell did they figure out everything about me so easily?