Nathan's POVElvis stopped the car, turned back, and stared at me. “You ain't fucking serious?” He asked, puzzled by my idea. “I am dead serious. I don't trust that woman to give me such information just for nothing,” I said, with my hands setting my shirt collar. “Isn't she in her mid-forties?” Elvis asked. “Yep, and you're asking because?” Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.Elvis smiled and turned to face the steering. In one twist of the key, the car's engine came to life and we rode out of there. “Because I might know someone. He's young, a rascal. In his early thirties, handsome and the perfect clip for Lucinda.”When I got home, it was already late. Rayne, Leo, and Janet were asleep in the living room, embraced in a hug. They must have been awake waiting for me. I threw my phone on the one-piece settee opposite the one Rayne and the kids slept on. I felt relief and happiness watching them before I carried Leo in my arms, walked to his room, and tugged him into his bed. I went b
Alex’s POVAfter Nathan went home, I couldn't focus on the rest of the day's work correctly. My mind drove back to Nathan's word about my twin. It was a lot to handle and I was happy I had an extra family, but it was hard to hold the excitement in. I had a twin sister, and she was married. I was off in the clouds thinking to myself when suddenly I heard the open doorbell alarm go "ding dong" signaling another customer walking through.Smiling awkwardly, I said in a hurry. “Hello, welcome. Come in.” to a plus-sized man who was carrying what was most likely a restless pitbull. "Hey there, you're here for the....” I said calmly to the dog. The man was quite annoyed and his dog restless. “This fucking dog is pissing me off so much! She hasn't stopped whining and panting.” He complained. Still, I did my best to keep it professional. "Let's take a look at her,” I said. “Can you put her on the table?"The owner became increasingly impatient with the dog. His voice raised as he instructed
Alex's POV“Take it as a gift from a son to his mother. Besides, your cat is in good condition and you just brought me a delicious lunch. I have been starving,” I said, returning her money to her palm. Mrs. Rosalinda smiled and patted my head.We laughed and she made jokes about her siblings still stealing her stuff even at their age before she left.With a smile, I pulled the flask of food out of the shopping bag, Mrs. Rosalinda had packed my lunch. I took out the strawberry drink she kept, smiling like a child. I knew it was her daughter's doing. We had met some months ago at the park with our parents. For an Italian family, they loved spicy food. It was tasty but my eyes were always teary when I was done eating. I was fighting for my life when I finished my meal of spicy chicken pasta and strawberry juice. For some weird reason, I had started to get addicted to spicy food. The rest of the day went by with new customers, some were nice, and others dramatic. I handled them all pro
Alex's POV“Alex, sweetie. Tell your dad, breakfast is ready!” Mom yelled from the dining room as I walked down the stairs. “Mom, you don't have to yell. We aren't fine,” I joked, laughing as she shooed me with the spatula. A few minutes later, we sat at the breakfast table eating scrambled eggs and toast with sandwiches dressed in honey. It was quiet until Dad, the comedian, as always decided to bring up the topic of marriage and grandkids. “Hey, Alex,” he called. I raised my eyebrow watching him. “Yes, Dad,” I answered. He gave me a serious look and I prepared for his new round of preaching. “When are you bringing your girlfriend over? A nice girl to make your wife and give us grandkids. Your mom and I aren't getting any younger.”I rolled my eyes, laughing as I looked at him. “Dad, not again. I told you I'm not ready yet. I'm still focused on work and...”“And be a loner for the rest of your life. When was the last time you ever brought a girl or dated someone? Son, talk to m
Alex's POV“When do I get to see him?” I asked.“Today. He's not been exactly calm since he found out.” Nathan spoke. “Neither have I. What's he like?” I asked calmly. My curiosity beat at me despite my growing anxiety. Nathan answered. “You'll get to see for yourself, but know he's a complete reflection of you. Except the crazy old man stuff.” I laughed and the call ended. I sat there, thoughtless, staring at my phone. I let out the breath I had been holding in. The rest of my working hours were filled with a few customers with some complaints and questions about their pets. My mind was elsewhere thinking about how my biological father would take me. The last customer for the day had just left and I began disposing of the syringes and hand gloves I used. The door slightly creaked open and the sounds of right footsteps followed. I raised my head from the register I was looking at and saw Nathan standing in the doorway. His face slowly gave way to a warm smile and my heart beat fa
Rayne's POVI sat at my desk, staring at the stacks of files and my open laptop on the table as I sipped my coffee. It was somewhat sweeter than usual. I wondered why Lucinda had been quiet for a couple of days. Nathan was right to ignore her but that didn't help my curious mind. It was unlike her to be quiet. Zia took after her in that aspect.I was just about to dive back into my work when Jessica walked in. “Good morning, Jessie,” I greeted. She responded. “Morning, Rayne. Have you seen the news?” She looked concerned. I raised an eyebrow. “What news?”“The one that's all over the Internet,” Jessica replies, her voice firm. “Oh lord, Don't tell me you don't know Zia has been released from prison and sent to a psychiatric hospital. She's going to finish her sentence there. She was found medically unstable as in nuts. Not like she wasn't crazy when she was in her right mind.”I felt like I heard a bomb drop in my ears. What in the world was u hearing? I quickly opened my laptop and
Rayne's POV“Nathan, Zia's out of prison. She got an appeal and somehow proved her insanity," I complained.“I know. I found out this morning. But that doesn't seem to be the only thing on your mind. What is it?” Nathan said, pulling back as his eyes locked onto mine. I took a deep breath and let it out. “I got a text just after I saw the news. It said the first strike. It was an unknown number and it called me but I was too frightened to pick up. First, Zia gets out and I know she's not smart to do this plus she is at the hospital.” “You think it's Lucinda?” Nathan asked calmly. “I don't know who to blame right now. Have you checked the CCTV footage?” I asked, hoping to find some answers. Nathan answered just immediately as if he was expecting me to ask the questions. “My men are working on it now.” Jack walked in at that moment. “We could find any suspicious activity or persons on the camera. The main circuit seemed to have been tampered with. I am guessing the footage was dele
Make UpRayne's POV“Hello, sister,” Alex spoke softly as our eyes locked onto each other. “Excuse me? What did you just call me?” I asked puzzled. Did he just call me his sister? What was going on here? At that moment, the world stood still. Alex's words hung in the air as I stood frozen.“Sister. You're my sister.” Alex spoke softly. I stepped backward looking him up and down as if he was drunk. “Alex, I think you have the wrong person. Did you hear your head?” I asked with worry etched on my face. Alex walked forward, his hands outstretched to me trying to pacify me. “Rayne, I know this might come off somewhat crazy but I'm your brother. Your twin brother.”“Yo…your twin? What the heck? How's this even possible? I…I should have known. Dad should have known,” I stuttered.Alex hesitated then moved slowly to me unsure of how to proceed. “I…I just found out. It's been a few days. Nathan told me. He brought the test and..”“Nathan told you. Test results?” I asked startled. I eyed h
Nathan's POVMy heart raced wildly as I ran up the stairs with Jack and Alex behind me. We reached the rooftop, and my heart sank as my worst fears were confirmed. A lady lay unconscious on the floor and I walked slowly to the body scared it was Rayne but it was Pamela. I felt bad but hoped she was still alive. I looked up to see a masked figure dressed in a black suit pointing a gun at someone. My heart skipped a beat when I saw Rayne shivering with fear at the gun pointed at her. “Hey, let her go!” I shouted, finally getting the attention of the masked person. The figure looked at me and back at Rayne and slowly removed its mask revealing a long hair flying with the wind. It was Zia. She had a wicked grin and spoke with a sinister tone. “Oh, my darling. You're just in time to witness the end of…this bitch.”I walked cautiously to her so as not to make her shoot. “How did you get in here?” I asked.Zia chuckled and answered calmly. “You're not the only one with spies, Nathan. I've
Rayne's POVI pulled up to Rayne's house, my second home. Nathan and I were getting off on the good side. He was never that bad if I was being honest. I was just jealous. It was now a habit to spend the weekend with my biological family. Many times Dad had asked me to come stay with them but I couldn't abandon my adoptive parents and he understood.I planned on taking Rayne on a sibling date. I was going to live up to my big brother's expectations since we both missed growing up in each other's lives. Her kids were my kids and I couldn't have enough of them. I had a little chat with our father while Rayne dressed upstairs in her room. When she came down dressed in a lovely casual top and jeans with a baseball cap, I cheered because we had unknowingly worn the same thing.Janet crawled up to me, and she lifted her body making an attempt to stand but her feet wobbled and she fell but I caught her in time. She giggled and raised her hands up for me to carry her. Nathan came by and after
Zia’s POVI didn't say much and let Lucinda do her stuff. She presented the paperwork from the court to the head officer and I was free to go. Nothing felt better than leaving the mental hospital. It was a breath of fresh air. I had all sorts of emotions come to me. It was a mix of relief, anxiety, and uncertainty. Lucinda let me into her car and flashed me a sly smile. “Get in,” she said with an up tone. “We can catch on what we have missed on the way. I want to know everything.” I scoffed and entered the vehicle. “You wish, old witch as if I would ever tell her anything. Like I would ever tell you anything. You deserve nothing but total hatred from me,” I thought, faking a smile at her. She drove as I sat in the car and the image of the mental hospital gates getting distant made me want to fly to the moon. I didn't trust her so I let the questions fly around to be sure. “How did you know I was locked up in an asylum?” I asked, my eyes fixed on her body movements to detect if sh
Zia’s POVMy body grew numb as I lay in the cold room. My mind became foggy as I Lost my sense of time. I hoped Sarah was able to make it far away. She could always find a way to help me but how she would go about it bothered me. My teeth chattered uncontrollably and I couldn't feel my fingers or toes. White smokey gas came out of my nose and mouth anytime I breathed out in my vain effort to warm myself. I clutched down to the side of the room, with my hands folded across my knee.I was about to give up and pray for death so I could end it all, but the door creaked open and a worker stepped in. I raised my head and he looked at me with disgust. There was no hint of flinch of pity in his eyes. “Well, well, well. Look at what we have here,” he said, mocking my situation. “If it isn't the little troublemaker? How do you feel? Do you want to escape or perhaps you want to create another show?”I shivered and tried to maintain eye contact. Every time I tried to speak, my mouth felt dry and
Zia’s POVSarah and I exchanged looks and began laughing. When we were tired of laughing, we started working. I began brushing the dust and dirt away while Sarah mopped the room. We worked for nearly two hours and the room was almost completely clean. I wiped the sweat on my forehead with the back of my hand. We rested a bit as we finished the work. Sarah lay beside me panting. I whispered to her. “What do you say about getting the hell out of here?”“You don't mean..?” Sarah whispered back, her gaze still fixed on the ceiling. “Yeah, leave her for good,” I answered. “How are we supposed to do that? The hospital thinks we are crazy and it would take a long time to convince them that we are sane enough to be discharged, we came here because of a crime,” Sarah replied. “I wasn't talking about convincing anymore. And for all I know, I am pretty sure they can tell we aren't crazy. We have to escape,” I said confidently.Sarah shivered and sat up immediately to think. “That would be
Zia’s POVI stood from my seat and approached her slowly with caution. The ranting and noisy chatter from the other patients didn't stop me. I got to her table and carefully sat on the opposite seat so as not to aggravate her in case I was wrong. “Hi,” I said, smiling. I looked around to make sure none of the nurses, doctors or any officials were watching. “I'm Zia,” I said, giving her my hand for a polite handshake. She looked at me with a hint of curiosity then at my free hand and she slowly let out her hand and shook mine. “Hey, I'm Sarah and I am not crazy.” She said calmly but in a happy voice. “Glad to see someone else has their head right. I was worried you would…” I said, but was unable to finish the words, afraid it would come off as offensive to her. “Koo Koo. Nuts missing and screws flying. Nah, I'm fine. I just act along sometimes so I get to be left alone and not poked with annoying needles all the time,” she explained. She was a chatty one and I liked that. I needed
Zia’s POVThe prison room was cold as I was alone in my room. I glanced at the toilet from my small bed. The bed was only large enough to carry only me. I felt devastated, angry at Rayne but pity for myself. How did I move from the queen of the business world to this? And Elliot? That bastard had betrayed me. I had betrayed him first but it still didn't give him the right to leave me like this.I had spent a month in this disgusting cell, the prison room was neat and I was lucky for someone to pay for me to stay alone after a week of torture and bruising from the other prison mates. I had begged the warden for a phone call to call my Dad, Rayne's father but he didn't respond to any of my calls. Maybe, it was Dad but I was moved to the upper-class prison cells where I could stay alone and not have to worry about fighting for where to sleep with five roommates for the night or being woken up with kicks. The inmates were cruel and I was subjected to slavery. I began to feel how my maid
Make UpRayne's POV“Hello, sister,” Alex spoke softly as our eyes locked onto each other. “Excuse me? What did you just call me?” I asked puzzled. Did he just call me his sister? What was going on here? At that moment, the world stood still. Alex's words hung in the air as I stood frozen.“Sister. You're my sister.” Alex spoke softly. I stepped backward looking him up and down as if he was drunk. “Alex, I think you have the wrong person. Did you hear your head?” I asked with worry etched on my face. Alex walked forward, his hands outstretched to me trying to pacify me. “Rayne, I know this might come off somewhat crazy but I'm your brother. Your twin brother.”“Yo…your twin? What the heck? How's this even possible? I…I should have known. Dad should have known,” I stuttered.Alex hesitated then moved slowly to me unsure of how to proceed. “I…I just found out. It's been a few days. Nathan told me. He brought the test and..”“Nathan told you. Test results?” I asked startled. I eyed h
Rayne's POV“Nathan, Zia's out of prison. She got an appeal and somehow proved her insanity," I complained.“I know. I found out this morning. But that doesn't seem to be the only thing on your mind. What is it?” Nathan said, pulling back as his eyes locked onto mine. I took a deep breath and let it out. “I got a text just after I saw the news. It said the first strike. It was an unknown number and it called me but I was too frightened to pick up. First, Zia gets out and I know she's not smart to do this plus she is at the hospital.” “You think it's Lucinda?” Nathan asked calmly. “I don't know who to blame right now. Have you checked the CCTV footage?” I asked, hoping to find some answers. Nathan answered just immediately as if he was expecting me to ask the questions. “My men are working on it now.” Jack walked in at that moment. “We could find any suspicious activity or persons on the camera. The main circuit seemed to have been tampered with. I am guessing the footage was dele