“Stop staring at your phone. It won’t fix anything,” Lilly muttered, her tone sharper than she intended.Ray glanced at her briefly but said nothing, his eyes returning to the glowing screen in his hand.Lilly folded her arms and leaned against the counter. It had been two days since she resurfaced—two days since Lia disappeared somewhere deep in her mind, leaving behind more questions than answers. She hoped Lia was still in there, somewhere, because she had too much to ask, too much she needed to understand.But that wasn’t the immediate problem. Right now, the internet was ablaze with their lives. A whirlwind of headlines and vitriol had erupted like wildfire.“Trouble in paradise? The marriage was all a pretense!”“Not true love after all—just a business deal?”“Liliana and Ray: A marriage for profit, not passion.”Her phone had been pinging non-stop, her social media feeds flooded with venom.“I knew it was too good to be true!” one comment read.“What a joke! All these rich peop
“Actually, boss, when I was on my way here to see you, I received—” Chloe began, but her words faltered when Lilly abruptly waved her hand, signaling her to stop.The motion was quick, almost imperious, but it was the look in Lilly’s eyes that stunned Chloe into silence. For a fleeting moment, it felt as though her boss wasn’t just looking at her—she was looking through her, like she could see into her very soul.“If you’re here about the headlines,” Lilly said sharply, her tone colder than Chloe had expected, “forget it. I have it under control.”Chloe hesitated, glancing at Jerry before responding cautiously. “Boss, if this isn’t handled soon, it could affect—”“I said leave it!” Lilly’s voice cracked like a whip, cutting Chloe off mid-sentence.The sudden outburst startled everyone in the room. Jerry, who had been lounging against a nearby wall, straightened abruptly, his easygoing smirk vanishing. He stared at his sister-in-law in stunned silence. Lilly Manchester—the Ice Queen—ne
Chloe hesitated, studying Lilly’s face for any sign of deception, but her boss’s expression remained carefully neutral. Lilly’s mind raced. It’s impossible. The woman who had raised her, who had once been the epitome of love and devotion, couldn’t be behind this. Her mother had loved her children too much to harm them—at least, that was the narrative Lilly had clung to all these years. But doubt crept in, unwelcome and insidious. Her mother had abandoned Liliana. She had walked away, leaving her to fend for herself in a world that had only sharpened its claws after her departure. Could that same woman—the one who had once held her close and whispered promises of love—really be capable of something so monstrous? Well she hid the fact the she had a twin sister who are even older than each other, how do you explain that shit. Lilly’s chest tightened, but she forced herself to stay composed. “If there’s even the faintest connection to her,” she said finally, her voice steady but devo
“Young master! Young master!” The maid’s panicked voice echoed as she banged on the study door.Ray’s heart clenched. Something was wrong. Something was wrong with Lilly. Without hesitation, he bolted out of the study, leaving Jerry standing in stunned silence.“Ray!” Jerry called, but his brother didn’t stop, his footsteps echoing down the hallway as he took the stairs two at a time. Jerry cursed under his breath and followed, his mind racing. For Ray to react like this, it had to be serious—life-threatening even.By the time Jerry reached the bottom of the stairs, Ray had already disappeared toward the visitor’s bathroom after hair Lilly voice or rather her vomiting sound from the bathroom.Ray pushed the bathroom door open to find Lilly on her knees, hunched over the toilet, her body trembling as she retched. The sound of her dry heaving tore through him like a knife. He rushed to her side, his worry etched across his face.“Wifey,” he said softly, kneeling beside her and placing a
Jerry burst into laughter again, shaking his head. “Unreal. You’ve officially become the most whipped man on the planet.”Damon groaned, closing his medical bag. “Look, I’m going back to my day off. Don’t call me again unless it’s real—and no, Ray, throwing up is not real.”Ray ignored him, sitting back beside Lilly and holding her hand. “Thank you for coming, Damon.”Damon sighed as he walked toward the door. “You’re impossible, man. But whatever. Call me if you need anything real, okay?”Ray nodded solemnly. “I will.”Jerry waited until Damon was gone before smirking again. “You really think the baby heard all that?”Ray didn’t respond. Instead, he leaned down to press a soft kiss to Lilly’s forehead. The quiet moment spoke volumes, his actions more eloquent than any words could be.Lilly, pale and still recovering, had been silently observing the entire exchange, her expression unreadable. She remained quiet, as if the chaos of the past few moments had nothing to do with her.Jerry
Ray’s grip on the phone tightened. “Why, Grandpa? Why are you suddenly interested in me going to a ball with Ana?”There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before his grandfather said, “If you go tonight, keep Ana company, and ensure she enjoys herself, I’ll back off.”Ray sat up straighter, careful not to disturb Lilly, who stirred slightly but didn’t wake. “Back off from what?” he asked, his voice edged with suspicion.“From trying to sabotage your little… arrangement with your wife,” his grandfather said, the faintest hint of disdain coloring his tone. “You know I’ve never approved of her.”Ray’s eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching. “So you admit it. The stolen product, the whispers in the industry—that was you?”His grandfather chuckled, the sound low and almost amused. “Of course, it was me. Did you think I wouldn’t act when I saw you throwing away everything I built for a woman? But…” He sighed dramatically. “I’m tired of the back and forth, Raymond. Do this for me, and
Ray pulled Lilly closer into his arms, his fingers gently stroking her hair in slow, soothing motions. She could feel his heart beating steadily against her cheek, but there was an edge of tension beneath it—a tension she could feel in the way his other hand rubbed the back of his neck.Something was off.Lilly breathed him in, grounding herself after the nightmare that had shaken her to her core. She’d found a strange kind of comfort in his scent lately, but tonight, that calm was tainted with unease. He was holding her a little too tight, his movements a little too deliberate. Whatever was bothering him, it wasn’t just a small matter.Finally, Ray stopped his restless fidgeting, cleared his throat, and said, “So, uh… Grandpa called.”Lilly arched a brow, her voice soft but wary. “Oh?”“Yeah.” Ray hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor. It was something he did when he felt guilty, and Lilly immediately picked up on it. “He wants me to attend this… uh… ball tonight.”Lilly tilted h
The grand ballroom of the Montague Hotel sparkled with opulence. Crystal chandeliers bathed the space in warm light, while elegant guests mingled, their laughter mingling with the soft strains of a string quartet. Ray adjusted the cuffs of his tailored tuxedo, his expression calm but his mind unsettled.He hadn’t told Lilly he was attending the ball. After their heated exchange, she had fallen asleep, her exhaustion from the nightmare and their argument overtaking her. Ray hated the thought of lying—or, more accurately, omitting the truth—but his grandfather’s ultimatum had left him little choice.The moment he arrived, Ray regretted his decision.“Ana!”The high-pitched call of her name caught his attention as a tall, statuesque brunette entered the room. Ana Robins looked every inch the socialite in her figure-hugging, emerald-green gown. Her hair cascaded down her back in waves, and her lips curled into a smile that was equal parts charm and cunning.Her eyes locked onto Ray instan
James’ patience was hanging by a thread.“Woman, have you lost your senses?!” His voice echoed through the room, laced with sharp disbelief. “Or are you seeing things that aren’t there? Who the hell is this Master you keep calling me?”James looked at her like some lunatic, what up with her?Matilda’s breath hitched. The moment the words left his mouth, it felt like ice water had been thrown on her.James took a step forward, staring at her as if she were a stranger. “I don’t remember promising you any of those things. What are you even talking about?” His fingers curled into a fist at his side. “Matilda, I swear, if you’ve gone crazy, now is not the time for it.” What does she has do be a bitch when not needed.For a moment, Matilda only stared at him, disoriented. The pounding in her head grew worse. The name had slipped out so easily, so naturally—had she really lost herself that much?James exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. “What happened to my wife? The woman who loved me? Wh
“They would have what?” Ellen cut in smoothly, arching a brow. “Fought for you? Demanded your freedom?” She tilted her head. “Then why haven’t they?”Helena’s throat felt dry.Ellen sighed again, shaking her head. “Sweetheart, you need to understand… They’re done. They don’t know what to do with you anymore. You’re a problem they can’t solve, a burden they’d rather not carry.”Helena’s nails dug into her palms.No.That’s not true.But hadn’t she already asked herself the same questions? Hadn’t she felt that quiet, suffocating doubt creeping in every time another day passed without a visit?Ellen watched her, eyes glinting with satisfaction as the walls of Helena’s resolve began to crack.“You know I’m telling the truth, don’t you?” she murmured, reaching out to trail a finger along Helena’s jaw. “They left you to me, Helena. Because I’m the only one who truly knows what’s best for you.”Helena clenched her teeth, shaking her head. “That’s not—”Ellen gripped her chin firmly, forcing
Helena stretched her arms above her head, a lazy smile tugging at her lips. The realization that she was finally going home filled her with relief, but there was something else—something unsettling. A weight in her chest that she couldn’t quite place. Over the past week, she had rediscovered herself in ways she never thought possible. Ellen had opened doors she never dared to approach before, and now… could she really just walk away?The thought of returning to her old life—where she was ignored, treated like a fragile inconvenience—made her stomach churn. Here, in this confined space, she had felt something new. Something exhilarating. Something dangerous. And if to be sincere she has never noticed that her parent treated her in such manner, this is all thanks to Ellen opening her eye and making her see the reality of things.I shouldn’t feel this way, she told herself. Ellen kept me locked up. She took my choices away.And yet… hadn’t she also given her something no one else ever h
The search was relentless.Every street. Every alley. Every backroad and hidden passageway in the city.Nothing.It was as if Lilly had disappeared into thin air.Ray stood at the edge of an empty intersection, his hands clenched into fists. His chest rose and fell in heavy, ragged breaths.Five hours.Five agonizing, tormenting hours.No leads. No clues. No sign of her.Ray pressed his fingers against his temple, trying to stop the pounding headache threatening to split his skull.His mind raced with worst-case scenarios.What if she was hurt?What if she crashed?What if someone else found her before they did?His heart clenched painfully. No. No, she’s strong. She’s smart. She wouldn’t let anything happen to herself or the baby.But then again…Lilly was in control.And Lilly was reckless.Goddamn it, Lilly. Where the hell are you?Just as Ray was on the verge of losing his mind, his phone rang.Jerry.Ray snatched it up so fast, he nearly dropped it.“Tell me you found something,”
Ray’s heart dropped the moment he saw her.Lilly stood beside the car, her back to him, her hands clenched at her sides. The trunk was still open. And inside—An unknown stranger that he couldn’t recognize but he wasn’t seeing his face properly.Ray felt his breath hitch.What the hell am I looking at?“LILLY!”His voice cut through the eerie silence of the empty road, but the second Lilly—or rather, Lia—heard him, her body stiffened.Then—she bolted.Straight for the driver’s seat.Ray’s eyes widened in pure disbelief.“LILLY, STOP!”He ran.His feet pounded against the pavement, the rush of adrenaline surging through him like wildfire. Too fast. Too reckless.He barely made it to the car before the door slammed shut.She was leaving.Ray banged on the window, his voice desperate. “Lilly, don’t do this! Open the door!”But she didn’t.Her hands trembled on the wheel. Her breathing was uneven.And then—she floored it.The tires screeched as the car lurched forward.Ray barely jumped ba
David had felt fear before. He had studied it, manipulated it, made it his weapon. He had seen it in countless eyes—victims, test subjects, even his own colleagues when they realized what he was truly capable of.But this?This was different.A moment ago, she had been trembling. The fear had been thick, suffocating. It had been delicious.But now—Now, the woman standing before him was nothing like the fragile thing he had expected.Her eyes burned with something primal. Something wrong.The bloodlust radiated off her in waves, curling around her like a living entity. Her lips were curled, not in fear, not in pain, but in something far, far worse.Rage.David had always considered himself the puppeteer. He pulled the strings. He dictated emotions, controlled his creations.But the thing before him?She was not under his control.And she knew it.Lia’s lips parted, her voice a whisper—low, sultry, dripping with a wicked amusement that sent a shiver down his spine.“Come on.”David’s b
Lilly’s pulse thundered in her ears. The hand on her shoulder felt heavier than it should, as if it carried the weight of something beyond the physical. She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think.Lia.Nothing.Lia! she screamed internally, panic lacing every syllable.Silence stretched.Then, finally—“He’s the master. The psycho scientist.”Lia’s voice was barely above a whisper, but it carried the weight of something dark.Lilly’s stomach twisted. Master?She swallowed hard, her gaze locking onto the man before her.His face. His eyes. His presence.Recognition slammed into her like a train wreck.David Deluca. The name Evelyn uttered earlier.A name she had only heard in hushed tones, wrapped in secrecy and fear.The man who played god with human lives.The scientist who had turned bodies into experiments. Who had engineered horrors beyond comprehension.Lilliana’s nightmare.Who had, in some way, been connected to everything.Her lips parted, her breath shallow. “You—”David smiled. A
Ray flinched.Lilly blinked.Evelyn wiped at her tears, but even she looked taken aback by the question.Mitchell wasn’t done.She pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering under her breath before shaking her head. “No, no. Let me get this straight.” She turned fully toward Lilly now, eyes narrowed in confusion. “You died. Then you woke up in another body. But that body also belongs to you because it was your twin’s. So technically, you’re alive.”Lilly hesitated before giving a small nod.Mitchell’s eye twitched.“So then…” she exhaled sharply, rubbing at her temples. “Does that mean my grandchild is going to come from a dead woman? Or a half-dead woman? Or… wait, are you dead or alive?”Ray let out a slow, suffering breath.Lilly pressed her lips together tightly, but inside her mind, Lia lost it.“Oh my god, I told you she was funny!” Lia cackled.Lilly nearly choked trying to suppress a Lia. Her laugher was kind of annoying, does she know that she even in someone’s body damn it?M
Ray’s hands clenched into fists, his entire body thrumming with frustration. He didn’t care who was in the room or what anyone else had to say—he needed answers. His voice, when it finally broke through the heavy silence, was sharp, demanding.“I get that she has a story to tell. Everyone has a damn story to tell.” His eyes burned into Evelyn before flickering toward Lilly, searching, pleading. “She’s been through hell, I get that. But my concern—no, my main concern—at this very moment is this: How the hell is this even possible? How is my wife claiming to be her own twin?” His voice cracked slightly, but he pushed forward.“Because it’s obvious, isn’t it? Her twin was Lilly.” He turned to Mitchell, as if waiting for her to confirm the obvious truth. “And the woman I knew, the woman I fell in love with, the woman I married—” His voice softened, almost breaking. “She was Liliana Anderson.”His gaze swung back to Lilly, a storm raging behind his eyes. “So how is this possible?” He took