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Chapter 1

Leilani Hades

"Mom, please help me. I need to save nana," I fell to my knees, begging Mom with tears in my eyes.

"I can't let her die," I shook my head, whimpering.

"Why should I give you money to save Felicia, Leilani? Stop trying so hard. She's already old. She's going to die, anyway," Mom looked at me with that usual expression disgust and hatred as she stated casually.

'Why does she hate me so much?' This is the question I've been asking myself for years but didn't have an answer to. I would've sworn she adopted me if not that we had striking resemblance.

"Why don't you stop being pathetic because of that old hag, Leilani? I'm disappointed in you," Lyra, my twin sister rolled her eyes, crossing her legs. She was sitting on the couch with Mom.

This old hag she was referring to was the only family I had. The only one who ever cared about me. The only one who never bullied or looked down on me when my biological family did. How could I Iet her die on that hospital bed? How could I let her go after everything she had done for me. If this was the little thing I could do to pay her back for bringing me up with love, I should do whatever it was going to cost me, right?

I tugged on Mom's leg as I crawled to her, whimpering and hoping she would just listen to me.

"Mom please just do me this favor... Just this once, please," I pleaded with her. It was the first time in my entire life that I would ask her for a favor. She should at least do it, right?

She pushed me away roughly, throwing me a disdainful glare as she snarled. "I told you not to ever touch me, you wench!" She cursed at me hatefully, but I didn't have time to be hurt by her words and action. The only thing I was concerned about, was to get the money from her and save my nanny.

"I will help you," Lyra said out of the blue moon, getting my attention as I turned to her. I was filled with new hope.

"What! You are going to give her the money?" Mom turned to her, scowling to her statement.

"Relax, Mom. Let me handle this," Lyra smiled at Mom before turning to me, and said. "I have a condition though,"

"Wh... what's the condition? I will do anything," My voice shook as I replied to her.

She leaned in close to Mom and whispered something to her ear, and a smirk laced up Mom's face as she slowly nodded. At that moment, I knew that they were up to something. Something not good, but I was willing to do anything just to save that woman. It didn't matter what she asks me to do, so long she'll give me the money.

Lyra then turned to me, tucking her hair away before she began. "I'm sure you know Jaxon Grant, right?"

"Ye...yes, I do," I nodded. Jaxon Grant was rumoured to be the son of the Grant's late butler who was later adopted by Mr. Grant after the death of his father when he was just eight. He was Lyra's boyfriend of six months, and they were going to get married in five days.

"I will give you the money, if you will marry Jaxon in my place,"

My jaw dropped to the ground, and I froze on the spot, staring at her blankly as I batted my eyelashes.

"Hu... Huh?"

"Come on, Leilani. That shouldn't be too difficult to do, is it?" Mom leaned forward and continued. "Why should your sister marry a mere adopted child? A mere dog of the Grant's? He is not even the heir of the family," Mom looked me straight in the eyes with no remorse.

"This shouldn't be too much to do for your beloved nanny, right?" Mom emphasized on 'nanny', and I swallowed nothing. That explained it all. Lyra was breaking up with her boyfriend because he was an adopted son and she was probably scared he wouldn't get any inheritance since Mr. Grant has a biological son.

"Besides, you two are a match for eachother, so there shouldn't be any big deal about that..." She paused, then looked over to her beloved daughter and smiled. "Right, darling?"

"You are right, Mom," Lyra nodded affirmatively.

Fresh tears balled in my eyes and dropped to the ground as I lowered my head.

I grew up in a home where I was nothing but my twin sister's shadow. Lyra was the favourite child. She would always get whatever she wanted right from when we were little, and there was me, who was never loved nor cared for. I was born with a silver spoon, yet lived a life of a nobody. We might not be among the wealthiest family in Las Vegas, but we were living just fine. While Lyra would get things even without asking for them, I had to work part-time jobs just so I could provide for myself.

'Stay inside the room. You are going to embarrass your sister if anyone gets to see you' Mom would always make sure she locked me indoor each time they had guests and during events. To the universe, there was only Lyra. No one knew of my existence aside from nanny Felicia, our then nanny who later got sacked for being nice to me.

Who knows, maybe my Dad would've been on my side if he was alive. At least he was nice to me before he passed away thirteen years ago when we were just ten.

If Lyra and I were not identical twins, I would've attributed Mom's hatred to my face, but that was not the case. She just hated me for no reason, or maybe there might be a hidden reason which I had no idea about.

"So, are you going to do it?" Lyra's voice brought me back to reality, and I clenched my jaw tightly. There was no way I could get this money if I don't do what they wanted, but marrying someone in her place. Isn't that too much?

"Mom, please don't let me do this," I cried to Mom though I knew she would never listen to me.

"If you can't do it, just let her die, Leilani. It's that simple," Mom shrugged, rolling her eyes.

Never! I will never allow her to die.

"I will do it... I will marry Jaxon Grant,"

"Good... I have a condition," Lyra came again with her condition shit, and I listened to her. Not that anything could be worse than what she was asking me to do.

"You can't tell him you are not me until after the wedding is over," She stated, and I glared at her before nodding.

"Good. We have a deal then," She smiled, leaning against the couch...