The drive back home is an awkward silence. I try to strike up a conversation with him, but I notice that the words refuse to form on my lips.
I turn my face to look at him and realize that his eyes are fixed on the road, his hands tight on the steering wheel, his face in a stoic mood like he’s thinking hard.
I brush off whatever thoughts are on my mind as I rest my back and relax, but I don’t know for how long.
Suddenly, I feel a movement around me, and I open my eyes to notice Logan trying to carry me inside. I wiggle out of his hold and realize that I have fallen asleep.
“Sorry, I wanted to help you up to your room since you had slept off,” he says awkwardly, looking at me.
“Thank you,” I say, stepping out of the car on my own. I have no intention of going inside; I just want to be left alone to think about everything right now.
I notice that my chest feels heavy with something I can’t quite point out like I have a feeling that something bad is going to happen.
Shaking my head, I make my way to the swimming pool area, grateful that he doesn’t try to follow me.
I sit down at the edge of the pool and dip my leg into the water, feeling its cold texture on my skin.
Then, I sense a movement around me and notice Kayla approaching with a tray of snacks and juice. I look at her confused. “I didn’t ask you to bring this,” I say.
“No, you didn’t,” she replies, “but Mr. West said I should bring it to you. He thought you might be hungry since you haven’t eaten since breakfast.”
A smile creeps up my face. It warms my heart to see him care like this, but I’m still conflicted about him, unsure if he truly feels love the way he claims.
“Thank you,” I say to Kayla, motioning her to drop the tray beside me.
“You’re welcome, Nadine,” she says and heads back to the house.
I look at the snack – it’s a meat pie, my favorite! How did he know? I think as I munch on the snack. It tastes divine.
I pour the juice into the cup on the tray and am close to finishing my drink when I feel a shadow hovering over me.
Who could this be? I think, turning my back to see Asher standing there. He flashes me a dashing smile, as usual, and makes his way to sit beside me. “Hi,” he says awkwardly.
“What’s up?” I say, motioning him to sit. He’s taken aback, not expecting me to welcome him. I need someone different from the people I’ve had around me.
“Thank you,” he says, bringing out his phone. “I have something to show you.”
“Okay,” I say, looking at him expectantly. He moves the phone closer to me and shows me a picture.
It’s a photo of a girl around five or six years old. I’m shocked as the picture stares back at me – it’s a younger version of me and Nathalie. I look between him and the picture, finally finding my voice after a moment of silence.
“Who is this person?” I ask.
“That’s my daughter, Lyvia,” he explains.
“When I saw you at the park, I saw an uncanny resemblance between you and my late daughter, and I couldn’t help but be drawn to you. And imagine my shock when I found out you’re married to my best friend.” He smiles, unaware of the truth.
I pick at my finger, intrigued. “Where is her mother, and why does she have my face?” I ask, curiosity getting the better of me.
“Nadine, it’s a puzzle I’ve been trying to piece together since I saw you,” he says, looking confused. “The more I try to fix the dots, the more confused I get.”
“What about her mother?” I ask, looking at him for an answer. He looks down, avoiding eye contact, but responds anyway.
“We had a one-night stand. She left the next day, and I couldn’t find her. But imagine my surprise when I found a baby on my doorstep a year or so later. My heart instantly went out to her, and I felt a strong connection. I took her in and cared for her as my own.”
“The memory of that one night with the stranger haunted me, and I wondered if it was connected to the baby. So, I ran a DNA test and confirmed she’s my flesh and blood.”
I want to comfort him, but I’m cautious, aware of his close relationship with Logan.
“Who would abandon a baby on someone’s doorstep? That person must be heartless,” I say.
Asher’s expression turns conflicted, and he hesitates before speaking. “I… I didn’t find out about the baby’s mother.” He shakes his head and stands up, and I rise to my feet as well, wondering why he’s being evasive.
“What is it? Please, talk to me. I need answers,” I urge him, my mind racing with thoughts.
“Seeing that little girl who looks so much like me raises questions. Could I have a child I’m not aware of?”
I chide myself for even thinking about it. “How could I have a child and not know I was pregnant or gave birth?”
I shake my head, dismissing the idea. “It couldn’t be Nathalie; she was never pregnant.” I turn to Asher, seeking answers. “Who is she?” I ask again, but he remains silent, lost in thought.
Finally, he speaks up, “I’ve been searching for Lyvia’s birth mother for years, but I couldn’t find her. It was one of Livia’s wishes to meet her mother before she passed away, but I failed to fulfill that wish.”
My heart goes out to him and the poor child who longed for her mother’s warmth but never got it. The fact that she was my doppelganger adds an unsettling feeling.
“How far have you searched for her?” I ask.
Asher’s eyes lock onto mine. “While Lyvia was on her deathbed, I hired a private investigator to help me search for her mother.”
He pauses, looking at me for a while before staring into space.
This suspense is killing me. “So, what did the private investigator find out?” I ask, my patience wearing thin.
“He told me that she is Isabelle Russ,” Asher says, his eyes still distant. “She lives far away in California. She was taken away from her real parents at birth due to some family dynamics, and her family didn’t look for her after she was taken away. This made her want to take revenge on her family.”
I process everything he’s said. “Isabelle Russ has an uncanny resemblance to me,” I think aloud, and Asher asks, “Are you a twin?”
I look at him, feeling nervous suddenly, not liking where this conversation is heading. “Yes, I am,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. “My twin sister is Nathalie.”
“You’re not twins, but triplets,” Asher drops the bombshell on me without flinching. “Isabella is your sister, and she was taken away from your parents at birth.”
I’m stunned, my lips stuck together, unable to form a coherent sentence. I stutter, trying to process this revelation. “I… I… I…” I try to calm my nerves with a deep breath, but my emotions are running high, and I struggle to comprehend how I’m feeling.
I start hyperventilating, gasping for air, as Asher’s concerned eyes hover over me. “Nadine, are you alright?” I hear him say, his voice distant, as if in a fog.
The next thing I hear is a scream tearing from
Asher’s lungs. “Logan!” he yells, and that’s the last thing I hear before everything goes dark.