POV: Victoria
He kept mute and just stared at me, his hands holding mine on the table. He didn’t need to say too much, his silence and action were enough evidence that he meant what he was saying to me. He doesn’t look too good either, I could tell that he feels hurt. He doesn’t want to hurt me, but he has no choice.
“I don’t understand,” I whispered to him, my voice trembling.
“How can I be your sister, Marisol?
I’ve lived my whole life as Victoria, and I have a family. I have a mom and a dad, I even have a sister. Eloise and Austin Kendall are my parents, not some kidnappers you are making them out to be. You need to stop saying these things about my family, I don’t want to lose our friendship, but I will walk away if you don’t stop right now.
If you think I’m your sister because I look like you, then what about Claire?!
Is she your sister too?
Well, news flash, pretty boy. Claire looks nothing like you, and she is my sister. So how do you explain that?” I asked him furiously, trying so hard to shake off his words and stop trying to make it make sense in my head. I kept shaking my head, trying to stop thinking about it. But no matter how I tried to shake it off, it just wouldn’t go away.
My mind kept coming up with different scenarios in my life that support his claim that I may be his sister. I thought of the time my father told me I was not his daughter and the last time that mom had begged him not to say anything to me. Even Claire had mentioned it when I went to get her from Dominic’s house. She didn’t quite say the words that I was not her sister, but she implied it. I don’t know if everyone has suddenly gone crazy, or am I the one who has been too stupid to read the handwriting on the wall?
“What is going on, why are you saying these things to me, are you all trying to drive me insane?” I yelled in frustration, my hand coming to my head as I held my head firmly before I went insane. Miguel reached across the table and gently squeezed my hand, smiling warmly at me.
“I know it’s a lot to take in, but the DNA test results don’t lie. You are my twin sister, Marisol. We were separated at birth, and I’ve been searching for you all these years. Your parents know the truth, even your billionaire boyfriend knows the damn truth. If you ask me, I think your boyfriend, Raphael, may have known the truth all along,” he told me sadly, looking so angry and solemn at the same time.
“The DNA test he conducted yesterday confirmed our relationship. He wouldn’t even consider running a DNA test if he wasn’t suspicious of your background. I don’t know why he hasn’t told you yet, I just don’t know what he is up to this time.” He told me firmly. I shook my head in disbelief, trying to stop the tears but failing miserably.
“But how is this possible?
My parents raised me, and they’ve never mentioned anything about a twin brother, not even once.” I let out to myself, thinking deeply within me. My mind raced with a thousand questions. Could Dad be saying the truth when he said that he is not my father?
If what Miguel said was true, then everything I thought I knew about my life was a lie. My whole life is a lie, it is even worse to know that the people around me that I care about, the people around me that claim to love and care about me know the truth, and yet they made me look like a fool and let me go on living a lie.
My heart ached for the family I had lost, the family I never got to meet all my life. It hurts to think that all these years have passed and I never got to meet my real family. I couldn’t help but wonder what my life would have been like if I had grown up with Miguel and our mother. He looks like a good man and I’m sure he would be a good brother to me if we had grown up together.
“I need some time to process all of this,” I let out with a sad smile, wiping away my tears.
“It’s just… it’s a lot to take in.” I added, smiling sadly. I want to yell and scream at the top of my lungs, I want to run back home and yell and scream at everyone, especially Mom. But the thought of living by his side made me stay back. I feel this is a dream and the moment I leave here, Miguel would disappear and I would realize that he was never here. These stories of a perfect brother and a new family are just my body’s way of making me forget my problems.
“Marisol, huh?” I murmured to myself, smiling sadly as the tears started pouring once more.
“That’s your real name, you were named after our grandmother. Mom told me how much Grandma Mari loves and adores you she couldn’t bear it when you went missing and she passed away when everyone gave up on ever finding you again. We never stopped looking for you, we never gave up, even after Grandma Mari’s death. You were loved unconditionally, even in your absence.
I for one, I never stopped believing that I would find you. Mom believed in me and she never stopped believing too, even dad never stopped searching for you. He has a bunch of people who he pays every week to find you. Did your mother or father never mention to you that you were adopted, have you ever had any reason to question your paternity?” he asked me, trying to understand why it took so long for him to finally find me.
His question caused me more pain than he anticipated, he had no choice but to come over and pull me into his arms, rubbing my back softly. This is not how I imagined this day to be, it was supposed to be a perfect day to have fun with my new best friend. I never in my wildest dream thought that I would be meeting a brother I never even knew that I had or hear that I have a perfect family that has been searching relentlessly for me.
The whole thing amuses and infuriates me. I had to force myself to stop crying. I would rather save the energy for when I return home to Mom. When I finally regained my composure, he handed me a box filled with pictures and some old newspapers with the news of a missing baby. I have a picture of me from when I was a baby, so I knew immediately that the baby in that newspaper was me. It’s got to be me, no doubt.
But, why?
Why would they keep these important details of my life away from me, what would anyone stand to gain from hiding the truth away from me. Especially, Raphael, why did he not mention it to me that there are some details about my family that I have no clue about. Are they enjoying my misery?
“I have to go now, Miguel. I can’t keep this to myself, I have to confront Mom with the truth.” I told him firmly, gathering my things to leave. He held my hand to stop me, holding my hands and forcing me to look into his eyes. I could see the emotions in his eyes, he didn’t want to let me go, just as I didn’t want to leave his side too.