“She's awake! She's awake! Master Farleigh, come and see!”

The voices felt distant, almost unreal, as my eyelids fluttered open. A sharp inhale filled my lungs. I was alive.

Why?

Zack had only pulled his precious Serena from the pool, leaving me for dead. He didn't even look back. I should have just died.

Who then saved me?

I tried to move, but my body felt so heavy, every inch of me was sore and aching.

“It's almost a miracle.” a deep voice murmured.

I instinctively tried to turn my head, desperate to see who it was.

“Oh, no, no… you'll hurt yourself.” His gentle hands steadied me as he adjusted my pillows.

“Your body is still weak. Just rest.”

I froze.

That face…. Those eyes.

They were bluish-grey, just like mine. The kind that always made people feel like I was staring into their souls.

I stared at him as my mind scrambled for logic.

His perfectly oval face, the dark curls falling to his shoulders, the same almond skin, the same thin lips.

He was me!

“Who the hell are you?!” I panicked.

He just chuckled, clearly unfazed by my horror.

“Hello, sister,”

“Sister?” I repeated.

Is he mad?

“I'm glad you're awake,” he continued casually as if he hadn't shattered my entire reality.

“The doctors said you’d be unconscious for at least three weeks, but look at you! One week and you’re already proving them wrong. You’re a fighter.” he giggled.

I barely heard him. I was too busy trying to make sense of where I was; the grand, unfamiliar room.

The towering walls, the grand chandelier, the heavy drapes, the luxurious old-world decor. It was something straight out of a history book. This wasn’t home. This wasn’t even my world. It looked like a castle!

“Who are you? Where am I?” I managed to ask.

“Oh, forgive my manners. I'm Asher.. Asher Farleigh, your twin brother,”

I frowned at him, and then I laughed. It didn't make any sense, but he looked dead serious. Even our striking resemblance mocked me.

“T..That’s not possible. I don't have a twin brother. H-He died at birth. My mom told me, s…she made sure it sank deep,” I said, trying to make sense of my reality.

“Oh, I see.. She didn't tell you yet,” he said in a disappointed tone.

“Tell me what?” I asked.

Then, I remembered.

“My glasses!” I jolted. I couldn't let anyone know I had regained my sight. It was great keeping Serena and Zack in the dark.

“Glasses? Your eyes are perfectly fine. What do you need them for?” Asher asked, looking at me with questioning eyes.

“Nothing. Never mind,” I sighed.

What was the point anyway? I had already lost. Zack and Serena were getting married and there was nothing I could do about it.

“Forgive me, Lena. I should have come to you sooner. I wanted to, but I was under strict orders to never get close to you. It pained me even more when I found out what you have been going through in their hands. Please forgive me for not being there for you. You deserve way better,” he said.

“What are you talking about? What is going on? Please tell me, ” I begged.

I could see the genuity and sadness in his eyes, but I still couldn't wrap my head around what exactly was going on. And I guess he noticed.

Asher sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t even know where to start.”

“Start anywhere,” I whispered, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Please.”

He hesitated before locking eyes with me. “Lena… I didn’t die at birth.”

My fingers curled into the sheets. “W-what?”

“We were separated,” he continued, watching me closely. “Because of a deal our parents made.”

“I…I.. I don't understand. W-What do you mean?”

“Let me make this simple. My father, Mr. Farleigh had an affair with our mother. When she got pregnant, he wanted to take responsibility, but she refused. She was married to your father… or rather, the man you thought was your father.”

“My dad had no children. He never married, he was too busy building his empire. So when he found out about us, he refused to walk away.

“Mom couldn't tell her husband that she had gotten pregnant for another, so she decided to give the child to my dad, under the guise that the baby died, but then, she had twins.

“My dad chose to keep me since he couldn't have both of us, even though mom kicked against it. Ultimately, dad had his way. Mom used to come around once in a while to visit me. I knew about you, dad never kept any secrets, but I couldn't meet you,”

Of all the overwhelming details Asher had just unloaded, one truth cut the deepest; neither of my parents wanted me.

I was always the second option, the afterthought. It should have felt better that I belonged to a different family, but it hurt twice as much.

“I'm sorry, Lena. I… I didn't mean to overwhelm you. I just thought you deserved to know,” Asher said as he rushed at me, wiping off the tears that fell down my cheeks.

I couldn't speak. Couldn't think. My chest tightened as tears rolled down my cheeks. Everything felt like it was crashing down all at once.

I clutched the sheets, holding on like they could somehow hold me together. Asher didn’t say a word. He just sat there, his hand wrapped around mine. It was warm and steady like he was trying to keep me from falling apart.

“I heard she's awake,” a familiar voice approached us.

I looked to confirm and there he was. My ex, David Barton.

“Where in heaven's name am I?”

“Hi, Lena. I brought you lunch. I was so happy when I heard you were awake. I hope you can eat,” he said with a smile as he placed the food on the table next to my bed.

I couldn't take my eyes off him. He still had the purest and most genuine smile I had ever seen. I didn't expect to see him again, especially since he and his family relocated right after college

“Lena, meet David, my best friend and business partner. I'm sure you two have already met,” Asher said, forcing me to take my eyes off David.

“Yes, we have,” David said.

For the first time in a while, I felt pure, unfiltered joy.

“David…” my voice came out in a whisper. I hadn’t said his name in years, yet it still felt natural on my tongue.

His smile softened. “It’s been a long time, Lena.”

“I can’t believe you’re here,” I breathed, searching his face for any sign that I was dreaming.

His chuckle was light and easy. “I could say the same about you. When I pulled you out of the pool, I was scared that you might not make it.”

“Y-You saved me?”

He nodded, his gaze was warm and unreadable.

Of course, it was him. It had always been him. David had looked out for me even when I didn’t realize it.

“I'm just glad I got to you in time,” he said with a brief smile. He was always modest.

Asher leaned back, watching us with a small smile. “I take it you two have a lot to catch up on.”

David nodded. “That we do.”

He turned his attention back to me. “But first, you should eat. You look like you haven’t had a proper meal in days.”

I let out a breathy laugh, shaking my head. “You haven’t changed.”

---

“Has her body been found yet? Tell me you have news!” My mom, Mrs. Rashford yelled frantically as she paced back and forth in the living room.

“I'm sorry ma'am, but there has been no trace of her yet,” the voice at the other end of the phone said.

“Shit!” She yelled as she threw her phone across the room.

Serena just sat by a corner, filing her nails. She seemed very amused.

“Tell me something, mom. Are you worried about Lena’s safety or your image? Because from what I remember, you were rather reluctant to pull her out from the pool,” Serena said as she tried to stifle a laugh.

“You don’t get it, Serena. If she falls into the wrong hands, we’re done for. How do I explain that? You know how pitiful Lena can act. It’s already been a week!” Mrs. Rashford kept panicking.

“It’ll be there on the news; One of the Rashford daughters, Blind and left for dead in her family’s pool…” Serena trailed off, smirking. “how does that sound?”

“Please, relax, mom. We’ve always wanted her out of our lives. This is our opportunity. There’s less drama now. We can fully focus on my wedding,” Serena said.

Even though she was the cause of the problem, she didn’t seem remorseful at all.

“What if we just pronounce her dead? Arrange a funeral for her? After all, a few people witnessed her body float in the pool. We can do that and move on with our lives,” Serena added.

Mrs. Rashford’s frantic pacing slowed. She exhaled sharply and folded her arms, considering it.

“That doesn’t sound like a bad idea. I’ll have someone think of a cover-up story. The last thing I want is unnecessary drama, not when your dad is expanding his empire,” Mrs. Rashford said with a satisfactory smile.

“We need to do it quickly before my wedding. I don’t want any scandals, because of the scene she caused during our engagement, everyone thinks I stole her man. Meanwhile, she’s the thief here,” Serena hissed.

“You’re right. I’ll make the arrangements right away,” Mrs. Rashford said.

“And before I forget,” she added, inspecting her freshly manicured nails, “Zack made me Co-CEO of his company. I mean, what can I say? He knows I’m the perfect choice.”

That was all my mom needed to distract herself. Her face lit up instantly.

“How did it happen? Zack is such an angel!”

Serena’s lips curled. “I got pregnant. Something Lena couldn’t do.”

She tilted her head with a smug smile. “We’re expecting our baby.”

Over the next few days, I got even better, and in no time, I was back on my feet, thanks to Asher and David who took perfect care of me, making sure I lacked nothing.

Asher and I grew fonder of each other by the day, it made me wish I had grown up with him, maybe my life would have been better, having someone who would stand up for me.

Maybe my mom wouldn’t hate me so much since she would have had her golden child.

The three of us were in the living room, chatting away. Asher and David had both taken a month’s leave from work to be with me. I felt special, really.

“So, dad will be back in two days. He’s so eager to meet you. I can’t wait for us to become one big happy family,” Asher announced.

I was excited too. I had seen pictures of Mr. Farleigh, I had an idea of what he looked like, and from everything Asher told me, he seemed like a principled man.

“I can’t wait to meet him,” I said with a smile.

And that was when it came up.

On TV, it was my entire family alongside some family friends gathered at the cemetery, crying. The headline was bold on the screen;

Breaking News: Socialite Lena Rashford Confirmed Dead After a Tragic Accident

And just like that, I was erased, so effortlessly.

But what really shattered me was Zack and Serena holding hands, pretending to be sad.

Zack didn’t even try to look for me. Not even once.

I swallowed hard, forcing my heart to stay in one piece. I would not cry over Zack again.

I took one glance at our wedding ring, wondering why I still had it on. Without hesitation, I pulled it off and placed it on the table.

“What the hell is that?” Asher’s voice was sharp with disbelief. He turned to me, his eyes searching mine as if expecting me to break down.

He turned off the TV immediately.

Instead, I let out a deep sigh. “It’s okay, Asher. I’m surprised it took them this long though,”

“I’m sorry, Lena.” His jaw clenched.

“You don’t deserve any of this. If dad permits me, I’ll make every single one of them pay for everything they’ve ever done to you,” Asher said as he hugged me.

David sat beside me, his hand hovered over my back before he finally rested it there, rubbing in slow, comforting circles. He looked as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.

Asher’s phone buzzed. “Excuse me, I have to take this call,” he said, stepping out.

David exhaled, his fingers tracing idle patterns over my knuckles.

“I wish I didn’t have to leave,” he murmured. “We could have been happy, Lena. I wasn’t able to find anyone like you.”

I looked at him, his eyes were clouded with regret.

“It’s okay. Life happens,” I said gently.

“Don’t beat yourself up. Zack and I were happy at some point… until my accident.” A small, sad smile tugged at my lips.

“I was blind for a year. I just regained my sight recently.”

“Are you serious?” David’s head snapped up, his expression shifting from sorrow to shock.

I just nodded.

“I can promise you one thing, Lena. Your dad won’t sit back and do nothing. They will all pay,” David said as he pulled me into a hug.

The funny thing is that I didn’t care about revenge or getting even. I was just glad that I was away from them and out of their lives. That was enough consolation for me.

“I have great news, Lena. Dad arrived early. He’s on his way here,” Asher announced.

My fingers curled into my palms as a strange nervous energy settled in my stomach.

It felt weird that I was meeting my real father after all these years. My whole being had already registered Mr. Rashford as my father. I didn’t know how I was going to reconcile that, but I could try at least.

David squeezed my hand lightly, sensing my unease.

“Mr. Farleigh is a kind man, you have nothing to worry about. He took me in after I lost my parents,” David said with a smile.

I furrowed my brows. I had no idea his parents were dead. I felt terrible.

“I’m sorry, David, I didn’t know,” I managed to say.

“It’s okay, it’s been a while. He’s like a father to me now,” David said.

I smiled at him and went back to my thoughts. It wasn’t difficult to slip away since I had a lot on my mind.

“I think he’s here,” David whispered as he stood up and headed outside, probably to help with his bags or just simply welcome him.

Unsure of what to do, I followed him behind. By the time we got outside, he had already alighted from his car and was halfway to where I stood.

He paused for a while as he fixed his gaze on me, his expression was unreadable and his lips pressed into a tight line.

Then, he exhaled sharply, running a hand through his dark curls.

“A funeral, Lena? Goddammit, I thought you were dead!”