“I won’t be leaving my boyfriend for anyone!” Hannah stated firmly, her gaze darting between her Mom and Dad.

Mrs. Kingsley stepped closer, her eyes shooting daggers at Hannah.

“What’s so wrong about leaving your boyfriend for your sister. She’s your twin for goodness sake!”

Hannah scoffed. She looked over at her Mom in disbelief.

She hadn’t expected them to be having this conversation. She wouldn’t have, not in her lifetime.

She had started planning her engagement with Jaxon, that was how serious they were with the relationship. But here her family was, claiming she needed to leave the man she had been in a relationship with for three years alone for her sister.

Over her dead body!

She had always given Hailey her clothes whenever she wanted it. She gave up a Canada scholarship just because her parents thought it would suit her sister better. She gave up tickets because Hailey wanted them.

Not this time around. Not the man she was in love with.

“Hannah…..” Hailey started, her face looking pale, eyes slightly blurred with tears. “I love Jaxon. I’m sorry if you think I’m being unfair”

Hannah responded immediately, face calm but stern. “That’s absurd, sister”

“You know I’m dating Jaxon. You can’t tell me you love him”

Hailey’s fists curled around her dress and her tears spilled down her cheeks instantly. Hannah’s eyes locked on her sister and she knew that hypocritic tears.

She’d seen it multiple times on Hailey’s face. She did that whenever she wanted anything that belonged to Hannah.

Mrs. Kingsley’s gaze snapped to Hailey when the sound of her soft sobs hit her ears. She saw the tears streaking down her precious daughter’s face and an electric jolt ran through her body, followed by a torrent of anger.

She turned to Hannah, flaring in anger. “How can you be so cruel? Jaxon isn’t the only man on earth, so why can’t you let Hailey have him?!” She yelled.

“Listen to your mother, Hannah. Don’t make this difficult” Mr. Kingsley added.

Hannah’s gaze traveled above all of them, lips parted in disbelief.

Her sister was playing a drama in front of their parents, yet after having played such dozens of times, she was still able to fool them with it. And her parents, who should be able to tell how stupid and unacceptable what Hailey wanted was, still supported her.

“I’m not leaving Jaxon.” Hannah said firmly.

“Like you said, Jaxon isn’t the only man on earth. So, Hailey?” She turned to her sister. “Find your own man”

Hannah walked away but her Mom's voice stopped her before she could take the next step.

“I’ve invited Jaxon over for dinner.” Mrs. Kingsley said. “When he comes, we’ll clear things up”

Hannah’s face whipped around. She laughed softly. “There’s nothing to clear, Mom. She’s not having Jaxon and that’s it”

She climbed the stairs, heading to her room. The moment she climbed the last step, the door opened. She turned.

Jaxon walked in and seeing him, Hannah smiled. She rushed back downstairs with excitement, standing beside him as she locked their arms.

“Hi baby” She said, voice dripping with excitement. He didn’t respond, he only gave her a forced smile.

Hannah didn’t think much about it. It was obvious he was occupied with processing the looks on her family’s face.

“Welcome Jaxon,” Mrs. Kingsley said, a smile playing on her lips.

She guided Jaxon to the dining room and everyone settled on the chairs, surrounding the served dinner.

For a moment, no one spoke. After a minute of silence, Mrs. Kingsley finally said something.

“We’ve been talking to Hannah about you and Hailey. She’s claiming she won’t leave you alone” she said.

Hannah laughed and turned to face Jaxon. “Heard that?”

“They’ve been talking about this for a while. So absurd, isn’t it?”

Hannah expected Jaxon to laugh but he didn’t. His face darkened and he turned to look at Hannah.

“They’re right. From now on, I’ll be with Hailey” He paused. “So, let’s break up, Hannah”

Hannah thought she hadn’t heard right. For a moment, she believed Jaxon was just telling a joke. But he looked serious.

The whole room fell silent. Hannah realized whatever it was that was happening wasn’t funny anymore.

She stood from where she was seated, chair scraping against the ground. “What do you mean, Jaxon? What kind of a cruel joke is this?”

She stayed still and expected someone to speak but no one did. They all looked like they were all in together in what was happening.

Hailey stood up and walked closer to Hannah. The tears on her face earlier had disappeared, replaced with a smile that Hannah could instantly recognize.

The type of smile she’d always seen on Hailey’s face whenever she had won, smug and calculated.

“There’s nothing you can do about this, sister.” She smirked. “I’m pregnant”

She placed her hand on her stomach, rubbing it together in circles.

Hannah stared expressionlessly.

By the time she got over her shock, she looked over at everyone and her lips parted. A realization crashed down hard on her.

None of the people seated were surprised at Hailey’s words. Nor did they take it as a joke.

They all knew. The only one who had been kept in the dark was her.

Her heart stopped. She turned to face Jaxon, her eyes now slightly blurred from tears.

“You got Hailey pregnant?”

Jaxon didn’t say a word but his silence gave Hannah the answer she wanted. Her knees buckled and she stumbled backwards.

“You’ve been cheating on me with Hailey?” She asked, voice trembling slightly.

Jaxon stepped in front of her, his face firm. “Look, Hannah. I really didn’t mean to hurt you, I—” He tried to touch Hannah but she stepped backwards, avoiding him like a plague while water prickled the inside of her eyes.

Mrs. Kingsley cut in. “Jaxon and Hailey love each other, they are getting married and that’s final”

“There’s no way this is happening!” Hannah claimed. “And you let this happen, Mom?” She looked at her mother with her face filled with hatred, body filled with rage.

It was obvious that whatever it was that was happening had her parents support and that was unacceptable.

Mrs. Kingsley stepped in front of Jaxon, staring directly at Hannah. She landed a slap on Hannah's cheeks, her face snapping to the side.

“Stop being a fool, Hannah!” Mrs. Kingsley exclaimed. “She’s your sister. You are older. Whatever she wants, you give her.”

The woman scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Why act like you have given her the whole world?”

Hannah’s tears fell for the first time since everything had been going on. She stared at her father, but he only looked back at her, face expressionless. He didn’t defend her.

Jaxon stood there, no concern on his face. Her twin stood beside him, marking her territory. A smirk played on her lips and she didn’t bother hiding it from Hannah.

As Hannah stood there and watched them all, she realized that they had taken her boyfriend without her permission.

He had cheated on her and got her sister pregnant.

And she was in the centre of them all, wondering if she had ever meant anything to them.

Chapter 2

Hannah stared at everyone, tears pricking the corner of her eyes.

“You keep making me feel like nothing when it involves Hailey” She should stop speaking but she couldn't bring herself to. Her voice appeared broken and cracked because of her tears.

Her mother's jaw clenched. “Leave if you aren't comfortable with how things run here, Hannah! Move out of the house!”

No one argued. Rather, it looked like they supported the decision. She realized they didn't love her. She really had no reason to stay.

She walked past everyone and walked upstairs to her room.

“She would pack whatever she could and leave.” She thought. But as she stood in the centre of the room, a realization hit her like a punch to the gut. She had nothing.

The room was empty, another reminder that she had always given everything to Hailey.

Tears rolled off her cheeks, hot and burning. She wiped it off immediately.

She walked back downstairs and for a moment, she froze.

Her family, who should be filled with guilt and worried about her, were seated around the table, laughing heartily like the happiest in the world. Jaxon fed Hailey like a princess and for minutes, no one noticed her presence behind them.

She walked through the entrance, hoping someone would notice. No one did. They were completely lost in the joy of sitting around the table, being a family which she had never been among.

She walked out, didn't look back, and moved through the streets aimlessly.

She couldn't stop thinking about all the sacrifices she made for her parents, sister and boyfriend. In the end, they reduced her to nothing but a joke.

The citylines blurred into darkness as she walked. She failed to register everything happening around her, as her head was downcast, mind distant.

She eventually stopped, head whipping up and suddenly processing her environment. She gasped softly.

She was in the middle of nowhere. She had been walking with no destination in mind.

Hannah dipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out some dollar bills. Worry flashed across her face instantly. The money wouldn't get her through the night.

Suddenly, she glanced up. Her eyes landed on a bar standing tall across from where she was.

She didn't think twice before heading in, the dollars clutched in her hand like a lifeline. She could figure her life out later but at the moment, she desperately needed a drink.

The first wave of music hit her ears, followed by the loud continuous melody that filled the room.

Hannah settled down in front of the bartender’s desk, placing her order.

Cocktail. Tequila. Anything strong.

The glass was placed in front of her seconds later. Her hands wrapped around it and once again, she became lost in thought, replaying her mother's words in her head.

“Having a hard time, Ms. Kingsley?” Someone's voice jolted her, pulling her out of her reverie.

Hannah’s face shot up. Her whole body froze in shock. Her cold boss was staring directly into her eyes, the man who everyone including her had always avoided.

Cold. Arrogant. Frustrating.

That was every employee's view of Xavier Cruz.

Every employee who entered his office came out with a sullen face. Hannah had been one of them once, when he tore a report she had spent hours perfecting.

She didn’t expect him to remember her name, but here he was, calling her as though they had been friends for years.

“Mr. Cruz?” She called, her voice laced with disbelief.

He didn’t respond. He faced the bartender and ordered his own drink.

He settled into the chair beside Hannah. “You look so…..” He turned to look at her. “Gloomy”

Hannah took a sip from her drink. She dropped the glass gently, resting back into the chair with an exasperated sigh.

“I got dumped,” She said.

Xavier Cruz turned his face to her completely, looking interested.

“My boyfriend left me for my sister. My parents supported it” She paused, dramatically explaining with her hands. “The asshole had gotten her pregnant. I realized they had been planning it for a while”

“So they betrayed you,” Xavier said calmly.

Hannah nodded, forcing a smile to her lips. She reached for her glass and saw that the content was empty. She had been drinking heavily while she spoke.

Xavier slid his own drink to her before she could call the bartender.

“Thank you,” she muttered.

Silence fell over them for a second before Xavier broke it.

“The company is on the verge of failing. The board members want to establish my father's legacy rule now of all times” Xavier let out a short bitter laugh, staring into the wall.

Hannah turned her face to him, interested. “What legacy?”

Xavier's face snapped back to her. “Marriage. Whoever leads the company needs to be married”

Hannah nodded in understanding, though she believed that was an absurd legacy the late Mr. Cruz had imposed.

For another minute, they both remained silent until Xavier's voice rose.

“I have a proposal for you,”

Hannah’s gaze lifted, a frown settling on her face. “A proposal?”

“Be my wife for a year.” He blurted.

Hannah blinked. “What?”

“You want to make your boyfriend and family regret what they did, don’t you?” he paused for a second before he continued. “I need a wife to stabilize my position as the CEO.”

Hannah listened.

“You need someone like me to put everyone who dumped you in their place” He explained. “It’s a win-win. Marry me for a year and that's done”

He wasn't joking, and the realization made her stomach churn. As far as she could recall, all she ever said to Xavier Cruz daily was greetings. And now? He was proposing marriage to her at a no-name bar.

“How long do you need to think about it?” Xavier asked.

Hannah didn’t speak. She was busy replaying his proposal in her head.

She’d be the wife of Xavier Cruz, the wealthy CEO of Cruz Automobile. She imagined the look on her parents' face when they knows. The look on Jaxon’s face when he finds out.

Her mind became made up in an instant. She turned to Xavier, face firm with determination.

“Deal accepted,” She stated.

She had left the house with nowhere to go. She never imagined she would stumble into a role as Xavier Cruz’s wife. And now, she would make her family look back at everything and regret ever treating her the way they did.

Xavier was surprised at how she instantly made a decision. She'd be signing a year of her life away to live as his wife and she decided within a few minutes?

“Are you sure you don’t need to think about it more?” He asked, perplexed by her response.

Hannah’s mind was made up. Thinking about it for longer wouldn’t change anything.

Her gaze met his once again. “I'm sure of what I want, Mr. Cruz,” she said.

Xavier's gaze lingered on her for longer than anticipated. He nodded. “Fine, then”

Things moved fast between them and he drove her to a hotel after learning she had no place to stay.

The moment he handed the key over to her, he said:

“Tomorrow morning, I'll be here and we'll talk more about the contract”

Hannah thanked him. She watched his back as he exited the hotel's lobby before heading over to the room.

The night ended in a blur. By the next morning, Xavier was at the hotel like he had said.

He stood in front of Hannah in the hotel room, arms crossed while she glanced at the written contract he had brought.

The clauses were simple. She plays the role of his wife for a year, her position beside him helps her get the vindication she deserved, and they both get what they want.

They live together, appear married to the world, and go about their private lives without interference.

Hannah read every single line until the end and she was comfortable with everything. She scribbled her signature where it was needed without hesitation.

There, the deal was sealed. She handed the contract back to Xavier.

“We need to make it official” He stared into her eyes and she stared back. They both understood what he meant.

By afternoon, they were seated at the courthouse, watching the lawyer prepare their wedding certificate.

Hannah suddenly became nervous. That morning, it hadn't seemed like a big deal but as she watched her name get printed on the certificates, the realization crashed over her like a wave.

It was happening. She was marrying Xavier Cruz.

“All done Mr. & Mrs. Cruz” the lawyer's voice brought her back to reality.

He handed the certificate over to them. Hannah glanced over it and gulped.

“Thank you Mr. Gates” Xavier said, giving the lawyer a small professional smile.

They walked out of the courthouse and paused in the hallway.

Xavier turned to face Hannah. “Mrs. Cruz?”.

Hannah's breath hitched at the way he called her. She'd have to get used to that.

“One last thing,” he dipped his hand into his pocket and yanked a silver ring outside.

He handed it over to Hannah. She dragged in a deep breath, hesitating before she took it.

“Don't mistake this marriage for love.” His voice was rough and laced with dark edges. “This is solely a marriage of convenience. To make it believable to the public, we have to go through this”

Hannah knew. She didn't need the explanation.

“I also don't want your love, Mr. Cruz. This is solely a deal”

Both understood each other and that gladdened Xavier's heart. They resumed walking and the moment they stepped out of the courthouse, reporters swarmed in from nowhere, their cameras flashing across Xavier and Hannah’s face.

Xavier's men immediately stepped in. They made way for them to pass through. The moment they did, Xavier grabbed Hannah’s hand and moved swiftly through the crowd, gently pulling her behind him.

For a moment, the crowd blurred. Nothing registered in Hannah's brain anymore, all she could think about was the huge hand that held hers.

It was starting. The show.

They got into the car but the cameras kept flashing, everyone wanting to get a glimpse of Xavier's face, especially Hannah’s. They were curious about the woman Xavier Cruz had left a courthouse with.

Hannah stared out the window, another realization hitting hard. She knew things wouldn’t be the same by daybreak and she wasn't wrong.

The headlines the next morning were crazy.

“Xavier Cruz gets married to an unknown mysterious lady”

Hailey saw it first. Her face was filled with shock when she clearly saw the face of the mysterious lady the whole country spoke about.

That was unmistakably Hannah, her sister.

She rushed downstairs barefooted, almost tripping the stairs as she ran.

“Mom!” She screamed.

Mrs. Kingsley was at the dining table serving breakfast. Her gaze lifted when Hailey called, her lips parting in disbelief when she saw how she ran.

“Easy, sweetheart!” She yelled. “You could fall!”

That didn't stop Hailey. She climbed down the last stairs and rushed to her mother's side, showing her the screen.

“Hannah got married,” she breathed heavily.

Mrs. Kingsley's eyes widened. She read the caption over and over again in disbelief. Xavier Cruz was her boss, the popular CEO everyone knew. And now he's married to her?

Hailey snatched her phone from her mother, fuming in anger.

“Hannah is definitely playing some stupid game.” Hailey shook her head, and her mother agreed.

Hailey's phone suddenly lit up with a call from Jaxon, she picked it up immediately.

“Have you seen the news?” Jaxon sounded restless, panicked.

“I did. A bunch of nonsense, I must admit” Hailey said.

“Hannah and Xavier Cruz?” she laughed. “That's impossible.”

Jaxon agreed with her. Together, they laughed at Hannah and the circulating news.

On the other hand, Hannah was seated on the bed of the hotel room, her gaze fixed on the TV.

Xavier stood beside her, hands calmly placed in his pocket.

“At 4pm yesterday, Xavier Cruz walked out of the courthouse with a lady. Identity remains unverified.”

“Everyone believes he got married. But nothing is confirmed yet as Xavier Cruz hasn't given an official statement” The anchor woman said. “The whole country is curious. Did Xavier Cruz really get married? And who is the lucky woman?!”

Xavier and Hannah focused on the news in silence. Until Hannah's phone rang. Her mother's name displayed on the screen and she stared at it for a moment. She hesitated, but eventually, she picked.

“What absurd stunt is that, Hannah?” Her mother asked sternly. “You are pranking the whole country? How bold of you.”

Hannah almost scoffed. “There's no prank anywhere. I'm married to Xavier”

Her mother fell silent. None of them uttered a word until several seconds passed.

“Hannah, come home sweetheart” Mrs. Kingsley's voice rose, words said sweetly. “We've all been waiting for you”

Hannah's face turned firm, resolute. “I'm not coming back. You wanted me gone, now I'm out of your hair”

She ended the call. She set her phone down and returned her gaze to the TV.

A smile crept up her lips when she thought about the call. They'll regret ever treating her the way they did, this was just the start.

“Feeling better?” Xavier asked. He had been watching Hannah from the call, to the smile on her face.

Hannah nodded. “Yes, I guess”

She wasn't sure yet, but moving forward, she believed the clarity would be there.

She was still focused on the news when Xavier dropped the bombshell. She would be moving in with him.

Hannah expected it. Hence, no surprise showed on her face.

They headed out of the hotel and headed to Xavier's car. Minutes later, they arrived at the mansion. The mansion was bigger than what Hannah envisioned. Her lips parted as Xavier led her inside.

Maids stood in the sitting room, lined up beside each other with their heads slightly bowed.

“Welcome, Mr. Cruz. Welcome Mrs. Cruz” They greeted in chorus.

Xavier had informed them about his new wife. They were to treat her with utmost respect just like they treated him.

He led her upstairs and they stopped in front of a room. Xavier opened the door. Hannah walked in first while he followed behind.

The room itself was another world of its own. It had everything a room needed, and it was way too big than anything Hannah had ever lived in.

“This will be your room, Ms. Kingsley,” he said. “Feel free to reach out if you need anything”

He stepped out of the room before she could reply. Hannah stared through the room, and once again, reminded herself about who she currently was.

Not just Hannah Kingsley. But the wife of Xavier Cruz, Hannah Cruz.