Chapter 2

I stumbled, my phone almost slipping from my hand.

The guard’s disgusted look intensified.

“See? If you had any sense of self-awareness, you’d know not to come here and make a fool of yourself.”

“Mr. Vance treats his wife wonderfully; we can all see how much they love each other. You’re dreaming.”

With that, the guard gave me a hard shove.

I lost my balance, and coupled with the exhaustion from the long journey, I fell heavily.

My head hit the ground, leaving me dizzy.

Just then, the guard’s walkie-talkie buzzed.

A familiar voice came through— “What’s all the noise out there?”

The guard’s attitude instantly turned fawning.

“Mr. Vance, it’s just a gold-digger, claiming she knows you.”

“Get her out of here quickly. Mrs. Vance just fell asleep, don’t disturb her.”

I distinctly heard Asher Vance’s voice.

It was arrogant, impatient, yet filled with tenderness and care for the “wife” he spoke of.

So, Asher Vance and “the wife” were living in this villa now.

Living in the marital home he and I once shared.

My blood ran cold.

So many beautiful memories, of him and me, were in there.

And he let another woman live in it?

My blood boiled, and a bitter, metallic taste flooded my mouth.

“Asher, who is it?”

A woman’s sleepy voice drifted from the walkie-talkie.

Then came Asher’s voice, softened to an almost unbearable degree.

“It’s nothing, just a small matter. Go back to sleep.”

“Stay with me.”

“Alright, alright, you’re impossible.”

“Tomorrow, I still have to see my brother…”

The walkie-talkie clicked off abruptly.

My heart felt like it was being squeezed tight, so painful I couldn’t breathe.

That soft voice, filled with love.

Before, he only spoke to me like that, as if he wanted to melt me in his palm.

And my brother…

Did my brother know about this too?

Of course, how could anything happening here be hidden from Ryder?

I don’t remember how I left.

I walked along the road in a daze, my phone buzzing non-stop.

Asher’s message came through right on cue.

[Babe, are you feeling better today?]

[Did you take your medicine? When is your surgery scheduled?]

My brother’s message arrived at the same time.

[My dearest sister, my adorable little sister, did you miss your brother?]

[Brother’s been busy with work lately, couldn’t be abroad with you. Are you mad at brother?]

Looking at these messages, my tears flowed uncontrollably.

They seemed to love me so much, but why?

Why would they let someone else take my place?

Chloe Miller was the compatible kidney donor Asher and Ryder found for me years ago.

She had a face strikingly similar to mine.

The first time I saw her, I even joked that maybe we were alternate versions of each other from a parallel universe.

Back then, Ryder cradled my face and said:

“My sister is one of a kind. No matter how much she looks like you, she can’t compare even a fraction.”

And Asher Vance hadn’t given Chloe Miller a second glance the entire time.

Asher’s assistant talked with Chloe Miller about the compensation after the kidney donation.

That’s when I learned Chloe Miller’s family was very poor.

She was forced to donate her kidney to pay for her seriously ill mother’s treatment.

I still remember Chloe Miller back then, wearing a faded T-shirt, looking at me awkwardly.

“Miss, I’ll take good care of myself and cooperate with the surgery.”

I looked at her, feeling a little soft-hearted.

I slipped her a card: “Take this to pay for your mother’s treatment first.”

But she refused to take it, saying she wouldn’t accept charity.