I clutched the pregnancy test report, now wrinkled from the rain, much like my shattered heart.
Half an hour ago, I had been imagining Liam's face with joy when he heard the news.
We were supposed to try on wedding dresses next week, and this child would have been the perfect gift for our wedding.
But now, every word from the private room felt like a venomous dart piercing my heart.
"If she finds out that it's been my twin brother who's been sleeping with her for the past three years, she might just lose her mind." Liam's voice was filled with teasing laughter, starkly different from the gentle tone he usually used with me.
I halted my steps instantly. My fingers were gripping the cold door handle so tightly that my knuckles turned pale.
Three years?
Had this all been a deception from the start?
The "Liam" who held me tightly during my every sigh and climax was actually his twin brother, Lucas?
"It would be great if she did lose her mind," Liam's voice came again, laced with drunkenness, yet colder than the pouring rain outside.
"Since she bullied Vivian, letting her fuck my brother is getting off easy for her."
Vivian, Liam's first love, had been indulged by him since she was little.
"Sad that we didn't get any video," Liam said, handing a pinhole camera to Lucas. "You know what to do tonight."
I felt my tears welling up in my eyes.
The boyfriend I had loved for three years was now cruelly declaring the end of my happiness.
Their faces bore a satisfied smirk, leaving me feeling like a puppet at their mercy.
I don't know how long it took before I dragged my feet to leave.
The rain hadn't stopped, and I roamed the streets aimlessly like a ghost.
I crumpled the pregnancy test report into a ball and clutched it tightly in my hand.
When I returned to the apartment, I was soaked to the bone.
The icy chill seeped from my skin into my bones, yet it was nothing compared to the chill in my heart.
I didn't turn on the light and stood in the darkness for a long time, until I heard the sound of the key turning.
Liam was back.
He reeked of alcohol and another woman's perfume.
Seeing me standing in the living room, he frowned.
"Why aren't the lights on? You're soaking wet. You might catch a cold."
His tone was still gentle, but to me, it was painfully shrill.
I didn't speak, continuing to pretend I knew nothing of what had just happened.
I watched him enter the bedroom and then send a message.
Not long after, the doorbell rang.
I hid in the kitchen, watching.
Lucas had arrived.
"Same as usual tonight," Liam said and patted Lucas on the shoulder.
He reminded Lucas with a calculating look in his eyes. "Don't mess it up. Remember to hide the camera well."
Lucas nodded with a smug grin and headed into the bedroom, while Liam turned and left the apartment.
I heard the rustle of Lucas undressing in the bedroom.
Taking a deep breath, I quietly retrieved a sharp knife from the kitchen and hid it behind my back.
As soon as I entered the bedroom, Lucas pulled me into his arms and gently kissed my lips.
My heart pounded in my chest and my palms were clammy with cold sweat.
I could feel the familiar air of Lucas.
For three years, I had fallen asleep surrounded by it.
But now, it only made me feel nauseated.
I suddenly turned around and pushed him away.
Lucas stumbled, looking at me in surprise. "What's going on, Victoria?"
I didn't answer. The blade of the knife in my hand gleamed coldly under the light, and my gaze was as icy cold.
"Who are you?" My tone was calm but carried a pressure that no one could defend.
Lucas' expression changed instantly. He was shifty-eyed now. "What... what are you talking about? I am Liam."
"Really?" I sneered. Then I picked up the knife, slowly stood up and walked towards him.
Then I lightly slit Lucas' cheek with the knife, leaving a shallow cut with blood oozing.
Lucas froze, not daring to move.
"Stop pretending," I said, my voice as cold as ice. "You've been fooling me around in the past three years. Have fun?"
Lucas' lips moved slightly. "No. We..."
"Shut up!" I suddenly pressed his shoulder, forcing him onto the sofa with such a force that Lucas winced in pain.
I leaned down. My face was only a few centimeters from his now.
There was no love in my eyes, only cutting sarcasm. "You like acting, don't you? You've pretended to be Liam to enjoy my affection, haven't you? Now it's my turn."
I yanked off Lucas' tie, forcing him to lift his head and look into my eyes. "From now on, you will repay what Liam owes me, with interest. He made you deceive me for three years, so you will repay my three years of suffering. You can't run away, Lucas."