IS

from the villa came in. The housekeeper's

back to the house at onc

t a sharp ach

hen she did, it was only to flaunt her growing success. We were twins, yes-but only

I knew why. It must

y with dread, but I

*

door, the sharp echo of her voi

was laced with d

fingers tightening around the str

sla to Alistair? I told you to wai

me back, do you think you would still have a home to stand in now?" Our father shot

he's Isla's husband! Tell me, h

right all along. She came back because she wan

e wasn't good enough, that he would be left as just an illegitimate son forever

down-" Mom

ll. "You should've thought first before you

oice was strained as he ga

I pleaded with him yesterday to spare me from the contract marriag

at him angrily, he bac

y can't I feel even the slightest softness from them

ing eyes met mine. She stood in the center of the room, as radiant as the last time I'd seen her five years

welcoming. It was as though I had comm

pected to face her like this, not so soon, when I still hadn't figu

ed as if to walk out. But she

he spat. "You don't even d

as she stormed out, her expensive perfume

ad. The scene made me realize the war I had been pushed into wasn't

o come back?!" Dad looke

lready broken by them. They would see today how the broken Isla pieced herself together, bit

now, did you forget already? You can't just order

e anger he had bare

state and suddenly you think you've grown a backb

mocking as I countered him. "You made

but no words came. I didn't wait for another scolding fro

ai

hough I didn

ll end this farce of a marriage. Liana

I glanced over my shoulder. "

other word, I walked out,

on, they were no

*

e morning when I arrived at the

me things before preparing for my surgery in the afternoon. But befo

sl

ince medical school. She was also a doctor,

d handed me a seal

your favo

I smiled

d me from head to toe, conce

, stepping closer. "You didn't

haring a room with the one

by his overpowering pr

ying to mask my jittery ne

ittle rest? Well, you look like you sp

me files on my table. The next time she opened her mou

r Montgomery is awake. After a whole month in a com

but I merely re

-hu

reen under my nose. It was a news article- the headline blaring

graphs that probably sold a thousand magazines-his dark hair, chiseled jaw

. "My God, if I were the one he woke up to, I'd p

hed her phone away. "You

be on Alistair's side when he had w

's Alistair Montgomery, I'm ready to

ailed into a

a God when he really wasn't that kind? If I had just had a cho

tantly when the door swung open a