“But—”
“No buts. You’re Reina Ellis and I’m Rai Sokolov.”
“You want me…” I cough on the lump in my throat. “You want me to be Reina?”
“You’re already Reina. You just stop thinking about it as a role.”
My lips part. “How did you…oh my God, you felt that way, too?”
She nods sharply. “I always thought it was just a role and I would need to give it back, but the last time we met, I realized how much you loved being Reina, and I’ve been meaning to tell you we should stop playing roles.”
My mouth remains open as my brain struggles to find the right words to say. I didn’t expect this at all and it just hits me out of nowhere.
“How…how about Asher? You know, the engagement and—”
She reaches into her pocket and retrieves a ring, a very familiar diamond ring. “I’ve been keeping it for you. I meant to come to find you after you were discharged at the hospital, but Kyle stopped me from seeing you since Ivan’s men were watching.”
“Kyle?”
“My bodyguard and right-hand man. He helped save you.”
I’ll have to thank him for it later.
“Anyway.” She shoves the ring in my palm. “Here you go. I hate holding on to these precious things.”
“But don’t you want it?”
Her brows furrow. “Why the hell would I? I only wore it that day because you made me, saying it’d look great on me and shit. It doesn’t. It’s yours. Asher was never engaged to me, he was always engaged to you, Rai. I have no interest in him whatsoever.”
Why have I thought she would? I always had the belief Reina would demand to have him once she returned, that everything in my life belonged to her, not me.
But well, just because I’m so head over heels in love with Asher doesn’t mean my twin would be.
A sense of relief engulfs me. It’s like a weight has been lifted off my chest.
“Where…” I clear my throat. “Where is he?”
She’s silent for a second as if trying to weigh her words. “He’s not here.”
The emptiness from earlier deepens and becomes a weight that nearly crushes my already injured ribcage. I hoped he’d be here for me as soon as I woke up.
We didn’t even talk properly after we watched that video of Arianna and Jason.
“Then where is he?”
“Well, remember how I told you Ivan is dead?”
“Yeah, you stabbed him.”
“In the eye, yes, but I wasn’t the one who killed him. Asher put the bullet in the scum’s chest.”
I gasp then stop when pain shoots at the back of my neck.
As if being thrown into the depth of an ocean, my breathing disappears and I have to suck in air in order to feed my starved lungs.
“Is he…okay?”
“He’s at the station with his father.”
From what the doctor said earlier, I’ve been out for almost two days, so that should mean Asher has been away for the same length of time.
Oh, God. Does this mean he’ll be convicted of murder? I can’t have that fucker Ivan take another person away from me.
I try to sit up, but Reina makes me lie back down again.
“What are you doing?” she snaps.
“I have to go and help, I have to…do something. I can’t just sit here.”
“His father is with him. Alexander Carson is one of the best lawyers in the country, remember? He’ll get him out of this. Besides, I made a statement and told them it was self-defense. Just rest, Rai. I’m sure Asher will be out in no time.”
How can I rest when Asher’s fate is unknown?
I can’t rest.
The nurse has to sedate me so I’ll close my eyes and sleep for the duration of the night.
The following day, the nurse and Reina help me wash up. The face I see in the mirror is too disfigured to be considered human. Purple and green bruises are scattered all over my skin; it’s even worse than the previous time.
As I stare at it, I break down and cry. I hold on to the sink and let go of all the emotions I’ve been numbing for long years.
I cry for the little girl who had to run from one city to another, for the teenager who coveted someone she thought didn’t belong to her, and for the woman who lost him all over again.
Asher and I always miss each other. Like parallel lines, it’s almost as if we were never meant to cross paths. Whenever we do, a disaster occurs and we have to go back to that parallel existence, that helpless attempt to keep the order, and as a result, we become miserable.
At this point, I’m starting to think we’re cursed. Maybe Arianna did some black magic before her death and made sure we’d never reunite.
The nurse pats my back, telling me none of my injuries will scar, that in a few weeks, it’ll go back to the way it was.
She thinks I’m crying because of that, and it makes me cry harder. I don’t stop until Reina comes inside and helps to wheel me back to bed.
It’s then I notice the men in black standing in front of the door. In the beginning, I thought it was my security, but I don’t spot Gaige and the others amongst them.
That’s when I realize they must be Reina’s people. She really does lead a different type of life.
“Are you better?” She takes the glass away after I swallow the pain pill the nurse gave me.
I shake my head as I close my eyes. I’ll never be better until he’s better.
It’s crazy, but over time, Asher’s wellbeing has begun to feel like my own.
Why don’t they make a pain pill for the heart?
When I wake up again, it’s dark. My throat is scratchy and dry.
A shadow sleeps on the chair beside me, which means Reina is staying the night again. She’s barely left my side for the past two days. She only stepped out when Lucy, Naomi, Sebastian, Owen, and the cheerleading squad members visited.
Even they didn’t know Asher’s fate. The only information available is that Alexander hasn’t left his side. I’ve tried to call him, but his phone is always turned off.
Sitting up, I try to reach for the bottle and stop.
The body sitting on the chair isn’t Reina’s. She’s not so broad and tall and…oh my God.
“Are you awake?” The tenor of his voice, that familiar deep tone makes me jolt.
“Asher?”
Please tell me this isn’t a dream. It’d be the cruelest one yet.
Strong hands wrap around mine, and a sob catches in my throat.
It’s Asher. Definitely Asher.
The way my skin bursts to life and how my body is attuned to his can’t be mistaken.
Only he would elicit this reaction. It’s not a dream or a hallucination; it’s reality.
“I’m here, prom queen. You can’t get rid of me that easily.”
“It’s really you.” My voice is haunted by the force of my emotions. “What happened? Are they letting you go?”
“Alexander managed to have them rule it as self-defense. Rai’s testimony helped.”
“Thank God. I thought you…you’d be locked up.”
“And leave you up for grabs? Not going to happen, prom queen.” Under the soft light coming from the window behind me, he appears exhausted, his face worn out. He must’ve not slept for days, but he still came here the moment he was released. That warms my heart and allows little butterflies to explode in my stomach.