Chapter 4

My eyes drifted lower.

Diamond earrings glittered beneath Kathleen's blonde hair. Around her neck rested a breathtaking ruby necklace, and the elegant evening gown she wore hugged her figure perfectly. Even the designer handbag hanging from her arm was one I'd never seen before.

Kathleen noticed where I was looking and laughed.

“Giss!” She touched her necklace with a smile. “Isn't it beautiful? Connan has such amazing taste. Oh, look at your bracelet. We're practically matching tonight. Anyone looking at us would think he planned it.”

People nearby exchanged amused looks.

“Matching?” one woman whispered. “Duh! The ruby necklace, diamond earrings, gown, and handbag Miss Kathleen is wearing were all gifts from Don Connan.”

“I heard he bought everything for her himself. The necklace alone cost over a hundred million.”

“And Donna Hawksley's bracelet?” another woman added with a smirk. “Oh... that came free with the purchase.”

“Miss Kathleen and Don Connan always look perfect together.”

“Honestly, if you didn't know Giselle Hawksley was his wife, you'd think Miss Kathleen was.”

Soft laughter spread through the crowd.

Heat rushed to my face.

Connan immediately stepped closer and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

“Gissi,” he said gently. “Don't misunderstand. You've only been out for a short time, and I thought something that expensive might make you uncomfortable. Kathleen is your sister, so I asked her to wear those pieces tonight. You two have shared everything since you were little, and I didn't think something this small would bother you.”

Before I could answer, Kathleen laughed.

“Exactly!” She linked her arm with mine as if nothing had changed. “We're twins. We used to steal each other's clothes growing up. Makeup, shoes, handbags... nothing was off limits. We've shared almost everything our whole lives, so a little jewelry doesn't mean anything.”

She grinned and looked at Connan.

“If people could share husbands too, we probably would've done that.”

The people around us burst into laughter.

Connan clicked his tongue and looked at her.

“You're unbelievable.” His lips curled into a smile. “Quit saying crazy shit. One of these days, someone's actually going to believe you.”

Kathleen giggled. “What? I was only teasing. You know I like making people nervous.”

Their eyes met for just a second. A second that lasted far too long. The smile they shared… It wasn't the smile between friends. I knew that smile. I'd spent years believing it belonged only to me.

Standing between them, I suddenly felt invisible.

I looked down at the plain bracelet on my wrist. The free gift.

How fitting.

Even after everything, I was still the extra.

Then Kathleen slipped her arm through mine before I could pull away.

With a bright smile, she led me toward a group of Donnas, Mafia wives, and wealthy socialites gathered around the champagne tower.

“Oh, everyone,” she said cheerfully. “This is my twin sister, Donna Giselle Hawksley. She just got out of prison, so please don't overwhelm her. She's still getting used to being back in the real world.”

The women exchanged awkward smiles.

Before I could even respond, Kathleen had already turned to someone else.

“Oh, Donna Sofia, have you met my sister? She just got released after spending ten years in prison. She's been through so much, so please be kind to her.”

A few minutes later...

“Oh, this is Donna Giselle. She just got out recently. Prison really changes a person, doesn't it? I just hope she can adjust to life outside again.”

Again.

And again.

And again.

Every introduction somehow came back to those same words.

Ten years. Prison. Released. People smiled politely, but I could see it in—disgust.

Some even stepped back ever so slightly, like standing too close to me might stain their expensive clothes.

I couldn't take it anymore, I pulled my arm away.

“I'm going to the restroom!”

Without waiting for an answer, I walked away.

The moment I reached the sink, I gripped the marble counter so hard my fingers hurt.

I looked at myself in the mirror.

Who was this woman?

She looked nothing like the Giselle I used to know.

The restroom door opened and Kathleen walked in.

She looked at me with concern.

“Giselle...” she said softly. “Are you okay? Don't let those people get to you. They're all snobs. They think money makes them better than everyone else. None of them deserve your attention.”

I slowly turned around. “Enough.”

She blinked. “What do you mean?”

“I know.” I stared straight into her eyes. “I know about you and Connan. I know why you grew your hair out, and I know whose perfume you've been wearing!”

Silence filled the restroom.

I glanced at her long blonde hair. “You did it on purpose, didn't you?”

The worried look disappeared from her face like someone had flipped a switch.

Then she laughed. “Oh my God...” She walked over to the mirror, pulled out her compact, and calmly fixed her lipstick. “Do you know how exhausting it is pretending to care about you? Honestly sister, I'm relieved you finally figured it out. Keeping up the act was becoming such a chore.”

My throat tightened.

“W-why?” My voice barely came out. “We're sisters, Kathy. We grew up together. We told each other everything. So why, why would you do this to me?”

She looked at me through the mirror and smiled.

It wasn't a kind smile.

It was full of jealousy.

“Because I'm sick of losing to you.” She snapped her compact shut. “We're fraternal twins. We came from the same family, but everyone always looked at you first. You were always the beautiful twin, the lucky twin, the one who got everything without even trying.”

She stepped closer.

“So tell me, what did you have that I didn't? Why did Don Connan Hawksley fall in love with you instead of me? You got the perfect husband, the title of Donna, the Hawksley name... so I decided I'd take it. Every single bit of it, including Connan.”

A chill ran through my body.

I clenched my fists.

“You told me you got accepted into Harvard.” My voice trembled. “You said you were leaving to study medicine. You cried in front of me and promised you'd come back after graduating.”

Kathleen covered her mouth as she laughed.

“Harvard?” she said with a smirk. “I never went to Harvard. That was just an excuse so you wouldn't question why I disappeared. While you were counting the days until my next prison visit, I was in Connan's bed almost every night. We traveled together, slept together, woke up together, and played the happy couple while you were rotting behind bars.”

My vision blurred.

“Aren't you scared?” I whispered. “I'll tell Connan everything. I'll tell him exactly who you are and everything you've done.”

Kathleen burst into laughter.

“You can try.” She folded her arms with a smug smile. “Who do you think he'll believe? You, his wife who came back from prison traumatized and suspicious of everyone, or me? I've been beside him for the last ten years. I'm the woman he trusts, the woman he actually chose, and the woman he couldn't wait to go home to every night.”

Her smile grew even wider.

“So go ahead. Tell him everything. Let's see who wins.”

My whole body shook with anger.

I couldn't stand looking at her anymore.

I pushed past her and stormed toward the door.

I just wanted to leave.

I never even heard her footsteps behind me.

Outside the restroom was the grand staircase leading back to the banquet.

Suddenly, someone grabbed my wrist.

I spun around.

It was Kathleen.

But before I could say a word, she looked me right in the eyes.

Then she threw herself backward.

“Help!” she screamed so loudly the entire ballroom went silent. “Sister! Why did you push me?!”

I froze.