My eyelashes fluttered. I looked down, burying
my emotions. I pulled my hand away, my face
expressionless. “I forgot.”
- 13.
I lied. I’d thought about Ethan constantly during
my years abroad. The winter of his nineteenth
birthday, just before he was to return to the
Hayes family. We were madly in love. The dry
winter air sparked with static every time we
kissed. I’d considered confessing. So many
times, in the heat of the moment, he’d whisper
against my ear, “Chloe. Chloe, don’t leave me.”
Like a bucket of cold water, it reminded me I’d
started this with a lie, impersonating someone
else. Ethan had told me, “My cousin locked me
in a closet as a kid. I almost died. I hate being
lied to, more than anything.” Would he hate me
if he knew the truth?
Before Ethan’s twentieth birthday, his
grandfather fell ill and discovered the truth
Ethan had been framed, the accident
–
orchestrated. He sent for Ethan. Chloe came to
see me. Now a famous actress, she looked
down at me. “Now that the Hayes family wants
him back you’re not dreaming of marrying into
3:36
84
him back, you’re not dreaming of marrying into
wealth, are you? Snap out of it. The Hayes
family, and Ethan, they only want me, Chloe
Williams. You’re a cheap knockoff.” She threw a
check at me. “Here’s another $50,000. Don’t
get any ideas. Or I’ll expose everything.”
I glared at her. “Chloe, Mom was your mom,
too!”
“My mom is a Williams. That woman was
nothing but a whore.” She sneered.
The setting sun bled red across the sky. I
snapped, grabbing her, punching her. Someone
rushed in, pinning me down. The glamorous
actress looked down at me. “Am I wrong? Take
the money and disappear. Or I’ll carve her dirty
secrets onto her tombstone.”
دو
She left. I stared at the check. Two years
earlier, when Mom was sick, we were drowning
in debt. After she died, I couldn’t afford a
decent burial. Then Chloe had contacted me.
<
3:36
“Need money?” She’d cut me off, sneering.
“She barely raised me. Why should I pay for
her?”
I’d tried to explain. “She wanted custody of you.
You cried to go with Dad-”
“Of course I went with Dad to the Williams
family! Did you think I was stupid like you?” Chloe snapped. “Did you think you could trap me in your pathetic poverty, where you can’t even afford a proper burial?”
I stared at her, speechless. Her face, so much like mine, was filled with disgust. Her silk dress,
diamond necklace, crocodile bag… each worth
more than I could imagine. She sipped her
coffee. “But, since we’re sisters… if you need
money, I can help. Fifty grand. Pretend to be me
and take care of someone.”
- 14.
The conference was a disaster. People were
staring at Chloe, cameras turning on her. “Ms.
Williams, was Mr. Hayes telling the truth? Was
<
it really this reporter who supported him?”
“Were you lying about your accusations?”
Unable to answer, she turned to Ethan. “Ethan,
you know me best. I’ve been with you for years.
I’d never do something like this…”
Ethan smiled. “Don’t worry, You have irrefutable
evidence, right? My lawyers are here,
documenting everything.” His voice was gentle,
but Chloe trembled as if seeing a monster.
The conference was over. I gathered my notes and left. Ethan followed. “It’s raining. Let me
give you a ride.” The rain was pouring. I
hesitated, then got into his Rolls Royce, seeing
a flicker of triumph in his eyes. I checked my
phone. The conference was trending. Netizens
were arguing. “Chloe stole credit from that
reporter! So shameless!” “Stole credit? Who
knows who’s lying? Maybe she slept her way to
the top.” “The nude photos are fake.” “Even if
they’re real, she was paid for a job. She did the
job, got paid, what’s the problem?” “Ethan’s the
When was g
phone the conference was trending Rettsens www.lee
ee stele credit from that
