The Twin Face That Haunts Me Chapter 03

The Twin Face That Haunts Me Chapter 03

I lost track of how long I’d sat on the floor, my legs stiff and aching.

I pushed myself upright to grab a glass of water, pausing outside Selena’s bedroom door as I heard her humming while removing her makeup.

Her suite was enormous, far larger than any single bedroom had any right to be.

It took me a moment to piece it together—my parents had knocked down the dividing wall between our original rooms to expand her space. That’s why there was nowhere for me to stay.

Her vanity, clothing rack, and king-sized bed filled half the room, yet massive empty space still stretched across the floor.

Selena paused mid-coat of nail polish when she spotted me, grinning and patting the sofa beside her.

“Florence? What are you doing standing there? Come sit with me.”

Before I could decline, she grabbed my wrist and pulled me down onto the couch.

“We haven’t gotten a proper chance to catch up since you moved back home. How have you been? Is the maid’s quarters bearable? Do you like the meals the cook makes? If any of the household staff gives you trouble, just tell me, and I’ll set them straight.”

Her hands were soft, coated in a faint, sweet fragrance. I pressed my lips together and pulled my rough, calloused hands out of her grasp, tucking them behind my back.

“I’m fine. Everything’s okay.”

Selena relaxed, reaching out to pat my hair in an overly affectionate gesture.

“I’m glad you’re adjusting. Florence, why don’t you wear makeup? You can’t go around looking like this—don’t you feel self-conscious? I see you’ve broken out, too.”

I tugged the corner of my mouth into a hollow smile. “There’s no mirror in my room.”

Selena’s smile faltered for half a second before she waved it off casually.

“That’s nothing to worry about! You can come use my vanity anytime you want. All my cosmetics are yours to borrow.”

She leaned in, voice dropping to a playful whisper. “Thomas bought all of these for me, they’re luxury brands, super gentle on skin.”

I fell quiet for a beat, then nodded softly. “Okay.”

Selena lifted a fancy cake box off her vanity and pressed it into my hands.

“I remembered mango’s your favorite—Thomas picked this up for me. You can have the whole thing, I don’t care for mango flavor anyway.”

The box weighed heavy in my palms, embossed with a gold foil designer logo. This bakery’s treats cost a fortune.

Back in the countryside, I’d stared longingly at their commercials on TV while Thomas sat beside me doing his homework, never glancing up once.

The memory twisted my chest. I hugged the box tighter to my chest.

“Did you tell him you don’t like mango?”

Selena blinked, confused. “Of course not. It’s his sweet gesture toward me, I can’t hurt his feelings like that.”

Silence settled over me again. “How did you and Thomas meet?”

“Has Mom not told you? We were set up on a formal matchmaker date.” Her face softened into a lovesick grin.

“I’d already seen photos of him beforehand, and he was exactly my ideal type. I was heartbroken when I heard he’d sworn off arranged marriages entirely. I tracked down his Instagram handle and messaged him nonstop for days, but he never replied.”

“I’d fully given up hope, but guess what? The second he laid eyes on me at our meeting, he agreed to the engagement. Fate really works in mysterious ways.”

She tilted her head, cheerful. “You don’t have a boyfriend yet, right? I’ll ask Thomas to set you up with one of his friends. All his buddies are incredible, though none compare to Thomas—he’s mine, after all.”

Selena claimed ownership of him openly, without a shred of hesitation. I stiffened all over, lifting my head to stare at her.

Under the warm lamp light, Selena glowed bright and stunning. We shared identical faces, yet she looked a hundred times more radiant than I ever could.

Mom and Dad had poured every ounce of their care into her, molding her into the perfect daughter—graceful, charismatic, breathtakingly beautiful.

Even without our shared past, Thomas would’ve fallen for someone as flawless as Selena eventually.

The overhead lights stung my eyes, burning with unshed tears. I sprang abruptly to my feet.

“I’m exhausted. I’m heading to bed.”