After We Were Gone, the Twins Lost Their Minds

After We Were Gone, the Twins Lost Their Minds Brief The Link assigned me and my sister to win over a pair of twins. She’s supposed to get the flirtatious younger brother; I’m here for the obsessive older one. It was like playing with a couple of loyal puppies, all according to plan. Until the Main Girl came back. Then the flirt grabbed my sister by her hair and dragged her to his room. And the obsessive one locked me down on his bed… Sister: “Are we leaving?” Me: “We’re leaving!” Content When Lydia said she wanted to leave this world, I thought she was joking. Back in Ridgeville, we wanted nothing more than to get as far away from that shattered family as possible. Here, we had no parents, but it meant fewer mind games, less verbal abuse, and no one around to constantly drag us down. And especially after winning over the brothers, life here had been smooth sailing. Leaving here and going back? That was the last thing I wanted to do. But Lydia was set on it. “Whether you stay or not is up to you,” she told me. “I’m calling up The Link tonight to get out of here.” “And don’t say I didn’t warn you—Cora’s back.” Cora. The Main Girl of this world. I understood why Lydia wanted to leave. She was right; Damien and Cora were bound to get tangled up again. A flicker of unease rose in my chest. That night, as I was unwinding, Asher stumbled in, reeking of booze. As he got closer, I caught the scent of something familiar on him—a strong trace of Silver Birch Cologne. Cora’s favorite. Half-drunk, he reached up to touch my face, his dark eyes glinting with that familiar, possessive gleam. “What did you do today? Did you think about me?” Since winning Asher over, he’d gotten in the habit of asking me that, like some little reassurance. If I dared say no, his eyes would immediately darken, and he’d ask if I’d found someone else to chase after. Then he’d be fierce with me, muttering that I was nothing but a liar. “You promised you loved me, that you’d never leave. But the second I look away, there you are, running off to someone else. Nixie, you’re so bad.” But if I sweet-talked him just a little, he’d calm down, gentle as ever. Asher’s shifts in mood made me feel like I could handle him, as if taming him were as easy as coaxing a kitten. But I forgot who I was dealing with—Asher Pierce, ruthless, cunning, a real predator. No one could control him easily. Well, except for his ‘Golden Girl.’ “Hmm? Thinking about someone else, Nixie?” “No.” I covered his hand, forcing myself to bear the strong scent of that cologne, my cheek brushing his palm softly. “I was thinking of you, Asher.” The words dripped with emotion, and Asher believed it, a slight smile tugging at his lips as he narrowed his eyes. “You’re so good, Nixie,” he murmured in that hypnotic tone. “I should’ve made my move on you a long time ago. Wasted so much time.” I lowered my gaze, suppressing the emotions rising within. Winning Asher’s heart hadn’t been easy. At first, he looked at me with complete disinterest—his eyes saw only Cora. It wasn’t until six months ago, after Cora got together with her main love interest, that I found Asher drunk on the street and brought him home. That was when he finally started noticing me. When he found out I was here just to win him over, he went wild, begging me to stay. After I succeeded, Asher was good to me. And Damien liked my sister too. So we stayed. But now my sister was leaving. And me? I’d be next. “You’ve got puffy eyes—been crying?” My voice was a little hoarse; Asher had been rough last night, and I still hadn’t quite recovered. Lydia gave a bitter smile. “Last night, he came back drunk, reeking of perfume, with lipstick on his collar. I asked him a couple of questions, and he got all in my face, accusing me of being paranoid. The way he said it hurt. Those words were…ugly. Nora, I regret staying.” “Doesn’t matter if it’s this world or the old one—men are the same. Once they’ve got you, they stop caring.” Lydia sighed. “I’ve already arranged for The Link to get me out of here. In two weeks, I’ll be gone. What about you? Are you staying here with Asher? Or is he not much better than Damien?” I didn’t know how much of Asher’s feelings were real. Unlike Damien, he wasn’t open about his emotions. Lydia vented her anger about Damien for a while, then dragged me to Oakwood Mall with her, laughing again. “The Pierces can afford it. I’m leaving soon; why not enjoy spending his money?” “When we go back, I won’t get to live like this anymore.” “Nora, just humor me these last few days.” Lydia practically wanted to buy the whole place, grabbing anything that caught her eye. She found a bracelet and was about to try it on when someone else swooped in. “I’ll take that. Wrap it up.”

I turned toward the voice, and my eyes widened. Asher was standing there, lips pressed tightly together, his gaze dark and fixed on me. Beside him was Cora. The sales assistant hesitated, and before Lydia could say a word, I spoke up first: “Lydia was eyeing that bracelet first. Even if you want it, Miss Blake, you should wait until she decides not to buy it.” A sharp glare landed on me. Asher’s. He walked up, his towering presence full of pressure, handed his card to the sales assistant, and said with chilling calm, “Charge it. Wrap the bracelet up.” I watched, helpless, as Asher handed the bracelet to Cora. Not a single word to me the entire time. Even after he left, I was frozen in place. “Still thinking of staying here?” “Asher doesn’t seem that different from Damien,” Lydia said, a bit of amusement in her voice. I forced a smile. Guess that’s why they’re twins. That night, Asher didn’t come back. Just as I was drifting off, my phone buzzed. It was a video message from Lydia. In the video, Cora sat between the twins, Damien holding a fruit platter, Asher a glass of juice. She looked like a princess flanked by her two knights. I knew what Lydia was implying: she wanted me to leave with her. I’d been hesitating, but that scene at the mall solidified my decision. I tried summoning The Link, but it didn’t respond. The door creaked open. Asher was back. Still in the same black suit from earlier, his sharp gaze was fixed on me. “Are you mad?” He sat on the bed beside me, the cologne stronger than it had been last night. I shook my head, calmly replying, “No.” Asher scoffed, “Not mad at all? Should I call you overly tolerant, Nixie?” His expression didn’t change, but I could feel his irritation. Normally, by now, I’d have soothed him with a few soft words. But this time, I just looked at him silently. Asher’s face darkened; he yanked his tie off, sighing in frustration. “Cora’s my sister. I promised I’d always look after her. I can’t break that promise.” I nodded in understanding. Without crying or throwing a fit, I sat there silently as his frown deepened. “Nora, are you throwing a tantrum?” I swear I wasn’t. Suddenly, he grabbed my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes. The moment our gazes locked, my breath hitched. His look was cold, deadly. He was genuinely angry. His grip was fierce, painful. I tried pulling away, but his hold only tightened. “Nora, you can throw a fit, but don’t go too far. It’s unattractive.” I hadn’t gone too far. I gripped his wrist, annoyed, “Asher, let go. I’m not mad.” He released me after a moment, caressing my face with that obsessive intensity. “Nixie, you’re not going back. You only have me to rely on, so don’t push your luck, understand?” “If you’re upset, say it. Don’t hold it in—it’s bad for you.” “As for Cora, you don’t need to worry about her. You’re the only one I’ll ever have at my side.” The tenderness in his tone sent a shiver through me, a chill spreading up my spine. When Asher was angry, his silence was the most frightening. He kissed my forehead, nose, then my lips, his touch gentle, while his hands grew more demanding. I felt like I was on a roller coaster, high one moment, plummeting the next. Barely able to keep up, I clung to his wrist, my vision blurring. “Asher, I’m sorry. Not so hard.”

As Asher buried his face in my neck, he chuckled, his touch finally softening. But just a second later, his movements became rough again. I sighed; this time, he wouldn’t be so easy to appease. When it was finally over, Asher fell asleep quickly, calm as ever. But I lay awake, mind racing, repeatedly calling on The Link. Finally, that cold, mechanical voice answered. “Host, apologies for the delay.” “I want to leave this world.” I was blunt, and even The Link seemed surprised. “Host, this is a one-time opportunity, and it cannot be reversed. Are you sure you want to exit?” “Absolutely.” The second Asher said I “only had him to rely on,” I knew I couldn’t wait to get out. I’d finally seen it clearly—in his mind, I was nothing but an attachment, something he owned. The Link scheduled my exit for two weeks out. Lydia and I would be leaving one after the other. When she found out, she smiled with relief. “I’m glad you’ve come around, Nora. Once we’re back, let’s just be sisters, okay? No more fighting.” I nodded and agreed. As kids, Lydia and I fought constantly. For things as small as a test score, and as big as Dad’s attention. If we didn’t fight, we’d get hit. It wasn’t really us fighting, but our mothers who pushed us into it, each one hoping the other would disappear. But Lydia’s smile didn’t last long; her gaze shifted, turning dark as she looked over my shoulder. I turned to see Damien standing there. Same face as Asher’s, but somehow, Damien’s gaze always made my skin crawl. “Hey, Sis. Asher’s looking for you—don’t keep him waiting.” “And I need to talk with Lydia. We’ve got some things to settle.” The twins had bought neighboring apartments so that Lydia and I could see each other anytime. I glanced at Lydia, worried, but she just smiled and shook her head. “Go on, Nora. It’s late, and I need to talk with him.” I had barely shut the door when I heard glass shattering inside. I turned to rush back in, but an arm wrapped around my waist, a hand covering my mouth. “Their business is theirs. Let’s go home.” Asher brought me back. The moment we stepped inside, he pressed me against the wall, his kiss desperate and unrelenting. The strong scent of that cologne still lingered, and I pushed him away, feeling disgusted. “Go shower. You smell…filthy.” Asher froze, looking at me, stunned. “Nora, are you calling me…dirty?” I wiped my mouth, my expression hard, letting my revulsion show. “Asher, you’re coming in here smelling like someone else’s perfume, and you don’t think that’s dirty?” A tense silence filled the room. Asher’s face darkened, his eyes sharp as a hawk’s, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Then suddenly, he let out a low chuckle. “Nixie, are you jealous?” Was I? Maybe a little—otherwise, why would it bother me so much? Asher lifted my chin, his eyes glinting with amusement. “I like it, Nixie, that you’re jealous for me.” “But I told you before—you need to know your limits. You don’t get to be jealous over Cora.” His tone was tinged with warning. It sent a shiver through me. I’d seen Asher break a man’s arm without blinking, just because he’d brushed up against Cora’s arm. If I really tried to harm her, who knows what Asher would do to me. We were locked in that tense silence when a sudden banging shook the door behind us. “Nora, open the door! Help me!” I moved to open it, but Asher grabbed my hand. He leaned in, voice low and menacing. “I said, don’t get involved in their business.” “She’s my sister!” For the first time, I shouted at Asher with real anger. He blinked, momentarily surprised, and I used the chance to open the door. Lydia gasped as I pulled it open; I saw Damien gripping her hair, dragging her back to his place. Seeing me, he shot me a cold smile.

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