My Twin Brother Stole My Life. Now, I’m Back. My twin brother shoved aside Dr. Elena Petrova, the world’s leading skin repair specialist, whom Sienna Maxwell, the heiress from one of the most powerful and influential families in the city, had brought in. “This scar is part of me! If you see me as your brother, then stop trying to fix it!” The scar on his arm was gruesome, but his eyes blazed with fierce arrogance. “Sienna Maxwell, if it bothers you so much, just get lost!” Standing nearby, I gently touched the half of my face disfigured by the fire. What my brother dismissed so contemptuously was something I dreamed of begging for. I tugged at the female doctor’s sleeve, pleading with her to look at my face. My brother glared at me, his eyes filled with disgust. “Asher Reed, do you have no backbone?! Will you do anything for a superficial appearance?” Sienna Maxwell shot me a cold glance. “How could Landon have such a useless brother like you?” Yet, she still agreed to introduce me to the doctor. The condition was that I, a computer genius, would work for her for free for three years. One night, after too much to drink, things happened between us. After that, she seemed to treat me a little differently. Until I overheard her talking to a friend: “Asher Reed? He’s just a distraction when I’m bored. Nothing serious, just a bit of fun.”
“What about Landon Reed? I don’t see him reciprocating your feelings.” “He’s different.” Sienna’s voice turned serious. “He’s pure, untainted. Unlike anyone else. He’s worth waiting for.” A bitter ache spread from my heart through every part of my body. So, I was just a pastime. Fine by me. I turned and quietly walked away. My brother, Landon Reed, and I joined Sienna Maxwell’s company at the same time. He was headhunted with a high salary, basking in glory. I was just an accessory to a deal. My brother always prided himself on never taking the easy way out. More than once, he’d say in front of everyone, “I’m nothing like those men who climb their way up by relying on women.” Every time he said that, all eyes would fall on me. Sienna Maxwell’s admiration for my brother was an open secret. She pursued him, sending expensive watches, sports cars, and rare collectibles. But my brother always maintained that aloof, arrogant demeanor, keeping her at arm’s length. This only made Sienna Maxwell more captivated. And I? I was just a tool for her to pass the time. That night, with alcohol blurring my senses, we somehow ended up entangled. Afterward, she leaned against the headboard, a slender lady’s cigarette between her fingers, smoke curling around her. Suddenly, she stubbed out the cigarette, turned her head, and gently brushed the hair from my eyes. Her fingertips were cool, but her touch held a rare tenderness. “Your eyes are beautiful.” She gazed at me, her expression soft. A distant memory resurfaced. Amidst towering flames, thick smoke choked me, almost stealing my breath. I shielded a little girl with my small body. In the chaos, our eyes met. She said, “Your eyes are really beautiful.” Sienna Maxwell’s face in front of me slowly merged with the face of that girl from my memory. I’d always known Sienna Maxwell was searching for the boy who saved her from a fire. But I never dared to imagine it was me. I was insecure and quiet, while she was a golden girl, a child of privilege. We were from two different worlds. But at that moment, the focus in her eyes gave me a sliver of daring hope. I clutched the blanket, my voice trembling. “Sienna Maxwell, that fire… the boy who saved you, that was me.” The tenderness in her eyes instantly froze, replaced by disgust. “Asher Reed, you’d stoop to such lies just to cling to me!” I froze, my heart sinking bit by bit. “I’m not lying…” “Shut up!” She roughly cut me off. “I already checked! The one who saved me was Landon! The scar on his arm is proof!” I completely stiffened. My brother’s scar? That was from when he fell out of a tree trying to steal mangoes when he was a kid! He was never at that abandoned factory! “No, it was me who went into the fire, my brother he…” “Enough!” Sienna Maxwell stood up impatiently. “You’re not even fit to be compared to your brother!” With that, she slammed the door shut and left. I curled up on the bed, feeling utterly cold.
From childhood, everyone always preferred my brother. He was handsome and lively, like the sun. Because of the scar on my face, I was always dust hiding in the shadows. From that day on, I stopped mentioning the fire, and I stopped arguing. I became Sienna Maxwell’s secret bedmate. Unable to win my brother’s affection, she unleashed all her desires on me. Only, every time, she would cover my face with her hand or a pillow. She only wanted to look at my eyes. She said those eyes were very similar to Landon’s. I became my brother’s substitute. But after each time, she would hold me for a long while, silently, yet with a hint of dependence. That rare tenderness she occasionally offered gave me a false hope. A mistaken belief that I might actually have her. It wasn’t until today, with that single word “distraction,” that I fully woke up. I mocked my own foolish infatuation. The next day, as soon as I sat at my desk, Landon Reed walked up to me. He stopped in front of me and placed a document on my table. “Asher, I’m taking over the ‘Luna’ project from now on. Here are the handover documents, just sign them.” I snapped my head up, staring at him intently. “What did you say?” “Luna” was my brainchild, a project I’d poured my heart and soul into. For three years, I’d handled countless tasks for Sienna Maxwell. From technical support to system maintenance, but I never gave up on my own expertise. Programming was my only passion, the only light I could cling to in my dark life. As soon as I plunged into the world of code, I could temporarily forget all the disdain and ridicule. If the project succeeded, it would be the company’s core competitive advantage for the next decade. And I was the lead architect of this project. Sienna Maxwell once said in front of everyone, “Only Asher Reed can handle this project.” At that time, the appreciation in her eyes was my only comfort. But now, even this last comfort was being taken away. Landon gave a slight smile. “I know it’s hard for you to accept, but this is the company’s decision. You’re always so quiet and withdrawn; your personality isn’t suited to lead such an important project.” He paused, then reached out to straighten my collar, his action intimate, but his words like knives. “Leave it to me; I’ll make it even better. Don’t worry, I’ll lead everyone to success.” He turned his head, flashing a confident smile at the surrounding colleagues. “If anyone has any questions from now on, you can come directly to me.” I watched his posturing, feeling a wave of nausea. He turned back, lowering his voice to my ear: “Asher Reed, you’ve always been like this, unrefined. How come you haven’t improved at all? You’re a complete lost cause.” My chest tightened as if squeezed, a sharp, continuous pain. Just then, a commotion broke out at the office door. Sienna Maxwell had arrived. I looked at her, pleading. “Sienna Maxwell…” My gaze was so fervent, so full of desperate hope. The moment her eyes met mine, she seemed to pause, a flicker of complex emotion in her gaze. But that emotion was quickly suppressed, replaced by an indifferent expression. Sienna Maxwell frowned, “Giving the project to Landon was my decision.” Her words were like daggers to my heart. “Landon is right, you really do need more experience.” “Don’t you know my capabilities?” I asked, my voice hoarse, clinging to a last sliver of defiance. In these three years, she knew better than anyone how many technical problems I’d solved for the company, how much core code I’d written. My question seemed to annoy her. Her voice was full of impatience: “Asher Reed, why do you always have to compete with your brother?” “Let me tell you, you’re just not as capable as he is, and nowhere near as likable!” She leaned close to my ear, whispering a warning: “Don’t think that just because you got into my bed, you can forget your place!” I knew it deep down, but my heart still throbbed uncontrollably. I lowered my head, no longer looking at her. I picked up the pen and meticulously signed my name on the handover document. Done, I walked out of the office without looking back.
In the emergency stairwell. I leaned against the cold wall, my body shaking uncontrollably. I strained my neck, trying to force back the tears. Just then, Sienna Maxwell appeared. In the confined space, only our strained breathing filled the air. She silently walked towards me, watching my hands, my knuckles white from clenching them so tight. With a surprisingly gentle touch, she pried my fingers open, one by one. Her palm was warm, a warmth I couldn’t understand. She raised a hand and gently wiped away the tears that had finally escaped my eyes. “Don’t cry.” Her voice was low. “I know you’re upset.” My heart gave a sharp jolt. “Landon can be blunt sometimes, and his words aren’t always kind, but he doesn’t mean any harm. Please, don’t compete with your brother anymore, okay?” My breathing suddenly became ragged. I closed my eyes, and the tears finally fell. The next day, I submitted my resignation to HR. The HR manager seemed a bit surprised but quietly processed the paperwork. The moment I stepped out of the Maxwell Group building, I let out a long, slow breath. The sunlight was blinding, but it carried a sense of new beginning, a warm embrace. The three years were up; I was finally free. My phone vibrated. It was a text from Sienna Maxwell. [You MUST come to the company anniversary gala tonight.] It was an order, as always. I almost deleted it, but then I had a thought. Consider it closure with the past. When I arrived at the gala, I found a quiet corner and stayed there, feeling completely out of place amidst the glitz and glamour. All eyes were on Landon Reed. He wore a bespoke designer suit Sienna Maxwell had bought for him, looking dashing and charming. After he took over the Luna project, with Sienna Maxwell’s full support and promotion, he had become the industry’s rising star. People praised him for his talent and good looks, calling him Sienna Maxwell’s most capable right-hand man. And I? I was nothing more than an insignificant stepping stone on his path to success. Suddenly, the large screen in the center of the banquet hall lit up. The company’s promotional video, which had been playing on a loop, abruptly switched to a series of scandalous photos. The photos clearly showed me and Sienna Maxwell entangled on a hotel bed! The entire hall erupted in gasps. Whispers and murmurs surged toward me like a tidal wave. “Oh my God, isn’t that Asher Reed?” “His brother is so refined; how could he have such a shameless brother!” My body went numb with cold, as if plunged into an icy abyss. I instinctively looked at Landon Reed; he was standing in the crowd, a smug smile playing on his lips. In my panic, Sienna Maxwell pushed through the crowd, striding towards me, her face contorted with fury. Her complexion was stormy. “Asher Reed, you really outdid yourself!” She spat, “Using such vile, underhanded tactics just to climb your way up? You truly disgust me!” I looked at her, and a laugh inexplicably escaped me. “I didn’t do it.” I said calmly. “Still dare to lie!” Sienna Maxwell roared. “Landon Reed did it.” I raised my eyes, meeting her gaze directly. “Do you believe me?” Landon Reed walked closer, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Brother, I’ve always despised such despicable methods. But I never thought you were this kind of person.” He put on his high-and-mighty act again. Sienna Maxwell scoffed, “I believe you? Who else would have these photos if not you?” “I didn’t!” The next second, she raised her hand and slapped my face. The blow made me stumble, reeling back a few steps, crashing hard into the champagne tower behind me. The sound of shattering glass, accompanied by the guests’ screams, was jarring and chaotic. Countless glass shards flew everywhere, slicing my arms and cheek. Blood instantly welled up. But I felt no pain. The ache in my heart had already overshadowed everything else. Sienna Maxwell, however, didn’t even look at me. She turned, supporting Landon Reed, comforting him softly. “Landon, don’t be scared, I’m right here.” Then, she embraced him and walked out of the banquet hall without a backward glance. Leaving me alone amidst the wreckage and chaos. I don’t remember how I left the gala. I only recall Mr. Davies, our butler, rushing to my side and taking me to the hospital. Wounds cleaned, bandaged, stitched. The doctor said I was lucky the glass fragments didn’t hit my eyes. But the old scar on my face now had new injuries, making it even harder to treat. I lay in the hospital bed, sleepless through the night.
At dawn, I received an email from Dr. Elena Petrova, the internationally renowned plastic surgeon, from three years ago. She said there was a new research project abroad that might help with my face. She asked if I wanted to go abroad with her for treatment. I replied without hesitation. [I accept.] Just as I was about to complete my discharge procedures, my phone rang again. It was Sienna Maxwell. I hung up immediately. She called several more times, persistently, but I ignored them all. Soon after, a text message popped up. [Tonight at 8 PM, come to Starlight Bay. If you come, I’ll forgive you for everything that happened. I can even grant you one wish.] Starlight Bay was the place she took me after our first time. It had a beautiful private beach. She said she loved the stars there. Like my eyes… But ultimately, she was from a different social class than me. Looking at that text, she was still the same imperious heiress. I looked at the message, smiled faintly, and then deleted it. And blocked her contact permanently. I didn’t go to Starlight Bay. Instead, I went straight to the airport and boarded a flight to Switzerland. The moment the plane took off, I looked out the window at the city growing smaller and smaller, a profound sense of peace in my heart. At 8 PM that night, Sienna Maxwell sat alone on the terrace at Starlight Bay. The sea breeze was cool, carrying a salty, damp scent. She glanced at her phone; the screen still showed the message she’d sent, with no reply. She frowned, a surge of inexplicable irritation rising within her. Asher Reed should have come. She had acted impulsively at the gala, but she had given him an out. If he came, if he just softened a little, she could overlook it. She could even compensate him. Time ticked by, minute after minute, but Asher Reed never appeared. Sienna Maxwell’s patience finally wore thin. She picked up her phone and dialed the number she knew by heart. But the only response was the message that the phone was turned off. Sienna Maxwell’s heart plummeted, and a strong sense of unease gripped her. This wasn’t right. Asher Reed had always been so compliant; even when angry, he never dared to defy her so completely. She forced herself to remain calm, trying to find a reasonable explanation for his actions. He must still be angry about the project. Sienna Maxwell’s thoughts drifted back to that day. When she saw Asher Reed, looking so fragile and on the verge of breaking in front of Landon. Her heart felt a sharp prick, a discomforting sensation. So, after she left the office, she immediately followed him. In the emergency stairwell, she saw him like a small animal abandoned by the whole world. She, inexplicably, walked up to him and tried to comfort him. But when he finally pulled his hand away, his beautiful eyes held nothing but lifeless despair. She returned to her office, where Landon Reed proudly held the handover document, his smile glaring. Sienna Maxwell’s expression instantly turned cold. “Who told you to touch his project?” Landon Reed was startled by her icy tone, and he said, aggrieved, “Sienna, I just wanted to help you out… this project is very important to me…” Sienna Maxwell had no idea Landon Reed had done these things behind her back. But defending Landon Reed had become her automatic response. She was used to protecting the seemingly pure and innocent brother, used to sacrificing the always silent older brother. But seeing the light extinguished in Asher Reed’s eyes, she regretted it. So, she looked at Landon Reed and warned, “I don’t want this to happen a second time.” Sienna Maxwell rubbed her temples in frustration. She had already warned Landon; Asher Reed’s anger should have subsided. But why was the feeling of unease growing stronger and stronger? She couldn’t sit still anymore. She picked up her phone and called her secretary. “Immediately find out where Asher Reed is!” “Ms. Maxwell…” The secretary’s voice was hesitant. “Mr. Reed… completed his resignation procedures this morning.” “What did you say?!” Sienna Maxwell shot up from her chair, her blood instantly turning to ice. Resigned? How dared he, without her permission! She frantically dialed every number she could think of to reach him, sent people to his apartment, to his parents’ house…
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