I was the daughter of some bigshot billionaire, Victoria Foster’s fake boyfriend. My brother Wesley Grant was doing the same gig, playing along as arm candy for Margaret Russell, this up-and-coming actress. We had this brilliant plan to milk the situation for all it was worth and then split town with the cash. But things didn’t quite go according to plan. They dumped us before we could score any real money. Wesley and I had no choice but to pack our bags and leave in the middle of the night. Two years later, Margaret tracked down my brother. I was just standing there, enjoying the drama unfold, when someone smacked me upside the head. “I could handle you ghosting me, but did you really have to steal my dog too?” Victoria’s voice cut through the air. Just as Margaret was about to reach her apartment door, Wesley grabbed my arm while holding an iPad, trying to pick out a birthday gift for her. When the sound of the keypad lock downstairs clicked open, Wesley tossed the tablet aside and whispered, “Quick, hide somewhere. She hates having other people here.” I quickly contorted my six-foot frame into a shrimp-like shape and squeezed myself under the bed. Wesley, who had been all business moments ago, suddenly transformed into a lovesick puppy, throwing his arms wide open to embrace his beauty. “Welcome home, babe!” Margaret impatiently shoved Wesley away from her. “It was you, wasn’t it? You leaked the story about Evan being illegitimate! His gallery just opened! This negative press could ruin him! If you’re upset about something, take it out on me, not him! Why did you have to go after Evan?” Wesley’s eyes started to well up with tears. “You really think I would do that?” Margaret angrily threw her bag down. “This happened right after you visited his gallery. He only told you about it.” Just as Wesley was about to respond, Margaret’s assistant came upstairs. “We can’t reach Mr. Evan Porter on his phone.” Margaret set down the water glass she had just picked up. She shot Wesley an icy glare before heading back downstairs. “Margaret, I swear I didn’t do it,” Wesley pleaded. Margaret let out a cold laugh. “Last week, you got all jealous about me supporting Evan’s gallery. If it wasn’t you, then who was it?” Wesley sniffled as tears fell onto the tip of his shoes. “Can we talk about this tomorrow? Today is your…” “Just shut up! I never thought you’d be this kind of person!” Margaret stormed out, slamming the door without even looking at him. “Did you ever have any feelings for me at all?” Wesley rushed to the door and called out to Margaret’s retreating figure. Her heels paused for a brief moment, but she didn’t answer. The only response was the sound of a car driving away downstairs. Wesley put away his tablet and rubbed his nose before flopping spread-eagled onto the bed. “Well, at least I won’t have to spend money on her birthday this year,” he muttered. I poked my head out from under the bed and gave him a thumbs-up. “Wesley, your acting skills are amazing. You almost had me believing you were really in love with her.” Wesley kicked me lightly. “Evan is your girlfriend’s childhood sweetheart.” “Hey, I didn’t do anything to hurt him!” I protested. “Are you suggesting that I did?” “What exactly are you saying?” My voice started trembling as I processed his words. “Let’s grab some cash and get the hell out of here!” Wesley stared at me with determination in his eyes. “What’s going on?” I asked with confusion. “I ran into Evan at the gallery last week, and he gave me this ultimatum. When I called him out for being shameless, he came after me today,” Wesley explained with a grimace. “Don’t forget that Evan is Margaret’s old flame and your girlfriend’s childhood sweetheart. Knowing your girlfriend’s temperament, if you mess with her beloved childhood friend, you might not live to see another day!” I quickly scrambled to my feet and started putting on my shoes. “Alright, alright, say no more. Let’s figure out how much money we can withdraw and make a run for it,” I said urgently.
Wesley and I were identical twins. He majored in Theater Arts while I studied Economics in college. He became Margaret’s personal assistant, and Margaret immediately offered him the position during his senior year audition. I was just a stand-in boyfriend for billionaire heiress Victoria. Right after graduation, Victoria claimed me in an underground parking lot when I went for a job interview. We both grew up in an orphanage, and our incredible stroke of luck came from looking precisely like Evan. For three years, we’ve been living the high life without any financial worries. As a top celebrity, Margaret naturally had to maintain her public image. Victoria is a different story altogether. As the sole heiress to a billion-dollar fortune, she was a wild beauty with a temper, and anyone who crossed her path would regret it. We thought life would just continue this way indefinitely, but things have changed. Evan, who once stubbornly refused any financial support from Margaret, had returned. After life beat him down overseas, he’s given up on the struggle for success. Now he was back, planning to choose between two golden tickets—the A-list celebrity or the billionaire’s daughter to secure an easy life for himself. “Back at the gallery, he told me that Margaret would give him everything he needed with just a snap of his fingers. Let alone something as simple as getting rid of me. Look how quickly he made it happen. I wouldn’t care much if it was just about getting fired, but Victoria isn’t someone you want to mess with. What if she decides to throw both of us into the river?” The memory of Victoria driving someone insane with her bungee jumping stunt sent me chills. It all started when someone called me a gold digger. Victoria had them tied up and forced to bungee jump by the river. The next day, they ended up in a mental hospital, babbling like a lunatic. “God, I’m just Evan’s stand-in for crying out loud. If Evan decides to turn against me next, will I make it out alive? He’s the one who grew up with her, after all. We need to get out of here, like, right now!” After our discussion, we headed home separately to grab our cards and withdraw cash for our escape plan.
I had just finished packing up most of my belongings at home. Suddenly, someone burst through the doorway and threw herself into my arms, whispering, “What are you doing here so late? Where are you headed?” The smell of alcohol lingered on her breath. She seemed a bit drunk. Even after four years together, I still didn’t dare confront her about her drinking, so I simply replied, “I was actually going to look for you.” She appeared to be in high spirits, looking at me through half-closed eyes as she snuggled closer into my embrace and pushed the door shut behind her. “What would you like me wearing tonight?” she purred. I nervously responded, “You look beautiful in anything.” Victoria’s mother had passed away when she was young, and her father was a womanizer who frequently brought different women home. She grew up believing all men were cut from the same cloth. One day, while running away from home, she met a little boy who wiped away her tears. Victoria always said he was the first person to shed her tears. That person must have been Evan. Tonight, she was unusually forward. Before I could sit, she straddled my lap with a mischievous smile and began pulling up her dress… I wasn’t like Wesley. For artists like Wesley and Margaret, spiritual connection mattered most. I preferred a more physical kind of intimacy. Afterward, a wave of sadness washed over me. I ran my fingers through her hair as she rested her head softly on my arm. The words slipped out before I could stop them. “Do you love me?” She froze, and I caught a glimpse of her eyes in the darkness, staring at the ceiling before closing them again. Her only response was the steady rhythm of her breathing. You can never wake someone who’s pretending to sleep. But tonight, I desperately needed an answer. “What am I to you?” I rolled over to kiss her, one arm holding her tight against me while the other tugged at her newly donned nightgown. “Jason, you’re crossing a line,” she said coldly. She pushed me away and got up to put on her shoes. “Get some rest. I’m sleeping upstairs.” Just moments ago, she’d been whispering in my ear, and now she might as well have been a stranger. “Are we gonna keep this relationship hidden forever? This isn’t the kind of relationship I want,” I said. “Oh yeah? Then there’s the door. We can end this right now,” Victoria barely spared me a glance. I fell silent, watching her with a stunned expression. “Please. I’ve got guys falling all over themselves for me,” Victoria snapped before stomping up the stairs.
What was I to her? I was some poor guy who looked a bit like her childhood sweetheart, nothing but a man hiding in the shadows who couldn’t bear the light of day. I was not fooling myself. I didn’t even have a ticket to the game of high-society marriage. Yet today, like an idiot, I had to go and ask her that question. I wiped the moisture from my eyes and let out a heavy sigh. Victoria’s pet dog, Dolly, jumped onto my bed, looking at me with sympathy, drool dripping from her mouth. Dolly was a stray mutt that Victoria had rescued from the streets, and I was the one who raised her. I have to take her with me. I carefully went downstairs, carrying Dolly in one arm and my luggage in the other. I texted Wesley as soon as I left: [I’m heading out now.] [Let’s meet at the airport in thirty minutes.] [I can’t take a plane; I’ve got my dog with me.] [Damn, we’ll have to take the bus then!! Meet at the bus station in thirty minutes!!!] Jason glared at me through gritted teeth as I stood there with my luggage and Dolly in my arms. I didn’t see what the big deal was, but Wesley showed up looking like a refugee with three massive suitcases, which really made me think. “What’s all this stuff you’re bringing?” “She dumped me and told me to wipe every trace of myself from her life, so I packed up everything that was mine.” “Did you really need to bring the broom, though?” “I bought that broom too.” I momentarily fell silent and said, “Well, I got dumped, too. Victoria said she had plenty of other options.” Wesley gave me a sympathetic pat on the shoulder, his look indicating that he knew exactly how I felt. Then we both loaded our bags into the bus’ luggage compartment, looking like two rejected puppies, and squeezed onto the smelly bus with my dog. We slunk out of the city like a couple of defeated soldiers.
Margaret was bombarded with contract termination calls throughout the day. The media unleashed a ruthless attack on Evan’s identity as an illegitimate child, and vandals completely trashed the gallery. She had no choice but to take him to her home, but the paparazzi caught them and broke the news overnight. Wesley flew into a rage and stormed out of the house. Her investigation revealed that all the paparazzi admitted Wesley had leaked the information. “Margaret, Wesley took all his belongings with him. Should we…” her assistant whispered tentatively. “Let him go. Just leave him alone,” she snapped back irritably. Evan touched his bruised forehead and said, “Margaret, I’m grateful for your help, but you should go after him. I’d feel terrible if I caused problems between you two.” His eyes were deep and lifeless, and his dejected tone made Margaret feel even more disgusted by Wesley’s inhuman behavior. “Do you know who did it?” “When I met him before, I tried to comfort him about his insecurities. I told him that being poor wasn’t a big deal and mentioned how I was just an unwanted illegitimate child whose father didn’t love my mother. I said he was better off than me. Someone with ulterior motives must have overheard our conversation.” Margaret felt her heart tighten in her chest. She knew exactly who that “someone” was. Her investigation had revealed that Wesley himself had tipped off the paparazzi. At first, she couldn’t believe it, but after hearing Evan’s explanation, her last glimmer of hope vanished. Evan cast a subtle glance at Margaret. He stood up and said, “Margaret, you should check on him.” After taking a few steps, he pretended to lose his balance. Margaret rushed to support him, saying, “Forget about him. He can go wherever he wants. How are you feeling?” At that moment, the infrared beam from a camera swept through the window. After years in the entertainment industry, she had become susceptible to infrared lights and camera flashes. “Who’s there!” she called out. Evan continued his act of unsteadiness and collapsed against Margaret’s shoulder. “I’m sorry.” “Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of everything while you focus on getting better,” Margaret said softly as she gently patted Evan’s shoulder. Within minutes, new headlines flooded the media outlets. [Rising Star Margaret Caught in Late-Night Embrace with Porter Family’s Illegitimate Son!] [One Night Stand or Secret Romance?] Social media notifications bombarded Wesley’s phone from every direction. Wesley heaved as his trembling hands removed the SIM card from his phone in the darkness, snapped it in half, and tossed it out the car window. My phone remained empty, devoid of any messages. To prevent myself from dwelling on the past in the future. Following Wesley’s lead, I pulled out my SIM card and threw it out the car window. “Your dog chewed up the window handle, and now it won’t close properly,” Wesley growled through clenched teeth, glaring at Dolly and me while struggling with the window. The wind howled through the broken window, sending dust swirling around us, and I couldn’t tell if the moisture on our faces was from tears or the damp evening air. Wesley and I took turns carrying the dog and dragging our suitcases, only to discover our cards had been frozen when we finally got off.
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