Replaced By My Twin: Now The Alpha's Obsession

CHAPTER 5: When The Past Meets Present

~ AKIRA ~

“Try not to lose this one,” Jace muttered, passing me a sleek, deep-blue device with three angled camera lenses at the back.

“Thanks,” I muttered in a flat tone to match his, but he'd already left the room. A low sigh escaped my lips as I tried to channel my attention to the full-length mirror, adjusting my white, mid-length halter-skater dress with a daring open neckline.

I had originally wanted to opt for something more conventional, but Stefan insisted he wouldn't want the first public introduction of his wife to be in something so stiff.

After my intense discussion with Stefan the other day, everything moved in a blur: the paperwork, signing of the non-disclosure document, and the likes.

Our relationship was simple and clear.

A contract marriage that was designed to last a year. No love, no commitment.

“You will have to make do with your sister's name for now, until we’ve secured enough evidence or confession that she stole your identity,” Stefan had told me during the signing.

I merely gave him a nod, my mind entirely occupied with revising the contract for the third time, hoping I hadn't missed anything vital.

“That human is meant to resume on Monday, and I would like you to make your appearance known that day.”

“Next week?”

“No, tomorrow,” Stefan dropped casually, sipping his black coffee.

To be honest, I don't think I have seen him consume anything in this house aside from that, and the way he casually says “human” instead of addressing people by their name got me thinking he was an alien.

My stomach clenched. The idea of seeing Alex so soon after what had happened makes me wanna throw up.

“Are you afraid?” His voice lowered, his eyes softening for a moment. “Do you want—”

“No!” I snapped, slamming my feet against the floor as I stood. “The sooner I get to work, the better for me.”

“Good!” His face had brightened, showcasing his weirdly but insanely beautiful eyes. I made a conscious effort not to stare into them for more than a few seconds at a time, scared he might literally cast a spell on me.

“In the meantime, Jace will get you clothes. But,” he murmured, walking toward me. He closed the space between us inch by inch until there was no room for me to move, turn, or step back. His height towered above me as we shared the same air. My heart pounded loudly against my chest; I feared he might hear it.

“I am your boss. You work to get paid. Don't think my marriage with you will make you slack off in your duties.”

“Y… yes, boss,” I managed, willing to say anything to get away from his intoxicating eyes.

---

“You look...” Stefan's voice startled me back to the present. He stood near the door, letting his keen gaze travel over me for a suffocating moment before meeting my eyes. “You look clean.”

He was dressed in a sharp blue-and-white flannel shirt, tucked perfectly into a white tailored dress pants held securely with a brown belt. His feet were in brogue black wingtip shoes.

His shoulder-length blonde hair, which was now in a braid, iced the whole look up. A demigod out of the magazines.

“Y… you look good yourself,” I complimented, biting my lower lip before casting my eyes downward to avoid his stare.

“Your dress is missing a piece,” he scowled.

I spun on my pink stilettos, strutting toward the mirror to inspect myself, but I couldn't find a single thing wrong. “What is—”

Before I could finish my question, I made a quick turn, colliding with his broad, solid chest. I felt a sudden blush creep into my cheeks. I quickly turned my back to him to hide my flustered state, but he stepped closer. His large veiny hands gently lifted the heavy volume of my hair. His fingers brushed against my bare shoulders, sending a wave of electricity down my spine.

Two nights ago, I had felt disgusted when a man attempted that, but Stefan was no ordinary man.

His hands moved efficiently around my neck, clasping a weightless chain together.

I tilted my head to check my reflection. Attached to the gold-coloured neckpiece was a beautifully crafted initial “A,” designed in a slanted Italian format. I ran my finger over it, smiling sheepishly.

“You like it?” he asked softly, his hands resting on my shoulders as he slowly turned me around to face him. I didn't know why, but it felt as if he desperately needed a 'yes' from me.

“Uhm...” I straightened my expression. “It's okay.”

“Okay?” He frowned. “Just okay?”

“Yes, boss. I have seen better jewelry in my life, but it's nice.”

Stefan closed his eyes for a beat, releasing a deep, long breath that brushed warmly against my cheek. “You don't need to call me ‘boss’ when we are alone or in the office. I simply need you to recognize your place and not push your luck.”

“Noted, bo… Stefan.”

“Get your bag, we leave in a minute.”

The entire trip was void of any sound aside from Jace's rhythmic movement on the wheel. I tried to silently hum a song to calm my nerves. That didn't help.

“I need to make a call, I'll be with you in a minute,” Stefan said moments after the car rolled into the company's parking lot.

“Uhm… would you mind showing me around?” I turned to Jace when Stefan walked away to take his call.

“No!” Jace declined bluntly, his voice carrying that familiar indifference it always held. It was no surprise he disapproved of our union, but I least expected him to pretend.

“Look,” I sighed, drawing a deep breath. “I get the situation of how we met...”

“I have far more important things to attend to,” he snarled, bolting the door shut before putting the vehicle in reverse and speeding off.

“How f*****g rude,” I muttered, jaw clenched. I forced myself to smooth the fabric of my skater dress, taking a moment longer to compose my expression. When I was sure I was mentally okay to meet another person… I turned toward the grand entrance of BrightsGry. But I stopped dead in my tracks only a few steps in.

It seemed my interaction with that grumpy man had completely blinded me to the towering splendor of this magnificent corporate empire. When I had been a desperate applicant trying to manually submit my CV here, I was never allowed past the outer security perimeter. And now…

“Why did your wedding leave have to be this short?” The air carried their peculiar scent. I stood like a statue, daring myself not to look back.

“I’m sorry, LaRosa,” the voice I'd grown familiar with over the years purred behind me as I heard her heels click; his shoes thumped as they approached. “I'll make sure I spend all my spare time with you.”

“Oops, I'm sorry miss,” a lady who wasn't watching where she was going, or was just the instrument fate wanted to use to hurt me, apologized, kneeling to pick up the stack of files that had fallen from her hands.

“It's alright,” I sighed, bending to help.

A few feet away, the approaching footsteps came to an aggressive halt. The air in the corridor turned cold.

Alexander stood still, his dark brown hair tousled as always. He looked sharp in a crisp black suit. Standing like a rock beside him was Amanda. She had her arm wrapped tightly around his, doing awfully in imitating me.

I would never have worn a designer crop top over a structured mermaid skirt to visit my husband at work in a global corporation.

Hell, I owned no shirts.

Amanda was clearly bent on destroying my personal reputation along with my identity.

“AKIRA?”

Alexander choked out my name, his eyes wide, not knowing how to take them off me. Amanda’s eyes narrowed, her hands balled into fists beside him.

“Akira, huh,” my lips curled upward as I slowly stood up, casually shifting my clutch to my other arm. I adjusted the gold “A” necklace resting against my collarbone, allowing my gaze to settle on them with unresolved calm. “Well… I thought you were married to her?”