My Secret Twin Sister.

CHAPTER 4

MARY POV.

I was accompanied into a room with a large master bed, which rested at the center of the room. The bedsheets were sparkling and masterfully laid. The sweet fragrance of the burning cedar sticks from the fireplace dominates the air.

As I sat at the edge of the oversized bed, placing my arms between my legs, I expected the next set of actions to be frightening.

What is happening to me? Can someone wake me up from this daydreaming? Can you just believe it, a broke girl like me struggling to take care of her sick mother, suddenly, put pen to paper to sign a marriage contract worth fifty million dollars? Should I escape? That is a dead end. Should I approach him to divulge my real identity? No, that would be suicidal.

He meant every word he said earlier. Don't you see how his eyes were ablaze with brimstone? A thought warned me. He is determined to crush into powder anything that will prevent him from actualizing his goals. Only heaven knows what his goals are.

Even if I approach him to divulge my identity, won't he ask me to play along until the real Camilla shows up? All these barrages of thoughts run inside of me as I seek to get answers to all of them, but no one will provide them.

Where is my burner phone? I need to call Cynthia. I need some advice. I'm at a crossroads. I have yet to reach out to Dr. Morgan about my mother's health.

I reached for it through my inner pocket and dialed her number, and it took a while before she picked it up.

“Hey! Mimi" Feeling groggy but surprised, I knew my call woke her up.

“Where are you, big head?” She said it jokingly.

“Ceecee! Listen, to me…” I cut in, using my other hand to shield my phone, and reduced my voice. Looking at the doorway to see if someone was approaching or if there was any sign of eavesdropping, I moved to the corner of the room to give myself time to quickly pass my message, while Cynthia never stopped talking from her end.

“I've been calling your number several times since you dropped the updates on your mother's health. So the best solution to this situation is to be f*****g every available d**k in the whole of...” She continued talking until I interrupted her.

“Won't you stop this bullshit and listen to me for a second, because I'm not in the mood for this?” This time she eventually stopped talking, as the silence rained from her end. She knew I was serious this time.

“Okay,” she replied.

“I just hope you are fine there." This time, she came to her senses and spoke sympathetically.

“Tell me what you can not do in this world for fifty million dollars,” I asked boldly.

“Hmmm!! Mimi, what are you up to this time again?” she smirked.

“Answer my question, please!" I instructed her.

“I won't kill for money, she replied jokingly.

“What else again?” I inquired, hoping to get the appropriate answers I was starving for.

“I won't damage my reputation or that of my loved ones.”

“What if you were mistaken for someone who would be given fifty million dollars for marrying and giving birth to a rich dude? Will you take it?”

“Fifty what!!!!” She exclaimed.

“That is a huge sum of money, girl. It will go a long way toward changing everything about my life and my loved ones.”

“Hmmn.” I furrowed my brow in contemplation of her utterances.

At this time, I could hear the persistent sound of shoes approaching the door.

“But... don't tell me any of these questions have something to do with you.”

“Don't bother, my dear,” I reduced the tone of my voice.

"Ceecee, I will have to go now. I promise to call you." I replied as the intensity of the footing increased towards me, keeping my gaze at the entrance door.

“Wait!” She requested.

I cut the call, switched off the phone completely, kept the phone back in my inner jeans pocket, and moved to the edge of the bed as the door flung open.

“Ma’am, it is time to take a bath. We are running late, and Master Fengor will not tolerate any excuses, as he warned us earlier.” A slim lady in her early twenties enters the room.

“I think I need to prepare your bath," she said as she rushed to the bathroom. I could hear the sizzling sound of the tap from where I sat.

"Ma'am, will you like it cold or warm?" She raised her voice tone slightly, as it had been partially covered by the rushing of the tap water in the bathtub.

“Cold,” I hesitantly replied from where I was sitting.

“But ma'am, when did you start taking your bath with cold water? That's unlike you,” she questioned.

I was taken aback as if avalanches of electric signals had passed through my veins.

“Oh! Sorry, dear, I forgot to tell you that my dermatologist told me that changing to cold water retains some oil deposit on my skin, to reduce dryness of skin, which I have lately noticed.”.

Every cell in my body knows that's a big lie.

“Your bath is ready, ma'am.”

I moved away from where I was sitting in the bathroom, reluctantly so as not to spill any more beans, because I had spilled enough for the day that could raise suspicion.

“Are you going to watch me stay there as I undress?” I inquired, as her close contact with me was getting on my nerves.

Maybe she has been sent as a spy?

Maybe Mr. Fengor has identified my true identity.

“I'm sorry, ma'am.” She managed to drag her feet out of the bathroom as I drew the curtain behind her.

I undressed as I gently immersed my body in the cold, soapy water bath, covering me to my neck. I close my eyes to relax my nerves and relieve myself of stress with the little time I have.

Suddenly, I could feel a strange hand touching my skin and moving towards my chest. I jolted up. Who do I see? The maid.

“You again?” I asked in fear and astonishment.

“What do you want?”

"But I told you too to stay outside, and I will come and join you shortly.”

“Am so… sorry ma'am.” She winked, lathering her palm with soup as she bent closer to me.

“I thought you needed a helping hand in stimulating your genitals.”

“Geni… what?” I quickly interjected. I was shocked to the marrow. I am taken aback by the identity of the personality I am trying to steal. My face contorted in surprise.

"Yes, I have been the one helping you out. You have always rejected the idea of another maid helping out. You claim no one could do it better. You told me it helps your horniness and builds your confidence as a woman. That's one of your little secrets with me, and you warned me not to divulge it to anyone." She drifted towards me about to touch the inside of my thigh, when I held her hand.

“Oh! Never mind, I'm having a little stomach ache, a sign my menstrual cycle is close by," I replied, putting up a fake smile. I had to lie again—a necessary lie for her not to perform her immoral acts on me.

At this time, her attitude has been getting on my nerves, but I have to keep my calm and patiently study how the real Camilla relates to her. What does she like and dislike? Is she the bossy type or the lively and modest type? It occurs to me that she possesses some characteristics that do not resonate with my personality.

“Would it be kind of you to give me some space?” I asked. I pointed to the doorway while using the other hand to lather with soap to continue my bathing.

"Ok, ma'am,” she replied hesitantly, drifting towards the basin to wash off her hands.

“Ma'am, permit me to say, You have been acting kind of strange towards me since you are back.”

I jolted as I heard that statement. Have I finally been exposed? Are all my secrets out? This lady has seen something on my body that the real Camilla does not have - birthmarks? Those inconspicuous stretch marks laced on my buttocks and inner thighs; I'm very sure Camilla doesn't have those too. I tried my best for this lady not to move closer to me, but she just kept coming. I should have shouted at her to leave the entire room.

But that won't be nice. Real Camilla confided in her, and they have mutual respect for each other.

“Strange? I replied to her carefully. My heart beat as I tried hard to swallow a lump of saliva down my throat.

“How?” This time, I reduced the pace of my scrubbing to hear what she was about to say, while I backed her up, sitting nervously in the bathtub.

"Ma'am, you have been there in both good and bad times for me, and I can't watch evil befall you. But I will advise you and Mr. Fengor not to go on with this wedding. Believe me, I have heard things, seen things, and watched some dirty people make dirty moves behind your back.”