The Shadow Lords & Their fake princess

Three

ADESSA POV

I let out a slow breath and placed the blazer back on the bed before opening the leather folder Dante had given me.

The first page was a photograph.

Adessa Michaelson.

She looked nothing like me.

Her dark hair framed a delicate face, and her gray eyes carried a confidence I doubted I’d ever possess. If it weren’t for the identical first name and our similar height, no one would have mistaken us for the same person.

I flipped to the next page.

Name: Adessa Rose Michaelson.

Age: Nineteen.

Date of Birth: October 14.

Favorite Color: Emerald green.

Favorite Flower: White orchids.

Favorite Food: Seafood pasta.

I frowned.

Who cared what her favorite flower was?

The file continued for pages, detailing everything from the schools she’d attended before leaving the country to the names of childhood friends, favorite books, allergies, handwriting samples, and even the way she signed her name.

Every detail had been documented. Every habit had been studied.

It wasn’t just a profile. It was a blueprint for becoming someone else. I spent the next forty minutes reading every page until the words started blurring together.

Emerald green.

Right-handed. Thankfully I am good with both hands.

Lactose intolerant. Preferred black coffee. Yuck weird taste.. she’s is definitely not my style.

Never wore silver jewelry. I repeated each fact under my breath like I was cramming for the most important exam of my life.

Because I was. A knock interrupted my thoughts.

“Miss Michaelson?” Evelyn’s voice came from the other side of the door. “Mr. Michaelson will be leaving in fifteen minutes.”

“I’m almost ready.” I closed the folder and glanced at the uniform waiting on the bed.

There was no point delaying the inevitable.

I changed into the crisp white shirt, fastened the blazer over it, and slipped on the skirt before standing in front of the mirror.

The girl staring back at me looked polished.

Expensive. Nothing like the waitress who had spent years smelling like coffee and grease after double shifts.

I reached for my old silver necklace out of habit.

The tiny pendant Selene had saved for months to buy me rested in my palm.

“You’ll never contact anyone from your old life.”Dante’s warning echoed in my head.

My fingers tightened around the necklace before I slowly unclasped it and placed it inside the top drawer of the vanity.

“I’ll come back for you,” I whispered, even though there was no one there to hear me.

A few minutes later, I picked up the leather folder one last time and walked out of the room.

Evelyn was waiting in the hallway. “You look lovely, Miss Michaelson.”

I forced a smile that didn’t reach my eyes. “I guess I do.”

She led me downstairs, where Dante was already standing beside the front door in a charcoal suit, checking the time on his watch.

He looked up as I approached and studied me carefully.

For a long moment, he said nothing.

Then he gave a single nod. “This ’ll do.”

I wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved… or insulted.

The front doors opened, and a sleek black SUV pulled to the entrance.

Dante gestured toward it. “It’s time.”

I looked back at the mansion one last time before climbing into the vehicle. With that single step, there was no going back.

The driver pulled away from the estate in complete silence.

I sat beside Dante in the backseat, the leather folder resting on my lap while my fingers gripped it so tightly the edges dug into my skin.

Neither of us spoke for several minutes.

The only sound inside the SUV was the low hum of the engine.

I stared out the tinted window as the city drifted by, wondering where Selene was at that very moment.

Was she scared? Had they fed her?

Was she crying for me? A lump formed in my throat.

“She’s alive.” Dante’s voice broke the silence. I turned to look at him. “As of thirty minutes ago, my men confirmed she is still alive.”

My shoulders sagged with relief. “Can I see her after this?”

“Not yet.” The answer came so quickly it stung.

“Not until this is over.”

I looked away before he could see the disappointment on my face.

“You keep saying she’ll be safe, but you won’t even let me know where she is.”

“You knowing her location puts het in danger.”

“Or maybe it puts your plan in danger.”

His gaze shifted from the tablet in his hands to me.

“It depends on how you behave.”

I laughed bitterly. “I never had a choice, did I?”

“You had one.” He said softly “ Doing the right the thing.”

I scoffed. “My sister dying, or I steal another girl’s identity. Some choice.”

He didn’t say a word . He simply returned his attention to the documents on his screen.

After a while, he spoke again. “Tell me your name.”

I frowned. “You know my name.”

“I asked you a question.” He said his voice slightly raised

“Adessa Scott.” I said

He shook his head. “No.”

The realization hit me immediately.

I took a deep breath . “Adessa…” He waited, staring at me “Adessa Michaelson.”

“Again.” He commanded

“Adessa Michaelson.” I said a bit louder this time

“Who is your father?”

“Dante Michaelson.”

“Where have you been for the last three years?”

I closed my eyes, searching through the memories I’d forced into my head.

“I was studying abroad before I was involved in a car accident.”

“What happened after the accident?”

“I suffered memory loss.”

He nodded once. “Good.”

The questioning continued for the rest of the drive.

He asked about my birthday. My favorite food.

The names of relatives. Places I’d supposedly visited. Every answer had to come without hesitation. The moment I paused for too long, he corrected me.

By the time the SUV slowed to a stop, my head was pounding.

The driver stepped out and opened Dante’s door.

“We’re here, sir.”

My stomach twisted into knots. Dante straightened his jacket before looking at me. “This is the last time I’ll ask.”

His eyes locked onto mine. “Who are you?”

I took a slow breath. “My name is Adessa Michaelson.”

For the first time all morning, he looked satisfied.

“Good.”

He stepped out of the vehicle. I followed him, and the moment my feet touched the pavement, my breath caught in my throat.

Towering wrought-iron gates stretched across the entrance.

Beyond them stood Ridgeview University. The place where Adessa Scott would disappear forever.