The Terrifying Secret
Leila's POV
I stared at my reflection, barely recognizing myself. I looked poised with polished hair, flawless makeup, and a diamond necklace. But behind that calm exterior, my stomach churned with panic.
I was not supposed to be here.
I was not supposed to be wearing April’s dress. Not supposed to be standing in April’s room. Not supposed to be preparing to get engaged to my twin sister’s fiancé.
And yet… Here I was.
For April.
No matter how wrong it felt.
The makeup artist stepped back, smoothing her apron as she inspected her work with satisfaction.
“There,” she said brightly. “Perfect.”
I forced myself to smile. My lips felt stiff, like I was borrowing them from someone else.
The moment she stepped out and the door clicked shut behind her, I grabbed my phone with trembling fingers and hit April’s name to check if she sent any reply.
But there was NOTHING.
No missed calls. No voicemail. Not even a message.
My heart dropped.
Was she already on the return flight?
A knot tightened painfully in my chest. I shouldn’t have agreed to this. I shouldn’t have let her talk me into it. What if Cesar, or worse, his family, noticed something was off?
Because no matter how identical April and I looked, our personalities were nothing alike.
April was fire, confident, bold and commanding. She had a magnetic aura that people admired from a distance.
Meanwhile, I was… Quiet. Cautious too. A girl who overthought everything and preferred to stay in the background.
And now I had to pretend to be her in front of the Kingsleys.
I swallowed hard and closed my eyes, forcing a shaky breath into my lungs.
‘Santa… if you’re real, please save me this holiday season.’
April and I were identical twins, born only seven minutes apart. Growing up, we’d used that to our advantage. We’d swap places just to confuse our mother, laughing as she tried to figure out which of us was which.
Back then, it had been harmless.
Now, it felt like a disaster waiting to happen.
April has always been a brilliant one. Beauty paired with intelligence, charm paired with ambition. She had worked her way into our father’s company, becoming a director for two years before stepping out to build her own fashion and beauty brand from scratch. She wasn’t just successful, she was unstoppable.
And me?
I was still trying to understand what I wanted out of life.
I had only recently decided to pursue higher studies in business administration. Thankfully, I’d been accepted into a prestigious business school in Los Angeles, and once the holidays ended, I’d finally be leaving.
A fresh start.
A new life.
A life where I didn’t have to live in April’s shadow.
But first… I had to survive today.
“April, sweetheart, are you ready?”
My mother’s gentle voice broke through my thoughts.
I lifted my gaze to the mirror again and saw her standing behind me, smiling warmly, her eyes soft with pride. She stepped closer, fingers carefully adjusting the diamond necklace around my throat as if she were fastening my fate into place.
“Cesar and his family are here,” she said, her voice glowing with excitement. “They’re eager to see you.”
Of course she couldn’t tell the difference.
That made everything worse.
I forced myself to nod, hiding the quake in my hands by curling my fingers into the fabric of my gown.
‘Just one day,’ I told myself. ‘Just one evening.’
By tonight, April would be back, and this nightmare would be over.
I stood and followed my mother out of the room, her hand settling proudly on my arm as we made our way downstairs. Each step felt heavier than the last, like I was walking toward a cliff instead of an engagement.
At the bottom of the stairs, the living room came into view, decorated elegantly for the holidays. Gold ribbons, white roses, warm lights twinkling around the chandelier. The kind of scene that should’ve felt magical.
But to me, it felt like a trap.
Cesar’s parents were already seated.
Olivia and Conrad Kingsley exuded wealth, power, and judgment wrapped in expensive clothing and perfect posture. Seeing them made me even more nervous.
But… Cesar wasn’t there.
I scanned the room again, my breath catching slightly.
A part of me wanted to jump in relief.
If he didn’t show up, maybe this engagement wouldn’t happen at all.
Maybe I could escape without anyone finding out.
“Oh my!” Olivia Kingsley’s delighted voice sliced through my thoughts. She stood immediately, her face brightening. “Is this our future daughter-in-law?”
She approached like she owned the air around her.
“April,” she cooed, reaching for my hands. “You’ve grown into such a beautiful woman.”
I swallowed and forced myself to smile as April’s earlier warning echoed in my mind.
‘Leila, you have to act like me. Don’t show them your timid side. If you do, Dad will catch on immediately.’
I held my shoulders straight, lifted my chin, and gave Olivia a confident smile that didn’t feel like mine.
“Thank you, Aunt Olivia,” I said smoothly.
Olivia embraced me and kissed my cheek as though we were already family.
“You’ve become so pretty,” she continued. “I remember seeing you three years ago at that business party. You were so young, so new to everything. Now look at you. You became the CEO of your own company. Such a remarkable young woman you are!”
My stomach twisted.
I wasn’t remarkable.
I wasn’t any of those things.
But I nodded anyway, smiling as if I belonged in April’s skin.
“It’s a pleasure to see you again,” I replied carefully. “And Uncle Conrad as well.”
Conrad Kingsley offered a brief nod. His gaze made my palms sweat.
My mother laughed warmly.
“Where’s Cesar, Olivia?” she asked. “Don’t tell me he’s still stuck in a meeting.”
My heartbeat stuttered.
‘Please let him be stuck in a meeting,’ I silently begged. ‘Please let him stay away.’
Olivia sighed dramatically, waving a hand.
“That boy…” she said.
I swallowed, forcing my expression not to falter.
Because if Cesar walked in…
I didn’t know if I could keep this lie alive.
“I’m here, Aunt Nancy!”
A deep voice echoed through the living room.
My entire body went still.
Cesar Kingsley stood at the entrance like he belonged in every fantasy a woman ever dared to have. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black three-piece suit, the crisp fabric hugging his broad shoulders like it had been made just for him. A khaki overcoat rested over one of his arms.
He was nothing like April had described.
Not even close.
April had told me he was serious. Focused. Business-minded. A little cold and even ugly.
But this man?
He wasn’t just attractive.
He was dangerously hot.
And also charming, the kind of who would bring any woman to her knees.
My breath caught somewhere between my lungs and throat as his icy blue eyes swept across the room. The gaze wasn’t casual. It wasn’t polite.
It was sharp… Like it could sense the lies.
And when his eyes finally landed on me, my heart slammed hard against my ribs.
His stare held mine for a fraction too long, the air between us tightening like a pulled string. For a moment, it felt like the room wasn’t even there. Like it was only him and me… And the terrifying secret sitting on my tongue.
I forced myself to breathe.
But my hands had already started trembling.
For some reason, no, not some reason… I knew why my instincts screamed that Cesar was the only one in this house who could see right through me.
My mother couldn’t tell the difference. Olivia couldn’t tell the difference.
But Cesar?
I had a sinking feeling he wouldn’t need more than a few minutes to realize that I wasn’t April, but her twin sister, Leila.
And if he figured it out…
Then I was finished.
