Love And Redemption: I fell deeply in love with my EX's Twin

“I now pronounce you both husband and wife. You are to love one another in sickness and in health, in riches and in poverty, through thick turns, till death do you apart. You may now exchange your rings.” The priest said, and a heavy clap resounded in the hall room, everyone giving a standing ovation to the two celebrants of the day. In the opulent, vibrant ballroom of the Grand Terrace, New York, and standing radiantly in her ivory gown, her blonde wavy hair parked into a bun, Ashyln Monroe’s heart raced in anticipation as she strode nearer and nearer to her beloved, her arms shaking in anxiety. As she raised her head to look at him, her whole fear dissipated. In a pitch black, velvet-customized tuxedo was Adam Renee, the man whom she had fallen so deeply in love with. His right parted hair gave way for her to stare into his green eyes. The inexplicable beauty that lay in those sparkling pairs of eyes suddenly gave her reassurance. The next moment, their faces were inches apart. Ashlyn smiled, and taking out the golden, 24-karat wedding ring, she placed them between her thumbs and forefinger. She took deep breaths and took his ring finger, about to slide it in, when everything turned pitch dark. The sudden hesitation in his eyes caught her unawares. Ashlyn looked at him for a second. In her mind, lots of thoughts were rushing at the same time, thinking she had done something to offend him, as Adam had not even cast her a friendly glance but rather remained moody from the walk down the aisle to the vow exchange. Nothing! His face was blank the entire time. She grew worried but decided to smile all the way, knowing it might only be in her imaginations. Adam wouldn’t leave her after all she had sacrificed. “Mr. Renee, this is when you’d accept the ring.” His iciness was not fathomable by the priest, who dared to remind him of how it should be done. Even after the caution, Adam refused, the air growing heavier and thicker between the both of them. “Dear, did I do something to offend you?” Soon as Ashlyn was about to speak up, she was interrupted by the loud barge of the door opening; in fact, everyone was. Suddenly, amidst the solemn chords of the wedding march, a woman clothed in a flowered, embroidered gown stepped in. Her shocking appearance swept the crowd. Clutching defensively to Adam's arm possessively, Ashlyn's lips twitched in uncertainty. She wanted to know what was going on and why a woman was standing in the middle of the hall holding a child who bore the same resemblance to her fiancé. …………………… “The drama is about to begin,” A smirk formed on the lips of the man seated above the reception hall. His legs crossed, and a jaunty smile spread across his lips. He swirled the wine glass amongst his fingers, settling into the chair. “Pretty damsel’s wedding is about to be ruined, thanks to an asshole!” ………………………. The hall fell into silence, with everyone seated staring at the woman who came into the room. Their eyes were glued to the child, who was cuddled in her right arm. On seeing this, the hall erupted in side talks, camera flashing there and there, wanting to savor this beautiful scandal. For them, it wasn’t everyday one gets to witness live an Elite’s scandal. “Who is she, Adam?” Ashlyn’s voice cracked, and her happiness faded off as she glanced at the child herself. The same green eyes, The same brown hair. The same nose bridge, They were all Adam’s traits! The pure cheating fact lay open for her to see; however, Ashlyn didn't want to come to conclusions too quickly without hearing his own views. The flashing camera lights became a disturbance for her as her vision dimmed. She struggled to stare at the woman, who bore no remorseful expression, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “Who is she, Adam?” Ashlyn asked again, startled that Adam didn't answer her the first time but only locked eyes with the woman. He came down from the altar and strode to the woman's side. “Why are you coming close to her? What are you trying to say?!” But before Ashlyn could comprehend the depth of his remorse, Adam's actions spoke louder than words. With a heart-wrenching embrace, he pulled the woman close, hugging her tightly. The evidence was so clear to everyone that something was definitely going on here, as it wasn’t a prank. "We have been married for two years; this child you are seeing here is our third child.” Bang! Ashlyn blinked, her forehead forming a deep furrow. She came down from the altar, dragging her snow-white wedding dress across the hallway. Her world was indeed shattered in an instant as Adam's statement tore through the fragile tapestry of trust they had woven together. “You have been married all this while?” Ashlyn coughed those words out, her legs wobbling, seeing how lovey-dovey they were embracing themselves. She breathed in heavily, her right arm clutching to her stomach. “So who am I exactly to you? Who am I?!” “Nothing, Ashlyn, nothing!” Adam refuted her words. “Nothing? What about your vows? Oh, I remember; that’s why you didn’t say it! You were cheating on me all along. I wish thunder struck you!” She pointed to the woman, about to tear off that remorseless façade from her. “Don't talk to her like that. Nothing was meant to happen between us. You kept throwing yourself at me even though you knew I was married!” “I knew you were married?! Are you kidding me? If I did, did you think I’d be here?” She laughed bitterly, pushing her hair to the other side of her face. Her beautiful wedding was already ruined because of this woman! “Tell me what you see in her that I don't have?!” Adam remained silent while Ashlyn cursed him with the last breath she had, Be that as it may be, the ultimate blow was yet to be expected. Soon, out of rage, Ashlyn raised her hands in the air; time seemed to have frozen as both of their eyes were locked with one another, and next, she lowered her hand in position to the woman’s face, about to give her a sounding slap. Swiftly, Adam caught her arm and flung it forcefully away from the woman. In a final act of callous cruelty, He seized a nearby goblet of wine, his eyes ablaze with vindictive fury. With a savage twist of his wrist, he emptied its contents over Ashlyn's trembling form, the scarlet liquid staining her gown. Gasps of surprises and murmurs echoed through the room as Ashlyn stood frozen, red wine dripping from her head down to her face. Her makeup smudged, and her white gown was stained to the core. She cleaned off the splashed wine from her face and laughed bitterly. Everything was so clear to her right now; Adam never felt any sort of reproach! Her spirit was instantly broken by the cruel twist of fate. With trembling hands and a voice laced with steel, she said, “You win, you all win! I am very stupid to think the Renee family would accept such a pauper as their daughter-in-law. Thanks to you all for making me very delusional. I truly appreciate.” In annoyance, she tore off her wedding gown, its long length suddenly shortening to her thighs. Ashlyn threw off the veil from her hair and, in disgust, stepped on it. “I am done with you, Adam!” With her spirit battered and her heart heavy with sorrow, Ashlyn could bear the weight of humiliation no longer and dashed out of the hall. …………………………. Her departure sparked excitement from the tons of reporters who rushed out of their seats, hurrying to Adam’s side to get this juicy news. In anger, she flung the woman’s hands away, pushing through the crowd until he found his mother. He pulled her up, yelling at her. “This is not what we planned. Who is that woman? Where is Emily? Why does she have a child with so much resemblance to me?” Adam poured out the questions ravaging his mind. That wasn’t the woman! It was all staged. Someone was definitely behind all this! “Where is he? Get me that man who dared ruin my plan! Lock the gates. Seize him!” …………………… Meanwhile, As the doors of the ballroom swung open, Ashlyn emerged into the cool night air, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she stumbled into the darkness beyond. With no destination in mind, she walked solemnly through the deserted street, until eventually, her frenzied flight led her to a dimly lit bar nestled amidst the bustling cityscape. With trembling hands, she pushed open the door, her eyes adjusting to the dim interior as she stepped inside. The air was thick with the scent of alcohol and despair, a fitting sanctuary for one such as her. As she made her way into the bar, she took a seat at the bartender’s stand, ordering her favorite alcohol, vodka, and stepping it down with some hot gin. With the mirror in front of her casting her reflection at her, Ashlyn twitched her lips, seeing how disheveled she was. Never did she think she could wander around for an hour with no actual destination. Amidst her dishevelled appearance, she caught something odd in the mirror. She turned to meet a pair of grey eyes gawking at her. The magnificent eyes, those eyes... Enraged by the thought Adam had the guts to trail her after humiliating her, Ashlyn picked a glass of vodka and strayed amongst the crowd, struggling to get to him. And just then, he stood up, catching her hands before any harm could be done. He released the glass from her strong grip and leaned closely to her ears. “You would regret doing such when you are sober. How about we strike a deal? A million dollars for a night?” The strange man’s words hung heavy in the air, and Ashlyn's laughter bubbled forth, a bitter-sweet symphony in the dimly lit bar. With a shake of her head, she brushed aside his offer, her voice tinged with defiance. "A million dollars? Do you think I am that cheap?" She scoffed, her laughter tinged with a hint of incredulity. "I was almost married today, so I am not a damn stripper you could pick up and f**k!" Ashlyn cursed, her words a defiant declaration of her worth. “Are you sure it is a proud thing? It has been barely an hour since you ran away from your wedding. If your worth is so good, why did you run away? This is my last offer. Normally, I hardly pick up garbage, but something about you sparked my interest.” Once again, Ashlyn’s pride was run down the drain by his words. She kept the glass down and sighed. He was somewhat right; she was only garbage! “What do I get in return? A million dollars won’t break a deal.” “A c**k right up your pussycat is what you’d get.”