Torn by my wife's twin

CHAPTER 4

Lana POV

From the mezzanine, I watched the crowd pulsing on the first floor—glittering dresses, sharp suits, labels I could only dream of wearing.

“Lana, this is for table four,” Brandon called. I nodded and balanced the tray on my palm.

“Here are your drinks, sir. Please enjoy,” I said as I served the middle-aged man at table three. The Rolex on his wrist was the newest model, and the suit screamed money.

“Hey, what’s the rush, honey? You’re one of the Angels here, aren’t you?” His gaze crawled over me. He could’ve been my father’s age—if my father were still alive. Two women already flanked him. Exactly why I’d turned down Brandon’s offer.

No way I was sleeping with a wealthy womanizer like him. I might be poor, but I still had pride.

“Please, sir… let me go,” I said, heart hammering as fear slithered up my spine.

He slipped a thick roll of cash from his inner pocket. “I’ve got money. All this could be yours.” The grin that followed made my stomach turn. I parted my lips to yell for help when a hand slid around my waist and pulled me back.

“What took you so long, angel?” a voice murmured.

I spun and saw him—a man in his late thirties, maybe, with kind eyes that startled when he saw my face. For a second he looked almost… confused. Was it my makeup?

“I’ve been waiting for you,” he said, then turned to the pervert. “Sorry, this angel is with me tonight. Ask Brandon for someone else.”

He guided me away.

I exhaled hard once we reached his table. “Thank you,” I said, setting the tray down.

“I can’t believe this,” he muttered, tossing back a drink in one swallow.

I frowned. “Is something wrong with my face?”

“You look exactly like her—” he murmured, barely audible.

“Like who?” I asked, but my attention snagged on a woman across the room. My breath stuttered.

It was like staring into a mirror. No. It couldn’t be. It couldn’t be Luna.

“Marcus… I’m sorry, I—” She stopped as soon as she saw me.

“Lana?” Her voice was a whisper, her mouth falling open.

We shared a face, but we were nothing alike. Her dress, her designer bag, the way the room seemed to bend around her.

My head swam. I needed to get out.

I turned and hurried down the stairs—half-running—leaving them both behind. I pushed through the staff door and burst into the cool, empty corridor.

I bent over, catching my breath. The door beside me swung open a moment later.

Luna.

I stepped back, stupid enough to think I could still run. Her presence rattled me to the bone.

“Why are you running away from me?” she asked, breathless.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. You’ve mistaken me for somebody else.” I stared at the floor, hoping I could still escape this.

“Oh my God, Lana… what happened to you?” Her hands closed over my shoulders.

“I… uh… work here.” The words snagged on my tongue. Embarrassing didn’t begin to cover it—me in a skimpy uniform, her a VIP, perfect from head to toe. I glanced down instead of meeting her eyes and caught the gleam of her shaven legs, the Jimmy Choos that made them look impossibly long. Envy pinched behind my ribs.

She inhaled. “How are Mom and Dad?” Her voice softened, sadness held tight behind steady eyes.

“Mom’s retired, so I have to work.” I hesitated. “And Dad…”

“What about Dad?”

The hurt lived in her, quiet and deep. We’d left her at an orphanage. Some things time doesn’t smooth.

“He… died three months ago,” I said.

“Oh my God—” Her eyes filled.

I pulled her into a hug, let her cry into my shoulder. No matter how badly he’d treated her, loss still cut. It always did.

“Why, Dad? You should’ve seen who I became before you left,” she sobbed, her voice muffled.

“I’m sure he’d be proud of you, Luna,” I said, rubbing her back in slow lines. We stayed like that for—I don’t know how long. It felt like being ten again, like the nights I held her through the dark.

“So,” I asked gently, “how about you? Are you married? Is that man inside your husband?”

“Yes and no,” she said, wiping her cheeks.

I blinked. “Come again?”

“Yes, I’m married. No, the man you saw isn’t my husband.” Irritation sharpened her tone. My brows shot up. Cheating? On her husband?

I swallowed my sisterly lecture. Her marriage wasn’t my business.

“How about you? Any husband or kids yet?” she asked, redirecting.

“Oh, no. I don’t have time to date.”

“I see…” She drifted for a second, thinking.

Silence stretched, thin and awkward. I cleared my throat. “I need to get back to work. Ladies’ night’s insane.”

She slid in front of the door, blocking me. “Hold up.”

“What else do you want?”

“I need a favor.” The little smirk said trouble.

“I don’t think there’s anything I can do for you,” I said firmly. She caught my hand.

“Just hear me out. You’re the only one who can help me.”

I waited, wary.

“I want you to live in my mansion as Luna Quinn.”

My eyes went wide. I laughed. “That’s not funny.” I reached for the handle, but she caught my arm.

“I’m serious, Lana. You’ll be well compensated.”

“I’ll give you one million dollars when the agreement ends. And don’t worry about Mom—I’ll hire someone to take care of her while you’re gone.”

A million dollars? I hadn’t known she was that rich.

“Why would I do this? Why do I have to become you?” I asked, and this time she laughed.

“My boyfriend—the one you just saw—wants to take me to Paris. I need someone to replace me so Artemis won’t get suspicious.”

“Wait—Artemis? Artemis Quinn is your husband?!” My voice spiked. Heads would’ve turned if anyone had been there.

I knew who he was. I’d seen him in newspapers and business magazines. I might even have had a tiny crush. And he was married to Luna? The world really was too small.

“Shhh.” Luna scanned the hallway, lowering her voice. “Keep it down.”

“This is insane,” I whispered. “I can’t do this, Luna. I’ve never even dated—how am I supposed to be someone’s wife? Artemis Quinn’s wife?”

“Think about it, Lana. This is a thousand times better than working in a bar. How many years would it take you to make a million dollars here?” Her voice softened, coaxing.

“But we’re different. What if he finds out?” Besides our faces, we had nothing in common.

“Don’t worry,” she said, confidence snapping into place as she flipped her hair. “I can teach you how to be me.”