Claimed by the Twin I Never Loved

The city stretched beneath Amelia Rivers, a sea of twinkling lights and endless possibilities. The rooftop of the Carter Hotel was breathtaking, a picture-perfect setting for what was supposed to be the happiest night of her life. She stood at the edge of the balcony, her hands gripping the cool metal railing, heart pounding in anticipation. Elias Carter was going to propose tonight. She could feel it. The effort behind the elaborate setup—the candlelit table for two, the delicate string lights casting a golden glow, the gentle hum of a violin playing in the distance—was too much for a simple date night. She had waited for this moment for three years. Her fingers brushed over the locket resting above her collarbone. Elias had given it to her on their first anniversary, a promise that one day, something even more significant would replace it. "Just wait, Amelia," he had whispered in her ear, pressing a kiss to her temple. "One day, I'll give you something even better. Forever." Tonight was that day. Her phone buzzed in her clutch, and her breath caught in her throat. Finally. Elias was late, but maybe— She frowned. No new messages. Her heart dropped slightly as she checked the time. Thirty minutes late. Elias was never late. If he was, he would call, send a text—something. Her fingers tightened around the phone as unease prickled her spine. Maybe he got caught in traffic. Maybe he was finalizing something big for tonight. But doubt started creeping in. The gnawing feeling in her stomach twisted into something sharp and cold. Then, the rooftop doors creaked open behind her. She turned quickly, a relieved smile already forming on her lips— Only to have it vanish the moment she saw who it was. Ethan Carter. The wrong twin. Her stomach clenched at the sight of him. He strode toward her with an air of pure authority, dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, his posture exuding dominance. His silver-gray eyes were unreadable, as they always were, betraying no emotion. He stopped a few feet away from her, his gaze flickering over the table set for two, the petals scattered along the floor, the untouched champagne. A slow, almost mocking smirk played on his lips. Her entire body tensed. "Where’s Elias?" she asked, voice sharp, cutting through the silence. Ethan didn’t answer immediately. He tilted his head slightly, studying her. The way his gaze roamed her face made her uneasy, like he saw something in her that even she didn’t. Finally, he spoke. "He’s gone." The words hit her like a slap. Her breath caught. "What do you mean… gone?" Ethan exhaled, rubbing his temple as if this conversation was already exhausting him. "He left." She blinked. The world around her seemed to shift, tilt slightly off balance. "He wouldn’t," she whispered. "He was supposed to—" Her throat tightened. "He was supposed to be here." Ethan’s gaze darkened. "And yet, he’s not." A cold chill settled in her bones. She shook her head, refusing to accept it. "No," she said, her voice firmer now. "Elias wouldn’t do this. He—he told me he had something special planned. He was going to propose tonight." For a split second, something flickered in Ethan’s expression—something almost unreadable. But it vanished just as quickly as it came. His lips pressed together in a thin line. "Then, I guess you didn’t know him as well as you thought." Her heart shattered. "No," she whispered, hands trembling. "That’s not true." She felt sick. Everything inside her rebelled against his words. Elias loved her. He had never given her any reason to doubt that. This wasn’t real. This was a nightmare she needed to wake up from. "You're lying," she choked out. "This isn’t funny, Ethan. Where is he?" Ethan didn’t reply. Instead, he reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a small, crumpled piece of paper. Without a word, he tossed it toward her. It fluttered in the air before landing at her feet. A tremor ran through her as she bent down, fingers shaking as she picked it up and unfolded it. Four words. Just four. Forget me. Don’t wait. Elias. Her breath caught in her throat. No. No, no, no. This had to be a mistake. Elias wouldn’t just… leave. He wouldn’t do this to her. Would he? Tears blurred her vision. She swallowed hard, shaking her head. "No," she whispered. "No, this isn’t real. He wouldn’t—" Ethan’s voice cut through the air, low and emotionless. "He left this morning." Her entire body turned to ice. "You’re lying," she accused, stepping closer, her heart pounding against her ribs. "You hated that he was with me. You wanted him to focus on the company, not—us." Ethan didn’t deny it. But his eyes held something dark. "I told you the truth," he said simply. A fresh wave of anger surged inside her. "You did something, didn’t you?" she hissed. "You made him leave." His jaw tightened. "Believe whatever you want," he said smoothly. "It doesn’t change the fact that he’s gone." Her stomach twisted. This wasn’t happening. She stumbled back a step, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps. Ethan moved. Before she could react, his fingers brushed against her cheek, wiping away a tear. Her breath hitched. Her entire body tensed at the sudden, unexpected touch. He shouldn’t be touching her. He shouldn’t be this close. His hand lingered, just for a second too long. When he finally spoke, his voice was lower, softer—dangerous. "You’ll understand soon enough," he murmured. Her pulse jumped. She hated him. Hated the way he looked at her—like she was something he already owned. Then, his lips curled into a smirk, and his next words sent a chill straight down her spine. "And that means… you’re mine now." Her breath caught. A shiver ran through her—not just from fear. Her heart shouldn’t have pounded the way it did. She shouldn’t have felt the heat curling low in her stomach. But she did. And that terrified her more than anything. To Be Continued…..