“Wee, Miss Aliana. Master bEthan /bhas been expecting you inside.”

An elderly Zavier family butler opened the car door and bowed respectfully.

bAliana /bstepped out calmly. Her stride was slow but assertive, the long ck coat she wore adding to her air of mystery. She walked forward without expression, though her sharp eyes scanned every corner of the courtyard, catching the stunned nces of the

“They’re identical whispered an elderly woman to herpanion.

“She looks exactly like Alicia. murmured another in awe.

na ignored the whispers. She bwas /bused to being the center of attention, and she hadn’te to satisfy anyone’s curiosity. Her priority was uncovering the reason behind her sister’s suicide.

As she entered the mansion, the mourning atmosphere thickened. The living room was filled with extended family and close rtives. Several stared at her in shock and curiosity.

She looks just like Alicia. I had no idea Uncle’s family had twins. It’s like seeing Aliciae back to life,” one cousin whispered.

“There’s no difference between them,” banother /badded.

Again, Aliana ignored them. She had no time for small talk.

The butler led Aliana into the family room, where Ethan and Olivia, her biological parents, awaited her.

“Aliana.b” /b

bOlivia /bimmediately stood band /brushed toward her. Her face was swollen, eyes red from crying. bShe /bopened her arms to embrace Aliana- but stopped short as Aliana took a step back.

Olivia bfroze /bin bce/b, realizing the daughter she hadn’t seen in decades wanted nothing to do with her

“I’ve missed you,” Olivia whispered.

Aliana’s face remained nkb, /bunmoved by her mother’s sentiment. She had never received affection from Olivia, so treating her like a stranger felt only natural.

“What really happened to Alicia?” Aliana basked coldly/b, not bothering with pleasantries–not even for her parents.

bOlivia /bbegan crying again, her body swaying. bEthan/b, who bhad /bbeen sitting gloomily on the couch, stood and walked bover/b. He approached Aliana with no warmth in bhis /bexpression.

“Alicia couldn’t handle the bpressure /bbshe /bwas under. Last bnight/b, she ended her life.”

Aliana didn’t flinch. She stood bsilently/b, bface /bunreadable. Death bwas /bbno /bstranger to her. bAs /bbthe /bbadopted /bbdaughter /bof a bmafia /bbboss/b–revered and feared in the underworld as bthe /b“Goddess of Death–she had seen bmany /blives lost, some by her own hand.

n sister’s funeral.

But this time. Aliana couldn’t deny the pain blooming in her bchest/b. She bnever /bimagined she’d be attending her twin

“Why did she do it?” Aliana asked in ba /bbvoice /bso low it bwas /balmost a whisper.

Ethan exhaled heavilyb. /b“Alicia was overwhelmed. She was bsupposed /bto marry bAndrian /bVelor

r tomorrow.”

bAluana /braised an eyebrow. She knew who bAndrian /bVelor was–a young CEO notorious for being bruthless /bband /bambitious. bHis /breputation alone made rivals tremble

bYou /barranged bfor /bAlicia bto /bmarry Andrian Velur?” Aliana asked in disbelief

“Yes Our family Inniness is on the bbrink /bof copse. Titan Group is our only lifeline. As a bcondition /bof their support. Lucian Velor- bAndrian’s /bte father–asked me to betroth bAlicia /bto his son, Ethan exined

“Lucian was a dear friend. Before bhis /bdeath, he made it clear to bAndrian/b, if he wanted to lead Titan bGroup/b, he had to marry a daughter of the Zavier bfamily/b. That’s why the match was arranged.”

3:43 PM P

“And Alicia’s feelings didn’t matter to you?” Aliana cut in, her voice sharp.

“We had no choice!” Ethan snapped. “If the marriage failed, we’d lose everything.”

Aliana scoffed bitterly. “Is that why you called me back? To rece Alicia?”

Ethan didn’t deny it.” “bYou and /bbAlicia /bare identical twins. There’s no difference in your faces. It’s the only way to save our bfamily/b. You must marry Andrian”

“bI’m /bnot part of this family,” Aliana retorted coldly. “You threw me baway /bwhen I was a baby. You never cared whether I lived or died. And now you want me to save this family! You’re shameless.”

Ethan tried to remain calm, though his patience was thinning.

“Do you think we abandoned you for no breason/b? You and Alicia were twin girls. In our ancestral belief, female twins are a bad omen Raising you together would’ve doomed us all.”

“bThat /bcurse already came true.” Aliana replied. “And not because of me or Alicia. But because of your own actions.b” /b

The room fell into tense silence. Olivia, momentarilyposed, began sobbing again. Ethan said nothing.

won’t marry Andrian Velor. I won’t involve myself in this family’s mess,” bAliana /bdered firmly.

Ethan’s voice dropped to a low tone. “bYou /bshould know, Aliana, Alicia’s suicide is directly tied to this marriage. She was threatened.

Humiliatedb./bb” /b

Aliana’s eyes widened in shock.

Olivia, still crying, finally spoke.

“bPerhaps /bdeath wasn’t a bad thing bfor /bbAlicia/b. Her life was too heavy to bear. Rather bthan /bbsuffer /bendlessly, maybe it’s better she rests in

peace.

She took a bshaky /bbreath before continuing.

“Alicia was assaulted. That night, she was left on our doorstep. Her body was covered in bruises. She carried a threatening note and forged documents meant to destroy her reputation.”

Aliana clenched her fists, her bbody /brigid.

“Threats? What kind of documents?”

“Photos, bfalsified /bevidence.. They made it look like Alicia embezzledpany funds,” Olivia exined haltingly.

They framed her for crimes she bdidn’t /bmit. They threatened to expose everything if Alicia went through with the marriage to

Andrian”

na felt her world unravel. Anger and sorrow churned binside /bbher/b. Her bsister /bhadn’t just been threatened–she’d been broken.

“From that night on, Alicia could never live in peace. Fear haunted her. She bthought /bbshe /bbwas /bba /bburden to the family.” Olivia added.

b“/bShe btried /bto take her life several times but bst /bnight, she bfinally /bseeded”

bAliana’s /bbists trembled with rage. She never imagined her sister had endured such cruelty. bWith /bellort, she restrained bthe /bbpain /btearing through her

“Who did this to Alicia! bDo /byou have any leads?” she asked, her voice like ice

“We believe it was bBianca /bLorraine,” Ethan answered confidently. “She’s the one behind bthis/b”

“Bunca Lorraine?” Aliana narrowed her eyesb. /b“And what makes you suspect her?“.

“Bianca is Andrian’s lover Ethan exined. “But histe father disapproved of their rtionship and bdemanded /bhe marry into our family instead. Bianca’s also the Vice CEO of Titan Group A woman like her wouldn’t sit bstill /bwhile her bposition /bbwas /bthreatened by Alicia”

Aluna hatened without reacting. She refused to believe assumptions

3.43 PM P

“You have no bproof/b. Just spection. How can you be so sure?”

Olivia, her voice hoarse from crying, added.

“We don’t bhave /bevidence… bbut /bwho else had a motive like Bianca?”

Ethan sighed and continued,

“The people who hurt Alicia were hired from out of btown/b. Professionals. No witnesses. No clear traces. But days before the incident, we heard bBianca /bissue veiled threats bto /byour sister. She said she’d bmake /bsure Alicia never married Andrian.”

“And you think that vague threat is enough to use her?” Aliana interjected coldly.

Ethan met her gaze,

“Bianca had everything to lose. She’s ambitious and has a history of solving problems through maniption.”

Aliana gritted her teeth but remainedposed.

“What if it wasn’t Biancab? /bWhat if it was Andrian himself? Didn’t you say he was forced into bthis /bmarriageb?/b”

Olivia gasped

al

the suggestion, while Ethan shook his head firmly,

“Andrian may be cold and ruthless in business, but he’s not the type to orchestrate violence or ruin a woman to escape a marriage. I’ve known him since childhood. He has honor and principles.”

bAliana /bclenched her jaw, frustrated by her father’s defense of Andrian. Her mind spun with doubt. Everything felt like a tangled game, band /bshe couldn’t draw conclusions without investigating herself.

b“/bWhy didn’t you go to the police? Why didn’t you investigate bthis/bb?/b” Aliana asked, her voice calm but cutting.

“Did you care more about the family bname /bthan justice for Alicia? She’s dead, and byou /bdid nothing”

Olivia sobbed harderb, /bwhile Ethan bowed his head.

“We didn’t want Alicia remembered as a victim. That would only tarnish her legacy,” Ethan replied.

“No bone /bknows what happened to her except your mother, me, and ba /bfew trusted staff. Now, we let the world believe she died in ban /bident

“Your reputation or bAlicia’s/b?” Aliana sneered. “Sounds like you didn’t care about her at all. She wouldn’t have btaken /bher life if you’d handled bthis /bproperly.

Silence fell

Eventually, Ethan spoke again

“No matter what you think of us, bI’m /bconvinced Bianca is responsible. If you want the truth babout /bAlicia’s death, get close to the Velor family”

na red at him with hatred.

“You still want me to marry Andrian?“)

“Yes.” Ethan said bfirmly/b. “It’s the only bway/bb. /bThe bVelors /bdon’t let boutsiders /bin beadly/b. This marriage bis /byour only chance to gain ess, gather evidence, and bpunish /bwhoever is responsible. If you brefuse/b, you’ll bnever /bbuncover /bthe btruth/bb./bb” /b

bOlivia /breached for na’s hand with trembling finger

“Alijana, this isn’t just about the Zavier family. It’s about Alicia. She has no one else now but you”

Altana pulled her hand away. She knew this was einotional maniption–but deep bdown/bb, /bshe also knew it was true Alicia had no one else. And if Aliana didn’tnd the person who hun her, no one would

She blooked /bat Ethan, her breath heavy.

“Fine: 111 marry Andrian But remember this—I’m doing it for Alicia. bNot /bfor you.”

3:41 PM P

Ethan nodded, brelieved /bthough still solemnb. /b

“I’ll make the arrangements. bAndrian /bmust bept /byou in bAlicia’s /bbce /bto bproceed /bbwith /bthe marriage.”

Aliana said nothing. She just stared at Ethan coldly–until a bitter smile curled on her lips.

– make sure–whoever is responsible for Alicia’s death dies by my hand.”

AD