VALERIA

Pa!

The sharp sound of the slap echoed through the living room.

My head snapped to the side from the sheer force of it, a burning sting spreading across my cheek. For a moment, my ears rang, drowning out the world.

I blinked—a disoriented look flashing in my eyes—before raising a trembling hand to touch my face.

She hit me.

At this realization, I turned to face my mother, my voice wavering between disbelief and anger.

“You hit me?”

"Because I helped Nessa escape this damned marriage? A marriage that shouldn't have existed in the first place?"

For a split second, I saw something flicker in her eyes—regret? Guilt?

But just as quickly, her expression hardened.

"You shouldn’t have helped your sister escape!" she snapped. "Do you even realize what you’ve done or consider what happens when that man’s subordinates come looking for her?“

“You’ve put this family in danger, and you have the audacity to ask why I hit you?"

"We all could no longer be bothered to care about your rebelliousness and thoughtlessness on normal days but not this time, Valeria! You have gone too far!"

Her voice continuously rose as she spoke, breaking the composed and dignified facade she always maintained.

For a while, I watched in stunned silence, almost finding her unfamiliar, because even in her angriest moments, she had never yelled like this—not at me, not at anyone.

But before today, she had also never raised a hand to me, right?

I thought to myself in mockery.

So instead of remorse, her words ignited something else in me—defiance.

I let out a cold laugh, my voice sharp, yet somewhat bitter as I painted at myself, "I put the family in trouble? I did?“ My gaze shifted to my father an s brother who had been watching the drama unfold, saying nothing. ”So you all plan to put this on me when you clearly know who exactly is responsible for this mess?“

I jabbed a finger at each of them in turn.

“You. And you. And you.”

“No one but the three of you are to blame for this.”

Anger surged through me the more I spoke.

“This marriage should have never been arranged in the first place!”

“You should have seen how desperate Nessa looked when she begged me to help her. How terrified she looked.”

“And you—” I turned to glare at my mother's my voice shaking with disappointment.

“Even if they are willing to, do you—as her mom—really have the heart to marry her off to that devil incarnate?”

“A man widely known for being ruthless, sadistic and cruel? Yes, his reputation might include some elements of exaggeration, but he must have gained the nickname, ‘Mr. Devil’ for a reason, don't you think?”

The more I spoke, the more I realized just how ridiculous this arranged marriage was proving to be.

“Most importantly—”

"No one, and I mean no one, has ever seen his face! No one knows if he's old, young, or hideous! But the general idea is that he's an old, dying man because only that explains why he's kept himself hidden for so long.“

“That's the kind of man you want to marry your daughter to? Aren't you embarrassed?”

Pa!

Another slap.

This time, I didn't flinch. I just stood there, staring at her with cold, empty eyes while letting the numbing pain on my cheek spread.

"That's enough, both of you!"

My father's voice resounded through the room as he slammed a hand onto the coffee table.

Silence fell immediately.

As my gaze shifted to him, I saw him exhale heavily before speaking, his tone sharp, “The situation is bad enough as it is, yet both of you seem hellbent on making it worse.”

Listening to him, I lowered my gaze, biting back a sarcastic laugh.

Making it worse?

Who, me?

But I wasn't the one who planned to marry off my daughter to a man of dubious character, was I?

While I couldn't be sure of the real reason, I knew it had to be one of the following—power, money, influence or resources.

That was the price of being born as a Hale's daughter.

My eyes flashed a dark look at this thought.

While I still didn't know the exact details of their deal with Mr Devil, one thing was clear—he was offering something so valuable that they would willingly sacrifice Vanessa.

And that was what baffled me the most.

We might be twins, but Nessa was nothing like me.

She was their pride and joy, the perfect socialite they had groomed for years. I, on the other hand, was the family disappointment, the rebellious daughter they barely tolerated.

So if they were so eager to throw her away, I guess whatever they gained in return must have been worth all of the efforts they had poured into cultivating Nessa all these years.

This conclusion left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth.

If this was the fate of their cherished daughter, how better could mine be?

From when I became sensible, I had always known that there was only one ending for a girl born as a Hale—to be another wealthy family's trophy wife.

But I hated and felt unwilling about it, so I tried to fight against that outcome.

So far, I seem to have succeeded. Although, it was at the expense of my parents growing increasingly dissatisfied with me, and my siblings and I growing somewhat distant.

This point could be seen clearly from the fact that if I hadn't happened to hear rumors of Nessa's marriage while I was away on a band gig, I never would have known my own twin sister was being married off today.

Lost in my thoughts, I suddenly felt a gaze falling on me.

I looked up—straight into my brother, Aaron's eyes.

His hazel irises, identical to mine, were unreadable.

Then he spoke.

"Valeria, you and Nessa are identical twins…"

Without warning, a chill crept up my spine.

Aaron wasn't the type to say anything meaningless, especially with an unresolved issue on ground.

There was only one reason why he would mention this—he wanted me to...

No.

I refused to think about it. Refused to acknowledge the possibility.

Because the moment I let myself entertain the thought—just for a fraction of a second—a deep, paralyzing dread settled in my bones.

That was my brother.

My biological brother.

He wouldn't do that to me.

He wouldn't be that unfeeling and mercenary, right?

Yet, my inner voice told me.

Yes, he could.

Someone who could even acquiesce to his closest sister being married off, why would be be reluctant when it comes to me—whom he had grown distant to?

Silence fell after he finished speaking, then I felt my parents' eyes shift toward me—bright with excitement at having found a backup plan.

Outwardly, my expression was blank but inside, my heart was already in tatters, the pain almost unbearable.