Chapter 23
“Here, Maddie, take this with you for the ride.”
Andrew handed her a small container of fruit and snacks, his voice carrying an unexpected gentleness.
“Thank you… thank you andrew…” Maddie mumbled, feeling a bit taken aback by his sudden concern. She had never been particularly close to Rico and the gesture made her a little shy, especially considering their childhood betrothal. It was all too much to think about.
The drive to the company was quick and soon they were sitting in the sleek conference room. Maddie had just signed the copyright contract for her novel–a significant milestone in her career. Along with her brother Emma and Andrew, they were now preparing to choose the perfect actors for the upcoming drama based on her book.
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hapter 23
Hey, I noticed something weird…” Maddie aid as she flipped through the company’s rtist profiles.
What’s that?” Emma asked, not looking
p from the paperwork in front of him. alloon
e car Why do most of the female artists have a ear mole under their right eye? Is this ome sort of… metaphysical thing?”
kenmma stared at her for a moment before a inewmile tugged at his lips. He raised his hand and nd ruffled her hair affectionately.
ecial
pod band
tabnika
Maddie, you really are something else,” he huckled. “Those are just… stand–ins. Your hom, dad and I have always missed you. ywave didn’t know what you’d look like when thenu grew up, but we did know you had a lebeautiful tear mole under your eye. So, we
toept these models around just to remind us hern you.”
anda and
addie froze. “Wait… What? You mean ey’re all… my doubles?”
hoo–choo
mg dra
Exactly.” Emma gave a little shrug, almost
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Chapter 23.
as if it was no big deal.
Maddie’s mind raced. But then something clicked in her head. She had always wondered about Jane–her look alike. Jane had the same tear mole under her right eye. Could it be that Jane was a… double too?
Before Maddie could voice her thoughts, there was a knock at the door.
“Ms. Kate, Ms. Ran, Miss Jane is waiting for you in the conference room,” the assistant announced.
Inside the room, Jane had been waiting for quite some time, her patience wearing thin. She was sitting with Andrew when the door finally opened and she jumped up to greet the newcomers.
“Good day, Mr. Emma,” she said with a bright smile, but her words faltered as she caught sight of Maddie walking in behind her brother, dressed in a high–end brand. “What’s going on? Why is she with Mr.
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Chapter 23
Emma”
Before Jane could process the situation, Rico, who had been standing behind her, suddenly surged forward.
“Maddie!” He cried out, his face alight with recognition and disbelief.
In a split second, he reached for her and pulled her into a tight hug, not seeming to care about the tense atmosphere in the
TOOM.
“It’s really you, Maddie! I can’t believe it’s really you!”
Before Maddie could react, she felt a sharp. punch to the side of Rico’s face.
“Let go of my sister!” Emma’s voice rang out, filled with fury.
Rico staggered back, stunned, just as Jane quickly moved to hold him back.
“Rico! Calm down! This is not the time for this!” she hissed, her voice barely a whisper but full of urgency.
hapter 23:
Maddie, still in shock, gently pushed Rico. way from her as he instinctively moved to
Sessio
hield her. She turned to face Rico, her
rancing
vard.
pression calm yet firm.
Since you asked,” she began, her voice teady, “let me introduce you properly. This elief.
my biological brother, Emma, who
reacheres the same father and mother. And thug is,” she paused, glancing over at Rico, atmosis is my fiancé andrew Cooper.”
ico’s eyes widened, his face turning pale Hello the shock of her words hit him like a
reight train. His fists clenched, his anger immering under the surface, but it was
ar that he was struggling to process what had just heard.
reaci
Rico
Emma
room fell silent as the tension in the thickened. Rico and Jane exchanged stunned looks, both unable to hide their ld him pelief.
his is ma, however, was enjoying the moment too much. He raised an eyebrow at Rico. I smirked.
r voice
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Chapter 23
“What fiancé?” He glanced at Maddie with a mischievous gleam in his eye. “When did you get yourself a fiancé?”
Maddie looked unbothered, her voice calm as she responded. “Since I was born, actually. Our moms arranged a marriage between Andrew and me when we were children.”
A dead silence followed her words.
Rico was the first to break the silence, his voice shaking with disbelief. “Impossible! I don’t believe it!”
The atmosphere in the room was charged
1
with tension and Maddie could feel the weight of their gazes, each one questioning the reality of the situation. It was as if her entire life had just been flipped upside down in a matter of seconds.
But Maddie was done with uncertainty. She had moved on. This was her future now and it wasn‘ t up for debate.
