Chapter 3

3

"Soren, Jude's stomach is acting up. I need you to do me a favor."

I didn't realize what was happening until Waverly dragged me onto the set of a reality show.

She wanted me to stand in for Jude in a competitive eating challenge.

It was his first big gig since returning to the States, and it was a huge deal for his career.

"Just go out there and do well for Jude. If you win this, I'll plan a massive proposal for you and we'll set the wedding date!"

In the past, hearing her say she wanted to marry me would have made me the happiest man alive.

Now, it just made me feel cold inside.

She was still trying to manipulate me with her fake version of love.

I looked into her eyes―eyes that left no room for a refusal―and smiled bitterly.

"You used to be terrified that overeating would hurt my body. Now you're forcing me into a binge."

"Waverly, do you even have a shred of feeling left for me?"

Waverly pressed her lips together as if I'd just told a ridiculous joke.

"If I didn't care about you, I would have dumped you years ago!"

"Why else would I have stayed for eight years? Why would I have gone to therapy with you?!"

"I talked to your doctor. You're recovered. What's the big deal about doing one contest for Jude?"

The heartless words poured out of the woman I had loved for nearly a decade.

My body trembled. I clenched my fists, then slowly let them go.

On the stage, I stared blankly ahead, eating like a mindless robot.

The huge amounts of food felt like they were falling into a bottomless pit in my stomach.

Since I hadn't eaten since the day before, my body was already exhausted.

As soon as the timer stopped, I sprinted for the restroom.

After about ten minutes, I heard voices outside the stall.

"You're something else, Waverly. That stunt double looks exactly like Jude when he's dressed up!"

"But are you really going to marry him? Soren is hot, but his episodes are disgusting. He just shoves anything into his mouth. How do you stand it?"

I recognized that mocking voice. It was one of Waverly's friends.

"He's just for fun. But he's obsessed with me, so I can't get rid of him just yet."

A loud crash echoed in my mind as something inside me finally collapsed.

I looked in the mirror at the man wearing a wig that matched Jude's hair.

Up close, we really did look like twins.

My heart felt like it was encased in ice. I didn't even notice my fingernails digging into my palms until they bled.

I wasn't just a partner. I was a backup.

It wasn't that Jude looked like me. It was that she liked me because I looked like him.

Waverly never intended to marry me.

To her, I was just a toy she used for her own amusement.

The bathroom door swung open, and Jude walked in with a smug look.

The ring on his finger caught the light and stung my eyes.

In our eight years, Waverly had given me many expensive gifts.

They were all worth a fortune, but none of them were a ring.

A month ago, I found a receipt for a custom engagement ring she had ordered.

I thought it was for me. I had been so happy.

I never imagined it was actually for Jude.

The man in front of me looked at me with pure provocation.

"You heard it all, didn't you, Soren? You're just my shadow."

"Look at how pathetic you are. How could she ever really love a freak like you? If I were you, I'd leave out of pure shame."

I couldn't take his mocking tone anymore.

I lunged forward and slammed my fist into Jude's face.

I pinned him to the floor, and just as I was about to swing again, Waverly burst in.

She didn't hesitate. she kicked me hard in the stomach to get me off him.

She didn't hold back. The force of the kick sent me sprawling, gasping for air.

Cold sweat broke out across my forehead as I curled into a ball.

Seeing my state, Waverly seemed to realize she went too far. She reached out to help me.

But before she could move, Jude grabbed her hand, sounding like a wounded puppy.

"Waverly, my face hurts so much. Is it going to be scarred?"

"No, baby. I'm taking you to the hospital right now."

Waverly's face was full of panic as she ignored my struggle for breath.

As her silhouette disappeared, the world went black.