Chapter 3

3

Mrs. Sinclair turned around instantly. When she saw my face, she gasped.

How... you look exactly like me!

She looked back and forth between me and Sienna, who only shared a slight resemblance with her.

Mr. Sinclair took a step forward, his eyes filled with shock.

I am your daughter! she's an impostor! I yelled.

[Finally! Someone slap that girl already!]

Just as the words left my mouth, Hayden grabbed my shoulder and tried to pull me away.

Stella, this isn't for you. Come back with me and behave.

Mrs. Sinclair reached out to stop him, but Sienna suddenly grabbed her and burst into tears.

Mom, don't you believe me?

Mrs. Sinclair immediately softened, hugging her. Of course I believe you, honey, but...

I knew what she was thinking. How could she not doubt it when I looked like her twin?

Mrs. Sinclair, I was kidnapped when I was two. I was wearing a green shirt, black pants, and white shoes!

I remember there was a mountain behind our house covered in peach trees!

I remember being carried up there to pick peaches and crying because I saw a snake!

I blurted out my earliest memories. Mrs. Sinclair's eyes turned red, and she began to choke up.

Mr. Sinclair nodded quickly. Yes! I sent people to clear the snakes the very next day, but then she was gone...

Sienna's face went pale. She shot a look at Hayden.

Stella, how could you do this to me? she sobbed.

Mrs. Sinclair turned. Sienna, do you know her?

Mom, she's our friend from the orphanage. We grew up together.

Everything she just said... those are stories I told her about my childhood.

Stella, I treated you like a sister. How could you try to steal my parents from me?

Hayden stepped forward, his face dark with anger.

Stella, Sienna has been patient with you over and over. Why can't you just leave her alone?

Mr. Sinclair hesitated. She bullied Sienna?

Yes, Mr. Sinclair. Sienna is too kind to tell you because she didn't want to upset you.

But I can't stand Stella's toxicity anymore!

She's been jealous of Sienna since they were kids. She stole her toys and ripped up her homework.

When she found out Sienna found her rich parents, she became obsessed.

I told her it was because Sienna looks like Mrs. Sinclair, so she went and got plastic surgery to look just like her!

My brain felt like it was exploding. I stared at Hayden, my body shaking with disbelief.

Eighteen years of friendship meant nothing. I didn't even recognize the man standing in front of me.

The hatred and malice in his eyes were terrifying. My tears finally spilled over.

You're lying! We grew up together! You know what I've always looked like!

She stole my life, and you're framing me for surgery?

His expression became even more sinister as he narrowed his eyes.

Because we grew up together, I know exactly what kind of person you are. I know what you used to look like.

He pulled up a photo on his phone and showed it to my parents. He pointed to a girl with completely different features.

This is what Stella looked like before, he claimed.

[This guy is a demon! He's using a stranger's photo!]

[Don't cry! Show them your own photos!]

I scrambled to open my phone, but my heart sank when I opened the gallery.

Three years ago, during a boat trip with Hayden, he had dropped my phone into the lake.

My new phone only had photos from the last three years. There was nothing from the orphanage.

[It's over. They planned this years ago. They blocked every exit.]

Seeing my silence, my parents looked at each other with heavy hearts. They had no proof.

Sienna took the opportunity to whisper. Stella, I know you're mad about the scholarship. If you need money, I can give it to you.

I'll give you whatever you want. Just please, don't try to take my parents...

Mrs. Sinclair pulled Sienna into a protective hug.

Don't cry, sweetie. We're your parents. We're not going anywhere.

Mr. Sinclair gave me a look of pure disgust and signaled for the security guards to throw me out.

[No! She needs proof!]

As the guards grabbed my arms, I yelled out one last thing.

We can do a DNA test!

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