CHAPTER 3 — The Twin in the Shadows
“She gave birth to three.”
The words crashed into Elena like a tidal wave.
Her vision blurred.
No.
No, that was impossible.
She stared at Alexander, her breathing shallow, chest tightening.
“You’re lying.”
Alexander didn’t blink.
“I wish I were.”
Elena shook her head violently.
“No. No, my mother would have told me.”
Daniel’s expression had turned grave.
“She couldn’t.”
Elena snapped toward him.
“You knew?”
Daniel hesitated.
That was enough.
Her face drained of color.
“You knew.”
Silence.
“DANIEL, ANSWER ME!”
He clenched his jaw.
“I knew there was another child.”
Her voice broke.
“How long?”
“…Eight years.”
Elena staggered back.
Eight years.
Eight years.
While she searched for truth.
While she cried for her parents.
While she rebuilt herself from ashes.
They knew.
And they said nothing.
Tears filled her eyes—not from weakness.
From betrayal.
“You all lied to me.”
Alexander stepped forward.
“Elena—”
“DON’T.”
Her scream silenced the room.
She pointed at both men.
“You don’t get to say my name like you care!”
Her voice trembled with fury.
“You hid my brother.”
She pointed at Daniel.
“You hid my sister.”
She pointed at Alexander.
“What else?”
Her voice cracked.
“What else did you bury?”
Silence.
Then—
A phone buzzed.
Everyone turned.
Elena looked down.
Her own phone.
Unknown number.
One message.
Just six words.
They finally told you, didn’t they?
Her blood froze.
She slowly raised the screen.
Daniel saw it first.
His face went pale.
“No…”
Alexander’s eyes sharpened.
“Who sent that?”
A second message arrived.
You always were the slower twin.
Elena stopped breathing.
No.
No.
No.
Her hands trembled violently.
Third message.
Check the screen behind you.
The giant screen flickered.
Static.
Then—
Video.
Security footage.
Timestamp:
34 minutes ago.
The archive vault.
A woman entered.
Black coat.
Cap low.
Face hidden.
She walked toward biometric scanner.
Placed her hand.
Access granted.
Vault opened.
She turned slightly toward camera.
Enough.
Enough for Elena’s soul to shatter.
The face.
Her face.
Exactly.
Same eyes.
Same lips.
Same bone structure.
Gasps filled the room.
Sabrina whispered—
“Oh my God…”
Victor stared.
“That’s…”
Elena whispered.
“…me.”
Daniel’s voice dropped.
“No.”
Alexander narrowed his eyes.
“She wants us watching.”
The woman in the footage slowly looked straight at the camera.
Then smiled.
Cold.
Sharp.
Predatory.
Nothing like Elena.
She lifted one finger.
And drew it across her throat.
Video ended.
Silence.
Pure terror.
Elena felt ice in her veins.
That wasn’t just resemblance.
That was identical.
Like looking into a mirror—
if the reflection hated you.
Her voice barely existed.
“She’s real…”
Alexander answered quietly.
“Yes.”
Elena swallowed.
“What’s her name?”
Silence.
Daniel looked away.
Alexander finally spoke.
“Selene.”
The name echoed.
Selene.
Elena.
Twin names.
Twin daughters.
One hidden.
One raised.
Elena whispered—
“Why?”
Alexander’s voice darkened.
“Because the night they were born… your mother nearly died.”
Elena stared.
“She gave birth early.”
Daniel added quietly.
“Complications.”
Alexander nodded.
“Both babies were weak.”
Elena’s heart pounded.
“Then what happened?”
Alexander inhaled slowly.
“One child stabilized.”
He looked at her.
“You.”
Her throat tightened.
“The other…”
His voice lowered.
“…was taken.”
Silence.
Elena blinked.
“What?”
Alexander’s eyes hardened.
“She was kidnapped.”
The room exploded.
Victor nearly fell backward.
“No way.”
Elena’s world shattered again.
Kidnapped?
At birth?
She whispered—
“Who took her?”
Alexander answered.
“We never knew.”
Daniel added.
“Until recently.”
Elena turned.
“You found her?”
Daniel’s face darkened.
“She found us.”
Cold rushed through Elena.
“What does that mean?”
Alexander pulled out a file.
Photographs spilled across the table.
Crime scenes.
Destroyed offices.
Bank hacks.
Blackmail operations.
Dead accounts.
Corporate sabotage.
Elena stared.
“What is this?”
Alexander answered.
“Her work.”
She looked up.
“No.”
Alexander’s voice became steel.
“She built an empire in the shadows.”
Daniel finished.
“Underworld finance.”
Elena’s pulse raced.
“No…”
Alexander continued.
“She specializes in infiltration.”
Daniel added.
“Identity theft.”
Alexander.
“Psychological warfare.”
Daniel.
“She studies targets.”
Alexander.
“Breaks them.”
Elena whispered—
“She’s a criminal.”
Alexander’s reply came like ice.
“She’s much worse.”
Silence.
Then he dropped the bomb.
“She orchestrated tonight.”
Everything stopped.
Victor stared.
“What?”
Elena’s lips parted.
“No.”
Alexander nodded.
“She wanted everyone in one room.”
Daniel cursed under his breath.
“She manipulated us.”
Elena’s mind raced.
“No…”
The waitress disguise.
The setup.
The timing.
The vault breach.
The messages.
Too perfect.
Too coordinated.
Too controlled.
Elena whispered—
“She wanted me here…”
Alexander looked at her.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
No one answered.
Then—
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
Slow applause echoed through the lounge.
Every head turned.
A woman stood at the entrance.
Black dress.
High heels.
Elegant posture.
Dark hair.
Perfect face.
Elena stopped breathing.
The room gasped.
Mirror.
It was like looking at Elena—
but sharpened into something dangerous.
Where Elena carried pain…
this woman carried pleasure in destruction.
Where Elena had warmth buried under trauma…
this woman had ice.
Selene smiled.
“Well.”
Her voice was velvet and venom.
“This reunion is emotional.”
Elena couldn’t move.
No.
Impossible.
Selene walked forward.
Each step deliberate.
Predatory.
Victor whispered—
“What the hell…”
Selene ignored everyone.
Her eyes locked on Elena.
She smiled wider.
“Hello, sister.”
Elena’s knees weakened.
“You…”
Selene tilted her head.
“Oh?”
Mock sympathy.
“No hug?”
Elena whispered—
“You’re real…”
Selene laughed.
“And you’re disappointingly soft.”
Daniel moved between them.
“Stay back.”
Selene’s smile vanished.
She looked at him.
Her eyes turned cold.
“Half-brother.”
Daniel stiffened.
Selene smirked.
“Still protecting the favorite child?”
Elena frowned.
Favorite?
Alexander stepped forward.
“This ends tonight.”
Selene laughed.
No fear.
No hesitation.
“No, Alexander.”
Her voice sharpened.
“It begins tonight.”
Alexander’s expression darkened.
“What do you want?”
Selene answered instantly.
“You know what I want.”
Silence.
Elena looked between them.
“What is happening?”
Selene glanced at her.
Then smiled.
“Oh.”
She circled Elena slowly.
“They didn’t tell you that either?”
Elena’s patience snapped.
“TELL ME!”
Selene leaned close.
And whispered—
“I want your life.”
Elena froze.
“What?”
Selene straightened.
“I want your name.”
Pause.
“Your inheritance.”
Pause.
“Your legacy.”
Then the cruelest line—
“I want everything mother gave you.”
Elena’s voice trembled.
“She never abandoned you!”
Selene’s smile disappeared.
For the first time—
Emotion surfaced.
Raw hatred.
“She kept you.”
Silence.
“She named you.”
Pause.
“She held you.”
Her voice shook.
“She loved you.”
Elena whispered—
“She searched for you—”
Selene screamed.
“NO!”
The room shook.
Tears filled Selene’s eyes—
but rage burned hotter.
“She stopped searching.”
Elena froze.
“No.”
Selene stepped forward.
Dangerous.
“She moved on.”
“No…”
“She raised you.”
“No!”
“She forgot me.”
Elena shook her head.
“She didn’t!”
Selene’s voice became deadly calm.
“She died with your name on her lips.”
Silence.
The sentence stabbed.
Elena felt crushed.
Selene leaned in.
“Not mine.”
A tear rolled down Selene’s cheek.
She wiped it away instantly.
Weakness gone.
Monster returned.
Alexander spoke quietly.
“She was told you died.”
Selene snapped toward him.
“Liar.”
“It’s true.”
“She gave up!”
“She mourned you!”
Selene laughed bitterly.
“Good.”
Elena stared.
Good?
Selene looked at Elena.
Then smiled.
Cruel again.
“You know what’s funny?”
Elena said nothing.
Selene touched Elena’s cheek.
Softly.
Terrifyingly.
“If things were different…”
Pause.
“That life could’ve been mine.”
Elena jerked away.
“No.”
Selene’s smile widened.
“But I adapted.”
She stepped back.
“You became justice.”
She pointed at Elena.
“I became consequence.”
Daniel’s instincts screamed.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Too calm.
Too theatrical.
He scanned the room.
Then saw it.
Small blinking devices.
Under tables.
Near pillars.
Near exits.
His blood froze.
No.
No no no.
He shouted—
“EVERYONE DOWN!”
Selene grinned.
Too late.
She lifted a small remote.
Elena’s eyes widened.
“What is that?”
Selene looked at her.
Almost tenderly.
“A choice.”
Click.
Red lights activated across the room.
Bomb triggers.
Screams erupted.
Chaos exploded.
Guests fell.
Security drew weapons.
Victor panicked.
“Oh God!”
Elena stared in horror.
Bombs.
Everywhere.
Selene’s voice cut through screams.
“There are twelve charges in this building.”
Alexander’s face hardened.
“Selene.”
She smiled.
“Relax.”
Her gaze moved to Elena.
“Only one can be stopped.”
Silence.
Elena whispered—
“What?”
Selene tossed a tablet.
It slid across marble floor.
Screen active.
Countdown.
04:59
Elena’s blood ran cold.
“What is this?”
Selene answered.
“Two locations.”
Screen split.
Location one:
Restaurant explosives.
Hundreds could die.
Location two:
Hospital room.
An old man on oxygen.
Elena froze.
No.
Impossible.
She recognized him instantly.
Victor screamed—
“Dad?!”
Harold Langley.
Alive.
Weak.
Hospitalized.
Selene smiled.
“Yes.”
Victor trembled.
“My father—”
Selene’s voice turned icy.
“You can save the building…”
She looked at Elena.
“Or save the man who destroyed your family.”
Silence.
Pure silence.
The countdown continued.
04:21
04:20
04:19
Selene stared into Elena’s eyes.
And whispered—
“Tell me, sister…”
Her smile turned terrifying.
“Are you really better than me?”
May you like
Blackout.
To be continued…
