Vivian's POV
The lobby of the boutique hotel gleamed with polished marble and soft lighting. I approached the front desk with butterflies dancing in my stomach, clutching my small overnight bag.
"Hi there. I have a reservation under Vivian Abel."
The woman behind the counter lifted her eyes from her computer screen. The moment she saw me, her perfectly manicured eyebrows shot up and she physically recoiled. Her scarlet lips twisted into an expression of disbelief.
"Are you serious right now?" She turned to her colleague with a look that made my chest tighten.
I shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry?"
The two women shared a glance loaded with meaning I couldn't decipher. My palms grew damp as confusion washed over me. All I wanted was to get my room key and prepare for the most important day of my life. In just a few hours, Ryan and I would be married in an intimate ceremony designed for two.
Nothing was going to ruin this moment. Especially not a pair of judgmental hotel staff.
The first receptionist cocked her head at me with obvious irritation. "You checked in two hours ago. If you're trying to pull some kind of scam here, I'll have security remove you immediately."
My stomach dropped. "That's impossible. I just arrived."
The second woman studied me carefully, her expression shifting from annoyance to something resembling concern. She nudged her coworker. "Let her see."
With an exaggerated sigh, the first woman swiveled her laptop screen toward me. Her finger jabbed at the guest registry displayed on the monitor.
There it was in black and white: Vivian Abel. Checked in at two fifteen.
A nervous giggle bubbled up from my throat. "Oh, that must be Ryan. My fiance probably used my name when he checked in. I was planning to arrive first, so this is unexpected."
The receptionists exchanged another weighted look, this one tinged with something that made my skin crawl.
"Miss, that's not what happened," the second woman said gently. "You checked in two hours ago with a gentleman. I remember because I complimented that adorable top you're wearing."
My gaze dropped to the white fitted crop top emblazoned with "BRIDE" in glittering letters. Ryan had surprised me with it just days ago, saying it would be perfect for our wedding day.
"You told me you were getting married soon," the first receptionist added, her hostility fading into something that looked disturbingly like sympathy.
The floor seemed to tilt beneath my feet. My heart hammered against my ribs as dread crept up my spine like ice water.
"There has to be some mistake," I whispered.
"That wasn't me."
Both women looked at me with expressions I'd never wanted to see directed my way. Pity. Pure, unmistakable pity that made me want to crawl out of my own skin.
The first receptionist sighed heavily and reached beneath the counter. She produced a key card, sliding it across the marble surface with obvious reluctance.
"I hope you figure this out," she said softly, attempting a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
The elevator ride to the fourth floor felt endless. Each floor that passed made it harder to breathe. My thoughts raced in circles, trying to find an explanation that didn't destroy everything I believed about my life.
This couldn't be happening. Not today. Not ever.
But as I stood outside room 412, key card trembling in my hand, I knew something terrible waited behind that door.
The lock clicked open with a soft beep.
What I saw inside shattered every dream I'd ever had.
My twin sister Abby was on top of Ryan, her back arched as she moved rhythmically above him. The sounds filling the room made my stomach lurch. They were so lost in each other that they hadn't heard me enter.
For what felt like an eternity, I stood frozen in the doorway. My bag slipped from numb fingers and hit the carpet with a muffled thump. I bit down on my tongue so hard I tasted copper, trying to process the impossible scene before me.
Maybe Ryan was confused. Maybe he thought Abby was me somehow.
But even as the thought formed, I knew how ridiculous it sounded. Ryan and I had never been intimate. We'd agreed to wait until our wedding night.
"God, yes," Abby gasped, throwing her head back. "You feel so good inside me, baby."
Something fundamental broke inside my chest. Every instinct screamed at me to run, to pretend I'd never seen this betrayal. But a deeper part of me refused to let them continue their charade.
"Abby?" My voice came out strangled and small. "Ryan?"
They both whipped around simultaneously.
Shock flashed across Ryan's face before his expression went carefully blank. He pushed Abby aside and scrambled off the bed, making no attempt to cover himself.
"Vivian," he panted, reaching for me. "This isn't what it looks like. I thought she was you, I swear."
I jerked away from his outstretched hand, my focus locked on the woman who shared my DNA.
Abby stretched languidly like a satisfied cat, running her fingers through her tousled hair. "Oh please, Ryan," she said with casual cruelty. "We don't need to pretend anymore. It's getting pathetic."
Ryan glanced back at her. "I was having fun with the game."
My legs nearly gave out. "What game? What are you talking about?"
The reality hit me like a physical blow. This wasn't their first time together. They moved around each other with practiced familiarity, like lovers who knew each other's bodies intimately.
But I hadn't seen Abby in two years. I'd never introduced her to Ryan.
How was this possible?
Abby stood gracefully, completely naked and utterly shameless. "She's going into shock, darling. We should end her misery quickly, don't you think?"
She sauntered over to Ryan and pulled him into a deep kiss right in front of me, moaning softly against his mouth.
I tried to move, to leave, to do anything but stand there watching my sister claim my fiance while I fell apart.
Abby wrapped her hand around Ryan's arousal while maintaining eye contact with me, her smile predatory and triumphant.
"You said you weren't ready," I choked out, tears streaming down my face. "You said we should wait until marriage."
Ryan laughed, the sound sharp and cruel. "You actually believed that?"
He stepped closer and grabbed my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes.
"I never loved you, Vivian. Abby is everything I've ever wanted."