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Ashlyn
How many days has it been since Marco told me the truth about the accident that shattered our family? And more than that, about Ashley's involvement in it? Not just involvement. She orchestrated everything. She was the mastermind.
Until now, I can still feel the stabbing pain in my chest. It’s like a thousand needles pricking straight into my heart every time I recall Marco’s words that shattered my world into pieces. Words I never imagined I would hear.
But I know I can’t let myself drown in this pain forever. I can’t afford to be consumed by rage and heartbreak. I have to get up, breathe, and face the truth no matter how unbearable it is. I have to make Ashley understand, not out of revenge, but because she needs to be saved from her own downfall. Even if she doesn’t realize it yet.
Earlier, before Marco left for work, I could sense something in him. He stood by the door for a while, his hand resting on the knob, his eyes lingering on me with hesitation like he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words, or the courage.
“Sweet…” his voice was soft, uncertain. “Are you sure you’ll be okay here?”
I forced a smile and nodded. “Yes, Marco. I’ll be fine. I have no plans of doing anything reckless. I know that’s what you’re worried about.”
He stepped closer and gently took my hand. His touch was warm, grounding. “It’s not just that,” he said. “I just want to make sure. I want to hear from you that you’re strong enough to handle this.”
I took a deep breath, steadying the tears that were threatening to fall again. “I am, Marco. Because I have to be. We have children who need their mother now more than ever.”
He smiled at those words, and I could see the calm return to his eyes. I could feel his heart slowly finding peace, perhaps because he believed I was truly okay. That I wouldn’t do anything that would ruin me.
And why would I?
Why would I hurt myself… just to give Ashley the happiness she so selfishly tried to steal, even at the cost of my own suffering?
I stared down at the floor, trying to contain the rising ache in my chest. Then I lifted my head and closed my eyes tightly.
“No,” I whispered, with quiet conviction. “I won’t let that happen.”
It’s not because I don’t want her to be happy. God knows, in every prayer I’ve said at night, she’s always been first on my list. Even before everything fell apart, even before we grew distant… I prayed for her happiness.
But I’ve reached my limit.
I can’t keep setting myself aside. I can’t keep ignoring my own feelings, my love, my pain just to give way for hers.
“How long do I have to keep sacrificing?” I asked myself. “How long do I have to pretend I’m okay while I slowly fall apart?”
It’s not envy. I love her more than I love myself, maybe. But I know now that I also need to protect myself for Marco, for our children, and for the woman I’m trying to become again.
“Go and do your work,” I told him, softly but firmly. “I love our family.”
He nodded, smiling, and kissed me one last time before heading out.
The room fell into silence. Too quiet. And in that stillness, my thoughts screamed. Why?
Why did she do it?
It was as if my whole soul crumbled. Not just because of the betrayal but because the person who broke me… was my twin sister.
And she did it… for a man.
Yes, Marco is my husband.
And I’m not blind to how good a man he is. I know how loving, how dependable he can be. He has that rare ability to make you feel safe, even without saying a word.
Maybe that’s why… even Ashley couldn’t help but fall for him.
But not all feelings are meant to be acted on.
Some emotions, no matter how real, must remain buried. Some desires need to be walked away from because they are simply not right.
“You have to fight for your love,” people often say. “But only if it’s worth fighting for.”
And I believe that.
You fight for someone who lifts you up, not someone who drags you down.
You fight for love that brings out the best in you, not the worst.
But what Ashley did…
She fought me.
She hurt me.
She betrayed our family.
She destroyed everything just to have Marco.
But that’s not love.
Love doesn’t destroy.
It builds.
It doesn’t demand anything in return.
It is respectful.
It doesn’t manipulate.
It sacrifices.
If only she had seen the way our parents loved. It was pure, honest, with reverence to God, maybe she would’ve understood.
But she didn’t.
And now, we are where we are.
And I’m standing here, trying to gather the shattered pieces of my soul. Still bleeding, but refusing to fall apart.
Because I’m not just fighting for myself anymore. I’m fighting for my family. For Marco, for my children. For the woman I promised I’d never lose, me.
Tears silently slid down my cheeks as I stared at the screen of my phone. My hand trembled slightly as I tapped on my cloud storage and searched for a particular album, the one I created long ago, filled with memories I once held dear.
Pictures of us.
Back when we were happy.
Back when I truly believed I had the best twin sister in the world.
I kept scrolling, but my finger froze mid-swipe when a certain photo caught my eye.
We were both wearing red dresses, standing side by side, grinning like nothing in the world could break us. We each held a lollipop, our smiles as sweet and carefree as the candy in our hands.
For a moment, I could almost hear our laughter from that day. It was innocent… pure.
Back then, it felt like we shared one heart.
“Ashley…” I whispered, my voice barely audible as I stared at her frozen smile in the photo. “What else are you capable of?”
My grip tightened on the phone as I searched her eyes in that image, those familiar eyes I used to know so well.
Was there sadness in them?
Or had her smile back then been just another carefully crafted lie?
Were you truly happy, Ashley?
Or were you just pretending all along?
I wanted to know. I wanted to understand. But deep down, a painful question lingered: Would I even believe anything you'd say now?
Each tear that fell reminded me of something I had to hold on to something I could not afford to lose.
I would not be the one to fall.
I would not be the one to surrender.
“I won’t let Ashley take what belongs to me,” I murmured through clenched teeth, eyes locked in the empty space ahead. “I worked hard for everything I have. I cried, I bled, I suffered for all of this. Every tear, every sleepless night, every sacrifice, I gave it meaning. I won’t just hand it over like it’s nothing.”
My fingers reached for the ring on my finger.
It wasn’t our wedding ring. This one belonged to Marco’s mother.
The one he gave during our wedding was with Ashley. She had not returned it to me when she borrowed it before the accident happened. That's the reason why Marco thought she was me.
I had no choice. This was the only ring he could place on my finger after our wedding.
But even without the symbol we originally vowed upon, I knew Marco’s love was real.
It wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t forced.
He fell for me slowly… and sincerely.
Not once did I chase after him.
I never tried to get his attention.
I didn’t dress up for him or change who I was just to be noticed.
Everything he felt for me… was real.
I saw it in every lingering glance he gave me back then. With the way he smiled at me when he thought I wasn’t looking. In the tenderness of his touch the first time he held my hand and confessed how he felt.
And now… now that we’re here, I feel it even more.
More than before.
No, we’re not perfect. But every single day, he chooses me. And I know, he’ll choose me again tomorrow, and the day after that, and every day after.
So every time I think of Ashley trying to invade the world Marco and I built with so much love and pain and patience…
It makes something inside me burn.
Why, Ashley?
Why do you want to destroy what we have?
My jaw clenched, my fingers gripping the ring tighter than ever.
But no.
I won’t let her.
I refuse to step back.
Because if anyone deserves Marco’s love… It's me. The one who was willing to let go if it makes him happy.
I took a deep breath and tried to push away the sorrow and fear gnawing at my heart. After everything we’ve been through… After everything I endured…
I deserve this. I deserve to be loved. I deserve to fight for what’s mine, not because I own it, but because he chose me too.
I was about to get up from the bed, brushing the remnants of tears from my cheeks, when my phone buzzed.
I frowned. I didn’t recall giving my number to anyone recently.
My heart skipped a beat. I thought maybe it was Marco.
I quickly picked it up, but… it wasn’t a message but an email.
And the message chilled me.
"Let’s meet. I want to talk."
The sender?
Ashley.