Chapter 23: Twin Shadows
Ivy studied Lila across the café table, her expression guarded but no longer icy. Though she hadn’t said nice words, the hardness in her features was softening. Lila bit her lip, letting a trembling sigh escape as she looked down, feigning a mix of guilt and longing.
“I just… I tried to find you all those years ago when you suddenly disappeared, Aria,” Lila said softly, twisting her hands together on the table so that her drama could seem more real. “Against Mom, Dad’s and Connor’s wishes, I searched everywhere. When you went missing, it was like a piece of me disappeared too, because whether I admit it or not, you’ve always been a part of me. My twin sister. I couldn’t let it go.”
Ivy shifted uneasily in her seat, her fingers toying with the edge of her coffee cup. Her silence was heavy, but Lila knew better than to rush her.
“I didn’t want to believe it,” Lila continued, her voice faltering slightly. “They said you were gone, that I should move on, but I couldn’t. I went to shelters, scoured hospitals, even asked strangers if they’d seen someone who looked like me. I thought…” She paused, letting the weight of the moment settle and for the effects of her lies to sink. “I thought I’d never see you again.”
Ivy’s lips parted slightly as though she wanted to say something, but then she pressed them together. Her gaze flicked toward the door, her shoulders tense. Lila didn’t miss the way her fingers tightened around her cup.
‘She’s debating whether to leave,’ Lila thought to herself.
She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a near whisper. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry for everything, Aria. For the things I said, for the way I acted. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I had to try.”
Ivy hesitated, her fingers relaxing just a fraction.
Lila smiled inwardly. ‘She’s hooked. Now all I have to do is reel her in.’
But before Ivy could respond, the bell above the café door jingled. The sound was faint, yet it sent a ripple of tension through the air.
Lila turned her head, and her heart skipped a beat as a familiar figure strode into the café.
Connor.
His piercing gaze swept the room, sharp and searching. For a moment, Lila thought he wouldn’t notice them. Then his eyes locked onto Aria, softening with an emotion Lila couldn’t bear to name.
But when his gaze shifted to her, all that softness evaporated. Fury burned in his eyes, his jaw tightening as though he was holding back from saying something.
This wasn’t part of the plan.
What is he doing here? Did he follow her? Or is he stalking Aria now?
Lila’s pulse quickened, but she forced herself to remain composed. She plastered on a weak smile, feigning surprise. “Alpha Connor,” she murmured through gritted teeth. “What are you doing here?”
Ivy, however, seemed caught off guard. Her posture straightened, a flicker of unease and confusion crossing her face.
Connor ignored Lila entirely, his attention fixed on Ivy. “Aria, are you okay?” he asked, his voice low but filled with concern.
“I’m fine, not that it’s any of your business,” Ivy replied quickly, her eyes darting between the two of them. “Oh, and it’s Ivy. Ivy Blackwood,” she added after a heartbeat, glancing at both of them directly.
Lila felt a pang of jealousy and anger flare in her chest. Did he think she would do something to Ivy in a crowded café? Not that she won’t but couldn’t. The thought stung, but she pushed it aside.
The guts of Aria to say her name with so much power and confidence like she was born with it. ‘Just wait’, she thought to herself. ‘I’ll be the new Ivy Blackwood in no time’.
Connor turned his glare back to Lila. “What is this about, Lila? What are you trying to pull now?”
Lila blinked, her lower lip trembling as she tried to muster the perfect blend of hurt and confusion. “I’m not pulling anything, Alpha Connor. I just… I just wanted to make things right with my sister.”
Ivy’s head tilted slightly, her expression filled with sheer amusement.
Connor’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t get to play the victim here. You’ve done enough damage.”
“You don’t have to make it seem like you’re suddenly being protective of me,” Ivy interjected, her voice firmer this time. “I know what I’m doing. And everything is under control.”
“No, it’s not,” he snapped, his hand clenching into a fist at his side. “You don’t know her like I do. She’s manipulating you.”
Lila’s stomach churned, but she kept her expression carefully controlled. “I’m trying to fix things,” she said softly, letting a tear trail down her cheek for effect. “That’s all.”
Ivy’s gaze lingered on her for a moment before she turned back to Connor. “I don’t know what you both are up to, but I have no interest in getting involved.”
“I just need you to give me another chance, Ivy. Another chance to be a proper sister,” Lila continued relentlessly.
“No you don’t!” Connor barked at her in his Alpha voice, taking a step forward towards Lila, his fists clenched.
“Can you just leave?” Ivy asked with a frustrated sigh.
Connor shook his head, his frustration evident, but he didn’t press further. “I’ll be right here,” he said finally, moving to a table by the door, his eyes never leaving them.
Lila exhaled shakily, her hands trembling as she reached for her drink. Ivy, however, looked unsettled.
“You know what? I’m done. I should go now,” Ivy murmured, starting to rise.
“No!” Lila said quickly, then softened her tone. “Please, just… five more minutes. That’s all I’m asking.”
Ivy hesitated, glancing between Connor and Lila, her survival instincts flaring. Reluctantly, she sank back into her seat, though the unease in her posture remained.
Lila smiled faintly, though her mind was already racing. Connor’s presence had complicated things, but it wasn’t enough to ruin her plans. Not yet.
She’d just have to be smarter.
Smarter than Aria. Smarter than Connor.
And she always was.