Chapter 249 CHAPTER 0249

Chapter 249 CHAPTER 0249
LAUREN'S POV

The officers had taken the four men away, dragging them out through the back hallway like they were nothing but criminals being thrown out of society. The chief had already given out several orders, pointing at different corners of the place while a few other officers walked in and out of the rooms, inspecting everything. From the serious look on their faces, you could tell this wasn’t going to be treated as some small crime. They were shutting down this entire hotel tonight, no hesitation, no second thought.

Apparently, the hotel hadn’t only been a hideout for people like the four men, they’d been secretly avoiding taxes and making illegal deals behind closed doors. The moment the officers realized how deep the corruption ran, it was like something inside them switched. They were ready to tear the building apart brick by brick if they had to.

Meanwhile, I tapped my foot continuously against the dull wooden floor, unable to stop myself. The sound echoed slightly in the room, mixing with the distant chatter of officers. I kept glancing at the hallway where one of the policemen had gone to look for Elizabeth. Every passing second felt longer than it should. My body was still shaking from earlier, not from fear, I had already gotten over that but from the anger boiling inside me.

I was really pissed at what she did to me today. Completely pissed, disappointed, betrayed, all mixed into one ugly knot sitting deep inside my chest. And before they take her away, before she disappears out of my sight forever, I want to slap her. Just once. She deserves that much. For deceiving me all this time. For tricking me. For pretending like she had genuine intentions. For putting me in danger and then acting like it was nothing. I want to look her in the eye and tell her never to show her face around any of us again.

Just as I was replaying everything in my head, the door pushed open and the officer who went after her finally walked in. Roman, the chief, and I all turned our attention his way immediately. But he walked in alone. No one was beside him. No Elizabeth being dragged by the wrist. No handcuffs. Nothing.

My stomach dropped.

“Did you find her?” the Chief asked, stepping closer.

The officer shook his head, a frustrated sigh leaving his lips. “I’m afraid not, sir. I don’t know how she got away. The whole hotel is surrounded by our men. She shouldn’t have been able to leave without us noticing… so she must have had help from someone inside.”

Roman let out a small sigh, rubbing the back of his neck before resting a hand gently on my shoulder. “It’s okay,” he said, sounding calmer than I expected. “Let her go. I’m sure she’d never show her face again after what happened.”

His voice was steady, reassuring, and strangely certain, like he had already made peace with the outcome. And honestly… he was right. Earlier she said she left the house because she thought Roman had told me everything. Now that I actually know the truth, she probably wants nothing to do with us anymore. She’d likely focus on what she really came to the country for, which was her family’s business.

The fact that she still set all this up just to ‘have fun’ made me see how sick she was. Truly sick. I had forced myself to believe that because we were identical twins — same face, same body type, same dressing style that we were somehow the same on the inside. But the more I replayed her actions, the more I realized I had been completely wrong. Very wrong.

From the very first day, when she reacted aggressively to that waiter, I knew something was off. Something about her wasn’t right. But I ignored it. I brushed it off. I convinced myself it was normal. And now, after everything, after the stunt she pulled today… I can’t even pretend anymore.

Anyway, she’s gone now. So I might as well just forget I ever had a sister and move on with my life. I honestly do not have the spine for another drama right now. Not after everything that has happened in the past months. My shoulders are already carrying more than enough.

“Let’s leave this place,” Roman said softly.

I nodded, slipped my hand into his, and we walked out of the hotel immediately. The air outside felt colder than I expected. Or maybe my body was still trying to calm down.

As we drove back, the street lights passed by the car windows one after the other, giving the inside of the car a soft glow. But my mind wasn’t on the drive. It wasn’t even on the hotel anymore. Something Elizabeth said kept circling in my head over and over again, twisting itself into questions I didn’t know how to answer.

So now that Roman and I were on our way back, I finally turned a little towards him in the passenger seat. My heart beat faster for some reason. I didn’t even understand why the question felt heavy.

“Just before you came,” I started slowly, “Elizabeth… she said that she tried seducing you so many times, but you kept resisting her. Why?”

Roman’s eyes widened slightly. He looked at me as if I had just asked him the most ridiculous question in the world. His brows lifted in shock, and he even blinked a few times like he was trying to make sense of why I was asking.

“Why are you asking something like that?” Roman said. “Why wouldn’t I resist her?”

“I’m asking because…” I paused, thinking before speaking again. “I know she’s my twin sister. We’re identical. We have almost the same features. Most guys would’ve done it because they’re basically seeing the woman they’re in love with.”

Roman let out a small laugh, shaking his head. “I think you’re confusing me with Ethan,” he said. “I’m a very faithful partner. I was faithful in my last relationship with my ex-wife. And I’ll forever be faithful to you. Just because she looks like you doesn’t mean she is you. I’m in love with you, Lauren. Not your identical sister or anyone else. And I’m content with that.”

A small smile formed on my lips, warming my chest a little. His words were sweet, honest, and comforting. They made me feel… special. Like I was one in a million.

But then the smile faded as fast as it came.

He said he was faithful to his ex-wife. Completely faithful. Yet they still split up. I know that was from her end, but I’ve never actually asked him what happened. Come to think of it… I’ve never asked Roman about his past at all.

All I know is that he’s a successful businessman with a mother, and he was once married. That’s it. Nothing more. My nails dug into my palms sharply, and I swallowed hard. What kind of fiancée am I? I don’t know anything about him. I’ve just been living day by day without ever stopping to ask.

I’m sure he must be waiting for me to ask. And each day I don’t, he probably gets more disappointed. Not because he’s angry, but because he expects me to care enough to want to know him deeply.

But today… today will be the last day I will keep silent.

Once we get back, once I calm my mind from everything that just happened, I’ll do my role as his fiancée and finally ask him about his past.