Chapter Forty - Four


    A fog of shock dumbfounded Loney as he watched the two sisters mention each other''s names. His


    head felt light, confirming Danica was a twin to Danie. He went numb, little veins in his brain


    processing a bit of information. Both sisters seemed like strangers to him.


    They were still standing at the doorway, blocking the way for other customers. Danie hadn''t noticed


    Loney, as she gazed at her sister. Instincts of admiration and pain flunking her. Danica seemed not only


    to survive but also flourish wherever she found herself.


    Realization hit Danica, her mind clearing from shock. She pulled her sister from the entrance, "We are


    blocking the way," she muttered, stopping a few meters away from the entrance. Her heart sank at how


    quiet Loney was when he followed them. His expression was unreadable but he looked sapped.


    A deadly re narrowed from him, d in a coffee brown suit but Danie''s mood lightened up at his


    features. She found him attractive and with a mere look at him, she could tell that he was a billionaire.


    She was ustomed to all designer brands due to her past life.


    Now, she was dressed as Danica used to and Danica was dressed in the designers Danie used to.


    Therefore, it was quite easy for Danie to understand the reason for all the doubled payments.


    Her sister wasn''t just this guy''s surrogate. He was also in love with her and that did not settle well with


    Danie because Danica was always attracting the good guys. The worse was, this guy was young,


    good looking, and rich.


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    She also detected that her sister wasn''t pleased to see her and the man hadn''t uttered a word.


    Perhaps, they just had a fight or something.


    "Hey, you are not even happy to see me," Danie uttered sweetly, the corners of her eyes raking


    Loney. She wasn''t nning to see Danica either and she wished she hadn''t seen her. However, she


    couldn''t say the same for Loney. She doesn''t even remember ever meeting him because Loney has


    changed so much over the years.


    Danica''s tongue felt so heavy in her mouth, words could barelye out. Loney''s presence made it


    more fearful because he hadn''t uttered a word and Danica didn''t know how to face him. She had never


    seen him like this and she didn''t dare to face him.


    Thus, she pulled her sister aside and whispered in her ear, "you faked your death so ain''t you


    supposed to lie low?"


    Danie instantly understood that her sister had hidden her identity to protect her but Loney didn''t


    seem like one of the mafias therefore, her evil side covered her good. She must have Loney at all cost


    and the only way will be to turn him against her sister.


    "Oh that, I paid off everyone thanks to you," she dismissively said in a hushed tone like it was nothing.


    She ambled towards Loney, a full-blown smile decorating her face, her hands stretched towards him,


    "Hi, I''m Danie, her twin sister."


    Loney felt his breath cease as Danie spoke. He ascertained that she didn''t remember him. The worst


    feeling was, he couldn''t understand his own emotions, trying to shove out which of the sisters were


    eviler. The liar, or the one or shunned him.


    He didn''t ept her handshake and was about to walk away before recalling that Danica had


    something inside her that belonged to him. His seed was growing inside her therefore, he bottled up his


    anger and said, "we have to leave now. I have so much to do."


    His right hand wrapped around her arm firmly, as they walked away with the two shop attendants


    following them. Danie thought fast. She couldn''t let Loney go just like that. She had to get close to


    him. epting thr thought, she walked briskly, catching up to them.


    "Look, I really miss my sister, okay? I searched everywhere for her before her best friend told me she


    had epted to be a surrogate somewhere. I don''t know what she needed the money for but can I


    was as if she cared.


    Danica''s face drained of colour at her sister''s words. Suddenly, her saliva tasted bitter in her mouth.


    Loney was already furious and she didn''t want to make matters worse yet, her head felt light, pounding


    at the same time with a terrible headache.


    Loney was devastated but then, he hadn''t been unable to fall in love all these years because of


    Danie until he met Danica. He gritted his teeth so hard, they felt like gravel in his mouth. His hand


    was balled in a fist so hard it shook. He will keep the two sisters together for now. When his temper


    cools, he will investigate both of them.


    He breathed deeply, letting it out, "join us then," he said cooly. Danie was ted. She followed them


    excitedly and confirmed her suspicion when they entered Loney''s Bentley Bentayga. The shop


    attendants arranged everything in the booth of the car and Loney tipped them generously. He sat in the


    driver seat before noticing Danica hadn''t buckled up and her eyes were closed. He leaned forward,


    buckling her seat belt. Danica was startled and opened her eyes. After confirming the movement, she


    closed them shut again.


    The atmosphere in the car was tense and thick. Regardless, both sisters fell asleep along the way.


    Well, whatever makes people sleep before reaching the tunnel leading to the mansion was Loney''s


    secret and only Paul knew. By the time they opened their eyes, they were in the garage.


    "I usually do not sleep on a ride, what happened?" Danie asked with confusion, a soft yawn escaping


    her. In times past, Loney would have smiled at her statement but right now, his frown only deepened


    when he ushered them to the living room.


    Mabel had finished preparing supper and was about to call Danica when two pairs of Danica appeared.


    A blend of shock and anticipation bathed her. Still, before she eximed her amazements, Paul beat


    her to it.


    "Twins?"


    He shook his head in dissatisfaction. Danica never told anyone she was a twin. For as long as they


    knew, she was an orphan and an only child. This meant that even Herty had lied to him. He was just as


    disappointed as Loney.


    *******


    At the car park, Jones was sapped for waiting. They had finished buying everything they needed before


    recalling having left out a gift for a child with special needs. Danie had stepped out just to pick an


    item for the said child and hadn''t returned. Jones had gone to roam the shops in search of Danie to


    no avail.


    He called several times but she didn''t answer his calls. Dumbfounded, he called Herty. Herty was


    driving her parents to the airport when her phone rang therefore, she couldn''t answer it immediately.


    Jones was even more frustrated, he sat back in the car, waiting for Danie to return.


    As soon as Herty returned to the car after dropping and seeing her parents off at the airport, she


    returned Jones'' call. When Jones exined everything, she called Danie but thetter wasn''t


    answering her phone. Dejectedly, she called Jones to report the incident to the police. However, before


    Jones got to the police station, he received a text message from Danie. ''Sorry I couldn''t inform you


    but I bumped into an old friend so you can take the lead.''


    Jones sighed in confusion and dialled her number but the phone was switched off. He feared that


    Danie must have been kidnapped and forced to send that message. Confusion swayed him, as he


    exined everything to Herty. After some discussion on the phone, they decided that they would wait


    till the next day to make the report.


    ******


    "F..food is ready. You all should get seated," Mabel stammered, trying to break the awkward moment.


    Loney''s expression alone was enough to cause a miscarriage.


    "I''m not hungry," Loney stormed away towards his room, Danica following behind him. When he


    reached the door, he turned abruptly, "go to your room, Danica." His voice was cold Danica shivered


    but didn''t back down.


    "Please let me exin," she expressed, her eyes ssy and her voice teary.


    Loney gazed at her coldly, "there is nothing to exin. Just stay away from me." He turned the


    doorknob. Danica held his hand pleadingly, "Please hear me out first," she begged.


    Loney was not ready to listen. He felt too betrayed, he wouldn''t give her a chance to exin. He


    shoved her hand from his a bit harshly, Danica staggered. Paul noticed that Loney''s temper was over


    the bar and charged towards them.


    "Danica, be ady and go to your room," Loney warned sternly, his voice calm and deadly.


    "But..." Danica wanted to beg when Paul stopped her. He felt that Loney might forget her condition and


    harm her unconsciously, so he pulled her to the side.


    "Hey, let him cool off okay? Just do as he says. Give him some time alone," he remarked but it gave


    Loney enough time to open the door and close it after entering.


    "What''s going on, sister, did I cause any problem?" Danie asked innocently. She had followed Paul


    up the stairs.


    Paul ignored her question and rather directed his words to the middle-aged woman climbing up to join


    them. "Mabel, get her a room. Danica, go to your room. We will settle this tomorrow." His voice was a


    firmmand, everyone obeyed. No one had the appetite to eat supper.


    Danica had a sleepless night, sending countless messages to Loney till thetter switched off his


    phone. She cried herself to sleep, regretting not having taken Herty''s advice. She wanted to tell him


    tonight so how could Danie shoe up just like that? Was God punishing her canal choices? While she


    wallowed in sorrow, Danie enjoyed her new room.


    It was everything she had ever dreamed of. Posh and intricate with the best designs. This was where


    she belonged, this had been her ambition and she would never leave. She called Gertrude who


    answered instantly.


    "Where are you, Danie? Jones has been dead worried." Herty''s panicked voice sounded at the end


    of the call.


    Danie cared less and said, "guess what? I''m in the same mansion with my sister."


    Herty was astounded. She could guess what Danica might be going through now and it hurt her so


    much. "What? She has spent all this while protecting you. You can''t do that," she chastised Danie.


    "Says who?" Danie frantically asked before she continued, "look, I yed my cards well. Danica


    should return to Jones when shepletes her business but I will make sure to live here forever. This


    has been my dream," she confessed casually. Her conscience had jumped out of the window.


    "I thought you loved Jones," Herty pointed out, her mind in distress.


    "I did because he was a good guy but hey, this guy is good and has money too," Danie shamelessly


    said.


    "You are so heartless, Danie. God will punish you for all you put your sister through," Herty let out her


    anger but Danie was unfazed. "I know but so are you. All you care about is Danica. What about me?


    Don''t I also deserve happiness? You can say all you want but I''m not backing down," she uttered


    angrily, ending the call at the same time.


    "Danie, Danie...." Herty called out with no response.


    It was the middle of the night but Herty called Danica. She knew very well that Danica would be having


    sleepless nights. Still, when Danica answered the call, Herty''s heart sunk. She just couldn''t bear it.