"Arlene Jones, you’ve worked with President Miller the longest. Does she have a brother named Orson?"
A laugh came from the other end of the line.
"Margaret, have you lost your mind? Did some random boy trick you again?" Arlene replied, her tone dripping with amusement.
Margaret hung up abruptly, her expression darkening as she turned back to me. Without warning, she kicked me hard in the knee.
"You shameless liar! How dare you try to fool me? I’ll break your legs!" she snarled, her voice laced with fury.
I winced, the pain shooting through me as the truth suddenly hit me.
Brenda had always claimed to be an orphan to protect her family, even hiding it from her closest subordinates. I hadn’t realized that her secret would one day put me in danger.
Before I could process the thought, a man with a rugged face leaned in close to Margaret, whispering something in her ear.
"Maggie, I think I’ve seen this guy before," he murmured. "I’m pretty sure Brenda posted a photo with him on her private account. They looked close. Could he be her lover?"
The man quickly pulled out his phone, fingers swiping through the screen, desperate to find the photo.
Margaret’s gaze flickered with uncertainty. If the picture came to light, even if they mistook the nature of our relationship, at least she could save herself from the mess.
But just as the man was about to pull up the image, he shook his head in frustration. It had been deleted.
Margaret’s expression darkened, her eyes narrowing into cold slits. She pressed a knife against my cheek, her voice dripping with venom.
"If you really are Brenda’s lover, then why did you order a princess?" she spat.
"The one thing I can’t stand is a man who’s as indecisive as you."
With a sneer, she threatened, "Pay up, or I’ll carve your pretty face open! Let’s see how charming you look then!"
Despair washed over me and I collapsed, my voice rising in desperation.
"I really am Brenda’s brother! If you harm me today, she’ll hunt you down and kill you!"
But my words fell flat, not even causing a flicker of doubt in Margaret’s eyes.
I felt a crushing hopelessness settle over me. I never imagined proving my identity would be this impossible.
Just as the blade was about to break through my skin, Margaret’s phone rang its sharp ring cutting through the tension.
With an impatient sigh, she slapped it on speakerphone.