Unsure of what to say, I embraced her tightly, my voice thick with emotion as I thanked her for her years of guidance and support.
After completing the formalities, my colleagues insisted on a farewell lunch to celebrate my upcoming union. I didn’t protest, reserving a table at one of Caleb’s favorite restaurants—a place we had visited often, one of the rare spots that felt familiar and comforting.
Halfway through the meal, I excused myself to visit the restroom—and ran straight into Marina.
She greeted me with a radiant smile. “Valencia! I didn’t expect to see you here. This is actually the restaurant Caleb first took me to after our coming-of-age ceremony. We’ve been here countless times since.”
I offered her a polite, measured smile and tried to walk past, unwilling to engage in small talk.
But she stopped me, tilting her head slightly. “I noticed last time that Caleb always rinses the shrimp in water before peeling it for you. You don’t eat spicy food either, right?”
Her words froze me mid-step.
The truth was, I did enjoy spicy food. But Caleb had always rinsed the shrimp before serving it to me, insisting it was better for my health, insisting I avoid anything too hot. I had assumed it was simply his way of being thoughtful.
Now, staring at Marina, I realized the truth: the one he worried about, the one he had been catering to all this time… it wasn’t me. It had always been her.
Her head tilted slightly, her gaze sharp and calculating, as if she were trying to read every line of my expression and piece together some secret.
“I’ve been meaning to say this since we first met,” she drawled, her voice laced with mockery, “don’t you think we look remarkably alike, little sister?”
Shock slammed into me, my breath catching in my throat. My eyes instinctively darted to the mirrored wall nearby, and I couldn’t stop myself from making the comparison. At first glance, it was impossible to deny—the same dark hair, the same striking eyes, even the subtle angle of her jaw mirrored my own.
Humiliation churned with anger deep inside me. I had always known I was merely a substitute in Caleb’s life, a shadow to someone else’s love. But realizing that I had been groomed to resemble Marina—the real woman who had captured his heart—shattered something deep within me, leaving an ache I couldn’t name.