Her Double Identity

Seven years later...

I wondered for the entire seven years if I was ever good enough for you.... I thought that maybe if I had been better, he wouldn't have left me.

But he abandoned me.

"Hey, Phoebe," Olivia called out to me irritably, making me pouted. She kept unloading her worries on me when I was already busy on my own.

Do I look like her therapist for that?

"I told you I don't know what to do about your client problems," I said softly, and she just grunted at my response. "So just ask Minx." I pouted while playing with the pen in my hands.

"Minx is busy! I don't want to disturb her work because she has more to do than we do!" she yelled at me, scratching the back of her neck. She stopped when Meggay's secretary entered.

"Architect Avery and Architect Ivory, you are requested in the conference room," she announced and quickly left. I looked at Olivia, who seemed equally puzzled.

"What the hell is this about?!" she snapped as she left the office, and I followed her. I rolled my eyes because she was being so loud.

"Stop shouting."

When we stepped out, Savannah was already there, bothering Meggay, which made me laugh. Savannah loves to tease Meggay a lot, only to receive no response on Meggay.

"Wow, how important is this that you had to disturb me?!" Savannah snapped, so Meggay covered her ears to annoy Savannah, who just laughed.

"Hey, Savannah, your loud mouth is something else. It's so early and you're already squawking like a chicken. Look, the interns are laughing at you," Olivia said, laughing, so I walked over to Meggay and linked my arm with hers. She just smiled at me.

"Is your voice not like a chicken?! Don't be so judgmental. I heard you cursing earlier," Savannah shot back, making Meggay shake her head. When we reached the conference room, Meggay opened the door.

We were surprised by four black folders that were simultaneously laid out in front of us. My mouth dropped open when I saw him again. I bit my lower lip as my body froze in place while looking at him.

The one I didn't want to see, the one who ruined the world I built for myself.

Why did you have to show up now when I had finally accepted that you left me? Why now, when I'm ready to start over?

When I saw Meggay leave, I followed her because I didn't know how to face him.

The man I chose and got hurt by in the end, Caelum Gray Scott.

I sighed when I reached my office. I felt my heart sink and twist because of the pain surging inside of me.

I kept my face blank until my office door opened and Caelum walked in. I can't meet him again, not today, not tomorrow. The ghost of past can't come back right now.

"Architect Ivory, I'm your new engineer," he said, smiling, but I glared at him. He had the nerve to show up and smile at me?

"Why are you back?"

He looked away, seemingly reluctant to answer me. He knows what he did to me! He knows that and yet he's facing me like nothing.

"You really like playing, huh? Leaving and then coming back? What a joke," I laughed sarcastically. I didn't mean to let my other side show, but seeing him triggered me. "Stop showing your face to me and get out of here now!" I shouted, startling him.

"You dare come back after leaving me."

I don't want you to hurt me again. That's why I'm ending this right now.

If this is how my life is going to be, I don't want it anymore. I hate to live like this.

I squinted as I sat in the apartment. Everything starts to flashback once again, I could feel my breathe cease because of it. My body starts to tremble on its own.

'You should just die, Phoebe!'

'You're worthless!'

'Your sibling is better!'

"Stop it!" I shouted, feeling anxious.

"Hey, what happened, Ivory?" I jumped when Savannah called out to me. My eyes are widened while looking at her.

"N-nothing! I'm just going to buy bread for us! I'll go ahead!" I shouted, panicked.

Oh no...

"You should calm down first. It won't help you."

I nodded. "Take care!" I smiled and left the house. I clutched my wallet tightly as I walked to the bakery.

'Steal some money from your rich foreigner friend, anyway! She's's rich! Do it so you'll be useful!'

I sighed heavily because the money I had in my wallet for buying bread was saved from the money Meggay gave me.

She smiled. "Don't worry, Ivory. I can help you with this."

I still wasn't in my right mind when I arrived at the bakery. I can't think straight because of it.

"Should I work a part-time job?" I whispered, not realizing I had bumped into someone.

And I almost fell! That's when I looked up at the guy holding onto me.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asked, but I just kept looking at him.

His amber eyes were fixed on me. He was wearing casual clothes with a bag slung over his broad shoulders. His slightly fair skin and smooth face, along with his soft lips, caught my attention.

"Uh, I'm okay!" I startled and got up. He picked up my dropped wallet and handed it to me.

"T-thank you," I smiled while looking into his eyes.

He smiled back at me, almost making my heart skip a beat with how he smiled at me! He's handsome...

"You're welcome," he continued to grin, making me gulp a few times. "Don't think too much so you won't bump into things," he said softly.

"Y-yeah."

"Anyway, I'm Caelum Gray Scott. Fourth year college," he said softly and extended his right hand.

"Um, uh..." I gulped while looking at his hand. "Uh! I'm Phoebe Ivory Santos! Also fourth year... Architect!" I shouted, catching people's attention.

He chuckled a bit. "I'm an engineer," he smiled and then looked at my uniform. I almost blushed at his gaze. "Oh, you study at STI?"

"Uh, yes," I smiled at him.

He glanced at his watch and stopped. "I'm late," he whispered.

"Thank you again! Sorry for the trouble!"

"Nah, thank you for accompanying me here," he smiled again. I was surprised when he approached and leaned down.

That's when I noticed how tall he was compared to me and how small I felt next to him.

"Anyway, see you later," he whispered in my ear before leaving me dumbfounded.

"H-huh?! S-see you?" I blinked and bought bread for our snack later.

I had to do the laundry when I got home. I went back to the apartment and dropped off the bread. I chatted with them on Messenger, which made me laugh.

I grabbed my bag and left the apartment to ride a motorcycle. When I got to school, I saw Olivia eating a lollipop.

"Oh, you're here! Was the bread you saw at the bakery yummy?" She giggled, making me laugh.

"Maybe? I stopped because..."

I was surprised when she hit me. "You're silly! You're acting all flirtatious!"

That's when I laughed and shook my head at her and stopped when I saw my Mom's message.

Mom:

Come here. Bring all your clothes here from your apartment!

Me:

Okay, Mom.

I sighed heavily, so Olivia looked at me.

"Why?" She asked, worried about my expression.

"My mom wants me to come home."

"Silly, don't go there! You'll just get beaten up again when you come home!" She said, so I lowered my head.

The same thing happened when Meggay and Savannah saw me. They talked about the new Engineers who transferred here, but I didn't join their conversation.

Our professor arrived and taught us a few things about school. Since it's still the beginning of the school year, that's how it was. The bell rang, so we all left together.

"The engineers are here!" I heard Savannah yell, so I focused on the four guys wearing casual clothes.

But my eyes were fixed on one guy I recognized! Did he say 'see you later' for a reason?! He approached me, so I backed away a bit.

"Weren't you at the bakery?!"

"I see you again," he smiled, making me gulp.

"Y-yeah."

He moved closer to me.

"You really look cute, huh?" He smirked.

"Uh, cute?!"

I was surprised when Meggay pulled me away, so I just thanked her for doing that. They continued to talk, but I wasn't in the mood to join them. When we ordered food, I looked at Meggay, who seemed really annoyed.

"By the way, Minx, I'm going home later."

"Can you manage?" She looked worried about me, but I just smiled.

"I'm afraid of getting hurt by Mom and Dad, but I need to get the clothes I need," I lied. She asked me to go.

"Take care, okay?" I nodded at her.nWe went back to our room afterward, and our professor started discussing again. It ended at four pm. I bid them goodbye and said I'd go home first. When I got there, I quietly entered the house.

"Mom, I'm here," I said.

"Hurry up, come here!" I heard her shout, so I got nervous.

I approached her. She looked angry. I was surprised when she grabbed my hair, causing me to almost cry.

"Didn't Diana tell you to give her your motorcycle keys?!" She shouted while still holding my hair. That's when I looked at Diana, who was crying.

"She even told me she didn't want to give it to her because Meggay gave it to her as a gift!"

"I didn't say--"

"Don't talk back!" She shouted and pushed me to the floor, making me cry out in pain.

She pulled me up and forcefully reached into my pocket to get my motorcycle key.NI angrily took it from her.

"That's mine! Meggay gave it to me as a gift!" I said.

"You're talking back now!" She shouted and slapped me hard.

That's when I tasted blood on the side of my lip and felt my jaw go numb.

I touched my cheek and immediately felt weak from what she did. I'm used to it, but why does it still hurt? Why does she have to favor Diana when we're both her children?

"If you don't want to get hurt, give your motorcycle to Diana!" she shouted at me, so I just nodded and let go of the key for her to take. I can't do anything anyways.

"Good," she smirked. "Here, dear," she handed the key to Diana, so I just bowed my head.

"I-I'll just get my clothes so I can go home," I said softly.

"Hurry up! I don't want to see your face here!" she shouted, so I nodded and went straight to my storage room.

It was filled with trash and their old belongings. I had nothing else to do but to get my luggage and put my old clothes inside. After that, I just left without saying goodbye. Due to lack of money, I walked home.

I don't want to take the money from the illegal things we did. Those money are just from those. While walking, tears started streaming down my face, which I quickly wiped away.

"I'm sorry, Meggay. I lost the motorcycle you gave me," I cried. "I'll pay for everything once I start working... I'll make it up to you, I promise," I said through tears.

I didn't know how many hours I walked home, but I knew it was already eight when I arrived. I collapsed on the sofa, exhausted, while crying.

"Phoebe," I heard Meggay's voice, and she hugged me.

"Why does it have to..." I stopped for a moment and spoke again. "Why do I have to experience this?" I asked her.

"Shh, that's enough," she said while patting my back. I finally feel safe with her.

"Millions of people, but why? Why me? Don't I deserve to be happy?" I asked again.

"You deserve it, they don't. You deserve to be happy," she said, so I felt somewhat comforted.

"I feel sorry for myself, Minx."

"I feel sorry because I can't show my worth. I can't show them that I can also do what my sister can do," I said while crying. She just patted my back.

"I just want to be happy, is there something wrong with that?"

"You deserve to be happy. You'll be happy too, maybe not now, but soon, or the day after. Just trust the process, you'll be okay," she said. She looks at me with her eyes being soft.

"You won't always stay in this situation because you'll be okay when it's just a trial," she said. I just cried while hugging her.

"Don't always just stay in that situation. Don't let yourself give up, face all your problems with me, with them, we won't leave you,"

I pulled away from the hug and looked at her. I wiped the tears from my eyes and smiled at her. She's always soft, it may not see in her but you can see how she loves us.

"I'm always with you in this. I'm happy that I have you, Minx," I said, and she smiled.

"You deserve to be happy too," I said.

"You're the one I'm waiting to be happy, Ivory," she whispered, making me grin.

We talked about different things, so I felt comforted. I went to my room to rest. But eventually, I stopped thinking when Savannah entered my room.

"Where's your motorcycle?!" I looked away from her.

"Did Diana take it from you again?!" She approached me and looked at my face. "And what's that on your lip?! Your cheek is also red!"

"I didn't fight back."

"That's what happens when you don't fight back! Just say it now, I'll kill them!" She shouted, so I covered her mouth. Meggay can't hear that we kill people!

"Meggay's here, so be quiet. She still doesn't know that we're part of the mafia."

"Just tell me. I'll kill them for you," her voice filled with sincerity, so I smiled.

"No, don't. They're my family, so as long as I can bear it, I'll do it," I softly said.

"And when you're fed up, I'm here to take revenge on all of them for what they did to you!" She said cheerfully and hugged me suddenly. I hugged her back. I may be unlucky with my family, but I'm lucky to have them as my friends.

"Okay, go rest," she said and bid goodbye.

Later, I closed my eyes, but I opened them when I heard the door of my room open.

"Let's go attack those bastards!" I heard Olivia shout, so I laughed.

"Calm down!" I said. I tucked my hair behind my ear.

"Just kidding. I'm just trying to make you laugh," she said softly.

"Don't worry, I'm okay."

"As long as, Phoebe. We'll get your motorcycle back, okay?" she said, and I nodded. Eventually, Savannah stopped when she told us our mission.

We went there to beat up the kids who were taking things. We ended up with a lot of bruises and wounds.

And we knew we were in trouble with Meggay when we got home, but what could I do? Our being a Mafia is a secret from her, and all we could do was stay quiet, or her life would be in danger.

When we got home, we were exhausted and sat down to treat our wounds before resting. The three of us were the first to wake up in the morning to cook. Meggay arrived, but she seemed off. Or we knew we were in trouble.

"I went downstairs last night, and none of you were there, including you, Ivory," she said, so our eyes widened.

"Last night, you only had a wound on the side of your lip, but now, even on your cheek? And you too, Savannah and Olivia, you have wounds. I asked my brother yesterday, but he said his bar was closed, and you all left!" She hissed at us, making us scared.

"Where the hell did y'all go without informing me, huh?!" she angrily said.

"You won't understand," I heard Savannah say.

"What won't I understand?! Just tell me the truth, you haven't told me yet?!" she said angrily.

"You'll get mad when you find out!" Olivia said, annoyed.

"I'm already mad about this!" she hissed before leaving us dumbfounded.

"I think we messed up," I whispered to them.