The Wrong Brother
Not only did she start calling me a friend, she practically gift-wrapped her husband and pushed him in my direction.
Unfortunately, she had a brother who was a human lie detector.
Every time Id successfully driven a wedge between the happy couple, Id look up and meet his knowing, heavy-lidded gaze. It was enough to make my blood run cold.
Later, I overheard her ask him, "Why are you always so cold to Mia?"
He stubbed out his cigarette. "Because every time I see her, she hits me with that wide-eyed, damsel-in-distress look. She's trying to reel me in."
He paused. "I'm just giving her some space. You can't make it too easy for them. They don't appreciate what they don't have to work for."
She just stared at him, completely baffled.
1
The shouting match inside the sprawling Palisades mansion was escalating again.
Declans voice was dark and obsessive, the sound of a man completely unhinged. Audrey, the only way youre getting a divorce is over my dead body.
The declaration was followed by the sharp shatter of glass and a choked-back sob. That was my cue. I pressed the doorbell.
After a moment of charged silence, the heavy oak door creaked open.
Declan stood there, a mess. A fresh cut split his lower lip, and angry red scratches snaked up his neck. It wasn't hard to guess what had just happened.
I lowered my gaze, pretending not to notice a thing.
Declan, I said, my voice soft. Thank you again for the job at the firm. I I made you some congee.
His stormy eyes fell to the pink thermos in my hands, and the rage in his features seemed to soften, just a fraction.
It was nothing. Dont mention it. He attempted a smile, but it was a grim, tight-lipped thing. He made no move to take the thermos. Sorry, somethings come up at work. I have to go.
As Declan brushed past me and disappeared down the driveway, I stepped into the foyer.
Audrey was perched on the edge of a white sofa, her back ramrod straight. Her eyes were red-rimmed and swollen, but her spine was steel. When she saw me, a flicker of light returned to her defiant gaze. A pair of dimples appeared as she managed a small, sad smile.
Mia. Youre here.
I nodded, lifting the thermos with a deliberately bright smile. Audrey, I brought
My voice caught. I changed course mid-sentence.
I brought you some congee. I remember you said your stomach was bothering you last time. Its supposed to be very soothing.
A nagging voice, the one I call my script, buzzed in my head. That was for the husband. Youre lying again.
I wrinkled my nose, lowering my voice to a whisper only it could hear. But he didnt want it. Are you really going to let the first thing Ive ever successfully cooked go to waste?
Before I was dropped into this life, I couldnt even boil water. Even with the scripts guidance, this simple rice porridge was the only thing I could manage. As if to prove my point, I subtly angled my hand, revealing a patch of red skin on my wrist from a careless burn.
The voice faltered. Fine. But you still have to say the lines. You have to drive them apart.
A small, triumphant smile played on my lips.
2
The script had bent the rules. I couldn't push it.
My eyes fell on the elaborate, untouched breakfast spread on the marble islandavocado toast, fresh fruit, a silver pot of coffee. I let out a wistful sigh.
"You're such a natural at this, Audrey. Not like me. All I can do is make porridge, and even then, I just end up being a bother to Declan."
My breath hitched. Spencer had materialized behind me, silent as a ghost.
Damn it all.
It was always like this. The moment the poison left my lips, Id find myself pinned by his clear, piercing eyes. He was like a radar custom-built to detect my specific brand of bullshit.
I pressed my lips together.
Audrey, oblivious, was already ladling the congee into a bowl. "Spencer! What are you doing here?" she asked, her smile genuine for the first time. "Have you eaten?"
He stood there in a perfectly tailored suit, the top button of his shirt fastened, radiating a cool, almost severe elegance. His gaze landed on the thick, white porridge. "I have," he said flatly.
Audrey shrugged, a flicker of disappointment crossing her face. "Your loss. It's Mia's first time cooking. She made it for me."
A flicker of surpriseor something like itcrossed Spencers face. His eyes then moved, with unnerving precision, to the red burn mark on my wrist. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, his dark eyes clouding over with a subtle displeasure.
"Is that so?"
I instinctively hid my hand behind my back.
It might have been my imagination, but Spencer's expression seemed to darken further. He gave me one last, deep look before striding over and plucking the bowl from Audreys hands.
She swatted at his arm, indignant. "Hey! You said you weren't hungry! Why are you stealing my congee?"
"Suddenly thirsty," Spencer replied, his tone casual, but his eyes were fixed on me. "Is that a problem?"
His question was for his sister, but his gaze was a challenge meant only for me.
I just stood there, completely frozen.
3
My problem with Spencer wasnt personal, not at first.
It started a few weeks ago, on my first attempt to execute the late-night chat scene. The script demanded I show up at the husbands door in a silk nightgown. Except, I went to the wrong room.
The thought of discussing nonexistent feelings with Declan was excruciating, so I improvised. I turned the seduction scene into a job interview. For thirty minutes, I sat in the dark and cried to the shadowy figure on the sofa about how hard it was to find a job in this economy.
By the time I realized my mistake, it was too late.
The lamp clicked on. Spencer was lounging on the sofa, looking impossibly relaxed and rumpled. He ran a hand through his hair, a gesture that was far more captivating than it had any right to be.
He looked amused. "Is it really that hard to find a job?" he asked, his voice a low, gravelly murmur, thick with sleep.
I was momentarily stunned. Then, scrambling to my feet, the hem of my short nightgown fluttered up, offering a fleeting glimpse of pale thigh.
Spencer's eyes darkened. "Are you done crying?" he asked, his voice suddenly raspy.
His gaze felt predatory, and a strange flutter of panic went through me. I stammered an apology and fled.
Ever since, Id run into him everywhere. And every time I mentioned Declan's name, Spencers face would turn to stone. I couldnt tell if hed figured out my whole act, but the uncertainty made me nervous.
"Audrey, it's my first day at Declan's firm, so I should probably get going." I stood up, desperate to escape.
"Wait," Audrey called out. "How are you getting there? Do you have a car?"
I froze. My plan had been to hitch a ride with Declana perfect opportunity to stir the pot and save on an Uber. But hed stormed out before hed even had his coffee. I was stuck.
"It's fine, Audrey. I'll just call a car." Getting a ride-share out here in the hills was a nightmare, but for the right price, someone would eventually show.
She shook her head, her brow furrowed with concern. "Absolutely not." Her eyes scanned the room, landing on Spencer. They lit up.
A sense of dread washed over me.
Sure enough, before I could protest, she said, "My brother is the safest driver I know. He can take you."
Years of practice kicked in. I bit my lip, forcing my eyes to well up with manufactured vulnerability as I glanced at Spencers stoic face. "Oh, no, I couldn't possibly trouble him Spencer."
"It's no trouble," Spencer said, his voice flat.
He didn't even look at me.
"It's on my way."
Audrey frowned. "Your office is downtown, Spence. Declan's is on the Westside. Are you sure you're not getting your directions mixed up?" The skepticism in her voice was palpable.
For a split second, I saw a muscle twitch in Spencers jaw. "I have a meeting with Declan," he said, the words sounding like they were ground between his teeth.
He paused, his eyes finally flicking to me. "It's just a ride. Don't read into it."
"I-I wasn't," I stammered.
4
Under Spencers heavy gaze, I buckled myself into the passenger seat of his immaculate sedan.
The silence was thick enough to cut with a knife.
Suddenly, the car pulled over on an unfamiliar street.
"This isn't the office," I said, my voice barely a whisper.
"I know," Spencer said, unbuckling his seatbelt. "Wait here."
I watched him walk into a pharmacy. A few minutes later, he was back, pressing a small tube of burn cream into my palm.
"If you don't know how to cook, don't," he said, his voice low and gruff. "You'll just hurt yourself. And the result is hard to swallow."
I barely managed to keep my expression neutral. He was the one who insisted on eating it.
"And another thing," he said, turning to face me fully.
I instinctively shrank back against the window.
Spencer let out an exasperated sound. "Am I that terrifying?" He sounded genuinely baffled.
I waved my hands frantically. "No, no! It's just you turned so fast, your handsomeness startled me." I did my best to blush, clasping my hands in my lap, trying to look as sincere as humanly possible.
His own hands, which had been reaching for his phone, clenched into a fist. The tips of his ears turned a faint shade of pink. He cleared his throat.
Then he tossed his phone into my lap. His expression was dead serious.
"Why did you send me this?"
When did I send him a photo?
Confused, I picked up the phone. My blood ran cold.
5
On the screen was the photo the script had forced me to send to Declan.
Me, in a tight-fitting dress that hugged every curve, with a ridiculously flashy diamond necklace drawing attention to my collarbone. The script's prompt was to ask his opinion on the necklacea classic, manipulative move. Id cringed, sent it, and then, overcome with regret, unsent it moments later.
I never imagined Id sent it to Spencer by mistake.
And hed saved it.
My first instinct was to delete it. He snatched the phone back before I could, his movements whip-fast. He checked to make sure the photo was still there, then let out a breath he seemed to have been holding.
His eyes, dark and intense, were back on me. "Care to explain?"
My mind raced. "I'm so sorry! I meant to send that to Audrey, to get her opinion on the necklace. I must have clicked on your name by accident." My voice dwindled as his stare grew more piercing.
It was a pathetic excuse. His contact photo was nothing like Audrey's. It was, however, almost identical to Declans.
I thought about the original story, about how Spencer, upon discovering Audrey had given me her kidney, had me thrown into the ocean. Adrenaline surged through me. My cheeks flushed, and a genuine mist of fear clouded my eyes.
He clearly didn't believe my flimsy lie. To avoid being completely exposed, I decided to surrender.
"I'm sorry."
His hand came up, and his thumb brushed gently, quickly, against my lower eyelid. It was the lightest of touches. His eyes were shadowed with an emotion I couldn't decipher.
"You just love to reel me in, don't you?"
"What?" I hadn't heard him clearly. His words were fast, almost angry.
Meeting my wide, innocent eyes, I saw the tension leave his shoulders, the fists at his sides unclenching.
The car started moving again.
"Just try not to send things to the wrong person again," Spencer said.
From his low, strained voice, I understood the warning. He must have seen how terrified I was and decided to let it go.
A wave of relief washed over me. "Okay," I nodded, trying to look as docile as possible. "I won't."
When he dropped me at the entrance to the office building, he didn't even wait for me to get out before driving away.
My mouth, which had opened to say thank you, closed.
Maybe the meeting with Declan was just an excuse. An excuse to warn me not to send him suggestive photos. The more I thought about it, the more convinced I was that Spencer could see right through me.
I made a mental note: stay as far away from him as possible.
6
My new position was Declan's executive assistant. It came with a built-in office rival. From the moment I sat down, I could feel her eyes on me, sharp and possessive.
I nudged the script with a mental question. Who's that?
The system scanned and delivered. That's Jenna, Declan's classmate and longtime assistant. Capable, but she's in love with him. She not only tries to seduce him but also frames the wife for having an affair. She's also the one who drugs him later in the story.
So, it was her.
Reading the original story, Jenna was the character I despised the most. She hid behind the "best friend" and "loyal colleague" titles, secretly pining for Declan but never having the courage to confess. She was fine with the status quo as long as he was single. But the moment Declan showed the slightest interest in Audrey, Jenna panicked.
At a company gala, she drugged his drink and tipped off the press, hoping to force his hand. But through a twist of fate, Audrey stumbled into the room instead. It happened to be right when Audreys family business was going through a crisis. Declan, betrayed and furious, assumed Audrey had set the whole thing up to trap him. That flicker of love hed started to feel was crushed under the weight of his anger. He married her anyway, but from that day forward, their marriage was a cold war of unspoken resentment and pain.
The script added, Declan actually loves Audrey deeply. The deeper the love, the more he couldn't accept her "betrayal." Once the truth comes out, the groveling will begin.
I almost scoffed. By the time the truth came out, Audrey would be missing a kidney and Id be sleeping with the fishes, courtesy of Spencer. Declan's redemption arc could go to hell. I was more interested in helping Audrey get a divorce.
The script seemed to read my mind. Don't waste your time. The bond between the main characters isn't that easy to break.
I couldn't stand its smug tone. I mentally hit the mute button, cutting it off mid-sentence. Its tinny, indignant curses echoed in my head, and for the first time all day, I felt a genuine sense of satisfaction.
7
As Declan's assistant, I had a front-row seat to Jennas masterclass in manipulation.
Business trips, client meetings, contract negotiationsshe was always by his side. But it didn't stop there. A common cold, a headache, crampsevery minor ailment was an emergency that required Declan's personal attention. I watched in silence as he, the CEO of a multi-million dollar company, personally brewed her a cup of ginger tea with brown sugar.
The scripts voice resurfaced, dripping with sarcasm. If only I'd been assigned to Jenna. You're an amateur compared to her.
I ignored it and pulled out my phone. I was just about to "accidentally" send a picture of the cozy scene to Audrey when she appeared in the doorway.
She stood there, her face pale, staring at Declan and Jenna. Her eyes, usually so bright, looked like dull, lifeless stones. It was heartbreaking.
I silently cursed them both. My body moved before my brain could catch up.
"Audrey," I said, rushing to her side. I took her hand; it was ice-cold. I tried to pour some of my own warmth into her.
She forced a smile. "I'm okay." But the dimples in her cheeks were filled with bitterness.
The moment he saw Audrey, Declan instinctively pushed Jenna away. "It's not what it looks like" he started to explain.
But Jenna cut him off before he could finish. "Audrey, please don't be angry," she said, her voice dripping with false sincerity. "My cramps were just really bad, and Declan was just being a good friend."
The way she lowered her eyes, playing the victim, made my teeth ache. I couldn't help but ask myself a question.
Hey, script. Am I this annoying? I feel like Audrey can see right through Jenna's act. Why is she always so nice to me?
The script's voice was flat, deadpan. Because all of your manipulations are aimed at the husband. The wife has no reason to be mad at you. Right now, Jenna is aiming at her. Of course she's angry. She's not an idiot.
Even the script could see how furious Audrey was. Declan, however, seemed to be completely blind. The fact that hed almost explained himself to Audrey seemed to infuriate him.
His face hardened. "Stop being so dramatic. We're just friends."
The last glimmer of hope in Audreys eyes died. She let out a short, incredulous laugh. "Dramatic?"
She was too heartbroken to even argue.
8
Audrey turned and walked away, her movements sharp and final. She looked fragile, like a single gust of wind could shatter her.
I started to go after her, but Declan was faster. He grabbed her arm, his face a mask of rare, unfiltered panic. "Stop making a scene. There's nothing going on between us."
Audrey ripped her arm from his grasp. "Think whatever you want." She met his frantic gaze, her voice weary and cold. "Declan, I'm tired. I don't care what your relationship is with her. Let's just get a divorce."
Divorce. The word was music to my ears. I almost jumped for joy.
But for Declan, it was like a lit match to a barrel of gunpowder. His face went rigid, his eyes like chips of ice. "Don't even think about it." He grabbed her arm again, so tightly I could see her wince. "You think I'm going to let you run off to that doctor of yours, to Leo?"
His voice dropped to a low, menacing growl. "You started this, Audrey. You're stuck with me for life."
Even from several feet away, the intensity of his rage was suffocating. I couldn't imagine what it felt like for Audrey, trapped in his orbit.
The script piped up again, smug as ever. See? He's completely in love with her. He gets jealous when she even talks to another doctor, he just doesn't realize it yet. After the truth comes out and he grovels, they'll get their happy ending.
To hell with their happy ending.
A hot wave of anger washed over me, so strong it burned away my carefully constructed persona. I marched over and threw myself at Declan.
"Let her go!" I yelled, pulling at his arm. "Stop bullying her!"
Seeing me jump in, Audrey started to struggle again, afraid I would get hurt.
Out of nowhere, Jenna appeared. In the chaos, she lunged forward and slapped Audrey. Hard. Twice.
I saw red. "You son of a bitch, Declan! You just stood there and let her do it!"
9
Jenna had moved so fast, Declan didnt have time to react. By the time he finally let go of Audreys arm, looking utterly stunned, it was too late.
"I'm sorry, I"
CRACK.
Audrey, her expression shattered, swung her hand across his face with all her might. "Get out," she screamed, her voice raw with pain. "Both of you, just get out!"
A flicker of malicious satisfaction crossed Jennas face before she quickly replaced it with a mask of pathetic sorrow.
"I'm so sorry, Audrey, I didn't mean to. I just saw you two fighting and I I got scared for Declan." She cast a pleading, tear-filled glance in his direction. "If you're going to divorce him over this, then then you can hit me back. I won't mind. I don't feel pain."
She bit her lip, looking for all the world like she was on the verge of collapsing.
Audrey was raised better than to get into a physical fight.
I, however, was not.
I slapped Jenna across the face. She froze, stunned, for two full seconds before she launched herself at me like a wild animal.
She was coming at me with everything she had. The world seemed to shift into slow motion. I could see Audreys horrified face, her hand reaching out to pull me back. But my body was already falling, stumbling backward.
The back of my head hit something hard.
And then, everything went dark.
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