He held up his cell and I could see he was reading an email.
“He CC’d you too.”
In seconds, I was in my private server, pulling out the email but somehow, my inherent twin sense already told me exactly what it said.
Dear Bastards, it began and I had to sit down. Don’t worry—I’m gone, along with the five mil I borrowed indefinitely from your precious company. Dad, I hope you’re happy that you chose Rustin over me. You must be very proud. You always liked him better, no matter what I did to win your approval. I got better grades, played sports, attended all you boring-ass business conferences. What did Rustin do but whore, gamble and drink? It’s a wonder he even graduated from Yale but I bet you had something to do with that. So, enjoy it. Your favorite son will run the company into the ground with his handpicked wife, the one you picked for me. You want to know something, old man? I’m glad Asha married him because I am GAY! I wish I could see your face right now, reading this but it was too risky. I knew you were onto the missing money so I thought it was best I just pack up and go live out my days in the Caribbean somewhere. Don’t bother to look for me. I won’t have a dime if you find me and I’ll likely be in a place without an extradition treaty to the US.
Rust, I gotta say, brother, you are the biggest disappointment a twin can have. What did I ever do to you to deserve being treated like such shit? We were supposed to share an empire and instead, you wanted it for yourself. I know it was only a matter of time before you did something to me. So have fun ruining Sphinx. I won’t think of either of you, I promise.
The Best This Family Has to Offer,
Adare
PS – Dad, you should probably change the name to Sphinx and Son, don’t you think? Adios!
The spite, the resentment all smacked me in the face with full force and I bit down on my knuckle, wanting to scream.
“No, Rust,” my dad said from his side of the room. “This isn’t on you. Or me. This is on Adare.”
I looked at him dully.
“Did you read that?” I demanded, aghast.
“I did and that’s why I’m telling you—Adare’s actions are his alone. You are not responsible for how he behaves. You are only responsible for how you behave. It’s true, we haven’t been model citizens but at the end of the day, I know I’m a moral man, Rust. Can you say the same? Would you rob your family and thumb your noses at them?”
I gritted my teeth, wanting to scream. I wanted to dismiss Adare as easily as my father seemed to be able but I couldn’t. He was hurting and I had helped push him over the edge.
“Rustin go home to your wife,” Morris said with surprising gentleness. “And remember why you’re a good man, despite your flaws. I used to do that with Amy before she died and then, I did it with you and your brother. You need to stay grounded, remember who you are or you’ll end up like Adare too.”
I gulped back the stone in my throat and nodded, rising slowly.
“All right, Dad,” I muttered, turning to leave. My heart was heavy for my loss but I knew my father was right. I needed to look to the future, to Asha and our baby.
The limo was parked in front of the headquarters where I’d been dropped off and I slid inside when Trevor opened the door.
“Back to the estate, Mr. Sphinx?” the driver asked, carefully avoiding Asha’s gaze. He hadn’t been able to look at her straight once since the night he’d witnessed our wedding even though Asha had told him it was water under the bridge.
“No,” I said. “I want to go home.”
Trevor nodded and closed the door, leaving me to look at Asha tenderly. A flush of relief encumbered my body as I stared into her face and I exhaled.
She’s my reason for being a good person. Her and my child.
“What happened?” she asked and I shook my head, pulling her closer.
“We’ll talk about it later,” I murmured, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. “I just want to hold you for a bit.”
She smiled and snuggled her head against my chest, resting her ear so that she could hear my heartbeat.
“So I guess that means you don’t want a divorce anymore,” she teased cheekily. In spite of myself, I chuckled and squeezed her close.
“I never wanted a divorce,” I told her. “I just wanted to show you what you were going to be losing out on if you didn’t get your shit together.”
“Yeah right!” Asha laughed. “Whatever!”
I gently pulled her back and stared into her eyes.
“I’m serious. If you think I was going to let you go after I fought so hard to get you, you’re out of your mind.”
Asha’s eyes shone with love and she raised her face to kiss me softly.
“I’ll try not to make you eat your words,” she joked, settling back against my chest and I exhaled.
It was time for new beginnings.
Epilogue
ASHA
“Oh shit!” Geneva yelped, leaping from her chair next to the pool. “Cheyenne, watch yourself, baby!”
Mildly amused, I watched my friend rush toward her toddler who lurked dangerously near the pool’s edge but even I could see she was taunting her mom. Jude was inside the water, his fatherly eyes watching her through his peripheral vision.
“She’s a little firecracker,” Rustin snickered, nodding toward the little girl who darted out of her mother’s reach. “I’m glad we only have one to worry about.”
“For now,” I agreed, looking toward where Arya sat under an orange tree, kicking and cooing as Morris played with her.
“I can’t believe your dad,” I commented with amazement. “He’s like a totally different person since she’s been born.”
Rustin smiled but it didn’t quite meet his eyes and I knew what he was thinking about.
“I think he regrets how little time he spent with us growing up,” my husband said sadly. “Too bad it took Adare leaving before he realized how much he was losing out on.”
“Silver lining,” I mused. “At least he takes the opportunity to spend time with Arya. When was the last time my parents offered to watch her?”
It was my turn to have a note of wistfulness in my voice but I quickly silenced it. This was not the time or place for such crappy thoughts.
On the contrary. The sun was shining brightly and the scent of citrus filled the air deliciously, barely overridden by the lingering aftermath of the barbecue we’d just enjoyed. I was content sitting in the warmth, digging my toes into the grass, inhaling the sweetness and taking in my much more relaxed life.
I’d cut down my hours at the office now to stay home and take care of Arya. I had no immediate plans of returning. It hadn’t occurred to me just how much pressure my parents had put on me over the years, simply being in their presence.
The absence of Adare had sent a wave of speculation through the company and while my father had never officially discovered the missing money, I think he had his suspicions about the family he’d merged with.
“Is Rustin treating you okay?” Dad asked often. “Does he do anything unusual?”
Very subtle, James, I thought, shaking my head.
JRP and Sphinx had merged to become JRP-Sphinx and business was booming, even though I wanted very little to do with it.
On the other hand, Rustin was flourishing in his new role as President, a title he’d been bequeathed soon after his twin had disappeared.
I wondered if Adare knew what was happening back home, if he was keeping tabs on his brother…and if he was missing Rust as much as Rust was missing him.
It was tragically unfair the way everything had gone down but I was beginning to realize that contempt breeds contempt. We needed to bond together and break the cycle so that our children wouldn’t endure the loveless childhoods that we had known.
Despite his hectic schedule, Rust always made time to be home with me and Arya. And I knew it was no easy feat, no matter what he said.
“Why are you looking at me with those amorous eyes?” My husband purred a
t me, leaning over to nuzzle my neck. I squealed at the tickle and swatted him gently.
“There are children present,” I warned him teasingly. “Mind your manners, sir!”
“I can’t help it. You make me want to make more children with you,” he growled in my ear and I giggled.
“Don’t tempt me,” I replied. “I might make you make all the children with me.”
Rust pulled his head back slightly and looked at me with a serious expression and my smile faded slightly.
“What?” I asked. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“No, nothing,” he said quickly, looking away but now I was intrigued.
“No now you have to tell me. You know the rules. I caught you. Now spill it.”
He chuckled but it was slightly short.
“I-I just don’t want to bring up something that might upset you,” he replied. I frowned.
“Is it about your whores?”
He groaned.
“Will you ever stop with that?”
I giggled and grabbed his hand.
“Seriously, what?”
He looked into my eyes and sighed.
“I’ve wanted to ask you this for a long time but again, I don’t want—”
“Would you just say it? Do it like a Band-Aid—rip it off. Remember what your wise father always says—you are not responsible for how others react to what you say. You’re only responsible for your own reactions.”
“Tell me that in two minutes.”
“Oh just ask,” I grumbled, losing my sense of humor. What could possibly be the big deal?
“I…I want to know if you ever think about your son.”
My heart stopped and my smile completely disappeared from my face.
“Of course I do,” I muttered, unhappy that he’d brought it up.
He warned you. You pushed him into asking.
“Why are you asking me about that?”
I knew in my heart that he wasn’t trying to rouse bad memories but it didn’t take the sting out of my chest.
“I was thinking that maybe we could look for him.”
My breath caught in my chest.
“What?”
“Don’t get me wrong,” Rust rushed on. “I don’t mean that we storm in there and disrupt his life or anything but maybe we could speak to his parents beforehand and find out if he knows he’s adopted and if they’d be willing to arrange a meeting? I bet they would say yes. I mean, if they’re good parents and they want their son to be happy…”
I didn’t know what to say.
How many times had I envisioned doing just that—bursting into whatever home my parents had found for my son and screaming at him, “I’m your mom! I gave birth to you!”
But there were so many reasons not to do it, so many things that could go wrong.
“What if they don’t want me to meet him?” I murmured, tears filling my eyes. “What if he hates me for giving him up?”
“I hate to be the realist here but those are the same questions you’ll have whether you do it or you don’t. Wouldn’t you rather give it a shot and say you tried, even if you fail?”
I didn’t know the answer to that and I balked.
“I don’t know, Rust,” I murmured. “I don’t know if I’m ready.”
“It’s been eleven years, babe,” he reminded me as if I couldn’t count the very days from when it had happened. “When are you going to be ready?”
I stared at him inquisitively.
“Why are you pushing this now?” I asked without accusation. He seemed to be insistent when he’d never even mentioned it before.
“Because I think you should find him for your peace of mind,” Rust replied easily but I knew him. There was something else on his mind.
“Why really?” I demanded, cocking my head and folding my arms over my polka-dotted bikini top.
Rust sighed, knowing he’d been caught and sank back into the chair to guiltily look away.
“I…I may have already started investigating,” he confessed. Just as quickly, he peered at me again and shook his head.
“There’s no pressure, though,” he insisted. “I don’t want to push you into doing this if you’re not ready.”
“Two seconds ago, you were almost head-locking me into it,” I replied jokingly but my pulse was racing.
What if…
I shut my doubts and worries off like a switch. There was no “what if”. There is only “what is” and it was my responsibility to find what is.
“What did you learn?” I asked, chewing on my lower lip. The taste of sunscreen and lip balm touched my tongue.
“He lives in Long Island, New York,” Rust said softly. “And his name is Cooper.”
A slow smile formed on my lips and I exhaled in an excited breath.
“Cooper,” I echoed, a chill of excitement rushing over me. “Cooper.”
I swallowed the rush of emotion in my throat and I threw my head back to stare up at him in amazement.
“Is he happy, Rust?”
“From all I’ve seen, he’s happy, healthy and has two parents who love him very much.”
My eyes misted over and I lowered my gaze.
That’s the most important thing, isn’t it? He’s with a good family, just as my parents promised.
“Ash?”
“No,” I said, swallowing. “He’s got a life of his own. I’m not going to disrupt his life.”
Rustin arched an eyebrow in disbelief.
“Are you sure?”
I nodded and I meant it.
“Yes,” I breathed. “I’ve been wondering about him every day since he was born but all I ever really wanted to know was that he was safe and happy. Now that I know that, I can breathe easier.”
He smiled at me and kissed my forehead gently.
“If that’s your choice, I fully understand,” he agreed and one tear escaped my eye to zigzag along my cheek.
“Maybe when he’s older,” I said. “He’ll want to know about me but for now…”
“You’re so strong, Ash. I admire you.”
The words filled me with a sense of elation I’d never known.
Was I strong? I’d never felt that way before knowing Rustin. He had changed me in ways I hadn’t even realized I needed.
“What did I ever do to deserve you?” I whispered and Rustin grinned, placing a long, sweet kiss on my forehead before answering.
“Well you said ‘yes’ to marrying me, of course.”
- THE END -
Author’s Note
Dear reader, I want to take a moment to personally thank you for taking the time to read my book.
I hope this book didn’t give you heart attack because Asha actually got married with the wrong twin! I mean, how crazy is that?
As we’ve come to the end of this book, I thought I’d tell you a little behind the scene story of Marrying the Wrong Twin.
I got inspired by my twin friends, Russell and Adam (Shout out to you guys if you are reading this book!) because although they are both 29 years old now, they still LOVE to play the game of ‘Guess which twin I am’, and everyone always gets so confused!
Yeah, some twins like to grow a beard, wear glasses, or have different hairstyle etc to make them look different. Well, not my friends. They actually enjoy looking exactly the same, and that’s how Rustin and Adare are like in my book.
Btw, how did you like Geneva and Jude in this story? If you haven’t read my book, Leaving to Stay, you might not be familiar with them. But they also had a very rough time with their own love story. Both of them are singers, but Jude actually went ahead and became a world-class Rockstar before Geneva and she was the one who had to raise the twins on her own. (Oops, too much spoiler here!)
If that sounds like something you’d love, go ahead and read Leaving to Stay, it’s the first book in Baby Fever series and is, of course, in Kindle Unlimited for you to enjoy.
Anyway, back to our story. If the book made you smile, an
gry, cry or have all the feels, could you do me a favor and write a short review? That’d really be a BIG help!
And if you haven’t already, Sign Up now to my newsletter to be the first one to know about my new releases!
With that said, my lovely reader, please remember to smile because you look really beautiful when you do.
Love you loads,
Nicole
Read an Excerpt from Leaving to Stay - A Rockstar’s Baby Romance
Prologue
Geneva
I stared at the newspaper for a long time, the ink staining my fingers as I flipped through it. Yet I kept going back to the article, my heart sick with betrayal.
It was obscene reading it in print like that, as if it made it all that much more real than seeing it on TMZ’s website.
He did it. He really went ahead with it without so much as a second thought.
I don’t know why I was surprised or disappointed. I knew what he was capable of – I had from the very start. I had no one to blame but myself for the outcome. How much warning did I need? How much foresight was enough for someone like me? Never enough apparently.
Daddy would give you that knowing look right now if he was here, I thought, shuddering slightly at the image of his intense brown eyes boring into me. But he’d tell me to suck it up and move on with my life and that’s what I’ll do. I’ve wasted enough time being angry at him. I can’t fault a snake for being a snake after all.
Of course, it was easy for Daddy to say things like that. Life had always rolled off his shoulders without any regard for anyone else.
My cell phone dinged again and I sighed heavily, glancing at the screen.
It was Elsa for the third time but I didn’t want to speak with her. I didn’t want to speak with anyone. I couldn’t deal with the pitying tones and the pseudo support.
In my mind’s ear, I could already hear their words verbatim.
“You should go down there and…”
Marrying the Wrong Twin: A Billionaire Marriage Mistake Romance Page 11