Chapter 26: Chapter 26

SARAH

I pondered Rachel's words, and once again, I noticed her intense interest in Kael in every aspect. It bothered me excessively. I even considered that she might want to do exactly what she was advising me to do, but for some strange reason, Kael insisted that I be the one with him in exchange for the money we needed.

"Where were you all afternoon?" I decided to change the subject.

"I was with Kael," she said with a smile that carried something resembling malice, and my chest ached from the surprise of her revelation. "He took me to see his mansion."

"But..." I couldn't even finish what I intended to ask, now even more astonished than before.

"You shouldn't try to understand my relationship with Kael, Sarah," Rachel stopped what she was doing to scrutinize me. "We are alike, for better or for worse, and you won't be able to comprehend the connection we have."

Everything was becoming even more confusing! What kind of connection could exist between Rachel and Kael when, until a few days ago, she didn't even know him and was auctioned off to him through an underground app?

Unless...

"You knew each other before the auction, didn't you?" The question that had been lurking in my mind from the beginning now found its way out, crystal clear.

Rachel smiled, and her eyes seemed to show pity for me, which was simply dreadful and left me with an unpleasant feeling as if I were a fool, and she knew far more than I could ever suppose.

"You should remain in ignorance, sister," she said, confirming my suspicions. "You shouldn't concern yourself with things beyond your understanding. Consider it advice from your older sister; trust me."

There was a three-minute difference between us, and Rachel always considered herself the older sister and, therefore, wiser. It had never bothered me because I loved my sister, and we had always been very close, sharing everything.

But now everything was different, and I didn't like the way she treated me, although I had decided to avoid further arguments with Rachel. Soon, I would have to be with Kael, and that alone was already quite exhausting.

"What do you plan to do with the money?" I asked because that was crucial, and I needed to make sure Rachel wouldn't spend it frivolously, as we needed it to sustain ourselves until we found jobs.

Despite Rachel claiming that she didn't intend to work and instead planned to find a wealthy husband until that happened, we needed many things to survive. Having an apartment in a well-located area wouldn't cover all our other needs.

"I will pay off the loan shark, but there won't be much left after I do that," Rachel finally replied.

"But what's left will be enough for us to live on for a few months if you don't do anything reckless, like buying this apartment in Ballard," I insisted.

"It's an excellent neighborhood!" she retorted.

"Given our current financial situation, it wasn't the best choice to make, and you need to understand that," I explained.

Rachel didn't bother to respond, just turned her back to me and resumed blow-drying her hair, as if her appearance was still her top priority and nothing had changed.

"When will you accept that our reality has changed?" I asked, trying to speak louder than the noise of the hairdryer.

"I advise you not to keep Kael waiting; he doesn't like that," she replied in the same tone. "Unless you want to deal with the loan shark at our door tomorrow, you better hurry."

It was simply unbelievable how calmly Rachel faced the horrendous situation she had put us in. But going back, I was the only one paying the price while she went out with Kael and explored his home, I thought with immense sadness as the car stopped in front of an extremely elegant building in Ballard, the same neighborhood where Rachel had purchased the apartment.

"We have arrived, miss."

The dreaded moment of reuniting with Kael had come. Now, not as Rachel but as Sarah, the commodity he acquired through my sister and is now being delivered to him without further complications.

Kael

As I looked at the clock, a strange feeling of anxiety took hold of me, resembling that of a teenager about to go on a first date, which was, in fact, ridiculous. I had already given Ryan all the instructions about the next steps, hoping he would follow them faithfully and that nothing would deviate from my intentions.

As agreed with Rachel during our afternoon meeting, only Sarah was left to fulfill her part of the deal. Uncertainty hung over me: would she once again follow her sister's will, or would she show determination to forge her own path this time?

If Rachel was right and Sarah was as selfish as she claimed, I would find out in a few encounters. I would do what was necessary to form my own opinion on the matter. I hadn't reached a conclusion about Sarah yet, and for some reason that I preferred not to analyze at the moment, it worried me.

I walked through the living room of my penthouse apartment in Ballard, in the same building where I convinced Rachel to buy hers. She had spent the money she hadn't even received yet, and now I watched her closely, even after having done what I wanted. I believed that without Patrick's fortune, she would seek to take advantage of other people, especially her twin sister.

Ryan was right about my promises to my partner and "friend." I had promised to take care of his daughters, and although Rachel didn't deserve it, I believed Sarah did. Now, with Sarah by my side, it was time to find out who she really was and if her image of a good and sensible girl was just a facade.

I glanced at the clock again and realized that Sarah should be in my apartment at that time, following the instructions I had given to my assistant.

I was about to pick up the phone and call him when I heard the sound of footsteps in the hallway, and soon Sarah and Ryan were entering the living room.

"I came personally to accompany you, Kael," Ryan said by way of greeting.