The Double ( or More ?) Life of The Fake Heiress

After getting home from James‘ place, Mirabella headed straight to her room. After a quick wash–up, without even cracking open a book, she sprawled out on her bed and fell into a deep sleep.

Post–acupuncture, she always required heaps of sleep to recover. So, she flung the unreasonable demands the scamming old man made over the phone, out of her mind like yesterday’s newspaper. Before hitting the hay, she had even set her phone to Do Not Disturb mode.

Therefore, poor Donald waited in the hospital for half a day. He was convinced that Mirabella’s soft heart would bring her to the hospital, arms laden with goodies. Instead, he was left watching the clock hands complete lap after lap… until 11 PM came and went. There was no shadow of Mirabella, not even a buzz from the phone.

Donald’s mustache practically bristled with indignation. “What kind of girl is she? Not an ounce of compassion!” Fuming, Donald fished out his phone and dialed Mirabella’s

number.

The phone rang off the hook until an automated voice signaled the call had gone unanswered. Donald mashed the end call button with a forceful thumb.

Just then, the silence of the hospital room was broken by a grumbling tummy. Donald looked down, feeling quite sorry for himself, and patted his belly. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

He was so starving.

But then he thought, “If I’m asleep, I won’t feel hungry.” With that, he laid back down, pulled the blanket over himself, and closed his eyes, trying to sleep.

Five minutes later, as the grumbling grew louder, Donald flung off the covers and sat up, irritated. He glanced at the nightstand, where a lone apple remained in the fruit bowl – the last of four the nurse had brought him that afternoon.

Just looking at that last apple made his teeth itch with acidity, and he mentally tallied a new grudge against Mirabella.

It was just a scam, but this girl was proving to be anything but sweet.

Just like his no–good, ungrateful son. Cold–blooded and heartless!

**

The next day.

Mirabella woke up, refreshed from a dreamless night, and reached for her phone to check the time, only to find it unresponsive.

Pressing and holding the power button, she was greeted with a low battery warning.

10:29

before the device shut down again. She squinted in confusion; just last night, it had been at eighty percent

Shrugging off the covers, she got out of bed, plugged her phone in to charge, and donned her school uniform before heading to the bathroom.

After freshening up, she didn’t bother with the phone again and walked out of her room, making her way downstairs.

Leo had flown out to a neighboring state for a music video shoot the day before, so only her parents and Zach were at the breakfast table. Mirabella greeted the trio and pulled up a chair, digging into her breakfast quietly.

The three had been chatting before she came down.

“Zach, no matter what, you have to go on that blind date this Saturday,” their mom insisted.

Mirabella had just taken a sip of her milk when she heard her mom’s words and nearly choked.

A blind date?

She glanced sideways, taking a quiet look at Zach sitting next to her. Since coming back, she couldn’t recall Zach ever bringing a female friend home.

Zach pushed his glasses up his nose and looked at Delilah with exasperation. “Mom, can we not do this? What century are we living in to still need blind dates?”

Delilah chuckled derisively, “And how else are you going to find someone?”

Zach was speechless. His own mother had hit him where it hurt.

“Even though you’re the most average–looking in our family, and blind dates might not land you the right match, we’re not giving up on you,” Shawn added, solemn and serious.

Zach, known as the most handsome man in the legal world, was at a loss for words.

Great, what a tag–team heart–stabbing duo.