**Chapter 1**

After I took my last breath, my husband, William Dawson, found himself in a cold war, and it all spiraled when I was fatally stabbed three times during a robbery.

Enter my twin sister, Hannah Palmer. Drowning in a sea of gambling debts, she seized the opportunity to slip into my life, getting uncomfortably close to William after my demise.

She played the role of a doormat around him, completely unfazed. Unlike me, jealousy was a foreign concept to her when it came to William's first love. In fact, she would even bring them condoms while they indulged in their escapades in our marital bed.

Eventually, William cracked. He turned to Hannah and asked what had happened to the jealous wife who used to fight tooth and nail for his attention. Oh, how I had to stifle a laugh. I had been gone all this time—how had he not noticed?

The door swung open, and in walked William, followed closely by Eleanor Bishop, his first love. The moment he glanced at the dining table, his cheerful demeanor vanished, replaced by a stern frown.

“Dinner? Where's the food?” he called out, his voice a blend of expectation and irritation. I peeked out from the kitchen, wearing my best placating smile.

“I'm sorry, Honey. Let me grab you some fruit to snack on while I finish up. Dinner will be ready soon!”

William frowned at my response, which was unusual for him. I knew exactly why. I had changed. The woman who once couldn’t bear to hear Eleanor’s name was now standing there with a smile, offering fruit to tide them over.

Eleanor was taken aback but quickly regained her composure. "Don’t worry. I’ll help you," she offered, stepping into the kitchen.

She reached for the pot of boiling water on the stove, but in her haste, her hand slipped. The pot crashed to the floor, splattering scalding water all over me. My skin instantly flared an angry red.

William rushed into the kitchen, but his first words were directed at Eleanor, not my injury. “Are you okay?” His question seemed to snap her out of her daze, her eyes welling up with tears.

“William, I didn’t mean to! I was just trying to help…”

Probably sensing the blame I might cast, William quickly interjected, “Hazel, Eleanor didn’t do it on purpose. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for being careless!”

He turned to Eleanor, his voice softening as he comforted her. “Don’t worry. She won’t be mad. I know you didn’t mean it. Just ignore her!”

I found his words utterly laughable. Of course, I wouldn’t be mad. Why? Because the woman standing before him wasn’t me; it was my sister, Hannah.

Hannah and I were twins but as different as night and day. I had always been warm and obedient, while Hannah embraced rebellion and coldness. We were like two parallel lines, heading in entirely different directions.

While I followed our parents' wishes, dutifully studying and growing up according to plan, Hannah dropped out of high school and even found herself in jail for fighting, which sent our parents into a rage. They practically disowned her after she got out, giving her ten thousand dollars and cutting ties.

I hadn’t seen Hannah since that day. Years later, after graduating college and starting my career, I married William. Hannah wasn’t at my wedding, and I had never mentioned her to William. So, he had no clue that the woman pretending to be me was my sister.

The next time I saw Hannah was the day I met my tragic end. Lying there, blood-soaked and vulnerable, my attacker had vanished into the night. I was at the entrance of an alley, my phone dead, and just as I was about to call out for help, someone happened to walk by.

**Chapter 2**

I let out a desperate scream for help, my voice echoing into the night.

As she approached, it took me a moment to recognize her—my sister Hannah, a familiar face I hadn’t seen in years.

She clicked her tongue, taking in the sight of my blood-soaked body. “Well, well, Hazel. Never thought I’d find you in worse shape than me after all this time.”

Hannah called for an ambulance, but I could already feel the weight of my fading life. By the time I reached the hospital, I had lost too much blood.

The doctor’s words were a heavy blow: I was pronounced dead.

With Hannah listed as my next of kin, the doctors handed my lifeless body over to her.

But Hannah seemed indifferent to my fate. She rifled through my belongings, pocketing everything of value—my phone, wallet, and bank cards.

With a swift swipe, she unlocked my phone, transferring money from my bank account like it was second nature.

Once she drained my accounts, boredom must have set in, as she began scrolling through my chat history.

Hannah touched her face, a mirror image of mine, as a wicked plan took shape in her mind.

Facing a mountain of debt, she saw a golden opportunity to solve her problems by tapping into my husband’s resources—using me as her unwitting pawn.

She hastily disposed of my body, keeping my death a secret, and stepped boldly into my life.

As for me? I became a wandering spirit, trailing behind Hannah, watching the drama unfold.

Back in the present, I observed Hannah inspecting her scalded leg, an eyebrow raised in mock concern.

She toyed with William’s worry, casually telling Eleanor, “It’s nothing, just a little burn.”

I know you didn’t mean any harm, but even minor burns deserve proper care… William caught onto Hannah’s game and quickly pulled out his phone, sending her money.

“I’ve sent you ten thousand dollars. Go get that treated at the hospital!” When the bank notification pinged, Hannah’s smile widened.

“Absolutely, Honey. I’ll head to the hospital and take care of it,” she replied with a practiced ease.

William frowned, a hint of suspicion creeping into his expression at how readily she agreed.

Hannah turned and sauntered out of the apartment.

Instead of heading to the hospital, she made a beeline to clear her debts with the ten thousand dollars William had just transferred.

I had no idea how deep Hannah’s financial troubles ran, but one thing was crystal clear.

If this continued, William would be left utterly broke.

But I wasn’t worried about him—not at all. In fact, I looked forward to the day when Hannah would drain him dry.

The irony of it all made me chuckle.

The old me would have been horrified to see Hannah dragging William down with her mess.

But now? I felt nothing but a sense of peace.

*****

When Hannah finally came to her senses, evening had fallen, and it was already eight o’clock when she wandered back home.

Yet she couldn’t have picked a worse moment to return.

As she opened the door, she stumbled upon Eleanor cozied up against William, their intimacy unmistakable.

The moment they spotted Hannah, they jumped apart, startled.

I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. I’d lost count of how many times I’d seen William and Eleanor wrapped up in their little world.

William used to be discreet about it, but these days, he didn’t bother hiding anything.

“Oh, sorry! Didn’t mean to interrupt you two. Please, carry on! I’ll just slip away…” Hannah started to close the door, but she knew she needed William’s help with her debts, so she played it smart.

But William was quicker than she anticipated. He grabbed her arm, his expression shifting.

“Don’t get the wrong idea. It’s not what you think with Eleanor and me. She was dizzy, so I just steadied her,” he explained, his tone defensive.

I could hardly believe my ears. William, who always called me unreasonable and a shrew, was now trying to justify himself to Eleanor.

Hannah maintained her smile, unfazed by the tension. “It’s totally fine. I understand. I hope I didn’t interrupt anything.”

In a sudden burst of unexplained anger, William grabbed Hannah’s arm. “Hazel, aren’t you jealous at all?”

“Why should I be jealous?” Hannah replied, genuine confusion in her eyes. “If you like Eleanor, I’d be happy for you…”

She continued, completely oblivious to William’s darkening mood.

Before she could finish, he tightened his grip, demanding, “Hazel, shouldn’t you be throwing a fit right now? Or are you playing hard to get with me?!”

His words hung in the air, thick with tension.

Hannah found his reaction absurd, and honestly, so did I.

He used to loathe it when I would make a scene or act like a jealous shrew.

Now, with Hannah embodying his idea of the perfect, understanding wife, he was lost in confusion.

“Don’t worry. She won’t be mad. I know you didn’t mean it. Just ignore her!” William’s words struck me as laughable.

Of course, I wouldn’t be mad. Because the person standing before him wasn’t me.

It was my sister, Hannah.

Hannah and I were twins, yet we were worlds apart in personality.

I had always been warm and obedient, following the path laid out for me, while Hannah had embraced rebellion, often landing in trouble.

We were like two parallel lines, heading in entirely different directions.

While I followed our parents’ wishes, studying and growing up according to their plan, Hannah dropped out of high school and even ended up in jail for fighting, causing our parents to practically disown her.

After her release, they handed her ten thousand dollars and cut ties, leaving her to fend for herself.

I hadn’t seen Hannah since then.

Years later, after I graduated college and started my career, I married William.

Hannah wasn’t at my wedding, and I never mentioned my twin sister to William, so he had no idea that the woman before him, pretending to be me, was my sister.

The next time I crossed paths with Hannah was the day I was brutally stabbed by a criminal.

Lying there, covered in blood with my attacker long gone, I was about to call for help, my phone dead, when fate intervened, and someone walked by.

**Chapter 3**

With a calm demeanor, Hannah reassured William, “I’m not upset. I’m genuinely happy for you.”

“Whether it’s Eleanor or someone else, you can bring either one home. It doesn’t bother me.”

William’s brow furrowed as he stared intently at her, searching her face for any hidden feelings. “Are you being honest with me?”

“Yes, I’m completely honest,” she replied, expecting him to be thrilled. Instead, his expression darkened, a chilly unhappiness settling in.

“I’ll get out of your way then,” Hannah continued, brushing aside his cold demeanor. “But I’ll need some money for a hotel. Could you transfer some to me?”

His face grew even darker. “Money, money, money! That’s all you ask for lately. Want money? Fine! Here!” He pulled a credit card from his pocket and tossed it at her.

Hannah didn’t let anger take hold; she picked up the card and walked away. A part of me found William’s reaction amusing. He had neglected me, his wife of seven years. Whenever I questioned him about Eleanor, he dismissed my concerns as trivial. Now, with Hannah playing the obedient wife, he still wasn’t satisfied.

Later that night, Hannah lay in her hotel bed, turning the credit card over in her hands. “William’s loaded… I wonder how much I could get in a divorce settlement,” she mused.

The next day, she reached out to lawyers to discuss divorce proceedings, staying away from home for several days, consumed by preparations. On the seventh day, a text from William pinged her phone: “I’m out of condoms. Bring some over.”

Not only was he sleeping with her first love, but he was also taunting me. In another time, I would have unleashed a storm of curses over that phone.

If that hadn’t cooled my anger, I would have hunted him down for a screaming match, maybe even a physical confrontation. But now? I felt nothing—just a calm urge to laugh.

Hannah, however, was different. In her world, obedience equated to financial gain from William. True to form, she agreed to his request, purchasing a box of condoms and delivering them to his hotel room.

She knocked on the door, and it swung open to reveal a stunned William. “I can’t believe you actually came,” he said, his voice dull, caught somewhere between addressing her and talking to himself.

“Do you need anything else? If not, I’m leaving,” Hannah replied flatly, brushing off his surprise.

Her words snapped him back to reality. Seeing her about to leave, he grabbed her arm roughly. “Hazel, what happened to you? Why have you changed so much?”

Instead of answering, she shot back, “About the money for the condoms…”

William frowned deeply. “Money again! Is that all you care about?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Don’t worry. As long as you pay me, I won’t get in the way of you and Eleanor. You two can be together without a care in the world. I’ll even divorce you if the price is right.”

In that moment, William finally grasped that something was seriously off. Confusion washed over his face as he scanned her. “You were never like this before, Hazel. Where did the old you go?”

I floated in the air, letting out a sneer. Didn’t he realize I was already dead? Hannah, probably afraid of exposing her true identity, decided it was time to leave.

“If nothing else, I’ll be going now,” she said, trying to slip past him. But William reached for her, only managing to catch her clothes. Her collar tore at the shoulder, revealing the spot where my birthmark should have been.

He stood there, speechless, his jaw dropped in disbelief.