ASHLEY or ASTRID

I was the woman Isaac Walton cherished above all, but I felt no love for him.

He pursued me with a fervor that bordered on madness, yet my heart remained unmoved.

In his frustration, Isaac confined me to his sprawling estate.

He began seeking women who resembled me to fill the void, parading them as lovers.

Every month, he replaced them without fail.

This time, however, his newest companion lingered for three months.

Convinced she was destined to become his true partner, she defied warnings and stormed into the forbidden estate.

Seeking solitude, I had dismissed all the staff around me.

Upon seeing me, her fury erupted. "I'm the rightful lady here! You, a surgically altered nobody, dare to hide and seduce Isaac?" she screamed.

She and her friend seized me, beating and tormenting me, before slashing my face with a blade.

Then she ran to Isaac, fawning. "Darling, I dealt with a scheming woman who altered her face to mimic your lost love."

1

I was Isaac Walton's cherished muse, yet I harbored no affection for him.

He was utterly deranged.

To claim my heart, he imprisoned me in his estate for years.

He sought women who mirrored my appearance for solace, but none lasted beyond a month.

Recently, I heard he found a woman strikingly similar to me, and she had stayed with him for three months.

As I sat lost in thought in the courtyard, a drone suddenly buzzed overhead.

Two female voices followed.

"Zoie, let's not go in. The butler said no one's allowed, and Isaac will be furious if he finds out," one cautioned.

"What's there to fear? It's just an abandoned estate. That drone holds footage of my first meeting with Isaac. I'm not leaving it behind!" Zoie retorted.

"True. Other women only lasted a month with Isaac, but you've been with him for three. You must be special," her friend flattered.

Zoie's tone swelled with pride. "Obviously."

It dawned on me.

The woman with the coy voice was Isaac's latest favorite.

But he despised intrusions here.

If he learned she had trespassed, she was in grave danger.

Isaac was unhinged.

The last intruder lost their eyes to his wrath, a horrific memory that haunted me.

I grabbed the crashed drone and rushed toward the door, hoping to save her.

Thankfully, my preference for quiet had left the estate empty of servants and guards, or I doubted I could protect her.

Just then, the door burst open.

A woman, eerily similar to me, stood before me.

Her eyes widened in disbelief upon seeing me.

I was used to such reactions.

Before I could explain, I thrust the drone toward her, urging, "Leave now! Don't let Isaac catch you!"

To my shock, she slapped me hard across the face.

"You surgically enhanced nobody, hiding here to lure Isaac!" she spat. "Confess! How did you sneak in?"

2

The unexpected slap left me dazed.

I clutched my stinging cheek, anger flaring, tempted to strike back.

A memory of the last intruder's gruesome fate flashed through my mind. Frowning, I said, "Fine. Just leave before Isaac sees you. You won't like what happens if he does."

I had witnessed Isaac's cruel methods.

Since high school, he pursued me relentlessly. When I refused, he threatened my family's lives.

After my parents passed, leaving him no leverage, I thought I was free in my grief.

Yet anyone who approached me, man or woman, faced his violent rage. They vanished soon after.

Isaac's wealth and power left me no choice but to stay by his side.

Since graduating college, I remained confined to this estate while he collected women who resembled me.

Zoie, standing before me, looked like my twin.

No wonder she lasted three months.

I tried to save her, but she sneered.

"Don't think your scare tactics fool me. We're all cunning here. You heard about Isaac's lost love and altered your face to seduce him, didn't you?"

Her friend chimed in. "Shameless! A lowlife like you, chasing Isaac?

I'll teach you a lesson for Zoie!" she declared, lunging for my hair.

I dodged, my voice hardening. "Do you know who I am?"

Before I could finish, Zoie kicked the back of my knee, forcing me to the ground in pain.

"Lilliana, show her who's boss. Let her know the true mistress of this estate!" Zoie ordered.

Lilliana slapped me, her sharp, gem-encrusted nails slicing my face, leaving a deep gash.

Half-fawning, half-envious, Lilliana said, "Do you know who she is? Zoie's the sole heiress of the Barnes Group.

Her father helped Isaac's father build their empire before stepping back. That's a debt the Waltons owe her. Got it?

Zoie's been with Isaac for three months. She's destined to be the Walton matriarch. How dare a desperate nobody like you ruin their bond?"

I swallowed the pain and warned, "Let me go now, and I'll pretend this never happened."

Zoie and Lilliana exchanged glances, bursting into laughter as if I had told a ridiculous joke.

Lilliana pinned my arms behind me, immobilizing me.

Zoie grabbed my hair, her face inches from mine. She studied me with a venomous smile. "Your face is impressively done. I almost couldn't tell."

I gritted my teeth. "This is my real face."

Zoie's expression twisted. "Oh, really? Let's test how real it is!"

Her sharp nails dug into my already wounded cheek, tearing skin as blood dripped down her fingers.

I curled in agony.

In cruelty, she and Isaac were a perfect match.

"Well, look at that. It's real. Now, let's check your eyes and nose. Are they as authentic as your face?"

Her nails neared my eyes. My forehead throbbed, my eyes stinging.

Unable to hold back, I shouted, "I'm Isaac's true love! You're just my replacement!"

3

Zoie's hand froze.

I collapsed, gasping. "Why else would I be kept in this estate? Harm me, and Isaac will end you."

Zoie laughed hysterically.