Forbidden Passion
**Sarah**
I detest lies, and even more so, deceiving people. It gets even worse when it involves pretending to be my twin sister to fool others. Even as a kid, I never shared Rachel's desire to play games and confuse people about our identity.
However, this situation was different. I would never allow someone to jeopardize my sister's happiness out of vanity or pettiness. We had no idea if Enrico Bianchi was capable of such a thing, but one thing was certain: he and Lorenzo had a fierce rivalry.
When my sister told me everything that was happening and how she had fallen head over heels in love with Lorenzo from the very beginning, I was, in the end, happy for her. It's wonderful to see someone in love and have their feelings reciprocated.
I recalled the man I met at the nightclub a few days ago and could perfectly understand how Rachel had been struck by this overwhelming passion she described to me. It was entirely understandable. Lorenzo seemed like a very interesting person, and despite being reluctant to admit it, it was easy to fall for him.
I remembered our moments together and how I enjoyed talking and dancing with him. But it was so wrong to even think about it that I scolded myself for having these thoughts about the man my sister was in love with.
Perhaps I should take advantage of the party Rachel wants me to accompany her to, to avoid any interaction with Enrico and try to meet people, maybe make new friends or, who knows, find a potential suitor.
There would be no harm in getting to know an interesting guy, having a conversation, or even having a night with someone different. Perhaps I was just infatuated with Kael because he was the first man I had been intimate with, and maybe I was confusing that with love. I needed to make an effort to get that man out of my mind and heart at all costs. I decided that today would be the day to forget Kael Graham once and for all.
After the conversation I had with Rachel, she sped up the preparations for us to leave. After helping me choose the outfit I would wear to the gala event, she focused all her attention on her appearance. Previously, when we were invited to events of this caliber, Rachel would spend the entire day at the beauty salon. However, given our current financial situation, she was managing quite well. I admired her determination to always look beautiful and impeccable.
I also tried to adopt the same perspective, although not with as much dedication. As the time to leave the hotel approached, I was already ready, with my hair and makeup almost as impeccable as if done by professionals.
"We look stunning," Rachel praised, as we observed ourselves in front of the mirror.
We were identical, but our tastes were completely different. While Rachel chose an outfit I would normally wear without hesitation in any other situation, I opted for a completely different approach.
"You look like me, and I'm looking like you," I laughed sincerely as I noticed this curious reversal.
"But we don't need to reveal that, agree?" Rachel said this with a seriousness in her tone that left me intrigued. I didn't understand why she took my lighthearted comment so seriously.
"Of course."
Lorenzo had arranged to meet us at the hotel bar, and when we got there, we found him engrossed in conversation with an extremely beautiful and elegantly dressed woman. I caught a sigh of frustration from Rachel, although she quickly regained her previous excited expression.
Lorenzo looked at both of us with a look of astonishment, his eyes seeming to alternate between us as if he were struggling to distinguish who was me, Sarah, and who was Rachel. It was as if our shared features had momentarily scrambled his perception. He blinked a few times, visibly confused.
"Wow, you two are really identical," he finally commented, a note of perplexity in his voice.
There was a moment of silence as Lorenzo processed the situation. He then turned to me, his gaze reflecting a mixture of surprise and a touch of embarrassment.
Before the situation could get any more uncomfortable, Rachel decided to intervene, taking the lead with visible confidence. She hugged Lorenzo, subtly marking her territory while introducing her sister.
"I'm disappointed, darling," there was a veiled reproach in her voice. "I'm Rachel."
"I apologize then," he said sincerely, flashing a sheepish smile. "Honestly, it took me a moment to realize that you were you. The similarities are incredible."
Hearing the surprise in Lorenzo's voice, the woman next to him couldn't help but express her shock.
"Wow, you really could pass as clones. That's amazing!"
"Well, Lorenzo, now that we've cleared up this little confusion, let me officially introduce my twin sister, Sarah. She came to visit us last minute and graciously accepted our invitation to tonight's event."
Lorenzo smiled, his expression now more relaxed.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sarah. And I apologize again for the mix-up. The resemblance between you two is truly striking."
I returned the smile, gracefully accepting the situation.
"The pleasure is mine, Lorenzo. And don't worry, I perfectly understand the confusion."
With the formal introduction out of the way, everyone managed to relax a bit. I hoped the evening would flow with much more ease and enjoyment, but we still had to find Enrico Bianchi. He would prove to be much more complicated than Lorenzo.
Already at the party, Lorenzo was called to join a group of influential executives, and we remained in the company of Hillary, whom I discovered to be his best friend and also a teammate.
"Aren't you working tonight?" Rachel asked directly.
"Not tonight," Hillary confirmed, then quickly changed the subject. "You all look simply perfect! But I must confess, I can't quite distinguish who's who."
We all burst into laughter, understanding Hillary's confusion, and we were well aware of it as well. That was entirely intentional for the evening.
"What's most interesting is that as soon as you arrived, I guessed that you were Rachel," Hillary said, referring to me.
Rachel looked at Hillary attentively, as if analyzing her.
"Why did you deduce that Sarah was me?" Rachel inquired, her expression still serious.
"Because of the outfit, I'll be perfectly honest," Hillary responded exactly as I had imagined she would. "I can't explain it, but this sweeter and more delicate style doesn't seem to match your demeanor. I think the not-so-basic little black dress is more in line with your way of being."
Hillary was completely right in her words, and I concluded that clothing was a crucial way to express each character's personality in a storyline. That night, I had opted for a long, shiny black dress with a thigh-high slit, revealing the length of my slim and naturally toned legs.
On the other hand, my sister was wearing an outfit completely unlike anything I had ever seen her wear. She had grabbed the dress from my suitcase, so it truly looked like something I would wear. It was a discreet beige dress, yet beautiful. It was also long, with a very subtle back slit that only went down to the knee. The straps were thick in the back, but there was no neckline in the front. The back of the dress was made of transparent lace, and the bust was adorned with various gemstones, all in a shade of gold that matched the dress perfectly.
While Rachel had her hair in a loose bun, with a few strands artfully falling, I had my hair brushed and loose, reaching halfway down my back.
"Shall we have a drink?" Rachel suggested, accepting a drink from a passing waiter.
I needed some liquid courage, and despite still remembering what happened at Madison's birthday when I had a bit too much to drink, I was going to take the risk again that night.
"I'll have a drink too, please."
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