TWW 22

"You had an accident when you were 5 years old. You were in a car accident~ Amara! You were with your mom and dad when the bus lost its brake."

Regina stared at her with her face filled with confusion.

"We are half- sisters. Dad found happiness with aunt Emily, your mother, after my mom divorced him to chase her dream of becoming a Psychiatrist. She didn't become one, but ended up marrying one," she explained, giving a faint smile as she remembered her parents.

"One summer day, dad asked mom if I could go on a trip with you in South America. She rejected the idea, fearing for our safety. Besides, I was having a mild fever at that time. And the rest was history," she added.

"No! You're lying. You're lying!"

"Ssssssssh! Hush now, Amara~"

"Don't call me that! I am not Amara and you--- are not my sister! You are just making this up!"

Regina harshly let go of Arabella's hands. Then, she stormed off.

"Amara! Amara!"

From her peripheral view she noticed a gun's nozzle aimed at Regina, who was pushing every one blocking her way.

"Amara--- get down!" Arabella shouted as she ran towards her sister.

Bang!

Every soul was in panic--- running in every direction. Every one didn't care whether they collided with each other as long as they ran away from that place.

Arabella searched for the gunman. And was stunned for a moment when she realized that the gun was aimed at her.

Bang!

She ran in a serpentine motion and hid behind one of the mall's pillars. She searched her bag and pulled out a 45 cal. pistol.

Her eyes searched the place. She looked for her sister. She found her trembling in fear as she docked behind a counter while covering her ears.

Arabella checked the gunman. He wasn't there anymore. Security officers approached and began scouring the area.

When she thought it was already safe, she sprinted to Regina, who was still shaking.

"Hey! You are safe for now. We have to get out of here," Arabella told her sister.

Just as they got out of the building, a car stopped in front of them.

"Get in! Quick!" It was Helena.

Arabella pushed Regina inside as she was too afraid to get in.

"What's going on?" Arabella asked.

"It's your sister's manager. She wants both of you dead," Helena explained as she drove away.

"That's a lie! I know that she isn't the warm type of person, but she--- she can't kill me," Regina mumbled.

"She can! She's your stepmom's wicked sister after all," Helena explained.

Regina was utterly shocked by the information. It was too much for her to handle that her head began to ache.

The pain became unbearable, so she banged her head on the car's window as she squealed in pain.

"Hey! It's gonna be alright~" Arabella said while holding her sister's shoulders.

"Do you remember what we do every time we were sick when we were little?"

Regina just looked at her clueless of what she's talking about.

Arabella smiled.

"Come here. Close your eyes~" she said as she pulled her sister closer to her. She then rubbed her hands together while counting up to 20 and placed her palms on her sister's closed eyes.

Regina didn't understand, but it did calm her down. And her eyelids became so heavy that she fell asleep.

When she woke up, she was lying in a comfortable bed. She blinked and looked around the dim room.

She heard people talking indistinctively outside her room.

"How are you feeling?" Arabella said when she emerged in the living room where they gathered. Regina looked at her sister and Helena then the four men.

"Come here and sit," Arabella said warmly.

"Babe, kindly get her something to drink~"

"No need. I just wanna know what's going on! Why am I here?" she said coldly.

They exchanged a look.

"Am~ Regina, I guess your sister already answered some of your questions," Brad stated. "She will give the rest of the information,"he added as he point at Helena.

"Hi, my name is Helena. I am an agent and Luke hired me as your sister's bodyguard and PI," Helena introduced.

"Listen carefully to what I will tell you. Promise me that you will not hate yourself after this," she continued.

"Enough of the shenanigans, just tell me!" Regina huffed.

"I think, it would be better if we will bring Saraknib with us so that you could talk--- really talk," Owen said as he took Saraknib from his mother's arms.

"Can we use your room?" Shane asked Arabella.

"Or not~," Owen said when he saw Luke glaring at them.

The Mcknights went to the theatre room leaving only Helena, Brad, Luke, Arabella, and Regina.

"Okay. What do you wanna know?" Helena asked when Shane and Owen disappeared from the room.

"Everything~"

"It's better we start from the accident," Luke stated. Helena nodded.

"Alright! Clementine was on that bus as well--- with her 5-year-old daughter, Regina~"

Regina gasped. Chills crawled into her spine as she was beginning to see the big picture.

"You mean~ no! That's---- that can't be~"

"Yes, you are not Regina as what your stepmom let you believe," Brad said.

"Regina died in the accident. Clementine couldn't accept that the daughter she adored so much would die in such horrible way," Helena added.

"So--- she took me and made me a replacement to her deceased daughter?" Regina asked bitterly.

"I am sorry, but most likely so," Helena answered.

"Was it the reason why I couldn't satisfy her standards? Because--- because... I am just a replacement?" Regina questioned in tears.

"Nope. It was her evil sister, your manager!" Arabella answered.

"She orchestrated it all because of her greed. She envied her sister for having a better life than her--- for having her own company. She was beloved and respected by her employees. And for choosing a perfect man on her side. She resented your stepmom and wanted to take everything she had--- including you," Luke added.

"Clementine kept pushing you away because she knew what her sister was planning to do. To turn you against Clementine. So, she prepared you for it by the only way she knew," Helena said.

"Clementine loved you like her own child. And shunning you from her life was tormenting. She gave up the company she built for 30 years to her sister when she promised to spare you from her evil plans. But, Clementine was fooled by her sister once again because, from the moment you were under her wings, she fabricated stories to turn you against your stepmom!" Brad added.

Regina was quiet in disbelief when everything became crystal clear.

Why Clementine kept shunning her~

Why her manager hated her so much~