Chapter 11 - Lila’s Mask

Lila’s POV

The receptionist’s face was pale, her mouth parting in an awkward attempt at speech. “Miss… Ivy? I thought you—”

I tilted my head slightly, a slow smile curling on my lips. Let her stumble. I enjoyed the power in her hesitation—the brief flicker of uncertainty as she tried to reconcile me with the little bitch who now called herself Ivy.

“Relax,” I said, my tone soft but commanding. “I’m just here to meet your boss. Can you let Ms Ivy know that her twin sister has arrived?”

The receptionist blinked, flustered, but nodded quickly, fingers fumbling across the sleek keyboard as she paged someone through the intercom. I didn’t need to hear her announcement to know where she was sending me.

Aria—wasn’t expecting me at all.

I slipped into the elevator with an air of calm I didn’t feel. The chrome walls reflected fragments of me, pieces of Lila Carrington—but they would soon see a new Ivy Blackwood. Or some version of her, anyway.

The elevator chimed, opening into the top floor. I stepped out, my boots clicking against the marble floor as I approached the heavy doors. My heart beat a little faster in my chest. Not with nerves. No. I’d long since buried those. This was something else. Anticipation.

I lifted my hand and knocked sharply.

“Come in,” a voice called from inside.

I pushed open the doors, forcing my features into the softest version of myself I could muster. My eyes fell on her immediately—my sister, Aria.

She sat behind a polished black desk, the city skyline sprawling in glass behind her. Her posture was poised, shoulders squared, as if she belonged here. As if this power had been destined for her all along.

And yet… she still looked so much like me.

Her hair curled in perfect waves over her shoulders, and she wore black—a sharp, tailored dress that emphasized her strength. Even her eyes, those infuriatingly soft brown eyes, held a hardness I didn’t remember.

Her gaze lifted to me, sharp and assessing. She didn’t move. Didn’t smile.

“I wasn’t sure you’d let me in,” I said softly, stepping closer, letting my shoulders slump just slightly to appear smaller. “I didn’t know if you’d want to see me.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line. “Why wouldn’t I? You’ve always been so good at surprises, haven’t you?”

The words were polite, but the blade hidden beneath them was sharp enough to sting. My throat tightened, but I forced myself to hold her gaze.

“Aria, please…” I whispered, adding a touch of tremor to my voice. “I know I don’t deserve forgiveness. But I had to come.”

Her jaw ticked, a flicker of something—anger, pain—crossing her face before she pushed it down. “Why now, Lila?”

I hesitated, as if choosing my words carefully, but inside I was calculating every step. “I… I’ve spent years carrying the guilt. I’ve tried to bury it, tried to pretend I could move on, but I can’t.” I met her eyes, forcing moisture to gather in mine. “What happened back then, what we all did—it was wrong. I let them blame you for something you didn’t have any control over. And I… I need to fix it. Somehow.”

Aria leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. She was studying me now, unblinking. Good. Let her think I was fragile. Let her feel in control.

“I don’t trust you,” she said finally, her voice flat. “You expect me to believe that after all these years—after what you did—you suddenly feel guilty?”

I flinched, my heart thrumming at the edge of my ribs. I knew Aria was sharp now, but she couldn’t be that sharp. “You have every right not to trust me,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t deserve it. But I thought… maybe if I could see you, face you, I could start to—”

“To what?” she interrupted coldly. “Earn my forgiveness?”

I swallowed hard, lowering my gaze as though I couldn’t bear the weight of her accusation. “If I could take back what I did, I would. I was selfish, cruel… and I didn’t realize what I’d done until it was too late.”

A heavy silence stretched between us.

Finally, Aria sighed. “Is this what you want, Lila? To unburden yourself so you can sleep better at night?”

Her words hit like a slap, and I nearly snapped, nearly let the mask slip. But I held on, biting down the anger rising like bile. “No,” I said softly. “I want to make things right. For you. For… us.”

She looked at me for a long moment, and for a second, I thought I saw something soften in her expression. I could work with that—a crack in her armor.

But then she stood, her heels sharp against the floor as she approached.

“You’re lying,” she said quietly, her voice steady, and yet the accusation carried a weight that made my blood run cold. “You’ve always been good at pretending, Lila. Better than anyone.”

My breath caught, but I kept my face smooth. She doesn’t know. She’s bluffing.

“I’m not lying,” I said, lifting my chin just enough to appear vulnerable but firm. “I came here because I’m trying to change. I want us to have another chance—”

“There’s no ‘us,’” Aria cut me off, her voice sharp. “Whatever you think you’re doing here, whatever game you’re playing—it’s not going to work this time. I’m not the same girl you all abused.”

The words landed like a punch to the gut, but I forced a shaky breath, my eyes dropping as though her words had broken me. I clutched my hands in front of me, a picture of hurt.

“I just want a chance to prove myself,” I murmured. “That’s all.”

Aria’s silence was deafening. I glanced up at her slowly, but she only stared, her gaze unreadable.

Finally, she turned away, walking back to her desk. “Go home, Lila.”

The dismissal was clear.

I hesitated for show, lingering as though torn, before nodding slowly and turning to leave. My chest burned with fury as I stepped out of the office, the door clicking shut behind me.

She thought she was untouchable, but she was wrong.

She didn’t trust me, not yet. But it didn’t matter. She will. Soon enough.

This wasn’t over.

As I walked back through the pristine lobby, I let my mask drop, my lips curling into a smirk. You won’t see it coming, Aria, I thought darkly. Not until it’s too late.

And I think I know exactly what to do.