C62 Who Is Isabella?

The sunlight streaming through the large windows of the breakfast room seemed brighter than usual, but Annabelle couldn’t bring herself to enjoy it.

She had spent the last ten minutes trying to dodge Mikhail’s relentless teasing while becoming uneasy with Antonia’s curious, unreadable expression.

Mikhail leaned back lazily in his chair, his grin as irrepressible as always.

He wore a navy blue button-up shirt with the top two buttons undone, revealing a hint of tanned skin and a silver chain glinting against it.

His dark hair was slightly tousled, giving him a roguish air, while his eyes sparkled with mischief.

“I’m telling you, Annabelle and I go way back,” Mikhail said, winking at her as he speared a piece of fruit from her plate.

Annabelle clenched her fists in her lap, her cheeks burning. “Way back? I barely know you!”

“Barely know me?” he echoed, feigning hurt. “Oh, come on. Don’t be shy now. Admit it. You’ve been dreaming about me since our first meeting.”

“I have not!” she snapped, her voice rising slightly.

Mikhail chuckled, the sound infuriatingly charming. “Denial, my dear, is the first step to acceptance.”

Antonia, who had been watching the exchange with a faint smile, finally spoke. “Mikhail, stop tormenting the poor girl.”

Annabelle shot Antonia a grateful glance but wasn’t sure when she noticed the curiosity lingering in her blue eyes.

With her sleek blond hair twisted into an elegant chignon and dressed in a tailored cream blouse paired with beige slacks, Antonia looked effortlessly composed.

Her gaze flitted between Annabelle and Mikhail as if she were piecing together a puzzle.

Annabelle wanted to ask about their relationship but decided against it.

She needed to escape, to get as far away as possible from Mikhail’s relentless teasing and Antonia’s probing eyes.

She stood abruptly. “I should…”

“Leaving so soon?” Mikhail interrupted, leaning forward with a theatrical sigh. “Ah, the tragedy of unrequited love.” Then he turned to Antonia like Annabelle was no longer there. “I told you she can be so shy.”

Annabelle glared at him. “She is still here, you know. Apart from knowing that you are an insufferable man, she hardly knows anything about you!”

“That’s what makes it so thrilling,” he countered, his grin widening.

Antonia rolled her eyes. “Ignore him, Annabelle. He’s unbearable when he’s bored.”

Annabelle hesitated, her curiosity finally getting the better of her.

She suddenly looked at the two of them again and realised why she had thought Mikhail looked familiar when she met him in front of the hospital.

It was because there was a resemblance between the two!

Still, instead of stating her thoughts directly, she asked, “How do you two know each other?”

Antonia’s lips quirked into a wry smile as she shot her brother an exasperated glance. “We’re twins, unfortunately. I’ve had to tolerate his nonsense my entire life.”

Mikhail placed a hand over his heart, feigning offence. “You wound me, sister.”

Annabelle blinked in surprise, realising she should have guessed they were related earlier.

Though the two were so different in personality, they sure do look alike.

Especially when they are seated almost side by side like that.

“That explains so much,” she muttered under her breath.

Before Annabelle could make her escape, Antonia rose gracefully and linked her arm to Annabelle’s. “Walk with me?”

Annabelle stiffened but nodded reluctantly.

She let Antonia steer her out of the breakfast room.

The air outside was crisp and fresh, carrying the faint scent of blooming roses and freshly trimmed hedges.

The sunlight dappled the stone path, casting long shadows on the surrounding trees.

“I wanted to apologize,” Antonia began as they strolled toward one of the smaller outdoor seating areas.

“For what?” Annabelle asked cautiously.

“For snapping at you the other day,” Antonia said, her tone soft. “I was upset about my brother’s injury and took it out on you. It wasn’t fair.”

Annabelle hesitated, unsure how to respond. “It’s... okay.”

Antonia stopped walking and turned to face her, her expression earnest. “Are we still friends?”

Friends? Annabelle hadn’t thought of them as friends, but she nodded anyway. “Of course.”

A genuine smile curved Antonia’s lips. “Good. It’s important for us to have each other’s backs in this world, don’t you think? It’s a man’s world, after all.”

Annabelle didn’t know what to say.

She didn’t consider this world hers at all.

Her plan was to leave it as soon as she could.

Antonia took her silence as agreement and suddenly pulled her into a hug.

Annabelle stiffened at the unexpected gesture but awkwardly patted her on the back.

“We’re going to have such good times together,” Antonia said with a sniffle.

Annabelle pulled back slightly, her brows knitting in concern. “Are you... crying?”

Antonia dabbed at her eyes with a perfectly manicured finger. “It’s just...you remind me so much of her.”

“Of who?”

Antonia looked genuinely surprised. “No one’s told you? You look exactly like Isabella.”

Annabelle’s confusion was evident on her face as she asked, “Who is Isabella?”

“You were not informed? I thought... I suppose I shouldn’t have said anything. He must be trying to keep it from you. I am sorry for…”

“Who is Isabella?” Annabelle asked again, impatience evident in her voice.

“Dante’s late wife.” Antonia blurted out with a pained expression.

Annabelle’s breath caught. “His... wife?”

Antonia nodded, her expression almost pitying. “She was the lady of the house before you came along. The resemblance is just so…uncanny. It must be why he wanted to keep you around, you know. I didn’t think of it before but…”

She clamped her hand over her mouth when she saw Annabelle’s expression and said, “Damn it. I am talking before thinking again. I am sorry.”

Annabelle hardly heard her as her mind reeled.

She hadn’t even begun to process the revelation when the sound of an approaching car drew their attention.

Dante’s sleek black car pulled into the driveway, the sunlight gleaming off its polished surface. The driver’s door opened, and Dante stepped out, his presence commanding as ever.

“Oh, Tay is here. You must excuse me, please. I have a message for him from my dad. I will be leaving soon after checking in with Mikhail again. I will see you later, okay?”

Annabelle barely nodded before she was pulled into another hug again.

Then Antonia walked towards Dante, leaving Annabelle standing alone with her tumbling thoughts.