Fake Dating My Ex's Twin Novel by Rowan Vale _ Novel




Fake Dating My Ex's Twin Chapter 01

Right after New Year's, Zachary Vanderwood—rich heir to the Vanderwood fortune—offered me fifteen grand to fake being his girlfriend and stay the night at his place.
The second we stepped inside, his twin brother Jayceon Vanderwood started tearing into me without mercy.
"Her background is too poor.
"She has ulterior motives.
"She isn't good enough for you."
I kept my head down, listening to him judge me in total silence.
When Jayceon even dared to suggest we break up, Zachary—right beside me—finally lost it.
"Alright, that's enough.
"You've only just met. You're making it sound like you've actually been with her."
Jayceon slowly lifted his gaze toward me.
Zachary had no clue his offhand comment was the absolute truth.
I had been Jayceon's secret girlfriend for three years.
***
The room went ice-cold.
When Zachary received no response, he looked up and saw Jayceon standing there, frozen in place.
"Jay?"
Zachary leaned forward slightly. "You don't actually know her, do you?"
Jayceon had just returned from abroad that day, and a significant number of guests were gathered at the Vanderwood's residence.
At his question, every head snapped toward us in shock.
Jayceon twisted the ring on his finger, but he still said nothing.
Instead, his mother, Eliza Vanderwood, who was standing beside him, let out a soft laugh.
"How could he possibly know her?"
I lifted my head and watched Eliza adjust her elegant shawl.
"Jay isn't like you," she continued. "He has had incredibly high standards since he was a child.
"He wouldn't be interested in just anyone."
Her meaning couldn't have been more obvious.
In terms of family background and status, I barely even qualified to step through the Vanderwood's residence front door.
Everyone there got the insult—everyone except Zachary, who was completely clueless.
"What do you mean, 'just anyone'?"
He frowned, taking my hand with clear dissatisfaction as he declared firmly, "Aviana is amazing.
"Mom, I wanna marry her."
As soon as Zachary finished speaking, Jayceon—who had been silent—seemed to snap out of it and looked over.
His gaze fell on our intertwined fingers, and a bitter laugh escaped his lips.
"Amazing?" His voice dripped with sarcasm. "Amazingly good at stealing and lying, you mean?"
Those words dropped the whole room into dead silence. Every eye in the room fixed on me.
Zachary had been biting his tongue since the moment we walked in. This time, he finally lost his patience and stood up to argue with Jayceon.
The room quickly descended into chaos.
I took a sip of my lemonade, feeling the cold liquid slide down my throat.
I'd known it wouldn't go easy the second I saw Jayceon in the doorway.
But this was all just an act, so his little digs at my past and attempts to ruin my reputation didn't sting at all.
While they were in the middle of an argument, I made an excuse to slip away to the bathroom.
My mind wandered back to the real purpose for coming to the Vanderwood's residence.
Zachary had been dating a girl from an ordinary background, a match that Eliza strongly disapproved of.
In retaliation, he had brought me—an even "poorer" alternative—home just to provoke her.
After staying for two days and one night to rattle the Vanderwood family, I would collect my payment and leave.
Jayceon's words had inadvertently worked in my favor.
I let cold water run over my hands, my mind spinning.
Zachary didn't look exactly like Jayceon, but there was a faint, undeniable resemblance around their eyes and brows.
The Vanderwood family.
So this was the life Jayceon had kept hidden from me all those years.
I spaced out for another moment, estimating that things outside were winding down before I headed out.
But the second I stepped into the hallway, my eyes locked with Jayceon's.
He was standing just a few meters away, watching me without moving, his gaze was deep and unreadable.
There was something hauntingly familiar about that look.
Jayceon had never made our relationship public, but whenever someone else asked me out, he would wear exactly this expression.
It hit me then—when Jayceon told me to "break up" with Zachary earlier, he hadn't been kidding.
I looked away and kept walking, pretending I hadn't seen him.
I had only taken two steps when I heard Jayceon's cold, mocking laugh. "Aviana. Three months.
"I was waiting for you to come back to me.
"And instead, you've already found someone new?"

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