Sister Took My Face... But Not My Husband's Secrets

Chapter 6

For the next two weeks, Liam was in and out of the house, working long hours. The news was buzzing with coverage of his latest business acquisition, with analysts gushing over his growing wealth and influence.

Meanwhile, Nina was pretending to be me. But the one thing she couldn't fake was the inability to socialize. Instead of keeping to herself like I used to, she eagerly opened the door to the elite women who came to visit. I never cared for those wives' circles, but Nina dove right in, acting like she was in her element.

"Mrs. Hawthorne, congratulations! Liam's latest acquisition has made Hawthorne Holdings unstoppable. No one in the country can compete with him now!"

"Oh, Mrs. Chang, it's not just the country. Hawthorne is an international giant, and Mr. Hawthorne's vision is truly global."

"You're so lucky to have married such an incredible man, Mrs. Hawthorne. At just under thirty, he's already brought his company into the world's top ten. There aren't many like him anywhere!"

Nina beamed as she listened to their fawning praises, casually handing her chosen nail polish color to the manicurist. She didn't even try to hide the smugness on her face as she soaked up the compliments. After all the years of the Dawsons being crushed under Liam's success, this was a sweet taste of attention she'd long craved.

Her words became increasingly condescending, and the women's laughter grew more exaggerated, their smiles tightening with discomfort. Nina was slipping, and her true nature was starting to show.

Once the women left, Mrs. Jenkins, clearly anxious, came up to Nina. "Miss, Sarah never socialized with these people. She never did her nails or anything like that. If Mr. Hawthorne finds out…"

Nina looked down at her freshly painted nails, scowling. "People change, Mrs. Jenkins. Just because I didn't care about this stuff before doesn't mean I can't enjoy it now."

Mrs. Jenkins sighed, but didn't dare push back.

I leaned back against the sofa, watching her carefully. It wasn't surprising to see her struggling to keep up the act. In fact, I was almost impressed she'd lasted this long.

After the fall of the Dawsons, my marriage to Liam had shielded the family from total ruin. Meanwhile, Liam had continued to rise, and everything those women said about him was true. His success had been relentless.

Nina, though, was getting bolder. After all, she had used me to escape her own fate, and now she saw me as the one who was getting in the way of her prize, Liam's marriage.

That night, after his latest business deal was a success, Liam came home early. Nina had dinner ready and rushed to help him with his coat.

"I had the kitchen make your favorite chicken soup today, with ginger and astragalus, just the way you like it."

I always wondered if Liam actually liked it. I knew I didn't.

He and I both preferred spicy, flavorful food. But for some reason, he insisted on all these herbal broths, like trying to indulge in junk food while still staying healthy. I always thought it was his way of wanting the best of both worlds and dragging me along with him.

Liam glanced at the table, his face hardening. "Where did the shrimp come from?"

Nina smiled. "My mom had some fresh shrimp flown in today. They were still alive when they arrived!"

I tensed. Just seeing the shrimp made my arm itch.

I remembered my first dinner in the Hawthorne house, when I unknowingly ate shrimp. I didn't realize what was happening until I broke out in a rash. But since I was just the daughter my parents had practically given away, and knowing Liam's reputation, I kept quiet. Thankfully, I hadn't seen shrimp on the table since.

Liam's face went cold as he locked eyes with Nina. "Who are you?"

Nina blinked in confusion, her smile faltering. "Liam, what's wrong? I'm Sarah Dawson."

Liam's voice dripped with sarcasm. "You don't know that Sarah Dawson is allergic to shrimp?"

Nina froze for a moment but quickly recovered. "I'm not allergic! You must be mistaken, Liam."

I wasn't surprised she didn't know about my allergy. The first day they brought me home, almost all the dishes were Nina's favorites. My mom had even served me two shrimp herself, a moment I'd always dreamed of.

I had said nothing, quietly eating them, even though it gave me a mild rash. No one noticed.

But now, this little detail was about to expose her.

Liam grabbed Nina by the throat, his eyes burning with fury. "Tell me! Where is Sarah Dawson?!"

Nina struggled to breathe, clawing at his hand, desperately insisting that she was me. But with a crime like murder hanging over her, there was no way she'd admit anything unless she had no choice.