Page 74 of Luca

My suspicions have been right all along.

The woman I married isn't Sofia Arcari.

Sofia Arcari is standing right there, and she's not the woman in my bed.

I watch, transfixed, as they embrace. A desperate, clinging hug that speaks of fear and love and goodbye. They're both crying, and consoling each other. I can see it even from this distance even if I can’t hear their conversation.

The real Sofia pulls back first, wiping her eyes, and heads toward the hostel entrance. My wife—whatever the fuck her name really is—watches her go, then turns to walk back toward the hotel district.

Back to me who she believes is still asleep in our bed.

I wait until the real Sofia disappears inside the building, then I step out of the shadows to follow behind my wife.

She makes it two blocks before I call out to her.

"Going somewhere,Sofia?"

She stops but doesn't turn around immediately. When she does, there's no surprise on her face. No attempt at denial or deflection.

She knew this moment would come.

She’s always known.

"Just getting some air," she says.

"In a hostel district? In the middle of the night? Dressed like someone trying very hard not to be recognized?"

I move closer, studying this face I thought I knew. How did I miss it? How did I not see that this woman was a completely different person?

"Look at me."

She complies, and in the streetlight, I can see the resignation in her eyes. The weight of carrying a lie that's finally too heavy to bear.

"How long have you known?" she asks.

"Ten minutes. I saw you with her. Just now. Your sister." I step closer, fury and fascination warring in my chest. "My wife has a twin sister. Isn’t that an interesting twist?"

She doesn't try to deny it.

"Yes," she says simply.

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, I have a twin sister. Yes, I'm not Sofia. Yes, I've been lying to you since our wedding day."

The blunt confession is unexpected. Not because I didn't already know. The evidence has been building for weeks, but because hearing her say it out loud makes it real.

I married a stranger.

I've been falling for a woman who doesn't exist.

"Get in the car," I tell her, surprised by how calm my voice sounds. "We're going back to the hotel. And you're going to tell me everything."

Paolo appears from the shadows where he's been waiting, and I see her eyes widen slightly. She hadn't known about the backup.

"Boss?" Paolo's voice is carefully neutral, but I can hear the questions underneath.

"Take us back to the hotel. Make sure we're not disturbed."