Page 126 of Reign of a Billionaire

“Sitting in front of me.”

“Wrong, Sofia,” I snapped. She wasn’t a mother, she’d never been a mother, and it was time to cut ties. “Is. Liana. Alive?”

A heartbeat passed. “Yes, I believe she is.”

“You… you believe?” I stuttered with disbelief, my body filling with adrenaline and so much fury I was scared I’d explode. “Since when?” She watched me as if debating how much to reveal, and I let out a bitter laugh. “You’re going to kill me, so you might as well tell me what I’m dying for.”

She leaned forward, putting her elbows on her knees. “You’re right.”

Fuck, why did it hurt to hear her say it out loud?

I straightened my spine, ignoring these useless emotions. I knew Kingston would rescue me, I just needed to buy time and keep her talking.

“Where’s my twin?” I asked.

“Somewhere in South America.”

“Alive?” I breathed.

“Alive.”

“You haven’t found her,” I said, my voice shaking from my nerves and hoping that maybe—just maybe—I could get her back.

“No, Perez did a good job covering his tracks.” Or maybe my twin was hiding?

My head was a jumbled mess, every lie I’d ever been told scattered around my head. It was a struggle to put all the puzzle pieces together.

“What part did the Tijuana cartel play in all of it?”

Mother took out a cigarette and put it in her mouth, Drago instantly jumping to light a match for her.

“Santiago wanted an arranged marriage between you and his son.” She inhaled, then puffed out a cloud of smoke my way. I held my breath, hating the smell of smoke. “I refused, but Ivanwent behind my back and arranged it.” Her jaw clenched. “It’s always the fucking men.”

“He wasyourhusband,” I pointed out.

“My second and my last.” A distant look entered her gaze, and I imagined she was probably remembering her first marriage and the daughter it had cost her. “Anyhow, the day you and Ghost tried to escape, Liana got caught by Santiago and his men.” I held my breath, anticipating where this was going. “She lied and told them she was you.”

The searing pain slashed through my chest, and I looked down, certain I was bleeding from it.

“So you see, my weak Louisa,” she stated coldly. “You had to become her.”

I blinked, all the alarm bells ringing in my head. Finally, it made sense. The questions she’d always ask me during my torture sessions. She’d ask me my favorite color, my favorite ice cream flavor, whether I was right-handed or left-handed. For every wrong answer, the torture got more intense.

She was conforming me into my twin.

“Did it ever occur to you that none of this would have happened if you’d just taken us away?” I breathed, my heart drumming in a hard, painful rhythm.

She huffed. “And let all those men get away with taking my firstborn?” My blood chilled. “She waseverythingto me. The only thing that kept me going in this underworld.”

“And us?” I asked, hating the way my voice cracked. “What were we, Mother? What were Liana and I?”

She didn’t answer. She didn’t need to, because I knew. Deep down, I’d always known. We were pawns in her games. Disposable.

I gave my head a subtle shake, chasing all these feelings away. It wouldn’t do me any good getting all emotional. Not here. Not around her and her pet.

“What is the connection between the Tijuana cartel and Perez Cortes?” I croaked. “I’m assuming you know Perez sold my sister through a Marabella Mobster arrangement?”

“Oh, I know,” she assured. “Why do you think I got my hands on his daughter?” Hate wracked through me like a hurricane. “Of course, then he went after you.”