Page 9 of TAINTED by TWINS

"Good morning mom, how's your first day of being 45?" I greet my mom as I hear her come down the stairs while I made breakfast. Chris helped me carry her to her bed before he left.

She lifts her hand and showed me what I gave her last night... a diamond necklace. "What is this?"

"Uhm... your birthday gift."

"No, where did you get this?" She questioned with dark tired eyes and a smeared lipstick on her mouth.

It would be wrong to say I bought it. "A friend gave it to me, so I thought maybe you should wear it—"

She threw it hard against the floor. "Get rid of it!" She grabbed her hair and sank to the floor crying.

"Mom?" I wiped my hands and ran to her. "Mom, what's wrong?! Are you okay?"

"GET RID OF IT, I DON'T EVER WANT TO SEE IT AGAIN!" she sobbed, and when I pulled her against me, she sobbed harder against my chest. She cried, "Li An... please don't leave me... please Li An... my Li An..."

"Mom... I'll never leave you..." I embraced her tightly, while I looked back at the discarded diamond necklace she demanded I dispose of. "I'm here, mom. I won't leave."

I really didn't. I sent a letter to the school detailing a short-notice emergency of why I couldn't come this morning. I had to stay until my mom started drinking herself to sleep again.

I picked up a trash bag, wore gloves, and carried a broom to tidy up the place. Janitors come and clean at the end of the day, but I can't stand teaching in a messy room.

I was alone until someone knocked on the open door. I looked towards it and saw a blonde prince in his white hoodie, leaning against the door as he stares at me with... eerie blue eyes. You know how some "pretty" blue eyes look like they have no soul inside them?

"Oh. Good afternoon, Mr. Deveroux." I continued sweeping the floor. "I have a lot of questions, bust shouldn't the class President stop the class from glueing a pancake to the desk?"

"You weren't here this morning, Mr. Miller." He smiled, walking inside with both his hands in his pocket. He's now right behind me. "I was starting to miss you."

I nervously laughed. "Don't joke, Mr. Deveroux. I had something important to take care of..." I look at him guilty, "Listen... I think I should return the necklace to you. My mom... she didn't really like it."

"What do you mean, women love diamonds?" He says, looking at my face instead of my eyes. He looks distracted, so I had to turn around.

"I don't know why, but she wanted it returned. D-don't worry, I'll keep the bracelet."

Jonah sighed behind me, "That's good, at least. I don't know what I'll do if you return the bracelet, too."

I scoffed, "What would you do—"

When I turned around to question him, Jonah slightly bent towards me, before tilting his head like he usually does. "Why are you not wearing it, Lian? Darling, you're breaking my heart."

"Jonah..." I was caught off guard, eyes wide, until he smiled with wrinkled eyes.

"You're going with the teachers to celebrate the pregnant teacher, right? So it means you can't tutor me tonight."

"I don't think we should be serious about what you told your mom..."

"You don't know her, Lian..." Jonah moved his eyes to the window. "Once she finds out we lied, she'll hunt you down in this school and make you lose your job."

"What, does she own this school or something?" I jokingly laugh.

"No," he says, eyes moving towards me and scanning me without an expression. "She owns people. She has a fierce mouth. She gets what she wants. You'll find that Jade and I... won't be far off."

"Should I be scared of her?"

The smile returned to his once expressionless face as he took my hand, still holding the trash bag, and puts it towards his face for a sincere promise. "Don't worry darling, I won't let her get to you."

The bell rang, and a smiling Prince Charming pulls away trash bag I was holding. My hands drop to my side and I stood there in shock. Maybe it's my uncertainty, watching him leave the classroom to dispose of the trash. I just put my mind on sweeping the floors before the students get here.

"My lipgloss Dior, but I once used my pre-cum as gloss..."

"Gasp! Sasha, how did it taste...?"

"Like your man's, Tiffany."

The girls giggled in their seat.

One particular noisy student was Sasha Petrovna.

I still couldn't look him in the eye, but whenever he meets mine, there's always a wink or a smile.

I can't fault him that much, he doesn't know about my relationship with Dr.

Wayne.

Still, this student disgusts me for actively flirting with a teacher.

Pot.

As the students worked, I went to google in secret. Search: Deveroux

"Khalil Deveroux Expands Maison du Rouge Into Middle East Luxury Market" – Global Real Estate Review

"The Bloodline Blend: Maison du Rouge Crowned Best Vintage of the Decade"

"Whispers of Exploitation at Maison du Rouge"

Seasonal workers have come forward, alleging long hours, and strict policing of breaks and benefits...

Their family business is called Maison du Rouge. They own a lot of wine brands and luxury real estate. Jonah wasn't kidding, their family is powerful. I've never seen his father though, Khalil Deveroux? The one who holds their entire empire?

"Deveroux Twins Named Potential Heirs to Maison du Rouge Amid CEO's Split from Wife Velomina"

"Maison du Rouge, the iconic family-run empire behind some of the world's most exclusive wines and luxury properties, may soon pass into the hands of the next generation.

CEO Khalil Deveroux recently announced that his twin sons are being considered as future heirs to the business. The timing follows his private split from wife, Velomina Deveroux, after months of speculation surrounding infidelity."

They're separated? I glance at Jonah, before looking at a picture of the twins at a formal event. Jade has his black hair slicked back while Jonah has his blonde hair down and wavy. Is the separation the reason Jade hates his mother? Or just for her attitude?

The bell rang for the last class of the day, so I dismissed them. "Good job on the introduction, you guys. At this rate, your chapter 1's will be ready by next month."

"Yes sirrrrr, can I take you out to dinner too?" A guy giggles with his friends, which made me uncomfortable.

They even high-fived. "Hahahahaha!"

I sighed in discomfort, until he was hit in the head by a helmet. "Ow!"

Jade casually picked it up. "Oops..."

I snuck a smile at him as he left the classroom, dropping it the moment I notice Jonah staring. Those empty blues give me goosebumps.

"I miss you visiting me."

After closing the door, I went to sit in his lap as usual, nuzzling my head against his neck. "I... want to ask you a question."

"Hmm?"

"Why did you like me?" I asked. "I've never asked that question before, I... I really want to know."

"Is it not enough that I fell in love with you?"

"It's hard to believe. I didn't look like this when you did."

Chris took my chin in his hand to make me face him, looking closer at my features. "Last time I checked, you never had any surgery. Same eyes, same nose... you gained weight, got healthier skin. But not enough to be a different you. You're still you. I fell in love with that."

"What if I change? Are you not gonna love me anymore?" I sound insecure. Maybe because I am. I feel tears prick my eyes because... because of what Jade said.

"He chose someone who is clearly insecure so you'll depend on him." And I still am. So Chris won't leave me, right?

The door suddenly opened and I've never hopped out of a seat so fast in my life. Both of us looked at the clinic door to see a smiling mop of pink hair. I was standing beside Chris' seat. "Oh... was I interrupting something?"

"No Sasha, is there anything you need?"

He showed his pinky with a cheeky smile. "I need a band-aid."

"There's one in the first drawer to your right..." Chris instructed, his hand on my waist which made me fearful that Sasha might suspect.

But he just giggled as he walks to the first aid drawer. "You know, you guys would make a good couple. But that would be awkward since you were Dr. Wayne's student before, right? Or it is the subject of romance books?"

God, I want him to leave.

He pulled out the bandaid and walks to the door, but not without scanning me head to toe. "I remember you when you had nothing but a camera, Mr. Miller... not even a clean face. I've always wondered how hard it is to find someone to love looking like that. Good thing you had a new face, right?"

Sasha turns his attention to Chris as he was still talking to me. "Now you can get anyone you want. I sure will... call me," he winks at the doctor before leaving.

My mouth hung open and I hung them at Chris.

He rolled his eyes, "I do not even have his number."

"You have access to student records, you can look at every students' number!" I grumble, pissed off.

"Don't be jealous of a student who will never have a chance with me, Lian..." he sternly says.

"I was a student once!" I exclaimed, reminding him exactly why I'm not confident about our relationship. "You fell in love with a student who didn't look good in the first place, what if a good looking student like Sasha makes you fall harder, huh?!"

He stood from his chair, towering over me with a louder voice. "I do not have interest in Sasha Petrovna!"

"Is it because he's not as insecure and unconfident as me when I was a student?" I argued. "You want someone who doesn't have a face to be proud of, is that why you liked me in the first place—?!

He grabbed my arm to pull me closer toward him, gripping so hard it caused me pain.

"Do not put words in my mouth Lian, it's not my fault you're not confident in yourself! I've tried so hard to make you proud to be yourself only for you to crash out like this!" He shook my body to hammer into my brain: "Stop being so difficult all the time, it's exhausting!"

My eyes stay wide and wet with tears. I couldn't say anything, but my body is tense and begging to be released. It's painful, it's scary. He did, sighed and holding his temple as if I was a burden. Maybe I am, maybe I'm too much.

After a few seconds of calming himself down, he finally turned to me. "Lian, I just wanted to—"

I moved my arms away from him. "I'm sorry... I'm... I'm sorry for being difficult. You... you're a busy man, I—you shouldn't have to deal with someone like me."

I ran away. I wiped my tears and went out of the clinic. I faked a smile towards a fellow teacher. "G-good afternoon, ma'am."

"Hello, Mr. Miller." I hear Christian call out my name and run after me, but the teacher I met in the hallways stopped him. "Dr. Wayne, I need to have a word with you about first aid training..."

Of course, since I was the secret relationship, he didn't choose to go after me. He chose his job, which is understandable. I don't expect anyone to choose me, but I also didn't expect be a burden for him.

It's the F*CKING Kawasaki Ninja. The shock and fear for my life busted the dam and the next thing I know; I was crying in front of Jade Deveroux with my stuff all over the floor as I yelled at him. "What the HELL is your problem, stop trying to kill me with your bike—you shouldn't even be speeding here in the first place!"

Jade took off his helmet, deaf to everything I said because he's looking at me with concern plastered all over his face. He was wearing a black messily-bleached hoodie and his eyeliner is smoky as usual. "Honey, what happened?"

"YOU happened! You almost killed me!" He got off his bike, and I sank to the asphalt floor sobbing against my knees, my stuff littering the parking lot. "You do this every time!"

Jade is confused, but he's more concerned about me than the people in the parking lot staring. As he gathered my stuff he barks at them, "The f*ck y'all looking at?"

Jade held my stuff as he wraps one arm around my shoulder to lift me up. "Lian. Get up, you can't be crying on the street like this..."

"Jade?" Jonah came towards us with a scowling face. "Why is Lian crying? Don't tell me you ran him over..."

"Jonah..." Jade softly says, while I hid my face in against chest. "I don't know... something's wrong with him."

"Hey... come on, let's get you to your car..." Jonah gently pulls me away from Jade, and I caught a glimpse of the dark-haired Deveroux looking at me with clear guilt in his eyes. It's a subtle dip of the brow, an avoidance of my eyes. It's like he doesn't want to see me cry.

"There there, now darling..." Jonah wrapped a comforting arm around me and his scent of vanilla musk was warm enough. "I'm sorry about Jade almost running you over. I'm sure he didn't mean it."

He does it all the freaking time. Jonah walked me to my car, and he puts my back against the car door so I can face him. He took out a handkerchief and smiled as he gently pats my cheeks dry. "A pretty face like yours doesn't deserve to cry."

"Jonah, what are you doing?"

I pulled my face away from him the moment Dr. Wayne called him out a few yards away from us. I stared at Chris with tears still on my eyes, my face now dry. I dread his presence.

"Uncle," Jonah's didn't remove his smile, in fact, it only got bigger. His blue eyes were empty, and once again had no soul in them. "I saw Lian crying, isn't it natural to comfort someone upset?"

"That's Mr. Miller to you, he is your teacher."

"Oh... you're right. Forgive me, Mr. Miller, that was rude," Jonah politely apologizes as Jade came to interfere, standing between us and Chris.

"The f*ck you're doing here, Christian?" He snaps with his helmet in his hands.

"You boys were truly raised without manners..." Chris mutters, "Mr. Miller is currently having a mental breakdown due to stress, and I have a feeling you boys contributed to it. We have a dinner to attend to. He's not in the state to drive after a mental breakdown, so I'll be taking him."

By impulse, I grabbed Jonah's arm to ask for help. "I—! I can't join you... I... I have to..."

"I paid him to tutor me tonight," Jonah says with a smile and a tilt of his head.

"I was about to discuss the schedule with him if it weren't for you interrupting, Uncle. Looks like he chose to tutor me instead of join your dinner. Don't worry... in his state, we won't let him drive." Jonah pulls me by the waist. "We'll take him home safely."

Chris' face hardened, but then again his sharp masculine features makes him look serious at all times. I look at Jade to gather enough courage to look at Chris in the eyes.

"Y-yeah... I... I just agreed to it." His glare didn't leave me, but I gripped Jonah's arm because I'm begging to leave. "Enjoy your dinner, Chris."

Jonah was still holding me by the waist as he pulls me towards his car, his smile turning into a smirk for Chris. I looked back at Jade who still has dipped eyebrows and is avoiding my eyes. My heart feels heavy, because why would he look at me like that?