Meadow’s POV:


    The moment I stepped into the facility, I already knew that I was in the right ce.


    The orderlies were looking at me like they had seen a ghost–I supposed ric didn’t inform them of Juniper’s twin sister. One even charged toward me but another guy stopped him with a simple “Hey, that’s not her. We just saw her, remember?”


    A shiver of tremor ran down my spine. He was looking at me like he held something against me. Like he hated me.


    And that only told me that Juniper had done something awful during her stay here.


    Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I walked over to the reception.


    “Hi,” I said to the receptionist.


    “Hello,” she replied, raising her gaze to look at me. And then she did <b>a </b>double–take. “Juniper Russell? You’re supposed to be in your room.” Her gaze narrowed


    I shook my head. I’m not Juniper. My name is Meadow.” I paused, swallowing nervously. “But I’m here to see my sister.”


    I already knew what she was going to say even before she frowned at me. “No visitors are allowed for Juniper Russell. None except for one person”


    ric.


    Something told me that he was going to be informed even before <b>I </b>saw my sister. I’d told Mel that there was something important I had to do, <b>and </b>asked her to cover for me. I could trust her, but not these people.


    As if on cue, the receptionist reached for the telephone beside her.


    “My husband knows I’m <b>here</b>,” I <b>said </b>sharply, making sure to keep my tone cold. “It’s him you’re trying to <b>call</b>, right?”


    The young woman froze with her hand on the phone, her eyes darting to my hands, probably to find the ring. I raised my left hand to make it easier for her, and then I heaved an annoyed sigh. Or tried to


    Truth was, I was terrified I wouldn’t y the part well.


    “You’re Mr. Ashford’s wife?” Her eyes widened.


    “Yes,” I replied tly. “And if you must know, I’m also the reason my sister is being kept in here. So, if <b>your </b><b>could </b><b>just </b>be a <b>darling </b>and take me to her, I’d appreciate that.”


    “But she started, but I silenced her with a look.


    The receptionist got to work immediately. She led me to a private room and asked me to wait. “Would you like anything to drink, Mrs. Ashford? Coffee or-”


    “Water’s fine,” I cut in “And could you please hurry up? I don’t want to be here any longer than I have to ”


    She forced a smile at me, and then she was out of the room.


    Over five minutes passed before the door was pushed open, and my sister walked in, two orderlies


    nking <b>her</b>.


    “Juniper,” I breathed, rising to my feet. “My words trailed off when my eyes dropped to her hands.


    Her wrists. A pair of ck handcuffs had been pped onto her wrists. “Why is my sister in handcuffs?” I asked, focusing my gaze on one of the men


    “She’s a high–risk patient, ma’am,” he responded. “She tried to kill one of our female orderlies. We can’t


    trust her to-”


    “What? Behave?” Juniper cut in. Her voice was low, and she sounded like a tired robot. Slowly, she dragged <b>her </b>eyes to meet mine, smirking as she continued. “I mean, I did try to kill myself too, but sure, let’s <b>focus </b>on the <b>poor </b>orderly, who’s probably fine by now anyway”


    Her


    er eyes were hollow, her face thinner than usual like she hadn’t been eating–or didn’t want to eat what


    was given to her.


    But that wasn’t my focus right now


    “What do you mean you tried to kill yourself, Juniper?” My voice shook against my control.


    She shrugged, raising her handcuffed hands. “Slit my wrists a little <b>a </b>few days ago, after <b>your </b>husband. came to pay me a very threatening visit”


    My jaw clenched as something red and hot twisted my stomach, making its way up to my chest.


    “Let her hands go,” I ordered the men. “Now. That is, if you’d still like to keep your fucking jobs.”


    I should’ve forced ric to let her go a long time ago. This wasn’t the first time that she had tried to kill herself, and it was all my fault.


    “Now!” I eximed. Quickly, one of the men undid the cuffs, and only then did I see the bandage on her wrists


    My nostrils red. “Shame on you for putting handcuffs on her already injured wrists.”


    Juniper tilted her head, chuckling as she made her way toward me. “Rx, sis. It’s just a scratch. Although, they are lucky they found me before I took things up a notch.”


    My shoulders dropped and I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. I turned to the men. “Leave


    The moment the door closed shut behind them, Juniper let <b>out </b>a low <b>whistle</b>. “Wow. Meadow being so… assertive. I never thought I’d see the <b>day</b>.” Her eyes dropped to the ring on my finger for a second before they met mine again. “No hugs for <b>me</b>?”


    I made sure to keep the expression on my face indifferent as I lowered myself onto the seat without


    another word.


    Juniper stared at the <b>seat </b>across from me like it <b>was </b>an abomination, and then she clicked her tongue.


    “You know, your hot husband sat in that same chair the day he came to see <b>me</b>.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “I can see why you married him, though. The power, the money. Not to mention, he is


    unspeakably sexy-”


    “Juniper,” I gritted out. “Sit down. Please.”


    She opened her mouth to say something, but the door was pushed open before she <b>could </b>


    It was the receptionist with two sses of water.


    Although, when I looked closely, they weren’t actually sses. More.. transparent stic cups.


    Juniper giggled once she saw them. “She’s probably terrified I’ll try to kill you and then she’d lose her job because your hot husband is most likely toe for her if you died.”


    “Got any more jokes about my “hot husband, Juniper?”


    She smirked at me as the receptionist walked out. “Not really,” she murmured. And then she leaned forward. “I just.. I’ve been trying to process things, alright? How is it that you married another man days after you got your heart broken?”


    ‘Hours,‘ I nearly corrected her. But who’s counting?


    “A billionaire, nheless. You know, I’ve been reading about him a lottely. I still can’t believe ‘you‘ were able to attract him. Wow.”


    I ignored the jab in her sentence. “I didn’te here to talk about my husband.”


    Her brows drew together and she leaned back. “What else could you be here for, <b>then</b>? I figured you’re here to boast.” She let out an exaggerated gasp. “Don’t tell me you feel bad because you’re the reason I’m


    here.”


    “You’re the reason you’re here, Juniper!” I hissed, feeling my ears ring. “<b>What </b>you did to me was unspeakable, and you’re lucky you’re not behind bars right now.<i>” </i>


    The smirk on my sister’s face transformed into a deep scowl. “This is what <b>you </b>call luck? And in case you


    haven’t noticed, this ce isn’t any different from prison.” She rolled her eyes. “The most torturous part is when they try to give me a lecture on finding my <b>inner</b>–self. Jesus.”


    I shook my head in disbelief. It was like I hadn’t even said anything. She <b>was </b>choosing what she wanted. to reply to, forgetting the actual reason that she’s here. A reason I was sure she was familiar with.


    I didn’t like to mention it. Didn’t like to talk about it. My sister had done some pretty evil stuff to me, but


    nothing could bepared to what she tried to get Tyler to do to me.


    “You’re not even trying to acknowledge the fact that you almost had Tyler rape me?”


    Juniper froze. Her <b>eyes </b>narrowing into slits before she asked: “What on earth are you talking about? I didn’t have my boyfriend rape you.”


    My nostrils <b>red</b>. “Juniper-”


    “No, I’m serious,” she said firmly, leaning forward again. “I could never do that to my own sister. Did I…” Her eyes watered. “I didn’t do that to you, did 1?”


    I stopped breathing.