Julian Thorne and I were both kids when we were kidnapped by the same trafficking ring. Years later, his wealthy biological parents found him. As they tried to take him away, Julian clamped his hand around my wrist, his grip bruising. He looked his parents dead in the eye. "I want her to be my sister. I want to protect her for the rest of my life." Later, I realized I didn't want to be his sister anymore. I had fallen in love with him. But Julian shut me down. "That can't happen, June." Unable to bear the growing love that felt like a secret sin, I left him in pain. Five years later, we met again. My boss shoved me into the empty seat next to Julian Thorne at a gala. "You look exactly like the 'one that got away' on Mr. Thorne’s lock screen," my boss whispered frantically. "He’s going crazy looking for her." "Seize the opportunity! You can pull off the 'long-lost love' act. I know you can." I shook my head so hard I nearly gave myself whiplash, wishing I could vanish into the floorboards. "Absolutely not. Boss, trust me, he is not into my type." Chapter 1 I never dreamed I’d run into Julian Thorne like this. I was accompanying my boss, Mr. Henderson, to a high-stakes investment dinner. Henderson told me there was a billionaire investor worth hundreds of billions who was notoriously difficult. He said I was the only one who could handle it. He promised me a promotion and a raise if I closed the deal. I thought he valued my negotiation skills. Turns out, he was hoping I’d use my face to run a seduction game. The moment we walked into the VIP room, Henderson pointed at the man’s back and winked at me frantically. "That’s him. Whether we land this whale depends entirely on you tonight." "I did my research. You look exactly like the woman on Mr. Thorne’s lock screen. Use that. Work the 'replacement lover' angle. You got this." Just from his back, I recognized him. The youngest heir to the Thorne Empire, and my brother in name only—Julian Thorne. I shook my head violently, looking for an exit. "Absolutely not. Boss, this is a bad idea. He doesn't like my type." "I suddenly have a stomach ache. I need to go. Don't stop me." But Henderson grabbed my wrist faster than I could bolt. He dragged me toward Julian, whispering aggressively in my ear. "Where are you going? How do you know if you don't try?" "I asked around. Julian is known in the circle as the 'Ice King.' Dozens of women throw themselves at him, and he doesn't even blink." "His best friend, Carter, got drunk once and spilled the beans. He said, 'You idiots, you don't know how to give gifts. You want to please him? Find him the girl on his phone. Julian is going crazy looking for her. He calls her name in his sleep.'" "If you didn't look like his 'white moonlight,' this opportunity wouldn't have fallen into your lap. The future of this company is on you." Henderson might look like he runs on kale smoothies, but his grip was iron. He shoved me into the empty chair to Julian’s left. Then, pressing down on my shoulder, he put on his best salesman smile—looking entirely like a pimp. "Mr. Thorne, this is our company’s secret weapon, Sarah Lane. Our top manager." "Don't let her age fool you. Her skills are impeccable. She handled all my toughest projects." My heart was in my throat. I regretted leaving the house today without checking my horoscope. Out of the corner of my eye, I couldn't help but steal a glance at the man I had spent five years trying to forget. His face was still devastatingly authoritative. One look, and I was drowning again. He was wearing gold-rimmed glasses, looking like the ultimate 'Old Money' CEO—forbidden, restrained, with a hint of quiet madness underneath. My mind went blank. I was debating whether to say hello to my long-lost... brother? Ex-crush? But before I could speak, the assistant on his right stood up and snapped at us. "Mr. Henderson, what is the meaning of this?" "Don't you know Mr. Thorne’s rules?" "No women sit next to him. Especially not cheap knock-offs with plastic surgery trying to copy that face." "You think playing the doppëlganger card will work? Get out!" Chapter 2 I didn't just get plastic surgery; I changed my name and my entire identity. I used to be June Thorne. After leaving the Thorne family, I found my biological parents. Now, I am Sarah Lane. No wonder Julian didn't react when he heard my name. He sat there like an immovable statue, letting his assistant drive away the unwanted pests. He didn't even spare me a glance. His assistant, Chase, stared at my face like he was appraising a counterfeit handbag. "Miss Lane, you’ve had work done, haven't you?" "I studied medicine. I can tell at a glance where the knife went in." "Unfortunately, you’ve miscalculated. The girl in Mr. Thorne’s heart cannot be replaced by a look-alike." "If she could be replaced, she wouldn't be 'the one that got away,' would she?" "Mr. Thorne doesn't do rebound romances. He finds them repulsive. You walked right into the firing line. Now get out." I felt like I was sitting on pins and needles. Why did everyone keep saying I was Julian’s "one that got away"? If only I really was his type. In his eyes, I was clearly destined to just be a sister. Forever. We weren't related by blood. We were both abducted as children. We spent three years in the hands of traffickers, depending on each other for survival. When I was beaten, he would hug me tight, taking the whip for me. Letting those agonizing strikes land on his small back. When he had a fever, I stayed up all night, changing wet towels on his forehead over and over. When we were starving and managed to snatch a packet of instant noodles, he made me eat the noodles while he drank the soup. We lived in a place worse than a pigsty. One night, a snake bit me. Without hesitation, Julian bent down and sucked the venom from my ankle. I cried, "Julian, am I going to die?" He hugged me and said, "I won't let you die." Later, his wealthy biological parents found him. I huddled in the corner, thinking we were finally going to be separated. But Julian clamped his hand around my wrist, looking at his parents with a fierce stubbornness. "I want her to be my sister. I want to protect her forever." His parents weren't thrilled. So Julian said: "Then I'm not going back either. Where she is, I am." "No one separates us." I was shocked and overjoyed. That’s how I became the adopted daughter of the Thorne family. Julian’s most cherished sister. He really spoiled me. Even though he was just a kid himself, he taught me to read and write. Whatever elite lessons the family arranged for him, he dragged me along. He bought me the prettiest dresses, the rarest toys. He even learned to braid my hair. He raised me from a dirty, scared little girl into a polished, educated eighteen-year-old debutante. Everyone in our circle knew I was the apple of Julian’s eye. Privately, they whispered, "That’s not an adopted daughter; that’s a child bride Julian is raising for himself." Back then, my heart fluttered. I was secretly happy. I didn't mind the gossip at all. Because I loved him. I wanted to grow up and marry him. So we could be together forever. But when I finally gathered the courage to confess my feelings... Julian said: "No, June. That can't happen. You will always be my sister." His words were a bucket of ice water, chilling me to the bone. But I couldn't suppress the love that grew daily. You can't control how you feel. I didn't want to watch him marry someone else. I couldn't accept another woman spending her life with him. Unrequited love would eventually make me ugly and jealous. So, I chose to leave. I thought maybe if we were apart, I could curb this almost obsessive need for him. I never expected that five years later, we would meet like this. Being called a shameless "knock-off" by his assistant. Chapter 3 I didn't dare say a word. I was terrified that if I opened my mouth, he’d recognize my voice. Honestly, this was for the best. He was exactly as the rumors said—high above the masses, uninterested in romance. Dismissive of any woman trying to get close. He had loyal dogs to bark and set the rules for him. I took a deep breath, swallowed the heartache, and bolted faster than a rabbit. When I left five years ago, I decided I would never appear in front of Julian again. Because every time I saw him, my heart relapsed. I couldn't forget him. I couldn't stop loving him. Unrequited love is a lonely war, and I was tired of fighting it. Better to stay apart and be safe. I found a bar nearby and started drinking alone. Glass after glass, trying to drown the fire in my chest. I often dreamed of kissing Julian in the dead of night. Things I didn't dare do in reality, I was a beast about in my dreams. Dream-Julian never rejected me. He would gently pat my head and let me pin him down anywhere. Like against that grand piano in the northeast corner of the living room. After we were taken to the Thorne mansion, he loved pulling me to the piano, teaching me hand over hand. Those were beautiful times. In my dreams, I loved pushing him onto the keys. Taking off his gold-rimmed glasses, unbuttoning his shirt. He always had that faint, lazy smile on his lips. He’d whisper in my ear, "You want to kiss me? How much?" I’d cry and say, "So much." Julian would use a low, bewitching voice: "Then kiss me, okay?" Dreams blurred reality and gave me liquid courage. I’d pull off his tie, blindfold him, bold and reckless. I’d say, "Okay, don't move." But every time, right before my lips touched his... I woke up. It made me so angry I’d throw my pillow across the room. Then I’d close my eyes, trying to replay the scene, trying to fall back asleep and finish what I started. It never worked. Not once. I was drunk now. My hands got itchy. I logged into my old social media account. I hadn't logged in for years. It was full of my teenage angst, thoughts about Julian I shouldn't have had. I tried to seal it away, but seeing him tonight churned everything up. I couldn't help but post one new status: [Everyone says I’m the irreplaceable love of his life.] [If only that were true.] [But only I know, I can never be anything more than his sister.] I didn't know that one small post would cause a tsunami. Chapter 4 Suddenly, Henderson called me. "Sarah! Where are you? Go to a bar called 'Serendipity' right now!" "Mr. Thorne is rushing to Serendipity. This is your last chance!" "He didn't see your face earlier. As long as he sees your face, you still have a shot!" I lay on the bar counter, slurring my words. "Boss, please, let me off the hook. His assistant already warned me. The doppelgänger trick won't work." Henderson wasn't listening. He was frantic. "You don't get it! Hard-to-get works! There is no such thing as a bad substitute, only a lazy one!" "He might resist once or twice, but seven or eight times? He’s a man!" "Trust me, I know men. When you can't have the real thing, a painting of a plum still quenches the thirst." "I'll let you in on a secret. Just now, Julian Thorne stood up so fast he shattered his wine glass." "His assistant asked what happened." "Thorne’s voice was shaking. He said: She’s online. She’s nearby." "Turns out, his 'long-lost love' logged into an old account and posted something." "Thorne didn't even eat. He tracked the IP address personally. It pinged at a bar near the restaurant." "He looked like he wanted to fly there. He’s on his way now." "I bet the girl doesn't want to see him. Otherwise, why stay away for years?" "When he gets there and realizes she won't go back with him... that is your moment to strike!" I sobered up instantly. Julian was coming here? Who gave Henderson this confidence? Why was he so delusional? Wait. Julian found my burner account? That meant all my girlish pining, my darker possessive thoughts... they were all laid bare before him? My head was splitting. I wanted to delete everything and bury the phone. I stood up, stumbling toward the exit. I needed to flee the scene. But before I reached the door, I heard Julian’s voice. Cold. Controlled. Terrifying. "Lock down the bar. Not even a fly gets out." His assistant, Chase, followed, promising, "Don't worry, Mr. Thorne. I have bodyguards at the front and back." "We will find Miss June this time." Then Chase saw me. "Hey! Miss Lane! Why are you here?" "Do you not understand English? Still haven't given up?" "Get out!" A bodyguard hesitated. "Chase, Mr. Thorne said no one leaves..." Chase pointed at me, sneering. "She's the exception. This Miss Lane wants to play copycat." "The person Mr. Thorne wants to see least right now is her." Julian didn't look at me. Hearing "Miss Lane," he deliberately averted his gaze, his body language screaming disinterest in any substitutes. He walked straight to the bartender, holding up his phone screen. "Have you seen the girl in this photo?" I kept my head down and fled. I walked out unimpeded. I stumbled out the door, thinking I was safe, only to crash right into Henderson, who had followed the drama. He blocked me. "My dear Sarah! Why are you running out?" "Get back in there! This is a godsend!" He grabbed my arm and tried to drag me back in. I was genuinely drunk now. My brain was foggy, and I was getting agitated. "Mr. Henderson, let go! I'm drunk!" "You know what happens when I lose control!" "If I do something to Mr. Thorne and offend him, don't blame me!"
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