When I was fifteen, she made a promise to spend my birthday with me. I had waited eagerly for that day, but instead, she ran off to face down our greatest rival.
I was furious and terrified and I didn’t say a word to her for a month.
Only when she came to me, tears streaming down her face and vowed to leave that dangerous world behind did I find it in my heart to forgive her?
I couldn’t believe it; after all these years, her subordinates were still tangled up in these shady dealings. To make it worse, they had gone as far as tying me up!
If it hadn’t been for her flashy, over-the-top appearance, I might not have even recognized her.
The thought left me both anxious and furious.
"Margaret, have you completely lost it? How dare you tie me up like this!" I shouted, my frustration boiling over.
Before I could say another word, one of the girls stepped forward and kicked me hard.
"Shut your mouth! Do you think you’re worthy to call our Maggie by name?" she snarled, her eyes blazing with contempt.
She raised a whip, poised to strike when Margaret suddenly stopped her. Her gaze locked on me, sharp and suspicious.
"How do you know my name?" she demanded.
Realizing I hadn’t mistaken her identity, I straightened up, summoning a shred of confidence.
"Because I’m Brenda’s brother!" I declared firmly.
"Let me go now, or if my sister finds out, you won’t get away with this!"
The moment Brenda’s name escaped my lips, Margaret’s demeanor shifted. Her tense posture eased, but her sneer deepened.
"You? Brenda’s brother?" she scoffed. "Do you have a death wish, impersonating someone like that?"
Panic surged through me.
"I’m serious! I’m her real brother, Orson Martin!" I insisted desperately. "I’m not lying!"
Margaret stepped closer, her fingers wrapping tightly around my neck. Her sneer was ice-cold as she said, "Brenda’s surname is different from yours. How does that make you her brother?"
"You must think we’re fools!"
I quickly explained, desperation tightening my throat.
"Brenda is really my sister. We just have different last names, one from our dad and one from our mom! If you don’t believe me, call her yourself!"
Margaret studied me for a moment, suspicion clouding her face. Finally, she pulled out her phone, her fingers hesitating over the screen.
"Arlene Jones, you’ve worked with President Miller the longest. Does she have a brother named Orson?"
A laugh came from the other end of the line.
"Margaret, have you lost your mind? Did some random boy trick you again?" Arlene replied, her tone dripping with amusement.
Margaret hung up abruptly, her expression darkening as she turned back to me. Without warning, she kicked me hard in the knee.
"You shameless liar! How dare you try to fool me? I’ll break your legs!" she snarled, her voice laced with fury.
I winced, the pain shooting through me as the truth suddenly hit me.
Brenda had always claimed to be an orphan to protect her family, even hiding it from her closest subordinates. I hadn’t realized that her secret would one day put me in danger.
Before I could process the thought, a man with a rugged face leaned in close to Margaret, whispering something in her ear.
"Maggie, I think I’ve seen this guy before," he murmured. "I’m pretty sure Brenda posted a photo with him on her private account. They looked close. Could he be her lover?"
The man quickly pulled out his phone, fingers swiping through the screen, desperate to find the photo.
Margaret’s gaze flickered with uncertainty. If the picture came to light, even if they mistook the nature of our relationship, at least she could save herself from the mess.
But just as the man was about to pull up the image, he shook his head in frustration. It had been deleted.
Margaret’s expression darkened, her eyes narrowing into cold slits. She pressed a knife against my cheek, her voice dripping with venom.
"If you really are Brenda’s lover, then why did you order a princess?" she spat.
"The one thing I can’t stand is a man who’s as indecisive as you."
With a sneer, she threatened, "Pay up, or I’ll carve your pretty face open! Let’s see how charming you look then!"
Despair washed over me and I collapsed, my voice rising in desperation.
"I really am Brenda’s brother! If you harm me today, she’ll hunt you down and kill you!"
But my words fell flat, not even causing a flicker of doubt in Margaret’s eyes.
I felt a crushing hopelessness settle over me. I never imagined proving my identity would be this impossible.
Just as the blade was about to break through my skin, Margaret’s phone rang its sharp ring cutting through the tension.
With an impatient sigh, she slapped it on speakerphone.
"Maggie, President Miller’s here at the karaoke bar! She says she has something urgent to discuss and is already waiting at the door!"
