The Double ( or More ?) Life of The Fake Heiress

Mirabella felt James's eyes on her and instinctively shifted a bit to the left before glancing up at him.

"The necklace," James said, leaning casually on the chair with a playful tone, "Are you wearing it?"

Mirabella just stared for a moment. Lying never ends well; it has a way of catching up with you. She cleared her throat, sat up straight, and replied with surprising ease, "Well, I might've lost it when I was helping out a friend the other day."

It was odd, really. Being as alert as she was, she should've noticed it slipping off. But when she woke up and found it missing, she couldn't recall how it happened.

Thank heavens it wasn't the heirloom from her grandmother; she'd have been beside herself.

James looked at her, recognizing her attempt to stay composed, and sighed softly. He placed a clean set of utensils in front of her. "Alright, let's dig in."

Mirabella blinked, then added, "Honestly, I have no clue how I lost it."

James nodded, pondering. "No worries. I'll get you another one in a few days."

significance for Mirabella, he had it looked at by experts. While nothing unusual about the material was found, he learned that others were on the hunt for

have the same effect. He still hadn't cracked the mystery of Mirabella's strange low-temperature sleep from last year, so the pendant from Catherine

again, then picked up her

dinner, she went to her room for a shower, finally

texting Wyatt. When Mirabella emerged, dressed and ready, he sent one last message and put his phone away. "Heading back

okay. Wyatt's looking after him, so don't fret, everything

him a look but didn't say

a short walk from the hospital, about seven or eight

the streets were practically deserted. The streetlights cast

a few headlights sliced through the calm, and the roar of

black sedans zipped past Mirabella and James,

glanced ahead, but the cars were gone in