After my sister lost her husband, our family arranged a new marriage for her.

This arrangement was meant to solidify the alliance with the Castellanov family.

As it turned out, the chosen groom was Nicola. He was the twin brother of my husband, Matteo.

On the night we learned the news, both Matteo and I could not sleep at all.

Early the next morning, I heard Matteo call Nicola in the study room.

“Nicola, I really don’t want to spend my whole life missing my chance with her. Please. Do this one thing for me. Don’t worry. Lina is clueless. She’ll never find out that you’re pretending to be me.

“Elena never met you. Even if I pretend to be you for a few days, she won’t notice either. Please, let’s swap places for one week. Just one week. I just don’t want to live with any regrets.”

He begged for a long time before Nicola finally agreed to switch identities with him.

Matteo was relieved. I was relieved as well.

What Matteo never knew was that I, too, had been hiding a secret of my own.

My twin sister Elena’s husband died for the family.

On the day Elena became a widow, the Moretti family decided over just fifteen minutes that she would again marry for the family’s sake.

The man Elena was to marry this time was Nicola, the twin brother of my husband, Matteo.

I heard that he had been doing dangerous work for his family and had only recently returned to the country.

The marriage was still just a verbal agreement. Elena had not yet met Nicola.

I was sitting on the couch in the bedroom reading a book when I learned about this news. Matteo was standing right behind me.

After a long silence, he asked, “Will... Elena agree to this arranged marriage?”

I replied without looking at him, “Yes.”

He then asked, “So, are you going to see her?”

I nodded. “Yes, I’ll see her later.”

Upon hearing my words, Matteo seemed a little disappointed. However, in the next second, he looked calm again.

That night, Matteo tossed and turned. He was unable to sleep. I also stayed awake the entire night.

In truth, my marriage with Matteo was simply fate’s cruel joke.

When my family received the marriage announcement from the Castellano family, they were overjoyed. They even double-checked that I was the one being asked to marry Matteo.

After all, my sister Elena was the pride of the Moretti family.

She was radiant, dignified, and capable in everything she did. I, on the other hand, was just her quiet and dull shadow.

Our wedding took place in June.

It was a bright and sunny day.

However, just as I walked down the aisle toward Matteo, I saw the light in his eyes dim a little.

Since members of both families were present, he went through the wedding with me like he was just going through a procedure.

We both knew very well that this was a family alliance. Unless it was absolutely necessary, we were not allowed to call it off.

Still, the way Matteo looked at me that day planted a seed of doubt in my heart.

As for me, even though I did not marry the person I truly liked, I had made peace with it.

Perhaps it was because I had never been able to get anything easily since I was a child. I was already used to it.

I even felt a little bit fortunate.

After all, Matteo looked almost identical to the person I had secretly been in love with.

Elena and I were fraternal twins. People could tell us apart at a single glance.

I remembered our first anniversary family banquet. I was stuck making the rounds with Matteo.

I hit a wall of exhaustion and ducked into the restroom.

When I came out, I took a different way back.

I stopped behind a marble pillar because I overheard someone say Matteo’s name.

“Matteo, I still don’t get it. You never make mistakes in missions. You can go seventy-two hours without sleep and still tell who the enemy is. How did you even mix up Elena and her sister? How did you screw up so badly at the wedding that you married the wrong woman?”

I clenched the hem of my dress when I heard that.

There was silence for a moment.

Then, I heard Matteo say, “Who doesn’t have regrets in life? Anyway, she and I are already married. We’ll just keep going on with our lives.”

He sounded indifferent, as if he were talking about something unimportant.

Only then did it dawn on me. I finally understood why he had looked at me that way at our wedding.

He was actually in love with Elena. I was never the one he truly wanted to marry.

Early the next morning, I heard him talking to Nicola on the phone.

After he hung up, he came back to the bedroom. I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep.

He sat by my bed and gently stroked my hair.

He only treated me so gently when I was asleep. Normally, he acted very cold toward me.

He never mistreated me, but he never looked at me with love.

He looked at me like I was a stand-in. I knew that feeling all too well.

I knew he loved Elena. The only time I even vaguely looked like her was when I stayed completely still.

“Lina, I’m sorry. I really love her that much. The moment I laid eyes on her, I couldn’t forget her. I just need to see her one time. One week is all I’m asking for. Then, I’ll come back, and our marriage will go right back to normal.”

Of course, he had to seize the opportunity that was placed in front of him. Otherwise, he would never forgive himself for the rest of his life.

I understood that. So, I did not blame him.

Ever since becoming Matteo’s wife, I had to attend various banquets with him every few days.

I hated socializing the most.

That evening, there was another social event. I found it suffocating. So, I went to the estate’s wine cellar alone.

I thought again about what Matteo had once said as I spaced out.

Then, I remembered how Matteo’s expression grew gradually colder on our wedding day.

I comforted myself by thinking, ‘It’s fine. Sure, our marriage doesn’t have any love in it. But he looks just like the guy I’ve always had a crush on. I can still get by.’

How pathetic.

I took off my wedding ring and set it down casually. Then, I started browsing the various collections inside the wine cellar.

When I returned to my original spot, I discovered that the ring was gone.

Then, I heard footsteps coming from behind me.

“Looking for this?” a voice asked.

I turned and saw Matteo leaning against a wine rack. He was wearing an old leather jacket.

“Lina, are you drunk?” he asked.

He lifted my hand and returned the ring to me.

Still in a daze, I just smiled faintly at him.

He said resignedly, “Yep, you’re definitely drunk. You have such a terrible alcohol tolerance.”

He smiled roguishly at me. That was a first.

I instinctively threw myself into his arms. I heard his heart pounding strongly and steadily.

I was probably truly drunk. All I could think about was Nicola.

When I was a child, I was kidnapped by a rival family.

They put tape over my mouth and tied my hands behind my back. Then, they hurled me into a shipping container like a piece of freight.

The container was airtight and smelled of rust and fish.

My hands and feet began to go numb. I could not breathe.

Just when I thought I would die there, the sound of iron chains dragging on the floor came from the corner.

A thin, young boy walked out of the darkness. He was covered in sweat and dust.

He looked a few years older than me. There was a long scar on his arm.

He signaled for me to stay quiet. Then, he tore the tape off my mouth.

The shipping container no longer felt so stuffy.

Some light found its way in, and I could see his face.

He had a handsome smile. I asked him what his name was.

He tilted his head to look at me. Then, he grinned cockily. “Make it out of here alive. Then, I’ll tell you.”

Later, when I was rescued, he only gave me a lazy lift of his chin.

My family’s people took me away before I got to know his name.

From that day on, that cocky grinning face lingered at the back of my mind.

Then came the day of high school graduation. Elena said she would take me out to relax.

She brought me to an upscale private club.

The moment we pushed the door open, it was like we entered another world.

The air was thick with the smell of cigars, old leather, and cologne.

The crystal chandelier gave off a very dim light. Every male model wore a rose brooch on his chest.

Elena held my arm as she leaned close and whispered to me, “Lina, smile. Don’t make that face. It makes you look like you’ve never been anywhere nice before.”

I ignored her.

That was when I saw him.

There he was, singing. He wore a black rose brooch.

He had grown taller and more muscular. His shoulders were broader.

His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, revealing the long scar on his arm.

When the manager came over to take our order, I said I wanted him.

The manager looked at me and laughed heartily.

“You? Honey, there are plenty of rich women after him. But Number 23 is off limits. Black Rose is a performer. He doesn’t do that kind of work.”

Elena laughed coldly.

“What does that even mean? That’s just code for wanting more money. Lina, this is the first time I’ve ever seen you want something this badly since you were a kid. It’ll be my treat. Mom and Dad won’t find out.”

Ultimately, I did not use her money.

I spent every last cent of my own savings to buy one hour with him.

He was drinking when I walked into the private room.

When he saw me come in, he looked me over lazily.

I thought he did not remember me.

He stared at me for a very long time.

He stared for so long that I finally gathered my courage to speak to him. Then, he narrowed his eyes and smiled. It was the same roguish smile he wore back in the shipping container.

“It’s you. So, your name is Lina. You’ve grown up. You’ve always seemed a little spaced out. Now that I’m looking at you up close, though, you’re pretty rebellious, aren’t you?”

I had so much I wanted to tell him. Yet, the words died in my throat.

He turned his face slightly toward me. When he noticed I was blushing from holding back my words, he sighed softly.

“Sweetheart, you don’t need to waste your money buying me out.”

Tears streamed down my face.

“Please wait for me. I’m going home right now to get the money to free you. Once you’re free, you can do whatever you want. You don’t have to sing here. You don’t have to deal with customers. Okay? Please.”

He sighed again, perhaps because I was crying so miserably.

“Alright, stop crying. I promise you. I’ll wait for you to take me home.”

I stopped crying and broke into a smile. I hugged him tightly.

“A deal is a deal. You can’t lie to me.”

He did not push me away. Instead, he patted my back.

“Alright,” he said.

Elena’s card did not go through. She did not have enough money in it. I could only ask her to lend me a little more.

In just two weeks, I saved up enough money and went back to the club

However, the club staff told me Number 23 had died.

Years had passed. Still, I could not forget him.

I never forgot that roguish smile and the way he made my heart pound.

I snapped back from the memory.

The Matteo in front of me looked just like Number 23 from my memories.

I could not help myself. I reached out and touched his face.

“Am I dreaming?”

I stood on my tiptoes, wanting to kiss him. Then, he blocked me with his hand.

“Lina.”

I froze in place, still on my tiptoes. However, my body had stopped leaning forward.

He smiled roguishly again.

“If you actually kissed me, Matteo would still kill me even though he’s my twin brother.”

I turned and saw Matteo standing about seven meters away from us.

So, I almost kissed Nicola?

Before I could think it through carefully, I heard Matteo say, “When did you get back, Nicola?”

Nicola put away that casual and unruly demeanor.

He walked past me and said, “Yeah, I’ll tell you later.”

I saw the scar on his arm as he pulled up his sleeve. It was the scar I could never forget.

He was Number 23.

I had the urge to grab Nicola, but Matteo squeezed my hand tightly. He looked at me, offended.

“You can’t even recognize me? What’s going on in your head? Or are you drunk? Is that why you can’t recognize me?”

I shook off his hand and did not respond. I was thinking about Number 23.

Matteo was surprised to see me lose my temper at him. I had always been gentle and obedient.

He only assumed I was tired from socializing. So, he ended the social event and led me back to my room to rest.

After washing up, I suppressed my pounding heart and pretended to be calm as I asked Matteo deliberately, “Was that guy just now your twin brother? Why wasn’t he at our wedding?”

He looked unbothered.

“Nicola? He’s been traveling all over the world these past few years. He couldn’t make it back for our wedding. Dad only called him back recently because of the arranged marriage.”

I continued asking, “So, he was never in Vitalia before?”

“No idea. I heard he went to Liberta first.”

“Oh, then—”

“Lina, why do you have so many questions today?”

Matteo frowned. He turned his head to look at me.

“Are you interested in my brother?”

His question caught me off guard. I felt guilty for a moment. I had no choice but to hide my emotions and smile plainly.

“Don’t just come at me. You’re the one who’s always asking about my sister.”

He was picking up his lighter when he paused at my remark.

After a while, he replied indifferently, “Fair enough. Anyone would be curious about someone who looks exactly like their partner. But Lina, no more questions after this. Let’s just focus on us.”

I nodded to appease him. I could not help but make fun of him inwardly.

He had been saying these strange things lately. Was he trying to give me a sense of security?

I felt like he was actually trying desperately to convince himself.

When Matteo went to take a shower, I received a call from my sister.

“Hey, Elena.”

Her voice sounded helpless as she said, “Lina, I just agreed to the new arranged marriage the family set up for me. It’s with your husband’s twin brother. I can’t believe how much of a coincidence this is. Dad wants me to meet with him sometime next week.”

I was still struggling with how to tell my sister about Number Twenty-three. However, Elena had already seen right through me.

“I know he’s the guy you like. He and I will maintain a marriage on paper only. But Lina, if he makes a move on me… then you need to think about whether he’s still worth your feelings.”

Hearing how much Elena considered my feelings ultimately made me tell her about Matteo’s plan to swap identities.

She cursed under her breath and demanded to know why I did not stop him.

“What if the family elders find out? What are we supposed to do then? How can you just let Matteo walk all over you like this?”

Of course, I was not doing this for Matteo.

“Elena, it’s because I have my own selfish reasons too.”

She was silent for a moment.

“Okay. I’ll pretend I don’t know anything.”

The sound of a lighter came through the phone. She rarely smoked.

“Honestly, this whole messed-up marriage you have with Matteo is kind of my fault, too.”

I gripped my phone tightly and listened as she continued.

She said, “I didn’t mean to keep it from you. I just didn’t think it was a big deal. I didn’t think I needed to mention it.”

Her voice sounded hoarse after exhaling a puff of smoke.

“That year, he and I handled some family business together. He heard someone call me Miss Moretti.”

She paused there for a moment.

“Later, when the families arranged the marriage, he agreed because he thought he was marrying me. In the end, he found out that the Moretti family actually has two daughters. He mistook you for me.”

Only a faint buzzing of static remained on the phone.

“I’m sorry, Lina. Before this, I actually thought he was Number 23. I thought my mistake had accidentally done something good. I never thought you’d end up getting hurt because of me again.”

I switched my phone from my left hand to my right hand.

“It’s okay, Elena. Thank you for helping me this time.”

After the call ended, I sat on the windowsill for a very long time.

A long while later, I finally sighed.