Who Is She?

Chapter 10

Riley trudged her way downstairs and saw Issac peeping into the guest room.

Probably where her doppelganger was. She thought with a scoff.

"Creep." She whispered making sure it was loud enough for him to hear and purposefully bumped into his shoulder.

"Ouch." Issac said instinctively, clutching his shoulder.

He gulped in fear when he saw her make her way to their father's office.

He was sure his parents would let Lillian stay but he wasn't sure how Riley or their other siblings would treat her.

He followed her blindly and entered their dad's office.

"Good morning, children." Their dad- Benjamin- greeted them with a wide smile, the smile turned strained when he looked at Riley for a few seconds, observing her red and puffy eyes.

He turned towards Issac and glared at him but when he was above to yell at him for making Riley cry, she asked a question that he and his wife have always dreaded.

"Dad, am I adopted?" Riley asked feeling like crying all over again. She tried blinking back the tears but it didn't take long before she was sniffing with tears rolling down her face.

"No, dear. Who told you that?" He asked with a fake smile.

"The truth. Dad." She emphasized through gritted teeth to keep herself from sobbing, squinting her eyes.

Benjamin took a deep breath before nodding his head.

Riley let out a sob when she saw him nod and bit her lower lip, hard.

"How did you know?" He asked hesitantly. They were the only family she knew and he has done everything since day one so she won't feel like an outsider.

Guilt coursed through his veins as he realized maybe he somehow isolated her in a way she felt the need to ask herself whether they were indeed her actual family.

Issac stepped forward and chimed in. "I can answer that."

He stood in front of Riley completely protecting her from Benjamin's eyes as they all knew she hated crying in front of others. Riley hugged herself tighter before composing herself and stood beside Issac.

"I have a sister. Twin to be more precise." Riley replied in a scratchy tone, trying to blink away her tears.

Benjamin looked astonished at that, not expecting that revelation in the slightest.

"She is in your class?" Benjamin asked doubtfully. She's been going to the same school since kindergarten and he didn't recall any new student joining her school.

"Actually I bumped into her when I was looking for Riley after I lost her at the supermarket last year." Issac said.

"I don't think I recall you hiring a private investigator." Benjamin said, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"Yea, your son is a stalker." Riley said humorously with a proud look. The siblings always had a love and hate relationship.

"Puh-lease. I prefer the term self employed private investigator."

"You stalked her." Benjamin asked shocked making a disapproving sound.

"And he fell in love with her too." Riley revealed. Issac felt blush forming on his face and looked embarrassed.

"OK." Benjamin said before they both started arguing. "Issac, tell me more about her. First and foremost is she safe to be around?"

"Yes. I don't know much about her. So far I haven't seen her interact much with people and her parents kicked her out so I invited her to our home. And she is in our guestroom." Issac confessed his voice turning into a whisper in the last sentence.

"She is in our..." Benjamin started, looking appalled. "OK, why did her parents kick her out?" He asked, waving his hand dismissively.

Issac looked at him sheepishly making him scoff in disbelief.

"Dad, please can she stay with us. She looks so pitiful. She got kicked out and she didn't even look bothered, she- she looked indifferent." Riley stuttered looking at her father with pleading eyes, her puffy eyes making her seem even more pitiful.

Benjamin groaned when he looked at her puppy eyes and muttered 'fine' and hugged Riley to his chest. Issac grinned happily.

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Author's note

What are your thoughts about Benjamin, Issac and Riley so far? 🤔