After A Coma, My Twin Sister Returns For Revenge

Stepping Into Zoe's Shoes

Zoella POV

I could hardly wrap my head around the fact that today was the day I'm leaving this house. It's been such an incredible time, and last night was one for the books—definitely a night I'll always remember. As I was packing my bags, I took a moment to soak in my surroundings, and that's when I heard a knock at the door. It was Zavion, and he handed me an envelope that felt surprisingly heavy. Curiosity got the better of me, and when I peeked inside, I was stunned to find it stuffed with cash. I looked up at him, and he was grinning from ear to ear. "You sent me all my money days ago, so what's this about?" I asked while zipping up my bag, still in disbelief.

"It's bonus money," he replied, and I couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Bonus money?" I echoed, feeling a rush of excitement.

"Yeah, my mom and family really like you, and you totally deserve it, so don't think twice about it."

Honestly, I wouldn't think twice about that kind of cash, not in a million years. "Thank you!" I exclaimed, pulling him into a hug.

"Take good care of yourself," he said, and I shot back a big smile as I headed off to find Izzy. She wrapped me in a warm embrace as I climbed into the Uber, and I took one last look at the mansion before we drove away, feeling joy and nostalgia. Twenty minutes later, I arrived at my house to find Chloe waiting for me. I played it cool as she hugged me and helped with my bags, but then everything took a dark turn. Suddenly, I felt a hand cover my mouth and nose from behind, and panic set in as I struggled to break free. My vision blurred, and I realized Izzy was right; I should have told Zavion. I shouldn't have come back. I never imagined my life would take such a terrifying turn so quickly.

I jolted awake, feeling a splash of cold water hit my face, and as much as I wanted to spring up, I found myself completely immobilized, my arms and legs bound to the bed. Panic surged through me as I struggled against the restraints, but it was no use. Glancing up, I spotted my sister, flanked by Alex and a massive guy who looked like he meant business. To make matters worse, my mouth was gagged, leaving me unable to voice my confusion or fear.

"What do you think you're doing?" Chloe sneered, leaning in close. "You thought you could get away with trying to kill me?" I could only hum in response, my eyes wide with disbelief. She untied the cloth around my mouth. "Ki... Kill... what are you talking about?" I managed to stammer.

"Alex claims you put me in that coma out of jealousy. You tried to kill me, Zo! I'm your sister, and you caused the accident!"

My heart raced as I protested, "What? I can't remember anything from that night, Chloe! I was in an accident too!" The memories were a blur, and as the weight of the situation pressed down on me, tears streamed down my face.

"Oh, you're crying now? How cute," she mocked.

"If I really wanted you dead, you wouldn't be here trying to walk again, have you thought about that?" I shot back, desperate to defend myself.

She grabbed my chin, forcing me to meet her gaze. "I have thought about it, and I believe you're guilty of trying to kill me. Do you have any idea what it's like to be in a coma for three years? I'm going to make you feel every ounce of the pain you caused me." With that, she struck my head, sending it spinning to the side.

"That's enough," Alex ordered with a firm tone. "Gag her; she might try to scream." He then leaned in and kissed Chloe right in front of me, and I felt a surge of rage bubbling inside. If only I had the guts to take him down, to reveal his true nature to my sister.

Memories flooded back to when we were still together; I knew he was cheating on me, and he had the audacity to think I was oblivious. He was manipulating my sister, and I was certain of it.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed from my bag, and before I could react, Chloe snatched it up and ended the call. "Look who it is, Zavion!" she exclaimed, shoving the phone in my face while giggling. Anger coursed through me, mixed with regret. I knew I had to find a way to make her see the truth about Alex—that he was just using her to get to me. If only she could open her eyes to the kind of person he really was. Then, in a shocking twist, Chloe picked up Alex's gun and pointed it at my head.

My heart raced as she said, "This gun is loaded, and I still know how to shoot. One click, and it's light out for you. Want me to pull the trigger?" Panic set in as I quickly shook my head; I wasn't ready to die, and I could tell she was dead serious. At that moment, I realized that nothing I said would change her mind.

I could feel Alex's gaze fixed on me, his grin accompanied by a shake of his head that seemed to convey a mix of pity and amusement. I turned my attention back to Chloe, remaining motionless as a sense of resignation washed over me. There was no point in fighting back; my screams would go unheard, swallowed by the soundproof walls that kept everything contained, with no escape unless the door was opened.

"I don't want to hurt you, sister, truly," she said, guiding me to a chair and binding me to it. "You see, I see so much of myself in you; we are practically twins, which is why I dyed my hair. Did you know I ran into Alex five times at the hospital before I was released? And at the ice cream shop too. I was aware of your little rendezvous with him; it was all part of the plan, Zo. We wanted you to remain oblivious, to bring you right here into our web, and now look at you—completely under my control. It's quite terrifying, isn't it?" I let out a hum, futilely attempting to wriggle free from the ropes that bound me.

My bag lay just out of reach, and I recalled my father's advice about always carrying a small knife for emergencies like this. But now was not the moment for lessons in morality; I needed to devise a way to escape this house.

"I once cherished Alex, and yet you attempted to take my life simply to win his favor. Oh, my dear Zoe, how foolish you were to believe you could tear apart two souls bound by genuine love. True love cannot be severed, sister." In a fit of rage, she struck me, unleashing the same kind of violence that Dad inflicted upon us during our childhood. It felt as though she was channeling all the pent-up resentment she harbored towards him directly onto me. "Yes, I know Dad is gone, Zoe. I merely wanted to provoke you, to push you to the brink of madness, and let's not forget about Mom—she was just as fragile as you are, naive and weak."

As she pulled the cloth away from my mouth, Alex's voice cut through the tension. "Put it back on," he ordered, and she hesitated, glancing at him.

"Relax, Xander; this room is soundproof. No one will hear her screams." Then she turned her gaze back to me, her eyes filled with malice. "Do you have any last words before I end you?"

I coughed, and she offered me water, a flicker of compassion still lingering within her despite Alex's influence. Yet, the reality was stark: her hatred for me had grown deeper than any resentment I ever felt towards her. "I'm sorry, Chloe." I confessed, "I resented you for stealing Dad's attention. You had everything, while he always saw me as the weak one, just like Mom."

"Because you are weak," she shot back. "You've never taken a life. If I handed you a gun and pointed it at that man over there, I know you wouldn't have the courage to pull the trigger. You lack the resolve."

"Alex has been dishonest with you, Zoe. I never forced myself on him; my intention was to take him away from you to inflict the same pain I felt, but I never had any real feelings for him. I know you loved him, and that's why I wanted you to experience that hurt. We never slept together, I swear."

She struck my face with a fierce blow, causing blood to trickle from my nose. Then, surprisingly, she grabbed a cloth and started to wipe it for me. "You're the one lying here, Zoe, not Alex. He loves me, so just admit that you forced yourself on him and let me end this once and for all." Her obsession with that guy was alarming. "Just say it, say you forced yourself on him," she screamed, yanking my hair back.

Thankfully, Alex intervened, pulling her away and trying to soothe her. "You need to chill out, babe. You can't keep being this aggressive, especially after just recovering. If you hurt her, her friends will definitely catch on."

"So what do you expect me to do?" Chloe shot back, frustration evident in her voice.

"Well, how about you step into Zoe's shoes for the time being? As long as she's around, you'll totally nail her role, which means you can really make her feel the heat."

"That's such a clever plan, Alex! You're amazing, sweetheart."

"I love you too," he said, gazing at me with a sly smile.