THE TWIN'S DECEPTION

separated their offices, studying the way Damien stood at his d

ious. Always

ross the surface, three monitors displaying different projects, a coffee mug that probably should have been

is twin in every

d her head in. "The design team is

chel. Be ri

ssed. People smiled at him differently than they smiled at Damien. With his brothe

n. The fun one. The one who remembered peo

t being groomed t

tionize their tech division, and Adrian thrived in these creative sessions. This was h

d strategy, Adrian got to build things.

have bee

as the meeting wrapped up. "Let's refi

lass wall again. Damien was still on the phone, but something

did focused and determined and occasionally satis

as goi

xt from Damien: *Din

ack: *Sure. Us

rfe

the staff knew their orders by heart. Brothers' dinners had been a weekly tradition since they'

entation coming?" Damien a

ing." Adrian studied his brother across t

erent

ghter, maybe? Did

ot his professional one. "I d

is water. "You? Impulsive

ng. "I RSVP'd yes to that charity auctio

. "The one you always skip? The one

's th

hy

te read. "I don't know. Just felt like... doing something different. Getting o

drian's stomach. "That's...

ife outside work, to do things spontaneously, to break out

it feel lik

en suggested. "Make it

tech conference in Bos

s whiskey. "Probably for the best anyway

l leave the art appreciation to you

ce w

ion in those art history classe

r's upcoming release from the hospital, a basketball game they were both fo

ouldn't shak

nthouse, a choice he'd made two years ago that his brother had nev

ulsi

verything, calculated every move, never took

t had

garage and sat in his car for

rother was going to a charity auction. So what

d about it in a way Adri

like something slipping

titled to everything. Four minutes behind in the race he ha

ade sure they both

than Adrian could count. "He's the eldest. That's how succession wor

co

ys s

e-expensive, well-decorated, with a view of the river. He'd bought it himself w

ght it f

ood at his own floor-to-ceiling

e, probably reviewing contracts or preparing fo

younger brother, the cr

econd

ight-the Boston tech conference. Panels on innovation, network

t work.

ot CE

ght his eye: the company-wide announcement about the charity auction sponsorship. There

king about it, Adri

followed by live bidding. Black tie. Some

g something out of character, b

h

t page, that cold feeling

ending a charity event. This was normal, h

l like he was missing

was about to step into a r

and finished his d

himself aloud. "You

hey'd shared everything since birth. One c

going to c

text from Damien: *Thanks for

Anytime. Have fun Fr

. See yo

phone and looked o

happened Friday night that had put that

drian said to his

in his life, he wasn'

like the beginning of so

elt dangerously