Dumbfounded
Kael was stunned on the ground. This man was someone his twin was acquainted with; how was he supposed to converse with him without him suspecting that he was not his twin? Why was he pretending to be his twin anyway?
Seeing Kael not moving from where he was standing, the doctor strode towards the sofa set with a medicine kit in his hands. "It's been what, three years? I just came back from London today, and you're my first patient. Come here, let me see your wound."
With his mind blank, Kael yapped, "I think I lost my memories when I fell earlier, you're... who?"
The doctor fell silent, then after a minute, he burst out laughing. Kael could even see tears in his eyes from laughing so much.
"God, you're the same as ever." He finally calmed down, wiping his eyes as he spoke. "It's me, Fern, short for Fernando Ramirez. This is the seventh time I introduced myself; you're so bad at remembering people."
He is? Kael asked himself regarding his twin. How bad was it that this person had to introduce himself six times in the past? It's something they're similar in, although his memory was not as poor as his twin's. Kael could remember people he met twice or thrice.
"Now, come here. Or it'll get infected."
Fern, the doctor, was a chatterbox. He talked about random things that he did in London, which was eighty percent hospital duties and twenty percent men hunting. Kael learned that Fern was a beta and liked men who were also beta; Kael even recommended him to visit Thailand next time.
When Fern finished treating his wound, he left urgently to go back to the hospital. Now Kael was left in that wide office owned by someone named Leon Acosta, feeling bored. He wondered why that alpha seemed to hate his twin so much.
Remembering his words in the car, it seemed like his twin had committed something and denied it or something of the sort. He couldn't really tell, but all he was sure of was that he couldn't ignore this matter.
"Kai! I came as soon as I heard," Ms. Jang barged into the office. "Are you okay? Do you feel feverish?" she questioned, concern evident in her voice.
"I'm fine, far from the gut," Kael assured her. He observed her face contorted as she crossed her arms, eyeing him intently.
"I know you like him, but you don't have to take a bullet for him," Ms. Jang nagged.
Kael's eyes widened at that revelation. Due to his shock, he uttered, "That rude alpha?"
His twin liked that alpha? Well, if it's about looks, he cannot deny the fact that he is damn gorgeous and he smells nice. His mind drifted to the scene in the car this morning, remembering how close they were and how he was lost in his scent. He wanted to smell it again. No! He did not think of smelling him again just now. Forget smelling anyone. That kinda sounds like a total pervert.
"See? You're saying that, but your tomato face couldn't even deny," Kael snapped back when Ms. Jang pointed that out.
Kael touched both of his cheeks as if checking if he was blushing. Embarrassed, he averted his gaze. "Well, I don't like him anymore," he stated. Because he never did. He just met him.
Ms. Jang was about to comment on it when they heard a series of knocks, and the door swung open for the fourth time today. A woman in an office uniform came in.
"Ms. Jang, it's good to see you again. The chairman had asked me to bring Mr. Ashworth to the meeting room. You can come as well," the woman said politely.
Ms. Jang flashed a soft smile. "It's good seeing you too, Mei."
Without any further words, they walked out of the office after her towards the company's meeting room. Kael, who was walking side by side with Ms. Jang, felt the piercing stares of the people they came across. It was making him uncomfortable, but he chose to ignore it either way.
They entered an elevator to go up to the 13th floor of the building where the meeting room was located. The whole time they were riding that elevator was torture for Kael. So, when the ping sound of the elevator was heard, he was the first one to get out once the door opened. Ms. Jang was giving him confused looks, but he ignored her and just trailed after them.
"It's in here," Mei said when they stopped outside a large gray double door. She knocked three times before she pushed the door open. Mei bowed to the people inside and informed, "I have brought Mr. Ashworth. Ms. Jang is here as well."
"Let them in." A deep resonant voice spoke.
Mei gave them the cue to enter, and so they did. Kael was surprised by the number of people inside; most of them were in their 50s. Then his eyes found that alpha beside an older version of him at the end of that long table who didn't even bother to throw him a glance and was just on his computer doing whatever he was doing.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let me formally introduce Kaisen Asher Ashworth. He will bear the next alpha of the Acosta."
Kael, who hadn't noticed that his mind had drifted off, snapped back. "Pardon?"
"Well, isn't it just natural? Since you and Zenon are already married," a lady with blonde hair answered as if she was stating the obvious.
Kael hadn't thought of his situation that far. Of course, whether it's a real marriage or an arranged one, between an alpha and an omega, a child must be born. Especially in this generation where omegas are rare and alphas are decreasing in numbers.
"Sorry for calling you in here. We know that you're not feeling well because of the incident earlier this morning. The board just requested to introduce you to the shareholders." This time, it was an old man near the alpha.
"Mei, tell Jacob to send Kaisen home." This time it was Zenon, not even bothering to raise his eyes from the laptop.
"Ms. Jang, since you're here anyway, may we request for you to stay?" It's the man who ordered them to come in, it was the oldest version of Zenon.
Kael feels like he is having a headache and all he can see is Zenon in a different timeline.
"Of course, chairman," Ms. Jang answered. Then she faced Kael. "I'll call you, rest well, child."
Kael was spacing out in the meeting room until he got back to the mansion. He didn't know what to think.
"No! Let's think about it from the beginning," he said to himself. "First, out of the blue, I got a twin... with some baggage. Then, we were supposed to meet, but he evaporated who knows where and got me in this mess. He got an alpha that seems to hate him because of something he did, who knows what. And now, since I was being stupid and thought that pretending to be him to get to know him is a good idea, I am in the mess that he left."
He rolled over to lie on his stomach and buried his face under the sheets. He could just leave and pretend none of this happened, right?
Kael let out a heavy sigh. He crawled to the bedside table to fetch his phone and called a number from his contacts. After a few rings, the person on the other end answered.
"What is it this time?" A grumpy voice was heard, sounding like he just woke up from sleeping.
"T!" Kael enthusiastically greeted his friend, Tairon aka T.
"I'll tell Alec you're in deepshit trouble," he threatened.
"I'll tell Alec you like him," Kael fired back.
"Fuck you!"
"Aww, I love you too, man. Alec told me you're in New York. Where can I see you?"
The man on the other end let out an annoyed groan. "High Heaven at 6 pm. Don't call, I'm gonna sleep more. Bye."
Kael rolled his eyes when the call ended. Tairon was never affectionate and always gave him and Alec a cold shoulder so no one would think that he has feelings for Alec. It's just that he got drunk one time, and Kael took care of two big drunk friends, and Tairon was mumbling about how he likes Alec for a long time.
But after that incident, Tairon started accepting work outside Germany and would reject anything that required him to come back. They talk sometimes on the phone, but Tairon always claims that he's busy, so it's always small talk like just now.
Somehow, he felt at ease. Tairon would surely be helpful. What he needs to do later is to meet him to ask for a favor, but for now, he needs to eat. He only had coffee this morning, and it's time for lunch.
He was about to get up to leave the room when three knocks were heard. "I brought your lunch, Mr. Kaisen."
Confused, he let her in. "I can come down to the kitchen for lunch, though."
Laian bowed slightly before she passed by him to put down the tray of food she was holding on the mini living room table. "We received an order from Sir Zenon not to let you out of the room, sir. If you want anything, please ring the intercom."
Kael was dumbfounded. Does that mean he can't meet Tairon later? What the hell is wrong with that alpha? Imprisoning him in this tiny room―scratch that, it's a large room. But who cares, he has somewhere to go later. Irritated, he sat down on a single sofa in front of the food.
First things first, he's hungry. He'll think of a way to get out later.