Back at the sleek modern apartment, I wearily dumped my gym bag by the polished door and kicked off my shoes. The glow of electronic screens and downtown lights streamed through floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the dark valley below. I headed straight for the gleaming kitchen, fishing a sports drink from the fully-stocked stainless steel fridge. Gulping it down, I allowed the cold liquid to rehydrate my drained body. Intense karate training always left me ravenous.Rummaging through cupboards produced a stash of protein bars. I eagerly tore one open and took a huge bite, ignoring manners. I had built lean muscle over weeks of exercise, but my appetite seemed bottomless now. Leaning against the black granite counters, I quickly wolfed down another bar, the sweetness hitting my starved taste buds perfectly. A third fruity bar swiftly followed. Only after devouring half the box did I finally feel sated enough to slow my intake.Wiping sticky hands on my sweatpants, I headed to my l
The next morning I came carefully from my suite, unsure what to expect after last night's tense standoff with Agatha. Part of me wondered if she had already left in anger at my defiance.But the smell of fresh coffee drew me toward the kitchen. There I found Agatha sitting casually at the counter, scanning news headlines on her tablet as if nothing were wrong.She glanced up as I entered, one perfect eyebrow raised. "There are fresh croissants if you'd like some," she said kindly as if we were merely polite roommates.I paused, caught off guard by the way she behaved after our fight just last night. Agatha's composure gave no hints, and I fought to get straight."Uh, sure thanks," I managed, moving slowly to the counter piled high with flaky golden cakes. My hunger defeated nervousness as I snagged one and took a bite. Still warm, and delicious.Agatha smiled smugly over her coffee cup at my obvious pleasure. "I had them brought from the best bakery in the city. Only the best, of cour
Keeping distance proved impossible in the sleek apartment. Dominic remained a constant energetic presence over the next few days, telling me colorful stories whenever we crossed paths, despite my obvious lack of interestI would give nice smiles while walking away as soon as possible. Yet Dominic seemed totally unfazed by my reserved attitude, only calling for me to join next time. Agatha watched these conversations with subtle enjoyment that set me on edge.At night I lay awake listening to their muffled words through the wall, unable to escape the sense I was the butt of some unspoken joke between the two. Dominic's deep booming laugh particularly irritated me.On the third night, my patience ran out. I sat on the couch trying to distract myself with a school book, even though the words blurred without meaning.Heavy footsteps announced Dominic's approach before his hulking body suddenly filled the space beside me. I flinched involuntarily at the closeness. He gave no sign of notici
The next evening I sat pretending to watch TV, muscles wound tight as a spring. Dominic had gone out to some dinner commitment blessedly solo, leaving me momentarily unbothered.Agatha got into the living room and casually muted the noise before resting on the sofa's armrest. I braced for her latest plan, but she simply studied me in silence instead, absently twirling a lock of my hair.After an endless tense moment, she spoke up calmly. "You know, jealousy really doesn't suit you." I raised my head. "What? I'm not jealous," I remarked unconvincingly. My ears burned under her stare.Agatha just smiled. "Please, I see the way you look miserable lately. Afraid you're no longer the center of my attention?" She asked the question lightly, but her eyes were piercing.I chose my answer carefully. "I just don't care for whatever weird game you two are playing with me, that's all." She tilted her head. "Game? I promise you, Dominic and I are very in love. Isn't it only normal to show affect
The rhythmic thump of the punching bag soothed my frantic mind. Sweat stung my eyes, a welcome distraction from the constant performance that was my life. Focused silence calmed my constant anxiety. Straightforward punches and kicks were a comfort - no tricks, just sweat and discipline. For a few hours, I forgot the daily charade.But pretending around Egon returned quickly. "Hey Paul," he'd call out casually, breaking my normalcy.Paul. Each time he said it, my nerves throbbed. Patience vanished, though I knew Egon didn't get it. I wanted to scream - I wasn't Paul, never would be. Just an unknown imposter trapped in this torture."Where's the fire, huh? You've been going at it like you're about to fight Tyson himself." Egon chuckled, oblivious to the storm brewing inside me."Just blowing off some steam," I mumbled, trying to maintain the facade. But the pressure was building. every forced interaction felt like another brick added to the wall of lies that threatened to crush me."Tha
When Agatha finally paused for breath, I looked up. "I won't do it anymore," I stated bluntly, the words surprising me with their calm finality.Agatha blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Won't do what, darling?" I met her gaze with new steadiness. "Pretend to be Paul. Lie to Dominic, to everyone. I'm done." The decision filled me with courage. For the first time in ages, I felt free.Agatha stared, then burst into laughter. "Done? You foolish boy, as if you have any say in the matter." Her voice hardened. "You will do exactly as I tell you."I shook my head calmly. "No. Find someone else for your schemes. I'm leaving." I spoke simply, but certainty resonated through me. Agatha's eyes narrowed sharply. "Let's make one thing clear - you have no say in this arrangement.” she said, “Your only role is to obey." I shook my head, weariness giving way to anger. "No, I'm done with your stupid games. Find some other lackey."Agatha stepped closer. "You ignorant fool. Do you really think
I stared up at the ceiling, How long had it been now since that fateful Christmas dinner where this whole charade began? Four months? Five? The days and weeks had blurred together into a hazy torrent of deception and performance. Back then, posing as the unconscious Paul for a single evening had seemed like an adventure - a crazy but harmless way to earn some quick cash. Just one night of playacting among strangers, and then back to sweet normalcy. I never imagined how catastrophically wrong things could go. How that single impulsive decision would warp my life into a waking nightmare.Now here I was, trapped indefinitely in the role of an entitled aristocrat halfway across the world. Forced every moment to speak, walk, and think as Paul Auclair. My own identity buried so deep even I struggled to find it in the rare quiet moments like this. I wondered sometimes how the real Paul was faring lost in the darkness of his own mind. Did some part of him sense my clumsy attempts to imper
The shrill beeping of my watch alarm jolted me awake. I fumbled to silence it, squinting at the early morning light filtering through the dingy curtains. With a sigh, I hauled myself up and shuffled to the bathroom down the hall. The frigid water shocked me into full wakefulness as I splashed my face. Scrubbing the sleep from my eyes, I stared back at my reflection in the spotted mirror. Stringy blond hair fell across a bony face dominated by thick eyebrows and owlish glasses. I looked like a scarecrow brought to life. After changing into my uniform - a secondhand blazer and slacks whose faded gray hue mirrored my own nondescript presence - I headed downstairs to the bustling dining hall. Students filled the tables, boisterous and lively in crisp uniforms as they devoured plates of eggs and toast. The savory scents made my stomach rumble. I joined the line for lukewarm oatmeal, keeping my eyes downcast. Their chatter and laughter enveloped me, yet I may as well have been a ghost d