chapter 45

Justin sat on the plush couch in his hotel suite, his phone in hand. He had been waiting for the right moment to slip away, to finally meet his mysterious friend. But his father, Nicolo, wasn’t letting him out of sight.From the moment they landed in London, Nicolo had been unusually attentive—more than usual. He had taken Justin out for lunch, brought him back to the hotel, and even stayed in the suite with him instead of heading to his usual meetings.Justin sighed. There was no way he was going to be able to sneak out today.With a resigned expression, he unlocked his phone to message his friend.Justin: Hey, I don’t think I can make it today. My dad won’t leave me alone, and there’s this big event in the evening too.But just as he was about to hit send, a notification popped up.Mysterious Friend: Hey, something came up on my side too. Can’t make it today. Let’s meet the day after tomorrow instead?Justin blinked in surprise. Something came up for them too? He tilted his head, a small smirk forming on his lips.Justin: Oh? What’s so important?Justin waited for a reply, tapping his fingers on the armrest of the couch. His mysterious friend always replied quickly. Today was no different.Mysterious Friend: Let’s just say things got a little complicated. But don’t worry, I’ll explain when we meet.Justin squinted at the message, curiosity buzzing in his chest. Complicated? That was unusual. His friend rarely hid things from him.Justin: Sounds mysterious. Alright, the day after tomorrow it is. Same place?Mysterious Friend: Of course. Can’t wait. (Love emoji)Justin smiled to himself. This friend of his… something about them felt familiar, even though they had never met.Just then, Nicolo’s voice broke through his thoughts."Justin, let’s go. We need to get ready soon."Justin locked his phone, standing up. For now, he’d focus on the evening. But the day after tomorrow… that was going to be interesting.***Alex hopped beside Amaira as she walked through the luxurious shopping district of London, her eyes scanning for something special. But her little troublemaker had other plans."Mom, why can’t I go out alone? I’m not a baby!" Alex pouted, tugging at her hand.Amaira gave him a sharp look. "Because I don’t trust you, young man. You ran off to London without telling me, and now you expect me to let you roam free? Forget it.""But Mom!" Alex groaned dramatically, stomping his foot."Tomorrow is my birthday, and you’re being too serious! Where’s my fun-loving mom who always says birthdays should be the best day of the year?"Amaira sighed, softening a little. "That’s exactly why I’m keeping an eye on you. I want to make tomorrow special, but that won’t happen if you go missing again."Alex grinned mischievously. "So you admit you’re planning something special? What is it? A surprise party? A giant cake? A trip to—""No spoilers." Amaira flicked his forehead playfully.Alex groaned but couldn’t hide his excitement. His mother’s surprises were always the best.As they entered a high-end boutique, Amaira turned to him. "Alright, since you’re being so impatient, why don’t you help me pick an outfit for tomorrow?"Alex gasped dramatically. "You mean I get to choose what you wear to my birthday?!""Within limits," she warned."Then let’s get you the most dazzling outfit, Mom! You should be the prettiest woman there!"Amaira chuckled, watching her son dash toward the racks with determination. "You’re impossible."But deep down, she felt warmth spread in her chest. No matter what happened, she would make sure Alex had the best birthday ever.***The evening had settled over London, casting a warm glow over the city skyline. Alex lay on his bed, kicking his legs in the air, his tablet in his hands. His mother had finally let him have some time to himself after a long day of birthday preparations.He opened his messaging app and tapped on the familiar chat window of his mysterious friend. Their meeting had been postponed, but that didn’t mean he would forget something important.Alex: Hey, just wanted to wish you an early Happy Birthday!A response came almost instantly.Mysterious Friend: Haha, same to you! Just one more day to go.Alex smirked.Alex: Crazy how we share the same birthday, right?Mysterious Friend: Yeah. It’s like fate wanted us to be friends.Alex chuckled.Alex: I just hope fate doesn’t mess up our plan to meet. Next to next day it is!Mysterious Friend: Yup, as promised. No backing out.Alex smiled, feeling strangely excited. He had never met his mysterious friend in person, but something about this meeting felt… special. He didn’t know why, but it was as if something big was about to happen.Unaware of the truth that lay ahead, Alex shut his tablet and rolled onto his side, drifting off to sleep, completely unaware that the person he had been talking to all these years was none other than Justin—the twin brother he had never met.