The Double or more Life of the Fake Heiress (Mirabella)

From the moment Zach caught sight of his sister's long silver needle, he had this sneaking suspicion that he'd end up on the sharp end of it sooner or later.

And sure enough, just a few days later, that feeling was edging closer to reality!

Mirabella threw him a casual glance and said, “So, what's it gonna be? A little acupuncture from me, or do I let Mom and Dad know you're in a bit of a pickle?"

Zach was left speechless, his face a mix of question marks.

Mirabella, unfazed by his stunned look, yawned and wrapped up the convo on her own terms. "Alright then, tomorrow it is. I'm off anyway. Night, Zach."

Zach was left gaping, thinking, "How am I supposed to sleep now?"

Nightmares, here we come!

The next morning, Zach shuffled downstairs sporting some serious panda eyes, moving silently as he scoped out the empty living room before letting out a big sigh of relief.

He felt like he was sneaking around in his own house.

Just as he poured himself a glass of warm water, the door to the small room on the first floor creaked open, and out came Mirabella.

His hand shook, almost spilling the water.

Mirabella, noticing his rigid stance, called out, "Zach?" with a hint of curiosity.

She'd been up since dawn tinkering with her herbal concoctions, and the faintest whiff of herbs still clung to her.

Zach cleared his throat, trying to play it cool as he sipped his water. "Were you making medicine again?"

"Yep." Mirabella nodded, grabbing a carton of milk from the kitchen. "Breakfast is in the warming drawer," she added before heading back to her room.

With a day off, she planned to finish the batch for the Pharmacists' Guild.noveldrama

Just as she reached her door, Mirabella turned back. "Oh, Zach, I'll be done in about an hour. Then we'll do the acupuncture."

Zach, who thought he might have dodged the bullet, was left speechless.

He was about to voice his protests when Mirabella had already disappeared into her room, the door closing softly behind her.

Feeling utterly defeated, Zach trudged into the kitchen.

An hour later, Zach found himself reluctantly propped up in bed, watching as Mirabella sterilized the long silver needle. Dread filled him, making his skin crawl. "Sis, do we really need all this ceremony?"

Without looking up, Mirabella continued her work. "Do you have any idea how much I charge for this kind of treatment?"

Zach, seizing the opportunity, asked, "How much?" hoping to pay his way out of it.

Mirabella gave him a sidelong glance. "Lie down."

Zach sighed. Money wasn't going to save him this time.

Resigned, he peeled off his shirt and lay down like a dead fish, his eyes fixed on

the ceiling. "Does it hurt?" he asked, his voice small.

Mirabella raised an eyebrow. "It's manageable."

"Just be gentle, okay?" he mumbled. "You know I'm a wimp."

Mirabella sighed, shaking her head slightly.

She hadn't even started, yet she was already second-guessing herself. But he was her brother, after all.

With a gentle touch, she picked up the silver needle and numbed his senses before beginning the session.

After the initial prick, Zach found it surprisingly painless, though he felt each needle's entry with surprising clarity. Curiosity getting the better of him, he asked, "Did you put anesthetic on the tips?"

Mirabella paused, casting him a sideways look before finishing her work. Finally, she said, "Sometimes, a little pain helps keep us grounded."