Begone, Imposter

My husband and his twin brother get into an accident during a test drive. To protect his older brother, my husband is thrown from the car and dies on the spot. Hearing the news of his death, I, four months pregnant, collapse in tears outside the hospital morgue. When I come to, I overhear my sister-in-law, Gloria Quinn’s voice outside the door. "Mason, are you sure Celine won't find out about this?" Mason? Isn't that my husband, who died in the crash? A familiar male voice replies, "Gloria, you're the one I truly love. If I hadn't mistaken Celine for you that drunken night, I'd never have let you end up with Jason. Celine loves me so much and is carrying my child. "If I take on Jason's identity and look after her, I swear she'll never leave me. Then, all her family's money will be ours." I smirk coldly as I listen to their conversation. He cheats on me, yet expects me to keep his child? Since he's already "dead", he's lost everything. Chapter 1 Jason and Mason McMahon were a pair of twins. Not only were they hard to tell apart by appearance, but even their voices were almost identical. The brothers were both automotive review bloggers. Leveraging their twin gimmick along with their professional vehicle evaluation skills, they managed to gather a considerable following. They often conducted vehicle tests in closed environments, and until now, there had never been an accident. No one had expected that during this latest test, a mishandling would land them into a catastrophic vehicle rollover. In the chaos, my husband, in an attempt to protect his brother, was thrown from the car by the intense centrifugal force and died instantly. At that time, I was already four months pregnant. Upon hearing the news of my husband's death, it felt like my world had come to an end. Supported by my mother-in-law and sister-in-law, I forced myself to the hospital. But the moment I saw my husband's mangled, broken body in the morgue, I could no longer suppress the grief inside me. I broke down and cried my heart out until I passed out right there at the entrance. When I regained consciousness, I found myself lying in a hospital ward. Tears slid from the corners of my eyes. Swallowing the overwhelming sadness, I decided to personally take care of my husband's funeral arrangements. However, just as I reached to open the door, my hand froze halfway. From outside, I heard my sister-in-law, Gloria Quinn's voice. "Mason, what you're doing is way too risky. What if Celine finds out?" The moment I heard that name, my heart skipped a beat. I couldn't help but recall the scene of that wrecked corpse in the morgue. My body instantly broke into goosebumps, and a shiver ran down my spine. Mason? Wasn't that the name of my husband, who had just died in the accident? The next second, a familiar voice rang out. "Gloria, I really can't help myself. I can't stand watching you and my brother being all lovey-dovey, sharing a bed. I'm the one who loves you most. You should've married me, not him! "If it weren't for that night when I got drunk, I wouldn't have mistaken Celine for you and ended up sleeping with her. I wouldn't have let my brother swoop in and make you his wife. "Don't worry. Celine loves me more than life itself. Plus, she's now pregnant with my child. Even if it's just to secure my lineage, she would willingly stay in this family. "Later, I'll get closer to her using my brother's name and take good care of her. I'll make sure that the poor widow with a child won't be able to live without me. "You've always been afraid of the pain of childbirth, right? Well, now we can use her to give us a child instead. And later on… All her family's money will be ours too." Chapter 2 Gloria's voice was dripping with jealousy. "Hmph! You're such a pervert! You actually plan to keep both a wife and a mistress too?" "Even if that's the case, you're going to be the wife. As for Celine, she's nothing. Even calling her a mistress is giving her too much credit." On the other side of the door, faint sounds began to surface. It was like the gentle rustle of feathers, followed by some faint smooching sounds over and over again. The man's breathing grew labored. "Gloria… Oh… Gloria, you are so sweet." "Stop it! Someone might see us!" "So what if they do? Technically, I'm the one who died. Now, I'm Jason, and kissing my own wife is perfectly natural!" I felt my cheeks burn up immediately as the anger inside me roared to life. Jason's corpse was still lying there in the morgue, yet here they were—his own twin brother and his so-called wife—shamelessly kissing right outside my ward. Jason's body hadn't even been laid to rest yet, and this vile couple was already doing this. Listening to the disgusting exchange of wet kisses beyond the door, I was tempted to expose them that very instant and divorce that bastard Mason on the spot. But as my hand touched the doorknob, I froze. Instead, a cold, sneering smile tugged at my lips. No, I couldn't let these scumbags off so easily. Wanted to keep a wife and a mistress? Fine. If he was that desperate to be his brother, then I'd just treat him as if he were truly dead. From now on, Mason's life would have nothing to do with him! … Three days later, the funeral was held for Jason, now officially recognized as Mason—my "late" husband. At the funeral home, I cried my heart out, clutching Jason's urn and refusing to let go. I wept so hard that I almost passed out several times. I was devastated, but not for Mason. I was mourning for Jason and myself. I couldn't imagine what Jason would think of this in the afterlife if he saw his wife and twin brother doing this to him. The mourners watching me cry like this were full of sighs and pity. Some, who were more emotionally sensitive, couldn't help but tear up at the sight. As Mason's "widow", I forced myself to remain strong, dragging my pregnant body to host the entire funeral. I personally watched as the ashes were buried, then took Mason's cremation certificate and death certificate to the police station to complete the deregistration of his records. After all this, utterly exhausted, I finally returned to the villa. Pushing open the door to my room, I was greeted by the sight of Mason—who still posed as Jason—wearing a bathrobe. He stood in front of the bathroom mirror, shaving. Our family owned one of the top car manufacturing businesses in the country. That was how I first met the McMahon brothers. Through that connection, I fell helplessly in love with Mason and eventually married him. After our wedding, my father bought us this villa. Since the brothers often stayed up late editing videos, and the villa had more than enough room, I had invited Jason, Gloria, and my mother-in-law—Margaret Larkin—to move in with us. Seeing me enter, Mason only gave me a brief glance before returning to shaving. "Back already?" I rushed over and grabbed the razor from his hand. "Don't touch my husband's things!" He jumped, startled, only then remembering that now, he was supposed to be Jason McMahon. "Celine, what are you doing? You scared me!" Looking at the razor in my hand, I quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, Jason. Mason just passed away. I guess.. I'm still a little sensitive." Chapter 3 "I'm sorry. Mason never liked anyone touching his things. I just got too emotional just now," I explained. After speaking, I looked at him suspiciously. "Jason, shouldn't you be in your own room? Why are you using Mason's razor here?" "Huh? Oh! My razor broke. I figured you guys would have one, so I came over to grab Mason's razor. I didn't expect you to react so strongly." He looked me in the eye and continued, "Celine, I never realized… you loved Mason that much." Staring at the man's familiar face just inches from mine, my tears instantly welled up and streamed down my cheeks. "I still can't believe he's really gone," I choked out. Mason's gaze softened. He pulled out a tissue and gently wiped my tears. "Don't be too sad. We'll be here for you." Just as he finished speaking, a furious shout rang out from behind us. "What are you two doing?" Startled, I turned around, only to be met squarely with a hard slap across my face. Gloria, my sister-in-law, glared at me with eyes wide in fury. "You shameless woman! How dare you seduce my husband!" … In the living room, I sat stiffly on the sofa, holding an ice pack against my face. My tears flowed freely, dripping onto the floor. Gloria stood with arms crossed, her face full of hostility and vigilance as she pointed at me and ranted. "Celine, have you no shame? Jason is your brother-in-law, not your husband! You're not an animal! How can you make advances on your brother-in-law like that? Isn't that disrespecting your late husband?" Mason grabbed her arm. His gaze was hostile, but he kept his emotions in check. "Gloria, it's not what you think. It's just a misunderstanding." "Misunderstanding? What exactly am I misunderstanding? You two were standing so close, your faces practically touching! What's there to misunderstand?" "I only wiped her tears because she was crying. There's really nothing going on between us. And besides, Celine wouldn't do something like that. You're reading too much into it." Gloria shot me a vicious glare. "Hmph! Her husband's just been cremated, and yet you think she needs you to rush over and comfort her? Running after her just to wipe her tears?" "Gloria, you should watch your words," I said as I wiped away my own tears. I wasn't about to put up with her insults. "I was in my own room. It wasn't like I ran into you and Jason's room to flirt. Why are you so worked up? And furthermore, Jason entered my room without permission, used Mason's things without asking, and paraded around in just a bathrobe. "If anyone's at fault, it's him, not me. So, what gives you the right to accuse me of seducing him? You failed to control your own man, letting him wander wherever he wants, and now you're blaming me instead of yourself? Is it because you think I'm a pushover?" "Also, Mason just passed away. Ask yourself—if your husband had just died, would you even have the heart to get romantically involved with another man so soon? Would you really disgrace your late husband like that?" At my words, Gloria's face turned crimson with anger, and she roared, "Celine, what are you implying?" "I'm not implying anything. I just want you to try putting yourself in my shoes." I pointed at Mason, who stood awkwardly next to her. "If Jason had just died a few days ago, would you barge into my room to seduce your brother-in-law? "Mason is gone, and I'm overwhelmed with grief and sorrow. How desperate would I have to be to throw myself at his brother?" The two of them were so thoroughly shamed by my words that their faces turned crimson. They were so embarrassed that they looked like they might start digging a hole in the floor just to escape the awkwardness. Chapter 4 "Besides, I'm still pregnant right now. You say you're afraid of pain and don't want to have kids, and that's your choice. "However, the baby inside me is Mason's child, the only bloodline left of the McMahon family. Just because you don't want kids yourself doesn't mean you can stop others from having kids. "If you'd lost control of your strength and something happened to this baby, you'll have to answer to Margaret. If that happened, how could I ever face Mason in the afterlife? Is that what you want? To end the McMahon lineage?" Hearing this, Mason finally showed a hint of guilt. He nudged Gloria with his elbow and shot her a look, signaling something to her. "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and apologize to Celine!" … That night, I made up an excuse about going for a prenatal massage and left without even eating dinner. The very moment I stepped out of the door, the three of them immediately huddled together inside the villa. In the living room, Margaret raised her hand and slapped "Jason" hard across the face. Even though I was watching through the villa's security cameras, the sharp sound of the slap still pierced through the phone speakers. It was enough to make my teeth ache, causing me to instinctively cover my cheek. Margaret's face was full of fury. "How did I give birth to such a good-for-nothing like you? Who told you to impersonate your brother? You even abandoned your wife and went to mess around with your sister-in-law! "If word gets out, people will gossip about us so badly we won't be able to lift our heads ever again!" She then turned to glare at Gloria. "And you! What's wrong with you? Are you that desperate for a man? Will it kill you to just stay single for a while? Jason's barely been dead for a few days, and you're already fooling around with Mason? "What do you think our family is? Have you no shame?" Gloria pouted miserably, tears streaming down her face. "Mom, I…" Before she could say anything, Mason quickly stepped forward and shielded her behind him. "Mom, it was my decision. If you're going to blame someone, blame me. Gloria's innocent. I was the one who wanted to marry her first. "If it hadn't been for Jason, Gloria and I would never have been separated for so many years. And now that Jason's gone, there's no one left to take care of Gloria. "That's why I thought of this plan. What's done is done. All of Mason's legal paperwork has been finalized. From now on, I can only be Jason McMahon. It's impossible for me to reclaim my old identity now, even if I wanted to." "But what about Celine? She's pregnant! Are you planning to force her into widowhood?" Margaret asked. Mason smiled smugly. "Don't worry, Mom. I've already figured everything out. With how much she loves me, she'll definitely keep the baby. "Then, when she's vulnerable and in need of care, I'll stay close, treat her well, and make sure she falls for me all over again. "Once she gives birth, I'll find a reason to have Gloria raise the child. With a baby tying her down, and her feelings for me rekindled, she'll have no choice but to stay. "And with her family's massive fortune, as long as she stays with us, sooner or later, all that money will fall into our laps." Margaret looked at him in utter shock. "You're planning to keep two wives? Bigamy is illegal!" "Mom, it's not like we're legally marrying her. Gloria, you're the only legal wife for me. At most, Celine would just be an invisible mistress, hidden away from the world." Gloria scoffed with disdain. "Don't fool yourself into thinking she's a saint. Those rich people are all rotten to the core." Mason eagerly chimed in. "Exactly! Celine is quite a flirt herself. Before marrying me, she already had several boyfriends, and even caught an STI. If she hadn't gotten me drunk that night, there's no way I would've married her!" Chapter 5 "There's no need to worry. As long as I keep her under control during this time, I'll have her wrapped around my finger eventually." Margaret let out a sigh. "Ah! With how things are now, we have no choice but to go along with it." Sitting in the car, I listened to this family's disgusting conversation. I was so furious I almost wanted to abort the child right there and then. Mason, that bastard! On one hand, he was saying I loved him so deeply that I couldn't live without him. On the other hand, he was slandering me to no end, calling me a promiscuous woman, worse than a mistress or prostitute. It was so contradictory that it made no sense. And Gloria was no better. They were both equally vile. What a match made in heaven! Jason had just died, and she was already screwing around with Mason, yet she still dared to talk about loyalty and love. What a shameless woman. As for Margaret, she was no saint either. She was delighted that her son was getting all the benefits, yet she kept pretending she was forced into this. What a disgusting family! The trio really opened my eyes to just how disgusting some people could be! The next day, I used the excuse of "feeling too sad surrounded by familiar things" and said I wanted to move back to my parents' house for a while. They didn't suspect a thing and sent me off cheerfully. The very next day after returning to my parents' house, I scheduled an abortion. Why keep the child? Was I supposed to let this child be born fatherless? I didn't tell my parents about Mason faking his death. Otherwise, my father would've blown his fuse and ruined my entire plan. A month later, after recovering from the abortion, I returned to the villa. That evening at dinner, Mason eagerly served me dinner. Margaret was fussing over me too, being overly attentive, so much so that Gloria kept rolling her eyes. After dinner, Margaret pulled me onto the sofa and started the conversation. "Celine, now that Mason is gone and you're pregnant, you can't let this child be born without a father. Jason is a reliable man. Why not let him take care of you? "Once the baby is born, at least you'll have someone to rely on. Gloria is an understanding woman. I'm sure she won't mind for the sake of the child. And with the three of you raising the child together, you'll have more support. "Just settle down with Jason. The three of you living a good life—isn't that better than anything else?" Noticing my silence, Gloria grew impatient and snapped. "Celine, don't be such an ingrate! Just drop your holier-than-thou attitude! For the sake of your child, Jason and I even decided not to have our own. We're willing to help you raise yours. What more do you want? "I'm already sacrificing so much for Mason's sake! What's with your hesitation? Are you trying to imply something?" I looked at the three of them in front of me and felt at a loss for how to react. "Gloria, don't worry. I'm not going to steal your man." I turned to Margaret. "And Mom, are you seriously trying to arrange for a man to have two wives? Can you imagine the embarrassment we'll face?" Seeing my attitude, Mason couldn't hold it in anymore. "Then what's your plan?" "Jason, you don't need to worry about me. I've had the baby aborted. And since Mason is already gone, don't you think it's time for you all to move out too?"