Drugged Before the Wedding, I Chose His Twin

The night before my wedding, my drink was spiked with an aphrodisiac. In my past life, I pinpointed my fiancé, Cassius, in the crowded room. We spent a passionate night together, and the wedding went off without a hitch the next day. I thought I had chosen happiness. That was until his assistant, Valerie, died in a yacht explosion. He went insane, pushed me off a cliff, and roared, "Valerie and I had a pact! I was supposed to leave the day before the wedding to travel the world with her! If you hadn't clung to me all night, I wouldn't have missed it, and she wouldn't be dead!" When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the night I was drugged. This time, I threw myself into the arms of Cassius's twin brother, Saul. I whimpered, "Baby, I feel so hot." Seeing the visible relief on Cassius's face, I sneered inwardly. He didn't know yet—the old Godfather had promised me that whoever became my husband would inherit the title of Godfather. In this life, I didn't want Cassius anymore. And he could kiss the Godfather title goodbye, too. Chapter 1 Cassius was just two steps away. Seeing this, his eyes widened in shock. He instinctively stepped forward to pull me away. "Caitlin! Look closely at who you're hugging!" "Saul!" A flash of wild joy crossed Valerie's eyes as she grabbed Cassius's arm tightly. She lowered her voice, sounding desperate and eager. "Since Caitlin got the wrong guy, isn't this perfect? You can keep our promise with no guilt. Three months traveling the world—you promised me!" Cassius stopped dead in his tracks. He stared hard at me. I was leaning intimately against Saul's chest, my hands shamelessly tugging at his shirt. Cassius's jaw clenched. His eyes were full of struggle and jealousy. It was pure male possessiveness. "But..." he gritted his teeth. "No buts!" Valerie pressed against his arm, coaxing him softly. "Did you forget? The Santoro family has strict rules. No sex before marriage. Saul has always been the ultimate rule-follower. He won't touch Caitlin. They won't actually do anything." Hearing this, Cassius's tense shoulders finally relaxed. He looked at Saul and forced a smile. "'Cassius', since Caitlin isn't feeling well, take her back to her room for a cold shower. Don't be late for the wedding tomorrow." Saul didn't say a word, but his arms tightened around me. Leaning against Saul, I took it all in and laughed coldly in my head. In my past life, when I threw myself at Cassius, Valerie ran off crying. I only found out later that Cassius had already planned to elope with Valerie to a private island for three months, making up for the fact that they couldn't be together. He even arranged for Saul to pretend to be him at the wedding! But in my past life, I kept him in bed all night, ruining their plans. This time, I decided to play matchmaker for the star-crossed lovers. But he could forget about ever touching the Santoro family's Godfather title! I dragged Saul into the bedroom, stumbling. The moment the door clicked shut, Saul took a restrained half-step back. He took a deep breath, his voice hoarse but desperately trying to stay rational. "Caitlin, I'll go draw you a cold bath." He turned toward the bathroom, his back tense as a drawn bow. I wasn't about to suffer. I took a few steps forward and hugged him from behind, slipping my hands right into his unbuttoned shirt to feel his burning abs. "I don't want a cold bath. I want you." Saul shuddered and spun around, pinning my wrists. "Caitlin, do you know who I am?" Just as I was about to say I knew exactly who he was, he crushed his lips against mine, as if terrified of the answer. "You asked for this." I kissed him back with everything I had. Saul's control snapped. He took over, pressing me hard against the door. We spent the whole night tangled in the sheets. I only whispered one rule in his ear: "Don't leave marks where anyone can see them tomorrow." After all, the Santoro family had rules. Better not to be too blatant. The next day at the cathedral, representatives from every major Chicago mafia family were present. The wedding was about to start. Saul stood beside me in a groom's tux. Except for me, everyone thought he was Cassius. The real Cassius stood at the very back of the crowd, wearing sunglasses, with Valerie. He was about to take her to the docks. Watching me walk down the aisle in my wedding dress, Cassius's eyes scanned my neck and collarbone like radar. Flawless. Not a single hickey. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cassius let out a long breath. A smug smirk even crept onto his lips. He thought he had everything under perfect control. In the crowd, a calculating look flashed across Valerie's face. She suddenly raised her glass and yelled toward the altar, "What a sacred moment! Shouldn't the bride and groom share a kiss?" The crowd instantly started cheering. Cassius's face dropped. He could handle his brother standing in for the ceremony, but he absolutely couldn't stand watching his woman kiss another man in public! He grabbed Valerie and yanked her back, growling at the people around them. "Shut up! They don't like PDA!" He thought that would stop the show. But I wasn't going to let him have his way. I looked up at Saul standing in front of me, seeing the heavy restraint and deep love swirling in his eyes. I smiled, grabbed Saul's bowtie, and pulled him down hard. Amidst the gasps of all the guests, I got on my tiptoes and kissed him deeply. It wasn't for show. I parted his lips and gave him a thoroughly passionate kiss. A loud crash echoed from the back of the room. Cassius had flipped over a champagne tower. Completely losing his mind, he charged toward the altar like a rabid animal. "Are you crazy?!" Cassius's eyes were bloodshot. He grabbed my arm and violently tore me away from Saul. He pointed a finger right in Saul's face and roared at me, "What the hell are you doing?! How dare you kiss him in front of all these people!" The room went dead silent. Every guest stared at him in pure shock. My wrist ached from his grip, but I didn't panic at all. I rubbed my wrist, looked up, and gave Cassius an innocent, mocking look. "'Saul', what's wrong with you?" I smirked coldly. "Is it a crime to kiss my own husband?" Chapter 2 Saul stepped in front of me, shielding me. "Cassius, watch yourself." He wiped a smudge of my lipstick from his mouth, as if savoring it. "She is your future Boss. You will show her respect." Cassius saw red. He instinctively reached for the gun at his lower back. "You better get it straight..." Before he could finish, Valerie rushed up and cut him off. "Enough!" She leaned into Cassius's ear and hissed, "Cassius, are you insane? Dozens of mafia bosses are watching you. Do you want to destroy the Santoro family?" Cassius looked down from the altar. Dozens of pairs of eyes were locked onto him. The old men who ran the Chicago underworld had paused with their cigars and drinks mid-air. He finally realized how reckless he was being. If these old men knew that the heir to the Santoro empire was making a scene at his own wedding, the family's reputation would be ruined. Seeing Cassius cool down, Valerie quickly covered for him. "'Saul' is just overly emotional. He's so happy his brother is getting married, and he had a bit too much to drink." "Please, everyone, carry on. Mind the interruption." Cassius's underboss chimed in to lighten the mood. "Looks like the Santoro brothers really love each other! Come on, music, let's go!" Before stepping off the altar, Cassius glared at Saul with pure venom. "You're dead." Saul wore a faint smile, but his eyes were ice cold. Fake joy filled the wedding hall once more. But the VIP lounge was a different story. Cassius smashed a bottle of whiskey right at Saul's feet. Flying glass cut Saul's cheek. "Saul! I told you to stand in for the ceremony, not to actually touch her!" "Caitlin doesn't know the truth, but don't you?!" "Why didn't you push her away when she kissed you? You were enjoying it!" Saul raised a hand and casually wiped the blood from his cheek. "Push her away? And let the entire Chicago outfit laugh at our family tomorrow?" "Or maybe let everyone think the Santoro heir openly resents his new wife at the altar?" Seeing the mockery in Saul's eyes, Cassius lunged forward and grabbed his collar, his voice dripping with suppressed rage. "Don't think I don't know what you're up to!" "I wondered why you agreed to help me. You never gave up on Caitlin, did you?!" "Don't think you can swoop in and steal her!" He slowly let go, his gaze turning freezing cold. "I've arranged a territory inspection for you in Colombia. Three months. Your flight is tonight." "In three months, I'll be back, and everything goes back to normal." "I am the Godfather of the Santoro family, and I am the only one marrying Caitlin." I heard every word through the door. But Cassius had one thing wrong. Whoever I married would be the next Godfather. Back then, the old Don asked me to choose one of his sons to be my fiancé. The three of us grew up together, and I knew they both had feelings for me. I finally chose Cassius because of an incident. When I was sixteen, I got caught in a gang shootout. Just as a bullet was about to take my head off, Cassius appeared and took the bullet for me. Right then, I decided I would marry the man willing to die for me. When I got out of the hospital, I told the old Don my choice was Cassius. That day was our engagement, and the day the Santoro family named him the primary heir. But I already repaid him for saving my life—with my own life in the last timeline. In this life, we are even. Chapter 3 Hearing footsteps nearing the door, I quickly walked away and dialed a number on my phone. "Set it up. I need to see the old Don alone." That night, Saul didn't get on the plane to Colombia like Cassius ordered. He came straight to our bridal suite. When he walked in, I was lounging on the sofa by the minibar, swirling bourbon in my glass. I wasn't surprised to see him. After that night, I already knew Saul wasn't the ambitionless man I thought he was. The raw hunger in his kiss told me exactly how he felt about me. I stood up, poured a bourbon on the rocks, and handed it to him. "Drink?" Saul took the glass, his heated gaze locked on the wet liquor on my lips. "That's not what I want to taste..." His Adam's apple bobbed, his voice rough. "Caitlin." As his shadow fell over me, he cupped my face and kissed me. For a second, it felt like the drug from the other night was still in my system. I didn't push him away. I got on my tiptoes and kissed him back. Encouraged, Saul grew bolder. From the bar to the bedroom, from the sofa to the bed. Right before the final step, he suddenly stopped. "Caitlin, do you know who I am?" He brushed my sweaty cheek, his eyes a messy mix of intense desire and desperate restraint. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulled myself up, and whispered in his ear. This time, I gave him no room to run. "Saul." Before I could even finish, he pushed me down. We hit the peak together. The room only went quiet when the first light of dawn crept over the horizon. The next morning, I was woken up by Saul's ringing phone. "My guys in Colombia said you never got on the plane yesterday." "Saul! Where the hell are you?!" Cassius's roar echoed through the speaker. Saul rubbed his temples and replied lazily, "It's my wedding night. Where do you think I am?" His voice was husky from the night before. Instantly, Cassius's voice spiked. "Saul! This isn't funny! Get your ass out of there!" "I'm on a yacht heading to the private island. I'm about to lose signal." Woken up by the noise, I groaned, "So loud." Dead silence on the other end. Then, a slight tremble. "Is that Caitlin?" "She's with you? You slept with her?!" Before Saul could answer, the call dropped. Probably hit a dead zone on the water. Well, I was wide awake now. I felt a burning stare from above. Remembering the madness of last night, my face flushed hot. Saul suddenly asked, "Caitlin, you knew it was me from the start, didn't you?" I nodded. "I've never mixed you two up since we were kids." Even though they had the exact same face, one glance was all I ever needed to tell who was who. "Then why did you pick me that night?" Seeing the hidden hope in his eyes, I told him the truth. "Because the man I chose is you." Saul froze for a second, then let out a soft laugh. "So Cassius thinks he's so smart, thinking he fooled you... when he's the one getting played." I playfully traced his jawline. "Aren't you getting played by me too?" He chuckled softly, looking at me with nothing but devotion. "I'm a willing participant." I thought I wouldn't see Cassius for three months. But by noon, Cassius—who was supposed to be on an island—suddenly barged into the bridal suite. He grabbed Saul's shoulder and hauled him toward the bathroom. "Saul, switch clothes with me right now. I need my identity back!" Chapter 4 Right then, Valerie rushed in, pushing past the guards. Ignoring me entirely, she banged on the bathroom door. "Cassius, you promised me three things. One of them was to travel the world with me on a cruise! I compromised. I said going to the island was enough. You can't break your promise!" Her voice caught on a sob. "Exactly a year ago today, you promised me. Just indulge me one last time." A year ago today, I was hospitalized after being kidnapped by a rival cartel. Cassius claimed he was out hunting the rat in our family and couldn't be there for me. In reality, he was at the movies with Valerie. The bathroom door clicked open. Cassius walked out. Seeing the tears in Valerie's eyes, he looked heartbroken and pulled her into his arms. Valerie leaned against his chest, her shoulders trembling. "I knew you couldn't just leave me." "Don't cry. I'll go with you." Saul shot them a cold look and walked over to me. "Caitlin." Cassius finally noticed I was sitting on the couch, quietly watching them. Conflict flashed in his eyes before he spoke. "Since we're all here, why don't the four of us go on a trip together?" "'Cassius', she's your assistant, right? You shouldn't mind." He gave Saul a threatening look. Saul ignored him completely and looked down at me. "What do you think, sweetheart?" I stood up, linked my arm through Saul's, and shook my head. "No thanks. We're going to City Hall to sign the marriage papers this afternoon." In my past life, Cassius made every excuse to delay signing the papers. But Saul was different. He practically begged me to lock it down on paper. Cassius's eyes blew wide open. "You're going to get the marriage license?!" His face turned ugly, but he masked it a second later, forcing a smirk. "Well, if you have to go, we won't hold you up." Before he left, he shoved his personal signet stamp into Saul's pocket. Making sure I couldn't hear, he whispered to Saul, "I know you're just putting on a show to piss me off." "I swear I haven't betrayed Caitlin. I just have to give Valerie what I promised her." "I promise you, tomorrow we switch back. I will make it up to Caitlin." "Sign the papers for me, and I'll forget all your little stunts." Once they were gone. Saul pulled Cassius's signet stamp out of his pocket and tossed it straight into the roaring fireplace. Watching the flames eat it, I knew exactly what was happening. Cassius thought Saul was just playing a role. So smart, yet so stupid. He had no idea that his ex-fiancée and his entire mafia empire were no longer his. At the registry, Saul and I moved fast. Signed the papers, pressed our fingerprints. The clerk handed us two gold-embossed booklets. The names printed inside were Caitlin and Saul. Right on cue, a text from Cassius popped up on Saul's phone. "Saul, did you finish the paperwork for me and Caitlin?" "Send me a picture right now." "Since you helped me out, once I take over as Don, I'll give you half the East River docks." Holding his very real marriage license, Saul looked incredibly relaxed and smug. He snapped two photos of the certificate and hit send. He raised an eyebrow at me. "I wonder what face Cassius will make when he sees this." "Too late for regrets now. You're mine." I didn't know whether to laugh or shake my head. It was the first time I'd seen Saul act so childish. A second later, Cassius called.