CHAPTER 01

In a remote villa, the foxy maids in flimsy uniforms were wrapping a middle-aged man in bandages, making sure he didn’t experience the slightest discomfort. He had a sullen look on his face as he peered at the old butler who worked for his father. “I don’t want to do this.”

“This is your father’s wish,” the old butler said politely. He had little to no hair left on his head. His nose was full of dark spots because of old age. “I spent over a year looking for the right person, and I’ve only recently found him. We should make use of the fact that you’ve got into an accident, Young Master Adam.”

Adam sucked in a breath. “Leave us alone.”

The maids followed his order without question.

Only Adam and the old butler were left in the room. Adam began reading the report given to him. “You said he was a beggar, right?”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“What’s he doing begging with these credentials?”

“The world isn’t fair on everyone, Young Master,” the old butler spoke, almost in a pitiful tone. “His aunt conspired against his family and brought him to the road. And then his long-time lover broke up with him; it must have broken his heart.”

Adam squinted his eyes. “If he had a long-time lover, why does the report say he’s a virgin?”

“That’s because he is. His lover only used him for things like shopping and buying tickets for movies and concerts. He said they only kissed twice in their six-year relationship.”

“This is one stupid man,” Adam’s brows drew together. “You think a trash like him can fill my shoes?”

“About that…” a rare stretching of the old man’s lips across his teeth brought about an uncomfortable look on Adam’s face, “Why don’t you meet him yourself? He’s waiting in the hall.”

“What? He’s here?” Adam acted like he was surprised. “That saves time. I don’t need to waste my precious time thinking about rejecting him.”

The old butler said nothing in return. He was a man of few words. He went out and gestured to a maid with his fingers to bring the guest over.

In a couple of minutes, a broad-shouldered person timidly tore through the silence of the room as he entered with his slow and steady footsteps. Wearing smelly, torn clothes, and with a beard that reached all the way to his chest, and a large black bush on the head, he would really pass for a beggar in flying colors.

One of the maids standing at the door covered her mouth with her hand as he smelled really bad. This was so unpleasant of  a smell that it would need at least a dozen washes to get rid of.

Adam’s face contorted. How could filth like him step foot in the same room as him? It was already proving hard to digest, being in this beggar’s presence. (Just what did they find in this trash for them to pick him for such an important role?)

“Please sit,” the old butler gestured to the beggarly-looking man, who then timidly sat in a chair, his limbs curled in and out in an awkward manner. It had been so long since he sat in a chair that it discomforted him. He stood and sat down on the floor, surprising some and puzzling some others. “If sitting down on the floor comforts you, you can have it your way.”

This man looked at the butler and asked, “Why are there only similar kinds of trees planted in the garden?”

“Is there an issue with that?” asked the old butler, being patient, even though the question had no relevance to the purpose of this beggar’s visit.

“Nothing. Just that one disease can wipe them all out,” the beggar said.

The old butler and the others were pleasantly surprised. “Those were some wise words. I guess the saying that you can’t judge a book by its cover also applies to you.”

The beggar didn’t say anything. Neither did he seem to get affected by the praise.

The butler then glanced at the maids. “Give him a good haircut and shave.”

“Yes, sir.”

The maids replied, but none of them acted. A clearing of Leher’s throat then made the maids scatter.

Adam, however, was grinding his teeth as the maids got to work. “Why are you giving him a freaking haircut in my room? Just what is this nonsense?” Anger juices were birthing in his veins.

“Please be patient, Young Master.”

“Hmph,” Adam could only blow out some steam and wait. His twisted expression, however, began to greatly change as the beggar’s face was revealed more and more. The impatience in his eyes was eaten away by a rude awakening. Once the maids were done with their tasks, even they looked astonished and covered their masked mouths; their bellies fluttered.

“How could this be…”

“He looks just like…”

The maids looked at Adam sitting on the bed and then at this beggar. Both of them looked pretty much the same. They had devastatingly handsome profiles, with the only slight difference being the complexion and the darkness under the eyes.

“His name is also Adam, Young Master,” the old butler spoke. “He, too, is exactly forty years old.”

Adam, the one in the bed, went speechless for a while. “D-Did you check his DNA?”

“Yes, we did. He isn’t related to the Master. They say you can find seven people in the world who look just like you, but this guy also has the same name and age. And he’s agreed to work for us in return for helping him take revenge on his aunt.”

“Mm…” Adam kept staring at this beggar. He no longer had the look of disgust or ridicule in his eyes. Rather, he began to feel hope. (If I can train him, he’ll be my perfect double. I’ll have something that none of my siblings nor my father had!) He cleared his throat before speaking with a prideful smile on his face. “Since your name is also Adam, I’ll be calling you Apple, for you’ll be like Adam’s Apple from now on.” He also told the maids to bring him apple juice. And they quickly did so. “Old Leher must have already explained what you need to be doing, but before we proceed further, tell me if you have any questions.”

Apple sipped some juice first, and he really loved its rich taste that forced out saliva from his dry tongue. “Uh…” he scratched his chin. “How could you get into an accident on a 8-lane road, bro? Did you forget to wear glasses?”

“Huh?” Adam was a bit stupefied by that question. Then again, he was speaking to a beggar, so maybe that’s what beggars were more concerned about, such minute details. “I don’t have sight issues.”

“Then? Did a fly enter your nose or something?”

A vein in Adam’s forehead popped, and his smile turned more crotchety. “No. The women sitting in the back were scissoring, and I…” the scene flashed in his mind, causing his cheeks to gain pink.

“Mm?” Apple looked somewhat confused. “What were they scissoring that you focused on the back and not on the front?”

“Isn’t it obvious? They were scissoring each other’s vaginas.”

“Pfft,” Apple spilled the apple juice on the clean carpet. “W-What?” he thought they were scissoring some papers or bouquets or something, but this sort of reason didn’t even cross his mind. Nevertheless, his body automatically reacted and began to wipe the blemished spot on the carpet with his sleeve. The maids gently grabbed him and made him sit back, telling him that they would take care of it afterward. Their inviting cleavages briefly caught his attention, but then his gaze focused back on Adam on the bed. “You were saying something…”

“Ah, yeah,” Adam continued. “They were pinching each other’s nipples and moaning hard. I don’t want to get into the details. You should have gotten the gist of it.”

“A-Ahem, I did,” Apple nodded twice. “I surely did.” He couldn’t help but steal a glance of the pale thigh of the maid who stooped down next to him. However, he didn’t look long as it wasn’t the right thing to do.

“Anyway, Leher said you’ve never tasted a vagina,” Adam said without restraint. “Forty years old and still a virgin? Did you live like a troll under a bridge or something? Tell me you at least know how to kiss a woman.”

Apple, who wasn’t very expressive all this while, looked at Leher in stupefaction. How could this old man reveal such a sensitive detail about him? And how could this Adam bring it up in front of two beautiful maids?

As the maids faintly chuckled, Apple flushed visibly.

“I can’t even count the number of women I’ve dated,” Adam said, “so if a virgin like you takes my place, brows would be rising at every corner.”

“Bro, what are you…” Apple’s heart skipped a beat. Is Adam going to send him back to the roads because he didn’t have the experience in having sex? The world sure is so cruel. How could he forget such a fact right after he found a silver lining?

“Before you fill in my shoes, you need some mock experience,” Adam said and glanced at Leher. “Beat all the practices into him within a week. Also do something about his tan and his manner of speech.”

Leher nodded.

“T-That means…” Apple’s eyes turned wet. “I’ve got the job, right?”

Adam subtly smiled and said, “Take him to the guest room, and treat him well.”

The maids lifted Adam by his arms, even though he was still sitting cross-legged. “Leave it to us, sir. We’ll make sure to soothe his body, mind, and soul, but we’ll need to wash him properly first.” They took him by his arms like they were carrying a bird by its wings.

“T-This is embarrassing. Put me down,” Apple shouted, but his cries only received laughter from the maids.

After they left, Leher spoke, “What do you think, Young Master? Looks wise, he’s a bit fat in the tummy, probably because of the gas. He has a scar on the shoulder, given by his aunt who swiped a knife at him after he called her a pig. His ears are also slightly bigger than yours. But other than that, it’s hard to differentiate between you two. Besides, I highly doubt the millennials would recognize such subtle differences in the first place.”

“You are forgetting the most important thing, aren’t you?” Adam asked.

“Pardon?” Leher looked a bit lost.

“Having a similar face is good and all, but…” Adam pointed his finger at his crotch, “what’s down here must match as well.”

Leher was startled. He never considered that. “T-That’s why you sent him with the maids.”

“If he has it, it’s good. If not, do the surgery to make it resemble mine.”

“A surgery?” Leher was surprised by how unhesitatingly Adam said those words. “He might refuse.”

“Make him sign the contract first. Both in signature and print.”

Leher faintly tilted his head and nodded. “Then we can refuse his refusal.”

“While he’s dealing with the things on the surface, I’ll do some digging in the back,” Adam’s eyes oozed out killing intent. “Whoever is raising their hand and heart against me in secret… I will make them all pay dearly for their sins!”

Leher walked out into the balcony through another exit, and he received a call from a private number. He had the old fashioned mobile, and he flicked it up and answered. “Yes, Master.”

“How’s he?” an old, weakened voice came from the other side.

“The one from the villa, or the one from the streets?” asked Leher, his voice extremely polite and caring.

“The latter.”

“He’s okay,” Leher could see one of the maids cleaning the villa’s first floor’s walls using a ladder. “He’s average most of the time, but sometimes, his actions are like the rungs of a ladder. He takes things one step at a time to get what he wants. He came to this villa, paying the taxi with his own money, which he took three days to earn. He could have just entered my car, but he didn’t. It’s like… I was watching you when you were young all over again, Master.”

“It’s still too early to judge,” the voice from the other side spoke. “The dice has just been rolled. Time will tell whether the little lamb can climb the ladder and reach the top or fall prey to the snakes along the way and never make it to the top. Until then, keep watch.”

“Yes, Master.”

The call ended.

“Whew. All this aside…” Leher looked into the distance and narrowed the windows of his eyes. “Just who was it that dared to off Young Master Adam?” His eyes gave off so much killing intent, even the dogs downstairs reacted in startlement. “Whoever it is, they must be tired of living!”