Mirror Crown
The meeting was a blur. Words and names flew by, figures and figures seemed to blend into one, and the more Xavier tried to keep up, the more he felt like a shadow in the room. Every person around the table looked at him with eyes that expected him to have all the answers, to know all the details, to speak with the confidence of someone who had been raised in this world, but Xavier wasn't raised here. He was a stranger, wearing the skin of someone he didn't understand.
Someone brought up figures—financial reports, projections, expansion deals—things Christian would have known inside and out. Xavier couldn't even begin to pretend that he was familiar with them. He nodded along, trying to match his expression to the seriousness of the discussion, hoping that no one would notice how out of place he truly was.
"Christian," a voice suddenly said, pulling him out of his thoughts. It was one of the men on the far end of the table, his brow furrowed slightly. "I think you need to take a closer look at this quarter's numbers. We're projecting some setbacks if we continue with the current strategy."
Xavier felt a bead of sweat form on the back of his neck. Numbers? Quarter reports? What is he talking about?
"Yes," Xavier replied, his voice too flat, too unsure. "I'll have my team review the details. We'll make the adjustments."
The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them. What team? Who am I even talking about?
Thankfully, no one seemed to press him further. They all nodded as if everything was fine, as if Xavier had said exactly what they wanted to hear. It was all moving too fast. He was being swept along, unable to slow down, unable to catch his breath. He had no idea how to steer this ship.
The meeting continued, and every once in a while, someone would throw out another term, another plan, another question that he should have known the answer to. He was drowning in a sea of things that didn't make sense.
At one point, the conversation shifted, and someone mentioned a new luxury development project—something Christian had apparently been overseeing. It was the kind of project that was meant to solidify the family's empire, the kind of thing that would be discussed at length. The room fell silent as the spotlight shifted to Xavier, waiting for him to make a decision, or at least weigh in on the matter.
But Xavier was silent. He had no clue about this project. He didn't even know if it was something Christian was passionate about or if it was just another business maneuver. He felt like a deer caught in headlights.
"Christian?" a voice asked again, pulling him from his thoughts. "What do you think about the proposal?"
Xavier stared at the table, his fingers gripping the edges tightly. Think? I don't even know what the proposal is.
"Uh," he stammered, buying himself a moment. "I think… I think we should proceed with caution. We need to ensure we're not overextending ourselves."
It was a generic answer, vague and noncommittal, but it was the only thing he could say. The room seemed to accept it, nodding in agreement, but Xavier knew that he wasn't fooling anyone. They know, don't they? They must know I'm not him.
But no one questioned it further. The conversation moved on, the attention turning back to the project plans and figures. Xavier sank into his chair, his hands trembling beneath the table. He could feel the weight of their eyes, even when they weren't directly on him. The tension in the air was thick, and he could sense that at any moment, someone would figure it out.
But the meeting continued, the minutes stretching into what felt like hours. Eventually, as the discussions wound down, the door opened again, and someone else entered, a briefcase in hand.
"Christian," the newcomer said, giving Xavier a nod. "Good to see you here. The meeting went smoothly, I trust?"
Xavier forced a smile, nodding in return. "Yes, everything is on track," he replied, though he had no idea if that was even true.
The man didn't seem to question it. Instead, he walked over to the side, exchanging brief words with a few of the other board members. Xavier breathed a small sigh of relief, but it didn't last long. The pressure of pretending was beginning to feel unbearable.
As the meeting finally drew to a close, Xavier stood up, his legs shaky beneath him. He couldn't wait to escape to some quiet corner, to let the act slip just for a moment, to breathe without the constant weight of expectation bearing down on him. But as he turned to leave, Christian's sister appeared in the doorway.
She was looking at him with a mixture of concern and curiosity, her gaze locked onto his. It was like she was studying him, trying to see past the façade. For a moment, Xavier froze, unsure of what to do or say.
"Christian," she began softly, her voice hesitant, "is everything alright? You've been a little off today…"
Xavier didn't know how to respond. Off? How could he even explain the chaos swirling in his head? How could he tell her that he wasn't Christian? That he was someone who had been thrust into this life without warning, without preparation, without any understanding of who they were?
But the words wouldn't come. Instead, he gave her a tight smile and shrugged, as if the weight of the world hadn't been on his shoulders all day.
"I'm fine," he said, his voice more strained than he intended. "Just tired, that's all."
She nodded, but there was still something in her eyes that made him uncomfortable. She wasn't convinced. And for a moment, Xavier feared she might ask the one question that would unravel everything.
But instead, she just gave him a small smile. "Okay. If you need anything, you know where to find me."
As she turned to leave, Xavier let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. How much longer can I keep this up? he thought as he watched her walk away.
His heart was racing, his mind was spinning, and the only thing that was clear in that moment was that he was completely, utterly lost.
And yet, he had to keep pretending. Because the moment he stopped, the moment he revealed the truth, his entire world would come crashing down.