Cloned Against Her Will
Author
Elfy G
Reads
17.9K
Chapters
42
Created in a lab to save someone else’s life, she’s spent years as nothing more than an experiment—a number, a project, a secret. But freedom comes with its own dangers. Now hiding under a new name in a quiet town, she’s learning what it means to live, to feel, and maybe even to love. The sheriff’s steady gaze makes her heart race and her carefully built walls tremble. Yet trust is a luxury she can’t afford—not when the truth about her could shatter everything she’s found. As her past threatens to resurface, she must decide whether to keep running or finally risk being seen for who she truly is.
Thirteen
LEONA
If you looked at me, you’d probably guess I’m twenty-two. But the truth? I’ve only been alive for two years. It’s not as complicated as it sounds. I’m a copy—a clone, technically.
The real me—well, the original, I guess—is named Penny Holtz. I only exist to keep Penny Holtz alive. That’s the name we both had, once.
Now, I’m just a number. Thirteen.
We both have brown hair, but our eyes are different. That’s how I know I’m the copy. Her eyes are light blue. Mine are teal, with a hint of blue.
My father—the brilliant scientist—made me to save his precious daughter. Sometimes I wonder, doesn’t that make me his daughter too? But I guess he sees the difference. I’m his Frankenstein’s monster.
About five years ago, Penelope got sick. Leukemia. Her body started shutting down, little by little. It was too late to have another child to be a donor. That’s when my father had his big idea: me. If she needed blood, they took it from me. If she needed bone marrow, they didn’t hesitate. I was always the answer.
Father told me she didn’t know I existed. He said she thought her donations came from strangers.
I still remember the first time I opened my eyes. I was lost—scared out of my mind. For a second, I thought I was her, because her memories were in my head, like they belonged to me.
Even though we share the same blood, Father never saw me as his daughter. To him, I was just a tool—a way to keep her alive.
“Wake up! It’s time for you to eat,” Victor, my guard, yelled from the doorway.
I groaned. “Do you have to be so loud?” I rubbed my eyes, squinting at the bright light.
Victor’s face softened. “Sorry, but I have to play along, or they’ll get suspicious. If you don’t want a new guard, we have to do it this way. We’ve talked about this.”
Only two people in this place actually care about me: Victor and Doctor Delilah.
I sat up, running my fingers through my hair. “So, what’s for breakfast?”
“The usual, darling. Eat, train, give some blood—the same old shit.” Victor gave me a look that said he hated it as much as I did.
Fantastic.
I glanced up at him.
“What?” Victor raised his eyebrows.
I rolled my eyes. “You have to leave so I can change.”
Victor cleared his throat. “Right. Sorry!”
I covered my mouth, trying not to laugh as he practically ran out of the room.
Once I was dressed, I knocked on the door to let him know I was ready.
“Hands out front,” he said, holding up the handcuffs.
I frowned. “Is this really necessary?”
“You know the rules, darling,” he said quietly.
That’s Victor’s thing—calling me ‘darling’ when it’s just us. To everyone else, I’m Thirteen. But with him, I get a little more.
One time, Victor asked, “If you could pick your own name, what would it be?” I didn’t answer. I realized if I chose a name, it would be the same as hers.
He promised he’d pick a name for me someday.
“I hate these stupid rules,” I muttered, turning around so he could cuff my wrists behind my back.
“You tried to escape. What did you expect? If there was another way, you know I’d take it.”
I sighed. “I know.”
When I tried to run, they locked me in a compartment. The ceiling pressed down, and I threw my hands up to stop it, but then the floor started rising too. I was bent in half, stuck like that for four days.
***
I can still hear Father’s words echoing in my head after they let me go. “If you think having her face will stop me from making sure you know your place, you don’t know me very well.”
It’s wild, really. This is the same man who raised me. I have these soft, blurry memories of him from when I was little—how gentle he was, how he’d tuck me in at night. But that’s not who he is now. I’m not Penelope, and he’s not really my father, but I can’t help loving the man I remember.
There’s always been this question that eats at me. If I’m supposed to be Penny’s copy, why am I not sick like she was? I never had the guts to ask. Maybe I was afraid of the answer.
“Let’s hurry before they start questioning why we’re taking so long,” Victor said, his hand tight around my arm. It wasn’t painful, just firm—like he needed to remind everyone he didn’t care about me.
He had to keep up appearances. If anyone noticed how he treated me, Father would just send someone else to watch me. And I really, really didn’t want that. I’m just a prisoner here. Nothing more.
That’s my reality.
I never asked for any of this.
I never asked to be created just to save someone else.
They always made sure I ate healthy food, kept my metabolism up. I had to stick to a strict diet so my weight would match hers. It was just another rule I had to follow.
Today was no different.
My breakfast was eggs, a handful of berries, some kiwi, and half a banana. Never any bacon. I missed bacon so much.
I remembered my mom always putting bacon on my plate. But she wasn’t my mom—she was hers. Those memories weren’t really mine, and I was supposed to forget them. But forgetting didn’t make it hurt any less. The pain was still sharp.
Victor took off my handcuffs as I sat down to eat. He sat next to me, sipping his coffee like nothing was wrong.
“Look who we have here.” I cringed at the sound of his voice.
No. Not him.
Can’t he just leave me alone for one meal?
“Piss off, Eddy. Let her eat in peace,” Victor said, his voice low and warning.
I never understood what Eddy had against me. Maybe it was because I wasn’t a real person to him. Maybe he just liked messing with me. The way he looked at me made my skin crawl. I couldn’t tell if it was disgust or something worse. Either way, he gave me the creeps.
Eddy snorted. “Why should you be the only one guarding her? If she’s too much trouble, I can handle her.”
“And that’s exactly why you’ll never be left alone with her. I don’t even know why they keep you around,” Victor shot back.
I tried to focus on my food, pretending none of this was happening.
Eddy reached out, but before he could touch me, Victor shoved his hand away. “That’s why I’m here—to keep people like you away from her. This is your last warning. Try that again, and I’ll deal with you myself.”
“Hoo-hoo! Look at you, all protective. One day you’ll slip up, and he’ll see how much you care. I’ll be right there to take your place.” Eddy’s smirk made my stomach twist. His eyes landed on me. “I can’t wait for that day.”
I felt like I might throw up.
“Go do the fucking job you were assigned!” Victor snapped, his jaw tight.
Eddy strutted off, laughing like he’d won something.
I wanted to thank Victor, but I couldn’t. If I did, someone might notice, and I couldn’t risk losing him. He was the only steady thing I had here. Without him—whatever you’d call what we have—I’d be completely lost.
I couldn’t let that happen.
