Identical twins Aga and Aleks, 29, were the best of friends from the minute they were born. But when their love-hate relationship spiralled out of control on their birthday, Aga had no idea she’d be accused of murdering the sister she couldn’t bear to live without…
‘Aleks! How are you?’ a stranger stopped me in the street ‘When did you dye your hair so dark?’
I had to laugh…’Erm I’m not Aleks!’ I told her, ‘But I think your referring to my twin sister.’
My twin and I may have been identical to look at but as people we were very different.
I remember I always wanted to be more like Aleks, she was the cool one, the adventurous one, the talented artist.
But, over the years our roles reversed and she began to look up to me.
I went to college and finished my Business course, got a job and settled down. But Aleks wasn’t ready to follow suit.
She never stopped searching for adventure, so for years she was jet setting between Poland, Spain and Menorca.
She’d return home with amazing stories, about all the partying she’d done and the wonderful people she’d met.
In September 2007 she moved in with me and my partner in Newport. This time I was telling her she needed to sort herself out, go to college and get herself a job.
“You can be anything you want to be,” I told her.
But things changed in a way I would have never expected. She started talking about this new man that she’d met.
Someone called Daniel.
“He’s wonderful Aga!” she told me with a grin from ear to ear “he’s got dark hair and bright blue eyes- I can’t stop thinking about him!”
Within weeks Aleks and Daniel had moved in together.
And while I felt a little unsure about how quick it was all happening I couldn’t help but be happy for my sister.
By Christmas they were married.
But soon the wedding bliss was over and the arguments began.
Then things came to a head on our 27th birthday. We decided we would all celebrate together as couples.
The drinks were flowing and we were all a bit merry so we decided to go back to Aleks and Daniel’s flat to carry on the night.
But Aleks suddenly started getting emotional and tried to pick a fight with me.
I tried to reason with her but she was too drunk and hysterical.
I knew nothing was going to get settled that night so I took the moral high ground and left.
As we stumbled home I felt really disappointed in the way things had ended but I wasn’t worried because I knew I’d be getting an apologetic phone call from Aleks in the morning, once she’d sobered up.
But we hadn’t been back in the flat long when Richard got a phone call from Daniel.
Richards face changed as he held the phone to his ear.
Hanging up the phone, he starred at me. Something had happened.
‘Aleks is dead’ he said.
That was the moment part of me died forever.
‘What do you mean?’ I screamed at Richard
“He was crying and all he said was that she was dead.”‘
We raced back to the flat- my heart was in my mouth.
But by the time we got there the place was already swarming with police, ambulance crews and people in white suits.
I tried to get to Aleks but a policeman stopped me.
My shock turned to anger as I started to scream ‘Let me in!’
My heart was pounding against my chest as the image of my beautiful sister flashed before me.
I was hysterical.
A police officer took me to one side and told me that Aleks had died of a stab wound to the heart.
She’d bled to death…
But there was nothing to say how it had happened.
My brain was racing…did she kill herself?! Had Daniel done it?!
But the nightmare had only just begun.
Slumped in my bed the next day the doorbell rang. It was the police.
‘We’re arresting you on suspicion of your sister’s murder’ they told me.
Murder?! Why would they think that?!
I couldn’t understand what was happening.
Not only had I lost my best friend but I was being accused of being the person that ended her life.
They were questioning me about a night that I could barely remember, it was all a blur.
I was finally released without charge but my heart was still aching and reality started to kick in.
Aleks was gone.
It felt like a part of my heart had been ripped out.
I found out that Daniel had also been arrested and released. But I put it down to a misunderstanding.
We spoke about that night but Daniel just told me he had no idea what happened.
He’d woke up and found his wife dying in bed next to him.
He was devastated.
But a few months later he was re-arrested and charged with Aleks’ murder.
I assumed it meant there was new evidence to suggest he’d killed her. But something didn’t add up.
Daniel was found not guilty and cleared of any involvement in her death.
I always had questions running through my mind about what happened that night, and the truth is that no one can ever really know exactly what happened.
The experts said there was no real way of telling whether she had stabbed herself or whether someone else had done it to her.
After all this time I still don’t know why Alek’s isn’t here.
But I know now that none of that matters.
It was a tragedy that was never meant to be.
I do have sympathy for Daniel, of course I do. But I don’t think we’ll ever come into contact with each other again- he’s a part of my life that I want to forget.
The end of the trial came as I was about to have my first baby. I told myself that no matter what the verdict was, it was time to move on.
I don’t want to think of that night whenever I think of Aleks anymore. I want to remember her for the amazing person that she was and the beautiful memories we have together.
As one chapter of my life is ending, another is about to begin. My partner Nathan and I can’t wait to see our little boy and of course I am calling him Alex.
