Sean loved me deeply and never let me suffer the slightest. He even cared for my family—when my father was hospitalized, he bustled around tirelessly and spent all his savings without a single complaint.
He said that since he'd chosen me, he'd share both the bitter and the sweet with me.
What more could I ask for in a husband? I was genuinely moved, and truly content.
And yet, I still couldn't let go of Simon.
Perhaps many people are like this—they can compromise, can accept their fate, but deep down, they always save a spot for that one person...
Even knowing it's nothing more than a fantasy.
9
That day after closing up, I walked home as usual. I glanced back and spotted a familiar silhouette. At first, I thought it was Sean coming to pick me up, but then I realized that couldn't be right. I quickly pulled out my phone and snapped photos in his direction...
I was certain I'd aimed directly at him, but when I checked the pictures—there was no one there!
It was him—Sean's doppelgänger! My God, he'd appeared again! My head buzzed, every hair on my body standing on end. I screamed and bolted...
In my panic, I was hit by a car. Before losing consciousness, I saw the figure running toward me, calling my name...
When I opened my eyes, I was in a hospital bed. Fortunately, it was only minor scrapes—nothing broken.
Sean sat beside me, looking worried.
"Sean, he's here, he came back!" I cried out in terror.
"I know. He's the one who brought you to the hospital."
At those words, I curled up in fear even more. Sean held my hand and whispered soothingly, "Don't be afraid, he's not here anymore. After dropping you off, he left."
Sean paused, his expression complicated. "He was also the one who called me here."
"Why does he keep appearing? What does he want?"
Sean shook his head, then fell silent. After a while, he sighed quietly. "I think I need to talk to him."
"You? Where would you find him?"
"My brain is shared with his. He can sense all my thoughts and consciousness. If he wants to see me, he'll appear naturally. If he doesn't, searching would be futile."
10
Several days later, Sean told me the doppelgänger had reached out to him and agreed to meet. They arranged to meet in the evening at a quiet café.
"Sean, do you think he might hurt you?" I worried. "That creature is a monster!"
"I'll be careful."
"Take my pepper spray, just in case." I thought for a moment.
"If he really wanted to hurt me, there's nothing I could do about it," Sean gave a wry smile, tapping his head. "Don't forget—he knows everything."
I was silenced.
A shared brain meant constant surveillance. Meanwhile, I knew nothing about him...
Facing an opponent like that was truly terrifying!
That night, I waited anxiously until midnight, calling Sean every little while.
Thankfully, he came back in one piece.
I threw my arms around him in relief. Then I remembered I should verify his identity, so I pulled out my phone and took his photo as usual. He quickly turned his face away, saying the flash had blinded him.
I checked—he appeared in the picture. My heart finally settled.
11
"Did you meet him? How did it go?" I asked nervously.
"He wasn't that hard to communicate with, and he's not as bad as we thought. He was just curious about the original's life, that's all," Sean replied. "He's promised not to bother us again."
"That's great—I hope he keeps his word." I breathed a sigh of relief. "Why did you come back so late, though? I was worried sick."
"Actually, I came back a while ago," Sean frowned. "The building elevator broke down again and trapped me inside. Just waiting for the repair guy took over an hour."
"Really? That's awful," I fumed. "That stupid elevator is always breaking. I got stuck in it last time too."
Sean glanced at me. "Nina, let's move out of this dump. Let's find somewhere nicer."
"Okay, you decide," I nodded. "As long as the commute is decent." Then I noticed some dark red spots on his cuff. "What's that?"
"Probably juice from the grapefruit," he smiled, holding up what he was carrying. "Their grapefruit juice was pretty good—I brought you a cup."
"I was so busy talking I didn't even notice you'd brought something back. Thanks, honey!" I took it happily and gave him a loud kiss on the cheek.
He seemed a bit shy, gently pushing me away. "Take your time drinking it. I'm going to shower."
12
Before long, Sean found us a new place.
Fed up with the elevator problems, he specifically found a ground-floor unit this time. It had a lovely little courtyard with flowers and plants. You could set out a couple of wicker chairs, brew a pot of tea, bask in the sun during the day, and count the stars at night—it was wonderfully comfortable and serene!
The doppelgänger also kept his promise and didn't bother us anymore. Life between Sean and me returned to normal—plain and simple, but with its own sweetness...
Simon sent us a wedding invitation—he was getting married. Unfortunately, Sean was away on another business trip that week, so I braced myself and went alone.
The wedding was held at a five-star hotel—grand and romantic, just like the scenes that had appeared in my dreams countless times... Except the bride wasn't me.
Watching the beautiful couple on stage, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. Without realizing it, I'd had too much to drink. Worried I might embarrass myself, I slipped away early...
Frustratingly, the elevator malfunctioned again, trapping poor me inside! In that pitch-black box, I couldn't see a thing and lost all sense of time. Only endless fear and despair washed over me like a tide...
When the lights came back on, I rushed out—but the space before me was an unfamiliar, spacious living room!
What was going on? How had I stumbled into someone else's home?
13
Just as I stood there bewildered, someone came over carrying a cake. That smiling face with strikingly handsome features... It was Simon!
Behind Simon were my parents, standing in the living room, singing me "Happy Birthday."
I stared at them, unable to believe it. My mother—hadn't she died in a car accident years ago? Yet there she was, arm in arm with my father, alive and well before my eyes...
Then, something even more astonishing happened...
"Honey, make a wish!" Simon said to me.
He was crazy—he just called me his wife!
But in the next second, I saw the wedding photo on the wall...
The woman standing beside Simon in the photo was unmistakably me!
Oh my God—was I dreaming?
I couldn't resist biting my fingertip. Along with the sharp pain came a flood of memories that didn't belong to me...
No, it wasn't a dream. These were all real, just existing in another world...
It was a world running in reverse, a completely idealized world. In that world, family, love, career—everything existed in accordance with "my" ideals...
There really was another version of me, living the life I wanted!
Originally, the two worlds were parallel, like two sides of a coin, each following its own path, never intersecting. But perhaps the elevator malfunction created a glitch in the space-time system, which accidentally sent me here...
14
The table was laden with rich dishes, all made by my mother. Simon kept serving me food and pouring water, while my parents looked at me with tender concern...
I tried my hardest not to let the tears fall. How many years had it been since I'd eaten my mother's cooking?
"Oh, I almost forgot—let's take a family photo!" Simon suddenly slapped his leg. "Wait, let me get my phone."
He wanted to take a photo!
I realized something in a flash. I made an excuse to touch up my makeup and ducked into the bathroom. I pulled out my phone and took a selfie...
As expected, my reflection didn't appear in the photo.
In this world, I was the "doppelgänger" of the other "me"!
The "me" in this world was a successful career woman, and at this very moment, she was working overtime at the office. Once she returned, I'd have to give back everything that belonged to her...
15
I lied and said I wasn't feeling well, refusing to take the family photo. Simon believed me and didn't push. My parents left too, telling me to rest early.
Simon tucked me into bed, carefully pulling the covers over me...
I wanted so badly for time to freeze at this moment!
"Oh, right—where's Sean?" I suddenly thought of someone. "Why haven't I seen him?"
In this world, Sean had always been secretly in love with me. He never missed a single birthday of mine.
"You forgot—Sean has been missing for months," Simon said.
"What? Missing?" I was shocked.
"The police are still looking, but there's been no word," Simon sighed. "Maybe he went to another world."
"Another world?"
"Sean once told me he'd discovered another world. In that world, he was living the life he wanted. He said he wanted to stay there, guarding the person he loved..."
The "other world" Sean spoke of—was it my world...
In my world, I was his ideal partner. That was why he'd secretly followed me and wouldn't leave...
A chill ran through me.
That night—exactly who came back?
16
No, that couldn't be. I'd verified his identity that night—his image had appeared in the photo!
I tried desperately to reassure myself, but one worry surfaced after another...
The original and the double couldn't exist in the same world simultaneously. But if the original was destroyed, would the remaining double take over and become the new "original"? If so, the photo test would naturally become useless!
Those suspicious spots on his cuff, the way he turned away when I tried to photograph him... Oh, and the elevator! Why had he wanted to move out of that apartment? Was he afraid I'd discover the elevator's secret? If my guess was right, he was also using the elevator to travel between the two worlds...
If the one who came back was the "double," then where was the "original" Sean?
The further my thoughts went, the more terrified I became...
Then I sensed that the "original" me had finished working overtime. I had to leave before she came home, without leaving a trace.
Simon had gone to shower, which gave me just enough time. I gathered my things and tiptoed out of the room...
17
I didn't leave right away. Instead, I hid in the stairwell. I wanted to see what the "me" of this world looked like...
Before long, the "original" me appeared before my eyes. She was practically skipping along, light and carefree like a happy sparrow. Even her hair seemed to shimmer with the glow of happiness...
Yes, she was happy, because everything here existed according to "my" ideals!
Why her and not me?
I stared at her retreating figure, a fire blazing in my chest...
In that moment, I suddenly understood what "he" was feeling.
In that moment, I also wanted to do what he'd done—destroy the so-called "original," so I could stay in this world forever, guarding the one I loved...
With a ding, the elevator came to a stop. The doors slid open, revealing its dark mouth...
Go back, or stay?
(End of Story 12: Doppelgänger)
*
"So, what was your final choice? Or rather—are you the original or the double now?"
After hearing the story, everyone was brimming with curiosity.
"The answer is, I came back," Nina smiled. "Even though I desperately wanted to stay, I didn't want to be selfish. I let the other version of me in that world continue living happily."
"So are you and Sean still together now?"
"Yes."
"But he's an impostor!" Cindy exclaimed. "The real Sean is already dead—he killed him!"
"I know, but what can I do?"
"..."
What could she do?
In the end, it was one self murdering another self...
"Time's flown by—we've already finished twelve stories." The Boss checked his watch. "I think the only person left who hasn't told a story is the lady who came in last?"
He turned his gaze to me—I'd been sitting quietly in the corner the entire time. "Miss, do you have a good story to share?"
I looked up and smiled. "Can I tell a story I read somewhere?"
"Of course."
"This story is similar to the last one—it's also about the battle between two selves," I said softly. "Have you heard of the Heartbreak Doll Shop? It has a magical potion that can replicate human genes...
"Melody used this potion to create another version of herself.
"She is her, yet she isn't her. Between these two girls, what kind of story would unfold?"