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 again. "Actually—"
"If he really wanted to hurt me, nothing I do would stop him." Sean smiled bitterly, tapping his forehead. "Don't forget—he knows everything about me."
I was silenced.
A shared brain meant constant surveillance. Yet we knew nothing about him...
Facing an opponent like that was truly terrifying!
That evening, I waited anxiously until late into the night, calling Sean every few minutes.
Thankfully, he came back in one piece.
I rushed to embrace him, then remembered I should verify his identity. I held up my phone and took a photo. He quickly turned his face away, saying the flash had blinded him.
I checked—he was in the picture. My heart finally settled.
11
"Did you meet him? How did it go?" I asked nervously.
"He wasn't hard to talk to, and he's not as bad as we thought. He's just curious about my life," Sean replied. "He's promised not to bother us anymore."
"That's wonderful—I hope he keeps his word." I breathed a sigh of relief. "Why did you come back so late? I was worried sick."
"Actually, I came back a while ago," Sean frowned. "The building elevator broke down again and trapped me inside. Waited over an hour for the repair crew."
"Really? How annoying," I huffed. "That wretched elevator is always breaking. I got stuck in it once too."
Sean glanced at me. "Nina, let's move. Let's find somewhere nicer to live."
"Sure, you decide," I nodded. "As long as the commute is convenient." Suddenly, I noticed some dark red spots on his cuff. "What's this?"
"Probably juice—I got splashed." He smiled, then held up what he was carrying. "They had great grapefruit juice at the café. Brought you a cup."
I'd been so caught up in talking I hadn't even noticed he'd brought something back. "Thanks, babe!" I took it happily and gave him a loud kiss on the cheek.
He seemed a little bashful, gently pushing me away. "Take your time drinking it. I'm going to shower."
12
Before long, Sean had found us a new place.
Exhausted by the elevator problems, this time we specifically rented a ground-floor unit. It even had a lovely little courtyard with flowers and plants. Set out two wicker chairs and brew a pot of tea, and you could bask in the sun by day and count the stars by night—absolute bliss!
The doppelgänger kept his promise and didn't bother us again. Sean and I settled back into our ordinary, uneventful, yet satisfying routine...
Then Simon's wedding invitation arrived. Unfortunately, Sean was away on another business trip, so I had to attend alone.
The wedding was held at a five-star hotel—grand and romantic, just like the ones I'd dreamed of countless times... except I wasn't the bride.
Watching the radiant couple on stage, I couldn't help feeling a pang of sadness. I drank a bit too much and, worried I might embarrass myself, slipped out early...
Of course, the elevator broke down. This wretched machine trapped me inside! In the pitch-black elevator car, I couldn't see a thing and lost all sense of time. Only endless fear and despair washed over me like a flood...
When the lights came back on, I scrambled out—only to find myself standing in a spacious, bright living room!
What was going on? Had I wandered into someone's home?
13
Before I could make sense of it, someone came walking over carrying a cake. That smiling face, with its strikingly handsome features... it was Simon!
Behind Simon stood my parents, singing "Happy Birthday" together in the living room.
I stared at them, utterly incredulous. My mother—hadn't she died in a car accident years ago? But there she was, standing next to my father, perfectly fine...
Then, even more bizarre things happened...
"Honey, make a wish!" Simon said to me.
He was crazy—calling me his wife!
But the next second, I saw the wedding portrait on the wall...
The woman standing next to Simon was unmistakably me!
My God—was I dreaming?
I couldn't resist. I bit my finger, and as the pain shot through me, memories that didn't belong to me came flooding into my mind...
No, it wasn't a dream. These were all real—just real in another world.
It was a world running in reverse, a completely idealized one. In that world, family, love, career—everything—existed according to "my" ideals...
There really was another version of me in this world, living the life I'd always 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 had created a glitch in the space-time system, and by some cosmic fluke, I'd been sent here...
14
The table was laden with dishes my mother had prepared. Simon kept adding food to my plate and pouring me water, while my parents watched me with tender eyes...
I fought hard to hold back my tears. 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 thigh. "Wait, let me grab my phone."
He wanted to take a photo!
My mind raced. I quickly said I needed to touch up my makeup and ducked into the bathroom. Once inside, I pulled out my phone and took a selfie...
Just as I'd suspected—I didn't appear in the photo at all.
In this world, I was "her" doppelgänger!
The "me" of this world was a successful career woman, and at this very moment, she was working late at the office. When she came home, I'd have to give back everything that belonged to her...
15
I claimed I was feeling unwell and declined the family photo. Simon, believing me, didn't insist. My parents took the cue and left, telling me to rest.
Simon helped me into bed and carefully pulled the covers over me...
I wanted, so desperately, for time to stop at this moment.
"Oh, where's Sean?" I suddenly thought of someone. "How come I don't see him?"
In this world, Sean had always been secretly in love with me. He never missed a single one of my birthdays.
"You forgot—it's been months since Sean went missing," Simon said.
"What? Missing?" I was shocked.
"The police are still looking, but there's been no news," Simon sighed. "Maybe he's gone to another world."
"Another world?"
"Sean once told me he'd discovered another world. In that world, he was living the life he'd always wanted. He said he really wanted to stay there, close to the person he loved..."
The "other world" Sean was talking about... was my world, wasn't it?
In my world, I was his ideal partner, so he'd secretly followed me, lingering endlessly...
Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine.
That night—which one of them came back?
16
No, no, no. That night I'd verified his identity—he appeared in the photo!
I tried desperately to comfort myself, but one worry only gave way to another...
The original and the doppelgänger couldn't exist in the same world simultaneously. But if the original was destroyed, would the remaining double simply take his place and become the new "main body"? If that were the case, the photograph test would be useless!
The suspicious stains on his cuff, the way he shielded his face during the photo... Oh, and the elevator! Why had he insisted on moving out of that apartment? Was he afraid I'd discover the elevator's secret? If I wasn't mistaken, he'd been using the elevator to travel between the two worlds...
If the one who came back was the "double," then where was Sean's "original"?
The deeper I thought, the more a bone-deep chill crept over me...
Then I sensed that the "me" of this world had finished her work. I had to leave quietly before she came home.
Simon had gone to take a shower, which gave me the perfect window. I gathered my belongings 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. She came bouncing along like a happy sparrow, every strand of her hair radiating confidence and joy...
Yes, she was happy—because in this world, everything existed according to my ideals!
Why her and not me?
I stared after her, a flame burning in my chest...
In that moment, I finally understood how that other fellow must have felt.
And 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, close to the one I loved...
Ding. The elevator stopped. The doors slid open, gaping at me like a hungry mouth...
Should I go back, or should I stay?
(End of Story 12)
*
"So, what did you choose in the end? Or rather—are you the original or the doppelgänger now?"
After hearing this story, everyone was consumed with curiosity.
"The answer is—I chose to go back," Nina smiled. "Even though I was tempted to stay, I didn't want to be selfish. I let the other version of me continue living her happy life."
"And you're still with Sean now?"
"Yes."
"But that's a doppelgänger!" Cindy exclaimed. "The real Sean was killed by him!"
"I know, but what can I do about it?"
"..."
What could she do, really?
In the end, it was simply one self murdering another self...
"Time flies—we've heard twelve stories already," the Boss said, checking his watch. "I think the only person left is the lady who came in last?" He turned to the quiet woman in the corner. "Ma'am, do you have a story to share?"
I raised my eyes and smiled. "May I tell a story I once read?"
"Of course."
"This story is similar to the previous one—it's also a battle between two selves," I said softly. "Have you ever heard of the Heartbreak Doll Shop? They have a magical potion that can replicate human genes...
"Melody used this potion to create another version of herself.
"She is her, yet she is not her. What story would unfold between these two girls?"