Doppelgänger
Is there another me in this world, living the life I want?
1
"Nina, I'm back from my business trip! Quick, open the door—I can't find my keys!"
Late at night, I was jolted awake by knocking. I peered through the peephole and saw Sean standing outside, dragging a suitcase, looking travel-worn.
But at that moment, wasn't he lying in our bed? I'd just crawled out from beside him half a minute ago. His familiar snoring still echoed in my ears...
I was confused. How could there be two Seans?
"Nina, did you hear me? Open up, let me in!" The knocking grew more urgent, piercing in the quiet night...
The Sean in the bedroom also came out, rubbing his eyes. "Who is it at this hour?"
I couldn't speak—I could only stare at him in terror.
He realized something, hurried to the door, peered through the peephole, and his face changed drastically...
2
"He says he's Sean, just back from a business trip," I stammered. "If he's Sean, then who are you?"
"He's lying—I'm the real Sean!" he snapped. "That guy's an impostor. Don't let him in!" He rushed over and started dragging the couch to barricade the door.
But it was too late. The door swung open—the "Sean" outside had found the key and let himself in.
"What are you standing there for? Why didn't you open the door?" He stared at me in confusion, then froze—there was someone else in the room, someone who looked exactly like him!
The two Seans stared at each other. The atmosphere was beyond eerie.
A real-life True and False Sun Wukong moment, enacted in reality.
"Who are you, and why are you in my home?" The newly arrived "Sean" dropped his suitcase and lunged forward furiously.
The other "Sean" panicked, punched him down, then flung open the door and bolted...
Yes, he ran—like a startled rabbit, still wearing his pajamas and slippers.
The knocked-down "Sean" scrambled up and gave chase but couldn't catch him. He only retrieved one slipper.
I stood there, dumbfounded.
3
A week earlier, Sean had gone out of town on business.
He traveled often for work, and after years of marriage, I'd gotten used to it.
I ran a bakery that did well. Every day was busy and fulfilling.
That evening after closing up, I walked home as usual. But partway there, I had a strange feeling...
Someone was following me!
I pretended to adjust my clothes in front of a shop window, and in the reflection, I spotted a shadowy figure...
It was late, and the lighting was dim. All I could make out was that it was a man.
I wanted to run but didn't think I could outrun him. I wanted to scream, but there was no one around. Calling 110 would take too long for the police to arrive...
In the end, I ducked into a corner. When he came around, I attacked with my pepper spray.
He flinched away, and I caught a glimpse of his face.
4
"Sean, that's you?" I was stunned. "Aren't you away on business?"
He paused, then smiled. "I came back early, wanted to surprise you. Honey, your alertness is impressive—I was being so careful, and you still spotted me."
"What surprise? I thought I was being stalked!" I said in exasperation. "Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital? If the spray got in your eyes, that would be bad!"
"I'm fine, good thing I reacted fast," he said.
"Don't do that again, it's dangerous." I linked his arm. "Come on, let's go home."
"Okay," he glanced at me meaningfully. "Home, let's go home!"
For the next two days, we were inseparable. He said his business trip had been exhausting and he needed to rest. He told me not to go to the bakery and to stay home with him instead. Worried about interruptions, he even turned off both our phones.
Everything about him seemed completely normal. I had no suspicions whatsoever. The only difference was that he seemed more clingy than before...
Not that unusual, really—absence makes the heart grow fonder!
5
"Other than looking like you, his habits and preferences were identical," I said, still shaken. "Who would've guessed he was an impostor!"
"Your phone's been unreachable for two days, and I was worried something had happened, so I came back early," Sean frowned. "This imposter was really convincing—he even had me fooled just now. Let's call the police before he gets too far!"
The police arrived quickly, carefully examined the scene, and collected hair samples from the bed for testing.
Not long after, the results came back. The man's DNA was identical to Sean's.
According to scientists, no two people in the world have identical genes—even identical twins have many genetic differences.
Sean and I were both dumbfounded.
"After our investigation, there's no trace of a third person in your home," the lead officer scratched his head in confusion. "I have to ask—are you two sure you weren't just dreaming?"
"Impossible," Sean grew agitated. "I've been out of town on business for the past week. The man who lived with my wife for two days was definitely someone else!"
His business trip itinerary was easy to verify, and he had multiple witnesses to confirm his alibi...
Even the police were stumped.
No one could explain what was going on...
6
Since the police were at a loss, we'd have to figure it out ourselves.
Sean went online and actually found something!
"Doppelgänger!" he exclaimed excitedly. "I get it now—it must be a doppelgänger!"
"A what?"
The term "Doppelgänger" came from German, meaning "double-walker." It referred to another version of oneself—essentially a "double." The original and the double were independent yet inseparable.
Many historical figures had reportedly seen their doppelgängers—President Lincoln, the Japanese author Akutagawa Ryunosuke, Catherine the Great of Russia...
"Maybe everyone has a doppelgänger," Sean analyzed. "But you can only see them under certain circumstances."
"You mean I have one too?" I shuddered. "That's terrifying. I hope mine never appears!" The thought of seeing another living version of myself was too disturbing to imagine.
"Who'd want to see theirs? It's like seeing a ghost!" Sean grumbled. "But some things are beyond our control—just like the broken elevator in this building, who knows when it's going to break down next!"
7
"Why did the doppelgänger suddenly appear?" I asked, thoroughly confused.
"I wish I knew!" Sean sighed. "A doppelgänger has all the memories of the original, but the original can't read the doppelgänger's memories. Otherwise, I wouldn't have just learned about his existence now!"
"How do we tell the original apart from the doppelgänger?" I pressed.
"You can try taking photos. Supposedly, doppelgängers don't show up in pictures. Because they're essentially illusions—they don't belong to this world." Sean searched some more. "That's what the internet says, though who knows if it's true. We can try it—might work."
I quickly pulled out my phone and snapped a few photos of him.
Thank goodness—he appeared in the pictures.
I thought for a moment, then held the phone up for a selfie.
Good—I appeared too.
After that, I developed a habit of taking photos constantly. If Sean was out of my sight even briefly, I'd photograph him to verify his identity. I'd even wake up in the middle of the night and take a few shots of his face...
I was terrified of being deceived by that impostor again!
8
One day, a visitor came to my bakery.
It was Simon—Sean's best friend. They'd known each other since childhood.
Today was his girlfriend's birthday, so he came to order a cake. He took out a ring and asked me to hide it inside the cake—he planned to propose to his girlfriend of three years.
Whenever he mentioned her, his face lit up. Even a blind person could see how much he adored that woman.
After Simon left, I walked over to where he'd been sitting and touched the stool, lingering for a long time...
I carried someone in my heart. Someone impossible.
That someone was Simon.
For years, I'd had the same dream. In it, I walked down the aisle on his arm, my wedding dress trailing across the red carpet, as brilliant as a peacock spreading its tail...
In reality, Simon only had eyes for the dazzling girls. A Cinderella like me had to settle for an ordinary man like Sean.