After a fun night of speed dating, I showed my mom a photo of the guy I met. She freaked out and immediately called 911. I was shaken, but what I discovered the next day when things got really wild left me gasping for air.
My palms were sweating as I smoothed down my dress for the hundredth time. The restaurant’s dim lighting couldn’t hide the anxiety radiating from the other speed daters around me. At 30, I never thought I’d be here, but my best friend Lily’s persistent nagging had finally worn me down.
“You’ve got this, Selena,” I whispered to myself, taking a deep breath. The bitter scent of wine and the soft clink of glasses filled the air, doing little to calm my nerves.
The bell rang with a shrill sound that made me jump. It signaled the start of our first round.
I plastered on my best smile as a tall, dark-haired man slid into the seat across from me. My breath hitched as our eyes met.
“Hi, I’m Robin.”
I felt an instant spark, like electricity coursing through my veins. “Selena. Nice to meet you.”
I found myself leaning in as we chatted, captivated by his stories and wit. He spoke of his work as a software engineer, his love for rock climbing, and his dreams of traveling the world.
With each word, I felt myself falling deeper under his spell.
When the bell rang again, Robin stood up, hesitation brimming in his eyes as he gripped the back of the chair.
“Listen, I know this is unconventional, but would you like to grab a coffee after this? I’d love to continue our conversation.”
My cheeks flushed, and my heart raced. “I’d really like that. Tomorrow? I said, feeling the heat creep into my cheeks as he kissed the back of my hand.
“Sure! Will be waiting for you in the café downtown!”
As we left the restaurant later that night, I couldn’t shake the feeling that my life was about to change forever.
The next afternoon, I couldn’t stop smiling as I recounted my evening to my mom, Daisy.
“He sounds wonderful, honey,” she said, her eyes crinkling with happiness. “I haven’t seen you this excited about someone in years.”
“I know, Mom. There’s just something about Robin. It’s like… like I’ve known him my whole life.”
“Well, don’t get ahead of yourself. But I am happy for you. Do you have a picture?”
“Oh! Yeah, we took a selfie.” I pulled out my phone, swiping to find the photo. My heart fluttered as I looked at Robin’s smiling face. “Here he is!”
The moment I turned the screen towards her, Mom’s face turned pale.
“Mom? What’s wrong?” I freaked out.
Her eyes were wide with panic, fixed on the phone screen. “Selena, oh my God… it’s HIM. The man who robbed my friend Janet! CALL THE POLICE RIGHT NOW!”
“What? No, that can’t be right.” I shook my head, confusion and disbelief warring inside me.
“I’m telling you, it’s him! He conned Janet out of her life savings. Promised to marry her, took every penny she had, and then vanished! We need to call the police right now, honey!”
My stomach dropped, a cold dread seeping into my bones. “Are you sure?” I asked, desperately hoping she was mistaken.
“Positive. Janet showed me his picture a hundred times when we were trying to track him down. I’d never forget that face.”
I stared at Robin’s smiling face on my phone, feeling sick. The warm brown eyes that had seemed so kind now looked calculating. The charming smile now seemed sinister. How could I have been so blind?
Mom reached for her phone, her fingers shaking as she started to dial 911. Without thinking, I grabbed her wrist, stopping her. “Mom, wait!”
“What do you mean, wait? We need to turn him in!”
“If we call now, he might get spooked and disappear again,” I said slowly, a plan forming in my mind. “But, what if we set a trap?”
Mom’s eyebrows shot up. “What are you thinking?”
“I have a date with him tomorrow night. What if I go, act normal, and you call the police to meet us there?”
She hesitated, worry etching lines across her forehead. “I don’t like the idea of you being alone with him. He’s dangerous, Selena.”
“It’ll be in a public place, Mom,” I assured her, even as my heart raced at the thought. “And think about it. This might be our only chance to catch him. To get justice for Janet and who knows how many others.”
After a long moment, she nodded, fear still lingering in her eyes.
As we began to plot our plan, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was balancing on a knife’s edge. One wrong move and everything could come crashing down.
The next evening, I sat across from Robin at a cozy café, my nerves on edge. He looked as handsome as ever in a blue shirt that brought out his eyes.
But now, his charming smile made my skin crawl. Every compliment and every gentle touch of his hand on mine felt like a lie.
“You look beautiful!” Robin said, reaching for my hand across the table.
I forced myself not to flinch away, plastering on a smile that felt more like a grimace. “Thank you. You look nice too.”
As he launched into a story about his day, I discreetly texted Mom under the table, “Now!”
“So, tell me more about your family,” I said, desperate to keep the conversation going.
A shadow seemed to pass over Robin’s face so quickly that I almost missed it. “It’s complicated,” he said after a moment.
Before I could probe further, I saw two uniformed officers enter the café.
They approached our table, and Robin’s easy smile faltered. “Is there a problem, officers?” he asked, his eyes darting between them and me.
One of them stepped forward, his hand resting on his belt. “Sir, we need you to come with us for questioning.”
“Selena, what’s going on?”
“I’m sorry, Robin. But we know what you did to Janet. And probably to countless other women.”
I thought this was it. But what happened next left me reeling.
After a tense conversation with the officers, during which Robin vehemently denied knowing any Janet, they released him. And he walked back to our table.
“Selena, I don’t understand. Who’s Janet? What’s this all about?”
I blinked, utterly lost. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. He was supposed to be led away in handcuffs, not standing here looking at me like I’d betrayed him.
“The woman you conned. My mom’s friend. You… you took everything from her.”
Robin shook his head, running a hand through his hair. “I’ve never met anyone named Janet in my life. But, wait a minute, I think I know what happened here.”
He pulled out his phone, his fingers flying across the screen. After a moment, he turned it towards me. I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth.
The photo showed two identical men — Robin, and another who could have been his clone. Same eyes, smile, and same everything.
But while Robin looked relaxed and happy in the photo, his double had an edge to him, a hardness in his eyes that sent a chill down my spine.
“That’s my twin brother, Adrian,” Robin revealed. “We haven’t spoken in over six months. He’s had some trouble with the law. I’ve been trying to help him, but he disappeared. I think he might be the one you’re looking for.”
I felt the blood drain from my face, shame and horror cloaking me in equal measure. “Oh my God. Robin, I’m so sorry. I thought—”
He held up a hand, cutting me off. “It’s okay. I understand. Anyone would have done the same thing in your shoes.”
But I could see the hurt in his eyes. I’d accused him of being a criminal and had the police come after him. Would he ever forgive me?
As if on cue, Mom burst into the café, her eyes wild as she scanned the room. When she spotted us, she rushed over, stopping short when she saw Robin still sitting there.
“What’s going on? Why isn’t he in custody?”
I stood up, placing a hand on her arm. “Mom, we made a mistake. A big one.”
Robin stood as well, offering his hand to my mother. “Mrs…?”
“Daisy,” Mom said, frowning.
“Mrs. Daisy, I understand there’s been a misunderstanding. I’m not the man who hurt your friend. But I think I might know who did.”
He showed her the photo, and I watched as the same shock I’d felt played across Mom’s face.
“I can’t believe it,” she murmured, looking between Robin and his brother’s picture. “They’re identical.”
“Adrian and I… we’ve always been close. Or we were. But lately, he’s been making some bad choices. I’ve been trying to help him, but he disappeared a few months ago. I’ve been worried sick.”
I reached out, touching his arm before I could stop myself. “I’m so sorry for putting you through this, Robin. I feel terrible.”
He gave me a small smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Don’t. You were trying to do the right thing. To protect others from being hurt.”
Mom shook her head, sinking into a chair. “I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you, dealing with your brother’s actions.”
Robin’s smile faded completely. “It’s been challenging. But I’m not giving up on him. I can’t.”
An awkward silence fell over the table. I fidgeted with my napkin, trying to find the right words to fix this mess I’d created.
How do you apologize for accusing someone of being a criminal? For bringing the police down on an innocent man?
Finally, I took a deep breath, steeling myself. “Robin, I know this isn’t how either of us imagined this evening going. And I completely understand if you never want to see me again. But, if you’re willing, I’d love to start over. Maybe we could try another date? One without any police involvement or mistaken identities?!”
He looked at me for a long moment. My heart raced as I waited for his response. Finally, he broke into a genuine grin, the warmth returning to his eyes.
“I’d like that, Selena. I’d like that a lot!”
As we left the café, walking into the cool night air, I couldn’t help but feel that despite all the chaos and misunderstandings, this might just be the beginning of something wonderful.
And terrifying. Because now, somewhere out there, was a man who looked exactly like the one beside me. A man who was everything I’d feared Robin to be.
To Save My Father, I Pretended to Be a Stranger’s Fiancée, But I Never Expected to Fall for the Wrong Brother — Story of the Day
I was drowning in hospital bills when a stranger in a suit offered me a deal: pretend to be his fiancée, and he’d save my father’s life. I had no choice but to say yes. Then I met his brother…
The day started like any other, but by noon, my entire world had collapsed.
My phone buzzed just as I was locking my apartment door. I almost didn’t answer: spam calls had been relentless lately, but something made me pick up.
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“Miss Carter?” The voice was calm and professional. “This is Dr. Reynolds. I’m calling about your father.”
“Is he okay?” My voice cracked on the last word.
There was a pause, a measured breath. “His condition has worsened. He needs surgery immediately. Without it… his chances are low.”
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I pressed my back against the doorframe, gripping the phone so hard my fingers ached.
“How much?”
The number crashed over me like a tidal wave. Too high. Impossible. I barely heard anything after that.
I just murmured a weak “I’ll figure it out” before ending the call.
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But I had nothing. No savings. No family to ask for help. Just a café job that barely covered rent.
By the time I arrived at work, my chest felt hollow. I barely noticed the smell of coffee beans or the familiar chime of the bell as I pushed through the door. I made a beeline for my manager.
“Lisa, I… I need an advance. Please. Anything you can spare.”
Lisa’s face softened, but her hands twisted nervously.
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“Sophie, I wish I could do more. Two months’ salary is the best I can offer.”
It wasn’t enough. But I forced a nod, blinking hard.
“Thank you. I… I appreciate it.”
The weight in my chest only grew heavier. Two months’ salary wasn’t nearly enough. It wouldn’t even cover half of what I needed.
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I blinked hard, willing the sting behind my eyes to disappear. Crying wouldn’t fix anything. Exhaling shakily, I turned back toward the café floor. And that’s when I felt it.
Someone was watching me.
The sensation crawled up my spine, a quiet, lingering gaze that felt too deliberate to ignore. I glanced up. A man sat near the window, his eyes locked onto me.
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He wasn’t pretending to skim a menu or glance around absentmindedly. He was watching. Listening.
The café wasn’t loud. My conversation with Lisa hadn’t been a whisper. He must have caught every desperate word. Heat rushed to my cheeks.
Who is he?
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For months, another man always sat in that spot. We had never spoken beyond polite exchanges, but I noticed him. He never rushed, never buried himself in his phone, never seemed in a hurry to leave.
He always ordered the same thing. Black coffee. No sugar. No cream.
I even started adding an extra cookie to his plate. He never said anything, never questioned it, but he always smiled before leaving.
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And I had foolishly imagined, just once, that maybe one day he’d do more than smile.
But that day, he wasn’t there. Instead, a different man sat in his place.
Older. Sharper. Dressed in a suit that radiated quiet authority. He stirred his coffee with slow, deliberate movements, his gaze flicking toward me before shifting away.
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I forced myself to move, to pretend I hadn’t noticed. But my stomach twisted.
I didn’t know who he was. I didn’t know what he wanted.
And I had no idea that by the end of the night, he would change everything.
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***
Later that evening, I walked home, my body aching from the long shift, my mind tangled in numbers, hospital bills, and the crushing weight of impossibility. I barely noticed the cold creeping through my thin jacket or the flickering streetlights overhead.
I just kept walking. The streets were quiet, the usual city hum softened by the late hour.
Then, a car slowed beside me.
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I stiffened, gripping my bag a little tighter. The tinted window rolled down, and a deep, controlled voice called my name.
“Sophie.”
I froze mid-step.
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It was him. The man from the café. The one who had taken the seat of my regular customer that day—the one I always brought an extra cookie to.
Every instinct screamed at me, “Keep walking! Ignore him. This is how true crime documentaries start.”
But something about his tone made me pause. It wasn’t commanding. It wasn’t threatening. It was… certain.
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“You don’t need to be afraid,” he said, as if reading my thoughts. “I just want to talk.”
I turned, keeping a cautious distance. “Who are you?”
“Steven.”
He leaned slightly toward the open window, his dark eyes sharp, assessing.
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“Get in. I’ll explain everything.”
I huffed out a laugh. “Yeah, that’s not happening.”
His lips twitched.
“Fair enough.”
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He exhaled, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel. “Then I’ll talk here.”
“I’m listening.”
His gaze met mine.
“My father is handing over control of our family business soon. But there’s a condition—he wants to see me as a settled man. Stable. Engaged.”
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“And that affects me how?”
Steven studied me for a moment. Then, with a quiet certainty, he said, “Because I need a fiancée.”
I let out a sharp, incredulous laugh. “You’re joking.”
“I’m not.”
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He let the silence stretch just long enough before adding, “And you need money. I heard you talking to your manager.”
My fingers curled into fists. “You were listening?”
“I see an opportunity, I take it. You need money. I need a fiancée. It’s simple.”
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Simple. Right. Except nothing about this feels simple at all.
“You… want me to pretend to be your fiancée?”
“A few weeks. Public appearances. My father believes I’ve finally settled down, and in return… I’ll pay for your father’s surgery.”
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I could refuse. Walk away. Pretend this conversation never happened. But then what? My father would suffer. His condition would worsen.
I didn’t remember saying yes. But an hour later, I was in a dressing room, surrounded by silk dresses and designer heels, staring at a reflection I didn’t recognize.
The girl in the mirror looked polished. Elegant. Someone who belonged in Steven’s world.
I wasn’t that girl. But for the following few weeks… I would have to be.
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***
Steven’s father’s birthday came. It was our grand debut as a couple.
The mansion was breathtaking. It wasn’t just big, the kind of place you saw in magazines, the kind of house that didn’t feel real.
A live band played soft jazz in the background, and waiters in crisp black uniforms weaved through the crowd with trays of champagne.
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I kept my shoulders back, my posture perfect, just as Steven had instructed. Every movement mattered. Every glance, every smile. We were on display.
Steven played his part flawlessly. He smiled at all the right moments and whispered small reassurances whenever I hesitated.
“Relax,” he murmured in my ear as we walked further into the room. “You look perfect.”
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His father, a tall, commanding man approached us. His sharp eyes scanned me from head to toe.
“Father,” Steven said smoothly. “This is Sophie.”
“Ah, so this is the young woman you’ve been hiding from us,” his father said, his voice rich with skepticism. “Lovely.”
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And then I saw him. My regular. The man whose absence I had felt that very morning. The one I had secretly admired for months without knowing his name.
But finally, I did. Steven’s father introduced him with a proud smile.
Oliver. Steven’s brother.
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His gaze locked onto mine, and I knew instantly—he recognized me too. He didn’t approach right away. He waited. He watched. And then, when the moment was just right, he made his move.
“Fancy seeing you here,” he said casually, stepping closer.
“Oliver…”
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“You know, I’ve spent months trying to work up the nerve to ask you out. But it turns out I didn’t need to. My brother beat me to it.”
“I…”
“I came to that café every morning just to see you,” he continued, ignoring my attempt to speak. “I thought maybe one day, I’d stop being a coward and say something. But I never did.”
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He let out a quiet laugh. “Instead, I followed you home a few times. Not in a creepy way…”
“Oliver.”
“…just because I couldn’t find the right words.”
I could tell him the truth. I could explain everything and end the lie before it spiraled any further.
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But then my father’s face flashed in my mind. The hospital. The money.
I turned away, slipped my hand into Steven’s, and leaned up to kiss him.
The first time a lie had ever tasted so bitter.
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***
The next morning, Steven placed a check in front of me.
“Here.”
I stared at the paper. The amount was more than enough to cover my father’s surgery and keep him comfortable for months. My hands trembled as I picked it up. But instead of relief, all I felt was emptiness.
“You are playing your part well. Maybe we should continue this… see if there’s something real between us.”
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I set the check back on the table.
“I can’t. I thought I could pretend, but even one more day would be unbearable. The truth is… from the very beginning, I’ve been in love with your brother.”
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For a moment, Steven said nothing. His jaw tightened, his fingers tapping against the table. I braced for anger, accusations, something. But when he finally spoke, his voice was calm.
“I can’t keep you here. Thank you for the evening.”
His eyes flicked to the check on the table before he pocketed it without a word. Then, without another glance, he walked out, leaving me alone.
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***
The following night, just as I was locking up the café, the door opened.
Oliver! He stepped forward, holding something out.
“Take it,” he said, pressing the paycheck into my hands. “Even if we never see each other again. I want to help your father.”
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He knew. Steven must have told him everything.
“Oliver, I…”
“You didn’t have to lie,” he interrupted gently. “You could’ve just asked. I would have helped. No deals. No charades.”
Tears burned at the back of my eyes. I looked down at the check, then back at him.
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“I was always happy when you came to the café. I used to put an extra cookie on your plate, hoping you’d notice.”
“I noticed.”
“I made a desperate choice. I just wanted to help my father…”
“You don’t have to explain. Steven realized his mistake because of how honest you were. And because of that, I get to be here with you now.”
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The burden of guilt, of fear, of uncertainty, it wasn’t all gone, but it was lighter. Oliver glanced at the check in my hands, then back at me.
“Come on. Let’s go to the hospital and talk to the doctor about your dad’s treatment.”
I exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of everything settle into something new. Something right. I nodded, letting him take my hand. That time, I wasn’t walking my road alone.
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If you enjoyed this story, read this one: The elderly man at my café ordered dinner for two, but no one ever came. When I learned why, I couldn’t walk away. His love had vanished a year ago—without a trace. What I uncovered changed everything.
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