Chapter 3: Mirror Image
1281words
The scenes from eight years ago were so vivid: Derek's smile, his touch, our walks across campus. Then that rainy night—when I excitedly ran to his apartment to tell him about my pregnancy, only to see him intimately embracing another woman.
"I never promised anything. It was just a game." His words still cut like a knife.
Strangely, when I tried to recall the details carefully, some things seemed off. Derek's voice in my memory fluctuated oddly, his expression sometimes clear, sometimes blurry. That rainy night, the clothes he wore didn't match his usual style. I was deep in thought when a sudden knock on my office door startled me.
"Come in."
Derek stood in the doorway, his expression unusually serious, brows furrowed. "Bella, you need to come with me right now."
I instinctively tensed, gripping the armrests of my chair. "I'm not going anywhere—"
"It's Lillian," he interrupted, his eyes flashing with anxiety I'd never seen before. "She collapsed at school. She's at Silver Moon Children's Hospital now."
My heart plummeted. "What? She was fine this morning!"
Not stopping to wonder why he was the one notifying me, I grabbed my bag and followed him quickly out of the office. In the car, I clutched the seatbelt tightly, my knuckles turning white.
"How is Lillian? Is it the fever again?"
"The school nurse said she suddenly developed a high fever, then collapsed," Derek's voice was surprisingly gentle, completely different from the cold man in my memories. "I arranged for the best doctors as soon as I was notified."
"Notified? Why would the school notify you?" I turned to him in confusion, noticing the tension in his jawline.
Derek's fingers tightened slightly on the steering wheel, his knuckles whitening. "I'm on the school board, Bella. The school notifies me of any emergencies."
"She'll be alright," he suddenly said, his voice carrying a strange certainty. "Lillian is a strong child."
His familiar tone made me wary. "You don't need to pretend to care," I said coldly, crossing my arms. "I know you're just using Lillian to get close to me."
Derek took a deep breath, and I saw his Adam's apple bob. "Bella, there's a lot you don't understand. I hope you'll give me a chance to explain."
"Explain what? How you abandoned me eight years ago?" My voice shook with anger, my eyes burning. "Or why you're suddenly interested in my daughter now?"
"I never abandoned you," Derek's voice was low but firm, the lines of his profile hard as sculpture. "You were the one who disappeared. I looked for you for a long time, Bella. A very long time."
His words confused me. This didn't match my memories at all. I turned to look out the window, not wanting him to see the doubt in my eyes.
When we arrived at the hospital, Derek led me directly to the children's ward. The medical staff nodded respectfully to him, allowing us to enter without any hindrance. Lillian lay on the hospital bed, her small body connected to monitoring equipment, her face pale. I rushed to her bedside, tightly holding her little hand.
"Lillian, Mommy's here," I said softly, my throat tight.
She opened her eyes slightly, giving me a weak smile that nearly broke my heart.
Derek nodded to me. "I have some urgent matters to attend to. You and Lillian are safe here."
"Wait," I called after him. "Why does Lillian know you?"
Derek's expression became complex, his lips pressed into a thin line. "We'll talk later, Bella. Right now, Lillian needs rest, and so do you."
The nurse gave Lillian medication, and soon she fell asleep. I sat by her bed, fatigue gradually overtaking me, and I dozed off. In my half-asleep state, I dreamed of Derek from eight years ago—the boy who would wait for me after class at the library, the boy whose eyes were full of love.
I don't know how much time passed before I slowly woke up, finding myself leaning against a warm shoulder, my hand being held. I looked up groggily and saw a familiar profile.
But when I fully awoke, I noticed "Derek" was wearing a white coat, looking at me with a gentle expression. I was surprised to find our fingers intertwined, and I immediately pulled my hand back as if burned.
"You're awake," he smiled, his voice deep and gentle. "Lillian's condition has stabilized. No need to worry too much."
I looked at him in confusion, my heart racing. "What game are you playing now?"
"I'm Lillian's attending physician," he explained, the laugh lines around his eyes more pronounced than Derek's. "Owen Ravencraft, pediatric specialist."
Owen? My brain raced. Derek had never mentioned having a brother, but this man looked identical to Derek, only with a much gentler demeanor.
"Lillian's symptoms are very unique," Owen continued, his voice having a calming quality. "Her fevers come and go quickly, but we need to do more tests."
I nodded, trying to sort through my thoughts. "Thank you for taking care of her."
Owen smiled gently, a smile that reminded me of the good times eight years ago. He leaned forward, and I could smell the faint mixture of antiseptic and a familiar cologne.
"Lillian is special," he said, his tone carrying an emotion I couldn't interpret. "Her eyes... are very unique."
I looked at him warily. "What do you mean?"
Owen didn't answer directly. Instead, he gently pulled open his shirt collar, revealing a silver wolf pendant. My heart nearly stopped. That was the birthday gift I had given Derek eight years ago, a necklace I had personally selected.
"You..." my voice trembled, my fingers unconsciously reaching for the pendant before stopping midair. "That necklace..."
Owen's hand gently caressed the pendant, his eyes soft. "I've always worn it. Never taken it off."
My mind was in chaos. This was impossible. Derek had never mentioned having a brother, much less giving my gift to someone else. Unless...
Owen suddenly leaned forward, his gaze becoming deep and eager. "Bella," he called my nickname softly, his voice filled with longing. "I've been looking for you for so long."
His face came closer, and I could feel his breath on my cheek, warm and familiar. His eyes were filled with an emotion I recognized—the same love I used to see in Derek's eyes eight years ago.
Just as his lips were about to touch mine, the hospital room door suddenly opened.
I turned sharply to see Derek standing in the doorway, holding a pink stuffed animal. His expression quickly changed from surprise to anger, his eyes darting between Owen and me.
"Owen," his voice was low and dangerous. "I thought you were in surgery."
"Surgery ended early, Derek," Owen responded calmly, but I noticed his fingers trembling slightly. "I was explaining Lillian's condition to Dr. Sterling."
"You two..." my voice was hoarse with shock. "You're..."
"Twins," Derek said curtly, his eyes still coldly fixed on Owen. "Obviously."
Owen smiled slightly, a hint of challenge in his smile. "Derek never mentions me, does he? What a shame."
My gaze moved between the two men, feeling dizzy. Derek had a twin brother? How was this possible? Eight years ago, I had never heard of this, never seen them appear together.
What confused me even more was that this man called Owen was wearing the necklace I had given to Derek. What did this mean? Who had I actually fallen in love with eight years ago?
