He Thought I Was Blind, So He Traded Places With His Brother

Ethan had his twin brother, Lucas, pretend to be him and accompany me eleven times. I never called him out on it. Even though I have face blindness, I could always smell the cigarette smoke on Lucas. I could also hear the slight difference in his accent. Yet, when Lucas fed me cake, I opened my mouth. When Lucas put his hand on my thigh at the movie theater, I didn’t flinch. Actually, I knew. I knew Ethan was taking advantage of my face blindness to let Lucas date me in his place. A month ago, I walked past his bedroom and heard Ethan on the phone with Lucas: "The doctor said Lily only has three months left. I promised her I'd let her experience a complete romance before she dies." "Chloe has face blindness. I'll give you my clothes, and she won't be able to tell the difference." "Her parents have also agreed to help keep the secret. Nothing will go wrong." They all felt Lily was dying, so of course, I was expected to just hand my boyfriend over to her. The only reason I tolerated it was because I only had one session left in my face-blindness therapy. And the best medical team was under the control of the Miller family. Until that late night, when I was being followed down a dark alley, I called Ethan in a panic. "Ethan, someone is following me. Can you please come pick me up..." "Don't be scared. Send me your location. I’m on my way." Twenty minutes later, his familiar car pulled up in front of the convenience store. But the person who stepped out was still Lucas. Only this time, I recognized him the second I saw his face. My face blindness was completely cured. I still said nothing. I just quietly got into the car. But that very night, I filed the paperwork to transfer to our Seattle branch. I would leave in seven days. Lucas left that night, saying he had a business dinner. Ethan came back the next morning. They switched places so seamlessly, thinking I was completely in the dark. I was sitting at the dining table having breakfast when Ethan walked through the door. Before, I could only identify him by his voice and his cologne. But this time, I saw his face with absolute clarity. His brow, the bridge of his nose, and the tiny mole near the corner of his right eye. Honestly, he was incredibly handsome. I had looked at his photos for years and touched his face countless times. But today was the first time I actually saw him. I stared at him for a few seconds, then hesitated and called out: "Lucas?" Ethan stopped dead in his tracks. "Chloe, it's me. Ethan." I quickly lowered my head, acting just as flustered as I used to when I made a mistake. "I'm sorry. I got it wrong again. I'm so useless..." Ethan didn't say anything, but his brow furrowed slightly. In the past, whenever I mistook him for someone else, he would be upset for a long time. Once at the mall, I followed Lucas for dozens of yards before realizing he wasn't Ethan. When I came back, Ethan’s face was red with frustration. "You silly girl," he had said, pinching my cheek. "You can mistake anyone else in the world, but you have to recognize your own boyfriend." After that, he started using the same cologne, wore the same watch, and only wore black or white jackets. "I will never change my style. That way, one day, you'll be able to find me even in a massive crowd." Now, I finally could. But this wasn't what he wanted anymore. Ethan sat down next to me and stroked my hair. "Don't walk home alone so late anymore. It's too dangerous, especially with your condition." "Okay." "Were you terrified last night?" My nose suddenly felt a bit stung. When I was hiding in that alley last night, I was truly terrified. That creepy man had lingered at the entrance of the alley three times. The first person I thought of was still Ethan. When he said "I'm on my way," I even thought to myself that I could forgive everything else. As long as he was the one who showed up this time... But he didn't. He sent Lucas again. "I was okay. After all, you came, didn't you?" A few moments later, his phone rang. Ethan glanced at the screen, walked out to the balcony, and closed the door before answering. Through the glass door, I could only see him say a few words. His frown deepened. When he walked back inside, he was already grabbing his car keys. "Something came up at the office. I have to go out." I didn't ask any questions. Instead, Ethan paused by the door. "How come you didn't ask me when I'd be back today?" "I used to be immature. Now I know you're busy. I'm fine." He stared at me for two seconds before saying, "I'll bring you some strawberry cheesecake tonight." But I hated strawberry cheesecake. It was way too sweet. To remember my preferences, Ethan had once made a detailed note on his phone: Chloe: No cilantro, no organ meats, hates sweet food. When did he start getting it wrong? I didn't know. I only knew that Lily loved strawberry cheesecake. I guess in their eyes, since I couldn't even recognize faces, it didn’t matter if they got my tastes a little mixed up. That afternoon, Lily suddenly sent me nine photos on Instagram. "Chloe, do these look pretty?" A field of flowers. Matching couple outfits. And a side profile of a man bending down to adjust the hem of her dress. I zoomed in on the photo. I could clearly see Ethan's face. He was looking down, gently fixing Lily's bridal veil. He looked just as focused as he did years ago when he knelt on the ground to tie my shoelaces. So, this was his "emergency at the office." I stared at the photos for a long time, and finally, I just replied with a generic heart emoji. Everyone around me kept telling me Lily had a boyfriend, taking advantage of my face blindness to hide that it was Ethan. Lily probably thought that even if she showed me Ethan's face directly, I wouldn't recognize him. But I had heard every single word of that phone call between Ethan and Lucas. My transfer to Seattle had already been approved. I had six days left before I departed.The next afternoon, Lily actually moved into our house. This suburban villa was bought by Ethan. It had three floors. When Ethan brought my parents over from our hometown, he set them up on the first floor. Although Ethan and I both lived on the second floor, we had always slept in separate bedrooms. He often worked until the early hours of the morning and didn't want to wake me up. So, the second floor only had my bedroom, Ethan's bedroom, and his study. The third floor had two guest rooms that hadn't been cleaned in ages. When I saw Lily's luggage piled up in the living room, I asked directly: "Why is she moving in here?" My mom looked at me guiltily. "Lily hasn't been feeling well lately. It's not safe for her to live alone." "Besides, we’ve known her family for so many years. Living together will make things livelier." But I knew exactly why she wanted to live here. To have a "complete romance," they naturally had to live together under the same roof. That evening, the rest of the Miller family came over too. Mrs. Miller said Lily was in high spirits today, so since everyone was here, she hired a photographer to take a family portrait. "We should take some photos. It will be a nice keepsake for the future." Everyone quickly lined up. Just as I was about to stand next to Ethan, Lucas stepped in and took the spot to my right. He was wearing Ethan’s usual black shirt and the exact same watch. Meanwhile, the real Ethan had already walked over to Lily, gently supporting her by the waist. My mom even smiled and pulled my arm. "Chloe, what are you doing? Stand closer to Ethan." She knew damn well the man standing next to me wasn't Ethan. Yet, she called out his name so naturally. So, I reached out and took Lucas’s arm. "Like this?" My mom visibly let out a sigh of relief. "Yes! You two look so beautiful together." The photographer told us to squeeze in tighter. I looked up at Lily. Her face was quite pale. Ethan’s hand was resting on her waist. She leaned into him, and he didn't pull away. I suddenly remembered the first time Ethan and I took a photo together. I had stared at the picture for ages. In the end, I pointed at Lucas and asked, "Is this you?" Ethan was so mad he pinched my cheeks until they were red. After that, whenever we took photos, he made sure to stand on my right. "Remember this. I will always stand on your right in photos. You are not allowed to get it wrong!" But on the day I finally cured my face blindness, he was standing next to someone else. "Look at the camera!" the photographer called out. I smiled obediently. The house had a photo printer, so the pictures were ready within minutes. My mom flipped through them and pointed at one. "This one is the best." In the photo, I was leaning against Lucas, while the real Ethan stood next to Lily. Our families surrounded us, everyone smiling happily. "What's so good about it?" I asked quietly. My mom beamed. "Look how perfect you and Ethan look together." I smiled too. "Yeah. We look perfect." Since everyone was working so hard to help him lie to me, I certainly couldn't spoil the fun. After the photos, I went upstairs to change. But I found a maid already packing up my things on the second floor. My clothes were being folded into suitcases one by one. Even the books I kept on my nightstand had been packed away. "What is going on?" I asked. My mom followed me up. "You'll sleep on the third floor for the next few weeks. Lily’s health is poor, and climbing stairs is too exhausting for her." "The first floor is too noisy in the morning. Your room on the second floor has an en-suite bathroom, which is much more convenient for her at night." She said it so casually, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "Ethan lives on this floor too. Is it appropriate for her to stay here?" My mom’s face stiffened for a second. Just then, my dad walked upstairs. "Chloe, it’s only for a month or two. Why are you being so difficult? That poor girl doesn't have much time left." "The Miller family paid for your medical treatments, and they even brought us here from our hometown. You need to be grateful." "Learn to appreciate your blessings." I lowered my eyes. "I get it. I'll move." The maids began to tear down the photos on my bedroom wall. That was a photo wall Ethan had specially made for me during the early stages of my therapy to help me recognize him. Front views, side profiles, smiling, frowning... Under every single picture, the same name was written: Ethan. After I moved my things upstairs, Ethan came to see me. He actually looked annoyed. "You didn't make a scene? Why are you being so sensible lately?" "Lily is sick. It's the right thing to do." He fell silent for a moment, then walked over and wrapped his arms around me. "She’s very sick. Just tolerate her for a bit." "Once I'm free in a few weeks, I’ll take you to Iceland to see the Northern Lights." Seeing the Northern Lights was a promise we made when we first started dating. I had remembered it all these years. His phone was sitting on the desk. The screen lit up. As we hugged, my eyes caught a calendar notification that popped up on his screen: Friday: Go with Lily to submit Iceland visa documents. I stared at it for two seconds. Suddenly, the pain was gone. Even the future he used to comfort me with had already been given to Lily. "Do you want to go? Why aren't you saying anything?" Ethan asked. "Yes, I want to go." After all, this promise would never have to be fulfilled anyway.At two in the morning, I quietly walked downstairs. I saw Ethan in my former bedroom. He was lying on his side on the bed. Lily had her back to the door, curled up tightly in his arms. I stood there for a moment, then silently walked back upstairs. Human beings really need to have their hearts broken over and over again to finally give up. The next afternoon, my physical therapist came over as usual. Lately, whenever the doctor visited, Ethan and Lucas would stand by to have me identify them. After the basic exercises, the therapist had them stand side-by-side. "Let's do the live face recognition test today." My mom sat nearby, her fingers nervously clutching the edge of her shirt. I immediately saw Ethan. He was standing right next to Lucas. Their features, which used to be a blurry mess in my eyes, were now crystal clear. "Which one is Ethan?" the doctor asked. I purposely stared at them for a long time, then pointed my finger at Lucas. "This one?" The doctor looked down and took notes. "The facial recognition is still unstable. We need to keep practicing." I saw my mom's shoulders visibly relax. Ethan smiled, walked over, and pinched my cheek. "How did you get it wrong again?" Before, whenever I got it wrong, he would get so frustrated. He would place my hands on his face and force me to memorize his features. Now, when I got it wrong, he actually looked relieved. After the doctor left, my mom asked me casually: "Can you still not tell them apart in photos either?" "No." "Take your time. You can't rush this kind of recovery." I thought back to the year I was first diagnosed. My mom was so worried she couldn't sleep. She begged every doctor she could find. "As long as Chloe can recognize faces, we’ll pay whatever it takes." But now that I was almost cured, she wished my recovery would slow down. In the afternoon, my mom came up to the third floor to find me. "Where is that white dress? The one Ethan bought you last year?" "Lily is going out with her boyfriend tonight. She's lost so much weight recently that none of her own dresses fit her anymore." "She wants my dress? But tonight is my three-year anniversary with Ethan." My mom didn't seem to think anything was wrong with her request. "Lily doesn't have much time left. Let her dress up beautifully for a nice date." "You have plenty of clothes anyway. Just wear something else." I pulled the dress out of my closet and handed it to her. "I knew you'd be sensible." That night, Ethan actually took me out to the movies himself. Halfway through the film, his phone buzzed. "It's the office. I need to take this." Ten minutes later, a man slipped back into the seat next to me. The same black jacket, the same cologne, and even the same watch. He reached out and naturally took my hand. I turned my head. It was Lucas. So, even a date could be switched halfway through. As long as I couldn't see it, they acted as if nothing had happened. When the movie ended, Lily sent me another video on Snapchat. "I checked off another wish today!" It was a video of her wearing my white dress, standing on a balcony covered in flowers. A man was holding a ring, kneeling on one knee in front of her. I tapped on the video. I saw Ethan looking up at her. I saw him smile, and then gently slide the ring onto her ring finger. Finally, Lily burst into tears and threw herself into his arms. I looked down at Lucas sitting next to me. I suddenly thought Ethan had arranged things so perfectly. One Ethan watched a movie with me, while the other Ethan proposed to Lily. No one was left out. When I got home, I just continued packing my bags. They still thought that as long as I couldn't recognize his face, this play could go on forever. But they didn't know. I had already seen right through Ethan. And right through all of them.For the next three days, I pulled out the facial recognition flashcards I used during therapy. I covered the names and only looked at the faces. Lucas, Mr. Miller, Mrs. Miller, the doctor, the nurse. The last card was Ethan. For three consecutive days, I got every single one right. Later, I stood on the balcony and watched the people walking below. I could easily identify who they were. I was truly cured. At seven in the morning, my parents were already dressed up. My mom had even put on makeup, which was rare for her. When I came down from the third floor, she was adjusting her earrings. "Just stay home today. We’re going out with Lily to take care of some things." My dad urged her, "Hurry up, they're waiting." Before walking out the door, my mom didn't forget to remind me: "When the doctor comes today, make sure you do your therapy properly. Don't slack off." "Okay." Once the door closed, the house fell completely silent. I began to pack the last of my belongings into my suitcase. There really wasn't much to take. I didn't touch any of the designer bags, jewelry, or clothes Ethan had bought me over the years. At the very bottom of my drawer, I found a hand-knitted patchwork quilt. My mom had made it by hand years ago. Back then, we were still very poor. She sat by the window sewing and told me: "When you get married in the future, take this with you. Whenever you look at it, you’ll think of me." I had laughed at her. "I don't even have a boyfriend. What's the rush?" My dad chimed in, "Our girl will get married eventually. We just want you to be happy." Later, when I started dating Ethan, they were even happier than I was. My dad would sometimes get a bit tipsy and tell Ethan: "My daughter has trouble recognizing faces. You must never take advantage of her." I stared at the quilt for a long time. In the end, I put it back in the closet. I wouldn't be needing it anymore. Before heading to the airport, my mom FaceTimed me. "Lily finally got married today!" Lily was holding up a marriage certificate from City Hall, her eyes curved with joy. When my mom brought the camera closer, Lily’s finger was pressing firmly over the groom's name. But even if the name was covered, the photo wasn't. I could see the man's face in the photo with absolute clarity. Ethan. "See? Don't Lily and her husband look so perfect together?" "Ah, if only you could recognize faces..." I remembered how years ago, my mom told me that the most important trait in a man was loyalty. "When the time comes, your father and I will walk you down the aisle. We have to make sure you marry a good man who only loves you." They probably hadn't forgotten. They just figured Lily only had three months left. And since Ethan and I hadn't officially married yet, it didn't matter. Once she was gone, that marriage registration wouldn't matter anymore. I still had a long life ahead of me. Ethan would have plenty of time to be fully devoted to me later. My wedding could wait. My boyfriend could be borrowed. And now, even the position of his wife could be lent out for three months. "Have fun. Remember to congratulate Lily on her marriage for me." I hung up the phone. The Uber arrived, and I got in. Ethan believed that once he helped Lily fulfill her final wish, he would still have plenty of time to come back and make things up to me. My parents believed I would still obediently wait at home for them to return. But while they were celebrating at City Hall with Lily, I was already boarding a flight to Seattle. The plane took off, leaving the city behind. This time, the real Ethan didn't show up, and neither did the fake one. But I didn't need either of them anymore.