SWITCHED AT BIRTH

CHAPTER5

Chapter 5: Face to Face with Destiny

Lila

I glanced at my phone, checking the details of my next passenger. The name read Elliot Thompson, and the address was in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city.

Well yeah, this was my life now, after I left the mansion that night, I ran back to Ethan trying to gasp what I could get from him, but he too was no help, and then I realized why I said I wouldn’t call him ever,

He was just as useless as any stupid boyfriend could be.

And Damien, oh he called today, whining about how he’s going to find me and make my life more unbearable, but guess what, the jokes on him

I’m a taxi driver.

How much worse could it possibly, and he could do his worse for all I cared.

The minutes ticked by as I waited, tapping my fingers nervously on the steering wheel, I looked at my phone again trying to message who has just booked the ride.

Just as I was about to cancel the ride,I saw a young man stepped out of a large building, and I could feel my heart skip a beat.

The man was tall and lean, his sharp features strikingly familiar. He had the same dark, piercing eyes, the same raven-black hair as mine. He walked toward her with a confident stride, a duffle bag slung over his shoulder, but when he reached my car, he stopped short.

For a moment, we both just stared at each other. It was as though we were seeing ghosts.

“You…”I finally managed, my voice barely above a whisper.

The young man blinked. “Do I know you?”

My mind raced, searching for words. “No, I just… you look… familiar.”

He studied me for a second longer, then shrugged. “Weird. Anyway, let’s go.” He opened the back door and slid inside.

I wasn’t hallucinating, was I?

This guy at the back of my car looked just like me!!

Elliot

The drive was silent at first, and the hum of the engine filled the space between us, I tried to focus on my phone, scrolling away aimlessly to catch up on everything I’ve missed, but the driver couldn’t stop glancing at me through the rearview mirror.

“Can you stop, you’re gonna get us both killed” I said not looking up from my phone.

She muttered a quick

‘I’m sorry’

And focused on the phone but not without giving me one final stare.

And I shuddered trying to shake off the fact that this total stranger in front of me looks so much like me, the resemblance was uncanny.

According to science, people have identical look alike, maybe she just happened to be one.

“Are you going somewhere important?” she asked, her voice carefully neutral.

I raise an eyebrow at her through the mirror. “Just heading home for a few days. My mom’s been bugging me to visit.”

I tilted my head, my gaze lingering on her reflection for a moment. “You’re kind of weird, you know that?”

I watch as her cheeks become flushed. “Thanks, I guess.”

I chuckled softly and turned my attention back to my phone.

She’s weird and funny looking too .

When we arrived at the Thompson estate, I stepped out of the car, but before I could walk away, I heard her speak up. “Wait,” she blurted, surprising even herself.

I turned back, my expression questioning.

“I… I don’t know why, but I feel like I know you,” she said, her voice trembling slightly.

And that was when I really frowned. “Okay, now you’re definitely freaking me out.”

Lila

I opened her mouth to explain, but before I could explain further, the front door of the mansion swung open. And a woman stepped out, her elegant dress and perfectly coiffed hair screaming wealth. Her face lit up when she saw him.

Elliot!” she called, hurrying down the steps.

Oh so that’s his name!

Elliot!

“Hey, Mom,” he said with a small smile, but his mother’s attention was immediately drawn to me, as I just stepped out of the car.

Her expression froze, her eyes widening as she took at my face. “Oh my God…” she murmured, her voice barely audible.

Elliot frowned. “What’s wrong mom?”

I watched as she took a step closer, her gaze darting between me and Elliot. “You…” she whispered, pointing at me. “You look just like…”

Before she could finish, another voice interrupted.

“What’s going on here?”

A girl emerged from the house, her expensive designer outfit and haughty demeanor making her stand out immediately.

Ohh so this was his sister.

Wait!!

Hold on a second!

Why did she look like Liam?

“Who is this?” the girl demanded, her tone sharp. “Did you bring home a maid, Elliot?”

Elliot rolled his eyes. “She’s just a driver. Anna.”

Anna, still glaring at her angrily, pointed an accusatory finger at me. “What kind of game are you playing? Who are you?”

“I’m nobody,” I said quickly, anxious to suddenly leave. “I’m just a taxi driver.”

Mrs. Thompson shook her head, her voice soft but filled with conviction. “No… you’re not just anyone. I can see it. You look too much like him, too much like us.”

Elliot, who had been silent during the exchange, finally spoke. “Okay, can someone explain what the hell is going on? Why is everyone acting like she’s some kind of ghost?”

Damien

I didn’t understand what was going on, okay she looked like me and so, is that like a bad thing or like a good thing.

Before anyone could say another word,

Dad appeared at the top of the stairs. His eyes landed on her and he also stopped dead in his tracks.

“What… what is this?” he said, his voice low and cautious.

I watched as everyone turned to him, and his eyes narrowed as he studied her again. His face paled, and for a moment, he seemed lost for words. “This can’t be…” he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

Anna threw up her hands, frustrated and

confused.

“Am I the only one who thinks this is insane? She’s probably just some scammer trying to—”

“Enough!”