Chapter 2 Two Strangers

"You're late," were the first words out of Joe's mouth as Lexi walked into the café. Joe was her manager, a fact she was reminded of with every unpleasant interaction.

"It's just five minutes, Joe. I..." Lexi tried to explain, already exhausted by the conversation.

"Well, it's coming out of your paycheck," Joe cut her off, his ugly, fat face forming a wicked grin. God, Lexi hated him.

"Really, Joe? I work harder than anyone here, and you still treat me like crap," Lexi replied angrily, her voice rising. She needed every single cent in her paycheck, and Joe knew that all too well.

"Well, everyone else is always on time. You should learn from them," Joe replied with a smug look on his face.

Lexi's jaw clenched. She had to remind herself that she needed this job or else she would have... never mind. She took a deep breath, trying to keep her temper in check. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and pastries filled the air, a stark contrast to the bitterness of their exchange.

"I'm sorry, Joe. I won't be late tomorrow," Lexi said, forcing a polite smile and adopting a refined tone.

"You better not," Joe replied, walking away with a self-satisfied smirk.

Lexi watched him go, feeling a mix of anger and frustration. She imagined giving him a piece of her mind, picturing herself throwing a cup of hot coffee in his stupid fat face. But the image quickly faded, replaced by the cold reality of her situation. She squared her shoulders and headed to the back to clock in.

As she did, her mind wandered to her father's hospital bill, the stack of unpaid bills on her kitchen counter, and the looming rent payment. She couldn't afford to lose this job, no matter how much she despised Joe and the way he treated her. She took a deep breath and put on a professional smile, ready to face another long day of coffee pours and forced small talk.

"I need a refill!" Mr. Higgins bellowed, distracting Lexi from her thoughts. Mr. Higgins was a senior citizen who was a regular at the café. He was always there. Always. And he wasn't a very pleasant old man.

Lexi rolled her eyes as she grabbed a coffee pot and walked over to his table.

As she poured the coffee for Mr. Higgins, who was busy discussing the latest pigeon racing techniques, the doors to the café swung open.

Two people in sharp suits walked in. One was a tall, serious-looking man with a chiseled jawline straight out of a toothpaste commercial. The other was a petite woman with bright eyes that seemed to miss nothing.

"Are you Alexandra Thompson?" the woman asked, her British accent crisp and unmistakable.

Lexi blinked, the coffee pot in her hand frozen mid-air. "Depends. Are you here to repossess my shoes?"

The woman smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "No, Miss Thompson. My name is Emily, and this is Jack. May we have a word with you?"

Lexi frowned. "Sure, uh, take a seat. I'll be right with you," she said, finishing Mr. Higgins' coffee refill with a shaky hand. Mr. Higgins mumbled something about "these young folks and their strange hobbies" before returning to his newspaper.

Emily and Jack settled into a corner booth, their professional demeanor causing a ripple of curiosity among the regulars. Lexi handed her apron to Pete, her coworker, and slid into the booth opposite them.

"So? How may I help you?" Lexi asked, trying to sound more confident than she felt.

Jack cleared his throat, leaning forward slightly. "We are looking for a woman called Diana Wayne."

"Diana Wayne?" Lexi repeated, her brow furrowing. "I don't know who that is."

Emily carefully placed a photograph on the table. Lexi stared at it, her own face staring back at her, albeit with a different hairstyle and a more refined air. It was like looking into a parallel universe where she had her life together.

"This is Diana Wayne," Emily said. "She's been missing for three months. And as you can see, you bear a striking resemblance to her."

Lexi stared at the photo, then back at Emily and Jack. "Is this some kind of joke? Because if it is, it's not very funny."

"I assure you this is not a joke," Jack replied, his expression serious.

Lexi's eyes fell back to the picture on the table, her hands shakily reaching for it. She had heard about doppelgängers, but this was some next-level shit. It felt like she was looking in a mirror-Well, a mirror that makes you look better than you actually do.

"I'm sorry, this is just too hard to believe. Am I being pranked?" Lexi asked, standing up. "Is this one of those reality TV things? Where are the freaking cameras?"

"Miss Thompson, please sit down. I assure you, you're not being pranked," Emily said, her tone hushed, not trying to draw more attention to them.

"Look, this is very serious, Miss Thompson, and we would love it if you could just sit down and hear us out," Jack added, trying to keep his voice calm and reassuring.

Lexi hesitated, glancing around the café to see if anyone else was in on this supposed prank. But the faces she saw were either buried in newspapers or engaged in their own conversations. She took a deep breath and sat back down, her curiosity outweighing her skepticism.

"Okay, I'll hear you out. But this better not end with me looking like an idiot on social media," Lexi said, crossing her arms.

Emily and Jack exchanged a glance before Emily leaned in closer. "Thank you. As we mentioned, Diana Wayne has been missing for three months. We believe she may be in danger, and your resemblance to her is uncanny. We need your help to find her."

Lexi shook her head slowly, "Like I mentioned before, I don't know who she is."

Emily and Jack exchanged another silent look, one heavy with unspoken thoughts. Lexi's eyes widened in realization. "You don't possibly think I'm her, do you?"

"Well, you look just like her... it's possible," Jack said, his voice cautious but firm.

Lexi let out a dry laugh in disbelief. "Okay, this is a waste of time. I should get back to work. Good luck finding Diana Wayne." She stood up abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor.

"Wait," Emily said, her tone urgent, reaching out to grab Lexi's arm. "Please, just hear us out a bit longer."

Lexi pulled her arm back, eyes flashing with irritation. "Look, I don't know what kind of game you think you're playing, but I have real problems to deal with. Bills, a sick father... I don't have time for this."

As Lexi turned to leave, Jack's voice cut through the tension like a knife. "What if I told you Diana Wayne is worth millions? And if you help us find her, it could change your life forever."

Lexi froze, her mind racing. She slowly turned back to face them, a mixture of skepticism and curiosity in her eyes. "Millions?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes," Emily confirmed, her eyes locked onto Lexi's. "But we need your cooperation. Just a little more of your time. Please."

Lexi bit her lip, torn between walking away and the possibility of a solution to all her problems. The café buzzed around them, the normalcy of it all in stark contrast to the surreal situation she found herself in.

Finally, she sighed and sat back down.

"Alright. I'll listen. But no promises."