A Love Worth Investing

Camilla's POV

"What! Why are you looking like me?" a gasp escaped my mouth looking at the lady, who looked just like me in front of me.

"That should be my question, why are you looking like me, woman?" the lady questioned, and my eyes widened in surprise when I understood what was going on.

A doppelganger?

A doppelganger was the best bet because the lady in front of me looked so much like me, and my mind went back to what happened this early morning before I encountered this scenario.

The sound of loud music blasted through my room as I swayed my hips to the beat while singing along, and also getting dressed to go out.

That was my routine while growing up, because I dreamt of also being a superstar one day, and people listened to my songs, but I stopped dancing immediately when I noticed that the music had gone off.

"Snap out of it, Camilla!" I heard my mother scream, and I felt a slap on my butt. I groaned in pain as I turned to face my mother, and her angry face got me smiling so wide.

"Why are you so angry, mother?" I asked her to pour my lips, but she snorted. My mother is a disciplinarian, and that was why she hated my job at the local bar but that was the only way I could do what I love while I still get my big dreams.

"How dare you ask me that? Don't you think you should have gotten the linen to sew right now?" she asked, and my eyes widened in realization knowing that was true.

"Oh sorry Mother, I am going to go now," I say rushing up my dress, and I heard her instruct me to go to the mall because her supplier doesn't have the one she needed.

After getting dressed, I kissed my mother goodbye as I walked out of the house, and walked to the mall to get some things. On getting to the mall I decided to go to the fabrics session, but my steps halted in front of the female section where luxury wear which I couldn't afford was displayed, and I eyed the clothes.

"The clothes are looking so pretty," I mumbled looking at the clothes on my body, and I turned around to leave. "I am definitely going to come back here again if I have the money one day, maybe if I have Rihanna kind of money," I beamed, and a blush crept up to my face.

I decided to walk away but on second thought, I strode into the place. I don't have to buy anything just because I walk, I just need to take a look at the clothes. I am not fashionable but I am sure the clothes there would cost a fortune.

"Hi ma'am welcome to.." the attendant was about to greet but I asked her not to bother saying I am going to call for her. "$3,000! That's huge!" I said dropping the tag of the clothes I was holding, and when I raised my head I was surprised by the sight.

"Is there a mirror here?" I gasped in shock, extending my hands further, but my eyes grew in surprise when it came in contact with a delicate face.

"Ahhh!" I screamed, removing my hands, and I saw the people in the mall looking at me in surprise, but I wasn't the only one who screamed, my reflection did that too.

"Why are you screaming just like me?" I asked, and the lady sighed, that was how I met my doppelganger, and we were both staring at each other right now.

"You know people will think we are crazy if we keep screaming," the lady says, and I nod my head watching her like she was some gold. We both walked out of the female section to a lounge, and I was overwhelmed by her class. Maybe she was different from me with that.

"Hi, my name is Ariana Bernardo. I grew up in California," she says, and I sighed. I would have thought we were twins if she said she grew up here.

"My name is Camilla George, I grew up here, and nice meeting you," I said, and we both burst into laughter. Our attitude was in synchronization.

I noticed that a number had been calling her, and when she picked she looked disturbed.

"I would really like to get along with you but...why don't we do it this way? Let's meet in front of the mall at seven, and then we can catch up," she beamed, and I smiled at her.

"Of course, I would love to do that," I replied, and she smiled at me as her assistant hurried her away, and I kept looking at her as her back faded away.

"She looked so much..." I was saying but I snapped out of my daze. "Oh my goodness I should have asked for her number so we could easily connect like that," I mumbled but I brushed it off knowing we were going to meet later.

*****************************

Night came, and I waited at the front of the mall for a long time but no one came, and I sighed in disappointment seeing the stormy cloud, and I knew that it was going to rain soon.

Maybe I shouldn't have come, I pondered, and I turned around to leave, but a call came into my phone.

"Hello," I breathed into my phone, but I dropped my phone in panic when I heard what the other person on the other side of the phone just said.

I rushed out of the place boarding a cab immediately, and I heard the sizzling of the rain as the can zoomed away from the front of the mall. My face was already wet just like the floor, and I urged the driver to drive faster because I was in disarray only if I knew that was just the start.

Ariana's POV

"What did you mean you have to go see someone?" I heard my fiance ask, and I hissed in frustration wondering what he didn't understand a word I said.

"It is just as I said I have to meet someone today, and I don't think you can stop me," I deadpanned, and went to sit in front of the vanity table while touching up my makeup.

"You are one cocky princess, aren't you?" He mocked, and my grip on my make-up brush tightened hearing his demeaning words but that's Blaine Sanders for you.

Blaine Sanders is my fiance, and we are getting married in a week's time, and just like other couples you might think that we are brimming with love but we are different.

We couldn't even stand the sight of each other, but that was only for him though. I could stare at Blaine for the whole day because he was the man you could call an eye candy. He was blessed with awesome features that made him stand out among his peers.

"Are you even listening to what I am saying?" he asked standing beside me, and he lowered his head to my shoulder while his breath fanned my neck.

"What...are you doing, Mr. Sanders?" I asked my voice coming out cold, and not depicting any ounce of warmth I felt inside with the man's actions

"We have a flight to catch by 10 but you suddenly want to meet up with your boyfriend now, did you think that is sensible?" he asked, and I hissed in frustration.

If not that I knew the man quite well I would have said that he was jealous, but I knew better than that. He was a cold man who wouldn't do anything that was not going to benefit him, and that was the reason he was agreeing to the marriage in the first place.

"Boyfriend? I am not some loose girl, Mr. Sanders. I am going out to see a friend, and not a boyfriend, huge difference," I explained, but I could bet that he doesn't care.

"None of my business but if truly Miss Bernardo is going then you should be back by 8, or I could swear that you would catch another flight to California," he says with a blank face, and I knew he wasn't joking.

What an upright man he is! Note the sarcasm.

"And I think that's my cue to leave if I wanted to meet my friend, who looked just like me," I beamed, and I saw him shake his head.

"I don't care what you did, just make sure you come back on time...and alive," he deadpanned, and I wondered why he was always not positive. I even wondered if the marriage was going to work.

*******************************************

I got out of the cab and strolled to the front of the mall only to find it empty, and I sighed seeing that I was 30 minutes late, she must have gotten tired and left.

"This is bad, I didn't even get her number," I mumbled under my breath running my hands through my hair in frustration, and I decided to leave seeing that our fate didn't allow for a second meeting, but my sight caught something.

I looked at the phone on the floor, and I looked at it to see the picture of Rihanna on it, and I could tell that she was an avid fan, but before I could turn it off the face unlock of the phone activated, and I was surprised to find the phone unlocked.

"Oh, but I am not the owner!" I exclaimed, but I smiled seeing that it might be because we looked the same.

I wondered what I should do with the phone, but my eyes twitched knowing that she might be in a hurry to leave which led to leaving her phone behind because she wanted to receive an urgent call.

"Let's see what she has in her call logs," I mumbled under my breath, and my eyes lingered on the unknown number that called her for the last time, and I decided to pry.

I called the last number, and I was shocked to hear what happened, and I knew that was enough reason for her to leave without looking back. She must have been terrified.

I stopped a cab, and I gave them the address of the place I was going to. "Can you please drive faster? I need to catch a flight after leaving this place," I urged the driver hurriedly, and he stepped on the gas.

"I hope I can help her sort out her bills," I mumbled under my breath feeling guilty about the whole thing, and I don't know why I felt so much connection to a girl I just met some hours ago.

"And it was Blaine's fault.. that cocky prince should have let me leave earlier," I complained, and I raised my head to see a frightening sight ahead of our car.

My eyes widened in shock seeing that the truck was rushing towards us. "Take a turn! Take a turn!!" I screamed trying to get the driver to turn but it was too late.

"Gbam!" The sound of the truck colliding with our car filled the air, and my head felt light after hitting the car rest, and when I thought that was the end, I felt another collision from the back of the car, and the car window beside me shattered, and shards pierced my face.

I raised my head to look at the unconscious driver, and I knew I needed to get help for us since I was still conscious. That was my thought

I opened the car door weakly, and I walked out of the car, but my strength betrayed me, and my eyes dilated slowly but I felt a glint of hope when I saw a black shoe in front of me.

"Please, save me!" I begged but that was the last thing I remembered as I felt my vision blurry, and lost consciousness.

Camilla's POV

I walked towards the door room after seeing my mom and seeing the grave look on his face, I knew all was not well.

"Are you the patient's guardian?" the middle-aged doctor asked me, and I nodded my head slowly. "I am sorry to inform you but your mother has stage 2 stomach cancer," he announced, and a gasp left my mouth.

My eyes got misty at the news, and I felt sorry for my mom. How could she have coped with the symptoms without me getting to know?

"Doctor, please save her!" I begged, and he explained that the cancer hadn't spread, and it could be operated on. "But the money for the surgery is $50,000 , and other treatments they are going to come after are quite huge, " he explained, and my face pale after hearing his words.

I walked out of the doctor's room, and I had run out of energy after hearing the bills, but I knew I had to think of ways to find it.

"Get your act together, Camilla! Your mother has to live, and..." I was saying but I trailed off knowing there was no way I could cough out so much money at the moment.

Since I was looking my way, I bumped into a man, and I apologized furiously while wiping my tears.

"I am sorry mister, I don't mean to...I just.. " I was saying but I broke into sobs. "Why are you looking like her?" he asked looking at me indifferently, and I raised my head to look at the man, who I just bumped into, and my breath seized.

He was the most handsome man, I have ever set my eyes on, and with his deep oceanic eyes with a glint of confusion in them staring into my eyes I got stuck but a call from the nurse jolted me out of my thoughts.

"Miss Camilla, here is the hospital bill," the nurse says handing me the bill, and my breath constricted seeing the many zeros.

That's why I hated maths.

"This is huge," I mumbled, smiling sadly at the nurse, and I turned around to find the man missing from the spot.

I hope he wasn't angry about my clumsiness though, I thought, and I faced the nurse. "Can I ask if there is a way we can work this out?" I asked the nurse, but the awkward look on her face was enough to tell me that wasn't possible.

I just need to go look for money.

**********************************

I walked into the hospital the next day with some fruits, and my eyes looked lifeless after missing sleep. I was looking for people I could borrow money from but I couldn't find any, which makes me grieve more.

"Oh Miss Camilla, you are here, someone is looking for you," I heard the nurse ask, and when I wanted to ask who the person was I felt a cold hand grab me by the arm, and drag me towards the silent corridor.

"What are you doing mister? Let me..." I was saying but my voice trailed off when I set my eyes on the man in front of me. It was the same man I bumped into the hallways yesterday, and please don't ask me how I still remembered, but I am going to say his face could not be easily forgotten.

"Are you angry because of the..." I was saying but I noticed his grip on my hand had become tighter, and that caused me so much pain. "Let go of me mister, you are hurting me!" I winced in pain.

"I am not going to waste my time, borrow my face!" he says with a voice filled with urgency, and I was shocked to hear his words.

"What are you saying?" I asked wiping my tears as I looked at the strange man in front of me, and I wondered why he was giving the grim reaper vibes.

Don't tell me this man is here to collect my soul. I mumbled under my breath, and I looked around the silent hallway to be sure I wasn't alone, and that I might get help if I actually screamed at the top of my lungs.

"You heard me right, I say I want to borrow your face!" he roared, and I gulped my saliva in fear seeing that the handsome grim reaper was getting annoyed.

"I don't understand what you mean sir, but if you can explain better I can assure you that I am not that dull, and..." I was saying but he suspended my words.

"10 million dollars!" he called out, and my eyes bulged out of its socket hearing his words.

"What?" I screamed, my voice echoing in the silent hallway but the man didn't care about my reaction.

"What did you say?" He asked, and I knew this was the time I should run. A madman has escaped from the hospital ward. There was no way the man was normal.

"I want to go..somebody helps a madman escape the..." I was trying to run off but the man muffled my words by covering my mouth with his large palms, and I looked at him in fear.

"I know that she is crazy but I never could think that her doppelganger was crazier...this is going to be tougher than I think," I heard the man say, and I got scared seeing that he was talking to himself.

He pressed his body against mine so there was no way I could escape from him, and he looked at me with a grave face.

"Listen to me, well young lady, I don't want to do this too, but this is the only way...the only way I can save Ariana!" He says, and my eyes widen in shock remembering that name. But that happened to her?

"Ariana? What happened to her?" I asked, looking at the man in front of me with tears in my eyes.