"I Woke Up in a Life That Wasnât Mine"
Waking Up in a Strangerâs Life
I opened my eyes to sunlight streaming through a window I didnât recognize. The bed was too soft. The air smelled like lavender. And someone had called me Emily.
I shot up in bed, panic clawing at my chest. My heart raced. I wasnât Emily. My name was Sarah. I remembered the job I hated, the apartment I could barely afford, the friends whoâd drifted away. I didnât have a perfect life. But this⊠This life wasnât mine.
Confusion and Fear
I stood, my legs unsteady as I stumbled to the window. Outside, a sprawling garden stretched into the horizon. The house was massive, more like a mansion, with tall columns and ivy creeping up the stone walls. I squinted, looking down at my hands. They were smooth, delicate. These arenât my hands.
I barely had time to process the thought when the door opened behind me.
The Stranger Who Called Me âEmilyâ
âGood morning, Emily,â a manâs voice said softly.
I turned, my breath caught in my throat. He looked familiar, like someone I should know, but I couldnât place him. His features were sharp, his eyes a piercing blue. His smile was warm, almost too warm.
âYou slept well,â he added, walking toward me. âIâll have breakfast ready in a few minutes.â
I blinked, trying to focus on his face. âWho are you?â
He raised an eyebrow, a flicker of concern crossing his expression. âCome on, Emily. Youâve been through a lot the last few days. But youâre home now. Everythingâs going to be okay.â
My mind raced, and I stepped back instinctively. This wasnât my home. I wasnât Emily. I needed to get out of here, figure out what was happening.
The Frustrating Truth
âWait!â I managed, voice trembling. âIâm not Emily. I donât know who you are.â
The manâs smile faltered, but only for a second. He looked at me as though I were a puzzle he couldnât quite solve. âEmily, youâre justââ He stopped mid-sentence. The worry in his eyes deepened. âYou donât remember, do you?â
I shook my head, backing away from him. âIâm not Emily,â I repeated, louder this time, my voice shaking with fear and confusion.
The manâs gaze softened, and he stepped closer, reaching out as though to comfort me. âIâm sorry. I thought⊠You must be so confused. Itâs all right. Youâve been through a lot. But Iâm here. Weâre together now.â
His words were gentle, but they felt wrong. My heart pounded, a knot tightening in my stomach. This isnât my life. I need to get out of here.
The Unsettling Phone Call
I grabbed my phone from the nightstand, desperate to call someone, but when I unlocked it, the screen displayed a picture of the two of usâEmily and the man, smiling at the camera In what looked like a vacation photo. The name on the contact list read âLiam â Husband.â
My throat went dry. Husband? I looked back at the man, my mind racing. This wasnât real. This couldnât be real.
Breaking Free
âIâI need some air,â I stammered, making my way toward the door.
âEmily, please,â Liamâs voice softened. âI know this is overwhelming, but you need to rest. You need time to adjust.â
His voice had a calming effect, but it didnât ease the storm of questions swirling in my head. How could I be Emily? How had I ended up here?
I stepped into the hallway, the luxury of the house surrounding me, feeling more like a stranger in a foreign land. The staircase at the end of the hall caught my attention. It led down to what looked like a grand entrance. I was drawn toward it, unable to shake the feeling that something was offâsomething deep inside me was pulling me to the unknown.
The Final Push
I hesitated before I reached for the door handle. âIâm not Emily,â I whispered to myself, barely hearing my voice over the rising panic. âWho am I? What happened to me?â
As I opened the door, a chill ran through me. Outside, the world looked too perfect. The sun was too bright, the air too still. Was this a dream? Or had I lost my mind?
âEmily, wait!â Liam called from behind me. But I didnât stop. I couldnât stop.
The answer I was searching for was out thereâbeyond the garden, beyond the perfect house, beyond this life that wasnât mine.
I had to find it.
End.