In the morning, at Diego's villa, the atmosphere was heavy with unspoken secrets and carefully crafted plans. Diego and Dylan sat at a table, meticulously going over every detail of the plan they were about to execute. Diego had a call to make—a call that would change everything.
— "Dylan, I think we need to redefine everything this morning," said Diego, placing his phone on the table.
— "What do you mean?" Dylan asked, pouring himself a glass of juice.
Diego leaned forward, a subtle smile forming on his lips.
— "I'm going to call my buddy. We'll ask him to come here. He looks exactly like Victoire, you know, before… everything. And he was even born on the same day as you."
Dylan paused to think.
— "You want him to pretend to be Victoire?" he asked, sounding a bit skeptical.
Diego nodded.
— "Yes, and I think it'll work. He has no idea what happened with us, but he'll play his part perfectly."
Dylan nervously rubbed his hands together, feeling anxiety rise. But it was their only way to divert suspicion from their friends.
**
A few hours later, the so-called "Victoire" arrived at the villa. He wore a black shirt and casual jeans, but what struck the most was his uncanny resemblance to the real Victoire. The same haircut, the same crooked smile, the same lively eyes. But he wasn't the same man. He was a perfect double, completely unaware of the situation he was about to step into.
Diego explained everything to him. He told him how he and Dylan had come up with the plan, asking him to play the role of Victoire—the old friend everyone thought was gone.
— "So, you want me to pretend to be Victoire? The one everyone loved, who's now… just a memory?" asked the lookalike, raising an eyebrow.
— "Exactly," Diego replied. "All you have to do is say you're Victoire, that you came back, and that you woke up from a coma."
Dylan, who had remained silent until then, spoke up.
— "It's a risky move, but it's our only chance to keep control."
Victoire's double nodded and smiled.
— "Alright, I'm in. But I hope this doesn't spiral out of control."
**
The two men, now co-conspirators, headed to the terrace where Dylan and Diego had planned to meet their friends. The sun was high in the sky, and everything seemed normal at first glance. But beneath that calm surface, the hidden truth was about to be exposed.
As Dylan and Diego took their seats, the lookalike positioned himself next to Dylan. He looked around as if soaking in the scene, ready to play his part.
Before anyone could say anything, Ryder arrived, his mouth half-open. He froze as he saw Victoire's double.
— "Is that… is that… Victoire?" he whispered, eyes wide.
Dylan tensed. This was the moment of truth.
Victoire's double slowly stood up, crossing his arms.
— "It's me, Ryder. You recognize me? And you… you're the one who left me behind?"
Ryder stood frozen for a moment, his eyes filled with conflicting emotions.
— "Victoire… but why did you… why did you suddenly wake up?" he stammered.
Memories rushed through his mind. The days spent hoping their friend would come back, the moments he imagined what he would say if he ever returned, the pain of Victoire's absence. But now, standing before him, wasn't just a memory—it was the grown version of the friend he had lost. An indescribable emotional shock.
The lookalike, with a cold stare, replied:
— "You're the one who left me in a coma. You didn't wait, did you? None of you. Daniella, Andrea… you all abandoned me!"
Daniella and Andrea arrived running. They froze when they saw the scene. They weren't prepared for this.
— "What's going on here?" Daniella asked, clearly confused.
Victoire's double turned to them.
— "I searched for you for years. But you left me. You didn't wait when I woke up."
The three friends stood there, stunned, facing the man who claimed to be Victoire and seemed to accuse them of betrayal.
Ryder, on the verge of tears, turned to him.
— "We didn't know… we thought you'd never come back…" He felt guilty, desperately trying to find a reasonable explanation.
The lookalike shrugged.
— "But you forgot me! You abandoned me without a word, without even trying to find out where I was. You erased me."
Andrea, eyes filled with tears, tried to speak, but the double interrupted her.
— "Why did you leave me in my coma? Why?"
His words were powerful. They carried memories of a past long gone. Regrets, mistakes. But Diego and Dylan's plan had worked perfectly. Doubt had settled in their minds.
The three friends were now convinced this was really Victoire—the one they had lost, the one they had missed so much.
**
Dylan watched all of this silently, standing next to Diego. His heart pounded in his chest. They had done it. The plan had worked.
But deep down, a quiet voice reminded him that the truth always comes out eventually.
For now, though, it was the day of illusions, and Dylan could only enjoy the show.
Diego whispered:
— "Everything's going to be fine, little brother. Now no one will suspect a thing."
Dylan nodded, but deep inside, he wondered how long they could keep up the charade before everything came crashing down.