Selene pulled into her driveway two hours earlier than usual. The warm summer air hit her as she stepped out of her car, and she was already looking forward to settling onto the couch with her book before Cassian got home from his site survey in Philadelphia.
She made it inside and had just started unpacking her work bag when she heard a knock at the door. Opening it, she found Mrs. Patterson standing on her porch.
"Selene! Oh, thank goodness you're home."
Her elderly neighbor hurried over, clutching a dish towel in her weathered hands. The worry lines around her eyes seemed deeper than usual.
"Is everything alright, Mrs. Patterson?"
"That's what I wanted to ask you, dear." Mrs. Patterson glanced nervously toward the street. "There was a man this morning, standing right there by the mailbox. Just... staring at your house. For over an hour."
A chill ran down Selene's spine. "Staring at our house?"
"Harold and I noticed him around seven-thirty. Tall fellow, looked just like your Cassian from a distance. But when Harold went to say hello, the man took off. Didn't even look back." Mrs. Patterson's voice dropped to a whisper. "We called the police around ten when he came back a second time."
Selene's mouth felt like it went dry. Cassian would have left by seven, so there was no way it could have been him. "Did the police find anything?"
"An officer came by, I think the name was Williams, but the man was gone again. Said we should call if he came back." Mrs. Patterson studied Selene's face with concern. "I'm sorry this happened, dear. Maybe you should contact the police."
"No, I..." Selene fumbled for her keys, her hands suddenly unsteady. "Thank you for telling me. I should call this in."
Inside her house, Selene immediately dialed the non-emergency line, her heart racing as she explained the situation to the dispatcher. Within an hour, she found herself sitting in a dark sterile office at the police station, watching Sergeant Martinez review the morning's incident report.
"Mrs. Vega, I need to ask you some routine questions," the sergeant began, his pen poised over a notepad. "Where were you this morning between seven and eleven AM?"
"At work," Selene replied without hesitation. "I was at work at Meridian & Associates. I got in around seven-fifteen and didn't leave until about three today."
"And your husband's whereabouts?"
"Cassian left for Philadelphia before seven this morning. He had a site survey scheduled." Selene's voice grew more confident as she spoke. "Actually, I've been in contact with his boss all day. Thomas Hertz called me around nine-thirty because there was an incident."
Sergeant Martinez looked up from his notes. "What kind of incident?"
"Cassian was attacked. Someone jumped him at the survey site." Selene's hands clenched in her lap. "Thomas called to let me know and I've been in contact with Thomas throughout the day for updates."
The sergeant made several notes before reaching for his phone. "I'm going to need to verify this with Mr. Hertz directly."
Selene watched nervously as he dialed the number she provided. She could hear Thomas's voice on the other end, confirming not only Cassian's presence in Philadelphia but also the attack that morning. When the sergeant hung up, his expression had shifted to something more serious.
"Mr. Hertz corroborates your story completely. I'm going to contact Philadelphia PD to confirm these details."
"Mr. Hertz corroborates your story completely. He says your husband was attacked this morning but was released from the scene and sent home." Sergeant Martinez frowned as he made notes. "Frankly, Philadelphia PD should have had him taken to a local hospital for evaluation after an assault like that. I'm questioning their methods here." He picked up his phone again. "Regardless, I need to contact them directly for the full details of this incident."
Sergeant Martinez hung up the phone with Philadelphia PD, and Selene's hands trembled slightly as she gripped the plastic chair's armrests, the reality of the situation settling over her like a cold blanket.
"Mrs. Vega," the sergeant said, his voice gentle but serious. "Philadelphia confirms your husband was indeed in some sort of altercation this morning. They mentioned theft of his cell phone and equipment, and was released to return home. This raises a lot of very concerning questions."
Selene's mind raced. Someone who looked like Cassian had been watching their house while her actual husband was being attacked two hours away. The timing felt too coincidental, "You think whoever did this to him also sent someone to watch our house?"
"It's possible." Sergeant Martinez leaned forward, his weathered face creased with concern. "Even you agree that the description from your neighbors is remarkably specific. Height, build, even the way he stood. It all matches your husband. Either this is an incredible coincidence, or someone went to great lengths to study him."
A chill ran down Selene's spine as she remembered something. "Cassian had a nightmare last night," she said slowly. "He told me about it this morning before he left. Said he dreamed he was being attacked by someone who looked exactly like him... a doppelganger."
Sergeant Martinez's eyebrows raised. "That's... interesting timing. Sometimes our subconscious picks up on things we don't consciously notice. If someone's been watching your husband, studying his movements, his mind might have been processing those subtle cues even while he slept."
"What do we do now?" she asked, surprised by how steady her voice sounded despite the fear clawing at her chest. The nightmare seemed like more than just coincidence now. It felt like a warning that had come too late.
"First, we'll make sure a police car is routed to include your neighborhood in it's patrols. Second, I need you to think. Has your husband mentioned anyone following him? Any strange encounters recently? Anyone asking unusual questions about his work schedule?"
Selene shook her head slowly. "No, nothing like that. This is all completely new to us."
Sergeant Martinez made a note. "And you haven't noticed anything unusual around your neighborhood? Any unfamiliar vehicles or people?"
"Nothing," Selene said, feeling helpless. The normalcy of their life made this whole situation feel even more surreal.
"Mrs. Vega, we're going to follow up on this Philadelphia connection. I'd appreciate it if you have your husband come in to file a local report."
He walked Selene out and the secretary handed her a copy of the incident report. "In the meantime, stay vigilant. If you see anyone suspicious around your property, call 9-1-1 immediately."
Selene clutched the papers as she walked back to her car. The drive home was long, and the evening sun was finally setting, making every shadow and parked car seem threatening.
As she turned into her driveway, her heart nearly stopped. Cassian's car was there, sitting in its usual spot in the garage. For a moment, she couldn't move, couldn't decide if the sight of his familiar vehicle filled her with relief or terror.
Was it really him? Or was this the impersonator Mrs. Patterson had seen? What if they stole his car? After everything she'd learned, nothing felt certain anymore.
The garage door opened, and Cassian stepped into the frame. His familiar smile spread across his face when he saw her, but even from the distance, Selene could see the tension around his eyes, the way his shoulders held just a little too much stiffness. He was trying to hide something behind that brave face. As she looked, she saw the fear and discomfort behind his bravado.
The sight was oddly comforting, though. This was her Cassian, and nothing will convince her otherwise of it.
Sometimes a girl has to trust her intuition.
She turned off the engine and stepped out of the car. "Hey, boo," she called, managing a smile of her own.
"Perfect timing," Cassian said, walking toward her. "I picked up Chinese food on the way home. I got it heating up, but I got your favorite and a few spring rolls also!"
When he reached her, she fell into his arms, holding him tighter than usual. His familiar scent, the solid warmth of his chest against her cheek. It was really him. He kissed the top of her head, then tilted her chin up to meet his lips with hers, a gentle kiss that tasted like relief. She can tell he knew something was up with her.
"Come on," he murmured against her. "Let's get inside."
Once they were in the kitchen, Cassian leaned against the counter and ran a hand through his hair. "I've had a really bad day, Sel."
"I know some of it," Selene said softly, setting down her purse and the police report. "Tommy called me about what happened in Philadelphia."
"I know some of it," Selene said softly, setting down her purse. She pulled out the police report and placed it on the counter between them, the official letterhead stark against the granite surface. "I know what the reports say and I know what your boss told me. What actually happened though, because there's something really weird going on here."
Cassian's eyes fixed on the police document, his face paling slightly. The air fryer beeped as Selene started it up with the Chinese food containers.
"Try to fill me in before the air fryer finishes," she said, her voice gentle but firm. She needed to know everything. The real story, not the sanitized version Tommy had given her or whatever Cassian might try to downplay to protect her from worrying.
Cassian took a deep breath. "After you left this morning, I couldn't get that nightmare out of my head. I kept retracing my steps from the dream, and that's when I found something." He paused, running his hand through his hair again. "I found your old silver pendant on the living room floor." He said in an almost mocking tone.
"What?" Selene interrupted, her brow furrowing. "Which pendant?"
They walked over to the dining table where the delicate silver chain lay coiled next to his keys. Selene picked it up, turning it over in her palm.
"This should be in my jewelry box in the closet," she murmured, confused. "I haven't worn this in months."
"I know," Cassian said quietly. "But there it was, right where I thought I would find bullet casings. I almost missed it."
Selene set the pendant down carefully. "Okay, keep going." The air fryer ringed off and Selene and Cassian started preparing their plates as they talked.
"During the drive to Philly, I couldn't stop thinking about the nightmare and finding that necklace. When I got to the site, my coworkers never showed up..."
"Right, your boss said the same so far," Selene nodded.
"So I started wrapping up the easy part of the survey myself and called Tommy to check in." Cassian's voice grew quieter. "But while I was on the phone with him, something from my nightmare... it happened in real life."
He suddenly turned and headed toward their home office. "Wait, let me get my notes."
He returned moments later with a small notebook, flipping through pages until he found what he was looking for. "I wrote down what I remembered from the dream this morning before I left. Listen to this." He cleared his throat and read aloud: "'It was like an explosion. No, something more like an implosion of sound. Like it was all being sucked into a vacuum.'"
Selene felt a chill run down her spine. "And that happened today?"
"Exactly like that. I was talking to Tommy, and then this sound... and the next thing I remember is the building's security guard shaking me awake." Cassian closed the notebook, his hands trembling slightly. "The weird part? The Philly police barely seemed concerned. They took a statement, asked a few basic questions, and just let me walk away. Like getting knocked unconscious at a work site was no big deal."
Selene's fingers trembled as she reached for her phone, the weight of what she was about to show Cassian pressing down on her shoulders. The living room felt smaller somehow, the afternoon light through the blinds casting prison-bar shadows across the hardwood floor.
"While you were unconscious, someone was texting me from your phone."
Cassian leaned forward on the couch, his brow furrowing. "What do you mean? My phone was—"
"Just look." She thrust the device toward him, the screen already open to their message thread from two days ago.
His eyes scanned the conversation, and she watched the color drain from his face. The messages bearing his name were vicious, laced with profanity she'd never heard him use in their twelve years together. But it was more than just the foul language that made her skin crawl.
"Jesus Christ, Selene." Cassian's voice cracked. "I didn't—this isn't—"
"Keep reading," she said, wrapping her arms around herself.
His jaw tightened as he reached the part that had made her blood run cold. The impostor had responded to her thoughts before she'd even typed them. When she'd started writing, 'Cassian' had already sent: I'll talk to you however I damn well please. Drop it, or regret it. Choice is yours, bitch. And stop calling. It's for your own good. The timestamp showed many of his messages arriving before hers were sent.
"How is that possible?" Cassian muttered, scrolling through her phone.
"That's what I kept asking myself," Selene said, pacing now, unable to stay still. "But that's not even why I was at the police station when you called."
Cassian looked up sharply. "What?"
She stopped by the window, peering through the blinds at the empty street. "Mrs. Patterson came over after I got home. Apparently this morning she and Harold noticed someone standing in our front yard. Just... standing there. Staring at the house."
"Oh god. Please tell it was just a burglar casing the—"
"Cassian, we both know this wasn't a burglar." The pair stood silent for a moment.
"She said it looked like you, Cassian." Selene turned to face him, her arms still crossed defensively. "Same height, same build. She had Harold go talk to him but whoever it was just turned and walked away. Apparently he just disappeared, too. They called the cops when they saw him a second time."
The silence stretched between them like a taut wire. Cassian's hands had gone still on the phone, his knuckles white.
"But I was unconscious in that building," he said slowly. "An hour and a half away. There are records, witnesses—"
"I know." Selene moved closer to him, her voice softer now. "That's why I went to the police. And you know what? Our local guys were actually concerned. They said the way Philadelphia Police Department handled everything sounds completely off. Said they were going to look into it a little bit, but wanted you to come in to file an official report."
Cassian set down the phone and took her hands. "We need Cameras. Hell, we need to upgrade everything. The security system, all of it."
"I was thinking the same thing," Selene said, squeezing his hands back. "Cameras inside and out."
Cassian pulled her hands closer and she didn't resist. "Whatever is happening, whatever this is, we got this."
"Yes," she agreed.
As they stood there, holding each other in the fading evening light, neither of them noticed the shadow outside their bay window. A shadow that had no business being there, cast in the opposite direction of the light, and watching and waiting with infinite patience.