Where is the real Nicole?

When the three arrived at Nicole's apartment, she made them sit at the hall while she went to get them a drink. Leo followed her to the kitchen and asked.

''Why didn't you tell me you were twins?''

''I didn't know I was obligated to tell you that?'' Nicole looked at him suddenly feeling that she didn't understand him at all.

''I didn't know and made a fool of myself. I thought that he was your…''

''My what? Boyfriend? So if he was really my boyfriend, what were you going to do?'' Nicole sighed ''and removed three cans of beer from the fridge and closed it. She dumped them into his hands saying, ''get your priorities right. After solving the murder of Lizzy, you and I will no longer have a reason to see each other anymore''

Leo looked at her leaving and felt angry and sad at the same time. He felt that Nicole had said those words lightly. He didn't know why he had the feeling that she couldn't wait to get away from him, and he didn't know why but the more she tried to get away from him, the more he was going to tied her down to himself.

He sent the beer to the hall and joined Nesli as they sat across Nicole. She had brought out the papers and was now pointing out the errors to him. She wanted to see if they could file a report for the company to be audited by an external party, that way, they could get more evidence of Priscy's money laundry.

''I will send these papers to the external audit team of the special forces task unit. It will take a while before they can validate the information on this papers but after validating them, they would call for a search and seizure of all the company assets and important documents. When that happens, everyone in the company will be investigate. You will be able to find out those people who are helping or on Priscy's side. As for Ray, none of these papers mentions him or shows he has something doing with it but we must be missing the last piece of this puzzle and we need to find it''

''I thought same way too. Either he is too meticulous or maybe he really has nothing doing with the money laundry involving Priscy or he is helping on the side-lines. Either way, he isn't so innocent in this matter because he must have realised that Lizzy found something and had to get rid of her''

''Ray has always been meticulous in everything he does. It will not be hard to find evidence against him but it isn't entirely impossible. I know him well; I will find out something that is his weakness'' Leo said.

''I know his weakness. His weakness is Lizzy. Leo, I can't believe you've been with him for so long and still didn't know he had special feelings towards Lizzy'' Nicole said making the two men to look at her.

''Ray had feelings for Lizzy?''

''Yes, he was in love with her''

''How did you know that?'' Nesli asked.

''Candy told me. you don't know her'' she added.

''Well, I will send these to the office first. Call me if you find something new. I will also keep you in touch with what happens with the case''

''Alright''

''I will leave you two alone then'' Nesli stood up with the papers and Leo went to see him off before returning to the hall.

''How did you know about Ray's feelings for Lizzy?''

''Candy told me. She is a ghost. She found out by accident when she went to get the evidence. It was written in his diary and she saw it''

''Do you know Lizzy also knew about his feelings for her?''

''Maybe, maybe not. That question could only be answered by Lizzy''

''Where is Lizzy?''

''She isn't here at the moment; I will ask her when she comes''

''Then, I will leave now. I have to go to the office and make the arrangement for your arrival tomorrow''

''Okay, be careful'' Nicole sent him to the door and closed if after he left.

Nicole picked the cans and placed them in the dustbin before going to her bedroom to catch some sleep. If she didn't have enough sleep, she would get sick the next day.

As soon as she fell asleep, she had a dream. In the dream, she was standing inside a hospital ward and someone that looked identity to her laid on the bed with all kinds of machines connected to her head, hands and legs. There were various monitors going off and the person seemed to be in danger. A doctor and a nurse rushed into the ward accompanied by her mother and brother.

''Mom, Nick?'' Nicole called their names but it was like they couldn't hear her. She was invisible to them. her brother held her mother back as she cried while mentioning her name.

''Oh, my poor child. Please save her. Save Nicole, doctor'' Miss Betty cried uncontrollably.

''Mom, is alright. Nicole will be fine''

The doctor climb on the bed and started performing CPR on the person on the bed while the nurse rushed out to bring an AED. The person on the bed looked pale and almost lifeless. If not for the continuous blinking of the monitor, Nicole could have sworn that the person was dead.

But, it didn't make sense. The person was clearly her but she was also standing in front of that person so what exactly was going on? As she thought about the bizarre situation, the nurse pushed the AED machine right through her to the doctor. She stepped aside and shook her head. she was confused. She didn't know what was going on''

The AED was placed on the person's chest and pumped. Her chest rose and fell at every single force applied to her body.

Nicole watched everyone with a serious gaze and felt that each time the person's chest rose and fell, she could feel it. it was like it was being done on her.

The doctor was perspiring as he continued to apply force on the AED in hopes of reviving the patient. The monitor's signal was slowly dying off.

But the more the patient suffered, the more Nicole felt the pain. She looked at the person's face and saw that there were tears falling from her eyes. She subconsciously touched her face and saw that she was also crying.

The signal suddenly regained its normal sound and the doctor and nurse sighed in relief. The patient had just been revived.

Nick and Miss Betty rushed forward and held the patient's hands crying, ''Nick, she is alive. Your sister is alive''

'Yes, mom. What a relief'' Nick said and turned to the doctor, ''doctor, what happened to my sister? I thought you said she had become stable?''

''She was indeed stable after the operation a few days ago but I don't know why she suddenly had a cardiac arrest. There is something strange, I can't really explain it. This kind of situation has never happened before. We are also shocked by what we are seeing. Her CT and MRI came out this morning. they show that her body is healthy and in good shape, but we still can't figure out why she isn't waking up. I contacted a physician from the capital. He will come and check her tomorrow. He is highly experience in psychosis, hypnosis and supernatural happenings in the human body''

''What do you mean, doctor? Are you saying there is something supernatural about my daughter's condition?''

''Well, I can't be sure but there must be a reason for what is happening to her. her brain is active and almost like someone who is actually alive and going about her normal activities. Your daughter's condition cannot be explained in medical terms''

''When is this doctor coming? Will he be able to help my daughter regain consciousness?''

''I cannot be so sure about that but I've already sent her report to him. He will be able to tell you more when he arrives tomorrow''

''Nick, will your sister be okay?'' Miss Betty looked at the patient. ''My poor baby. What if she never wakes up?''

''Mom, calm down. Nicole has been holding on for the past five years, her condition has become a lot better. She will wake up soon''

''Five years? Is this woman supposed to be me? What am I doing there when I am here?''

….

Nicole suddenly opened her eyes and exhaled loudly sitting up from the bed. She touched her body and realised she was sweating. Everything felt so real. She touched her face and found the tears on her cheek.

''What was that? Why do I feel that everything I saw was real?'' her hands were shaking and she got down and rushed into the bathroom. She turned the shower on. She was feeling cold. Her body felt like it was freezing up and her teeth was clacking against each other. She turned on the warm water tap and sat under the water as it soaked her up.

Side note: AED is the short form of Automated External Defibrillator. It is a machine used in the hospital when a patient goes into cardiac arrest.