My body wouldn’t budge.

No matter what I did or how much effort I exerted, I was not in control of this body. Though my body couldn’t pace back and forth, I was pacing mentally. This body- Davina’s body- is a body I am suddenly inhabiting. Out of nowhere. Perhaps this body probably recognises that my soul is not Davina's and therefore refuses to listen to me.

Which leaves a very important question, Where is Davina?

Is there a chance that this could be a soul swap, perhaps she is living in my body? I couldn't help but mentally laugh at that thought. If that were the case, tough luck, Davina. I sincerely wish you all the best.

And there is this other possibility- did Davina drown and somehow I came to inhabit this body?

Those people- Davina’s family- said she had almost drowned and was unconscious for days. Could it be that Davina died at that moment and somehow I managed to take over this body? If that's the case, I do honestly feel bad for her family. They really seem to adore her.

A farfetched possibility I'm the one who died and I'm in purgatory.

Shudder.

No.

I don’t even want to think about it.

Taking in my surroundings I can make few things certain. Davina is a beloved family member and seemingly from a rich family. A loving set of parents and two brothers. And that Davina doesn't know how to swim, obviously.

Okay, plan of action:

- Davina: dead or alive?

- Why can’t I move my body or speak?

- Is there a possibility that me and Davina are both inhabiting this body?

- What about my lif No, not important.

As per the experience right after waking up, it seems like this body works on auto-pilot.

Pro: There’s no chance of me slipping up and doing something Davina wouldn’t. Ergo, I wouldn't be ousted as a fake.

This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

Con: No bodily autonomy.

Perhaps with time, it could change? Unsure.

“Miss Davina?” I heard a knock on my door. My head turned towards it.

“You can come in, Lisa,” my voice called out to Lisa. So we're being introduced to another person in Davina's life.

I see a tiny frail person in maid attire walk in- her very much thick eyebrows furrowed. Maid attire- I'm guessing Davina's either elite level rich or she's a noble. Will ahve to wait and see.

“I heard you’re awake, so I came to see you,” she mumbled and then immediately fell to the floor. In tears, she started wailing. “I’m sorry, Miss Davina. I should have paid attention. It was my fault. If only I had-”

“Lisa,” I heard my voice say very gently, “you don’t need to apologise. I’m fine. Nothing. Happened.”

She wailed louder. My body lifted itself from the bed and knelt near her.

“Lisa,” my soft gentle voice spoke again. “Look at me.”

She lifted her head and I saw her wet brown eyes. It looked like she hadn’t slept for weeks.

“You don’t need to apologise.”

She sniffled and wiped her tears away.

“Good,” I felt my lips form a smile. "Now we don't talk about what happened, alright?"

She nodded. Okay, that's interesting. Something happened right before Davina drowned.

"Ah, miss,” she quickly got up and so did my body. “This came for you.”

She handed me a letter. I opened it and mentally gasped as loud as I possibly could.

I felt my smile get bigger. “Ah, the prince, isn’t he so lovely?”

Uh- what? The prince?

“I hear he’s a total romantic,” Lisa nodded while wiping the rest of her tears away. “What did he write?”

My hands show her the note and I wait for her reaction. Her lips form a quivering smile.

“You’re so lucky, miss,” she grins. “You have your pick of princes to chose from."

Uh- what? x2

“You should send a reply!” she added.

Can they not read what it actually says?

“I should, shouldn’t I?” My hands clasped together. “What should I write?”

“Miss, while you think about it, I’ll get the writing pad for you!”

My body takes me to the desk and I wait there with my hands crossed on the desk table. Lisa gets the pad and my fingers begin to write.

Something is just not adding up. It's been less than a day and there are several plot twists in mine and Davina's life. I try to make sense of what the note actually said while my mouth reads out the letter to her.

"My dear Prince,

I am deeply apologetic for having made you worry but I am conscious as of now. As a token of apology, would you like to have tea in the St. Rose Manor whenever your schedule allows it? It indeed has been a long time since we last met.

I shall be waiting for your response.

Yours,

Davina St. Rose"

The note had one simple sentence. Crystal clear. And whatever response Davina was replying is completely unrelated to the note she got. It doesn't make sense.

Can Lisa not see it? Is it just me?

Given the strange nature of events that had been happening today, I wouldn't put anything past it.

Handing over the response to Lisa, I grab the note once again.

“Your reality is a game.“