I had no idea how many strings were pulled and how much money was spent. In the end, I returned back to school and spent my days with Diana as if nothing had happened. I wasn’t regarded the say way again since that incident, but it didn’t really bother me.
“So, Dahlia didn’t tell you anything?” she asked.
“No, she didn’t,” I replied as I wondered when she would just move on.
Although I knew that she called me here to talk about this incident, I had hoped that she might have already come to terms with it and moved on. I was willing to help her in any way that I could now that I was literally in Diana’s shoes. I could help introduce her back into society or link her up with suitable suitors or any of Diana’s friends. Although Diana never regretted what she did, there was a part of me that wished that we didn’t need to part ways with Daphne like that. After confiding in me about the details of what really happened that day, I could tell that she was confident that she did the right thing and that Daphne got what she truly deserved.
“You know, I honestly thought that we could be the best of friends. So, seriously, why did you do that to me?” she asked as she glared at me.
“Me? I’m sorry but I don’t think I ever did anything...” I said while trying to look confused.
“Can you cut it out already? Stop pretending! Do you honestly think that I’m stupid?!” she raised her voice loudly.
I was suddenly glad that we were alone in a private space so that no one else could overhear us. Something started to bother me. Something about what she said didn’t sound right and I began sensing that she might know something after all.
“I’m sorry, Daphne. I’m sure that you’ve been through a lot because of my sister but I have to say that I don’t know what you’re talking about right now,” I said as I tried my best to sound apologetic.
“How long do you think you two can go on fooling other people? I always thought that it was a bit strange and now I think I finally understand what happened. The one who pushed me down the stairs that day was you,” Daphne said through clenched teeth.
“Me?” I exclaimed in disbelief.
“Yes, it was you. You were the one who pushed me and not Dahlia,” she said accusingly.
She was right and yet she was wrong at the same time. She was right that Diana was the one who made sure that she fell instead of me. However, she was wrong to accuse the woman standing in front of her right now. My lips curved upward into a smirk when I realized that the worst had not occurred. The present mattered so much more than the past. It didn’t matter whether or not she knew the truth about that incident as long as she hadn’t figured out that the one standing in front of her wasn’t the real Diana.
“You’re not making sense, Daphne. By the time I arrived, you were already lying on the floor. You must have misunderstood something. I’m sorry about what happened to you, but it has been many years. Instead of dwelling on the past, what about we discuss how to I can help you become more active in our society?” I offered with a smile.
Daphne had always wanted to be popular so I thought that this might work quite well as a proposal for her. After all, she did try to get close to Diana to ride on her popularity.
“You? You will help me? How dare you say something like this to me? If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be like this!” she screamed at me as she looked down at her legs.
“I’m sure that there’s got to be a man out there who doesn’t mind...” I said with mixed feelings.
I knew that what I said sounded wrong and offensive, but it was also the truth. Daphne was desperate to get engaged to someone great and to eventually get married. I did wish that she would find a man that would love her the way she is while overlooking her disability. As far as I was aware, she had remained single and probably did not enjoy seeing Diana and Anthony celebrate their marriage so grandiosely. To my surprise, instead of yelling at me right away, Daphne was silent as her body visibly shook with anger.
The thing that happened next was beyond even my wildest imaginations. Slowly, Daphne shifted on her wheelchair and then she planted her two feet on the ground and stood up as if there was nothing wrong with her legs. I gasped in shock before I could control my reaction as my eyes bulged out of their sockets. At first, I didn’t quite believe what I was seeing. I was certain that she had lost her ability to walk and stand.
“Are you that shocked?” she spat as she glared at me.
She was right. I was absolutely shocked but after I had recovered from the shock, I felt relieved and thankful that she seemed to have recovered. Although it took years, I was happy to see her up on her own two feet again. Regardless of what had happened between her and my sister, I was glad for her recovery.
“Daphne...you’re...” I began to congratulate her on the evident improvement in her condition.
Her eyes continued glaring at me and I could feel their extreme hatred. It made sense for her to feel that way. If she thought that I was really Diana and that Diana was the one who actually shoved her down the stairs, then it would explain why it looked like she was out for my life. I already knew what really happened because Diana told me about it, and I had no reason not to believe my sister. If what Diana told me was true, I didn’t have any reason to go easy on Daphne. However, I did have the perfect image of Diana to uphold right at that moment.
It would be bad if she had any doubt that I wasn’t my sister...
--To be continued...