Chapter 3

"Hello, is this the police? I'd like to make a police report. I suspect that someone has been using my identity. Could you please send someone over?"

The receptionist frowned at me. Derek looked just as incredulous as he shook his head. He was acting like I was an incorrigible scumbag.

Christy was already giving me the cold shoulder, scowling as she refused to say a word to me.

A police officer soon arrived, and I explained the situation. Now that the police were involved, the receptionist had no choice but to pull up the security footage, in spite of her great reluctance.

She started searching through the footage from three months ago. After nearly an hour of reviewing the footage, she was visibly losing her patience when she suddenly straightened up and called out in a raised voice, "I found it, officer!"

The officer leaned in to see the footage, with Christy and me following suit.

On the screen, a man who looked exactly like me had his arm around a young woman as they happily checked into the hotel. He was trying to cop a feel the whole time. Each time she pouted at him, he'd grin and kiss her.

Christy was so furious that she slapped me. "We even have the footage now, Ethan! What else do you have to say for yourself? How much longer do you intend to lie to me?"

As I cupped my smarting cheek, I panicked. "Christy, you know I'm not that kind of guy! We've been together for six months, and the most we've done is hold hands! Why would I be that flippant? How could I be the man in the footage?"

Even though the man looked exactly like me and even walked with a similar gait, I was absolutely certain of one thing—I had never been here before.

Christy thought it over for a moment. After glancing at me doubtfully, she kept quiet.

The officer carefully compared me with the man in the footage before saying, "Young man, based on the footage, that person does appear to be you. Your name is also found in the hotel's records. Is there anything else you need help with?"

More and more people had started to gather around us. I saw them eyeing me with contempt and ridicule, as if I were a cheating jerk who toyed with multiple women.

Someone had even started livestreaming the situation. "Look, everyone! I ran into the most ridiculous scumbag in Sarlington today. Remember his face, and don't be his next victim!"

I knew that if I couldn't clear my name today, this incident would haunt me forever.

"Officer, are there any other businesses or stores nearby with security cameras? I want to check the footage and prove my innocence."

The officer glanced at the crowd, which kept growing by the second. Understanding my predicament, he nodded.

"There's a hospital nearby. The security cameras there should be clearer than the hotel's. Let's check the footage."

Derek was starting to get annoyed.

"I swear, I've never met anyone as stubborn as you! Even if you think I'm framing you, are you saying the hotel's records and the security footage were faked, too? Live long enough, and you run into all kinds of people, I guess. What's the big deal anyway? Just own up to what you've done!"

However, once I gave him another 200 dollars, he immediately changed his tune and happily cooperated with me.

The group of us headed to the hospital, which was not far from the hotel. It was clearly a proper medical facility, and Derek even introduced it to me as we walked.

"This is a public hospital. There's no way they'd be part of some scheme or fake anything to fool people. In fact, they're well-known for their proctology department! Hahaha."

A teasing smile appeared on his face, but I didn't know why.

Some of the spectators, who looked like retirees, had so much fun watching the spectacle that they followed us to the hospital as well.

We arrived at the nurses' station and explained why we'd come to the hospital. The head nurse seemed like the no-nonsense type. She asked for my name and ID number before instructing one of the younger nurses to check the hospital's records.

"I found it. He was admitted to our hospital six months ago, under the proctology department, and was hospitalized for a few days."

As soon as the nurse said that, Derek bent over backward in laughter. "What the heck? Don't tell me it's because you swing both ways. Well, you've done it now. Look at you, digging your own grave! Your girlfriend must be the unluckiest woman in the world to have ended up dating you!"

The crowd laughed as well. Their gazes were mocking as they studied me. The looks in their eyes made me bristle.

"He does look like a pretty boy. Maybe he does swing both ways."

"You never know what people are into these days."

"Shouldn't he get tested for STDs? Hey, miss, perhaps you should get tested too. You never know what kind of scumbag you run into these days."

Christy had been holding my hand, but the comments made her stiffen, and she slowly let go. She eyed me with shock, disbelief, and even disgust.

After I'd taken my SATs, I'd gone through a period of depression. Mom had always treated me poorly. It was Christy who comforted me and motivated me, allowing me to find hope in life again. However, now, her trust in me was about to collapse.

A heaviness settled in my heart. I didn't know whether it was heartbreak or disappointment that I felt.

The officer looked at me. "Do you still want to check the security footage?"

"Yes," I adamantly replied. "Didn't you say the cameras here are clearer than the hotel's? I can't just let other people tarnish my name like this. My reputation is at stake. Please help me, officer."

Feeling helpless, the officer instructed the head nurse to pull up the footage. She paused in thought for a moment before replying, "Officer, our records also contain our patients' height, weight, place of origin, and other personal information. You could check those details first. That would be much quicker."

Why hadn't I thought of that?

My eyes brightened, and I immediately agreed to her suggestion.

However, five minutes later, Christy, Derek, the nurses, the police officer, and I all stared at the screen, surrounded by an awkward silence.

The hospital had a record for a patient named Ethan Reed, who was 20 years old and from Lakeworth. He had blood type A and had been hospitalized under the proctology department six times.

I stared at the medical record, which listed the same ID number, blood type, height, and weight as mine.

How was that even possible?