Chapter 1000 Stranger in the House
Rudy had returned home, his mind buzzing with thoughts about the changes in the world he had observed. He went straight to his room and decided to connect to the neighbor's wifi to begin his research. However, before he could even start, something caught his attention.
His ears twitched as he heard the distinct sound of water hitting the floor. It came from downstairs, and Rudy couldn't fathom the source of the noise. His confusion deepened because he knew that Rebecca was at work, and no one should have been home.
Curiosity got the better of him, and he made his way downstairs. As he approached the bathroom, he realized that the sound was coming from there, and to his surprise, the bathroom lights were on. At first, Rudy thought he might have left the tap running and the lights on after his bath earlier, but he distinctly remembered turning everything off before leaving. He decided to investigate and reached for the bathroom door, only to find it locked.
"Mom, is that you?" Rudy called out, thinking that Rebecca might have changed her plans and returned home early.
A voice from the other side of the door responded, "Oh, Rudy, you're home?"
Rudy couldn't immediately recognize the voice, and he grew increasingly puzzled. He wondered who could be behind the locked bathroom door. To his astonishment, a woman he didn't recognize emerged from the bathroom, her hair damp and wrapped in a towel. It was evident that she knew Rudy, and she seemed familiar with the layout of the house.
Rudy stood there, baffled and astonished to find a stranger in the house, particularly one who acted as if she belonged there. The unexpected encounter left him with a plethora of questions and a growing sense of intrigue about the changes he had discovered in his worldline.
Rudy stood in front of the girl, his gaze fixed on her as he wondered who she might be. The fact that she was using the bathroom suggested she had a close connection to Rebecca, possibly a friend or acquaintance. However, Rudy was certain that he had never seen this woman in his life.
The girl seemed at ease, her damp hair still wrapped in a towel. She commented, "Ah, nothing beats a hot shower after a tiring commute," as she casually made her way to the kitchen and retrieved a bottle of water from the refrigerator.
Rudy's attention was drawn to the refrigerator as he realized that he hadn't noticed it working since he returned home. It was another subtle change in the world that he had failed to recognize until now.
After drinking the water, the girl turned to Rudy and asked, "Could you bring me a comb, please?"
Rudy nodded and, maintaining his composure, he went to Rebecca's room to fetch a comb. He handed it to the girl when he returned, trying to act naturally even though she remained a complete stranger to him. Rudy's mind was abuzz with questions, but he chose to bide his time and gather information before jumping to any conclusions.
The girl settled onto the living room couch, her movements deliberate and graceful, as she started combing her hair. She noticed Rudy standing nearby and gestured for him to join her. Then, she asked a question that left him stunned.
"Would you like to comb my hair like you always do?" she inquired.
Rudy was taken aback, unsure of what to make of the situation. What kind of relationship did the Rudy of this world have with this girl that they were so intimately connected? Although he could have offered a logical excuse to decline the offer, he didn't want to raise any suspicion or jeopardize his chance to gather information.
Rudy knew how to comb a girl's hair, having often done so for his girlfriend, Elise, in the past worldline. With a sense of trepidation, he reached out and took the comb from the girl's hand. He began to gently comb her hair, a task he had done countless times before, but now in a wholly unfamiliar context.
As Rudy continued to comb the girl's hair, she engaged him in conversation, asking various questions about his life, his interests, and his experiences. Rudy, perhaps driven by the honesty that flowed between them, answered her questions openly, feeling there was no reason to withhold information.
She then shared her own thoughts and frustrations. The girl expressed her love for traveling but her disdain for the daily commute to her job in the city. She vented about the monotony of her work, seemingly searching for a sympathetic ear.
From the information Rudy had gathered, he could deduce a few key things. First, the girl had either lived in his house or had a very close connection to it. Second, she had a job in the city, which explained the change in Rebecca's life and her more comfortable situation. Third, the girl was contributing to the household's expenses in a significant way.
Once Rudy was done combing the girl's hair, she expressed her gratitude and, to Rudy's surprise, gently held his face in her hands. He wasn't sure how to react, so he allowed the moment to unfold.
The girl pulled Rudy closer and planted a kiss on his cheek before gracefully rising from the couch. Rudy watched her, bewildered by the unexpected turn of events and the mysteries that surrounded this new world he had encountered.
After taking the comb from Rudy's hand and mentioning that she would clean it, the girl gracefully made her way to the kitchen. Rudy's mind wandered into deep contemplation as he mulled over the enigma that this girl presented.
As he pondered, a sudden thought surged to the forefront of his mind, and he quietly asked himself, "Could she be my girlfriend?" Rudy considered her age, which appeared to be in her mid-twenties, and he remembered his preference for dating older girls. However, he quickly reasoned that the likelihood of him being wrong about this theory far exceeded the possibility of her being his girlfriend.
Just as Rudy was lost in thought, the girl returned from the kitchen, taking out vegetables from the refrigerator. She cheerfully announced, "Sis asked me to make dinner, so I'm going to prepare your favorite dish."
Rudy's revelation came swift and clear. He realized that the girl was not his girlfriend but rather Rebecca's sister. She was his aunt, and the pieces of the puzzle began to fit together, offering a glimpse into the family dynamics in this new worldline.
The girl was none other than Angelica, or rather, Jessica since she never died in the reset world… the original wordline.
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