She Regrets After Stealing My Face

I worked as a caregiver at a psychiatric hospital. One day, during a quiet shift, I came across a post from my husband's widowed sister-in-law. [Just launched my first AI-generated short drama! Hope you'll check it out and support me!] I tapped on the video attached to the post. The villain's face was identical to mine. I immediately messaged her and demanded that she take the video down. Instead, she posted our chat in the family group. Then she added: "If it really bothers you, I'll delete it. It's just a shame my first attempt at starting a business has already failed..." My husband replied almost instantly: "Don't delete it!" Then he tagged me. "So, what if you played a vicious villain? That's called making sacrifices for art." "This is the first business your sister-in-law has ever started. Stop being so dramatic." My mother-in-law chimed in as well: "Your sister-in-law is trying to build something of her own. What's wrong with supporting her?" "What do you mean she used your face without permission? We're family. Why make such a fuss over something so trivial?" "She used all of our faces, and none of us complained. What, do you think your face is worth more than everyone else's?" What they didn't know was that I was an undercover investigative journalist. So yes, my face really was worth more than theirs. Chapter 1 The messages in the family group chat made my head buzz. The psychiatric hospital where I was currently working might have been involved in human trafficking behind the scenes. As an undercover investigative journalist, I understood better than anyone what would happen if my identity were exposed. I immediately went to the restroom and called my husband, Sean Lowe. As soon as the call connected, I lowered my voice anxiously. "Sean, I told you before we got married that the nature of my work required me to keep a low profile. "While the video still doesn't have much traffic, get your sister-in-law to delete it right now." Sean sounded extremely impatient. "What kind of job needs to stay low-profile? Aren't you just a caregiver at a psychiatric hospital? "My brother passed away, and Rachel only just managed to pull herself together. Do you really have to ruin things for her now?" Before I could argue back, my mother-in-law, Shirley, grabbed the phone. Her voice was sharp and piercing. "Are you jealous or something? Rachel can make money just by editing videos at home, while you're still spending your days cleaning up after psychiatric patients. "You heartless woman. She's raising her son by herself. She finally started making a little money, and you're already jealous of her!" Shirley's monthly pension and half of Sean's salary both went toward helping Rachel Ross with household expenses, and I always understood that. I even reminded Sean countless times to look after her whenever he could. How could I possibly be jealous of Rachel? I desperately wanted to tell them the truth, but my work was confidential. The only thing I could do was keep finding indirect ways to persuade them to delete the video. "Mom, I didn't even have a wedding ceremony or wedding photos when I got married because a fortune teller said taking those kinds of pictures would bring misfortune to my family. "It's not that I'm suddenly jealous of Rachel now. I stopped taking photos and videos a long time ago." Shirley always believed in things like that. She hesitated. "Now that you mention it, you really haven't taken photos for years." "Sophia Jones!" Sophia Jones was the alias I used at the psychiatric hospital. The voice belonged to the head nurse calling for me. I hurriedly reminded Shirley to delete the video, and she immediately agreed. After hanging up, I returned to work. When the day's work was finally over, I went home and lay on the bed scrolling through short videos. The next second, I shot upright from the bed. I came across the AI short drama video while scrolling. As I watched the video's popularity surge, a cold sweat broke out across my back. I rushed downstairs and knocked on Rachel's bedroom door. "Rachel, hurry! Delete the video now! I can't show my face!" Rachel looked troubled. "Anna, please just let me earn this money." As she spoke, tears filled her eyes. "The video finally gained some traction. You know how hard it is for me to raise a child on my own. I'm begging you." As she spoke, she started lowering herself to her knees. Shirley and Sean rushed over after hearing the commotion. Shirley quickly stepped forward and pulled Rachel back up before she could kneel. Without asking any questions, Sean stormed over and slapped me across the face. "Do you really have to make things difficult for her? Do you have any idea how hard it is for a woman to earn money on her own? "Anyone who cuts off someone else's livelihood will get what's coming to them." The slap landed hard. My cheek instantly burned with pain. I clutched my face and shouted in despair, "I told you before we got married that I didn't like showing my face! You promised you'd respect that. "Besides, using my face in an AI video without my permission is a violation of my rights!" Sean glared at me furiously. "We're family. So, what if it's a violation? Are you really going to report your own family? "What could possibly happen from showing your face for a few seconds? Rachel spent several sleepless nights making that video. There's no way she's deleting it." I watched the likes continue climbing higher and higher. My hands began to tremble uncontrollably. According to my investigation, the seven abducted children and five trafficked women were still being held inside the psychiatric hospital. If my cover was blown, the investigation would lose its only lead. What would be destroyed wouldn't just be my mission—it would be the hopes of countless families still waiting for their loved ones to come home. Chapter 2 At that thought, I gave in. My voice caught in my throat as I stepped forward and took Rachel's hand. "I still have forty thousand dollars in my account. You can have all of it to help with household expenses. "Just delete the video, okay? I'm begging you." Rachel refused a few times out of courtesy before sheepishly accepting the bank card. Only after seeing her delete the video with my own eyes did I finally breathe a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the video had not yet been pushed into the platform's recommendation feed. The only viewers were friends and acquaintances. The next morning, I was jolted awake by a ringing phone. A friend I hadn't spoken to in years sounded excited. "Anna, you've gone viral! Since when did you become an actress? Don't forget to give me an autograph!" A bad feeling immediately settled in my stomach. After brushing her off with a few casual responses, I opened the trending searches. One glance was all it took. A layer of cold sweat broke out across my forehead, and my hands and feet turned ice-cold. Unable to hold back any longer, I kicked Sean awake and shouted at him, "What the hell is wrong with your sister-in-law? She took the money, so why is she still using my face to generate videos? Do you have any idea how serious this is?" Sean rubbed his eyes and casually glanced at the video. "Oh, that? I told her to do it. "You're the female lead now, aren't you? What are you still complaining about?" Tears streamed down my face as I roared, "Can any of you understand plain English? I said I don't like showing my face!" Shirley kicked the bedroom door open and pointed a finger at me. "Anna Hall, Rachel's video has gone viral. She's going to make millions from this. "I haven't even settled the score for how you tried to trick her out of it using forty thousand dollars last night, and you still have the nerve to make a scene?" I pointed at Rachel, who was hiding behind Shirley. "I'm taking this copyright violation all the way. Anyone who broke the law will answer for it." I turned and walked out the door, accompanied by the vicious insults hurled after me by Sean and Shirley. I knew that one wrong move could push me straight into a dead end. But what was done was done. I forced myself to suppress my emotions, stay calm, and focus on solving the problem. After arriving at the psychiatric hospital, I stepped up my search for evidence. I slipped into the hospital archives ahead of schedule. My fingertips had just brushed against a file marked "Accidental Deaths of Psychiatric Patients" when I sensed footsteps approaching from behind. The steps were deliberately light, tapping softly against the floor. I could feel the person's gaze fixed on the back of my neck like a vulture stalking its prey. "Anna Hall." He finally spoke, his tone deliberately casual, yet he called me by my real name. My grip tightened around the file until my knuckles turned white. I waited a moment before slowly looking up. I put on the dull, timid expression expected of a hospital orderly. "Dr. Warren, my name is Sophia Jones. You must have mistaken me for someone else." The director, Daniel Warren, let out a short laugh, his eyes dropping to the file in my hands. "It's nothing. You just happen to look a lot like that actress from the short drama that's been trending lately." My heart sank. I feigned clumsy nervousness and set the file back on the desk. "Really? I... I don't usually watch that kind of thing." His gaze lingered on my face for several seconds, openly scrutinizing me. "Now that I look closer, you don't really resemble her that much after all. Maybe I was mistaken. What are you doing in here?" I carefully controlled my breathing and forced myself to sound relaxed. "The head nurse asked me to deliver some paperwork. I noticed the room was a little dusty, so I thought I'd clean up while I was here." As I spoke, I picked up a broom nearby and began sweeping. Without another word, he left the archives room. Yet I could still feel that probing gaze lingering on me long after he was gone. It followed me all the way until I stepped out of the archives. Even though I was wearing makeup and hadn't revealed any obvious flaws, unease continued to gnaw at me. I immediately sent a message to the police officers I was working with. The operation might have to be moved up at any moment. When they replied that they were on standby and ready to act, some of the tension finally left my chest. But in the very next second, I glanced casually out the window, and saw Rachel leading a large crowd straight toward the entrance of the psychiatric hospital. Chapter 3 My breath caught in my throat. I had repeatedly warned my family not to come anywhere near the psychiatric hospital. The only thing I could do was turn away and blend into the crowd. Rachel stood at the hospital entrance with a selfie stick, livestreaming to her followers. "I'm a single mother, but I've never given up on life. I'm honored that the videos I've worked so hard to create have been so well received. "I came to the psychiatric hospital today mainly to do some charity work and give back to the community. "And there's someone else I'd like to thank—my sister-in-law. She's the female lead of the AI drama and works here as an orderly." I froze. Cold sweat soaked through my back as I prayed Rachel wouldn't accidentally ruin everything. Shirley immediately jumped in. "Why bring her up? She's just a buzzkill. Everything you've achieved came from your own hard work, Rachel." Daniel heard the commotion and came over. Rachel eagerly stepped forward to greet him. "Dr. Warren, I'm here to make a donation to the hospital." Daniel shook her hand and thanked her. After asking her to end the livestream, he invited them to his office to discuss the donation in private. As Rachel passed through the crowd, she spotted me instantly. "Anna!" I didn't dare turn around. My fingers tightened around the signal transmitter until my knuckles turned white. I could feel Daniel's gaze pinning me in place through the sea of people. Rachel leaned toward Shirley and whispered, "Mom, doesn't Anna work here as an orderly?" A smile remained on Daniel's face as he casually asked, "Isn't your sister-in-law the female lead from that drama? I think her name was Anna Hall." Rachel eagerly moved closer to him and began chatting away. "That's right. She works right here at your hospital." "The forty thousand dollars we're donating today is actually on her behalf. We were hoping she'd be here to witness it. "My sister-in-law is the hardest worker you'll ever meet. If there's any dirty work nobody wants to do, you can always count on her." Daniel's smile deepened with meaning. "Of course," he said without hesitation. I listened to Rachel's little scheme and trembled with anger. I wanted nothing more than to walk over and slap some sense into her. Just then, the transmitter in my hand vibrated twice. I immediately understood the signal. The operation was beginning. I quickly put on my earpiece and slipped away from the crowd. "Police! Nobody move!" Almost the instant the command rang out, the seemingly ordinary pedestrians around us sprang into action. Undercover officers closed in from every direction. The psychiatric hospital erupted into chaos. Patients and staff scattered in every direction, scrambling to escape. Amid the confusion, Daniel suddenly grabbed Rachel before she could react and pressed a sharp knife against her throat. I took advantage of the distraction and led the officers assigned to support me down to the basement. There, we successfully rescued the seven children and five women who were about to be trafficked. After that, I rushed to the archives room and uncovered years' worth of trafficking records. When I handed the evidence over to the task force commander, I saw that Rachel was terrified out of her mind, her face drained of all color. Rachel noticed the way I interacted with the police and immediately pointed at me with a trembling finger. "She knows the police! She's the one who called them!" Shirley burst into tears and screamed, "Please let Rachel go! Anna, do something! Trade places with her!" "Don't come any closer!" Daniel shouted. "One more step and I'll kill her!" Daniel and the attending physician held Rachel hostage as they backed toward a deserted alley behind the hospital. With a hostage's life at risk, the police had no choice but to temporarily give ground. When they reached the mouth of the alley, Daniel turned toward me and flashed a sinister smile. Then he dragged the scalpel across Rachel's neck. Rachel was kicked violently toward us. Blood poured from the wound on her neck. That brief moment of chaos was all Daniel and the attending physician needed. The two ringleaders behind the entire operation turned and fled. Chapter 4 I rushed Rachel to the hospital. After receiving the news, Sean hurried over. The moment he arrived, he fixed me with a dark glare. "You knew that psychiatric hospital was dangerous. Why didn't you tell me beforehand? You knew Rachel was going there. Why didn't you stop her? "Anna Hall, you're completely cold-hearted. You just stood by and watched her walk straight into danger." Shirley chimed in with a mocking sneer. "You knew there were human traffickers operating in that hospital, yet you kept all of us in the dark. "You never treated us like family. If you'd told us, Rachel wouldn't have gotten hurt." Their accusations were so ridiculous that I laughed. "Didn't I tell all of you not to come to the psychiatric hospital looking for me? "I warned you again and again. You ignored me and showed up anyway. How is that my fault? "It was a confidential operation!" Shirley immediately argued back. "How were we supposed to know why you didn't want us there? For all we knew, you were hiding something shady. "Couldn't you have just told us the truth? If you had, would we really have exposed your secret? "Confidential operation? Sounds more like you're involved in something you don't want people finding out about." She actually had the nerve to insult my profession. I rolled up my sleeves, ready to give them a piece of my mind, when Rachel woke up. Sean and Shirley immediately rushed to her bedside. "Rachel, are you alright? If anything had happened to you, I would've held Anna responsible!" "Rachel, don't move around. Your wound is still fresh. You're a hero in my eyes. You stood up to human traffickers without flinching. Those monsters deserve to rot in hell." A woman in the neighboring bed overheard the conversation and immediately approached. "Were you injured by those traffickers from the psychiatric hospital?" Rachel nodded. The woman's eyes instantly reddened, and she tried to kneel. "Thank you. You're all heroes. My grandson was one of the children rescued today. "I have no way to repay you. Please take this money and buy yourselves something nourishing." As she spoke, she pulled a thick wad of cash from her pocket. I immediately stepped forward, helped her up, and pushed the money back into her hands. Then I repeatedly warned her, "The traffickers haven't all been caught yet. Keep a close eye on your grandson. "And whatever you do, don't tell anyone about this." The woman nodded without hesitation. After making sure Rachel was alright, I headed to the police station to hand over some video evidence. Once the transfer was complete, I hailed a cab and sat in the back seat scrolling through my phone. The moment I opened it, my heart sank. Rachel had uploaded the hospital surveillance footage showing the woman kneeling to thank her. In less than thirty minutes, the video had already racked up tens of thousands of views. I immediately told the driver to turn around and head back to the hospital. At the same time, I called Rachel. "Rachel, the traffickers haven't all been caught yet. You need to keep a low profile. Doing this could make you a target for retaliation—" Before I could finish, she hung up. I called three more times in a row. Every single call was rejected. Furious, I shoved open the hospital room door. Rachel was livestreaming. "Rachel Ross! Do you have any idea—" Shirley immediately covered my mouth and dragged me back out into the hallway. Anger surged through me. "Mom! Two of the traffickers got away! Rachel is putting herself in danger. They could come after her!" Shirley held tightly onto my arm, afraid I would go back in and interrupt Rachel's livestream. Her face was filled with pride. "What do you know? Rachel is making a fortune from these livestreams. "One virtual gift brings in a two hundred dollars, and her screen is full of them right now." She glanced at me with open disdain. "Only two traffickers escaped. What kind of retaliation could they possibly manage? "This is a law-abiding society. You're making a mountain out of a molehill." At that moment, Sean came running down the hallway. He was staggering so badly he could barely stay on his feet. His voice trembled uncontrollably, thick with panic and tears. "Mom, Liam wasn't there when I went to pick him up from school. He's missing!"