The AI Plastic Surgery

The day I got fired, I received a trial pass from an AI cosmetic clinic. It required neither surgery nor recovery time, yet it could deliver a flawless celebrity face overnight. But there was a catch. The face only lasted seven days after the complimentary trial. To keep it, I signed a contract to become the actress' body double, trading my time, identity, and freedom for another week of beauty. As the years passed, I kept paying the price to maintain a face that wasn't mine until one day, I realized I no longer wanted to live in someone else's shadow. Chapter 1 The interrogation room was lit by harsh fluorescent lights that drained every trace of color from a person's face. I sat on a steel chair, the handcuffs lightly clinking against the metal table. The officer across from me was Daniel Carter, a man in his forties with sharp eyes—the kind that had learned to see through countless lies. "Name." "Mabel Shaw." "Age." "Twenty-four." "Occupation." I smiled faintly. "I used to be a fangirl. Now I'm a murderer. Haven't you already reached your verdict?" Daniel didn't smile. He pulled a photograph from his folder and slid it across the table. The woman in the picture was stunning—the kind of beauty no one could forget after seeing once. She had almond-shaped eyes, a delicate upturned nose, and full lips as ripe as cherries. Dressed in a custom couture gown, she stood on the red carpet as camera flashes bathed her in light, making her look almost untouchable. "Do you know her?" "Winter Lambert," I said. "The hottest young actress in the industry. She starred in three blockbuster dramas last year, and her endorsement deals started in the seven-figure range." "What was your relationship with her?" I stared at the face in the photograph, and suddenly everything felt unreal. That face had been mine. "We were coworkers," I said. "She acted on screen. I acted for her." Daniel frowned. I lowered my head and looked at my hands. These hands had traced every contour of that face. I knew which features were natural bone structure and which had been sculpted with cosmetic fillers. I knew about the nearly invisible scar above Winter's left brow, the slight difference in the thickness of her earlobes, and how the left side of her face always moved first when she smiled. I knew every detail because I had once been her. "Start from the beginning." Daniel tapped the table. "Tell me how you became her." I looked up. The interrogation room's window was set high in the wall, revealing nothing but a small patch of dull gray sky. "It all started three years ago," I said. "Back then, I was still Mabel Shaw, just an ordinary fangirl." Chapter 2 The first time I saw the advertisement was on a fan forum dedicated to Winter. That day, my supervisor caught me scrolling through celebrity paparazzi photos at my desk and fired me. I walked out of the office building carrying a cardboard box as rain poured from the sky. I hadn't brought an umbrella, and my makeup was ruined, leaving black streaks beneath my eyes. Just then, my phone lit up. [AI Bio-Facial Transformation. Zero-invasive face replacement. Now recruiting trial participants for a limited time.] I assumed it was a scam. But when I opened it, I noticed that one of the before-and-after photos featured a face that looked remarkably similar to Winter's. Beneath it was a line of fine print: [Powered by deep-learning facial modeling technology. A non-surgical bio-synthetic dermal layer replicates the target's facial features with complete accuracy. Duration depends on membership tier.] I stared at the words "membership tier" for a long time. Then I filled out the application. The interview took place in an office tower. It looked like a high-end cosmetic clinic, except it was unnaturally spotless, not even the faint smell of disinfectant lingered in the air. The woman who greeted me wore a white lab coat. A surgical mask covered half her face, leaving only a pair of gentle-looking eyes visible. "Why did you choose Winter Lambert?" she asked. "Because she's beautiful," I replied. "Because I wanted to know whether beautiful people had easier lives." The woman smiled, but the smile never reached her eyes. "We can make you become her," she said. "But there are three things you need to understand. First, this technology hasn't been made public, so you'll need to sign a confidentiality agreement. “Second, maintaining the face requires continuous activation. The complimentary trial lasts thirty days, after which you'll need to purchase a membership. Third, and most importantly..." She paused before taking a contract from the drawer. "This face doesn't belong to you. You're renting it. When the lease expires, you'll have to give it back." I signed the contract. The procedure was much simpler than I'd expected. There were no scalpels, no blood. I simply lay inside a machine that resembled a CT scanner while a layer of icy gel was spread across my face. I could feel something growing beneath my skin, spreading like vines through damp soil. Three hours later, I sat up and looked into the mirror. Winter looked back at me. It wasn't just similar. It was identical. Even I couldn't tell which face was real anymore. I raised my hand. The woman in the mirror raised hers. I frowned. She frowned too. The eerie symmetry made me want to scream. It also made me want to cry. "The complimentary trial lasts thirty days," the woman in the lab coat said. "After that, if you don't wish to renew, we'll restore your original face. If you do renew, there are four membership tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Diamond. Each tier extends the duration, and naturally, the price increases as well." "How much?" "Bronze Membership costs three thousand dollars and maintains the face for seven days. “Silver Membership costs ten thousand dollars lasts thirty days. “Gold Membership costs ten hundred thousand dollars and lasts a full year. As for Diamond Membership..." She glanced at me. "A one-time payment of one million dollars grants permanent maintenance, along with facial enhancement upgrades." I reached up and touched my new face. The skin felt real. It was warm. It had pores. It even produced natural oil. "What if I can't afford to renew?" The warmth disappeared from the woman's eyes. "Then this face will die," she said. "It'll wither and rot, like a dying flower." A chill ran down my spine. But at the time, I had no idea those words would become the beginning of every nightmare that followed. Chapter 3 On the seventh day after becoming Winter, I received my first phone call. It was from Winter herself. "Come to Marina One Hotel, Suite 2801." Her voice sounded even softer than it did on television, tinged with a hint of exhaustion. "Don't let anyone see your face." I put on a mask and a baseball cap, wrapping myself up so thoroughly that no one could recognize me. In the elevator, I stared at my reflection in the polished metal doors. The face looking back at me felt both unfamiliar and mesmerizing. So, this was the world Winter saw every day. So, this was the privilege that came with being beautiful. When the door opened, Winter was standing in the foyer. She wore a silk robe with no makeup on, her hair tied up in a messy bun. We stood face to face, and it felt as though I were looking into a mirror. She stepped closer and studied my face carefully, her fingertips tracing my brow bone, the bridge of my nose, and the line of my jaw. "It's even closer than I expected," she said. "They didn't lie to me." "Why did you ask me to come?" She turned and walked into the living room, picking up a cigarette from the coffee table. I noticed her hand was trembling. "I'm seeing someone," she said. "He's not in the entertainment industry, so our relationship can't go public. But next week I have a brand event and three scenes that still need to be filmed. I can't get away." She exhaled a stream of smoke and looked at me. "I want you to do them for me." I froze. "I... I don't know how to act." "You don't need to." Winter smiled. It was the exact same sweet, flawless smile she'd worn in all those romantic dramas—beautifully fake. "You just have to stand there, smile, and say a few lines. Post-production and the stunt doubles will handle the rest." "Why me?" "Because you look enough like me." She stubbed out her cigarette. "And because you've signed a confidentiality agreement, so you won't dare say anything. More importantly..." She walked over until she was standing right in front of me. The scent of her expensive perfume mingled with cigarette smoke. "You're broke. Poor people are the easiest to control." I clenched my fists. But I didn't refuse because she was right. I really had no money. I only had twenty-three days left before my trial period expired. I'd already grown used to seeing that beautiful face in the mirror. I couldn't bear to become the ordinary Mabel Shaw again. "And the pay?" "The appearance fee for the event is half a million dollars. That's yours. The three-million-dollar acting fee is mine," she said. "I can also pay for your membership." I looked at the face that was identical to mine. "Deal." … The day I attended the event in Winter's place, I wore the custom couture gown she lent me. It was champagne-colored, covered in countless tiny crystals that shimmered like I'd wrapped the Milky Way around myself. As the makeup artist worked on my hair and makeup, she kept complimenting my flawless skin and asking what skincare products I used. I laughed it off, but inside I knew the truth. This skin wasn't real. It was the product of bio-synthetic materials and algorithms. It was rented. The red carpet was only twenty meters long. But it felt as though I walked it forever. Camera flashes exploded from both sides as reporters shouted my name— No. They were shouting Winter's name. They asked whether the dating rumors with my co-star were true, whether I was satisfied with the ratings of my latest drama, and what projects I had lined up next. Just as Winter taught me, I smiled, nodded, and replied, "Thank you all for your support. Please continue supporting my work." The words flowed effortlessly from my lips. In that moment, I finally understood why Winter became such a superstar. There was something almost magical about that face. It made people want to believe every word she said, no matter how empty those words really were. Chapter 4 After the event, I ran into someone backstage. It was one of Winter's biggest rivals, an actress named Sabrina Hayes. She became famous long before Winter, but her popularity had faded over the past two years, and Winter had snatched several endorsement deals that were once hers. She stood at the end of the hallway, watching me with an unreadable expression. "You look good today," she said. "Much better than the last few times I saw you." I froze. The last few times? She'd seen me before? No. She'd seen Winter. "Thank you," I replied cautiously. She walked over and suddenly cupped my chin between her fingers. Her nails were long, painted a deep crimson. "But your face feels a little stiff," she said. "Winter, did you get more injections again?" My heart skipped a beat. "I haven't been sleeping well lately," I answered. She let go and smiled, though the smile never reached her eyes. "Be careful," she said. "An actor's face is everything. Don't turn yourself into a plastic doll just to stay famous." She turned and walked away, her high heels clicking against the floor like the ticking of a countdown. I stood frozen, my back drenched in cold sweat. That was when I realized this face wasn't protecting me. It was a ticking time bomb. I could fool the fans. I could fool the reporters. But I couldn't fool other actors. I couldn't fool the people who truly knew Winter. And by then, it was already too late to stop. … Standing in for Winter on a film set was far harder than attending a public event. My first scene was an emotional breakdown. The female lead just learned that the male lead had died in a car accident, and she was supposed to collapse to her knees in the rain, sobbing uncontrollably. I'd studied the script beforehand and carefully analyzed the way Winter performed in her previous roles. But the moment I stood in front of the camera, panic took over. As soon as the director called, "Action," my mind went completely blank. "Cut!" The director slammed the script onto the ground. "Winter, what's wrong with you today? Where are the tears? I need complete devastation, not a blank expression!" I apologized and asked for another take. The second. The third. The fourth... By the seventh take, I finally broke down and cried. Not because I'd gotten into character. I cried because I was terrified. I cried because there were only fifteen days left in my trial period. If I messed this up, Winter would take away my membership and I'd be nothing more than Mabel Shaw again—the ordinary girl who'd stood alone in the pouring rain with mascara running down her face. The moment the tears finally came, the director called, "Cut. That's a wrap." After the scene, I sat in the dressing room, trembling. My assistant handed me a cup of hot water and called me "Winter." She asked if I was feeling unwell. I looked at the concern on her face and suddenly wanted to tell her the truth. I wasn't Winter ; I was an impostor. I couldn't even cry on cue. Those tears had come from sheer panic. But I said nothing. I simply took the cup and said, "Thank you. I'd like to be alone for a while." That night, I received a message from Winter. "Nice work," she wrote. "The director said your crying scene had real emotional depth." I stared at my phone, unsure whether to laugh or cry. On the thirtieth day of working in Winter's place, my complimentary trial expired. As promised, Winter renewed it for me, but only for one month. She said the upcoming jobs were even more important, and she'd need me to stand in for her more often, so I'd have to start paying part of the membership fee myself. "Bronze Membership costs three thousand dollars and lasts seven days," she said. "Your choice." I chose Silver which cost ten thousand dollars. I earned half million dollars for appearing at a single event in Winter's place. Ten thousand dollars was nothing. Chapter 5 Winter became consumed by her relationship, often disappearing for ten days or even half a month at a time, leaving every appearance on my shoulders. I filmed her scenes. I shot her commercials. I appeared on variety shows in her place. Fans praised her dedication and said she was in the best shape of her career. Only I knew that the real Winter was lounging in a beachfront villa somewhere, soaking up the sun with her boyfriend. I started wanting more. Being a shadow was no longer enough. Living off the scraps she tossed my way was no longer enough. Seeing that face in the mirror every day and reminding myself it was rented—that it would expire, decay, and eventually be taken away—was no longer enough. I wanted to become the real Winter Lambert. That thought first crossed my mind after I accepted a Best New Actress award on Winter's behalf. Standing on the stage, looking out at the sea of faces below and listening to the thunderous applause, I suddenly felt that all of it should have belonged to me. It was my face smiling into the cameras. My voice delivering the acceptance speech. My tears falling onto the trophy. Why should I have to give any of it back to her? That night, I looked up the price of Diamond Membership. Paying one million dollars would get me permanent maintenance and facial enhancement upgrades. I had eight hundred thousand dollars saved up—everything I'd earned from working for Winter over the past three months. I was two hundred thousand dollars short. I called Winter and asked if I could receive next month's payment in advance. She laughed on the other end of the line. Her laugh was sweet, like candy laced with poison. "Mabel, don't bite off more than you can chew," she said. "Know your place. You're just a stand-in." I hung up and looked at the face in the mirror. It was flawless beneath the light, as perfect as a finely crafted porcelain doll. But I knew it was hollow inside and fragile. One touch away from shattering. Unless I became the porcelain itself. … Daniel interrupted me. "So that's why you killed her?" I looked up. The harsh lights in the interrogation room stung my eyes. "I never said I wanted to kill her," I replied. "I said I wanted to become her." "Is there really a difference?" "Of course." I smiled faintly. "Murder was a means, not the end. My goal was to survive, to keep that face, and to make sure I would never become Mabel Shaw again." Daniel stared at me for a long time. "Go on," Daniel said. I ran my tongue over my cracked lips. There was a water dispenser in the interrogation room, but no one offered me a drink. My throat felt so dry it was as though it were packed with sand. I said, "Before long, I told Winter my Silver Membership had expired again. “Winter cut me off completely. She said she was taking a break to travel around Europe with her boyfriend. "I begged her. I told her I could keep working in her place. I didn't even need to be paid—as long as she'd renew my membership. "She laughed over the phone and said, 'Mabel, you've lost your mind. Who do you think you are? You're just an imitation. An imitation should know its place.'" I paused, remembering that afternoon. The sun had been shining brightly as I sat alone in my tiny apartment, staring at the face in the mirror. It had already begun to change. The corners of my eyes sagged ever so slightly. The bridge of my nose wasn't as defined anymore. The curve of my jawline had started to blur. It was like a painting left out in the rain, its colors slowly bleeding away. I knew what it meant. The transformation was beginning to fail. "I sent her a message telling her I had leverage over her," I continued. "I knew about her relationship, the jobs she'd skipped, and the evidence that she'd been using a stand-in to film in her place. I told her that if she refused to help me, I'd sell everything to the tabloids."