Life Without You

Chapter 27 - Doppelgänger Trouble

Pictures of Leon seemingly in good health and walking through the streets of the city flooded the internet. Avon Music was once again inundated with requests to interview Leon Waltz and invite him to perform, but Avon only accepted online interviews on the pretext that he was "very busy" with his schedules.

The truth was, the "Leon" spotted on the streets was not the real singer himself. It was a well-planned distraction to deviate from the reality that Leon Waltz was in rehab.

Brent Bay, a high-school drop-out and a struggling artist could not believe his luck when he was contacted by Leon Waltz's management via his YouTube channel after his infamous prank as Leon Waltz at the mall attracted worldwide attention. He was promised a handsome sum to step in as the real star himself. Brent's looks were so strikingly similar to Leon that he had been mistaken as the real deal many times in his life, even though he was five years younger than the celebrity.

At first glance, Vinny and Arnold were astonished at Brent's looks. There was no way anyone could tell he was a fake Leon from a distance. However, unlike Leon, Brent's light blue-grey eyes (Leon's eyes were light blue), the prominent bow of his upper lip, his slightly shorter height, his less muscular physique and his less deep voice were a dead give away that he wasn't the real deal. 

Leon needed a very long break away from the limelight, or so he was told. Brent never met Leon in person. He only saw him via video calls. 

"Wow, you look different!" Brent's eyes widened at Leon's unkempt appearance, a far cry from his neatly shaven looks.

"Wow, you look like me!" Leon was taken aback by Brent's striking resemblance to him that it looked like he was seeing himself on the screen of the desktop computer from the library at the rehab since his gadgets remained confiscated. He asked Brent to turn around and pose like him, and Leon was impressed by how natural he could carry himself.

"I've been your biggest fan since I was 11. I studied your life and your every move," Brent beamed with pride and imitated some of Leon's dance moves. "I look forward to the day we can meet!"

"We'll see," replied Leon. "Can you sing?"

"That's the only thing I can't do," Brent admitted with a shrug.

Leon sighed with dismay. Deep down, he wished Brent could sing in his place, for a recent check-up with a doctor at the rehab revealed that his vocal cords were damaged due to his alcoholism. He realised after entering rehab, that he could not hit his high notes like he used to, and he frequently sang off-pitch. Each time he tried, his voice box hurt. The doctor advised him not to force or stress his voice anymore for the next few months. It was a big blow to his career. Life couldn't be crueller.

"Arnold, he can do," Leon gave his nod of approval.

Brent was signed on the spot with a strict non-disclosure agreement. On strict orders, he could only enter the residential building where Leon stayed, but not in the penthouse itself. He was to pretend to act as the real Leon Waltz and to leave with Leon's security guards whenever he went out in public. Brent was not allowed to ask Leon any other question apart from those pertaining to his role as his doppelgänger. He was not even given Leon's number. Ryan was tasked to ensure that Brent looked and dressed like the singer.

Unfortunately, on the first day of the job, Brent slipped-up.

Leon slapped his forehead when he saw the video confrontation of Brent and Ariel at the park on YouTube. He grimaced when he saw Andy being rejected by Brent. That expression of unspeakable hurt on the young boy's face broke his heart. If it was the real him, he would NEVER do such a thing to Andy!

"How could you not recognise Andy!" Leon reprimanded Brent during a video call using Arnold's phone.

Arnold frowned at Brent through the screen, "I thought you're well researched on Leon Waltz's life? Surely you must've known who that little boy is."