Joshua''s reaction wasn''t what Rachel had expected. For a moment, she was stunned-then, unexpectedly, a flicker of hope sparked in her chest.


    "Joshua, when Haynes had me thrown in jail, why didn''t you answer my calls? Why didn''t youe to help me?"


    Joshua suddenly let out a softugh. "Why I didn''te? Don''t you already know the answer to that?"


    Rachel''s gaze darted away, but she fought to keep herposure.


    "I... I honestly don''t know..."


    Joshua sighed, his tone gentle but resolute. "Rachel, I already know you''re not


    the one I''ve been searching for."


    Rachel''s fingers clenched tight.


    So it was true-this was why Joshua had abandoned her, why he''d left her to fend for herself.


    Rachel''s voice grew desperate. "It''s Simone, isn''t it?!"


    Joshua looked genuinely surprised. "How did you know about Simone?"


    Rachel balled her hands into fists. "She came to see me! Joshua, she''s not the one you''re looking for-I am!


    All she has is a pair of imitation earrings. She doesn''t know anything else—not which garden it was, not the time of the recital!


    She even came to the prison, trying to trick me-pretending to be me, trying to fish for information!"


    Rachel rattled off her usations in a single breath, her throat dry and tight. But she didn''t dare stop; she knew that if she paused, Joshua might never let her exin.


    Joshua frowned as he listened.


    "Is that so?"


    Rachel nodded earnestly. "I swear to you-it''s the truth!"


    She quickly recounted everything Simone and Aurora had said to her, carefully omitting any hint that she herself was an imposter.


    Rachel knew Joshua''s trust in her was already hanging by a thread. Whether he''d believe her now was anyone''s guess.


    But it didn''t matter. Even if Joshua never trusted her again, she was determined not to let Simone benefit from his kindness.


    Joshua remained silent for a long moment after she finished. Rachel held her breath, her heart pounding.


    She had no idea how much, if any, of her story he believed.


    Finally, Joshua spoke.


    "To be honest, when Simone first found me, Ldidn''t believe her either. But somehow, she got hold of an identical earring, and came to me, saying you were a fraud... She ys violin, too. She can perform Moonlight. She''s been living in Solmaris all this time.


    All those coincidences stacked up, and I started to wonder-maybe I''d been looking for the wrong person all along."


    So it was Simone who''d reached out to Joshua. That snake.


    Rachel seethed inwardly. She didn''t care for Joshua romantically, but he was her lifeline, her shield. Without him, her long charade would have crumbled ages ago. Losing his support was as good as losing her entire foundation-Rachel would never forgive Simone for that.


    Right now, her hatred for Simone burned even hotter than what she felt for Ste.


    "Joshua, all she has is that earring-she knows nothing else. I''m telling you, it''s got to be a fake. Don''t let her fool you."


    Joshua seemed to weigh her words, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "So now you''re saying she''s the imposter, and she''s saying the same about you.


    You know the garden, you know the time and ce. But she''s got an identical ne..."


    He shook his head. "Between the two of you, I don''t know what to believe anymore."


    Hearing this, Rachel felt a surge of relief. Joshua''s uncertainty meant he hadn''t put all his faith in


    Simone not yet, anyway. If he truly believed Simone, he wouldn''t still be speaking to Rachel with such patience.