Hearing the long-forgotten name, Jason froze for a moment, the pieces not quite fitting together. Then his eyes widened, and a surge of anger tightened in his chest. He took a few deep breaths topose himself. "Ms. Evadne, please don''t even mention her name. It''s such bad luck! Just thinking about all the pain she caused you makes me..."


    "That''s all ancient history. Let''s focus on the present. Alexia constantly reminds me of Acacia."


    It was ironic, really. Acacia may have been Thaddeus''s childhood friend, but perhaps the person who knew her best was Evadne. After her grandfather had arranged her marriage to Thaddeus, she had spent years trying to win him over by meticulously studying and mimicking Acacia-her mannerisms, her fashion sense, even the soft, gentle tone of her voice. For three years, she had humbled herself,promised, and endured, nearly losing her own identity in the vortex of that one-sided love.


    Thank God that was all in the past. She had found herself again and would never be anyone else''s shadow.


    Jason was taken aback. "Are you suggesting... that Alexia has some connection to Acacia?"


    "As much as I hate to think it, their mannerisms are almost identical, even if their faces and voices are different. A person''s appearance is the easiest thing to change, but habits and personality are ingrained. They''re much harder to alter.”


    Jason nodded in agreement.


    Evadne''s mind was already racing, ideas sparking like a wildfire. Once a crack appeared in the darkness, she would tear it wide open. Once a hint of the truth emerged, she would follow the clues until the whole story was revealed. It was only a matter of time.


    A seed of suspicion had been nted, and now thoughts were blooming one after another, like scattered pearls she had yet to string together.


    "After the Stirling family went bankrupt and Acacia was publicly humiliated at her engagement party, she fled to Country M. And this Alexia... she also came from Country M."


    Jason frowned thoughtfully. "But Ms. Evadne, there are plenty of people in the world with simr personalities and habits. That''s where the whole idea of having a doppelg?ngeres from, right?"


    A cold smile touched Evadne''s lips. "Yes, but for two such simr people to appear in my life, both standing on the opposite side... isn''t that a bit too coincidental?"


    Jason was speechless.


    "You know how in those over-the-top dramas, the scorned woman gets stic surgery andes back for revenge? Well, sometimes real life is even more dramatic than any show."


    He couldn''t argue with that. Ms. Evadne''s life was more turbulent and full of twists than any thriller.


    Jason swallowed hard. "Ms. Evadne, if—and this is a big if-Alexia really is Acacia, how did a woman with


    nothing


    but air in her head be a doctor? And how did she end up with Chad? What''s the connection?"


    Evadne''s gaze sharpened. "Isn''t it obvious?"


    The air in the car grew thick.


    It was.


    Chad was connected to Thaddeus. Acacia was connected to Thaddeus, and she harbored a deep-seated harred for Evadne If someone like Avery Could work for Chad, what was to stop him from picking up a disgraced and exiled Acacia?


    "Jason, this is all just spection for now. We need hard evidence. So, until we have it, we can''t tip our hand," Evadne said, her eyes filled with resolve But whether her ame Is Alexia or Stirling, if she hurts Stirlinger


    Thaddeus or anyone close to me, I won''t let her get away with it." <fn5670> Th?s chapter is updated by find?novel</fn5670>