Hailey let out a sharp, coldugh. "Carly, why are you in such a hurry? Alfred is an old acquaintance of yours, isn''t he? Didn''t you bring him in all those years ago to help save Mr. Alvarez?"


    Robin gasped. "Wait a minute, Carly! Why did it seem like you didn''t even recognize Alfred earlier?"


    Adam, too, began to sense something was off. Just moments ago, Carly had shown nothing but disdain for Alfred, treating him as if he were aplete stranger.


    He fixed her with a pointed stare. "Carly, you don''t know Alfred?"


    Panic flickered across Carly''s face. "I was so young back then. I just forgot for a moment. But I remember now! Yes, it''s Alfred. Adam, my heart doesn''t feel right. Let''s stop talking and start the surgery right away."


    Lucy could feel the tension thickening in the air. She hadn''t anticipated such a startling revtion just before the operation.


    Stepping forward, she quickly interjected, "Mr. Alvarez, let''s focus on the surgery for now. We can deal with the pastter."


    Sonia nodded anxiously. "Yes, Mr. Alvarez. Carly''s heart surgery is critical. That should be our priority."


    Suddenly, Celine''s clear voice rang out. "Carly, are you really going to keep pretending?"


    "Damn, Carly. Watching you try to maintain your lie is honestly pathetic-like a clown putting on a bad show," Hailey sneered.


    Adam''s gaze shifted to Celine. "What exactly are you implying?"


    Robin spoke up. "Mr. Alvarez, we''re not implying anything. We''re just telling you the truth."


    "The truth?" Adam snapped.


    Alfred stepped forward, meeting Adam''s gaze head-on. "Why do you believe Carly was the one who saved you?"


    A wave of realization swept over Adam. His lips pressed into a tight line as the


    truth began to sink in. "Are you saying... she wasn''t the one who saved me?"


    Alfred pped his thigh, his voice rising with conviction. "Exactly! She wasn''t! She was never the one who saved you that night!"


    Carly wasn''t his savior.


    Carly wasn''t the girl from that cave.


    Although Adam had begun to suspect the truth, hearing Alfred confirm it aloud struck him like a thunderp, leaving him stunned to his core. His mind wentpletely nk, and for a moment, hecouldn''t think at all.


    He stared at Carly in disbelief, his memories warping. The face of the girl from the


    cave and Carly''s face began to blur, twisting together in his mind.


    Panic spread through the Tate family. Carly was ovee with fear.


    For years, the story of Carly being Adam''s supposed savior had been their family''s most powerful card. Now, that carefully guarded secret had been shattered.


    Carly desperately clung to Adam''s sleeve. "Adam, no! This isn''t true! Alfred is old and confused-he must have mistaken someone else for me! I was the one who saved you! Don''t you remember the emerald ne?"


    The emerald ne?


    That was true. It was Carly who had given him the emerald ne.


    But if Carly wasn''t the girl from that night... then where had the emerald nee from?


    Adam pushed Carly away, staggering back a few steps. "Don''t touch me. I... I can''t think clearly right now."


    His eyes locked on Alfred. "Are you absolutely certain? She has the emerald ne. That proves she''s the one who saved me."


    Carly nodded frantically. "Yes, it was me!"


    Hailey let out a sharp, coldugh.


    "Mr. Alvarez, I think it''s time you saw something. This will clear up all your


    doubts. Trust me, it''s quite a revtion."


    Adam turned toward Hailey as she pulled out her phone and yed a video.


    On the screen, Carly could be seen sneaking into Celine''s living room. While Celine was distracted, Carly swiped the emerald ne.


    Carly gasped, her heart dropping into her stomach.


    How could there be surveince cameras in Tate Manor?


    Her theft had been caught on tape.