“Ms. Hayes, we have the results of your investigation.” “And the results are?” My grip tightened on my phone, knuckles turning white from the pressure. “Your fiancé, Liam Blackwood, and Cole Blackwood of the Blackwood Corporation are not acquainted and share no blood relation. They are two different individuals.” Outside, the rain poured, streams of water sliding down the windowpane like countless eerie hands squeezing my heart. After hanging up, my finger instinctively tapped back to the video. On screen, Cole Blackwood, heir to the Blackwood Corporation, stood impeccably dressed in a custom suit, gently placing an engagement ring on Seraphina Thorne’s finger. They stood under the spotlight, a picture-perfect couple. But my eyes were drawn, against my will, to the ring on Cole’s ring finger. It was identical to the one I’d personally slipped onto my fiancé Liam’s finger just this morning. What chilled me even more was that the man in the video looked *exactly* like my fiancé, Liam Blackwood. Yet, the investigator’s voice still echoed in my ears, plunging me into a spiral of self-doubt. In that moment, an invisible hand seemed to drag my thoughts into a vortex, and past memories flashed before my eyes. Five years ago, on a rainy night, in front of my foster mother’s gravestone, I was startled by a faint whisper of, “Help me.” I carried the blood-soaked Liam back to my cramped apartment. Liam told me he was an orphan, and an instant kinship bloomed between us. Liam was incredibly optimistic, full of youthful energy. Despite his injuries, he flashed a brilliant smile, his charming eyes crinkling into happy crescents. “My name is Liam, as in L-I-A-M. And you, sis?” A blush crept up my cheeks as I softly replied, “Lily Hayes…” For the next few days, we clung to each other in that tiny rental. Liam would make me breakfast every morning, and at night, he’d hold me tight. Those sweet moments made me fall deeper and deeper in love. We quickly tumbled into a passionate romance, promising to be together forever and always. But for the past six months, I’d been feeling that something was off with Liam. Until one day, I saw Cole Blackwood, the heir to the Blackwood Corporation, make a public appearance online. I was stunned. Because it was undeniably Liam. Their body types were identical, and their faces were almost exactly the same. On a whim, I started investigating, even hiring a private detective. Just moments ago, I’d received a definitive answer. But could two people in the world really look so astonishingly alike? Especially that ring… “Lily, are you watching a live stream?” Suddenly, a man’s voice sounded behind me. I turned to see him standing in the dim light, his silhouette identical to Cole’s. As he walked towards me, he revealed a face that was the spitting image of Cole Blackwood, the heir from the live stream. He glanced at my phone screen and chuckled helplessly. “Suspecting me again? I wish I were the great Mr. Blackwood, but no such luck!” I didn’t say anything, just lowered my eyes. It was true, their personalities and temperaments were completely different. If Liam was the cheerful boy next door, Cole was a decisive leader in the business world. One an orphan, the other an heir to a billion-dollar conglomerate—how could they be the same person? Liam walked closer, his arm naturally wrapping around my waist. “No… This engagement ceremony is just so grand, it’s really something to envy,” I said with a forced smile. “Lily, you need to stop overthinking things. Dinner’s ready. Let’s eat and then get some rest,” Liam sighed, a hint of resignation in his voice. “Okay, thanks for all your hard work, Liam.” I nodded with a smile, my gaze subtly falling on the ring on Liam’s right hand.
Beneath the gilded eaves of the Blackwood family estate. Cole Blackwood exuded an intimidating aura, his phone clasped tightly in his hand, thin lips pressed into a grim, unyielding line. “Still no answer.” After hanging up, Cole pressed his temples, trying to gather his thoughts before returning to the main hall. “Cole, who were you just talking to?” Seraphina Thorne, daughter of the prominent Thorne family, glided gracefully towards Cole, intimately linking her arm through his. Cole’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly as he replied flatly, “A business partner. We have a slight issue with a project.” He picked up two glasses of red wine from a passing waiter’s tray, handing one to Seraphina. “It’s time to toast the elders. We can’t neglect proper etiquette.” As Seraphina accepted the glass, she lowered her gaze to the swirling wine within. A moment later, she brightened, turning to rejoin the guests’ convivial chatter. In our apartment, warm yellow light spilled over the small dining table, set with two or three simple dishes. I absentmindedly poked at the food on my plate with my fork. My eyes kept darting to the ring on Liam’s hand, inspecting it intently. Liam, across from me, was chattering excitedly about funny stories from the construction site. But I wasn’t listening to a word, my mind consumed by the intertwining images of Liam and the Blackwood heir’s similar faces, and that identical ring… Liam suddenly paused, then grinned, reaching out to touch his ring and raising his voice. “Lily, you know what? A lot of my co-workers today said our rings look just like the ones for the Blackwood and Thorne wedding.” “I got curious and checked online. The pictures have filters, but apparently, the Blackwood-Thorne engagement rings have both family crests engraved on the inside.” With that, Liam smoothly slipped off his ring and held the inside toward me. “See? Our ring is perfectly plain, no crests or anything. It’s probably just a coincidence in style, after all, a ring this good-looking is bound to be popular.” I stared at the ring’s clean inner surface, my tense nerves relaxing considerably, a small smile involuntarily appearing on my face. Seeing this, Liam leaned in closer, his eyes sparkling. “Lily, you didn’t actually think I was some Blackwood heir, did you? If I had that kind of status, I’d be taking you out living the high life, not stuck in this cramped apartment!” “Who knows? Maybe the Blackwoods copied *our* ring style, after all, Lily’s taste is top-notch!” I couldn’t help but laugh, rolling my eyes at him, feigning annoyance. “Hmph, always with the jokes, aren’t you? I was just thinking out loud.” Liam immediately straightened up, raising his hand in a swearing gesture. “Cross my heart, Lily, if I’m hiding anything from you, may I be stuck doing the toughest construction work for the rest of my life!” Then he picked up his fork again, put a piece of food on my plate, and grinned. “Eat up, don’t just think about all that nonsense. You’ve got a real-life hunk right here, isn’t that enough to look at?” He made me chuckle, and I lightly patted his shoulder. “You and your big mouth!” Liam chewed a mouthful of food, mumbling, “Lily, no more overthinking, okay? If you keep doubting me, I’m going to get mad!” “Alright, alright, just eat!” After dinner, Liam quickly cleared the dishes. I turned and walked into the bathroom, and soon, the sound of running water filled the air. When I emerged, wrapped in a cloud of steam, I saw that Liam had already tidied up the apartment. Then, Liam went into the bathroom to shower. With a soft creak, Liam pushed open the bathroom door. I was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding a hairdryer. Seeing him emerge, I smiled and patted the empty spot beside me. “Liam, come here, let me dry your hair.” Liam’s eyes immediately lit up, and he obediently sat on the bed. My fingers ran through his damp hair as the warm air from the hairdryer gently ruffled it. Liam closed his eyes, a look of pure contentment on his face. After a moment, he murmured, “If only we could be this happy forever.” I hadn’t heard him clearly, so I stopped my hands and tilted my head, asking, “Liam, what did you say?” Liam snapped back to attention, his cheeks slightly flushed. “Nothing. Lily, let’s go to bed early.” “Okay.” I softly agreed, my gaze lingering on his face for a moment before I slowly nodded.
Meanwhile, in a bedroom in the Thorne family mansion. Seraphina Thorne, dressed in a luxurious nightgown, lounged elegantly on the sofa, her fingertips drumming impatiently on the armrest. Before her stood a burly bodyguard, head bowed, awaiting orders. “Who did Cole call today? And why? Find out, the sooner the better.” The bodyguard acknowledged the command and swiftly retreated. A dark, unreadable glint flickered in Seraphina’s eyes. Morning light filtered through the gaps in the old curtains, falling on me. I slowly woke up and walked out of the room to find breakfast on the table, with a sticky note beside it: “Lily, I’m off to work. Remember to eat breakfast. Love you!” I smiled softly, taking a bite of bread, the wheaty aroma filling my mouth. Casually, I opened my phone to scroll through videos. After just a few scrolls, there it was again—clips from yesterday’s live stream of the Blackwood heir and Seraphina Thorne’s engagement. Tapping into the comment section, sure enough, it was flooded with envious remarks. Suddenly, one comment caught my eye: “That Mr. Blackwood has serious plot armor; I heard he was kidnapped five years ago and went missing. He came back and immediately got engaged to Seraphina Thorne.” Five years? I froze. Liam, too, was rescued by me on a rainy night, five years ago… I quietly put away my phone, quickly tidied up the apartment, and then headed to the watch shop. The shop assistant greeted me with a beaming smile the moment she saw me. “Ms. Hayes, your custom watch is here! I’ll get it for you right away.” A moment later, the assistant emerged, holding a delicate black gift box with both hands. I opened the box, and the watch instantly caught my eye, its dial glowing softly under the light, the strap exquisite. “Ms. Hayes, you have excellent taste. I’m sure your boyfriend will absolutely love it.” “Thank you!” I gently caressed the watch, a smile unconsciously curving my lips, and left the shop with the gift box. Back home, I meticulously inspected the gift box. For this watch, I’d been working extra shifts after my regular job. No matter how tiring it was, the thought of Liam’s surprised face when he received the gift made it all worthwhile. Today, I’d even taken a day off, planning to surprise Liam tonight. Thinking it had been a while since I’d brought him lunch, I went to a nearby market and bought ingredients. Back at the apartment, I was busy once more. “Liam will be so surprised and happy to see me.” I thought to myself as I grabbed my insulated lunch container and walked out the door. The moment I stepped onto the construction site, the cacophony of machines and workers’ shouts washed over me. I was just about to pull out my phone to call Liam. “Mr. Blackwood! Over here!” Suddenly, a booming voice snatched my attention. I instinctively looked up and froze, the insulated lunch container slipping from my grasp and clattering to the ground. Liam was surrounded by a group of workers. He was dressed in a sharp suit, his posture rigid, his eyes keen, exuding an unapproachable aura with every move—a completely different person from the playful, goofy boy in our apartment. I froze on the spot, my mind blank. My heart hammered in my chest, my mind reeling with questions: What on earth was going on? Why was Liam surrounded and being called “Mr. Blackwood”? I instinctively took two steps forward, wanting to confront him, but then abruptly stopped. What if it was just a misunderstanding? Would questioning him in front of all these people embarrass him and affect his work? But if he had been deceiving me all this time, what did these five years of our relationship even mean? As I hesitated, Liam casually looked up, and our eyes met. However, he merely gave me a dismissive glance before leading the group towards me. As they drew closer, my heart pounded violently, threatening to burst from my chest. Yet, as he passed right by me, the man didn’t even spare me a second look. My heart instantly tightened, and I cautiously called out, “Liam?” “What did you call me?” Cole stopped, his brow furrowed, his voice icy. At that moment, the foreman rushed forward, scrutinizing me with an unfriendly tone. “Who are you? What are you doing here? Liam? What Liam? This is Mr. Cole Blackwood, CEO of Blackwood Corporation!” I was stunned. This was Cole? I was about to explain when Cole immediately cut in. “That’s enough. First, come with me to check on that batch of building materials.” He finished, then cast a cold glance at me. “This is a construction site. Don’t let unauthorized personnel just walk in.” With that, he and his entourage walked away. I stood rooted to the spot, watching their retreating backs, only snapping back to reality after a long moment. “So that’s Cole Blackwood.” I let out a soft breath, quickly picked up the insulated lunch container, then pulled out my phone and dialed Liam’s number. Once, twice… I dialed several times, but only the monotonous buzzing tone came through the receiver. No one picked up. “Why isn’t he answering?” My brows furrowed. Just then, a co-worker passed by, and I quickly stopped him, anxiously asking, “Excuse me, sir, do you know Liam Blackwood?” “Liam? There’s no one named Li—,” The co-worker scratched his head, looking troubled. “Lily!” Before he could finish, Liam, dressed in a work uniform, suddenly ran around the corner, asking with surprise, “What are you doing here? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t bring me lunch?” My eyes instantly welled up. The continuous suspicion had tormented me, and a wave of hurt washed over me. “Liam, where were you? Why weren’t you answering your phone?” “Lily, I… I’ve been having a upset stomach all day, and my phone was on silent…” As he spoke, Liam glanced at the insulated lunch container in my hand and quickly changed the subject. “Lily, is this lunch for me? You’re so thoughtful! Let me take you somewhere, this isn’t a good place to talk.” With that, Liam led me out of the construction site to a temporary休息处. Seeing my expression, Liam gave a helpless smile. “You look so troubled. Did you just see Cole Blackwood?” “There’s a big project bidding recently, and the Blackwood Corporation is absolutely determined to win it. But Mr. Blackwood received information that someone might be taking kickbacks, which not only affects the company’s profits but could also lead to losing the bid. So, Mr. Blackwood decided to come to the construction site personally to investigate.” As he spoke, Liam quickly pulled out his phone, opened WhatsApp, found the main construction site group chat, and showed me the notice. “See, Lily, this is the message the foreman posted in the work group chat yesterday, informing everyone that Mr. Blackwood would be coming to investigate. The foreman even promised that if this investigation goes smoothly and the project bid is successful, everyone will get a bonus.” Then, he scrolled up, finding another announcement. I took the phone and examined it carefully, but my brows remained tightly furrowed. “Okay, but you two look *so* alike.” Even with the concrete evidence, and everything making logical sense, I still felt like something was off.
Meanwhile, in the penthouse office of Thorne Corporation. Seraphina Thorne sat in a leather chair, her fingertips drumming erratically on the desk. *Knock knock*, the office door opened, and the bodyguard quickly entered, holding a brown paper envelope. “Ms. Thorne, we have the results of your investigation.” The bodyguard respectfully reported, handing over the file. Seraphina abruptly sat upright, snatching the file and eagerly flipping it open. The moment she opened it, a photo slipped out and drifted to the floor. As Seraphina’s gaze landed on the photo, her pupils constricted. She shot to her feet, her heart pounding, an intense sense of familiarity washing over her. It was uncanny. So, so similar. Lily Hayes’s eyes and brows bore a seventy percent resemblance to Seraphina’s mother. Seraphina’s thoughts involuntarily drifted back five years. That day, she had gone to pick up her family’s medical reports. On the way home in the car, with nothing else to do, she casually flipped through them. When she saw the blood type section, both her father and mother were B type, yet she was A type. A bold and absurd idea popped into her head: She might not be the Thornes’ biological daughter. The thought sent a shiver down her spine, and her hands unconsciously clenched. Later, she secretly underwent a DNA test, unbeknownst to anyone in the Thorne family. The results confirmed the truth she most dreaded—she was indeed not their biological daughter. From then on, fear and insecurity became her constant companions. She lived in perpetual worry that the truth would be exposed, and she would lose everything she had. She began to frantically study corporate management, and now held a significant position within Thorne Corporation. Seraphina pulled her thoughts from the past, a sinister glint in her eyes. “Send someone immediately to get a hair sample from Lily Hayes. By any means necessary, I want that DNA test report within three days!” … Meanwhile, outside the construction site, I had just finished lunch with Liam. He was still his usual cheerful self, full of jokes and laughter, but my mind was restless. Everything was just too coincidental, so coincidental that a patch of wild doubts had grown in my heart, impossible to uproot. After leaving the construction site, I walked home alone. The streets were bustling with traffic and noisy crowds, but my mind was filled with questions and unease. Just then, a frantic stranger suddenly bumped into me. I stumbled, and I felt a sharp tug at my hair, like a tiny needle had pricked my scalp. “Sorry!” He mumbled an apology and disappeared into the crowd without looking back. I stared blankly at his retreating back, a vague sense of unease rising in my heart. Full of questions, I returned to my apartment and, after a moment’s hesitation, dialed the detective agency again. “Hello, could you please help me investigate Cole Blackwood’s itinerary for the past week, as detailed as possible?” The moment I hung up, my hand tightened slightly on the phone, and my brows furrowed. But I took a deep breath, pushing down the pile of questions, and softly reassured myself: “Maybe I’m just overthinking. How could Liam lie to me? I should prepare for the surprise tonight.” My phone vibrated a few times. I tapped the screen, and a document detailing Cole Blackwood’s schedule appeared. My eyes quickly landed on tomorrow night’s plans: 7 PM, Imperial Hotel downtown, an important banquet. Seeing the words “Imperial Hotel,” my first thought was of my best friend, Chloe, who worked at a bridal shop nearby. I quickly opened our chat and messaged Chloe: “Chloe, there’s a banquet at the Imperial Hotel tomorrow night. Do you know if they’re hiring temporary servers?” Next, I ordered a birthday cake. Then, I dove into the kitchen, tied on my apron, and began preparing dinner. In the evening, Liam came home from work. He pushed open the door, and the apartment was dark. He instinctively reached for the light switch. At that very moment, I lit the candles on the cake, their soft glow illuminating my smiling face. “Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you…” I sang the birthday song, watching Liam stand frozen, his eyes slightly red-rimmed. After finishing the song, I softly said, “Liam, happy birthday.” “Lily, is this…” Liam paused, his eyes filled with surprise and emotion. I beamed. “It’s your birthday! You didn’t seriously forget your own birthday, did you?” I took his hand and led him to the dining table. “It’s okay, I remembered! Come on, try the dinner I made.” We sat across from each other at the dining table, enjoying a thoughtfully prepared meal. The space was small, but the air was filled with warmth and tenderness. He opened his mouth several times as if to say something, but then swallowed his words, his hands unconsciously clenching and unclenching. Finally, Liam seemed to gather his courage.
He gave me an apologetic smile. “I need to take this call.” I nodded, watching him walk out to the balcony. Just then, my phone lit up with a message from Chloe. “Lily, the Imperial Hotel banquet *is* hiring temporary servers, and the pay is super high! Want to come?” My eyes lit up, and I immediately replied, “Of course! Liam and I will both come.” “OK, I’ll sign you both up before I go to work tomorrow morning.” Just as I finished reading the message, Liam came back inside. “Liam, what did the foreman want?” “There was a small issue with the progress at the construction site, but it’s resolved now, nothing major.” I didn’t press further, instead excitedly saying, “Liam, Chloe just said the Imperial Hotel is hiring temporary servers for tomorrow night. Let’s go together! We can experience a high-end banquet like that, and we’ll get to eat five-star cuisine—I’ve never had it before!” He hesitated. “But the construction site…” “Just this once!” I playfully tugged his arm. “It’s a rare opportunity, let’s go check it out!” After my incessant pestering, he finally nodded. “Alright, then. We’ll meet directly at the hotel after work tomorrow.” I smiled and nodded, but complex thoughts churned in my mind: Perhaps tomorrow night’s banquet would help me unravel some mysteries. The next evening, the Imperial Hotel glowed with dazzling lights, like a magnificent palace. Luxury cars lined up at the entrance, doors opening and closing as guests in elegant attire entered, chatting and laughing. Dressed in a black server uniform, I weaved through the grand hall. I opened my chat with Liam again, staring at the message: “Liam, have you arrived? The head server keeps rushing me.” The message had been sent a while ago, but there was still no reply. I was anxiously waiting when the revolving door suddenly swung open. Cole Blackwood, dressed in an impeccably tailored designer suit, strode in with a steady gait. His posture was tall and straight, his eyes sharp, exuding an innate commanding presence with every gesture. The moment he entered, he instantly became the focal point of everyone’s attention. I stared at him, my heart inexplicably tightening. An indescribable sense of pressure washed over me, making my breathing quicken. I instinctively picked up my phone, dialing Liam’s number again, but still, no one answered. My fingers began to tremble, a chill crawling up my spine. Liam, why was he so late? He was never like this. Had something happened, or was he deliberately avoiding me? Why did Liam never appear wherever Cole Blackwood was? And the man standing before me now—was he Liam or Cole? My mind was a chaotic mess, and I hadn’t even noticed his approach. He frowned, looking quite impatient. His assistant immediately stepped forward, reprimanding me with a sharp tone: “What are you standing there for, server? Move aside!” Only then did I snap to attention, quickly stepping aside to clear the path. Cole walked straight past me, entering the crowd, raising a glass and chatting effortlessly with the guests around him. I gazed blankly at Cole. The same height, similar eyes and brows, even the way he raised his hand to toast was identical to Liam’s—yet their temperaments were clearly different. I somewhat pushed down my doubts and messaged Liam again: “Liam, are you still not here?”
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