"Where is Evelyn?"

Liam's voice turned sharp, his usual gentleness replaced by an icy coldness and a menacing threat.

"What's wrong, darling?"

Evelyn responded with a concerned tone, a gentle smile on her face. She stepped closer to Liam, reaching out as if to soothe him.

"Why would you ask such a question? Look, I'm right here, right in front of you."

"Stop pretending. You're just a puppet with Evelyn's memories. You're not her!"

Liam quickly stepped back, avoiding her touch, a flash of disgust in his eyes.

Evelyn's smile froze, her eyes becoming sharp, reverting to her usual expression with a hint of sarcasm.

"Well, well, the business genius sees right through me. I thought I was acting quite well, but you saw through it so quickly."

"No, your performance was pathetic, like a clown. Even if you look exactly like Evelyn, you can't mimic her soul. To truly imitate someone, even if you have all their memories, their preferences, habits, and personality are hard to change.

Like a pheasant putting on peacock feathers, one storm will reveal its true nature. Like Cinderella's stepsister cutting her toes to fit into the glass slipper, but the blood would reveal the lie to the prince."

"Where is the real Evelyn?" Liam's voice was urgent, a mix of desperation and determination.

"She's dead," Evelyn said nonchalantly, fiddling with a plant on the balcony and casually plucking a leaf.

"To escape you, to take revenge, she chose to commit suicide."

Liam's face turned pale, his heart sinking along with the plucked leaf, leaving him so shocked he could barely stand without holding onto the railing. His voice, hoarse with disbelief, muttered,

"She's dead?"

No, that can't be true. She was as resilient as wild grass; she wouldn't do that! It simply didn't make any sense to her.

"You're lying! 13D keeps the transaction details confidential. How could you know?"

His voice grew louder, demanding an explanation.

"You know about 13D? Looks like you've been there too."

Evelyn's lips curled into a cold smile.

"So, what deal did you make? Want a divorce? Or to reunite with Evelyn? Too bad, once a deal is sealed, it can't be changed unless the sun rises in the west. I will forever be the wife of billionaire Liam Montgomery. That will never change."

"No wonder everyone wants to marry you—handsome, wealthy, sharp-eyed, smart. Even I'm starting to fall for you."

Evelyn's smile was radiant, but there was no affection in her eyes, only a cold, calculating glint.

"So, clever Mr. Holmes, guess who I am?"
she taunted, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Miranda Black," Liam answered without hesitation.

Miranda's face showed a fleeting surprise, her voice soft with nostalgia.

"Yes, I'm Miranda. I haven't heard that name in a long time. Almost forgot it."

"But you're wrong. My last name is Bennett, Miranda Bennett. I am Evelyn's sister."

Liam coldly replied, "No, you're just a shameless fraud who stole the identity of Evelyn's twin sister, Emily Bennett, who died in an accident."

Miranda's eyes turned sharp, her voice dripping with icy coldness.

"Shameless? What right do you, a high and mighty rich kid, have to judge me? You probably haven't even set foot in a kitchen more than a few times in your life. I've fought to survive since I was a child.

I took care of my bedridden mother, cooked from the moment I could hold a pot, worked as a maid, mowed neighbors' lawns, delivered food—I did whatever it took for money.

"Do you know how much I hated them? Those sisters took the life that should have been mine! Evelyn's mother, that whore, stole my parents' love, using her family's wealth to tear them apart.

My hypocritical father abandoned his childhood sweetheart. I could have been born into a happy family, growing up in luxury and joy. Instead, I struggled to survive, taking care of my ailing mother."

Miranda took off a ring.

"Look, Evelyn sent this to me before we even met, just because she found out I was her sister. A casual gift that I could never have afforded, no matter how hard I worked. But it's just a symbol of their debt to me."

"But you shouldn't have forged documents that led to Bennett's suicide," Liam interjected.

"Who knew he was so weak that he'd jump off a building over a little bankruptcy? I had more tricks up my sleeve for him! He got what he deserved!

My mother suffered endlessly because he abandoned her. He took the easy way out, never feeling even a fraction of my mother's pain. I admit he was good to me, a good father, but that doesn't erase what he did to my mother."

Miranda's expression softened suddenly, her voice filled with pain and confusion.

"I did crave my father's love once. I wanted to betray my mother and my past, give up revenge, and become a good daughter. But that bastard couldn't even remember my mother's name. If I gave up, who would pay for my mother's miserable life?"

"But you and Evelyn have no blood relation. This shows you aren't Bennett's child."

Miranda hesitated, her expression turning mocking.

"He was cuckolded? Interesting."

"But according to my investigation, you were an abandoned baby, adopted by Cassandra Morrison, so..."

Liam handed her a report. Miranda snatched it away.

"I don't believe it! I don't believe it! This can't be true!"

She felt a void in her heart. She should feel sadness, but no tears came.

"Mother, was I just a tool for your revenge? You didn't even tell me your real name. You were so cruel! You lied to me all my life! Bennett was a good man and a good father, yet I caused his death."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Miranda collapsed on the couch, muttering to herself, her mind in turmoil.

Seeing Miranda like this, Liam knew he wouldn't get any more information. He left the room, leaving her alone with her thoughts and guilt.

He felt lost, unsure of what to do next.

13D!

Yes, it must be 13D that made Evelyn disappear! He took out his phone, trying to find his call history with 13D, but he failed to locate it.

Liam decided to go to where the 13D shop had appeared before, hoping for a miracle.

He drove fast, afraid that if he was late, the shop would disappear, and he would lose his chance.

Liam followed the same path to the wall. The expected shop didn't appear. Instead, he slammed into the wall hard, pain radiating through his body.

Liam looked in disbelief. "This can't be happening."

He tried again, but failed, each attempt growing more desperate.

Liam began searching for the entrance to the shop, feeling along the wall, hoping to find the way to the mysterious store.

He adjusted his position several times, trying different angles and pressures, but each time he hit the solid bricks. The pain increased, and his forehead even started bleeding.

Liam told himself this was just a minor setback, that he was doing something wrong. He tried again and again, but as the failures mounted, so did his despair and helplessness.

Each failure felt like a knife cutting into his heart, almost driving him to collapse.

He repeatedly questioned himself: did the mysterious shop really exist, or was it all just a figment of his imagination? His mind was in turmoil, but his heart refused to accept defeat.

He just wanted to find Evelyn!

Liam refused to give up.

His desperate longing drove him to keep trying.

Finally, this time, he didn't feel the expected pain of hitting the wall. The wall vanished like a mirage.

Due to the momentum, Liam fell forward, landing hard on the ground. He looked up, seeing the dimly lit room with the flickering candlelight, and standing before him was the same person from their previous transaction.

"Wow, what a coincidence. I just opened the door, and here you are. Let me guess, what do you want this time..."

Liam grabbed the man's pants.

"Please, give me back my Evelyn. I'll give anything in exchange."

"You're my esteemed client. Sitting on the ground is undignified." An invisible force lifted Liam onto a chair.

"I can't tell you about Evelyn because that involves another customer's transaction. We have confidentiality policies, you know."

"New transactions at 13D cannot impact or disrupt past transactions. So, I can't grant your wish, but I can give you a chance. The final result, however, is beyond my control."

Liam grasped this lifeline. "What chance?"

"The cost of this chance is high. I want your identity, status, and wealth in exchange."

"In the past, I might have valued those things. But now, they mean nothing to me."

"It's just a chance to find Evelyn. I can't guarantee you'll find her, nor that she'll be the same. If that's the case, do you still agree?" The shopkeeper gestured, and a scroll flew over.

"If you agree, just sign your name like last time."

Liam quickly signed his name without hesitation.

"Good luck, my generous customer." The shopkeeper took out a small box from beneath the counter, etched with intricate runes.

As Liam reached out to touch the box, he felt a surge of unknown power enter him. The black and red world around him blurred.

An unknown journey awaited Liam.