Victoria had stopped caring about anything else.

She was a daughter of the Ellis family. Of course she cared about them, cared about her parents.

There was no way she could just watch Hannah die right in front of her.

"Mom, I'm begging you, please come down. I swear, I'll get to the bottom of this and give you the truth you deserve, okay?"

At her words, Hannah let out a bitter laugh and finally climbed back over the railing.

"The truth? The truth is that a heartless thing like you killed my daughter. The evidence is all right there-what more is there to say?"

Before Victoria could react, Hannah slapped her hard across the face.

The crack of the slap was drowned by the pounding rain.

Hannah didn't hold back-Victoria's head snapped to the side, nearly knocking her over.

Rain streamed down her face, salty against her lips.

She wiped her cheek but stayed kneeling firmly on the ground.

She didn't argue back. She was too scared a single word would push Hannah over the edge.

A flash of lightning split the sky, and thunder rolled through the distance.

Meanwhile-

Theodore pulled up outside Isabella's apartment.

The second he walked through the door, he saw her passed out on the living room floor.

His heart skipped a beat. He rushed forward and scooped her into his arms.

"Isabella? Isabella?"

Her whole body was cold, completely unconscious. Her ankle was bleeding from a cut, probably glass.

Theodore didn't waste a second. He carried her straight to the hospital.

It wasn't until late into the night that she finally woke up.

He stood by the window, watching sheets of rain pour down and lightning flicker across the sky. His hand tightened around the phone in his pocket.

He couldn't help but hesitate-

Was Victoria okay right now?

A weak voice pulled him back.

"Theodore."

She still had an IV in her hand. He snapped out of it and quickly walked over to help her sit up.

"You're not well, lie down. Don't move around."

"Thanks for coming... didn't think you would. Did I mess up any of your plans?"

He gently tucked the blanket around her. "No. Your health matters most."

As he turned to grab a glass of water, a faint smile played on Isabella's lips.

She knew it-Theodore would never just leave her.

As for Victoria... without Theodore to shield her, once she got back to the Ellis family, Hannah would tear her apart.

That was the price she had to pay for trying to steal Theodore.

Later that night, the rain started to ease.

A car stopped at the entrance of the cemetery.

Hannah yanked a soaked-to-the-bone Victoria out of the car.

She stormed ahead, muttering curses under her breath.

The old man who looked after the cemetery stumbled out, startled by the sudden appearance of three people in the dead of night.

"You folks-who are you? What are you doing here this late?"

He'd never seen anyone visit at this hour. Totally freaked him out.

William walked up behind them, slipping the old man a wad of cash. "Family matter, hope you understand."

Then he quickly caught up to the others.

Hannah forced Victoria down in front of Gina's tombstone.

"You like kneeling so much? Then stay right here and think really hard about what you've done!"

"Let's... let's not go overboard, Hannah," William tried to calm her. "It's late, and she's drenched. Victoria's body might not be able to take it."William hesitated, stepping forward to grab Hannah's arm, trying to reason with her.

"The dead can't come back, Hannah. No matter what we do to Victoria, Gina is gone-nothing changes that."

Cold air lingered throughout the graveyard, the chill slipping down their necks with every gust of wind, raising goosebumps. William even felt like something-or someone-was watching them from the dark.

But Hannah wasn't done.

She yanked her arm out of his grip, her glare sharp as glass. "What, you're feeling sorry for her now? You feel sorry for this murderer? Don't forget, that girl's a stray, while the one under this tombstone is your real daughter!"

Victoria stayed silent. Her eyes, blank but focused, stared straight at Gina's photo on the gravestone. All she could think about was that day at the forensics lab-the body on the table.

Why did Gina end up like that?

And how did it somehow lead back to her?

Hannah looked down and saw Victoria's calm, almost detached expression, her gaze locked on that smiling photo of Gina. The sight made something in her snap.

She lunged forward, hitting and kicking Victoria like she'd completely lost control.

"Don't you feel the slightest bit of guilt? You cold-hearted thing! Why didn't I see through you sooner?!"

Her voice cracked into a wail. The next moment, she stiffened, eyes rolling back. Before she could hit the ground, William caught her just in time.

"Hannah! Hannah!"

Panic-stricken, he supported her as they hurried down the steps out of the cemetery. At the bottom, he turned around and glanced back at Victoria, who was still on her knees.

There was something resigned in his eyes.

Under the red glow of the taillights, the car disappeared into the night, leaving Victoria alone in the dark.

Kneeling on the freezing cement, her mind remained strangely sharp. The numbness in her legs only made the moment more painfully real.

She slowly stood, brushing off the fallen leaves from Gina's gravestone.

So this is what it feels like... being cast aside by the whole world.

She tried to imagine Gina's thoughts in those final moments.

What was going through her head?

Maybe Gina did deserve to die... but not like that. Not so quietly, not without a single answer.

Victoria stayed at the cemetery three whole days-not out of guilt, but to try to make sense of everything.

Gina's death hit the Ellis family hard. For Victoria, it flipped her entire world upside down.

Gina's photo beamed with a bright, sunshine-filled smile. But to Victoria, it looked twisted. Fake.

She lifted her head slowly, holding her hand up to the sun filtering between her fingers. The light was so harsh, it made her eyes sting.

She'd lost track of how long she'd been out there-no calls, no word from the Ellis family... not even Theodore.

As she tried to stand, her vision blurred. Her body gave out, and she collapsed to the cold ground.

Just before losing consciousness, she thought she saw a blurry figure rushing toward her-a shadow in black.

"Elijah..."

Her hand weakly clutched at the man's jacket before going limp.

Henry furrowed his brow and checked her breathing quickly before exhaling in relief.

"Miss? Hey, can you hear me?"

He gently lifted her into his arms and placed her in the ambulance. Just as he turned to head back to the cemetery, he realized she was clutching his jacket with a surprisingly strong grip.

Henry sighed, looking down at her pale, worn-out face.

No choice now.

With one big step, he got into the ambulance.

Hospital.

Henry Carter stood there, totally stumped as the doctor asked him questions. He had no clue.

Lowering his gaze, he looked at the unconscious woman lying in bed. Her pale face was drained of color, and her brows were tightly furrowed, like she was caught in some awful nightmare.

He dug through her pocket and pulled out a phone-battery long dead. After charging it up and powering it on, he finally found an emergency contact.

A guy, from the name.

Henry walked to the window and made the call, but it just kept ringing. No one picked up.

Meanwhile, over in another hospital wing-

Theodore was sitting by Isabella's bedside. The IV drip was almost finished when the attending doctor came in, looking pretty grim.

"You're family?" the doctor asked. "Can I speak with you outside for a moment? There's something about her condition we need to go over."

As Theodore started to rise, Isabella reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Just say it here, doctor."

She figured, at worst, the doctor would say she's a bit weak and needs rest. This was the perfect moment to push Theodore into giving her a proper title.

But the doctor didn't beat around the bush. "Based on the scans, it looks like early-stage breast cancer. Of course, we need further tests to get a clearer picture. I suggest we admit her first, then plan treatment accordingly."

"W-what?"

Isabella was completely blindsided.

She'd just soaked in cold water for a bit-how did it turn into cancer?

Even Theodore was caught off guard, staring at her with a dark, unreadable expression.

He hadn't noticed anything was wrong with her all this time... and now this.

Just then, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

He glanced at the caller ID-Victoria. Without thinking, he ended the call and stepped around the bed.

"We'll do the admission now. Please go ahead and arrange the next steps."

After the doctor left, Theodore turned around to see Isabella sitting on the bed with her hands covering her face. She looked so fragile it hurt to look at her.

He walked over slowly, still shaken by the news himself.

"You'll get through this. I'll be right here with you," he said, his voice unusually soft as he rested his hand on her shoulder and gave her a light pat.

Isabella leaned into him, putting her face against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

"I'm okay, Theo. You don't have to worry about me."

Her forced calm only made Theodore frown. He wrapped his arms around her in return.

"I won't let anything happen to you."

"As long as you're here with me, that's enough," she whispered, sounding like she might pass out any second.

Theodore didn't reply. He just stared out the window at the budding leaves, thoughts already drifting far away.

Her quiet dependence only made him ache more.

At that moment, Victoria's unanswered call didn't even cross his mind.

Compared to a life, nothing else mattered.

But as soon as Theodore left to process the admission paperwork, Isabella's gentle mask crumbled.

She grabbed a pillow and hurled it onto the floor, then buried her hands in her hair in frustration.

How could it be cancer? Why her of all people?Just when she thought she'd finally surpassed Victoria and was about to step into the dream life as Theodore's woman, the universe just had to mess with her?

At the nurses' station, a few young nurses were whispering among themselves.

"Room 703, right? That girl must be Isabella. I've seen her movies before-she's seriously so pretty in real life. Even without makeup, her skin is flawless. And the guy taking care of her? Total heartthrob. Must be her boyfriend, right?"

"I bet it's her brother. I haven't heard of her dating anyone. But that face and those proportions? Way too good to be true."

They were clearly all fangirling when, out of nowhere, a tall, ridiculously good-looking man walked up to them.

Henry cut straight to the point, not at all interested in their gossip. "Hey, is there anywhere nearby I can grab some food?"

The doctor had said Victoria was seriously malnourished and dehydrated-that she needed to eat something decent once she woke up.

He'd already spent much more time here than he'd planned, but somehow, sticking around a little longer didn't seem like a big deal anymore.

Henry couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Normally, he'd never get involved in something like this. He hated trouble.

But now...

One of the nurses, cheeks turning pink under Henry's gaze-those sharp brows and intense eyes were no joke-quickly pointed him in the direction of a nearby spot.

"Thanks."

Henry gave a polite nod and turned to leave, just as a quiet squeal came from behind him.

He glanced over his shoulder and spotted a man in all black stepping out of one of the doctors' offices. The lighting hit just right-the guy's side profile looked like it had been chiseled by an artist.

Henry paused mid-step. That guy looked familiar.

He was about to go over, but then Theodore turned the corner and disappeared from view.

Henry ended up buying some light, bland food and headed back to the room. He figured he'd try messaging Victoria's emergency contact again with an update.

Just as he pulled out his phone, a soft, choked sound came from the bed.

Victoria stirred, her head shifting from side to side, forehead slick with sweat.

Henry set his phone down and walked over. He leaned in, hand reaching to wipe her brow.

In the dark haze of her mind, Victoria thought she heard a faint voice-someone calling her name again and again.

She couldn't tell who it was, or where it was coming from.

Then, a sudden flash of white light-she blinked open her eyes slowly.

Her vision was blurry, but the person standing in front of her...

"Elijah..."

Her voice was hoarse, barely more than a whisper. She tried moving her fingers, but her whole body felt like lead. No strength left at all.

"Elijah, is that really you?"

She had no clue if this was a dream or reality. Her eyes locked onto the man in front of her as tears welled up and spilled over without warning.

Henry froze.

Who's Elijah?

He opened his mouth to explain, but the way she was looking at him-those red-rimmed eyes, the fragile hope on her face-it hit him hard. Like someone had punched him square in the chest.

And just like that, his resolve crumbled.

The words stuck in his throat. He couldn't move.

For a second, all he wanted was to know everything about this woman.

Victoria slowly reached out, her pinky hooking around his. "Am I dreaming, Elijah..."

She didn't dare blink. What if she closed her eyes and he disappeared?

But the haze in her vision started to clear, and when her eyes finally focused...

She realized he wasn't Elijah.

Even though something about their facial features felt oddly familiar-he wasn't him.

"You... you're-"

Victoria blinked, scanning the room before her gaze landed on the unfamiliar man. She couldn't help but look at him again.

Even just a hint of Elijah in him felt like a lifeline tossed into the abyss she was drowning in.

Henry adjusted her bed with practiced ease, then offered her a warm glass of water with quiet care.

"Drink a little first. I was just visiting a grave when I saw you passed out. Called an ambulance and brought you here."

"I see... Thank you," she replied softly, wrapping both hands around the cup. The warmth seeped into her palms, easing a bit of the chill inside.

Almost absentmindedly, she bit the rim of the glass, eyes flicking around in search of her phone. Henry caught on instantly.

"Your phone's dead. I've already plugged it in. Tried calling your emergency contact too, but no one picked up."

That "emergency contact" was Theodore.

They were divorced now-he couldn't even pick up a call anymore?

The thought twisted something in her chest. She lowered her head, staring into the cup like she could find some answer in it.

The irony stung-hospitalized, and the only person by her side was a complete stranger.

Noticing the shift in her mood, Henry cleared his throat lightly, probably trying to distract her.

"I just realized I've been talking a while and didn't even introduce myself. I'm Henry Carter."

She hesitated a second before lifting her hand. Her slim fingers grazed his rough, dry palm. When their gazes met, her dark eyes were deep and focused, and for a moment, Henry felt his heartbeat stumble.

"Victoria Ellis."

"You kept whispering a name while you were out... was that your boyfriend?"

The name Elijah flashed in her mind, and her gaze fell again. She shook her head slowly. That kind of love-gentle, wholehearted-there might never be a second person like that in her life.

So she didn't have a boyfriend... Henry was oddly relieved, which caught him off guard. He barely knew her. Why did he care?

"The doctor said you're really weak. I wasn't sure what you'd like, so I just bought some simple food. Hope it's okay."

Victoria stared at his profile, slightly dazed.

He really did look like him.

She wasn't the type to believe in fate, not with her job. But right now, she couldn't help it.

Maybe Elijah, watching from up there, saw how hard she was struggling... and sent someone like Henry into her life?

Henry brought over a bowl of milky oatmeal, simple and soft. She didn't even notice-gazing at something only she could see. His hand shook unexpectedly, and some of it sloshed over the edge.

"Sorry, I'll clean this up," he said quickly, patting the stain on his shirt with an embarrassed smile before heading out.

Alone again, Victoria's eyes settled on her phone.

Days had gone by. Not a single missed call.

She wondered-if she disappeared today, would anyone even notice?

Pulling the IV from her hand, she grabbed a coat and slipped it over her shoulders, walking out of the room without hesitation.

She couldn't waste any more time.

She had to find out what really happened to Gina. Who set her up? Who buried her in that mess?

But she hadn't made it far when her vision started spinning.

No food, plus the rain from before-it was a miracle the IV even helped as much as it did.

She pressed a palm to the wall to steady herself, her strength fading fast.

"Victoria!"When Henry came back to the room, it was already empty. Only the IV line was still swaying by the bed, like it had just been yanked free.

Noticing that her shoes were still by the bed, Henry's chest tightened. Fearing something might've happened, he rushed out right away.

Luckily, not too far down the hallway, he spotted that familiar slim figure.

"You shouldn't be out of bed yet-the doctor said you need rest. And look at you, no shoes? You're already so fragile, what if you get sick again?"

As he spoke, Henry crouched slightly, about to lift her up.

Victoria quickly waved her hands, stopping his, her raspy voice hoarse. "No need."

Really, whether someone cares or not... it's all in the little things.

The first thing Henry noticed was whether she had shoes on.

That one line of concern-it yanked her straight back to a memory years ago. Back when she was overseas with Elijah.

He used to say the same kind of things.

In the end, Victoria didn't insist. Letting him help her up, they slowly made their way toward her room.

Henry frowned, clearly anxious she'd get sick again. He crouched in front of her. "Here, get on. I'll carry you."

"It's not far... I'll manage," she mumbled. She wasn't that delicate-plus, they'd only just met, not exactly on carrying terms.

But Henry didn't budge. He even reached for her hands. "Just listen, yeah?"

"Victoria?"

A female voice rang from not far behind.

She turned her head instinctively.

What she didn't expect, was to see Isabella and Theodore-together, in this hospital of all places.

So this whole time, the reason Theodore hadn't picked up her calls... hadn't even checked in on her, was because he'd been with Isabella?

A crushing weight slammed into her chest, taking her breath away.

The smell of disinfectant filled the air, nurses and doctors walked past, but the four of them just froze there, like time had stopped.

It was awkward. More than that, it was suffocating.

Henry slowly straightened up, eyes zeroing in on the man and woman standing arm-in-arm in the distance.

He recognized the guy. This was the one the nurses had been gossiping about earlier.

So they knew each other?

Theodore's brow furrowed. Victoria's in the hospital?

But then his eyes landed on Henry's face... and he stiffened slightly.

Elijah?

He blinked hard. No. Similar features, sure, but not the same guy.

Then his gaze slid down to Victoria's hand, clutching Henry's arm-and his lips twisted into a cold, mocking smile.

Elijah was gone, huh? So she just found a lookalike?

Guess she really hasn't moved on.

"Are you kidding me, Victoria? What kind of game is this? All this chaos-just because of some guy? You actually dragged yourself into a hospital bed to prove a point?"

"What did you just say?" Her voice trembled, eyes wide with disbelief.

Not even one question.

Just straight-up judgement.

So that's how deep his prejudice ran.

Theodore slipped one hand into his pocket, smirking. "Am I wrong?"

"She doesn't actually love you," he snapped at Henry. "You're just a stand-in. Don't fall for her act."

Even if Henry didn't fully get their history, he knew enough to step in. He glanced at Victoria, who looked like she might collapse any second.

"She's a patient. Watch your mouth," he said sharply, planting himself between them.

Victoria looked at the side of his face-it was so familiar it ached.

But in that moment, the ice around her heart began to thaw, just a little.

She gritted her teeth, stepped forward, and tugged Henry's sleeve.

"Go ahead, twist it however you like. People see only what they want to see," she said coolly.