Celia's eyes brimmed with tears as she stared at the photograph. She had never been one to cry—even after fistfights with boys as a child. But thinking about her second brother made her throat tighten.
She pressed her fingers against her eyes, forcing the tears back. Her gaze drifted once more to the photograph.
Though her older brothers were twins, they didn't look alike. The elder, Lucien, had narrow eyes and high cheekbones—features their mother said came from the maternal side. Unremarkable.
But she, her sister Bianca, and her second brother Leon all resembled their paternal lineage—refined and striking features.
Still, could there be someone in this world who looked that much like him?
Celia tucked the photo into her pocket. She had to find that man again.
She rushed downstairs, only to find the couple from earlier had vanished. She turned toward the front desk, intending to ask.
"Celia?"
She paused mid-step and turned, pleasantly surprised. "Lucien? What are you doing here?"
Lucien, wearing his usual black-rimmed glasses, looked more scholarly than ever.
He smiled gently. "I didn't feel comfortable letting you come here alone. Besides, I had some business in the area."
Celia didn't question it. Her big brother had always spoiled her and Bianca. She laughed. "I'm twenty-five now. What's there to worry about?"
Lucien adjusted his glasses. "Come on. Let's talk in your room. I have something to discuss."
Eager to share what she'd just experienced, Celia nodded and followed him. As soon as the door closed, she launched into it.
"I just saw a man who looks exactly like Leon. I'm not kidding. It was like seeing a ghost."
Lucien's brow furrowed. "You're just missing him too much. Think about how many times you've mistaken someone in the street."
"No, this time it's different," she said urgently. "I even compared his face with a photo. He looks the same."
A dark glint flashed in Lucien's eyes.
So Stuart was still alive.
Worse, he'd been seen.
Three years ago, he had only managed to eliminate Leon. Stuart had survived the injuries. Now he was in Division Two—a place Lucien couldn't reach.
Lucien placed a hand on Celia's shoulder. "Even if he does look like him, it can't be. Your second brother's gone. Our mother's grief has already turned her hair white. Don't stir things up again."
Celia pouted. "I won't tell Mom. I just... it was uncanny."
Lucien gave her a tight-lipped smile, pushing up his glasses. "People who look alike aren't that rare. Just let it go."
Celia fell silent. Maybe he was right. No matter how much the man resembled Leon, he wasn't him.
...
Back at the guesthouse, Annette was bossing Stuart around again, making him use the fine-toothed comb to go through her hair.
"You missed a spot," she said.
Stuart leaned down, carefully combing again. Sure enough, another louse, and some still-alive nits.
Annette sighed. "Guess getting lice is part of adapting to the times."
Stuart had told her this was common in many households.
Holding up a small round mirror, she caught a glimpse of him hunched in concentration, combing her hair. Despite his clumsiness, he was careful.
She grinned. "Stuart, where am I supposed to live if I stay in the city?"
Stuart wondered if she even realized the Sheng family had moved. Or maybe she wasn't the original Annette at all, and that house meant nothing to her.
"The hospital provides dorms. If you don't want to stay there, you could rent a room nearby."
Annette immediately declined. "Dorms are fine. Renting costs money, and you're the only one working right now. We need to save."
Stuart paused for a moment, then went back to the combing.
Only when he was sure he'd found everything did Annette finally feel relief. "Isn't there some kind of medicine for this?"
Stuart shook his head. "Not really. Some people even use pesticide."
Annette gaped. "Pesticide? That stuff can poison your skin! Aren't they afraid of dying?"
"They just don't know better. They think as long as you don't drink it, it's fine."
He added, almost offhandedly, "Your grandfather's coming next month."
Annette's heart nearly stopped. If her grandfather came, there was no way she could keep pretending.
One look, and he'd know she wasn't the same Annette.
She forced a stiff smile. "That's... wonderful. I've missed him."
Stuart noticed the odd smile and said quietly, "He'll only be here for half a day."
Annette let out a breath. Half a day she could bluff her way through.
As they chatted, she packed up the milk powder and supplements. Then together, they headed back to the hospital.
That night, everyone stayed over. Little Pillar's surgery was scheduled first thing in the morning.
Uncle Sam didn't sleep a wink. He kept muttering about Changdong and his late parents, wiping away tears now and then.
As soon as the boy was taken into the operating room, the old man collapsed from the stress.
The surgery wasn't long. Annette wasn't worried. With both Song Ryan and Stuart keeping watch, she went out to get breakfast.
She hadn't walked far when a woman suddenly blocked her path.
"It's you! You're the miracle doctor! How did you know I was sick?"
Annette froze. The woman looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place her.
"Don't you remember me? You told me to get checked out—that I had family problems and health issues."
Recognition hit her. The rude saleswoman who had once rolled her eyes at her.
The woman's eyes welled up. "You were right. My husband was cheating, and the doctor says I have hepatitis."
Annette remained calm. "Then treat it. If you manage it well, you'll be fine."
The woman suddenly burst into tears. "You can read faces, right? Can you tell if my husband will come back to me?"
Annette blinked. So this wasn't about the illness at all. It was about the cheating man.
"I don't do that," she said flatly. "And even if I did—why would you want a man like that back? He's like a cucumber that's been soaking in a cesspit. Would you really pick it up and eat it again? Doesn't that disgust you?"
The woman stood frozen, eyes wide. Then she broke down again and walked off, sobbing.
Annette was bewildered. Had she said something wrong?
When she turned around, Stuart was standing not far behind her, looking at her with a strange expression.
Unsure if he'd heard what she said, she decided to play it cool. "You came down too?"
Stuart held out two ration coupons. "You dropped these."