Chapter 488

Linden lurked in a shadowy corner, silently observing the unfolding scene.

His expression grew stormy, his brows knitting together in a scowl.

Daniela, having watched the spectacle, descended the stairs with a sense of boredom. As the event's host,she was bound to stay till the end.

She wandered to a secluded part of the courtyard and settled on a bench in an empty arcade.

Casually sipping her drink, she barely noticed a pair of shoes stop in front of her.

Without raising her eyes, Daniela spoke with a chill in her voice. "I'm otherwise engaged this evening.Please,enjoy the wine inside."

Her words hung in the air, but the shoes remained Daniela, uninterested, stood up to leave.

"Seem a bit gloomy?" A deep, familiar voice cut through the quiet, causing Daniela to snap her head up in surprise.

"Oh, it's you." Daniela narrowed her eyes at the figure.

Alexander couldn't understand.

He had undergone surgery to become Cedric's mirror image. Everyone who laid eyes on himn insisted he was Cedric, and even Joyce often struggled to tell the difference.

And yet, no matter how perfect the resemblance,Daniela always saw through him in an instant.

Despite his confusion, Alexander offered a smile."Yes, it's me. You seem troubled?" He adopted Cedric's characteristic tone, easing down beside her on the bench. "How about a conversation? We could be like two strangers sharing their burdens.Your secrets are safe with me."

His features mirrored Cedric's so closely, it was almost uncanny.

Even his smallest habits, the cadence of his speech,and the way he smiled were an exact match.

His eyes gleamed intensely, looking at her, causing Daniela a moment of confusion.

For a fleeting moment, Alexander felt a profound sense of fulfillment.

This feeling reassured him that his suffering had not been in vain.

He dreamed of capturing Daniela's unguarded smiles once more, just as in the days before they divorced.

Such glimpses bolstered his hope that his struggles would one day be rewarded.

Tears gathered in Alexander's eyes as emotion surged within him.

He yearned to rewind time, to when Daniela's love was still his.

At any cost, he was prepared to reclaim those lost moments.

He anticipated a future where he could earnestly express his regrets to Daniela, telling her, "I'm sorry Daniela."

He also longed to say, "I have waited for your return all this while."

He imagined that, eventually, Daniela would respond with an affectionate embrace and a passionate kiss.

"Can we talk about anything?" Daniela asked, her tone neutral.

Surprised, Alexander responded with enthusiasm,"Absolutely! We can talk about anything you wish."

Daniela's expression remained cool as she scrutinized the man posing as "Cedric" before her."Then explain how you became like this, Alexander."

Alexander's face registered shock. "That's not true!You're mistaken." He had borne many hardships to adopt this persona,hoping it would endear him to Daniela. But just as he was about to claim his reward, Daniela had already seen through his act.

Still, a part of him was thrilled.

It excited him that Daniela alone, in a world where no one else noticed, could penetrate his disguise and glimpse his true essence.

Could this mean there was still a place for him in Daniela's heart?

With sincere hope, Alexander looked at Daniela, his feelings a whirlwind.

It had been ages since someone had addressed him by his real name.

Joyce now referred to him as Cedric.

To the entire world, he was Cedric, enduring the agony of living behind an elaborate facade, morphing into someone else.

In his mind, Alexander rehearsed a sorrowful narrative.

Observing the subtle shifts in his expressions,Daniela's lips twisted into a sardonic smile.

"Are you not Alexander?" Daniela asked, her tone detached. "Perhaps I am wrong. Why do you seem so unsettled? You said we could discuss anything,didn't you? What's troubling you? Are you scared?"

Alexander felt a knot in his stomach. "Scared? Why would I be scared? I've just naturally looked this way,though some comment that I bear a resemblance to Cedric Phillips. Alexander, you say? Do I truly resemble him?"

-Alexander's eyes remained fixed on Daniela. With caution, he asked, "Did you know someone named Alexander well?"

Daniela's laughter rang out, clear and uncomplicated.She regarded him curiously, her head tilted. "You're quite funny."

Alexander, though inwardly pleased, kept his composure, mimicking Cedric's typical demeanor. At that moment, even he sensed a dissonance within himself.

The guise had become so ingrained that he struggled to remember who he was originally.

"Is that so?" Alexander responded, watching the side of Daniela's face glow, feeling a warmth spread through his chest.

Internally, a voice urged him to draw nearer to Daniela, to bridge the gap between them desperately.

He held his breath, striving to quell the turmoil within,as he subtly moved closer to Daniela, inch by inch.