Chapter 21
The young woman in front of him took two steps back, frowning slightly in confusion.
“What did you say?”
Her expressions, gestures, and everything about her were eerily similar, even down to her face and voice.
For a moment, Matteo truly believed Evelyn was standing in front of him.
However, the look in her eyes told a different story.
She wasn’t Evelyn.
She was younger, probably not even 20 yet. She looked more like Evelyn from her college years.
He fought back the overwhelming urge to pull her into his arms, his voice trembling. “What’s your name?”
The young woman seemed startled and retreated two steps. “I’m sorry. I think I walked into the wrong room.”
She turned to leave, but Matteo grabbed her wrist. His hands were still shaking.
A single, warm tear slipped down his face and landed on the back of her hand.
The young woman hesitated, stopping in her tracks.
After a brief pause, she pulled a napkin from the drink cart and handed it to him. “Are you okay? Here, you should wipe your face.”
When Matteo looked up again, clarity had returned to his gaze. His expression was complicated as he stared at her.
“Do you work here?” His voice was low. “Quit the job and stay by my side. I’ll pay you ten times your current salary.”
However, the young woman yanked her wrist free and took another step back.
“What do you take me for?”
She seemed angry. This time, she didn’t linger. She grabbed the cart and hurried out of the room.
Matteo stood frozen, watching her retreating figure disappear into the hallway.
His heart pounded violently in his chest. She looked too much like her.
Logic told him to let her go. If Evelyn ever found out about this, it would destroy any chance he had left.
But another voice in his head whispered, “It’s not like you’ll do anything to her. Just looking at her face won’t hurt anyone. Once you find Eelyn, you’ll send this young woman away. She’ll never have to cross paths with Eve.”
In the end, the voice overpowered his reason.
