Con

CHAPTER 111

Elijah’s POV

When I got back to the hotel after my business meeting, all I wanted was to kick off my shoes, order some room service, and get some rest. But as I stepped into the lobby, I spotted Julia waiting for me. She looked up, relief and excitement in her eyes.

“Elijah!” she called out, waving me over. “Trevis had to go meet up with someone, so I’m left with no one to have dinner with.”

I could feel the weariness in my bones, but I didn’t want to disappoint her. I also wondered where Sophia could be, but I didn’t want to ask Julia. I actually sent a text message to Sophia a while back, but there was no reply.

“There’s this cool pizza place I read about online,” Julia continued. “Would you join me?”

I hesitated for a moment. “I was just planning to stay here tonight.”

Her face fell slightly, but she quickly masked it with a hopeful smile. “It won’t take long, I promise. And I heard their pizza is amazing.”

I sighed, unable to say no to her. “Alright, let’s go.”

The pizza place was a pleasant surprise. It was trendy and vibrant, the kind of spot that made you feel at ease the moment you walked in. We found a cozy corner and ordered a couple of their specialties. As the food arrived, I found myself relaxing, the tension from the day slowly melting away. The pizza was as good as promised, and the atmosphere was infectious.

“This reminds me of when you used to come over to my family’s house for dinner,” I said, taking a bite of my slice. “Remember those days?”

Julia smiled, an eager glint in her eyes. “Honestly, it’s a little fuzzy. But I know that Morgana made the best lasagna.”

“That was your favorite before!” I said, chuckling.

As we talked and laughed, I reminded myself that this woman was Sabrina–my childhood best friend and first love. I should have felt at ease with her from the beginning, but so many years had passed, and we had both changed. It was challenging to bring back the same comfortable feeling, the same rapport.

Just then, Julia’s expression turned serious. “Elijah, can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” I replied, setting down my fork.

“Do you believe that I’m Sabrina?” she asked quietly “It seems like you haven’t acted that way since we discovered my real identity.”

Her words hit me hard. She was right; I had been holding back because I wasn’t sure at first if she was really Sabrina. “It’s not that I don’t believe you, Julia–Sabrina,” I corrected myself. “It’s just… a lot to process.”

+15 BONUS

“I understand,” she said sadly. “But it makes me feel… disconnected. Like you don’t see me as your Sabrina anymore. Like you can’t accept me as someone special in your life again.”

I took a deep breath. “I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel that way. It’s just… so much has changed.”

She nodded, then showed me the bracelet she was wearing. Of course I recognized it because I’d seen her wear it before. “Do you remember this?” she asked, holding it up.

“I made that for you when we were kids.”

“And look,” she said, removing her jacket and turning her shoulder to show me a small red mole. “This is the mark you always teased me about.”

I stared at the mole, memories flooding back. It was the same mark, the same bracelet.

She is Sabrina Baker. The realization hit me with full force, and I felt a wave of guilt for doubting her. I even had her investigated, but the results still turned out the same. The DNA results weren’t fake. The outcome of the investigation also led to the same truth.

“I’m sorry, Sabrina,” I said, my voice thick with emotion. “I should have trusted you from the start.”

She smiled. “It’s okay, Elijah. I’m just glad we’re here now, together.”

I then remembered something in the investigation report that had caught my attention. Julia had grown up in a rich family after she got lost as a child, and she became close to their real son whom she considered a real brother. His name was Henry Stanford, and he was a very influential man in France and in the United States.

I opened my mouth, intending to bring him up. But then, Julia’s eyes narrowed as she seemed to recognize someone. When I followed her gaze, I saw Sophia walking toward our direction, which she needed to pass going to the exit. She wasn’t alone, though.

Adrian! I shouted angrily in my head when I saw the man she was with. Does she really like him that much, to go out with him even after I informed her that he could be a suspect in her case? Or is he some kind of stalker, following her here to New York and persuading her to meet up with him?

My heart skipped a beat, and jealousy surged through me. Adrian’s confident stride and Sophia’s radiant presence made for an infuriatingly perfect pair. I glared at Adrian just as Sophia looked in my direction, her eyes widening in recognition.

Before I could react, Julia stood up abruptly, her chair scraping the floor. “Sophia!” she called out.“ Hey, what a coincidence!”

P