The familiar music made Cassian Jennings snap his head up.

He looked at the stage, slightly surprised. The men and women who had been dancing before were now leaving the stage one by one.

The song’s rhythm was for a high-energy dance that was extremely difficult to perform.

’But she loved it. Every time she requested a song, it was this one...’

A complex mix of emotions flickered in Cassian Jennings’s eyes. He watched the very plain-looking, not particularly attractive woman on stage, a cold smirk playing on his lips as if he was waiting for her to make a fool of herself...

Clearly, the woman didn’t give him the disaster he was expecting. In fact, she astonished him.

The woman moved with seductive steps, her slender waist swaying. Her performance on stage was a complete contrast to the aura she normally projected.

He even... he even saw a glimmer of *her* in this woman’s movements...

For a fleeting moment, he felt as if he were seeing Amelia...

’But this woman isn’t Amelia. She’s not her at all,’ he knew that with absolute certainty.

Cassian Jennings’s grip on his glass tightened, his expression unreadable as he stared, unblinking, at the woman.

After finishing her dance, the woman got off the stage and was immediately surrounded by several men. She curled her lip into a cold smile, took her coat back from a staff member, and put it on. Breathing a little heavily, she walked in Cassian Jennings’s direction.

When she reached Cassian Jennings, she didn’t speak to him right away. Instead, she raised a hand and snapped her fingers at the bartender. "Hey, an iced tea, please."

"You got it."

The man behind the bar poured a glass of iced tea and placed it in front of her.

The woman picked up the glass, took a sip, and smiled at Cassian Jennings.

Cassian Jennings seemed agitated. He drained his glass in one gulp, slammed it onto the table, and turned to leave.

Watching Cassian Jennings walk away, the woman retracted her gaze. A hint of loneliness colored her eyes as she looked down and gave a small smile.

’So, my first experiment was a success, I guess?’

’He didn’t recognize me...’

At that thought, her smile turned a few shades sadder.

***

「At nine o’clock that evening.」

Eleanor Bishop arrived at the Vance Hotel.

Thinking about what her mom had said to her at home today sent a chill through her heart.

She couldn’t believe her mom had actually picked up the business card and gone to find Mr. Kent. Even more unbelievable was that Mr. Kent had actually agreed to her mother’s unreasonable demands.

From what happened last night, she could tell Mr. Kent cared a lot about Mika. But she didn’t understand why he wanted her to come to the hotel. Regardless of the reason, she had to refuse him.

She clutched the check in her hand, her eyes filled with determination. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

「In the VIP suite on the top floor of the hotel.」

Archie Lockwood watched the woman appear on the television screen, his eyes cold and his hands clenched into tight fists.

’This woman actually dared to come. Is there anything she won’t do for money?’

An attendant led Eleanor Bishop to the guest room and then left.

She raised her hand, turned the doorknob, and gently pushed the door open to enter.

But the entire room was pitch-black, making her heart pound with unease.

’Could it be that Mr. Kent isn’t here yet?’

With that thought, she reached into her pocket for her phone to use as a light so she could find the switch for the lamps. But before her hand could even pull the phone out, she was suddenly seized from behind in a tight embrace.

Her eyes widened in terror. She struggled frantically, shouting, "Who are you? Let me go!"

"Heh. Who am I?" The man’s voice was dark and menacing, thick with suppressed rage. "You came all the way here. Don’t you know who I am?"