Chapter 101: Qara’s Story

Liam chuckled along with Riley.

“But your temperaments couldn’t be more different,” he added lightly. “No one who knows Qara would ever mistake you for her.”

Cora nodded. Yeah, right. She was the ethereal goddess, and I’m… discount store fresh.

“Qara would be twenty-five now,” Liam said softly. “Cancer sign.”

Cora froze. Twenty-five. Cancer. Exactly like her.

“From the moment she could speak, she showed remarkable talent,” Liam continued. “By four, she was fluent in two languages and could sketch classical paintings from memory. At ten, she was writing her own compositions. She entered university early and earned her master’s by twenty. Her health was fragile, so her family didn’t let her travel far. But during her sophomore year, she spent six months in Switzerland as an exchange student—and became the icon of that entire program.”

His voice softened as he spoke, nostalgia threading through every syllable.

Cora and Riley listened, half in awe, half in envy.

“I first met her as a child,” Liam said, smiling faintly. “When I saw her again years later, she’d already become… well, her. I waited for her to grow up. By the time she was nineteen, we were engaged. But her body began to fail her. That last year, she couldn’t even get out of bed. She told me over and over she felt she owed her little sister—her whole life was an apology for a sister she never found.”

“Sister?”

Both Cora and Riley’s eyes shot wide.

Just last night, they’d looked Qara up out of boredom.

M University’s legendary beauty wasn’t hard to find—her photos still filled the alumni site.

But every record said Davis had only one daughter.

“At first, we thought she was delirious,” Liam said. “But she insisted there was a younger sister—lost somewhere, waiting to be found.”

His gaze lingered on Cora, intent enough to make her skin crawl.

“What are you staring at me for?” Cora blurted, uneasy. “Just because I look like her doesn’t mean I am her! The Davis family isn’t some crime syndicate hiding kids from assassins. They’d know if they had twins!”

Riley nodded firmly. “Exactly. The Davises are old money. No reason to give away a healthy child. And Cora’s fine—she’s not some secret invalid. If she were one of them, they’d never have let her go.”

“Right?” Cora said, relieved someone was backing her up. “There are look-alikes everywhere. The internet’s full of people who could pass as twins.”

Liam’s eyes darkened, regret slipping through. “Forgive me. I lost myself for a moment.”

Cora waved it off.

“It’s fine.”

He took a breath. “If there’s anything else you’d like to know—ask me.”

Riley leaned forward. “You loved her deeply, didn’t you?”

Liam smiled faintly. “What do you think?”

“And do you plan to carry that love forever?” Riley pressed. “Or bury it someday and move on?”

Cora glanced at her, startled. That was… blunt, even for Riley.

But Riley had her reasons—she wanted to see why Liam kept showing up around Cora.

The question silenced him. For a moment, only the faint clink of cutlery filled the air.

Finally, Liam said quietly, “The future changes too easily. I can’t promise anything. I just know—up to this moment—I’ve never stopped loving her.”

Under the table, Cora tugged at Riley’s sleeve. Enough.

Riley squeezed her hand back, unbothered.

“Oh, I see,” she said smoothly. “For a second, I thought you chose to work with Watson Group because Cora looks like Qara.”

Cora nearly choked on air.

Could this woman not?

Liam didn’t respond. His silence said plenty.

“If you ever cross paths with the Davis family,” he said finally, voice turning grave, “I hope you’ll show them kindness. They never recovered from Qara’s death. If they act… poorly, please give them grace.”

Cora nodded. “I understand.”

Honestly, losing a daughter that young would break anyone. If someone saw her face and mistook her for the dead girl, she could hardly blame them for losing composure.

The food arrived, mercifully ending the awkwardness.

Cora, now in her second trimester, was eating for two—and eating happily.

Her good appetite lightened the mood enough that even Liam managed a real smile.

After the meal, Cora and Riley said their goodbyes. Riley, ever the practical one, packed enough snacks for an apocalypse before driving them home.

Back in Riley’s high-rise apartment, Cora curled up in her favorite chair, nibbling fruit and sighing contentedly. For once, peace.

Riley passed her a peeled apple. “Where do you even put all that food? You’re still tiny.”

“I’m not!” Cora huffed, pulling up her shirt to reveal a small bump. “See? I’ve gained weight!”

Riley poked it with one finger. “That’s not fat, that’s baby. Miracle of biology.”

Cora laughed. “I swear it’s bigger than yesterday.”

“Three and a half months, sweetheart,” Riley deadpanned. “That’s kind of how it works.”

They both laughed until Cora nearly dropped her apple.

While they enjoyed the quiet, miles away, Julian left his grandmother’s estate.

Austin approached with his usual efficiency.

“Sir, you were right. Liam met with Mrs. Watson and Ms. Riley right after he left the estate. They had lunch together. After that, Mrs. Watson returned with Riley.”

Julian’s mouth curved faintly. “Of course he did. Liam Mayer never plays a single game at once. He dangled that business deal just to get close to her. But it’s fine. Grandmother’s given the green light—we can start applying pressure.”

“Yes, Mr. Watson.” Austin nodded and stepped aside.

Julian looked up at the sky—the same cloudless blue stretching over Cora’s rooftop—and his smile thinned.

He could already see how this would unfold.

Whatever game Liam thought he was playing… Julian intended to win.