Chapter 24: Base

Their eyes met.

When Bethany saw the appearance of this man, she felt as if she had fallen into an icy abyss.

This man was handsome and youthful, with fair skin and sharp, defined features. His exquisite facial features exuded a natural aura of nobility.

No matter from which angle she looked, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the person in her memories.

"Ms. Campbell?"

The man clapped his hands, letting the remaining fish food crumbs fall to the ground, and chuckled, "What a coincidence."

Bethany was stunned for a moment. That voice...

Her bewildered expression fell into Vincent's eyes, who chuckled softly, "What's the matter? Haven't seen me in just one day, and already don't recognize me?"

Bethany asked uncertainly, "Are you Stanley?"

Vincent nodded in agreement.

He had been wearing a mask before, so Bethany hadn't seen his true face. Now, when she was looking at him, her heart was in turmoil.

She thought, “He’s not Vincent.”

But why did they look so much alike? Was it a coincidence, or was there some connection between Stanley and Vincent?

Vincent looked at Bethany, who was lost in thought, with a hidden smirk in his eyes, finding this cat-and-mouse game quite amusing.

He asked, "Did you mistake me for someone else just now? Do we look alike?"

Bethany nodded blankly. "Yes, very much."

"Is he your ex?" Vincent asked.

Bethany tightened her grip on the watch in her hand, concealed all emotions, and replied coldly, "That's my private matter, and I don't think it's appropriate to discuss it with you."

Then, she presented the watch and said, "Why do you have this watch?"

"I acquired it at an auction a few years ago. What's the matter?" Vincent casually took back the watch.

Bethany looked at him as he nonchalantly put on the watch, her heart gripped. "Do you know the original owner of this watch?"

Vincent replied indifferently that he didn't.

Bethany's heart sank to the bottom.

This watch was a birthday gift she had painstakingly saved up to give to Vincent years ago, and yet he had simply auctioned it off.

Why?

Had he abandoned not only her but also the memories between them?

The fiery emotions Bethany had just felt were extinguished in an instant.

Was it a disappointment?

Well, she had brought it upon herself.

She had actually deluded herself into thinking there was a connection between Stanley and Vincent, just so she could find that scoundrel?

But even if she found him, what then? Time had passed, and they both had their own new lives.

Perhaps Vincent had long forgotten about her.

She was still dwelling on it. She was indeed foolish.

"How come you're here?" Vincent asked.

Bethany sniffed, held back her tears, and said, "I came to visit Ms. Smith. She asked me to call you for lunch."

Vincent nodded. "Okay, let's go."

All the way, Bethany watched the man's back as he walked ahead, her emotions unsettled for a long time.

When they entered the restaurant, Katie warmly offered to introduce the two to each other, but Vincent said, "Aunt, we know each other."

Katie chuckled in surprise, "Really? Well, that's a coincidence. Come on, sit down and have lunch."

It was quite a coincidence, enough to make Bethany suspicious.

Bethany was still immersed in the haze of mistaking him as her loved one, so much so that she was absent-minded during lunch, and she constantly stole glances at the man.

Perhaps her covert glances were too obvious; every time, the man could accurately catch her and meet her gaze.

His returned glances were always a bit warmer, leaving Bethany inexplicably flustered.

The little trickery on the dinner table didn't escape Katie's eyes.

Katie looked at Bethany, who was unusually quiet, and asked, "Bethany, are you two quite close?"

Bethany replied casually that they weren't.

"No?" Vincent elongated his voice in repetition.

Yesterday, when they were intimate, there was no sign of them being unfamiliar.

Bethany remained silent.

Her attempt to distance herself was too obvious.

Vincent smiled meaningfully, "Is that so? Do you need to think it over again?"

Bethany glanced at him coldly, not wanting to take the bait.

Vincent raised his glass, took a sip of warm wine, and his voice carried a hint of hoarseness as he said, "If you can't remember, shall I give you a hint? You visited me for..."

Bethany interrupted him sharply, "I remember now. We met at the party yesterday, so we're not strangers."

He wanted to expose their affair in front of Katie. “Bastard!” Bethany cursed him in her heart.

Bethany's intense reaction was too suspicious.

Everyone present was astute enough to see through the ruse, yet they all tactfully refrained from exposing it.

Katie smoothed things over and said, "Since you know each other, why don't you come over often in the future? I won’t feel so lonely then."

Bethany, with a downcast gaze, was just thinking about how to politely decline when the man sitting across from her readily agreed, "Sure, I have time. I wonder if Ms. Campbell has the heart for it."

This was like putting Bethany on the spot. Katie was so good to her, and if she found excuses to refuse, it would seem heartless.

Bethany could only force a smile and say, "I'll try to make time to come over more often."

The next moment, Vincent handed his phone to her, and his phone number appeared before her eyes.

"Let's exchange contact information so we can keep in touch," he smiled, looking like a winner.

It was as if he was saying, "Didn't you delete my contact information? Well, you're adding it back within a day."

Bethany felt that something was off. She seemed to have fallen into Vincent's trap.

Oh well, she might as well friend him. She could delete him later when she got home.

Bethany took out her phone and friended Vincent.

Vincent was satisfied.

After lunch, Katie went to take a nap in her bedroom, while Bethany went to the backyard. She found a sunny and quiet spot, leaned back in her chair, and started reading.

Although she was reading, her mind couldn't settle down.

All she could think about was Stanley's face, so similar to Vincent's. Could there really be two people in the world who looked so alike?

And both of them appeared in her life.

Unconsciously, the warm sun made her lazy, so she simply covered her face with the book and closed her eyes.

The rustling of the wind through the trees, mixed with the faint scent of leaves, made Bethany let out a contented sigh.

Her consciousness gradually became blurred.

Suddenly, a rustling sound of footsteps came straight towards her.

Bethany was startled awake. Just as she was about to move the book away, a pair of broad and powerful hands pressed down on her shoulders from behind, rendering her unable to move.

The book fell, and Bethany's heart raced.

"Who's there?"

The other party didn't answer immediately, but with the familiar touch, that she experienced just yesterday, Bethany's heart sank. "Stanley, don’t play the same old tricks."

The wind whispered past, and she heard the low, hoarse laughter escaping from the man's throat. "What can I do except do you?"

He was such a jerk.

Bethany said angrily, "Stop this nonsense and let me go!"

"What's wrong? Don't like it?"

Bethany tried to struggle. "Who would like someone like you? Scoundrel!"

"Scoundrel?" Vincent raised an eyebrow and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "You were so wet last night even if you don’t like it. If you liked it, how could that happen?""