Chapter 108
The person in the screenshot looked too much like Evelyn.
No, not just similar.
When she smiled, she was identical to Evelyn.
Matthew's breathing quickened.
"Where's this video from?"
The woman he'd asked stammered, "Just... from some blogger..."
She sent him the account.
Matthew immediately called Thomas.
"You'll lead this afternoon's meeting."
"Also, find me the contact info for this account. I need to reach him."
Thomas, now promoted to Project Director at Limbo Inc., agreed.
He'd seen the video that morning too, debating whether to tell Matthew.
Turned out Matthew had found it himself.
He quickly tracked down the information and sent it over.
"The video was taken by a blogger at Seaside City Aquarium. Here's his address and phone number."
Seaside City.
Matthew's heart nearly stopped.
The city where Evelyn was born. Where she grew up. Where her family was buried.
If all these coincidences lined up...
Could it really be Evelyn?
He booked the next available flight straight to Seaside City.
Matthew met with the blogger first.
The guy was in his early twenties and jumped when he saw Matthew.
He knew who Matthew was, but never imagined a CEO would personally track him down over a video.
"I was just shooting a vlog at the aquarium yesterday..." he stammered. "I don't know who that person is—just accidentally caught her in frame..."
Matthew asked for details, confirming there was nothing more to learn.
He paid top dollar for all the footage the blogger had shot that day, then got in his car and headed to the aquarium.
On the way, he watched those videos over and over.
That figure who resembled Evelyn appeared for just a moment, then vanished.
He'd watched it three times when suddenly he paused on a corner of the frame.
Chloe.
Chloe was also at the aquarium, being held by a man whose face was blocked from view.
Wasn't she the Sinclair family's child? What was she doing in Seaside City?
Matthew shook his head. Maybe just a coincidence.
He put away his phone and looked out the window, feeling both hopeful and anxious.
By the time Matthew reached the aquarium, it was dark.
He went straight to the management office and explained why he was there.
The staff member looked apologetic. "Sir, the surveillance system was under maintenance yesterday. No footage was saved."
He stood there, stunned, like someone had dumped ice water over his head.
"None at all?"
"None at all."
He stood at the entrance for a long time, long enough that the staff kept glancing his way.
Then he turned and walked into the aquarium.
He knew Evelyn wouldn't still be there, but he walked through anyway.
His footsteps echoed alone in the empty corridor.
He stood in the exact spot where she'd stood in that screenshot, watching the same jellyfish tank for a very long time.
Matthew stayed at the aquarium for two full days, arriving when it opened and leaving after dark.
But that figure never appeared again.
He checked surveillance from the surrounding streets, but found nothing.
She was like a drop of water falling into the ocean, disappearing without a trace.
Why hadn't Matthew discovered anything?
Because Evelyn had acted first, of course.
The moment she realized her screenshot had made the trending news, she contacted the aquarium and dealt with the surrounding surveillance footage.
By the time her flight back to City A landed and she learned Matthew had spent days at the aquarium, she felt... complicated.
"Babe, you're basically a human trending topic generator," Monica said, pushing the luggage cart at the airport. "If you went into entertainment, those celebrities wouldn't stand a chance."
Evelyn pressed her fingers to her temples, feeling a headache coming on. "Don't tease me about this."
"But seriously, those fans hoping you and Matthew get back together are something else. Three years later and they still won't let it go." Monica raised an eyebrow. "If Matthew actually got together with Sloane, who knows how they'd drag him."
Evelyn didn't respond, her mind on something else. "From now on, I can't appear in public with the kids in this country."
"So... are you still going to Chloe's art show?" Monica asked hesitantly.
"Of course." Evelyn didn't hesitate. "I'll wear a mask and a hat."
This was Chloe's first art exhibition in the country—it meant everything to her.
There was no way she'd miss it.
Besides, Matthew didn't like art exhibitions. He probably wouldn't show up at something like that.
Thinking this, the unease in her chest slowly settled.
A few days later, Matthew returned to City A empty-handed.
He went to the flower shop and bought flowers—daisies, sunflowers, gerberas. Same as always.
The shop owner didn't even wait for him to speak, wrapping them up efficiently and handing them over.
As he turned to head back to his apartment, he saw Sloane standing downstairs.
When she saw him, her eyes lit up.
"Matthew." She approached, biting her lip. "You look exhausted..."
Matthew didn't respond, his tone flat. "What is it?"
Sloane looked at him hopefully. "My birthday's coming up. Would you... spend it with me?"
He was silent for a moment.
"I told you before, we should keep our distance."
"Does that mean we can't even be friends?" Sloane's voice trembled. "Because of being forced to go abroad, I don't have many friends left in City A..."
This was something Matthew would always feel guilty about.
If it weren't for him back then, she wouldn't have gone so far away, wouldn't have suffered so much.
Her loneliness now—he bore some responsibility for that.
He was quiet for a long time.
"Fine. I'll go with you this time. But... just this once."
Sloane broke into a smile. "Okay. That day, let's go to an art exhibition."
"Okay."
He turned and went upstairs.
When he opened the door, everything inside was the same as always.
He changed the water and arranged the flowers in the vase, then sat on the couch.
He pulled up that video on his phone again. He'd watched it at least a hundred times.
The screen dimmed.
His expression gradually grew darker too.
'Eve, was it really not you? Why can't I find any trace of you, no matter how hard I look?'
On the day of the exhibition, Evelyn's studio team needed to present some proposals.
She checked the time, estimating it would take a while.
"Mon, you take Chloe and Caleb ahead. I'll be right behind you."
"Got it! No problem!" Monica said, holding Chloe.
"Mommy has to come!" Chloe called out in her sweet little voice.
"I will!" Evelyn promised with a smile.
The moment the presentation ended, she grabbed her bag and rushed out.
Following the GPS, she happened to pass by her old apartment building.
Evelyn's gaze lingered briefly.
When she spotted yellow roses displayed outside the flower shop nearby, she couldn't help but pull over.
The shop looked exactly as it had before.
"Miss, what can I get you?"
"I'll take all these yellow roses."
The shop owner's eyes brightened. "Are they a gift?"
"Yes, for my daughter. She loves yellow roses."
"You have a daughter already? You look so young."
"By the way, do you have any daisies?" Evelyn asked out of habit.
"I'm sorry, all our daisies have been reserved by a gentleman."