Chapter 3

"Are you here… for a consultation?"

I raised the registration slip in my hand and sat down across from him.

“You know, if you’re here for a doctor, why didn’t you just go to Zach? Aren’t you his sister-in-law?”

Sister-in-law? So that’s how Zach had introduced me last time.

That confirmed it—Noah knew my sister.

“You’ve met Emily, haven’t you?” I asked cautiously.

“Emily? Who’s that?”

His expression was unreadable, but he didn’t seem to be lying. My brow furrowed.

Something wasn’t adding up.

“Zach’s girlfriend—Emily,” I clarified.

“Oh, you mean her. I didn’t know her name. I’ve seen her a few times before, that’s all.”

“Where? When? What was the situation?”

He looked at me curiously, remaining silent, as if trying to gauge my intentions. My throat felt dry as I swallowed nervously.

It had been a year since I came to this city. A full year of searching with nothing to show for it.

Aside from one fleeting clue from a former landlord, I hadn’t been able to find any trace of my sister. It was as if she’d vanished into thin air, her existence slowly being erased.

I hadn’t anticipated things reaching this point.

I scrambled to come up with an excuse, but Noah’s sharp, calculating gaze made me falter.

I wasn’t smart enough to lie convincingly. He’d see through me in an instant.

“How long have you known Zach?” I asked instead, deflecting.

He hesitated for a moment before answering, his tone cold. “We were college classmates.”

So they’d known each other for years. No wonder their bond seemed so strong.

Coming here to question Noah, I realized, was a risk I couldn’t hide from Zach for long.

If Zach found out I was searching for my sister, it might push him to act sooner. He could lock me away at any moment, just as he had in my previous life.

But I had already died once. If it came to that, I could die again.

“Dr. Hale, I need to ask you for a favor,” I said, lowering my voice.

Noah didn’t respond, but the slight lift of his chin told me to continue.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to sound sincere.

“Please don’t tell Zach I came to see you. And… if possible, could we meet privately? I have something important to discuss, but now isn’t the right time.”

I glanced back at the door, where the sound of impatient patients waiting in line was growing louder.

“You don’t want Zach to know about the meeting either?” he asked, his tone skeptical.

I nodded, meeting his eyes with as much honesty as I could muster.

He studied me for a long moment before finally pulling out a business card and sliding it across the desk.

“I don’t know what’s so important that you’d come to me, but you look serious. I have an hour for lunch later. Call me then, and I’ll hear you out.”

Clutching the card like it was a lifeline, I left the hospital and found a small restaurant nearby. I booked a private room and spent the next few hours rehearsing what I wanted to say.

Noah arrived on time.

The moment he sat down, I didn’t waste a second.

“Dr. Hale, my sister went missing a year ago. I moved here to find her, but I’ve found nothing. Last spring, I ran into Zach by accident—literally spilled his coffee backstage at a kids’ recital. That’s how we met. He pursued me after that, and now I’m his girlfriend.”

Noah’s brow furrowed so deeply it looked like it could crush a fly. He wanted to interrupt, but he stayed quiet, letting me continue.

“It was only recently that I realized my sister was involved with him before me. But he’s never mentioned her—not once. We’re identical twins. The moment you saw me, you recognized me, didn’t you? There’s no way Zach wouldn’t have recognized me too.”

“So, what exactly are you saying?” Noah asked, his tone defensive. “Are you implying Zach is hiding something because he’s connected to your sister’s disappearance?”

His reaction was expected. They were old friends, after all. Of course he’d instinctively defend Zach.

“I wouldn’t make this accusation without reason,” I said firmly. “Zach has a serious… condition. He’s a devotee. He’s obsessed with people who are physically incomplete.”

Noah’s expression hardened instantly. “What the hell are you talking about? Zach doesn’t have anything like that.”

For the first time, I began hearing a different version of Zach’s story—one I’d never imagined.