The young woman in front of him took two steps back, frowning slightly in confusion.
"What did you say?"
Her expressions, gestures, and everything about her were eerily similar, even down to her face and voice.

For a moment, Matteo truly believed Evelyn was standing in front of him.
However, the look in her eyes told a different story.
She wasn't Evelyn.
She was younger, probably not even 20 yet. She looked more like Evelyn from her college years.
He fought back the overwhelming urge to pull her into his arms, his voice trembling. "What's your name?"
The young woman seemed startled and retreated two steps. "I'm sorry. I think I walked into the wrong room."

She turned to leave, but Matteo grabbed her wrist. His hands were still shaking.
A single, warm tear slipped down his face and landed on the back of her hand.
The young woman hesitated, stopping in her tracks.
After a brief pause, she pulled a napkin from the drink cart and handed it to him. "Are you okay? Here, you should wipe your face."

When Matteo looked up again, clarity had returned to his gaze. His expression was complicated as he stared at her.
"Do you work here?" His voice was low. "Quit the job and stay by my side. I'll pay you ten times your current salary."
However, the young woman yanked her wrist free and took another step back.
"What do you take me for?"
She seemed angry. This time, she didn't linger. She grabbed the cart and hurried out of the room.
Matteo stood frozen, watching her retreating figure disappear into the hallway.
His heart pounded violently in his chest. She looked too much like her.
Logic told him to let her go. If Evelyn ever found out about this, it would destroy any chance he had left.
But another voice in his head whispered, "It's not like you'll do anything to her. Just looking at her face won't hurt anyone. Once you find Eelyn, you'll send this young woman away. She'll never have to cross paths with Eve."
In the end, the voice overpowered his reason.
He pulled out his phone and dialed the club owner.
Less than 30 minutes later, a file with the young woman's information was delivered to him.
Her name was Wendy Ballard. She was still in college.
Her only family member had fallen seriously ill, and with no other options, she had taken this job because the pay was decent, and tips were sometimes generous.
She had just started working here, only handling basic tasks like serving drinks.
"Bring her here."
Matteo's voice was low, his gaze unfocused as he stared at Wendy's photos. It was as if, through her, he was looking at someone else.
Not long after, the young woman was standing before him again.
She looked at him timidly with a hint of caution. It was an expression Evelyn had never worn.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm not going to eat you." His tone was impatient, almost annoyed.
"Stay by my side. I'll cover all of your mother's medical expenses. But from now on, you wear what I tell you to wear and do what I tell you to do."
Wendy seemed flustered, but the bodyguards behind her blocked the way. She had no choice but to look up at the man standing in front of her.
"What do I have to do?"
Looking at the face in front of him that looked so much like hers, he drifted away again.
"You don't have to do anything. Just stay with me. I'll take care of everything. You just have to follow my lead. And the first thing you need to do is promise you'll never leave me, Eve."