The pressure became unbearable.

Finally, unable to handle it any longer, she forwarded all of Lucas’s messages to Emily.

Emily, already overwhelmed with managing her adopted son and organizing the party, rubbed her temples in frustration.

"This is too much..." she muttered.

In the end, she had no choice. She revealed that she wasn’t Miss Dawn but her assistant, so he could stop talking about his misery.

When Lucas discovered that Emily was Miss Dawn’s assistant, everything clicked.

"So that’s how it works."

As he dug deeper, the truth unraveled piece by piece.

Emily had been the one acquiring properties. She had purchased the company where Adam became CEO.

She had bought the studio apartment. The mall. Mary frequently visited the library.

She had invested in Adriana’s workplace. She had connected him to Miss Dawn. And she had been funding Alex’s company.

Every path led back to one person. Aurora.

Lucas closed his eyes slowly, a deep silence settling over him.

"So... you’ve been carrying all of this alone."

A complicated emotion stirred within him: pride, guilt, and admiration.

"How much have you sacrificed without telling anyone?"

Exhaling softly, he chose not to dwell on it further.

Meanwhile, another thought lingered in his mind.

In his previous life, he had been trapped, bound by something invisible, something that forced events down a predetermined path. He had watched helplessly as everything fell apart, unable to change the outcome.

"I was... a terrible person."

Even when he understood the influence of that "plot," he couldn’t forgive himself.

He had wanted a second chance. And now, he had one. But things were different.

The woman who once suffered... had taken a completely different path.

Instead of being broken, she had built her own life. She was no longer tied to him, no longer dependent.

She was with Alex. Thriving. Lucas let out a slow breath.

Without drawing attention, he began transferring money. $10,000 every month.

Quietly. Consistently. At first, it seemed insignificant.

But over time, the amount grew. Until one day, she received $100,000 at once.

Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at the balance, her fingers trembling slightly.

"What... is this?" she whispered.

Confused, she showed it to Alex. Alex’s expression darkened as he investigated the source.

When he finally traced it back, his gaze turned sharp.

"Lucas."

The name left his lips coldly. Without hesitation, he stood up.

"I need answers."

And with that, he went to confront him.

.....

Alex stood there in silence for a moment, the air between him and Lucas heavy with something unspoken.

"This... is not going to end well," Alex thought, his jaw tightening slightly.

He had not come here for something trivial. And yet...he did not want to destroy what little balance remained.

Still, there was no avoiding it.

Taking a slow breath, he stepped forward, his gaze locking onto Lucas.

"I’ll be direct," he said, his voice calm but edged with steel. "I know what you’ve been doing."

Lucas didn’t flinch. Instead, he simply looked at him, his expression unreadable.

Alex’s eyes narrowed slightly. "You’ve been sending money to Adeline," he continued. "Regularly."

There was a pause. Then Lucas nodded faintly. "Yes."

No denial. No hesitation. That only made the atmosphere heavier.

Alex’s lips pressed into a thin line as he studied Lucas more carefully. And then, he saw it.

A faint trace of something flickering deep within Lucas’s eyes. Guilt. Remorse.

"So he does remember ..."

Alex’s grip tightened slightly. "Or has been... reborn too and wants to get together with Adeline?"

For a brief moment, a sharp instinct rose within him to shut this down immediately, to crush whatever lingering emotions Lucas still carried.

"If you have any thoughts about her..." his voice dropped slightly, colder now, "you should give them up."

Lucas tilted his head slightly, as if considering the words. Then he shook it.

"Physically, she’s beautiful," he admitted calmly. "But... there are people far more beautiful than her."

The answer was unexpected. Alex blinked. There was no mockery. No hidden desire. Only... sincerity.

The tension in his shoulders eased slightly.

"He’s not lying."

The hostility in Alex’s gaze softened, though it did not disappear completely.

Instead, it shifted into something more probing.

"Something has changed," he said quietly. "You’re not the same person anymore."

Lucas let out a faint breath, almost amused.

"Logically speaking," he replied, "you should be acting like a twenty-five-year-old man."

His eyes met Alex’s.

"But right now... you feel like someone who has already lived through everything once."

The words landed with precision. Alex’s pupils shrank ever so slightly.

Silence followed.

Lucas continued, his voice lowering.

"You already know, don’t you?" he said. "About what I did to Adeline."

Alex didn’t respond. But his silence... was answer enough.

Lucas let out a quiet, self-deprecating chuckle.

"If you want to punch me," he added, spreading his hands slightly, "I won’t fight back."

Alex’s fists clenched. For a split second,

He really considered it. But then, he stopped midway and murmured, "You should repay her."

Lucas lowered his gaze slightly.

"Even if I spend my entire lifetime trying to repay her..." his voice grew quieter, heavier, "it won’t be enough."

A faint bitterness lingered in his tone.

"So it’s better," he continued, "if she stays with someone who actually loves her properly."

Alex closed his eyes briefly. "He’s serious."

Lucas wasn’t trying to reclaim her. He was... letting go.

"I’ll continue supporting her financially," Lucas added. "Hundred thousand dollars per month... or more if needed."

He paused.

"And if it could erase everything I did..." he let out a soft, humorless laugh, "I’d give her everything I have."

Alex exhaled slowly. A realization settled in his chest.

"He remembers... everything."

Like a hammer striking firmly into place. Lucas was reborn.

When Alex opened his eyes again, the tension within him had shifted.

"It’s good," he said quietly, "that you’ve come to your senses."

Lucas smiled faintly. "Better late than never."

The conversation ended there. Awkward. Incomplete. But understood.

Both of them turned away, returning to their respective responsibilities, as if nothing had happened, yet everything had changed.

The celebration came soon after.

Lucas’s company had doubled its revenue, and the party was nothing short of grand.

Everyone was present. Even Aurora. Hidden in plain sight.

She had already arranged for a body double to appear as "Miss Dawn," ensuring her identity remained concealed.

As "Miss Dawn" entered, several pairs of eyes subtly shifted toward Aurora.

Their gazes carried a strange amusement, as though they knew something she didn’t.

Aurora scratched her head lightly, forcing a casual expression.

"Why are they looking at me like that...?"

A faint suspicion crept into her thoughts. "Did... Lucas figure something out?"

But just as quickly, she dismissed it. "No... that’s impossible."

Shaking off the unease, she allowed herself to relax and blend into the atmosphere, even managing to enjoy parts of the celebration.

Meanwhile, far from the warmth of the party, Shay stood in the living room.

Her nails dug into her palm as anger simmered beneath her calm exterior.

"I hit him with a car... and still ..."

Her lips curled slightly. "You didn’t come to me."

She had expected Aurora to react... to confront her, to beg, to show fear.

But instead, Aurora had remained silent. Still. Like a calm, unmoving lake.

And that...that infuriated her.

Her eyes darkened.

"Do you not even consider me a worthy opponent?"

The thought burned within her, sharp and relentless.

A slow, dangerous smile spread across her lips. "Fine ..."

"If silence is your answer..." she whispered into the darkness, her voice cold and steady, "then I’ll make sure you have no choice but to respond."

Meanwhile, Adriana, who had quietly slipped away toward the restroom after overhearing a girl mention it in passing, found herself walking into an atmosphere that felt strangely tense, almost suffocating.

As she stepped inside, her footsteps softened instinctively.

Her curiosity piqued when she noticed Adam, Mary, and Emily standing together near the mirrors, their voices lowered into hushed whispers.

At first, she had no intention of paying attention.

’This is none of my business,’ she thought, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she moved forward casually. But then, like a sudden spark in the dark, she heard a name, Aurora.

Her heart skipped. ’Aurora?’

That single word was enough to root her in place.

She hesitated for a moment, then, unable to resist the pull of curiosity, she took a slow, careful step closer, making sure her heels made as little noise as possible against the polished floor.

As she edged nearer, fragments of their conversation reached her ears, something about "Miss Dawn."

Her brows furrowed. ’Miss Dawn? What does that have to do with Aurora?’

After a brief moment of internal conflict, Adriana decided to quietly slip into one of the cubicles instead of leaving.

The door creaked faintly as she entered, and she winced, holding her breath.

Fortunately, the trio seemed too engrossed in their conversation to notice her presence.