Love at First Sight? Mr. Harrison Has Been Scheming All Along-Chapter 132: "Done with the Act?

On the way back to the village, Henry Lancaster had asked a few more times about getting a drink together.

Unable to refuse any longer, Evan Hollis simply left.

Henry Lancaster stayed in the village for five days. When the medical team moved on to another village, he didn’t go with them, choosing to return to Veridia instead.

The rural medical outreach program lasted for nearly two full months.

By the time Rory Linden returned to Veridia, it was already November.

Veridia was completely different from when she had left. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The once-lush greenbelts in the complex were now filled with trees bearing only yellow leaves. Some had been blown off by the autumn wind, piling up on the ground, not yet swept away.

Rory Linden had brought a lot with her, but on her return, she was left with just a single suitcase of clothes and toiletries.

As she was pulling her suitcase inside...

A woman emerged from the main gate of the complex.

The woman had long, loose hair and wore a camel-colored coat over a long lounge dress.

It was Nadia Willow.

’Why would she be here?’

’It couldn’t be...’

A certain possibility flashed through her mind.

Before Rory Linden could look away, Nadia Willow’s eyes met hers. Nadia stared at her intently.

A few seconds passed.

Nadia Willow suddenly walked up to Rory Linden, unabashedly looked her over from head to toe, and smiled. "We look so much alike!"

Rory Linden was stunned.

The woman’s tone was completely different from the Nadia Willow in her memory.

’Like...’

’...a little girl.’

Rory Linden, in turn, looked Nadia Willow up and down. The woman was wearing only a pair of white, fluffy slippers on her bare feet.

She glanced toward the gate and said, "Wait for me a second. I’m just grabbing some takeout, and I’ll walk back in with you."

’Walk back in together?’

Rory Linden’s grip on her suitcase handle tightened slightly.

’Could it be...’

However, the demeanor of the Nadia Willow before her had changed dramatically.

She was completely different from the person Rory had met on previous occasions.

Unsure of the situation, Rory Linden decided to wait where she stood.

Nadia Willow ran to the gate and picked up a boba tea delivery. The moment she had it, she eagerly poked the seal with her straw, took a couple of sips, and a look of pure satisfaction spread across her face.

She walked back to Rory Linden and asked with a smile, "Do you live here? What floor are you on? I just moved in. I’m your neighbor."

"..."

Rory Linden gave Nadia Willow an odd look.

’What is...’

’...going on?’

’She doesn’t remember me?’

Nadia Willow didn’t seem to mind her silence.

She asked, "Am I being a bit too forward? My bad. But for us to look so much alike, it must be fate! You don’t think we’re related by blood, do you? How old are you?"

Rory Linden said nothing to challenge her, simply playing along. "I’m 26."

"Then I guess I’m a little older than you. Let’s see, how old am I..." Nadia Willow mumbled, counting as she walked. "I think... I’m 33 this year!"

Rory Linden asked probingly, "You don’t remember your own age?"

"No, no," Nadia Willow said, laughing. "I actually lost my memory a little while ago. I thought I was only in my twenties, but it turns out I’m in my thirties. I’m still getting used to it. It’s so weird, how did I suddenly get to be over thirty?"

"Amnesia?"

Rory Linden was taken aback.

’Nadia must have gotten amnesia after I left for the countryside.’

’And this whole time, Sean Harrison told me absolutely nothing about it...’

"Yeah. My parents said I even got married during that time. Unfortunately, I married a total scumbag and divorced him after he completely broke me."

Nadia Willow heaved a long sigh. "But in my memories, I clearly had a different boyfriend. He doesn’t like me anymore, though. He likes someone else now."

"..."

Rory didn’t need to ask to guess who.

This so-called boyfriend was most likely Sean Harrison.

Rory had never been one to believe in coincidences.

’How could Nadia have moved here, just by coincidence?’

’And how could she have come out to grab a delivery at the exact moment I got back?’

’She couldn’t be...’

’...waiting for me, could she?’

Rory wasn’t sure.

"Let me tell you a little secret," Nadia said. "My boyfriend—no, my *ex*-boyfriend—lives here too. I moved here because I wanted to see what the person he likes looks like. And if she’s prettier than me."

Nadia took another sip of her boba tea.

Her entire demeanor was that of a young girl.

Rory had a strong suspicion that she was putting on an act.

’After all...’

’She didn’t act like a woman in her twenties, but more like a seven or eight-year-old child.’

’Then again, everyone’s younger self is different.’

The two of them got on the elevator together.

Nadia pressed the button for her floor first—it was two floors below Rory’s apartment...

Rory suddenly recalled Sean Harrison mentioning that an apartment a few floors down was for sale.

’Did Nadia end up buying it?’

Rory Linden pressed the button for the 47th floor.

Nadia glanced at the illuminated number, then her head snapped toward Rory. She looked Rory up and down, meticulously this time, and asked:

"You... live on the top floor too?"

Rory nodded.

Nadia’s eyes flickered over Rory’s clothes, then to the suitcase behind her. "Dressed like that, you can’t be the woman of the penthouse. You’re not the housekeeper, are you?"

Rory watched Nadia silently.

’Nadia had her accident in September. In the two months since then, she couldn’t have suffered any other major trauma.’

’The most likely trigger for her amnesia was that incident.’

’If anyone else were standing here today, they might have actually believed her.’

’But Rory had seen her in the hospital room after Nadia woke up.’

’She had been perfectly normal then.’

’Perhaps at that time, Nadia hadn’t decided to put on this act yet.’

Rory’s lips curved into a smile. "A moment ago, you were saying we must be neighbors. How have I suddenly become the housekeeper?"

"Well, dressed like that, you couldn’t possibly be Sean’s girlfriend." The words had barely left Nadia’s mouth when she seemed to have another thought. "No, wait. Since you look so much like me, it actually is possible!"

The elevator ascended slowly.

Nadia’s eyes were glued to Rory. "So... so Sean is just using you as my substitute! That has to be it!"

The elevator reached Nadia’s floor.

Rory stopped looking at her.

She waited quietly for Nadia to get off.

Nadia stood her ground for a moment before finally stepping out.

Only when the elevator doors slid shut did an uneasy expression cross Rory’s face.

She had been away for two months, and while she hadn’t been in frequent contact with Sean Harrison, she had checked in with him occasionally to let him know she was okay.

Throughout that entire time, Sean Harrison had never once mentioned Nadia’s amnesia.

Rory couldn’t be bothered to dwell on it.

While she was in the countryside, she’d asked Sherry Walsh and Stella Yates for help with Maisie’s situation.

She had arranged to have dinner with them today.

As a thank-you, she had specially ordered two bottles of eau de toilette from a brand’s flagship store to give to them.

Back home, she took a shower, changed her clothes, and unboxed the perfume delivery. She then placed each bottle into its own gift bag.

She even put the included free samples into each bag.

Once everything was ready, it was nearly time for dinner.

Just as Rory Linden opened her door...

Nadia Willow was standing right outside.

"Can I help you?"

Rory looked at Nadia.

The first time they had met was at The Eastwind Pavilion.

Back then, Nadia had been wearing a beautiful formal dress, her hair was curled, and she radiated confidence.

While their faces were similar, their auras were completely different.

Now, Nadia’s hair was dyed black and straightened, and she favored simple clothes.

As a result, the two of them had started to look similar in more ways than one.

"I... I just wanted to come and... chat."

Nadia had a timid look on her face.

Compared to the woman she once was...

She was like a completely different person.

"I’m sorry, but I’m on my way out."

Rory politely declined.

As she stepped into the elevator, Nadia followed her inside.

Nadia didn’t get off at her own floor.

Instead, she rode the elevator all the way down to the first floor with Rory.

Rory didn’t look at her, continuing on her way out of the building.

She had only taken a few steps when Nadia, now beside her, suddenly spoke. "Rory Linden, you really are... a detestable person."

Rory stopped in her tracks and turned to look at Nadia behind her.

A faint, seemingly harmless smile played on the other woman’s lips.

Rory returned the smile. "Done with the act?"