Juan felt a shiver race down his spine at his own speculation. Could it really be? Weren't the ashes sent back to Falconridge? But... it looked so similar. Shaking his head, Juan returned to the hospital room, his mind buzzing with questions. As soon as he walked in, Eliza looked up anxiously, "Was it Dillon?" "It was Dillon," he confirmed.

"And the guy with him, did you get a good look?" she asked, her eyes wide with hope, her lashes fluttering slightly. "Was it Casper?"

Juan hadn't gotten a clear view of Casper. He couldn't say it was him for sure. But seeing those two together was definitely suspicious.

"I think his build was very similar," Juan admitted.

"Not just similar, identical," Eliza declared, almost certain. On the day she had her baby, this man showed up at the hospital with Dillon. If it wasn't him, who could it be?

"Juan, I believe the guy with the silver mask, the one who owns the estate, is Casper," she said.

Juan was taken aback. The estate owner too? He recalled how excited Eliza had been that day. Could it really be true?

"If Casper's alive, why wouldn't he come see you?" Juan wondered aloud. "Why sneak around in the shadows? There's got to be a reason."

Eliza shook her head, just as puzzled. "I don't know. I've got to find a way to meet him."

"What if it isn't Casper?" Juan worried. He didn't want her hopes to be dashed, leaving her heartbroken.

Eliza shrugged a bit, taking it easier than he expected. "If it's not him, I won't be too upset. At least I'll have closure."

Her eyes lowered slightly, as if she was trying to convince herself to accept the inevitable. That flicker of hope felt like a dim streetlight in the dark-not bright, but enough to give her the courage to keep going.

After leaving the hospital, Eliza

couldn't shake off the idea of visiting the estate

but sean suggested waiting

until after her postpartum recovery,

she was too restless to heed his

advice. She needed to see that familiar figure, to uncover the truth.

Even if the truth wasn't what she hoped for, she needed to know.

Standing at the door, she pressed the doorbell repeatedly until a

servant finally appeared, peerin

cautiously through the crack "Who are you looking for?"

"Hi, I'm Eliza. I'm here to see the owner of the estate," she said with a warm, reassuring smile. "Could you let him know I'm here?"

The servant gave her a once-over, clearly skeptical about the stranger at the door. "Our master doesn't meet with strangers."

"I'm Eliza, a friend of his. Just let him know I'm here; he'll want to see me," she insisted patiently.

The servant shut the narrow door crack and disappeared. Eliza stood outside, nerves jangling, waiting.

After an hour passed with no sign of anyone, it seemed the masked man wasn't keen on meeting her. What was she going to do now?

The estate was a fortress with its high walls and tight security; getting in was impossible.

Thunder rumbled ominously overhead. Rain was coming.

She knocked on the estate's dark door again. If no one answered, she'd just keep knocking.

Dillon, seeing her persistence, couldn't help but speak up, "Mr. Casper, it's about to rain, and Ms. Eliza just had a baby. If she gets caught in the rain and falls ill, her

recovery might be compromised."

Casper's eyes clouded with emotion. He hadn't expected Eliza to be so determined. What was there to see? Why was she so intent on the truth?

"Mr. Casper, maybe you should just see her," Dillon suggested, his voice gentle.Content held by .

Casper remained silent, ignoring Dillon's advice. It wasn't that he didn't want to see her; he just couldn't find the courage to face her.