**Audrey's POV*

I stood at the hoteI entrance, watching Astrid's red sports car fade into the night. The cool evening air felt good against my skin after hours inside. I waved one last time, though I doubted she could still see me.

Taking a deep breath, I turned to head back inside when I heard a familiar voice.

"Evelyn!"

About twenty yards away, Blake sat in his wheelchair under a streetlight.Michael standing behind him ready to push.

I frowned and stepped back. "What are you doing here so late?"

"I needed to find you." A flicker of hurt crossed Blake's face at my retreat."There's something we should discuss."

"If this is about Rachel, save it. I've said everything I need to say. We'll handle it in court."

"It's not about Rachel." He gestured for Michael to stop advancing. "It's about my grandfather."

My guard lowered instantly at the mention of William. "Is he okay?"

"He's fine." Blake exhaled slowly. "But he saw the livestream today. With his confusion lately, he can't tell the difference between you and Rachel anymore."

"He thinks you're twins. And he wants to see you."

"Now?" I finally asked.

Blake nodded. "You know he doesn't have much time left. He's trying to make the most of every day."

I pulled out my phone to call Adrian. I'd only come down to see Astrid off,and now I needed to let him know I'd be visiting William. Emma might wait up otherwise.

"Audrey." Blake's voice dropped. "There's something else you should know."

I looked up, phone in hand.

"He wants to see both of you. Together. You and Rachel."

I frowned. "You expect me to play sisters with Rachel?"

Blake didn't answer, but his silence was confirmation enough.

I couldn't help but laugh. How absurd this whole situation had become.I'm literally pretending to be my twin sister after faking my own death.Rachel's masquerading as me to an old man who once loved me like family. And now I'm supposed to act like we're sisters who care about each other?

The world really is one giant performance. I don't mind being Evelyn-I owe her my life. But pretending to love Rachel? After everything she's done?

"No," I said firmly.′′Iwon't do it."

"But William means so much to you," he pressed. "It's just an act for a

little while,"

"Yes. William matters to me." I crossed my arms. "But you're missing something important here. Rachel is already playing me to him. If she does her job well - convinces him you two are happy, that I'm with you -that's enough."

"I'm just the long-lost sister in this scenario. My presence won't matter to him. He didn't even recognize me last time."

"There's no reason for me to join this charade."

I pocketed my phone and turned toward the hotel entrance.

"Mrs. Knox, please." Michael's frustrated voice followed me. "How can you be so heartless? After everything Mr. William Parker did for you?"

"He treated you like family! Now that he's dying, you won't even pretend with Miss Hayes for an hour to make him happy?"

"He wasted his kindness on you!"

Blake said something to quiet him, but I didn't turn back.

What do they know about my grief for Williamn? Nothing.

The thought of him dying tears me apart more than anyone could understand. But I can't stand there with Rachel pretending to be someone I'm not. I wouldn't be able to keep my emotions in check. The old man would see right through mne.

If an illusion makes his final days peaceful, so be it. Better than the heartbreak of the truth.

I entered the elevator, took a steadying breath, and returned to my room.

"Mommy!" Emma bounded toward me the moment I walked in, arms outstretched. "You came back!"

"Daddy and I saw you talking to that man in the wheelchair." She glanced at Adrian. "Daddy said you might not come home tonight."

"But I knew you'd miss me too much! See, Daddy? I know Mommy better than you do!"

Adrian gave a tight smile and lifted Emma into his arms. "Bedtime for you.Mom needs a shower first."

He turned to me. "Go ahead. We'll be in the bedroom."

"Adrian," I said. "Blake was only there because of William."

His back stiffened as he held Emma.

"William saw the livestream today and wanted to see me," I explained. "I was going to call you about staying out, but I decided not to go."

"Why not?" Adrian asked without turning. "William means everything to you."

"Because Blake wanted me to pretend Rachel and I are loving sisters."I sighed. "She's been playing me to William all this tme. The livestream confused him - now he thinks Rachel and I are twins. Blake wanted us to act like we care about each other, and I couldn't do that."

Adrian stood motionless for a moment.

"You really are becoming more like her," he finally said. "Go shower. I'll put Emma to bed."

He carried her to the master bedroom, closing the door behind them.

After my shower, I returned to find Emma alone in the big bed. Adrian nowhere to be seen. She held up a storybook.

"Read to me? The Little Mermaid!"

I slipped under the covers and pulled her close, reading until I finished the story.

"Daddy doesn't feel safe," Emma announced, completely awake.

I blinked."What?"

"When you were saying goodbye to Auntie, he kept checking his watch."She looked up at me. "Then he saw you with the wheelchair man and told me you weren't coming back tonight."

"But I knew better. I saw this on TV. When people don't feel safe, they expect the worst. You need to show him you won't leave."

I stared at this tiny four-year-old who suddenly sounded like a therapist.

"You think so?" I asked, fighting a smile.

She nodded solemnnly. "You need to give him more hints that you'll stay.Then he'll feel better."

I pinched her cheek gently. "When did you get so smart?"

"So you'll help him feel safer?"

"I will. But I'll need your help too. Can youtell him sometimes that I'm not going anywhere?"

Emma's face brightened. "Yes! We'll do it together!" She flipped to a new page in the book. "Now read Thumbelina!"

I woke up early the next morning before my alarm went off. The sky outside was barely light.

Emma was still sound asleep. I slipped out of bed, fixed her blanket, and grabbed my purse. Some fresh air and coffee sounded perfect.

The hotel lobby was nearly empty when I stepped out of the elevator, then I froze mid-step.

William Parker sat in a wheelchair right at the entrance, wearing striped hospital pajamas with an oxygen mask hanging fromn his face. He looked impossibly frail in the morning light, his hands trembling slightly on the wheelchair arms.

Charles stood behind him, his face tight with worry. Four medical staff hovered nearby, including Dr. Bennett who was checking monitors attached to William's chair.

My throat closed up. In all the scenarios I'd imagined, William coming to find me had never been one of them.

The moment William spotted me, his eyes lit up. He grabbed his wheels and pushed forward with surprising speed.

"Sir! Your oxygen!" Charles called, rushingafter him.

William skidded to a stop, blocking my path. Even in his weakened state,the determination in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Mrs. Knox," he said, his breathing ragged without the mask. "I'm William Parker.We met before."