Chapter 3
Exhausted, I dragged myself towards the elevator and pressed the button.
Just as the door was about to close, a hand reached in.
I was taken aback as I nervously glanced toward the hallway.
The doors opened again.
It was Julian.
Seeing him, I froze in place.
Why was he here?
I thought the Blake Group was downtown.
It was about 10 miles away from here.
Julian didn't speak as he walked in.
Slowly, I regained my composure.
A tense, uneasy atmosphere spread through the small elevator.
I was so nervous that I kept my breathing light and quiet.
I took a step back instinctively.
It seemed that my movement caught his eye.
He turned and glanced at me.
That fleeting glance sent a chill down my spine.
The elevator descended slowly, and I stared at the floor numbers as they changed.
I wished it could go faster.
Julian finally spoke, "It's been five years. How long are you going to hide from me?"
He broke the silence, his voice low with a trace of hurt.
My heart skipped a beat, utterly shocked.
Did he recognize me?
No way!
I even changed my surname. How could he recognize me?
I must hold on.
I replied, "Mr. Blake, I don't understand what you mean.
"If my proposal needs any improvement, I'll revise it according to your words."
I was impressed by how calm I was.
He let out a short laugh.
It was brief and light, but the sarcasm was clear.
He asked, "Is that so?
"Do you need me to remind you? Winnie Ford."
He turned around, stared at me as he spoke each word slowly and deliberately.
I froze in place, staring at him in disbelief.
I opened my mouth, but I couldn't make any sound.
How could he possibly know? I didn't tell him anything.
Julian continued, "I bet you're curious about how I know."
He stepped closer, his gaze never wavering.
My back was against the cold wall, with nowhere left to escape.
He continued, "What's wrong? You don't even dare to admit who you really are?
"You abandoned me five years ago. Did you ever think I'd track you down?"
His every word was filled with anger.
As he spoke, he raised his hand, his fingers almost touching my cheek, stopping at the last moment.
His long fingers trembled slightly.
I asked, "How did you know it was me?"
I clenched my fists so hard that my nails dug deep into my skin, the pain sending a sharp ache through my throat.
Julian replied, "After you disappeared, I was very sad. I kept searching for you everywhere.
"I've been looking for you for a long time, but I can't find you anywhere.
"Then I heard the Ford family had found their real daughter at the same time as you left.
"I had someone investigate it, and that's when I realized you'd switched back to your real mother's surname. I've been looking in the wrong direction."
He paused, and pain filled his eyes.
He continued, "Winnie, you're too good at hiding. For five years, not a single trace."
I whispered, "I'm sorry."
As I listened to his words, tears filled my eyes. I didn't know what to say except sorry. My heart was aching with guilt.
Julian shouted with pain, "Why did you lie to me? Why did you use that fake photo? Why did you just disappear without even a single real explanation?"
His questions hit me one after another, overwhelming me like a flood.
I choked out, "I'm sorry, I never meant to lie to you... I'm not the daughter of the Ford family. After Stella came back, everything changed. I had no choice but to leave. I couldn't drag you down."
Tears streamed down my face as I stumbled over my words.
After knowing that I was a fake daughter, the Ford family was all on Stella's side.
Stella saw me as a threat and was constantly scheming against me, always causing trouble behind my back.
Harrison and Monica doted on Stella and hated me for stealing her place. From then on, they never showed me any warmth again.
But it was all just a hospital mix-up. There was no plot, no drama, just a mistake.
One day, I heard Monica chat with Stella.
She said the Ford family had made a deal to marry the Blake family.
Now that Stella had come back, it was time to start planning the marriage.
In the photo held by Monica, the man was Julian.
I knew that if our relationship was exposed, Julian would definitely resist and insist on being with me.
But I'd already decided to leave the Ford family. I couldn't drag him down.
So I sent him a message to break up as soon as possible.
After leaving the Ford family, I came back to my real parents' hometown.
They all passed away due to illness a few years ago.
They left me an old house, and I lived there for four years.
It wasn't until the fifth year, after I finally landed the job I'd always dreamed of, that I came back.
Julian said, "So what? It makes no difference to me whether you're Winnie Ford or Winnie Reed."