The Double or more Life of the Fake Heiress (Mirabella)

As James listened to Cassie's rapid-fire words, a hint of suspicion started swirling in his mind. He hadn't dug into Cassie Davis's background specifically, but he'd done his homework on Mirabella ages ago, and not once did the name Cassie Davis pop up in the family tree. Even back when she lived out in the countryside, there was no mention of anyone by that name.

James stood with one hand casually tucked behind his back, the hallway lights casting a stark shadow across his chiseled features, making him seem even more distant and cool. He soon replied to Cassie, "No need for ID."

Cassie, still a bit flustered, felt like the older guy on the other end of the line was treating him like some naïve country boy. "Look, I might not have traveled abroad, but I know the basics!"

"I've got special connections. Just drop me your location, and I'll sort out someone to pick you up," James replied, not bothered by the young man's prickly tone.

Cassie rubbed the tip of his nose, realizing he didn't have the luxury of time to sweat the small stuff. After rattling off an address, he hung up.

Just as he stepped out of the room, the makeup artist, who was ready to prep him for the stage, noticed Cassie hadn't changed his outfit yet. "Hey, why aren't you changed? We're running out of time, and you're up soon."

"Sorry, something important came up. I'm pulling out of the competition," Cassie stated, not a trace of hesitation in his voice.

The makeup artist was taken aback. "This is the semi-finals! You've got so many fans waiting to see you perform. If you back out now, it means throwing away the competition..."

"Sorry," Cassie cut in, "there will be other competitions, but I only have one sister."

With that, he turned on his heel and left, not looking back. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the makeup artist quickly whipped out a phone to call the manager.

Cassie swung by his place for a quick stop, rummaging through his treasure chest to fish out a small, blue porcelain bottle. Holding it, he felt a pang of regret—this was his emergency stash.

Just as he tucked the bottle into his pocket, his phone buzzed again. James's ride had arrived downstairs.

Cassie hurried down, met the driver, and climbed into the car, heading straight for the airport. At the airport, Cassie was ushered through a special passage, just as James had promised—no ID or passport needed.

But when he saw the plane he was about to board, his eyes widened with genuine surprise, the kind you'd expect from a small-town kid. A regular private jet wouldn't fazed him, but this was

unmistakably a military ai

Cassie clicked his tongue, realizing he'd seriously underestimated the clout of this mysterious old man named Montgomery. noveldrama

Carefully, Cassie boarded the plane and immediately noticed an elderly gentleman already seated inside. The man looked like he was pushing seventy or eighty, with white hair and a beard, and he had a O complexion that suggested he wasn't in the best of health. Cassie guessed he probably didn't have many years left.

The elderly man was none other than David. He had boarded first and had been told they were waiting for someone else, so he was a bit surprised when a young guy walked in.

Cassie approached, giving David a polite nod before taking a seat across from him. David sized up

Cassie, noting the young man et

striking looks and easy demeanor, which naturally made people warm up to him. Though David didn't know who Cassie was, considéring the reason for their flight, he ventured a guess, "Young man, how are you related to Mirabella?"