My Mirror Image by Maybe Not (Candice And Alex’s)

Chapter 0477

Yana didn't stay in South City for long. Before leaving, she went shopping for Ellis and bought a bunch of things, including clothes, formula, toys, and diapers. She basically wanted to grab everything from the baby section.

Candice, accompanied by Ellis, bade her farewell. Yana was reluctant to let go, behaving as if she intended to take the little one back to Dorrington.

As the year-end approached, Candice became noticeably busier. Darius seldom contacted her, but she had to report to him at year-end.

Expanding their presence in South City posed challenges due to the strong connections between local industries. Nevertheless, Darius had given her ample time to work on it.

Some friendly ladies she had met in South City enthusiastically introduced her to a few successful young men. She couldn't decline due to social obligations, so she got their contact information, though subsequent meetings were often short-lived after they heard about her history.

Candice immersed herself in work and gradually found herself in a new social circle and a new life that seemed quite pleasant.

Hanley and the others would be coming to South City around Christmas and would be staying until the New Year. So, Candice bought a plane ticket to Solaris on December 20 to meet with Darius and discuss the plans for the upcoming year.

In the meantime, Candice attended a dinner in South City. It wasn't very formal; it had a mix of people, including some individuals from rich families who were obsessed with taking short videos. They took some videos and uploaded them online.

Meanwhile, Sieg was celebrating a friend's birthday at the bar. As it was a tight-knit community, a lot of rich kids were present.

Right then, a message popped up on Sieg's WhatsApp; someone had sent him a few videos. Just by looking at the covers, he could tell it was from some kind of party.

Sieg wasn't interested. He was about to close the app when a video with a captivating sound caught his attention. His eyebrows lifted, and in a good mood, he whistled lightly.

When Alex received Sieg's message, he had just finished a late-night meeting. ‘Got a video for you,’ Sieg wrote.

Alex replied with just two words—‘Not interested.’

Sieg went silent. However, after Alex got home after finishing work and took a shower, he saw that Sieg had sent the video as he lay on the bed.

The video's cover wasn't clear, but it seemed deliberately focused on someone. Candice wore a beige dress; her previously waist-length hair was now short and slightly curly, making her look even more sharp, youthful, and lively.

She didn't seem like someone in her late twenties. The video was clearly taken without her knowledge. She held a glass and was engaged in conversation, her dangling earrings swaying with her movements.

It was as if she hadn't changed at all. Yet, in some way, everything seemed different.

The video lasted a dozen seconds, with only the first few seconds focused on Candice before jumping to other scenes. Alex replayed it several times before calling Sieg.

Sieg answered quickly, his voice lazy. "What's up?"

Alex, shirtless and wearing gray shorts, stood by the window as he asked, "Who sent you the video?"

"A friend from South City. We planned to go on a road trip together,” Sieg replied. “Done with work?"

Alex hummed in response. The room was warm due to the heater, but it felt a bit stuffy.

He remained silent for a while, then heard Sieg say, "We're going to South City for skiing on Christmas. Wanna come? I remember that Aether Corporation's project in South City has been going on for quite a while. When do you plan to inspect it?

"Daniel and Oscar have been quite brazen lately. Haven’t you been holding back for so long for this moment? I heard you recently snatched a big project from Oscar. Aren't you considering riding the momentum?" Sieg talked more than usual, annoying Alex, who hung up without saying a word.

In a few days, Candice received a blank text on WhatsApp from a stranger. Recently, the rich ladies in South City seemed to be playing matchmakers, as they kept introducing her to new friends.

Unable to refuse due to social obligations, she assumed this stranger had been introduced by one of the ladies. The person had a gray silhouette profile photo and the name ‘1’.

The person didn't initiate contact after sending the blank text, and Candice didn't either. She was so busy with her affairs that she soon forgot about it. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Yana arrived in South City on the 19th. She had taken a holiday to help care for Ellis and wait for Hanley and the others to come and celebrate the New Year. Ellis was familiar with Yana, so she didn't cry or fuss when held.

Candice touched the baby's face, feeling a bit reluctant. "I’ll be back in a few days."

Ellis just smiled.

After Candice arrived in Solaris, she went straight to Darius, who, with ruthless tactics, almost had control over the entire Quimby Group.

"Not bad. It’s even better than I expected," Darius praised as he flipped through the reports. "It looks like you deserve a reward."

Candice asked, "What reward?"

"You'll find out later," Darius said cryptically, handing her an invitation. "It’s a Christmas Eve party. Make sure to attend."

Candice stayed in Solaris for two days, with Darius not reaching out. She decided to take a stroll outside.

With Christmas approaching, the streets were festive. She casually took a picture of a Christmas tree and shared it on her WhatsApp story. She garnered many likes, including one from the mysterious ‘1’.

Candice didn't pay much attention, but soon a message popped up on WhatsApp.

1: ‘Are you in Solaris?’

Candice frowned slightly, realizing the person might be someone introduced by a rich lady in South City. Despite never having a conversation, the person started with this sentence, which was quite impolite. Candice chose not to respond.

On Christmas Eve, Darius suggested sending someone to pick her up, but Candice declined. Two days ago, she had discussed this with Yana, who mentioned that her ex-classmate was also attending the party, and she suggested they go together.

Candice agreed, as she felt more comfortable going with Yana’s friend than with Darius. She expected the friend to be a girl, but to her surprise, it was a well-groomed young man who was handsome, refined, and elegant.

Candice felt a bit awkward, but since he was already there, she couldn't refuse and reluctantly got into the car.

As they arrived at their destination, rain started falling. Donning a long dress, Candice found it challenging to get out of the car, but the thoughtful man got out, opened an umbrella, and held the car door for her. Politely and gallantly, he extended his hand, saying, "Come down; I'll hold the umbrella to keep you dry."

Candice's outfit indeed posed some inconvenience. She thanked him softly and, holding his hand, stepped out of the car before slowly moving forward.

Behind them, a black Lincoln happened to be approaching.