Chapter 3

The team-building event was lively and bustling. The android stayed close behind me every step of the way.

When I lifted a hand to brush my hair back, he immediately handed me a hair tie. The moment I finished taking a sip of water, he was ready to take the paper cup from my hand.

Our coworkers laughed at the sight. They said he always seemed so cold at work, but he was unbelievably attentive to his wife.

I merely forced a smile and said nothing.

Everything he did had been programmed in advance. The performance was even more convincing than that of a real loving husband.

Shortly after that, Ophelia entered arm in arm with Cody.

Standing together, they looked like the perfect couple. They drew everyone's attention.

Someone said jokingly, "Professor Hill dotes on his wife so much that he even built another version of himself to keep her best friend company. Naomi is one lucky woman."

Another coworker studied the two identical-looking men for a long moment before rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Honestly speaking, doesn't the one with Ophelia seem more like the real Professor Hill than the one with Naomi?"

Right after he said that, Cody's fists clenched almost imperceptibly.

Ophelia quickly laughed it off. "Not at all. Mine's just an android following its programming."

Leaning against the table, I watched the scene unfold and found it utterly absurd.

Noticing my expression, Ophelia nudged my arm. "What's wrong? You've seemed distracted all day."

I glanced at her casually.

"Come to think of it, we never asked how you felt before using Cody's appearance for the android. Does that bug you?

"If it makes you uncomfortable, we could always change his face later."

The smile on her face instantly disappeared. A flicker of panic flashed across her eyes.

Looking at her expression, I almost wanted to laugh. I then said calmly, "Forget it. I was just kidding. It'd be too much trouble anyway."

Only then did she let out a sigh of relief. She chuckled awkwardly before making an excuse about getting some desserts and quickly walking away.

I remained where I was. It felt like an icy breeze had blown straight through my chest.

We had been friends for so many years. If she had simply told me honestly that she liked Cody and wanted to be with him, I would have let him go no matter how much it hurt.

But she hadn't.

Instead, she and Cody carefully orchestrated an elaborate scheme to keep me in the dark and make a fool of me for most of my life.

As everyone began forming teams for the games, I quietly slipped out of the ballroom and knocked on the director's office door.

The director looked surprised to see me.

Without wasting time, I spoke directly. "I'd like to apply to join the Time Machine Project."

He paused before frowning. "But Cody and Ophelia have already been appointed to lead that project. You–"

"Cody secretly diverted institute research resources to build androids. He also used an android to deceive his own family by fabricating a false identity."

I cut him off calmly as I placed a USB drive on his desk.

"Everything is on this drive. Someone like him isn't qualified to lead the institute's most important project."

The director's expression changed instantly. It almost seemed like the USB drive in his hand had gotten heavier.

When I left the office, music had already begun playing in the ballroom.

At the center of the dance floor, Cody had one arm around Ophelia's waist while he whispered something into her ear that made her laugh non-stop.

The moment Ophelia saw me, she hurried over and grabbed my hand. "Naomi, come dance with us! My android dances perfectly!"

I stood where I was. While staring at Cody in the middle of the dance floor, I became momentarily lost in thought.

I was just about to decline when the ground suddenly began to shake violently. The chandelier overhead swung wildly.

At that instant, the collapsing building from our 50th wedding anniversary in my previous life overlapped with the scene before my eyes. Recalling how I had died with my eyes still open, I froze. My fingertips felt ice-cold. I couldn't even move my feet.

Then came a deafening crash. A massive pillar was falling directly toward Ophelia and me.

I watched wide-eyed as the two identical men moved at the exact same moment.

Cody's face turned pale as he threw himself at Ophelia and shielded her in his arms.

The android, who was supposed to protect me, didn't even hesitate before running toward the exact same person.

The two identical men both ran toward the same woman.

Neither of them spared me a glance.

The pillar crashed down, and agonizing pain engulfed my entire body. Everything went black in the next second. I passed out.