Chapter 23: Why Do Your Faces Look the Same?

The air in the living room instantly turned heavy with tension. Neither Julian nor Sylvia dared make a sound.

Celia stepped in front of Nathaniel and asked calmly, "Sir, what do you need?"

Nathaniel's tone was ice-cold. "Cover up the scar on your face. I want to see if you really look the same as Sylvia."

"...Sir, I…"

"If you won't do it, then I will."

Nathaniel grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer. With a firm hand, he brushed aside her hair and gently covered the scar on her right cheek—revealing the rest of her face in full.

What emerged was a cold and delicate beauty, nearly porcelain in perfection.

Exactly like Sylvia.

Nathaniel stared at her refined features and those clear, limpid eyes. This wasn't just a resemblance—it was her. The same face that had nestled into his chest, sleeping softly beside him for the past two nights.

His eyes darkened, like ink spilling into water, the calm surface hiding dangerous depths.

"Why does your face look exactly like Sylvia's?"

Sylvia immediately jumped in. "She had cosmetic surgery to copy my face, but it failed and left that ugly scar!"

Nathaniel's gaze didn't leave Celia. "Is that true?"

Celia nodded reluctantly. "Yes."

His eyes narrowed. "Then tell me—have you lied about anything else? Like… hiding that scar to pretend to be Sylvia?"

Her breath caught.

He was suspicious.

Celia tried to stay calm. No one knows the scar is fake, she reminded herself. No one except Julian.

"How could I fake something like that, sir?" she said gently. "Even if I caked on foundation, someone who shares a bed with me would still notice. That kind of detail can't be hidden."

Nathaniel's lips pressed into a line.

He remembered it clearly. The girl in his arms had no makeup on. Her face had been clean and flawless—no sign of a scar, not even under close contact.

…Had he been overthinking it?

"You'd better not be lying," he warned quietly. "Or you'll regret it."

With that, he turned and left. His oppressive presence vanished with him, and everyone in the room seemed to exhale all at once.

That was close. He nearly found out.

Julian stepped toward Celia with a grin. "Clown Girl, why are you working as my uncle's maid? Tell you what—whatever he's paying you, I'll double it. Come work for me instead. As my… personal maid."

The way he said "personal maid" was loaded with innuendo.

Sylvia rolled her eyes. "Mr. Fu, are you seriously interested in her? She's basically a knock-off version of me."

Julian's face turned mock-serious. "You know, you keep calling yourself my aunt, but honestly? I'm starting to think you're the fake. I really don't get why my uncle married you."

"…"

Sylvia bit the inside of her cheek in frustration. When had Celia managed to charm even the infamous playboy of the Fu family?

Nathaniel liked her. Now his nephew was also clearly drawn to her. Why? What made Celia so irresistible?

Julian winked at Celia. "What do you say, Harley Quinn? Come with me. I've got more money than I know what to do with."

"Julian." A cold, displeased voice echoed from the stairs. Nathaniel had returned.

"Uncle? I thought you left."

"Come to the office today. I want to see how your management and finance studies are progressing."

Julian immediately groaned, "Come on, Uncle…"

"If you don't, I'll call your father and have all your credit cards canceled."

Julian froze. "…You wouldn't."

Nathaniel's expression didn't change.

Julian gave in with a pout. "Fine, fine! I'll go to the company with you. Happy now?"

He gave Celia one last look over his shoulder. "Later, Joker Girl. I'll come find you again when I escape his evil clutches."

The two men finally left.

Celia exhaled quietly, her shoulders relaxing.

Ding. Her phone buzzed with a new message.

It was from an unknown number.

Break up with my nephew. Immediately.