"Great question," I admitted, feeling a bit cornered. "I've been dying to hear some truth from him."

Even though I was convinced he was Ernest, and knew deep down he was, there was still a missing piece - his own admission.

Phipps looked straight at me, our gazes locking, before he replied to Allen, "I am only myself. Mr. Clark must have checked my identity thoroughly, right?" Allen chuckled lightly, "Well, good luck to you."

With those words, he hung up, leaving Phipps to finish off his meal, a feat he managed while juggling the call. My own breakfast lay mostly untouched.

"Why aren't you eating? It'll get cold," he said, as if the phone call hadn't phased him one bit.

"Allen was warning you, letting you know you're in danger," I said, my voice tight with worry.

Phipps, unflustered, wiped his mouth with a napkin, "I know."

"Aren't you scared?" I was definitely feeling the nerves.

"What changes if I am?" His calm was unsettling, not what you'd expect from a regular guy, let alone a male model. I took a deep breath, decision made. I was going to protect him. No one was going to hurt him on my watch.

"Phipps," I started, revisiting Allen's earlier question, "are you really Ernest?"

He paused mid-fold with the napkin, locking eyes with me. "What do you think?"

He dodged the question again. I forced a smile. "You are."

Phipps just smiled, continuing his folding.

I studied him intently. "But I still have questions."

"Like?" He seemed more interested in the napkin than my query.

"Well, aside from your face, a lot has changed about you," I observed him

playing with the napkin. V

mole that used to be the

neck?"

"Is the mole all?" He dodged again, asking another question.

I remained patient. "Your skin's improved too, gotten lighter."

He raised his eyes to mine, "Oh, you didn't like how it was before?"

"No, it's not that. I loved Ernest for who he was, every part of him," le said with a hint of irony. "But now, aside from your face, there's a lot that doesn't match up. Like your voice..." en Narugi

I shook my head, lightly mocking, "It's too delicate, not pleasant. I don't like it."

He didn't react to my critique but continued playing with the napkin, which had somehow transformed into a small white rabbit!

He placed the folded rabbit on his palm, presenting it to me. "For you, do you like it?"

The transformation from a napkin to a rabbit was impressive. "Is this something you used to make for Susie often?"

He didn't bite, so I jingled the bell

bracelet he gave me, "Ernest gave this

to me. I adore it. On countless nights missing him, I'd ring this bell."

Phipps looked at it, "It's pretty."

"So, can you give me an answer?" I was tempted to punish him for deceiving me, to pretend I didn't know he was Ernest.

But the thought of him in danger scared me, made me unwilling to waste any more of our time together.

He reached out, confusing me until he grabbed my left hand, his fingers brushing over the rings I wore. "Wearing two rings, isn't that a bit much?" His words sent my heart racing.

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