"I''m sure." Lauren nodded firmly.


    In an unusual departure from his usualposure, Cyrus fixated on the portrait, his usually steady


    demeanor giving way to a tense stillness, his eyes tinged with red.


    Concerned, Lauren approached him, noting the uncharacteristic reaction. "Cyrus, are you alright?"


    Cyrus responded hoarsely, "I''m sorry. I need to go to the restroom. Where is it?"


    Jasper raised his hand, indicating the direction. Cyrus immediately left with purposeful strides.


    "Lyse, do you recognize him?" Jasper hugged Alyssa by the waist and asked with anxious urgency.


    Alyssa took a deep breath, striving to quell her tumultuous emotions. "He bears a striking resemnce


    to myte brother, Damien, who perished in a ne crash."


    Jasper and Lauren widened their eyes in disbelief.


    Damien''s untimely demise had left an enduring wound in the Taylor family''s collective heart. Tears


    welled in Alyssa''s eyes as she reflected on the painful memory.


    "Our family refrained from discussing Damien ever since his passing, especially in the presence of


    Mandy and Cyrus. Not out of forgetfulness, but because his memory was too painful to confront."


    Alyssa closed her eyes, inundated by memories. The ache of loss resurfaced, threatening to


    overwhelm her. "I can still vividly recall the day of Damien''s passing. d in his pilot uniform and a


    piece of luggage in hand, he stood in the sunlit courtyard, waving goodbye with such vitality.


    "We never imagined it would be our final farewell.


    Têxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    A fleeting goodbye transformed into an eternal parting.


    Jasper''s grip on Alyssa tightened, a heavy sadness settling upon him like an oppressive weight,


    suffocating in its intensity.


    He wanted to offer sce, yet any words seemed feeble in the shadow of such profound loss.


    Lauren''s sudden realization jolted her, her gaze following Cyrus'' departure with concern etched on her


    features.


    "The person in the portrait doesn''t only look like Damien; he is the spitting image of him!"


    Alyssa''s trembling fingertips tightened around the paper. "But the authorities confirmed there were no


    survivors from Damien''s flight. It''s inconceivable..."


    "This is unbelievable."


    Jasper gently caressed Alyssa''s shoulder. His voice was slightly hoarse as he said, "Even if you didn''t


    see his body, the chances of surviving such a ne crash are nearly zero.


    "Plus, if Damien miraculously survived the crash, why didn''t he reach out to the family?"


    "Could it just be a coincidence?"


    As Cyrus returned, his attempt to conceal his emotions faltered, his reddened eyes betraying his inner


    turmoil. "Could this person be Damien''s double? How else could they resemble each other so


    strikingly?"


    "It''s a possibility," Jasper murmured.


    "After the ne crash, Winston and Mandy never lost hope. They tirelessly searched for Damien,


    leveraging every connection they had.


    "Mandy''s refusal to ept his loss, fueled by the absence of definitive proof, kept her clinging to the


    belief that her son might still be out there.


    "Damien''s supposed death anniversary was never recognized by her; instead, she celebrated his


    birthdays, holding onto the hope that he''d return from what seemed like an extended journey."


    Alyssa felt a sharp pang in her chest. "I can''t fathom how Mandy would react if she encountered this


    person. She''d be driven to find him, even if just to catch a glimpse."


    Cyrus studied the man''s face intently. "He bears resemnce to Damien, yet his eyesck Damien''s


    warmth. Damien''s gaze was like a tranquil waterfall, but this man''s eyes seemed devoid of emotion,


    like a cold de."


    A heavy silence descended, thick with unspoken thoughts.


    Jasper''s jaw tightened as a realization dawned on him.


    "Speak your mind, Jasper. It''s alright," Alyssa urged, sensing his turmoil.


    "Lyse, remember the woman who looked exactly like you? The one that Jameson kept by his side."


    "You mean Amber? I remember."


    "Jameson used her to deceive me, making me believe she was you. It was a trap."


    Jasper''s expression darkened with doubt. "This man''s resemnce to Damien seems too convenient.


    It''s intertwined with Landon and Lauren''s situation. Could Jameson have a hand in Preston and Zoe''s


    affairs?"