Beyond His Reach

An Old Acquaintance

My mentor personally saw me off at the airport. Before leaving, I snapped my SIM card in half.

The only people who had my new number were my mentor and my superior. I deleted all my old emails.

Now, under a new identity, I boarded a flight overseas to begin a new life.

In the tenth year, I successfully intercepted intelligence from hostile forces and ruined their plan, though I was injured in the process.

Because of my special status, I did not dare return home. So I remained abroad.

On the day my surgery ended, I ran into an old acquaintance in the hospital.

She froze when she saw me. "Vanessa? Is that you?"

I had not expected her to recognize me after ten years apart. But I did not admit it.

"You've got the wrong person. Sorry."

As we brushed past, she grabbed my arm. "You don't have to deny it. Edward has been looking for you all these years. I've seen your photos countless times, so how could I be mistaken?"

I met her gaze and smiled calmly. "I know that seeing a familiar face in a foreign country can feel comforting. However, I'm really not the person you're talking about. Why don't you take a closer look?"

I showed no fear and let her study me.

She chuckled and examined me again. Soon, a flicker of doubt crossed her face. "Sorry, you really do look alike. But there's something different."

I nodded and walked away.

As I turned the corner, I took a photo of her and sent it off.

I wasn't here alone.

Anyone who had crossed paths with me before had to be investigated if they appeared again. Back then, when I caught Edward cheating, he had thrown her out. Perhaps that was when she remembered me.

Hearing Edward's name again stirred a faint ripple in my heart, but I quickly suppressed it.

The operation had been ongoing for ten years and was nearing its end. Any variable could cause it to fail.

I couldn't afford to be careless.

Before the mission began, I had already made slight alterations to my face, and my voice had been modified as well. It would have been strange if she could still recognize me with certainty.

Back at my place, I received a report saying that the woman had only come to visit a patient. A friend of hers was hospitalized, and there was nothing suspicious about her.

Seeing this, I let out a breath of relief.

It was better that way. Otherwise, I would have handled it myself.

When it came to national interests, nothing and no one came above that.

After surgery, I rested in bed for a week. No one disturbed me, and it turned out to be the most relaxing week I'd had in ten years.

In truth, the hardest part wasn't longing but endless loneliness. However, I had grown used to it.

Thinking about it now, it's not so bad. Being alone wasn't as unbearable as it seemed.

A week later, I was discharged and returned home to recover. My partner insisted on moving in with me, since we were posing as a married couple.

The entire neighborhood was secure.

"Once this is over, arrangements will be made for you to return home. Don't worry. The framework is already in place. They won't suspect anything."

I thought for a moment before saying, "Don't underestimate them. They're not fools."

Everything proceeded as usual.

Just as we were preparing to withdraw, new neighbors moved in across the street. I didn't have time to avoid them and ran straight into him.

Beside him was that woman.

The moment she saw me, her face lit up with a smile.

"Edward, see? I told you they look alike! Anyone who didn't know would think they were twins!"

In that instant, I clenched my fists and regretted that I let her off back then.

Edward stood there in a casual suit, looking at me with a complicated expression. Then he strode toward me.

My heart pounded violently.

The next second, I was pulled into a warm embrace.

"Darling, I'm back."