Emerging from a five-year stint behind bars, Anthony chose to pay respects at the grave of his deceased girlfriend, Sophia. As he bent closer to the headstone, his face drained of color at the sight before him…

«‘That can’t be right. I saw the headstone with her name. It’s right there.’ He pointed to where he had just been.

The old man shook his head. «‘Let me check.’ He rummaged through a thick notebook of records, yellowed by time. A few minutes passed, but the man finally confirmed.

«‘There’s no Sophia Clarke in this cemetery. Never was.’ The statement hit Anthony like a blow. He tried to argue, describing the headstone he had just visited, but the caretaker remained firm.

Anthony felt desperation tighten his chest. If Sophia wasn’t buried there, then where was she, and more importantly, why would someone have placed a false headstone? He returned to the room, now seized by an urgency that made his thoughts race disorderly. Questions began to form.

Who could have done this? Why? But an idea crept into his mind, both frightening and filled with hope. What if Sophia was alive? The thought seemed absurd, but not as much as the feeling that his entire life over the past five years had been a big lie. As he walked out of the cemetery, Anthony clenched his fists, as if trying to contain the whirlwind of emotions threatening to explode.

He knew he wouldn’t find peace in that place. On the contrary, that visit had reopened a wound that had never fully healed. Something was wrong, terribly wrong, and he needed to find out what it was.

Determination began to take shape in his chest. If there was a hidden truth, he would find it, no matter the cost. After a sleepless night, Anthony couldn’t shake the doubts that were consuming him.

The idea that Sophia might be alive tormented him, wavering between hope and fear. The next morning, he made a decision. If there was someone who could help him unravel that mystery, it was George, his best childhood friend, and now a police officer in the city.

Despite the time and distance that had separated them, Anthony knew he could count on him. He walked through the bustling streets of the city, the contrast between the outside world and the chaos of his thoughts creating a sense of unreality. When he finally arrived at the police station, he hesitated for a moment in front of the glass doors.

It wasn’t easy to turn to that place where he had been treated as a criminal so many years ago. He took a deep breath and entered. George was at his desk, his uniform impeccable, and his attention focused on a computer.

When he looked up and saw Anthony, his expression was one of surprise, followed by a hint of apprehension. He stood up, adjusting his belt. Anthony, he said walking over to him.

I didn’t expect to see you so soon. How are you? Anthony replied with a tired half-smile. I’ve been better.

I need your help, George. Something very strange is happening. George gestured for him to sit in a chair next to his desk.

What happened? Anthony quickly explained his visit to the cemetery, describing Sophia’s headstone and the absence of records of her burial. He watched George’s expression shift from curiosity to concern. Are you sure about this? George asked, leaning forward.

Absolutely. I need to know what really happened, George. Something is wrong.

None of this makes sense. George remained silent for a moment, assessing the situation. It was evident that he was hesitant to get involved.

The last thing he needed was to get tangled in something that could jeopardize his career, especially involving an influential figure like Robert Clark. But the determination in Anthony’s eyes moved him. All right, Anthony.

I’ll help you. But this needs to be done carefully. We’re dealing with powerful people, and I can’t take risks without concrete evidence.

They began by analyzing the accident records using George’s access to the police database. The initial information seemed ordinary. The report mentioned the death of Sophia Clark, a victim of a car accident.

However, when George cross-referenced the data with other files, discrepancies emerged. The death certificate, which should have had details about Sophia, contained generic and even confusing information. More shocking was that the woman who had died in the accident was identified in a secondary report as someone completely different.

This doesn’t make sense, George said, frowning as he reviewed the documents. Here it says the victim was Mary, a woman with a completely different age and background than Sophia. But the death certificate was issued in her name.

It’s as if they deliberately swapped identities. Anthony felt his blood run cold. George’s words seemed to confirm his suspicions…