The Top Singer Begs Her Back

Emily refused her husband Hod's demand to impersonate Julian and was stabbed to death by him. After being reborn to a point before her murder, she stopped trying to dissuade him in vain; instead, she had Hod sign a modification contract and an informed consent form, thereby securing evidence. After the procedure, Hod ignored warnings and injected himself with the serum again; sporting Julian's face, he was welcomed into Charlotte's wealthy family and prepared for a nationally televised wedding at the White House. Emily knew that in three days, the drug would cause his body to revert to its original state. On the wedding day, she appeared with their wedding photos. While denying his wife, Hod watched helplessly as his ring snapped and his body swelled; he even went so far as to slice off his toes to cram his enlarged feet into his shoes. Although the lie held for the moment, his body continued to spiral out of control, forcing the wedding to be halted; he ultimately fled to a restroom, where he reverted to his original face and physique. Even after fleeing, Hod and his parents refused to give up; they held the real Julian captive to extort Emily for her research funds and used her mother's ashes to coerce her into handing over the new drug. Emily secured the hostage and preserved evidence—such as recordings and transfer records—while simultaneously reporting the situation to the FBI. Hod once again ignored warnings and injected himself; after briefly regaining a handsome appearance, his body began to rot and fester. Using the lure that "only a blood transfusion could maintain that face," Emily tricked Hod into taking her to the real Julian, allowing her to send a photo and location data to summon help. When the two identical faces stood before Charlotte, a cheap, old sailboat badge and a memory known only to a true lover finally exposed the ruse. In a desperate gamble, Hod injected a triple dose, suffering immediate heart failure and capture. His crimes—kidnapping, impersonation, and torture—were fully exposed, and Charlotte also faced legal consequences for the harm she had inflicted. In the end, Hode was sentenced to life imprisonment; Emily recovered the R&D funds, received approval to launch clinical trials, and drove away alone. Meanwhile, in his prison cell, Hode completely broke down as he stared at his ruined reflection in the mirror.