The air fell quiet for a moment.


    I sat on the couch, my fingers tensed up. “What?”


    I thought I heard it wrong.


    Or, could it be possible that my memory was wrong?


    I recalled that I was in 12th grade that year. I was exhausted after all my studies, so I fell


    asleep as soon as I got into the car.


    In my memory, Dad drove for a long way. I couldn’t remember where we were headed, but I


    remembered lying on Mom’sp, sleeping soundly.


    “Turn down the music. Stephie’s sleeping.” I vaguely heard Mom softly scolding Dad.


    “Andy asked me to meet at the Hymn Bridge. Let’s head over there.”


    I couldn’t quite recall Dad’s exact words, but I remembered feeling excited to meet


    someone.


    “Isn’t that Andy’s car?” Mom asked.


    “The orphanage has fostered two geniuses, and the superiors have high expectations for them. This


    is a good opportunity to promote our cause and inspire more people to join the public welfare


    movement. We have to raise awareness about orphaned and neglected.


    children…


    Bang!


    The moment Dad stopped the car, a loud bang echoed, and a powerful impact nearly


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    threw me out of the car.


    “Stephie…”


    My final memory froze as Mom held me tightly, sheltering me in her arms.


    Her blood mingled with mine.


    “Stephie…”


    “Stay alive…”


    “Stephie… Stephie!”


    But I couldn’t recall anything beyond the crash. I was stunned the moment it happened.


    I couldn’t tell when it urred, or how much time passed. It just felt as though time had


    frozen.


    All I remembered was that when I regained consciousness, Michael was there beside me and was


    repeatedly calling my name.


    I also vaguely remembered a figure rushing into the mes, risking his life to get Mom


    and Dad out of the car…


    And then, the figure gradually merged with Michael’s.


    Could it be that my memory was distorted?


    Aunty Lois continued, “It was the day of the award ceremony and the children’s graduation


    ceremony at Double Stars Welfare Home. Stephie’s parents and I had agreed to meet there. Then,


    when I saw the car ident on the bridge, I realized that Stephie’s parents and Andy Lincoln were


    involved in it.


    “It was a terrible ident. The Carlsons and the Lincolns were caught between a dump truck that


    was traveling in the wrong direction and an overloaded semi–truck. The Lincolns were instantly


    killed.”


    Aunty Lois sobbed and continued her story.


    “ording to witnesses, a teenage boy had bravely rushed into the mes to save Stephie. But


    when Stephie woke up, she couldn’t recall who had saved her, so she


    assumed it was Mike.


    “But before I could tell Stephie the truth, Mike had already taken the credit… I was surprised, but I


    didn’t want to meddle, so I


    I never imagined that it would bring harm to Stephie!”


    I sat on the couch, bewildered.


    I stiffly stared at Aunty Lois, feeling as if my head were about to explode.


    Apparently, your own memory could deceive you, especially in times of immense trauma


    and shock.


    The brain would fabricate false memories of the moments preceding unconsciousness.


    I always thought that Michael was the one who saved me, and I’d never once doubted it.


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    And whenever I asked Michael about it, he would quietly concede too.


    “Michael’s father and I were on bad terms, so Mike never received the love he deserved from a


    young age. He knows how to possess, but not to love.”


    Aunty Lois wiped her tears before continuing, “I was close friends with Stephie’s mom, so we


    arranged Mike and Stephie’s marriage carly on. We hoped to be inws someday.


    “Mike was a rebellious kid with opinions of his own. And if he didn’t like Stephie, he would never


    ept the arrangement. Yet, he’d quietly epted it. So, I knew Mike liked Stephie. He really did!


    Though he never admitted it.”