Don’t talk superficial nonsense now. Our Phoebe’s a regr girl. That circus animal rampage was


    because some cruel trainer was mistreating them. What’s that got to do with our Phoebe?”


    “What scares me is that Phoebe was talking to that ck bear!”


    In my memory, Dad seemed to be in so much pain and fear. As if I were some sort of


    monster.


    I’dpletely forgotten these memories, but only the good ones remained.


    “Edward… do we really need to send our daughter to a mental institution?”


    “If we don’t do it now,ter on… it might lead to something much worse, What if she ends up killing


    someone…”


    “Stop it, just stop!”


    “Andst month, when your bestie brought Dexter over, just because weplimented Dexter a bit


    and mentioned the childhood betrothal, she let Howler scare the daylights out of him. Dexter is just an


    eight–year–old kid, for heaven’s sake. He was so scared he ran a high fever for days, and now he’s


    developed a phobia of dogs!”


    In that dimly lit room, the sound of my parents‘ quarreling voices grew clearer in my memory as I stood


    outside the door, watching their silhouettes.


    Indeed, I was sent to a mental institution.


    I must have been only five years old.


    Back then, I hadn’t yet met Colin…


    In my memory, my parents said I set Howler on Dexter out of jealousy over this betrothal thing. Was


    that really why he’s been afraid of dogs since he was little? All because of me?


    “Foebe!”


    “Foebe, are you okay?”


    The sound of sirens, Robin’s panicked voice.


    “Phoebe!” Ste’s crying.


    I slumped to the ground, and as my consciousness returned, my white dress was covered in blood.


    Colyy dying on the ground, arge, yellow–brown wolfhound, so much like the Howler in


    05291


    my memory. My Howler was a handsome, ck brown wolfhound as majest


    Goly. My voice trembled, and I ran over, crying, to embrace the big wolfhound. Dit d please don’t die.


    We need to get it to the hospital.” Robin grabbed the wolfhound from my arms, using his shirt to


    staunch the bleeding.


    The paramedics rushed over to check on me, fearing I’d been stabbed. But to the nurse’s surprise, I


    was unharmed.


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    “She’s not injured.”


    Only then did Robin realize, looking at the dying assant on the ground, some had fled, others were


    wailing in pain.


    “I’ve killed a man…” I was shaking all over, looking at the fallen assant before me.


    “It was self–defense. They were after your life,” Ste sobbed, holding me tight.


    But I had no recollection of how I managed it.


    “Colin…” I snapped back to reality, tugging anxiously at Robin’s arm. “Colin fell off the cliff; how is he…


    is he okay?”


    Robin looked down, shaking his head. “The good news is Colin wasn’t found in the car. The bad news


    is… Colin’s fate is unknown; the search and rescue team is still looking


    down the mountain.”


    I stepped back, deted.


    “Madam…” Eric rushed back, frantic, surveying the chaos, clutching his hands tightly. “ver thought


    they’d find us here.”


    This ce was supposed to be safe. It was the ident with Colin that Eric threw everything into


    disarray. I didn’t me him.


    “Brendan… he’s gone,” Eric said, looking down.


    It was as if I already knew. Henry had been ruthless, taking out Caleb and Brendan, and now he was


    after me and the child in my womb. He was poised to inherit everything from the Langley family.


    “Find Colin…” I insisted, needing to see him alive or find closure.


    “Madam… do you not remember what you did after the ident?” Eric‘ ventured cautiously.


    I looked at Eric, bewildered and confused.