?


    Once N finished treating her wound at the hospital, she checked her phone and found several messages from Ruby.


    Ruby: [N, what''s going on between you and Mr. Sumber? Did you know each other before?]


    Ruby: [After you left with Mr. Sumner, everyone started gossiping about your rtionship. You''re not actually getting together with him, right?] Ruby: [By the way, when Mr. Sumner saw your bleeding hand in theb, his face darkened. It''s obvious he really cares about you!]


    Ruby: [Ahhh! What exactly is your rtionship?]


    N frowned as she read the messages.


    Typing with one hand was difficult, so she responded with a voice message instead: "I do know him, but we''re just friends. Besides, I have a boyfriend


    She didn''t feel the need to mention to Ruby that Damon was Mason''s biological father. It wasn''t something she wanted widely known. After ying the voice message, Ruby quickly followed up, asking if it was Oliver.


    N confirmed. After responding to Ruby, she hesitated briefly before sending another voice message: Could you please exin to everyone that we After sending the message, N put her phone back in her bag and looked up, meeting Damon''s conflicted gaze.


    "Is it really so bad to be associated with me?" he asked.


    Caught off guard, N blinked before replying calmly, "Mr. Sumner, it''s best for both of us to


    clear things up. I don''t want any unnecessary misunderstandings, especially ones that could upset Oliver."


    Damon''s hands, hanging at his sides, slowly clenched into fists. Finally, he couldn''t hold back. "If I wanted to pursue you, would you give me a chance


    Seeing the seriousness in his eyes brought back that strange feeling N had experienced before. The Damon who had lost his memory would never have asked her such a question. Moreover, his gaze was just like it had been five years ago.


    "You''ve regained your memory, haven''t you?" she asked.


    Damon''s eyes widened slightly, but before he could respond, N continued/ "You don''t need to deny it. Ever since you rolled down the hill to save me Silence settled between them, broken only by the sound of their breathing.


    After a long pause, Damon smiled bitterly. "You caught me. I thought I was hiding it well."


    "If you hadn''t asked me that question today, I might not have figured it out so soon," N replied.


    1/2


    Damon looked down. "I''ll drive you home."


    "No need. I''ll take a taxi. Now that you''ve regained your memory, let''s keep our distance. I don''t want Oliver to misunderstand," N said, turning to leave.


    Just a few steps away, Damon grabbed her wrist. "Do you really... love Oliver?"


    N pulled her wrist free and met his gaze coldly. "That doesn''t concern you. Whatever happens between Oliver and me, there''s no future for us.'' Without waiting for his response, she walked away quickly.


    It wasn''t until she got into the taxi that her heart began to slow. She hadn''t expected that Damon had


    truly regained his memory. Regardless, there was no future for them now. 1


    Back at theb...


    Leon had returned, his demeanor much calmer.


    When he saw N, guilt shed across his face. He approached her hesitantly, like a child who had done something wrong, and lowered his head to a