《Reborn In a Murderer’s Embrace》


 Chapter 1

    I was dead.


    I bit the dust the night he forced me to lure a killer all to protect his new me. After I kicked the bucket,


    they turned my body into an exhibit and stuck me in a ss disy case for eternity.


    But Dexter Fitzgerald just lost his marbles.


    Sea City, the Fitzgerald Mansion


    couldn¡¯t figure out why my spirit ended up back at this joint after I took a big sleep.


    ¡°Still no word from Phoebe? It¡¯s been days,¡± Dexter¡¯s mother Hailey muttered under her breath as she


    parked on the couch. ¡°That kid¡¯s always been a goody two shoes; she wouldn¡¯t just ghost my calls.


    What if something¡¯s happened to her?¡±


    I was the Fitzgerald family¡¯s adopted girl, shipped over to their pad when I was eighteen.


    My mom was Hailey¡¯s BFF. After my folks passed away in a car wreck, she scooped me up and


    brought me to the Fitzgeralds.


    ¡°Mom, just let it be. She¡¯s a big girl; what could possibly go wrong?¡± Dexter was getting antsy and


    ncing at the time. ¡°Today¡¯s Melody¡¯s birthday bash¨CI gotta jet.¡±


    Watching Dexter, I couldn¡¯t help but snicker at myself. Like he¡¯d give a damn if I was dead or alive.


    Back in the day, we were the childhood sweethearts everybody raved about. Me, always following him


    around; him, always holding my hand.


    ead


    He said he dug me, and then like aplete idiot, I fell head over heels for him for a whole decade.


    Turned out young love was paper thin. When Dexter met his true love, all the feelings we had went up


    in smoke in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°Dexter¡­ With that serial killer jazz going around targeting young, pretty girls, I¡¯ve got this twitch in my


    eye and my heart¡¯s racing non¨Cstop. Hit up Phoebe, tell her I miss her,¡± Hailey was. on edge and


    pleaded quietly.


    After my parents were six feet under, Hailey was the only one soothing and caring for me like a mother;


    she was treating me like her own flesh and blood.


    I wanted tofort her, to give her a hug, but I couldn¡¯t do squat now.


    Even worse¡­ I was the reason she was in knots.


    ¡°Hailey, I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± My voice choked up, arms outstretched, trying to embrace her, but I couldn¡¯t


    touch her no matter how hard I tried.


    ¡°She¡¯s just an ungrateful woman. She shouldn¡¯t have hung up on you even if she was mad at


    1. me. She¡¯s got a hard¨Con.¡± Dexter was loaded with disgust as he mentioned me.


    I remembered that year when Dexter got sideswiped by kidnappers. I yed the decoy like a


    madwoman, just praying he¡¯d make it out alive.


    I still heard him murmuring right before he passed out, ¡°Phoebe, I¡¯ll always be good to you¡­¡±


    Now that love¡¯s gone, I was just the ingrate he¡¯s griping about.


    ¡°Dexter, I¡¯m six feet under, and you¡¯re finally off the hook,¡± I stood in front of him, mocking myself.


    ¡°Turns out I¡¯ve always been nothing but an ungrateful woman to you.¡±


    Hailey said. ¡°Dexter, I know you don¡¯t wanna tie the knot with Phoebe, but you guys were set. from the


    start and childhood sweethearts with a solid foundation. You¡¯re already an item; if you don¡¯t marry her,


    how am I supposed to face her mom?¡±


    Dexter¡¯s face turned stormy, his voice icy. ¡°Cut the childhood sweethearts crap. Why I gottal marry her


    just because we grew up together? She¡¯s delusional by using a childhood promise as an excuse to


    throw herself at me, dignity be damned.¡±


    I was shaking with rage. I swung at him but hit nothing but air, ¡°Dexter, you bastard!¡±


    That night, it was him who went nuts andid hands on me in bed. And he also had the nerve to im I


    yed him.


    Dexter took off, and my spirit had no choice but to tag along to Melody Burton¡¯s birthday bash.


    As soon as we walked in, Dexter¡¯s buddies started calling Melody ¡®Mrs. Fitzgerald!¡±


    ¡°Happy birthday. Mrs. Fitzgerald! Dexter broke the bank to make your day special.¡±


    Dexter smiled fondly at Melody, presenting his gift amid cheers from the crowd.


    ¡°Dexter, any news from Phoebe?¡± Melody asked quietly as if something just crossed her mind.


    I snorted, ¡°ying the good guy, huh? Weren¡¯t you the one who did me in?¡±


    Dexter frowned, ¡°Don¡¯t kill the vibe by bringing her up.¡±


    Melody just smiled, ¡°She¡¯s still your sister, after all. Don¡¯t be like that.¡±


    ¡°Sister?¡± Dexter scoffed. ¡°She almost got you killed and you¡¯re still sticking up for her? You¡¯re


    too nice.¡±


    Melody hugged Dexter, getting all cutesy in his arms. ¡°I don¡¯t mind¡­¡± she muttered.


    Standing in front of Dexter, I desperately tried to exin. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it! ver hurt her, and it was her!


    She¡¯s the one who got me killed!¡± I eximed. ¡°Dexter! She¡¯s the one who killed me!¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    But Dexter couldn¡¯t hear a thing.


    I cried and shouted, exin myself like a madwoman. I suddenly felt drained after getting my throat dry


    by exining.


    But Dexter never trusted me.


    13:12


    People were gossiping about the killer.


    ¡°Did you guys hear? That serial killer¡¯s still on the loose. Cops found six bodies already, all beauties.


    ¡°Melody on the killer¡¯s radar a while back. Luckily you kept her safe, Dexter. Or it could¡¯ve been real


    bad.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe tried to bait that killer and couldn¡¯t even draw him out. Even a serial killer¡¯s got no interest in


    her.¡± Theyughed.


    ¡°Yeah, even the killer doesn¡¯t bat an eye. She¡¯s noparison to Melody.¡±


    Dexter felt a tightness in his chest. He somehow felt irked, ¡°Why bring that up?¡±


    He lit a cigarette and picked up the phone when it rang again, ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Is this Mr. Dexter Fitzgerald? We¡¯re from the Sea City Homicide Division. What¡¯s your rtionship with


    Phoebe Caldwell?¡±


    Dexter shot up, signaling everyone to zip it, ¡°Shut your traps!¡±


    He was jittery and his fingers slightly turned white, ¡°Phoebe is my sister.¡±


    I looked at Dexter and just burst outughing. I was still just his sister after my demise.


    ¡°She might be in trouble. We found her phone and some personal stuff at the crime scene. Come over


    and check this out.¡±

 Chapter 2

    I trailed behind Dexter as we entered the Homicide Division.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, just to confirm with you,¡± the cops took Dexter to identify some items found at the crime


    scene clothes, a cell phone, a bag ¨C all mine.


    Dexter looked pretty shaken up. It took him a hot minute to speak up. ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Mr. Fitzgerald, from our initial investigation, it¡¯s highly likely she¡¯s been offed. But we haven¡¯t


    found the body yet.¡±


    ¡°Forget it then, don¡¯t waste your manpower on her; she¡¯s not in trouble.¡± Dexter snorted with a sneer.


    ¡°She¡¯s just ditching her stuff on purpose to create suspense. She did these to make me feel guilty and


    back down.¡±


    Dexter didn¡¯t buy for a second that I was dead. In his eyes, I was just a viin who wouldn¡¯t stop at


    anything to get what I wanted, and he wished I was really six feet under.


    ¡°Are you sure about that, Mr. Fitzgerald?¡± The cop gave him a puzzled look.


    ¡°Positive.¡± Dexter nodded and looked dead serious, ¡°Sorry for the hassle, I¡¯ll sort it out. Give me three


    days and I¡¯ll find her.¡±


    There was a storm brewing in Dexter¡¯s eyes: He was clearly ticked off.


    I knew him too well; he was pissed that I¡¯d taken the drama too far this time. I suddenly felt like


    laughing, but theughter died right beside Dexter.


    I was dead, and he was stalling the police investigation.


    The same thing happened the day I was killed. I made myst call to him on the day I died, but he just


    snapped back after picking it up, ¡°Phoebe, will you ever give it a rest? Why don¡¯t you just drop dead?¡±


    I tossed my phone away in despair, got knocked out and taken away by the killer, then dead.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Ste, where¡¯s Phoebe? Tell her to stop hiding ande back.¡± Dexter called Ste with rage boiling


    as soon as he left the police station.


    Ste was my only friend, and I didn¡¯t even get a chance to say her goodbye.


    ¡°What the hell, Dexter? I should be asking you about Phoebe¡¯s whereabouts. What have you done with


    her?¡± Ste retorted.


    ¡°Tell her this is herst chance. She bettere home tomorrow, or I won¡¯t bother collecting. her


    remains even if she dies out there!¡± Dexter was frantic.


    I couldn¡¯t fathom what he was so worked up about; even his breathing was all heavy.


    I stood there numb with a mocking smile on my lips, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about collecting my body, because


    you won¡¯t be able to find it.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe¡¯s gone missing and I¡¯ve called the cops, you scumbag. If anything happens to her, I won¡¯t let


    you off the hook!¡± Ste screamed through tears on the phone.


    Dexter¡¯s heart clenched, hisugh dripping with sarcasm, ¡°Is this her new trick? Using this to force me


    into marrying her? Pathetic.¡±


    My vision blurred as I watched Dexter.


    That moment, I truly lost all hope.


    A week before my death, there was a heavy downpour, lightning shing, thunder crashing.


    Dexter pinned me down on the bed, his eyes cold and threatening. ¡°Phoebe, you keep throwing


    yourself at me just want me to touch you like this, right? Why are you acting like a bitch? Why are you


    so desperate for a man?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­we had an engagement and you¡¯re the one not honoring it, Dexter¡±


    He didn¡¯t give a damn about my exnations. He grabbed my chin and kissed my lips. His kiss was


    void of love and fraught with his cathartic desire, ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you wanted? Stop pretending.¡±


    ¡°Dexter, please, my stomach¡­ it hurts so much¡­¡± I cried and begged, but he wouldn¡¯t stop.


    He gripped my waist, thrusting hard and fierce like a madman.


    ¡°Phoebe, you pushed Melody down the stairs and nearly killed her. I haven¡¯t settled that score with you


    yet. I didn¡¯t throw you in jail and that was mercy enough. In that case, just stop with your tricks! You


    think that¡¯ll make me marry you? You¡¯d better get that idea out of your head!¡±


    By the end, I was voiceless and couldn¡¯t utter a word. It wasn¡¯t me. I didn¡¯t push her.


    Crimson blood flowed between my legs and my stomach was in excruciating pain. The pain was


    suffocating.


    ¡°Dexter¡­ it hurts. Please, take me to the hospital.¡± I begged.


    Something wasn¡¯t right. I could feel it.


    ¡°Bad luck.¡± Dexter tossed me aside with disgust, getting dressed to take me to the hospital.


    But just then, his phone rang. ¡°Dexter! Dexter! Save me! I think that psycho killer is after me, help me!¡±


    Dexter¡¯s face went pale. Panic¨Cstricken, he grabbed his clothes and dashed out. He was too worried


    about Melody so he didn¡¯t care if I lived or died.


    The pain made me fall off the bed and curl up, ¡°Help¡­ Dexter. Don¡¯t leave me¡­ please¡­¡±

 Chapter 3

    That day, I literally passed out from the pain.


    Six days before my death, it was already daylight when I jolted awake.-


    The sun was shining brightly after the rain. I struggled to get up from the ground and found the


    bloodstains between my legs dried up.


    ¡°Dexter, I¡¯m so freaked out. What do I do?¡± It was Melody¡¯s sobbing in the living room. She was


    shivering non¨Cstop, saying she was on the killer¡¯s radar. She was scared to die.


    ¡°Dexter, we checked the security footage and Melody¡¯s definitely been marked. Should we call the


    cops?¡± a voice came by.


    ¡°No¡­ Dexter, don¡¯t call the police. The killer is brutal and only targets young women. The cops have


    found six bodies already but haven¡¯t caught him. If we push him into a corner¡­¡± Melody shook her


    head in fear, refusing to call the police.


    ¡°Melody, don¡¯t be scared,¡± Dexter embraced her and soothed her softly. He knew how to act gentle; it¡¯s


    just that he¡¯s never spared me an ounce of it.


    I stood there, feeling awkward and stiff, caught between a rock and a hard ce.


    ¡°Melody, what were you wearing when you walked through re Alley yesterday?¡± Dexter¡¯s good


    buddy Chandler threw out a question.


    ¡°A red dress,¡± Melody replied, ncing at me. ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything, looked away, and my legs trembled as I walked towards the kitchen to get


    something to eat.


    ¡°Dexter, I have an idea to lure out that killer, and once we catch him, we can call the cops. This way, we


    can prevent any mistakes and keep Melody safe,¡± Chandler said, looking at Dexter.


    Dexter nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°Get a woman to wear Melody¡¯s dress and go to re Alley at midnight to draw the guy out. We¡¯ll have


    cameras all around and keep an eye out; nothing will go wrong.¡°, Chandler suggested, looking at


    Dexter.


    Dexter frowned, ¡°What kind of half¨Cbaked n is that? Are you sending your girlfriend?¡±


    Melody¡¯s gaze fell on me again, and she spoke softly. ¡°Phoebe, you look pale. Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Why do you care about her? She almost killed you and you¡¯re still worried about her?¡± Dexter hugged


    Melody tighter and looked a little annoyed.


    My hand, which was getting hot coffee, hung in the air. The pain in my chest spread throughout my


    body.


    ¡°Let her do it! She¡¯s perfect! She almost killed Melody; she owes Melody, so let her make.


    Chacher 3


    amends!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°Yeah! Send Phoebe. She and Melody look alike. Just send her!¡± his friends abetted.


    Panicking, I looked at Dexter and hoped to hear a refusal from him.


    He knew I was afraid of the dark: there was no way I could go to such a secluded ce in the middle of


    the night.


    Dexter paused for a moment, then looked at me with an icy gaze. After a long silence, he said, ¡°You


    owe Melody, and you need to pay it back.¡±


    His words felt like a blow that threw me into an abyss.


    My fingers went numb, and the mug full of hot coffee slipped from my grasp, spilling all over my hand.


    The scalding water burned, but I felt numb.


    For ten years, I tried to warm this man¡¯s heart, but failed.


    And Melody¡­ she got his affection effortlessly.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go.¡± I refused. I couldn¡¯t gamble with my life.


    ¡°Dexter, stop pressuring Phoebe¡­¡± Melody¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°Phoebe didn¡¯t mean to push me down


    the stairs.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t defend her!¡± Dexter suddenly burst out.


    Even Melody was startled.


    He stood up and stormed towards me.


    I shook my head in fear, ¡°I won¡¯t go, Dexter!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice!¡± Dexter was adamant.


    ¡°Our guys will watch over you; you won¡¯t die.¡± he said that as if to reassure me.


    I lowered my head, tears scalding my eyes.


    ¡°Once you¡¯ve repaid your debt to Melody. I¡¯ll consider it a fresh start for you and stop targeting you,¡± he


    said in a low voice like he was offering me a carrot.


    And stupidly. I believed it. ¡°Will you really¡­ ensure my safety?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Dexter snapped impatiently.


    ¡°I don¡¯t owe Melody anything, Dexter. If we catch the killer, can you promise me one thing?¡± I looked at


    him desperately. It wasn¡¯t about bargaining with him: I had something eded to tell


    him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck¡± he snapped, his face hardening.


    I looked down, silent. Living with the Fitzgerald family, I was always walking on eggshells. I loved him,


    but I also feared him.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go,¡± I agreed. ¡°Consider it repayment for when you saved me back then.¡±


    I entrusted my life to Dexter. Once this was over, I¡¯d offer to break off our engagement to give him his


    freedom. I¡¯d leave the country and never return to the Fitzgerald family.

 Chapter 4

    ¡°Phoebe, thanks a bunch. I didn¡¯t expect you to be such a gutsy girl.¡± Melody came over to schmooze


    with me. She was holding my hands with this fake concern, but her eyes were screaming threat.


    I shook off her clutches and, with my stomach growling, I bolted from the Fitzgeralds and went to a


    hospital. I should¡¯ve thrown in the towel right then and there.-


    In the hospital.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant for two months. Didn¡¯t you notice? Let¡¯s keep an eye on it for a while.¡±


    I sat there stunned. My whole body was shaking like a leaf as I stared at the test results.


    Pregnant.


    Of all the times to get knocked up, it had to be now.


    Dexter didn¡¯t love me, so he sure as hell wouldn¡¯t want the baby on board. Even with a baby on board,


    he wouldn¡¯t change his tune about me ¨C he¡¯d just think I was ying dirty to trap him into marriage.


    Five days before my death.


    I mustered every ounce of courage to tell Dexter about the baby thing. If he didn¡¯t want it, I¡¯d get


    it taken care of and then I¡¯d split for good. No more clingy ex¨Cgirlfriend drama.


    But when I called, it was like talking to a brick wall ¨C he wouldn¡¯t pick up.


    Thest call got answered, but it was Melody on the line, ¡°Phoebe, you looking for Dexter? He¡¯s beat


    and needs rest.¡±


    ¡°Why spill the beans to her? Just tell her to buzz off,¡± Dexter¡¯s voice buzzed through with Melody¡¯s


    giggles in the background. ¡°Dexter, cut it out. I¡¯m on my period and you¡¯re notying a finger on me


    today.¡±


    I sat there, phone in hand, numb and stiff as a board on the couch.


    That night, Dexter came back with Melody in tow.


    ¡°Why the hell did you bring her?¡± Dexter¡¯s mother Hailey frowned, clearly not thrilled.


    ¡°Mom, Melody and I are getting engaged. Just wanted to give you the heads up,¡± Dexter¡¯s voice was


    firm, leaving no room for argument.


    Hailey was gobsmacked. She instinctively nced my way. I felt tears welling up, but kept my lips


    sealed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t agree, you and Phoebe have a prior engagement¡­¡± Hailey tried to object.


    ¡°Melody¡¯s got a target on her back from some killer who goes after single, unmarried women. We¡¯re


    going public with our engagement.¡± Dexter dered.


    His favoritism for Melody was tant.


    I felt a storm brewing in my stomach, and with a sudden jolt, I dashed for the bathroom to hurl my guts


    out.


    What am I to him? I thought.


    I still remembered the car crash that killed my parents when I was eighteen. I was trapped in the


    twisted metal; the car was aze and was ready to blow any second.


    Dexter came running like a madman to save me. He was shattering the ss, shing through the


    seat belt that had me pinned and pulling me to safety even if his hands were smeared with


    blood.


    Then he went back, risking his life to save my parents.


    ¡°Dexter¡­ it¡¯s too dangerous¡­¡± My voice was weak. All I could do was watch from afar as he risked


    everything to save us.


    When my parents were finally free, the car exploded. The vast st and the mes shook me to the


    core.


    ¡°Phoebe, don¡¯t be afraid; you¡¯ll be okay, Phoebe¡­¡±


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    At the crash site, he kept calling my name. He told me to hang on, that help was on the way.


    Back then, I thought maybe he liked me too. The misconceptionsted for years.


    Even though my parents didn¡¯t make it, the image of Dexter desperate to save our lives was seared


    into my memory. He¡¯s a good guy, always had been. He just didn¡¯t love me.


    After hurling up everything I could, I copsed on the floor and the world went dark.


    He and Melody were getting married, and I was just a joke.


    ¡°Phoebe, stop ying dead!¡± The bathroom door flew open, and there was Dexter, looking down. at me


    with pure annoyance. ¡°You¡¯re heading to re Alley tomorrow night. We¡¯ve got everything set up, so


    cut the crap.¡±


    ¡°Dexter, aren¡¯t you scared I might die?¡± My voice was hoarse.


    ¡°Phoebe, you¡¯ve got nine lives so you are perfect for this. Go haunt that killer with the same tenacity


    you use to cling to me. Might even do the world a favor.¡±


    ¡°If I died, would you be sad?¡± my voice was still hoarse.


    Dexter frowned, ¡°You think you¡¯d actually go through with dying? Let¡¯s save that question for after


    you¡¯re gone.¡±

 Chapter 5

    Four days before my death.


    Wearing a red dress, I was shaking like a leaf in the alley.


    ¡°Act natural,¡± came Dexter¡¯s voice through the earpiece.


    I walked back and forth from one end of the alley to the other, but no shady characters in sight.


    ¡°Dexter, maybe the killer Isn¡¯t Into her, eh?¡±


    ¡°Ha¨Cha, even a murderer has standards.¡±


    Theughter of Dexter and his cronies echoed in my earpiece.


    Tears welled up in my eyes as I crouched on the ground. For a moment, I was dying for a good


    cry.


    That night, I didn¡¯t manage to balt the killer.


    They didn¡¯t let up on me, though.


    So three days before my death. I was back pacing re Alley at night. Still no sign of their target.


    Two days before it all went down, Melody caught up with me, ¡°Phoebe, my bad. I got it mixed up. It


    wasn¡¯t re Alley but Tangle Lane where the stalking happened. Dexter said to head there after work


    tonight. We¡¯ll set up an ambush, so just holler if you need us.¡±


    I fell for it and went to Tangle Lane after my shift.


    This time, someone was really on my tail.


    ¡°Hello? Anybody there¡­ I think someone¡¯s behind me.¡± I was freaking out, calling out over the


    earpiece. ¡°Is anyone¡­¡±


    All I got was their goofing around. Nobody was listening. Something felt off, so I kept dialing


    Dexter.


    When he finally picked up, he snapped at me. ¡°Phoebe, will you ever give it a rest? Why don¡¯t you just


    drop dead? Did you get Melody yesterday and tell her we¡¯re engaged to get her off your back? Let me


    tell you, if anything happens to her on her own, I¡¯ll make you pay with your life!¡±


    Frozen with fear, I stopped to exin.


    But then hands came out of nowhere, covering my mouth and nose.


    My phone slipped from my grasp. I struggled but it was all in vain. Then I quickly lost consciousness.


    The day of the incident.


    When I greggily came to, I found myself stashed in a big wooden crate, the kind for fragite china with


    slits that let me see outside.


    As I tried to get in. I saw a tall fours in a hoodie enter


    I saw his face. Pale skin, long and unkempt hair. Even with strands covering half of his face, the word


    ¡°stunning¡® crossed my mind.


    Not that ¡°stunning¡± is an appropriate word for a murderer,


    But he got a pair of cier blue eyes, With chiseled features and ghostly skin, he was obviously


    mixed¨Crace. And he reeked of death.


    Scared, I didn¡¯t dare make a sound.


    ncing around, he seemed to be searching for something. Then he picked up an ave from the corner


    and dragged it out.


    I covered my mouth in fear and cautiously climbed out of the crate, trying to escape.


    But I didn¡¯t get far before someone knocked me out from behind and hit me to the ground.


    Before passing out, I saw the axe he dragged out and his hands.


    ¡°You¡¯re the most perfect piece of art I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± His voice was hoarse as if his cord was broken.


    ¡°You¡¯re different from the others. I¡¯ll preserve you forever. No one will ever find you; you¡¯ll always


    belong to me, always by my side.¡±


    The guy was a lunatic, a sicko.


    My consciousness faded, my blood ran dry, and my heart stopped.


    So this is what it¡¯s like before death. It was an eerily peaceful feeling.


    Dexter¡¯s ce.


    My soul followed Dexter back to his house. He rarely came back to the Fitzgerald Mansion. mostly


    living on his own..


    I¡¯d always wanted to see his ce, imagining it as our marital home after the wedding.


    I longed for this ce.


    ¡°Dexter, have you found Phoebe yet?¡± Melody rushed up to hug Dexter as soon as he walked in. She


    was in pajamas, so she had clearly been there for a while.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Dexter held Melody to soothe her gently. ¡°Who knows what tricks she¡¯s up to this time.¡±


    I snorted sarcastically, looking around the room. Turned out that was he and Melody¡¯s love nest. He


    had been secretly cohabiting with Melody all along.

 Chapter 6

    ¡°Dexter¡­ Phoebe doesn¡¯t want you to marry me.¡± Melody sobbed as she spoke.


    ¡°Leave her alone. We¡¯re gonna get hitched no matter what, and she¡¯ll crawl back when she sees she¡¯s


    out of moves.¡± Dexter assumed that I was deliberately throwing a wrench into his and


    Melody¡¯s engagement party.


    He made it public like he couldn¡¯t wait to shout it from the rooftops. He figured that once I realized I


    couldn¡¯t change things. I¡¯d back off and leave him alone. But what he didn¡¯t know was that I had let him


    go for a long time.


    If I were still alive, I¡¯d probably be on a ne out of Sea City by now.


    ¡°Dexter¡­ Why does Phoebe hate me so? She pushed me down the stairs, which nearly killed. me, and


    now she¡¯s trying to wreck our engagement ceremony with these dirty tricks. Hailey would never agree


    to this if she knew,¡± Melody cried.


    Dexter¡¯s face turned even uglier. ¡°What else can she do besides sweet¨Ctalk my mom with her tricks?¡±


    Iughed sarcastically and couldn¡¯t even be bothered to exin anymore. It¡¯s not like he could hear


    anything¡¯I said. He never listened to me when I was alive, let alone now that I was dead.


    Dexter and Melody went to the bedroom, and I sat on the couch like a total mess.


    Laughter asionally burst from the room, like a knife cutting through my soul..


    Looking down at my stomach, I could feel my very soul trembling. That unborn child just vanished


    along with me.


    If Dexter knew I was dead with his baby in my belly, he¡¯d probably wake upughing from his dreams.


    Atst, someone had taken care of the problem baby for him.


    ¡°Buzz!¡±


    At 3 a.m., Dexter¡¯s phone rang.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Dexter sounded annoyed.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, we¡¯ve found a headless female body in Mystic Rivers Valley. The bracelet on her wrist


    is confirmed to belong to your sister Phoebe. Pleasee and identify the body.¡±


    Dexter sat up abruptly, his breath hitched.


    Thunder roared outside the window, and Dexter¡¯s head was suddenly splitting with pain.


    ¡°Phoebe?¡± At the sh of lightning, Dexter thought he saw a figure in the living room.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    It looked so much like Phoebe.


    I watched Dexter in surprise. Can he actually see me? I wondered.


    But soon after, Dexter cursed, grabbed his coat, and got ready to leave.


    Melody woke up too and came out barefoot.


    ¡°Phoebe, don¡¯t me me. me Dexter for being too attractive. All women just want him. I didn¡¯t


    expect you to be so gullible to truly believe what I said. Well, you deserved to die.¡±


    I rushed at her crazily, trying to strangle her while screaming out, ¡°You killed me, it was you! I¡¯ll kill you!


    I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    With all my might, I tried to take down the woman who caused my death, but I couldn¡¯t do a thing; my


    hands couldn¡¯t even touch her.


    I couldn¡¯t take my revenge; I was powerless.


    In the Homicide Division.


    ¡°The victim was sexually assaulted before her death, and the clothes on her body were not her


    own.¡±


    Dexter stood next to the autopsy table, and he was all stiff, ¡°Phoebe lost the bracelet two months ago.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s this one?¡± the cop asked.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s from my grandma¡­¡±


    The bracelet was meant for the future daughter¨Cinw of the Fitzgerald family, and he gave it to me on


    my eighteenth birthday.


    ¡°There¡¯s a mole on Phoebe¡¯s right breast¡­¡± Dexter was silent for a long time before he spoke of my


    physical traits. ¡°And a red birthmark on the left side of her pubic bone.¡±


    He told the police I was his sister. But how could a brother possibly know such intimate details


    about his sister¡¯s birthmarks?


    The cops were taken aback, exchanged nces, and had the medical examiner check the body. ¡°If


    your description is correct, then this body is not Phoebe.¡±


    Dexter slowly closed his eyes, clearly relieved.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, it seems you¡¯re hiding a lot from us,¡± the cop in charge frowned and led Dexter out.


    ¡°What exactly is your rtionship with Phoebe?¡±

 Chapter 7

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you that Phoebe can never die. And whatever my rtionship with her is, it has nothing to


    do with this case!¡± Dexter snapped with a mixture of anger and embarrassment,


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, we¡¯d appreciate your cooperation in this investigation. Please don¡¯t make things harder


    for us,¡± the cop said with a hint of irritation in his voice.


    I stood to the side. With a smirk on my face, I said to the young cop, ¡°How could he possibly tell you


    about what dirty things he had done to his own sister?¡±


    ¡°Captain! We¡¯ve got theb results from the blood and skin found on the bracelet. It doesn¡¯t match the


    body. The DNA is from another victim, a woman named Phoebe Caldwell, It looks like something bad


    has probably happened to Phoebe.¡±


    Dexter¡¯s fists clenched tightly, but he stood firm in his belief that I couldn¡¯t be dead, ¡°She¡¯s clever


    enough so she¡¯s just trying to throw us off her scent.


    I watched Dexter, my heart was sinking in disappointment until it reached the bottom.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, your stalling andck of cooperation could be costing us precious time. If Phoebe¡¯s


    been taken by a killer, she could be desperate while waiting for rescue!¡±


    Looking at the officer, my eyes welled up. He was right.


    During the transition from being alive to death, no one could imagine the depths of my despair. ! prayed


    countless times for the police to find me, for Dexter toe save me.


    But in the end, just thinking of Dexter made my heart ache.


    Buzz!


    Dexter¡¯s phone rang. It was Melody on the line.


    ¡°Dexter! I saw Phoebe at the Nocturne Club!¡± Melody¡¯s voice was thrilled.


    Dexter paused, then looked at the police officer.


    The cop exchanged a wary nce with his colleague, ¡°Move out to Nocturne!¡±


    I was nervous and I tried to stop them, ¡°Don¡¯t go, don¡¯t go! Melody¡¯s setting you up and trying


    to throw you off the scent because she¡¯s scared you¡¯ll find my body!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t believe her, don¡¯t listen to her!¡± I screamed, but no one could hear me.


    Dexter trusted Melodypletely. He didn¡¯t even question why she was at Nocturne in the dead of


    night.


    I heard Dexter¡¯s curse when I trailed behind him, ¡°Phoebe! You¡¯re in so much trouble when I find you!¡±


    His tone was menacing, as if he¡¯d do something terrible when he found me.


    Unfortunately, he¡¯d never get the chance.


    At the Nocturne Club.


    inclothes cops followed Dexter inside and found Melody.


    ¡°I got scared when it started thundering, and since you weren¡¯t around, I came looking for you. That¡¯s


    when I spotted Phoebe sneaking into Nocturne. There were so many people, I lost sight. of her.¡±


    Melody said, choking up.


    Dexter immediately wrapped Melody in his arms. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay now.¡±


    He shot Melody a meaningful look before going into the club. Despite searching all night, they found no


    trace of me.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Following the police, I sighed, ¡°Cops have it rough by getting jerked around at all hours.¡±


    A tall figure in a hoodie, head bowed, was hurrying out of an alley.


    ¡°Stop right there!¡± The cop shouted, and the figure broke into a run.


    Several officers tackled the person to the ground, ¡°It¡¯s him.¡±


    Underneath the lights of Nocturne, I saw that face again, and my whole body went rigid with fear as I


    stepped back.


    I was already dead, yet I was still terrified of this person.


    That pale face was as handsome as a movie star. It was breathtakingly beautiful. But it¡¯s a shame that


    its owner was a madman, a freak, a murderer.


    ¡°What are you running from in the middle of the night?¡± one of the cops kicked him.


    The man¡¯s gaze was fixed firmly in my direction. I covered my mouth with fear.


    Could he¡­ could he see me?

 Chapter 8

    ¡°Dexter, that guy¡­ he¡¯s freaking me out: he¡¯s staring at me.


    Melody¡¯s voice trembled as she hid behind Dexter.


    I nced back and breathed a sigh of relief; the creep wasn¡¯t leering at me, but at Melody.


    He was ring at Melody with a rage that simmered in silence.


    ¡°His name¡¯s Colin, from the local orphanage,¡± a cop spoke up for him. ¡°Caught him once snatching


    someone¡¯s sandwich. Probably not a bad egg.¡±


    I shook my head vehemently, ¡°No, he¡¯s bad news, a murderer!¡±


    The police let go of Colin.


    Colin scrambled to his feet, hisnky legs making his pants ride up above his ankles.


    I saw the ghastly scars on his shins. They were reminiscent of burn marks from electrocution. Despite


    my fear that he¡¯d keep killing, I followed him. He stopped beside Melody, his voice gravelly. ¡°It¡¯s you¡­¡±


    Melody looked at the man in shock, her whole body quaking.


    I was equally stunned. Did Colin know Melody had deliberately lured me to him?


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, please contact us as soon as you have any information rted to Phoebe. Sorry to


    disturb you sote,¡± the leading cop, Robin Lancaster, apologized and handed Dexter his card.


    Dexter huffed, took the card, and left with Melody.


    Watching them walk away, Robin spoke up. ¡°Check out Dexter. His connection to Phoebe is not as


    simple as it seems. And also check out Melody.¡±


    ¡°How did you figure it out, Robin?¡± another officer asked.


    ¡°Do you know if your sister has a mole on her chest or a birthmark on her pelvis?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ creepy,¡± the younger cop gulped, shocked. ¡°He looks so¡­ normal.¡±


    ¡°So, let¡¯s dig deeper!¡±


    I didn¡¯t go back with Dexter because I couldn¡¯t bear to see him and Melody again.


    I followed Colin instead, watching him limp away and hoping to find my own body.


    He dragged his injured leg to an abandoned orphanage and deftly climbed inside.


    I followed, my breath quickening as I scanned the surroundings.


    Chapter B


    This was the ce where I¡¯d met my end! He was the one who had brought me here and then killed


    me. This orphanage was the initial crime scene of the series of murders.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I stuck close to Colin, hoping to find where my body was hidden.


    But he didn¡¯t head to the scene of the murder. Instead, he entered a decrepit dormitory and curled up in


    a corner of a cluttered room.


    It was clear he lived here, in this run¨Cdown orphanage.


    I wandered the orphanage for a long time without finding the basement where the murders and my


    death took ce.


    No wonder the police had been searching for so long without any sess.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The orphanage¡¯s metal gate was suddenly rammed open by a car.


    Colin cautiously stepped out to eye those uninvited guests.


    To my surprise, Dexter emerged from the car, with Melody shivering beside him.


    ¡°He¡¯s the one. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s the murderer, but he¡¯s been following me these past few days.¡±


    Melody hadn¡¯t confessed to the cops about Colin but had told Dexter instead.


    Dexter didn¡¯t call the cops; he chose to confront Colin himself.


    Colin tried to flee, but Dexter¡¯s posse blocked him, wielding bats that they brought down on


    Colin.


    ¡°A beggar like you dares to covet Melody, huh?¡±


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t this the one who looked down on Phoebe? A beggar with high standards, huh?¡±


    Colin curled up on the ground, shielding his head, clearly used to being beaten.


    Dexter squatted down in front of Colin, showing him a photo of me. ¡°Ever seen this woman?¡±


    For a fleeting moment, I wondered if Dexter too suspected that I was already dead.

 Chapter 9

    Colin¡¯s eyes zed with a fiery intensity as he gazed at my photograph. He seemed to be emotionally


    charged.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve gotta say that Phoebe¡¯s got a decent figure. Wouldn¡¯t be a total loss to wake up next to


    her. Heck, if she threw herself at me. I¡¯d take her up on it.¡±


    *Remember at Nocturne Club, when she was soaked to the bone? Gotta admit that she¡¯s got curves in


    all the right ces.¡±


    ¡°Kyle, you sure took your sweet time helping her out of those wet clothes¡­¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­¡±


    Dexter¡¯s entourage of trust¨Cfund brats spewed their vulgar banter without restraint.


    Since Dexter looked down on me, they all did. Because Dexter always saw me as cheap. disgusting,


    and inferior, none of them had ever shown me an ounce of respect.


    I red at their revolting faces, itching to tear them apart. My fists clenched and swung with futile


    anger.


    ¡°Thud!¡±


    The sound echoed.


    Kyle was punched hard and crashing to the ground.


    I stood there in shock, watching a man with manic force lung at Kyle. And the man was Colin, the


    psycho who killed me.


    ¡°Damn, is he crazy? Just get him out of the way!¡± The people around Kyle cursed in terror, they rushed


    up to try to stop it.


    But Colin was like a beast that suddenly lost its mind. No matter how hard they hit him, he was still


    beating Kyle hard and refusing to let go. Those bloodshot eyes of his were like those of a monster in a


    frenzy.


    ¡°Touch her, and you¡¯ll pay with your life¡­¡± Colin¡¯s voice was grave, his words almost a sob.


    But no one could make out what he was saying.


    Colin¡¯s face was smeared with blood, and he looked like a frantic beast under the light. That was


    inciting a primal fear.


    Finally, it was Dexter who knocked him out with a blunt hit. He was cursing under his breath.


    ¡°Call the police. They¡¯ll sort it out,¡± Dexter said sternly.


    Kyley unconscious. His face was bloodied beyond recognition.


    I watched numbly when a hollowugh escaped me.


    Was this karmic justice?


    Two months ago, Kyle called me using Dexter¡¯s phone. He imed Dexter had gotten drunk and was


    calling out for me, asking me toe pick him up.


    It was pouring rain that night, and without a car or a cab in sight, my umbre useless against the


    howling wind.


    All because Kyle said Dexter wanted me, I, like a fool, braved the storm and ran desperately toward the


    club.


    But when I burst through the club¡¯s door, drenched and bedraggled, I was greeted by their mocking


    laughter.


    ¡°Well, she actually came in this downpour!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°Dexter, man, you¡¯ve got game. You win.¡±


    Dexter wasn¡¯t drunk at all. He and his cronies were ying some vile games.


    ¡°Dexter, this chick is so desperate; she¡¯d do anything to marry you, right?¡± Kyle sneered. ¡°Tell her she¡¯s


    got to sleep with me first, and if she does, you¡¯ll marry her. Bet she¡¯d agree.¡±


    The room erupted inughter.


    They looked at me as if I was a cheapmodity. Their gazes were sleazy and disgusting.


    I would never forget the malice in their faces.


    ¡°Was it you who told my mother I slept with you to force me to marry you?¡± Dexter lounged on the sofa,


    his gaze mocking. ¡°Phoebe, you¡¯d stoop this low just to marry me? Are you that desperate?¡±


    Trembling, I stood at the entrance with reddened eyes. ¡°If you¡¯re okay, I¡¯ll just go.¡±


    I tried to leave, but Kyle suddenly pinned me against the door. His touch was filthy, a deliberate move


    to take advantage of me.


    Shaking, I looked to Dexter for help, ¡°Let me go! Don¡¯t touch me!¡±


    I cried out, struggling, but Dexter ignored me.


    He, like everyone else, was just watching the bedraggled me as a joke.


    Seeing Dexter¡¯s indifference, Kyle grew bolder. He pushed me onto the couch, tearing at my clothes.


    The more I fought, the more excited they became.


    Theyughed and jeered, egging Kyle on to do worse.


    I cried out for Dexter to save me. But the look in his eyes as he watched me struggle took my breath


    away.

 Chapter 10

    I struggled fiercely and cried for help. I was nearly swallowed by desperation.


    ¡°Enough already!¡± Finally, Dexter kicked Kyle aside.


    I knew how he loathed anyone touching his stul!. He didn¡¯t care about me, but since he had touched


    me, he considered as his cheapest of possessions.


    I fell to the ground in a heap, hugging my clothes tightly around me.


    Dexter seemed to lose his interest.


    ¡°You all get the hell out!¡± his said with an icy tone.


    Kyle and the others knew to read the room. Seeing Dexter pissed off, they all scrambled up and left.


    Now it was just me and him in the room.


    He stood up, kicking me in disgust. ¡°I heard you met with Ryder today. Are you that easy? Are you


    throwing yourself at him to make him sleep with you?¡±


    Ryder had been my college senior who had been pursuing me for years, a genuinely good guy.


    That day. I met with Ryder because he was leaving for graduate school abroad. He told me he¡¯d


    secured a spot for me to study abroad too. He wanted me to think it over, to give him an answer once


    I¡¯d decided. Even if I didn¡¯t like him, it was okay, he said. He admired my talent and would wait for me.


    Honestly, I was tempted. Dexter didn¡¯t love me: I knew he¡¯d never marry me.


    I said I¡¯d think about it, because at that moment, I was still fantasizing that maybe, after all these years,


    I could earn a sliver of love from Dexter.


    But it was that night that pushed me into despair and made up my mind to leave.


    ¡°Phoebe, did he touch you?¡±


    I just hugged myself tighter, not answering.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking to you!¡± He kicked the coffee table in a frenzy, ring at me with fury.


    Scared out of my wits, I shook my head through tears.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you that you¡¯re not to see him again, got it?¡± He grabbed my hair, threatening me to stay


    away from any man but him.


    Frightened, I nodded, but he wasn¡¯t done with me yet.


    He looked at me with disgust, and there was disdain in his eyes.


    ¡°Dexter¡­ it wasn¡¯t me who told Hailey about marrying you. It was Hailey. She said there was an


    engagement, and asked me¡­¡±


    His look frightened me. I desperately tried to exin.


    Because my shirt had been torn open by Kyle, it now hung off my shoulders and exposed my bare skin.


    I was drenched, and in that moment, I must have looked particrly filthy and .cheap.


    Angry, he picked up a bottle from the table and poured it over my head. ¡°You¡¯re so filthy. Just wash


    yourself off.¡±


    I closed my eyes in fear to let him ravish me. I kept telling myself that I owed him, and I¡¯d pay off my


    debt that night. Tomorrow, I¡¯d apply to study abroad. I was going to leave.


    I thought once he was done bullying me, he¡¯d let me be. But he grabbed my chin and kissed me as if


    possessed. I thought he would find me dirty.


    He never missed a chance to ravish me every time he called me filthy.


    He touched me in the VIP room of the club,pletely indifferent to my feelings.


    ¡°Dexter, please, can we just go home?¡± I begged him desperately, but it was pointless.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    When the waiter came in, I curled up in his arms, terror reaching its peak. In that instant, I felt dirty,


    cheap, and low.


    ¡°Get out!¡± Dexter barked at the waiter, his anger palpable.


    The waiter closed the door quickly, scared.


    But I can never forget that look the waiter gave me, like I was some cheap hooker.


    ¡°Dexter!¡± I cried out, pping him across the face. ¡°Why are you doing this to me? What did I do


    wrong?¡±


    ¡°What did you do wrohg? Melody is still lying in the hospital, and you ask what you did wrong? Why


    don¡¯t you just die, Phoebe?¡± He grabbed my chin and confronted me vehemently.

 Chapter 11

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it, how many times do I have to say it before you¡¯ll believe me? I didn¡¯t push her¡­¡± Without


    any evidence, Dexter always took Melody¡¯s word as gospel. He trusted her unconditionally.


    As for me? I might as well have been trash.


    ¡°Phoebe, you really deserve to die.¡±


    The phrase he loved to throw at me was, ¡°Phoebe, you deserve to die.¡±


    That day, he didn¡¯t let me off the hook. He slept with me in the club¡¯s VIP room just to humiliate


    1. me.


    ¡°Phoebe, do you have any idea how much those barflies charge for a night? Eight hundred¡­¡±


    ¡°Phoebe, you¡¯re not even worth that much.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe, maybe I should¡¯ve just let them have their way with you, huh?¡±


    Iy on the couch numbly, feeling like my soul had been shredded to pieces.


    ¡°Dexter, please, just leave me alone¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t recall how long he tormented me.


    Perhaps the alcohol started to wear off, he finally let go of me and straightened his clothes with a look


    of disgust. He was always impably dressed, regardless of whether my clothes had been torn to


    shreds.


    He didn¡¯t spare me another nce as if disgusted that he¡¯d lost control and touched something as filthy


    as me while drunk.


    ¡°Dexter, don¡¯t leave me behind. Please.¡± I begged him.


    He turned and mmed the door behind him, not caring about the mess he¡¯d left me in.


    I felt like a rag that was crumpled on the floor and slowly getting up. Stepping on broken ss, the pain


    and the sight of blood snapped me back to reality.


    Numbly, I dressed in what was left of my shirt, hugging the tattered fabric to my body as I stumbled out.


    Outside the club, the rain poured down, and Dexter was nowhere in sight.


    ¡°New girl, huh? How much for the night? You look like you¡¯ve been through the wringer,¡± the waiter


    asked about my price per night with a sneer as he bumped into me.


    I didn¡¯t respond, just ran out in panic.


    The waiter blocked my way, his wordsced with mockery. ¡°Why run? ying the innocent? After being


    used like that by a rich guy, you¡¯re not going to shy away from me, are you?¡±


    I was terrified. I backed away and muttered, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. I¡¯ll call the cops¡­¡±


    Heughed derisively. ¡°The streets are full of drunks. You think you¡¯ll still be back home in one piece if


    you go out like that? You might as well let me have a turn.¡±


    The drunks were everywhere outside. How could they possibly let me go?


    Dexter knew it was dangerous to leave me alone, but he walked away without looking back.


    ¡°Get away from me!¡± I pushed the waiter, tears streaming down my face as I ran outside.


    He was right. No sooner had I left the club than I was cornered in an alley.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Shaking. I dialed for the police, crying as I waited for the moment of rescue and that¡¯s when I sobered


    uppletely.


    I didn¡¯t love him anymore.


    I had to survive.


    I had to escape as far away as possible.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, please don¡¯t touch me.¡± I begged, but they wouldn¡¯t let go.


    When their hands roamed over me, I felt sick to my stomach and was unable to control the revulsion.


    ¡°She¡¯s pretty, hurry up. Let me have a turn after you¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°Can you even handle it?¡±


    I copsed to the ground, drained of energy from the crying and the foulnguage.


    In the end, I had no strength left to fight.


    I thought that was the day I would be vited by them in turns.


    But as my consciousness began to blur, a tall, indistinct figure emerged. The figure was wielding a steel


    pipe, swinging it hard against the head of a man who touched me.


    Screams echoed through the alley.


    ¡°Stop hitting us¡­¡± The men who had been harassing me were begging for mercy.


    But the figure had no intention of letting them off easy.


    With a chilling scream, the shadow struck a man¡¯s wrist with the pipe, ¡°Touch her, and you¡¯ll pay with


    your life¡­¡±

 Chapter 12

    I curled up and hugged my head, too scared to make a sound or look up.


    The stench of blood and screams echoed through the alley as the rain poured down heavily, the


    darkness obliterating any chance of seeing the attacker¡¯s face.


    All I knew was that he was tall and ruthless, his blows meant to kill.


    The sound of sirens brought my heart back from my throat.


    ¡°Police!¡± they eximed.


    By the time the officers arrived, the tall shadow that had been dealing out violence stumbled away,


    leaving nothing but a pool of blood that confirmed he was real, not a figment of my imagination.


    ¡°Who did this?¡± one cop asked.


    I stayed silent, still huddled in the corner.


    ¡°Some maniac. Aren¡¯t you cops supposed to catch him?!¡± the victim railed.


    The cop approached me, ¡°Did you see who did this? Which way did the culprit go?¡±


    Numbly, I shook my head. Even if I had seen, I wouldn¡¯t tell. These men deserved it.


    ¡°They¡­ they were going to assault me,¡± I croaked out.


    The officer frowned, ¡°Take everyone in!¡±


    ¡°Christ, she was dressed like that and we thought she was a hooker,¡± one of the assants spat out in


    an attempt to smear my name.


    Trembling, I struggled to my feet, clutching myself, ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the station!¡± the police imed.


    Following the officers, I was still shaking.


    As we left the alley, I saw Dexter¡¯s car.


    He hade back, stepping out into the rain, looking disheveled. He moved as if to speak to me, but


    no words came.


    I stood there, a bitterugh escaping me. ¡°Dexter, I don¡¯t love you anymore.¡±


    Not anymore. The love and this supposed gratitude had left me battered and bruised.


    ¡°Let me go, please. I need to let myself go,¡± I begged, my voice choked with tears.


    I knew his rush wasn¡¯t out of concern for me; he couldn¡¯t face his mother if I died here.


    Wrapped in the officer¡¯s jacket, I forced a smile at him with an ashen look, ¡°Dexter, I can¡¯t love you


    anymore.¡±


    12-14


    He stood frozen, not following. Probably disgusted by the shame I brought.


    My foot was injured and dripped blood to the ground. I limped into the squad car, feeling like a soulless


    husk.


    At the station, I didn¡¯t mention the man who had beaten the other.


    He was like a devil of the night, appearing and vanishing without a trace.


    After giving my statement, I was allowed to leave. My foot numb with pain; I stumbled to the precinct¡¯s


    door and copsed outside.


    The rain continued, and I shivered, curling up on the ground.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Suddenly, an umbre was held over me.


    I looked up to see an officer.


    ¡°I noticed your foot¡¯s hurt, and I¡¯m heading to the hospital. I can take you.¡±


    Seeing my wariness, he spoke again, ¡°I¡¯m a Detective, Robin Lancaster. There¡¯s no need to be


    scared.¡±


    Nodding cautiously, I stood and eyed his car.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ dirty,¡± I said, noting the blood.


    Robin handed me some napkins, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll get my car washed tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± I muttered, feeling uneasy but still getting into the car.


    Because I didn¡¯t know where else to go.


    ¡°What were you doing in Nocturne Club at this hour? Learn from this! You¡¯re lucky nothing worse


    happened,¡± Robin scolded on the way to the hospital. ¡°It¡¯s been rough theretely, with frequent


    homicides.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your family?¡± he asked.


    I shook my head, ¡°Gone. My parents are dead.¡±


    I had no one left.


    Robin¡¯s grip tightened on the steering wheel, ¡°That¡¯s no excuse to stray. There are plenty of legal ways


    to make money. Don¡¯t get tangled up in uwful stuff.¡±


    He thought I was a fallen woman. I didn¡¯t correct him. I got no difference from a fallen


    woman.


    After my parents died, they left me with little but debts in thepany, and it was the Fitzgeralds who


    settled my ounts..


    My life, too, was saved by Dexter.


    The moment the Fitzgerald family took me in, I lost myself.


    ¡°Phoebe, you¡¯re under the Fitzgeralds¡® roof, so you belong to me even in death, got it?¡± Dexter had


    warned me more than once. His touch was my penance, paying back the Fitzgeralds¡® kindness without


    any love involved.


    He made it clear not to expect marriage.

 Chapter 13

    That night. I didn¡¯t go home. I curled up on a hospital bench to sleep through the night.


    The next day when I woke up, I was burning up with a fever.


    My phone was silent the whole night; Dexter didn¡¯t call even once.


    ¡°Ryder¡­¡± I called him from the bench. ¡°About that study abroad thing. I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe, do you have a cold?¡± Ryder¡¯s voice came through,ced with concern.


    ¡°Yeah, got caught in the rain yesterday. Feeling a bit under the weather today.¡±


    ¡°Where are you? I¡¯ll drop off some cold medicine,¡± Ryder was worried.


    ¡°If I hand in the application form today, how soon can I leave the country?¡± I asked with a sense of


    urgency in my voice.


    At that time, I had a premonition that I might not survive if I didn¡¯t leave.


    I wanted to live, to get as far away from Dexter as possible.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    As long as I left, it would all be over.


    ¡°If you apply now, you can get an eptance letter in two months. I¡¯ll ask the professor to expedite it.


    Once you get the notice, I¡¯ll buy your ne ticket,¡± Ryder said, his voiceced with concern. ¡°Is the cold


    serious? Should Ie get you?¡±


    ¡°No need, Ryder¡­ I¡¯m at the hospital. Thank you.¡±


    I thought that in two months, I would be able to leave Sea City forever, escape this ce as well as


    Dexter.


    After hanging up, I left the hospital.


    Wandering the back alleys outside the hospital, I suddenly felt lost, unsure where to go. My parents


    had died in a car ident, the house was sold, and the deathpensation was gone to debts. Apart


    from the Fitzgerald family, I had nowhere to go.


    I didn¡¯t even know where home was anymore.


    Feeling dizzy, I found a corner to sit down, leaning against the wall and falling back into a groggy sleep.


    I don¡¯t know how long I slept, but when I woke up, I found a jacket covering me. Although worn. it was


    clearly washed with care.


    I looked around; the alley was deserted.


    Getting up, I noticed two stic¨Cwrapped muffins beside me.


    I smiled bitterly, feeling somewhat resigned. A kind soul must have mistaken me for a homeless


    person, right?


    Homeless?


    That seemed about right.


    Dexter once said. ¡°You live in my house, eat my food, and use my stuff. So, what¡¯s the difference


    between you and a beggar?¡±


    There was no difference.


    atly folded the jacket and ced it with the muffins on a clean spot.


    If the kind soul returned, they would probably take it back.


    I steadied myself against the wall and took a few steps, then turned around at a rustling noise to see a


    tall, lean figure in a hoodie disappear around the corner.


    Without giving it much thought, I walked straight out of the alley and hailed a cab.


    When I returned to the Fitzgerald mansion, Dexter was there.


    ¡°Dexter, where¡¯s Phoebe? She hasn¡¯te back? She didn¡¯te home all night,¡± Hailey asked.


    worry etching her features.


    ¡°She¡¯s an adult; she can¡¯t be dead, can she?¡± Dexter said with irritation.


    I stood outside the door, watching Dexter¡¯s impatient demeanor, and sighed.


    ¡°Miss Phoebe, there¡¯s someone at the door for you. The man says his name is Ryder, your senior,¡± the


    housekeeper informed me as I lingered outside.


    I hesitated for a moment, then ran outside.


    Why had Rydere?


    ¡°Ryder.¡± I reached the entrance and saw Ryder holding a bag of medicine, waiting for me.


    ¡°I brought you some cold medicine,¡± Ryder said with a smile.


    I felt a wave of gratitude and reached out to take the medicine.


    ¡°The Fitzgerald people are not so poor that we need you to deliver cold medicine,¡± Dexter¡¯s icy voice


    came from behind.


    I didn¡¯t realize when he hade out, but as he approached, my whole body tensed.


    ¡°Dexter, Phoebe is sick. There¡¯s no need for snide remarks,¡± Ryder frowned.


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s sick, what¡¯s it to you? What are you to her? Why are you so concerned? You two been


    intimate?¡± Dexter deliberately taunted me.


    My eyes filled with tears as I looked at Dexter, ¡°Then what¡¯s there between us? Why are you talking to


    my friend like this?¡±


    Dexter, who seemed to be surprised by my retort, frowned, ¡°Well, Phoebe, you¡¯re getting bold


    now. What are we to each other? Should I announce to everyone that I¡¯ve slept with you, or that you¡¯ve


    lived in our house like a beggar for years?¡±


    . As I looked at Dexter, my breath was hitched and my vision was trembling with despair.

 Chapter 14

    ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck, Dexter!¡± Ryder stepped forward, gripping Dexter¡¯s cor with a firm hand. I was


    worried things might escte to blows, so I stepped in front of Ryder, ¡°Thanks, Ryder, but you should


    go. I¡¯ll get in touch some other time.¡±


    Ryder, not wanting to make things hard for me, shot Dexter a furious nce, ¡°Phoebe, sort out the stuff


    we talked about ASAP. Stay away from this guy as far as you can.¡±


    I nodded, ¡°Will do.¡±


    Ryder drove off, and I stood there, not looking back..


    ¡°Phoebe, have I been too nice to youtely?¡± Dexter stepped closer, grabbing my wrist and dragging


    me toward the garden shed.


    I looked at him with fear, unsure of his intentions.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stay away from Ryder? Did my words just go in one ear and out the other?¡± Dexter¡¯s


    voice wasced with anger.


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Hailey to call off our engagement. I¡¯ll leave Sea City,¡± I was so scared that I stepped back


    and watched him nervously.


    ¡°Oh, thinking of running away? Phoebe, you¡¯ve made a mistake and there¡¯s a price to pay. You think


    you can just leave and that¡¯s atonement?¡± Dexter sneered.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°But you told me¡­ to leave,¡± I cried, asking why he was doing this.


    ¡°You had your chance to leave before you pushed Melody down the stairs like a witch. I gave you that


    chance and you squandered it. Now it¡¯s toote!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it; how many times do I have to say it before you¡¯ll believe me? Why won¡¯t you believe me?¡±


    I sobbed, begging for his trust andpassion.


    Dexter seemed indifferent, his eyes filled only with rage. He snatched my phone and locked me in the


    shed, ¡°Reflect on your actions in here. When you agree toe to the hospital and apologize to


    Melody, I might let you out.¡±


    I was crying, pounding on the door, begging Dexter to let me out.


    But he refused, and no one in the Fitzgerald family dared to release me.


    I don¡¯t know how long I cried; I just huddled in a corner, afraid.


    The shed light was broken, and Dexter knew I¡¯d been afraid of the dark ever since our parents passed


    away. Yet he chose this dark, confined space to punish me.


    He always did that, using what he knew scared me the most to threaten me. He was exploiting his hold


    over me, bullying me time and again.


    The fever got worse, and Iy against the clutter, not knowing how long I¡¯d slept.


    If the housekeeper hadn¡¯t been sopassionate as to tell Halley, I might have died in that shed that


    night.


    The next morning.


    ¡°Dexter, what did Phoebe do that you locked her in the shed?¡± Hailey confronted Dexter angrily.


    ¡°Melody¡¯s in the hospital and she¡¯s just out of danger!¡± Dexter¡¯s voice barely contained his fury. ¡°Mom,


    it¡¯s your coddling that spoiled her. She¡¯ll bewless if this continues!¡±


    Iy in bed, feeling groggy while listening to Dexter and Hailey argue outside the door.


    ¡°She dared to push Melody down the stairs, and that¡¯s attempted murder! If Melody pursues criminal


    charges, Phoebe could end up in jail!¡±


    Hailey fell silent. After a long pause, she finally spoke, ¡°Dexter, talk to Melody. Whateverpensation


    she wants, the Fitzgeralds will provide it. We can¡¯t let Phoebe go to jail. The poor child would be


    ruined.¡±


    Dexter scoffed, ¡°Your coddling made her this way. All these years, she¡¯d been living with the


    Fitzgeralds, eating our food, and using our resources. What good has she done for the Fitzgeralds


    except cause trouble?¡±


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve had Dean buy you a ticket to Sunya Bay. You will stay there for a while as I handle things


    here. You can¡¯t keep indulging her. If you do, it¡¯s only harming her.¡± He added.


    Dexter was pushing Hailey away.


    I gripped the sheets in fear and didn¡¯t dare make a sound.


    If Hailey left, Dexter would have free rein.


    Curled up under the covers, my whole body trembled. What to do? I mused.


    Dexter wouldn¡¯t let me go.

 Chapter 15

    Time seemed suspended as silence settled outside the door, I thought they had all left, but suddenly


    Dexter barged in.


    Terror gripped me as I scrambled backward,


    Dexter sneered, ¡°Mom¡¯s gone. Let¡¯s see who¡¯s going to protect you now.¡±


    ¡°Dexter¡­ please, let me be,¡± I pleaded.


    His grip was iron as he yanked me by the cor towards the bathroom.


    ¡°Disgusting! Clean yourself up.¡±


    He was furious, probably thinking that I was tainted by those drunken louts the night before.


    The cold water hit me like a wall of ice, stealing my breath away.


    I was still feverish, yet he doused me with frigid water.


    My mind was foggy, and I copsed to the floor, unable to resist.


    I was shaking uncontrobly.


    ¡°Melody¡¯s awake. You¡¯re going to apologize to her today!¡± Dextermanded, disdainfully throwing the


    shower head at me.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go¡­¡± I found some defiant courage. ¡°I did nothing wrong¡­¡±


    ¡°Phoebe!¡± His rage seemed to peak, maybe thinking I was beyond saving.


    ¡°I¡¯ve secured a spot to study abroad. In two months, I¡¯ll be gone. Please¡­ let me go,¡± I said, my eyes


    void of the love that once lived there. I despised him.


    ¡°Did Ryder secure that for you? How many times did you have to sleep with him for such loyalty?¡±


    Dexter snarled, forcing me to meet his gaze.


    I looked into those eyes filled with fury and felt hopeless.


    ¡°Yes¡­ we¡¯ve been together. I¡¯ve fallen for him. I won¡¯t bother you anymore.¡±


    My resolve was firm and I refused to bow my head.


    ¡°Fine, just fine!¡± He yanked my hair, pinning me down. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve got that cheapness seared into


    your bone. Have I not satisfied you enough?¡±


    His strength was punishing, each touch a release of his anger.


    I couldn¡¯t understand his madness.


    He imed not to love me, yet sometimes he seemed jealous¡­


    Well, that was impossible.


    13:14


    Ch 15


    ¡°Phoebe, you¡¯re destined to atone for your sins with your life.¡± He was like an insatiable beast that was


    ready to tear me apart.


    I screamed, begging for mercy.


    But it was futile.


    Eventually, my voice broke, and my mouth was filled with the taste of blood.


    Slowly, I stopped crying out as well as struggling. I epted this as my penance to the Fitzgeralds.


    ¡°What will it take for you to let me go?¡± After what felt like an eternity, Iy numb on the floor and asked


    him.


    ¡°Apologize to Melody.¡± he insisted.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± I agreed. The truth didn¡¯t matter anymore.


    ¡°The Fitzgeralds kept you all these years. We were cleaning up your family¡¯s mess and paying debts.


    When you¡¯ve paid your dues, I¡¯ll let you go.¡± Dexter showered and left the bathroom wrapped in a


    towel.


    I understood what he meant. He meant for me to sleep with him to repay a supposed debt until


    we were even.


    ¡°I will pay you back¡­¡± But I was determined to leave. I would earn the money, not as his lover and not


    in his bed.


    In the Sea City Hospital.


    That afternoon at fout, Dexter took me to the hospital.


    I numbly carried the carefully chosen bouquet from the flower shop into Melody¡¯s hospital


    room.


    ¡°Dexter,¡± Melody greeted him with a frail smile. Her face soured upon seeing me. ¡°Dexter¡­ why did


    you bring her?¡±


    The wealthy friends by her side started to stir.


    ¡°Get her out! She pushed Melody down the stairs, and she still has the audacity to show up, huh?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°Where do you get the nerve?¡± A rich girl advanced and shoved me.


    I stumbled and fell, aggravating my leg wounds.


    Dexter frowned slightly. ¡°Enough.¡±


    The rich girl looked at Dexter, ¡°She hurt Melody and that¡¯s it? We should call the cops. She should go


    to jail¡±


    13:14


    ¡°Maya, it¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry about me; it¡¯s not that serious.¡± Melody spoke gently.


    ¡°Melody, you¡¯re Just too kind!¡± The girl named Maya was visibly angry.


    Dexter¡¯s expression darkened as he nced at me.


    ¡°She¡¯s here to apologize.¡± He imed.


    ¡°Huh. What good is an apology?¡± Maya sneered.


    ¡°An apology?¡± Bradley and the other heirs jeered. ¡°Is that the right attitude? Shouldn¡¯t she be on her


    knees?¡±


    Melodyughed it off, ¡°Stop it, guys.¡±


    ¡°For someone as vile as her, this is how you deal with them, Melody.¡±


    I held onto the wall to stand up. My hands were clutching the flowers tightly.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? Get on your knees to apologize!¡± Dexter ordered me to kneel.


    But I wouldn¡¯t. Stubbornly, I looked down and refused to say a word.


    ¡°I said kneel!¡± Dexter¡¯s anger red as he dragged me to the side of Melody¡¯s bed.


    Melody watched me, amused, ¡°Dexter, don¡¯t be so harsh. Phoebe¡¯s still young.¡±

 Chapter 16

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Melody¡¯s kindness, you¡¯d be behind bars right now!¡± Dexter¡¯s voice was icy with


    reproach.


    Standing numbly. I refused to kneel down no matter what those around me said. Nor would I utter an


    apology.


    ¡°No apology? Fine, let her hang with us tonight. We¡¯ll make sure she has a ¡®good time¡®,¡± a few heirs


    jeered withughter.


    Rooted to the spot, I faced Dexter, ¡°I¡¯ve exined it wasn¡¯t me who pushed her. Why can¡¯t you believe


    me?¡±


    Dexter¡¯s brow furrowed, his patience wearing thin.


    ¡°You¡¯re a pathological liar¡­¡± he said.


    ¡°Enough¡­¡± I cut him off, unable to bear more hurt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I turned to Melody with a forced


    smile. ¡°You win.¡±


    Melody nced at Dexter, ¡°Forget it, her apology isn¡¯t genuine.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe!¡± Dexter warned me.


    I took a step back and ced the bouquet carefully on the ground.


    I longed to receive a gift from Dexter before, even if it was just a bouquet of flowers. But there


    wasn¡¯t any.


    My legs were shaking as I dropped to my knees.


    Dexter looked away and said nothing.


    ¡°Phoebe, just get up. Now I know you didn¡¯t mean it.¡± Melody was ying nice.


    I didn¡¯t say anything and I didn¡¯t mean to get up. ¡°Dexter, I owe you my life from that time you


    desperately saved me, and now I¡¯ve returned you favor,¡±


    As for the money I owed him, I would find a way.


    Dexter clenched his fists, ¡°If she wants to kneel, let her kneel here!¡±


    The hospital room echoed with mockery andughter.


    They had their fun and spilled their vile words.


    And I knelt on the cold floor from thete afternoon until seven at night. Until my legs went numb and I


    copsed into unconsciousness.


    ¡°Phoebe! Get up, stop faking!¡±


    13:14


    Chartri 16


    When I woke up again, I was alone in the hospital bed, hooked up to an IV.


    I pulled out the needle and, Ignoring the pain in my feet, hobbled out of the hospital.


    After days of rain, it was finally sunny. Nevertheless, the chill still lingered.


    Autumn in Sea City was lifeless and disheartening just like that.


    ¡°Stop him! Catch the thieff¡± The cry went up as I walked down an alley and someone bumped


    into me.


    The desperate figure halted when he saw me. We stared into each other¡¯s eyes.


    He was tall; his face was hidden under a cap and a mask, revealing only eyes that were clear and


    pleading.


    He pulled me behind a dumpster and covered my mouth; his breath and heartbeat were close


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    and fast.


    Once the pursuers passed, he released me and turned to flee.


    ¡°Why steal?¡± I asked quietly..


    He stayed silent. He had his back on me, bowing his head and refusing to speak.


    I could tell he was young. ¡°I still have some money here, and this bracelet might be worth some cash.


    I¡¯ll give it all to you.¡±


    From my pocket, I pulled out some bills and removed the bracelet from my wrist, cing them on the


    dumpster before limping away.


    He said nothing, nor did he follow up.


    That bracelet, a gift from Dexter on my first birthday after my parents passed, was precious to me. It


    was also the only present I got from him.


    I used to put that on a pedestal, but now, all I wanted was to escape. I wanted to stay away from


    anything rted to him since they disgusted me.


    I wandered aimlessly through the streets and by nightfall returned to the Fitzgerald residence. My


    phone was dead, not that anyone would call.


    ¡°Phoebe! Where have you been!¡± Dexter¡¯s anger red at the sight of me. ¡°I¡¯ve been calling you. why


    didn¡¯t you answer?¡±


    He rushed over and grabbed my shoulders as if he really cared about me at that moment.


    I shrugged him off, indifferent.


    ¡°Dead battery.¡± I said.


    He was frustrated, ¡°Is it so hard to apologize for your mistakes? What do you have to be upset about?¡±


    I remained silent.


    Angry at my reticence, he seized my wrist with a glumn look.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the bracelet?¡± he asked.


    Surprised, I looked back at him. He actually noticed its absence. I thought my death wouldn¡¯t even


    concern him.


    ¡°I lost it.¡± I said nonchntly.


    ¡°Phoebe. Do you realize that bracelet was something I¡­¡± He trailed off, hesitating.

 Chapter 17

    ¡°Whatever, you¡¯re not worth it.¡± Dexter snapped, shaking off my arm and storming away.


    I didn¡¯t bother with a response; Dexter was prone to his fits of madness, after all.


    I headed into my bedroom to organize and pack for my uing study abroad.


    Just two months, it¡¯ll fly by: I¡¯ll be free soon, I thought.


    Back then, I naively thought that once I left the country two monthster, everything would be


    over.


    But as fate would have it, I still met my end at Dexter¡¯s hands. My life was saved by Dexter, and it was


    also taken by him. With myst breath, our debts to each other were settled.


    The thunderous boom of lightning snapped me back to reality..


    I pped myself, and without feeling any pain, I realized I was dead.


    No more needs to live in agony and torment.


    The police arrived and took away the knocked¨Cout Colin.


    Kyle was whisked away in an ambnce.


    I


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, any word on your sister?¡± Robin stepped out of the police cruiser and asked.


    Dexter furrowed his brow, ¡°She can¡¯t hide for long.¡±


    Robin didn¡¯t respond, instead bending down to pick up a photograph from the ground.


    1


    It was the passport photo I had prepared for studying abroad, the one Dexter had shown to Colin.


    Robin paused after he stared at the image of me, his brow crinkling as if in deep thought.


    We had met before: Robin must have remembered.


    ¡°Did someone harass your sister outside the Nocturne Club two months ago?¡± Robin, a detective, had


    an excellent memory.


    Dexter seemed to recall the incident after a pause, ¡°Right¡­ that happened.¡±


    Robin looked up at Dexter, ¡°The Fitzgeralds hold a prominent position in Sea City. Surely your sister


    wouldn¡¯t need to resort to that kind of profession, right?¡±


    Dexter¡¯s expression soured, ¡°Officer Robin, Phoebe isn¡¯t what you¡¯re insinuating.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh bitterly to myself; he wasn¡¯t defending my honor, but the honor of the


    Fitzgerald family.


    ¡°My apologies. I misunderstood,¡± Robin said, shaking the photograph. ¡°This picture is clearer


    13:15


    than those fancy portraits you provided. I¡¯ll take this with me. If there¡¯s any news of your sister. you¡¯ll


    know.¡±


    Dexter drove off, and Robin spoke with gravity, ¡°Check into the harassment case at Nocturne Club from


    two months ago. See if there¡¯s any connection to this case.¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°Robin, do you suspect Phoebe was targeted long before this?¡±


    ¡°The perp¡¯s victims were all women who frequented Nocturne and livedvish and disordered lives.¡±


    Robin confirmed with a nod.


    I followed silently; there was no point in speaking. Robin couldn¡¯t hear me.


    All I could do was hope he would quickly uncover the truth and bring my killer to justice.


    ¡°Robin!¡± Outside the abandoned orphanage, Robin¡¯s colleague jogged over from the car. ¡°You asked


    me to check on the rtionship between Phoebe and Dexter and I found it. They are not blood siblings.


    Phoebe was adopted by the Fitzgerald family and even had an engagement arranged.¡±


    Robin¡¯s frown deepened; the ties between me and Dexter were more tangled than expected. ¡°Dexter¡¯s


    publicly known girlfriend is a woman named Melody Burton. He¡¯s been adamant about breaking off his


    engagement with Phoebe to marry Melody.¡±


    The efficiency of the police was undeniable; they had unearthed so much so quickly.


    Standing to the side, my heart felt oddly still.


    ¡°Dexter¡¯s friends say that before Phoebe went missing, Melody had a close call with the killer on her


    way home from Nocturne. But fearing retribution, she didn¡¯t report it. Instead¡­ she chose to have


    Phoebe walk the dangerous alleys near Nocturne in her stead,¡± the officer reported, clearly disgusted


    by the revtion.


    Even strangers would find the story ludicrous, yet Dexter just pressed me into it and he promised to


    guard my safety.


    Iughed hollowly to myself. Now, as an observer, hearing someone¡¯s analysis about my death felt


    absurd.


    Robin¡¯s expression darkened, as he checked the time, ¡°Phoebe¡¯s been missing for over 48 hours.


    We¡¯re setting up a task force, getting search warrants, and bringing in Dexter and his idiot friends. No


    one gets a pass!¡±


    My gaze shot up in shock. Was Robin arresting Dexter? Did he suspect him as my murderer? ¡°It wasn¡¯t


    Dexter. It was Colin,¡± I tried to exin desperately. It wasn¡¯t about clearing Dexter¡¯s name; I feared the


    real murderer was still out there, free to continue his vile deeds.

 Chapter 18

    Robin couldn¡¯t hear me, but I knew he wanted to crack the case fast to prevent any more women from


    getting hurt.


    Maybe it was a cop¡¯s intuition, but right now, it seemed like Robin was the only one who believed


    something had happened to me.


    ¡°You guys have to investigate so many people and so many cases. That must be exhausting. huh?¡± I


    muttered to myself, probably because I was truly desperate.


    ¡°Robin! Here¡¯s everything on Phoebe. Her phone is pretty banged up, sent it off to tech for recovery.


    Might take a while. Data from Phoebe¡¯s phone will be recovered and exported once it¡¯s fixed.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°I cringed internally. That meant they could see everything¨Cmy browsing history and my diary


    notes.


    Robin had me thoroughly investigated.


    To be honest, I was curious about the type of person I would be in someone else¡¯s


    investigation.


    Robin nced over my file, noting how I had watched my parents die in a car crash at eighteen. The


    first photo in the file was from the ident scene.


    I instinctively shut my eyes, not daring to remember.


    ¡°The Fitzgeralds took Phoebe in. You¡¯d think they had a good rtionship, but the way Dexter talks


    about her, you¡¯d think they were enemies,¡± a young officer muttered under his breath.


    Robin stayed quiet, studying my file intently.


    I loved peace and was a fan of drawing; they could find all my artwork. They¡¯d find my top grades, my


    campus forum photos, my awards, and my paperwork for studying abroad.


    ¡°If she hadn¡¯t met with foul y, she¡¯d be on a ne heading off to study abroad right about. now.¡±


    Robin nced at the clock and spoke thoughtfully.


    I paused, a pang of pain hitting my chest. Yeah, if I hadn¡¯t died, I¡¯d be far away from Sea City by


    now.


    ¡°We got something. Jason hit up a bartender at Nocturne Club. Says he remembers Phoebe, hard to


    forget a figure like hers. Mentioned she hooked up with Dexter there about two months ago.¡± An officer


    rushed over to share what he had found with Robin.


    I covered my ears numbly, but I couldn¡¯t stop myself hearing the invasion of my privacy.


    ¡°That night, the VIP room was packed. Dexter¡¯s entourage left early. Whether Phoebe was willing¡­


    that¡¯s anyone¡¯s guess.¡±


    13:15


    ¡°Scumbags,¡± Robin cursed under his breath. ¡°A bunch of lowlifes!¡±


    He seemed to believe me deep down.


    I was grateful. I hadn¡¯t expected a stranger, someone I¡¯d only met once, to trust me.


    I could feel Robin¡¯s anger. It seemed that he was empathizing with me.


    I followed him to the police station.


    The investigation order was issued quickly; after all, the serial killings in Sea City had cast a dark


    shadow over the town.


    Soon enough, Dexter and his cronies were hauled in for questioning; even Kyle, bruised and battered,


    was dragged from the hospital by the cops.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you people? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m the victim here? Why aren¡¯t you going after that


    psycho instead of me?¡± Kyle was still ranting.


    ¡°The guy has mental issues. He won¡¯t be punished even if he kills you,¡± Robin warned him coldly, then


    pressed on. ¡°You¡¯re suspected of sexual assault and harassment, so cut the crap.¡± Kyle was taken


    aback, ¡°What? Who the hell did I sexually assault?¡±


    ¡°Phoebe!¡± Robin grabbed Kyle by the cor and hauled him into the interrogation room.


    In Robin¡¯s hands was my diary.


    I had a habit of keeping a diary. Afraid I¡¯d forget how these people hurt me, I was writing down every


    detail.


    ¡°That bitch should look in the mirror. Touching her was doing her a favor,¡± Kyle blurted out. The guy


    was not the sharpest tool in the shed; he was spoiled by money and thought it could fix anything.


    But Robin wasn¡¯t having any of it, and he marked down Kyle¡¯s admission of guilt toward me on the


    interrogation record.


    Standing behind Robin, I felt a sense of relief. This way, Kyle would get what he deserved.


    ¡°On the night of the 13th, you guys forced Phoebe to lure the killer: that true?¡± Robin¡¯s voice was icy as


    he interrogated.


    J ¡°We were just trying our luck,¡± Kyle replied nonchntly, as if they had just y a fun game. But they


    didn¡¯t know their game had cost me my life.


    My eyes were red with anger. Kyle¡¯s indifference enraged me.


    I screamed at Kyle, tried to grab a chair to swing at him, but my hands grasped at nothing. I could only


    watch him swagger.


    ¡°Do you realize your ignorance and stupidity could have killed Phoebe?¡± Robin¡¯s grip on the pen


    tightened; he was angry.


    ¡°No way, that killer wouldn¡¯t give her a second nce!¡± Kyle scoffed.


    ¡°On the 13th, 14th, and 15th, you made Phoebe bait the killer three days in a row. She went. missing


    on the night of the 15th. You didn¡¯t report it right away and even dyed the


    . investigation!¡± Robin mmed his hand on the table. He was furious enough to hit Kyle.


    But as a cop, he just held back.


    ¡°Nope¡­¡± Kyle finally caught on. ¡°We only went the first two nights and gave up when the killer didn¡¯t


    bite. We didn¡¯t send her on the 15th. Don¡¯t pin that on me.¡±


    I smirked bitterly.


    So, they didn¡¯t know I¡¯d been tricked into going to Tangle Lane by Melody on the 15th.


    Did Dexter not know either?

 Chapter 19

    ¡°Look, Kyle, we¡¯ve got footage from around Tangle Lane, and that¡¯s thest ce Phoebe was seen


    alive,¡± Robin warned Kyle, his tone suggesting that honesty would be a wise choice.


    Kyle became defensive, ¡°She could go wherever she fancied; we didn¡¯t make her go there on the 15th!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still noting clean!¡± Robin mmed his hand on the table, frustrated.


    Kyle¡¯s temper red as well. ¡°This whole mess started with Dexter. He¡¯s the one pulling the strings. If


    you wanna know what happened to Phoebe on the 15th, ask him. I¡¯ve got an alibi for that night. I was


    hammered at Nocturne, and there are a few regrs who can vouch for me.¡±


    Robin nced at the clock and signaled to his colleague to escort Kyle out.


    ¡°Could it be that Dexter, fearing his dirty secrets with Phoebe mighte out, killed her under the guise


    of this serial killer on the loose?¡± HIs partner spected.


    Robin remained silent, now he was also suspecting Dexter.


    I sighed and listened quietly, wondering what kind of heartless statement Dexter would make during his


    interrogation.


    Soon enough. Dexter was brought in, sitting at the interrogation table with a displeased look.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, we need you to cooperate and rify some things for us,¡± the officer taking notes stated


    sternly.


    Dexter seemed impatient, ¡°I have the right to remain silent until my attorney arrives.¡±


    ¡°If you want Phoebe to die, then you can remain silent forever,¡± Robin said gravely.


    Dexter furrowed his brows and remained mute.


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh bitterly at the sight of Dexter. He was really wishing for me to drop dead.


    ¡°Did you have Phoebe dress up in Melody¡¯s clothes on the 13th, 14th, and 15th, walking alone in re


    Alley and Tangle Lane to lure out the killer?¡± Robin asked, his tone heavy with disapproval.


    It seemed like a risky move that the cops would never dare to make, yet Dexter had thrown Phoebe


    into danger without mature nning.


    Dexter met Robin¡¯s gaze briefly but said nothing, clearly uncooperative.


    Robin seemed like an officer who empathized deeply with the victims. He hit the table again, anger


    rising, ¡°If Phoebe was targeted because of your arrogance, can you imagine how desperate she felt in


    her final moments?¡±


    I sat shivering in the room. Robin was right. I did feel utterly hopeless.


    13:15


    I was sent to hell by the man I loved, cared about most, and the one who once saved me.


    ¡°Officer Robin, provocation won¡¯t work on me. You don¡¯t understand Phoebe. I knew her better than


    anyone else in this world. She¡¯s not dead. Until I see her body, I won¡¯t believe any news of her demise,¡±


    Dexter responded calmly. He truly didn¡¯t believe I could be dead.


    ¡°On the 15th, Phoebe went into Tangle Lane and vanished. The cameras show she never came out.¡±


    Robin said, sounding defeated and somewhat pitying Phoebe.


    ¡°There¡¯s a timing error. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s intentional, Officer Robin. We did send Phoebe out on the


    13th and 14th to draw the killer, but not on the 15th,¡± Dexter rified earnestly. ¡°And it was re Alley,


    not Tangle Lane.¡±


    Robin studied Dexter silently, as if trying to see through any possible lies.


    And there I stood behind Robin, quietly observing Dexter.


    How ironic¡­


    ¡°Tell me about Phoebe, what was she like in your eyes?¡± Instead of confronting Dexter with evidence


    and surveince footage, Robin asked him to describe me.


    What I truly meant to him?


    ¡°Her?¡± Dexter scoffed with a coldugh. ¡°She looked innocent but was cunning at heart.¡±


    Robin leaned back in his chair, continuing to watch Dexter.


    ¡°She was an adopted daughter in our family. She is infatuated with me for years, and would stop at


    nothing to marry me. She was even plotting against my fianc¨¦e,¡± Dexter spat out with


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    venom.


    I stood there, numb, wanting to p him for his lies, yet feeling it was pointless.


    ¡°Melody Burton?¡± Robintched onto that lead. ¡°Would you mind shed some light on the feud between


    Phoebe and Melody?¡±

 Chapter 20

    Dexter¡¯s brow furrowed in a manner that suggested regret for speaking out of turn. It seemed he feared


    dragging Melody into a mess. ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s a private issue. It¡¯s not something I can share.¡±


    Robin didn¡¯t push further. A cop came up and whispered something into his ear.


    It must¡¯ve been about Dexter¡¯swyer arriving.


    Reluctantly, Robin allowed Dexter to leave.


    Dexter stood up and straightened his suit, the embodiment ofposure, as if nothing in the world


    could ruffle his feathers.


    He paused at the door, turning back to look at Robin, ¡°I¡¯ve told you, if you want to crack this serial killer


    case, stop hounding Phoebe. She¡¯s a clever girl, smarter than you think. She only acted out to force my


    hand in marriage, but she didn¡¯t mean to throw you off the scent.¡±


    Robin remained silent while Dexter continued.


    ¡°She¡¯s willful and I¡¯ll give her that. Once we find her, I¡¯ll make sure she learns her lesson. But any


    misdirection in your investigation is on Officer Robin, right?¡± Dexter queried with a loaded


    gaze.


    Robin tapped his fingers on the desk, still saying nothing.


    I couldn¡¯t tell what was going through Robin¡¯s mind, but in that moment, I saw Dexter¡¯s warning for


    what it was. He was actually threatening a cop.


    And I knew Dexter wasn¡¯t doing this for my sake, but for Melody¡¯s. He was worried that Melody would


    get dragged into this because she was next in line for questioning.


    I sat in a vacant chair, watching Melody enter the room.


    Death had its perks, like watching how cold and dark a human soul could be.


    ¡°Melody, Mr. Fitzgerald mentioned a personal issue between you and Phoebe. Care to


    rate?¡± Robin wasn¡¯t born yesterday; he knew how to y Melody.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Melody¡¯s eyes welled up. ¡°She¡¯s a good girl, just a bit headstrong, I¡¯m airaid. I¡¯m sorry for


    any trouble she¡¯s caused. She¡¯s Dexter¡¯s sister, which makes her mine too. We failed to discipline her,


    but once we find her, we¡¯ll make sure she¡¯s set straight.¡±


    Melody¡¯s acting was top¨Cnotch; I almost thought I was watching a drama series.


    How could she lie so effortlessly?


    ¡°Phoebe has a crush on Dexter. You know they¡¯re not blood¨Crted, right?¡± Robin, sensing Melody¡¯s


    deflection, reminded her pointedly.


    ¡°They¡¯re not. Phoebe¡¯s affection for Dexter is no secret to me. The day Dexter introduced me to


    13:15


    her, she warned me off, iming she was the one meant to be with Dexter. She told me to stay away


    and said if I kept after Dexter, she¡¯d have someone ¡®take care of me.¡± Melody looked down, her eyes


    redder by the second.


    But soon, Melody smiled, ¡°That girl always speaking without thinking, but she¡¯s not ill¨Cnatured.¡± My


    hands clenched in fury and spite, nearly losing control. I had never threatened her; it was she who had


    someone kill me.


    ¡°Liar! You¡¯re a liar!¡± I stood up and lunged at Melody, my hands aiming for her throat, desperate to end


    her.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    But it was futile.


    ¡°About two or three months ago, I don¡¯t remember exactly when, but Phoebe and I had a falling out as


    Dexter brought me home. She pushed me down the stairs, and I was hospitalized with serious injuries.


    I was lucky to survive,¡± Melody sighed, showing a picture of disappointment.


    Robin frowned, ¡°Phoebe¡¯s actions could be seen as assault. Why didn¡¯t you call the police?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s Dexter¡¯s sister; she¡¯s just too headstrong. I wanted to give her a chance. If I¡¯d called the cops,


    she¡¯d be facing jail time. She¡¯s so young; I didn¡¯t want to ruin her life. I wanted to give her a chance,¡±


    Melody sounded like a saint.


    I cried out uncontrobly. I was struggling and hitting her, but to no avail.


    Liar, that¡¯s what you are! I yelled.


    Robin looked thoughtful, his expression unreadable.


    Fear crept in; I was terrified that Robin, too, would be duped by Melody.


    Ever since Dexter met Melody, he changed. He started to favor her and trust her only. It was the same


    with friends; they¡¯d always turn, eventually siding with Melody.


    She seemed to have a charm that made people around her like and trust her..


    And me? I was just their scapegoat, their object of ridicule.


    ¡°Don¡¯t believe her, please don¡¯t believe her. She¡¯s the one who killed me. Please, I begged Robin, the


    other cops, and anyone, not to take Melody at her word, but no one listened.


    ¡°Where were you on the nights of the 13th, 14th, and 15th?¡± Robin asked, his face betraying no


    emotion.


    ¡°Dexter felt Phoebe owed me. He made her go out to lure the killer, but it was only for two nights, the


    13th and 14th. I¡¯m not sure about the 15th,¡± Melody mused thoughtfully.


    ¡°Alright, thank you, Melody, for your cooperation. Cory, would you escort Ms. Melody Burton out?¡±


    Robin stood up, his demeanor toward Melody noticeably warmer.


    I knew Robin believed her.


    13:151


    They all belleved Melody¡¯s story.

 Chapter 21

    Slumped in the interrogation chair, I watched Robin meticulously sort through his notes with a feeling of


    defeat.


    ¡°It¡¯s not true¡­¡± My voice was hoarse as I tried to exin, clinging to thest shreds of hope that


    seemed ready to dissolve into nothing.


    I desperately wanted the police to see the real Melody, to clear my name, so that I could rest easy even


    in death.


    But now, it seemed the truth would forever remain hidden. And my body would likely never be found.


    *Officer Robin, she¡¯s a con artist, a liar,¡± I murmured, my voice rough with desperation.


    Why wouldn¡¯t they believe me?


    Why did no one want to believe me?


    Why did everyone choose to believe Melody¡¯s words?


    ¡°Robin, we¡¯ve talked to a lot of folks, all who knew Phoebe, and not a single one had a good word to


    say about her. Seems thisdy was really not well¨Cliked,¡± a young cop entered the room, clearly siding


    with Melody. ¡°But Melody, she seems kind¨Chearted. She didn¡¯t report or press charges even after


    nearly dying from being pushed down the stairs. She even gave her a chance.¡±


    Robin was still sorting through the paperwork, his pen pausing for a moment, ¡°What we hear, what we


    see, it isn¡¯t always the truth.¡±


    ¡°So what is the truth?¡± Cory asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Evidence.¡± Robin pointed to the paperwork. ¡°I only trust evidence.¡±


    Human nature could be so fickle; only evidence was conclusive.


    I looked at Robin, feeling increasingly hopeless.


    Without a body, no one would believe my story.


    A policewoman walked in with a grim look on her face, ¡°Robin, Colin¡¯s medical report is in¡­ There are


    scars from electrocution, all old wounds. Clearly, he¡¯s been abused for a long time since his childhood.¡±


    Robin¡¯s brow furrowed as he took the report and nced at it.


    From where I sat, I could see the photo in the report: the scars from electrocution, burn marks, and the


    savage wounds from a whip that had healed over time were crisscrossing his body.


    ¡°He¡¯s a pretty boy even if he¡¯s lunatic. He¡¯s covered in scars except for his face. Maybe some sicko at


    the orphanage did something because he is good¨Clooking and a bit slow.¡± The


    13-16


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Chacter 21


    policewoman empathized angrily. ¡°These sick bastards.¡±


    Robin didn¡¯t say a word, just looked at the medical report in silence for a while before speaking. ¡°This


    case isn¡¯t rted to him, and he has a history of mental illness, so he¡¯s not legally responsible. Plus, he


    doesn¡¯t have a guardian, so he¡¯s not our problem.¡±


    The policewoman understood Robin¡¯s intent; they were going to release him.


    ¡°But Robin. He can be aggressive due to his mental disease. If he hurts someone out there¡­ Cory


    worried.


    ¡°He¡¯s a murderer! He¡¯s a murderer!¡± I shouted at Robin. Why released him just because he¡¯s mentally


    ill? Did that mean he could kill without facing thew?


    He¡¯s a murderer!


    Even if he¡¯s been through so much unfairness, he¡¯s still a murderer! That¡¯s not an excuse for hist


    crimes. He had killed so many innocent women.


    ¡°Did he ever lose control and harm someone before he attacked Kyle?¡± Robin asked.


    Cory shook his head. ¡°No, nothing like that.¡±


    ¡°Those guys drove themselves to the old orphanage and provoked him first,¡± Robin defended Colin.


    It was clear that Robin didn¡¯t think Colin had done anything wrong.


    I left the interrogation room in frustration, feeling powerless.


    That Robin was such a fool by letting a murderer walk free right before his eyes. Because of his


    kindness, more innocent girls might suffer.


    Outside the police station.


    I could actually feel the coldness when I stood in the wind.


    It was a bone¨Cchilling sensation.


    Colin was released. He was shivering slightly in the cold air, clearly affected by the temperature drop.


    The weather had turned; the difference between day and night was stark. Colin was only wearing a


    worn hoodie, ill¨Cfitting pants, and tattered shoes.


    ¡°Colin, someone¡¯se to bail you out, just wait here,¡± Robin called out, lighting up a cigarette. He


    must have been surprised that someone would bail out a mentally ill orphan.


    Fearfully, I kept my distance from Colin, watching him from the doorway.


    Colin kept his head down, then suddenly looked up, his gaze sweeping in my direction with a hint of


    shock.


    I flinched, almost forgetting I was dead and invisible to the living.


    13:16 m


    But Colin¡¯s nce felt as though he truly saw me.


    Quickly, he averted his gaze, then lowered his eyes with resignation.


    A sleek ck Maybach pulled up to the station, and a middle¨Caged man stepped out, looking Kindly at


    Colin, ¡°Young master, you¡¯ve been hiding long enough. It¡¯s time toe home.¡±


    Colin eyed the man warily, clearly wanting to flee.


    Two bodyguards emerged from the car, forcing Colin inside despite his struggle and nking him on


    either side before driving away.


    The glow of Robin¡¯s cigarette brightened and dimmed in his hand, his thoughts inscrutable.


    I wonder if he was as shocked as I was; he stood still for a long time without reacting like I did.


    Young master?


    A lunatic vagrant grown up in an orphanage turned out to be a ¡®young master¡°?

 Chapter 22

    ¡°Officer Robin, I hear you let that psycho loose?¡± Dexter¡¯s words carried a tinge of displeasure as he


    brought Melody out.


    Melody seemed shaken. She was seeking refuge within the protective circle of Dexter¡¯s embrace.


    With a coddling gesture, Dexter shrugged off his leather jacket and draped it over Melody¡¯s shoulders


    and took her in his embrace, ¡°You cold?¡±


    She gave a fragile nod in response.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, the individual in question has been released into the care of their guardian. They¡¯ve


    assured us that any grievances or expenses, including medical bills, will be fully covered,¡± Robin


    exined, handing Dexter a business card.


    As Dexter nced at the card, his expression darkened, ¡°Brendan Langley?¡±


    It was the Langley family.


    I also watched Dexter in shock.


    The Langley family?


    In Sea City, the Langleys sat atop the economic pyramid of the business circle, the undisputed tycoons.


    Even the Fitzgeralds couldn¡¯t hold a candle to the Langleys.


    But how could someone from the Langleys grow up in an orphanage, let alone be diagnosed with a


    mental illness?


    Thinking of Colin¡¯s identity sent shivers down my spine.


    Was it the might of the Langley name that kept him from being discovered even after taking so many


    lives? So someone had been covering for him.


    But what now? Where was my body? Would the truth behind my death evere to light?


    ¡°He¡­ he¡¯s a Langley?¡± Melody¡¯s voice trembled with disbelief. ¡°A madman from the Langley family? I


    never heard of such a thing.¡±


    Dexter frowned, his voice grave, ¡°Three years ago, Brendan¡¯s eldest son, his grandson, and his


    granddaughter all perished in a tragic car ident. The only remaining child is infertile, who¡¯s


    incapable of bearing an heir.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious, the psycho must carry Langley¡¯s blood. Otherwise, Brendan wouldn¡¯t bother so much over


    a madman.¡±


    ¡°Bother so much?¡± Robin snorted. ¡°If he really cared, he wouldn¡¯t let him wander the streets. Probably


    just wants to secure a lineage.¡±


    Dexter said nothing, disinterested in the Langley affairs and unwilling to get involved.


    13:16


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve got the Information, Officer Robin, focus on the real killer. There¡¯s no need to worry about


    Phoebe anymore.¡± He imed.


    He opened the car door, and with a hand on the rim, helped Melody in.


    His care for her was evident in every detail.


    ¡°Melody and I are getting married. She¡¯s bound to show up at the wedding.¡± Dexter dered with


    confidence.


    I snorted derisively. Dexter nned to use his and Melody¡¯s wedding as bait to draw me out.


    ¡°Congrattions,¡± Robin said with a meaningful look. ¡°I hope it¡¯s just a prank from Phoebe and that


    she¡¯s safe and will attend your wedding.¡±


    ¡°In your dreams¡­¡± I stood to the side, mocking Dexter. I would never show up, never again.


    As Dexter got in the car and drove off, I remained, unsure of where to go.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    A restless spirit, that¡¯s what I had be. Even in death, I didn¡¯t know where I belonged.


    ¡°Phoebe, where are you?¡± Robin looked skyward and suddenly dropped a question.


    I turned back to him and smiled faintly, ¡°I¡¯m dead, and I don¡¯t even know where my body lies¡­¡±


    ¡°Robin! Something¡¯s happened!¡± A young officer burst into the station, panic¨Cstricken, ¡°Another


    woman¡¯s body has been found along Boundless River. The M.O. is the same¡­ red dress, frequented


    Nocturne, sexually assaulted before death by suffocation.¡±


    Robin¡¯s brow furrowed, and he crushed his cigarette underfoot, ¡°Damn¡­ What a monster!¡± Enraged,


    heshed out at a nearby trash can. He was furious at his incapability of catching the killer, which had


    cost so many innocent women¡¯s lives.


    ¡°The victim¡¯s facial skin has beenpletely removed, making it impossible to identify her¡­¡±


    Robin fell silent. He stood there quietly before saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look.¡±


    I followed him as panic surged through me. Myst memories before death did include the killer binding


    several women. In my final moments, I saw a few women in red dresses huddle in the


    corner.


    ¡°There are survivors, Robin, there have to be! Search that abandoned orphanage!¡± I trailed behind him


    and yelled desperately.


    Someone must be still surviving. That murderer took lives at intervals and abducted his victim before


    killing.


    So, there must be survivors!


    ¡°Robin! There are survivors!¡± My cries were urgent, though futile in my attempt to be heard.


    We were like people separated by different realms, he waspletely unaware of my presence.


    ¡°It¡¯s strange that this body also had something belonging to Phoebe. The body has a single earring on


    the left ear, the same one Phoebe wore the day she disappeared,¡± a fernale officer reported upon her


    return, delivering the news to Robin.

 Chapter 23

    ¡°Maybe¡­ we¡¯ve all been looking in the wrong direction? Maybe the killer isn¡¯t a man at all, but a


    woman? What if it¡¯s Phoebe herself?¡± the female officer shared her hunch with Robin.


    Robin stayed silent.


    I tried desperately to exin, but it was no use.


    They couldn¡¯t hear my screams, nor could they understand why the murderer would kill me and scatter


    my belongings across so many victims.


    First, it was a bracelet, then earring.


    What was this lunatic trying to do?


    I followed Robin to the deste stretch of Boundless River, far from the old, abandoned orphanage.


    Clearly, the killer was dumping the body after the deed, letting the river carry it downstream to this


    secluded spot where they would eventually be found.


    Standing by the riverbank, I looked at the body covered with a white sheet and, despite being dead, I


    was still scared enough to cover my eyes.


    See, I¡¯m a coward even as a specter.


    ¡°The earring is definitely Phoebe¡¯s. Thest body had Phoebe¡¯s bracelet, and this one has her earring.


    What is the killer trying to say?¡± Cory pondered with suspicion. ¡°Could Lilly be spot on about Phoebe


    being the killer?¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s not Phoebe, she¡¯s definitely connected. She¡¯s missing now, and her friends are adamant


    she¡¯s not dead, just ying a game of hide¨Cand¨Cseek. Maybe she is the killer or the killer¡¯s


    aplice!¡± Cory said in anger.


    ¡°I heard people say Phoebe had her eyes on Dexter and would do anything to marry into the


    Fitzgeralds. She wouldn¡¯t really know the killer and leave her stuff at the crime scene to provoke Dexter


    and Melody, would she?¡± Amelia, another officer, joined in.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    I looked helplessly at Robin and shook my head frantically, ¡°No, it¡¯s not me. I didn¡¯t do it.¡±


    Robin was quiet for a long while before finally speaking, ¡°Issue a warrant for Phoebe.¡±


    Thest sliver of hope in my eyes shattered at that very moment.


    Watching the police with irony, I turned away, feeling powerless.


    They didn¡¯t trust me; they were even issuing a warrant for my arrest.


    I wondered if they would feel guilty for their suspicions when they found my body. But then, none of that


    mattered to me anymore.


    13:16


    In this world, no one trusted me. No one believed I was dead. And nobody believed I was killed by


    Melody. They all trusted Melody.


    In the Constantia Estate.


    I found myself wandering back to my old home without realizing it. It¡¯s where I lived with my family


    before the ident that took my parents.


    We weren¡¯t a rich family in Sea City, but we lived afortable, happy life.


    Before I turned eighteen, I thought I was the luckiest girl in the world with loving parents, a beautiful life,


    and a bright future.


    But it was all destroyed. I could never go back to how things were.


    Walking aimlessly through the streets, I let the relentless traffic pass through my soul.


    Turns out, the despair is greater after death. As a lost spirit, I didn¡¯t even have the right to seek death.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    ¡°Phoebe, where are you? Please,e back¡­¡±


    I faintly heard someone crying at the base of the apartment building. The slim figure was squatting and


    incessantly dialing a phone.


    Standing under the streetlight, I felt myself shaking.


    It was Ste, my childhood friend and my best friend who grew up with me.


    She kept dialing my number which had long been unreachable.


    ¡°Phoebe, don¡¯t scare me, please don¡¯t scare me,¡± she murmured between sobs, her voice hoarse due


    to her crying. She was pleading for Phoebe toe back.


    I squatted beside her helplessly. I wanted to embrace her, but I couldn¡¯t. ¡°Ste, I¡¯m here, I¡¯m right


    here¡­¡± I cried to her. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Ste, I¡¯m here.¡±


    But she couldn¡¯t hear me.


    ¡°Phoebe, get to the bottom of this: I¡¯ll avenge you,¡± Ste said with a raspy voice as if she


    had made a decision.


    ¡°Ste¡­¡± A bad feeling crept into my heart, a premonition of impending disaster.


    ¡°Ste!¡± Ste was the only one who cared about me, so I couldn¡¯t let anything happen to her.


    I followed her, calling out her name in panic, but she didn¡¯t turn back. She was just wiping her tears and


    making a call.


    ¡°Did you find anything?¡± she asked the other side.


    ¡°The police found another body today with an earpiece that belonged to Phoebe. They can¡¯t confirm the


    identity, but the DNA doesn¡¯t match Phoebe.¡±


    Ste was in medical school with friends in forensic science: getting information wouldn¡¯t be hard for


    her.


    ¡°Get in touch with Robin for me, tell him I¡¯ve been frequenting Nocturne for a while and can be his bait


    to draw out the killer. If he doesn¡¯t agree, I¡¯ll go on my own,¡± Ste said with determination.


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± I screamed, teeling that Ste had lost her mind.


    How could she go after that murderer!?

 Chapter 24

    At the corner cafe.


    Robin probably never expected Ste toer him into a meeting like this, so when he arrived. his


    face was a storm cloud


    ¡°I get that you want to find your friend, but this is not the way to do it!¡± Robin frowned, his tone carried


    reprimand.


    ¡°And what way is right, huh? Wait for you cops to crack the case? It¡¯s been ages! If she¡¯s waiting for


    someone to save her, can you imagine how hopeless she must feel?¡± Ste¡¯s voice cracked with


    desperation as she confronted Robin.


    Robin¡¯s face darkened, his fingers massaging his temples, ¡°I understand you¡¯re worried¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get it! Ste cut him off sharply.


    Robin fell silent. He looked at Ste and said nothing more.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t called it in to report that Phoebe was missing, no one would have called the police and you


    wouldn¡¯t have opened a case. She¡¯s got no parents left, nothing! She only has me! If I don¡¯t do


    something, she¡¯ll just¡­ vanish.¡± Ste¡¯s eyes were reddened with tears, while her fists. clenched with a


    fierce resolve.


    I knew how much she¡¯s hurting and how broken she must be. Because her body was shaking.


    ¡°Ste, please, don¡¯t do anything rash¡­¡± All I could do was beg Ste not to be there on a whim. She


    should just forget me and live her life well.


    But Ste seemed determined to find me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t agree to this, Robin, please don¡¯t!¡± I cry out, pleading with Robin not to give in.


    Robin was silent for a long stretch before finally speaking, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know you, and I don¡¯t know


    Phoebe¡­ but from what I¡¯ve heard from Dexter and his friends, Phoebe was no angel. She¡¯s even


    cruel¨Chearted.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Ste exploded. ¡°Those guys are devils and bastards! What right do they have to speak


    badly of Phoebe? They¡¯ve been the ones hurting her all along! Dexter is a rapist! Aren¡¯t you a cop? Go


    arrest him! Do it!¡±


    Ste lost control. She pushed and shoved Robin, crying for him to get Dexter.


    Robin was somewhat helpless at that moment. Maybe he was just not adept at handling girl¡¯s


    emotions.


    As Ste cried, I cried with her. When she frantically pushed Robin, I ached to hold her.


    But I couldn¡¯t hold her, and she couldn¡¯t save me either.


    ¡°Robin¡­ you¡¯re a cop, so don¡¯t believe that the truth is what the majority says. Phoebe isn¡¯t like


    that¡­ I¡¯ll prove it to you.¡± Ste suddenly went quiet. Maybe she had done venting. Her silence was


    more terrifying than her outburst.


    ¡°What are you nning to do?¡± Robin asked.


    ¡°Tomorrow night, I¡¯ll be wearing a red dress and walking past Tangle Lane. If one day won¡¯t


    work, then I¡¯ll try two days or more¡­ Eventually, I¡¯ll draw out the madman. Ste¡¯s hands were white¨C


    knuckled, and even her breath was trembling.


    ¡°What kind of friend makes you risk your life?¡± Robin, agitated, lighted up a cigarette in the


    smoking area.


    Ste smiled weakly. ¡°You want to know Phoebe? Come with me¡­ I¡¯ll show you who she really


    was.¡±


    Without a word, Robin followed Ste.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    I followed too, and I was sticking close.


    ¡°Phoebe was an excellent student and always the top of our ss.¡± Ste drove Rocin to Constantia


    Estate, where I was born and raised.


    Ste knew where my family hid the spare key; it was our sanctuary when we were in school


    ¡°Phoebe was beautiful, the perennial school belle.¡± Ste retrieved a key from inside a shoe. unlocked


    the door, and stepped inside.


    There was a picture at the entrance of the living room of me at a ballet performance. It was captured in


    such beauty.


    In the photo, I was in a white dance costume, like a swan taking flight. That year, I was eighteen.


    ¡°She is indeed beautiful.¡± Robin looked at the picture and nodded in agreement.


    ¡°After her parents died in a car crash, theirpany went under and left with hts. She didn¡¯t have to


    pay them, but she used the life insurance money to settle with those cere keet mone for herself.¡±


    Ste pulled a box from a drawer, ¡°She gave me all her schrship money every year after she¡¯s in


    college, and we¡¯d donate it to the orphanage. She said children without parents are the loneliest.¡±


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Suddenly, the door burst open.


    Colin stood there, panting, his eyes red¨Crimmed.


    I was shocked to see Colin at the door; hadn¡¯t the Langley family taken him?


    Wait¡­ How did he get the key to my house?


    Ste was just as shocked, ¡°Who who are you?¡±


    Robin instinctively moved forward and pinned Colin against the wall.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ Phoebe¡­¡± He struggled to say her name, his voice shaking and hoarse.

 Chapter 25

    Robin furrowed his brow and released Colin.


    Colin turned and bolted, motioning for Ste and Robin to follow suit.


    Panic surged through me as I tried to stop Ste, ¡°Ste, don¡¯t trust him, he¡¯s a murderer. Don¡¯t go,


    please!¡±


    But how could Ste pass up such an opportunity? She was desperate to find me.


    ¡°Freeze, Colin!¡± Ste chased after him, her voiceden with urgency.


    I followed in panic as I called out to Robin, ¡°Hurry up, man! Keep her safe; I¡¯m begging you.¡±


    Robin snapped to action and gave chase, both of them trailing Colin.


    Colin looked hobbled but I could tell he was running as hard as he could. The blood was trickling down


    hisnky calves and it was shocking to see.


    His pants were too short and tattered. No one knew where he scavenged them.


    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he truly was from the Langley family, and if they were so good to him and


    treating him like a prince, why would they let him wander homeless?


    Perhaps the Langleys despised him too.


    I didn¡¯t know what kind of life Colin had led, nor did I want to empathize with a serial killer, no matter his


    past. Murder was inexcusable.


    ¡°You¡¯re hurt?¡± Robin¡¯s brow creased as he grabbed Colin¡¯s arm. ¡°Where are you taking us?¡±


    Startled, Colin shook off Robin¡¯s grip and tumbled to the ground, then scrambled up and continued


    running. His shoe came off, revealing feet marred by ghastly scars, as though he¡¯d tread on blistering


    coals.


    Witnessing Colin stumble and fall, I was struck with horror. What had he endured?


    ¡°What happened to his feet?¡± Ste gasped, observing Colin¡¯s determination to rise after fall. His feet


    burned, so each step would cause him an infernal pain, right?


    What was he persevering for?


    ¡°Burns,¡± Robin muttered, a frown etched on his face.


    When Colin fell once more, Robin approached and offered a hand.


    Colin just looked at Robin and didn¡¯t take his hand. He was seemingly ustomed to solitude. He got


    up again and limped forward, leaving a trail of bloody footprints on the street. Ste¡¯s brows knitted


    together, ¡°How on earth did he get those burns on his sole?¡±


    ¡°I suspected him of being a killer before, so I did some digging,¡± Robin said gravely.


    I stared at Robin in shock¨Che had suspected Colin. ¡°He is the killer! Look Into It more, pleasel¡± | cried.


    ¡°Colin¡¯s a pitiful soul. He grew up in an orphanage and Brendan never acknowledged him as his


    grandson, never thought to bring him into the Langley fold. It must be karma; Brendan¡¯s kin are all


    gone, and the old man can¡¯t continue the Langley line, and then he remembered Colin at the


    orphanage.¡±


    Robin followed Colin, lighting a cigarette as he walked.


    ¡°A servant from the Langley estate I know mentioned that Colin was resistant since arriving at the


    Langley home, always trying to escape. He¡¯s got a strange temperament, quick to anger and violent. To


    prevent him from shaming the Langleys again, the old man tried many things, such as breaking his


    legs, locking him up, and imprisoning him like a wild beast in the basement. They force him to extend


    the family lineage.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡± Ste covered her mouth in shock as she gazed at the limping Colin. ¡°His foot injuries


    are deliberately inflicted by Brendan to prevent him from running away?¡±


    Robin remained silent, his eyes filled with pity.


    So what if he¡¯s the son of a rich family? To Brendan, the odd and solitary Colin was not a person but a


    breeding tool.


    Once he produced an heir with the woman chosen by the old man, Colin could vanish from Sea City


    forever.


    I followed behind Robin, my gazeplex as I looked at Colin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sympathize with a killer¡­¡± My voice was hoarse. ¡°He may be pitiful, but the women he killed are


    even more so.¡±


    I had no idea what Colin intended by luring Robin and Ste out, nor if he had aplices, but with


    Robin there, it felt safer after all.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    After what felt like an eternity, Colin staggered back to the derelict orphanage.


    I was shocked by the surroundings; I remembered I faintly felt someone dragging me after I was


    drugged on Tangle Lane¨Cthat happened in this orphanage.


    Was Colin really revealing the crime scene?


    ¡°What¡¯s here?¡± Robin¡¯s frown deepened, his gaze wary.


    Colin ignored him and forced open one dormitory door after another.


    Nothing.


    I thought he was feigning insanity, but finally, in an abandoned dormitory on the second floor, we saw a


    figure in a red dress.


    The silhouette resembled me, donned in a red dress, standing there as if gazing out the


    window.


    13-17


    I was breathless and trembling all over.


    I didn¡¯t know if that was my body.

 Chapter 26

    Ste cowered behind Robin, too terrified to look.


    Colin was the first to walk in. He was limping slowly, each step seeming to take an eternity.


    Maybe it was just my imagination, but I felt he was shaking. I couldn¡¯t tell if this trembling was out of


    fear or excitement.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± His voice was a hoarse and grating rasp, the ruin of his vocals let out a suffocating


    timbre.


    ¡°Phoebe?¡± Robin echoed, frowning as he turned on his phone¡¯s shlight.


    ¡°Thud!¡±


    A dull sound as the woman who had been standing slumped straight onto the floor.


    Robin¡¯s expression darkened. He swiftly grabbed a stick nearby, holding it defensively as he scanned


    the area.


    Whaty before them was a body.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Ste, atter all was just a med student. Even with a tough exterior, she just never saw a real dead


    body. She screamed, covering her eyes and crouching down.


    It took her a moment to lower her hands. She was crying as she asked Robin, ¡°Robin¡­ my legs have


    gone numb. I can¡¯t look. Please check for me. Please see if it¡¯s Phoebe¡­¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    She didn¡¯t dare confirm if the body was me.


    And honestly, neither did I dare look.


    Taking a deep breath, I mustered the courage to move forward with Robin.


    Upon seeing the face of the corpse, Robin exhaled in relief, but my soul tightened even more.


    It wasn¡¯t me.


    Colin staggered backwards, falling to the ground. His gaze flickered wildly, his eyes beginning to burn


    with unshed tears. Then, like a man possessed, he ran out of the dorm and screamed to the void, ¡°Get


    out¡­ get the hell out¡­¡±


    I watched Colin in horror, unsure if he was in the throes of a psychotic break, the kind with an alternate


    persona.


    Could he unknowingly be the one behind all these killings?


    ¡°It¡¯s not Phoebe.¡± Robin dropped the stick and dialed the station, his call quickly followed by the wail of


    police sirens.


    Ste copsed on the ground and suddenly broke down in sobs.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ where¡¯s Phoebe?¡±


    15.01


    She was too scared to look at the body, yet relieved it wasn¡¯t mine.


    The police and coroners arrived at the scene together. By the time Robin went out to find Colin, there


    was no trace of him left.


    I gave up fighting the sense of defeat and simply slumped to the ground.


    When would this cycle of murder finally end?


    ¡°The victim appears to be around twenty¨Cthree years old. Her skin is still stic, probably dead in no


    more than ten minutes. And she seems to have been calm at the time of death, which might be caused


    by drug effects,¡± the coroner briefly analyzed the scene. ¡°The victim has no ear piercings; the earring


    was forced through while she was still alive. Her fingernails have been removed and reattached¨Clikely


    not her own.¡±


    Listening to the coroner¡¯s analysis, Iughed weakly. How could it have only been ten minutes? It took


    us half an hour just to get here with Colin.


    My thoughts halted, and as I snapped my head up, my whole body was shaking.


    Could it be¡­ there was more than one killer?


    Did Colin have an aplice? Or were there two individuals acting together, yet with eerily


    simr methods?


    Following the police back to the station, Robin immediately ordered a search for Colin.


    ¡°Find him, but don¡¯t spook him. Bring him back safely.¡± He ordered.


    *Judging by that lunatic¡¯s behavior¡­ he knew there was a body at the old orphanage, but not the exact


    location,¡± Ste said. She was draped in a nket, clutching a mug of hot cocoa,


    shivering.


    I sat beside her, leaning on her shoulder.


    Would she be terrified if she knew that spirits truly existed in this world, to the point of sleepless nights?


    I smiled feebly. I rested against Ste¡¯s shoulder and lost in thoughts.


    Everything going on felt like a nightmare.


    And when I woke from it, where could I go from there?


    ¡°Officer Robin! The forensic results are in! The fingernails on the victim¡¯s hands don¡¯t belong to her.


    After testing¡­ they belong to¡­ to¡­¡± The colleague hesitated.


    Robin furrowed his brow, ¡°Spit it out.¡±


    ¡°They belong to Phoebe.¡±


    I watched as the cigarette in Robin¡¯s hand dropped to the ground, sparking as it hit the floor.


    The reason that colleague was so shocked was probably because a few days ago, they


    15:01


    suspected me of being the murderer.


    What kind of killer would rip off their own nails and ce them on their victim¡¯s corpse?

 Chapter 27

    Ste¡¯s ss shattered on the floor as she stood up abruptly. Even her lips were ashen when she


    asked, ¡°What¡­ who does this fingernail belong to?¡±


    After asking. Ste started to lose control. Throwing her coat aside, she ran towards the door, frantic


    with the dual fears of me being dead or, alive and suffering.


    Tears streaming down my face, I opened my arms wide to stop her, ¡°Don¡¯t go, Ste, please don¡¯t go.¡±


    She¡¯s the only one I had.


    Robin, quick as lightning, caught Ste by the wrist, ¡°Calm down¡­ maybe, maybe it¡¯s just a red herring


    by the killer, maybe she¡¯s still alive. Don¡¯t be rash.¡±


    Ste copsed to the ground, clutching at Robin¡¯s legs and sobbing uncontrobly, ¡°Please, please


    find Phoebe quickly, I¡¯m begging you¡­ I can do it. I can lure him out; just please hurry.¡±


    Ste¡¯s cries echoed my own as we both begged the police to solve the case quickly.


    Around one in the morning, Dexter arrived, looking worse for wear, probably called by Robin.


    ¡°We f


    found another victim with Phoebe¡¯s fingernail,¡± Robin said with detached calm.


    Dexter furrowed his brow, ¡°So, the body isn¡¯t her?¡±


    Robin looked at Dexter, ¡°Do you really think Phoebe is the type to pull off her own fingernail and ce it


    on a corpse?¡±


    I was curious too¨Chad I be so unhinged in Dexter¡¯s eyes?


    Dexter clenched his fists, his voice low and tense, ¡°She¡¯s a lunatic¡­¡±


    I watched Dexter in shock. Even now, with my nails torn off, he still didn¡¯t believe I was dead!


    ¡°Dexter! Have you got no humanity?¡± I screamed at him, rushing forward to grab his cor. ¡°You


    bastard!¡±


    I pped him, and that was something the old me would never dare to do. But it was useless; it didn¡¯t


    hurt him at all.


    ¡°She could push Melody down the stairs to marry me, drug my drinks, and put rat poison in Melody¡¯s


    cake¡­ there¡¯s nothing she can¡¯t do.¡± Dexter¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. It seemed that he was somehow


    losing control.


    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Even now, you are still ndering Phoebe! It was because you said


    Phoebe wasn¡¯t missing that the police dyed the investigation until now. Don¡¯t you know that? It¡¯s all


    you!¡± Ste cried as she charged at him, her pnding sharply on Dexter¡¯s face. ¡°If anything


    happens to Phoebe, you¡¯re as good as her killer! An aplice! A bastard!¡±


    15:02


    ¡°You did so many disgusting things to Phoebe and I won¡¯t call you a man!¡± Ste continued tosh out


    at Dexter.


    Dexter just stood there, epting Ste¡¯s blows.


    ¡°Ste, why are you hitting Dexter?¡± Melody burst in, pushing Ste away.


    I tried to protect Ste, but Melody was so forceful that Ste stumbled backwards.


    I reached out to catch her, but could only watch helplessly as she fell through my hands.


    Thankfully, Robin was quick to catch Ste.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, do you have any evidence for your ims?¡± Robin asked, frowning.


    ¡°Evidence? What evidence do you need to leave us alone? We¡¯re about to get married, and your all


    can¡¯t stand to see others happy, can you?¡± Melody was hysterical. Her eyes were teary as she ruffled


    her hair to show the police her scars. ¡°These are the scars from when Phoebe pushed me down the


    stairs! And I also have the hospital records for the stomach pump! What more evidence do you want?¡±


    Dexter held Melody tight to soothe her. ¡°Melody, don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe just wants me dead! She won¡¯t stop tormenting us! When will she let go?¡± Melody cried. into


    Dexter¡¯s chest, her performance convincing.


    I was numb watching Dexter, whose eyes showed only trust for Melody. With Melody¡¯s acting so


    compelling, he wouldn¡¯t believe me.


    ¡°Officer Robin,¡± Dexter said, handing over an invitation, ¡°Melody and I moved up our wedding. If


    after tomorrow.¡± He whisked Melody


    you want to catch Phoebe,e to our wedding the day


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    away after that.


    ¡°Dexter, if Phoebe really is dead¡­ will you regret it?¡± Ste sat on the floor and asked.


    Dexter stopped in his tracks and turned to Ste, ¡°If she¡¯s truly gone, I¡¯ll die with her. If she¡¯s alive and


    behind all this to torment Melody, I¡¯ll see hermitted. She¡¯ll never see the light of day again!¡±

 Chapter 28

    ¡°Being buried together with you would only taint Phoebe¡¯s path to heaven, Ste spoke weakly as she


    struggled to stand up. ¡°Dexter, you¡¯re bound to regret it when you finally see this. woman¡¯s true face¡­¡±


    I stood behind Ste, my voice hoarse as I uttered, ¡°Dexter, those who betray the trust of others will go


    to hell.¡±


    Dexter averted his gaze. ¡°The truth will be revealede the day of my wedding in two days.¡±


    He still stubbornly chose to believe that I didn¡¯t die yet.


    After leaving the police station, Dexter released his hold on Melody¡¯s hand. His figure looked.


    forlorn.


    ¡°Dexter¡­¡± Melody noticed his unusual demeanor and held him up as he almost collided with an iron


    door.


    Dexter waved her off, ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    ¡°Dexter, is there a chance that something really did happen to Phoebe?¡± Melody carefully asked


    tentatively.


    I wasn¡¯t sure why I was following them, perhaps I longed to shred them into pieces.


    ¡°No!¡± Dexter suddenly lost hisposure and yelled at Melody. ¡°She¡¯s not dead!¡±


    Melody flinched, her face turning pale.


    Realizing his outburst, Dexter massaged between his eyebrows, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Melody¡­ You go. ahead. I


    still have some matters to deal with.¡±


    ¡°Dexter¡­ you still care about her, right?¡± Melody asked, tears brimming in her eyes.


    ¡°Speak clearly, Dexter!¡± Melody yelled and chased after him when she saw him going ahead, and tears


    streamed down her face. ¡°You said Phoebe was just like a sister to you. What are you afraid of? Isn¡¯t it


    perfect if she¡¯s dead? This way, she won¡¯t haunt us again.¡±


    Dexter¡¯s footsteps halted abruptly. He turned around and looked at Melody with furrowed brows, ¡°She¡¯s


    not dead! She¡¯ll surely appear at our wedding ceremony two dayster.¡±


    ¡°What if she doesn¡¯t show up?¡± Melody nervously inquired.


    ¡°No¡­ She¡¯ll be here.¡±


    Dexter kept repeating that I would appear as if he was out of his mind.


    I watched him and snorted. Maybe part of him had believed that I was already dead.


    Who in their right state of mind would pull out all ten of their own fingernails to put them on someone


    else¡¯s body?


    Dexter must know deep inside that I would scream when I saw a bug, let alonemit murder,


    He wouldn¡¯t be crazy enough to think I was the serial killer.


    Seeing Melody off with the driver, Dexter walked away into the night on his own.


    I followed Dexter and observed him with a sarcastic gaze,


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be relieved now that I am dead?¡± My voice came out raspy, fully aware that Dexter


    wouldn¡¯t hear me.


    Surprisingly, he halted and sharply looked in my direction before he turned back with a disheartened


    expression and massaged between his eyebrows.


    Taking out his phone, he opened my WhatsApp chat.


    For the first time, I saw my chat pinned to the top of his phone screen, a sight I foundughable. Was


    he afraid of not being able to find me when he wanted to taunt or humiliate me


    immediately?


    ¡°Phoebe, you win.¡± Dexter sent me a message as he mumbled with a hoarse voice. ¡°Come back. and


    as soon as you do¡­ I¡¯ll call off the marriage with Melody.¡±


    He leaned against the wall as if he was doing almsgiving or pitying.


    Guess the ten fingernails today really scared him.


    I gave Dexter an ironic look and stood right in front of him, ¡°You pushed me into hell when I loved you;


    it was you who killed me, Dexter.¡±


    Dexter messaged me over and over again, but it¡¯s impossible for me to reply to him anymore.


    Dexter, I was dead. No one could save me now.


    My hopelessness now was nothingpared to when I was alive.


    I remember the day when Dexter learned of my feelings for him, his eyes were filled with disgust.


    ¡°I see you as my sister, and the Fitzgerald family provides for your needs. Is this your sick idea of


    gratitude?¡± He tore my love letter in front of me and scolded, ¡°Focus on studying and getting into


    college. I don¡¯t want to see you engaging in puppy love.¡±


    The look in Dexter¡¯s eyes was something that really made me desperate.


    In fact, he was utterly clueless that I had moved on from my feelings for him since the day he tore my


    letter.


    It was him who couldn¡¯t let go of the past and would never forgive me. When I got closer to other men,


    he would humiliate me. When another guy confessed their feelings for me, he would. tarnish my


    reputation.


    15:02


    There was a long period of self¨Cdoubt when I wondered if I was indeed terrible for him to despise me


    this much.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ Where the hell are you?!¡± Dexter yelled at the top of his lungs in frustration under the


    nightfall. ¡°You won, okay? You won, Phoebe. You¡¯ve sessfully scared me. Juste back. all right?


    Come back¡­¡±


    Dexter crouched on the ground, repeatedly sending the message for me to return.


    As I watched his pathetic state, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    Was this karma?


    Would I return now?


    At that moment, I found myself anticipating Dexter¡¯s expression when he discovered my lifeless body. I


    looked forward to his look when he knew that Melody was the reason for my death..


    I looked forward to the day when he realized the whole truth, that it wasn¡¯t me who had pushed her


    down the stairs.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I harmed nobody; instead, I was the one being bullied behind closed doors.

 Chapter 29

    Dexter didn¡¯t head home; instead, he found himsell wandering down re Alley and Tangle


    Lane.


    I had no clue what he was up to, just aimlessly trailing behind him.


    Perhaps, I was too eager to witness the look on his face when he confronted the truth.


    Would it be regret, relief, or would he defend Melody at that very moment?


    ¡°Dexter, did you ever care for me, even the slightest? When you were tormenting me, what were you


    thinking? A mix of disgust and your unrestrained demand?¡± I stood behind Dexter, repeating my


    questions over and over.


    I knew full well he couldn¡¯t hear me, yet I stubbornly sought a resolution, an answer.


    ¡°Dexter¡­ we really couldn¡¯t find Phoebe. The cops said it¡¯s a fact that we had Phoebe over on the 13th


    and 14th, and we all admitted to it. But they¡¯re saying the surveince footage shows Phoebe showing


    up again on the 15th, heading down Tangle Lane. I saw the tape myself, Phoebe was definitely there,


    all by herself.¡±


    Dexter¡¯s buddy had arrived with the investigation updates.


    I watched the two of them with a sarcastic smirk. Were they truly clueless, or just putting on a show?


    Clearly, I heard theirughter and horsey through the earpiece on the day of the incident.


    They had also said over the monitor that Phoebe was the kind of woman even a creep wouldn¡¯t look at


    twice.


    ¡°What was she doing there all alone on the 15th?¡± Dexter¡¯s face was glum as he surveyed the


    surroundings. ¡°Did the surveince catch her leaving?¡±


    ¡°The cops zeroed in on a janitor during the window of Phoebe¡¯s disappearance. There was just this


    janitor hauling a big trash bin out; no sign of Phoebe¡­¡± His friend¡¯s voice trailed off, less and less


    confident.


    Then he whispered, ¡°Dexter¡­ you don¡¯t think something really happened to Phoebe, do you?¡± Dexter


    went white as a sheet, probably starting to panic. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. She¡¯s not dead.¡± He reassured.


    Dexter stepped back and leaned against the wall.


    I just stood there watching Dexter. Destion washed me over.


    ¡°Dexter, no offense, but Phoebe was the kind of woman who¡¯d do anything to get her way. She pushed


    Melody down the stairs, and she¡¯d poison Melody for her own selfish gains. If someone like that is


    gone, we¡¯re probably better off.¡±


    None of Dexter¡¯s crew liked me; I always knew that. They all adored Melody.


    15.02


    I was well aware that Melody might have the knack to convince these guys of her innocence, but their


    disrespect, their jokes, bullying, and even aggression towards me, it all stemmed from Dexter¡¯s own


    indulgence.


    Because Dexter loathed me, so naturally, they all did.


    Dexter furrowed his brows, giving Hank a dark, intimidating look.


    I remembered Hank. He had tried to assault me once in the Fitzgerald family¡¯s back garden. But he


    didn¡¯t seed; I managed to crack his skull and sent him running.


    Later, Hank threatened me to keep quiet about that day. He said even if I spoke up, no one would


    believe me.


    To ensure nobody would believe me, he spread rumors and ndered me among Dexter¡¯s circle of


    friends, all to fear the day I¡¯d reveal the truth.


    If I was discredited, his assault would just be another stain on my already tarnished reputation, and


    even if I spoke out, no one would believe me.


    And indeed, that was the case.


    Hank was a distant cousin of Dexter. When I first joined the Fitzgerald family at eighteen, he


    was there too:


    His mother hadined to Dexter¡¯s mom, ¡°Hailey, if you¡¯re really short on kids, our little Hank can


    be a choice. You want a daughter? I¡¯ve got daughters. Why neglect your own to take in an outsider?¡±


    At that time, I was cowering behind Dexter. Freshly orphaned and without a soul to trust, I was so


    frightened.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, just ignore them; they¡¯re all sick,¡± Dexter said as he took my wrist and led me upstairs


    to a room. ¡°From now on, this is your home.¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    I quietly watched Dexter, and in that moment, my dependence on and affection for him peaked. But


    everything shattered when he discovered the love letter I had written.


    Through the years, ver understood why Dexter¡¯s initial reaction was so strong, so full of revulsion.


    It was just a naive crush; why did it disgust him for so long?

 Chapter 30

    ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a ball and chain, so stop hanging around my cousin.¡±


    It was my freshman year at college, and Hank and I were ssmates. We weren¡¯t in the same faculty,


    but we shared the newbie status. I¡¯ve always been a softie, so I let hisment¨Cslide without a fuss.


    But Hank was relentless. ¡°Phoebe, why so high and mighty every single day? You¡¯re just a nobody but


    a little tramp kept by the Fitzgerald family. My cousin¡¯s just keeping you warm at night, and do why you


    think you¡¯re some kind ofdy?¡±


    The people around Hank snickered, ¡°Sure, she¡¯s ady. But she¡¯s ¡®Lady Escort¡°.¡±


    I felt my face flush with humiliation, the sting of tears threatening to show.


    Hank, with his entourage, circled me and spewed insults.


    Desperate to escape, I turned and saw Dexter standing nearby, his face stormy.


    I looked at him and pleaded for help.


    But it was the first time he looked at me with such cold indifference; his gaze was filled with disgust


    before he turned and walked away.


    Because he did nothing, Hank grew bolder in his harassment.


    Then, on a crisp autumn day during my twentieth year, at the birthday g for Dexter¡¯s mother, Hank


    found his moment and pinned me down in the shrubbery of the back garden.


    Looming over me, his voice was sickening and menacing, ¡°Phoebe, so many men have had a piece of


    you. Why not let me have a turn?¡±


    ®”


    ¡°You can¡¯t always let my cousin have all the fun. Let me in on the action, huh?¡± he added.


    I tried to push him off, but he was immovable.


    I wanted to scream, but his hand mped over my mouth.


    ¡°Scream, and I¡¯ll kill you.¡± He threatened.


    I wasn¡¯t afraid to die, but he was overpoweringly strong.


    ¡°Phoebe, it¡¯s clear as day you¡¯ve got the hots for my cousin. The Fitzgeralds took you in out of charity,


    and you bite the hand that feeds you, thinking you can trap him with some marriage contract.¡± Hank


    sneered. He continued as he watched me struggle, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the truth, Dexter sent me to teach you a


    lesson, to remind you of your ce. You¡¯re nothing but a bitch bred by the Fitzgerald family.¡±


    I slowly stopped fighting. My eyes were filled with despair.


    Thinking I¡¯d surrendered, he loosened his grip on my wrists and started eagerly tearing at my clothes.


    15.02


    That¡¯s when I grabbed a rock from the ground and smashed it against his head.


    Hank looked at me, pain shing in his eyes before he ran off.


    That day, I curled up and hid in the garden for a long time. Until the autumn rain soaked me to the bone


    in the nightfall.


    It was then I realized I had to escape the Fitzgerald family.


    eded to escape. I had to leave.


    Otherwise, I would end up dying at the hands of the Fitzgeralds. I would be dying by Dexter¡¯s hand.


    I studied relentlessly, striving for honors and schrships, but no matter how hard I tried, it was never


    enough to counteract the nderous whispers.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Rumors spread that Dexter was with the campus belle, Melody. They were the golden couple. perfectly


    matched.


    And I was the vile woman who plotted against her, ndered her, and schemed against her.


    Hank led the charge; he wasbeling me promiscuous, iming I threw myself at men and almost hit


    on him.


    I was powerless to defend myself, and I was also aware that trying to prove my innocence would be a


    trap. The more desperately I tried to clear my name, the deeper I fell into their trap.


    They mocked me mercilessly, trampling on my dignity, as well as pushing me closer to the brink.


    In my junior year, there was an opportunity for a student exchange program. It required excellent


    grades and all¨Caround distinction.


    I saw that chance and thought if I could just secure it; if I could just get away, everything would get


    better.


    But I watched helplessly as the spot I fought so hard for was taken by Dexter and given to Melody¡¯s


    sister.


    I cried out hysterically, asking him why. Why he loathed me so much and yet refused to let me.


    1. go.


    He said, ¡°You¡¯ll have plenty of other opportunities. You don¡¯t need to study abroad. Melody¡¯s sister has


    always been frail; she really values this chance. Can¡¯t you just let her have it?¡±


    Let her have it?


    Everything was supposed to be handed over to Melody.


    Why the hell should I?!

 Chapter 31

    I remember asking Dexter once, why? By what right?


    He sneered, ¡°By right of you eating my food, drinking my drinks, and living under my roof! By right of


    the favors my family has done for you that you¡¯ll never repay in a lifetime! It¡¯s just a spot for an


    exchange program, so what right do you have to raise your voice at me?¡±


    That day. I copsed on the ground like a stray dog abandoned by its owner.


    Hank, with Melody¡¯s sister, Serena¨Cthe woman who had stolen my spot¨Cwrapped in his arms. came up


    to me and trampled on me with the vilest words in the world.


    She taunted, ¡°Phoebe, you really are pathetic. My sister is the one who deserves Dexter. What are you


    but a lowly stain, fit for nothing?¡±


    Hank kicked me, muttering. ¡°My cousin said the biggest regret of his life was letting Hailey take you in.¡±


    I sat there, my body slowly growing numb.


    ¡°Phoebe, if you dare tell my cousin about it, I¡¯ll make your life hell,¡± Hank threatened, a delight in his


    voice as he did so in secret.


    ¡°Ahe on, even if she does, Dexter won¡¯t believe her. Who¡¯d trust such a woman?¡± Serena strutted


    away, her arm sporting a designer bag Dexter had bought for Melody, easily worth tens of thousands


    with a single swipe of his card.


    Dexter always said I owed him and the Fitzgerald family, but the sum of my living and education


    expenses over the years with the Fitzgeralds didn¡¯te close to that¨Ca few thousand bucks at most. I


    had a schrship, which covered my tuition in college and sustained my basic needs.


    I¡¯d rather work night shifts at a 24¨Chour convenience store than spend another dime of the Fitzgerald


    family¡¯s money.


    What I owed Dexter was the


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    funeral expenses for my parents and the penalty he paid off for my family¡¯s breached contract; I


    covered the rest, including thepensation for the workers with the insurance money from my


    parents¡® death and by selling our house.


    I knew I owed Dexter a lot of money, but even that wasn¡¯t close to what he spent on Melody and her


    friends and family over the years.


    I¡¯ll never forget my junior year in college, when I fell ill with encephalitis and copsed with a high fever


    on the school¡¯s field.


    That day, with a raging fever, Dexter forced me to take a physical test for Melody¡¯s sister Serena. I told


    him I was sick, and in pain, but he dismissed it.


    ¡°Phoebe, if you¡¯re not dead, then go.¡±


    15:02


    I couldn¡¯t argue, his words echoing in my mind, ¡°Phoebe, you owe me.¡±


    So, I owed him, and I had to pay.


    I dragged myself out of bed, shaky and weak, and made it to the field. I copsed halfway through the


    800 meters, skinning my arm and forehead, the pain searing.


    The doctor thought I was insane¨Crunning a physical test with a forty¨Cdegree fever, like I had a death


    wish.


    It was because of this incident that Serena got caught cheating on her test and lost her spot in the


    exchange program.


    That day at the hospital, Dexter barged into my room, fury in his eyes, nearly dragging me out of bed.


    ¡°Phoebe, ver knew you were so cunning. Just because Serena took the exchange spot, you¡¯d go


    this far to harm her?¡±


    He used me of deceit and of being calcting, yet not a word about my fever or encephalitis.


    That bout of encephalitis nearly cost me my life. eded money for treatment, or I might die, but my


    allowance was not enough to cover the exorbitant medical bills.


    I begged Dexter to lend me money to see the doctor.


    Once I was well, I¡¯d work and pay him back.


    But Dexter just looked at me with disgust. ¡°Even now, you¡¯re still pretending, Phoebe. What a waste it is


    for you not to be an actress.¡±


    I fell to the ground, my headache unbearable.


    ¡°You want money? Show me what you¡¯d do for it,¡± Dexter sneered, grabbing my hair. ¡°What did you


    give Hank in exchange for money before? Didn¡¯t I tell you toe to me if you were short? How could


    you stoop so low?¡±


    I stared nkly at Dexter, trying to exin, ¡°ver asked him for money¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still lying. Your mouth¡¯s been full of lies from the start!¡± Dexter pushed me away and leaned


    against the wall, looking down on me. ¡°If you want money, stop ying the victim. Follow me. I¡¯m not


    interested in you here.¡±


    I bowed my head, tears scalding my cheeks. I knew what he was going to do to me.


    While calling me filthy, he viciously took and vented on me, over and over. That night, the fever didn¡¯t


    break, and I passed out in a hotel bathroom, nose bleeding.


    A cleaningdy found me the next day and took me to the hospital.


    A littleter, and I might not have made it.


    And Dexter? He never gave me the money.


    Desperate, I called Ste. She rushed from the hospital, begging her estranged father¨Cwho¡¯d


    15:02


    never cared for her¨Cfor five thousand bucks..


    For that measly sum, Ste and I traded our dignity. We sat in the hospital room, crying andughing,


    without saying much more.


    I knew she was all I had left.


    On the day I was discharged, I ran into Dexter at the hospital. He looked weary, pacing in and out of


    the wards.


    ¦³¦§

 Chapter 32

    It was onlyter that I learned why he had left me for dead at the hotel that night. Melody¡¯s father had


    fallen ill, suffering a stroke during a bout of heavy drinking. The medical bills for his treatment and


    rehabilitation had piled up into a mountain of debt.


    Dexter, who demanded nothing but the best, had spared no expense: a private room, top¨Cnotch


    nurses, an elite team of doctors, and the most advanced rehabilitation care.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He could effortlessly drop tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, even millions on Melody¡­ But


    when it came to me, his stinginess knew no bounds.


    Melody took for granted all the privileges hevished upon her, while I was shackled with a


    burdensome debt.


    I owed him a life debt, the intact remains of my parents, and a sum of money and gratitude I could


    never repay in this lifetime. For a long while, I confused gratitude and guilt with affection. I couldn¡¯t tell


    them apart, nor could I separate them.


    Sometimes I wondered, did I ever truly love Dexter? And what exactly did I love about him?


    Was it the moment he saved me, or the way he risked everything to pull my parents¡® bodies. from the


    wreckage?


    Did I love the look of concern and fear of losing me in his eyes as the car burst into mes?


    I guess I was just fooling myself. Back then, I believed Dexter cared for me. I thought he might have


    loved me too, but it was all an illusion.


    Even my love for him now felt like a distant, long¨Cforgotten mirage.


    ¡°Phoebe, how can you have the gall to stick around the Fitzgeralds¡® like a bad penny? You were


    already an adult when you entered the Fitzgerald household. Have you no shame? You¡¯re just hovering


    around to worm your way into Dexter¡¯s life, aren¡¯t you?¡± Melody had sneered at me on the day she took


    a tumble down the stairs, just as I was discharged from the hospital.


    Hailey had left for Harbor City because Dexter¡¯s father was chronically ill, always convalescing there.


    With her gone for half a year, I felt vulnerable. Without Hailey, there was no one to shield


    1. me.


    In her absence, Dexter would be even more unrestrained with me.


    I¡¯d thought about running away, hiding out in my dorm room, or even renting a basement t. I didn¡¯t


    care where, as long as I could escape.


    But each time, Dexter would find me with chilling precision, hauling me back to face his cold


    interrogations about when I nned to stop my charade.


    ¡°Phoebe, ying the victim can only get you so far,¡± Melody had called out from the top of the stairs,


    her voice dripping with mockery. ¡°Do you know what people outside say about you?


    15:02


    They say you¡¯re a jinx, that you brought death to your own parents, and now you¡¯ve cursed Dexter¡¯s


    father with chronic illness. What¡¯s the point of someone like you even being alive?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± I snapped, losing control as her words cut deep.


    That day was the anniversary of my parents¡® passing.


    In the first couple of years at the Fitzgerald residence, Dexter remembered the date. But eventually, he


    forgot.


    ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d just die and be done with it,¡± Serena sneered from below, as Dexter¡¯s fair¨Cweather


    friendsughed at my misery. They never saw me as a human being.


    ¡°Dexter¡¯s not back yet. Phoebe, I hear you¡¯re pretty desperate for a man, huh? Come on down, and


    let¡¯s have some fun while Dexter¡¯s away.¡±


    Their vile words echoed around me like a curse, sending shivers down my spine.


    ¡°Come on,e down with me,¡± Melody said, grabbing my wrist and trying to pull me down the


    stairs.


    I retreated in fear, and as I struggled, I watched with horror as Melody purposefully loosened her grip,


    shed me a cold smile, and tumbled down the stairs.


    Everyone gasped and stood up in shock.


    I looked on in terror at Melody, lying in a pool of blood at the bottom of the stairs, then turned to see


    Dexter standing at the door, justing in. I shook my head frantically.


    It wasn¡¯t me. It wasn¡¯t me.


    But nobody would believe me.


    Even if everyone else besides Dexter saw that it wasn¡¯t my fault, they would never speak up for


    1. me.


    ¡°Phoebe! How could you be so vile!¡± Serena rushed at me, pping me hard across the face, then


    pummeling me with her fists and feet.


    I curled up in the corner, cradling my head, not daring to move an inch..


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me¡­¡±


    It really wasn¡¯t me.

 Chapter 33

    The ambnce arrived, and they took Melody away.


    I watched as Dexter cradled Melody in his arms, anxiety etched on his face, while he shot me at vicious


    re.


    Everyone there backed up Melody¡¯s story, saying it was me who pushed her down the stairs. Even the


    Fitzgerald family¡¯s housekeeper took their side.


    In that moment, I felt lost in a fog, even doubting myself.


    Had I actually¡­ pushed her?


    I had fallen into a trap of my own making. I didn¡¯t know how to exin. Exining felt wrong. but so did


    staying silent.


    I curled up at the bottom of the staircase, waiting for what seemed like an eternity.


    Finally, in the wee hours of the morning, Dexter returned.


    With teary eyes, I stood up and choked out, ¡°Dexter¡­ it wasn¡¯t me.¡±


    ¡°p!¡± His hand struck my face, and my ear rang with the force of it. My nose bled, my hearing


    muffled¨Cmy eardrum must have burst.


    He had put all his strength into that p.


    ¡°Do you have any idea Serena is insisting on calling the cops? You¡¯vemitted assault!¡± Dexter


    hauled me up from the floor and dragged me into the study. ¡°Phoebe, have I spoiled you too much?


    Now you think you can get away with breaking thew? What¡¯s next? Are you going


    to be a murderer?¡±


    I clutched my face, looking at Dexter, wishing he would believe me.


    I pleaded through my tears, shaking my head. ¡°Dexter¡­ it wasn¡¯t me, it really wasn¡¯t.¡±


    But he didn¡¯t believe me.


    ¡°Hank saw it! Hank was there, and it wasn¡¯t me. I didn¡¯t push her, I swear!¡± I was desperate. almost


    kneeling down.


    But it wasn¡¯t to be.


    ¡°It was Hank who said he saw you push Melody down the stairs! And you still deny it!¡±


    Dexter¡¯s words sent a chill through me.


    Right, how could I be so naive to think Hank would stand up for truth and justice on my behalf?


    From the start, it was always them spreading rumors, tearing me down.


    ¡°If Melody doesn¡¯t forgive you when she wakes up, you¡¯re going to jail,¡± Dexter said, his voice cold as


    he threatened to lock me up.


    15.02


    I was scared and indignant.


    After my parents died, I worked hard and studied hard. Everything I had achieved was earned bit by bit.


    I refused to let it all be destroyed.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go to jail. I didn¡¯t push her!¡± I stared at Dexter In terror, my breathing erratic.


    Fearfully, I stood up, finding some unknown courage to push him away and frantically flee the


    Fitzgerald mansion.


    I ran from what I once thought was heaven, only to discover it was hell.


    I hid in a dark alleyway for a long time. I was terrified, feeling utterly alone in that moment.


    I don¡¯t remember when I fell asleep, nor who covered me with a tattered but clean nket, and left a


    cheap but spotless cup of cocoa and a lollipop beside me.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time someone had given me a lollipop in the dark.


    When my parents were alive, and I would storm out of the house in a tantrum, I always woke up to find


    a lollipop by my side.


    ¡°Who are you¡­¡± I murmured, scanning the surroundings.


    Who was this person, always there, silently watching over me?


    ¡°If you¡¯re not human, could you take me away? I¡¯m too scared¡­ too scared even to end it all myself.


    I didn¡¯t dare die.


    If I could have died, I would have joined my parents on the day of their ident.


    I saw their blood mix with shattered ss. They told me, Phoebe, you have to live on, carry our love,


    keep living, and show us the future of this world.


    I couldn¡¯t dare die; I carried too much.


    Dexter had people search for me for days to no avail.


    Today was his wedding to Melody, and the venue was far from lively. Perhaps it was just my


    imagination, but Melody and Dexter didn¡¯t seem happy.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°Dexter, she¡¯s noting back.¡± Ste arrived, sneering as she looked at the wedding photo of Dexter


    and Melody and kicked it. ¡°Truly revolting.¡±

 Chapter 34

    ¡°Ste!¡± Hank and several of his brothers, the Fitzgeralds, rushed forward, trying to stop Ste.


    But trailing not far behind her was Robin.


    Robin furrowed his brows. ¡°Quiet down, everyone.¡±


    The cops were already lying in wait all around, eager to see if I¡¯d show up.


    I found it amusing: I was right there in their midst. Unfortunately for them, no one could see me.


    ¡°Dexter, you¡¯re the reason she¡¯s gone. She¡¯s noting back!¡±


    But as time ticked by, second by second. There was still no sign of me, not even a whisper around the


    corners of the reception hall that Dexter had filled with his own people.


    Nothing, absolutely nothing.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    For some reason, Dexter lost his cool, dropping Melody and the guests like a hot potato, ready


    to bolt.


    ¡°Dexter¡­¡± Melody¡¯s eyes were rimmed with red as she followed him. ¡°The guests are here, and my


    family¡¯s here, so you can¡¯t do this! You promised me¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Melody, I can¡¯t marry you.¡± Dexter plucked the boutonniere from hispel and walked away


    without looking back.


    ¡°Dexter!¡± Melody watched his retreating figure, her voiceced with desperation. ¡°You¡¯ll never find


    Phoebe! She¡¯s dead!¡±


    After her outburst, Melody seemed to regret her words, her face turned ashen, her eyes wide with


    panic.


    Dexter stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Melody. ¡°What do you know?¡±


    Melody was gasping for air, trying to change the subject. ¡°I just¡­ I spoke out of turn. Dexter, stop this


    madness, ande inside with me. My parents are waiting.¡±


    Dexter¡¯s frown deepened, his expression darkening as he approached her. ¡°Do you know something?


    Spit it out!¡± Dexter was on the edge, gripping Melody¡¯s shoulders, demanding


    answers.


    I¡¯d never seen Dexter so rough with Melody before, and it was quite unsettling to watch.


    I stood to the side, smirking coldly. Of course, she knew. She knew I was already dead.


    ¡°On the night of the 13th and 14th, we had Phoebe dress up in a red dress and sent her to re Alley.


    Why then did she show up on Tangle Lane the next day?¡± Dexter¡¯s voice was a low growl of


    interrogation.


    I didn¡¯t know if he¡¯d uncovered something, but I was surprised to see Dexter actually


    15:03


    suspecting Melody.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Melody stammered, taking a step back.


    Dexter clenched his fists, watching Melody intently, silent.


    Robin and Ste were still waiting. Waiting for my appearance and arrival.


    ¡°Phoebe will definitely show up. She loves Dexter so much. She loves him shamelessly, so how could


    she not appear.¡± Hank was still muttering under his breath.


    They all firmly believed that someone like me, who loved Dexter to the core, would surely show up to


    crash the wedding.


    But what puzzled me was that it was supposed to be Dexter and Melody¡¯s wedding, yet only Melody¡¯s


    family was present. None of Dexter¡¯s kin showed up, not even Hailey.


    ¡°Dexter, we found nothing.¡± Dexter¡¯s buddies had arrived and were also shaking their heads, saying


    they had scoured the ce thoroughly and hadn¡¯t seen me.


    The wedding was nearly over, and I still hadn¡¯t appeared.


    ¡°Dexter, time¡¯s almost up, why aren¡¯t you twoing in? Rtives and friends are all waiting.¡±


    Melody¡¯s mother called from the entrance of the banquet hall.


    Melody seemed guilt¨Cridden, pleadingly looking at Dexter. ¡°Please, Dexter, I didn¡¯t know my sister


    would tell everyone in the family about the wedding. Now all my rtives know and havee. I had


    no choice.¡±


    ¡°I told you, this wedding was just a ploy to draw Phoebe out!¡± Dexter¡¯s voice wasden with shadows.


    Robin nced at Dexter, signaling his team to stand down.


    Continuing to wait here was pointless¡­


    I would not being.


    The moment my fingernail was found on that body, the cops knew I couldn¡¯te back.


    But since Dexter insisted I wasn¡¯t dead, they were just going through the motions.


    ¡°Dexter¡­ she¡¯s noting back. Are you happy now.¡± Ste¡¯s face was pale, her own obsession


    crumbling in that moment.


    Dejectedly following Robin, she tread slowly. ¡°She¡¯s noting back, she¡¯s noting back.¡±


    ¡°Officer Robin! We¡¯ve got that Colin guy!¡±


    The cops had raided ces all night long and hadn¡¯t caught Collin. And today, he just happened. to


    show up at the wedding.

 Chapter 35

    Today, he seemed to be dressed a bit more fittingly. Although his clothes were still worn to a pale hue,


    they managed to cover the haunting scars on his ankles and shins.


    He stood beneath the shade of an oak across the street, his silhouette tinged with a touch of solitude.


    Robin, leading his team, dashed across the street and surrounded him.


    Colin appeared somewhat normal today. He wasn¡¯t wearing his hoodie, and his face seemed washed.


    Youth seemed to radiate from his very bones. He was tall, his skin as pale and perfect as porcin, his


    freshly washed face wless, especially those eyes ¨C they were captivatingly beautiful.


    His hair was jet ck, a mess falling over his face, which, under the intery of light and shadow,


    made him look like a celebrity.


    I stood in the light, my gaze fixated on his slender, bruised fingers, my breathing quickened.


    He held a bunch of lollipops tied together with a red ribbon in his hand. It was as if he was waiting for


    me to show up at the wedding. Waiting to see if I was still alive, waiting for me to object to the


    marriage?


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Colin¡¯s voice was hoarse, his eyes slightly red, as if he was longing for a result he could


    see.


    I began to doubt, was this man feigning madness or was his acting just that convincing?


    ¡°Phoebe didn¡¯te. Ste¡¯s voice was devoid of its usual hostility and caution when she saw the


    lollipops in Colin¡¯s hand. She began to choke up. ¡°Was it you who has been secretly. protecting Phoebe


    and giving her lollipops?¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    I froze, panic¨Cstricken, looking at Ste. ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by him! He¡¯s a murderer, and he¡¯s just


    pretending!¡±


    Colin didn¡¯t speak, only lowered his head.


    ¡°Colin,e with us. If you want to find Phoebe, we hope you¡¯ll cooperate,¡± Robin signaled his


    colleagues to not frighten Colin, speaking in a gentle tone.


    I watched Colin intently, scrutinizing his face. ¡°Liar¡­ Hypocrite!¡±


    Several female officers stepped forward to escort Colin to the car, averting their eyes bashfully at his


    looks. ¡°Hard to believe, he¡¯s as handsome as a movie star.¡±


    Colin kept his head down, submitted without resistance, and sat quietly in the corner of the police car,


    looking at the lollipops in his hand.


    He yed the part well, his longshes quivering, even I was beguiled for a moment, wondering.


    Chap 35


    if my memories before death had been a hallucination.


    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± I mustered courage and sat next to Colin in the car. ¡°Why did you kill me?¡±


    Colin kept his head down, silent.


    ¡°What do you want? What do you gain from killing?¡± I questioned, as much to myself as to him. ¡°Why


    kill me?¡±


    Suddenly, Colin looked up, his gaze Intense as he stared in my direction. His sudden movement


    startled me, and rvously looked around.


    The fervor in Colin¡¯s eyes slowly faded as he lowered his head once more, returning to silence.


    ¡°Colin, how did you know the killer would leave the body at the old orphanage?¡± Robin asked softly,


    cautious not to agitate him.


    But Colin remained silent.


    I frowned at Colin.


    How did he know?


    Because he was the murderer!


    ¡°Colin, if you don¡¯t cooperate, it¡¯s going to be hard to find Phoebe,¡± Robin sighed. ¡°You know Phoebe,


    right? You don¡¯t want her to die, do you?¡±


    Colin lifted his head, looking at Robin.


    ¡°The orphanage¡­¡± he said hoarsely, just the two words.


    Robin looked at Colin for a long while before turning to his colleague. ¡°Get to that old orphanage!¡±


    The car headed towards the dpidated orphanage, a twenty¨Cminute drive away.


    To my surprise, Dexter and his crew were also there.


    Wasn¡¯t he at the wedding?


    Not getting married?


    ¡°Officer Robin, we found an eyewitness from the night of the 15th,¡± Hank said nervously. ¡°They saw


    someone dragging arge suitcase down Tangle Lane towards the orphanage.¡±


    Robin approached an old scavenger for questioning. ¡°You saw it?¡±


    ¡°Some guy dragged a big trash can over here. I usually pick up all the trash in that area, so I remember


    it clearly,¡± the old man said, somewhat annoyed, feeling that his territory had been encroached upon.


    Robin turned back to his colleagues. ¡°How far is it from Tangle Lane to here?¡±


    15:03


    Suddenly, Colin sped towards a boarded¨Cup small door in the wall that led directly to Tangle


    Lane.


    Robin and his colleagues exchanged nces and hurried after him.


    The main entrance to the orphanage was far from ces like Nocturne Club, but this back door led


    straight to Tangle Lane and from there to Nocturne.


    ¡°Call in the police, surround the orphanage, and conduct a thorough search.¡±


    In the underbrush near Robin, they found traces of blood and torn clothing.

 Chapter 36

    ¡°Officer Robin, you think this is where it all started?¡± his partner queried with a raised brow.


    Robin nodded without a word.


    Colin¡¯s eyes were glued to a particr door; he turned and began searching the room.


    The old orphanage was gigantic, abandoned for many years, and although the police had scoped it out


    before, they¡¯d never found anything of substance.


    Colin picked up a stick and prodded through the debris.


    I trailed behind Robin, my nerves on edge.


    Was the truth about to surface? The long arm of thew misses nothing; if the cops were diligent,


    they¡¯d find the original crime scene for sure.


    Dexter¡¯splexion was ashen, and he followed the police, silent as the grave.


    ¡°Dexter¡­¡± Hank¡¯s voice quivered, choked with words he hesitated to speak.


    ¡°Spit it out,¡± Dexter snapped, eyes narrowing in warning.


    ¡°I¡­ in my garage, there¡¯s a surveince gear¡­ I checked it yesterday, and there¡¯s an audio file from


    the night of the 15th,¡± Hank stammered, legs trembling.


    He had been wrestling with whether to disclose this information.


    Seeing Dexter ditch his own wedding ns today to look for me had thrown Hank into panic.


    It was clear as day: Hank was scared out of his wits, terrified the cops would knock on his door


    next.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I swear I didn¡¯t know. I was clueless¡­¡± Hank thrust a USB drive into Dexter¡¯s hand


    and retreated in a panic.


    Dexter¡¯s face was a storm cloud, and he turned to look at Robin.


    The cops continued their search through the orphanage, everyone holding their breath. Even the police


    dogs were on the scene.


    ¡°What the hell happened that night on the 15th?¡± Robin murmured, plugging the USB into aptop.


    ¡°Dexter¡­ Dexter, where are you? I¡¯m scared¡­¡±


    ¡°Dexter, Dexter¡­ I¡¯m afraid of the dark. Can¡¯t you say something, please?¡±


    ¡°Dexter, if they catch the killer this time, can I go? Let me leave.¡±


    ¡°Dexter, when will I have paid off my debt to you? Give me a figure; I¡¯ll pay you back. I promise.¡±


    ¡°Dexter, please, just say something.¡±


    The recording was a chilling monologue of my terrified whispers in the alley, begging for Dexter to


    speak, to give me some sense of security.


    Dexter¡¯s face turned ghostly pale, his breath shaky.


    Ste¡¯s eyes reddened with fury as she red at Dexter. ¡°You¡¯re aplete bastard! You let Phoebe


    go to Tangle Lane alone! You sent her to her death, Dexter!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t,¡± he protested weakly, hands shaking.


    Iughed through my tears. You see, Dexter, it¡¯s painful to be powerless, isn¡¯t it?


    ¡°Dexter, I¡¯m scared¡­ I want to leave¡­¡±


    The recording captured my plea to Dexter to let me go, but as I turned to leave, a over my mouth and


    nose.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ help¡­ help¡­¡±


    ¡°Dexter¡­¡±


    ¡°Save me¡­¡±


    and mped


    I struggled, cried out, my voice fading, the chaos in the recording dissolving into silence.


    Everyone was on edge, including me.


    The truth was clear in that recording; I had been killed.


    Dexter¡¯s hands trembled, his eyes welling with tears. He spun around to confront Hank, his eyes


    bloodshot.


    ¡°When did you find this recording, damn it, tell me when!¡±


    Hank was petrified, his legs weak. ¡°Yesterday¡­ It was yesterday¡­¡±


    ¡°Tell the damn truth!¡± Dexter roared like a wild animal at Hank.


    Hank copsed to the ground, his face ashen. ¡°The cops¡­ the day they came asking about the 15th,


    when they said Phoebe was on Tangle Lane, I checked it. I¡¯m so, so sorry, bro. I was too


    scared.¡±


    Hank sobbed, admitting his fear had kept him from going to the police.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    I watched these people powerlessly, the conspirators in my demise. None of them were innocent.


    ¡°Bastard! If anything happens to Phoebe, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Dexter lunged at Hank, fists flying.


    I smiled numbly, sitting on the sidelines.


    ¡°What are you ying at, Dexter? Pretending to be the good guy? It was you who killed me. Dexter,


    what will your face look like when you see my body?¡±


    The cops pulled Dexter away as he hammered his fist into the wall. ¡°The 15th¡­ was she an


    15-03


    idiot? I didn¡¯t send her there, so why did she go alone?¡±


    I looked up at Dexter and pped him, a futile gesture but I did it anyway.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who sent me? Melody said you wanted me there!¡±


    But Dexter, of course, couldn¡¯t hear me.


    ¡°Officer Robin! Over here, we¡¯ve got something!¡±


    Robin dashed over, alert and focused.


    I stood still, waiting for the moment my body would be discovered. Perhaps then I would be free.

 Chapter 37

    get there.


    The police had uncovered something new, and I was anxious to o


    My memory of my own death was fading. It was all a blur, the moments of consciousness sandwiched


    between bouts of unconsciousness.


    All I knew was that I had been drugged and taken from Tangle Lane, then I woke up in a dimly lit


    warehouse, dumped inside a makeshift wooden crate that seemed to have been used for shipping


    fragile items like porcin.


    Robin had stumbled upon a hidden gate at the southeast corner of the old orphanage, concealed by


    overgrown weeds. The gate was rusty, but the well¨Cworn path and the shiny new padlock suggested


    frequent, recent use.


    ¡°We¡¯ve searched here before, but we missed it. The overgrowth hides it well,¡± Robin¡¯s partner


    remarked in surprise.


    Robin nced around, then at Colin, who had somehow managed to slip into the yard unnoticed.


    ¡°When did he get over there?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? That kid¡¯s like a ghost, one minute he¡¯s here, the next¨Cpoof¨Che¡¯s over the fence,¡± his


    colleague said, half¨Cexasperated, half¨Cimpressed by Colin¡¯s agility. It was like something straight out of


    a parkour video.


    Ste and I followed Robin as he broke the lock and we entered the yard.


    This inner courtyard belonged to the abandoned orphanage, once reserved for the warden or others


    with privilege.


    The yard was deste, its neglect and emptiness adding to the eerie atmosphere.


    Clinging to Ste, I was frightened. She was always braver than me, always walking ahead no matter


    what.


    ¡°I think¡­ this is where they brought me when I was knocked out,¡± I murmured, starting to suspect that


    the serial killer wasn¡¯t working alone.


    Colin had to have aplices. He was a murderer, a master of disguise. His innocent facade. had


    fooled everyone.


    ¡°He¡¯s the killer! He is!¡± I screamed uncontrobly, rushing into the room.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    The room was barren, save for several wooden crates that turned it into a makeshift storage


    area.


    My breathing turned ragged as I searched frantically. This was the ce; I had been locked up here


    when I came to.


    It was here I had seen Colin¡¯s face.


    15:03


    He was looking around the room in panic, searching, then his hand reached for an axe on the Hook.


    In my frenzy, I spotted the axe in the corner, its de crusted with dried blood..


    ¡°Officer Robin, there¡¯s an axe here.¡±


    Robin walked over and surveyed the scene. ¡°There are drag marks here, but this isn¡¯t the primary


    crime scene.¡±


    ¡°There are zip ties, fragments of clothing. And in this crate, there are strands of hair.


    The forensic expert, Ste¡¯s senior, scrutinized the scene with utmost care, eager not to overlook any


    evidence.


    On the crate that had once imprisoned me, he found strands of hair torn out by the rough wood. I


    remember wing my way out, desperate to escape, only to be grabbed by a hooded figure who


    smothered me into unconsciousness once more.


    When I awoke again, I was on something cold and hard, like an operating table, feeling my blood drain


    away as some other fluid was injected into my body.


    I couldn¡¯t see the killer; I could only despair as my life ebbed away, my soul peeling away from my


    body.


    When I came to again, I was already dead, my spirit wandering to the Fitzgerald family¡¯s home.


    The location of the first crime scene, where my life was taken, remained a mystery.


    *Officer Robin!¡± Dexter¡¯s voice called from outside.


    Robin stepped out to see Dexter, pale as a ghost, pointing to a corner.


    Therey a pair of blood¨Cstained shoes and socks haphazardly tossed aside. ¡°These are¡­ Phoebe¡¯s,¡±


    he stuttered, his voice trembling.


    He was calling me Phoebe now, not with disdain, but it still made me feel sick.


    ¡°With the evidence we have so far¡­¡± Robin hesitated, ncing at Ste. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ but ording to


    our findings, it¡¯s highly likely that Phoebe Caldwell has been harmed.¡±


    Ste¡¯s breath caught, her knees buckled, and she copsed.


    The forensic expert caught her in the nick of time. ¡°Ste, Ste!¡±


    I stood there sobbing, unsure how tofort her.


    I¡¯m okay, Ste, I wasn¡¯t in much pain. I just experienced an unprecedented level of despair.


    Meanwhile, Dexter seemed unsteady, his form swaying.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if he was acting, but it made meugh bitterly.


    15:03


    ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­ She can¡¯t be dead.¡± He was muttering to himself, barely a whisper.


    ¡°Officer Robin! We¡¯ve found a significant lead!¡± A policewoman burst in, her voiceced with panic. ¡°All


    the known female victims, they were all adopted from this orphanage, all were orphans or abandoned


    by their parents.¡±


    In that revtion, I felt a chill run down my spine as pieces of a horrifying puzzle began to fall into


    ce.

 Chapter 38

    Robin stared at his colleague in disbelief. ¡°How did we miss such a crucial lead before?¡±


    ¡°The orphanage was aplex web, privately run with scant records, and years ago, it came to light


    that the director had been abusing the children, preying on those orphans for years, so he was


    sentenced, and the orphanage was shut down. Some of the unadopted kids were transferred to other


    foster homes, and the records of those who were adopted out are iplete. It¡¯s been tough to trace.¡±


    His colleague filled him in. ¡°I heard from the victim¡¯s neighbors and some elders that the victim. was


    adopted. So I started digging in that direction and found that all the victims were adopted, none were


    biological children. Many of the victims¡® familles were reluctant to talk about it at first, but eventually,


    they all pointed to that same orphanage!¡±


    ¡°It looks like we were way off base from the start. We thought it was someone frequenting ces like


    Nocturne, but it looks like that was just a coincidence.¡± Robin, agitated, lit up a cigarette.


    I watched the policewoman, shocked. If all the deceased were women from that orphanage,


    then that didn¡¯t add up either.


    I was the biological child of my parents, not adopted.


    Could it just be my bad luck?


    ¡°Dexter! Melody¡­ I remember Lilly mentioning that Melody was adopted! The Burton family, big on


    charity work, thought she was bright and took her home to keep Lillypany!¡± Hank suddenly blurted


    out, panic¨Cstricken. ¡°Is it possible that the killer was actually after Melody¡­¡±


    So it wasn¡¯t just any woman in a red dress that the killer targeted. After they were dead, he dressed


    them in red dresses.


    I took a step back, a bitter smile on my face. After all this, was I just a stand¨Cin for Melody¡¯s death?


    That¡¯s bitterly unfair.


    Why me?


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ it¡¯s not¡­¡± At the doorway, Colin, who had disappeared earlier, returned, carefully holding a


    picture frame, which he handed to Robin.


    My eyes burned with resentment as I red at Colin. ¡°Liar, you¡¯re nothing but a liar, a madman, a


    murderer! Stop your act, you freak!¡±


    You¡¯ve killed so many.


    I tried to grab Colin by his cor in a fit of rage, screaming that he was the murderer.


    But no one could hear me, and that was a kind of despair in itself.


    The deepest kind of despair.


    15:03


    Robin held the picture frame, looking up at the forensic expert. ¡°The little girls who were


    adopted wore red dresses. The families that took them always had them pose in red dresses for


    keepsake photos.¡±


    The forensic expert nced at the picture and then at Colin. His mixed heritage made him. stand out.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Is this you?¡±


    Colin nodded.


    ¡°Phoebe wasn¡¯t an orphan. She was the biological daughter of her parents, not from the orphanage.


    Does that mean the killer might have spared her? So maybe her body hasn¡¯t been found because she¡¯s


    waiting for me. She¡¯s waiting for me to save her!¡± Dexter shouted, seemingly out of control with


    excitement.


    ¡°Robin¡­ find Phoebe, we have to find her. She¡¯s waiting for me,¡± Dexter pleaded, grabbing Robin¡¯s


    hand.


    Such a proud man, now suddenly so humbly desperate, begging the police. ¡°Please, find her¡­¡±


    I watched Dexter with a sad sort of amusement; the contrast between his earlier demeanor and now


    was so stark it felt insincere.


    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t believe she was taken by the killer.¡± Robin frowned, visibly displeased.


    Dexter fell back, defeated. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    He hadn¡¯t foreseen this oue. He truly didn¡¯t know that I had still gone to Tangle Lane on the 15th.


    ¡°This idiot¡­ Why did she go there on the 15th? Why didn¡¯t she call me¡­¡±


    +


    ¡°We¡¯ve checked Phoebe¡¯s phone. She called you several times, and you even answered,¡± Robin cut


    Dexter off.


    Dexter froze, as if struck hard in the chest.


    I spoke up with augh: ¡°You did answer, Dexter. You told me to die¡­¡±


    And I did, just as you wished, Dexter.


    Dexter copsed to the ground in a heap, looking rather pitiful. He said nothing. just fell silent. Clearly,


    he remembered. He remembered the words he had spoken.


    ¡°It¡¯s not¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to say those things, I just¡­¡± Dexter¡¯s eyes reddened, and anyone who didn¡¯t


    know better might think he was deeply moved.

 Chapter 39

    Perched above the scene, I watched Dexter with a mocking smile. ¡°Dexter, should you not be thrilled


    that I¡¯m gone? Who are you trying to fool with that act? It was you who brought me down!¡±


    ¡°Just go back and wait for the results, Mr. Fitzgerald,¡± Robin said, clearly not a fan of Dexter. His


    disdain for Dexter¡¯s two¨Cfaced behavior was palpable.


    ¡°Dexter, you¡¯re truly despicable!¡± Ste was still charged with emotion as she pointed at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t


    you getting married? Go back to your precious Melody and get married!¡±


    I stood by Ste, my gaze icy as I looked at Dexter.


    At this point, I had no energy left to hate him. I was just a sacrificialmb for Melody, taking the brunt of


    a disaster meant for his beloved.


    With that, the debt I owed him was now paid in full.


    Dexter remained still, his belief in my misfortune evident.


    ¡°Dexter¡­¡± Ste handed her coat back to Robin and pulled a wrapped gift from her purse. ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I


    didn¡¯t want to give this to you because I don¡¯t think you and Melody deserve Phoebe¡¯s wedding gift.¡±


    Her voice broke as she spoke. I wanted to wipe away her tears, to embrace her, but I was powerless.


    ¡°Three months ago, Phoebe came to me,¡± Ste¡¯s whole body shook, ¡°she talked about studying


    abroad, and asked me to keep it a secret.¡°.


    She must have been thinking that if I had left the country sooner, I wouldn¡¯t be lying here.


    ¡°She wanted to escape from you, Dexter. Every moment, she dreamed of leaving you, yet you believed


    she was desperate for your affection.¡± Ste¡¯s voice wasced with sarcasm. ¡°Your pitiful ego, it¡¯s


    tragic.¡±


    ¡°Enough¡­¡± Dexter frowned, clearly not fond of this talk.


    ¡°She tolerated and indulged you not because she was weak, but because she was repaying a debt!


    That day. Phoebe told me that it¡¯s easy to repay money, but a life, a rtionship? She didn¡¯t know how


    to settle that.¡±


    Ste extended the gift to Dexter. ¡°These past years, she worked multiple jobs, sold her designs,


    tutored, all without spending a dime of the Fitzgerald family¡¯s wealth, saving every penny to pay back


    what she owed you.¡±


    Ste pulled out a card from her purse. ¡°This is Phoebe¡¯s savings, over a million in four years. Ever


    since her parents passed, she¡¯s been scrimping and saving, believing one day she could pay off her


    debt to you.¡±


    15:04


    Dexter averted his eyes, refusing to take the card.


    ¡°Take it. Didn¡¯t you always say I owed you too much? Take it¡­¡± My voice was hoarse as I questioned


    Dexter.


    But he didn¡¯t ept it.


    ¡°Do you know how hard Phoebe worked for this wedding gift? She tutored those spoiled brats in the


    wealthy districts, enduring their tantrums, oftening home battered. She worked night. shifts at 24¨CMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    hour diners, barely sleeping five hours if it wasn¡¯t too busy.¡±


    Ste¡¯sugh was bitter. ¡°She worked over a month to scrape together this thousand dors for your


    wedding gift, wanting to earn it before she left for abroad.¡±


    Dexter didn¡¯t want to hear it, but Ste insisted on telling him. ¡°This card holds her life¡¯s savings, a


    testament to her determination to repay you.¡±


    Frustrated, Ste tossed both the gift and the card at Dexter.


    ¡°Take your damn money and get lost. Never show your face to Phoebe again. She despises you; she


    never wants to see you.¡±


    I nodded in agreement with Ste¡¯s words.


    Indeed, ver wanted to see him again, not even in death.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ve said it before, if something happens to her, I¡¯ll die with her. She¡¯ll be okay.¡± Dexter


    murmured, his voice gravelly with emotion.


    I thought he was utterly ridiculous, to a ludicrous extent.


    Die with me? Why? Are you even worthy?


    ¡°Dexter! Get back here! The hotel just called¨CMelody¡­ she tried to take her own life at the hotel!¡±


    Hank, who had stepped aside to answer a call, rushed back in a panic, announcing Melody¡¯s attempt.


    I watched as Dexter¡¯s face turned even paler, his expression increasinglyplex.

 Chapter 40

    ¡°Take her own life? Ha¡­ If she really had it in her to bite the bullet, Phoebe would still be alive!¡± Ste¡¯s


    voice shattered through the air, thick with scorn for


    Melody.


    It was probably because she thought I died in Melody¡¯s ce.


    ¡°Easy there, let¡¯s go see what¡¯s going on first.¡± Robin stepped in, keeping Ste¡¯s tumultuous emotions


    in check, and handed her off to the forensic expert. ¡°Take care of her.¡±


    The forensic expert nodded and took hold of Ste. ¡°You¡¯re in the medical field, and you should know


    better than to let emotions cloud your judgment.¡±


    Ste didn¡¯t respond, just stood there with tears staining her cheeks.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, I¡¯ll go back with you to check on things.¡± Robin nced at his watch, wrapped up his


    instructions, and followed Dexter. ¡°Considering the investigation so far, your wife Melody was also one


    of the girls who left that orphanage back in the day, so the killer will definitely keep an eye on her.¡±


    Dexter¡¯s stride stiffened at the mention, and he reminded in a deep tone. ¡°She¡¯s not my wife.¡±


    Robin found Dexter¡¯s insistence odd but said no more.


    I trailed behind them and got into the car, too.


    ¡°The girls who left the orphanage back then are scattered all over the city now, with no pattern to the


    deaths. The killer seems to be acting out of revenge.¡± Robin looked at Dexter. ¡°If your wife isn¡¯t even


    afraid to meet her maker, maybe she could help us out, cooperate with the police so we can catch this


    killer sooner.¡±


    Robin didn¡¯t want to y it this way, but Melody and Dexter had put Phoebe in the line of fire as


    bait.


    I shed Robin a wry smile. ¡°As if. He treasures Melody like the crown jewels; he¡¯d never use her as


    bait to draw out a murderer.¡±


    ¡°I told you¡­ she¡¯s not my wife.¡± Dexter clung to that term. ¡°And with Phoebe already in harm¡¯s way, I


    can¡¯t risk Melody¡¯s safety too!¡±


    Iughed to myself, knowing he would never agree.


    ¡°Can¡¯t risk? What were you thinking when you let Phoebe take the risk as bait, Mr. Fitzgerald? Or is it


    that in your eyes, Melody¡¯s life is precious, and Phoebe¡¯s just doesn¡¯t count for much?¡± Robin


    challenged.


    Dexter was clearly taken aback, sitting rigidly in his seat.


    I felt a chill run through me, a biting cold..


    Indeed, how could my lowly lifepare to Melody¡¯s golden one?


    15:04


    ¡°Melody¡¯s not well, and she¡¯s been emotionally unstable,¡± Dexter snapped back at Robin. ¡°You heard


    her earlier¨Cshe tried to kill herself! You¡¯re a cop, for heaven¡¯s sake. How can you be so callous?¡±


    Robin said nothing, but his silence seemed to affirm his suspicions.


    ¡°Dexter, Phoebe didn¡¯te from the orphanage, and her body hasn¡¯t been found. To us, that means


    there¡¯s a good chance she¡¯s still out there breathing. If we don¡¯t find her soon, she¡¯s as good as dead.¡±


    After a long silence, Robin finally spoke up.


    He hoped Dexter would convince Melody to lend a hand to the police and, in turn, to Phoebe.


    Robin had put it gently. The fastest way to the killer was through Melody, using her to draw out the


    predator.


    But Dexter hesitated.


    I had already amassed enough disappointment in Dexter to face it all with a newfound calm.


    In his heart, ver held a ce of significance, and his choice was within my expectations.


    The affection buried deep from my younger years had withered and died during its rapid growth into a


    mighty tree. My love story had ended at the age of eighteen before it had even truly begun.


    Their car pulled up at the hotel, and the banquet hall was still bustling with guests.


    Melody¡¯s parents were there, looking less than pleased.


    ¡°Dexter¡­¡± Melody¡¯s mother, a woman of grace thanks to their once¨Cwealthy background, only brought


    low in recent years by bankruptcy and reliant on Dexter¡¯s charity.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Dexter lowered his head, seemingly with regret.


    I watched from a distance, finding the scene bitterly ironic.


    Melody¡¯s father said, ¡°Dexter, we¡¯ve seen all the good you do for Melody. Whatever the reason, the


    wedding turned out like this¡­ making Melody lose face in front of our rtives. You should have a


    word with her.¡±


    Dexter remained silent, opening his mouth but saying nothing. He just nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Robin stood in a nearby smoking area, taking long drags on his cigarette, his addiction seemingly a


    side effect of long nights working cases.


    I stood beside Robin, coughing reflexively at the smoke.


    I used to be so sensitive to cigarette smoke, coughing had be a reflex around it.


    But after a couple of coughs, I remembered¨CI was dead. What¡¯s a ghost got to fear from secondhand


    smoke? I let out a bitter chuckle and said to Robin, though he couldn¡¯t hear me, ¡°See, Melody¡¯s suicide


    is just an act. If she really wanted to end it, she¡¯d be in the hospital right.


    15:04


    now, not resting up in a hotel room.¡±


    Robin couldn¡¯t hear me, but it seemed we shared the same thoughts as he scoffed, ¡°Is this really about


    suicide, or is it about reeling Dexter back in?¡±


    I gave Robin a knowing look, rare to find someone on the same wavelength as me.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, I¡¯d like a word with Miss Melody,¡± Robin approached after Melody¡¯s parents had


    left.


    Dexter frowned. ¡°Some other time, please. Don¡¯t agitate her. Her mother says she¡¯s just. managed to


    calm down and get some sleep.¡±


    How caring he was.


    Robin¡¯s brow furrowed with increasing worry, his voice a cocktail of frustration and urgency. ¡°With every


    passing day, Phoebe¡¯s knocking on death¡¯s door a little louder.¡± He shot a piercing look at Dexter, his


    tone edged with a challenge. ¡°Dexter, for heaven¡¯s sake, do you even want to find Phoebe or not?¡±

 Chapter 41

    Was Phoebe¡¯s life more important, or Melody¡¯s fragile feelings?


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Dexter clenched his fists, stayed silent for a long while before speaking up. ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to her, but this


    isn¡¯t her responsibility, and she¡¯s not obliged to¡­¡±


    He was still protecting Melody.


    ¡°Not her responsibility?¡± arlyughed out of sheer frustration at Dexter. ¡°How can you say that? It


    was her who lured me over there, into the clutches of a murderer!¡±


    I yelled at Dexter, but it was as if he was deaf to my words. He never listened to me when I was alive,


    much less now that I was gone.


    ¡°Phoebe, you¡¯re pathetic for falling in love with someone like that,¡± Robin muttered to himself after


    Dexter walked away.


    Yeah, falling for someone like him was truly pathetic. Everyone could see how pathetic I was. Loving


    him turned out to be my biggest regret.


    But, over time, my heart had be numb. The pain wasn¡¯t as acute as it used to be.


    Who says love can¡¯t fade? Love does fade. With enough disappointment, enough despair, it naturally


    fades away.


    And if it doesn¡¯t, that¡¯s just self¨Cinflicted misery.


    I loved Dexter, and I gave my life for him; what was there left to love?


    Dexter returned from Melody¡¯s room after a short while. He shook his head at Robin. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Melody


    is just too upset right now.¡±


    ¡°Dexter, let me talk to her. This is about a human life; every second counts.¡± Robin was getting anxious,


    but he knew he didn¡¯t have the right to rush; from any angle, Melody wasn¡¯t obligated to cooperate.


    Still, Robin was aware that Melody wasn¡¯t innocent in Phoebe¡¯s predicament.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t let you upset her further.¡± Dexter was adamant about shielding Melody.


    Robin frowned. ¡°Do you realize that Melody called Phoebe three hours before the incident?¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to bring it up because the case wasn¡¯t solved, and he couldn¡¯t just make assumptions.


    Dexter¡¯s brow furrowed, looking at Robin. ¡°What are you implying, Officer Robin?¡±


    ¡°There was a strange call to Phoebe three hours before the incident. Since Phoebe didn¡¯t note it, we


    didn¡¯t pay much attention initially, but yesterday I had it checked. The number belongs to Melody¡¯s best


    friend, who said that Melody had borrowed it and she herself never called Phoebe. It might have been


    Melody.¡±


    ¡°You also said it¡¯s just a possibility!¡± Dexter was either trying to hide something, or was he


    13.09


    afraid of something.


    I watched Dexter with a cynical smile. ¡°It was her.¡±


    ¡°Our tech team is working on recovering the call recording from Phoebe¡¯s phone. It¡¯s still in progress,


    but once we have it, the truth wille out,¡± Robin said calmly. ¡°I¡¯m just d Phoebe had the sense to


    record it.¡±


    I took a deep breath. Knowing that Melody had called me, I decided to record it right away. I didn¡¯t trust


    Melody, and I wanted to keep evidence that I was always repaying a debt to Dexter. Little did I know


    that one day it would be a crucial piece of evidence in the truth behind my


    death.


    Dexter looked at Robin with furrowed brows. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t specte without evidence!¡±


    ¡°Whether I specte or not, deep down, you know why Phoebe was there on the 15th, and none of you


    were aware. Don¡¯t you find that suspicious?¡±

 Chapter 42

    Robin flicked his cigarette butt into the trash can, looking over his shoulder with a sense of urgency.


    ¡°Phoebe¡¯s cell phone is banged up, but it ain¡¯t beyond repair. Just needs some time, and we¡¯ll see what


    we can salvage.¡±


    He turned to leave but then paused, shooting a piercing nce at Dexter. ¡°If your hesitance and cover¨C


    up lead to Phoebe¡¯s death or something even more horrendous, you¡¯ll be just as much a murderer. And


    even if thew doesn¡¯t get you, your conscience will shackle you for life.¡±


    Dexter stood there, numb, the fatigue written all over his face.


    I gave him onest look before walking away, knowing I couldn¡¯t turn back.


    I had no idea when my soul would fade away, when I¡¯d truly die, or why I was even in this state to begin


    with. All I could do was wait. Wait for my body to be found, for the truth toe to light, for my remains


    to be cremated andid to rest in the earth.


    Maybe then, I¡¯d find my peace.


    ¡°Robin! That nutjob Colin¡¯s vanished! We were allbing the scene, and in the blink of an eye, he


    was gone.¡±


    Robin¡¯s brow furrowed as he climbed into his car. ¡°Find him. Keep an eye on him. He¡¯s got to know


    something.¡±


    He was convinced that Colin held some secrets.


    As I got into Robin¡¯s car, I nced at the photograph in his hand. It was the one Colin had found at the


    orphanage, showing a little girl in a red dress. In the photo, Colin stood out like a sore thumb, his good


    looks impossible to miss.


    1


    Beside him was another boy, looking timid and scared, clinging to Colin¡¯s arm, hiding behind


    him.


    Colin stood like a protective older brother.


    Robin studied the photo gravely. ¡°Colin¡­¡±


    ¡°Jason, can we track down all the people from this orphanage photo?¡± Robin dialed one of his


    men.


    ¡°A few years back, the orphanage caught fire. It was the director who found out his misdeeds were


    about to be exposed. He tried to burn all the evidence, including the kids. Aside from the girls in red


    dresses who were adopted, only Colin survived. They say Colin used to be a genius. not the fool he is


    now. That changed after the fire.¡±


    Robin looked at the children in the photo.


    All dead except for Colin.


    ¡°He¡¯s the killer. He¡¯s on a spree, knocking off everyone from the orphanage. This guy¡¯s


    13.09


    dangerous. Either he¡¯s got a split personality or he¡¯s a master of disguise,¡± I tried to warn Robin.


    He couldn¡¯t hear me, but he was starting to suspect Colin too.


    ¡°Keep tabs on Colin. We have to find him!¡±


    Relief washed over me as I saw Robin¡¯s suspicion.


    Robin had just ended the call when his phone rang again. It was that forensic expert.


    ¡°Robin! Ste¡¯s gone missing. She might be going after Melody. Are you at the hotel?¡±


    Robin paused, instinctively looking towards the hotel.


    My gaze followed, fixating on the hotel¡¯s entrance.


    Was Steing for Melody?


    Robin quickly got out of the car and headed for the hotel.


    I followed, anxious.


    In the hotel corridor.


    Melody slumped into Dexter¡¯s arms, her face pale and drained.


    Ste stood at the doorway, not raging but speaking softly, ¡°Please, help me save Phoebe.¡±


    For Phoebe¡¯s sake, she had to ask Melody for help.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Melody sobbed, burying her face in Dexter¡¯s chest.


    Dexter


    ter was getting angry. ¡°Ste, stop being crazy. Melody¡¯s upset, and you¡¯re making it


    worse.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes zed as she stared at Dexter. ¡°You really are the worst.¡±


    Dexter fell silent, not responding.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to go, just lend me your red dress.¡±


    Ste was asking for Melody¡¯s red dress.


    I had been wearing Melody¡¯s red dress before the incident.


    Melody was taken aback, looking at Ste. ¡°You¡¯re insane. That¡¯s about the killer.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so great about Phoebe that you¡¯d go this far for her¡­¡± Melody murmured, as if she couldn¡¯t


    comprehend or believe it.


    ¡°Do you even deserve to hear about her goodness?¡± Ste snapped back coldly, clenching her fists.


    ¡°Melody, you better pray Phoebe¡¯s trouble has nothing to do with you. Otherwise, I¡¯ll never let you off


    the hook.¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    1300


    I stood not far away, sighing. It was she who had lured me to my doom.


    ¡°Ste, don¡¯t push it.¡± Dexter said, guarding Melody protectively.


    ¡°Miss Melody, just do as she says. If you won¡¯t step in, at least lend us the dress,¡± Robin intervened


    after listening for a while, quickly approaching the scene.


    In the end, you could tell the good from the bad.


    Melody was stalling, unwilling to step forward to save me.

 Chapter 43

    When Melody had first mentioned that a killer was on her tail, she had no qualms about sending me in


    her stead to lure the murderer out.


    Melody was selfish, and it was clear as day to everyone. Everyone, that is, except Dexter..


    Robin gave Dexter a meaningful look. Was he really that naive? Or was there something her wasn¡¯t


    sharing?


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I, I don¡¯t have a red dress anymore,¡± Melody stammered, her reluctance to help obvious. She


    just didn¡¯t want to give the cops anything to go on.


    Dexter paused, confused. ¡°But I thought¡­¡±


    He remembered the red dress he had bought for her, one that she had imed to adore.


    ¡°That one¡­ it got ruined in the wash. The colors bled so I threw it out,¡± Melody faltered.


    Dexter didn¡¯t press further.


    Ste¡¯s eyes were rimmed with red, anger boiling within her as she confronted Dexter. ¡°Tell me the


    brand and style of the dress, and I¡¯ll go buy it myself.¡±


    After a long silence, Dexter finally spoke. ¡°It¡¯s from L&Y¡¯s fall collection, the only long red dress they


    had.¡±


    Hearing Dexter¡¯s words, my heart ached anew. When I was eighteen, I had asked him for a dress as a


    gift, admitting my fondness for L&Y¡¯s design aesthetic.


    He had agreed, but year after year, the dresses he bought were never for me.


    Ste nced at Dexter, too exasperated to argue.


    Following Ste out, Robin frowned. ¡°There¡¯s something off about this Melody.¡±


    ¡°Officer Robin, can we please hurry?¡± Ste barely held herself together as she entered the


    elevator.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡°Please, I need to try. I can¡¯t bear to think what Phoebe might be going through. Please.¡±


    Robin took a deep breath and nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go with you to get the dress, then you¡¯ll leave this


    hotel pretending to be Melody. You can trust me; I¡¯ll keep you safe.¡±


    Ste nodded, her hands clenched tight. ¡°We have to catch this bastard.


    ¡°Robin, you have to protect her,¡± I muttered incessantly, knowing full well Robin couldn¡¯t hear me but


    unable to stop myself. ¡°You just have to keep her safe.¡±


    That evening, Ste put on the same model of dress as Melody, straightened her hair, and left the hotel


    wearing a face mask.


    I followed, anxious and vignt.


    I was terrified she¡¯d encounter danger.


    Ste first stopped at a bar, drinking until she was visibly intoxicated, her hair a disheveled.


    mess.


    To avoid detection and for the sake of authenticity, she really drank.


    I sat by her, my eyes red with worry. ¡°Ste, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m always here.¡±


    I wanted to be her guardian angel, to protect her, but I was helpless.


    The police had taken every precaution to ensure Ste¡¯s safety.


    Stumbling out alone. Ste made her way down Tangle Lane, just outside the Nocturne Club.


    Click.


    Suddenly, a faint sound came from behind. rvously looked back at the dark corner, trembling with


    fear.


    You see, even as a ghost, I fear the human heart. It¡¯s not ghosts that are truly terrifying; it¡¯s what lies


    within the human soul.


    ¡°Ste be careful¡± I said anxiously, eyes fixed on the darkness.


    ¡°Robin Robin, where are you?¡± I shouted in fear, but they couldn¡¯t hear me.


    A shadow darted past, racing into the distance, and the watching officers gave chase.


    A sense of dread washed over me; it felt like a diversion.


    ¡°Ste¡± I desperately wanted to grab her and run, but it was toote. A figure emerged from the


    shadows. He was dressed in a hoodie that was toorge, pants that revealed a scarred ankle, and he


    dragged a long stick behind him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯te any closer!¡± I screamed, stomping my feet in terror. ¡°Run, Ste, run!¡±


    It was the killer, it had to be Colin!


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not her¡­¡± Colin¡¯s voice was hoarse as he looked at Ste sitting on the ground. ¡°Not her¡­¡±


    He muttered to himself, his eyes bloodshot, his handsome face marred by a chilling coldness.

 Chapter 44

    Ste sat on the floor, her gaze fixed on Colin, ¡°Where¡¯s Phoebe?¡±


    Colin tossed the stick he was holding, as if struck by panic, and turned to run, but Robin pinned him


    against the wall.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? What are you doing here? Take him in for questioning!¡±


    Robin¡¯s voice boomed with fury.


    It was always Colin!


    I knew that Robin¡¯s suspicions about Colin had deepened.


    I breathed a sigh of relief. That was good. As long as the truth was uncovered quickly, and my body


    was found¡­


    The cops took Colin away, and Robin carried Ste off.


    I allowed myself a moment of relief, staring nkly at the lollipop Colin had dropped on the ground.


    It was fruit¨Cvored.


    Colin was caught, and the police interrogated him for twenty¨Cfour hours, but he didn¡¯t utter a single


    word. Without evidence, the police had to release him for the time being.


    I sat in the police station lobby, my gaze numb as I watched Colin being escorted away by the Langley


    family.


    This murderer was far too cunning.


    Colin seemed to be of great value to the Langley family, as they had hired Sea City¡¯s bestwyers to


    bail him out.


    I wondered, even if it was ultimately revealed that Colin was the serial killer, would the Langley family


    still find a way to get him off the hook?


    If that were the case, those deceased girls would have been pitifully wronged.


    In the afternoon, Dexter came to the station to inquire about the investigation. He seemed eager to


    know if I had been found.


    I guessed he wanted to know if I was dead.


    ¡°Because it wasn¡¯t Melody, the mission failed.¡± Robin began to suspect Colin, believing that he had


    stopped because Ste wasn¡¯t Melody and didn¡¯t continue with his murderous spree.


    ¡°We found a handkerchief with traces of sedatives in Colin¡¯s pocket, along with sticks, and


    13:09


    other tools used for the crimes,¡± Robin frowned.


    Even though Colin had been bailed out, he still had people watching him.


    ¡°It¡¯s that Colin, that maniac! He¡¯s definitely the killer. Phoebe must be with him!¡± Dexter eximed


    angrily. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you arresting him!¡±


    ¡°First off, the maniac¡± you¡¯re talking about was bailed out by Brendan Langley who¡¯s got the best legal


    team. Andstly Colin has a psychiatric evaluation that can prove he suffers from a mental disorder,


    making it impossible to determine he¡¯s the previous murderer based on the sedatives and sticks in his


    pockets.¡±


    Robin warned Dexter not to lose his cool here.


    If Melody had been the one to go that night and Colin had been caught in the act of trying to kill her, he


    would have had the grounds to keep Colin detained for now.


    Dexter didn¡¯t speak, taking a deep breath.


    The Langley family were not to be trifled with.


    ¡°I just have this feeling¡­ Phoebe is right beside me¡­¡± Dexter murmured, then spoke again after a


    pause. ¡°If we keep an eye on Colin, could we find Phoebe?¡±


    Robin didn¡¯t answer, but he surely hoped so.


    The police had begun to suspect, keeping a twenty¨Cfour¨Chour watch on Colin.


    I believed that under such close surveince, he would eventually slip up.


    Ste sat on a bench, looking somewhat forlorn. ¡°Is Colin really the killer? It just doesn¡¯t feel right to


    me.


    I sat beside Ste, offering her a gentle smile. ¡°That¡¯s because you are too kind¨Chearted.¡±


    Ste paused, turning to look in my direction:


    I also paused, unsure why I felt like crying.


    Her expression carried a slow loss, and she shook her head. ¡°Phoebe will be okay.¡±


    ¡°Killers are good at disguising themselves, especially one with a mental illness like him.¡± Dexter spoke


    sternly.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s faking it.¡± Robin was a cop, after all, and had his own experiences. ¡°I¡¯ve


    been in touch with criminal psychology experts. I suspect that Colin might have a split personality, or


    some other kind of mental disorder.¡±


    I shook my head, sighing. I had suspected Colin had a split personality before, but now I was more


    inclined to believe that Colin had an aplice.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Robin, the girls¡® bodies from that photo, the ones adopted, have been found one by one. There¡¯s just


    Melody and one named Ophelia left.¡± A colleague approached Robin. ¡°We¡¯ve sent people to look for


    Ophelia.¡±


    13:09


    Robin nodded his acknowledgment.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just arrest that maniac? Would the Langley family even stand for him?¡± Dexter was losing


    control of his emotions, storming out of the station, clearly on his way to confront someone from the


    Langley family.


    I paid no mind to Dexter. His urgency wasn¡¯t for me; it was the fear that Colin might harm Melody.


    Ste¡¯s eyes welled up with tears as she looked up at Robin. ¡°Really, is there no other way?¡±


    Was keeping an eye on Colin the only option?


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see. We¡¯ve got Colin under surveince.¡± Robin poured Ste a cup of water.


    Ste took it, her tears flowing uncontrobly. ¡°I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m afraid of what might be happening to


    Phoebe right now.¡±


    ¡°Ste, I¡¯m okay.¡± I whispered to reassure her, suddenly feeling somewhat at peace.


    I was already dead, at least I hadn¡¯t suffered much.


    I had already forgotten the pain of death.


    ¡°Robin! There¡¯s trouble¡­¡± Outside, a young officer burst in, his face ashen. ¡°Colin sneaked out from


    the Langley estate. We followed him all the way. By the old Guardian River behind the orphanage, we


    found Ophelia¡¯s body.¡±

 Chapter 45

    Another victim had surfaced, and the revtion sent me reeling to my feet.


    That lunatic, how could he have taken so many lives?


    All those girls who were adopted from the orphanage were brutally murdered, one by one¡­


    What was the reason behind this madness?


    That maniac had dumped all the bodies from the orphanage, but kept mine. What was he nning to


    do with my body?


    Did he realize he had killed the wrong person? Or was it something else¡­.


    ¡°We¡¯ve caught Colin,¡± the officer reported, his breath shaky and his voice hoarse. ¡°He didn¡¯t run. He


    just stood there and let us take him.¡±


    ¡°This time, on the body¡­ we found¡­¡± He trailed off, struggling to continue.


    ¡°What did you find?¡± Robin demanded, the urgency clear in his voice.


    The young officer shot a wary nce at Ste, debating whether to share the gruesome details. Ste


    was already trembling, her breathing faint. ¡°Just¡­ tell us.¡±


    ¡°The eyes¡­¡± the officer took a deep breath. ¡°The forensic expert examined and said the eyes in the


    victim¡¯s sockets were ced there post¨Cmortem. They don¡¯t belong to the victim. We suspect¡­ they


    might be Phoebe¡¯s.¡±


    Ste copsed to the ground, her face ashen.


    The eyes¡­


    Had Colin taken my eyes?


    I was terrified, my whole body shaking.


    What was he trying to aplish?


    What did he want?


    ¡°He¡¯s just a madman!¡± I cried out uncontrobly, sinking to the floor in tears.


    Such brutality.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Robin looked grim as he took a deep breath. ¡°Take care of Ste. I¡¯ll handle this.¡±


    He wouldn¡¯t let Ste go to the scene. She couldn¡¯t handle that kind of horror.


    ¡°We can¡¯t be sure until the tests are done. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Robin said, scratching his head in frustration


    before he took off.


    I stayed by Ste¡¯s side, sharing in her nk despair.


    ¡°Ste¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m gone and can¡¯t keep our promise.¡±


    We had made a pact that if neither of us found someone to marry, we would stay single and


    retire together in some cozy city.


    Now, that¡¯s impossible.


    Robin returned quickly.


    The body was taken to forensics. The medical examiner was still working. These things take


    time.


    Dexter, hearing the news, arrived looking even more distraught than earlier.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it¡­ I just can¡¯t!¡±


    He refused to ept that those eyes in the corpse could be mine, but the autopsy results pped him


    with the harsh truth.


    Those were my eyes.


    By now, Robin and the other officers were convinced I had been murdered. Even Ste sat dejected on


    the floor, no longer resisting the truth. She believed I was dead.


    Only Dexter, as if he¡¯d heard some sick joke, bent overughing hysterically.


    I had no strength left to confront him or to p some sense into him. It was pointless.


    ¡°Now, the only person left for the killer to target is probably Melody,¡± a female officer murmured.


    Dexter¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll wait for him.¡±


    ¡°Ready to use Melody as bait now? Too bad, it¡¯s toote,¡± Robin said meaningfully, shaking his head.


    ¡°People only realize what¡¯s important after it¡¯s gone. It¡¯s tragic.¡±


    Clutching his fists tightly, Dexter said nothing.


    ¡°Important? The best thing would be for her to die.¡± Heshed out at Robin, his eyes burning


    red.


    I knew he wished I was dead.


    I sighed and, seeing Dexter¡¯s current state, I couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    My death would be his release.


    ¡°Officer Robin, Colin confessed. He said he killed all of them; it was all his doing,¡± the junior officer


    reported meekly from the doorway.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Phoebe? Where¡¯s her body!¡± Robin exploded. ¡°That bastard.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t say¡­¡±


    I slumped into a chair. Colin still refused to reveal where my body was.


    ¡°Won¡¯t say? That son of a bitch.¡± Robin lost control, and despite being an officer, he couldn¡¯t hold back.


    He stormed into the interrogation room, turned off the cameras, andnded a solid punch on Colin,


    wrestling him to the floor.


    Colinughed maniacally, blood trickling from his mouth, his eyes terrifyingly red.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Phoebe? She wasn¡¯t from the orphanage, so why did you kill her, why!¡± Robin screamed at


    Colin.


    ¡°Soon you¡¯ll see,¡± Colin rasped, delirious. ¡°After Melody is dead.¡±


    Soon, Phoebe¡¯s body would be found.

 Chapter 46

    ¡°Crazy! You¡¯re absolutely crazy!¡± Robin kicked Colin in a fit of rage before being pulled back by a


    colleague.


    ¡°Robin, now¡¯s not the time to lose it,¡± the colleague said, trying to calm him down. ¡°I don¡¯t get why he¡¯s


    so hell¨Cbent on confessing to murder, but a lot of the timeline doesn¡¯t even match.¡±


    Robin took a deep breath and straightened up.


    But Colin suddenly pointed at himself with a look of terror. ¡°It was me. I did it. I killed them all. Now kill


    me.¡±


    He wanted Robin to end his life.


    Robin frowned, remaining silent. ¡°Keep digging until he tells the truth.¡±


    Even if Colin confessed to murder, he had a psychiatric evaluation and numerous alibis to counter the


    charge.


    How could they convict him?


    Brendan had the best legal team money could buy, clearly setting up a no¨Cwin situation.


    Outside the interrogation room, Dexter¡¯s cries of madness filled the air. He wanted to burst in and take


    Colin down himself.


    I stood by the door, ignoring Dexter¡¯s ranting.


    I no longer cared, and no longer loved him.


    My eyes rested on Colin, scrutinizing him.


    He admitted to the killing, but why did it feel so wrong?


    Colin¡¯s coat was torn from the struggle. He sat at the interrogation table in just a tee, hisplexion


    ashen, looking like a walking corpse.


    At that moment, he was as beautiful as a macabre doll.


    I stood beside Colin, trying to see through him, but it was impossible.


    My gaze fell on the back of Colin¡¯s hand, those elegantly long fingers marred with burn scars. It was


    like a pristine porcin vase now wed and cracked.


    I remembered those hands, when I was trapped in a wooden crate, he had taken an axe and stepped


    out into the open.


    My eyes trailed up to his forearm, and my heart clenched.


    Something was off¡­


    The inside of Colin¡¯s upper arm was smooth, devoid of any blemishes or scars. That couldn¡¯t be right.


    13:10


    In my final moments. I had fought desperately, my nails wing into the killer¡¯s arm, gouging deep into


    the flesh.


    It hadn¡¯t been long since my death; even if his wounds had healed, there should have been temporary


    scars. Something was amiss.


    Could it be that he had an aplice?


    ¡°Get out of my way, let me in there! I¡¯m gonna kill him!¡± Dexter was still shouting, unable to control his


    emotions.


    I turned back with aplex look at the out¨Cof¨Ccontrol Dexter.


    What was he barking about?


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Wasn¡¯t he the cause of my downfall?


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Robin, unable to bear it any longer,nded a punch on Dexter.


    Finally, there was silence.


    ¡°Robin! Robin, we found her¡­ we found Phoebe¡­¡±


    A female officer ran in, almost tripping in her haste.


    Dexter¡¯s eyes were bloodshot as he grabbed the officer¡¯s shoulders. ¡°What? Phoebe¡­ where is she?¡±


    Robin was taken aback, looking at the officer. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Jason and the others found a cer in the old orphanage, and Phoebe was in there.¡±


    Ste, equally distraught, scrambled over. ¡°She¡¯s alive, right? Tell me she¡¯s alive!¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if she has no eyes. Medical treatment is so advanced and we can fix it! She¡¯s alive,


    right?¡± Ste¡¯s voice trembled.


    The officer didn¡¯t speak just looked down. ¡°Officer Robin, you shoulde with us.¡°.


    Robin¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he exchanged a meaningful nce with Dexter.


    Dexter stood there numbly, suddenly silent.


    An eerie silence.


    ¡°I knew it¡­ she wouldn¡¯t die. All this, just to get me to marry her.¡± Dexter muttered sarcastically.


    I wanted tough, but I couldn¡¯t anymore. Now, I just wanted to see what had be of my body.


    ¡°Ste, you might not want to see this,¡± the officer said kindly.


    13:10


    But Ste¡¯s grip tightened, her eyes resolute. ¨C


    The officer looked at Robin. Robin said nothing, which meant consent.


    Something had happened to me, and everyone had to face that reality.

 Chapter 47

    Ste followed Robin, her whole body trembling uncontrobly.


    Dexter trailed behind the group, silent, his face a ghastly shade of pale.


    I nced at Dexter and couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    The police had finally found my body. With that discovery, Dexter was truly free atst. He probably


    couldn¡¯t wait for me to be out of the picture.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to do this?¡± Robin asked Ste again before they got into the car.


    Herplexion was ashen, and her legs nearly gave out as she climbed into the car.


    I instinctively reached out to steady her, but it was futile: my hands passed right through her body.


    I couldn¡¯t touch anyone.


    ¡°She¡¯s not dead.¡± Dexter said, furrowing his brow as if he still held onto some hope.


    Ste shot Dexter a look full of loathing before getting into the car.


    I sat next to Ste, staring nkly out the window.


    At this point, any affection or expectation I had for Dexter had long since evaporated. He and Melody


    had done me in, and whatever love or loyalty there was had been spent.


    The orphanage had already been cordoned off by the police, with officers patrolling all around.


    Several ambnces were parked nearby, though they seemed rather superfluous.


    It was clear this was the scene of the initial crime in a string of murders.


    I


    I smiled bitterly to myself, What good were ambnces? I was definitely already dead.


    ¡°Why wasn¡¯t this cer found during the previous searches?¡± The higher¨Cups were on scene.


    considering the gravity of the case.


    Robin quickly offered an exnation. ¡°Sorry, this orphanage has been deserted for ages. Without any


    blueprints, that cer was just too well hidden¡­¡±


    I too was curious about the cer, located beneath a small storage shed behind the abandoned yard,


    with a wooden floor concealing the ndestine space below and an air of foreboding. emanating from


    it.


    I had no memory of this ce; I had been unconscious when the killer dragged me in, and by the time I


    came to, I was already in that dim space without any idea how I got there.


    ¡°Certainly, a ce like this would be tough to spot, even if you searched a dozen times. Who found it?¡±


    Robin asked.


    ¡°Robin, it was me,¡± Cory said, puzzled. ¡°Strange¡­ I was here several times yesterday and didn¡¯t


    13:10


    notice anything off. Today, though, I spotted footprints on the floor.¡± He wondered if he had simply not


    been observant enough the day before. ¡°My bad for missing it yesterday.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. The killer wanted us to find it,¡± Robin said, his expression grim as he lit at cigarette.


    This killer was clever.


    ¡°The lunatic Colin is the killer, right?¡± Cory asked, intrigued.


    ¡°Either he had an aplice, or someone is setting him up to take the fall,¡± Robin said, shaking his


    head. There were too many unanswered questions.


    The group fell silent, standing at the mouth of the cer, hesitant to go down.


    ¡°Robin, you need to¡­ brace yourself,¡± one of the officers advised. ¡°Chief Daniel just went down and


    came back up looking green. It¡¯s a bit of a mess down there, and the medics are still figuring things


    out.¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Robin took a deep breath, then turned to Ste and Dexter. ¡°They¡¯re family of the victim, so they might


    help with identification.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean Phoebe could still be alive?¡± Ste¡¯s voice was frantic as she clutched Robin¡¯s arm.


    ¡°She¡¯s alive, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    Robin looked at her gravely. ¡°You two,e with me.¡±


    Dexter seemed agitated, but at the critical moment, he hesitated, taking a long time before he could


    bring himself to go down the cer.


    I stood to the side, mocking his cowardice.


    Now he was scared, huh?


    Wasn¡¯t it him who got me into this mess?


    Dexter, you¡¯re an aplice.


    I followed Ste down into the cer, and the wave of dread that hit me was almost tangible.


    My body shook and my hands clenched reflexively; even as a spirit, I was overwhelmed by fear. ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Suddenly, Ste halted in her tracks. Upon seeing the horrors thaty before her, she shook violently,


    her face turning ghostly white as she turned and retched.

 Chapter 48

    It was a visceral reaction to the utmost sorrow and fear, not because the scene was


    particrly grotesque.


    In the dim cer, there stood a life¨Csized ss case, illuminated from beneath, reminiscent of an


    artifact on disy in a museum.


    Within the ss, the sight was chilling: myself, hung with countless IV bags like a marite. eyes


    gouged out and covered with a crimson blindfold.


    My skin was pale and bloodless, and I wore only a scarlet slip dress with my feet nailed to the disy


    stand.


    The police and paramedics gingerly lifted the ss cover, and everyone gasped at the sight of


    1. me.


    For a moment, my body seemed like a macabre work of art, exhibited there.


    Dexter stood frozen, his gaze jumping erratically, eyes brimming with horror and confusion.


    I didn¡¯t know what was going through his mind. Even I couldn¡¯t bear to look any longer.


    ¡°The psycho¡­ he removed her fingernails and embedded crystals, her earrings too, crystals¡­


    Everything on Phoebe, everything that was ced is valuable, even this ss case isn¡¯t ordinary.¡±


    ¡°She still has a pulse, her breathing is faint,¡± the doctor shouted, signaling everyone to be careful with


    me.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    I turned in shock to the doctor. A pulse? Faint breathing? What does that mean?


    Am I not dead?


    ¡°The assant likely injected the victim with arge amount of drugs. These are nutrients to maintain


    basic bodily functions. Right now, the victim is in aatose state but still shows vital signs,¡± the doctor


    exined.


    Ste copsed to the ground, her emotions raw and spiraling out of control. ¡°Save her, please. Robin,


    save her! Doctor¡­ I beg you, save her.¡±


    Ste knelt, her body trembling as she pleaded. She didn¡¯t know who to beg to keep me alive.


    ¡°The killer is insane. The victim can only be positioned like this. If moved¡­¡± the doctor sighed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ please save her,¡± Ste cried out to them.


    I stood numbly, slowly closing my eyes.


    In that moment, I understood why my soul hadn¡¯t vanished with my body. Because I hadn¡¯t truly died.


    ¡°Save her ¡°novtor stood still and it was a long while hofore he said those two words hoarsely


    Save her.


    What an ironic plea.


    His face was ghostly pale, his legs numbly moving forward, as if trying to confirm that the person


    disyed in the ss case was really me.


    ¡°That maniac¡­ I¡¯ll kill him,¡± Dexter said in a hoarse, deep voice, sounding like he was searching for an


    outlet for his wrath.


    He was shaking, looking down, unable to lift his gaze after confirming it was indeed me inside the ss


    case.


    His eyes reddened with intense sorrow. Yet every move he made now seemed like mockery to


    1. me.


    Ridiculous!


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who killed her!¡± Ste screamed uncontrobly, rushing forward to p Dexter hard


    across the face. ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a jerk.¡±


    Dexter stood there passively, letting Ste rage, motionless.


    I watched the urgency of the police and paramedics, the breakdown of my best friend, Robin trying to


    intervene, Dexter staggering backward until he fell to the ground¡­


    ¡°Robin! Phoebe¡¯s not breathing!¡±


    ¡°Beep beep beep¡­¡± The harsh rm of the heart monitor sounded, and I watched as my life slipped


    away until silence.


    So this is what dying feels like.

 Chapter 49

    In the darkness, echoes of voices haunted the fringes of my fading consciousness.


    I could hear Ste¡¯s sobbing, Robin¡¯s urgent calls, and the doctor¡¯s strained pleas.


    ¡°Phoebe, Phoebe, hang on¡­¡±


    ¡°Phoebe!¡±


    ¡°Phoebe!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s been holding on too long, and we found her toote. If only, if only a day earlier¡­ just one more


    day, she might have made it.¡± The doctor¡¯s voice was hoarse with emotion, eyes glistening with unshed


    tears. ¡°She was pregnant.¡±


    As an onlooker to my own tragedy, it seemed impossible toprehend what I had endured these past


    days.


    ¡°How desperate she must have felt,¡± Cory said, turning away, unable to face the truth. ¡°If we¡¯d found


    her sooner¡­ Now a life inside her is gone too! That monster!¡±


    ¡°To think she was tortured so, her fingers broken to appear more delicate, her blood tainted with a


    cocktail of drugs, her skin paler than a porcin doll. That maniac disyed her like artwork in a ss


    case.¡± The female officer wept openly, looking away, unable to bear the sight.


    Dexter sat on the floor, breath ragged, his eyes bloodshot as if he¡¯d lost his mind. ¡°She can¡¯t be dead.


    She won¡¯t die¡­ she¡¯s lying! She¡¯s tricking me! She won¡¯t die! Didn¡¯t she want me to marry her? I will!


    Come back, Phoebe, don¡¯t die!¡±


    ¡°If you and Melody hadn¡¯t interfered with the police investigation, Phoebe wouldn¡¯t be dead, she


    wouldn¡¯t!¡± Ste screamed,shing out at Dexter, her hands aching to throttle him.


    The female officer moved to intervene, but Robin held her back.


    Robin, too, harbored resentment towards Dexter.


    After all, there was still a chance for me before.


    ¡°If only a day sooner¡­¡± Ste¡¯s cries were ament, her strength failing as she copsed to the floor.


    If only a day sooner.


    ¡°You and Melody killed her, so why don¡¯t you die, Dexter? Go to hell.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not dead¡­ she won¡¯t die!¡± Dexter suddenly burst out, in denial of the lifeless form behind the


    ss, running desperately towards the exit.


    How ironic; hadn¡¯t he always wished me dead? And now that I was, why did he lose his mind?


    ¡°Officer Robin! We¡¯ve got a lead. Phoebe¡¯s parents were the phnthropists who funded the


    13-10


    orphanage. The day they died in the car crash, they were on their way to a celebration there! And on


    the same day, there was a fire at the orphanage, many perished.¡± A policeman burst into the basement,


    holding a photograph of the orphanage, with my parents and me in it.


    ¡°Orphanage¡­¡±


    A sudden headache gripped me, and shes of the car crash scene appeared in my mind. I saw the


    figure desperately trying to save me.


    Why


    the image slowly became clear. It wasn¡¯t Dexter.


    ¡°Colin¡­¡± Why did the memory of that murderer surface?


    Wasn¡¯t it Dexter who saved me?


    That ident¡­ had I truly lost so much of my memory?


    ¡°This is no coincidence. The death of Phoebe¡¯s parents, and the cause of Phoebe¡¯s own death might


    not be an ident!¡± Robin mmed his fist against the wall in a fury. ¡°I will catch the culprit. I won¡¯t let


    Phoebe¡¯s death be in vain!¡±


    My consciousness was slipping away, the voices fading..


    So, the death of my parents was no ident. It was orchestrated! Linked to the one who murdered me!


    As death closed in, a tumultuous tide of hatred and a thirst for truth nearly tore me apart.


    The Grim Reaper had granted me time, but no chance for regret.


    My life had only just begun!


    I couldn¡¯t ept this. Why did I have to endure all this pain? Why lose my parents at eighteen, be at


    the mercy of others? Living a life of timid acquiescence, yet unable to escape a fate of being tormented


    by a murderer, abandoned by the man I once loved, and framed by a vindictiveExclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    woman!


    I couldn¡¯t ept it! If given another chance, I would live differently, never again so meekly. ¡°Mom, Dad.¡±


    Beyond the darkness was a piercing white light. I didn¡¯t know how long I¡¯d been out, lost to time and


    everything else. ¡°I can¡¯t ept this. I want to live, to seek vengeance, and to uncover the truth!¡±

 Chapter 50

    I was gone, yet the killer hadn¡¯t truly been brought to justice.


    Colin was bailed out by the Langley family once more, armed with a psychiatric diagnosis and an alibi.


    The police were powerless, and they had no choice but to let him walk free again.


    ¡°You little brat, if you don¡¯t give the Langley family an heir soon, you can forget about ever leaving this


    ce!¡±


    In a daze, I heard a vicious voice. It snapped me back to reality.


    ¡°Sir, the drug has been administered, and the woman is in the room. This time, it¡¯s bound to work.¡±


    My heart raced with panic. Where am I? Why are my eyelids so heavy?


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± A raspy voice reached my ears, filled with hurried breaths and a trembling desire that


    couldn¡¯t be concealed.


    Suddenly, a kissden with burning urgency pressed upon me, and my shock and dread peaked.


    Where is this? Where am I?


    1


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± A low groan seemed to escape my throat as I struggled to resist and to open my eyes, but to


    no avail.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± He kept calling my name, yet it felt so alien to me.


    His touch was frantic, but I could feel him fighting with all his might to restrain¨Chis desires. It was as if


    he cherished my body, not wanting to hurt me..


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ Phoebe, I can¡¯t control¡­ my body.¡±


    He sounded tormented, choking up, apologizing, seemingly out of his mind.


    Eventually, I gave up fighting and lost consciousness once more.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    After an unknown span of time, the soreness of my body dragged me back to reality.


    I slowly opened my eyes, squinting as the light blurred my vision.


    Sunlight streamed in through the French windows, with white curtains dancing at the sides.


    13:11


    I rubbed my aching forehead, took a moment to gather myself, and then my eyes snapped open


    in shock.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Wasn¡¯t I dead?


    Propping myself up, I sat bewildered, staring at the man lying beside me.


    ¡°Ah!¡± The unfamiliar surroundings and the man prompted a startled cry from me, and arly tumbled


    off the bed.


    Suddenly, a pale but strong hand reached out and grabbed my wrist, pulling me back to the safety of


    the bed.


    My breathing turned rapid as I stared at the hand, scars trailing from the back of it to the forearm, the


    muscles defined and tense with effort.


    The man was lying on the bed, his back even more scarred, yet the attractive muscle contours seemed


    to soften the severity. His hair was soft and overgrown, jet¨Cck and tousled.


    I couldn¡¯t see his face clearly, but I forced myself to stay calm.


    The duvet loosely covered his lower waist, the contours of his hips were clear and appealing.


    Given the scene before me, even I could guess what had happenedst night.


    On the pristine bed sheet, there was a stain of shocking red. I stared at the crimson mark, panicked,


    and quickly got off the bed.


    The pain in my body and between my legs rooted me to the spot in disbelief.


    Impossible¡­


    Dexter and I had been together in bed long ago, the bloodstain on the bed¡­


    But wait, wasn¡¯t I dead?


    Standing in the strange room, I nced around warily. When I saw the woman in the mirror, I gasped.


    Who is she?


    I touched my face, looking at the naked reflection in the mirror.


    The woman¡¯s bare body looked so unfamiliar, her skin pure and unblemished, her figure shapely, so


    beautiful that at first nce I felt as though I was seeing Venus herself.


    But who was she?


    And how had I woken up in her body?


    ¡°Quiet.¡± The man on the bed stirred awake, frowning in displeasure as he propped himself up to sit.


    ¡°Ah!¡± The reality of being reborn in someone else¡¯s body hadn¡¯t quite settled in when the man¡¯s face


    struck me with terror once more.


    13:11


    #1


    How could it be him!

 Chapter 51

    Colin!


    The nutcase from the orphanage.


    The killer who confessed to taking my life!


    What on earth is he doing here?


    He seemed just as taken aback, staring at me for what felt like an eternity.


    Late to the realization, I scrambled to wrap a towel around myself and turned to fumble for my phone,


    intending to call the cops.


    But fear had me shaking so much that after an eternity of searching in this unfamiliar ce. I couldn¡¯t


    find my phone. It was like being trapped in a nightmare, desperately trying to break free but utterly


    powerless.


    Kneeling on the floor, I looked at my reflection in the mirror, that strange yet somewhat familiar face


    staring back at me.


    ¡°Ah!¡± I cried out in horror, touching the face with a sense of disbelief.


    No, this couldn¡¯t be right; I was dead. Who was the person in the mirror?


    It took what felt like ages for my frantic breathing to slow. In that moment, I realized I had been reborn


    into the body of apletely unknown woman!


    ¡°You¡­¡± The silence hung heavy before I tentatively broke it.


    ¡°We just wanted a child, a child to carry on the Langley family legacy. You¡¯ll get what you want. Now get


    out if you don¡¯t want to die!¡± His voice wasced with venom.


    I could see it, the dark intent to kill lurking in his eyes. He wants to end my life!


    A murderer is still a murderer, no doubt about it. The hostility and murderous aura couldn¡¯t be


    concealed.


    Wariness in my gaze, I reached for the bedsidemp, ready to fight back at.any moment.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Without a phone, I couldn¡¯t call for help, and the current situation had me panicked. I didn¡¯t know who I


    was, and even less why I was sharing a bed with a killer!


    When he seemed to sense the murderous look in my eyes, Colin¡¯s expression grew even darker. We


    were like beasts ready to tear each other apart, neither of us willing to drop our guard.


    Just as I was trying to force myself to calmly assess the situation, the door opened, and a middle¨Caged


    man in a wheelchair was wheeled in.


    ¡°Foebe Larson, you were quite the wild onest night.¡± The man smirked with ill¨Cintent. ¡°The old Mr.


    Langley agreed to a union between the Langleys and the Larsons, offering financial


    13:11


    support to your family in exchange for you bearing the Langley heir. This arrangement isn¡¯t for your


    enjoyment!¡±


    Confusion furrowed my brow.


    Foebe? The Larson family? The Langley family? A union? Bearing an heir?


    After the middle¨Caged man left the room, I hurried to follow but was stopped by a nanny outside. ¡°Let


    me out! Why am I being kept here?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Larson, your duty is to provide the Langley family with an heir, to save your own family. the


    Larsons. To ensure you conceive during this ovtion cycle, you¡¯ll need to endure a bit longer.¡±


    With that, the door was shut in my face.


    ¡°Let me out!¡± I was angry and scared, desperate to understand my current predicament.


    Why had I be nothing more than a breeding tool for this murderer?


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Colin¡¯s voice held a tinge of irritation as he spoke hoarsely, rummaging for something.


    ¡°Where is it?¡± He waspletely bare, his hostility palpable.


    His aura of menace had me cowed, and I found myself reassessing the madman before me.


    I was used to seeing him in ill¨Cfitting clothes, baggy and loose, never imagining that he could be so


    striking.


    Objectively speaking, whether it was his physique or his looks, Colin could be considered a prime


    specimen. If I hadn¡¯t already died once, I would have found it hard to connect him with the person who


    had so cruelly ended my life.


    ¡°Where are my things?¡± He advanced on me, his grip tightening around my neck in a loss of control.


    In that moment, his intent to kill was evident. He seemed furious that I had shared his bed, that I had


    touched his belongings.


    The sensation of suffocation hit, and the shadow of death loomed me once again. I iled against


    Colin, instinctively striking at his neck.


    ¡°Phoebe, if you ever run into trouble, aim for the attacker¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple. It can incapacitate them


    momentarily, giving you a chance to escape,¡± I remembered a piece of advice from the past.

 Chapter 52

    Suddenly, it felt like my head was going to split open. Who was it teaching me self¨Cdefense in my hazy


    memories?


    That voice, both foreign and familiar¡­ Who does it belong to? Ever since that car crash when I was


    eighteen, who exactly had I forgotten?


    I¡¯ve always felt that I¡¯ve forgotten someone really important, but no matter how hard I try, I just can¡¯t


    remember who!


    Colin winced as if in pain, clutching his neck while fixing me with a smoldering gaze before frantically


    rummaging around.


    Atst, beneath a towel, he found a bracelet.


    I stared at it, astonished. It was the same bracelet I had given to a thief, the one worn by the victim of a


    murder.


    But the victim had already been found by the police, and the bracelet should have been in their


    custody.


    Could it be¡­ another one just like it?


    Colin clutched the bracelet, the menacing aura around him dissipated, and he retreated to a corner to


    curl up, like a wounded animal licking its wounds.


    I took a few deep breaths, forcing myself to calm down.


    Duringst night¡¯s ckout, memories that weren¡¯t mine had seeped into my mind ¨C seemingly Foebe¡¯s


    memories. I hadn¡¯t fully digested them until now, taking this quiet moment to finally piece it all together.


    Foebe was the daughter of Anthony Larson, the president of the Larson Group, and had been bartered


    like amodity to the Langley family as a mere breeding tool.


    To rescue the Larson family business, Foebe was priced and tagged entering the Langley household


    only to be forced by Samuel Langley, the man in the wheelchair, to take f¨¦rtility. drugs and other


    medications that were too harsh for her weak heart. Overwhelmed by fear, she died when she was


    thrown into a room.


    And due to some bizarre twist of fate or sheer coincidence, I was REBORN into her body!


    ¡°Colin?¡± I tried tomunicate with him, needing to disguise myself and secure the trust of this man,


    whose sanity was still in question.


    He nced at me, his deep, mixed¨Crace eyes seemingly capable of drawing one in, dangerously


    beautiful. There he was, stark naked, hiding in the corner like a perfect work of art straight out of Greek


    mythology.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    captivated by his beauty.


    His physique was impable, with long, powerful legs, and fair skin. The ferocious scars on his shins


    and the soles of his feet did nothing to mar the beauty of his calves.


    ¡°How can I get out of here?¡± I asked warily, trying to keep my voice soft.


    He just watched me, quietly, intently.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Suddenly, he called my name.


    Instinctively, I looked up. ¡°Yes?¡±


    After speaking, I wasn¡¯t sure myself was he calling Phoebe, or Foebe? The two sounded very simr.


    Colin seemed suddenly agitated, his eyes rimmed with red, and he cautiously approached, obediently


    squatting before me.


    I was surprised.


    A moment ago he was like a wolf ready to hunt, and now so suddenly docile?


    Sure enough, to gain his trust, I would have to pretend to be gentle with him..


    Now I was no longer Phoebe, but the granddaughter¨Cinw of the Langley Group¡¯s president.


    Ha, the irony wasn¡¯t lost on me. Before, I was just a nobody who couldn¡¯t fight back, but now could I


    exploit this new identity? Use the Langley family¡¯s power and influence?


    Melody and Dexter were responsible for my tragic end, and I wasn¡¯t about to let them off the hook. I


    had to find the murderer, and make Melody and Dexter pay back what they owed me, in full!


    I would make them regret it.

 Chapter 53

    Colin¡¯s hand was clearly injured, a sign of deliberate harm. He couldn¡¯t use a fork, so he was clumsily


    holding his bowl between his palms. Hesitant at first, he finally set the bowl aside and retreated into a


    corner in silence.


    I softened my expression and reached out to him. ¡°Let me take a look at your hand.¡±


    Colin was naturally guarded, but after a long pause, he gingerly extended his injured hand to me.


    Seizing the opportunity, I examined it closely from all angles, relieved to find no trace of the scarlet


    birthmark that belonged to the person who had tried to end my life.


    Clearly, he wasn¡¯t the one who killed me, but he was undoubtedly linked to the crime. If not the


    aplice, then certainly a co¨Cconspirator.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The serial killings, my parents¡® demise, the memories I¡¯d lost after the car ident¡­


    So many truths¡­ elusivelyplex, yet seemingly within grasp.


    What was the true story?


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± I asked Colin, looking up to win his favor.


    His response was quiet, hisrge, beautiful eyes reflecting a mix of innocence and intensity.


    ¡°Who did this to your fingers?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill at the sight of the deep, turned¨Cout wounds


    on each of his fingertips.


    The Langley family must all be twisted to treat him like this.


    ¡°To prevent my escape,¡± Colin said, nodding towards the window.


    ncing outside, I noted the height. Three stories up.


    Indeed, with his fingers in such a state, and the burns on his feet unhealed, escape was impossible.


    I took a deep breath, anger rising within me. ¡°Your wounds need treatment, or they¡¯ll get infected!¡±


    ¡°Open the door! If you want him to father an heir, at least let him get medical treatment! Are you even


    human?¡± I shouted at the door, but no one outside responded.


    Colin just watched me, and as I pounded on the door in frustration, he finally spoke. ¡°Phoebe¡­ how did


    your parents die?¡±


    ¡°In a car crash¡­¡± I blurted out without thinking.


    But after speaking, I tensed. As Phoebe, my parents had died in a car crash, but as Foebe, my parents


    were still very much alive.


    ¡°I¡­ I just said that. I wish they¡¯d die in a crash,¡± I backpedaled awkwardly.


    Colin didn¡¯t respond, but then he smiled. ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± he called my name again.


    I turned to face him.


    ¡°They won¡¯t open the door,¡± Colin said as he stood and slowly moved towards me.


    Instinctively, I retreated from his approach, still fearful on some level.


    He stopped, not wanting to frighten me. After an ufortable pause, he spoke up. ¡°Do you want¡­ to


    get out?¡±


    I nodded. Of course I wanted out. I couldn¡¯t stay trapped here forever, a mere breeding instrument.


    Only by getting out could I unravel the truth, tear away Melody¡¯s hypocritical facade, and expose her for


    my demise!


    ¡°They¡¯ll let you out once you have the child,¡± Colin said, picking up a pregnancy test from the table and


    handing it to me.


    I hesitated, knowing he was right, but the thought was unbearable. I couldn¡¯t bear the child of a


    murderer.


    After a long silence, I turned to scour the room for anything of value. Opening the first drawer, I found


    two marriage certificates bearing my name ¨C no, Foebe¡¯s name ¨C and Colin¡¯s.


    ¡°Caleb Langley? That name¡­¡± I muttered under my breath, feeling a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.


    Tossing the certificates back into the drawer, it took me a moment to realize ¨C marriage certificates!


    Foebe and this lunatic¡­ they were legally wed!


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Colin called my name again, noticing my distraction.


    I turned back to him, struggling to maintain a calm and gentle demeanor. ¡°Is there something you


    need?¡±


    ¡°We need a baby.¡± he said cautiously, not wanting to


    scare me. ¡°To help you get out,¡± he added. It seemed he believed the quickest way to secure my


    release was through pregnancy.


    Perhaps Foebe had been scheming for a long time, and Colin thought she also desired a child.

 Chapter 54

    ¡°Whoa, whoa, slow down there, cowboy,¡± I tried to inject a dose of calm into the situation, my voice soft


    but firm. ¡°A baby should be the product of love, a love that we haven¡¯t even begun to understand


    between us.¡±


    Colin¡¯s gaze, which had been intensely fixed on me, softened into a smile. ¡°We know each other well


    enough!¡±


    I stared back at him, bewildered, seeing the word pellinge to life in his eyes for the first time.


    His eyes shone brightly, too clear, like a gxy of stars converging in the night sky.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if I make a run for it, I¡¯ll take you with me,¡± I assured him, trying to cement his trust in me.


    There were too many secrets wrapped up in this man, and eded to keep him on m side. First things


    first. I had to figure out how to leave this ce, then find Ste.


    As for Dexter and Melody¡­


    The thought of Dexter sent a chill through my gaze. I had died just as he wished! He must be living


    happily now, free of any baggage, with Melody by his side.


    I wasn¡¯t about to let them get their happy ending¨Cnot after what that woman did to me!


    Given a second chance at life, I was determined to make Dexter and Melody taste every ounce of


    suffering I had endured!


    Rummaging through the drawers, I found a first aid kit in the second one.


    I took out the iodine and cotton swabs and called Colin over to treat his wounds.


    Colin was an enigma to me; I couldn¡¯t see through him. He was mysterious and unsettlingly


    unpredictable. Yet, he seemed to enjoy looking into my eyes, searching for something I


    couldn¡¯t fathom.


    But I always felt he was seeing someone else.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± He liked to repeat that name, his voice hoarse but tender.


    After tending to the wounds on his hand, I looked up and asked, ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    It must have. Several of his fingers were on the verge of festering.


    He shook his head at me, then nodded slightly, his eyes betraying a hint of hurt. ¡°It hurts.¡±


    I frowned and looked back down. The man before me now was a far cry from the one who had tried to


    choke the life out of me when he first awoke. Could he really have a split personality? ¡°Bear with it. It¡¯ll


    heal in a few days. Just keep it dry.¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    He nodded obediently, like a well¨Cbehaved pup. ¡°Phoebe will help me with my bath.¡±


    I felt a vein in my temple throb, struggling to maintain my ¡®gentleness.¡± ¡°And why would I do


    13:11


    that?¡±


    ¡°You are my wife.¡± Colin gestured towards where the marriage certificate was.


    I sucked in a breath of cold air. Was this guy for real or just ying dumb?


    To test if Colin was ying the fool, I scrawled a few math problems on a piece of paper. 345+246


    equals what?


    Colin looked at the problem and chuckled.


    ¡°Can¡¯t do it?¡± Despite my deep¨Cseated fear of him, hisughter seemed to carry an innate maism,


    making him appear unblemished.


    ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot,¡± he said, almost as if he had read my mind, and without hesitation, he wrote down the


    answer.


    I was mildly taken aback. ¡°Being able to add doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re smart.¡±


    After a moment¡¯s thought, I wrote down aplex math Olympiad problem on the paper¨Cone that had


    stumped my senior and me for ages, and even a professor had to spend an entire night to solve. I was


    pretty sure Colin wouldn¡¯t even understand it.


    I pushed the paper towards him, lifting my chin in a challenge. ¡°Can you do it?¡±


    Colin nced at it, his fingers awkwardly gripping the pen.


    Worried he might get frustrated if he couldn¡¯t understand, I reassured him gently. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you can¡¯t. I


    couldn¡¯t at first either.¡±


    This was high¨Clevel stuff, university material. Colin had been raised in an orphanage, it was unlikely


    he¡¯d have..


    But before I could finish that thought, he had picked up the pen and started scrawling his


    answer.


    From reviewing the problem to writing the solution, he took less than five minutes.

 Chapter 55

    Staring at Colin with a mix of shock and disbelief, it took me a moment to process the


    bombshell he¡¯d just dropped.


    Snatching the paper from his hand, I gasped at the sight¨Cevery scribbled answer was correct. I had


    thought he was just jotting down nonsense.


    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯ve studied this before?¡± I asked incredulously, my voice tinged with a mix of awe and


    disbelief.


    Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be the vige idiot?


    He nodded nonchntly. ¡°Piece of cake.¡±


    His casual remark stung my pride. Impossible! I¡¯ve always been at the top of my ss, a teacher¡¯s pet


    through and through in college. I wasn¡¯t a genius, but I was a solid student. How could Colin be¡­


    smarter than me?


    ¡°Did you peek at the answers?¡± I challenged, mypetitive spirit ring as I continued to work


    through problems on the paper. Yet, he solved each one quickly, and every single answer was spot¨Con.


    And the whole time, he kept getting distracted, ncing over at me now and then.


    To be that distracted and stille up with the answers so fast, he wasn¡¯t just any genius. He was like


    something out of a saying I remembered, ¡°Madmen to the left of God, geniuses to the right,¡± and he


    was somehow straddling both sides.


    ¡°Did you go to college?¡± I ventured tentatively, my curiosity piqued by the mystery surrounding Colin.


    ¡°Kingstone University¡­¡± he finally said.


    1


    I took a deep breath. So he had gone to college.


    ¡°Entered at fourteen, in the Genius ss, on a schrship,¡± he borated.


    I paused, the words ¡®Genius ss¡® echoing familiarly in my mind, triggering a throbbing headache and


    a flurry of memories¨Ctwo kids standing at the orphanage¡¯s entrance, beaming with oversized red


    ribbons, a banner congratting ¡®our very own prodigy for the Genius ss¡® overhead.


    Rubbing my temples, I strained to remember more


    but my memory was stubbornly stuck.


    Fourteen and at Kingstone University without any entrance exams, just a straight shot on talent alone.


    An undeniable genius.


    ¡°So why were you pretending to be a fool at the orphanage?¡± I asked, trying to maintain aposed


    front while my mind raced with questions.


    It was clear he wasn¡¯t foolish at all. Was it an act? A ploy to deceive, perhaps for something sinister?


    13:12


    ¡°Phoebe asked me to wait for her.¡± Colin¡¯s eyes dropped, his voice tinged with sadness.


    I frowned.


    What?


    Phoebe?


    Did he mean me?


    ¡°Why did you listen? The Phoebe you speak of¡­ is that me?¡± I wasn¡¯t ready to trust this man, despite


    his seemingly innocent demeanor.


    Testing him, I pointed to myself, looking for any telltale reaction.


    He met my gaze for a long moment before nodding emphatically.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The promise was made to Foebe?


    I couldn¡¯t read him. To squander his talents for a girl¡¯s promise, to y the fool for years in an


    orphanage? He seemed almost obsessively determined, like the mythical creatures I¡¯d read about, the


    ones that skirted the line between angelic and monstrous.


    ¡°Is it worth it? To waste your gift waiting for someone?¡± I asked, genuinely curious.


    ¡°It¡¯s worth it!¡± Colin snapped back, his tone serious. ¡°Phoebe asked me to wait.¡±


    I rubbed my forehead, resigned. Trying to get information out of someone potentially ying with a full


    deck of wild cards was no easy task.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired. I need some sleep.¡± I had to conserve energy if I was going to figure out how to get out of this


    situation.


    Without a word, Colin,mimicked my actions, following my lead to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth


    when I did, watched as I washed my face, and trailed after me as I exited.


    He took up a spot beside me on the bed, and I couldn¡¯t help but stiffen at the thought of sharing a room


    with a potential criminal.


    But for now, I had to tolerate it.


    I underestimated one detail, though¨Cthe allure of his eyes, framed by longshes, a captivating beauty.


    I had to admit, there¡¯s little defense against the pull of something beautiful.


    Shaking off the distraction, I let reason take over. ¡°You, go sleep on the floor.¡±


    Colin didn¡¯t argue, just slid off the bed and made himselffortable on the floor.


    Lying there. I pondered why he¡¯d suddenly be so docile, especially considering he¡¯d nearly


    strangled me before.


    Drifting off, sleep finally tugging at my consciousness, I murmured, ¡°You cane up¡­ but you can¡¯t


    touch me, got it?¡±

 Chapter 56

    Colin mbered into bed immediately, settling himself right on the edge. He seemed almost too alert,


    his gaze fixed on me with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± I asked, his stare making me uneasy. The shadows of my past life, the ones that


    culminated in death, seemed to hover around me.


    Though I had mostlye to terms with the fact that I had been given a second chance at life, the idea


    of sharing a room with a murderer was anything but soothing.


    ¡°Phoebe.¡± he said, his voice deadly serious. ¡°They won¡¯t let you go until you¡¯re pregnant. They check


    on us every twenty¨Cfour hours. The food they give us¡­ It¡¯sced with aphrodisiacs.¡±


    I shot up in bed, gagging at the thought of the dinner I had just eaten. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no use,¡± he said, a cynicalugh escaping him. ¡°Even the air fresheners are designed to stir up the


    passions to make animals of us.¡±


    For a moment, I thought I saw a chilling depth in his eyes that hadn¡¯t been there before.


    ¡°Have you ever¡­ thought about fighting back? Against how they¡¯re treating you?¡± I asked tentatively.


    Was it the abuse and inhuman torture by the Langley family that twisted his mind and led him to kill?


    ¡°At first, no. I had lost everything worth protecting. But now I¡¯m thinking about it,¡± he murmured, looking


    away into the distance, his voice deep and resonant.


    I couldn¡¯t quite grasp his meaning, yet I felt memories pressing at the edges of my mind, eager to break


    through.


    ¡°Phoebe, what do you want?¡± he asked, turning back to me with earnest eyes.


    ¡°I want out. I want¡­¡± to find the real killer, to see Melody get hereuppance, to watch Dexter regret


    ever crossing me.


    ¡°Whatever you desire, I can make it happen,¡± Colin assured me, his gaze fixed on me with intense


    sincerity. ¡°Phoebe, just don¡¯t lie to me.¡±


    I felt a twinge of guilt. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡±


    His smile was pure, almost childlike.


    ¡°What about your throat¡­ and the scars on your body? How did you get those?¡± I attempted to lighten


    the mood with my question, aiming to understand him better.


    ¡°A fire¡­ at the orphanage¡­¡± He suddenly turned his back to me.


    I watched his back in silence, realizing that even in the absence of sound, a body can narrate


    13-12


    tales of sorrow.


    Just looking at his back, I could feel the destion and helplessness. I reached out instinctively to offer


    somefort but recoiled at my own impulse.


    Was I losing my mind? Or had I been bewitched by this creature cloaked in an angel¡¯s guise?


    Time passed in a daze, and eventually, I sumbed to sleep.


    As Colin had mentioned, the room¡¯s fragrance was thick with seduction, stirring an ufortable heat


    within me.


    I awoke in a sweat, kicking off the nkets in irritation, forgetting that I was sharing a space with


    someone dangerous.


    He tried to cover me a few times, but I kicked the nkets away each time. Throughout it all, his


    breathing was hot, betraying his struggle to remainposed.


    ¡°Hot¡­¡± I murmured, delirious, grabbing at Colin¡¯s arm.


    He sshed a cup of cold water on my face.


    I snapped awake, sitting up and ring at him. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t consent, I won¡¯t touch you,¡± he stated with solemn conviction.


    ¡°Do we really need to have a child?¡± I asked irritably, grabbing the cup and hurling it at the door. ¡°For


    them, it¡¯s about gics, lineage¡­ it surpasses all humanity,¡± he said, his voice still hoarse from the


    damage sustained in the fire.


    I couldn¡¯t imagine what Colin, once angel¨Cfaced, must have sounded like when his voice was clear and


    melodious.*


    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep. Everything will be better when I wake up,¡± I mumbled, turning away from him.


    Colin¡¯s raspy voice whispered softly, ¡°You¡¯ve really forgotten me.¡±


    I didn¡¯t understand what he meant, and I couldn¡¯t respond. Overwhelmed by difort, I forced myself


    back to sleep.


    In the depths of sleep, I dreamed¡­.


    A voice, beautiful and haunting, called to me. ¡°Phoebe¡­ Phoebe,e here.¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°Colin, meet me at the orphanage on Saturday. Wait for me there; I have so many questions about the


    SAT prep.¡±


    ¡°Colin, wait at the orphanage for me.¡±


    ¡°Colin, wait for me.¡±

 Chapter 57

    I jolted awake, my breathing irregr and shallow.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The room had faded into a dusky gloom, and outside, the sky was a heavy nket of twilight.


    I couldn¡¯t believe it. I had slept away the entire afternoon, and night was creeping in.


    Colin had been sitting by the bed the whole time, just staring at me. It gave me a start, making my


    chest ache with sudden fear.


    Waking up to your prime suspect watching you is enough to terrify anyone.


    Rubbing my temples, I tried to organize my muddled thoughts. ¡°Could you stop staring at me? It¡¯s kinda


    creepy.¡±


    Colin lowered his gaze, but it wasn¡¯t long before he was looking at me again, those eyes shimmering in


    the soft glow of the nightlight, as if he was trying to read my soul.


    A guilty twinge hit me, and I averted my eyes, worried that Colin might see through the charade¨Cthat I


    was not the real Foebe.


    ¡°Dinner¡¯s here,¡± Colin nodded towards the food on the table, suggesting I finish my meal.


    The thought of eating was thest thing on my mind, especially when I didn¡¯t know what kind of drug


    might be mixed in.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± I muttered.


    Colin seemed to ponder for a moment before speaking up. ¡°You need to eat. It¡¯s not good for your


    health otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Eating will be the least of my worries.¡± I mumbled under my breath.


    His gaze was serious as he spoke again. ¡°We¡¯re husband and wife. I can help you.¡®


    I felt a twitch at the corner of my mouth. Help? From him?


    ¡°You want a child to secure the Larson family legacy, and I can help you with that too. Just don¡¯t lie to


    me¡­ if you do,¡± his voice was gentle but carried an undercurrent of threat.


    I didn¡¯t know what he was getting at, but it made me feel uneasy.


    Lie to him about what?


    About not being the real Foebe?


    ¡°I don¡¯t want a child. I want to get out of here. The Larson family¡­¡± I started to say they had nothing to


    do with me, but I was the one upying their daughter¡¯s ce. ¡°Never mind.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t fight it. I had topromise.


    ¡°No child, no way out,¡± he coaxed me as if trying to soothe a child. ¡°Phoebe, we¡¯re married.¡±


    1-17


    ¡°Just stop repeating that¡­¡± I watched Colin warily.


    Being married to a suspected murderer was something ver anticipated, let alone having to y


    along to lower his guard. Surely, I wouldn¡¯t have to sacrifice myself, would I?


    ¡°I can help you conceive,¡± Colin said earnestly,unching into a biological lecture. ¡°After ovtion, the


    egg survives only about twenty¨Cfour hours. So, the sperm need to be waiting in the womb ahead of


    time. It¡¯s best to try every other day.¡±


    I stared at him in shock. Did he realize what he was seriously suggesting?


    ¡°You¡¯re a¡­ a fool a drifter. Did they teach you this at the orphanage?¡± I was beginning to see that he


    was more enigmatic than I thought.


    He seemed eager for me to be pregnant, oblivious to the fact that, with his current status in the Langley


    household, having an heir would make the Langleys dispose of him without a second thought.


    ¡°Now is the eighth hour post¨Covtion, so we still have a chance,¡± Colin went on. ¡°Fertilization takes


    one to two days, and it takes about a week to imnt. Then, at least seven days before HCG can be


    detected in urine with a pregnancy test¡­ So Phoebe, if you want to get out, the earliest would be in


    fourteen days, after the Langley family gets the results they want.¡±


    I slumped back against the bed, looking at Colin as if he were a walking encyclopedia, then at the


    predicament I was in.


    Trapped in the Langley mansion, locked in this room that felt like a cage, treated as nothing more than


    a breeding vessel¡­


    My situation didn¡¯t seem all that different from death.


    Life is but a dream, and this dream was turning into a nightmare.


    I stared at the ceiling, my mind haunted with the faces of murderers and Melody and Dexter.


    I longed to see justice served, to recover my lost memories, to uncover the truth behind my parents¡®


    demise. But trapped in this room, was pregnancy truly my only way out?

 Chapter 58

    Do I really have to ept my fate like this?


    ¡°Is there really¡­ no other way?¡± I asked in a hushed tone.


    ¡°There is¡­¡± Colin¡¯s gaze was piercing.


    For a moment, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he was not just smart, but cunning like a fox lying in


    wait, ready to spring a trap on me.


    Maybe it was just an illusion? I thought I was the hunter and he was the prey.


    *Tomato juice can make a pregnancy test show a false positive. It could fool them for a while, but the


    Langley family has a family doctor. They¡¯ll take you out for a blood test, and then there¡¯s no hiding it,


    unless you¡¯re certain you can escape once you leave this room,¡± Colin said seriously.


    But mentioning this method was as good as not mentioning it at all.


    I opened my mouth to speak, but I had no confidence. I didn¡¯t even know what the outside world.


    looked like. ¡°How do you know so much? What was your major at Kingstone University?¡±


    Colin was silent, not responding.


    My stomach growled with hunger, but I stubbornly refused to eat.


    As I carefully sorted through Foebe¡¯s memories, I discovered that before marrying Colin, the Larson


    family had investigated him.


    Chemistry major, with minors in medicine, finance,puter science, and fluent in German, Italian,


    Japanese, French, English, and Arabic¡­


    A rare genius.


    Indeed, a very, very rare one.


    Holding my head, I nced at Colin. Such a genius, and yet the Langley family treated him so poorly.


    No wonder the Langley family wanted to preserve his genes; they were truly exceptional


    ¡°Do you¡­ want a child?¡± Colin looked up at me. He seemed to have no qualms about this topic. no


    sense of shame.


    I choked on his words. ¡°Give me a moment to think.¡±


    He nodded and checked the time. ¡°You have eight hours to decide. Anyter and the chance of


    conception will decrease.¡±


    I copsed onto the bed, feeling utterly defeated. What sins had Imitted¡­


    I couldn¡¯t even dare to close my eyes; memories of the past would surface. Those memories were like


    hell, endlessly tormenting and consuming my soul.


    13:12:


    ¡°Phoebe, eat something, an egg. It¡¯s good for you,¡± Colin said, peeling a whole egg and handing


    it to me.


    Worried I might be put off, he quickly added, ¡°I washed my hands.¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    I took the egg from him and devoured it hungrily. I was famished.


    Foebe couldn¡¯t have starved to death, could she?


    Lying on the bed, I watched Colin peel another egg and ventured, ¡°Colin, have you ever thought. about


    your future? Are you going to be controlled by others for the rest of your life? You¡¯re capable. Don¡¯t you


    want to fight back?¡±


    He didn¡¯t reply. After a long pause, he nodded. ¡°I will.


    I found him boring, yet I couldn¡¯t deny he was good¨Clooking. Could there really be someone with the


    face of an angel and the heart of a devil? He was clearly a rare genius, a treasured protege who should


    have been the Langley family¡¯s heir. So why¡­ had he fallen to this state?


    What secrets did he carry?


    Why had he gone from a prodigious youth to the current state of a madman, pressured by the Langley


    family to continue the lineage?


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a child,¡± I said after a long contemtion, suddenly realizing something.


    With this child, I would be the Langley family¡¯s most precious asset, as I would be carrying the


    heir they needed to carry on their legacy.


    Using this status, I could leverage the Langley family¡¯s power to exact revenge on Dexter and Melody.


    I knew hatred was corroding me, but how could I possibly watch those who had wronged me live


    happily ever after!


    I must get out. I must have my vengeance!

 Chapter 59

    Trapped within the grandeur of the Langley estate for roughly thirteen days, my mind was a relentless


    detective, piecing together motives, methods, and every conceivable clue about the Killer¡¯s identity.


    Whispers from the staff hinted that the case was closed, that Colin had turned himself in. Yet due to


    some mental health plea, the Langleys had bailed him out, confining him to house


    arrest.


    But I was certain Colin wasn¡¯t the lone wolf in this grim saga. Whoever had murdered me had another


    face, another hand in the dark.


    There had to be some link between Colin and the killer, but days had passed without a shred of


    evidence from him.


    Perhaps he was just that good at ying the fool, spending his days in a daze or watching me. making


    no other discernible moves.


    I sprawled out diagrams and notes on paper, dissecting the killer¡¯s motives and recalling any


    suspicious leads from my memory.


    I had to catch the murderer, if not for myself, then for Robin.


    If the target was indeed the surviving girls from the orphanage, those once dressed in red, then Melody


    was thest one standing.


    ¡°Ms. Larson, Mr. Langley requests your presence,¡± the nanny said, knocking on my door.


    That morning, I had handed her a pregnancy test marked with two pink lines.


    Samuel was probably eager to discuss this development.


    Colin was right; pregnancy was my ticket out of here.


    They gave me clean clothes to change into, waiting outside the door.


    I left without a word from Colin.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡°You¡­¡± I hesitated at the threshold, ncing back at him.


    Better to leave him locked up by the Langleys until I uncovered the truth. Who knows what he might do


    if set loose again. I could never fully trust him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find youter.¡±


    I stepped out just in time to catch Colin¡¯s faint promise toe find me.


    But the nanny had already closed the door, securing it with several heavy locks.


    ¡°Is that really necessary?¡± I asked, half to myself.


    13:12


    The nanny whispered conspiratorially, ¡°Ms. Larson, it¡¯s a wonder you¡¯vested this long with him. You


    don¡¯t know how terrifying he can be¡­ a murderer!¡±


    She nced around nervously, biting her lip. ¡°The old Mr. Langley tried to set him up with women


    before, but you¡¯re the luckiest. The others, they all went mad with fear.¡±


    Lignored her, unconcerned with the Langleys¡® breeding schemes.


    In the living room downstairs, Samuel Langley lounged on the couch, with Brendan Langley nearby.


    ¡°Are you pregnant?¡± Brendan cut straight to the chase.


    ¡°It appears so¡­¡± The nanny presented the telling pregnancy test.


    Brendan didn¡¯t even nce at it. ¡°Get a blood test done. Have Dr. Emily check it thoroughly.¡±


    I kept my head down, silent, knowing that speaking out of turn could spell trouble.


    ¡°Dr. Emily rmends a blood test for HCG, followed by an ultrasound. We have limited resources


    here, so we better go to the hospital.¡±


    A wave of relief washed over me. The hospital would be my chance to escape.


    Brendan was in good spirits. ¡°Go on, and be safe.¡±


    I nodded, still mute.


    ¡°The Larson girl has quite the fortune,¡± Brendan remarked to his son Samuel. ¡°Once the Langley heir is


    born, treat the child as your own flesh and blood.¡±


    Samuel nodded with a smile. ¡°Of course, Father.¡±


    I snickered under my breath. As if Samuel would ever consider someone else¡¯s child his own. ¡°Take


    care of her. Foebe is now a hero of our house,¡± Brendan said warmly.


    ¡°And the Larson family¡­¡± I ventured cautiously, not wanting to raise suspicion over not being Foebe.


    Foebe hade to the Langleys seeking aid for her troubled family. If she showed no concern, the old


    fox would surely grow suspicious.


    Brendan remained silent, and Samuel spoke up with a hint of annoyance. ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern.


    Once the child is safely born, the Larsons will get their due.¡±


    I nodded, following the nanny out.


    This child was my lifeline, my amulet against death, and the key to my revenge.


    Following the nanny and the chauffeur, we arrived at Sea City Hospital. Stepping out of the car, I stood


    rooted to the spot, lost in thought.

 Chapter 60

    The familiar hospital, theforting sunlight streaming through the windows ¨C this was no


    dream.


    I was back.


    But not as myself. I had returned with a new identity, a new chance at life.


    ¡°The autopsy report is in. Phoebe was indeed pregnant when she died. She was carrying a child.¡± In


    the hospital corridor, I spotted the familiar figures of Robin and Ste.


    My steps froze instantly, and a hot breath caught in my throat. My eyes reddened, and I tried to speak,


    but no sound emerged.


    I wanted so badly¡­ so badly to run over, to embrace Ste, and to tell her, ¡°Ste, it¡¯s me, Phoebe.¡±


    But living as Foebe meant I couldn¡¯t return to my old life.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°Dexter¡­ It¡¯s Dexter. I¡¯ll kill him! Let me go, I have to make him pay!¡± Ste¡¯s emotions were teetering


    on the edge of copse, uncontrobly driven to confront Dexter.


    Robin held her back, forcefully restraining her, silent as a stone.


    ¡°Let me go, I want him dead! Why should they get to live, why! It was clearly Melody and Dexter who


    were responsible for Phoebe¡¯s death. You¡¯re a cop, why aren¡¯t you arresting them? Go get them!¡± Ste


    cried out in desperation, struggling against Robin¡¯s grip.


    Robin remained silent, his stance unwavering, adding to the tension in the air.


    My legs numb, I attempted to approach them, but my feet felt like lead. ¡°Ste¡­¡±


    ¡°Ms. Larson, this way please.¡± The nanny hurried back, tugging me toward the doctor¡¯s office.


    I nced back at Ste, who seemed to catch a glimpse of me too.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± She pushed¡¯Robin aside, searching the crowd for me.


    Standing at the doorway, I watched her rush past me.


    I almost forgot that I no longer bore Phoebe¡¯s face; at most, we only shared a resemnce. ¡°Ste.¡±


    Robin caught up with her, taking hold of her wrist. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    ¡°Robin, you¡¯re a detective, you know there are too many loose ends in this case. Colin¡­ how could he


    be the murderer? He must be a scapegoat for someone else. The real culprit is still atrge. And


    Melody¡­ she¡¯s a prime suspect. Why is it that all the girls in red are gone, and only she remains?¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes were pleading with Robin to solve the mystery quickly.


    Robin looked down, nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll get to the bottom of it¡­


    He promised to investigate, but this case was fraught with too many uncontroble factors.


    ¡°Did you know that Colin used to be considered a prodigy from the orphanage? Do you know why they


    renamed it to Double¨CGenius Welfare House? It¡¯s because of two geniuses, and one of them was


    Colin. There were two prodigies; one was Colin, and the other was Carter, who died in a fire years


    ago,¡± Ste informed Robin with what she had uncovered.


    I stood at the doorway, listening quietly.


    Double¨CGenius Welfare House¡­ that name sounded so familiar.


    A sharp pain shot through my head, and fragments of memories flickered, but I couldn¡¯t piece together


    the missing parts of my memory.


    ¡°But how could a prodigy just fall from grace like that?¡± Ste couldn¡¯t understand how Colin went from


    a genius to a madman.


    That was something I hadn¡¯t figured out either.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Robin urged Ste to leave.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Ste looked around. ¡°I thought I saw Phoebe just now.¡±


    Robin took a deep breath and led Ste away.


    I hid by the doorway, waiting for her to leave before turning to enter the consultation room.


    ¡°Dr. Emily, is my baby developing normally?¡± In the consultation room, there were patients.


    That voice sent shivers down my spine. It was Melody.


    I looked up sharply, and there, sitting beside the doctor, was indeed Melody. And apanying her for


    the prenatal checkup was none other than Dexter.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± A coldugh escaped me. They seemed to be living quite the blissful life.

 Chapter 61

    Dexter¡¯s expression was as unreadable as ever, his usual aloof demeanor in ce.


    Melody, on the other hand, seemed over the moon, gazing down at her swelling belly with the kind of


    anticipation only an expectant mother could understand.


    I let out a scornful chuckle. If I hadn¡¯t died, what would Dexter have done about the child


    growing inside me? Forced me to get an abortion, or taken matters into his own hands and ended the


    pregnancy himself?


    He was capable of anything, after all.


    My derisiveugh seemed to catch their attention, and both Dexter and Melody turned their gazes


    toward me.


    Surprise shed in their eyes for a moment.


    Dexter stepped forward, his face pale. ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    I frowned. Although Foebe did bear some resemnce to me, it wasn¡¯t enough to confuse Dexter.


    ¡°Who are you?


    Dexter studied me for a long time, looking somewhat forlorn as he finally stepped back. ¡°Crazy¡­¡± I


    muttered under my breath, clenching my fists as I walked past Dexter.


    ¡°Dexter, she¡¯s not Phoebe. You¡¯ve made a mistake.¡± Melody feigned a choke¨Cup, clutching Dexter¡¯s


    arm. ¡°Dexter, we can¡¯t bring the dead back to life. You can¡¯t keep doing this. If not for your own sake,


    then for the sake of our baby.¡±


    My steps felt numb as I walked away, each one a struggle against the urge to turn back and end this


    despicable couple. But the time wasn¡¯t right. I had to let Dexter see Melody¡¯s true colors first, to rip off


    her mask of hypocrisy and show him everything she had done!


    ¡°The test results are in for Mrs. Langley, Doctor. Please, have a look, the nanny said, handing over the


    results.


    Sitting in the chair, I could feel the ufortable heat of the scrutinizing re on my back.


    What was Dexter looking at?


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Dexter,¡± Melody urged, pulling him away.


    He looked back at me until they left the consultation room, murmuring. ¡°Is she really¡­ not Phoebe?¡±


    Shaking off Melody¡¯s hand, Dexter walked ahead. ¡°You¡¯re satisfied now. Phoebe was pregnant too with


    my child¡­¡± His murmurs reached me even in the consultation room.


    Disgusting!


    13:131


    Chapter of


    ¡°The HCG levels are still low, so we¡¯ll need to observe for a while longer to determine if it¡¯s an


    intrauterine or ectopic pregnancy. If we rule out otherplications, you can rest assured and focus on


    prenatal care.¡± Dr. Emily said with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t stress too much. Everything looks


    fine.¡±


    I nodded, taking the results and walking out of the room. Suddenly, I clutched my mouth, heaving, and


    without a second thought for the bodyguards or the nanny outside, I dashed for


    the restroom.


    Once inside, I checked left and right before sighing with relief; the window was ajar, just enough for me


    to squeeze through.


    I mbered out and made a beeline away from the hospital.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Before the Langley family¡¯s henchmen could drag me back, there was something eded to take care


    of.


    eded to find Ste. In this world, she was the only person I could trust. The only one who would


    recognize me.


    I had barely made it a few steps when the Langley¡¯s goons started chasing after me.


    I was getting irritated; these people were like bad pennies.


    Just as I was about to hide, a hand yanked me into a car and covered my mouth.


    Panicking, I turned around, repulsed by the person behind me. It was Dexter. Now, just seeing him,


    smelling his scent made me feel sick to my stomach.


    ¡°Who are you? What do you want?¡± I eyed Dexter warily.


    ¡°Nothing. I mean no harm. I just¡­ I just want to help you,¡± he said, raising his hands to show he was


    unarmed.


    It hadn¡¯t been that long since I¡¯dst seen him, but Dexter looked like he¡¯d aged years. He¡¯d lost


    weight, and he didn¡¯t shine as brightly as he used to.

 Chapter 62

    I averted my gaze, unwilling to spare Dexter an extra nce. ¡°I don¡¯t need your help.¡±


    Dexter chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re running, but if you get out now, they¡¯ll surely take you


    back.¡±


    ¡°Got nothing better to do?¡± I leaned back in the seat, my tone a mix of curiosity and annoyance.


    Indeed, letting Dexter whisk me away was a n.


    ¡°A bit,¡± he nodded.


    ¡°Get me out of this hospital,¡± I said firmly.


    Without protest, Dexter signaled the driver to go.


    I crouched down in the footwell of the car, hiding from the people outside.


    Dexter slid a bit closer, conveniently blocking me from the view of any passersby.


    ¡°Pull over.¡± Once out of the hospital¡¯s reach, Dexter told the driver to pull over in a safe spot.


    I eyed the street through the window, wary of Dexter. ¡°Why are you helping me?¡±


    He looked into my eyes for a long moment. ¡°You remind me of someone I used to know.¡±


    ¡°Someone from the past?¡± Iughed, feeling a wave of nausea.


    How sickening, this show of sentiment ¨C who¡¯s buying it?


    ¡°Here¡¯s my card. If you run into any trouble, give me a call,¡± Dexter offered me his business card.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    I took the card, stepping out of the car. As his car drove away, I ripped the card to shreds and dumped


    it in a trash can.


    ¡°Dexter, Melody, and that murderer owe me. I¡¯ll make sure I get repaid.¡±


    I slipped out of the alley, tying my hair up and tucking it under a hat, keeping my head down as I walked


    away.


    After a few blocks, I borrowed a phone at a coffee shop and called Ste. I couldn¡¯t just go to Ste; it


    was too risky. eded her toe to me.


    ¡°Hello?¡± On the other end was Ste¡¯s familiar voice, hoarse from crying daily. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± Tears


    welled up in my eyes and I shook as I leaned on the table. ¡°If you want to know how your best friend


    Phoebe died, don¡¯t tell anyone ande alone to the coffee shop near Mansion Thirteen.¡±


    Ste¡¯s voice became edged with caution. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    I mped my mouth shut, fighting back sobs, and hung up.


    After returning the phone to the barista, I wept at the table for a long while.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Ste arrived. She lived close by, which is why I had chosen this caf¨¦ ¨C it was our


    secret base, where I¡¯de whenever I felt down.


    She arrived in a hurry, still in her slippers, scanning the room for the person who had called her. ¡°Over


    here.¡± I raised my hand to signal her.


    She approached me quickly, her eyes full of suspicion. ¡°You¡­¡±


    She stared into my eyes, as if she was trying to find Phoebe¡¯s resemnce in me.


    ¡°You said you know how my best friend¡­ died?¡± she whispered, her eyes reddening.


    I nodded, ncing around. ¡°If we¡¯re both still single by thirty, we¡¯ll drop everything, travel. abroad for


    half a year. At forty, if we haven¡¯t found the one, we¡¯ll quit the dating game, buy a cozy house in the


    South, and grow old together. Maybe adopt a child, if we can¡­


    Ste¡¯s gaze shifted from surprise to shock, her hand flew to her mouth, and she trembled. ¡°Who¡­


    who are you?¡±

 Chapter 63

    ¡°Do you believe in souls, Ste?¡± I asked, my gaze fixed on her, uncertain if she would take my im


    seriously. ¡°It¡¯s me, Phoebe.¡±


    Ste¡¯s shock was palpable. She covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes darting around, searching


    for an exnation.


    There was a long silence.


    My story must have seemed far¨Cfetched, even ludicrous.


    ¡°What are you trying to pull?¡± she finally asked, furrowing her brow, irritation creeping into her voice.


    ¡°How could you know all that? Are you trying to impersonate Phoebe? Do you take me for a fool?¡±


    Her wary eyes scrutinized me as if I were a suspect in a crime or an aplice.


    And who could me her? If someone suddenly imed to be your dearly departed friend, you¡¯d be


    skeptical, too.


    ¡°Easy, easy.¡± I quickly said, gesturing for her to calm down.


    Ste paused, her suspicion only growing. She must have been wondering how I knew so many


    intimate details about Phoebe.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m an aplice, don¡¯t you? That I did something to Phoebe before she passed. forced her


    to spill your secrets so I could deceive you?¡± I voiced Ste¡¯s doubts.


    She remained silent, still on guard.


    ¡°Okay, then ask me something. Something only you and Phoebe would know. She couldn¡¯t have told all


    of her secrets. I really am Phoebe.¡± I exined, raising my hands in a gesture of peace.


    Ste¡¯s eyes began to well up, perhaps hoping against hope that I was indeed Phoebe.


    But we were both skeptics, non¨Cbelievers in reincarnation or life after death. The whole idea was


    straight out of a soap opera.


    ¡°Phoebe left some bank cards with me,¡± Ste probed, watching me carefully.


    ¡°Two cards,¡± I replied earnestly. ¡°One for the schrship funds, another for my paycheck. There¡¯s over


    thirty grand in the schrship ount, and I¡¯ve saved up ten grand in the other for Dexter and


    Melody¡¯s wedding gift. Oh, and there¡¯s our joint ount for the kids at the orphanage.¡±


    I had once wished Dexter and Melody a lifetime of happiness. Unfortunately, they wanted me dead.


    Just mentioning Dexter and Melody brought a sh of hatred to my eyes. Ste spoke again, ¡°Phoebe


    had some cosmetic work done. What was it?¡±


    13:13


    This usation made me bristle. No naturally beautiful girl likes to be used of having work done.


    ¡°Why would I need stic surgery? No, I haven¡¯t had anything done.¡±


    ¡°Wrong answer. I took her to get eysh extensions.¡± Ste countered with a dismissive wave of her


    hand.


    I was at a loss for words. ¡°Ste, you¡¯re counting eysh extensions as stic surgery? The eysh


    extensions of that beauty salon you took me to weren¡¯t even as long as my eyshes! And because of


    that, my eyshes fell into my eye, and I even got conjunctivitis!¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes began to flicker. ¡°Which spa, where?¡±


    ¡°Trinity Avenue, BeautySky Spa, I think? The salesperson keptplimenting me the moment walked


    in, saying how pretty I was and that I should get semi¨Cpermanent eyeliner or eyebrows so I wouldn¡¯t


    need makeup anymore.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Ste tightened her grip on her water ss and then asked, ¡°Did Phoebe love Dexter?¡±


    I caught my breath before answering, each word heavy with emotion. ¡°I don¡¯t love Dexter anymore. If I


    do, all the pain I endured would be my own fault.¡±


    Connection to


    Ste turned away, wiping away a tear. ¡°I¡¯ll concede that you might have some Phoebe, but I don¡¯t


    believe you are her. What do you want? Just be straight with me.¡±


    ¡°It was Melody¡­ she killed me,¡± I started, then quickly corrected, ¡°Melody killed Phoebe. She told


    Phoebe to go to Tangle Lane on the 15th and didn¡¯t tell anyone else. She lured Phoebe there, right into


    the hands of the murderer.¡±


    Ste whirled around, fixing her eyes on me. ¡°Do you have any proof?¡±


    I shook my head regretfully. ¡°I don¡¯t have any hard evidence, but¡­ Phoebe¡¯s phone has recordings of


    her conversations with Melody. Didn¡¯t the police recover the data?¡±


    Ste frowned. ¡°Data recovery is aplicated process. It¡¯s not that simple, and it takes time.¡°

 Chapter 64

    I nodded in agreement. ¡°Once we recover the recording on the phone, Melody won¡¯t be able to escape.


    She knows it all too well.¡±


    ¡°You seem to know a lot,¡± Ste eyed me suspiciously. ¡°What exactly is your endgame here?¡±


    ¡°To make Melody and Dexter pay,¡± I stated, my resolve unwavering. ¡°Dexter always thought Melody


    was some kind of angel, right? Well, it¡¯s time we pull the mask off the saint and show Dexter who she


    really is.¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°We?¡± Ste scoffed. ¡°What makes you so sure I¡¯m on your side?¡±


    ¡°You will be. You know what Phoebe went through with the Fitzgeralds, and you know it wasn¡¯t just


    once that Melody framed her,¡± I asserted with confidence. ¡°For the sake of your good friend, you¡¯ll help


    me.¡±


    ¡°So where do we start?¡± Ste relented, her hatred for Dexter and Melody evident.


    I slid a piece of paper across to her. ¡°Phoebe didn¡¯t push Melody down the stairs. Hank saw everything;


    he was a witness. They lied, made up a story, but Hank saw it wasn¡¯t Phoebe who pushed her.¡±


    ¡°Hank¡¯s in Melody¡¯s pocket. Even if he saw something, he wouldn¡¯t tell the truth,¡± Ste frowned.


    ¡°Hank¡¯s a coward. You help me scare him, and he¡¯ll spill everything. Then we¡¯ll bring Dexter and


    Melody into the mix,¡± I plotted. I was set on staging an opening act for Dexter to show him Melody¡¯s


    true colors..


    I wanted to crumble their so¨Ccalled love story, to ensure that Melody never got what she wanted.


    Melody and Dexter had to face their reckoning.


    ¡°I should get going.¡± Outside, a group of people were searching around, clearly the Langley family¡¯s


    bodyguards. I couldn¡¯t be away for too long; the Langleys would get suspicious.


    ¡°How will I contact you?¡± Ste asked, her brow furrowed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll reach out to you,¡± I said as I stood up, ready to leave.


    ¡°I trust you¡­ because you could answer my questions, you know things¡­ it means Phoebe really


    trusted you,¡± Ste¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    I felt a lump in my throat and nodded. ¡°Wait for my word.¡±


    Leaving the caf¨¦, I hailed a cab and headed back to the Langley estate, picking up some baby supplies


    along the way.


    Brendan¡¯s expression was sour as he stood in the yard. ¡°Where have you been?¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, I was just so thrilled that I went to the mall near the hospital and got some stuff for the baby.


    I know it¡¯s early, but buying ahead brings good luck, symbolizing a safe and smooth. delivery,¡± I cooed,


    ying up to Brendan¡¯s whims.


    Brendan was no easy mark; his presence alone sent shivers down my spine.


    Brendan grunted, letting it slide. ¡°You¡¯re carrying the Langley heir. Complete your mission by ensuring a


    safe birth, you understand?¡±


    I nodded obediently. ¡°Of course, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now rest up in your room.¡±


    As the nanny escorted me upstairs, they took me to a different room. ¡°I¡¯m not staying with him


    anymore?¡±


    ¡°With your condition, it¡¯s safer not to be around that madman,¡± the nanny said with disdain. They had


    no respect for Colin.


    ¡°All things aside, he¡¯s still a Langley, the father of my child. Speaking so poorly of him is out of line. If


    the patriarch hears, he might think it¡¯s a bad omen, fearing the child I bear might be¡­ mad too,¡± I


    whispered, intimidating her.


    The nanny¡¯s face went pale, and she quickly bowed her head. ¡°You¡¯re right, madam.¡±


    Passing by Colin¡¯s room, I suddenly stopped. Inside, the sounds of a struggle and muffled pain echoed.


    I turned to the nanny. ¡°What¡¯s happening in there?¡±


    ¡°That mad¡­ the young master had a fit again today, tried to run off, got caught. Mr. Samuel Langley is


    disciplining him,¡± the nanny nced nervously around. ¡°Madam, let¡¯s move on. We shouldn¡¯t get


    involved.¡±


    My heart raced as I remembered the bruises on Colin.


    Taking a few steps away, I abruptly turned and marched back, shoving the door open with force.

 Chapter 65

    Inside the dimly lit room, Samuel had his goons rough up Colin. To put it nicely, it was to punish him, to


    keep him from harming others. To be blunt, It was a malicious release of pent¨Cup anger. But I could tell


    Samuel was holding back. He dared not let them beat Colin to death, not when. the fate of the baby


    growing inside me was still uncertain.


    I knew what Samuel was waiting for. Once my child was safely brought into the world, he¡¯d have no


    qualms about getting rid of Colin, erasing the so¨Ccalled blemish of the Langley family.


    name.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Samuel¡¯s voice was heavy with reproach. ¡°It¡¯s bloody in here, and you¡¯re


    pregnant. You should be resting. Take the young miss away.¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Colin, clutching his head, had a look of fierce resolve and murderous intent.


    I knew he wasn¡¯t the type to concede defeat. Even if these men beat him to death, he wouldn¡¯t give in.


    ¡°I went to the doctor today,¡± I said softly, feigning fright. ¡°They said my hormone levels are all over the


    ce. They need the baby¡¯s father to be with me, to calm me down, or else there¡¯s a risk of


    miscarriage.¡±


    Samuel scoffed. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    The nanny hurried over. ¡°Yes, I apanied the young miss.¡±


    She was keen on keeping herself safe and naturally wouldn¡¯t contradict me over such a trivial matter.


    With a snort, Samuel wheeled himself closer to me. ¡°Dress up nicely tonight. You¡¯re carrying the


    Langley family¡¯s Child; you¡¯re a hero to them. The old man wants to introduce you to everyone. Get


    yourself ready.¡±


    My heart skipped a beat as I exchanged a nce with the nanny.


    The nanny whispered, ¡°Mr. Brendan¡¯s thrilled. He¡¯s invited the cr¨¨me de cr¨¨me of Sea City. Tonight,


    you must be very careful with your words and actions.¡±


    Tonight, it seemed the entire elite circle of Sea City would be in attendance.


    I took a deep breath and nodded. ¡°You can go. If Brendan asks, tell him I¡¯m dealing with morning


    sickness and need the father of my child to stay with me a while longer.¡±


    ¡°And if he asks the doctor?¡± The nanny¡¯s voice was tinged with anxiety.


    ¡°He won¡¯t ask. And even if he does, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Right now, with the baby, as long as my


    demands weren¡¯t too outrageous, they¡¯d be met.


    The nanny nodded and left.


    I entered the room and shut the door behind me, speaking in a hushed tone. ¡°If the child is born without


    issue, they¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    Colin sat in the corner, silent as stone. His body was covered in wounds, blood trickling from a cut near


    his eye.


    I grabbed the first aid kit and began to treat his injuries. He was numb, unflinching, void of any


    expression.


    What a madman¡­


    Can he not feel any pain?


    ¡°What¡¯s your n? Sit here and wait for death, or will you coborate with me?¡± I asked quietly.


    ¡°Coborate.¡± he finally said after a long pause.


    I sighed as I looked at the cut near his eye. ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to get you out when I can.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Colin spoke up. ¡°Once Samuel¡¯s gone, the old man will let me out.¡±


    If Samuel were out of the picture, Brendan would need someone to hold up the Langley family


    name.


    My unborn child wasn¡¯t here yet, and if the Langley family fell into outsiders¡® hands, reiming it would


    be a challenge.


    By then, as the sole heir to the Langley family, Colin would naturally be entitled to step forward.


    ¡°You¡­ n to kill him?¡± I asked instinctively.


    Was he finally revealing his true nature?


    Colin¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°He doesn¡¯t deserve it.¡±


    His disdain was palpable as if saying Samuel didn¡¯t even warrant his effort.


    A shiver of fear ran through me, afraid of what Colin might do if he truly set his mind to it.


    At that moment, he didn¡¯t seem like a madman but more like¡­ a demon.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± I wanted to know his n.


    *Just make sure you take care of yourself,¡± he replied, not divulging anything more.


    I didn¡¯t dare to press further. After tending to his wounds, I was ready to leave.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± he called out my name.

 Chapter 66

    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°You went out, didn¡¯t you?¡± He gazed into my eyes.


    I felt a pang of guilt. ¡°Um¡­¡±


    ¡°Phoebe, forget about him; he¡¯s not worth it,¡± Colin¡¯s words came out of the blue.


    My heart raced as I looked at Colin, wondering who he was referring to.


    In my memory, Foebe did have an ex¨Cboyfriend, a real piece of work, even worse than Dexter. Was


    Colin talking about him?


    Without an exnation, I looked down and walked away.


    Colin¡¯s eyes were always so intense as if they could pull you in¨CI dared not look too long.


    ¡°Madam, these are the clothes and jewelry that the Mr. Samuel has sent over. He says that now you¡¯re


    part of the Langley family, you should outshine everyone else,¡± the nanny said with a look of envy as


    she brought in the luxurious custom attire and jewelry.


    I nced at the garments and jewelry; they were indeed valuable, with a single ne costing eight


    figures.


    Standing up, I approached the mirror and casually started to get ready.


    ¡°I saw the CEO of Fitzgerald Group arriving with his fianc¨¦e¨Cwhat a perfect match they make.¡± the


    nanny reminded me.


    I frowned, looking at her. ¡°Dexter and Melody?¡±


    She nodded.


    Ah, talk about a small world. Well, I couldn¡¯t be med for this; it was just Melody¡¯s bad luck to bump


    into me here.


    Knowing Brendan cared about appearances, I did my makeup and slipped into a strapless: evening


    gown.


    The gown plunged daringly low, entuating Foebe¡¯s already wless figure to a tantalizing degree.


    Looking at my reflection, I had to admit, to describe myself as a Muse wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration.


    Foebe was truly stunning, the kind that would stand out in the entertainment industry..


    ¡°So beautiful¡­¡± even the nanny couldn¡¯t help butpliment.


    Yet, my expression soured. Such a low¨Ccut gown¨CSamuel was truly despicable.


    12-137


    Indeed, it seemed all men were the same, even when confined to a wheelchair.


    At the doorway, Samuel sat in his wheelchair, apuding. ¡°I must admire the old man¡¯s taste¨Ctop¨C


    notch choices. You look absolutely ravishing.¡±


    His praise made me want to gag.


    I watched him warily and managed a smile. ¡°Thank you for thepliment, Uncle.¡±


    By asserting my role, he should have gotten the hint.


    But, of course, his intentions were far from pure.


    Samuel nced at the nanny. ¡°Leave us; I have something to discuss with her.¡±


    The nanny hesitated but didn¡¯t dare say more, and she kindly closed the door behind her as she left.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I watched Samuel, my brows furrowed. ¡°What is it you wanted to discuss, Uncle?¡±


    ¡°Phoebe, you¡¯re a smart girl. You must understand who will eventually take charge of the Langley


    family?¡± Samuel rose from his wheelchair and approached me.


    I stared at him in surprise. He wasn¡¯t disabled? He could walk? Why y the part of the wheelchair¨C


    bound man¨Cwhy not just lie down in a coffin instead?


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean, Uncle,¡± I said, taking a step back.


    ¡°It¡¯s such a pity for you, being with a madman. If only I were¡­¡± Samuel clenched his teeth, a fierce look


    shing in his eyes as if there was something he deeply resented.


    The Langley family¡¯s inability to produce heirs was theughingstock of Sea City, a jokemonly


    shared even among Dexter and his circle. They mocked Samuel, saying the Langley family, with such a


    heritage, ended up with a dud like Samuel. He had ruined himself in his youth and would likely meet his


    end at the hands of a woman.


    ¡°Foebe, once this child is born, the madman will lose his value. The old man has no other heirs but me.


    If you y your cards right with me, only then will you have a life worth living. understand?¡± Samuel


    was done pretending,ying it all out in the open. He reached to grab my dress with ill intent.


    I tried to dodge, but he pinned me against the vanity.

 Chapter 67

    Backed into a corner, I had no choice but to improvise. ¡°Uncle, what are you nning?¡±


    Samuel chuckled. ¡°I admit, pairing you with that madman was unfair to you. But life is long, my dear.


    Why don¡¯t you consider being with me instead.¡±


    ¡°But the doctor just confirmed I¡¯m pregnant, and Brendan is quite invested in this baby. If anything were


    to happen to it¡­¡± I said with a forced smile. ¡°Uncle, that wouldn¡¯t be right, would it? Surely you can wait


    a bit longer?¡±


    Samuel¡¯s eyes narrowed in pleasure. He reached out and held my chin. ¡°You¡¯re such a temptress.¡±


    I barely managed to keep my smile as I fought back nausea. How could such a man still be walking


    around?


    ¡°Alright, I can wait. Let¡¯s give it some more time,¡± he said, his fingers still on my chin, moving in


    closer.


    I frowned and tried to dodge, but he was clearly not pleased. ¡°What? Won¡¯t even let me steal a kiss?


    You¡¯re not ying hard to get now, are you?¡±


    His patience was wearing thin, and my acting was starting to crumble.


    ¡°Bang!


    Just when I was panicking, not knowing what to do, someone from behind struck Samuel with a heavy


    object, knocking him out cold.


    Surprised, I turned to see Colin.


    ¡°You¡­ how did you get out?¡±


    He looked terrible, his gaze hoarse, ignoring my question and lifting the stick again to strike Samuel¡¯s


    head with lethal intent.


    ¡°Colin!¡± I cried out in rm, stopping him. ¡°Are you trying tomit mhurder?¡°.


    I could feel it: Colin was intent on killing.


    It made me wonder if he was one of the murderers.


    But I couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch him kill someone. ¡°If you kill him, Brendan won¡¯t let you off the


    hook. Don¡¯t be rash.¡±


    Colin¡¯s murderous eyes finally softened as they met mine. ¡°He touched you. He should pay his life.¡±


    I was taken aback. Those words¡­ they sounded familiar.


    with


    Back when I was a wandering spirit, he went berserk and beat up that scumbag from Dexter¡¯s circle,


    uttering the exact words.


    13:14


    ¡°Touch her, and you¡¯ll pay with your life


    At that time, I didn¡¯t understand. Colin and I had no connection; why would he kill for me? Was it not for


    me but for Phoebe?


    ¡°Madam¡­ ah!¡± The nanny came to call me downstairs, but upon seeing Colin and the unconscious


    Samuel, she screamed and ran out.


    I quickly grabbed Colin¡¯s hand with a stern expression and pulled him back into the room. ¡°Stay here.


    I¡¯ll handle this.¡±


    Colin looked at me, wanting to say something, but only managed to open his mouth.


    I shook my head at him and closed the door, standing guard outside.


    Soon, Brendan arrived with a few bodyguards. ¡°Where¡¯s that little bastard? Drag him out!¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, please calm down,¡± I quickly intervened; blocking Brendan. ¡°Uncle¡­ he¡­ he tried to take


    advantage of me. I was scared for the baby, so I hid in the room. Colin was just acting on instinct to


    protect his child. It¡¯s actually thanks to him that the baby is safe.¡±


    I teared up, giving a convincing performance.


    Samuel¡¯s character was well¨Cknown to Brendan, and I was betting he valued the heir in my womb


    more. After all, before Colin¡¯s breakdown, he was a prodigy. Meanwhile, Samuel had mediocre talents


    and a penchant for debauchery. Plus, his inability to father children, even with medical intervention,


    was his own doing.


    If Samuel hadn¡¯t been such a letdown, why would Brendan go to such lengths to secure an heir from a


    madman?


    Brendan¡¯s face darkened instantly. ¡°That beast! Someone, take him away and let him reflect!¡±


    I breathed a sigh of relief, having dodged the bullet for now.


    ¡°Grandpa, who¡¯sing to tonight¡¯s banquet?¡± I quickly changed the subject. ¡°Please, take a moment


    to rx.¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡°Every notable person in Sea City will be there tonight,¡± Brendan grumbled, leading me downstairs. ¡°I¡¯ll


    introduce you aroundter. As my future granddaughter¨Cinw, you¡¯ll be bringing good fortune if you


    smoothly deliver me a grandson.¡±


    1 inwardly scoffed at his archaic thinking ¨C what was this, a royal session?


    But then again, considering the Langley family¡¯s wealth and standing in Sea City, it indeed almost felt


    like a royal session.


    ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± I feigned a heavy burden. ¡°A naturally conceived child is healthier and smarter, but what if


    I disappoint and it¡¯s a girl?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re young, and I¡¯m still in good health. No rush. We aim to have two within three years, and if it¡¯s


    not a son, we¡¯ll simply keep trying,¡± Brendan said casually.

 Chapter 68

    My lips twitched involuntarily. So, they just see Foebe as a baby¨Cmaking machine. But as long


    as it¡¯s a girl, Colin still has some value to the Langley family.


    I do hope it¡¯s a girl in my belly.


    ¡°Why did Colin go mad?¡± I asked softly.


    ¡°Colin?¡± Brendan nced at me.


    I paused, confused.


    Isn¡¯t he called Colin in the Langley family?


    ¡°Caleb¡­¡± It hit me suddenly: in the Langley family. Colin is known as Caleb Langley.


    ¡°Originally, the boy was smart, a real genius.¡± Brendan said coldly. ¡°But s, he suffered a


    trauma.¡±


    After a moment of silence, he gave me a guarded look, obviously not willing to air all the family¡¯s dirty


    laundry. ¡°You needn¡¯t worry yourself. Just focus on bringing the child into the world safely; that¡¯s all that


    matters.¡±


    I nodded obediently. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Even though Brendan didn¡¯t reveal much, I had a hunch that Colin¡¯s current state was definitely tied to


    the Langley family.


    ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m a bit scared. The servants and even the whispers outside say that Colin is a murderer


    and that he targets women. Is that true? The doctor suggested I should spend more time with the father


    of the child, but I¡¯m afraid of him¡­¡±


    I watched Brendan cautiously, trying to gauge his reaction.


    ¡°The boy may be a bit touched in the head, but he¡¯s no murderer, of that I¡¯m certain,¡± he assured me


    with conviction. ¡°Those rumors are baseless. Nheless, for your and the baby¡¯s safety, it¡¯s best to


    keep your distance from him.


    If Colin isn¡¯t the killer, why was he at the crime scene? What was he doing there? What¡¯s his


    connection to the actual murderer?


    The Langley family dinner.


    The invitation was from the patriarch himself, and the guest list was a who¡¯s who of the business world.


    The Fitzgerald family, ranking just below the Langleys, was, of course, in attendance.


    Dexter was tall and striking, and he arrived with Melody, quickly bing the center of attention.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald¡¯s fianc¨¦e is absolutely stunning,¡± someone brown¨Cnosed.


    ¡°Yes, Melody is the belle of Sea City University.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t Phoebe the belle of Sea City University?¡± I walked up alongside the patriarch, deliberately


    shaking hands with Dexter right in front of Melody. ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, good to see


    you again.¡±


    Dexter looked surprised at first, thenposed himself.


    Melody¡¯s face turned sour, watching me warily.


    ¡°Is this the Langley family¡¯s eldest grandson¡¯s wife? She must not know in our circles, nobody dares


    mention Phoebe in front of Dexter¡­¡± someone murmured behind me.


    ¡°Dexter lost it a while back. Mentioning Phoebe to him is like signing your own death warrant.¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°President Langley, this must be your granddaughter¨Cinw?¡± Melody asked, attempting to conceal


    her annoyance, then reached out for a handshake.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, wasn¡¯t your fianc¨¦e named Phoebe? Who might this be, a mistress?¡± I taunted Melody,


    ignoring her extended hand.


    The onlookers began to murmur; the Langley family¡¯s eldest grandson¡¯s wife was openly snubbing


    Dexter¡¯s fianc¨¦e, which was akin to snubbing Dexter himself.


    But Dexter seemed unfazed, his gaze on meplex.


    Melody grew even more anxious, fearing the resemnce I bore to Phoebe.


    ¡°This is my granddaughter¨Cinw, the heiress of the Larson family, Foebe Larson,¡± the patriarch


    announced with a smile.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, won¡¯t you introduce us to thedy beside you? Which family¡¯s daughter is she?¡± I


    cocked my head, pushing Dexter into an awkward spot. Status was everything in their circle, and


    Dexter had once seemed indifferent to Melody¡¯s adopted status, all in the name of love.


    Dexter nced at Melody.


    Melody, tense, awaited Dexter¡¯s introduction, hoping for a title under the eyes of many.


    ¡°She¡¯s my secretary.¡± Dexter stated tly, reducing Melody to his secretary.


    Melody¡¯s face went pale, and she lowered her gaze, her eyes reddening. ¡°I feel a bit unwell. I¡¯ll go sit


    over there.¡±


    I watched Melody with a hint of irony. So, she had her day, too?


    But then again Dexter really was the pinnacle of scum. He had once imed to love Melody so fiercely


    he wanted me dead for her, and now he wouldn¡¯t even acknowledge her?


    Disgusting!


    moved off to greet other quests, and Dexter approached me, his voice low. ¡°Are you


    satisfied with that exnation?¡±


    I frowned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Fitzgerald, but I don¡¯t follow.¡±


    ¡°Your name is Foebe?¡± He seemed very intrigued by me.

 Chapter 69

    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, you seem to have quite an interest in me,¡± I said with a smirk, attempting to sidestep


    him and leave.


    But Dexter suddenly grasped my wrist, his gaze intense and scrutinizing. ¡°Why¡­ do you look so much


    like her?¡± he murmured as if talking to himself.


    I didn¡¯t want Dexter to recognize me; that would spoil the fun.


    ¡°What do you mean by this, Mr. Fitzgerald? I¡¯m Brendan¡¯s granddaughter¨Cinw. It¡¯s not quite proper


    for you to be grabbing at me like this. People might think you¡¯ve taken a fancy to me,¡± I said, raising my


    voice just enough to potentially set Dexter against the Langleys.


    Dexter¡¯s brow furrowed, and he released my wrist. ¡°Sorry, my mistake,¡± he said.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    I chuckled coldly and walked away.


    ¡°You do look a lot like Phoebe,¡± Melody suddenly said, blocking my path at the top of the stairs.


    I nced around with a smile. ¡°Is that so? Are you scared?*


    ¡°A fake will always be just that¨Ca fake, Foebe,¡± she threatened.


    ¡°Then, what¡¯s there for you to fear?¡± I retorted. ¡°Afraid that Dexter loves not you but Phoebe?¡±


    Melody¡¯s face paled, her eyes darting away. ¡°Even if he loved Phoebe, what does it matter? Phoebe¡¯s


    dead!¡±


    ¡°Melody, aren¡¯t you afraid of karma?¡± I asked gravely.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think that just because you married the Langley fool, you can be a queen. What¡¯s the


    Larson family in all this? You¡¯re nothing but a lookalike¨Cthat¡¯s the only reason that idiot married you,¡±


    Melody sneered at me. ¡°And he¡¯s not just any fool¨Che¡¯s a madman, a lunatic! When he loses it, he


    could kill someone. I don¡¯t see you having a happy ending with him.¡±


    ¡°p!¡± My hand connected with Melody¡¯s cheek, a p that she had owed me from long ago.


    She covered her face, shocked that I dared to hit her.


    ¡°p!¡± I struck her again. ¡°I pped you because you¡¯re the lowest of the low.¡±


    The sound of my pping Melody drew everyone¡¯s attention.


    I looked indifferently at Melody and then at Dexter, whose expression was also one of difort.


    Melody, still in shock, turned to Dexter for support, ying the fragile victim. ¡°Dexter¡­ I don¡¯t know


    what I did to upset Miss Foebe; she just started hitting me. I¡¯m your date tonight¡­¡±


    Melody was escting the situation. The Langleys wouldn¡¯t let the Fitzgeralds get away with this.


    The crowd was abuzz. ¡°Wow, the Langley family¡¯s eldest granddaughter¨Cinw is merce resorting to


    violence?


    heard the Larson Group is almost bankrupt, and she married into the Langleys for their ecy? So


    audacious?¡±


    Dexter approached with a grim expression, examined Melody¡¯s face, and spoke sternly. ¡°Mr. Brendan,


    is this how the Langley family treats their guests? Just hitting someone out of the blue?


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Brendan came over and asked sternly.


    Imimicked Melody¡¯s act, my eyes brimming with tears. ¡°Grandpa, she spread lies, saying that Caleb is


    mad and stupid, a lunatic who could kill someone.¡±


    In front of all the guests, Brendan¡¯s face turned extremely grim.


    ¡°Grandpa, aren¡¯t the Fitzgeralds pping us in the face with this? They¡¯re clearly spreading rumors.


    Caleb is a genius, admitted to Kingstone University in his teens. How could she say such things? Does


    Mr. Fitzgerald share this view?¡± I looked innocently at Dexter.


    This was escting to a corporate battle.


    Dexter frowned, his mood unreadable, his eyes fixed on me as if trying to see right through me.

 Chapter 70

    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, you owe me an exnation!¡± Brendan¡¯s voice was thick with anger as he spoke,


    Melody looked terrified, her eyes wide as she nced at me, clearly afraid of stirring up trouble for


    Dexter. ¡°Foebe, President Langley, I didn¡¯t mean it that way¡­¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, she¡¯s been listening.¡± I said, nodding towards the nanny standing nearby.


    The nanny nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Melody clung to Dexter¡¯s arm, her nerves palpable. ¡°Dexter¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, when you¡¯re picking a secretary, you¡¯ve got to keep your eyes peeled for skill, not just


    someone easy on the eyes,¡± Brendan sald sternly. ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors about you and your secretary.


    Better straighten things out when you get back, or you¡¯ll ruin the partnership between our families!¡±


    Dexter knew he had to smooth things over. ¡°Understood.¡±


    Melody was on the verge of tears, the height of distress. She shot me a resentful look, then turned to


    Dexter. ¡°Dexter¡­¡±


    But Dexter¡¯s voice was low and firm. ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡±


    With a bite of her lip, Melody turned and ran off.


    I watched her go with a cold smirk. Brendan had been stewingtely, and here was someone foolish


    enough to walk right into the fire.


    My gaze followed Melody¡¯s retreating figure, a mix of emotions swirling within me.


    Ridiculous!


    Indeed, these people only pick on the weak.


    I was an orphan with no parents to stand up for me, dependent on the kindness of others. They knew


    they could bully me with no consequences, no big scene to worry about. I was meant to endure their


    insults, bullying, and harm forever.


    And Dexter, he never thought to stand up for me. His concern was his reputation, always weighing the


    pros and cons. To him, I was insignificant. He resented me for clinging to him, for the engagement he


    couldn¡¯t shake off. He once imed undying love for Melody, didn¡¯t he? And yet today, to preserve the


    partnership with the Langley family, Melody had to suffer?


    That¡¯s just Dexter for you, his love cheap and fickle.


    ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m not feeling well. I¡¯m going to head upstairs,¡± I said, climbing the staircase and casting a


    nce back at Dexter.


    His gaze remained on me, deep andplex.


    13:14


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Retreating to my room on the pretext of feeling unwell, I sent the nanny away and peered out the


    second¨Cfloor window. Seeing no one outside, I changed clothes and climbed down.


    ¡°Ste, it¡¯s me.¡± Having left the Langley estate, I called Ste. ¡°Have you found where Hank is?¡±


    I narrowed my eyes, still fueled by the desire to embarrass Melody at the party. It was just the


    beginning. I nned to peel away at Melody¡¯s facade slowly but surely.


    Of course, starting with Hank was the first step.


    ¡°He¡¯s at a bar. Where else would that lowlife be? Drowning in booze every day, as if he¡¯s not scared to


    drink himself to death,¡± Ste scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m keeping an eye on him. Youing?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m heading over. Tonight I¡¯m going to scare him to death,¡± I said through gritted teeth,


    gging down a taxi.


    I¡¯d start with Hank, then take them down one by one!


    ¡°Foebe, quick change,¡± a voice suddenly called out from behind me.


    I frowned and turned to see Dexter. ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, not mingling with the guests? Where are you off


    to?¡±


    ¡°Where are you headed? I¡¯ll give you a ride,¡± Dexter offered casually.


    ¡°No need, thanks,¡± I said, climbing into the taxi.


    He leaned against the door, watching me. ¡°Foebe, you¡¯re bing more and more intriguing to


    1. me.

 Chapter 71

    The Nocturne Club was Hank¡¯s sanctuary, especially since the whole debacle with Phoebe. These


    days, he was practically part of the furniture, drowning his sorrows in booze night after night.


    ¡°Hey, gorgeous,e here and give me a hug.¡± Hank slurred, surrounded by his rowdy entourage, as


    they partied in their private booth.


    ¡°I gotta use the john,¡± Hank mumbled, staggering toward the restroom door in the booth, only to find it


    locked. With a grunt, he stumbled out of the booth toward the hallway bathrooms.


    The corridor was eerily silent. Ste had tipped off the owner of Nocturne earlier, and thanks to Robin¡¯s


    warning call, the ce had been shut down early ¨C except for Hank¡¯s little shindig.


    Slipping into my old favorite outfit, I followed him with a drink in hand.


    Hank was hammered, barely keeping his eyes focused.


    ¡°Here, have another,¡± I said, pressing the ss into his hand.


    He downed it in one go, then finally looked up at me. His gaze froze on me, his body stiffening.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I smiled at him. ¡°Hey, Hank. Long time no see.¡±


    Hank¡¯s face turned ashen as he copsed to the floor, stammering, ¡°Phoebe¡­ don¡¯t haunt me. I ain¡¯t


    the one¡­ It was that murderer, not me!¡±


    The lights flickered off suddenly, casting an eerie green glow on my face.


    Panic¨Cstricken, Hank scrambled backward, desperately seeking refuge in the restroom. ¡°Phoebe, don¡¯t


    do this. You¡¯re dead¡­ It wasn¡¯t my fault.¡±


    ¡°Hank¡­ you made my life hell¡­¡± I whispered.¡±


    ¡°ver pushed Melody; you saw it, but you lied! I loathe you.¡± I snarled with a ferocity that shocked


    even me.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me. It was Melody! She and her sister told me to keep quiet, to keep it from my cousin Dexter.


    You can¡¯t me me; Dexter didn¡¯t trust you; you should be after him!¡±


    ¡°If not for your lies, Melody would have never ndered me.¡±


    ¡°Dexter chose to believe Melody over you; that¡¯s not on me. I just kept silent, but he believed


    everything she said. She fell, and he thought you pushed her!¡±


    I sneered, moving in to grip Hank¡¯s throat. ¡°You deserve to die.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe, please¡­ spare me¡­¡± Hank fainted from sheer terror.


    Letting go, I spat out in disgust, catching myself before I actually went through with it.


    16:12


    I touched up my hair and wiped away the smudged lipstick. I had dressed up to the nines to look like


    Phoebe.


    Phoebe and I shared a passing resemnce, and with a dash of makeup under the dim lights,


    especially with Hank being so stered, scaring him senseless was a piece of cake.


    The lights flicked back on, and Ste emerged, phone in hand. ¡°Got it all on video.¡±


    I nced at her phone. ¡°Nice shot.¡±


    ¡°Your acting wasn¡¯t half bad either,¡± she remarked, eyeing me with a mix of admiration and


    caution.


    I probably did look a lot like Phoebe.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± she whispered, then scoffed. ¡°Got the video. What¡¯s your y?¡±


    ¡°We send it to Dexter, of course. Why should he and Melody get to live happily ever after?¡± I said


    darkly.


    Ste nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, bumping her shoulder with a smirk. ¡°Ste, you should try moving on too, after all¡­¡±


    I¡¯m still alive and kicking.


    Ste frowned, giving me a long look. ¡°You¡¯re overstepping a bit.¡±


    I sighed.


    When would she let her guard down and see me for who I really am ¨C see that I am Phoebe?

 Chapter 72

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you¡¯re after but cut the act. There¡¯s no recing Phoebe for me; nobody can just step


    into her shoes,¡± Ste said sternly.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile, warmth flooding my heart. ¡°Ste, when will you finally believe I am Phoebe?¡±


    Ste scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m out of here. Make your own way back.¡±


    I nodded and left Nocturne.


    Standing at the doorway, I took in the scene before me. This ce¡­ it¡¯s where I used to get pushed


    around by Dexter and his cronies and harassed by the drunkards.


    It felt like a lifetime ago, yet everything had changed.


    ¡°Snap.¡±


    Just as I stepped out of Nocturne, I heard something behind me. On alert, I turned to see a figure


    darting out of sight.


    Furrowing my brows, I took a cautious step back, feeling an inexplicable panic.


    Ever since I entered Nocturne today, I felt like someone was watching me. That feeling hadn¡¯t left me.


    Maybe it was because I died once before, but my senses seemed heightened now.


    The night air was cool, and I took a fearful step back. This sensation was identical to when I


    encountered the murderer on Tangle Lane..


    ¡°Snap.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Another sound echoed from the alley, where a tall figure in a raincoat held a stick in his hand.


    I retreated in horror, turning to run.


    Whether it was fear or something else, my legs felt incredibly heavy.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± In my moment of terror, I suddenly crashed into a solid embrace. His chest heaved with


    rapid breaths as if he had run to me in a frantic worry.


    There was a faint, pleasing scent about him, calming my racing heart.


    He held me tight, draping his jacket over me. ¡°I¡¯m here¡­ don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    I clung to his clothes, looking up to see it was Colin.


    I had no idea how he got out or where he got these clothes.


    ncing fearfully back, the alley was deserted, not a soul in sight.


    Could it have been my imagination? Stress ying tricks on me?


    Colin didn¡¯t speak; he just held me close, his gaze fixed on the alley, icy and intense.


    ¡°How did you get out?¡± I whispered.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t¡­ leave you,¡± Colin murmured, pulling the jacket tighter around me and taking my hand to


    lead me away.


    His actions felt so natural as if we had known each other for ages.


    Looking at Colin¡¯s back, why did he seem so familiar?


    My head began to ache as I rubbed my temples, guiding Colin towards a taxi. ¡°Why aren¡¯t your wearing


    shoes?¡±


    That¡¯s when I noticed Colin¡¯s bare feet, wounds reopened and leaving a trail of bloody footprints.


    I frowned, gripping Colin¡¯s arm. ¡°You ran out in such a hurry just to find me?¡±


    Colin looked down, the picture of a guilty child, silent.


    I sighed.


    It turns out that a man with such handsome features can instantly disarm you with a single forlorn


    expression.


    At that moment, I felt my values waver, almost swept away by his striking appearance.


    ¡°Come here, sit down!¡± I pointed to a bench by the bus stop.


    Colin nced at me, a hint of defiance in his eyes.


    ¡°Sit down!¡± I said a bit more forcefully.


    Obediently, Colin went and sat down.


    I was at a loss. I hurried to the mall to buy him clothes and shoes and even picked up some iodine and


    bandages.


    When I came back, Colin was still sitting there, as docile as before.


    With a sigh, I looked at Colin.


    Can someone who acts so tame really be a murderer?

 Chapter 73

    ¡°It¡¯s pouring, you know. Ever heard of taking shelter?¡± I dashed over to the bench, grabbed him by the


    arm, and hustled him toward the mall to escape the rain.


    ¡°You told me to stay¡­ I¡¯d wait forever,¡± he said, his gaze locking onto mine with unsettling intensity.


    A sudden pang of headache struck me, fierce and unbidden.


    That moment felt eerily familiar, as though dredged up from a sea of lost memories.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t lie to me, would you, Phoebe?¡± His voice trembled with a nervous edge as if he was


    desperate for affirmation.


    The drizzle had stered his hair to his forehead, that face of his devilishly enchanting.


    ¡°Put your shoes on,¡± I muttered, avoiding his gaze. This man had the allure of a siren.


    He must have a talent for beguiling people¡¯s hearts; that¡¯s probably why even the cops couldn¡¯t peg him


    as a killer.


    I had Colin sit on the bench as I tended to a cut on his foot, wrapping it carefully in gauze before


    slipping on his socks and shoes.


    He leaned against the backrest, watching me with the obedience of a well¨Ctrained hound.


    I found myself curious about who he really was beneath it all.


    ¡°Did Samuel give you any trouble when he woke up?¡± I asked, looking up.


    He nodded, his eyes brimming with a pitiful look, stretching out his arm to reveal a bruise on his


    forearm, the telltale sign of defensive wounds.


    ¡°That lunatic¡­¡± I hissed under my breath, inspecting the bruise. ¡°We need to get you to al hospital.¡±


    Colin shook his head, his hand catching mine in a firm grip,


    My instinct was to pull away, but he held on tight. His fingertips were cool, yet the touch sent a strange


    tingle through my skin. ¡°Let go,¡± I insisted.


    He didn¡¯t respond, just gripped my wrist even tighter.


    Just as I was about to snap at him, he whispered, ¡°It hurts¡­¡±


    I paused, my irritation fizzling out as I decided to y along for a moment to see what game he was


    ying. ¡°You don¡¯t look like you¡¯re in any pain to me!¡±


    If his arm was really broken, he wouldn¡¯t have the strength to hold onto me..


    After a long stare, he finally released my hand. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me, don¡¯t lie to me again.¡±


    I crouched before him, momentarily at a loss for words.


    16:12


    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t a small world after all. Looks like this nutjob escaped from the Langley estate all by


    himself today.¡±


    That voice could only belong to one of Dexter¡¯s cronies, Kyle.


    I turned around with a stony expression to find Kyle with a woman on his arm, presumably shopping.


    Just my luck to run into them.


    He must have already called Dexter. After Melody¡¯s spectacle earlier, Dexter would be convinced Colin


    was behind it, blindly trusting Melody and itching to give Colin a piece of his mind.


    A chill washed over Colin¡¯s eyes, venomous like a cobra primed to strike, as he stood and positioned


    me behind him protectively.


    ¡°Looks like even the fools have chicks these days,¡± Kyle sneered, clutching the woman in his arms.


    ¡°Bad luck running into me. I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re ying dumb or truly lost it¡­¡±


    Kyle wouldn¡¯t dare approach; he could only make empty threats from a safe distance, especially since


    Colin had nearly beaten him to a pulp once before.


    Besides, with Colin being the prime suspect in a series of grisly crimes, Kyle¡¯s bravado had clear limits.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°In this day and age, even vermin can talk?¡± I shot back with a sarcastic chuckle, then turned to Colin.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re ¡®mentally unstable,¡® why not take this chance to off him?¡±


    Kyle¡¯s face drained of color, and he instinctively stepped back, using the woman as a shield.


    Colin nced at me, deadly serious. ¡°Alright!¡± His gaze then shifted to Kyle, icy and fierce, like a


    predator eyeing its prey, sending shivers down your spine.


    Kyle¡¯s legs trembled. *You, you crazy woman¡­ What are you saying?¡±

 Chapter 74

    ¡°Colin, take him out.¡± I murmured, stoking the fire of the confrontation, but, in reality, I was clutching


    Colin¡¯s arm with all my might, terrified that he might actuallysh out and hurt


    someone.


    Colin took a step forward, dragging me along until he turned and met my gaze.


    Kyle, already trembling with fear, let out a yelp and made a break for the door. Just as he reached the


    threshold, in barged Dexter, nked by a posse of burly bodyguards.


    Instantly, Kyle found his backbone, his voice quivering with newfound courage. ¡°That lunatic¡¯s right


    there! Dexter, for heaven¡¯s sake, throw him in the loony bin or put a bullet in him!¡±


    I kept a wary eye on Dexter and his entourage, stepping in front of Colin to shield him. ¡°In broad


    daylight, Mr. Fitzgerald, what exactly do you think you¡¯re doing? Bullying us with your muscle?¡±


    Dexter lit a cigarette and gave me a once¨Cover. ¡°Step aside.¡±


    ¡°Not in your wildest dreams,¡± I shot back with an icy stare.


    Taking a long drag, Dexter snapped his lighter shut and ordered his goons without turning to look at


    them, ¡°Take him away.¡±


    ¡°Dexter, you think you can just haul someone off without a by¨Cyour¨Cleave from thew?¡± I stood firm,


    protecting Colin from the encroaching bodyguards.


    ¡°Thew?¡± Dexter sneered with contempt. ¡°A madman, a killer without a conscience. If I kill him, I¡¯m


    doing society a favor.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    He stepped closer, his voiceden with malice. ¡°Whatever he did to Phoebe, I¡¯ll repay it a hundredfold.¡±


    ¡°And you think you have the right to say that?¡± I pushed him back, a sneer of my own taking shape.


    ¡°Take him away!¡± Dexter insisted.


    I frowned, knowing Dexter was doing this for Melody.


    It seemed Ste hadn¡¯t sent Hank¡¯s video to Dexter yet.


    ¡°Dexter, if we don¡¯t end him, we¡¯ll never sleep soundly again. And Melody¡¯s carrying your child. The


    child¡¯s what matters most,¡± Kyle interjected with malicious glee.


    Dexter frowned, irritated. ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Kyle fell silent.


    ¡°Dexter!¡± I cried out as they grabbed Colin. He was quick but outnumbered by the dozen burly


    men.


    Clearly, Dexter knew from experience that a handful of men were no match for Colin; it took a


    16:12 1


    small army to restrain him.


    ¡°Dexter, let him go!¡± I tried to intervene, but Dexter wasn¡¯t about to listen to me.


    Without a further nce, he signaled for his men to take Colin away.


    ¡°Dexter, don¡¯t you want to know who really killed Phoebe?¡± I shouted after him.


    He halted, turning to face me. ¡°It was this madman.


    ¡°It was you.¡± I used through clenched teeth, a flood of hatred rising within me.


    Dexter¡¯s gaze grewplex as he frowned. ¡°I won¡¯t spare anyone who¡¯s hurt Phoebe.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh at the hypocrisy. ¡°What about you? Shouldn¡¯t you be yed a thousand times


    over?¡±


    He stepped forward, towering over me with an oppressive presence. Despite myself, I felt a twinge of


    fear and took a step back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to provoke me. Even if you were to run to Brendan right now, I wouldn¡¯t let it slide,¡± Dexter¡¯s


    eyes zed with reckless fury.


    ¡°Crossing the Langley family won¡¯t do the Fitzgeralds any favors. It¡¯ll just lead to mutual destruction,¡±


    Iwarned through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Do you really think I care?¡± he scoffed. ¡°Do you have any idea what this maniac has done to my wife?¡±


    Wife? My brow furrowed. Melody? Howughable! Only Melody knew for sure whether or not Colin had


    ever hurt her.


    ¡°Even if it costs me everything, I¡¯ll make his life a living hell,¡± Dexter¡¯s voice trembled with a venomous


    resolve.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, I¡¯ve got a video here that you might find enlightening,¡± Ste called out as she burst


    through the entrance, panting heavily.


    I had texted her my location but did not expect her to show up so quickly.

 Chapter 75

    I stepped in front of Colin, my gaze fixed warily on the group before us.


    Dexter knitted his brows, a shadow crossing his face. ¡°Ste, what game are you ying now?¡± ¡°Oh,


    what¡¯s the matter? Can¡¯t face the truth? Afraid to see whether your precious Melody is a saint or a


    specter?¡± Ste sneered, pulling out her phone to y that damning video.


    The clip showed Hank sprawled on the floor, crying out in fear, telling them to seek out Dexter. not him,


    and revealing that it wasn¡¯t Phoebe who had pushed Melody down the stairs.


    Dexter¡¯splexion turned stormy, his face darkening with each passing second.


    I watched him intently, searching his eyes for a flicker of guilt or panic ¨C something to feed the vengeful


    thrill I was craving.


    But there was nothing.


    Throughout the ordeal, Dexter seemed to maintain a stubborn disbelief in the footage.


    I scoffed inwardly. I had underestimated the depth of Dexter¡¯s love for Melody.


    But no matter; the show had only just begun.


    ¡°Ste, I know you despise Melody, but this kind of tactic, isn¡¯t it a bit underhanded?¡± Dexter¡¯s voice


    wasden with disapproval.


    Steughed mockingly. ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    Putting away her phone, Ste red at Dexter through gritted teeth. ¡°You¡¯re pitiful, Dexter. I wonder


    how long you¡¯ll keep shielding Melody.¡±


    ¡°By the way, Phoebe¡¯s phone data was tampered with during recovery ¨C someone had the nerve to


    sabotage police evidence right from under the tech team¡¯s nose,¡± Ste said, her gaze piercing Dexter.


    ¡°Your Melody, she¡¯s no ordinary girl.¡±


    ¡°Ste, do you even believe the nonsense you¡¯re spouting? She¡¯s a person, an orphan who was


    adopted. She doesn¡¯t have the means to mess with police evidence, and even the Burtons couldn¡¯t pull


    off such a feat!¡± Dexter retorted with visible anger. ¡°I failed Phoebe, and I won¡¯t


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    rest until I find the person who hurt her. But I won¡¯t stand idly by while you make Melon¡¯t


    scapegoat!¡±


    your


    ¡°Dexter, just drop dead,¡± Ste spat, then turned to me and Colin. ¡°I¡¯ve called the cops, you know. This


    is falso


    imprisonment. He¡¯s just a suspect with mental issues who turned himself in, and without proof of his


    guilt, even the police don¡¯t have the right to detain him. Are you nning on taking thew into your


    own hands?¡±


    I backed away, guarding Colin. ¡°Dexter, you disgust me.¡±


    Dexter furrowed his brows, lost in thought.


    16:12


    Ste nced at me indifferently. ¡°You see? He¡¯s utterly convinced of Melody¡¯s innocence.. Poor


    Phoebe deserved better.¡±


    Turning back to Dexter, Ste added, ¡°Once we recover the data from Phoebe¡¯s phone, I¡¯d like to see


    how you¡¯ll defend Melody then.¡±


    I held my tongue, took Colin¡¯s hand, and walked away.


    Colin¡¯s eyes were cold as he nced back at Dexter. After a few steps, he spoke up from behind me. ¡°I


    will always¡­¡±


    I paused, turning to look at him, wondering what he meant.


    ¡°I will always believe in you unconditionally and without reservation,¡± Colin said earnestly.


    In that moment, his expression, his gaze, the way he spoke¡­ so intense, it was overwhelming.


    And just like that, it was all too easy to fall for them.


    I took a deep breath, and with a bittersweet smile, I realized that maybe, just maybe, I could believe in


    the words of someone who was mentally troubled.


    Dexter emerged with his entourage, seemingly intent on stopping us, but Robin arrived with backup,


    forcing Dexter to stand down.


    As I passed by Robin, I instinctively wanted to address him as Officer Robin, but I bit my


    tongue.


    Robin gave me a nce, then looked at Colin. ¡°Are you his guardian?¡±


    I nodded.


    Colin seemed rather pleased with himself, proudly mirroring my gesture.


    I sighed inwardly, tightening my grip on his wrist.


    Robin checked his watch. ¡°Where was he yesterday and during the day today?¡±


    ¡°He was at the Langleys¡® the whole time. They¡¯ve got security cameras that can vouch for my story,¡± I


    told Robin.


    Robin nodded. ¡°Alright. Given his condition, you, as his guardian, need to keep a close eye on him.


    Don¡¯t let him wander off.¡±

 Chapter 76

    ¡°Alright.¡± I nodded, taking Colin¡¯s hand and leading him away. ¡°You sneaked out; how are you going to


    get home? The babysitter told me Samuel¡¯s been looking for you. If he catches you, you¡¯re in for it


    again.¡±


    Colin instantly put on a pitiful face, wrapping his arms around me from behind. ¡°They hit me, it really


    hurts.


    I let out a sigh, looking at him with a mix of frustration and pity. What am I supposed to do with this


    guy?


    Just as I was about to find a ce for him to crash, the Langley family¡¯s sleek ck car pulled up to the


    curb.


    Stepping out was Brendan¡¯s assistant. He gave Colin a meaningful look and bowed his head politely.


    ¡°Young Master Colin, it¡¯s time to go home.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smirk internally. Outside, these people sure knew how to y their parts.


    Young Master Colin? Does anyone in the Langley family actually treat him like a young master? ¡°Eric,


    is Brendan mad? It wasn¡¯t his idea to run away; he did it to protect me. Can you maybe put in a good


    word for him?¡± I asked cautiously, trying to advocate for Colin.


    Though I knew he was likely to face a harsh reception back home.


    ¡°Master Samuel has made a mistake in his work, and Brendan has sent him to handle a project


    overseas. He left at three this afternoon for three months,¡± Eric said, his face unreadable.


    But I breathed a sigh of relief.


    Well, at least the next three months might be easier.


    ¡°As for Brendan, he¡¯s getting on in years, not as sturdy as he used to be. He¡¯s off to the Sea City


    Sanatorium for some rest and recuperation,¡± Eric added.


    I paused, suspicious.


    Why would Eric be reporting to me? He has no reason to. But why make a point of telling me all this?


    I nced back at Colin. He was looking at me innocently, clearly not the intended audience.


    Was this all just to pacify Colin so he¡¯ll go back without a fuss?


    Maybe.


    ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s the day for the family memorial service. Mr. Brendan has already gone ahead to the


    estate. It¡¯s a three¨Cand¨Ca¨Chalf¨Chour drive; let¡¯s get going.¡± The assistant Eric opened the car doors for


    Colin and me, a little too courteously.


    This politeness was unusual.


    Lifting my chin, I mustered the airs of ady of the house, taking advantage of the little one in my belly


    to throw my weight around for once.


    Colin watched me, his smile disarmingly charming.


    ¨C


    For the first time, I truly understood what a bewitching smile was like and I was seeing it on a


    man¡¯s face.


    ¡°Returning to the family estate for the memorial service is also a way of seeking the blessings of the


    Langley ancestors for your child to ensure a safe and healthy delivery,¡± Eric exined


    once we were in the car.


    I was still surprised. The Langley family was this concerned about my unborn child?


    But then, the Langleys were known for their entric ways, and I was not in the mood to puzzle over


    their motives.


    Resting against the car window, I watched the city lights blur past, my mind reying the scene of


    Dexter defending Melody. In the past, such a sight would have pained my heart, but now, it just made


    me sick.


    Let him protect her. I want to see how long he can keep it up.


    I couldn¡¯t understand what I ever saw in a man like him. Was it really because he saved me from a


    burning car that year?


    My headache red up again, the memory of the ident haunting me, the face of my rescuer¡­ It


    didn¡¯t seem like Dexter.


    Can memories deceive?


    Perhaps it¡¯s the silence in the car or the pain in my head, but drowsiness takes over.


    In a haze, I felt Colin¡¯s hand carefully


    against the car window.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    support my head, cradling it as if to prevent any jolts


    ¡°Master Colin, it¡¯s about time,¡± I faintly hear Eric saying.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    In the edge of consciousness, I heard their voices but could no longer make out the words, falling into a


    heavy sleep.

 Chapter 77

    I¡¯m not sure how long I was out, but when I woke up, I found Colin¡¯s hand still cushioning my head.


    Rubbing my forehead, I gazed at Colin, bleary¨Ceyed. Had he been holding up my head the whole


    journey?


    Over three hours¡­


    Was he genuinely challenged or just ying the fool?


    ¡°Where are we?¡± I murmured.


    ¡°The Langley old house,¡± Colin whispered back, clutching my hand as if he feared something terrible.


    Those pitiful yet captivating deep eyes of his always seemed to trigger a protective instinct in others.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m right here,¡± I reassured him, patting the back of his hand, though I was pretty scared


    myself.


    What was this ce, some kind of haunted manor in the middle of nowhere? The surrounding


    wilderness was eerie enough, and the house itself looked downright deste.


    And with the lights on at this hour, it resembled a scene straight out of a horror flick about a haunted


    vige.


    I swallowed hard, mustering my courage and taking a firm grip on Colin¡¯s hand as we got out of


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    the car.


    ¡°Young Master, Madam, pleasee this way,¡± Eric said, waiting for us at the entrance.


    I dragged Colin along, following Eric to meet Brendan.


    Brendan was before a collection of memorial tablets, probably praying for ancestral blessings on


    whatever was troubling him.


    I saw a memorial tablet for Brendan¡¯s eldest son, Colin¡¯s father Ethan Langley. Though Colin was born


    out of wedlock, he was still his son.


    Colin¡¯s gaze was fixed intently on that tablet, his face expressionless.


    On closer inspection, I noticed the tablet for Ethan Langley was apanied by another for someone


    named Logan Langley, likely Brendan¡¯s grandson.


    I¡¯d heard that they all perished in a car ident, the very heirs Brendan had painstakingly groomed to


    take over the legacy.


    As for Samuel, he was initially the least favored by Brendan: indulgent, undisciplined, andcking in


    wit¨Chardly a suitable sessor.


    But as fate would have it, the promising line was cut short in that tragic ident, leaving Samuel as


    Brendan¡¯s sole surviving son¨Can underachiever incapable of producing an heir.


    For someone as steeped in tradition as Brendan, the absence of an heir was a major issue¨Chow could


    he let the Langley lineage end with him? That¡¯s where Colin and I came into the picture.


    In the Langley family, our roles were clear: we were mere instruments for bearing the next generation.


    ¡°Come, offer your respects,¡± Brendan instructed after finishing his prayers, turning to look at Colin and


    me.


    I stepped forward, took the flower, and held it out to Colin, but he wouldn¡¯t take it, his eyes glued to the


    memorial tablet. I could tell he was filled with resentment.


    Aplex wave of emotions stirred in me, but fearing Brendan¡¯s reprimand, I softly coaxed him. ¡°Colin,


    it¡¯s time to offer your respects.¡±


    Colin turned to me, his voice hoarse. ¡°You¡¯re all¡­ liars.¡±


    I froze for a moment, seeing the depth of disappointment in his eyes.


    All liars?


    What had Foebe lied to him about? And this Ethan?


    ¡°Offer your respects.¡± Despite Colin¡¯s reluctance, I still led him forward to ce the flower.


    ¡°The car ident¡­¡± He ced the flower under the tablet and looked at me as if he wanted to


    say more.


    I waited, but when he remained silent, I didn¡¯t press the matter.


    The cruelty of car idents¨CI knew it all too well; my own parents had died in one.


    Brendan seemed pleased with Colin¡¯spliance, regardless of whose advice he was following. At


    least he was behaving like a person for now.


    ¡°I can see that Caleb has taken to you, willing to heed your advice;¡± Brendan spoke up.


    I kept my head down, listening.


    ¡°If you can keep him in line, that would be good,¡± Brendan nodded, speaking again. ¡°Now that you¡¯re


    with child, carrying the Langley blood, you¡¯re something of a hero to the Langley family. If you can bear


    us a son, I might finally feel I¡¯ve done right by the Langley ancestors.¡±

 Chapter 78

    I kept my head down, silent. This archalc mindset that a daughter isn¡¯t a true scion of the Langley


    family bloodline? Please.


    Brendan had left after paying his respects, Instructing his assistant to escort Colin and me to


    rest.


    Along the way, Colin held my hand firmly. I thought he was putting on a show and tried to pull away, but


    his grip was unyielding.


    ¡°The old house¡¯s haunted.¡± Colin blurted suddenly.


    A shiver ran down my spine, and I instinctively hid behind him, gripping his arm tightly. ¡°Whol are you


    trying to scare¡­¡±


    As someone who¡¯s had died once, I suppose I¡¯m even more afraid of ghosts.


    Colin just lifted the corner of his mouth in a half¨Csmile and said nothing, allowing me to cling to his arm


    as we moved forward.


    It wasn¡¯t until we reached an ancient¨Clooking house that he finally spoke again. ¡°Our baby, boy or girl,


    doesn¡¯t matter. What¡¯s important is their health.¡±


    I eyed him suspiciously. Lately, he was acting more and more like a normal person ¨C unnervingly so.


    ¡°Click.¡±


    Suddenly, the door creaked, and I clung to his arm even tighter, afraid to look around.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Colin led me into the room and flicked on the light.


    The electrical in this old mountain house were dodgy, the lights flickering on and off. The room looked


    as though it hadn¡¯t been touched in years.


    ¡°This ce looks like it was bought by a film crew to shoot a horror movie,¡± Imented as I surveyed


    the surroundings. ¡°Where¡¯s my room?¡±


    The assistant nced at Colin and whispered, ¡°Madam, are you sure you don¡¯t want to share a room


    with Young Master? Your room is next door, but someone¡­ well, someone took their own life in there


    years ago.¡±


    I took a deep breath and headed straight for Colin¡¯s room, pointing to the haunted one. ¡°You can sleep


    there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± Colin said with a pout.


    Left with no choice, I ended up sharing a room with him, and there was only one bed.


    ¡°It¡¯s so cold up here on the mountain,¡± I muttered under my breath.


    Without a word, Coliny beside me and pulled me into his embrace. ¡°This is warmer.¡±


    I wanted to resist, but it did feel warmer, and his body was soforting.


    ¡°The Langleys used to be a family of herbalists, starting out with apothecaries and clinics before


    bing one of the first to dive intomerce. Over generations, they amassed a fortune, and this


    old house is the Langley family estate. The Langleys are all buried here,¡± Colin whispered.


    The whole ce felt like it was seeping cold air.


    So, this old house was essentially the Langley family crypt.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ll protect you,¡± Colin tightened his embrace, and for the rest of the night, he was


    surprisingly well¨Cbehaved, just holding me for warmth without any other intentions.


    Perhaps I was too exhausted, but I fell asleep without any other thoughts.


    And I slept well, more peacefully than I had since my parents died in a car ident.


    The next morning, I woke to find Colin gone.


    I bolted upright and ran outside to look for him. There he was, standing in the courtyard bathed in


    sunlight, mesmerizing.


    ¡°We need to head back to Sea City as soon as possible. There¡¯s been trouble with the Langleys,¡± the


    assistant Eric murmured.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I felt a knot in my stomach.


    ¡°Young Master Samuel¡­ he¡¯s been in an ident, involved in an armed robbery overseas. He¡¯s badly


    injured andatose. It¡¯s uncertain if he¡¯ll wake up,¡± the assistant Eric said, stealing a nce at Colin.


    Colin just stood there, his expression impassive and unreadable, giving nothing away.

 Chapter 79

    Ugh, talk about karma, right?


    Never mind whether Colin actually did the deed or not, a scumbag like Samuel lying thereatose


    was kind of poetic justice.


    ¡°Mr. Brendan¡¯s rushed back,¡± the assistant Eric piped up again.


    Colin didn¡¯t respond, just threw a nce my way.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    I was distracted, feeling like this was all too coincidental. ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡±


    The Langley family had lost another member. Now, Brendan was left without even a barren son to call


    his own, only Colin, the so¨Ccalled ¡®mad bastard¡® of a grandson, and the unborn child in my belly.


    I didn¡¯t know what this meant for Colin, whether it was good or bad news.


    Brendan was getting on in years, and the Langley enterprise couldn¡¯t take much more shaking up.


    Samuel was a fool,pletely useless at driving thepany forward, but as Brendan¡¯s only son, he¡¯d


    been at the helm, leading the family to a state of hollow strength.


    As Brendan aged, the fear was that if the Langley bloodline faltered, the jackals and hyenas within


    would rise up, unable to be contained any longer.


    The child inside me was still so small; its safe arrival into the world was uncertain, as was the question


    of whether Brendan would live to see it grow up and take over the family business.


    Change wasing to the Langley family.


    In the car, I nced at Colin.


    It was a shame. If he weren¡¯t mad, with his smarts and near¨Cinsane genius, he could surely take the


    Langleys to new heights.


    After hours on the road, we finally returned to Sea City.


    It started to rain out of nowhere that day. Sitting in the car, I watched the hurried passersby outside the


    window, my gaze wandering.


    Rain had always been my greatest fear because it was pouring the day my parents died in a car


    ident.


    feared thunder, rain, the dark, and enclosed spaces.


    I¡¯d longed for someone to hold me during my darkest fears and wished Dexter would have been


    the one to embrace me when I was scared. But he only ever added salt to my wounds, crushing me


    underfoot as time slipped away.


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    Suddenly, lightning streaked across the sky, and the thunder made me freeze, and my body started to


    tremble.


    The weather was just like that day when I was eighteen, the day of my parents¡® ident.


    My breath quivered, and my body shook uncontrobly.


    ¡°We¡¯re here, young master, young mistress,¡± the assistant Eric said, opening the door for me to get out.


    I tried to appear normal, but with each p of thunder, I couldn¡¯t help but flinch.


    Colin got out of the car, came around to my side, and draped his coat over me. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, the


    rain won¡¯t touch you.¡®


    I paused, looking up at Colin with his umbre, my breath catching.


    Why did he always feel so eerily familiar?


    Was he a part of the memories I¡¯d lost?


    Or was this some kind of Stockholm syndrome, feeling affection for the man who might have. tried to


    kill me?


    ¡°Phoebe, don¡¯t be scared,¡± he said, his voice low and gravelly from an old injury, somehow managing to


    sound both steady and reassuring.


    I stepped out of the car under his umbre.


    His voice used to frighten me, but now it broughtfort, and that scared me even more.


    Would I end up brainwashed if this continued?


    Rain pattered on the umbre as I looked at him for a long time.


    Colin remained silent, just quietly watching me.


    ¡°Brendan¡¯s out of the country, no one¡¯s going to bother us, no one¡¯s going to bully you anymore,¡± I


    whispered. ¨C


    With that, tomorrow, I¡¯d have to deal with my own matters. eded to uncover the truth and find


    Colin¡¯s aplice.


    Colin didn¡¯t speak, just held the umbre over me, took my hand, and led me back to our room.

 Chapter 80

    ¡°Goodnight,¡± I managed to say with a light heart, despite the whole mess with Samuel, as I bid Colin


    farewell for the evening.


    His hair was damp, his face pale as a ghost, and the ck jacket he wore made his delicate. features


    stand out even more, shrouded in a mysterious aura that was both intriguing and unfathomable.


    I paused at the doorway to steal a nce at him before entering my room and closing the door behind


    me.


    The Langley family had set me up in a spacious room with a plush bed and a soothing


    ambiance, but it felt strangely empty. In contrast, Colin¡¯s little cottage somehow seemed more


    secure.


    The thought startled me; without realizing it, I was starting to see Colin in a new light.


    But the guy was a murderer, for heaven¡¯s sake!


    Curled up in fear on my bed, I dreaded the lightning, the thunder, and now, the terrifying idea of


    empathizing with a killer like Colin.


    Then suddenly, a bolt of lightning seemed to explode right before my eyes.


    ¡°Ah!¡± I screamed in terror, hugging my knees to my chest and breathing heavily.


    ¡°Colin¡­ go back to the orphanage and wait for me, be good.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe, I¡¯ll wait for you forever. If you don¡¯te, I won¡¯t leave.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe, you promised you¡¯de for me. I¡¯ll wait at the orphanage forever.¡±


    Memories of the car ident¨Cthe familiar yet foreign images¨Cflooded my mind.


    ¡°Boom.¡±


    A p of thunder roared outside.


    Frightened, I scrambled out of bed, running without knowing why. By the time I came to my senses, I


    had flung open the door.


    ¡°Aah!¡±


    A strong hand suddenly grabbed my wrist and yanked me against the wall, his lips crashing down on


    mine.


    The room was pitch dark, but I could feel Colin¡¯s presence just outside the door.


    I couldn¡¯t see his face, only sense his breath.


    He seemed frightened too, his kiss desperate, as if venting something fierce.


    I tried to push him away, but he was immovable, my eyes stinging with hot tears.


    ¡°Liar¡­¡± He called me a liar in his frenzy. ¡°You told me to go back to wait for you.¡±


    ¡°Get off me.¡± I finally shoved him away and pped him across the face, leaning against the wall, my


    breathing more ragged than ever. For some reason, all my grievances came rushing. forth.


    His figure was forlorn, standing there, head bowed in silence.


    Instinctively, I wanted to reach out andfort him, shocked at my own impulse.


    What was happening to me?


    ¡°Boom.¡±


    Another thunderous roar shook the room, and involuntarily, I sought refuge in Colin¡¯s arms, crying


    harder than before.


    At that moment, all the pent¨Cup sorrow overwhelmed me. Since my parents died in a car crash,


    everything felt like a dream.


    Colin stiffened for a second, then slowly wrapped his arms around me, holding me tight.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    He didn¡¯t say a word, but I could feel him trembling.


    ¡°Phoebe, no matter what you¡¯ve be, I¡¯ll find you. I¡¯m sorry, I won¡¯t let anyone hurt you. again,¡±


    Colin¡¯s grip tightened as he spoke, his voice quivering.


    For the first time, I allowed myself topletely rely on someone else.


    ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­ of the thunder. Let¡¯s sleep here tonight,¡± I whispered.


    Perhaps it was my initiative that caught him off guard.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Suddenly, he lifted me in his arms, and I clung to his neck, startled by his strength. He seemed so


    slender, but his muscles were surprisingly firm. Heid me down on the bed and fetched a warm towel


    to wipe my hands and feet.


    In the dim glow of the bedsidemp, I watched him.


    He was a murderer. I reminded myself.


    If he truly was the one who killed all those women, and if thew couldn¡¯t touch him, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate.


    I¡¯d take justice into my own hands.

 Chapter 81

    ¡°Colin, have you ever killed someone?¡± In the dim light of the room, I whispered the question.


    He paused for a moment, looking up at me with piercing eyes, neither confirming nor denying.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sleep,¡± he said, pulling back the duvet and gesturing for me to get in.


    I hesitated but eventually crawled under the covers.


    The rain had started outside, and the room was chilly. I¡¯ve always hated the cold. It makes every


    muscle in my body tense up, like I¡¯m about to shake apart.


    I know I¡¯m someone who¡¯s desperate for a sense of security and affection. Because I was starved for


    love, that¡¯s why I spent years hung up on Dexter. I loved Dexter, maybe just to fill the void in my soul.


    When ites down to it, everyone¡¯s selfish. There¡¯s no one who lives solely for another, with a heart


    and eyes for that person alone.


    Just like Dexter, he seemed so smitten with Melody, but that didn¡¯t stop him from doing all those vile


    things to me.


    Thinking back on it all just makes my skin crawl.


    Colin went to take a shower, and through the frosted ss door of the bathroom, I could see the


    yellowish light.


    During our time together, I noticed Colin had this thing about soaking in the tub.


    I often worried he might end up drowning himself.


    And tonight was no different. Even as I grew sleepy, he showed no signs ofing out.


    ¡°Colin?¡± Out of nowhere, I worried he might have died in there.


    Lightning shed, and thunder boomed outside, the room feeling vast and empty, and he was still in the


    bathroom, silent and out of sight.


    I got out of bed and tapped on the door, but there was no response. I was genuinely scared.


    Scared he was dead? But how could a killer die so easily?


    ¡°Colin?¡± I pushed the bathroom door open with force, holding my breath.


    The steam hadn¡¯t yet cleared, and there he was, curled up in the tub, seemingly fast asleep.


    Maybe he never nned on sharing the bed with me. Back when we were holed up in that attic room,


    he had the same habit of sleeping in the tub.


    ¡°Get out and sleep,¡± I said, approaching him and giving him a tug.


    He didn¡¯t move, just curled up tighter.


    Something felt off, so I touched his forehead..


    Just as I suspected, he was burning up.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Colin?¡± I went to turn on the lights, heat some water, and search for some cold medicine.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± He seemed delirious, calling out for me. ¡°Liar¡­¡±


    I sighed.


    He meant Foebe, right? Why did he keep calling Foebe a liar?


    What exactly had Foebe lied to him about?


    ¡°How did Foebe lie to you?¡± I asked softly.


    I wanted to know what had happened between Colin and Foebe. Even though I had some of Foebe¡¯s


    memories, it wasn¡¯t everything.


    ¡°You said. ¡°Wait for me at the orphanage¡­ such a big fire. Phoebe¡­ I have to wait for Phoebe. can¡¯t


    leave. I have to wait for Phoebe¡­¡±


    I furrowed my brow, straining to understand, and leaned in closer to hear better.


    But as soon as I did, his eyes snapped open.


    I froze for a second, my heart stopping in its tracks.


    I¡¯ve admitted more than once that he¡¯s handsome, and those eyes could steal your soul.


    My body stiffened, and I tried to exin, but when I opened my mouth, no words came out.


    He looked at me groggily, lifted his hand to my head, and kissed me. He was so hot from the fever.


    ¡°You¡­¡± It took all my willpower to push him away and sit back, confused.


    He sat in the tub, wearing only his sleep pants, and ran his fingers through his damp hair. He was


    almost otherworldly in his beauty, his legs too long for the bathtub, lean and straight. His skin was pale,


    his abs defined, his V¨Clines sharp.


    The sight in front of me was enough to make anyone¡¯s heart race.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a fever; take your medicine,¡± I said, pushing the pills toward him with a trembling hand,


    turning away to hide my flushed cheeks.


    It¡¯s not my fault. He was just too alluring.


    You can¡¯t me Dido for sumbing to Aeneas.


    Colin¡¯s hair was still damp, and he casually swept it back, taking the medicine and swallowing it down.

 Chapter 82

    Staring at him, I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on the feeling, but wasn¡¯t he just a little too obedient?


    Was it possible that he¡¯d agree to anything I said?


    ¡°Stay put; I¡¯ll dry your hair,¡± I said, fetching the blow dryer and setting to work.


    He sat still as if he were a statue in the bathtub like he really was thatpliant.


    Skepticism crept in, and I decided to test him again. ¡°You¡¯re crashing on the couch tonight; I get the


    bed.¡±


    Colin nced back at me, his eyes a mix of innocence and allure.


    I expected resistance, but he simply nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d agree to anything I say?¡± I prodded.


    He nodded again.


    ¡°So, if I told you to jump off a bridge, you¡¯d do it?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask, curious.


    His body stiffened, he didn¡¯t turn to face me, just nodded.


    razy¡­¡± I muttered under my breath, standing up to leave. ¡°Come on, get out and go to sleep. You can


    sleep on the bed, but no funny business.¡±


    Iy in bed, waiting for ages before he finally emerged.


    He approached the bed hesitantly, then, clutching a pillow, seemed to resign himself to the floor.


    ¡°The floor¡¯s cold; take the bed,¡± I said, cocooned in my duvet.


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± His voice was low, a refusal.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I asked, puzzled. After all, he had shared the bed with me for the first few days after


    I came back, and now that we had a kid, what was he ying at?


    ¡°I could hurt you.¡± Colin whispered.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I have strong desires for you,¡± he said bluntly.


    Stunned, I pulled the duvet tighter around me. ¡°Then, yeah, the floor is yours.¡±


    Perhaps it was the presence of another person by the bed. That night, I slept surprisingly well. When I


    woke up, it was nearly noon. Colin was still on the floor, looking worse for wear. Touching his forehead,


    I panicked and dashed out. ¡°Hey, housekeeper! Call a doctor!¡±


    16:13


    Chapter BZ


    Colin was sick, seriously so, and had been unconscious for far too long.


    I felt guilty for having him sleep on the floor.


    But he seemed toopliant, actually taking my word and spending the whole night on the hardwood.


    Sitting on the couch, I rubbed my temples in a daze. My phone rang, and it took me a moment to snap


    out of it.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± It was Ste on the other end.


    I straightened up. ¡°Ste.¡±


    ¡°Another one¡¯s in trouble,¡± Ste¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    ¡°Who? Melody?¡± I asked, on guard.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    If the perpetrator¡¯s motive was linked to the girls from the orphanage adopted in red dresses. then


    Melody was the only one left.


    ¡°No.¡± Ste sounded exhausted. ¡°Has Colin been with you recently? Around 1 AMst night, a jogger


    found a woman¡¯s body by Boundless River, dressed in a red dress, pale as a ghost. We haven¡¯t


    identified her yet.¡±


    ¡°Colin¡¯s been with me the whole time, doesn¡¯t even have a cell¡­¡± I looked upstairs, where hey with a


    high fever, out cold all night, right under my nose, unable to be the killer.


    ¡°If it¡¯s not the original serial killer, someone¡¯s mimicking them,¡± Ste said tiredly. ¡°But regardless, the


    murderer is still atrge, and whether it¡¯s Colin or not, they won¡¯t stop until they¡¯re caught. Melody really


    is the only lead, but Dexter is shielding her too well.¡±


    I knew Dexter was keeping Melody so close, meaning the police couldn¡¯t use her to crack the


    case.


    This would make solving the case incredibly tough.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re after, but we need to get Dexter to let go of Melody first, then use her to catch


    the mastermind, or else there may be more victims.¡± Ste¡¯s voice was raspy.


    From the time I died till now, she seemed obsessed with catching the killer. I knew she was tormented


    by her failure to protect me.

 Chapter 83

    ¡°Dexter sticking up for Melody like that¡­¡± I let out a chuckleced with sarcasm. Getting Dexter to give


    up on Melody? As if that was ever going to happen.


    ¡°Dexter¡¯s been knocking on Hank¡¯s door, but word has it Hank¡¯s gone into hiding, scared out of his wits.


    I reckon Dexter doesn¡¯tpletely disregard our video evidence; he just went to check. on Hank


    afterward and came up empty¨Chanded,¡± Ste said with a grave tone. ¡°I know where Hank¡¯s holed up. I


    need you to send Dexter the location. He¡¯s blocked me and doesn¡¯t trust me anymore.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.


    Dexter was on the move already?


    Was he starting to doubt Melody?


    Well well, well¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll get in touch with him.¡± I remembered Dexter had given me his business card. Though I¡¯d tossed it,


    his cell number was still etched in my mind.


    ¡°Meet me at the corner of SeaWall Boulevard and Horizons Avenue.¡±


    Ste hung up abruptly, clearly in a rush.


    Scanning the news on my phone, I wasn¡¯t surprised to see the serial killer had struck again, the story


    zing across the trending charts.


    Who¡¯s trying to kill me?


    And just what is Colin¡¯s deal anyway?Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I nced over at Colin, stitose on the bed. When I first came to and saw him, fear gripped me ¨C


    waking up to find a murderer at your bedside isn¡¯t exactlyforting.


    But as time passed, my fear gave way to doubt, hesitation, and even second¨Cguessing.


    Was he really a killer?


    But if he wasn¡¯t, why turn himself in?


    If he wasn¡¯t, what was he doing at the orphanage after I was abducted?


    Colin was a man of secrets, undeniably linked to the murderer in some way.


    I couldn¡¯t bring myself to believe in his innocence.


    Rubbing at my temples, I got up and walked out. ¡°Eric, take care of Caleb for me, will you? I¡¯m going


    out to pick up some essentials, and I don¡¯t need anyone tagging along.¡±


    Eric hesitated but eventually nodded as if a thought had struck him. ¡°Of course, ma¡¯am. Just give us a


    call should you need anything.¡±


    I nodded and had the driver take me to the ce where I¡¯d arranged to meet up with Ste.


    ¡°Dexter?¡± I dialed Dexter¡¯s number as we drove.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± Dexter¡¯s voice was cold, guarded.


    ¡°Heard you¡¯ve been looking for Hank?¡± I kept my voice low.


    ¡°Who are you.¡± He sounded annoyed. I could tell he was on the verge of anger. I knew him too


    well.


    ¡°SeaWall Boulevard, Azure Residence. He¡¯s there. You know where to find him now, don¡¯t you?¡± I kept


    prodding him.


    ¡°Tell me who you are.¡± His insistence on my identity grew.


    ¡°Show up, and you¡¯ll find out. You have thirty minutes. If you don¡¯t make it, you¡¯ll never know what


    Phoebe went through before she died.¡±


    I hung up the phone, leaving him to call back in vain.


    I understood Dexter all too well. Arrogant and self¨Ccentered. To him, I was nothing more than a


    possession he hadbeled, and the murderer had defied him by taking my life without his consent. An


    affront to his ego.


    Dexter was good to Melody, they say, because she¡¯d once saved his life. He saw her as pure and


    untainted, unlike me, with all my hidden dirt.


    But I was determined to rip away Melody¡¯s facade and let him see just how venomous his beloved


    really was. I wanted him to regret, to suffer!


    What would he do then? Keep shielding Melody, or continue in his deluded love for her. protecting her?


    I was looking forward to finding out.


    Ste and I met at the entrance to SeaWall Boulevard. She was dressed all in ck, with a little white


    flower pinned to her attire, looking quite the part of a mourner.


    Part of me felt sympathy, and another part wanted tough. Here I was, standing right before her, and


    yet Ste just couldn¡¯t bring herself to believe in me.


    ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going,¡± I called out as she nearly walked into amppost, her mind clearly


    somewhere else.

 Chapter 84

    Subconsciously, my hand shot out to grab her arm, yanking her toward me. ¡°Walk on the inside.¡±


    Ste froze in ce, her eyes wide as if she saw Phoebe¡¯s ghost in my gestures.


    ¡°Who are you, exactly?¡± she murmured after a long pause, her bewilderment evident.


    I merely smiled. ¡°She never left; she¡¯s always been here.¡±


    Tears rimmed Ste¡¯s eyes as she quickly looked away and strode toward the apartmentplex.


    Hank was hiding inside.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your n after graduation? Hospital work or¡­¡± I asked casually, wondering if she¡¯d stick to


    the life path we¡¯d once envisioned.


    We¡¯d set our goals together: I¡¯d talked about studying abroad for a while, and she wanted to pursue her


    Ph.D. after getting her Master¡¯s, maybe even study overseas, too. Then we¡¯d both return home


    triumphant ¨C she¡¯d be a life¨Csaving doctor, and I¡¯d be someone¡¯s dedicated


    secretary.


    We¡¯d make money happily, spend it together, travel, buy a home, and dream of the future.


    ¡°I minored in forensic science. I¡¯ll be a medical examiner when I graduate,¡± she said, her voice serious,


    her eyes locked on mine.


    I was stunned, shocked into silence. ¡°Why? I thought we agreed you¡¯d be a doctor.¡±


    Why change her dream?


    She let out a bitterugh. ¡°She left me behind. Why should I keep promises? I¡¯m going to be a forensic


    pathologist. I¡¯ll catch that murderer.1 won¡¯t let any criminal get away.¡±


    I hung my head, silent for a long while. ¡°Ste, that¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    I just wanted her to be safe, to find someone who loved her, to spend the rest of her life v


    with.


    ¡°This is my business; it has nothing to do with you,¡± she snorted, marching towards Hank¡¯s ce.


    By the time we arrived, Dexter was already there.


    He stepped out of his car with a stormy expression, his anger palpable as he stomped into the elevator,


    rode up, and kicked the door open.


    Ste and I hid outside, watching Dexter give Hank a hard time.


    Hank, probably still asleep, cussed as his door was kicked in. ¡°Who the heck is it? Can¡¯t a guy get


    some sleep?¡±


    16:141


    The door swung open, and Dexter marched in, his face stone¨Ccold.


    Hank, shirtless in bed, went pale with fear.


    Clutching his nket, he stammered, ¡°Dexter, what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for a long time.¡± Dexter¡¯s voice was t as he approached the bed. surveying


    the room. ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve been sleeping pretty soundly here.¡±


    Hank was terrified, his words stumbling out, ¡°Dexter¡­ It¡¯s just that my phone broke recently. and I


    haven¡¯t had a chance to rece it; l¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, Dexter had grabbed him by the cor. ¡°Care to exin the video?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t¡­ I swear, there was this girl who looked just like Phoebe; I got scared and started spouting


    nonsense out of fear. You can¡¯t believe it; someone¡¯s obviously trying to frame me. even recorded a


    video.¡±


    Hank was clearly guilt¨Cridden, and his fear was evident.


    ¡°Hank, when you decided to hide the fact that Phoebe was begging for help in the car, I gave you a


    chance already. Are you sure you need me to force the truth out of you this time?¡± Dexter¡¯s menace


    was palpable, as if he truly could kill Hank.


    Hank trembled with fright. ¡°Dexter¡­ you went kinda crazy after Phoebe died, don¡¯t do this. I¡¯m your


    cousin; you can¡¯t¡­¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    A scream ripped through the air as Dexter mmed Hank¡¯s head against the nightstand, blood


    instantly streaming from his nose and mouth.


    Ste and I jumped, hiding behind the door, not daring to go in.


    Dexter was acting like a madman.


    I had to admit, I¡¯d seen Dexter lose control when he was drunk, but only ever toward me. I had never


    seen him like this.


    ¡°Dexter¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll talk, I¡¯ll talk¡­¡± Hank sobbed, pleading for mercy.

 Chapter 85

    ¡°Yes, it wasn¡¯t Phoebe who pushed Melody down the stairs. I was downstairs, and I saw everything


    clearly,¡± Hank leaned against the wall, sobbing as he spoke.


    ¡°Spit it out!¡± Dexter¡¯s voice was icy, his patience thin.


    ¡°That day, I was at your ce with Melody¡¯s sister Serena, and there was a scuffle between Melody


    and Phoebe. Melody just lost her bnce and tumbled down the stairs. It wasn¡¯t Phoebe¡¯s doing.¡±


    Hank admitted through tears. ¡°I lled, okay? I just wanted to get back at Phoebe. I didn¡¯t stand up for


    her.¡±


    Dexter didn¡¯t say a word. Instead, he grabbed Hank by the cor and started throwing punches that


    landed with a sickening thud on Hank¡¯s face.


    ¡°Dexter, why the hell are you hitting me. It was you who didn¡¯t believe her in the first ce.¡± Hank,


    desperate and cornered, yelled back at Dexter.


    Another punch from Dexter, each one more furious than thest, as if he were trying to beat the life out


    of him.


    I nced at Ste. ¡°You think he¡¯ll kill him?¡±


    Ste clenched her fists. ¡°Even if he does, the guy had iting.¡±


    I nodded in agreement.


    Hank was the kind of person who deserved no less. I could never forget what Hank had done to


    1. me.


    ¡°Dexter, are you gonna keep¡­¡± Hank spat blood as he spoke, a tooth clearly broken. ¡°Why the hell are


    you hitting me? Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know about you and Phoebe. You¡¯ve been with her. slept with her,


    and you deny it! Why? Why is it okay for you to touch her, and when I do, she goes all high and mighty,


    acting all pure when you¡¯ve had your way with¡­¡±


    In his panic, Hank spilled everything.


    Dexter¡¯s face contorted with rage as he mmed Hank¡¯s head against the wall again. ¡°You touched


    her?¡±


    Hank tried to flee, but Dexter caught him and pinned him against the wall once more.


    ¡°Say it again. What did you do to her?¡± Dexter screamed,pletely unhinged.


    From outside, I watched as Dexter took his anger out on Hank, a cold smile ying on my lips.


    Did Hank think I didn¡¯t know what he had done?


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    At the Fitzgerald family gathering, Hank had tried to assault me. I had fled, disheveled, pleading for


    help. Wasn¡¯t it Dexter himself who had believed Hank¡¯s lies, using me of being a slut?


    Hadn¡¯t he called me a dirty, loose woman?


    I had thought that being reborn would leave me with nothing but hatred, but the memory still made my


    entire body shake.


    With a sudden loss of control, I burst into the room, shoved Dexter aside, grabbed Hank by the cor,


    and pped him hard across the face, not stopping there.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just die!¡± I raged, gripping Hank¡¯s cor, wishing I could strangle the life out of him.


    Hank, already weakened by Dexter¡¯s blows, fell to the floor, looking up at me with a mad grin. ¡°Phoebe,


    you¡¯re not dead?¡±


    I froze for a moment before kicking him in the stomach.


    Hankughed, a lunatic sound. ¡°Phoebe, ver meant to kill you. I really didn¡¯t.¡±


    Hisughter turned to crying, a wailing sob.


    I knew he wasn¡¯t regretting hurting me; he regretted that my supposed death had dragged him down as


    well. He felt his life was ruined because of me.


    ¡°Just because you say you didn¡¯t mean to kill her, you think that¡¯s the end? You deserve to die! Your


    sins won¡¯t wash away in this lifetime. Go to hell,¡± Ished out, kicking Hank uncontrobly. shaking all


    over.


    ¡°Dexter, you should be dead too,¡± I said through gritted teeth, my eyes zing at Dexter.


    Wasn¡¯t he the one who deserved it most?


    Dexter just stared at me, confusion in his voice. ¡°Who are you, really?¡±


    I took a deep breath andughed. ¡°I¡¯m your worst nightmare.¡±


    Dexter looked down, ¨¤ self¨Cdeprecating smirk on his lips.


    ¡°Impossible¡­ she¡¯s dead,¡± he murmured, stepping back to lean against the wall. ¡°She¡¯s dead! You can


    look like her all you want, but you¡¯re not her.¡±


    ¡°Disgusting.¡± I spat, ring at Dexter, my hands balled into fists. ¡°It wasn¡¯t Phoebe who pushed Melody.


    You¡¯re all murderers! You all deserve to die!¡±


    Ste rushed in, pulling me back. ¡°Dexter, do you see Melody for what she really is now? She¡¯s the one


    who¡¯s been framing Phoebe all along. She killed Phoebe!¡±

 Chapter 86

    Leaning against the wall with a stoic expression, Dexter remained silent.


    ¡°Are you still defending her at this point?¡± Ste frowned at Dexter.


    ¡°She fell down the stairs on her own. Maybe she didn¡¯t see clearly¡­ and thought it was Phoebe. It was


    Hank who lied¡­¡±


    Dexter was attempting to justify Melody¡¯s actions with words he himself could hardly believe.


    What was he exining? In defending Melody, he was essentially defending himself.


    No matter how ring the evidence, this guy would never admit that my death had anything to do with


    him!


    ¡°Phoebe, weren¡¯t you dead? Why can¡¯t you just leave us alone? Get out of here!¡± Hank was still raving


    mad, having knocked back a few drinks before Dexter had hit him, which only added to his frenzy.


    Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, he pointed at Dexter. ¡°Dexter! There¡¯s a debtor for every


    im¨Cgo after him, leave me out of it!¡±


    Then he yelled into thin air, ¡°Phoebe, it wasn¡¯t me who killed you; it was him! He¡¯s the one who had you


    die in Melody¡¯s ce; it was him.¡±


    Dexter¡¯s hands clenched until his knuckles turned white as Hank¡¯s words struck a nerve.


    ¡°Hank!¡± From outside, Serena Burton barged in with backup. She was Melody¡¯s sister, two peas. in a


    pod.


    The ringleader of those who bullied me back at school was her.


    ¡°Dexter¡­¡± From the doorway came Melody¡¯s choking voice.


    Melody had arrived, too.


    I turned to look at Melody, fighting the urge tosh out.


    She was clutching her belly, tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°Dexter, I don¡¯t know if what Hank said is true.


    I was having an argument with Phoebe, and I just fell¡­ I didn¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°Dexter, I really didn¡¯t know,¡± Melody sobbed, feigning fragility.


    Suddenly, she clutched at her belly and leaned against the wall. ¡°Dexter, my stomach¡­ it hurts so


    much.¡±


    Dexter stood rooted to the spot, his gazeplex as he looked at Melody.


    Melody looked up through her tears. ¡°Dexter, this child¡­ maybe it¡¯s meant to make up for what you lost


    with Phoebe. Phoebe couldn¡¯t have your baby¡­ If she were alive, she¡¯d definitely want to give you that


    child. So, our baby can¡¯t be harmed, even if it¡¯s for Phoebe¡¯s sake.¡±


    16:14


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    I was shocked at Melody¡¯s words. What kind of person talks like that?


    ¡°You¡¯re disgusting!¡± I stepped forward and pped Melody.


    ¡°And who the hell are you!¡± Serena shouted at me, infuriated.


    ¡°Dexter¡­¡± Melody copsed to the floor, feigning agony.


    In the end, Dexter rushed over, pushed me aside, and scooped up Melody, taking her away.


    arly lost my bnce, watching as Dexter carried Melody off. He trusted Melody time and again.


    Even with Hank¡¯s damning usation, Dexter still chose to believe Melody.


    ¡°Dexter, it was Melody who killed Phoebe. I¡¯ll find the evidence, and she¡¯ll go to prison. She¡¯ll face


    justice!¡± Ste shouted after Dexter.


    Dexter looked back at Ste with that sameplex gaze. Without a word, he left with Melody in his


    arms.


    ¡°Ste, talk about a bad penny!¡± Serena scoffed, eyeing me and Ste. ¡°And what, you brought


    backup? Just the two of you?¡±


    Serena nced at her entourage. ¡°You break in, assault me¡­ if I don¡¯t teach you a lesson today, how


    can I hold my head up?¡±


    Ste pulled me back cautiously, keeping an eye on Serena and her crew.


    Serena raised her hand in an attempt to strike me, but her wrist was seized and forcefully pushed


    away.


    I stumbled backward into a strong chest; one arm enveloped me protectively as a menacing gaze fixed


    on Serena, the voice gravelly yet terrifying. ¡°Touch what¡¯s mine¡­ and I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    Serena looked at Colin in terror. ¡°You¡­ it¡¯s you! The lunatic, the murderer¡­¡±


    Surprised, I looked up at Colin. ¡°What are you¡­¡±


    Why was he here instead of resting at home? He was sick!

 Chapter 87

    Colin¡¯s breath wasing out in ragged, hot bursts, and beads of sweat dotted his forehead, a clear


    sign he was burning up with fever. His frame wobbled unsteadily.


    He wrapped his arms around me from behind, his voice a soft whisper. ¡°Phoebe, I¡¯m scared.¡±


    Scared? Him? Whenever Colin showed up, it was everyone else who got scared¡­..


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Especially the likes of Serena, who got their kicks from bullying others.


    But Colin, he seemed like he could kill someone at any moment.


    ¡°So you are¡­ up to no good, after all, teaming up with this psycho murderer! If you dared toe


    today, don¡¯t even think about leaving!¡± Serena spat out furiously, gesturing to her cronies to take action.


    Ste hadn¡¯t even processed the situation before I grabbed her and Collin¡¯s arm and bolted for the exit.


    Colin, jerked forward by my tug, nearly lost his footing.


    Serena had brought three guys with her, all built like linebackers.


    Knowing when to pick your battles is a sign of wisdom, and sometimes, retreat is the best strategy.


    Ste and I dashed out quickly, and I frantically pressed the elevator button.


    ¡°Why are we waiting for the elevator? Did you call the cops?¡± I asked while sprinting.


    ¡°How was I supposed to know we¡¯d get jumped¡­¡± Ste panted, trying to keep up and sounding


    indignant.


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± I muttered, close to tears.


    Ste stopped in her tracks and turned to me.


    I was puzzled. ¡°What are you looking at¡­ Keep running.¡± *


    She didn¡¯t answer, instead looking back down the deserted hallway. ¡°Where is he?¡±


    I froze for a second, realizing Colin hadn¡¯t followed.


    ¡°Colin!¡± My instincts kicked in, and I raced back towards the trouble.


    He was still sick, after all!


    ¡°Colin!¡± I grabbed a fire extinguisher from the corridor and charged back in, unwilling to watch him get


    beaten.


    As I burst into the living room, I was taken aback. I didn¡¯t need to lift a finger; the goons were already


    sprawled on the floor, wailing in agony.


    Serena was sitting paralyzed on the floor, her face ashen. ¡°Psycho¡­ he¡¯s a psycho¡­¡±


    Colin dropped the stick in his hand, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and gave me a grin.


    I stood there, fire extinguisher in hand, in shock.


    His skin was so pale, and the stark contrast of the blood against his face was jarring.


    Who knew that him smiling at me after beating people up could be so unsettling?


    My heart skipped a beat, and I tossed the extinguisher aside, grabbed Colin, and made a beeline for


    the door.


    We didn¡¯t speak on the way out, the tension thick in the air. Colin was silent, following meekly like a


    child who knew he had done wrong, head hung low.


    It wasn¡¯t until we were in a safe ce that I couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and began to scold him.


    ¡°Have you lost your mind? Don¡¯t you know you¡¯re sick? What were you thinking running out here!¡±


    Colin looked up at me with a mix of remorse and confusion, slumped on the edge of a flower bed as I


    continued my tirade.


    ¡°What if you¡¯d gotten hurt? How can you be so careless with yourself?¡±


    I checked his face for injuries amid my lecture, blood was everywhere. It would be such a shame if his


    handsome face were to be scarred.


    He smirked at me again, his voice low. ¡°It¡¯s not my blood.¡±


    I pushed his chin away, still angry. ¡°Don¡¯t you smirk at me! How did you even get here? How did you


    find me?¡±


    He fell silent once more, dropping his gaze. He wouldn¡¯t tell me how he found me.


    Meanwhile, Ste, out of breath and struggling, crouched on the ground, gasping for air. ¡°Stop yelling at


    him. Look at how broken he is. It¡¯s pitiful.¡±


    ¡°And you!¡± I turned my frustration on her. ¡°You call me out with all these grand promises, and I thought


    you had it all handled; at least get Robin to tag along? But you¡­ you had no backup whatsoever! What


    if something had happened?¡± My control slipped, and I gave Ste a piece of my mind, too.


    Ste, caught off guard, just crouched there, taking my scolding. It took her a moment to respond.


    ¡°What¡¯s your deal with this suspect, huh?¡±


    ¡°Suspect?¡± I subconsciously had forgotten Colin was a suspected murderer ¨C a disturbing shift in my


    thinking.

 Chapter 88

    ?Chapter 88


    I had always been the one who insisted he was a murderer. I knew that my kindness was a facade, a ruse to lure him into a false sense of security, to coax the dark truths and secrets of the serial killings from his lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m Phoebe¡¯s husband,¡± Colin said, lifting his head.


    I shot Colin a re, and he wilted under my gaze.


    ¡°Phoebe? Your name is Phoebe, too?¡± Ste asked, her toneced with suspicion.


    ¡°My name¡¯s Foebe, with an F.¡± I exined. I could tell Ste was struggling to ept the fact that I was Phoebe, so for now, I¡¯d have to stick to being Foebe.


    ¡°Why are you pretending to be Phoebe?¡± Ste asked, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion.


    ¡°Pretending?¡± I sighed. It¡¯s not like you believed me when I said I was Phoebe.


    ¡°Alright, as long as you two are unharmed, that¡¯s what matters.¡± I took a seat on the side, catching my breath.


    This body, Foebe¡¯s body, was so much stronger than my own had ever been.


    When I was Phoebe, I was fragile, a constant visitor to the doctor¡¯s office, always ill, always weak.


    But this Foebe, I had thought she¡¯d been worn down by illness, thus an easy vessel for me to slip into, but to my surprise, she could run without her legs aching or her heart racing. She was surprisingly healthy, fit even.


    ¡°Phoebe, I feel terrible,¡± Colin said in a low voice.


    I reached out and felt his forehead. ¡°You¡¯re burning up. No wonder you feel terrible.¡±


    Colin didn¡¯t respond, just kept his eyes on me.


    I couldn¡¯t stand the way he looked at me with those deep, soulful eyes, stirring a sense of panic within me for no apparent reason.


    I quickly averted my gaze and pulled him to his feet. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Ste stood as well, trailing behind me. "ver would''ve guessed Dexter would still defend Melody."


    "Maybe he''s not so much defending Melody as he is his own fragile ego," I said sarcastically. "Melody''s carrying his child now. He won''t give up on her that easily, so your n might not work."


    "Yeah... Melody''s pregnant now, and Robin wouldn''t agree to the police using an expectant mother as bait," Ste sighed.


    I lowered my voice and asked Ste, "You guys don''t suspect at all that Colin might really be the murderer? Or an aplice? Just because there''s no evidence?"


    Ste shook her head. "Robin thinks he might have been threatened by the real murderer, forced to take the fall."


    Threatened by the murderer?


    "He turned himself in, and right after, Phoebe''s body was found. It''s likely he struck some kind of deal with the murderer," Ste spected. I shook my head. No, it couldn''t be just a threat.


    Colin had shown up where I was kidnapped, then again at the scene meant to trap the murderer. He was definitely connected to the murderer. Even if he wasn''t the murderer or an aplice, he must know who the murderer was.


    "The orphanage girls, isn''t Melody the only one left? The victim this time..." I was curious whether it was the same person''s doing.


    "It was the daughter of the former orphanage director," Ste said, ncing at me. "The police have dered it a serial case, meaning they have evidence it''s the same murderer."


    "The same person?" I turned back to look at Colin.


    What exactly was the connection between Colin and the actual murderer?


    Was he an aplice, a partner in crime, or something else...


    The three of us walked through the alleyway when Colin suddenly stopped.


    I looked back at him; he was surveying our surroundings, his grip on my hand tight.


    Was someone there? I scanned the area cautiously.


    Indeed, I could feel a pair of eyes constantly watching us.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 89

    I kept a vignt eye on our surroundings as I pulled Ste closer to me.


    I


    ¡°Is someone there?¡± Ste whispered, peering into the box with me.


    I shook my head, my gaze fixed on a shadowy figure not far down the alley.


    Sensing our attention, the figure swiftly darted away.


    I nced up at Colin, who still had a fierce gleam in his eyes. Standing in the dim alley, he looked like


    Satan himself, just crawled out from the depths of hell.


    Tentatively, I called out, ¡°Colin?¡±


    He turned to look at me, and I could practically see the anger in his eyes dissolve into a clear, innocent


    bewilderment. ¡°Phoebe, I feel so lightheaded.¡±


    Then, suddenly, his nearly six¨Cfoot¨Cthree frame copsed onto me.


    I had no time to protest; I could only let him lean on me.


    *He looks all skinny, but boy, he¡¯s heavy,¡± Ste grumbled, helping me support Colin as we dragged


    him toward the curb.


    It seemed like he had passed out, all his weight bearing down on me.


    I muttered under my breath, ¡°Why is he so heavy¡­¡±


    Ste hailed a cab, and together, we managed to stuff Colin into the vehicle.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the Langley family estate,¡± I murmured, deciding Ste shoulde with


    1. me.


    Ste was curious about Colin and nodded in agreement.


    The whole way, Colin leaned on me, his forehead burning up; he seemed to be genuinely ill.


    I touched his forehead and sighed.


    If he wasn¡¯t a murderer or an aplice to some twisted murderer, what was his connection to the


    criminal?


    ¡°Are you and this psy¡­ Colin really married?¡± Ste asked quietly. ¡°Is he really your husband? Is he


    capable of marriage? Isn¡¯t he¡­ you know¡­¡±


    She gestured to her head in a circr motion, suggesting something was off with Colin¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Although he¡¯s quite handsome, can he, you know, perform?¡± Ste whispered, ever the one to focus


    on such matters.


    Her question almost choked me. That was Ste for you, always one¨Ctrack¨Cminded.


    ¡°He is indeed my husband, and it¡¯s a long story,¡± I said, rubbing my forehead. How do I exin


    that I woke up one day, was forced into a shotgun wedding, and now had a kid?


    As for whether he¡¯s ¡®capable¡­.


    ¡°He¡¯s quite normal, just has his moments of madness,¡± I said,


    Ste leaned in, her curiosity piqued. ¡°Really? I thought he was all looks. I was thinking how fair God is,


    giving him that gorgeous face but a dim wit.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s brilliant, actually¨Ca prodigy.¡± I found myself defending Colin. ¡°He was in college by his teens, in


    the gifted program. He¡¯s one of those rare geniuses.¡±


    Ste¡¯s eyes widened in shock, pointing at Colin. ¡°Him?¡±


    I nodded, ncing at Colin. He shifted uneasily in my arms, burrowing into me, and I quickly patted his


    back. ¡°We¡¯re almost home, sleep now.¡±


    But I didn¡¯t catch the slight smile ying at the corners of his mouth.


    Ste swallowed hard, still in disbelief. ¡°You can¡¯t tell by looking at him¡­


    We arrived at the Langley family mansion, and with some effort, Ste and I dragged Colin out


    of the car.


    It was quite a struggle.


    The Langley estate seemed bustling, teeming with people.


    Supporting Colin, I had just entered the grounds when the butler rushed over.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Take the young master to rest,¡± I whispered.


    The butler nodded. ¡°Mr. Brendan¡¯s had a stroke. Something happened with Mr. Samuel. Mr. Brendan


    went abroad, and from what I heard, he got so upset he had a stroke. Not sure if he¡¯ll


    ever recover.¡±


    The butler sighed; the Langley family was going through a crisis.


    I froze for a second, then noticed Eric approaching from a distance.


    The sudden turmoil within the Langley family meant that the distant rtives were likely getting


    restless.


    It seemed that everyone who hade here today was eyeing the Langley family fortune and the


    shares of the Langley Group.

 Chapter 90

    ¡°Madam, as you¡¯ve seen, there¡¯s been a bit of a shake¨Cup in the Langley family. There¡¯s no one left


    now. Mr. Brendan¡¯s had an ident, and so has Mr. Samuel¡­ The only heirs left to the Langley legacy


    are Mr. Caleb and the child you¡¯re carrying.¡± Eric¡¯s voice carried a weight of unspoken implications.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Instinctively, I nced down at my belly. Indeed, heavy lies the crown.


    The waters of the Langley family were deep, and now they seemed to be rising around me.


    Ste stood at the door, eyeing the throng of people with a hint of concern. ¡°Need help?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°This is Langley business. You shouldn¡¯t get involved. I¡¯ll have the driver take you


    home.¡±


    Ste nodded, understanding her ce.


    After Ste left, Eric and I made our way to the living room.


    It was full of people, with Henry Langley, Brendan¡¯s cousin, taking the lead.


    The Langley Group, though a family business, was built from the ground up by Brendan. He brought


    the Langleys into thepany to strengthen family bonds and support everyone, not anticipating that


    he was nurturing a den of tigers. Now, with the patriarch gone, they were all too eager to pounce on his


    estate.


    ¡°Mrs. Langley, this is Mr. Henry,¡± Eric introduced.


    I nodded respectfully. ¡°Mr. Henry.¡±


    Henry just grunted.


    I knew I barely registered in his eyes.


    ¡°Mr. Henry, this is the eldest granddaughter¨Cinw you¡¯ve met at the banquet, Ms. Foebe.¡± Eric.


    continued.


    Henry said nothing, but a ruffian¨Clooking man beside him spoke up. ¡°Ha¡­ With the old man¡¯s son and


    grandson gone in a car crash, where does this granddaughter¨Cinwe from?¡±


    ¡°Brendan¡¯s son Ethan Langley was officially married at twenty to Iris overseas. Caleb is rightfully the


    eldest grandson,¡± said Eric, his voice steady.


    ¡°Ha¡­ An imbecile hidden away by the old man, the family¡¯s greatest shame. Does a marriage


    certificate from another country even count? The Langley family has no heir now that the old man and


    Samuel are gone. The Langley fortune can¡¯t just be taken by outsiders! You think you, some nobody


    assistant, can bring a girl over and steal what belongs to the Langleys?¡±


    The man mmed his hand on the table, ring at me.


    If this had been before my rebirth, I might have cowered. Too bad for him; I¡¯ve seen more of the


    16:15


    world than he ever will.


    ¡°Whether Caleb is the rightful heir of the Langley family is for thew to decide. He is Brendan¡¯s eldest


    grandson, Ethan¡¯s eldest son, mywful husband, and the father of the child I carry!¡±


    I returned his gaze with icy eyes. ¡°If you¡¯re all here out of concern for Brendan¡¯s health, you have my


    respect. But if it¡¯s for the inheritance you¡¯vee, I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you! Butler, show these


    people out!¡±


    I gestured toward the door, my voice resolute.


    ¡°Bravo, bravo!¡± Henry pped, sneering like a fox. ¡°The old man sure was thorough in his nning.¡±


    His gaze fell on my belly as he rose to his feet. ¡°That child¡¯s just been conceived, hasn¡¯t it? You better


    take good care of it; make sure it¡¯s born safely.¡±


    Henry was threatening me.


    ¡°As for that ¡®imbecile¡°¡­¡± He paused, his eyes darkening. ¡°We in the Langley family do not¡­¡±


    ¡°Mr. Henry, you¡¯re an elder in the Langley family, second only to Brendan. Caleb is a scion of our


    bloodline, and yet you refer to him as an imbecile. Where is yourpassion as an elder? If word gets


    out, it would disgrace our family,¡± I cut him off mid¨Csentence.


    Once more, Imanded, ¡°Butler, show these people out!¡±


    I was putting up a front, fully aware it couldn¡¯tst forever.


    Henry would surelye after Caleb and the child I was carrying. The sudden idents. involving


    Brendan and Samuel were far from simple.


    Indeed, the skies of the Langley dynasty had changed.

 Chapter 91

    Henry gave me an icy smirk, a lookden with a warning before he stood up and walked away.


    I knew what he was thinking.


    If anything happened to the little one in my womb, if Caleb were to die, he¡¯d be the rightful heir to the


    Langley estate.


    ¡°Darling, better take good care of that bun in the oven,¡± a middle¨Caged man by Henry¡¯s side quipped


    with a chuckle, sidling up to me and squinting as he looked me over. ¡°Such a beauty, what a shame¡­¡±


    He pinched my chin with a smirk and left.


    Once everyone had cleared out, I flopped down onto the couch with a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Madam,¡± Eric began soothingly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to endure that. Right now, your main job is to look


    after yourself and keep the baby safe.¡±


    ¡°When is Brendan due back from his trip?¡± I asked. Even though the patriarch had suffered a stroke


    and was practically powerless, his presence alone was enough to keep the vultures at bay.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be back on home soil tomorrow,¡± Eric replied in a hushed tone.


    I nodded and nced upstairs.


    Colin was awake; his pallor was ghostly as he stood at the top of the stairs, watching with detached


    coldness where Henry and his entourage had departed.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be up. Go back to bed,¡± I urged him to return to his room.


    t


    His demeanor softened, and his voice was tinged with fear. ¡°Phoebe, I¡¯m scared¡­ I can¡¯t sleep.¡± I


    rubbed my temples, feeling the weight of my misfortune. Of all the lives to be reborn into, I had to end


    up in the Langley family, a veritable lion¡¯s den.


    ¡°Eric, what¡¯s the situation with the Langley Group now?¡± I asked.


    With Brendan incapacitated and Samuel in trouble, thepany must be in chaos.


    ¡°Mr. Henry has taken temporary control of thepany. That man by his side, Julian Langley. is his


    son. He¡¯s got the entire security department under his thumb,¡± Eric said diplomatically. which was a


    polite way of telling me the Langleys were under siege by Henry and his son.


    It seemed the news of Brendan¡¯s mishap had been leaked to Henry in record time.


    Now I had even more reason to suspect that the simultaneous troubles of Brendan and Samuel were


    orchestrated by someone.


    Henry was the prime suspect, standing to gain the most.


    16:15


    ¡°Let¡¯s put thepany issues aside for now; we need to untangle this mess,¡± I said, heading


    upstairs.


    The immediate concern was to wrest control of thepany from Henry¡¯s grip.


    It wasn¡¯t that I sought conflict with them, but as the saying goes, ¡°A man is not guilty of carrying a jewel;


    the crime is in being caught.¡±


    My status and the child I was carrying were reasons enough for them not to let me go. Hoping for their


    mercy was futile; my only option was to roll the dice and take a chance.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Upstairs, Colin reached out to me. I sighed and coaxed him back to his room.


    ¡°Those people¡­ they¡¯re bad,¡± Colin said, grabbing my wrist and pulling me into an embrace.


    ¡°Did they hurt you?¡± I asked softly.


    He hummed affirmatively, his voice a deep rumble:


    I fell silent for a long time. Colin¡¯s position and predicament within the Langley family must have


    brought him much suffering. How could they let him be? They¡¯d likely be pleased only if he were dead.


    Henry¡¯s desire to take over thepany was probably not a recent development. The schemes and


    calctions against Colin must have started long ago.


    ¡°Brendan¡¯s in trouble, and Samuel can¡¯te to the rescue,¡± I said, looking into Colin¡¯s eyes. trying to


    comfort him. ¡°From now on, it¡¯s just you and me against the world. We have to huddle together for


    warmth and trust each other, you understand?¡±

 Chapter 92

    ¡°Phoebe, don¡¯t lie to me anymore¡­¡± Colin clung to me, his grip tight as if he feared I¡¯d vanish into thin


    air.


    I could sense the trauma etched deep within him, like scars of a war long past. I had to tread lightly,


    coaxing him into a sense of security, hoping he¡¯de to rely on me and then spill the truth about


    everything he knew concerning the serial murderer atrge.


    Colin was on guard, repeating his plea for honesty. I knew he hadn¡¯t fully let me in.


    If I pressed him now, he¡¯d m up for sure.


    ¡°Time for bed,¡± I said as I ushered Colln Into the bedroom, making sure he took his medicine before I


    tended to the bandages on his hands and feet.


    Peeling back theyers of gauze, the blood¨Csoaked wounds revealed themselves in stark, harrowing


    detail.


    I winced, feeling a knot of tension in my back. These injuries looked painful enough to make anyone¡¯s


    stomach churn.


    ¡°How did this happen?¡± I asked gently, dabbing at his wounds with saline solution. ¡°From tomorrow on,


    you¡¯re in a wheelchair ¨C no walking, got it?¡±


    Colin met my gaze and nodded obediently. When he wasn¡¯t in the throes of his demons, he was as


    docile as a big, loyal dog. But when those demons came out to y, even I found myself afraid.


    ¡°They¡­ they wouldn¡¯t let me escape, made,me walk on hot coals¡­¡± Colin¡¯s voice was a hoarse


    whisper, stripped of emotion yet filled with a bone¨Cchilling coldness.


    He wasn¡¯t expressing fear or terror, but the icy hint of his words could freeze you to the core.


    I knew ¡®they¡® meant Samuel and Brendan. To keep Colin from running, to ensure he¡¯d produce an heir


    for the Langley legacy, they¡¯d stooped to unspeakable cruelty.


    ¡°That¡¯s vile,¡± I muttered, struggling to find the words to describe Samuel¡¯s malevolence and the


    ness within his soul.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± I asked softly as I continued to clean his wounds, looking up into his eyes.


    It was as if he had no nerves left for pain. How could he not feel it?


    Colin shook his head, his expression numb.


    It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t feel; he¡¯d just grown numb to it all.


    After taking care of his feet, I moved on to his hands.


    The Langley family thought that by restraining his limbs, they could contain him. But in doing so, they


    were destroying a genius.


    16:15


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Colin¡¯s gaze locked onto mine as he called out my name.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I packed away the first aid kit, meeting his eyes.


    ¡°Do you wish him dead?¡± His question was serious, his eyes intense.


    ¡°Huh?¡± I was baffled. ¡°Who?¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡°Dexter,¡± Colin stated the name as if it were a verdict.


    I stared back at Colin, shocked, unable to process his words immediately.


    Did I wish him dead?


    I remembered that this wasn¡¯t the first time Colin had asked me about this. Last time, I thought he was


    joking, but this time, I could feel the gravity of his intent.


    ¡°I don¡¯t wish for his death. I want him to live, to live with the agony of guilt, remorse, and torment every


    single day.¡± I said, shaking my head at Colin. ¡°Now sleep. You¡¯ve still got a fever.¡±


    Colin obediently tried to settle on the floor.


    ¡°In the bed!¡± I insisted, nudging him onto the mattress and tucking him in.


    He watched me for a moment before suddenly pulling me into his embrace, flipping me beneath


    him.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked, my voice a mix of fear and wariness as his eyes seemed to devour me.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± He called my name again.


    I could never tell if he was calling for me or for Foebe.


    But those eyes, so deep and captivating, seemed to silently dere his love, a love so profound it was


    almost palpable.

 Chapter 93

    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Colin¡¯s voice was strained, a hint of restraint as he kissed along the nape of my


    neck.


    I wanted to slip away, but there was nowhere to hide.


    ¡°We¡¯re husband and wife¡­¡±


    It was as if he was reminding me of our union or perhaps convincing himself.


    I sensed a touch of madness in him. The kind of madness you can¡¯t just flip like a switch; it seeps in


    gradually.


    ¡°Go to sleep, you¡¯re out of it.¡± I tried to coax him to bed, but he was unresponsive.


    His hands held mine captive as his gaze locked with my eyes.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    ¡­¡± He called out my name again. ¡°I like you.¡±


    He confessed his feelings for me.


    A deration.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    My heart skipped a beat; since the moment I was reborn, my focus had been solely on tracking down


    the murderer. All I wanted was to find the murderer, to get revenge on Dexter and Melody. As for Colin,


    my feelings were a mix of pity, wariness, and suspicion. I couldn¡¯t fall for anyone again.


    Besides, Colin was confessing to Foebe, not me, Phoebe. Actually, I was a bit envious of Foebe to


    have someone so foolishly, so devotedly.smitten.


    ¡°Okay, I get it,¡± I whispered soothingly. ¡°Sleep now, you¡¯re hurting me.¡±


    Colin kept staring at me, shaking his head. ¡°You don¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    I almostughed. ¡°I really do.¡±


    ¡°When did you start liking me?¡± I blurted out, my curiosity getting the better of me. When had Colin


    fallen for Foebe?


    If Colin ever found out Foebe was gone and I had taken her ce, would he lose his mind? Would he


    want me dead?


    ¡°Since I was eight.¡± Colin answered earnestly.


    Eight?


    His precocious crush was certainly unique.


    ¡°I¡¯ve liked Phoebe for many years.¡± Heid on top of me, his voice muffled against my neck, shy as if


    confessing his love.


    16:15


    His demeanor¡­ what¡¯s the difference between that and a warm, obedient dog nuzzling into its owner¡¯s


    embrace? Dangerous, yet somehow reassuring.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s sleep.¡± My emotions were tangled.


    But he wouldn¡¯t sleep: just kept nuzzling against me.


    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡± I warned him, signaling him not to go too far.


    ¡°Phoebe, I¡¯m ufortable,¡± he pleaded, looking at me with those big, innocent eyes reminiscent of a


    forlorn puppy.


    Could he actually have a split personality, switching at will? Those eyes tugged at my


    heartstrings, even though he was like a bloodthirsty wolf in the alley earlier.


    ¡°You better not; it¡¯s not happening. I¡¯m in the early stages of pregnancy,¡± I pointed at him firmly.


    demanding he keep his impulses in check.


    His eyes reddened with a look of hurt, unwilling to move off me.


    I had a sinking feeling. I knew what he wanted.


    ¡°Caleb Langley!¡± I gritted my teeth, calling his full name as he continued to cause my ears to burn with


    his affection.


    He wouldn¡¯t listen, his grip on my fingers tightening.


    My body tensed, and I turned my flushed face away, unable to meet his gaze. Those eyes were too


    enchanting.


    In my past life, when Dexter tormented me, it was purely out of spite. I had no pleasure or anticipation


    for intimacy.


    With Colin, having a child was apromise for a greater purpose. I couldn¡¯t bear to look at Colin, only


    feeling the burning touch of his fingers.


    He seemed to care about the child inside me, too; aside from asking me to literally lend him a hand, he


    didn¡¯t make any outrageous demands.


    ¡°Enough!¡± I snapped, a mix of anger and embarrassment.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ I¡¯m hot,¡± he whispered, holding me from behind, confessing his difort.


    ¡°You¡¯re feverish, sleep,¡± I coaxed him, saying he had a fever.


    Who behaves like this? It was as if he was a beast in heat.


    But at least he was a beast who knew restraint.


    Colin wrapped his arms around me and dozed off into a heavy slumber.


    But I was left wide awake, my mind a mess, utterly chaotic.

 Chapter 94

    I had found myself reborn into the body of a stranger out of the blue; everything around me was


    unfamiliar.


    This fool had a scent that felt known to me, yet no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t recall where it was


    from.


    After what felt like an eternity of insomnia, I finally sumbed to a deep, heavy sleep.


    When I woke up again, it was already the afternoon of the next day.


    ¡°Madam¡­¡± The housekeeper walked in, bringing in my lunch.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Coli¡­ Where¡¯s Caleb?¡± I asked.


    The housekeeper nced outside. ¡°He¡¯s been out since early morning.¡±


    I massaged my temples and got up to walk to the window walls.


    Colin hadn¡¯t wandered off; he was sitting barefoot on thewn, basking in the sunlight.


    I had to admit, he was breathtakingly perfect, a natural masterpiece, harmoniously one with the great


    outdoors.


    He swung his legs andzily looked up, our gazes meeting just so.


    Instinctively, my heart tightened, and I stepped back, unsure why I felt the need to hide.


    When I approached the doors again, Colin was no longer in the yard.


    I stretched and sighed, still a bit dazed.


    Before I could gather my thoughts, arms wrapped around me from behind.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Colin murmured softly.


    I was used to his sudden appearances. ¡°I¡¯ve told you not to wander with that injury on your foot; you


    should be using a wheelchair.¡±


    Colin hung his head like a chastised child.


    ¡°Madam, the Larsons have called. Your father wants you toe home,¡± the housekeeper informed


    me.


    I was taken aback. Father?


    Foebe¡¯s father, Anthony Larson?


    After my own parents died in a car crash, the concept of ¡®parents¡® became foreign to me. Now reborn


    as Foebe, I was still adjusting to the idea that she indeed had parents.


    ¡°I understand.¡± I replied. There was no use in hiding forever.


    Anthony had used Foebe¡¯s marriage to get into the Langleys, and now that the Langley family


    16:15


    was in turmoil, he wouldn¡¯t overlook their assets. Moreover, I was carrying a Langley heir.


    I could almost guess Anthony¡¯s agenda without seeing him.


    ¡°Phoebe, should Ie with you?¡± Colin asked in a low voice.


    I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ll go alone.¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    eded to get a feel for the Larson family¡¯s dynamics.


    When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Since I¡¯d been reborn as Foebe, I had to embrace this identity


    and use it to survive.


    Being associated with the Langleys had put me in the spotlight, making survival that much harder. Too


    many in the Langley family did not wish for Colin, the baby, or me to live.


    Not only did I have to uncover the murderer and the truth, but I also had to ensure the safety of my


    child and me.


    Colin didn¡¯t stop me but just held my hand. I calmed him with a lollipop and he took it with a smile.


    I realized that since the tragedy with Brendan and Samuel, Colin had be more cheerful.


    It was a good change¨Ctruly, it was.


    It would be even better if he weren¡¯t the murderer.


    Leaving the Langley estate, the driver took me back to the Larsons.


    I had little knowledge of what awaited me at the Larson household; Foebe¡¯s memories provided me


    with scant information, just that her parents didn¡¯t love her and saw her as a pawn and a tool.


    ¡°Miss, you¡¯re back! Madam has been talking nonstop about you these past days.¡±


    As soon as my feet touched the yard, the housekeeper greeted me with a smile.


    This was quite different from the housekeeper in Foebe¡¯s memories.


    ¡°Oh my, sister, we thought after marrying into high society, you wouldn¡¯t recognize us anymore.¡±


    mocked a girl d in designer wear, standing arrogantly in the yard.


    I gave her a nce¨CFoebe¡¯s sister, Coraline Larson.


    Not a blood sister, but a child mistakenly taken in by the Larsons, who, despite having no biological


    ties, was coddled and adored by everyone in the Larson household.

 Chapter 95

    ¡°Who might you be?¡± I asked with a cool indifference, feigning ignorance as if addressing a stranger.


    Coraline¡¯s face flushed with a flicker of anger, clearly riled by my pretense.


    Yet, she quickly let out a sardonicugh. ¡°Oh, I heard Brendan¡¯s under the weather, leaving you and


    that filthy imbecile to fend for yourselves. Poor sis, you really drew the short straw.¡±


    I didn¡¯t even grace her with a nce. Compared to Melody, Coraline seemed green around the edges.


    Melody was the type whose malice was hidden beneath a veneer of charm, but Coraline wore her


    nastiness like a badge of honor.


    ¡°A barking dog never bites,¡± I mused internally. ¡°Melody¡¯s in a whole different league than Coraline.¡±


    Now that I¡¯ve faced down Melody without flinching, why would I be scared of a spoiled bully like


    Coraline?


    ¡°What¡¯s with the attitude? I deign to call you ¡®sister¡® and you act all high and mighty!¡± Coraline fumed,


    blocking my path.


    I knew that Coraline was the one initially intended to marry into the Langley family. Raised as the fragile


    darling of the Larson household, her parents couldn¡¯t bear to send her into the so¨Ccalled lion¡¯s den, so


    they had Foebe take her ce instead.


    They had no idea that the Langley madhouse didn¡¯t give a damn about Foebe¡¯s well¨Cbeing. On her


    very first night there, Foebe must have fought back, leading to an overdose and her death on what


    should have been her wedding night.


    That¡¯s when I woke up inside her.


    ¡°Foebe, you think you¡¯re something special now that you¡¯re Mrs. Langley? How does it feel to be


    married to an imbecile?¡± Coraline taunted with a spiteful grin.


    ¡°Move!¡± Imanded, my voice resonating with a firmness that brooked no argument.


    Coraline smirked. ¡°Why should I? This is my house.¡± She was about to reassert her im.


    From Foebe¡¯s memories, I could sense a deep¨Cseated jealousy and hatred for Coraline.


    Foebe resented Coraline for stealing the parental love that was rightfully hers. Because of the life


    swap, Foebe wasn¡¯t retrieved until she was eighteen, returning to the Larson family.


    Eighteen years of poverty had stripped Foebe of confidence, her natural beauty overshadowed by


    insecurity despite her exquisite features.


    Foebe had a boyfriend once, a dashing young man from a wealthy family, but even he was snatched


    away by Coraline.


    15157


    Coraline had pilfered everything from Foebe, always unting. ¡°This is my house; what right do you


    have to live here?¡±


    Foebe was timid to a fault.


    I almostughed at the irony¨Cthere actually was someone in this world who lived a life even more pitiful


    than mine. No wonder I was reborn into her.


    But I wasn¡¯t naturally timid; it was only after losing my parents at eighteen and being at the mercy of


    others that I learned to hide my true feelings


    ¡°Your house?¡± I looked at Coraline with a cold gaze. ¡°Last I checked, the name on the mailbox said


    ¡®Larson¡®.¡±


    Coraline paused, suspicion in her eyes as if she couldn¡¯tprehend the transformation before her.


    Lucky for me, I was now wed to the Langley family; even if I came across as arrogant, I had a good


    excuse.


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡± Coraline furrowed her brows in confusion.


    ¡°Smack!¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    My hand flew, and Coraline¡¯s cheek stung from the p. ¡°Since this house bears the Larson name,


    you¡¯d do well to learn some manners.¡±


    Coraline stared at me in utter shock, disbelief painted across her face at the thought I would dare strike


    her.


    ¡°I am the Larson family¡¯s true heiress, the continuation of our parents¡® bloodline. What are you? A


    misced jester, allowed to live in the Larson home out of my generosity. Got it?¡± I pointed a warning


    finger at Coraline.


    It took Coraline a long moment to recover, her initial shock giving way to rage as she lunged to strike


    me back.


    ¡°Go ahead, hit me,¡± I taunted with a coldugh. ¡°But remember, I¡¯m carrying the only heir to the Langley


    name. If something happens to me, not only will the Langleys not let you off the hook, but I bet Dad


    won¡¯t either.¡±


    Coraline¡¯s face turned a shade darker with fury; her teeth clenched as she stomped her foot in


    frustration. ¡°Keep up your charade, Foebe. I want to see how long you can keep this act up. Married to


    an imbecile, what does it matter if you¡¯re part of the Langley family?¡±

 Chapter 96

    ¡°Smack!¡±


    Another p flew from my hand. ¡°Let that be a lesson in respect. I¡¯m your elder sister, and Caleb, he¡¯s


    your brother¨Cinw. Calling him an imbecile, do you have any idea who you¡¯re messing with? You


    think you can cross the Langleys? Without their backing, do the Larsons really want to go bankrupt?¡±


    Coraline just stood there, gobsmacked. She stared at me, trying to make sense of the sudden storm I


    had be¨Cso different from the past.


    I didn¡¯t bother with her confusion and brushed past her, heading into the living room.


    There, Foebe¡¯s so¨Ccalled father was perched on the sofa like some kind of dignitary.


    Seeing me, he put on a weing act. ¡°Ah, there you are, Foebe. Take a seat. You¡¯re a hero to the


    Langley family now. You¡¯ll need to take good care of that little one you¡¯re carrying.


    I managed a smile, eyeing this ¡®father¡® of mine. ¡°You¡¯re right, Dad. This baby is the Langley¡¯s sole heir.


    Once it¡¯s born, it will be the future head of the family.¡±


    My ¡°father¡± Anthony Larson gave me a scrutinizing look and spoke nonchntly. ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve


    figured things out, huh?¡±


    I stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.


    ¡°Now that Brendan¡¯s out of the picture and Samuel has no chance of taking over, you¡¯ve got a hold of


    that ¡®fool. Take care of the baby, and you¡¯ll be the real head of the Langleys,¡± Anthony


    ventured.


    I knew exactly what he wanted¨Cto use me as a puppet, to control the Langleys through me.


    But what was his leverage? Something Foebe cared about?


    ¡°Right now, I pretty much call the shots in the Langley household,¡± I boasted, puffing myself up like a


    peacock. I wanted to see what threats Anthony would dangle.


    ¡°Dad!¡± Coraline, who must have taken her sweet timeing to terms with the ps, barged in,


    outraged. ¡°Dad, she hit me!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see your father and I are discussing important matters? Have you no sense of decorum, no


    poise befitting ady of stature? Get out!¡± I scolded Coraline, clearly displeased.


    Fuming, Coraline bit back. ¡°Dad!¡±


    Anthony frowned at me, realizing I was getting too big for my boots.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Dad, we¡¯re talking business here. What¡¯s she doing interrupting?¡± I asked in a low voiceced with


    threat.


    We were both testing each other¡¯s limits, so let¡¯s test them properly.


    16:16


    ¡°Leave us.¡± Anthony instructed Coraline.


    She was shocked: Anthony had never dismissed her like that before.


    ¡°Dad¡­¡± she protested weakly.


    ¡°Just go,¡± he waved her off.


    Reluctantly, Coraline stormed out, throwing me a venomous look on her way. ¡°Getting all high and


    mighty for what? Marrying a fool.¡±


    I kept quiet, leaning back on the sofa, eyes on Anthony.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re effectively in charge of the Langley family, you should start getting a hold of the


    company to help the Larsons out of this mess,¡± Anthony reminded me.


    ¡°Sorry, Dad, but I can¡¯t help. I may be with the Langleys now, but I don¡¯t have any power. Brendan¡¯s


    away, and Henry¡¯s got thepany in a vice grip. He¡¯s got connections everywhere: I¡¯m not about to


    poke that bear,¡± I said ndly.


    Anthony¡¯s brows knitted together. ¡°Your main task was to secure the Langley shares for me. Getting


    cold feet? Don¡¯t forget, your grandmother¡¯s treatment is on the Larson¡¯s dime. Or do you think the


    Langleys will waste their time on some olddy who doesn¡¯t matter to them?¡±


    I paused, caught off guard by his revtion.


    But this grandmother?


    I raised my hand to my forehead, massaging away the tension. The grandmother?


    Was it Foebe¡¯s after she was switched at birth and raised by someone else?


    But shouldn¡¯t that be Coraline¡¯s actual grandmother?


    t


    Coraline really was an ingrate.

 Chapter 97

    I certainly didn¡¯t expect the Larson family to work miracles for Foebe¡¯s grandma, but with Anthony¡¯s


    cards on the table. I had a clear picture in my head.


    Anthony thought I was still the same old Foebe, easy to manipte. He couldn¡¯t be more


    wrong.


    The Foebe of the past might have harbored some sentimental feelings for Anthony and his wife, tied by


    blood and familial bonds, but not me,


    My parents were taken from me in a car ident when I was eighteen, and as for Anthony and his


    wife, they were no parents to me.


    ¡°Dad, you¡¯ve got it all wrong. I mean, I¡¯m the head honcho at the Langley family now. Brendan might be


    heading back home, but he¡¯s had a stroke and lost all his clout. And that Samuel guy? He¡¯s out for the


    count. The Langley folks have to listen to me now,¡± I said with a quick smile, eager to rify.


    Anthony snorted, squinting at me. ¡°The Larson family raised you for years. You came back to us at


    eighteen, but we¡¯re your flesh and blood, We¡¯ve nurtured you since then. We rise and fall as one, you


    got that?¡±


    I nodded earnestly. ¡°Dad, I get it, I do.¡±


    He gave a curt nod. ¡°Right now, we need to think about how to take control of the Langley estate as


    soon as possible. That Henry has a firm grip on thepany. Given enough time, he could snatch


    everything away from us, and they won¡¯t go easy on you.¡±


    ¡°Dad, what¡¯s the n?¡± I asked softly.


    He gave me a look. ¡°We¡¯re going to get your sister into the Langley Group. You came back toote,


    missed out on the proper upbringing, and don¡¯t know the first thing about running a business. We¡¯ll get


    your sister in there to help you out. Once she¡¯s got a foothold, you can transfer any shares you get to


    her.¡±


    I looked at Anthony, trying to keep a straight face. His true intentions were as clear as day.


    Why on earth would I hand over my shares to Coraline?


    That¡¯sughable.


    ¡°Dad, it¡¯s not that easy to just insert someone into the Langley Group. Coraline¡¯s gotta prove herself,


    right? I¡¯ve never dealt with thepany¡¯s ins and outs; how would I know how to sneak someone in?¡± I


    said quietly. ¡°If she can¡¯t even get through a Langley hiring process. how¡¯s she supposed to carry such


    responsibility and earn respect?¡±


    I sighed.


    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m just thinking about our grand n here. What do you think?¡±


    16:16


    Anthony looked at me and nodded. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll handle it. Your job is to pave the way for Coraline


    and Oscar.¡±


    I stayed quiet as Anthony spoke again. ¡°Foebe, you¡¯re part of the Langley family now. There are times


    you should step aside for your sister. You and Oscar just aren¡¯t meant to be.¡±


    I smiled without a word.


    Oscar, Foebe¡¯s boyfriend, supposedly came from money, but the family¡¯s fortunes had dwindled, and


    Oscar himself wasn¡¯t exactly capable. So, the n was to hitch Coraline¡¯s wagon to the Langley star.


    Bold indeed. It¡¯s the ssic case of biting off more than one can chew.


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, you can go. Get yourself ready,¡± Anthony waved dismissively.


    I raised an eyebrow.


    What kind of father was this? Calling me back home without so much as a meal to offer.


    Coraline stole Foebe¡¯s boyfriend, and I was expected to help her infiltrate the Langley Group, hand


    over my shares, and support a deadbeat?


    Back when I lived with the Fitzgeralds, I only put up with Dexter¡¯s mistreatment because I had no other


    choice. Fighting back only invited more beatings, so I endured in silence.


    But that didn¡¯t mean I was an idiot.


    ver imagined the Larsons would be so brazen as to treat someone like an idiot. It just showed how


    demeaned and dehumanized Foebe must have felt all these years within their


    walls.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Well, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be going.¡± I said, ncing at the time and standing up to leave.

 Chapter 98

    In the backyard, Coraline was throwing a tantrum, tears streaming down her cheeks as she clung to a


    man.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why is she acting all high and mighty? Daring to hit me¨Cwhat gives her the right?¡± Coraline whined to


    the man beside her.


    ¡°Does she think marrying into the Langley family makes her something special? The Langleys are


    practically extinct, and she¡¯s tied the knot with an imbecile¨Ca dirty, ugly vagabond who picks through


    trash all year round.¡±


    Coraline vented her frustrations, holding tight to the man¡¯s arm.


    Standing a short distance away, I snorted in derision.


    Caleb? Ugly? I hadn¡¯t seen a man more handsome than Caleb in all my years.


    ¡°There, there, sweetie, don¡¯t cry. Let¡¯s not stoop to her level. She¡¯s just a dull, charmless idiot. A match


    made in heaven for idiots,¡± the man soothed Coraline. ¡°She can strut all she wants, but she¡¯s still


    working for you. Once she hands over her share of the Langley Group to you, we¡¯ll have control over


    the whole fortune.¡±


    Dream on, I thought.


    ¡°The stench hits you before you even arrive. Keep it PG, you two¨Cit¡¯s broad daylight,¡± I said, walking up


    to them with a look of disdain.


    Coraline¡¯s face went from upset to livid. ¡°Foebe, what nonsense are you spouting?¡±


    I nced at Coraline, then at the man who must be Oscar. ¡°You two are a perfect match¨Ca match


    made in a dumpster.¡±


    ¡°How does that saying go?¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Trash attracts flies, a timeless tale.¡±


    Coraline, fuming, stepped forward as if to retaliate but was restrained by Oscar.


    ¡°Foebe, what happened to you? How can you talk about your sister infsuch a way?¡± Oscar looked at


    me, his face a picture of disappointment.


    Engaging with such a lowlife was already more attention than he deserved.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t talk to her like that, what, should I hit her while I talk?¡± I raised my hand, threatening to p


    Coraline.


    Coraline cowered behind Oscar.


    Oscar stepped forward to protect her.


    ¡°Touch me and see what happens. If anything goes wrong with the baby I¡¯m carrying, good luck dealing


    with the consequences,¡± I warned, knowing Oscar wouldn¡¯t darey a hand on me. They all needed


    this baby to secure their share of the Langley fortune, to vie for control¨Cafter


    16:16


    Chapter on


    all, I was carrying the Langley heir.


    Oscar hesitated, confirming my suspicion.


    I snatched Coraline and pped her across the face.


    I had been so suppressed in my past life, but now that I was reborn and carrying the Langley child, I


    was on top of the world.


    If everyone had something to lean on, who wouldn¡¯t be arrogant?


    ¡°Foebe! That¡¯s too much! Do you think this is eptable behavior?¡± Oscar shielded Coraline in his


    arms.


    ¡°eptable? Why should I be eptable? Coraline¡¯s a masterpiece¨Cwhy don¡¯t you frame her? I


    sneered and turned to leave.


    Coraline, clutching her cheek, trembled with rage. ¡°Oscar, you just stood there and let her hit


    me.¡±


    ¡°Just bear with it. She can only act tough for so long. Once we coax the shares out of her, she¡¯s at your


    mercy. Besides, she married an imbecile. Just wait until the school reunion in a few days. She¡¯ll be the


    laughingstock,¡± Oscar whispered consolingly. This reunion is for everyone to bring their plus¨Cones. She


    married an imbecile; she won¡¯t dare show her face to him. When


    the timees¡­¡±


    I walked a few steps, then paused.


    A school reunion?


    Foebe and Coraline, along with Oscar, were all high school ssmates. Foebe had transferred in


    senior year, barely scraping by academically, and hadn¡¯t made it to a prestigious university.


    Coraline, after graduating high school, had been whisked away to study abroad, only toe back and


    snatch Oscar away.


    I couldn¡¯t care less about their petty squabbles. What caught my attention, though, was that most of the


    women murdered by the serial murderer had graduated from this school. I was an alumna, too, just a


    year ahead of Foebe.

 Chapter 99

    After leaving the Larson estate, I hailed a cab and made my way back to my childhood home


    alone.


    Ever since my parents died in that tragic car ident, debt had forced me to sell off all our properties


    except for this one old house. It was a haven of memories, all that remained of my life with Mom and


    Dad.


    Stepping out of the taxi, I was greeted by the sight of a ce I hadn¡¯t seen in ages, stirring a whirlwind


    of emotions within me.


    I retrieved the key hidden beneath a flowerpot and stood motionless at the threshold for a long time


    before I could bring myself to unlock the door.


    The house was quiet, filled with photographs of me and remnants of my parents¡® life.


    It seemed as though nothing had changed, yet everything was different.


    Sitting on the couch, I gazed at a painting on the wall, lost in a dreamlike reverie.


    ¡°Click¡ª¡±


    Suddenly, a faint noise came from behind me.


    My body tensed instantly, every nerve on edge.


    Was someone in my house?


    I didn¡¯t dare to turn around; instead, my hand slowly crept towards my phone, intending to call the


    police.


    But it¡¯s always the same in moments of sheer panic ¨C fumbling and clumsy, it took an eternity to unlock


    the screen.


    I could feel someone¡¯s gaze boring into my back, getting closer.


    With a sharp intake of breath, I spun around to face the intruder.


    There, in the doorway, stood a man gripping a bat, his face dark with intent.


    Frozen in ce, I was mute with terror.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    This man¡­


    Tall, with a scowl that could freeze blood. His right cheek was marred by arge burn scar, and his


    fingers bore simr marks. His appearance was the stuff of nightmares.


    The fear I felt was identical to the terror that gripped me just before my death.


    ¡°Have you been following me?¡± His voice was gravelly.


    My mouth opened, but no words came out ¨C it was fear manifest, emanating from my very soul.


    16:16


    ¡°How did you know I¡¯d be here?¡± He furrowed his brow, tossing aside the bat as if he was used to


    conversing with me.


    I could only stare, rigid with shock.


    That voice¡­ It had to be the same man who killed me. But he seemed to recognize me?


    No, that¡¯s not right. I was now assuming Foebe¡¯s identity.


    Why would he recognize me?


    ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t know you¡¯d be here,¡± I murmured, taking a deep breath. ¡°This was Phoebe¡¯s ce.


    wasn¡¯t it? I¡¯ve been getting close to her friend Ste recently, and she mentioned where Phoebe used


    to live.¡±


    The man settled himself on the sofa. ¡°I¡¯m justying low here for a few days.¡±


    I remained standing, stiff as a board.


    ¡°It seems your imitation has been quite sessful,¡± he mocked dryly.


    I remained silent, my body rigid with confusion.


    What did he mean?


    What was the connection between Foebe and this man? What was I supposed to be imitating?


    ¡°Brendan¡¯s in trouble now.¡± I guessed, trying to connect the dots to my coboration with the Langley


    family.


    ¡°You¡¯re carrying his child?¡± He seemed uninterested in the Langley affairs, just staring at me with a dark


    intensity.


    A chill ran down my spine. This man looked like he could kill me at any moment.


    But why¡­ why would he be staying in my house?


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± I whispered.


    Suddenly, the manughed, a wild, unhinged sound.


    I tensed, unsure of what to say next.


    ¡°He thinks you¡¯re Phoebe?¡± He spoke first as if talking to himself. ¡°He actually believes you¡¯re Phoebe?


    Hah¡­ So much for love that runs deep. Just any girl can step in and take Phoebe¡¯s ce in his heart!¡±


    I was gripped by rm, staring at him in shock.


    What did he mean by mistaking me for Phoebe?


    ¡°Don¡¯t get clever,¡± he snapped, his menacing aura intensifying. ¡°You think by tracing Phoebe¡¯s


    footsteps, by imitating her, he¡¯ll keep listening to you?¡±


    I kept silent, letting him speak.


    16:16


    ¡°Just do what I¡¯ve told you, and don¡¯t get any ideas,¡± he warned in a low, threatening tone.

 Chapter 100

    I sucked in a breath, chilled to the bone. What task had he assigned to Foebe?


    Was it about Colin?


    Did Colin mistake Foebe for Phoebe? Which meant he saw Foebe as me?


    Colin¡­ the Phoebe he called out for, wasn¡¯t Foebe with an F, but actually Phoebe?


    ¡°I know¡­¡± Clutching my phone, I eyed the man anxiously, itching to step outside and call the


    cops.


    This guy¡­ he had to be the murderer.


    ¡°You¡¯re free to go,¡± he said, gesturing dismissively.


    I nodded and bolted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t harbor any false hopes. He only sees you as Phoebe; don¡¯t expect him to actually care about


    you.¡± As I reached the door, he called out a warning.


    I didn¡¯t look back, just ran, legs trembling.


    I wanted to call the police, but I hesitated. What could I possibly report?


    That he¡¯s a murderer? Where¡¯s the proof?


    Would I be tipping him off if I couldn¡¯t produce any evidence?


    Why was he staying at my ce anyway?


    Was this some kind of provocation?


    +


    Barely out of the building, I ran smack into someone¡¯s arms.


    It was Colin.


    He wrapped his arms around me, his voice hoarse. ¡°Why do you always run off like that.¡±


    He was worried about me.


    ¡°You¡­¡± I clung to Colin, desperately seeking a sliver of safety.


    ¨C


    The voice of the man upstairs was so simr to Colin¡¯s as if something had ravaged their throats,


    making them both sound rough and deep.


    ¡°How do you always find me?¡± I looked up at Colin, my voiceced with nerves.


    Colin stayed silent.


    ¡°Did you put a tracker on me?¡± I pressed on.


    ¡°Just¡­ worried about you getting into trouble.¡± Colin averted his gaze.


    16:16


    I nced back nervously, fearing the murderer from upstairs might emerge.


    Pulling Colin by the hand, I led him quickly away.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the tracker?¡± I asked Colin.


    Again, he didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Are you going to tell me?¡± I frowned, getting a bit angry.


    Colin took my wrist, caressing the bracelet there. Then, he touched the pendant around my neck.


    Great, so all the jewelry I wear daily have tracking devices in them?


    But that wasn¡¯t all. His hand finally rested on my phone.


    I was so infuriated I trembled, realizing I was tagged from head to toe.


    Colin looked hurt, gripping my hand. ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home,¡± I urged, a chill creeping down my spine as I hastened back with Colin in tow.


    We couldn¡¯t let the murderer set his sights on us.


    The murderer upstairs couldn¡¯t possibly know I was actually Phoebe, right? He wouldn¡¯t imagine in his


    wildest dreams that I hade back from the dead, would he?


    But what had he tasked Foebe with? Now that I was posing as Foebe, wouldn¡¯t my own investigations


    eventually point back at me? Was Foebe the real aplice?


    ¡°Phoebe, are you troubled?¡± Colin held my hand all the way home, finally breaking the silence.


    I didn¡¯t answer. I was busy figuring out what to do next.


    We reached home in silence, Colin sticking by me, ever so quiet.


    ¡°Colin¡­¡± I ventured cautiously. ¡°Ste told me you went to the police station and confessed to being


    the murderer. Why?¡±


    Colin nced at me, then looked down.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk about it¡­ never mind.¡± I didn¡¯t want to arouse Colin¡¯s suspicions.


    I was still unsure whether Colin was in cahoots with the murderer living in my house.


    ¡°That guy said if I admitted to being the murderer, he¡¯d give you back to me,¡± Colin¡¯s voice was hoarse,


    his head down, his hair hiding his eyes so I couldn¡¯t read his emotions.


    But I could feel him trembling.


    ¡°Who is ¡®he¡®¡­¡± I asked nervously. ¡°Give me back to you? Foebe with an F or Phoebe?¡±


    Colin looked up, his gaze intense on me.


    16:16


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The murderer had said that Colin mistook Foebe for Phoebe, using Foebe as a stand¨Cin.


    So the person Colin truly wanted to save was Phoebe? The Phoebe he called out for every day. was it


    actually me?

 Chapter 101

    ¡°You know who the murderer is, don¡¯t you?¡± I asked, gripping Colin¡¯s hand tighter, a wave of agitation


    rising in my voice. ¡°Tell me who he is.¡±


    Panic flickered in Colin¡¯s eyes like a deer caught in headlights, and he turned away from me. ¡°I don¡¯t


    know.¡±


    ¡°You do know!¡± I pressed, my own frustration mounting. Why wouldn¡¯t he just say it?


    Colin kept walking ahead, evasive, refusing to reveal the identity of the murderer.


    I trailed behind him, firing question after question. But no matter how much I prodded, he wouldn¡¯t budo


    I thought about calling the cops, about spilling everything to Robin and Ste, but as far as anyone was


    concerned, I was Foebe now, not Phoebe. My words wouldn¡¯t carry any weight.


    Besides, the little interaction I had with the murderer suggested some kind of past dealings between


    him and Foebe.


    Without rity, a hasty move on my part could spook the murderer, and I¡¯d find myself entangled in


    dangers untold.


    I rubbed my temples, feeling irritable.


    Things were getting more convoluted by the minute.


    Tooplex for me to stay calm and think straight.


    If I were just an outsider, it would be one thing, but with ¡®Foebe¡® tied to the murderer, diving in headfirst


    could jeopardize the whole investigation.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ let¡¯s go home.¡± Colin suddenly came over to my side, taking my hand, his voice a soothing


    balm amid my inner turmoil.


    Instinctively, I jerked my hand away. ¡°You¡¯re calling for Phoebe, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re not even talking to


    me, I¡¯m Foebe, with an F.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t admit to being Phoebe. And I sure as hell didn¡¯t believe Colin was delusional enough. to think


    a soul could swap bodies.


    ¡°You are Phoebe! You have to be Phoebe!¡± His voice suddenly spiked, hands gripping my shoulders


    with a desperate strength.


    I winced in pain, a flicker of fear passing through me. It was as if¡­ as if he was molding me into


    Phoebe against my will. It wasn¡¯t that he recognized me as Phoebe; it was more like¡­ deep down, he


    wanted to rece Foebe with Phoebe.


    He, like Dexter, was using Foebe as a puppet, a stand¨Cin to avoid facing Phoebe¡¯s death.


    No wonder he had been sopliant, so rxed recently. To him, the current Foebe wasn¡¯t a


    person but a persona he crafted.


    Madman, he was definitely out of his mind.


    ¡°You have to be Phoebe; you can only be Phoebe¡­ if you¡¯re not, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± He was still raving.


    ¡°Alright, calm down.¡± I soothed, my shoulder throbbing, trying to shift the focus. ¡°When did you meet


    Phoebe?¡±


    ¡°So many years ago.¡± Colin¡¯s grip loosened, his voice turned bitter.


    ¡°Where?¡± I pressed on.


    ¡°At an orphanage,¡± he answered.


    I was taken aback, staring at him in shock.


    An orphanage?


    What did he mean by that?


    Which orphanage?


    A headache suddenly gripped me, and I brought a hand to my temple, the pain making me crouch on


    the ground.


    The orphanage, those little girls in red dresses, the red dresses¡­


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Why did they seem so familiar from the start?


    I remembered, as a child, I had a red dress just like those. But when did Colin and I meet? Why


    couldn¡¯t I remember anything?


    Years ago, my dad was into phnthropy, supporting many orphanages and donating supplies, and I


    apanied him to charity events.


    Was that when I met Colin?


    Why was there no trace of that memory left?


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Colin¡¯s tone was edged with panic as he knelt in front of me, his frenzy fading into


    confusion. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    I nodded, reaching out to touch his forehead, which had cooled down.


    ¡°Carry me back.¡± I whispered, struggling to keep fear from seeping into my voice.


    Colin¡¯s eyes lit up; he nodded and turned his back to me, gesturing for me to climb on.


    I hesitated for a moment but then got up andy across his back.


    He was strong and tall, and when he stood up, the sudden shift made me cling tightly to him out of fear.

 Chapter 102

    ¡°Stay put at home, Colin, don¡¯t go wandering off, you hear? I whispered to him cautiously.


    Henry and hispany would stop at nothing to get what they wanted; the Langley family had been


    turned upside down. With Caleb out of the picture and me and the baby gone too, Henry would easily


    seize control of everything the Langley name held dear.


    We were walking down the sidewalk, a never¨Cending stream of cars passing us by on the road.


    His back was to me as he trudged forward.


    I was getting tired and eventually, I dozed off against his back.


    In my dream, a flurry of images shed through my mind.


    A little boy with mixed heritage, looking like a


    a little girl in a red frock, running for dear life ince straight out of a fairy tale. He was carrying


    ¡°Phoebe, it¡¯s gonna be alright; we¡¯re almost home,¡± he reassured me as he ran. ¡°Phoebe, wake up,


    don¡¯t fall asleep. Phoebe, wake up, have a bit to eat¡­¡±


    I jolted awake, my breaths short and rapid as I took in my surroundings, not sure when I had gotten


    home..


    Colin was trying to rouse me, coaxing me to eat something.


    I rubbed my temples, looking at Colin. ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat.¡±


    ¡°Just have a little,¡± he insisted, holding out a te to me.


    ¡°I said I don¡¯t want to eat! I¡¯m not hungry!¡± Isnapped, pushing away his hand, and the te spilled all


    over the floor.


    He sat there silently, not saying a word.


    Irritated, I got up and walked back to my room, my head throbbing.


    In that moment, I felt like a ¡®doll¡® kept by a madman, and that feeling terrified me.


    I was so exhausted that I copsed onto the bed and fell asleep once more.


    The early symptoms of pregnancy were bing more apparent the drowsiness, the mood swings¡­


    As I drifted off, I slipped back into a dream.


    ¡°He loves you, right? I¡¯ll make you look just the way he loves, and give you back to him.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re like his favorite doll; I¡¯ll make you so beautiful.¡±


    ¡°He loves you so much; why did you deceive him? Why did you lie to him? You deserve to die.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know you almost killed him with your lies? You forgot about him and got with


    another man. You¡¯re filthy. Your heart is filthy, and so is your body.¡±


    The blurred scenes in my dream slowly became clearer, and the moments before my death began to


    sharpen.


    A murderer stood by the bed, surgical knife in hand, slowly slicing my skin, pulling off my nails, allowing


    diamonds to fuse with my flesh and blood.


    He looked at me manically, hisughter twisted. ¡°This way you¡¯re prettier, this way you¡¯ll be his doll


    forever.¡±


    He ced me in a ss cab, his voice like a demon from hell.


    ¡°This is your favorite red dress, his favorite too. I¡¯ve made you just the way he likes; he¡¯ll surely be


    pleased.¡±


    ¡°No, help me, please help!¡± My breathing quickened, my heart raced, and I struggled.


    But it was as if I were trapped in the dream, unable to wake up.


    ¡°Save me. Colin, save me!¡±


    For some reason, I was calling for Colin to save me.


    ¡°Phoebe?¡±


    ¡°Phoebe!¡± Colin¡¯s voice was calling my name.


    But I couldn¡¯t wake up; I was trapped in a nightmare.


    ¡°Colin¡­ Colin, save me.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe, I¡¯m here.¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    In my panic, I felt someone¡¯s arms wrap tightly around me, and my struggling body slowly rxed.


    When I woke up the next day, it was already the afternoon. I opened my eyes wearily; the room was


    empty except for me.


    ¡°Hello?¡± My phone rang, and I fumbled to answer it. ¡°A ss reunion?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going¡­¡± I declined without thinking.


    ¡°But the teacher was really good to you; she just had surgery, and she said she wanted to see us.


    She¡¯s in thete stages of cancer, and a lot of our seniors from different graduating years. will be


    there,¡± the voice of my ssmate was hoarse on the other end.


    I frowned, contemting. I should go, to pay my respects and maybe find some clues rted to those


    victims.


    ¡°I got it; I¡¯ll be at the hotel on time.¡± I promised.


    10:47


    ¡°I heard you got married. Everyone¡¯s bringing their spouses today: bring yours too. The teacher


    wants to meet your better half.¡±

 Chapter 103

    At the Corner caf¨¦.


    I was tucked away in a nook, my cap pulled low over my eyes, waiting for Ste to show up.


    So far, Ste was the only one I could trust.


    Nobody else. Notpletely.


    ¡°You needed to see me?¡± Ste arrived, plopping down across from me with a huff. She was clearly not


    in the best of moods.


    ¡°I caught the news online. They said the murderer won¡¯t stop. There¡¯s bound to be another victim.¡± I


    nced around nervously. ¡°I know who the murderer is, but I don¡¯t have proof-


    Ste eyed me skeptically. ¡°You know who the murderer is?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s staying at Phoebe¡¯s ce right now.¡± My voice trailed off, worried Ste wouldn¡¯t believe


    1. me.


    Ste¡¯s face was the picture of disbelief. ¡°You¡¯ve lost it, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    I ran my hand over my face, taking a deep breath. ¡°Just trust me on this one. It¡¯s true. Have Robin


    keep an eye on that person. He¡¯s bound to strike again.¡±


    Ste looked at me, half convinced, half doubtful. ¡°I was at Phoebe¡¯s just yesterday. Didn¡¯t see any


    murderer there.¡±


    ¡°Stay away from there.¡± I urged, locking eyes with her. ¡°The murderer¡¯s hiding in in sight. You


    just don¡¯t know it.¡±


    Ste kept her guard tup. She didn¡¯t trust me fully. ¡°Why do you know all this? Who are you,


    really?¡±


    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m Phoebe you wouldn¡¯t buy it.¡± I sighed. ¡°Look, I have no other motive. I just want to


    uncover the truth, clear the innocent, and bring the murderer to justice.¡±


    I wanted to protect Ste, to keep her from harm.


    Ste stared at me as if I were a lunatic before finally speaking. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re all right in the


    head?¡±


    I was a bit annoyed but could understand her perspective.


    A stranger shows up iming to be a recently deceased rtive ¨C it¡¯s a lot to take in. ¡°Believe it or


    not, just pass the investigation lead to Robin. Have his team watch Phoebe¡¯s house. It¡¯s a fact


    someone¡¯s living there secretly,¡± I said urgently.


    ¡°I¡¯ll look into it. But if you¡¯re messing with me, I won¡¯t let it slide,¡± Ste conceded.


    I breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Thanks. I just can¡¯t stand the thought of anyone else getting hurt.¡±


    Ste slumped back in her chair. ¡°This murderer¡¯s too cunning. We¡¯ve been at it for ages with no


    leads. It¡¯s like chasing a ghost.¡±


    I hung my head in defeat. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s terrifying. So many lives taken


    Even I, who hade back from the dead, felt powerless against this foe.


    He operated as if leaving no trace.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t believe in the perfect crime,¡± Ste shook her head.


    ¡°Neither do I,¡± I echoed.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°If you really want to help me catch this murderer, I¡¯m grateful. But if you have any ulterior motives.


    I won¡¯t let you off easy.¡± Ste warned me gravely.


    ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t tell anyone about this. If you must inform the police, only tell Robin. The fewer


    people know, the better. We can¡¯t afford to spook the murderer,¡± I insisted, fearing the murderer


    would catch wind.


    Ste nodded.


    I let out a sigh of relief and nced at the time.


    Colin had shut himself in his room for days, and God knows what he was up to. By now, I was


    almost certain Colin had some connection to the murderer, though he wouldn¡¯t give them up.


    The Langleys were in the hot seat, too, Henry and his son running thepany. Breaking into


    their inner circle seemed like an impossible feat.

 Chapter 104

    The Larson family had managed to get Coraline a position at the Langley Group, and with my limited


    influence, it was tough to get her in or cause her any trouble. I simply didn¡¯t have the connections within


    thepany.


    It was like being caught between a rock and a hard ce.


    ¡°You¡¯re not heading home?¡± Ste asked as she was leaving.


    ¡°Nah, got a ss reunion tonight,¡± I sighed, the boredom evident in my voice. I didn¡¯t even know these


    people, but there I was, pretending to be Foebe, attending a reunion. How dull..


    But the group had this moral hold over me. With this identity of Foebe, I couldn¡¯t just skip it.


    eded to getfortable with being Foebe quickly, or else, If anyone caught on to the charade, it


    would spell trouble.


    ¡°I¡¯m off then.¡± Ste said, and on her way out, she ordered me a cappino.


    I took a sip and scrunched up my face, instinctively speaking up. ¡°You know I don¡¯t like it this sweet.


    How many sugar packets did you throw in?¡±


    Ste just nced at me, said nothing, and left..


    Sitting in a corner booth. I propped up my head, watching the constant stream of cars and pedestrians


    outside the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window.


    It¡¯s good to be alive.


    I can still feel the sun¡¯s warmth, still savor the world¡¯s delights.


    My phone buzzed. Another call from a ssmate.


    ¡°Foebe, you know it¡¯s plus¨Cones tonight. As a married woman, you gotta bring your hubby. along, or


    you¡¯re not getting in,¡± theyughed on the other end.


    They were clearly setting me up for ridicule. They all knew about my marriage to Caleb Langley. the


    so¨Ccalled fool of the Langley family, and yet they insisted I bring him along, obviously to make a


    spectacle of us both.


    ¡°My husband¡¯s not feeling well, so he won¡¯t be¡­¡± I didn¡¯t get to finish before they hung up.


    It really irked me how I let them push me around.


    But their treatment of Foebe was telling; they had no respect for her.


    This Foebe was timid, probably because she spent too long in the countryside. Suddenly thrown into


    this posh school with its wealthy and titled students, she must have felt out of her depth.


    She transferred to this ss in her senior year, so technically, I could skip this so¨Ccalled reunion.


    10:47


    But Foebe¡¯s memories were clear. When she was at her loneliest, her senior year homeroom teacher


    was the only one kind to her.


    Now that they said the teacher was battling cancer, I feltpelled to go on Foebe¡¯s behalf,


    With a sigh. I got up and pulled down the brim of my hat as I headed out.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Ever since that fiasco with Henry at the Langley mansion, ver felt safe walking alone on the streets.


    Since my rebirth, my sixth sense seemed sharper than ever.


    A few steps out, I paused and nced back. Sure enough, a figure in ck darted into an alley.


    Typical.


    I turned and quickly ducked into a side street myself.


    The person in ck emerged, searching for me, then panicked and hurried forward.


    From my hiding spot, I watched until he was deep in the alley. I grabbed a stick from the ground. and


    swung it at his head.


    He hit the ground, staring up at me in shock. ¡°Why¡¯d you hit me?¡±


    Gripping the stick tightly, I was just as startled. ¡°Why¡­ why are you following me?¡±


    ¡°Eric sent me to protect you!¡± The man clutched his head, grimacing in pain.


    I massaged my temples, feeling a headacheing on. ¡°Sorry, I thought you were a bad guy.¡±


    He got up, still wincing. ¡°You need to be careful. There are a lot of eyes on you.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. Go get checked out at the hospital. Eric will cover it. I¡¯ve got this reunion to


    attend, so I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±

 Chapter 105

    At the Haven Hotel.


    Striding into the lobby, I instantly spotted Coraline and Oscar, that sleazeball, all wrapped up in each


    other¡¯s arms.


    I rolled my eyes in disgust ¨C truly, a sleaze and a scoundrel are a match made in heaven. ¡°Hey, Foebe,


    you made it!¡± A ssmate approached me with exaggerated warmth. ¡°We heard you got hitched!


    Where¡¯s your hubby? Why didn¡¯t you bring him along?¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond, instead taking a seat in the lounge area. ¡°Has everyone arrived yet?¡±


    ¡°Foebe, we¡¯ve heard you married into the high society, catching the eye of the Langley family¡¯s eldest


    grandson. We all agreed to bring our better halves today, but I see you¡¯re solo¡­ Could it be that Mr.


    Langley isn¡¯t fond of you, or is the high and mighty heir not presentable enough?¡± The ssmate


    teased with a mocking undertone.


    I found their pettiness exhausting. In my past life, these very people bullied and tormented me at


    school. If I were to live through this again without standing up for myself, then all the suffering I endured


    before would have been in vain.


    They say it¡¯s hard to change one¡¯s nature, but after such a life¨Cchanging ordeal, I should have had my


    epiphany by now.


    Humans are creatures that bully the weak and suck up to the powerful.


    They thought I was an easy target, and mypliance wouldn¡¯t halt their abuse, only embolden them.


    I shot back casually, leaning back on the sofa with a bored look, ¡°You seem to have a lot of free time on


    your hands. Why should my husbande here to be ogled by you? He¡¯s busy. We¡¯re talking about a


    ss reunion here. Are you aiming to be the other woman? Sure, the Langley family is loaded;


    they can afford to keep you as a side piece, but that¡¯s if youck the morals and integrity.¡±


    The ssmate was floored by my retort, mouth agape in disbelief for an ufortably long moment


    before she finally managed to sputter, ¡°Foebe¡­ Do you actually think marrying into the Langley family


    makes you something special? As if we don¡¯t know the score with the Langleys.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, getting all high and mighty now, huh? Everyone knows you¡¯re just a reproduction tool for the


    Langley family.¡± another ssmate chimed in with scorn.


    I feigned shock. ¡°A reproduction tool? Your mother went through all that pain to have you, and you


    repay her by calling her a ¡®reproduction tool¡®? That¡¯s so disrespectful! Aren¡¯t you afraid of getting struck


    by lightning the moment you step outside?¡±


    That ssmate was stunned into silence, pointing at me, speechless.


    10.48


    Meanwhile, Coraline, who had been watching the drama unfold from Oscar¡¯s embrace, frowned slightly


    and whispered to him, ¡°Don¡¯t you think she¡¯s different now?¡±


    It seemed they had all noticed the change in me.


    ¡°Hmph, got a bit of backbone after marrying into the Langley family, huh?¡± Oscar snidely remarked.


    ¡°The teacher¡¯s here.¡±


    In the private room, our teacher, now frail and confined to a wheelchair, looked pale but still exuded


    kindness. I¡¯ve always trusted my sixth sense, and it told me she was one of the good


    ones.


    Sadly, it¡¯s a cruel fact that good people don¡¯t always have long lives; instead, they often endure the


    agony of illness. She was likely in thete stages of cancer, her body swollen with the telltale signs.


    ¡°ver thought I¡¯d see all of you gathered here. I¡¯m getting on in years and my health is failing. Before


    I go, I wanted to see you all onest time. Out of all my students, there aren¡¯t many I can still meet,¡±


    she said with a smile, urging everyone to sit. ¡°This reunion isn¡¯t just because I¡¯m unwell and wanted to


    see you; it¡¯s also because of the recent serial murderer who¡¯s been targeting our school¡¯s students.¡±


    She coughed, ovee with emotion. ¡°Some of them were my students. ver imagined such a


    tragedy.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Thompson, you¡¯ll get better,¡± the ss president said, rushing over tofort her.


    ¡°That murderer will definitely be caught! I have a friend in the police department. They said the victims


    were all adopted from the Double¨CGenius Welfare House. I wanted to take this


    opportunity to remind everyone to be careful, especially those who came from the orphanage,¡± a male


    ssmate added.


    ¡°It¡¯s clearly a vendetta,¡± another voice piped up, fearcing their words.


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t our ss president from the Double¨CGenius Welfare House?¡± a girl noted.


    I nced at the ss president, a tall and shy¨Clooking fellow who seemed kind¨Chearted.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    His face changed slightly, and he stuttered in response. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s been so many years since I left the


    orphanage. My adoptive parents took me in long ago. I don¡¯t know anything about the murders.¡±


    I eyed the ss president suspiciously. In the group chat, he went by the name James. Perhaps he


    knew more than he let on.

 Chapter 106

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯m over the moon that everyone could make it. Now that you¡¯re all here, remember to stay


    safe and take good care of yourselves¨Cthat¡¯s what¡¯s most important, Mrs. Thompson said with a hint of


    sadness in her voice. ¡°I just want to watch you kids grow up, get married start families, and find


    happiness.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Thompson, I¡¯m afraid Foebe is being a bit disrespectful. She¡¯s married, yet she can¡¯t even bring


    her husband to call,¡± sneered the girl I had previously snapped at.


    I walked over to Mrs. Thompson with due respect. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Thompson. My husband isn¡¯t well,


    and this kind of social gathering isn¡¯t really suited for him.¡±


    ¡°Not well? He¡¯s a dimwit, that¡¯s what it is,¡± the girl rolled her eyes in disdain.


    ¡°Eloise, give it a rest,¡± James intervened, trying to keep things fair since we were here to see our old


    teacher.


    ¡°We¡¯ve heard the gossip, Foebe. That you married some idiot for his money and that he¡¯s no good to


    you. There are even whispers of him having a violent streak, like some kind of felon.¡± another


    ssmate chimed in, loud enough for everyone to hear.


    I nced at the duo, then over at Coraline, with a raised eyebrow. ¡°The Langley family is considered


    aristocracy in Sea City. Spreading rumors like that¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough. Mrs. Thompson said with a warm smile directed at me. ¡°Foebe is a good kid. She¡¯s bound to


    find a husband who will adore her.¡±


    ¡°Foebe, you¡¯ve changed a lot. You¡¯ve finally¡­ finally be stronger and braver,¡± she said, her eyes


    reddening as she patted the back of my hand.


    I nodded in response.¡°Mrs. Thompson, I¡¯ll take good care of myself. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡±


    Mrs. Thompson nodded with relief. ¡°Good, good. Seeing all of you doing well puts my mind at


    ease.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Thompson, this is my boyfriend, Oscar. You¡¯ve never taught him, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of


    him,¡± Coraline said proudly, introducing Oscar.


    Oscar was the valedictorian of Foebe¡¯s high school. Although not the top student in the state. he was


    known for his academic excellence.


    The teachers all ha


    heard of Oscar, acknowledging him as a genius.


    ¡°Ah, yes, the boy who was always top of the ss,¡± Mrs. Thompson beamed, her memory of good


    students still sharp.


    ¡°While Coraline is dating the top of her ss, Foebe ended up with an idiot, haha¡­¡±


    I listened to their ridicule in silence.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°She¡¯s an idiot, too. Didn¡¯t even get into college. Isn¡¯t marrying an idiot just perfect for her?¡±


    ¡°Even though my husband couldn¡¯t make it, let me introduce him. His name is Caleb Langley, and he


    was the top of the ¡®Genius ss¡® in Sea City, He was fast¨Ctracked through education and finished


    college in his teens¨Ca true prodigy,¡± I didn¡¯t hold back. Before Caleb¡¯s incident, he was indeed


    extraordinary.


    James looked taken aback, a flicker of fear crossing his eyes. Although he was good at hiding. it,


    Lcaught a glimpse of something in his gaze.


    He must know Colin, aka Caleb Langley.


    Mrs. Thompson was surprised. ¡°Genius ss? Very few from Sea City make it in there.¡±


    ¡°I remember that year the Sea City Double¨CGenius Welfare House got its name because it produced


    not one, but two geniuses! Both entered the Genius ss and put that ce on the map. After that,


    plenty of wealthy folks came looking to adopt, hoping to catch some of that genius for themselves,¡±


    someone said, nostalgic.


    Indeed, the emergence of two prodigies from a single welfare house turned the abandoned children


    there into hotmodities among the affluent.


    Those wealthy patrons certainly understood the value of a genius.


    I kept an eye on James, more convinced than ever that he knew something.


    Seeing herself upstaged by me, Coraline quickly spoke up, ¡°So, your husband is that brilliant? Then


    how did he suddenly be an idiot? And what¡¯s this about violent tendencies?¡±


    ¡°Idiot? Not quite. He¡¯s just more innocent in nature, not two¨Cfaced like some people¡¯s partners. It¡¯s a


    shame that someone who was first in ss turned out to be such a scumbag.¡± I crossed my arms and


    gave Coraline a challenging look. ¡°I still have the photos and videos from when I caught you two red¨C


    handed. Want me to share them.


    Coraline¡¯s face paled, and she trembled with rage.


    Oscar was even more infuriated, pointing at me as heshed out, ¡°Foebe, don¡¯t you get too cocky. Do


    you really think just because you married some lunatic, you can do whatever you want?¡±


    ¡°Lunatics aren¡¯t legally liable to murder,¡± came azy voice tinged with a hint of madness from the


    doorway. Colin leaned against the frame, having appeared at some point unnoticed.

 Chapter 107

    The whole room was in shock, and even I was caught off guard.


    How did he get here?


    Colin was impably dressed today, looking like he¡¯d put some serious effort into his outfit.


    Already a striking figure, he now leaned casually against the wall, looking like he¡¯d just stepped out of


    the pages of a high¨Cfashion magazine, the quintessential heartthrob.


    ¡°Who¡­ who are you?¡± Oscar stammered, clearly shaken by Colin¡¯s presence.


    None of them recognized Caleb in this state; naturally, they were hesitant to make the


    connection.


    Caleb moved to stand by my side, took my wrist gently, and pulled me into his embrace with a wild,


    challenging grin. ¡°I¡¯m her husband.¡±


    It felt like, in the next moment, he could take Oscar down without a second thought.


    Oscar swallowed hard, fear evident in his eyes as he nced between Caleb and me.


    Even Coraline was stunned, her gaze darting to our ssmates..


    ¡°Caleb Langley? He¡¯s the heir to the Langley estate? No way, wasn¡¯t he rumored to be out of his


    mind?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, and look at him now¡­ he¡¯s more handsome than any celebrity.¡±


    Whispers began to ripple through the students.


    I caught a nce at James, our ss president; he shrank back into the crowd the moment heid


    eyes on Caleb.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    o was obvious


    What was he hiding from? afraid of Caleb.


    ¡°Sorry, everyone, my husband was under the weather these past few days, and we were considering


    noting today. But he insisted on apanying me to see Mrs. Thompson,¡± I exined.


    Mrs. Thompson looked at me with teary eyes and a warm smile. ¡°Oh, Foebe, seeing you happy makes


    me feel at ease.¡±


    Caleb, holding my hand, walked us over to Mrs. Thompson, his demeanor shifting back to one of gentle


    politeness. ¡°You take care, and you¡¯ll get better.¡±


    ¡°What a fine young man,¡± Mrs. Thompson said, visibly moved by Caleb¡¯s presence. ¡°So handsome and


    perfect for our Foebe.¡±


    Caleb looked at me, his eyes deep and twinkling with mirth.


    For a moment, I was lost in thought.


    Chapter TOT


    Which one¡­ which one is the real him?


    ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­ he cannot be Caleb!¡± Oscar, having his pride challenged, was visibly upset. He was


    supposed to be the star of the reunion, but Caleb¡¯s arrival had stolen all the attention.


    Even Coraline¡¯s eyes were filled with envy.


    Of course. Oscar wasn¡¯t going to stand for that.


    I raised an eyebrow at Oscar, then turned to Coraline. She was staring at Caleb, probably regretting


    that she hadn¡¯t been the one to marry into the Langley family.


    I couldn¡¯t help but sneer. Regretting now, are we?


    ¡°If I¡¯m not Celeb, who is? You?¡± Caleb¡¯s voice was deep and protective as he shielded me behind him.


    I looked up at him, knowing that he saw me only as a ¡®doll¡®, a stand¨Cin for Phoebe, yet I was hopelessly


    fond of this feeling of being protected.


    Before I died, I had longed for Dexter to one day stand up for me and give me a home.


    Unfortunately, he never did.


    ¡°Ha, Foebe, you really went all out for this ss reunion. Everyone knows Caleb¡¯s a fool, a madman. If


    you¡¯re staging a y, at least find someone believable. He can¡¯t possibly be Caleb.¡± Oscar sneered.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been to the Langley estate before and seen Caleb ¨C nothing but a dirty lunatic.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Foebe, how can you pretend someone¡¯s your husband?¡± chimed in the other ssmates. I


    scoffed. ¡°My husband needs your validation? Ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s all thismotion?¡± The door opened again, and another group walked in.


    My brow furrowed, and I tensed up, my grip on Caleb¡¯s arm tightening.


    They weren¡¯t students from Foebe¡¯s ss; they were alumni from the same year as Dexter. And among


    them were Melody and Dexter, former students of our beloved Mrs. Thompson.

 Chapter 108

    Back then, before fate had dealt its harshest cards, my parents were still with me, and I had not yet


    found my way to the Fitzgerald household or transferred to a new school. By the time I had enrolled at


    the institution once graced by Dexter¡¯s presence, he had long since tossed his graduation cap into the


    air and moved on.


    Dexter approached our former teacher Mrs. Thompson, his arms carrying a thoughtful gift.


    A look of contentment swept across Mrs. Thompson¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m touched that all of you could. make it.¡±


    she said warmly.


    Melody clung to Dexter¡¯s arm relentlessly through the gathering.


    Despite Dexter¡¯s stoic facade, Melody radiated with a smile that was pure joy and contentment.


    Whether by the passing of months or by Melody¡¯s own design, her pregnancy was now unmistakably


    evident.


    Throughout the event, neither Dexter nor Melody spared a nce in Caleb¡¯s and my direction.


    Caleb caught my gaze lingering on Dexter and took my hand, his grip tightening gradually. An


    inexplicable fear washed over me; Caleb¡¯s possessiveness could be as intimidating as the fiercest


    storm. It felt as if he was branding me with abel that screamed ¡®mine¡®, much like Dexter was to me


    before.


    ¡°Dexter, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve crossed paths with Caleb before. Today, Foebe dragged someone here to act


    a part, insisting he¡¯s Caleb, so I want you to decide if he¡¯s the real deal or a fraud,¡± a ssmate


    approached Dexter, attempting to strike up a conversation.


    Only then did Dexter turn to look at Caleb and me.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    I frowned, my face a defensive mask as I watched Dexter¡¯s gaze coolly sweep over me before. he


    reimed his arm from Melody. ¡°I¡¯ve never met Caleb.¡±


    I scoffed, my eyes on Melody. ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, is thisdy your fianc¨¦e?¡±


    Dexter remained silent, offering no answer.


    Melody, on the other hand, was quick to respond, her voice tinged with anxiety. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve already had


    our wedding ceremony.¡±


    I feigned understanding. ¡°Your name is Phoebe?¡±


    Melody¡¯splexion shifted, her eyes flickering with panic. ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡±


    I let out a coldugh. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m mistaken, but I heard that Dexter¡¯s mother had already arranged an


    engagement for him, and the fianc¨¦e¡¯s name was Phoebe?¡±


    Dexter¡¯s frown deepened as he looked at me, as if ming me for stirring trouble, but I insisted on


    disturbing their facade. ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, where is that Phoebe, your fianc¨¦e?¡±


    1038


    Dexter¡¯s eyes bore into me with a palpable threat.


    Caleb nced down at me it wasn¡¯t my imagination ¨C he was actually smiling. And there was a hint of


    indulgence in it.


    I felt something was off, but I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on what it was.


    ¡°Foebe, why are you talking nonsense?¡± Coraline, eager to curry favor with Dexter, interjected, recalling


    that Dexter had once shown disdain for Phoebe. ¡°Everyone in Sea City knows that Phoebe was just Mr.


    Fitzgerald¡¯s sister, and she was the victim of a serial murderer.


    Coraline¡¯s words trailed off as Dexter¡¯s re turned deadly.


    Coraline, oblivious, continued to tter Melody. ¡°Besides, Phoebe had a terrible reputation; the


    murderer must have been after her for a while.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Dexter¡¯s voice was a low growl.


    Coraline, mistaking Dexter¡¯s question for interest, replied with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m Coraline, from the Larson


    family.¡±


    ¡°Do the Larsons wish to vanish from Sea City?¡± Dexter¡¯s aura was unnervingly intimidating.


    ¡°Ha, it¡¯s so wonderful you guys coulde, really. Please, take your seats,¡± James, the ss


    president, hurried to diffuse the tension, stepping in front of Dexter. ¡°Coraline can be tactless. please


    forgive her.¡±


    After a stern look at Coraline, James added, ¡°Phoebe was a good girl.¡±


    It seemed like he knew the old me, speaking up on my behalf genuinely. Yet, I couldn¡¯t remember any


    connection with the people from the orphanage.


    Instinctively, I turned to look at Caleb, whose gaze was fixed on James, intense as if trying to bore a


    hole right through him.

 Chapter 109

    Coraline¡¯s jaw dropped in disbelief, not quite sure where she had misspoken.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Wasn¡¯t itmon knowledge that Melody was Dexter¡¯s long¨Clost love, and Phoebe nothing but a


    scorned woman who had tried and failed to seduce him?


    ¡°Alright everyone, grab a seat,¡± James directed, orchestrating the seating for the get¨Ctogether.


    I let out a snort of derision.


    Clearly, Coraline had hit a nerve with Dexter. I had died carrying his child, which was an omen of bad


    luck and a taboo topic for him.


    ¡°Must be starving, huh? Let¡¯s dig in,¡± Mrs. Thompson quickly tried to steer the conversation away from


    dangerous waters. She was clueless about how to smooth over such an awkward moment.


    After all, we were all her students.


    ¡°What¡¯s got into Mr. Fitzgerald? Struck a nerve, did I? Well you know what they say. You can¡¯t y with


    fire without getting burned.¡® In the dead of night, with your fianc¨¦e by your side, you¡¯re not afraid of


    ghosts, are you?¡± I sneered, sidling up to Melody and whispering. ¡°Melody, if you don¡¯t want skeletons


    in your closet, better not bury any bodies. You think you¡¯ve destroyed that incriminating voicemail from


    Phoebe¡¯s phone, that you¡¯re safe? But skeletons have a way of crawling back out of the closet¡­ that


    recording will surface sooner orter.¡±


    Melody turned as pale as a ghost, her hands clenched tight, her breath quickening as she stumbled


    backward..


    ¡°Don¡¯t push it too far. What¡­ what are you nning?¡± she asked me in a hushed tone.


    t


    ¡°Me?¡± 1 chuckled lightly. ¡°I¡¯m not nning anything. I just want to watch you fall¡±


    Melody¡¯s grip tightened, her voice dropping to a whisper. ¡°Don¡¯t cross the line, you¡¯re not Phoebe¡­¡®


    ¦§


    My brow furrowed at her words. She knew my name was Foebe; she must have done her homework.


    ¡°You think this is crossing the line? Have you forgotten what you did to Phoebe?¡± I continued to


    intimidate her.


    Suddenly, Melody clutched her stomach and copsed to the floor, lookingpletely drained. ¡°Dexter,


    my stomach hurts.¡±


    I knew all too well that Melody was an actress at heart, and I expected her to clutch her stomach


    because Dexter was a sucker for that act.


    I looked down at Melody with disdain. ¡°Run out of scripts to perform, have you?¡±


    Melody nced nervously at Dexter. ¡°This time, it really hurts.¡±


    Dexter seemed impatient for the first time, not rushing to her aid like before. Instead, he spoke In a low


    tone. ¡°This is a gathering organized by our teacher. Go and rest over there.¡±


    It was clear that Dexter¡¯s patience was running thin,


    To my surprise, was Dexter finally getting fed up?


    How interesting.


    Melody¡¯s face twisted in embarrassment, and the triumphant smirk she intended to throw my way never


    materialized,


    I didn¡¯t know what had transpired between them, but since my death, Dexter had be more


    enigmatic.


    But then again Dexter was never one forsting affections.


    Melody¡¯splexion looked genuinely awful, as if she wasn¡¯t faking it this time.


    ¡°Did Foebe really bring the young master of the Langley family? The guy isn¡¯t a fool, is he?¡± Someone


    else chimed in, questioning Caleb¡¯s intelligence.


    ¡°Mrs. Thompson, my husband is unwell, so we¡¯re going to skip dinner,¡± I said, no longer feeling like


    lingering. The trip wasn¡¯t a total waste; that ss president, James, clearly had something up his


    sleeve, and eded to discreetly exit and n my next move to investigate him.


    Mrs. Thompson nodded. ¡°Alright, head home and rest up.¡±


    As I took Caleb¡¯s hand to leave, Kyle and a few others arrived.


    ¡°Oh boy¡­ dress up a madman and he almost looks presentable, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Kyle¡¯spanion


    provocatively sneered.


    Kyle had a sharp tongue, and so did his cronies. These people had bullied me more than once in the


    past, and Dexter never lifted a finger to stop them.

 Chapter 110

    ¡°What kind of shindig was that, if even the mutts were invited.¡± I gripped Caleb¡¯s arm, my voice low and


    serious.


    Caleb¡¯s


    gaze sharpened in an instant, his eyes alone enough to send chills down one¡¯s spine.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Sure enough, Kyle, who¡¯d fasted Caleb¡¯s wrath before, coughed and nudged the person yapding


    beside him. ¡°Knock it off, will ya? Piss off a madman, and he could take you out without batting


    an eye.


    The guy swallowed hard, shutting up immediately.


    ¡°Good dogs don¡¯t stand in the way.¡± I said, deliberately tripping Kyle as he walked by


    Caught off¨Cguard, Kyle face¨Cnted into the ground, a ssic face¨Cfirst fall


    I turned around with augh. ¡°Oh dear, why such a grand gesture for me?¡±


    Fuming. Kyle clenched his fists and shot me a re. ¡°Crazy witch¡­¡±


    He thought I was crazy as well.


    Kyle nced at his cronies. ¡°I didn¡¯t reactst time, but are you telling me we can¡¯t take down one


    lunatic if we team up? Let¡¯s get him!¡±


    As Kyle¡¯s group seemed ready to brawl, Mrs. Thompson panicked and rushed to intervene. ¡°What are


    you-


    ¡°Mrs. Thompson, let¡¯s step aside and have a chat. Let them sort it out. They¡¯re all grown¨Cups: they


    won¡¯t really fight,¡± Melody said through gritted teeth, ushering Mrs. Thompson away with a few


    ssmates. It was clear she was allowing Kyle and his gang to make a move on Caleb.


    Caleb was alone, but they had numbers.


    And Dexter sat aloof, watching from his perch, silent, condoning their actions.


    turned to Kyle. ¡°Heh¡­ some never learn, a dog can¡¯t change its tricks. Looks like it wasn¡¯t you who


    nearly got beaten to a pulpst time.¡±


    One of Kyle¡¯s guys charged with a beer bottle aimed at Caleb. Instinctively. I moved to shield Caleb


    who was standing there looking clueless.


    Suddenly, he pulled me into his arms and grabbed the bottle with a swift backhand, his cold eyes


    dancing with madness. He snatched the bottle and smashed it over Kyle¡¯s head.


    ¡°You were the ones who started this,¡± I said, frowning at Kyle and then at Caleb. ¡°He asked for it, hit


    him.¡±


    Kyle looked terrified, Caleb¡¯s presence was indeed¡­ terrifying.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Caleb¡¯s obedience was striking; it seemed he¡¯d do whatever I said. He released me, shielding


    me behind him, and lunged at Kyle with another bottle in hand.


    10:49


    Chapter 110.


    Perhaps to prevent me from getting hurt by the flying ss, he stood protectively in front of me. Caleb¡¯s


    attacks were brutal; Kyle and his buddies were no match for him.


    Even I started to panic. I was just running my mouth, but Caleb seemed dead serious about taking Kyle


    out.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Dexter finally interrupted with a coldmand.


    Caleb paused, holding Kyle by the cor, nced back at Dexter, and then, with a scoff, threw another


    punch.


    ¡°Colin¡­¡± I stepped forward, wrapping my arms around his, truly scared someone might get killed.


    ¡°Stop, please don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Come on, cut it out, enough already!¡± Several ssmates pleaded from the sidelines, tool scared to


    step closer, while James, who¡¯d been managing the party, hid behind them, not daring to intervene.


    Dexter¡¯s face darkened with anger as he was about to step in when suddenly, there was a shout from


    the crowd.


    ¡°Dexter, Melody¡¯s fainted! There¡¯s blood on her dress!¡±


    ¡°Dexter, Melody¡¯s passed out!¡±

 Chapter 111

    Colin was the strong, silent type¨Ca man of action, not words. If he could sort something out with his


    hands, there would be no need for idle chit¨Cchat.


    I¡¯d barely managed to hold him back when I saw Melody, her dress stained with blood, being carried


    out in someone¡¯s arms,


    Dexter¡¯s brow furrowed in impatience as he turned to take Melody from the arms of the others, his face


    a dark cloud of annoyance as he walked away..


    I watched with a morbid fascination as subtle shifts yed out between Dexter and Melody.


    Was Dexter tired of her already? What a ssic yer.


    Knowing Dexter as I did, it wouldn¡¯t be long before Melody, if she kept wing at him, got a taste of the


    hellish experience he once gave me.


    ¡°Colin, let¡¯s get out of here,¡± I said, taking his hand and leading him away.


    Outside the hotel, I watched as Dexter handed Melody off to a friend, not bothering to follow her to the


    hospital.


    I hooked my arm through Colin¡¯s, myughter tinged with sarcasm. ¡°See¡­ people are fickle,


    disgustingly so.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true¡­¡± Colin cut me off.


    I looked up at him, surprised.


    ¡°I¡¯m not like that,¡± he said, his gaze shifting.away as the tips of his ears turned a faint pink.


    I paused, myughten growing more ironic.


    What was he to say that? Seeing me as a stand¨Cin for someone else?


    ¡°If you¡¯re not like that, why are you so nice to me? We¡¯ve only known each other for days, right?¡± Colin


    and Foebe Larson hadn¡¯t known each other much longer.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re Phoebe Caldwell,¡± Colin suddenly said with a serious tone.


    Hearing him say my name so directly still made my heart tighten. Sure enough, he was still obsessively


    using Foebe as a ceholder.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± I murmured softly. Colin had always called me Phoebe, not Foebe with an F.


    ¡°What if you¡¯ve got the wrong person?¡± I asked cautiously, worried he might lose it like he had before.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re Phoebe.¡± He took my hand firmly. ¡°No matter what you look like, I¡¯d recognize you.¡±


    10:49


    His certainty unnerved me.


    Even Ste couldn¡¯t recognize me. If I confessed, no one would believe me.


    We live in an age of disbelief, where talk of spirits and the supernatural is dismissed. A person dies and


    is reborn in someone else¡¯s body? That would get you sent to a psychiatric ward if you said it out loud.


    But Colin¡­ the man everyone called a lunatic firmly believed I was Phoebe. Was he deluding himself,


    or had he truly seen something?


    ¡°How¡­ how did you know it was me?¡± I asked softly.


    ¡°You opened your eyes, and I knew,¡± Colin said, gripping my hand. ¡°I just knew it was you.¡±


    So it was a madman¡¯s delusion, not a real recognition that I was Phoebe.


    ¡°I just knew¡­ you are,¡± he insisted, his voice trembling slightly.


    I didn¡¯t dare push him further. Just leave him be. I just wanted to know the truth.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t remember me¡­¡± Colin pulled me into an embrace. ¡°I¡¯ll be here with you.¡±


    His voice was soft, forgiving, promising to stay by my side.


    My heart beat strangely, a sensation I¡¯d never felt before.


    I didn¡¯t remember him? I¡¯d forgotten him? What role had he yed in my life? Why couldn¡¯t I remember


    at all?


    Our driver arrived to pick Colin and me up, just in time to see Dexter leave Melody alone to go to the


    hospital. Dexter¡¯s expression was off as he drove away.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Resting my chin on my hand, I stared out the window, my gaze fixed on Dexter¡¯s retreating figure.


    ¡°You want to see where he¡¯s going, don¡¯t you?¡± Colin asked, then instructed the driver, ¡°Follow


    that car.¡±

 Chapter 112

    Igaped at Colin, a chill creeping up my spine. Was he some kind of mind reader?


    Without a word, I quickly averted my eyes, too scared to meet Colin¡¯s intense gaze.


    He had the air of a 19th¨Ccentury European warlock, his very presence enough to set one¡¯s heart racing


    in fear.


    His eyes were so mesmerizing they seemed capable of drowning someone in their depths.


    The driver followed Dexter in secret, watching as Dexter drove towards the outskirts of town.


    Was he heading to Eternal Cemetery?


    Surprised, I watched the graveyarde into view as Dexter parked and entered.


    After dumping Melody, he actually came to a cemetery¨Chow ridiculous.


    ¡°Am I¡­ buried here?¡± I whispered timidly.


    Colin gripped my hand tightly. ¡°After they found your body, everyone said Dexter lost his mind. He


    fought with the cops over your body and got detained for twenty¨Cfour hours. After the autopsy, it was


    Dexter¡¯s mother who imed your remains for a cremation. To punish him, she didn¡¯t tell him where


    your ashes were scattered. I heard he begged in the yard all night before she finally revealed it to him.¡±


    ording to Colin, Dexter had gone mad after my death. Nobody had told me about the aftermath until


    now.


    Dexter had gone mad?


    Colin and I stayed hidden in the car, watching as Dexter approached a tombstone, his figure lonely and


    sorrowful.


    He just stood there, looking like he was about to shatter into pieces.


    He ced a bouquet of roses on the tombstone.


    I felt disgusted.


    Don¡¯t dirty my grave.


    ¡°He must be out of his mind, messing up my path to heaven¡­¡± I muttered under my breath, itching to


    curse Dexter out.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Was it because of her that I couldn¡¯t be reborn? That I was stuck in this limbo?


    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t he leave?¡± I was growing impatient.


    What was he doing standing at my grave?


    Dexter lingered, and Colin remained silent.


    10-50


    Finally, Colin spoke up. ¡°Hmph, he often stands here all day long.¡±


    I frowned. Dexter really was insane..


    Luckily, he didn¡¯t actually stand there the whole day.


    At some point, he took a phone call, his face visibly changing before he hurriedly left.


    Once he was gone, I stepped out of the car, curiously approaching my own tombstone.


    I¡¯d wondered what it would be like after death.


    So this was it¨Cstaring at your own tombstone.


    Bizarre.


    ¡°What?¡± I closed in on the tombstone, myposure shattering.


    The inscription read ¡°Beloved Wife, Phoebe¡°?


    ¡°Whose beloved wife? Is he even human?¡± I trembled with rage.


    Colin wrapped his arms around me and pointed at the inscription. ¡°Tomb of Dexter¡¯s Beloved Wife.¡±


    In that momerit, nausea surged within me.


    Tomb of Dexter¡¯s Beloved Wife?


    Oh¡­


    Beloved wife?


    Why did he have to sicken me even after my death?


    It was clearly his fault I died, but now he continues to torment me? To disturb my peace death?


    even in


    I kicked away the flowers in front of the tombstone in a fit of rage, throwing away the things Dexter had


    brought, and picking up a stone, I attempted to deface the inscription.


    Absolutely revolting.


    Colin held me tight, stopping me from further damaging the inscription. ¡°Let him write what he wants. I


    won¡¯t let you go to him, Phoebe, you belong to me.¡±


    The bitter irony of the words ¡°beloved wife¡± made me sick to my stomach.


    Beloved wife? What a cruel joke.

 Chapter 113

    After going a little crazy, I actually felt relieved. The Phoebe of the past was dead and gone.


    I¡¯m no longer Phoebe. No longer under Dexter¡¯s thumb.


    The nightmares he gave me, the so¨Ccalled favors from the past, I¡¯ve repaid them all.


    I owed him nothing. It was he who owed me..


    He owed me a life, the life of the child I carried inside me.


    As I was about to leave, my phone rang.


    It was Ste calling.


    ¡°Foebe, the police have recovered Phoebe¡¯s phone, and they¡¯ve retrieved herst voicemail before she


    died.¡±


    Before heading to Tangle Lane, I had recorded my conversation with Melod


    It was my smartest move yet. I didn¡¯t trust Melody, not since she used me of pushing her down the


    stairs.


    Luckily, I had made that recording.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already notified Dexter. Do you want toe over and listen?¡± Ste asked.


    ¡°Yeah, of course I¡¯ming. I want to see Dexter¡¯s face when he hears it,¡± I said through clenched


    teeth, my hatred for him at its peak.


    Now I finally understood why those gentle, frail women turned into vengeful spirits after death- because


    hatred intensifies with death. It never fades.


    The love I once had for him, the hope I held as I died that he would save me, was now equal to the


    hatred I bore.


    ¡°Too bad Melody imed she had a stomach ache and went to the hospital. It would¡¯ve been quite a


    show if she were here.¡± Ste said in a low voice.


    Other than me, Ste was probably the one who hated Dexter and Melody the most.


    I chuckled sarcastically. ¡°Her? Cried wolf one too many times, who knows if it¡¯s really a stomach ache


    or just an evasion.¡±


    But it didn¡¯t matter anymore. Seeing Dexter¡¯s face was entertainment enough.


    ¡°Off to the ¡®theater¡°,¡± I said, hanging up the phone and shing a smile at Colin.


    He stiffened for a moment, then hesitantly spoke up. ¡°Do you¡­ still hate him?¡±


    He was referring to Dexter.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Of course, I did.


    10:50


    ¡°Yes, I answered truthfully.


    For some reason, though, Colin seemed displeased. His hand, which had been holding mine, slowly


    loosened, and he turned to look out the car window with a haughty air.


    What was that about?


    I was a bit puzzled.


    But how could I not hate Dexter?


    ¡°He¡¯s not a good man¡­¡± After an awkward silence. Colin muttered, still gazing out the window. ¡°He


    doesn¡¯t deserve you.¡±


    I nced at Colin, bewildered. He seemed to be deceiving himself, pretending I was Phoebe. ¡°Oh.¡± I


    didn¡¯t believe Colin recognized me; at best, he saw me as a stand¨Cin because of my looks.


    Seeing my nonchnt response, he seemed to get angry. He turned to me, his indignant expression


    reminiscent of an irked hound. ¡°I¡¯m obviously more obedient.¡±


    His words caught me off guard, and I couldn¡¯t help butugh. He had dressed up nicely today. his


    handsome features even more refined and aristocratic.


    Now, he could only be described as Caleb; calling him Colin didn¡¯t seem to fit anymore.


    Indeed, good looks are an asset.


    Such a regal person, looking at me so earnestly, insisting he¡¯s more obedient¡­


    Too bad. I won¡¯t trust anyone again.


    Dexter treated me like an object with abel, iming to love me while hurting me. And Caleb, what


    he¡¯s doing now is no different from Dexter, obsessively branding Foebe with his own mark, forcing


    Foebe to live like Phoebe, threatening me in madness that I am Phoebe, not Foebe.


    So, I won¡¯t let myself be moved by anyone.


    I admit, I am scared.


    ¡°Why did you dress up today?¡± I changed the subject to avoid the issue.


    Caleb looked down, a bit dejected, knowing I was dodging the question.


    ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d be bullied, you¡¯re not Foebe, you¡¯re not familiar with them, and if they bullied you, I¡¯d


    be angry,¡± he murmured without looking at me.

 Chapter 114

    I was silent too, just staring out of the window, not wanting to say anything more.


    He said he feared I¡¯d get bullied.


    At the police station.


    The ride over had been quiet, not a word exchanged between Caleb and me.


    He followed behind me, just as silent.


    As we were about to enter the station, I suddenly froze, my heart constricting with fear as I caught sight


    of a figure in the shadows.


    It was only a fleeting nce, but I was certain it was the murderer who had been staying at my house.


    I wondered if Ste had told Robin about the murderer, and if Robin had him under surveince.


    Overwhelmed by fear, I instinctively clung to Caleb¡¯s arm, drawingfort from his warmth. which


    helped me calm down gradually.


    Caleb seemed taken aback for a moment, probably sensing my fear, and he wrapped his arm around


    my shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯m here for you.¡±


    We entered the interview room together, bumping into a female officer on the way. She was obviously


    smitten by Caleb, her cheeks and ears turning red. ¡°Wow, you finally decided to dress


    up.¡±


    Thest few times she had seen him, his clothes were ill¨Cfitting.


    I was curious too. The Langley family had provided Caleb with a wardrobe of clothes, yet he always


    wore that faded, tattered hoodie that had be too small, along with shorts that had grown too short.


    The clothes looked like they were from many years ago, from a time before he had grown so


    tall.


    ¡°You look sharp,¡± the female officer said with a beautiful, sweet smile.


    Caleb nced at me briefly, then looked down.


    Only then did the officer notice me. ¡°And you are¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m his guardian,¡± I said, feeling oddly annoyed.


    It felt like someone was eyeing what was mine. But I shouldn¡¯t be falling for anyone.


    I


    Suddenly, I understood why Dexter hated it when others coveted his possessions. It was really


    irritating.


    Caleb looked at me with intense eyes, proudly sneg, ¡°This is my w


    whispered, wits


    The officer was taken aback, her expression one of surense, ¡°You¡¯re actually


    Married?


    And he used to be a vagrant.


    ¡°This way,¡± Ste called from the corridor, beckoning me.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Look Colin¡¯s hand and followed her to the interview room.


    Probin looked serious, his gaze fixed on Dexter seated across from him.


    Dexter was impatient. ¡°How long are we going to wait?¡±


    ¡°Until all the parties involved are here, Robin said with gravity.


    Once Caleb arrived, Robin took out a voice recorder and yed a backup of the phone recording.


    ¡°Melody should be here,¡± Ste said, sitting next to Robin. ¡°Too bad. I¡¯d love to see how she¡¯d try to


    wriggle out of this,¡± Ste murmured somberly.


    Dexter furrowed his brow, saying nothing. He was starting to waver.


    ¡°What are they doing here?¡± Dexter asked with displeasure, seeing me and Caleb also sitting


    down.


    ¡°He¡¯s also involved,¡± said Robin. The ¡®involved¡® he referred to was because Caleb had once turned


    himself in, but due tock of evidence and the Langley family¡¯s bail, he had been released.


    ¡°Phoebe, Dexter wants you to wear that red dress tonight again, but we¡¯re not going to re Alley,


    we¡¯re heading to Tangle Lane.¡±


    The recording yed Melody¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Can L¡­ can I not go?¡± The timid voice was the old me.


    Now, hearing my own voice from the past felt ironic.


    ¡°Phoebe, Dexter said tonight¡¯s thest time. Just do this, and we¡¯re even. You won¡¯t have to go again.


    After all, he¡¯s pretty upset about you pushing me down the stairs.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t push you. Why are you framing me?¡± My voice was trembling.


    On the other end of the phone, Melodyughed. ¡°But he prefers to believe me, doesn¡¯t he?¡±

 Chapter 115

    I slumped back in my chair, watching Dexter with the same detached amusement one might observe a


    y.


    Hadn¡¯t he always sided with Melody over me? Now that the evidence was right in front of his face, I


    was curious to see what kind of excuses he could possibly conjure up.


    As the recording ended, the difort was palpable, etched on everyone¡¯s faces.


    Robin leaned back, his fingers fidgeting incessantly with a lighter, despite the fact that the conference


    room was a strict no¨Csmoking zone.


    ¡°A life¡¯s been lost, Robin said in a deep, somber tone.


    Dexter remained silent. His face betrayed no emotion, yet the tension around him seemed to thicken


    with every passing second.


    knew him well enough to recognize the anger brewing within him¨Cthe dangerous kind.


    ¡°Dexter, it was you and Melody who killed her. You¡¯re the murderer, both of you,¡± Ste said, her voice


    tinged with a weariness that suggested she didn¡¯t even have the energy to argue


    anymore.


    Dexter¡¯s steely gaze slowly turned towards Robin. ¡°So, what exactly are you implying by bringing this


    lunatic in? Isn¡¯t he the murderer?¡±


    The spotlight was suddenly on Caleb.


    I couldn¡¯t help but want tough, though a stabbing pain in my chest reminded me of the gravity of the


    situation.


    Springing to my feet, I fixed Dexter with a look of disgust. ¡°You¡¯re repulsive.¡±


    ¡°The murderer isn¡¯t necessarily him,¡± Robin interjected, his voice heavy with implication, clearly having


    already dismissed half the suspicion off Caleb.


    Caleb had been silent the whole time.


    I had been so focused on observing Dexter¡¯s oppressive mood that I failed to notice Caleb beside me,


    his own anger simmering to a breaking point, as if he were on the verge ofmitting murder.


    With an icy nce at Dexter, Caleb suddenly stood and lunged at him, his fists raining down on


    Dexter¡¯s face in a frenzy, as if he truly intended to kill.


    I was momentarily stunned, then rushed over to pull Caleb away. ¡°Stop, don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I? I want to kill him!¡± Caleb turned to me, Dexter¡¯s blood smeared across his face.


    Tears welled up in my eyes as I shakily released my grip on Caleb. ¡°Even if you kill him, will


    Phoebee back?¡±


    Dester sat slumped against the wall, his face a mess of blood,ughing like a madman without even


    trying to defend himself.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    I thought he¡¯d lost his mind. It seemed he was even crazier than Caleb.


    ¡°Go on then,¡± Dexter taunted Caleb. ¡°Hit mel¡±


    He must¡¯ve felt he deserved it.


    Caleb, breathing heavily, raised his fist again.


    Robin watched the scene impassively, ncing at his watch. ¡°That¡¯s enough. This is a police station.¡±


    He could¡¯ve stopped it from the get¨Cgo, but he chose not to. Above the rules, there was still room for


    human sentiment. Even Robin thought Dexter had iting.


    A good beating might bring some sense to him. I wondered if he¡¯d ever regret what he¡¯d done to


    1. me.


    ¡°Dexter, you really deserve to die¡­¡± Ste¡¯s voice shook as she spoke. ¡°You and Melody both.¡±


    With that, Ste turned and fled uncontrobly.


    I stood there, holding onto Caleb.


    Other officers rushed in, momentarily unsure of who to apprehend. ¡°Officer Robin¡­ this


    assault¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s mentally ill, so leave it,¡± Robin stated tly before turning to leave.


    I clutched Caleb¡¯s hand tightly, whispering, ¡°Colin, let¡¯s go home.¡±


    It was as if my words pulled him back to sanity. He looked at me, tears in his eyes, and stood up, his


    voice hoarse with remorse. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    He was apologizing to me. Head bowed, he cradled my face, repeating his apologies over and


    over.


    Sorry for what?


    I didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, let¡¯s go home.¡± I spoke again.


    Dexter watched us with a burning gaze, powerless and seething.

 Chapter 116

    I felt a shiver of fear at the thought of being seen through by Dexter, and I couldn¡¯t wait to get Caleb out


    of there.


    ¡°Phoebe Caldwell¡­¡± he suddenly called out.


    He called me Phoebe Caldwell.


    My steps faltered unconsciously, and I took a deep breath without turning back.


    Robin furrowed his brows, watching Dexter call me Phoebe Caldwell, thinking the man had lost


    his marbles.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Dexter¡¯s voice cracked with a sudden surge of emotion as he scrambled to his feet and


    grabbed my wrist. ¡°Phoebe? You¡¯re Phoebe Caldwell, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    I frowned in disgust, looking at him with disdain as I forcefully pped his hand away. ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald,


    have youpletely lost your mind?¡±


    He stood there, stunned, saying nothing.


    Caleb¡¯s eyes shed a warning at Dexter as he took my hand and led me away.


    From the moment we left the negotiation room, my legs felt like jelly. I was terrified that he would


    recognize me. I was afraid he would discover that I was actually Phoebe.


    ¡°Colin¡­ go to the car,¡± I said weakly to Caleb. ¡°Go to the car.¡±


    eded to see Robin.


    The real murderer was still out there, killing. We couldn¡¯t drag this out any longer; even without hard


    evidence, we could at least put the suspect under surveince to prevent further bloodshed.


    I had asked Ste to inform Robin about this, but I wasn¡¯t sure if he had uncovered any substantial


    evidence in the past few days.


    Caleb looked at me with concern, gently cradling my face. ¡°Phoebe¡­ don¡¯t be upset.¡±


    I nodded, brushing him off lightly. ¡°Just get to the car, please.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Caleb walked away, his head hung low in disappointment.


    I watched him go and then turned away.


    Waiting in the corridor, I saw Dexter, his face and clothes smeared with blood. He paused beside me,


    stopping in his tracks.


    I tried to appear calm.


    Without a word, he just looked at me and suddenly reached out as if to touch my face.


    Instinctively, I pped his hand away, ring at him with pure loathing in my eyes.


    10:50


    He seemed taken aback for a moment, rooted to the spot.


    I panicked internally; my reaction was too much like the way I used to resist him.


    Unconscious gestures, expressions, and details¡­


    Dexter stood there, staring at me for a long while as if trying to see right through me.


    I remained scowling, my hands clenched tightly. ¡°Are you sick?¡±


    Dexter didn¡¯t respond, and as soon as Robin appeared, he left hastily.


    I breathed a sigh of relief; no sane person would ever figure out that I was Phoebe.


    Even Caleb hadn¡¯t really figured it out.


    ¡°Are you waiting for me?¡± Robin approached, asking me. He eyed me up and down, seemingly


    not quite trusting.


    ¡°¡­¡± I was momentarily ovee with emotion, almost blurting out that I was Phoebe Caldwell. But if I


    said that, he would lump me and Caleb together as lunatics.


    ¡°Officer Robin, I am Caleb¡¯s wife, hiswful guardian. The matter I had Miss Ste inform your about


    regarding the murderer¡­ did you look into it?¡± I asked in a low voice, a touch of nervousness in my


    tone.


    Robin eyed me warily. ¡°What does this case have to do with you?¡±


    I hesitated, taking a deep breath. ¡°Caleb is my husband, and I don¡¯t want him to suffer an injustice. I


    want to find the real culprit and clear his name.¡±


    Caleb was still a suspect, though currently out on bail.


    Robin seemed to grudgingly ept this exnation. ¡°She didn¡¯t tell me anything about the murderer.


    What¡¯s going on?¡±


    I was taken aback.


    Had Ste not told Robin?


    Did she still not trust me?

 Chapter 117

    ¡°¡­ Although Thave no proot¡­ Esuspect the murderer has been secretly staying at Phoshe Caldwell¡¯s


    ce. If you believe me, you could have someone keep an eye on him ¡°I said, my voice tinged with


    anxiety.


    Even Ste didn¡¯t believe me, and I was certain fotin would be even more skeptical. If they didn¡¯t


    believe me, the murderer would continue their spree. More people would get hurt.


    ¡°I have a hunch that the murder is connected to people from the old orphanage, not just the women in


    red dresses from the photos. Those might just be the beginning rvously nced at Robin, holding


    back from mentioning our ss president James.


    Ineeded to get to the bottom of this first.


    Robin eyed me with suspicion. ¡°You¡¯re saying the murderer might be living at Phoebe¡¯s house?¡± I


    nodded vigorously, my gaze fixed on Robin.


    Robin frowned. ¡°How do you know this?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± I stammered. ¡°I¡¯ve been investigating.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the evidence?¡± Robin pressed for proof.


    ¡°If you trust me, just watch him. He¡¯s bound to act again,¡± I urged desperately.


    ¡°Are you still hung up on this person staying at Phoebe¡¯s ce?¡± Ste emerged from the office,


    casting a nce my way. ¡°Foebe, after you told me the other day, I went over to Phoebe¡¯s. Everything


    was as usual, no sign of anyone sticking around, I checked thest few months of security footage. The


    only personing and going was you. Even before Phoebe passed, you were always sneaking into


    her housel¡±


    Ste¡¯s gaze was icy as she continued. ¡°ed to ask, how did you get Phoebe¡¯s keys and get in?


    What were you doing? Phoebe never mentioned you to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± I was taken aback, wanting to exin, also surprised that Foebe had often gone to my ce.


    What was she doing there? I wasn¡¯t even living there anymore? But the scrutinizing looks from Ste


    and Robin were suffocating.


    I knew the truth, but voicing it out seemed futile when no one would belleve me.


    ¡°Moreover, I¡¯ve gone through Phoebe¡¯s belongings, her daily diaries, all kept in that house, and now


    they¡¯re all missing. You took them, didn¡¯t you?¡± Ste said angrily.


    ¡°Believe me, Ste, please. I just want to catch Phoebe¡¯s murderer,¡± I blurted out in panic.


    Foebe took my diaries?


    What other secrets did this Foebe have?


    Ste watched me with a mix of suspicion and caution, then nced at Robin. ¡°I find her


    Suspicious. She¡¯s known way too much about Phoebe from the start, too many details¡­ She¡¯s


    purposefully imitating Phoebe to mislead us.¡±


    Robin also looked at me with doubt, his distrust evident


    ¡°It you won¡¯t believe me, then I¡¯m leaving. I didn¡¯t borate, fearing it would only fuel their suspicions.


    Since they didn¡¯t believe me, I had to find evidence to convince them.


    ¡°There¡¯s definitely something off about this Foebe, Ste muttered, her brow furrowed as she looked at


    Robin.


    Robin said nothing, his gaze deep and thoughtful.


    In the car.


    I stared nkly outside, at the gloomy sky, as a light rain began to fall again.


    It suddenly dawned on me that the murderer always seemed to choose this kind of weather to strike.


    With the drizzle, many would wear raincoats, and even if caught on camera, nothing could be made out


    clearly. It was perfect formitting the crime and for dumping the body.


    *Colin, take me to my ce!¡± I said with suppressed urgency, desperate to find evidence to prove my


    innocence.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    The feeling of not being trusted, especially by someone who was once a close friend, was truly


    crushing.


    ¡°Head to Serenity Lane,¡± Caleb said to the driver.


    Caleb knew that by ¡®my ce¡®, I meant Phoebe¡¯s house.


    The car stopped along a narrow alley in Serenity Lane, crowded with vehicles, providing a good


    cover.

 Chapter 118

    I peered anxiously out the car window, my gaze fixated on the direction of my home..


    The upside to these old¨Cstyle apartment buildings is their open walkways on each floor, allowing a


    clear view of anyoneing or going.


    I had Caleb stay put in the car while I skulked in a corner, keeping a vignt watch over the entrance.


    After what felt like an eternity, I finally spotted the figure in a raincoat emerging from my ce and


    descending the stairs.


    I stealthily trailed behind.


    ¡°Robin, I¡¯ve spotted the murderer, and he¡¯s about to strike again.¡± I sent a voice message to Robin,


    urging him to follow.


    If we could catch this person in the act, we¡¯d have the evidence we needed. Then Robin and Ste


    would have to believe me.


    Rain poured down, growing heavier by the minute, as the sky darkened.


    I followed the suspicious person, not knowing how long I had been on his trail. He was cautious.


    ncing back.multiple times, but luckily I managed to hide each time.


    Eventually, he stopped in front of an apartmentplex, holding a photograph, scanning the


    area.


    I knew he had set his sights on a new victim, someone inside this building.


    Sure enough, a luxury car pulled up, and a woman in a red dress, umbre in hand, stepped out and


    entered the building. The hallway was silent except for the click¨Cck of her high heels.


    My hands shook as I recorded the scene on my phone.


    The woman entered her home, leaving the door ajar. The rain¨Ccoated murderer seized the moment,


    propping the door open with his hand and stealthily slipped in after her.


    In a panic, I sent the footage to Robin. This had to count as evidence right?


    Fearing the murderer would act before the police arrived, I dashed forward and started pounding on the


    door. ¡°Maintenance! Time to settle this month¡¯s dues!¡±


    No response from within.


    Could the murderer have alreadymitted the deed?


    ¡°Open up, it¡¯s maintenance!¡±


    Just as I called out for the third time, Robin and his team burst onto the scene, busting through


    the door and pinning the person in the raincoat to the ground.


    The woman let out a shriek. ¡°Who the hell are you people? Are you insane?¡±


    10:51


    Robin frowned and the other officers were taken aback.


    I stood frozen at the doorway as the raincoat slipped away. It wasn¡¯t the murderer.


    I had been duped.


    The real murderer had deliberately sent someone out from my home.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    It was a setup.


    Did he know I was onto him?


    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this? Why are you assaulting my husband?¡± the woman in red demanded


    angrily.


    The man red at Robin. ¡°Are you out of your minds? This is trespassing!¡±


    ¡°Foebe, what¡¯s going on?¡± Robin snapped, visibly upset. ¡°Don¡¯t you know we¡¯re swamped?¡±


    Numb. I stood at the threshold, unsure of how to exin. ¡°It¡¯s not¡­ it¡¯s not him.¡±


    ¡°He came out of my house.¡± I pointed at the man in the raincoat. ¡°Why did youe out of Phoebe


    Caldwell¡¯s ce?¡±


    The man furrowed his brow. ¡°What ¡®your house¡®? I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    Robin¡¯s patience was wearing thin. ¡°Foebe, filing a false police report is a crime!¡±


    I was stunned, clenching my fists tightly. Robin didn¡¯t believe me, and his distrust was evident.


    ¡°Robin¡­¡± What could I say?


    ¡°Officer Robin! There¡¯s been a development! A male body has been found at South Bay Wharf. looks


    like a fresh kill. He just lost vital signs.¡±


    Another officer rushed in with the news, briefing Robin.


    My eyes widened in panic, meeting Robin¡¯s furious gaze.


    ¡°If I find out you¡¯re deliberately trying to mislead us, I¡¯ming after you,¡± Robin warned me, before


    quickly departing.


    I frantically followed.


    A male victim?


    Had the murderer started targeting men now?


    ¡°Robin¡­ that man is the murderer, why won¡¯t you believe me?¡± I shouted after him, filled with


    frustration.


    Downstairs. Caleb stood quietly in the rain, watching me. As I descended, he came over and sheltered


    me with his umbre.

 Chapter 119

    ¡°I just overheard them say there¡¯s been another male victim.¡±


    It meant that the serial murderer was still at it, still hunting. And now, it wasn¡¯t just women; men were on


    his list too. It all had to be connected to that old orphanage. This was a


    provocation¨Ca p in the face to the cops who couldn¡¯t catch him.


    ¡°Who the hell is he, and why don¡¯t we have even a shred of a lead on this guy?¡± My voice


    trembled.


    The murderer must have suspected me.


    Caleb held the umbre over me, his posture rigid with tension.


    I looked up at him nervously, rain streaming down from my soaked hair. ¡°You know, don¡¯t you? You


    know who he is, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t¡­ We can¡¯t let him keep killing.¡± My fingers clenched tightly on Caleb¡¯s jacket.


    He knew who the murderer was, so why wouldn¡¯t he speak up?


    ¡°They¡­ they deserve it¡­¡± Caleb¡¯s voice was hoarse, his body slightly shaking.


    I froze for a moment, then looked up at Caleb.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    They deserve it?


    Was he talking about the victims?


    ¡°What about Phoebe Caldwell? What did she ever do wrong?¡± I pushed Caleb away, out of control, and


    started running out into the storm.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Caleb¡¯s voice was tense as he called after me.


    But I didn¡¯t stop. I ran through the rain toward the crime scene.


    Who was the victim this time?


    South Bay Wharf.


    By the time I got there, I was drenched to the bone, shivering from the cold, my face ghostly pale.


    I stood at the edge of the road, joining the crowd of onlookers at the scene.


    ¡°The victim¡¯s a male, another orphan from that fire years ago. After the tragedy, the government.


    relocated the orphans, most got adopted. It looks like¡­ the murderer is still linked to the orphanage.¡±


    ¡°Check everyone from the orphanage! Bring them all in for questioning!¡± Robin¡¯s emotions were barely


    contained.


    ?§­§³?


    Capter 119


    Of course, Sea City¡¯s biggest serial murder case in years was still unsolved. The police were clueless,


    without a single slip¨Cup from the murderer, not a trace or clue left behind.


    ¡°The guy¡¯s too careful. No hair, no nails, not even a fingerprint. How¡¯s he doing it?¡± A young copt asked,


    panic in his voice. ¡°It¡¯s like there¡¯s no murderer at all. Like those online stories, some kind of demon


    iming souls.¡±


    Robin¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Cut the crap! There are no ghosts in this world.¡±


    I stood there stiffly, watching the body being taken away by the cops.


    A demon, iming s


    No clues¡­


    If it was a person, how could they leave absolutely nothing behind?


    Ste had said she¡¯d been to my ce, no sign anyone lived there. But I had seen someone


    there, in that house.


    Robin was a staunch atheist, and didn¡¯t believe in ghosts, but me¡­ I had died once before. Yet I knew


    that even if you turned into a ghost, you couldn¡¯t kill anyone¨Cyou couldn¡¯t touch anything solid. The


    souls of the dead seemed trapped in some kind of fourth dimension, unable to touch the living in the


    third dimension.


    ¡°Foebe Larson, just who are you?¡± Ste was there too, holding her umbre, her gaze probing. ¡°What


    are you trying to do?¡±


    I was breathing hard, looking back at her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you believe me?¡±


    Ste¡¯s brows furrowed, a warning in her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t let me catch you slipping up.¡±


    Suddenly, my head throbbed with pain, shes of memories that weren¡¯t mine flickered in my mind.


    It was Foebe and the murderer.


    ¡°I can help you get rid of whoever you want gone, but you have to y by my rules, and marry Caleb.¡±

 Chapter 120

    I was squatting on the ground, my head pounding as I was staring at the pavement with a mix of terror


    and disbelief.


    Foebe¡­ she was indeed connected to the murderer.


    ¡°Why she¡¯s here? Should we bring her in for questioning? There¡¯s something off about that woman,¡±


    Cory asked Robin.


    Robin¡¯s expression was grave as he looked at me, ¡°Miss Foebe, this isn¡¯t a ce for you.¡±


    I stayed silent, waiting for the police to clear the scene before standing up to search for Caleb.


    Had he not followed me?


    In a frenzy, I scanned the area for Caleb and finally spotted him across the street, also drenched from


    the rain. That was when a wave of relief washed over me. He was still here.


    ¡°Caleb¡­¡± I wanted to dash to his side, but the bustling traffic stood in my way.


    ¡°Stay put,¡± he raced towards me with urgency and draped his coat over my shoulders.


    ¡°Phoebe, let¡¯s go home.¡± he whispered soothingly.


    I nodded, casting a final nce at the crime scene.


    ¡°The lunatic won¡¯t stop,¡± I said, my voice hoarse.


    The murderer would keep going. He¡¯d keep killing until he was satisfied.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for him, too,¡± Caleb cracked open and revealed.


    I looked up at Caleb. Why wouldn¡¯t you say his name?¡± I asked.


    He shook his head, ¡°Because I¡¯m not sure myself.¡±


    I frowned, unsure whether Caleb was trustworthy.


    Back at the Langleys.


    After a hot shower, I curled up in bed with a mug of water.


    Caleb emerged from the bathroom in a bathrobe, squatting beside me. ¡°Feeling better?¡± he asked.


    I nodded, my emotions beginning to settle as I asked, ¡°Can I ask you something?¡±


    He nodded.


    ¡°Why do you say those who died deserved to die?¡± I was eager to know what those people had done.


    10:51


    Caleb looked down, his long, elegant fingers slowly clenching. Scars from burns marred his hands, yet


    his fingers remained strikingly beautiful.


    It was clear that, had he not been injured, he would have been a perfect ¡®work of art.


    ¡°Fire¡­ they set fires,¡± Caleb said, his voice low as if recalling a painful memory.


    His whole body was trembling.


    Panicked, I grasped Caleb¡¯s hand and instinctively pulled him into an embrace, ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ it¡¯s all in the


    past.¡±


    Were the people from the orphanage the ones who set the fire making Caleb a victim?


    That could be a lead to investigate, right?


    I took out my phone and messaged Robin.


    I mentioned that the victims were connected to the orphanage fire from years ago.


    Robin replied that there was no need for ¡°Miss Foebe¡± to concern herself.


    I sighed, feeling a bit defeated and leaning back against the bed.


    As expected, Foebe herself was just too unreliable.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    I guessed Ste must have noticed something off about her; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have be so


    cold and distrusting towards me.


    What had she discovered?


    ¡°Phoebe, promise me, don¡¯t get involved in that matter anymore, okay?¡± Caleb pleaded, his eyes filled


    with worry.


    ¡°Master, Madam, Mr. Brendan has returned,¡± the butler knocked and announced from outside


    the door.


    Brendan was back from the hospital, now he¡¯s bedridden and likely to require constant care for the


    foreseeable future.


    I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and ruffled Caleb¡¯s hair. ¡°Let¡¯s go downstairs and see Brendan.¡±


    I imed.


    The affairs of the Langley family were enough to trouble.


    With Brendan paralyzed, having lost his speech and decision¨Cmaking abilities, it was only a matter of


    time before the vultures in the Langley family would start circling.

 Chapter 121

    In the master bedroom on the first floor, Brendan was brought home andid on his bed, looking terribly


    unwell.


    Henry and his son had also arrived, and their intentions were far from good.


    The more distant rtives of the Langleys had gathered, each with their own schemes in mind.


    In their eyes, I was still the same Foebe Larson, the easy¨Cto¨Cmanipte outsider who had been


    brought in solely to bear an heir for the Langley family, a total pushover.


    Little did they know, Foebe Larson had undergone a ¡®core¡® change.


    ¡°Brendan is ill, and the Langley¡¯s boat can¡¯t sail without someone at the helm. I see no one on


    Brendan¡¯s side fit to take the reins. There¡¯s a fool¡­¡± Henry¡¯s voice was deep, filled with disdain as he


    cast a nce at Caleb Langley. ¡°And an outsider.¡±


    That outsider was me.


    Henry sneered and walked over to the bed, ¡°Brendan, if you agree it¡¯s best for me to take charge, just


    nod your head. I promise to take the Langley Group to new heights.¡±


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Brendan seemed furious, but s he could only make frustrated noises and pulled at the sheets with a


    fiery re directed at Mr. Henry.


    ¡°He can¡¯t be agitated,¡± Eric said, his voice stern.


    ¡°I think my dear cousin agrees,¡± Henry twisted the truth, clearly intent on seizing power by force.


    ¡°Who said Grandpa agreed?¡± I entered the bedroom and walked over to Brendan¡¯s side. ¡°Grandpa,


    everything in the Langley family, including the shares of Langley Holdings, are to go to my child, aren¡¯t


    they? He is the bloodline of the Langley family, our rightful heir, right?¡±


    Brendan gave me a look, one filled with surprise and bewilderment, but still, he reluctantly nodded.


    Henry¡¯s expression turned sour.


    His son Julian Langley also threatened coldly, ¡°A woman should know her ce. You¡¯d best not push


    your luck, or that child might never see the light of day.¡±


    Brendan red at Julian Langley, his mouth opening as if to hurl insults.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel sorrow for Brendan, who had been powerful and influential all his life. and now


    could only lie in bed, mute and powerless..


    ¡°You, a grown man, resort to threatening a woman? Seems like that¡¯s all you¡¯re capable of,¡± I said to


    Julian with not a trace of fear in my eyes.


    How could these people be more frightening than that serial murderer?


    10:51


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± Julian didn¡¯t expect my defiance: he scoffed, moving to step forward. With Brendan bedridden,


    his boldness knew no bounds.


    As I stepped back. Caleb positioned himself in front of me.


    He was tall and his presence unexpectedlyforting.


    Julian frowned, eyeing Caleb. ¡°A fool like you think you can protect her? Hah¡­¡±


    Caleb didn¡¯t speak, his gaze deep and intense as he looked at Julian.


    Perhaps feeling the pressure from Caleb¡¯s presence, Julian frowned deeper.


    A gang¨Cbanger who¡¯d spent years brawling and fighting was now literally intimidated by someone they


    considered a fool.


    Caleb was usually quiet, possibly due to a past injury to his throat which made his voice raspy.


    But when he was serious, he could be truly intimidating.


    ¡°The Langleys can¡¯t hold up without someone in charge. Brendan, do you n to let this fool meddle,


    or a woman?¡± Henry asked indifferently.


    ¡°I will take over thepany.¡±


    I meant to say that I would temporarily manage thepany, but Caleb spoke before I could.


    His deration shocked everyone in the room, myself included.


    Brendan looked at Caleb, his eyesplex as he struggled to speak. But he was unable to


    utter.


    Caleb could see that his eyes carried a tinge of terror.

 Chapter 122

    So, he was afraid of Caleb?


    ¡°It seems even Brendan has a hard time handing over thepany to a fool,¡± Henry chuckled.


    I frowned and whispered into Brendan¡¯s ear, ¡°Grandpa, you wouldn¡¯t want your hard¨Cearned empire to


    be snatched away by those vultures, would you?¡±


    His gaze stiffened, and he slowly nodded at Eric.


    That was consent.


    Consent for Caleb to join thepany.


    Henry red at Julian with a huff, ¡°I wonder how long a fool willst in thepany.¡±


    ¡°So. Brendan would rather leave thepany to a fool than share a dime with us?¡± His distant rtives


    lingered outside, hoping for a piece of the inheritance.


    I nced at Caleb and signaled him to be at ease. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    Caleb didn¡¯t speak; he just held my hand to make me stay by his side.


    ¡°How could Brendan entrust such a vast business to a fool? Is thepany a ce for a fool to


    meddle? It¡¯sughable; I think he¡¯s gone senile.¡±


    ¡°Has the stroke tied up his brains?¡±


    The noise continued outside.


    Caleb and I stepped out to face them, ¡°Brendan¡¯s just sick; he¡¯s not dead. With proper care, he¡¯ll


    recover his speech. The Langley family just faces a minor upheaval and now you¡¯re already waiting to


    divide the inheritance?¡± I asked sharply. ¡°If you hurt Brendan¡¯s heart, I assure you that none of you will


    get a penny.¡±


    The group was taken aback, all looking over. They hadn¡¯t expected me, the supposedly timid. and


    obedient Foebe to suddenly show such strength.


    + coem a bit more cor


    ¡°I always thought you were a docile girl, but now¡­ Julian sneered at me.


    The rest fell silent and followed Henry out. They hadn¡¯t given up, nor were they intimidated by me; it


    was simply because Brendan was still hanging on by a thread, not dead.


    When everyone had left, I breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at Caleb, ¡°You¡¯re too impulsive. Why


    were you talking about taking over thepany? Do you even know how to manage? They will make


    things difficult for you; you won¡¯tst a day.¡±


    I didn¡¯t need to guess that thepany had probably undergone a major shake¨Cup. Henry¡¯s


    people should be in the majority now.


    Caleb just looked at me, silent.


    10.51


    I felt a headacheing on. The murderer¡¯s case was still unresolved, and now we were entangled in


    the Langley family¡¯s power struggle.


    ¡°Madam, although the young master has agreed to join thepany, I must remind you that it¡¯s not a


    simple matter.¡± Eric said,ing out after tending to Brendan¡¯s sleep.


    He nced at me and pushed up his sses. ¡°The Langley Group is currently coborating with the


    Fitzgerald Group. Tomorrow¡¯s meeting is with Dexter Fitzgerald, the CEO of the Fitzgerald Group. If


    this partnership goes well, it could help the young master cement his. authority in thepany.¡±


    I paused, instinctively looking up at Caleb.


    Dexter?


    It was such a coincidence that we came together with that lunatic again.


    Caleb¡¯splexion wasn¡¯t great, his eyes shing with anger at Eric. ¡°Enough¡­¡±


    Clearly, he didn¡¯t want me to get in touch with Dexter.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    But Eric seemed not to understand. ¡°If you can¡¯t secure this partnership, you¡¯ll have a hard time gaining


    respect at thepany.¡±


    This was Caleb¡¯s first step in managing thepany, his foot in the door.


    ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll go with you to thepany,¡± I decided after a moment of silence, determined to help


    Caleb.


    ¡°No need,¡± Caleb said curtly, his voice low as he turned and went upstairs, clearly angry.

 Chapter 123

    ¡°Don¡¯t fall for him again.¡±


    I entered Caleb¡¯s room when, out of nowhere. I found myself pinned against the wall.


    And he told me to stop harboring feelings for him. He was talking about Dexter.


    ¡°Not anymore.¡± I mumbled, my voice hoarse as I averted my gaze.


    ¡°Lies¡­¡± He used me of lying.


    ¡°I¡­¡± I tried to exin, but his grip on my chin prevented any further words as his mouth sealed over


    mine.


    His breath was scorching, and the room seemed to burn with an invisible fire.


    I was still afraid of him: Caleb could be truly intimidating when he meant business. ¡°Colin¡­¡± I muttered.


    It seemed that he could regain a sliver of sanity when I called him Colin.


    True to form, his icy eyes hesitated for a moment at the sound of his name Colin, and he released me


    with a heavy breath, probably worried about hurting the baby growing inside me..


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ don¡¯t leave me again. Don¡¯t lie to me again.¡±


    He kept saying ¡®again¡®. As if Phoebe Caldwell had deceived him countless times before.


    But I couldn¡¯t remember any of it.


    That night, Caleb clung to me with a stubborn desperation, refusing to let go for the longest time.


    Maybe it was the rain, but I came down with a fever in the night, my head throbbing with a dull


    pain.


    Memories that weren¡¯t mine began to creep into my consciousness.


    ¡°To get a hold on Caleb, you need to be a woman named Phoebe¡­¡±


    av


    ¡°You must mimic her every move, her expressions, even the simplest gestures and words. Everything


    should be as Phoebe¨Clike as possible.¡±


    ¡°Only then can you make Caleb keep you by his side, and step by step, you¡¯ll secure your shares of the


    Langley Group.¡±


    ¡°No, I am Phoebe myself¡­¡± I struggled in my dreams, wrestling with those foreign memories.


    Who was that voice?


    The murderer?


    10:52


    Chap 121


    No, the voice was all wrong.


    ¡°No. Lam Phoebe myself.¡± I awoke with a start, gasping for air.


    Caleb was sitting beside me and holding a damp cloth, his eyes filled with concern.


    ¡°Colin¡­¡± I whispered, fear suddenly gripped me and I clung tightly to Caleb.


    Caleb¡¯s body tensed, then he soothed me softly. ¡°Nightmare?¡±


    I nodded, my thoughts a jumbled mess.


    Foebe had too many secrets.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m here,¡± he said, his voice hoarse but I always felt that familiar.


    ¡°Sleep now. You¡¯ve got a fever. You¡¯ll feel better when you wake up.¡±


    I drifted back into a restless slumber, unsure how long I slept. When I awoke, it was already noon the


    next day.


    ¡°Colin¡­¡± I murmured.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Caleb?¡± I inquired as I ventured out.


    ¡°The young master has gone to thepany,¡± came the reply from a new face among the Langley


    household staff. I hadn¡¯t even noticed the change the day before.


    When did all the staff get reced?


    ¡°Where¡¯s Ailie?¡± I probed.


    The nanny looked down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am, I don¡¯t know an Ailie. My name¡¯s Fidelia.¡±


    I remained silent, sensing a newfound and exaggerated respect from the staff.


    ¡°Tell the butler I want to go to the office.¡± I said.


    ¡°Certainly.¡± The new nanny nodded and hurried off to find the butler.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, your car is ready.¡± I was bbergasted when the butler entered and imed.


    The Langley family¡¯s old butler had always been with Brendan. Why even the butler had been


    reced?


    ¡°The previous butler¡­?¡± I was perplexed.


    The old man was incapacitated, leaving the Langley family without a head. Who had the


    authority to overhaul the entire staff?


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°The old butler fell ill and has retired. I am the new butler. If there¡¯s anything you need, ma¡¯am, you can


    instruct me directly.¡±


    I felt adrift, unsure of who did these.


    10:52


    Was It Colin¡¯s doing?


    Surely he didn¡¯t have the power or influence to orchestrate such a change, especially when everyone in


    the Langley family considered him a fool.

 Chapter 124

    He never got that kind of pull,


    I boarded the train absent¨Cmindedly and massaged my temples.


    Lately, I¡¯ve been gued by a sense of foreboding I couldn¡¯t shake. It felt as if something bad was on


    the horizon.


    My phone buzzed. It was Ste and I didn¡¯t expect that..


    Since my passing, she¡¯d grown colder and more detached. She¡¯d thrown all her endeavor into hunting


    down the criminal.


    It pained me to see her like this, but I was at a loss on how to help. She wouldn¡¯t take my word for


    anything.


    ¡°Melody lost the baby. That maniac is still after her, but thank God the cops got there in time. She just


    lost the child, though.¡±


    My heart clenched at the news. The perpetrator was still obsessively targeting Melody.


    ¡°Why are you telling me this? I thought you didn¡¯t trust me?¡± I murmured.


    I couldn¡¯t fathom why Ste was suddenly confiding in me.


    ¡°Melody said she wants to see you,¡± Ste said tly.


    ¡°See me?¡± I was taken aback.


    Why would Melody want to meet me? I was Foebe now.


    ¡°Yes, you, Foebe with,an F,¡± Ste¡¯s voice was aloof.


    I somehow felt a wave of anxiety. ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°Tonight at six, I¡¯ll meet you at the entrance of Sea City Hospital.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± I hung up and stared nkly out the train window, lost in thought.


    Melody wanted to see me?


    Did she know Foebe too?


    ¡°Is the Langley Group talking about its cooperation with the Fitzgerald Group today?¡± I asked casually,


    as the family butler was escorting me. I wondered if he was privy to thepany¡¯s affairs.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± he nodded. He actually knew what was happening in thepany.


    ¡°Dexter is handling it personally?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I frowned.


    10:52


    Melody lost her baby and Dexter must have heard. How could he still be in the mood for business?


    How could he be so cold?


    Wasn¡¯t he madly in love with Melody?


    Didn¡¯t he used to fuss over her at the slightest injury?


    Now, with the baby gone, he acted like nothing¡¯s happened.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± The butler said.


    Arriving at thepany, I got out of the car. Looking up at the Langley Group skyscraper, I was struck


    by the power it represented in the Sea City business world. The building¡­ the entire edifice belonged


    to the Langley family.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, right this way.¡±


    Talk about bad timing. Just as I entered thepany, I saw Dexter walking in as well.


    Dexter clearly noticed me too, our eyes locking for a fleeting moment.


    The clueless assistant ushered us into the same elevator.


    There were just a few of us inside the elevator, whereas the air felt heavy and tense. Reaching the


    second floor¡¯s lounge area, more employees crowded in, pushing me back. Suddenly, someone raised


    an arm to steady me against the elevator corner.


    I looked up into Dexter¡¯s eyes without giving much thought, and immediately felt a sickening churn in


    my stomach.


    Truth to form, seeing him was physically unsettling. His gaze was intense, as if trying to see right


    through me.


    ¡°Enjoying your leisure time, Mr. Fitzgerald? I heard about your wife¡¯s miscarriage¡­ and yet here you


    are, ready for business.¡± I couldn¡¯t hide my scorn.


    Dexter stiffened, his voice heavy, ¡°She¡¯s not my wife.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Weren¡¯t you two head over heels just a while ago?¡± His fickleness disgusted me; was he already


    discarding his old me?


    ¡°My wife¡¯s name was Phoebe Caldwell, and she¡¯s passed away.¡± He was suddenly iming Phoebe as


    his wife.


    It felt like I¡¯d been pped with, something vile. Looking at Dexter with pure fury, I retorted almost


    reflexively, ¡°Shameless. Since when was she your wife? Don¡¯t you dare tarnish her memory!¡±


    Theplexity in Dexter¡¯s eyes deepened, and after a long pause, he finally said, ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±

 Chapter 125

    Leyed Dexter warily, my expression darkening.


    What was got into this man again?


    ¡°Who are you yelling at? Knock it off, it¡¯s gross.¡± I shoved past Dexter, eager to escape the


    elevator.


    But Dexter, in a sudden fit of paranoia, clutched at my wrist, yanking me back. ¡°You¡¯re Phoebe,


    aren¡¯t you¡­¡±


    His voice was hoarse and alsoced with a tinge of excitement.


    Panic fluttered in my chest, but I mustered a calm strength to push him away. ¡°If you¡¯re gonnal have a


    meltdown, do it somewhere else. This is the Langley Group, not your home.¡±


    The elevator dinged open, and the staff filed out onto their respective floors, leaving just me.


    Dexter, and his assistant.


    Dexter didn¡¯t speak again, his gaze fixed on me, sending shivers down my spine.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, right this way, please.¡± The elevator doors parted, and Eric was waiting.


    He didn¡¯t seem the least bit surprised to see me.


    Dexter¡¯s look wasplicated as he stepped out of the elevator.


    I followed, my heart still racing.


    He couldn¡¯t possibly recognize me, could he?


    He¡¯s deluding himself,


    My clenched hands slowly rxed, and I wiped the sweat from my palms, trailing behind Eric..


    ¡°Did Colin¡­ Caleb run into trouble at thepany?¡±


    Eric seemed unfazed as he nced back at me, ¡°A few businesses of Mr. Henry¡¯s are in trouble. and


    under the police¡¯s investigation, so he¡¯s been tied up and hasn¡¯t had the chance toe by. For now, it


    seems like no one else at thepany has the guts to mess with the young master.¡±


    I was taken aback for a fleeting moment. So Henry¡¯s business had problems too. Was it Caleb¡¯s dumb


    luck or¡­


    It all seemed a bit too convenient.


    ¡°With Mr. Henry¡¯s people being the only ones bold enough to stir things up and him being out of the


    picture, they naturally wouldn¡¯t dare make a move,¡± I nodded.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Brendan¡¯s influence in thepany wouldn¡¯t just vanish due to days of bedridden. Most people were


    still wary of him.


    10:52


    If Henry wanted a shake¨Cup in the Langley Group, it would take time,


    ¡°Mr. Henry won¡¯t be held back forever. He¡¯lle after the young master sooner orter Eric


    whispered, as if for my ears alone. ¡°That¡¯s why the deal with the Fitzgerald Group needs to so


    through.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve looked into this deal. Dextering personally to the Langley Group, so it looks like they¡¯re the


    ones desperate for a partnership anyway. Besides, with the Langley Groups clout in Sea City, they


    shouldn¡¯t be held back unless Henry and Dexter have struck a deal and are nning some mischief.¡± I


    lowered my voice.


    Dexter didn¡¯t seem to have allied with Henry yet.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­¡± Eric spoke again, just before we entered the office. ¡°It¡¯s the young master¡­. he¡¯s


    the one refusing to cooperate with the Fitzgerald Group.¡±


    It was Caleb who unterally refused any partnership with the Fitzgerald Group.


    And it was also him who was making moves against the Fitzgerald Group.


    ¡°I heard on the news that several of the Fitzgerald Group¡¯s projects have run into issues¡­¡± I murmured


    softly, then looked up at Eric. ¡°Caleb can¡¯t possibly have the means, can he?¡±


    He was just a fool. He¡¯d been wandering all his life, even living in an orphanage. He had only just


    returned to the Langley family; how could he suddenly have the power to take on the Fitzgerald Group


    and Dexter?


    Eric didn¡¯t respond, simply opening the door and gesturing for me to enter.


    I stood at the threshold, taking a moment to collect myself before stepping inside.


    In the office, Caleb sat in a suit beside the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows, looking isted and untouchable.


    But after all his years of roaming and never having handledpany matters, it would take time for him


    to get the hang of it.


    I used to think Dexter had the right presence, at least he seemed pretty convincing when he was acting


    like a gentleman.

 Chapter 126

    But now, before Caleb, it seemed like his aura waspletely subdued.


    Neither of them looked particrly well. Caleb remained silent, and it was Dexter who spoke. first.


    Well¡­ The Langley Group¡¯s gesture of goodwill is, let me tell you, quite the surprise. Sending a dimwit


    to meet with us from the Fitzgerald Group suggests that perhaps we needn¡¯t bother discussing this


    partnership any further.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, we needn¡¯t. Caleb scoffed. He seemed to start a killing spree at any moment when hist fury


    was cracklina.


    Caleb seemed on the verge of transforming into a demon and ready to tear his adversary to shreds


    especially when he faced Dexter.


    Dexter furrowed his brow; if there was no discussion to be had, why had Caleb summoned him


    personally it not to humiliate him?


    The Fitzgerald name might have once yed second fiddle to the Langleys, but with Brendan gone,


    the Langleys¡® downfall was all but certain, especially if left in the hands of a dimwit like Caleb.


    ¡°The Langley family is empty now; that¡¯s why you¡¯re sitting here. With you at the helm, the Langley


    Group will bleed out sooner rather thanter.¡± Dexter said with a calm that belied his words, rising from


    his seat without any intention of further discussion.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, business is about mutual respect, and this deal was meant to profit the Fitzgerald


    Group. We¡¯ve yet to see your respect. If all you have to offer are ¡®dimwit¡¯s, then I¡¯m surprised my


    husband hasn¡¯t had security escort you out. Perhaps next time you¡¯ll bring some sincerity with you,¡± I


    stepped up beside Caleb and gave him a little poke.


    If this deal really fell through, I had no idea how Henry would demean him.


    It wasn¡¯t the time for Caleb to be impulsive, not when he needed to cement his authority in the


    Caleb¡¯s gaze on Dexter was icy, but when he looked up at me, his eyes instantly softened with an


    almost puppy¨Clike plea.


    Did he have dual personalities? He¡¯s really good at switching them.


    I coughed lightly, feeling a bit unsettled, ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, with Brendan ill, Caleb is the sole heir to the


    Langley Group. So we can talk business when you¡¯re ready to show some respect.¡±


    This was the first time I¡¯d stood up to Dexter so boldly.


    In the past days when I was under the roof, even when Dexter pushed me too far, ver thought to


    rebel for being afraid of upsetting Hailey.


    But now, I wasn¡¯t the same Phoebe, and those concerns were no longer relevant.


    ¡°You want to help Caleb secure his position in the Langley Group, and you can¡¯t afford to lose. the


    partnership with the Fitzgerald Group.¡± Dexter said, standing and fixing his gaze on me. He seemed to


    be well aware of the Langleys¡® current predicament. ¡°So¡­ now you need me.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Same old Dexter, I thought. He never corrected his fondness for making threats.


    ¡°This project isn¡¯t exclusive to the Fitzgerald Group,¡± Caleb said, rising and pulling me into his embrace.


    ¡°It¡¯s not quite clear who needs whom just yet.


    His voice was hoarse from being smoked. It was not unpleasant, but instead strangely intimidating.


    Dexter stared at Caleb with a steely expression, his gaze lingering on the hand holding me. ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll


    see who needs whom.¡± He wondered how a ¡®dimwit¡® like Caleb, even if he wasn¡¯t one, couldpete


    against the vultures of the Langley Group.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, this way, please,¡± said Eric, opening the door to show Dexter out.


    Dexter, apanied by his assistant, walked to the door and nced back at me.


    ¡°Look into Foebe Larson: I want a full dossier,¡± he said to his assistant.


    Once I was sure Dexter had left, I exhaled and turned to Caleb, ¡°Why did you refuse the partnership


    with the Fitzgerald Group?¡±


    Caleb just huffed and ignored my question.


    I was confused. Had I done something to upset him?

 Chapter 127

    ¡°Did you have a rough day at the office, by any chance?¡± I probed.


    It¡¯s like he¡¯s Jekyll and Hyde in the flesh.


    When Dexter was around, he¡¯s like a wolf ready to snap, but now he¡¯s turned into a big, bulled


    Caleb looked up at me, his voice a whisper, ¡°You want me to coborate with him, right?


    ¡°Coborating is in the best interest of Langley Group. We have to separate personal grudges from


    business,¡± I said, perched on my desk, gazing out the window. ¡°Only if you seal the deal with him can


    we shut their mouths.¡±


    Caleb reached out and pulled me into his arms.


    I lost my bnce and tumbled into his embrace, ending up seated on hisp in an undeniably Intimate


    position.


    Thankfully, the guy¡¯s got long legs. If he were any shorter, I¡¯d be on the floor.


    ¡°You¡­¡± I began, ready to snap at him, but he suddenly held me tight and said with a muffled tone.


    ¡°Phoebe, they¡¯re all picking on me.¡±


    I felt a pang in my heart; it¡¯s hard to not to feel this way.


    I patted Caleb¡¯s back, trying to soothe his troubled spirit. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got your back.¡± I said.


    Even if I can¡¯t always protect myself, I mused.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± His voice was low as he called my name.


    ¡°What if Dexter and I both fell into ake? Who would you save?¡± He suddenly looked up at me. his


    gaze intense.


    I hesitated; his eyes always had a way of setting off fireworks inside me.


    ¡°What a childish question¡­¡± arlyughed.


    But he seemed dead serious and kept waiting eagerly for my answer.


    ¡°Why would I have anything to do with him? Of course I¡¯d save you,¡± I said so earnestly.


    The gloom on Caleb¡¯s face finally broke into a hint of a smile, and he buried his head in my chest


    again, ¡°Phoebe¡­ don¡¯t lie to me.¡±


    Anxiety fluttered in my chest at the thought.


    Could this hypothetical situation one day be a reality?


    Would I have to choose between Caleb and Dexter?


    ¡°ed to step out for a bit. Stay put at the office, Eric will handle anything thates up,¡± I whispered,


    my tone resembling that of an adult coaxing a child.


    ¡°Where are you headed?¡± Caleb¡¯s grip tightened on my wrist with a hint of nervousness in his


    voice.


    ¡°Meeting someone¡­¡±


    Melody had suddenly requested to see me, and I was curious too.


    I was ¡®Foebe¡® now, after all. Melody wouldn¡¯t recognize me as Phoebe. If Ste didn¡¯t believe me, how


    could Melody possibly ept it so easily?


    That¡¯s why I was intrigued. Why did Melody suddenly want to meet me?


    ¡°Take me with you.¡± It seemed like Colin was sticking to me like glue, either afraid I¡¯d run away or that


    I¡¯d once again vanish.


    ¡°Skipping out on your first day?¡± I warned him with a nce, then checked the time. ¡°I¡¯m off to see


    Ste. I¡¯ll bring you back something tasty.¡±


    Caleb looked reluctant but let go all the same.


    ¡°Hey, fancy running into you here.¡±


    Just as I left the office, I bumped into Coraline Larson. She was teetering on high heels, dressed to kill


    with her employee badge hanging around her neck. She carried a stack of papers. sashaying as if she


    was on a runway.


    p


    I narrowed my eyes at her. Coraline had some game by getting into Langley Group.


    ¡°Full¨Ctime employee?¡± I reached out and examined her badge.


    President¡¯s Secretary?


    What?


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    No internship?


    Coraline looked at me with pride, herugh tinged with scorn, ¡°Even without you, I could have made it


    into Langley Group.¡±


    With that, she sashayed into the president¡¯s office.


    I was worried about Caleb, stealthily peering through the crack of the door.


    Coraline was such a sly vixen and there was Caleb, all clueless. How could he really stand a chance


    against her?


    I couldn¡¯t believe I was actually concerned that Coraline might take advantage of Caleb! ¡°Mr.


    Langley¡­¡± Coraline brought the documents close to Caleb, deliberately leaning in; her curves were


    entuated as she bent over the desk. ¡°Could you take a look at these? If they¡¯re all good, they need


    your signature.¡±

 Chapter 128

    Caleb furrowed his brow, creating some distance between himself and Coraline.


    But Coraline inched closer again.


    With a furrowed brow, Caleb broke the silence. ¡°You reek¡±


    Coraline gasped.


    Standing outside the door, it was clear to me that Coraline¡¯s svelte figure tensed up.


    I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness Caleb wasn¡¯t a fan of her act.


    ¡°Mr. Langley, please have a look at this. If everything seems in order, you can sign off.¡± Coraline rolled


    her eyes and straightened up, surely muttering under her breath about Caleb being a clueless idiot


    when ites to romance.


    Caleb flipped through the contract and his expression darkened, ¡°Who reviewed this?¡±


    His presence was somanding it left Coraline at a loss for words. ¡°It was just¡­ the project team,


    Calvin.¡±


    ¡°Eric!¡± His voice was deep and resonant when he called out.


    I turned to see Caleb stride into the office with a grave look on his face.


    To tell you the truth, in all the time I¡¯d been around, I¡¯d never seen Colin this serious.


    ¡°You can fire these folks,¡± Colin dered as he tossed the contract onto the desk.


    Clearly, there was an issue with the contract.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Tampering with contract¡¯s nuances is usually hard to spot. They really can¡¯t stay.¡± Caleb said after a


    careful review and nodded in agreement.


    I stood outside the door and was stunned for a long while. I almost forgot that Colin wasn¡¯t a fool; he


    was a genius.


    With contracts like these, he only needed to nce over them to spot the issues. And if that went


    further, he probably had a photographic memory.


    ¡°Eric,¡± I said as Eric emerged from the office. ¡°Who let Coraline into thepany? That Executive


    Assistant?¡±


    Eric nodded politely at me. ¡°She imed to be your sister, so the young master made an exception.¡±


    I was a bit irritated. Caleb was still a fool, after all. I had just given him undue credit. ¡°My sister has


    been shady since we were kids. It¡¯s really not proper for her to be this close to Caleb. She¡¯s not fit for


    her position if she even botches basic contract reviews. We should take this opportunity to transfer


    her,¡± I whispered.


    10:52


    It wasn¡¯t that I was trying to trip Coraline up, but she was up to no good.


    Eric cast me a knowing look and nodded, ¡°Right away, Ma¡¯am.¡±


    Descending the stairs of the Langley Group building, I caught sight of Dexter leaning against the car


    door.


    Lignored him, treating him like thin air and walking past.


    ¡°Headed to the hospital? I can drive you,¡± he offered.


    I scoffed. ¡°Melody¡¯s child is gone, and instead offorting her at the hospital, you¡¯re here. waiting for


    me?¡±


    Was it Melody who told him she wanted to see me? I thought.


    ¡°That


    child isn¡¯t mine.¡± Dexter said out of the blue.


    I found him disgusting. He was now even denying Melody¡¯s child, huh?


    ¡°verid a finger on her,¡± he seemed to be exining something urgently to me.


    I found himughable and sickening. His lies would have been more convincing if they were about


    something no one knew.


    The idea of them living together yet him iming he never touched Melody? Was he trying to portray


    himself as some paragon of virtue?


    Besides whether he touched Melody or not was none of my business.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sicken me with your lies,¡± I warned Dexter with a nce and turned to leave.


    But Dexter seemed persistent. ¡°You¡¯re Phoebe Caldwell, aren¡¯t you?¡± he asked.


    He seemed desperate to confirm whether I was really Phoebe or not. It appeared he had his suspicions


    but wasn¡¯t certain.


    ¡°If I were Phoebe, I¡¯d have killed you on the spot, not given you the chance to disgust me like this,¡± I


    said, hailing a taxi by the roadside. As I got into the cab, I nced at the Langley Group¡¯s office tower.


    Maybe it was just my imagination, but I had this nagging feeling ¨C someone was watching me.


    Could it be Colin?

 Chapter 129

    Lately, I¡¯ve had this nagging feeling that someone¡¯s watching me a pair of eyes fixed on my back. But


    every time I whirl around, there¡¯s nothing there.


    Just the other day, as I was getting into my car, I overheard Dexter¡¯s assistant murmuring into his ear.


    ¡°Everything on Foebe Larson.


    It was crystal clear: Dexter was digging into Foebe Larson¡¯s life.


    He suspected I was Phoebe, but that was all it was suspicion.


    The man was too full of himself to admit he could¡¯ve been responsible for Phoebe¡¯s demise. He was on


    the hunt for someone¨Canyone¨Cwho could be a stand¨Cin for her, just to make his presence felt.


    ¡°Foebe used to be so meek andpliant, then she suddenly turned tough,¡± the assistant whispered.


    ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s because she married into the Langley family and got a powerful. backing.¡±


    Dexter remained silent, his gaze lingered on me as I walked away.


    ¡°To Sea City Hospital please.¡± I said.


    Ste and I had agreed to meet by the hospital¡¯s entrance. By the time I got there, Ste was already


    waiting.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°Sorry, got held up.¡± I said with an apologetic smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re still not getting it quite right. Phoebe wouldn¡¯t be so formal with me.¡± Ste said with a cold


    voice, leading me inside. ¡°She¡¯d just say, ¡®Sorry I¡¯mte, let¡¯s go grab a burger.¡°¡±


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte, let¡¯s go grab a burger,¡± I echoed with Ste in unison.


    She paused, her gazeplex as she looked at me.


    I just smiled, saying nothing else.


    ¡°Even if you nail the imitation, you¡¯re still just a pale copy.¡± Ste warned as we walked on.


    Melody was now under major police protection and surveince, which meant eded an escort to


    see her.


    I hadn¡¯t a clue why Melody wanted to meet, but I was certain it wasn¡¯t to wish me well.


    ¡°Foebe,¡± she greeted me from her hospital bed, looking as fragile as a porcin doll in her patient¡¯s


    gown.


    Thest time I saw her here, she was falsely using me of pushing her down the stairs.


    The irony of the situation wasn¡¯t lost on me how the tables had turned.


    ¨C


    10:53


    ¡°What do you want? Lasked, my voice heavy.


    Melody nced at Ste instinctively and hesitated.


    Ste nodded. ¡°Til step out. You talk,¡±


    Frowned, puzzled by Melody¡¯s insistence on privacy.


    Once we were alone, Melody¡¯s voice dropped to a frantic whisper, ¡°I did everything you told me hot You


    asked me to lure Phoebe out on the 15th, and I did. You promised it¡¯d be foolproof. Now Dexter¡¯s onto


    us and what am I supposed to do?¡±


    I tell a chill as I looked at her warily.


    Was she setting me up?


    ¡°Ah, so now you want to pin all the me for hurting Phoebe on me? I¡¯m not taking that fall,¡± I said with


    a warning edge. ¡°I thought you were more capable than this, Melody. ying these me games,


    huh?¡±


    Melody¡¯s brow furrowed in confusion, ¡°What are you talking about? Are you denying it now? It was you


    who told me to set up Phoebe, and it was you who wanted updates on her every move and had me


    record her speech patterns and mannerisms to send to you. Aren¡¯t you the one who¡¯s been


    impersonating her? Don¡¯t tell me that you think you¡¯re her now after doing the impersonation for so


    long.¡±


    I looked at Melody as my suspicions grew. I didn¡¯t know if there was really a deal between Foebe and


    Melody.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been sending you, Phoebe¡¯s details and her pictures, and you promised she¡¯d vanish for good I


    have all the records here,¡± Melody said, waving her phone. ¡°Let me tell you, if Dexter makes my life


    difficult. I won¡¯t make yours any easier. I¡¯ll tell the cops you¡¯re the one pulling the strings.¡±


    Rooted to the spot, I felt a wave of panic wash over me.


    What the hell was Foebe up to? Impersonating me?

 Chapter 130

    Il what Melody was saying was true, and she had evidence, then I might as well be trying to prove my


    innocence in a court of Salem witches.


    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about. You¡¯re soundingpletely bonkers, and for the record, I


    don¡¯t even know you.¡± Of course, there was no way I could fess up to any of this.


    With a whole squad of cops around, I wouldn¡¯t put it past them to have Melody¡¯s hospital room


    bugged.


    ¡°You¡¯re in cahoots with the murderer; you¡¯re his aplice.¡± Melody suddenly cracked a smile. ¡°Ah,


    now it makes sense. You¡¯re his wife.¡±


    I shot Melody a warning look, ¡°Careful with your words or I¡¯ll p you with a defamationwsuit.¡±


    ¡°Defamation?¡± She whipped out her phone and shed her inbox at me. ¡°These are all messages I


    forwarded to you. Want to check them? The cops will have a field day figuring out if you¡¯re the


    recipient, won¡¯t they?¡±


    As I moved to grab Melody¡¯s phone, the door burst open.


    Robin and Ste marched in with a few officers, their gazes upon me a tangled web of emotions.


    Disappointment, scrutiny, and a chilling detachment.


    ¡°She¡¯s lying! I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s talking about. She¡¯s trying to smear my name!¡± I tried to defend


    myself.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that once we verify the recipient of those emails,¡± Robin said, giving Cory a nod. ¡°Take


    her in.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this without evidence,¡± I protested, instinctively stepping back as panic began to


    set in.


    If Foebe was indeed behind this, then how on earth could I clear my name?


    I suddenly felt the weight of bad luck. Why did I have to end up in Foebe¡¯s life? Couldn¡¯t I have been


    reborn as someonepletely unrted? Her life was a Pandora¡¯s box of secrets.


    ¡°Why are you pretending to be Phoebe?¡± Dexter had appeared at the doorway, his expression even


    moreplex than Robin and Ste¡¯s.


    It was a mix of cold disdain and simmering anger as if he was furious that I¡¯d yed him for a fool.


    ¡°What?¡± I was nearlyughing. ¡°Pretend to be Phoebe? When did I ever do that?¡±


    He was the one who hell¨Cbent on seeing me as Phoebe and calling me by the name.


    10:53


    Disgusting.


    ¡°No matter how well you y the part, you¡¯re not her. You¡¯ll never be her!¡± Dexter spat out the words,


    his voiceced with uncontrolled fury.


    ¡°Dexter, maybe you should take a long look in the mirror and see who¡¯s really disgusting.¡± retorted,


    turning to face Melody.


    A flicker of triumph passed through her eyes, and in that instant, my heart settled back down.


    As long as she was framing me, I wasn¡¯t afraid.


    What terrified me was that Foebe had actually done these things.


    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant, and I have the right to contact mywyer,¡± I turned to Robin and demanded to call my


    attorney.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No need, your husband has been notified,¡± Robin responded, his tone grave. Clearly, he didn¡¯t trust


    me anymore.


    ¡°You believe her fairy tales before you even confirm the email ount is mine? If this woman ever


    spoke the truth, Phoebe wouldn¡¯t be dead,¡± I stared Melody angrily.


    Melody still wore that pitiful look, ¡°I had no choice because you forced my hand.¡±


    I scoffed, looking back at Robin and Ste. ¡°You¡¯re buying her story?¡± I asked.


    Neither Robin nor Ste spoke up, but their silence was answer enough.


    As for Dexter, he was clearly already convinced of my guilt.


    Suddenly, I felt a profound sadness and helplessness. It seemed that everyone was willing to believe


    only what they saw before them.


    +


    ¡°Phoebe.¡± Just as I resigned myself to follow Robin, a hoarse voice tinged with urgency called


    out.


    I paused, turning to see Caleb rushing down the corridor towards me. He hade.


    Would he, like the others, be convinced that I was a fraud?

 Chapter 131

    My gaze settled on Caleb though I wasn¡¯t really holding out much hope. He¡¯d always lived in his own


    little bubble, pping a ¡°Phoebe¡±bel on me in his head.


    Now that he knew I might have been mimicking Phoebe on purpose to dupe him, he¡¯d probably lose it


    even more than Dexter had.


    ¡°That woman is lying.¡± Caleb walked over to me, his grip on my hand firm. ¡°Phoebe was killed by her.


    She lured Phoebe out¨Cthere¡¯s proof.


    Caleb looked at Robin: the recorded phone conversation had said it all.


    I nced up at Caleb, puzzled as to why he was still standing up for me. If he¡¯d only imagined me as


    Phoebe, it was high time he snapped out of it.


    ¡°It was her who told me to trick Phoebe into going out! You maniac! It¡¯s highly likely you two plotted this


    together to kill Phoebel How was I to know that Phoebe would end up dead just by going out on the


    15th?¡± Melody cried so pitifully.


    She turned to Dexter, and her voice was choked with sobs, ¡°Dexter, please believe me. I had no idea


    that calling Phoebe out that day would get her killed.¡±


    Seeing Dexter remain silent, Melody spoke again, ¡°Dexter, I thought she would have told you; I thought


    everyone was still watching from a distance so Phoebe would be safe. It was Hank who clearly heard


    the cries for help but didn¡¯t save Phoebe.¡±


    They were turning on each other now.


    I nced at Robin. ¡°Can you prove that the,email ount is mine?¡± I asked.


    If they could prove that it belonged to Foebe, then I¡¯d have to find another way to save myself. But if


    Melody couldn¡¯t prove it¡­ well, she was the one who¡¯d have to face the consequences.


    Robin looked at his colleague. ¡°Did you find anything?¡±


    ¡°The login IP is from Sea City, but the email ount isn¡¯t registered tb Foebe.¡°.


    I breathed a sigh of relief and smirked at Melody, ¡°So, why were you keeping tabs on Phoebe. and who


    were you reporting her every move to? It couldn¡¯t be to the actual murderer, could it?¡±


    Melody¡¯s face changed as disbelief etched into her features, ¡°Impossible. It was her; she¡¯s the one who


    contacted me!¡±


    She was adamant that I had been the one in contact with her.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the proof? Do you have anything else besides this email ount?¡± I cocked my head to the


    side. ¡°If not, you might find yourself facing nder charges for lying and misleading the police.¡±


    Melody panicked, putting all her hope on Dexter. ¡°Dexter, you have to believe me. I didn¡¯t


    10-53


    deceive you, I really didn¡¯t, it was all a misunderstanding. It¡¯s her¡­ she intentionally impersonated


    Phoebe just because she looked like Phoebe, all to get close to you.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow; Melody¡¯s true concern seemed to be that Dexter might be interested in me


    because of my resemnce to Phoebe.


    Dexter looked at me, his expressionplex as he cracked open coldly. ¡°Even if the email isn¡¯t


    registered in her name, that doesn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t using it. Ste also saw the surveince footage.


    Before Phoebe went missing, this woman had already set her sights on her, sneaking in and out of


    Phoebe¡¯s ce.


    ¡°Exactly! There¡¯s the surveince footage and she can¡¯t deny that!¡± Melody seemed to find at lifeline. At


    least Dexter bought her word for now.


    ¡°Why would I know where Phoebe kept her spare key? Because we were close friends. Phoebe would


    only tell her most trusted people about her spare key,¡± I stated calmly, not showing any signs of panic.


    None of this evidence tied me to the murder.


    Ste looked at me, her gaze was always piercing. After a long moment, she finally asked. ¡°Where is


    Phoebe¡¯s diary, then?¡±


    ¡°I met Phoebe at a charity event, and we quickly became good friends. That¡¯s why I knew where she


    hid her spare key: there¡¯s nothing strange about that,¡± I said, meeting Ste¡¯s intense gaze. realizing


    that anyone would question my motives if I revealed my identity as Phoebe in Foebe¡¯s body.


    ¡°As for Phoebe¡¯s diary, I really haven¡¯t seen it, and I don¡¯t know where it is. There were definitely more


    people than just me who could get into Phoebe¡¯s house. Didn¡¯t you notice a very tall man on the


    surveince? I suspect he might have taken it.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 132

    I had no choice but to pin everything on the murderer, to spur the cops into action.


    It dawned on me that I really had toy low from now on, not rushing to prove who I really was. I


    needed to gently nudge the investigation forward under the quise of being Phoebe¡¯s friend.


    It had imed to be Phoebe¡¯s friend from the get¨Cgo, maybe Ste and Robin wouldn¡¯t have been so


    damn suspicious of me.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    I¡¯d been too careless; that was clear.


    ¡°She¡¯s lying!¡± Melody squirmed in her attempt to struggle free.


    I gave Melody a meaningful look. ¡°Without proof, I¡¯m going to sue you for nder.¡±


    Melody seemed to falter. Her goal wasn¡¯t really to get me locked up but to keep Dexter away from me.


    Clearly, she had aplished that.


    ¡°The Langleys can afford a goodwyer,¡± Caleb said, gripping my hand firmly: his gaze on Melody was


    fierce, murderous even.


    I had this eerie feeling that if we were alone in the hospital room, Caleb would have killed Melody


    without a second thought.


    Looking down at our sped hands, his knuckles were white, and the veins on the back of his scarred


    hand stood out as if he was holding back a storm.


    He held my hand tightly as if to reassure me.


    To say I wasn¡¯t soothed would be a lie¡­ but I still couldn¡¯t bring myself to trust himpletely.


    family and bear an heir. I thought he might suspect me of not being the real Phoebe like Melody


    suggested ¨C Pretending to be Phoebe, deceiving him, all to secure my ce in the Langley


    ¡°I did see a suspicious guy hanging around Phoebe¡¯s ce on the surveince footage,¡± Ste


    admitted, looking up at Robin.


    Robin frowned. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡±


    ¡°I thought they were in cahoots, but now, between Melody and Foebe, I¡¯m more inclined to trust Foebe


    because she¡¯s right¨CPhoebe wouldn¡¯t share the location of her house keys with someone she didn¡¯t


    trust,¡± Ste said, her eyesplex as she looked at me.


    It was as if she was saying, ¡°I¡¯m choosing to trust you, don¡¯t let me down.¡±


    I smiled back at her, then turned to Melody. ¡°I¡¯ll be contacting awyer and the police to discuss how


    you lured Phoebe to Tangle Lane. It wasn¡¯t manughter; it was premeditated murder. You had a


    motive; you wanted Dexter, believing Phoebe would snatch him away because Dexter and Phoebe¡¯s


    rtionship isn¡¯t what it seems to outsiders.¡±


    Davtor called out, his voiceden with anger.


    10-53


    Was he scared that I¡¯d send Melody to jail?


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to shout; I can hear you just fine,¡± I said, looking at him before continuing. ¡°You im


    Phoebe was just your sister, but unfortunately for you, she was the fianc¨¦e your mother Hailey picked


    out. Because of Phoebe, Hailey never epted Melody and wouldn¡¯t let her into the family easily. So,


    to marry into the Fitzgerald family. Melody had to get rid of


    Phoebe.


    But she¡¯s a woman, too scared to kill, so she thought about using someone else¡¯s hand to do her dirty


    work. Coming from the same orphanage, she knew all too well why that psychopath targeted girls from


    there. She dressed Phoebe in her clothe and deliberately used the murderer to do her bidding.¡±


    I stepped closer to the hospital bed, facing Melody. ¡°I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I, Miss Melody?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re spouting nonsense!¡± Melody was losing control, fear taking hold. She looked desperately at


    Dexter, reaching out and grabbing his wrist. ¡°Dexter, you have to believe me; she¡¯s trying to smear me.


    You know me best; I risked my life to save you; how could I possibly kill someone?¡±


    She wanted to say she was too kind¨Chearted to even think of murder.


    Dexter looked at Melody, slowly withdrawing his hand.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smirk.


    This guy really changed his mind quickly. Now he¡¯s losing trust in Melody?


    As Melody saw disbelief spreading among us, she seemed to make a sudden decision. ¡°Officer Robin!


    I¡¯m ready to work with the police to draw out the murderer. I believe once you catch the murderer, the


    truth wille out! Then you¡¯ll see who¡¯s lying, me or her!¡±

 Chapter 133

    Melody red at me with a venomous intensity, a silent threat hanging in the tension between


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    1. us.


    ¡°Make my life hell, and I¡¯ll drag you down with me,¡± her eyes seemed to say.


    Her confidence in tarnishing my name and linking me to a murderer made me waver a bit.


    I knew all too well that Foebe, the woman whose life I had inexplicably stepped into, had some shady


    dealings with the murderer.


    And there I was, stuck in Foebe¡¯s shoes.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m gonna need you both to stay put here in Sea City for the time being,¡± Robin said,


    ncing at me as he prepared to leave.


    Suddenly, he paused. ¡°You im to be best friends with Phoebe. Did you know about that close call


    she had at the Nocturne bar, where some creep nearly took advantage of her?¡±


    Robin was fishing for something, I could tell.


    I shot Dexter a frosty look. ¡°Yeah, Phoebe told me about it. Hank.texted her, saying that Dexter got


    smashed at Nocturne. It was pouring that night, and she was all panicky when she told me about it. I


    even warned her¨Csaid it wasn¡¯t safe to go with the storm raging like that.¡±


    Dexter tensed up, guilt written all over him.


    He hung his head low, fists clenched tight. ¡°Stop it¡­¡± he muttered.


    He didn¡¯t want to hear it.


    But I was determined to spill it.


    ¡°Phoebe, soaked to the bone, hopped in a cab and dashed over to Nocturne only to find Dexter sober


    as a judge. It was all a sick bet with his cronies to see how fast ¡®loyal little Phoebe¡® woulde


    running.¡±


    That night, they mocked me.


    Labeling me Dexter¡¯spdog, they wagered on my response time¨Cten minutes, twenty, whatever. They


    jeered and used every filthy word and trick to provoke and ridicule me.


    And there I was, foolishly thinking Dexter was wasted, braving the thunder and lightning, facing my


    worst fears, only to be met with unabashed humiliation.


    ¡°Stop it¡­¡± Dexter shuddered, backing away as if pleading for me to shut up.


    ¡°Phoebe was petrified of storms, terrified of thunder, scared stiff of driving in the rain since her folks


    died in a crash on a wet day!¡±


    But I wouldn¡¯t stop; I just had to say it!


    10:11


    ¡°Even though she was scared out of her wits, crying over the phone, she was afraid for you, Dexter.


    And she still went! And what did she get? You let Kyle molest her! You watched your pack of fair¨C


    weather friends whoop and holler as they stripped her dignity, tore at her clothes. pinned her down on


    that couch, trying to¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Dexter¡¯s breaths came in ragged gasps, on the brink of madness.


    Maybe I had been too graphic, striking a nerve.


    He lunged to silence me but was knocked aside by Caleb¡¯s punch.


    Caleb was like a raging beast, his eyes locked on Dexter, ready to tear him apart.


    Iughed, though I should have felt triumphant tears wet my eyes instead. I was filled with hate¨Cfor my


    past weakness, my cowardice, my ignorance, my blindness. And I hated Dexter for everything he had


    done to me.


    ¡°Please, just stop,¡± he begged from the floor, covering his ears, a stark contrast to his usual


    arrogance.


    He was like a groveling beggar, pleading for me to hold my tongue.


    But I just stared at him, cruelly continuing. ¡°Dexter, have you forgotten what you did after you kicked


    them all out? How you ignored Phoebe¡¯s pleas and protests, how you forced yourself on her right in


    front of the Nocturne staff? How you left her there, half¨Cnaked and alone after you were done?¡±


    I squatted in front of Dexter, prying his hands away, shouting into his face. ¡°You said that a hooker was


    worth eight hundred bucks, but she wasn¡¯t even worth that much to you! So after you left, that Nocturne


    staff grabbed Phoebe, asking for her price! Then she walked out, disheveled, only to be dragged into


    an alley by some drunken fools! If someone hadn¡¯t saved her, she would¡¯ve died that night!¡±


    ¡°Foebe Larson!¡± Dexter snapped, pushing me, away in a frenzy.

 Chapter 134

    Caleb wrapped his arms around me, trembling as he held me tight. His eyes were bloodshot, on the


    verge of losing control.


    I clutched at Caleb¡¯s hands desperately. ¡°Colin¡­ take me home.¡±


    With a shaking voice, Caleb pulled me closer. ¡°Dexter¡­ I will kill you.¡±


    At the doorway, Robin looked on with aplex expression, unable to utter a single word.


    Melody sat shocked on the bed, unsure how to console Dexter.


    Ste¡¯s eyes were red, her face streaked with tears. She didn¡¯t know, couldn¡¯t fathom what her Phoebe


    had been through.


    Caleb lifted me up, struggling to keep his emotions in check. With his mental illness, suppressing his


    emotions was a hundred times harder for him than for anyone else.


    ¡°We¡¯re going home¡­¡± he whispered, leading me out of the hospital room.


    Ste lunged forward, pping Dexter hard across the face, crying out as she hit him. ¡°Dexter, you


    bastard, give me back my Phoebe, give her back to me!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    I sobbed into Caleb¡¯s chest, not caring anymore whether he was acting or not. In that moment, all I


    wanted was someone to lean on.


    That was all.


    ¡°Colin, shall we take the subway home?¡± My voice was hoarse as I spoke softly into his shoulder.


    Caleb, holding me, walked on without stopping, his voice tender. ¡°Alright.¡±


    I smiled.


    His acting was incredible; how could he be soposed?


    Was he really mentally ill?


    ¡°Caleb, I¡¯m not Phoebe Caldwell¡­¡± I wanted to see what it would take for him to snap.


    I didn¡¯t want to be Phoebe anymore; being Phoebe was too painful.


    Caleb paused for a second, then looked down at me. ¡°Yeah, I know.¡±


    He said he knew I wasn¡¯t Phoebe? So why hadn¡¯t he lost it?


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d kill me if I wasn¡¯t Phoebe?¡± I mumbled the question.


    He didn¡¯t answer. Still holding me, he wouldn¡¯t even put me down to enter the elevator.


    I couldn¡¯t be bothered to walk; if he was protecting me even after realizing I wasn¡¯t Phoebe, was it


    because I was carrying his child?


    10:11


    Men¡­ they¡¯re all the same, aren¡¯t they?


    I didn¡¯t expose him, just quietly leaned against his shoulder.


    ¡°Why¡­ the subway?¡± he asked softly as we entered the subway station.


    I didn¡¯t exin, aware of the stares and the whispers from the onlookers as he carried me. Bot Caleb


    was Caleb; he didn¡¯t care how others looked at him.


    He had been the guy in ill¨Cfitting clothes, grimy from his time on the streets. The man with a mental


    illness didn¡¯t mind the public eye.


    The subway wasn¡¯t too crowded, not rush hour, and I stepped out of his arms to stand next to a pole.


    I felt a bit hypoglycemic, probably from the earlier emotional turmoil.


    Caleb, like a magician, produced a lollipop from his pocket and popped it into my mouth before


    scanning for an open seat.


    Finally, he spotted three seats taken up by a middle¨Caged man sprawled out, legs crossed. A young


    girl approached to argue. ¡°Sir, you¡¯re taking up three seats. Can you let us sit?¡± She gestured towards


    me. ¡°Look at thisdy; she can barely stand.¡±


    The man snorted dismissively. ¡°I sat down first; these are my seats! Mind your own business, dressing


    like that, you¡¯re no good.¡±


    Caleb led me over, a man of action rather than words, and with a simple tap on the man¡¯s forehead, he


    was down on the ground.


    So, in a mix of shock and difort, I sat down.


    Caleb, ever the gentleman, gestured for the young girl to take the other seat.


    The girl sat down slowly, admiration and awe for his good looks in her eyes. ¡°Are you a model? You¡¯re


    so handsome.¡±


    The man on the floory there, pretending to be injured. ¡°Ah, call 911,I can¡¯t make it, my heart hurts, he


    attacked me, you all saw it! I¡¯m calling the police!¡±

 Chapter 135

    The man was still wailing on the ground like it was the end of the world unless Caleb coughed up a


    grand or something.


    The young girl sitting next to me captured the drama on her phone, then cautiously piped up, ¡°Hey, is


    he your boyfriend? He¡¯s like, super cool.¡±


    I nced at Caleb, who stood aloof, his gaze fixed on big bro with an icy intensity.


    My guess? He was probably plotting in his head how to tear the guy apart, vignte¨Cstyle.


    Taking a deep breath, I masked my concern with a dismissive chuckle. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s just how he rolls.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, you owe me money, and this ain¡¯t over! Broad daylight, and you dare to hit me? Are


    you two in cahoots, some kind of shady duo? Neither of you looks legit,¡± the middle¨Caged man


    bellowed, turning his tirade towards the young girl when he saw no one was paying him attention.


    Honestly, the girl looked totally normal, rocking a pretty floral spaghetti¨Cstrap dress that showed off her


    youthful figure perfectly.


    But leave it to the man to make it sound like a crime scene.


    The girl was so mad she was near tears. ¡°You¡¯re the shady one here.¡±


    Caleb hadn¡¯t taken his eyes off the man, his stare enough to give you the chills.


    If the man knew Caleb was a wildcard, he probably would¡¯ve scared him out of his wits.


    And sure enough, fear crept into the middle¨Caged man¡¯s eyes. He shuffled on the ground, keeping his


    distance from Caleb. ¡°What you looking at?¡±


    He didn¡¯t dare mess with Caleb ¨C too imposing ¨C but he felt brave enough to get tough with a woman,


    coming at me with his venom.


    I sighed and tugged on Caleb¡¯s sleeve, not because I feared the man¡¯s con, but.worried Caleb might


    snap.


    The world of the unstable is beyond us; they follow whims we can¡¯t fathom.


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting this go withoutpensation,¡± the man continued his howl.


    ¡°This guy¡¯s trying to pin this on you. Look, he¡¯s calling the cops, but I¡¯ll back you up,¡± the girl said, eager


    to prevent the man from fleecing Caleb.


    I didn¡¯t reply; I just held onto Caleb tighter.


    1


    ¡°A bunch of lowlifes, you two are probably both prostitutes,¡± the man spat out.


    ¡°Bam!¡± In a sh, Caleb stepped forward and kicked the man against the subway doors.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    10:11


    The man¡¯s already greasy face was marked with a shoe print, and blood slowly trickled from his


    nose.


    ¡°This is assault! Help!¡± the man cried out, trying to draw more attention.


    Caleb strode over, grabbed his cor, andnded a punch right in his eye,


    Tall and stoic, he squatted there, his focus intense as if he were a big dog ying with a fascinating toy.


    Holding onto the man¡¯s cor with ease, Caleb delivered another punch, and both of the man¡¯s eyes


    swelled up.


    The middle¨Caged man sobbed and struggled, terror¨Cstricken as he faced Caleb. A grown man with no


    small amount of strength, but against Caleb, he was powerless, unable to break free.


    This lean, tall man was deceptively strong.


    ¡°Colin¡­¡± My voice wavered as I stood up, wanting to intervene.


    The girl beside me, though, covered her mouth in awe. ¡°Oh my God, he¡¯s so unhinged, and I totally


    love it.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to make of the taste of young girls nowadays.


    Caleb turned to look at me briefly.


    That¡¯s when the man tried to blindside him.


    Instinctively, I moved to help, but the man¡¯s fist never reached Caleb¡¯s head. Instead, it was caught in


    Caleb¡¯s steady grasp.


    He was indeed¡­ unhinged.


    1


    And then, right before the eyes of the onlookers, Caleb gently squeezed the man¡¯s wrist.


    A snap echoed, followed by a blood¨Ccurdling scream.


    The man¡¯s phone tumbled from his pocket as he writhed on the ground in agony.


    I looked heavenward, hand to my forehead. This was a disaster.


    We were in deep trouble now.


    ¡°I¡¯m over celebrities; I¡¯m gonna follow him. He¡¯s so hot,¡± the girl excitedly recorded Caleb¡¯s every move,


    her excitement off the charts.

 Chapter 136

    I nced around; the crowd was thick, and so was the number of phones recording the scene.


    This was bad.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Colin, you really went overboard,¡± I said, a bit ticked off as I grabbed Caleb¡¯s arm. ¡°We¡¯re in public, for


    heaven¡¯s sake. The guy was just hogging seats. Did you really need to go all Rambo on him?¡±


    Suddenly, I remembered my first day waking up in Foebe¡¯s body; he was ready to throttle me just for


    miscing his bracelet.


    The guy¡­ he¡¯s a nutcase, prone to going zero to sixty in a heartbeat.


    ¡°Apologize to the man!¡± I urged Caleb, worried he¡¯d end up in an asylum if he kept this up. Getting him


    to say sorry was the least we could do.


    Caleb looked down, somewhat sheepishly, picked up the man¡¯s phone, and mmed up.


    ¡°Give his phone back!¡± I wondered what on earth was going through his head.


    Dealing with someone who¡¯s off their rocker is enough to drive anyone insane.


    ¡°Sir, next stop; I¡¯m taking you to the hospital,¡± I said, trying to calm the man down.


    But the guy, cradling his wrist in pain, stopped his ranting and didn¡¯t even dare ask for his phone back.


    sighed. It looked like we were heading to the police station, whether we liked it or not.


    ¡°Miss, don¡¯t be hard on him. He didn¡¯t do anything wrong. That man was harassing us first. He was just


    stepping in to help,¡± the little girl defended Caleb earnestly.


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­¡± I wanted to blurt out that he was mentally ill, but that would just crush his ego in public. So I bit


    my tongue and said instead, ¡°Even so, there¡¯s no need to go all out like that.¡±


    Colin remained silent, offering no exnation.


    When the train reached the station, the cops boarded.


    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m not pressing charges. Just give me my phone and let me leave,¡± the man, now sweating with


    pain, suddenly didn¡¯t want to get the police involved anymore. He just wanted his phone so he could


    bolt.


    I eyed the man suspiciously, then nced at Caleb, who¡¯d been trailing behind me with a look of


    injured innocence.


    Caleb didn¡¯t return the phone to the man but handed it to the cops instead. ¡°He¡¯s been secretly filming.¡±


    The cops were taken aback, ordering the man to unlock his phone. He refused.


    That¡¯s when it hit me, why he¡¯d been hogging three seats, why he kept eyeing the girl in the floral


    spaghetti strap dress.


    He¡¯d been taking upskirt photos of the girl, iming a trio of seats to avoid getting caught!


    The police forced the man to unlock his phone, and when they opened the gallery, they found over a


    thousand photos¨Call secretly taken on the subway, shots up skirts, of cleavage¡­


    The girl in the spaghetti straps dress took one look, screamed in horror, clutched at her dress, and


    gave the man a kick. ¡°Officer, he¡¯s a pervert! I¡¯m pressing charges!¡±


    I stared at Caleb, suddenly feeling guilty. I had misunderstood him.


    Caleb said nothing, just kept his head down.


    The girl kept up a stream of hero¨Cworship toward Caleb all the way to the police station, but he didn¡¯t


    respond to her chatter.


    ¡°I admit to filming secretly; that was wrong. But he hit me, and I¡¯m going to sue him for my broken


    wrist,¡± the sleazy man boasted at the station, figuring that since he was caught red¨Chanded, he might


    as well not let Caleb off the hook.


    ¡°My husband acted in defense of justice, stopping this behavior in its tracks. Besides, the provocation


    started with him,¡± I stepped in front of Caleb, ready to defend him.


    A flicker of light seemed to pass through Caleb¡¯s eyes, which had been filled with dejection. He kept his


    gaze on me, apparently pleased that I was sticking up for him.


    ¡°I¡¯m Caleb¡¯s assistant,¡± Eric announced, arriving with Sea City¡¯s finestwyer, ready for another rescue


    mission.


    I breathed a sigh of relief; with them here, Caleb was sure to be okay.


    *


    But Eric just pulled out a piece ofminated paper and handed it to the police without much fuss.


    Even the loudmouthed creep quieted down, his eyes widening with fear..


    It was Caleb¡¯s mental disability certificate.

 Chapter 137

    ¡°Heh¡­consider yourself lucky not to have been killed, picking a fight with a mentally ill patient with


    aggressive tendencies. You must have a death wish,¡± the officer chided.


    The middle¨Caged man was visibly shaken, his loud protests now silenced.


    Eric nced at Caleb and spoke respectfully. ¡°Young Master, we can go home now.¡±


    Caleb reached out and took my hand, whispering, ¡°Phoebe¡­ let¡¯s head back.¡±


    I was inexplicably irked, unsure of the source of my annoyance.


    At the door, the little girl¡¯s family had arrived to pick her up. They looked well¨Coff, which put my mind at


    ease.


    ¡°See you around, Miss, Mr. handsome,¡± the little girl waved before being ushered into the car by a man


    who had quite the presence and wasn¡¯t too hard on the eyes.


    ¡°Thanks for everything,¡± the man said, a perfect gentleman, expressing his gratitude to both me and


    Caleb.


    ¡°No sweat,¡± I replied with a casual smile, keeping it polite.


    Caleb, however, was on high alert, keeping me firmly behind him.


    The man gave Caleb a nod and a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you be, then.¡±


    Even after they had driven off, Caleb was still as protective as a wolf with its cub.


    I sighed and nudged him into the car.


    During the drive home, Caleb dozed off, resting peacefully against the car window.


    Watching Caleb in his tranquil state, I was momentarily captivated by his serene beauty.


    ¡°Madam, I apologize for the fright. Young Master¡¯s condition¡­it¡¯s just how it is. But he rarely has


    episodes as long as he¡¯s not provoked,¡± Eric exined in hushed tones.


    Silent, I waited until we got home, coaxed Caleb into taking his cold medicine, and made sure he was


    tucked into bed before I finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Eric, how long have you known Colin?¡± I ventured as we stepped out of the room to chat.


    ¡°I¡¯ve known him since he was fourteen, in the Genius ss,¡± Eric replied. That was the year the


    Langley family discovered Caleb.


    ¡°What was he like back then?¡± I was genuinely curious about the teenage Caleb, in the prime of his


    youth.


    ¡°Young Master was brilliant, like a beacon wherever he stood,¡± Eric said wistfully. ¡°But in a powerful


    family, excellence can be a curse.¡±


    Eric¡¯s words carried deeper meaning.


    10:11


    After some thought, I delicately broached the subject. ¡°When did they find out about his mental health


    issues?¡±


    ¡°It was when he was neen, after a traumatic event,¡± Eric led me to a small room in the attic and


    opened the door. Inside the dusty room were keepsakes from Colin¡¯s past.


    Photos, awards, trophies, and certificates filled the space.


    I stood in shock, taking in a room full of des, unable to speak.


    ¡°These were collected by his father Ethan Langley. He truly cared for Mr. Caleb in his own restrained


    way,¡± Eric exined, pointing to a particr photo. ¡°This is from Mr. Caleb¡¯s first year in the Genius


    ss.¡±


    Looking at the boy in the photo, I suddenly felt a headache.


    He looked so familiar¡­


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    He had a bright smile and clear eyes. The young Colin was the epitome of innocence. Holding a trophy,


    he stood out in any crowd.


    ¡°Did he¡­ fast¨Ctrack through his bachelor¡¯s and master¡¯s?¡± I mused, looking at Caleb¡¯s certificates, but


    it made sense given his early college admission and the likelihood of him being in histe teens.


    Nheless, with Caleb¡¯s extensive minor subjects and straight A¡¯s, it was clear envy was part


    of his story.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± In the corner, I spotted a group photo taken at an orphanage.


    ¡°That¡¯s from the orphanage¡¯s farewell when Mr. Caleb got his Genius ss cement,¡± Eric said, pride


    evident in his smile.


    #


    It was clear he saw Colin as his own child.


    Holding the photo, I scrutinized it thoroughly. Despite the changes people undergo as they grow, I could


    still recognize the features.


    There, in the back row, was Foebe¡¯s ss president James. The very James I had met at a ss


    reunion.


    So, James had not been adopted before the twin star genius had shocked the entire Sea City.


    ¡°Did the Langley family really only find Colin after his genius was recognized?¡± I asked, my voice heavy


    with suspicion, sensing a conspiracy.

 Chapter 138

    ¡°Nope.¡± Eric replied with honest bluntness. ¡°Truth is, the Langleys have always known about Mr. Caleb.


    But without Mr. Brendan¡¯s nod, no one dared bring him back. It wasn¡¯t until Mr. Caleb made a name for


    himself, causing a stir across Sea City, that Mr. Brendan let us im him and wee him into the


    family fold.¡±


    I let out a derisive snort. Even among the wealthy elite, it¡¯s always about self¨Cinterest.


    Such is human nature.


    ¡°And these old clothes haven¡¯t been tossed yet?¡± I asked, eyeing the ill¨Cfitting, washed¨Cout garments


    hanging on the rack¨Cthe very ones Colin had worn during his vagabond days.


    The Langleys had taken him in, cleaned him up, and locked him in a room, but they hadn¡¯t thrown away


    his dirty clothes?


    ¡°He treasures that outfit; doesn¡¯t let anyone touch it,¡± Eric intervened, stopping me from reaching for it.


    I was curious as to why Colin would cherish such a faded and ill¨Cfitting set of clothes.


    ¡°Have you ever met this person?¡± My thoughts returned to the photograph, pointing to a boy who stood


    next to Colin, slightly hiding behind him with a timid gaze.


    ¡°That¡¯s Carter, the other star from Double¨CGenius Welfare House, one of the celebrated prodigies that


    shocked Sea City back in the day,¡± Eric said with a sigh of regret as he looked at the photo. ¡°Sadly, he


    perished in the fire at the orphanage that year. Mr. Caleb was¡­¡¯


    19


    Eric trailed off, then added, ¡°Mr. Caleb was supposed to die in that fire too, but miraculously, he


    survived.¡±


    I was shocked for quite some time. ¡°Was the fire an ident?¡±


    ¡°It was arson,¡± Eric stated firmly.


    ¡°And the culprit?¡± I pressed, growing impatient.


    ¡°Never found. Back then, investigative techniques weren¡¯t as advanced. There were no cameras at the


    scene of the fire, and everyone denied any knowledge of arson, so¡­¡± Eric shook his head.


    It was clear he was holding back details, but if he wasn¡¯t willing to share, I wasn¡¯t about to pry. After all,


    Eric wasn¡¯t a witness to the event.


    My gaze shifted back to ss president James. He must know what really happened during that fire.


    And that murderer, why¡­ why is he still targeting people from the orphanage?


    ¡°Can I take this photograph with me?¡± I asked softly.


    10:11


    ¡°These are Mr. Ethan¡¯s keepsakes. If you need one, I¡¯ll get you another copy,¡± Eric offered.


    I nodded.


    The girls in the red dresses in the photo were already dead, leaving only Melody.


    And the murderer was now aiming at the remaining individuals.


    ¡°Is this the orphanage director?¡± I asked, pointing to a middle¨Caged woman sitting in the center of the


    photo.


    ¡°She ran the orphanage together with her husband,¡± Eric confirmed with a nod.


    I shivered slightly as I looked at the middle¨Caged woman and then at the man next to her. They looked


    charitable, but something about them gave me chills.


    ¡°Are they still alive?¡± I inquired, driven by curiosity.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Eric confirmed. ¡°The one who died recently was their daughter.¡±


    I looked up at Eric, startled.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Their daughter was dead.


    It seemed this gruesome series of murders was indeed a vendetta.


    These people, they must share something inmon¨Cthey all must have wronged the murderer in


    some way.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    ¡°Phoebe!¡±


    Suddenly, Colin¡¯s panicked voice came from outside the door. He sounded like he was trapped in a


    nightmare, his voice out of control and filled with despair.


    Something stabbed at my heart, and I hurriedly ran outside.


    There, I found Colin standing by the window, disoriented and frantic, his bloodied footsteps marking the


    floor where the wounds on his feet had reopened. His pate, exquisite face was smeared with blood,


    droplets tracing down his pronounced Adam¡¯s apple.


    His hands were covered in blood, and the moment he saw me, he panicked like a child caught in


    mischief, hiding his hands behind him.


    Eric¡¯s face turned pale, and he rushed out. ¡°Doctor! Get the doctor!¡±


    Clearly, the Langleys had kept too much from me about Colin¡¯s condition.


    Without a doubt, Colin¡¯s current state was far from normal.

 Chapter 139

    ¡°What¡­ what have you done?¡± My voice tightened as I spoke, the urge to move forward gripping


    1. me.


    His skin was too pale, a bloodless, ghostly white that contrasted starkly with the dark crimson of his


    blood.


    My breathing was shaky, my heart pounding with an unexinable fear.


    ¡°Don¡¯te any closer¡­¡± He sounded frightened of my approach, scared that I would see him


    as he was now.


    He had been calling out for Phoebe in a panic, as if afraid of losing something precious.


    ¡°Stay away, don¡¯t look at me¡­¡± Suddenly, he lost control; his eyes reddened as he turned and ran back


    to his room, mming the door shut behind him.


    I couldn¡¯t just leave him like that; I followed and knocked, but he wouldn¡¯t open the door.


    His bloody footprints were a jarring trail on the floor.


    Since my rebirth, I realized I¡¯d never truly faced Caleb¡¯s condition. I knew he had mental health issues,


    that he could be unstable, even dangerous¨Cmaybe even a murderer.


    But as I got to know him, I saw he could be calm if not provoked. I hadn¡¯t paid enough attention. So, his


    bloodied appearance was a shock to me.


    Eric, who had seen Caleb¡¯s breakdowns many times before, quickly called for the family doctor and


    forced the door open.


    I tried to follow, but Eric stopped me.


    ¡°Maybe you should stay out here. Mr. Caleb might not want you to see him like this.¡±


    His episodes left him in a pitiful state.


    ¡°What¡­ what on earth is happening?¡± I asked Eric in a hushed, frantic tone.


    Eric hesitated, then spoke softly. ¡°When Mr. Caleb loses control, it can be terrifying. He gets urges to


    lash out, but he¡­ he never truly hurts anyone but himself.¡±


    The kindest of souls could harm themselves to maintain their sanity in moments of chaos.


    And Colin was one such soul.


    I stood there, stunned, as Eric went in to sedate Caleb, listening to his gut¨Cwrenching screams that


    made it hard to breathe.


    What pain must he endure to have transformed from a prodigy to¡­ this?


    Even from outside the door, I could almost feel his agony and helplessness.


    12:07


    Without thinking, I reached out as if to embrace him.


    When I came to my senses, I was bewildered.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Why was I crying?


    Tears had silently streaked down my face without me noticing,


    After the sedation, Colin finally calmed down and fell asleep,


    Eric, who had been panting from worry and panic, finally rxed. He stepped out, looked at me and


    seemed to hesitate.


    ¡°Does this happen often?¡± I asked quietly,


    ¡°Yes, frequently. It¡¯s triggered by stress,¡± Eric nodded.


    I thought back, realizing that it must have been my denial of being Phoebe in the hospital that set him


    off.


    ¡°Mr. Caleb is inherently good¨Chearted; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t choose to vent by harming himself,¡± Eric


    said with a heavy voice. ¡°We remove anything from his room that could be dangerous, but today, he


    broke a ss and used the shards on himself.¡±


    I was taken aback, feeling guilty. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t know. The ss was mine.¡±


    I¡¯d brought the ss in for some cold medicine and left it there, not knowing Colin¡¯s tendencies. Eric


    said nothing more but nced at the clock. ¡°Would you like to learn more about Mr. Caleb? You are,


    after all, married now.¡±


    Eric wanted to help me understand Caleb better.


    I looked up, my eyes red. ¡°Yes.¡±


    1


    Silently, Eric led me to the abandoned orphanage.


    ¡°When he was neen, Mr. Brendan had nned to send Mr. Caleb abroad for his PhD. But that day,


    the orphanage caught fire. Someone maliciously locked Mr. Caleb and Carter in a room, and they


    couldn¡¯t escape. They were trapped and would have perished if¡­ we hadn¡¯t arrived in time,¡± Eric


    exined with a somber tone.

 Chapter 140

    My soul quaked with a deep¨Crooted fear of the orphanage, I was terrified because it was here that I


    had died.


    Thankfully, when Eric took me, we went to the residential wing on the eastern side of the orphanage.


    ¡°Maybe the murderer just wanted to scare Colin and Carter, but they didn¡¯t anticipate the fire getting out


    of hand. The whole dormitory was engulfed. That year, neen kids died in the orphanage. Neen,


    apart from Colin and Carter, mostly little seven or eight¨Cyear¨Colds.¡±


    I knew that Colin and Carter were just back for some annual celebration, aing¨Cof¨Cage ceremony


    for the kids around their age who had been adopted out.


    And those who perished were the ones left behind, the ones never chosen by a family. Such innocent


    lives were lost.


    ¡°We found him in a room choked with thick smoke, gasping for air.¡± Eric pushed open the charred door;


    its hinges creaked in protest.


    I stood rigid at the doorway, trembling uncontrobly with fear I couldn¡¯t exin.


    The room was sparse, beds reduced to mere frames, walls ckened by the heavy smoke.


    Even after all these years, the w marks of desperation were still clearly visible.


    Marks of a primal struggle to survive.


    My hand flew to my mouth as I crouched on the floor, my stomach churning with seasick waves of


    difort.


    I couldn¡¯t begin to imagine the agony and despair Colin and Carter must have experienced, locked in


    that room.


    Their cries for help, the futile struggle against a door that wouldn¡¯t budge, their bodies seared by


    mes, the smoke nearly devouring them whole.


    The marks on the walls spoke silently of their final, desperate moments.


    ¡°Why¡­ why didn¡¯t you find them sooner?¡± I choked out, my heart sinking into that pit of despair. ¡°That


    day, the Langley family faced a great tragedy as well. On the day of the orphanage fire, Mr. Ethan, Mr.


    Brendan¡¯s most favored son and heir to the Langley Group, died in a car ident along with his wife


    and another son. Mr. Brendan was lost in grief, and the Langley family was shrouded in sorrow.


    Everyone forgot that Mr. Caleb never returned from the orphanage.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Eric¡¯s voice was hoarse, his eyes rimmed with red. ¡°When Mr. Caleb woke up, he went mad. He was in


    a frenzy, Insisted on returning to the orphanage, and refused to leave with anyone, saying he was


    waiting for someone that he was told to wait there, and he just kept waiting¡­


    12-07


    even as his wounds festered, he wouldn¡¯t leave. It was just post¨Ctraumatic stress, which, with patient


    guidance and support from his family, he might have ovee. But with Mr. Ethan


    gone


    and under the influence of Mr. Samuel, Mr. Brendan worried about the scandal might bring to the


    Langley family and had himmitted to a mental institution.¡±


    I looked up at Eric, my eyes wide with shock.


    Colin¡­ was he really locked away in a mental institution?


    ¡°How long was he¡­¡± Tears streamed down uncontrobly, my body still shaking.


    Why was I mourning?


    ¡°One and half years¡­¡±


    That one and a half years was Colin¡¯s true hell. He tried to escape countless times, only to be


    recaptured, subjected to abuse, electroshock therapy, forced medication¡­


    Those experiences, those images, I dared not even think..


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bringing you here without asking,¡± Eric said, seeing my physical distress.


    ¡°What did he go through in the mental institution?¡± I looked up at Eric, my voice raspy. ¡°Can you take


    me there?¡±


    I wanted to understand Caleb.

 Chapter 141

    Eric hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded.


    On my way to the mental institution, my body couldn¡¯t stop shaking.


    I couldn¡¯t pinpoint the sadness, but my mind was haunted by that room, charred ck.


    The fire, the thick smoke, the desperate screams.


    Sharing a room with Colin, I knew his back was a canvas of gruesome scars, his hands, his calves ¨C all


    marred by burns.


    Remnants of that devastating fire.


    The pain he must have endured back then.


    ¡°The mental institution was shut downter. The director was arrested after abuses were exposed.¡±


    On the ride there, I Googled the mental institution, uncovering a slew of horrifying scandals.


    Doctors using patients for their amusement, torturing them.


    Electroshock, waterboarding, suffocation, torment. Humanity¡¯s worst magnified within those


    walls.


    ¡°Besides the director¡¯s arrest and his subsequent death from a heart attack in jail, the other doctors, the


    ones not convicted, seemed to have died off over the years.¡± A realization made me sit bolt upright.


    Coincidence?


    Those doctors had met their ends in idents,


    Car crashes, falls from buildings, drownings¡­


    ¡°Some online post imed it was karmic retribution for the St. Aria Psychiatric Center¡¯s sickos.¡± I felt a


    chill reading that post.


    Could all this really be a coincidence?


    If their deaths weren¡¯t idental, could there be a link to the orphanage serial killings?


    A sudden headache struck, and I grabbed my hair, trying to stay cool.


    It had to be a coincidence, right? Just a twist of fate.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always believed in karma,¡± Eric said, not borating as he got out and opened the car door for


    me.


    I knew he was holding back, that some questions would remain unanswered with him.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    The mental institution was closed down; we had to sneak in through the side gate.


    12:07


    It was as eerie as the orphanage, a ce that unsettled you the moment you stepped inside.


    A recent viral exploration livestream had featured this ce, iming it was haunted.


    ¡°This was Mr. Caleb¡¯s room. The Langley family had arranged for a private room.¡± Eric¡¯s voice was


    hoarse. ¡°We hoped¡­ he¡¯d have it better here.¡±


    But it was hell on earth.


    I pushed open that door and froze.


    The walls were covered in equations, numbers ¨C he was calcting something.


    The room was eerily clean, and I could almost see a young man in a white hospital gown scribbling


    endlessly on the wall with a pencil.


    Touching the numbers, I moved forward.


    At the end of the room, I found the equation ¨C he was using calculus topute pl¡­ endlessly working


    out each digit after the decimal.


    ¡°What was he trying to do?¡± My voice was a rasp, almost as if I was asking myself.


    Colin was a genius in mathematics and finance, no doubt about that.


    But why this obsession with calcting pi?


    ¡°The doctor who blew the whistle on the hospital said that Mr. Caleb was determined to prove that


    everything followed a pattern, like pi¡­ that it could be resolved, that time would circle back, and


    everything could start anew, that souls could exist in multiple dimensions, and as long as everything


    could beputed, as long as the pattern was found¡­¡±


    Eric clearly didn¡¯t understand either. In the world of the insane, anything was possible.


    $


    I stared at the wall full of numbers, feeling as if I was submerged in ice¨Ccold water.


    If everything followed a pattern, if time could be reversed, if souls could be reborn¡­


    My hands flew to my mouth in shock. Colin, was he trying to prove that this world was an illusion, that


    nothing was real, or was he trying to prove that in many years, everything would begin again?

 Chapter 142

    ¡°He¡¯s a genius.¡± a genius standing at the right hand of God.


    Or rather, a madman.


    Colin¡¯s thoughts and obsessions are beyond the grasp of ordinary minds,


    ¡°Is that kind¨Chearted doctor who blew the whistle still in Sea City?¡± I asked, harboring a sea of doubts


    within.


    I don¡¯t trust Colin; sometimes, his murderous intent is too intense. I once asked him if he¡¯d ever killed


    anyone. He hesitated and didn¡¯t answer, which was basically evasion.


    So, has he killed? What exactly is his connection to the orphanage serial murderer?


    ¡°The doctor is still in Sea City,¡± Eric nodded.


    I breathed a sigh of relief. There were also witnesses from back then; it would make the investigation


    much smoother.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head back,¡± I said, fearing Colin might spiral into madness upon waking.


    Eric nodded. ¡°Ma¡¯am, the reason I brought you here is to help you understand him better. Mr. Caleb is a


    pitiful man; he needs someone to care for him and love him incessantly.¡±


    I understood what Eric meant; he thought I could be Colin¡¯s salvation. After all, we were now husband


    and wife.


    But I can¡¯t be Colin¡¯s salvation. Colin needs love, and I can¡¯t give him that. All I can offer is my goodwill.


    And all I can do is pray, pray that Colin isn¡¯t one of the orphanage murderers.


    But after visiting the mental institution today, fear has crept into me.


    I¡¯m afraid Colin really has killed. Afraid he¡¯s indeed linked to the serial killings.


    And if I do find out he¡¯s a murderer, what then? Turn him over to the cops?


    On the way back, I was poring over the old records and posts from St. Aria Psychiatric Center.


    The whistleblower was a well¨Cintentioned doctor who, for the sake of the patients, reported his name,


    angered the director and his colleagues, and suffered a car ident that left him with a limping leg.


    On Twitter, someone asked the doctor if he regretted putting himself and his family in danger.


    The doctor replied that someone had to take a stand.


    Someone had to bear the brunt. There had to be light in the darkness.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am¡­ we¡¯re here.¡±


    The car hade to a stop, but I was still engrossed in the posts.


    Many shared their nightmarish experiences at St. Aria, recounting how the director enjoyed tormenting


    the good¨Clooking ones and how the real lunatics and perverts were the doctors themselves.


    I couldn¡¯t bear to think of what Colin, with his good looks, might have endured there. He¡¯s the type who


    wouldn¡¯t give in even if beaten to death, always resisting.


    That would provoke those bastards¡® animalistic side, pushing them to torture him even more wildly.


    Just reading the posts sent shivers down my spine, adrenaline coursing through me.


    I didn¡¯t want to imagine Colin¡¯s despair at that time, facing one desperation after another¡­


    If it were me, I probably would have killed too, right?


    ¡°Phoebe!¡± The yard erupted into chaos, and the servants couldn¡¯t restrain Colin.


    He walked barefoot in the yard, frantically searching. Only when he saw me did he calm down, quickly


    approaching and pulling me into his embrace. ¡°Phoebe¡­ I¡¯m scared.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    His voice was hoarse, and he said he was scared.


    For a moment, I felt it wasn¡¯t nightmares he feared, nor anything else, but the fear of losing me.


    ¡°Foebe! Just as I was about to coax Colin back inside, Robin¡¯s car screeched to a halt at the gate, his


    face stricken with panic as he jumped out. ¡°Foebe, have you seen Ste?¡±


    My heart skipped a beat, and I responded anxiously. ¡°She didn¡¯t get in touch with me today.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s missing!¡±

 Chapter 143

    My heart plummeted like it had been dropped from a high¨Cflying ne. I raced over to Robin, panic


    edging my voice. ¡°Ste? Missing?¡±


    ¡°She was practically living in the morgue these past few days, trying to piece together Phoebe¡¯s death.


    She¡¯s been shadowing Dr. Quinton through every autopsy, desperate for answers. Last night, she


    nearly passed out, so I told her to go home and rest. When I didn¡¯t see her at the precinct by eight this


    morning. I called her, but no answer¡­¡±


    Robin furrowed his brow. ¡°I got held up with a case, and when I went to check on her at noon, she was


    gone. I¡¯ve been searching all afternoon, but no one¡¯s seen her.¡±


    ¡°What aboutst night? Are we sure she made it home?¡± I asked, my voice trembling as I clutched


    Robin¡¯s arm.


    ¡°The old man downstairs has insomnia; he¡¯d have seen Ste if she came home. She didn¡¯te back


    last night, which means she disappeared somewhere between leaving the precinct and getting home.¡±


    My gaze swung frantically to Colin¨CI had to find Ste.


    Colin¡¯s expression wasplicated as if he wanted to say something.


    ¡°Let¡¯s check my ce!¡± I suddenly turned back to Robin, my heart racing with a new thought. ¡°No¡­


    Phoebe¡¯s ce.¡±


    I had told Ste the murderer might target my house. Could it be possible that Ste never went home


    last night but instead went there?


    Robin paused, then gestured for me to get into the car.


    1


    In the yard, Colin followed a few steps and then stopped, his head hanging low.


    I caught his figure in the rear¨Cview mirror, an inexplicable ache blooming in my chest.


    Was he upset? Heartbroken? Heartbroken that I cared more for someone else than for him?


    Or was it just my imagination¡­


    ¡°He really relies on you,¡± Robin said, ncing at the rear¨Cview mirror.


    I stayed silent, a strange difort settling in my heart.


    Why¡­ Why did it hurt so much to see him waiting there silently?


    It¡¯s as if a voice inside me was telling me not to make him wait any longer. He had waited long enough.


    My hands clenched tightly, and I turned to look at Robin. ¡°Can I bring him with me?¡±


    Robin was about to drive off but nced at me. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    12:07


    I rushed out of the car to where Colin still stood barefoot in the yard. ¡°Would youe with me to look


    for Ste?¡±


    Colin looked surprised for a moment, and then his gaze intensified. Without a word, he strode over to


    me and pulled me back into the car.


    I took his shoes and socks from the butler and quietly helped him put them on as we drove.


    He huddled in the corner, eyes fixed on me, always cautious. ¡°Phoebe¡­ do you remember me?¡± he


    asked in a whisper.


    I was a bit bewildered and shook my head. What I was doing now was out of sympathy, nothing


    more.


    Colin¡¯s eyes were once again shrouded in loss. He turned away, staring out the window.


    The drive was silent, save for Colin¡¯s grip on my hand, which he never let go of.


    We arrived at my apartmentplex.


    Robin parked the car in the alley and cautiously led us upstairs.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Night had fallen, and the hallway lights were out.


    I instinctively protected Colin, urging him to stay close behind me. His eyes never left me, ever


    watchful.


    ¡°That guy hiding in Phoebe¡¯s apartment, he¡¯s definitely trouble,¡± I whispered, handing the spare key


    from under the mat to Robin.


    Robin carefully unlocked the door, signaling for us to be cautious.


    The room was dim, the lights off.


    My portrait hung there, indistinct in the gloom, somehow unsettling. Being spooked by my own picture, I


    was surely a first.


    ¡°Shh,¡± Robin gestured for silence, listening intently to any sounds from within.


    Suddenly, a soft noise came from the bedroom.


    ¡°Ste?¡± Robin called out warily, flicking on the living room light and slowly making his way to the


    bedroom.


    I, too, watched the bedroom door, praying Ste was alright.


    ¡°She won¡¯t be dead,¡± Colin said firmly from behind me.


    I turned to look at him. ¡°Why are you so sure?¡±


    ¡°Innocent people.¡±

 Chapter 144

    Colin said Ste was one of the innocent ones.


    That meant Colin had an inkling of who the real murderer was¨Cone who didn¡¯t kill the innocent. The


    bedroom door swung open, revealing a void of emptiness.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Not a soul in sight.


    I scoured every room in the house, but it was as if the world had swallowed everyone whole.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The bedroom erupted with noise once more, this time from the depths of the closet.


    Exchanging a nce with Robin, we dashed over and flung open the closet door.


    Ste was bound and gagged, a makeshift prison of hanging clothes and darkness.


    Thankfully, her life wasn¡¯t in danger; she was just a bit dehydrated.


    ¡°Ste!¡± Robin unwrapped her bindings and yanked the cloth from her mouth.


    ¡°That bastard¡­ he¡¯s warning us¡­¡± Ste¡¯s voice was tinged with shock and panic before she slumped


    into Robin¡¯s arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking her to the hospital!¡± Robin hoisted her up and bolted for the door.


    I tried to follow, but suddenly, a chill raced up my spine. I whipped around, facing the portrait hanging in


    the living room.


    A scream pierced the air.


    My once beautiful ballet photo had been reced¡­ reced with a photo of me, taken when the


    psychopath murderer posed me as a marite in a ss disy case.


    Robin halted, finally noticing the switch.


    They had been too preupied with the bedroom when they first walked in, lights flooding the dark, to


    notice the photo had already been tampered with.


    Colin instinctively covered my eyes, his voice quivering. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    I was frozen in ce, my body refusing to move, as if rooted by fear.


    Robin quickly called his colleagues, telling them to secure the scene.


    ¡°The frame¡­ it¡¯s dripping blood,¡± I whispered, trembling.


    Despite Colin¡¯s hands over my eyes, the coppery scent of blood was unmistakable.


    The red dress in the photo was freshly painted with blood,


    ¡°The blood hasn¡¯t clotted; the murderer is still nearby,¡± Colin¡¯s voice was hoarse as he surveyed every


    corner of the room.


    ¡°He¡¯s meticulous, calcted. He knew exactly when we¡¯de here, when we¡¯d see this photo, A


    mind that brilliant would be lurking in the shadows, basking in his own twisted masterpiece¡­¡± Colin


    kicked open the bathroom door, barely holding it together.


    Robin set Ste on the couch, telling me to watch over her, and followed Colin in their frantic search.


    ¡°He puts his victims in ss cases, monitors their vital signs. He¡¯s got a mind for math, for medicine¡­¡±


    Colin muttered to himself, then turned his gaze to the shoe cab by the door.


    That shoe cab, it shouldn¡¯t fit an adult. But Colin moved toward it nheless.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Dexter¡¯s voice,ced with irritation, filled the doorway. He had brought a crew


    with him, looking more like movers than anything else.


    ¡°Get out¡­¡± Colin told Dexter to back off, not to let anyone in, that they¡¯d contaminate the scene. But


    Dexter¡¯s animosity towards Colin was palpable. ¡°This is Phoebe¡¯s ce, my fianc¨¦e, and this house is


    in my name now. The ones who should leave are you!¡±


    Dexter eyed the movers. ¡°Take all this stuff away, and be careful with it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything here!¡± Colin erupted, lunging at Dexter, ready toe to blows.


    But Dexter¡¯s bodyguards were quick to restrain Colin.


    ¡°Dexter!¡± Robin and I shouted his name in anger. ¡°Don¡¯t let them in! Protect the scene!¡±


    But it was toote; Dexter¡¯s men swarmed in, pushing past Colin and us.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone in the shoe cab!¡± I watched helplessly as they lifted the cab, blood spilling out


    onto the floor.


    A body, twisted into a grotesque shape, had been crammed inside.


    With a ¡°crack!¡± it tumbled out.


    In that moment, a hush fell over everyone, followed by the sound of someone retching.


    ¡°Before it fell, the person was stuffed in there, kneeling¡­¡±


    I caught a glimpse and wished I hadn¡¯t.

 Chapter 145

    ¡°Still alive¡­¡± Colin pushed past the onlookers and rushed over to check the man¡¯s pulse, ¡°But beyond


    saving¡­¡±


    Robin punched in 911.


    Dexter was visibly shaken by the gruesome scene, instinctively stepping back a few paces.


    The others ran outside, likely losing their lunch, and the scene was all but trashed,


    ¡°He timed this guy¡¯s death to the minute¡­¡± Colin crouched by the body, his voice edged with panic. ¡°He


    knew when we¡¯d arrive, when we¡¯d find him. He wanted us to watch this man die¡­¡±


    Just like what happened to Phoebe.


    Numbly, I stepped forward to look at the corpse. ¡°It¡¯s the husband of the orphanage¡¯s director.¡±


    I had seen this man in Colin¡¯s photographs.


    ¡°To stuff a big, middle¨Caged man into a shoe cab¡­¡± Robin spoke in a grave tone. ¡°The murderer


    has to be an adult, someone strong.¡±


    That would be the only way to move the body, to stuff a man not yet fully dead into such a small


    space.


    ¡°Maybe he crawled in there himself.¡± Colin pointed at the footprints, now smudged beyond recognition


    by Dexter and his crew. ¡°There¡¯s only one set of prints.¡±


    ¡°And one more terrifying thing: the murderer doesn¡¯t leave fingerprints, hair, or any clues. Even if


    caught on camera, facial recognition is useless. Can¡¯t ID him.¡± The man I¡¯d seen at my house that day


    had severe burns on his face, a horrific sight, his original features obliterated.


    1


    ¡°This murderer is too clever,¡± Robin admitted, clearly frustrated by being outwitted by the


    murderer.


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± I snapped back to reality, ring at Dexter. ¡°What the hell are you doing,


    bringing people here in the dead of night to move furniture?¡±


    Dexter frowned, irked by my question. ¡°These are my wife¡¯s belongings.¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap.¡± I marched up to him and pped him across the face. ¡°Have some decency, for God¡¯s


    sake!¡±


    Dexter gave me a warning look. ¡°I¡¯ve told you, this property is mine now. The ones trespassing are you


    guys!¡±


    ¡°Dexter, you better have a good exnation for moving furniture at this ungodly hour, or I¡¯ll have every


    reason to suspect you¡¯ve deliberately tampered with a crime scene.¡± Robin¡¯s warning was stern.


    horrible death, her spirit restless. He told me to burn her familiar furniture before midnight.¡±


    Right, Dexter, Mr. Rational, suddenly superstitious?


    I eyed Robin skeptically. ¡°This psychic sounds sketchy.¡±


    It all seemed a bit too convenient.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Where did youe across this psychic?¡± Robin probed further.


    ¡°I ran into him at the cemetery today,¡± Dexter said.


    So Dexter had visited Phoebe¡¯s grave again today.


    Now, I was even more suspicious. It must be Dexter, muddying the waters of my fate, making sure I


    couldn¡¯t rest in peace, even in death.


    ¡°Officer Robin!¡± The paramedics and police had arrived.


    But as Colin said, it was toote. Even if Colin had managed to stop the bleeding, the man was beyond


    saving. He had lost too much blood.


    The medical team took Ste away, now unconscious. They said it was just shock and hunger that


    made her faint, no serious danger to her life. That was a relief.


    ¡°Kneeling¡­ Why did he die kneeling inside the shoe cab at Phoebe¡¯s front door?¡± I couldn¡¯t wrap


    my head around what the murderer was trying to convey.


    ¡°Atonement,¡± Colin murmured. ¡°He¡¯s atoning for something.¡±


    Robin nced from Colin to me. ¡°He was uncooperative with the investigation before, why the sudden


    change of heart?¡±


    Up until now, Colin had been resistant, tight¨Clipped no matter how much the police pressed.


    But today, Colin was surprisingly forting.


    I paused, realizing the shift in his behavior. Today¡¯s Colin was unusually proactive. Colin¡¯s gaze


    remained fixed on the deceased as he spoke softly. ¡°Ketamine overdose¡­ hallucinations, poor clotting


    at the wound. He¡¯d die slowly, without feeling any pain.¡±

 Chapter 146

    Robin gaped at Colin, then back at the forensic expert who had just arrived on the scene.


    Dr. Quinton removed his mask, eyeing Colin with a mix of curiosity and respect. ¡°You¡¯ve got quite the


    nose on you.¡±


    ¡°It must be from when the murderer injected the victim with ketamine; there was a struggle, and some


    of the drugs got onto his clothes. Anesthetics like that are heavily regted.¡±


    Robin turned to Cory, ¡°Check it out!¡±


    But this was a broad lead, and finding the murderer in a short span of time was a tall order.


    ¡°The scene¡¯s beenpromised; not many clues left.¡± Dr. Quinton frowned, surveying the mess of


    footprints scattered across the floor.


    Dexter averted his eyes guiltily, keeping mum. He knew he was at fault here.


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t gone far, he¡¯s nearby.¡± Colin suddenly spoke with a conviction that drew everyone¡¯s attention


    towards the door.


    ¡°Who¡¯s out there!¡± an officer, hearing noises outside, charged out with a team in tow.


    ¡°Clean up the scene, lock it down,¡± Robinmanded the officers, taking control of the situation.


    I took Colin¡¯s hand and led him to the hallway, leaving the police to their investigation. He seemed deep


    in thought, furiously calcting something.


    ¡°The next one, the next¡­ Timing, location.¡± Colin crouched on the floor, murmuring to himself as if


    trying to predict the murderer¡¯s next move.


    ¡°What a nutcase, acting all mysterious,¡± Dexter scoffed, his voice dripping with scorn as he insinuated


    Colin was off his rocker.


    Colin red at Dexter with an icy detachment. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t barged in¡­ I could have found him.¡±


    If Dexter hadn¡¯t interfered, Colin was sure he could have followed the trail straight to the murderer, who


    was watching from the shadows.


    But now, they¡¯d spooked the quarry.


    ¡°You stop spouting that nonsense. For all we know, you could be the murderer. How else would you


    know so much about the drugs used, guessing the murderer¡¯s MO so urately?¡± Dexter¡¯s temper


    red as he faced Colin, looking like he was ready to throw a punch.


    I stepped in front of Dexter, shielding Colin, and pped Dexter across the face. ¡°Shut your mouth.¡±


    Dexter, struck by me for the second time, would have made me regret it in the past, but I was


    09:35


    Foebe now, and he couldn¡¯t use the same threats he used against Phoebe to intimidate me.


    I wasn¡¯t going to fall for his old tricks anymore.


    ¡°Foebe Larson,¡± His voice darkened as he called my name, a twisted smile ying on his lips. ¡°You


    y Phoebe¡¯s part well.¡±


    Perhaps he could always see a bit of Phoebe in me.


    ¡°Shameless,¡± I muttered, feeling like even my hand was sullied from hitting him.


    ¡°If you¡¯re so keen on ying Phoebe, then have at it,¡± Dexter¡¯s voice was cold with threat.


    I couldn¡¯t tell what he was nning, but a chill ran down my spine.


    Whenever Dexter had that look in the past, I knew he would ¡®punish¡® me. His punishment always


    cornered me with no way out but to capitte.


    ¡°What do you get from marrying a psycho? The Langley family is on itsst legs. Competing with Mr.


    Henry for control of the Langley Group is almost impossible. Anything the Langley family can offer you,


    I, Dexter, can provide just the same. Divorce him, and I¡¯ll allow you to stay by my side as Phoebe. Just


    y the part.¡± Dexter suddenly grabbed my wrist, yanking me to him, and taunted Colin with a


    challenging re.


    He seemed convinced I would abandon Colin for personal gain and go to him instead, because Colin


    held no real power in the Langley Group.


    Colin¡¯s face was a mask of barely contained rage as he stared at Dexter. ¡°Give her back to me¡­¡±


    He wanted to lunge forward and take me back by force, but he seemed afraid of hurting me. His voice


    trembled with a restrained plea, demanding Dexter to return me to him.


    2


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    But Dexter deliberately provoked Colin, wrapping his hand around my neck from behind, pulling me


    close into apromising embrace, and tauntingly asked, ¡°Psycho¡­ who do you think she¡¯ll choose


    between me and you?¡±

 Chapter 147

    Colin stood there, a picture of uncertainty, his emotions bubbling under the surface. He seemed torn


    between wanting to step forward and the fear of causing me harm.


    Perhaps he was shaken by how I had handled that sleazy guy on the subway earlier today. worried that


    he might not know his own strength and upset me again.


    Fear was etched across his face, the fear that I might truly choose Dexter over him.


    ¡°Phoebe.¡± His voice cracked as he called out my name, so clearly yearning for me to choose


    him.


    My gaze on Colin wasplex.


    Seeing that I wasn¡¯t resisting, Dexter spoke up with a cold edge. ¡°Luck¡¯s on your side for resembling


    Phoebe.¡±


    I clenched my teeth, having wanted to punch him for the longest time.


    Throwing my head back forcefully, I headbutted Dexter square in the face, then whirled around to


    pummel him.


    I had really been itching to give him a piece of my mind.


    In my past life, it wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t want to hit him; I was just too scared. He always knew how to


    threaten me with the people close to me.


    That was his specialty¨Cthreats.


    I couldn¡¯t stand up to him, and with a debt of gratitude hanging over me, all I could do was endure.


    ¡ü


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    But now he had already been the death of me, so why should I care about owing him anything?


    Colin froze, watching me, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing slightly.


    ¡°What are you looking at? Come help me beat him up,¡± I called out to Colin.


    He seemed eager, stepping forward to join the fray, but Robin grabbed him.by the cor, pulling him


    back. ¡°Colin,e with me,¡± he said sternly.


    Colin looked mournfully at Robin, then back at me.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go together,¡± I said, ignoring Dexter, who was still reeling from the blow and taking


    Colin¡¯s hand.


    Colin looked at me, almost in awe. ¡°Phoebe¡­ don¡¯t choose him¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not even an option,¡± I reassured him, though my heart was in turmoil.


    Colin¡¯s emotions were a roller coaster, and I knew I had to cajole him, but it was only my sympathy


    kicking in. Sooner orter, I would have to leave the Langleys, and I couldn¡¯t be tied


    to him forever.


    If he became too dependent on me, how could I ever make my choice?


    Colin seemed in high spirits, eagerly helping Robin analyze the situation. ¡°Serial numbers, every


    orphan had one¨Cit¡¯s the order of¡­ death. But the head of the orphanage and his family, they


    were outside that sequence.¡±


    Clearly, neither Colin nor I had expected the murderer to suddenly stop hunting the orphans and


    instead go after the head of the orphanage and his family.


    I looked at Colin, realizing he knew a lot about the murderer.


    ¡°Before, you wouldn¡¯t say a word when asked to cooperate. Why suddenly speak up today?¡± Robin


    asked, curious about Colin¡¯s change in demeanor.


    Colin looked down, and after a long pause, nced at me. ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± I didn¡¯t understand why he was suddenly looking at me.


    ¡°I only listen to Phoebe.¡± What he meant was he was only willing to cooperate because I asked him to


    come with me.


    If I hadn¡¯t and had left him alone at the Langley family home, he wouldn¡¯t have uttered a word.


    I didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°The next one to die¡­ will it be the head of the orphanage?¡± I asked, wondering if it would be


    that woman.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Colin shook his head. ¡°Living in pain is worse than death.¡±


    My heart skipped a beat. Of course.


    ¡ü


    Her husband dead, her daughter dead, the orphans dying one by one¨Cthe fear would drive anyone


    living to madness,


    Indeed, staying alive was her punishment.


    What had the orphanage head done to the murderer all those years ago?


    ¡°The orphanage fire back then¡­ did Carter really perish in it?¡± I had suspected this Carter before. Had


    he really died in that fire? ¡°The man I saw at home, his face burned beyond recognition¨Cif Carter didn¡¯t


    die, he¡¯d have a motive, right?¡±


    A man feigning death would indeedplicate the police investigation.


    ¡°We¡¯ve suspected as much for a while,¡± Robin said, lighting a cigarette at the bottom of the stairs,


    looking utterly exhausted. ¡°Everything you can think of, the police have already investigated. This


    Carter really is dead. My mentor investigated the fire back then. The only survivor was Colin, and there


    was another body, charred beyond recognition.

 Chapter 148

    My jaw dropped in shock ¨C Carter was really dead¡­


    Carter was dead; he definitely couldn¡¯t be the murderer.


    But who could it be, then?


    I nced at Colin, whoseplexion was off. ¡°Carter¡¯s dead¡­¡±


    ¡°Carter¡¯s dead¡­¡± he kept murmuring.


    ¡°Are we certain that body is Carter¡¯s?¡± For some reason, considering the murderer¡¯s genius, my


    suspicions could only fall on Carter and Colin.


    If Carter was dead, then what about Colin?


    I watched Colin nervously. Although we had been together recently and he didn¡¯t have the opportunity


    tomit the crime, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder.


    ¡°I brought Colin down here to get some straight answers from him,¡± Robin said, taking a long drag from


    his cigarette and fixing his gaze on Colin. ¡°What¡¯s your connection to the murderer? And why did you


    go to the police saying you were the murderer?¡°.


    Robin¡¯s gaze was sharp. ¡°I didn¡¯t take you to the station; I¡¯m asking you here because I trust you. You


    better tell me the truth.¡±


    Colin looked away, silent.


    I had once asked Colin the same thing, and his answer was vague.


    ¡°Colin¡­ we can¡¯t have anyone else die,¡± I said, my voice tight with anxiety, trying to coax him into


    speaking.


    ¡°I can¡¯t find Phoebe¡­ the trail leads to the orphanage¡­ I went to save Phoebe, but I couldn¡¯t find her,¡±


    Colin blurted out, suddenly anxious, filled with self¨Creproach and guilt.


    ¡°I lost¡­¡± His control began to slip as he tugged at his hair. ¡°I lost his game.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? What game?¡± Robin asked, on alert.


    ¡°The day Phoebe disappeared, someone left a letter outside my room. He wanted to y a game with


    me, to find Phoebe¡­ If I could calcte Phoebe¡¯s exact coordinates within a set time, he¡¯d return her


    to me.¡±


    That madman, making Colin calcte coordinates? Locating someone¡¯s exact position.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s insane¡­¡± I cursed under my breath.


    ¡°He tricked me; I figured it out, the coordinates he gave me¡­ I went there,¡± Colin¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°I


    went to that cabin, but I couldn¡¯t find Phoebe. At the time, I didn¡¯t think to look for a basement.¡± Colin


    was ming himself, copsing to the ground, his fingers turning white as he pulled fiercely at his hair.


    09-36


    He had figured it out.


    He had rushed over.


    But he hadn¡¯t found Phoebe.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault; I lost,¡± Colin¡¯s emotions were all over the ce. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡±


    I stepped forward to hold Colin¡¯s hand, stopping him from hurting himself. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    ¡°I frantically searched for him, only finding the second letter he prepared. He told me to go to the crime


    scene the police suspected, to pretend to be the murderer, and then to turn myself in. As long as I did,


    he would return Phoebe to me.¡±


    That psycho had indeed returned Phoebe to him¡­


    ¡°No wonder someone deliberately led the police to discover that basement that day,¡± Robin frowned.


    Once Colin turned himself in, my body was found.


    ¡°That basement¡­ it wasn¡¯t newly dug; Colin didn¡¯t even know there was a basement there, which


    means few people did.¡± I whispered, looking up at Robin. ¡°What was that basement used for? The head


    of the orphanage must be in the know.¡±


    I had a feeling that the murderer didn¡¯t just randomly ce me there. That basement definitely


    harbored some secret or darkness.


    ¡°If the murderer isn¡¯t Colin, and it isn¡¯t Carter¡­¡± I murmured softly. ¡°Then who is it that could possess


    such skill?¡°..


    By all ounts, the murderer was a genius.


    Colin fell silent, no longer speaking. His exnation had rified why he was at the crime scene, but


    was the truth really that simple?


    Colin¡­ Could he be trusted?


    ¡°Officer Robin! This is a diversion! The hospital just called; Melody¡¯s gone missing!¡±

 Chapter 149

    ¡°Melody was number 37 when she was in the orphanage. The orphans were assigned numbers based


    on the order in which they arrived, age notwithstanding. Since kids of the same age were grouped


    together, the numbering was all over the ce. We had pieced it together from an old group photo from


    the orphanage. The sequence was indisputable, and it was indeed Melody¡¯s


    turn.


    Robin furrowed his brow and looked at Colin. ¡°Can you pinpoint Melody¡¯s location?¡±


    ¡°Why have the earlier victims all been women? Phoebe wasn¡¯t even from the orphanage.¡± I was


    puzzled.


    ¡°Because the majority of abandoned orphans are girls, there are hardly any boys. That¡¯s why the


    previous victims were all female,¡± Robin exined, then continued. ¡°I think the murderer¡¯s actions


    resemble some kind of sacrifice. The way Phoebe was killed, with an injection and no pain, was


    completely different from the others. Everyone else suffered immensely before they died, some literally


    scared to death.¡±


    ¡°The 28 constetions correspond to different locations. Thest victim was found at South Bay


    Wharf¡­which aligns with the southeast,¡± Colin suddenly interjected, snatching Robin¡¯s notebook and


    pen from his hands.


    ¡°Coordinates¡­taking the orphanage as the center¡­¡± Colin started sketching a circle in the notebook,


    then began calcting directions feverishly.


    ¡°South Bay Wharf¡­the next one, it should be¡­ Northstone Street, Westlet Cove!¡± Colin deduced the


    murderer¡¯s likely dump sites. ¡°He¡¯ll leave the body there, which means he¡¯ll kill nearby. He wouldn¡¯t risk


    traveling too far. The only ce suitable for murder around here is an abandoned pharmaceutical


    factory.¡±


    With the expansion of the industrial area, many factories had been moved out, and that part had yet to


    be developed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Robin looked at Cory. ¡°What are you waiting for? To the pharmaceutical factory!¡±


    Another officer Cory, still in shock, gave Colin a thumbs¨Cup.


    The guy was brilliant.


    I stared at Colin, equally astounded.


    His ability to pinpoint where the murderer would strike and dump the bodies was remarkable.


    We followed Robin¡¯s car to the pharmaceutical factory.


    The dpidated building loomed deste and foreboding.


    There, in a cruelly conspicuous spot, was Melody, tied to a beam, her eyes wide with terror and


    09:36


    herplexion ghostly pale,


    A rope was tied around her neck with a candle at the end. Once the candle burnt through the rope that


    was bearing her weight, she would fall and be hanged by the neck.


    The murderer had designed this sadistic method to make the victim endure the most harrowing pain


    and mental torture before death.


    ¡°Dexter! Save me!¡± Melody cried out Dexter¡¯s name as soon as she saw us.


    I scoffed internally.


    True love, indeed. She remembered to call for Dexter even at a time like this.


    True to form, Dexter was there, his nose still bruised, rushing forward in a panic to untie her.


    Colin watched Dexter with an indifferent gaze, neither speaking nor intervening.


    Dexter was oblivious to the fact that if he tampered with the rope, Melody would fall and be hanged just


    the same. Her weight would be enough to break her neck instantly.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    The murderer had nned it all.


    I understood Colin¡¯s intentions; he didn¡¯t intervene because he resented M¨¦lody and Dexter.


    ¡°Dexter, I¡¯d advise you not to touch that,¡± I said.


    Colin and I could hold our grudges in silence, but Robin wouldn¡¯t let Dexter make a fatal mistake.


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Save her!¡± Dexter eximed irritably.


    ¡°You have a chance to save her before the candle burns through that rope,¡± Robin said, approaching


    and pointing at the myriad ofplicated ropes, all tied to Melody. ¡°In a warehouse like this, with


    beams as high as a three¨Cstory building, she¡¯d be dead if she fell without any safety measures in


    ce.¡±

 Chapter 150

    Melody was hanging by a thread, quite literally. Whether the rope was cut or burned, when she fell, it


    would be her end.


    Dexter was freaking out. ¡°What the hell are you cops good for? Do something, damn it! You promised


    to keep her safe!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but snort. Now he¡¯s desperate.


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen how smart the perp is. We¡¯re cops, not wizards. Give us a minute,¡± Robin snapped at


    Dexter, clearly annoyed by his mor.


    Robin was sweating bullets as he eyed the intricate setup of ropes.


    ¡°This guy¡¯s a bloody Houdini¡­ If the candle¡¯s moved or goes out, the heat¡¯s gone, the airflow changes,


    and those little ball bearings will drop just like a row of dominoes. The de gets released, the rope still


    snaps, and Melody¨Cshe dies all the same.¡±


    And if you mess with those bearings too early, the weight shifts, and it¡¯s game over anyway.


    Melody didn¡¯t dare to move a muscle.


    ¡°Dexter¡­ please, save me. I¡¯m scared,¡± Melody sobbed out to Dexter.


    ¡°I¡¯d advise you to keep it down. This whole setup¡¯s more sensitive than a spirit level. Keep shouting,


    and you¡¯ll meet your maker even sooner,¡± I warned Melody, frowning deeply.


    Melody¡¯s face turned red as she tried to stifle her cries, too afraid to yell any longer.


    Looking up at Melody, for some reason, I felt an inexplicable rush of¡­satisfaction. I admit it. I have a


    dark side. I didn¡¯t want to save her.


    I knew Colin could do it, but selfishly, I didn¡¯t want Colin to save her.


    Robin turned to Cory and the other officers. ¡°Every move¡¯s a gamble here. When¡¯s the rescue team


    getting here?¡±


    They¡¯d called for a cherry picker, but it wasn¡¯t going to be quick.


    ¡°But it¡¯s gonna take time for the rig to get here. This is an industrial zone, best case¨Ctwenty minutes¡­¡±


    Twenty minutes, obviously longer than Melody could wait.


    ¡°What do you mean, twenty minutes? In twenty minutes, that rope will have snapped already!¡± Dexter


    continued tosh out in panic. He spun around to face Colin. ¡°Is it you? Did you do this, lure us here on


    purpose? You¡¯re the murderer; it¡¯s gotta be you!¡±


    Dexter had Colin in his sights.


    Colin just stood there, cool as a cucumber, not saying a word.


    09:36


    ¡°Don¡¯t go barking up the wrong tree.¡± I snapped at Dexter.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for him pinpointing this ce, we¡¯d have found her toote, if at all,¡± Robin intervened,


    trying to get Dexter to cool his jets.


    Colin remained still, a low pressure all around him. Maybe it was my imagination, but I thought I saw a


    hint of a smirk in Colin¡¯s eyes.


    Just my imagination, surely.


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely him. Why else would he know about this ce?¡± Dexter was still raving.


    ¡°Mr.


    exter, I urge you to calm down. The only person who can save Melody before she dies is Colin. You¡¯d


    better beg him to save her!¡± Robin angrily grabbed Dexter by the cor, urging him to plead with Colin.


    ¡°Beg him? In your dreams!¡± Dexter clearly had no intention of begging Colin.


    Colin stayed aloof, leaning against a pir, mouth shut tight.


    ¡°She won¡¯tst much longer,¡± Robin muttered, frowning.


    ¡°Seems Melody isn¡¯t all that important to you, huh?¡± I sneered, enjoying the rare opportunity to threaten


    Dexter. It put me in a surprisingly good mood.


    ¡°Colin, can you save her?¡± Cory was desperate, looking at Colin anxiously.


    Colin remained silent. I knew he wouldn¡¯t make a move unless I spoke up.


    ¡°What will it take¡­ for you to save her?¡± Finally, Dexter bit the bullet and spoke.


    Colin straightened up, his voice low and grave. ¡°You take her ce¡­ and I¡¯ll save her. You have three


    minutes to decide.¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 151

    Dexter¡¯s face fell in an instant, a storm of fury brewing in his eyes as he red at Colin, ¡°Caleb, don¡¯t


    push it.¡±


    It was clear as day he wasn¡¯t about to throw his life away.


    ¡°Howe I remember you bragging once that if Phoebe bit the dust, you¡¯d be right there in the grave


    with her?¡± A taunting recollection slipped from my lips, remembering Dexter¡¯s bold promise,


    All that talk about Phoebe being too sly to die, drumming up suspense for the heck of it.


    He¡¯d sworn up and down to everyone that if Phoebe ever kicked the bucket, he¡¯d be her grave buddy.


    Looking for a perfect chance to y the martyr, Dexter?


    ¡°Well, here¡¯s your golden ticket. You get to y the loyal lover and save Melody all in one go.¡±


    My gaze lifted to Melody, hanging pallid and lifeless above us. ¡°Look at her, she¡¯s practically a goner.


    No matter which rope snaps first, she¡¯s gonna hang. Tick¨Ctock, Dexter, your time¡¯s running out.¡±


    ¡°Foebe Larson!¡± Dexter was seething, but trapped by his own desperate need, the sting of being at


    someone¡¯s mercy gnawing at him.


    Red¨Ceyed, I watched Dexter, the rage unmistakable in his re.


    Recalling our shared history, I couldn¡¯t help but find humor in the irony. Dexter¡¯s forte had always been


    threats, and now the tables had turned, and he couldn¡¯t face it?


    It was simply an eye for an eye.


    As the old saying goes, can¡¯t he handle a taste of his own medicine?


    ¡°There¡¯s no point begging him; he¡¯s not the saving type. You guys better figure out how to get her


    down.¡± Selfish to the core, Dexter wasn¡¯t the dying kind.


    Robin had been enjoying the show but coughed to mark his presence, not keen on letting things


    escte. The victim had been found, and the murderer¡¯s n foiled for the moment. This was the first


    step in challenging the murderer.


    ¡°Colin, give us a hand here, will ya? A life¡¯s at stake¨Ccan¡¯t let it just vanish into thin air. If we keep


    Melody alive, the murderer might cool it with the carnage. He¡¯s got a thing for winning,¡± Robin stepped


    forward, trying to reason with Colin.


    Colin just looked at me, silent. He wasn¡¯t keen on helping.


    I lifted my gaze to Melody.


    A part of me longed to witness her final breath there and then, but I knew it wasn¡¯t the time.


    Melody couldn¡¯t die¨Cnot with the cops here and the secrets she held about the murderer. She had her


    uses still. Besides, she didn¡¯t deserve such an easy out.


    ¡°Save me¡­¡± Melody¡¯s voice was a husky whisper from above, dehydration taking its toll. ¡°Dexter, I¡¯m


    scared.¡±


    Dexter looked up to Melody, frantic, then to Robin. ¡°Are we just gonna stand around?¡±


    ¡°What else? You expect me to sprout wings and fly up there?¡± Robin had been doing his best to


    persuade Colin. He was the only shot at a quick rescue.


    ¡°Fire department¡¯s ten minutes out, tops. And those air cushions are no good; she¡¯s got a noose


    around her neck. She drops, she hangs. Firefighters will have to wait for the lift, get it?¡± Robin frowned


    deeply at Dexter.


    After his plea, Robin continued to coax Colin. ¡°Colin, you said you¡¯d take a loss for him once. We didn¡¯t


    save Phoebe in time, can¡¯t let history repeat itself, okay?¡±


    Robin was a smooth talker.


    But I knew, without my say¨Cso, Colin wouldn¡¯t lift a finger.


    Robin caught on and turned to me. ¡°Foebe, if Melody lives, the murderer might put the brakes on. You


    said it yourself: no more deaths.¡±


    ¡°Foebe¡­ save me.¡± Melody¡¯s plea joined the chorus.


    I looked at her coldly. ¡°Why should I?¡±


    ¡°The rope¡¯s fraying!¡± Cory eximed, the tension reaching a breaking point.


    Nobody dared to yank the rope¨Cit would tip the scales, quite literally.


    ¡°Foebe!¡± Dexter called out my name, a note of desperation in his voice.


    Colin saw through my act, pulled me to him, and wrapped his arms around me from behind. ¡°Dexter¡­


    I¡¯ll save her, but only if you kneel.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    He wanted Dexter on the ground, yet he held me in a protective embrace.

 Chapter 152

    It was clear that Dexter needed to get on his knees before me.


    I was taken aback for a second, lifting my gaze to Colin, feeling an indescribable emotion welling up


    inside.


    ¡°Caleb Langley!¡± Dexter clenched his fists in anger, looking like he wanted to throw a punch.


    ¡°Thought you loved her to bits, huh? You used to say you¡¯d walk through fire to marry her, and now you


    can¡¯t even kneel for her?¡± taunted Dexter, then nced at Melody. ¡°See, his love ain¡¯t. all it¡¯s cracked


    up to be.¡±


    ¡°Foebe!¡± Dexter was infuriated by my words, probably wishing he could take me out right there. ¡°You


    better hurry up, man! Time¡¯s running out!¡± Cory was getting anxious; the rope was about


    to snap.


    Colin stood firm; no kneel from Dexter, no rescue for Melody.


    Gritting his teeth, Dexter nodded. ¡°Fine, Caleb, just don¡¯te to regret this.¡±


    Dexter swallowed his pride for the moment, but that didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t seek revenge. He¡¯d


    definitely make Colin payter on.


    Honestly, I was worried.


    This fleeting satisfaction¡­ could it spell trouble for Colin down the line?


    But there was no time to consider that now.


    You deal with the hand you¡¯re dealt.


    And there he was, Dexter, kneeling before me. His eyes were filled with rage. His kneeling was


    reluctant, but he did it nheless.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Ha¡­


    My body stiffened, unsure of what I was feeling.


    Back when I despised him, I would have given anything to have him groveling at my feet, full of regret.


    But now, the thought of such a man kneeling seemed to tarnish my path somehow.


    ¡°Colin!¡± Cory shouted, the rope¡¯s final threads about to give way.


    Colin let go of me and strode over, catching a random strand of rope just as it snapped. To an outsider,


    it wouldn¡¯t make sense why he grabbed that particr strand.


    Above, the rope broke, and Melody¡¯s body fell, her neck catching on the remaining rope.


    Colin looked on indifferently as Melody, like a puppet entangled in countless threads, lost her bnce


    and dropped again, her neck constricted, her face turning red with agony.


    I took a deep breath. Colin¡­ he was intentionally tormenting Melody.


    He watched her suffer without a trace of empathy, watched her unable to even beg for mercy.


    Colin smiled¡­ a frightening smile.


    I didn¡¯t say a word, simply looked away, unwilling to watch.


    Robin massaged his temples and approached. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±


    Colin was unmoved. ¡°She won¡¯t die before the elevator gets here.¡±


    She wouldn¡¯t die, but the agony of suffocation was hers to endure.


    Robin and Cory strangely trusted Colin¡¯s sense of timing. If he said she wouldn¡¯t die, she wouldn¡¯t ¨C but


    she was surely suffering.


    Meanwhile, Dexter stood up, silent now, his gaze cold as he watched me and Colin.


    I knew he wouldn¡¯t let this go easily.


    The rescue team arrived, along with the elevator.


    Melody was saved just in time, unconscious from theck of oxygen, nearly gone.


    Colin¡¯s eyes were icy as he watched Melody being carried away, hatred simmering beneath the


    surface. He would have preferred her dead, yet he intervened for my sake.


    Even if he hadn¡¯t, the cops were powerless.


    ¡°This time, the murderer lost, but he won¡¯t take it lying down. He¡¯ll be pissed.¡± Colin observed the


    surroundings, sure the culprit could see everything, yet remained out of the police¡¯s grasp.


    ¡°You just wait.¡± Dexter shoved Colin in a warning.


    ¡°Dexter, I¡¯d advise you to stick close to her around the clock. If the murdereres back, no one¡¯s


    gonna save her next time.¡± I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around Colin, & shooting a


    warning nce at Dexter.


    Dexter snorted disdainfully and followed the paramedics.


    Suddenly, Colin leaned into me, a quiver in his voice. ¡°Phoebe, he shoved me.¡±

 Chapter 153

    Colin¡¯s pouting was as endearing as a little kid who couldn¡¯t stop tattling to the grown¨Cups.


    I took a deep breath and instinctivelyforted him. ¡°The guy¡¯s got issues; just ignore him.¡±


    Colin brightened up and clung to me, unwilling to let go.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head out.¡± Robin and his crew had scoped out the scene, confirming no suspicious individuals


    lingered, and signaled for Colin and me to head back.


    ¡°Robin, we¡¯ve checked the surveince footage. All we¡¯ve got is this shadowy figure carrying an


    unconscious Melody inside. The guy is tall, and although he¡¯s in a raincoat with a hood, you can tell


    he¡¯s pretty buff.¡±


    Cory had reviewed the nearby security cameras, but there was only one useful shot, likely overlooked


    by the assant since it was from a camera installed by a homeowner on their second¨Cfloor balcony in


    one of the few houses that hadn¡¯t been demolished in the area.


    Unless you knew about it, you¡¯d never spot the camera.


    I leaned in to take a look. Even though it was just a silhouette, something felt off. I couldn¡¯t shake the


    feeling that this wasn¡¯t the same person with the facial burns I had seen at my ce.


    ¡°It feels.¡± But I couldn¡¯t put my finger on it.


    The guy who had spoken to me at home seemed ghostly¨Ctall, yes, but gaunt, slightly hunched. Even in


    a raincoat, he couldn¡¯t have looked this sturdy and strong.


    Strong enough to carry Melody? It just didn¡¯t seem likely.


    ¡°Recognize anything?¡± Robin looked at me.


    I shook my head. ¡°The footage only shows a figure from behind; you can¡¯t make out any details.¡±


    Cory and his team stayed behind to continue the investigation while Robin escorted us to the hospital.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Ste was awake, shaken but mostly unharmed, thanks to her usually steely nerves.


    ¡°What happened? How did you end up there?¡± Robin entered her room, offering a basket of fruit. ¡°I left


    last night feeling homesick, wanted to check on Phoebe, and¡­¡± Ste nced at me, her eyes darting


    away.


    She probably believed what I¡¯d said and wanted to see for herself if there was indeed an intruder at


    home.


    ¡°I was just trying my luck, didn¡¯t expect to really run into anyone. As soon as I walked in, someone


    knocked me out.¡± Ste¡¯s voice trembled with the recollection.


    Robin tried to soothe her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re safe now. But don¡¯t go off alone again.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°The guy¡­ he was really strong, about six¨Cfoot¨Cone, with noticeable arm muscles. I tried


    to grab his arm while I struggled, and his biceps were solid; I couldn¡¯t get a grip.¡±


    I frowned, shaking my head. ¡°That¡¯s not right, it¡¯s not the same person¡­ something¡¯s off.¡±


    The man I¡¯d seen at home had burn scars on his face and neck; he was slim and tall, but¡­ his limbs


    were slender, not the build of someone robust and powerful.


    ¡°Could it be¡­ the murderer isn¡¯t acting alone?¡± I looked at Robin, anxious. ¡°Are there two of


    them? Or even more?¡±


    Both Robin and Ste fell silent.


    After so many deaths, we still hadn¡¯t found a single lead.


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely not the same person,¡± Robin finally said after a long pause. ¡°In the footage from the


    corner where Ophelia went missing, we saw another figure in a raincoat, too, but much thinner, almost


    feminine, or a very slender man.¡±


    I turned to look at Colin.


    Colin stood quietly, his expression unreadable.


    The murderer wasn¡¯t a lone wolf; this was coordinated, nned. There had to be a ringleader


    orchestrating the others.


    ¡°Melody¡¯s out of danger now; the murderer failed. Knowing their pattern, they¡¯ll likely try for her again,¡±


    Robin checked his phone. ¡°Hopefully, they won¡¯t go after anyone else before we get to Melody, giving


    us time to investigate.¡±


    ¡°Since Ste¡¯s safe, we should get back,¡± I suggested, wanting to take Colin home. He was still sick,


    after all.


    Robin nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll have Cory drive you.¡±


    ¡°No need, we¡¯ll take the subway,¡± I said, shaking my head.


    Ste watched me, visibly worried, her mouth opened as if to speak, but then she hesitated.

 Chapter 154

    I turned to beckon Colin to follow me, but he lifted his hand as a natural movement. ¡°Phoebe.


    hold on.¡±


    With a resigned sigh, I took hold of his wrist, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s head home.¡±


    ¡°Hold tight and don¡¯t lose me again,¡± he murmured under his breath.


    I didn¡¯t quite catch what he said and turned back to him. ¡°What was that?¡± I asked.


    Colin just gave me a smile, saying nothing more.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Ste¡¯s voice suddenly called out from the hospital bed.


    I paused mid¨Cstep, not turning back. Right now, it seemed better to maintain the guise of Foebe.


    On the subway home, Colin kept hold of my hand.


    I leaned against his shoulder and my eyes zed over.


    Colin didn¡¯t question why I chose the subway over a car ride. I figured he was smart enough to have


    guessed why.


    Rain always made me nervous in cars. The subway was crowded, and it made me feel safer.


    Just as we emerged from the subway station, there was Eric with the driver waiting by the roadside.


    Colin furrowed his brow and nced at me, ¡°Phoebe, let¡¯s make a run for it.¡±


    I was taken aback, ¡°Run for what? To where¡­?¡±


    Before I could get an answer, Colin was yanking my wrist and sprinting through the crowd.


    Eric spotted us. He was trying to catch up, but ultimately lost us in the flux of subwaymuters.


    After a lung¨Cbusting run, we finally stopped.


    ¡°Why the rush?¡± I asked..


    Colin looked unfazed, not even out of breath. Well, he is quite a runner, I thought.


    ¡°Don¡¯t want to go back,¡± Colin said, meaning back to the Langleys.


    I guessed he too felt the Langley estate was more of a cage than a home.


    ¡°Eric¡¯s got trackers on our phones, doesn¡¯t he?¡± I said, half¨Cdefeated. I was carrying the Langley heir;


    Colin was the Langley scion. Either one of us missing was a problem, so Eric would find us soon


    enough.


    Without a word, Colin fiddled with our phones for a bit before handing mine back, ¡°One day off the grid


    won¡¯t hurt.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure what had gotten into Colin and why he wanted to escape, but I agreed for the


    moment.


    If he took off on his own, I¡¯d have no idea where to start looking.


    ¡°So, where to now?¡± I quipped.


    ¡°I want to sleep together with you,¡± Colin said earnestly.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    I was caught off guard and only then noticed we were standing in front of a swanky five¨Cstar hotel.


    ¡°You want to ditch a perfectly good home to stay at a hotel?¡± I muttered under my breath.


    Colin remained silent, gripping my hand, unwilling to let go or move.


    Knowing him as I did, his sudden resistance to going home must have a reason ¨C it was certainly not a


    whim.


    Seeing his pitiful look, I wanted to refuse, but the words died on my lips. I turned and led him into the


    hotel as an inexplicable irritation washed me over.


    Seeing Colin always brought back memories of the orphanage and the mental institution¡­


    I couldn¡¯t fathom what he¡¯d endured. I just hoped the serial killings had nothing to do with him.


    ¡±


    ¡°You also know fancy hotels, huh? Weren¡¯t you used to sleeping on piles of trash?¡± I teased as we


    entered the lobby, recalling his days of wandering and sleeping in shabby rooms at the orphanage. Yet


    now, he¡¯d dragged me from home to a hotel.


    ¡°No,¡± Colin said seriously, shaking his head. ¡°Phoebe deserves the best.¡±


    I paused and was surprised. He¡¯d made it clear he knew I wasn¡¯t Phoebe Caldwell¡­


    Was I now just basking in my own glory?


    Once in the hotel room, I coaxed Colin to take a shower and then got a call from Eric:


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, the CEO of the Fitzgerald Group has been at our house for two hours now, wanting to discuss


    apany project¡­¡± Eric¡¯s voice held a note of helplessness.


    I felt a twitch at the corner of my mouth, realizing Colin had anticipated Dexter would not let things go


    and had thus whisked me away to the hot

 Chapter 155

    ¡°He¡¯s running over to our ce to discuss work issues? That sounds more like a threat than a


    meeting.¡± I scoffed.


    ¡°The guy insisted on seeing you today, said if he couldn¡¯t¡­ the deal¡¯s off. He¡¯ll partner up with Mr.


    Henry instead,¡± Eric said with hesitantly.


    I knew Dexter¡¯s game all too well. After Colin forced him to his knees today, he wouldn¡¯t rest until he


    restored his bruised ego.


    ¡°Let him wait then. Tell him Colin and I aren¡¯ting home tonight,¡± I said with a hint of anger in my


    voice. ¡°If pushes to shove, just unleash the dog.¡±


    Dexter was petrified of dogs. Hailey mentioned he was bitten as a kid.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Eric fell silent, probably frustrated by the situation.


    After a pause, he spoke again. ¡°Ma¡¯am, our partnership with the Fitzgerald Group is crucial Even if it


    falls through¡­ we can¡¯t afford to make enemies.¡± He said.


    Eric knew it was a tough spot, but the business world was nothing like ying house.


    I stayed quiet and massaged my temples.


    I studied finance so I know that it was always about profits in the marketce; there were no things like


    lifelong enemies.


    If Dexter teamed up with Henry, life would get even tougher for Caleb and me. Henry was probably


    already plotting against Caleb and me.


    ¡°Also, it¡¯s probably for the best you¡¯re noting home today. Things have been a bit sketchy around


    the house with some suspicious characters lurking. I suspect they¡¯re Mr. Henry¡¯s men. They won¡¯t let


    this go easily. You and the young master should be careful,¡± Eric hade to pick us up from the


    subway station because he¡¯d spotted those shady figures.


    My brows furrowed. Were they really going to make a move?


    The sound of running water stopped, and Colin mmed the bathroom door. He stood there, bare as


    the day he was born. The water was dripping down his skin, and his hair was soaked. He really¡­ didn¡¯t


    see me as a stranger.


    I covered my forehead instinctively and looked away, ending the call. ¡°Could you maybe get dressed


    beforeing out?¡±


    I had to admit that he had an impressive physique, but this was hardly the time to appreciate it. Colin


    seemed puzzled. He looked at me and said, ¡°It¡¯s legal.¡±


    He said it was legal to look.


    I fell silent and took a deep breath. I¡¯ll never understand the logic of the insane, ¡°Just put some


    09:32


    clothes on!¡±


    He seemed hurt as I scolded him, and he quietly slipped into his clothes.


    I sneaked a peek at his back¡­ those scary scars were demon¡¯s crawls, which were strangely


    bewitching, let¡¯s say.


    I used the word bewitching for they didn¡¯t detract from his overall allure. Rather, they were like cracks


    on precious porcin that revealed an intriguing duality.


    If you only looked at Colin¡¯s angelic face when he yed innocent, you¡¯d see a pure angel.


    But the scars spoke of a fall from grace like Lucifer, rebelling against God, leading a legion of angels


    into damnation.


    He pulled on his pants, looking up at me with big, sad eyes, as if asking if this was eptable.


    I didn¡¯t respond, but my fingers involuntarily traced the scars on his wrist. They were left by his self¨C


    infliction.


    ¡°¦Ð?¡± I asked why would he mark himself with such a symbol.


    ¦Ð means infinity and non¨Crepeating.¡± He offered a literal exnation, but my head throbbed with an


    inexplicable pain.


    Infinity and non¨Crepeating.


    Yet, while in the psychiatric hospital, Colin obsessively tried to calcte it to its end.


    What was he truly thinking?


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ my shoulder hurts,¡± he said, crouching before me like an obedientrge dog. He was more


    talkative today.


    Much more than usual.


    Perhaps my sympathy got the better of me, allowing me to be more tolerant of him than before. ¡°Did


    you hurt it? How did it happen?¡± I asked anxiously, checking his shoulder.


    Was it injured today?


    Then I heard him whisper, ¡°Dexter pushed me.


    I opened my mouth to speak but closed it again, feeling my blood boil at the mention of Dexter.


    ¡°Phoebe, I¡¯m better than him,¡± he was earnestly self¨Crmending again.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re way better than him. Next time we see him, we¡¯ll take him down together,¡± | promised with


    earnest resolve.

 Chapter 156

    Colin seemed ecstatic, practically tumbling me onto the bed with a gleeful force. If he had a tail. it


    would have been wagging furiously.


    ¡°Phoebe. I¡¯m burning up,¡± Colin said, hugging me and wriggling around on the bed like a puppy.


    I tried my best to contain my anger. It wasn¡¯t a fever he had; he was¡­


    ¡°I warn you to sleep now, Caleb,¡± I could clearly read his intentions. His face was almost yelling his


    desire. Could he be any more shameless?


    ¡°Phoebe, seriously, I¡¯m on fire. Touch me, you¡¯ll feel it.¡± He always spoke with such a deadpan


    expression, the kind of words that made you want to crawl into a hole.


    I thought he meant for me to feel his forehead. But as he held me from behind, I felt like my hand had


    touched something it shouldn¡¯t have.


    ¡°Caleb, I¡¯m warning you¡­¡± I almost spat the words through clenched teeth.


    He buried his head in my shoulder. This time he was looking so docile, just holding me.


    I couldn¡¯t take it anymore, so I turned around and pped him.


    The sound was so crisp in the silence.


    In the dim light, I caught that his deep, innocent eyes were seemingly brimming with tears, his


    expression the pinnacle of aggrieved.


    My heart clenched, and I regretted my action instantly.


    It was my sympathy kicking in; I tried to justify it to myself.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ðz


    Almost reflexively, I reached out and caressed his unfairly handsome face, ¡°Sleep now, behave.¡± He


    was really settled this time. He stayed quiet, not moving a muscle.


    In the silence that followed, every little sound seemed amplified. He sniffed, and I wondered if he was


    crying. He seeded in making me wide awake.


    What species was he, really? Or was this all on me?


    I gritted my teeth and gave in, turning to face him.


    ¡°Close your eyes!¡± Imanded.


    He looked at me a long while before obediently shutting them.


    My face burned as I took a deep breath and cautiously reached out to him¡­


    His breathing grew heavier. I feel like my hearing was so sensitized that I wanted to curl up myself in a


    ball. I wished for a hole to bury myself in.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move¡­¡± I warned him as he tried to embrace me.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± he called my name.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk and don¡¯t open your eyes¡­¡± I threatened through gritted teeth,


    But he didn¡¯t listen this time. He just lifted his hand to trap me in his embrace and kissed me.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    He kept repeating my name. His voice was hoarse, while disturbingly seductive.


    It was like a kitten¡¯s tongue gentlypping at my heart with soft barbs that made my skin tingle. My own


    breathing became heavy when I knew that he was losing control.


    He got a primal instinct but since I was in the early stages of pregnancy, he wrestled with his desires


    even if it was hard.


    Starting tomorrow, we must sleep separately. I swore to myself. Otherwise, who knew when he might


    lure me into his inferno?


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve waited so long for you¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me wait anymore, okay?¡±


    In a haze, I heard him speaking to me. He said he had waited a long time.


    That night, I dreamed a dream. In it, my childhood sweetheart wasn¡¯t Dexter¡­ but someone else.


    Try as I might to run toward him, his face remained a blur.


    ¡°Phoebe,e on.¡± Before me was a meadow, a boy with a kite sprinting ahead.


    I seemed so happy and kept chasing after him. Suddenly, fire engulfed everything, swallowing the


    person before me.


    ¡°No!¡± I woke with a start, my breaths short and my head pounding with pain.


    Another nightmare.


    I reached for my phone to check the time ¨C 3 A.M.


    Rubbing my temples, I reached for Colin, but his side of the bed was chillingly empty.


    I sat up abruptly, turned on the light, and searched the bed. The coldness of Colin¡¯s spot told me he


    had left soon after I had fallen asleep.


    Where could he have gone in the dead of night?

 Chapter 157

    My heart was suddenly in a vice grip of fear.


    Could he have slipped away while I was asleep?


    In that case, could he be¡­ involved in this recent spate of murders?


    I shot out of bed, threw on my clothes, and dashed out of the hotel room to the front desk.


    ¡°Hi, did you happen to see my husband leave the hotel?¡± I asked.


    The young clerk shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s been so busy¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s half¨Cand¨Chalf, a really handsome man,¡± I said, trying to jog her memory.


    Her mouth cracked open, ¡°Oh, you mean that handsome dude? He should have been¡­¡°.


    She quickly pulled out her phone and whispered, ¡°He was so good¨Clooking that I sneakily took a photo


    and posted it on Facebook.¡±


    ¡°He left around midnight,¡± she said with certainty.


    The time stamp on her Facebook post read 12:03 AM.


    Panic set in. He had left just as I fell asleep.


    It was now past three in the morning. He had had more than enough time to do something terrible in


    more than three hours.


    I hurried out of the hotel, and when I looked around with a twirl of emotions, I suddenly felt lost.


    What was I supposed to do if Colin was really mixed up in these murders?


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    As I stumbled forward with a messy head, my phone rang.


    It was Robin.


    My anxiety spiked. Was I afraid the police had caught Colin at the crime scene, or that another murder


    had taken ce? I had no idea.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I said, steadying my breath.


    ¡°Come down to the Amber River Road police station,¡± Robin sounded exasperated.


    ¡°The police station?¡± I stuttered.


    ¡°As his guardian, aren¡¯t you supposed to keep an eye on him? Why let him go out in the middle of the


    night picking fights?¡± Robin¡¯s voice was low and tense.


    If the cops there weren¡¯t old buddies of his, Colin would¡¯ve been detained by now.


    ¡°Fight?¡± I hailed a cab, puzzled.


    ¡°He decked Dexter, smashed up Dexter¡¯s car, and the icing on the cake, he rallied a pack of


    strays and got Dexter¡¯s bodyguards bitten.¡± Robin was practically grinding his teeth, ¡°Do you get that if


    he were a regr Joe, he¡¯d be looking at jail time?¡±


    I was bombarded with questions.


    ¡°Colin was beating up Dexter in the middle of the night? He also smashed his car and set dogs on


    people?¡± eded a moment to process.


    Was this the reason he had insisted I stay in a hotelst night¨Cto have it out with Dexter?


    ¡°More than one got bitten. It seems like those guys were staking out near the Langley estate, probably


    surveilling or nning something against you,¡± Robin continued with a sigh. ¡°They got away, so let¡¯s


    call it self¨Cdefense for now. But Dexter and his driver were waiting at the Langley¡¯s gate for you. They


    got caught in the crossfire.¡±


    I went silent.


    So he wasn¡¯t outmitting murder; he¡¯d gone home to settle a score. No wonder he¡¯d mentioned a


    few times how Dexter had pushed him.-


    Was this some kind of vendetta?


    I held my forehead, embarrassed, ¡°I¡¯m on my way. Can you keep an eye on him for me?¡±


    At the police station entrance.


    As the guardian, I was liable for the damages to Dexter¡¯s car and the medical bills for his bodyguards.


    The Langleys could afford it, so that wasn¡¯t my worry.


    What concerned me was that Colin had truly gotten under Dexter¡¯s skin this time.


    ¡°Foebe Larson, you sure know how to handle your own,¡± Dexter spat as he stood outside the station,


    pointing at me through gritted teeth. ¡°Keep your rabid dog on a leash.¡±


    He was warning me by calling Colin a rabid dog.


    ¡°Instead of staying at the hospital with Melody, you prowl around our house barking. What breed does


    that make you?¡± I shot back, ring at Colin who was cowering behind the door, too scared to face me.

 Chapter 158

    Dexter stepped forward, lowering his head to look at me. His lip was cut, and there was blood on his


    forehead undoubtedly Colin¡¯s handiwork.


    ¨C


    ¡°Oops¡­ he didn¡¯t do it on purpose!¡± The officer chuckled, trying to defuse the situation. ¡°We¡¯ve


    checked the surveince video. Someone was causing trouble near his house and riled up him here. In


    a fit of rage, he mistook Mr. Fitzgerald, who was just standing by his front door, for the culprit.¡± The


    officer tried to be impartial. ¡°Both parties are at fault here.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Dexter clenched his jaw, ¡°How is standing at his doorstep a mistake?¡±


    ¡°You lurked around someone¡¯s house in the dead of night and there you are, encountered crooks. Even


    a sane person would mistake you for a crook,¡± the officer quickly winked at Dexter and lowered his


    voice, trying to mediate. ¡°Come on, why lower yourself to argue with


    a lunatic?¡±


    Dexter snorted dismissively.


    The officer turned to me, ¡°However,pensation is due.¡±


    I nced at Dexter¡¯s face. It was ghastly pale under the streetlight.


    Dog was his weakest point, and Colin had brought home a whole pack.


    There was no way Dexter wasn¡¯t petrified. He was probably quaking in his boots.


    ¡°He did it on purpose.¡± Dexter stared at me and spoke again. ¡°He¡¯s a ticking time bomb, a lunatic. I


    wonder how long you¡¯llst by his side, aren¡¯t you scared he¡¯ll strangle you in your sleep?¡±


    Dexter nced at the time, annoyed by thete hour. ¡°I¡¯d advise you toe to The


    Fitzgerald Group tomorrow to exin things to me personally.¡± His initial goal was clear ¨C he wanted a


    private meeting.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t show, I¡¯ll get awyer and have a court mandate to send him back to the psychiatric ward,¡±


    Dexter threatened once more.


    I frowned and red at Dexter.


    Some habits never die hard.


    Dexter, satisfied with his threat, got into his car and left.


    I had no idea why he insisted on meeting me alone, but it definitely wasn¡¯t for anything good. He was


    out here waiting for me until the wee hours instead of being at the hospital with his ¡®kind¡® sweetheart.


    He¡¯s the real nutcase.


    ¡°Come out!¡± Dexter had left, and I turned to Colin, who was still hiding behind the door, fuming.


    Colin was making small steps towards me, his head hung low in a pitiful disy.


    ¡°What are you doing back here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?¡± I barked at him. I lost


    patience at that very moment.


    ¡°There were bad people¡­¡± Colin murmured softly.


    He hade back to chase away Henry¡¯s thugs, afraid they¡¯d harm me.


    Robin leaned against the car, watching me scold Colin. He smirked, ¡°Seems like the kid only responds


    to your scolding; anyone else says one word and he looks ready to kill.¡±


    I massaged my forehead, ¡°Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to wander back alone at night?¡±


    Colin nced at a few stray dogs loitering near the trash cans across the street, ¡°I wasn¡¯t alone¡­.


    I was really pissed off by him, ¡°Are they people?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes people are worse than them,¡± Colin said with a low, chilling edge to his voice that stunned


    everyone.


    I thought I saw it wrong, but when I looked again, he had resumed his pitiful facade, ¡°Phoebe¡­ I was


    wrong.¡±


    ¡°Wrong about what?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­


    H


    He was driving me insane.


    ¡°Why did you hit Dexter?¡± I asked.


    ¡°He had iting,¡± Colin¡¯s look was picture of self¨Crighteously.


    ¡°Alright, enough. Let¡¯s not do this in the doorway.¡± Robin opened the car door. ¡°Get in, I¡¯ll drive you


    home.¡±


    I yanked Colin into Robin¡¯s car, and my hands were shaking with anger. But then I thought, at least


    Colin hade straight home from the hotel; he killed no one.


    That was a relief.


    Robin¡¯s phone buzzed. It was Cory, keeping watch over Melody at the hospital. ¡°Robin, someone tried


    to take out Melody at the hospital. We¡¯ve got the person!¡±

 Chapter 159

    Startled, I nced at Robin before gripping Colin¡¯s hand with an intensity that betrayed my


    excitement.


    Had they caught the murderer?


    If they¡¯d nabbed one, the rest were sure to follow. It was like pulling a thread to unravel the


    whole sweater.


    Colin looked up and caught my eye as I clutched his hand.


    I took a deep breath, waiting for Robin to get off the phone.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    When Robin ended the call, he turned to us, ¡°Cory¡¯s got someone. No time to drop you guys off, let¡¯s


    head over together.¡±


    Robin floored the gas pedal and we sped toward the hospital.


    My heart raced the entire drive, anticipation wing at me. Who was the murderer?


    Who had ended my life? I was dying to find out.


    Colin was silent the whole trip, probably aware he¡¯d messed up. He kept his gaze low as if bracing for


    my scolding.


    We pulled into the hospital parking lot, and I couldn¡¯t wait. I bolted out of the car and ran ahead after


    Robin.


    Colin trailed behind us. After a few steps, he stopped, gazing indifferently toward a dark corner near the


    entrance.


    It was pitch ck and impossible to see anything.


    I paused and looked back at Colin, ¡°Colin?¡±


    He looked back and came to me.


    ¡°Hurry up, I urged, eager to confront the murderer, and turned back to run.


    When I nced over my shoulder, I vaguely caught Colin gesturing toward the corner and shing his


    hand across his neck in a threatening motion.


    When I looked back again, he had resumed his innocent, angelic facade.


    I remembered thinking, just before my death, that Colin¡¯s face was the very image of a


    angel.


    Now, familiar with his features, I realized how much he hid beneath that mask of purity.


    In the hospital room, Cory and the others had pinned someone to the floor.


    Melody, now conscious, was curled up in the corner, her whole body trembling and her face pale as a


    ghost.


    The shock that came one after another must have been overwhelming for a woman like Melody, who


    was so coddled by Dexter.


    I figured she¡¯d have trouble sleeping for a long time, constantly fearing bing the murderer¡¯s next


    victim. This was hereuppance.


    Colin was right that day: death wasn¡¯t the worst punishment. Living on was far more torturous.


    Every second spent in guilt, loneliness, and fear¨Cthat was the cruelest punishment.


    ¡°Robin, this kid¡­ he¡¯s a minor,¡± Cory fretted as he handed over the murder weapon¨Ca syringe filled


    with what had to be a lethal substance.


    ¡°Somebody paid me¡­ to put this stuff in her IV. I was just doing a


    yelled at Robin. ¡°Don¡¯t kill me.¡±


    I


    Paid job!¡± the teenager


    Robin¡¯s face darkened as he grabbed the boy by his cor, ¡°This is murder! Where are your parents?¡±


    Tall and dressed in ab coat, the boy looked about fifteen or sixteen.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± He struggled, trying to escape.


    ¡°Take him away!¡± Robin was furious. If this kid wasn¡¯t the murderer, then the real murderer goaded him.


    ¡°Check his guardian and his school,¡± Robin muttered, irritated.


    This murderer was too brazen!


    ¡°I don¡¯t have parents; they died a long time ago! Don¡¯t take me, please. I have a little brother. who¡¯s


    sick. He needs money, or he¡¯ll die!¡± The boy cried out, falling to his knees. ¡°Please, I know I made a


    mistake. Don¡¯t catch me.¡±


    Robin kicked the boy, ¡°No matter your reasons, you weremitting murder! Don¡¯t you have any


    common sense?¡±


    The boy slumped on the floor, then all of a sudden, he burst out, ¡°What do you people know? You just


    stand there on your high moral ground! Look at me, look at us! We will die without money!¡±


    After shouting, he red at Melody cowering in the corner, ¡°That man said she deserved to die! Why


    are you protecting the bad guys?¡±


    Robin stood still. He was at a loss for words. After a long silence, Robin finally said, ¡°Take him back.¡±


    Cory grabbed the boy and was ready to take him away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take me! My brother is waiting¡­¡± The boy screamed, struggling against Cory¡¯s hold and


    09:39


    trying to run.


    Robin stepped forward to pin the boy against the wall, ¡°Let me tell you, thew will punish the wicked,


    not you. Who do you think made you do all this? He¡¯s the real demon!¡±

 Chapter 160

    Robin had been pushed to the brink as well. Since the first murder rippled through the city, he¡¯d been


    lucky to snatch three hours of sleep each night.


    The murderer was taunting him, the entire police force, and everyone.


    In Robin¡¯s eyes, no matter the murderer¡¯s motives, the fact that they¡¯d snuffed out so many lives meant


    they deserved to die.


    The boy was being taken away, and a wave of unexpected loss hit me as I leaned back. against the


    wall.


    Cory dragged the boy past me. Our eyes met. He opened his mouth as if trying to tell me something.


    I frowned, utterly perplexed by the boy.


    Was he talking to me?


    What was he trying to say?


    Did I¡­. know the boy?


    ¡°This kid¡­ must¡¯ve been put up to it, right?¡± I muttered under my breath.


    Robin slumped against the wall and thumped his forehead with limp fists. He looked genuinely


    tormented.


    As long as the murderer remained atrge, people would keep dying, and Robin was wrestling with


    guilt, with self¨Cme.


    ¡°If only¡­ I could¡¯ve been a bit earlier¡­¡± Robin muttered restlessly.


    If only he had found Phoebe sooner. The doctor had said even a day earlier could have given Phoebe


    a fighting chance to survive.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    His fist collided with the wall, and blood trickled from his knuckles.


    I stepped forward to stop him, but I was at a loss for soothing words.


    Robin turned and made his way to the designated smoking area, lighting up a cigarette.


    Colin and I stood by the entrance, enveloped in silence.


    ¡°Smoke?¡± Robin offered one to Colin.


    Colin shook his head, ¡°Smoking kills.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± A bitterugh escaped Robin. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll just have a few more to calm the nerves.¡± Colin spoke


    again, ¡°If it¡¯s so harmful, why do they even make them? Where¡¯s the source?¡±


    Where¡¯s the root of this evil?


    Robin¡¯s hand froze mid¨Clight, and he looked up sharply at Colin.


    Colin was reminding him that they¡¯d been on the wrong track from the start.


    The police had been fixated on the murderer and on the victims. But understanding why the murderer


    murdered was the key.


    Since the murderer had stumbled with Melody, they needed to seize this chance, follow the trail, and


    get to the source.


    To get the true source of evil¡­.


    We left the hospital at 4:30 in the morning. Dawn was teasing the horizon, but the world was still


    shrouded in a lingering darkness.


    I hated the pre¨Cdawn gloom. It was lifeless and eerily quiet, breeding an inexplicable panic. Melody had


    been rattled. She had been a nervous wreck until they sedated her.


    From outside her room, I watched her using me of mockery, of enjoying her downfall.


    I was mocking her, reveling in it, but it didn¡¯t sit well with me.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    I wanted her to suffer the most excruciating pain life could offer, and this was nowhere near enough.


    Exiting the hospital, we stumbled upon a boy of no more than eight or nine. He looked frail with a


    bloody nose that he¡¯d wiped haphazardly across his face.


    ¡°Mister, can I please have my brother back?¡± the boy approached Robin, pleading through his


    tears.


    Clearly, this was the little brother of the boy who¡¯d been taken away.


    ¡°Please,¡± he sobbed as blood streamed from his nose. ¡°My brother did it all for me.¡±


    Robin pulled out some tissues, kneeling to attend to the boy¡¯s nose.


    A female officer hurried over, ¡°Robin, this is the suspect¡¯s brother, who is suffering from leukemia.


    We¡¯ve just checked; both the suspect and this boy are orphans, no one¡¯s adopted them. They¡¯ve been


    living on the streets, surviving mostly through the older boy¡¯s thievery. Robin eyed the boy, his brow


    furrowed, ¡°Your brother¡­ he always made you steal to live?¡±


    The boy shook his head, ¡°My brother didn¡¯t let me steal.¡±


    Robin remained silent, his head bowed and no one knew what¡¯s on his mind.


    Perhaps he was pondering the suspect¡¯s hysterical cries of ¡®What do you people know? You just stand


    there on your high moral ground!¡­


    ¡°Take care of him,¡± Robin told the officer, then stood and walked away.


    I was about to leave when I heard the boy mutter softly beside me, ¡°Miss Foebe Larson¡­¡±


    I froze in my tracks. Stunned, I looked down at the boy..


    They really knew me? Foebe Larson?

 Chapter 161

    Seeing me lost in thought, the little boy charged over and wrapped his arms around my legs, clinging


    on for dear life


    ¡°Hey there, buddy, how about we get you home, okay?¡± the female officer coaxed gently.


    The little boy shook his head as he cried, refusing to let go of my legs.


    I felt bewildered and helpless as I looked up at Colin..


    In that moment, my heart raced with panic. These two kids, they definitely knew me. The one who had


    been coaxed into trying to off Melody, and this little tyke right here.


    ¡°He seems to take a shine to you, you could take him home,¡± Colin stepped forward, shielding the view


    between Robin and me.


    I felt guilty, afraid that Robin would see right through me.


    ¡°Since the kiddo¡¯s taken a liking to you, you can take him home for now if you are up to it,¡± Robin


    relented.


    I breathed a sigh of relief as well and reached out for the little boy¡¯s hand. ¡°Would you like to go home


    with me?¡± I asked.


    He nodded obediently.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I squatted down to ask him.


    His eyes were big as he stared at me for a moment before speaking up intelligently. ¡°My name¡¯s


    Abdul.¡±


    I smiled, ¡°What a good boy, Abdul.¡±


    Holding my hand tightly, Abdul didn¡¯t let go.


    Robin and the policewoman walked away, and Eric, after receiving a call, was already on his way to


    pick us up.


    ¡°Miss Foebe¡­¡± As soon as the cops left, Abdul hid behind me, fearfully gazing at Colin.


    He was scared of Colin.


    Colin, too, looked back at Abdul with an icy stare.


    ¡°Don¡¯t like him much?¡± I ventured to ask.


    Colin looked away, feigning innocence andpassion, ¡°No way, I even take care of the stray dogs


    around here.¡±


    But byparing Abdul to a stray dog, I could sense Colin¡¯s dislike.


    Abdul didn¡¯t take to Colin either, always eyeing him warily.


    As I took Abdul¡¯s hand to get into the car, I noticed Colin standing


    his head and remained motionless.


    ¡°Getting in?¡± I asked with a confused look.


    Suddenly, he reached out his hand to me, ¡°You promised you wouldn¡¯t lose me. How could


    hold another kid¡¯s hand?¡±


    you


    I felt helpless but, considering Colin¡¯s special circumstances, I had no choice but to coax him., ¡°Come


    on, let¡¯s get in the car.¡±


    Colin looked at my outstretched hand and took it.


    Then, he red at Abdul provocatively, ¡°Let go, she¡¯s mine.¡±


    Abdul, terrified, hid behind me but stood his ground with Colin, ¡°No way, Miss Foebe is mine.¡± That


    confirmed it for me; this kid definitely knew Foebe Larson.


    I was scared the truth about Foebe woulde out, so I hurried them both into the car.


    ¡°Miss Foebe, can you tell the cops to let my brother go? He was just trying to get money for my meds,


    Abdul said cautiously.


    I looked down, didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°Abdul¡­ how do we know each other?¡± Along the way, I whispered to him on the sly.


    ¡°Miss Foebe?¡± Abdul looked at me, speaking in a hushed tone. ¡°Are we still pretending not to know


    each other, even now?¡±


    My heart skipped a beat. I¡¯m done, I thought. Not only did he know Foebe, but she had also told this kid


    to pretend not to know her in front of others.


    Now, I was even more certain that Foebe and the murderer were connected.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Back home, the butler had prepared avish breakfast. After we finished, the day had brightened.


    Abdul wolfed down his food. He was obviously famished for a long time.


    Colin kept his head down, eating his own meal as he asionally nced at me.


    ¡°If I can¡¯t finish, then can I take/it with me?¡± Abdul seemed to have other concerns while he was


    pointing to the leftovers.


    I nodded, instructing the housekeeper to pack up the rest for Abdul.


    I wanted to uncover other secrets this kid might be hiding. eded to get this through.


    After breakfast, I coaxed Colin into taking his sedative and sent him off to sleep.


    Once Colin was asleep, I stealthily followed Abdul.


    Leaving the Langley household, he darted into an alley and wound his way through the


    streets.


    I kept chasing him until my legs became sore.


    Finally, in an abandoned factory, I found Abdul and about seven or eight other kids, all around


    his age.

 Chapter 162

    The kids huddled in the alleyway were a patchwork of misfortune¡ªsome with a single arm as if shaped


    by nature¡¯s unforgiving hand, others mute or blind since birth.


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought you guys some grub,¡± Abdul dered with a maturity beyond his years while distributing


    food.


    I was taken aback.


    Why weren¡¯t these children in foster care? The system had surely improved by now


    ¡°Abdul, where did you get the food?¡± a little girl asked in delight.


    Abdul swelled with pride, ¡°Miss Foebe snagged it for us, but it¡¯s our secret, okay? If you see her, just


    y it cool, like you don¡¯t know her, got it?¡±


    Hiding by the doorway, my heart raced with anxiety but ached even more with sorrow.


    These kids¡­ they seemed to hold Foebe in high regard.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    What exactly was her connection to them?


    ¡°When¡¯s Grandma Que getting out of the hospital? Is she gonna be alright?¡± a timid boy inquired.


    ¡°She¡¯ll pull through,¡± Abdul murmured, slumping down beside him. ¡°With Foebe around, Grandma¡¯s


    gotta make it.¡±


    Their conversation piqued my curiosity, Was Grandma Que Foebe Larson¡¯s grandmother? The same


    lady Zack Larson used as a bargaining chip?


    A pang of guilt struck me. Since my rebirth, I hadn¡¯t once visited Foebe¡¯s grandmother yet.


    It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t want to; I was afraid.


    The closest kin are often the first to notice the slightest changes in their loved ones.


    I wasn¡¯t Foebe, and her grandmother would surely see through me, no matter the lies I spun.


    But now, I might just have to bite the bullet and pay her a visit.


    The kids were connected to both Foebe and her grandmother, and Abdul¡¯s brother got ties to the


    murderer. It was as if everyone was connected dots, and any one of them could be the murderer.


    No one could escape it.


    Stepping away from the alley, I nned to head to the hospital, but a ck sedan pulled up beside me.


    The window rolled down to reveal Dexter in the back seat.


    Was he tracking me?


    Had he literally lost his mind?


    ¡°Dexter, what the heck do you want?¡± He¡¯d cornered me into meeting him at the office.


    yesterday, and now he¡¯s stalking me? Was he just twiddling his thumbs? He seemed assured I wouldn¡¯t


    show today, threats notwithstanding.


    His expression was cool, his voice icy, ¡°Get in.¡±


    I turned to leave.


    ¡°Imagine if Robin found out you¡¯ve been secretly funding these kids. Think the cops would want a chat


    with you? The prime suspect for goading them to off Melody might just be you,¡± Dexter stated gravely.


    He was confident I¡¯d cave.


    I froze, then spun back to face him.


    If he dared to say this, he must have done his homework.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I clenched my fists, still ying dumb.


    ¡°Your foster parents passed when you were ten, and you grew up in the countryside with your grandma


    Que. To help find your birth parents, she took you to the city at thirteen to scrape by, collecting trash.


    These kids owe a lot to her,¡± Dexter dropped the bombshell.


    I picked up the photos he¡¯d tossed to the ground. These were snapshots of Foebe with the children, no


    doubt about it.


    ¡°After the Larsons took you back at eighteen, you¡¯d constantly nick their stuff and pawn it to support


    these kids. Am I wrong?¡± Dexter¡¯s gaze was icy. ¡°The Larson family losing trinkets wasn¡¯t a big deal,


    but your sister Coraline Larson caught you red¨Chanded. She ckmailed you, and even got the cops


    involved to humiliate you. You, the backwoods belle turned Sea City scandal. Your parents were


    mortified, wishing they¡¯d never had you.


    Two months ago, a scrawny kid yed the sympathy card, lured a woman into an alley, and she


    vanished. Soon after, the woman¡¯s body turned up,¡± Dexter continued relentlessly.

 Chapter 163

    My face was a mask of barely contained distress as I confronted Dexter.


    ¡°Stop talking!¡± I cried


    Deep down feared there was a real connection between Foebe and the murderer, and these kids were


    just pawns in her game.


    But now, as Foebe¡¯s doppelganger, I was in hot water too if she was in cahoots with a


    murderer.


    ¡°Now, ready to get in the car like a good girl?¡± Dexter¡¯s voice was a low threat.


    I clenched my teeth and got into the car, wondering what Dexter¡¯s angle was with his intimidation


    game.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked, meeting Dexter¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°The only person who can help you is me, Caleb, that lunatic, he can¡¯t do it,¡± Dexter said. He was his


    usual detached self who overlooked me from his lofty position.


    ¡°I want you to divorce Caleb,¡± he said, his voice a dark rumble.


    I gripped my hands tighter, ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, why are you so hell¨Cbent on me getting a divorce? What do


    you want? The child I¡¯m carrying is a Langley heir.¡±


    I yed the pregnancy card, hoping to divert his attention.


    But it seemed to drive him crazier, his gaze scorching as he stared at my belly, ¡°Phoebe was pregnant


    too.¡±


    I thought him as an unnerving man. For a moment, I thought he was even madder than


    Caleb.


    ¡°No one¡¯s left in the Langley family. Brendan¡¯s had a stroke, Samuel¡¯satose. Who¡¯s going to care


    about your kid?¡± Dexter sneered, lifting my chin with his hand. ¡°You should be grateful you have that


    face¡­¡±


    He was clear about it; he wanted me as a stand¨Cin trapped by his side.


    ¡°My face? Huh, I don¡¯t look like Melody, and besides, she¡¯s not dead yet,¡± I taunted Dexter intentionally.


    His eyes were cold, ¡°That¡¯s not for you to specte.¡±


    I let out a scoff. Ever the arrogant one, I mused.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, were you asposed yesterday when my husband sed the dogs on you?¡± Now I


    was literally a bit miffed Colin didn¡¯t wake me up to join in.


    I really wanted to see Dexter lose that ever¨Cpresent mask of dominance and indifference. Dexter


    ground his teeth, his wordsing out through clenched jaw, ¡°I¡¯d advise you to be


    09:40


    smart. You¡¯ve got ties with a murderer to ensure your marriage into the Langley family would save the


    Larson family from crisis.¡±


    Dexter was onto something.


    ¡°You¡¯re threatening me?¡± I stared back at him.


    Dexter pulled me closer. ¡°You can take it that way.


    ¡°And after I divorce Caleb? What then? Are you going to use your influence and tactics to protect me?


    If I¡¯m really a murderer, you realize harboring me is a crime,¡± I said with seriousness and innocence.


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern,¡± he reminded me to cut the chatter.


    ¡°Divorce Caleb ande to me,¡± Dexter urged me to wrap things up quickly.


    I guessed he had prepared a contract to keep me, just waiting for me to cut ties with Colin. ¡°Harboring


    is a big crime, you know. We¡¯re in this together, aren¡¯t we?¡± I asked softly.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Dexter frowned and looked a tad displeased.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, you do understand how important a CEO¡¯s reputation is to his corporation, right?¡±


    The driver stopped the car near the Langley estate, and I got out.


    Once outside, I shook my phone at him, ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, I recorded everything you said about protecting


    me. If you try to threaten me, we can both go down with the ship. We¡¯re in the same boat now.¡±


    Dexter¡¯s face darkened for a moment, his usual calm demeanor unshaken, his expression unreadable


    but his eyes were predatory.


    ¡°So, in the future, you shouldn¡¯t trust women so easily,¡± I said with a smile, stepping back provocatively


    and turning to leave.


    To deal with a guy like Dexter, you have to fight fire with fire. He needed to be put in his ce. I¡¯d been


    too lenient with him in the past, allowing him to take advantage of my family¡¯s gratitude and push the


    boundaries.


    Having died once, I had seen the light.


    Who needs whom to survive?


    I¡¯ve paid my debt to him with my life. Wasn¡¯t that enough?


    In the car, Dexter¡¯s deep¨Cset gaze remained fixed on me. I knew he was angry; I could feel the heat on


    my back without even looking.

 Chapter 164

    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald¡­ The driver nced back nervously at Dexter.


    Dexter didn¡¯t say a word; instead, he let out a sudden chuckle, ¡°Let¡¯s roll.¡±


    ¡°If that Foebe dame leaks the recording¡­¡± The driver worried about Dexter¡¯s reputation getting


    dragged through the mud.


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Dexter seemed brimming with confidence. I¡¯ve got ways to make here


    begging to me.¡±


    I was hiding behind the door, heaving a sigh of relief as Dexter left.


    The man was ruthless, stopping at nothing to get what he wanted. I had dodged a bullet this time, but I


    might not be so lucky the next.


    I figured he¡¯d only connected the dots between Foebe and those street kids but hadn¡¯t nailed down any


    solid link between Foebe and the murderer.


    Taking a deep breath, I felt a headacheing on.


    What exactly was the connection between Foebe and the murderer?


    Was she feeding and helping these kids just to coax them into murder? Was the woman really that


    monstrous?


    The reunion had shown me that Foebe was a woman with a particrly timid and insecure nature; she


    was easily manipted.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Could it be that she had turned vicious after being bullied so hard?


    My heart was in turmoil, fearing that if I kept digging and the trail led to the woman Foebe. And that


    would make me a witch in Salem trial.


    Thest thing eded was to end up in the mmer before the real culprit was found. That would be


    the ultimate downer.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ As I stepped into the living room, there was Colin. He seemed flustered, probably woke up


    and didn¡¯t find me around.


    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± I quickly soothed him.


    Colin rushed over and embraced me tightly, ¡°I thought¡­you didn¡¯t want me anymore.¡±


    He was shaking, his voice also quivering. He seemed to live each day in terror and fear.


    The living room was abuzz with outrage; the n was making a ruckus again.


    ¡°We need a straight answer on this; the old man can¡¯t make decisions now, and we¡¯ve got mouths to


    feed, right? Why should our gravy train stop?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what gives that lunatic the right to cut off the dough the Langley family owes us?¡±


    Chapter 164)


    This time it wasn¡¯t Henry leading the charge but the other branches of the Langley family, demanding


    their monthly stipends.


    Eric had told me that in better days, Brendan, out of a sense of kinship, would dole out living


    allowances to the Langley rtives every month, the amount based on how closely rted they were.


    The old man falls ill, and Colin cuts them off? No wonder they were up in arms.


    Puzzled, I looked at Colin. ¡°You cut off their allowances?¡±


    Colin nodded innocently, ¡°Why should I give to them? I¡¯d rather feed dogs¡­¡±


    I took a deep breath, wanting to give Colin a thumbs¨Cup. Even a dog knows to bite the hand. of an


    intruder.


    But those people were just leeches.


    Besides, charity begets disdain; the Langley family had no obligation to support these people. And after


    years of doing so, they¡¯d raised a pack of ingrates.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Caleb Langley, we don¡¯t acknowledge you as part of the Langley family. You¡¯re a


    madman, and you better get out of the Langley estate and give us what¡¯s ours, or we won¡¯t let this go,¡±


    the olddy at the front spat venomously. She seemed like Brendan¡¯s cousin.


    ¡°Yeah, we can¡¯t survive without that money, you have to give it to us.¡±


    ¡°Hand it over, or I swear I¡¯ll end it right here,¡± others joined in themotion.


    Colin, who was called Caleb in the Langley family, stood in front of me, casting an indifferent nce


    back at them. ¡°If you can live, live; if not, go die.¡±


    The group was dumbstruck, wanting tosh out at Colin, but his presence was too intimidating, the air


    around him suggesting he might snap and turn violent at any moment, which frightened them.


    Can¡¯t


    ¡°You are like half¨Cdead maggots popping up now and then to be a nuisance. you just go die quietly; or


    do I have to lend a hand?¡± Colin tilted his head with a cold gaze, signaling Eric


    to shut the front door.


    It felt as if¡­once that door mmed, the ughter would begin.


    I swallowed hard, a twinge of fear in my gut.


    He wouldn¡¯t really kill them, would he?

 Chapter 165

    A sudden hush fell over the room, the stillness palpable as uncertainty and fear crept into everyone¡¯s


    eyes. No one could predict Caleb¡¯s next move.


    The silence in the living room was broken only momentarily before the ce erupted once again.


    ¡°You lunatic, what the heck are you on about?¡± The olddy¡¯s son¨Cinw moved as if to take a swing


    at Colin.


    ¡°The Langleys owe you nothing, spoiled you with roast beef and gravy, and not a thank you. Instead,


    youe here causing a scene, with faces thicker than the city walls!¡± I stepped forward to shield


    Colin.


    The man, crazed with emotion, came at me with a push.


    Colin wrapped his arm around me, pulled me close, and kicked the man away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch


    her!¡±


    The fury in Colin was palpable, his icy gaze drilling into the man he had just sent sprawling to the floor.


    ¡°You want to die? I can make that happen.¡±


    He picked up a golf club that was lying nearby and took a menacing step toward the man.


    ¡°Ah!¡± The man recoiled in terror, nearly wetting himself. ¡°Madman, he¡¯s lost it¡­ Mom, he¡¯s gone mad!


    He¡¯s going to kill me!¡±


    Colin¡¯s swing stopped short, the club hovering in the air as he looked back at me, his eyes holding a


    taut restraint.


    Perhaps, had I not been there


    that club would have connected.


    Was he afraid¡­ the blood would frighten me? Or was he scared I¡¯de to fear him?


    The olddy was terrified now, her finger trembling as she pointed at Colin. ¡°You, you¡­ you


    madman.¡±


    Colin let out a coldugh and prodded the olddy back onto the couch with the golf club.


    The olddy looked like she was about to have a heart attack.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Colin brought the club down hard on a ss divider, shattering it.


    As Colin lost control, everyone else paled with fear, scrambling to escape.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave! Didn¡¯t you guys want to die?¡± Colin¡¯s smirk was genuinely unsettling.


    He smashed the objects around him, preferring to shatter them rather than let these people take them.


    These people hade today to rob the Langley family blind.


    09:41


    tor 165


    Screams filled the air as they fled in panic, terrified Colin might kill them in his rage.


    Colin kept smashing, a man possessed.


    ¡°Eric, do something! He¡¯s lost it,¡± the olddy¡¯s daughter cried out to Eric.


    Eric had been standing by the door all this time, detached, with the security guards blocking the exit.


    He spoke apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Mr. Caleb has a Certification of Psychological Disability. When


    he¡¯s out of control, nobody can handle him.¡±


    At that moment, I saw Eric coolly produce Colin¡¯s Certification of Psychological Disability


    once again.


    The others were petrified, screaming and crying as they scrambled to their feet and ran for


    the door.


    Especially the olddy¡¯s son¨Cinw, who was utterly terrified when Colin pinned him down..


    ¡°Mom, he¡¯s a madman, a madman! Run!¡±


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Chaos reigned in the living room for a moment, and then the olddy, shaky on her feet, was helped up


    by her daughter, and they, too, fled.


    ¡°Madman! Madman! The Langley family is doomed with you, a madman, in charge!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all going to fall apart!¡±


    Soon enough, the living room quieted down.


    I opened my mouth and then gave a thumbs up; indeed, sometimes it takes a bit of madness to quell


    the chaos.


    Colin dropped the golf club, his menacing aura dissipating instantly, those icy eyes suddenly brimming


    with vulnerability. ¡°Phoebe¡­ I¡¯m scared. They came into our house to take our


    stuff.¡±


    My mouth twitched involuntarily.


    Who should really be scared here? I¡¯m terrified¡­


    ¡°Madam, the Langley family¡¯s distant rtives have always basked in the generosity of the main


    branch. When Mr. Brendan was in charge, they each received a substantial stipend every month,


    ranging from ten to fifty grand, but sadly, they never learned gratitude. Mr. Caleb cut off their allowance,


    and he had every right to do so,¡± Eric exined for Colin.


    I nodded in agreement. ¡°They don¡¯t deserve it. These people will never be loyal.¡±


    Eric nodded in concurrence.


    ¡°But¡­ these people are still part of the Langley family. If they all turn around and throw their support for


    Henry¡­¡± I looked up at Eric, pondering the ramifications.

 Chapter 166

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re just a bunch of nobodies,¡± Eric said with an air of nonchnce.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Colin was still feeling wronged, clutching my hand, deliberately showing me his hand that was cut when


    he smashed the window. ¡°Phoebe¡­ it hurts.¡±


    I nced at the wound; it was bleeding, but it was minorpared to the self¨Cinflicted injuries he¡¯d had


    before.


    ¡°Grab the first aid kit.¡± I took his hand and sat on the couch, carefully tending to his wound.


    Colin suddenly leaned in close, sniffing the air around me, his eyes darkening with a fleeting. shadow


    of anger. ¡°Phoebe¡­ you¡¯ve seen Dexter.¡±


    I stared at Colin, startled. How did he know?


    ¡°His scent¡­ it¡¯s off¨Cputting,¡± Colin frowned.


    I sniffed myself, looking back at Colin.


    Did he have a dog¡¯s nose or something? It was so sensitive.


    ¡°He¡­¡±


    Before I could exin, he suddenly pressed my head down and kissed me.


    I panicked, trying to push him away. Eric and the others were still here.


    Eric, ever soposed, turned and led everyone out, making sure to close the door behind


    him.


    I pushed back, to no avail, his kiss making it hard to breathe.


    This was hardly a kiss; it felt deliberate, like a punishment, leaving me no room to catch my breath.


    ¡°Colin¡­¡± I called out his name nervously, feeling a vague sense of fear.


    His mood was off, and it was unsettling.


    ¡°Caleb!¡± Unable to push him away, my irritation red and I called him by Caleb..


    Ignoring his bleeding hand, he stood up, lifting me in his arms, heading upstairs.


    ¡°Caleb!¡± I didn¡¯t dare to struggle too much, afraid I might fall. ¡°I just bumped into him on the road; it¡¯s


    not like I wanted to see him. He¡¯s like a bad penny, always turning up.¡±


    I tried to exin, but his mood remained ominously low.


    This man was mercurial by nature, and his current demeanor¡­ it frightened me.


    ¡°Caleb¡­ what are you nning to do?¡± The fear of triggering him and losing control loomed


    over me.


    It was like Dexter said: living with a madman, you never know when he might snap.


    Colin didn¡¯t respond, just carried me into the room, starting to take off my clothes in a huff.


    ¡°Caleb!¡± I struggled, my emotions spiraling out of control, and I pped him.


    He looked at me with hurt eyes and pulled me in close again. ¡°Phoebe¡­ you¡¯re mine, mine¡­¡±


    His voice trembled, and as he lifted his hand to cradle my face, the blood from his hand smeared on my


    skin, hot and stinging.


    Seeing the plea in his quivering eyes, for some reason, my heart ached deeply.


    A voice inside told me to hold him, tofort him, that he was easy to console¡­.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Phoebe¡­ I¡¯m the one at fault; it¡¯s because they locked me up that you went looking for me,


    right? You must have not found me¡­ you¡¯re punishing me, aren¡¯t you?¡± His control began to slip, his


    arms tightening around me, his voice muffled with apologies.


    Was he talking about that year and a half in the psychiatric ward?


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ it¡¯s them who should die. They¡¯re the ones who deserve to die!¡±


    My fingers stiffened, my hand frozen mid¨Cair, unsure how tofort him.


    His trembling was intense, and his aura of menace was inexplicably terrifying.


    ¡°Colin¡­ did you actually have anything to do with the murders?¡± My voice was hoarse, barely above a


    whisper.


    He didn¡¯t answer and just held me tighter.


    ¡°Colin, I suddenly¡­ I¡¯m curious about everything about you.¡± My hand fell upon Colin¡¯s head, gently


    ruffling his hair.


    His hair was soft, with the fresh scent of shampoo.


    Like Colin had said to Robin, where did the sin truly begin?


    Perhaps I was wrong from the start, too eager to find the murderer. Maybe I should seek the root of it


    all.


    To investigate the truth behind the orphanage fire, question that doctor in the psychiatric hospital.


    What has Colin really gone through?

 Chapter 167

    Suddenly, I found myself curious about Colin and the nature of our rtionship.


    It¡¯s a fact that Colin knew me as Phoebe Caldwell, but as for me, he had slippedpletely from my


    memory. Not only had I forgotten about Colin but also everything about the


    orphanage


    When did I begin to forget?


    I


    And when did I supposedly leave Colin waiting for me there?


    Could everything Colin has gone through¡­ somehow be connected to me?


    I was riddled with doubts, and eded to get to the bottom of this.


    It seemed there was trouble brewing at Langley Group. There¡¯s no way Henry and his cronies would let


    Colin take the helm without a fight.


    With Brendan in trouble and Samuel sidelined, Colin seemed to be the only one left to steer the


    Langley ship.


    But Henry had been spreading rumors around the office that Colin was off his rocker, rallying the


    executives and board members to resist him and force him to relinquish control.


    ¡°Mr. Caleb, there¡¯s a problem at thepany. You need toe with me,¡± Eric called out from the


    other side of the door.


    Reluctantly, Colin lifted his head to look at me, his eyes fraught with impatience. ¡°Phoebe¡­ they¡¯re so


    annoying.¡±


    He just wanted all these people to disappear¡­


    ¡°Shall Ie with you?¡± I offered, getting ready to dress and go out with him.


    ¡°Phoebe, just wait for me at home,¡± Colin shook his head, his pale face marked by a bright red p


    print.


    His skin was too fair, so the p stood out starkly.


    I averted my eyes. ¡°Listen to Eric, will you? Don¡¯t be stubborn; don¡¯t act on impulse.¡±


    Colin nodded and left the room.


    I was now certain that Colin¡¯s sudden mood swings were no figment of my imagination.


    He presented one face to the world and another to me alone¨Cthe difference was like night and day.


    The moment he stepped through the door, even his silhouette seemed to cast a formidable shadow.


    09.41


    Buzz!


    My phone went off. An unknown caller.


    I answered the call.


    ¡°Foebe Larson, it¡¯s Melody,¡± said the voice, surprisingly belonging to Melody.


    Her voice shook with anger and spite. ¡°Is Dexter with you? You shameless woman, do you think you


    can steal him away just by pretending to be Phoebe Caldwell? He¡¯s not answering my calls; make him


    talk to me!¡±


    Melody¡¯s hysterical, demanding to speak to Dexter.


    ¡°What, you call me looking for Dexter, and you think I¡¯m the crazy one?¡± I scoffed.


    Melody feeling insecure? Never thought such a day woulde.


    When she used to taunt me, she was so confident, convinced that Dexter would love only her for the


    rest of his life.


    Too bad for her, now that someone else had shown up, she was the aggressive interloper getting a


    taste of what I once felt, huh?


    ¡°Put Dexter on the phone!¡± Melody¡¯s voice was frantic, almost threatening.


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh, mimicking Melody¡¯s past tone. ¡°Dexter? He¡¯s in the shower. He can¡¯te to


    the phone right now.¡±


    I remember the time I fainted from pain, bleeding profusely, and rushed to the hospital in dire need of


    money. I called Dexter, hoping he woulde to see me..


    But what did he do? He was splurging on avish party with Melody at a luxury hotel.


    I called incessantly, heart in my throat, only to have Melody pick up. She taunted me, telling me Dexter


    was too busy showering to answer my calls.


    Oh, how the tables have turned.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Melody, on the other end, was clearly on the verge of madness, screeching at me. ¡°Foebe, do you


    really think he loves you? He¡¯s in love with Phoebe; you¡¯re just a stand¨Cin, a cheap imitation that can


    never rece Phoebe! His interest in you is only because you resemble her, and he¡¯ll toss you aside


    eventually!¡±


    I rubbed my ears, amused.


    Melody, of all people, iming that Dexter loved Phoebe.

 Chapter 168

    Oh, the irony.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯ve gotta run; I¡¯m not in the mood for your BS,¡± I said, eager to hang up the phone and end the


    absurd conversation.


    you


    ¡°You really think I don¡¯t have evidence of your ties to the murderer, Foebe? Just wait, I¡¯ll drag down with


    me even if it¡¯s thest thing I do,¡± Melody hissed, her voice seething with malice. ¡°Don¡¯t get too smug.


    I¡¯ve helped Dexter before, and for old time¡¯s sake, he¡¯ll take care


    of me.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t leave me for you. You¡¯re just a passing fancy to him,¡± Melody continued, fooling no one but


    herself.


    ¡°Oh wow, good for you. Good luck with that,¡± I said with a smirk.


    With that, I hung up the phone.


    I had ns for Melody, ns to make her life miserable, every waking moment filled with dread and


    suspicion. But there was no need to rush.


    Revenge is a dish best served cold, and I intended to cook Melody slowly, letting her feel the torment I


    had endured a hundredfold.


    ¡°Mr. Caleb sure does adore his wife. He¡¯s been fasting all day, just waiting for her. He won¡¯t touch a bite


    until shees home.¡±


    I overheard the babysitters gossiping as I descended the stairs.


    They were talking about Colin, how he hadn¡¯t eaten since breakfast, waiting for me. He had been


    waiting all through the noon and hadn¡¯t stopped.


    I sighed as I stepped out of the Langley estate.


    Why was Colin so adamant about waiting for me?


    What was I to him, really?


    ¡°Hey, James, sorry to hit you up out of the blue. I¡¯ve got some questions about our school days that I


    need to ask you for work,¡± I said, calling James as soon as I was outside.


    I wanted to start digging into the past to uncover what really happened at the orphanage.


    ¡°Sure thing. Let¡¯s meet at the Corner Caf¨¦,¡± I said after he agreed.


    Stepping out of the Langley estate, I hailed a cab.


    I


    As soon as I got in, I nced in the rear¨Cview mirror and noticed a ck car trailing me.


    ¡°Driver, take the next left,¡± I instructed, trying to shake the tail.


    The car behind us took the same left.


    ¡°Now, make a right,¡± I directed again.


    The car continued to follow.


    I randomly picked a spot to stop, and the car stopped nearby.


    Clearly, someone was tracking me.


    I didn¡¯t head straight to the Corner Caf¨¦, not wanting to drag James into whatever this was, especially


    since he, too, was from the orphanage.


    Though his number was way down the list, it would take some time for the murderer to reach


    him.


    After getting out of the cab, I pretended to touch up my makeup, stealthily surveying the


    situation.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    A few men got out of the car and mingled with the crowd, their eyes fixed on me.


    I ducked into a restroom, put my hair up, and slipped out amid a group of chatting girls, losing my


    pursuers for the moment.


    I had no idea who these people were, but they were definitely not on the up¨Cand¨Cup.


    They couldn¡¯t be from the Langley family. Ever since I¡¯d given their bodyguard a piece of my mind, Eric


    would¡¯ve told me if anyone was meant to follow me.


    These guys? They were not Eric¡¯s men.


    After ensuring I wasn¡¯t followed through the mall, I slipped out the back and made my way to


    the caf¨¦.


    When I entered, James was already there. He greeted me quietly, concern etched in his face. ¡°Foebe,


    what¡¯s going on with youtely? Mister told me to be wary of you, said you¡¯re showing signs of


    betrayal.¡±


    James looked genuinely worried.


    My heart skipped a beat. What did he mean?


    Betrayal?

 Chapter 169

    ¡°Betrayal?¡± I feigned calm, my voice barely a whisper. ¡°Of course not¡­¡±


    James exhaled in relief. ¡°I know, right? It just doesn¡¯t add up. You doing something like that?


    No way.


    Sweat gathered in my palms. I clenched my fists. ¡°James, has Mister¡­ Mister given any new orders?¡±


    Who was this ¡°Mister¡°?


    ¡°The recent ventures have hit a snaq,¡± James said with a heavy sigh. ¡°Mister¡¯s requests have been


    denied left and right. Some of the kids even got roughed up. Funding¡¯s dried up, and we


    that can¡¯t locate their biological parents. Mister said you¡¯ve married into high society now, you¡¯re all


    about getting rich and don¡¯t care for the kids anymore. That you¡¯re about to turn your back on us.¡±


    ¡°Kids?¡± I echoed without thinking.


    I was lost.


    What was James talking about?


    ¡°You know, the children we rescued from those trafficking rings. We made some enemies, and just


    yesterday, they smashed Mister¡¯s windows,¡± James said, clearly shaken. ¡°Those folks have gone mad.¡±


    I stared at James for a long while. Foebe, James, and Mister had been rescuing trafficked children?


    A charity?


    Foebe¡¯s secrets always managed to surprise me.


    ¡°James, I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ve been out of sortstely. I was sick, and when I woke up, I couldn¡¯t remember


    much. It took me a while to seek you out. If I¡¯ve caused any dys.¡± I said, guilt¨Cridden.


    James waved it off. ¡°So that¡¯s what it was. I was wondering. I¡¯ll exin things to Mister. It¡¯s all good.¡±


    ¡°About Mister¡­¡±


    sa


    ¡°He¡¯s a good guy,¡± James reassured me. ¡°He neverined when he supported both of us back in


    the day, and now he¡¯s totally devoted to these kids. We have to help if we can.¡±


    He paused, and then his tone shifted. ¡°But Foebe, why on earth did you suddenly tie the knot. with that


    Langley¡­ psycho?¡±


    James eyed me warily. It was clear that the mention of Colin made him nervous.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to tell you¡­ he might be a murderer,¡± he whispered cautiously.


    09:41


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    1 feigned ignorance. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±


    Why would he think Colin was a murderer?


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story¡± James said, scratching his head. ¡°You know I¡¯m an orphan too. I was adopted by a


    couple in my teens. Then they went bankrupt, and life¡¯s been tough. Thank God for Mister.¡±


    ¡°I knew that psycho back in the orphanage. He used to be a prodigy, then he snapped,¡± he added


    vaguely.


    ¡°James, the reason I came to see you today was to learn more about Colin,¡± I said earnestly.


    At the reunion, I could tell he had some leadership skills. He was involved in charity, too, so he couldn¡¯t


    be all bad.


    But what really happened back in that orphanage?


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard about the serial killings, right? Victims are from our orphanage,¡± James said, meeting my


    gaze.


    I nodded. ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared? They say the murderer¡¯s targeting orphans specifically¡±


    ¡°Hey, I live by the rule: if you don¡¯t do anything wrong, you¡¯ve got nothing to fear,¡± James said


    confidently. 1 never hurt them, so why would theye after me?¡±


    He paused, a dark look crossing his face. ¡°Those who died had iting.¡±


    I looked at James, curiosity written all over my face.


    ¡°The first to go was this girl named Fanny, the ringleader in our ss. She used her seniority to bully


    others. If anyone crossed her, they paid for it,¡± James said, ncing around. ¡°She was the first victim.


    The news said her death was gruesome, her stomach filled with worms. She suffered.¡±


    I swallowed hard. I had heard the first victim¡¯s death was particrly brutal. By the time the police


    found her, the worms had left her unrecognizable.


    ¡°I saw her in the orphanage. She forced Carter to eat worms,¡± James whispered, his voice. dropping.


    ¡°Carter was brilliant, ate arrival, skinny and weak. Fanny loved to bully him, strip him bare, and let


    bugs bite him.¡±


    James was a witness. But why hadn¡¯t he shared any of this with the police?


    With Robin¡¯s skills, he must have approached James.

 Chapter 170

    the cops any of this?¡± I asked, my voiceced with anxiety.


    James¡¯s face flickered with emotion, and he nodded. ¡°I told them everything when they came to me.


    They had their sights set on Carter, but the thing is, Carter died in that fire years ago.¡±


    So that lead was a dead end.


    I took a deep breath and looked at James. ¡°What about Colin¡­¡±


    ¡°Colin was at the orphanage even before Fanny arrived. He was abandoned really young, dropped off


    at the doorstep of the home. He¡¯s always been a loner, never mixed with others, didn¡¯t have any


    friends. But he had his ways of getting back at bullies. Fanny wanted to bully him but simply didn¡¯t dare


    to.¡±


    James took a moment to reminisce. ¡°I remember Fanny tried to provoke Colin once. Colin, who always


    kept to himself, suddenly stepped in to save Carter. After that, Carter just clung to him, and Colin


    always had his back. Fanny couldn¡¯t get to Carter, so she got her revenge by putting worms in Colin¡¯s


    spaghetti.¡±


    I clenched


    my fists.


    That Fanny was truly vicious.


    ¡°You know what happened next?¡± James said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. ¡°Colin didn¡¯t say a word.


    In front of everyone, he dunked Fanny¡¯s head onto his te and made her eat the whole thing. After


    that, she was terrified of him and would scurry away whenever she saw


    him.¡±


    I nodded in understanding.


    Carter was so dependent on Colin; he saw him as his savior. And Colin always protected Carter.


    Both were geniuses from the orphanage, handpicked for the Youth ss.


    ¡°The second victim was Laverne, Fanny¡¯s little sidekick, the most nauseating person in our ss. She


    was the one who collected those worms for Fanny and did a lot of her dirty work. So, when she died,


    her hands were chopped off, and her tongue was cut out.¡±


    The police said the second victim had been tortured to death, hands chopped off and tongue. removed.


    I gripped my hands tightly and took a sip of water.


    Feeling queasy and scared was an understatement. It¡¯s a natural response.


    As James described the victims, I realized something: all the victims were bad people.


    ¡°The murderer keeps targeting people from the orphanage but hasn¡¯t touched Colin¡­¡± I murmured.


    Based on the memories I had before my death, I was sure the murderer had some


    connection to Colin.


    I still strongly suspected Carter.


    Was Carter really dead?


    Was that charred body truly Carter?


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been saying¡­ he could be the murderer. Stay away from him; there¡¯s something off


    about that guy. From the first time I saw him, I just had this feeling he was dangerous,¡± James


    shuddered.


    ¡°James, do you know anything about Phoebe Caldwell?¡± I asked, looking at him intently.


    At the mention of Phoebe, James¡¯s coffee drinking paused, and he fell silent.


    ¡°Phoebe? She¡¯s a good person.¡± That was all he had to say about me.


    They all knew me, but I had forgotten them.


    ¡°Not many wanted to sponsor the orphanage, but Phoebe¡¯s dad was always there for us. Phoebe was


    also kind. Her da


    would often bring her to the orphanage to y and hang out


    with us,¡± James said, his gaze drifting away.


    Something told me not to take his words at face value. His eyes weren¡¯t focused when he spoke a sign


    of guilt.


    And the way he eagerly recounted stories of the orphanage, it was as if he intended for me to


    hear them.


    ¡°Well, look at the time. I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay. I¡¯ll exin things to Mister. Let¡¯s n to do some charity


    work together soon,¡± James said, checking his watch and rising to leave.


    I nodded.


    James got up and hurried out.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I stealthily followed him, observing as he looked around nervously and slipped into an alley.


    ¡°I told her everything you said¡­¡± James¡¯s voice trembled with fear as he spoke in the alley.


    ¡°You know what to say and what not to,¡± a rough, hoarse voice responded.


    Hiding around the corner, my body froze.


    The person talking to James¡­ it was Eric!

 Chapter 171

    Eric peered warily down the alley¡¯s end. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    Startled, I spun around to hide but was swiftly muffled and dragged into a nearby shop. ¡°I told you,


    you¡¯ll regret tailing Caleb,¡± the voice behind me was unmistakably Dexter¡¯s.


    1 paused, furrowing my brows as I eyed him with suspicion. ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, got time to kill?¡±


    ¡°Just happened to be passing by,¡± Dexter quipped, reaching for a mango¨Cvored lollipop from the


    store¡¯s shelf for me.


    He must have mistaken me for Phoebe. He knew Phoebe was prone to sugar lows, hence the lollipop.


    But it wasughable, really. He didn¡¯t even know Phoebe was allergic to mangoes.


    ¡°Who do you think I am?¡± I asked, voice heavy with caution.


    Dexter remained silent.


    I scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t you know Phoebe Caldwell is allergic to mangoes?¡±


    I made no move to take the lollipop from him, looking to leave instead.


    Dexter, frozen, suddenly moved to grab my wrist. ¡°I told you to divorce Caleb for your own good.¡±


    With an air of urgency, he pulled me into his car.


    Soon after, Eric emerged and got into his vehicle.


    Dexter drove off, tailing Eric¡¯s car.


    ¡°The Langleys have always cleaned up after Caleb. He¡¯s been a troublemaker for years, and it¡¯s always


    Eric who sorts it out. His meeting with today is just more of the same,¡± Dexter said with a heavy tone.


    ¡°Since


    Zebe Caldwell gave you her house keys and


    confided in you¡­ she must consider you her best friend. I can¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡±


    Iughed, the sarcasm biting. ¡°Protect me? What are we to each other, Mr. Fitzgerald? Phoebe grew


    up with you, and you couldn¡¯t protect her. Now, you want to protect me?¡±


    Oh, how grateful I am.


    Dexter¡¯s grip on the steering wheel tightened, and his knuckles whitened, revealing his strained


    restraint.


    ¡°Dexter, I¡¯m curious,¡± I pressed, adopting a detached perspective on his rtionship with Phoebe.


    ¡°Phoebe loved you so much. How could you be so cruel to her? Even a dog grows on you, right?¡±


    Dexter remained silent, just driving and following Eric.


    After a while, he spoke in a lowered voice. ¡°I¡­ loved her.¡±


    What? I didn¡¯t catch that.


    ¡°I loved her deeply.¡± His voice trembled. ¡°She loved someone else. She was with me out of gratitude,


    though her heart belonged to another.¡±


    A surge of shock and anger overtook me.


    I was gone, and he was still trying to tarnish me!


    Was he even human?


    ¡°She was bound by gratitude. I wanted to give her freedom yet keep her close. I knew she¡¯d leave


    eventually¡­¡± His voice trailed off, the unspoken truth hanging in the air ¨C Phoebe was dead.


    I found Dexter¡¯s words absurd and hypocritical. ¡°Your love is really cheap. When you first said you liked


    her, she foolishly loved you for a decade¡­¡±


    Dexter¡¯s gaze held aplex mix of emotions as he nced at me. ¡°Did she tell you she loved me for


    ten years?¡±


    I frowned, not wanting to engage with Dexter any further.


    He hesitated, his stare intense but not pressing further.


    When Eric stopped his car in an old neighborhood, Dexter parked as well, and we followed Eric


    discreetly.


    Eric, carrying some food, entered an old house and knocked on the door.


    Hidden from view, Dexter and I waited to see who Eric was meeting.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Soon, the door cracked open, and a hand reached out.


    The hand bore scars of burns.


    I caught my breath, my vignce peaking. That person inside was the same murderer I¡¯d seen at my


    house ¨C the one who had taken my life!


    After a while, he spoke in a lowered voice. ¡°I¡­ loved her.¡±


    What? I didn¡¯t catch that.


    ¡°I loved her deeply.¡± His voice trembled. ¡°She loved someone else. She was with me out of gratitude,


    though her heart belonged to another.¡±


    A surge of shock and anger overtook me.


    I was gone, and he was still trying to tarnish me!


    Was he even human?


    ¡°She was bound by gratitude. I wanted to give her freedom yet keep her close. I knew she¡¯d Phoebe


    was leave eventually¡­¡± His voice trailed off, the unspoken truth hanging in the air- dead.


    I found Dexter¡¯s words absurd and hypocritical. ¡°Your love is really cheap. When you first said you liked


    her, she foolishly loved you for a decade¡­¡±


    Dexter¡¯s gaze held aplex mix of emotions as he nced at me. ¡°Did she tell you she loved me for


    ten years?¡±


    I frowned, not wanting to engage with Dexter any further.


    He hesitated, his stare intense but not pressing further.


    When Eric stopped his car in an old neighborhood, Dexter parked as well, and we followed Eric


    discreetly.


    Eric, carrying some food, entered an old house and knocked on the door.


    Hidden from view, Dexter and I waited to see who Eric was meeting.


    Soon, the door cracked open, and a hand reached out.


    The hand bore scars of burns.


    I caught my breath, my vignce peaking. That person inside was the same murderer I¡¯d seen at my


    house the one who had taken my life!

 Chapter 172

    I just need to see if there was a red birthmark on the inside of his arm to know if he¡¯s the one who killed


    me!


    But why would Eric bring him food?


    ¡°Mr. Caleb, I¡¯ve followed your instructions and delivered what he requested,¡± Eric said as he walked


    down the alley, calling Colin on his phone.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Dexter and I were huddled behind a dumpster, watching Eric leave.


    ¡°After Phoebe died, I¡¯ve been on the hunt for the murderer, never once giving up. I don¡¯t buy for a


    second that Caleb isn¡¯t involved. He¡¯s just hiding behind his so¨Ccalled insanity to escape punishment.


    I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on him,¡± Dexter whispered tersely.


    My fingers trembled slightly, instinctively reaching for my phone to catt the cops.


    ¡°Foebe, you¡¯ve got to divorce, Caleb. All you want is financial backing from the Larson family, and I told


    you I could help you with that. Being with him is too dangerous,¡± Dexter urged me to leave Caleb.


    I ignored his plea and dialed Robin¡¯s number instead.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Robin¡¯s voice was coarse, probably rundown from recent stress.


    ¡°Robin, I¡¯ve seen the suspect staying at Phoebe¡¯s ce. Ste was knocked out by him¡­¡± My voice


    was low, recalling how surveince footage had caught someone tailing Ste into my home, though


    his face was obscured.


    ¡°Where?¡± Robin pressed for details.


    ¡°Westside Cultural Avenue, number 163, in the courtyard,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything rash. I¡¯m on my way,¡± Robin said hurriedly before hanging up.


    I knew he woulde.


    If Robin was on it, he would uncover the truth.


    This time, even if it meant spooking the suspect, I had to confirm if this person was my murderer.


    ¡°Foebe, Caleb is far moreplicated than he seems. If the real murderer is indeed lurking here, then


    he¡¯s definitely an aplice,¡± Dexter persisted, wanting me to stay away from Caleb. ¡°He¡¯s a


    psychopath. Do you have any idea he¡¯s killed people in the asylum?¡±


    I turned to Dexter with a sharp nce. ¡°Do you always think with your toes? Am I supposed to trust


    you, an unreliable aplice who yed a part in Phoebe¡¯s death, or my own husband?¡± I clutched


    my phone tighter.


    Between Dexter and Colin, I¡¯d rather put my faith in Colin.


    What if there was more to the story?


    ¡°Foebe, you¡¯re just like Phoebe in one way ¨C stubborn to a fault, clinging to your own misguided truths,


    never heeding advice.¡± Dexter said with a furrowed brow, trying once more. ¡°Caleb is extremely


    dangerous, with a history of violent psychosis. It¡¯s well known in the asylum that he could kill when he


    snapped. And isn¡¯t the case clear enough now?¡±


    Seeing I was unmoved, he continued, ¡°Melody says Colin is the only one with a motive for murder! That


    orphanage fire was started by those kids as a cruel prank, locking Colin and Carter in a room and


    setting it aze. He was trapped and nearly died, while his best friend Carter perished. He despises


    them!¡±


    I stiffened, turning back to Dexter. ¡°The fire¡­ those people at the orphanage did it on purpose, locking


    them inside?¡±


    My emotions surged. ¡°Dexter, did you ever visit the site of the fire? They deserved death¡­¡±


    How could they have done such a thing to Colin?


    mes, screams, cries for help, the desperate struggle.


    Every night in my nightmares, I¡¯d recall the handprints and scratch marks in the burnt room of the


    orphanage.


    Marks of Colin and Carter¡¯s desperate cries and attempts to save themselves¡­


    They were all vile creatures.


    ¡°But that¡¯s no excuse for murder! And what about Phoebe?¡± Dexter¡¯s grip tightened on my chin, his


    eyes bloodshot with anger. ¡°She was carrying my child!¡±

 Chapter 173

    Dexter¡¯s eyes zed with a fury so intense it seemed he might truly be capable of murder.


    Pushing him away with all my might, I gasped for breath and snarled at Dexter, ¡°What right do you have


    to say any of this? Weren¡¯t you the one who got her killed? Wasn¡¯t it you who sent her to distract that


    murderer? If she hadn¡¯t died, would you have even let her have the baby?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Dexter¡¯s fist mmed into the trash can behind me.


    The can ttered to the ground, and we both fell silent, ncing back toward the old courtyard, afraid


    that someone might have heard themotion.


    A couple of dumpster divers started to approach, looking for salvage, and we both breathed a sigh of


    relief.


    After a long silence, Dexter¡¯s voice came out hoarse. ¡°I would¡¯ve married her.¡±


    It was as if he was speaking,to me, yet at the same time, talking to himself.


    ¡°Do you believe in souls?¡± he asked with a bitterugh.


    I didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°That day¡­I thought I saw her¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t know which day Dexter was referring to, and I didn¡¯t care anymore.


    Robin arrived shortly after, cautious not to spook anyone, bringing only Cory and a few undercover


    cops for a secret visit.


    They sneaked into the yard, quietly opened the door from the inside, and burst in.


    Dexter and I followed suit.


    Inside, anky figure was slurping down instant noodles when Robin pinned him to the couch.


    He seemed to have expected us, remaining cool as he leaned back on the couch. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Robin frowned. ¡°You¡¯re a suspect in a murder case. Come with us.¡±


    The man just smiled and remained silent. Half his face was scarred from burns, obscuring his features.


    But he was tall, and his gaze was icy.


    Before following Robin out, he nced at me.


    That look was full of murderous intent.


    A chill ran down my spine, and I quickly stepped back.


    Dexter frowned and pulled me behind him, taking my wrist.


    10:15


    I shook off his hand and waited until Robin had taken the man away before I spoke up harshly. ¡°Mr.


    Fitzgerald, I¡¯ve got to go.¡±


    ¡°Foebe Larson, I¡¯m not discussing this with you. Leave Caleb, divorce him,¡± he insisted, gripping my


    wrist so tight it was clear he wouldn¡¯t let go.


    I tried to shake off his hand with disgust, but he was obstinate, determined to make me leave


    Colin.


    ¡°Dexter, are you sick in the head?¡± I cursed, then suddenlyughed. ¡°Are you addicted to thinking I¡¯m


    Phoebe Caldwell? You think you can project your guilt onto me and make up for your pathetic, pitiful


    pride?¡±


    Dexter looked down, refusing to speak.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± I struggled, but I was no match for Dexter¡¯s strength.


    He dragged me out of the courtyard, ignoring my resistance.


    ¡°Dexter!¡± I was shoved into the car, and he locked the doors.


    I felt a wave of panic as if I had returned to life before my rebirth.


    Dexter¡¯s coldness and torment were a nightmare.


    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± I pped him hard, trying to get out of the car.


    Dexter pinned my hands to the seat, pulled off his tie, and tied my hands to the passenger handle.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± I red at Dexter.


    His sudden madness today was no ident. He was taking me away¡­ to do what? To do something


    to Colin? *


    ¡°The murderer is Caleb. I won¡¯t let anyone who hurt Phoebe get away,¡± Dexter said gravely.


    I knew it. My heart clenched, and I struggled against the ropes. ¡°Dexter, you bastard, what are you


    going to do to him?¡±


    Dexter drove in silence.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Dexter, you bastard, what are you going to do to him¡­ what are you going to do!¡± I tried kicking him,


    panic¨Cstricken.


    Dexter pinned my legs down, giving me a warning look. ¡°You want evidence, right? I want him dead.¡±


    Dexter was convinced Caleb was the murderer.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make you watch as he confesses he¡¯s the murderer.¡± Dexter¡¯s voice was hoarse as he


    continued to drive.


    I fell silent, slumping in the passenger seat. ¡°What are you really going to do?¡±


    10:15


    ¡°He¡¯s a psycho. Well, I¡¯ll make sure he stays insane forever.¡± Dexter drove towards the abandoned


    asylum.

 Chapter 174

    I finally grasped what Dexter was up to. He was baiting Colin, prodding him to spill the truth. He wanted


    to force Caleb to confess that it was his hands that ended Phoebe¡¯s life.


    He yanked me into a spare room at the mental institution, a ce designed to be a witness box of


    sorts, and pointed me toward the monitor. ¡°You keep denying that he¡¯s a murderer, saying he¡¯s not


    mad? Well, you sit right here and watch.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, we¡¯re all set,¡± an assistant notified Dexter.


    I watched in horror as the lights flickered on in the room on the screen; Dexter was about to rub salt in


    Colin¡¯s wounds, using the ghosts of the past to goad Caleb.


    ¡°When patients are under stress, they can¡¯t differentiate reality from their nightmares. They start to


    believe this world is a facade, and that¡¯s when they reveal their deepest, darkest truths,¡± a doctor in a


    stark white coat dered gravely.


    I turned, clenching my fists. ¡°You¡¯re Lamont, aren¡¯t you? The doctor who blew the whistle on this


    asylum¡¯s dark secrets?¡±


    He nodded solemnly.


    ¡°Then you¡¯ve gotta know Caleb¡¯s not a bad seed. Why are you ying along with Dexter, tormenting


    Caleb, rubbing salt in the wounds?¡± I demanded an answer.


    His silence hung heavy before he finally spoke. ¡°He killed an innocent, Mr. Fitzgerald¡¯s wife¡­ and she


    was with child.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit! Phoebe was never his wife. Dexter¡¯s the one who murdered her!¡± I red at Dexter, my anger


    boiling over.


    The nerve of this man!


    Dexter remained silent but grabbed my chin from behind, forcing me to keep my eyes on the monitor.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Suddenly, a figure burst into the room, out of control..


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Colin¡¯s arrival was frantic, calling out my name.


    ¡°You lured him here with me as bait?¡± I hissed through clenched teeth.


    So, Dexter¡¯s intention in that alley today was always to kidnap me, to use me as leverage against


    Caleb.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°He seems pretty fond of you,¡± Dexter murmured, his voice a low growl as hepelled me to watch


    the screen.


    My hands balled into fists as I watched Colin standing alone in the deste room, a sharp pain


    clutching at my heart.


    No sooner had he barged in than the iron door mmed shut behind him, locked from the outside.


    He called out my name in the empty room.


    The lights dimmed, and Colin¡¯s icy gaze fixed on the camera, his eyes chillingly cold,


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you¡­¡± he rasped, his voice hoarse and ominous, directed at the unseen watcher behind the


    lens.


    Dexter smirked, signaling the doctor to proceed.


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, the doctor stood up and pressed y on theputer.


    As the lights grew dimmer, Dexter instructed the doctor to project onto a screen in the room the very


    horrors that Colin had endured in that institution.


    My fists clenched tighter, witnessing Colin beating against the iron door, repeating desperately, ¡°ed


    to get out; she¡¯s waiting for me; let me out¡­¡±


    But they didn¡¯t release him. Instead, they strapped him to a chair, injected him with drugs, force¨Cfed


    him pills.


    Back in the room, Colin was losing it, pounding at the iron door with all his might. That fear of


    entrapment was enough to drive anyone mad. And they were so cruel, forcing Colin to relive those


    torments.


    The scenes on the monitor were too gruesome, and I couldn¡¯t bear to look, shutting my eyes


    tight.


    But Dexter forced them open.


    On screen, the doctor took pleasure in tormenting Colin.


    Colin snapped, snapping his restraints and seizing the surgical forceps from the table, bringing it down


    on the doctor¡¯s head again and again.


    ¡°See, he¡¯s a murderer,¡± Dexter wanted me to witness Colin¡¯s act of violence.


    In the monitor, the past overwhelmed Colin, huddled in a corner, shaking uncontrobly.


    ¡°You¡¯re a murderer, you killed the doctor.¡± The door opened, and Lamont entered the room, trying to


    soothe Colin. ¡°You did it, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Colin was pulling at his hair, mumbling nonstop, ¡°Phoebe¡­ I need to find Phoebe.¡±


    ¡°And you killed Phoebe, too, right?¡± Lamont coaxed him, aiming to extract a confession. ¡°Tell me, how


    did you do it? What did you do to Phoebe?¡±

 Chapter 175

    I sat in that room, staring at the screen where Colin¡¯s face was etched with desperation.


    I knew that when provoked, Colin would go berserk and turn to self¨Charm ¨C his twisted way of


    punishing himself was to inflict pain upon his own flesh.


    Within those four walls, Colin refused to respond to the doctor¡¯s queries. Instead, he banged his head


    against the wall with force as if to shock himself into tranquility.


    ¡°You did it, didn¡¯t you? You killed Phoebe. You locked her in a ss cab. I remember back in the


    mental institution, how you used to hoard those little dead critters you were so fond of. You were afraid


    that kitten would leave you, so you snuffed out its life, turned it into a specimen. and stashed it in your


    so¨Ccalled safe ce. The bird, too.¡± The doctor pressed on relentlessly.


    He was determined to wring the truth out of Colin.


    ¡°You were obsessed with Phoebe, but she was never yours to im. She fell for Dexter, and that¡¯s why


    you had to eliminate her, isn¡¯t it? So she¡¯d be yours forever, encased in that ss. cab. Am I right?¡±


    The doctor¡¯s voice boomed through the room.


    Colin¡¯s trembling frame stiffened, and for a moment, he locked eyes with the doctor, his forehead


    smeared with blood from his self¨Cinflicted wounds.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    I knew Colin was on the brink; the walls were reying his tormented past, a hell he had never


    forgotten.


    And the doctor? He didn¡¯t let up, not for a second.


    ¡°Dexter, let me go.¡± I red at Dexter, my eyes rimmed with anger.


    ¡°He¡¯s a psycho! What¡¯s there to even care about?¡± Dexter seemed to lose hisposure, pointing at


    the screen for me to see. ¡°He ends up killing everything he cherishes. If you stay with him¡­ you¡¯ll meet


    the same fate.¡±


    My gaze shifted back to Lamont, who persisted in tormenting Colin, pushing him to confess to being a


    murderer.


    Madmen, all of them.


    ¡°Dexter, you¡¯re the one who killed Phoebe¡­¡± My voice was low, a ploy to distract him.


    He winced and averted his gaze as if in pain, staring back at the screen. He needed to hear Colin admit


    to killing Phoebe¡­


    Seizing the moment Dexter was distracted, I bit through the restraint on my wrist, grabbed a stick from


    the ground, and swung it at Dexter¡¯s head.


    09:34


    It was my first time striking someone, and fear mixed with my resolve.


    Perhaps my strength wascking because Dexter wasn¡¯t knocked out. He fell to the floor, his hand


    coming away from his forehead stained with blood, his expression darkening.


    I stepped back and bolted.


    Back in the room.


    Lamont kept at it, relentless. ¡°You¡¯ve been fixated on Phoebe for years, haven¡¯t you? Even in the


    mental institution, you¡¯d call out her name in your sleep. You¡¯ve been plotting her death all along,


    right?¡±


    Lamont eyed Colin, whose gaze suddenly darkened, and he stepped back, fear creeping into his


    stance.


    Colin remained silent until Lamont retreated. Then, with a sudden move, he grabbed Lamont¡¯s cor,


    yanking him close.


    His voice was a hoarse whisper, barely audible. ¡°Not¡­ true¡­¡±


    With a swift motion, Colin smashed Lamont¡¯s head against the wall, knocking him out cold.


    Wiping the blood that had trickled to his eye, Colin stood up and smashed the projector, his gaze icy as


    he stared towards the camera.


    When I burst through the door, Colin¡¯s gaze was still chillingly cold.


    But the moment he saw me, the ice in his eyes melted into vulnerability. He just stood there, shaking so


    slightly it was almost imperceptible.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­


    His voice broke as he called my name, head bowed as tears fell like pearls, dampening the gray hoodie


    that clung to his frame.


    I was frozen, taking in the chaos, the unconscious Lamont on the floor.


    ¡°Phoebe, I didn¡¯t kill anyone.¡± His first words to me were a plea of innocence.

 Chapter 176

    ¡°We need to get home.¡± I murmured, my thoughts a tangled web as I quickened my pace and took


    Colin¡¯s hand.


    He followed with his head hung low, sobbing softly.


    Worry gnawed at me, and I lifted his bangs to examine the bruise on his forehead. ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    Colin nodded, his eyes rimmed red, tears streaming down as if they were worthless.


    Suddenly, my heart clenched painfully.


    Those eyes were too innocent. It was impossible to reconcile them with those of a murderer.


    ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t hurt yourself again.¡± I carefully wiped the blood from his face and led him


    outside.


    Waiting for us was Dexter¡¯s bodyguard.


    Colin tensed immediately, shielding me behind him, ready to leap like a wild animal at its prey.


    ¡°You¡¯d rather trust a lunatic than believe me?¡± Dexter approached, wincing as he touched a bloody cut


    on his forehead. ¡°Foebe, you¡¯re bing more and more like Phoebe.¡±


    I eyed Dexter warily. ¡°What are you trying to pull?¡±


    ¡°Caleb, you killed Phoebe because you hated her, didn¡¯t you? You hated that she forgot you, right?¡±


    Dexter¡¯s voice was a low usation.


    Colin stood protectively in front of me, eyeing Dexter with mistrust. ¡°You¡¯re the one who deceived her.


    You¡¯re the one who deserves death.¡±


    Dexter scoffed. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re not going to give up.¡±


    As Dexter signaled his bodyguard to advance, my heart raced with fear. What madness was Dexter


    plotting? ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    I moved to shield Colin, but we were outnumbered.


    Colin was a skilled fighter, but he was blindsided by a sneak attack.


    I was pinned by Dexter¡¯s men, my eyes zing with anger. ¡°Dexter!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a psycho. When provoked, he could smash things, hurt people, even kill ormit suicide¨Cit¡¯s all


    possible,¡± Dexter said coldly, looking down at Colin subdued on the floor. ¡°What does it matter if a


    lunatic dies?¡±


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Dexter¡­ let him go!¡± I struggled frantically, dread mounting as I began to realize his intention.


    He wanted to throw Colin off the building.


    ¡°Dexter¡­ what will it take for you to let him be?¡± My voice was hoarse with desperation.


    09-34


    Dexter¡¯s vendetta wasn¡¯t just about avenging Phoebe; it was about his pitiful, fragile ego. He was


    running from the truth that he was the one who had killed Phoebe.


    Dexter looked at me dispassionately. ¡°Unless Phoebees back from the dead, he must die.¡±


    I took a deep breath and faced Dexter. ¡°You¡¯re the one who should be dead¡­¡±


    ¡°Police!¡±


    As Dexter¡¯s goons tried to drag Colin away, the cops burst in.


    Dexter frowned, his gaze shifting to Colin.


    Colin met Dexter¡¯s eyes with defiance.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Robin entered with his team, frowning at the scene between Dexter and Colin.


    Colin yed the victim. ¡°He kidnapped my wife and had his men beat me up.¡±


    Robin looked astonished. Colin, looking aggrieved? This was a new expression on Colin¡¯s face,


    one Robin had never seen before.


    Dexter¡¯s face darkened, and just as he was about to speak, Eric arrived with thewyer. ¡°Officer Robin,


    although Mr. Caleb has a psychiatric condition that makes him unountable for his actions during


    episodes, Mr. Fitzgerald is of sound mind. Kidnapping and assault are serious charges.¡±


    Robin nced at me, silently urging me to rify the situation.


    All eyes, including Dexter¡¯s, were on me, waiting for me to speak. Whether Dexter was guilty of


    kidnapping depended on my word.

 Chapter 177

    ¡°He kidnapped me, and he threatened my husband, harmed him¡­¡± I murmured,ying out the bare


    facts with a hushed voice.


    Dexter¡¯s gaze upon me grew more intense, a sneer forming on his lips. ¡°Kidnapped you? Where¡¯s your


    proof? I¡¯m willing to face an investigation.¡±


    With the police in tow, Dexter left. As he did, his piercing look lingered on me. ¡°Foebe, you¡¯ll regret


    this.¡±


    He seemed convinced that Colin would be the death of me. And when that time came, I¡¯d surely regret


    not taking his advice.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Colin, pale as a ghost, stumbled over to me, his energy sapped as he leaned into me, his


    chin resting on my shoulder. ¡°It hurts so bad.¡±


    I tensed up, whispering back at him. ¡°Did you call the cops on your way here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Colin admitted to having called for help en route.


    Well, he wasn¡¯t as naive as he seemed.


    This time, Dexter had messed with someone he couldn¡¯t afford to.


    ¡°Mr. Caleb was very worried about you,¡± Eric spoke up respectfully.


    My gaze flickered to Eric,plex emotions swirling. What was his connection to the murderer?


    Was he acting on Colin¡¯s behalf?


    Colin tried to lead me away, but I stood frozen in ce. He looked back at me, confusion and fear in his


    eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s the deal with the person at the courtyard house?¡± I croaked, my voice ragged as I faced Colin.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Better to ask outright than to harbor mutual suspicions.


    It took a long while before Colin spoke. ¡°His name¡¯s Dorian, from the orphanage as well, fifteen years


    old. He¡¯s a survivor of the dorm fire from room 403, right next to where Carter and I were trapped.¡±


    Room 403 was the neighboring dorm where many children perished that year.


    Dorian was one of those survivors. His severe burns made it nearly impossible to discern his face and


    his age. All I could tell was that he was tall and thin, like the murderer haunting my memories.


    ¡°He¡¯s not the murderer¡­¡± Colin murmured.


    I turned to Robin, questioning.


    09:34


    Robin nodded at me. ¡°It¡¯s all checked out. The kid¡¯s indeed fifteen, a minor. With severe burns,


    he¡¯s frail and hardly ever goes out. It¡¯s just him and his sister struggling to get by. And I checked his


    arm, no sign of the red birthmark you mentioned.¡±


    I massaged my temples, fighting a headache. Had I been mistaken?


    No, the person who¡¯d visited my home, who¡¯d spoken to me, had to be him.


    Dorian?


    But the man who tried to kill me had a red birthmark on his arm.


    ¡°He¡¯s been to my house, right?¡± I pressed Robin.


    Robin confirmed with a nod. ¡°Yeah, the kid¡¯s been up to petty theft, no ie or livelihood. He¡¯s a


    small¨Ctime thief.¡±


    ¡°Then was it him who knocked Ste out? The body we saw at Phoebe¡¯s house that day¡­¡± My voice


    trembled as I spoke again.


    Robin shook his head. ¡°Not him. He has an alibi. He¡¯s at the hospital monthly for meds, and the staff,


    along with surveince footage, have him there the whole time. So the one who hurt Ste, who killed


    that night, wasn¡¯t Dorian.¡±


    I didn¡¯t believe it. It wasn¡¯t my imagination; there was something off about that guy.


    ¡°Why are you keeping him around?¡± I demanded of Colin, seeking the truth.


    ¡°He¡¯s got no ie, can¡¯t get hired anywhere.¡± Colin moved to take my hand, but I dodged.


    ¡°And Eric? Why meet with James?¡± It was better to clear the air.


    ¡°Mr. Caleb didn¡¯t want you involved anymore, feared for your safety,¡± Eric exined calmly, not


    seeming to be lying.


    But I couldn¡¯t afford to trust thempletely, not anymore.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­¡± My voice was low, and I led the way.


    ¡°Carter¡­ Dorian.¡± I silently repeated the names.


    But the ages didn¡¯t match up.


    ¡°Phoebe, let¡¯s go home.¡± Colin tentatively reached for my hand, his voice soft.


    I nced at Colin. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, not even once, not even a white lie.¡±


    Colin¡¯s fingers stiffened, and he turned to face me. ¡°Colin doesn¡¯t lie. If anyone¡¯s lying, it¡¯s Phoebe.¡±

 Chapter 178

    My heart skipped a beat, and I guiltily averted my gaze.


    Was he implying that he never lied, but I was the chronic deceiver?


    What had I lied to him about¡­


    As I stepped out of the dpidated mental institution, a swarm of reporters and onlookers


    blocked the entrance.


    They were all hounding Dexter, pressing him with questions about why, as the CEO of the Fitzgerald


    Group, he would get involved in a kidnapping, an act so tantly illegal and disorderly.


    Dexter climbed into the car with a dark expression. ¡°Noment.¡±


    The reporters were obviously here for him. If this got out, the Fitzgerald Group¡¯s reputation would be in


    tatters.


    Dexter nced at me coldly, silent, as the police led him away.


    ¡°The Fitzgerald Group¡¯s CEO involved in a kidnapping!¡±


    ¡°Why would someone in his position kidnap anyone?¡± the reporters murmured among themselves, and


    the bystanders spected that Dexter had lost his mind.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    If this news hit the stands, the Fitzgerald Group¡¯s stock would plummet by the next day.


    Had Dexter crossed someone?


    I eyed Colin suspiciously. ¡°Did you do this?¡±


    Colin gave a tacit admission, remaining silent. He really wasn¡¯t much of a liar. So, he chose not to


    exin at all.


    ¡°The Fitzgerald family¡¯s in for a spectacle,¡± Robin sighed, casting a nce my way before getting into


    the car. ¡°If they pin the kidnapping on him and the evidence is clear, the Fitzgeralds maye to you


    for a private settlement. It¡¯s your choice.¡±


    I was taken aback. If the Fitzgeralds believed Dexter was behind it, Hailey would undoubtedly


    seek me out.


    I could be heartless with Dexter, but I wasn¡¯t sure I could do the same with Hailey.


    Once in Eric¡¯s car, I hesitated, then decided to speak up. ¡°Are you trying to destroy Dexter?¡±


    What clout did Colin have?


    ¡°No¡­¡± Colin shook his head. ¡°I want him dead.¡±


    Whenever Colin spoke of Dexter, his eyes brimmed with murderous intent.


    News travels fast, and it wasn¡¯t long before the Fitzgerald family got wind of Dexter¡¯s arrest.


    When Hailey came to visit me at the Langleys¡® estate, she looked considerably aged.


    I had heard that after my death, Hailey had been grief¨Cstricken and fallen ill, recuperating in Harbor


    City. She had returned because of Dexter.


    The Fitzgerald family had a formidable legal team. They might not make the kidnapping charge stick,


    but Dexter¡¯s false imprisonment of me was still a crime.


    I knew Hailey was here to have me sign a statement of forgiveness to salvage Dexter¡¯s reputation and


    mitigate the impact on thepany.


    ¡°Madam¡­ Mrs. Fitzgerald is here,¡± the housekeeper announced, ushering Hailey into the living


    room.


    My fingers clenched instinctively, yet I remainedposed, seated in my chair.


    Upon seeing me, Hailey¡¯s hand flew to her mouth in shock, her eyes welling up.


    I wanted tofort her, but I couldn¡¯t. I was no longer Phoebe; to her, I was just a stranger.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Ms. Larson, you just look so much like my daughter,¡± Hailey managed through her sobs.


    She always called me that, insisting I was her daughter.


    I knew Hailey cared for me genuinely, but this time, I didn¡¯t want to let Dexter off the hook.


    ¡°Ms. Larson, I know Dexter has acted rashly. Please¡­ whatever your terms, we can discuss them,¡±


    Hailey whispered, pleading.


    ¡°A parent¡¯s neglect is to me for his child¡¯s misdeeds. How many years of mess can you clean up for


    him?¡± My gaze was firm.


    This time, I wouldn¡¯t let Dexter off easily, even if hiswyers managed to get him a mere fifteen¨Cday


    detention.


    Hailey fell silent, taking a long time before responding. ¡°Since my daughter Phoebe passed, Dexter has


    been crazy. This is hiseuppance¡­ He lied to Phoebe for years, and to himself as well. He told me


    that you were a close friend of Phoebe¡¯s, that she confided everything in


    you.¡±


    I furrowed my brow, looking at Hailey. ¡°You said Dexter lied to Phoebe. What did he lie about?¡±


    ¡°Phoebe Caldwell¡¯s family¡¯s car ident¡­ the person who saved Phoebe and her parents, it wasn¡¯t


    Dexter.¡±

 Chapter 179

    The air grew still, and I found myself frozen on the couch, my fingers tensing momentarily. ¡°What?¡±


    I thought I must have heard wrong.


    But can memories be mistaken, too?


    I remember during my senior year of high school, already overwhelmed by academic pressure, I¡¯d fall


    asleep the moment I got into the car.


    In my memory, Dad drove for what seemed like an eternity. I couldn¡¯t recall where we were headed,


    only that I was in the car, lying across my mom¡¯sp, sleeping soundly.


    ¡°Turn the music down, Phoebe¡¯s asleep,¡± my mom whispered, chastising Dad in a gentle


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    murmur.


    ¡°Ethan Langley and I are meeting at Prosperity Heights Bridge before heading over together.¡± Dad


    replied.


    I couldn¡¯t remember exactly what Dad said next, only that I felt a rush of excitement¨Csomeone was


    waiting for us.


    ¡°Is that Ethan¡¯s car?¡± asked Mom.


    ¡°The orphanage has raised two prodigies; the high¨Cups are paying close attention. This event is a


    perfect chance to make some noise, get more people involved in charity, and bring greater attention to


    the plight of children left behind in orphanages¡­¡±


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    The moment Dad pulled the car over, a deafening crash engulfed us.


    A violent force nearly hurled me from my seat.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    Thest thing I remember was Mom¡¯s tight embrace, sheltering me in her arms. Her blood mingling


    with mine.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    ¡°Survive¡­¡±


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ Phoebe!¡±


    After that, my memory is nk. The crash left me dazed; time seemed to stand still, and I couldn¡¯t tell


    how long it had been.


    All I remember is waking up to Dexter by my side, with him calling out my name over and over.


    And I vaguely recall the silhouette of someone¨Csomeone who dashed into the mes,


    09:35


    fearlessly entering the car to save my parents.


    And then, slowly, that silhouette merged with Dexter in my mind.


    Could it be that my memories deceive me?


    ¡°That day was the award ceremony for the Double¨CGenius Welfare House, aing¨Cof¨Cage


    celebration for the kids. I was supposed to meet Phoebe¡¯s parents there. We saw the ident on the


    bridge. It was Phoebe¡¯s parents¡­ and the eldest Langley child, Ethan. It was a horrific crash: a dump


    truck going the wrong way, a semi overloaded in the rear. Ethan¡¯s family died on the spot. A teenager


    ran into the fire to save Phoebe, they said.¡±


    Hailey spoke softly, her voice breaking. ¡°But when Phoebe woke up, she couldn¡¯t remember who saved


    her. She thought it was Dexter, and I wanted to tell her the truth, but Dexter admitted to it. I was


    shocked, but I didn¡¯t interfere too much with the kids¡® affairs. ver imagined¡­ it would hurt Phoebe.¡±


    I sat, stunned and rigid, as Hailey continued, my head pounding as if it were about to split open. It turns


    out memories can indeed be deceiving.


    Especially under great trauma, the brain can fabricate false memories from the moments before


    unconsciousness.


    I had always thought Dexter saved me, and I believed it without a doubt.


    Because when I asked Dexter, he confirmed it.


    ¡°Dexter has always been starved of love because of his rtionship with his father. He doesn¡¯t know


    how to love someone; he only knows possession,¡± Hailey wiped away tears. ¡°He¡¯s fond of Phoebe,


    even if he doesn¡¯t say it. I can tell. Phoebe¡¯s mom and I were close friends, and we had arranged a


    marriage for our children to be formalized when they were older.


    Dexter is rebellious and has his own way of doing things. If he didn¡¯t like Phoebe, he would have


    rejected the arrangement long ago. But he didn¡¯t, and that¡¯s how I knew he cared for her. But he¡¯s so


    stubborn¨Che clearly has feelings for her, yet he refuses to admit it¡­¡±


    ¡°Hailey, the Dexter you know and the Dexter I¡¯ve heard about from Phoebe seem like two very different


    people,¡± I interrupted, struggling to believe that Dexter could truly love.


    ¡°Love isn¡¯t about possession or causing pain. All Dexter has brought Phoebe is hurt,¡± I shook my head


    and spoke again. ¡°No matter his reasons, he¡¯s lied to Phoebe and caused her endless suffering.¡±

 Chapter 180

    Hailey lowered her gaze before speaking again. ¡°You know, Phoebe really loved Dexter¡­ and Dexter,


    he¡¯s the big shot now, head honcho of Fitzgerald Group. Thepany¡¯s fate is in his hands; he can¡¯t


    afford a scandal.¡±


    She was telling me all this to convince me of Dexter¡¯s love for Phoebe and to plead for a chance on


    Phoebe¡¯s behalf.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ever tell Phoebe the truth? You had so many chances¡­¡± My voice was hoarse with


    emotion.


    Was I resentful? Maybe just a bit¡­


    ¡°I loved Phoebe too much; I saw her like my own daughter. I dreamed of us truly bing a family.


    They were engaged, and Phoebe adored Dexter. I always thought that one day, Dexter woulde to


    his senses and treat Phoebe right. He loved her¡­¡± Hailey seemed to be deceiving herself more than


    anyone.


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh, a sorrowful chuckle that brought tears to my eyes.


    In that moment, I realized how selfish people could be.


    Living with the Fitzgeralds all these years, could Hailey really not see the hurt and emotional abuse


    Dexter inflicted on me? Was she blind to my cautious steps and the feeling of being an


    outsider in their home?


    She could have told me that Dexter wasn¡¯t my savior, and I wouldn¡¯t have felt indebted to him,


    wouldn¡¯t have let him manipte me.


    I have my pride, too. If I¡¯d known I owed him nothing, he¡¯d have no excuse, no right to hurt me.


    I could love him, or not, freely.


    I shouldn¡¯t be shackled.


    I could¡¯ve called the cops the minute Dexter forced me into something and made him face the


    consequences.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    But I endured years of his cold brutality, all because of a supposed debt ¨C for him rushing into mes to


    save me, to save my parents, to prevent their bodies from being charred beyond


    recognition.


    And it could¡¯ve all been avoided. Hailey could have told me.


    But mother and son, they both held me captive in the name of love ¨C one feared I¡¯d leave, the other


    imed her actions were out of ¡®love¡®.


    ¡°Hailey, do you know who really saved Phoebe¡¯s life?¡± I took a deep breath, looking up at her with fists


    clenched.


    Since Dexter wasn¡¯t my hero, I had even less reason to feel any bond with him.


    0743


    He was responsible for the death of me and my child! He and that Melody owed me!


    Hailey shook her head. ¡°By the time we arrived, the savior was gone. There were no cameras on that


    bridge, no clue who it was. Witnesses mentioned a young man, and I¡¯ve tried to find this person, but no


    one came forward.¡± She sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve been searching for years.¡±


    I stayed silent, bowing my head.


    ¡°Ms. Larson, can you give Dexter another chance? Let¡¯s settle this privately¡­¡± Hailey¡¯s voice was soft,


    but I knew she was offering me thest olive branch.


    Before Dexter took over, Hailey was the one keeping thepany afloat. She was a force to be


    reckoned with.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I shook my head firmly. I would notpromise with Dexter again.


    ¡°Dexter¡¯s kidnapping charges won¡¯t stick. Right now, it¡¯s just your assault im, and you don¡¯t seem


    injured. We could opt for a more amicable solution, one that doesn¡¯t stir up drama between our


    families,¡± Hailey¡¯s voice cooled.


    ¡°The harm he¡¯s done to me goes beyond physical injury. He kidnapped me, threatened my husband,


    and goaded him. I have zero tolerance for him,¡± I said, my tone leaving no room for argument.


    After a moment of silence, Hailey ced her phone in front of me. The screen showed an image of


    Colin, covered in blood, holding an injured kitten, a victim of animal cruelty.


    ¡°If you Langleys want a media war, then we Fitzgeralds are all in,¡± Hailey stated, standing up to leave.

 Chapter 181

    I knew what Hailey was up to. She was out to crucify Colin with the same tactics and public scrutiny.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Taking a deep breath, I jumped to my feet, determined to confront Colin about this animal cruelty


    business.


    But when I turned around, there he was, sitting on the stairs. His gaze was intense, his eyes rimmed


    with red as if he¡¯d suffered a great injustice.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± His voice was barely a whisper as he called my name. ¡°Don¡¯t settle.¡±


    ¡°This won¡¯tpletely ruin Dexter. He¡¯ll fight back. At worst, he¡¯s looking at a two¨Cweek stint in the


    prison,¡± I said. Even though I knew it could spell trouble for the Fitzgerald Group, to Dexter personally,


    it wasn¡¯t much of a punishment.


    ¡°A fortnight in the clink¡­¡± Colin seemed to barely contain his glee.


    As far as he was concerned, Dexter¡¯s misfortune was a reason to celebrate.


    ¡°You think the Fitzgeralds are just going to roll over?¡± I sighed, sitting beside Colin. ¡°Those Fitzgeralds,


    they don¡¯t take things lying down. Mrs. Fitzgerald won¡¯t let this go. A short detention is nothing; the real


    issue is the hit to the Fitzgerald Group.¡±


    Colin hugged his knees, resting his forehead on them, looking every bit like a big, forlorn, abandoned


    pup.


    My gaze lingered on Colin,plex emotions swirling within me as I spoke again. ¡°Colin¡­ When you


    have an episode, do you¡­ hurt animals?¡±


    He froze for a second before looking at me, silent.


    In his eyes, I saw a multitude of emotions ¨C was it hurt? Despair? Sorrow?


    Was ming me for myck of faith in him?


    ¡°What about this photo, then?¡± I showed him the picture Hailey had sent, giving him a glimpse.


    Colin stared at the picture, then looked up at me. ¡°If I say it wasn¡¯t me, would you believe me,


    Phoebe?¡±


    However, with the evidence staring me in the face, it was hard to immediately side with Colin, not when


    I knew his episodes could make him lose control.


    ¡°Colin¡­ the Fitzgeralds will use this to smear you, to attack you. They¡¯lltch onto your mental health


    issues and blow them out of proportion¡­¡± I lowered my head, not wanting to imagine the cruelty of the


    impending public bacsh.


    Thankfully, he wasn¡¯t one to be glued to his phone, or else it would be a different kind of hell.


    Soon after, Hailey sent another article ¨C a post that had been circting sincest year, titled


    09:43


    ¡°Attention to Stray Animals.¡± It detailed how abuse from the homeless was sadlymon. with a


    picture of Colin holding a bloodied kitten,


    The article was scathing; its author clearly had a journalist¡¯s ir for the dramatic, reducing Colin and


    vagabonds like him to nothing.


    Back then, the post had gone viral, amassing millions of views.


    I couldn¡¯t begin to imagine what Colin had gone through during that time. The power of public opinion


    was lethal.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ you don¡¯t believe me, do you?¡± Colin¡¯s voice was hoarse, suddenly tinged with a hint of


    desperation.


    He grabbed my wrist as if he was desperately seeking trust in my eyes. But it wasn¡¯t there, so he was


    disappointed.


    His head dropped, his eyes slowly reddening as he stood and walked away.


    He was crying¡­


    ¡°Colin¡­¡± Instinctively, I reached out to grab his hand. I just wanted to hear his side of the story.


    But he seemed particrly sensitive about the cat thing.


    ¡°Colin?¡± He didn¡¯t respond and ran back to his room.


    It was the first time he¡¯d had such a strong emotional reaction in front of me.


    I massaged my temples, feeling the weight of uncertainty. It was normal to be disturbed by the photo


    and the article, and without his exnation, it was natural for me to have doubts.


    I was just afraid¡­ afraid that the Fitzgeralds¡® public narrative would harm him anew.


    I searched online forst year¡¯s news about the homeless youth and cat abuse. As expected, there


    were numerous photos and videos.


    In one video, the filmmaker encountered Colin in an alley. They threw stones at him, hit him


    with sticks.


    Colin was curled up in a corner, clutching something tightly, his forehead and body grubby and


    bloodied.


    I knew Colin had suffered while living rough, but I hadn¡¯t realized how much.


    He could have fought back.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you fight back?¡± I murmured, my voice rough.


    As I furiously sifted through the online chatter, I found a different narrative, a video with hardly any


    views trying to defend Colin.


    In this video, the person followed Colin, iming he wasn¡¯t abusing the cat but was actually


    trying to help a stray. Because he was awkward with people, the media, with their own

 Chapter 182

    Traffic on the article was suspiciously low. It seemed like someone was deliberately burying


    the story.


    Without viewers, the truth wouldn¡¯t reach the masses.


    The blogger had only posted once and then went silent.


    Frowning, I went to find Eric.


    ¡°If the Fitzgeralds are nning to spin Colin¡¯s mental health issues and alleged animal cruelty to


    overshadow the Fitzgerald Group¡¯s PR nightmare, we need to be ready,¡± I said.


    ¡°Eric, track down this blogger ASAP. I need the full evidence in his possession,¡± I prayed silently,


    hoping the blogger still had the full¨Cproof to clear Colin¡¯s name.


    Deep down, I knew it was unlikely that Colin hurt animals. The way stray dogs obeyed him, biting on


    hismand, suggested he treated them well.


    But eded that proof.


    Eric set people on it while I scrolled through post after post, hoping for more evidence.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    The Fitzgeralds were quick, though. The buzz around Dexter¡¯s assault skyrocketed, followed by posts


    about Caleb, CEO of the Langley Group, being an animal abuser.


    Theizens were in shock. The former stray¨Ckid¨Cturned¨CCEO was the same person from the old


    animal cruelty rumors?


    Had the Langley Group lost their minds, appointing a homeless guy as CEO?


    They¡¯d be better off with anybody in charge, the people jeered, wishing for thepany¡¯s downfall.


    Like spectators at a demolition, they relished the fall of the high and mighty, the sunken splendor, the


    soiling of the purest silk.


    Attacks and curses soon affected the Langley Group.


    Thepany¡¯s PR scrambled to rify, promising a thorough investigation. Then came the onught


    of calls to the Langley family.


    Eric, calm andposed, fielded each one, no matter how hostile.


    I chewed on my nail, knowing tonight would be restless. If the uproar continued,e morning,


    Henry¡¯s people would demand Caleb¡¯s resignation, his exit from the Langley Group, and his shares


    relinquished.


    My phone buzzed. It was Hailey.


    ¡°Ms. Larson, made up your mind? Can we settle this privately?¡± Hailey inquired, expecting me to


    cave.


    09:44


    I looked toward the upstairs, resolute. ¡°Never,¡±


    I had to see it through.


    Hailey hung up without another word, probably thinking I was naive.


    ¡°Madam, I got ahold of the blogger. He¡¯s got the full video. As an independent media guy. het post it if


    we boost his traffic and support him,¡± said Eric.


    I nodded. ¡°Let him release it first. We¡¯ll promote it.¡±


    Eric agreed.


    Soon after, the full story unfolded online,


    Someone was tormenting a cat. Colin chased them off, then cradled the bloodied kitten rushing to a


    vet.


    Turned away by several clinics, he could only watch helplessly as the Kitten died in his arms. kneeling


    on the ground, lost and afraid.


    A pang of guilt hit me, and I left the matter with Eric, knocking on Colin¡¯s door.


    He wouldn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Colin? Can I apologize?¡± I coaxed softly. ¡°I misunderstood, Colin?¡±


    Suddenly, the door swung open. Colin loomed in the dim room, his eyes hopeful ¡°Then, sleep with me.


    Phoebe.¡±


    I was speechless.


    Colin¡¯s eyes were rimmed with red as he reached out. ¡°Phoebe, I need a hug¡­ it hurts¡­¡±


    Right then, my phone rang. It was Robin.


    ¡°Phoebe! Dexter¡¯s mom had a car ident on the way to the station! She¡¯s in critical condition, and the


    driver¡­ he says Caleb put him up to it.¡±


    1 froze instinctively turning t

 Chapter 184

    ¡°If he had any sense, he wouldn¡¯t have let Phoebe die.¡± Robin frowned, his voice tinged with frustration.


    I paused for a second, at a loss for words. Robin was right.


    ¡°Thank goodness, she¡¯s alright though,¡± Robin nced toward the hospital room.


    ¡°I did some digging on that kid, Dorian. He¡¯s been involved in petty theft, but murder? There¡¯s no hard


    evidence. We had to cut him loose.¡±


    Robin nced at me apologetically.


    ¡°But there¡¯s something off about him,¡± I murmured. ¡°He¡¯s barely out of his teens, yet there¡¯s a maturity


    in him that¡¯s way beyond his years. And there¡¯s this¡­¡±


    I felt an inexplicable fear toward him.


    I couldn¡¯t tell Robin that I was sure I¡¯d seen Dorian before I died. My own memories felt unreliable now.


    In my semi¨Cconscious state, my recollections might not be urate.


    ¡°Dorian¡¯s definitely got a lot of red gs. I¡¯ll keep an eye on him,¡± Robin reassured me with a quick


    nce. ¡°That doctor from the mental hospital Colin knocked out? He confirmed Colin¡¯s got a serious


    mental disorder. The dangerous kind. Colin would go to extreme lengths to keep what or who he likes.


    As it stands, the killings seem organized, and we can¡¯t rule out Colin as a possible mastermind.¡±


    I fell silent.


    ¡°What will you do if evidence finally points to Colin orchestrating all this?¡± Robin asked me directly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± I dodged the question.


    I didn¡¯t want to think about what I would do if Colin was implicated. It was one thing to suspect him


    without proof, but what if we had all the evidence?


    ¡°If Dorian is one of the murderers and Colin has been secretly sheltering him, it¡¯s going to be hard to


    shake off the suspicion,¡± Robin said, hesitating slightly before meeting my gaze.


    I knew there were things he couldn¡¯t share with me as a cop, especially details of their investigation.


    Even if there were truths and evidence unknown to me, he couldn¡¯t disclose thempletely.


    The fact that Robin was sharing this much with me today only made me more anxious.


    Was there¡­ actual evidence pointing to Colin?


    ¡°Did you find something?¡± I asked Robin nervously.


    09:44


    He didn¡¯t respond right away. After a moment, Robin spoke again. This case is a high¨Cprofile serial


    killing investigation. Too many lives lost, we¡¯re all on the line here,¡±


    I clenched my hands tightly, trying to grasp the implications of his words.


    If Colin was ced at a crime scene, would they pin all the me on him?


    ¡°So many careers are at stake here. We can¡¯t afford another death,¡± Robin leaned against the door


    frame, considering a cigarette, but then thought better of it and put it away, ¡°Colin was a victim once.


    He¡¯s got plenty of motive to be the perpetrator.¡±


    ¡°People with a motive don¡¯t just turn themselves in. Colin¡¯s not that foolish!¡± I blurted out, surprised by


    my own need to defend him. Initially, Colin had been my prime suspect.


    Robin seemed torn, and it was clear he didn¡¯t fully trust me either. ¡°Foebe Larson, you must realize that


    you¡¯re also one of the main suspects we¡¯re investigating.¡±


    Of course, Robin must have investigated Foebe Larson thoroughly.


    ¡°Foebe, I hope¡­ you¡¯re not involved in this mess,¡± Robin said suddenly, his gaze heavy with


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    concern.


    I felt a surge of wariness, knowing they must have found something.


    ¡°Foebe Larson? We need you toe with us for questioning,¡± the officers said when they arrived. I


    was stunned, but I had expected this day mighte.


    Foebe had been secretly funding Abdul¡¯s homeless orphans. With Abdul¡¯s brother failing to assassinate


    Melody, it was bound toe back to me.


    ¡°Robin¡­¡± I whispered. ¡°Can I call Colin first? He¡¯s waiting for me at home.¡±

 Chapter 185

    Robin¡¯s gaze held aplex mixture of emotions as he looked at his colleagues. ¡°Sorry¡­ this case


    isn¡¯t under our jurisdiction anymore, so I¡¯m not in a position to talk.¡±


    I had a sinking feeling in my gut. There must have been some internal shake¨Cup because Robin hadn¡¯t


    managed to nail the real culprit yet. The case was still unsolved.


    ¡°Robin¡­ could you reach out to Colin for me?¡± I pleaded with a nervous edge in my voice. ¡°If I don¡¯t


    show up, he¡¯s going to worry. Just let me talk to him, please.¡±


    Robin was about to respond when Cory interrupted.


    ¡°Officer Robin is under investigation as well. You might not want to drag him into this,¡± Cory whispered


    to me.


    I stared at Robin in shock. Why was he under investigation?


    ¡°Someone reported him,¡± Cory murmured.


    I took a deep breath, trying to make sense of how everything was connecting at this junction. It looked


    like a jigsaw where every piece was lining up perfectly, yet seemingly unrted.


    If I was taken in for questioning, Colin would panic, lose control, and possibly go off the rails¡­


    Once Colin lost it, isted and without support, Henry would see an opportunity to strike. The inte¡¯s


    rumor mill would start churning, and the public wouldp it up, seeing only what they wanted to see.


    Dexter would be out for blood, his own mother a hit¨Cand¨Crun victim, and he would likely take his anger


    out on Colin.


    ¡°I have the right to contact mywyer. You can¡¯t just take me in without allowing that.¡± I insisted, hoping


    to reach Colin first to at least calm him down.


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be here if we didn¡¯t have evidence. You better cooperate,¡± the officer retorted, denying me


    the chance.


    All I could do was cooperate with the police investigation, as I was in the dark about what evidence


    they had found.


    And as for Foebe Larson¡¯s secret? I was clueless.


    I didn¡¯t even know when we arrived at the precinct. Time was flying by.


    The police grilled me through the night, demanding to know why I had allegedly ordered Hickey to kill


    Melody.


    Hickey was the teenager used of the assassination attempt on Melody, Abdul¡¯s brother.


    ¡°I have absolutely no idea what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I said truthfully.


    ¡°The kid¡¯s already confessed. He ims you were funding them, that you ordered him to kill Melody,


    promising to cover his brother Abdul¡¯s medical bills if he did the job,¡± the officer said


    09:44


    coldly, the pressure in his voice palpable,


    This was Hickey¡¯s story?


    Was it really Foebe¡¯s doing?


    ¡°No way¡­¡± I shook my head in disbelief, ¡°I would never order Hickey to harm Melody at the hospital.¡±


    I was sure of that much. From the moment I woke up in Foebe¡¯s body, I hadn¡¯t been in touch with


    Hickey at all. It couldn¡¯t have been me.


    ¡°You better start talking!¡± The interrogator mmed a few photos onto the table in front of me. ¡°Here


    you are, funding them, bringing them food, taking the kid to the doctor. How are you going to squirm


    your way out of this one?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Trying to keep myposure, I responded, ¡°I only helped them out, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with


    that. Where¡¯s the proof that I gave the order? Just because someone says so doesn¡¯t mean I have to


    confess to a crime I didn¡¯tmit.¡±


    ¡°Foebe Larson, I advise you to drop the act. Come clean, cooperate with our investigation, and you


    might get a more lenient sentence.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t order Hickey to kill Melody. This is all a big misunderstanding.¡±


    As the officer was about to respond, another cop entered and whispered something in his ear. The


    interrogating officer gave me a deep, probing look and then stood up and left the room.


    was left alone in the interrogation room, a pounding headache setting in.


    If I didn¡¯t return to Colin¡­ would he lose it? He seemed very determined to wait for me.


    I wondered if Robin had passed on the message to Colin.


    If he hadn¡¯t, Colin would probably keep waiting.


    After spending a night at the precinct, being questioned to no end and without any solid evidence


    against me, they stopped questioning me. I slumped into the chair, exhausted, and fell asleep. When I


    woke up, an officer told me I was free to go.


    ¡°No more questioning?¡± I asked, puzzled.


    The officer didn¡¯t bother to answer.


    As I walked out of the precinct, I saw Robin leaning against a car as if he¡¯d been waiting for me.


    ¡°Hickey confessed. He said it was Zoe who told him to kill Melody,¡± Robin said gravely.


    I felt a wave of panic. ¡°Who¡¯s Zoe?¡±


    ¡°Carter¡¯s sister,¡± Robin¡¯s voice was heavy with implication.


    Stunned, I locked eyes with Robin. Carter¡¯s sister?


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think¡­ it¡¯s all too coincidental?¡± I challenged. No sooner was I taken in for questioning than


    Hickey confessed.


    ¡°I did some digging¨CCarter was abandoned as a kid and sent to the orphanage with his sister. His sister


    has special needs and is intellectually challenged. How could she possibly mastermind such a plot


    against Melody?¡±

 Chapter 183

    The phone went dead, and I nced at Colin, my mind racing. If he was the mastermind behind all this,


    would the culprit really drop his name Caleb that easily?


    Besides, Colin was known for having Eric do his dirty work, and Eric was tight¨Clipped as a m


    he¡¯d never let Caleb¡¯s name slip. The fact that someone was so adamant that Caleb ordered the hit¨C


    and¨Crun on Dexter¡¯s mom was just too convenient.


    I knew Robin caught on to the setup, too; that¡¯s why he gave me a heads¨Cup with that call.


    Dexter would be out in no more than a fortnight, and it didn¡¯t make sense for Hailey to take such a huge


    risk.


    Was someone trying to fan the mes between the Langleys and the Fitzgeralds?


    ¡°Dexter¡¯s morn¡¯s been in an ident; I need to hit the hospital. Stay put,¡± I said, worry creasing my


    brow. The Langley mansion isn¡¯t safe to leave right now ¨C not with the media circus out there and


    whoever is pulling the strings behind the scenes.


    If the Fitzgeralds and the Langleys really went to war over Colin, his already precarious situation would


    only get worse.


    No matter how it yed out, Henry stood to gain. He could go after Colin in the open, no holds barred.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Colin started, that look in his eyes telling me he wanted toe along.


    ¡°Stay.¡± I insisted, my voice firm. ¡°You have to wait for me here.¡±


    His gaze darkened, a hint of panic lurking there. ¡°You¡¯re not¡­ you¡¯re not lying to me again, are you?


    You¡¯reing back, right?¡±


    I hesitated for a moment before shaking my head. ¡°I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± He nodded obediently. ¡°I¡¯ll wait. I¡¯ll wait as long as it takes.¡±


    Something twisted in my chest as I turned and asked the butler to bring the car around. I had to go to


    the hospital.


    Dexter was still inside, and if he found out his mother was critically injured in an ident, he¡¯d


    lose it.


    As I headed downstairs, I caught Eric marching up with a grim expression.


    I nced back. The second¨Cfloor hallway was dimly lit, with Colin standing in the shadows, his face


    unreadable but his presence almost tangibly intense.


    My shoce came undone: I crouched down to tie it.


    ¡°Mr. Henry¡¯s been toofortabletely.¡± Colin¡¯s voice was a low growl.


    Eric nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes.¡±


    This whole mess was clearly orchestrated by him.


    ¡°Make sure she¡¯s protected. If she loses even a hair¡­¡±


    I could barely make out their conversation from thending¨CColin¡¯s voice was rough and icy, a different


    man from the one who spoke to me daily.


    I must be hearing things, I thought, standing on my tiptoes to peer upstairs, Colin and Eric had already


    walked away.


    Colin¡­ had he really lost his mind?


    ¡°The car is ready, ma¡¯am,¡± the nanny called out to me.


    I left the house, but just before getting into the car, I couldn¡¯t help but look over my shoulder.


    It wasn¡¯t just paranoia; I felt eyes on metely,


    I had a hunch that Henry wouldn¡¯t let me carry my baby to term undisturbed. I was waiting for them to


    make a move, preparations in ce. Yet, oddly, every time I felt watched, nobody came


    for me.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I had this overwhelming sense that not only were there people after me and my unborn child, but


    someone was also guarding me from the shadows.


    Otherwise, with Henry and his son Julian¡¯s temperaments, they would havee at me by


    now.


    At Sea City Hospital.


    Hailey had been rushed into a room by the time I arrived, still unconscious but out of immediate danger.


    I exhaled in relief, then turned anxiously to the doctor. ¡°When will she wake up?¡±


    ¡°She mighte around by tomorrow. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a concussion,¡± the doctor said, giving some


    basic instructions before leaving.


    Robin was waiting outside, his face etched with concern. ¡°It¡¯s a trap, clear as day, but they¡¯re pinning it


    on Caleb. No proof, but Dexter will probably buy it hook, line, and sinker.¡±


    If Dexter got out and believed Caleb was to me, his hatred would only deepen.


    ¡°If he had any sense, he¡¯d see someone¡¯s setting him up,¡± I snapped, frustration bubbling to the


    surface.

 Chapter 186

    ¡°So, there¡¯s definitely someone backing Zoe,¡± Robin nodded. ¡°You¡¯re still not off the hook, so don¡¯t go


    wandering around too much these days.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    I remained silent, watching as Eric pulled the car over to the side of the road,


    ¡°Madam, let¡¯s go home,¡± Eric said as he opened the car door for me.


    I got into the car, my gazeplex as I looked back at Robin. He just waved me off.


    ¡°Eric¡­ There¡¯s been someone watching me from the shadowstely, right? Including the police


    investigation, there must be someone pulling strings behind the scenes?¡± I ventured.


    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, Madam,¡± Eric replied, obviously not willing to divulge the truth.


    His denial left me with no other recourse.


    Someone was protecting me from behind the scenes. Even with the police investigation, I was released


    so quickly. I didn¡¯t believe it was just luck.


    ¡°Colin¡­ He didn¡¯t wait up for mest night, did he?¡± I asked, a bit worried.


    ¡°Mr. Caleb¡­ He waited up for you,¡± Eric said as he drove back, confirming that Colin had been waiting


    for me.


    As we entered the neighborhood, I could see Colin from a distance. He stood at the doorstep, his figure


    looking forlorn.


    ¡°He¡­ waited at the door for me all night?¡± I whispered.


    Eric nodded. ¡°We couldn¡¯t persuade him otherwise.¡±


    I got out of the car; Colin¡¯s eyes reddened, clearly having not slept a wink as he stood waiting.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Seeing me alight from the car, he quickly stepped forward and enveloped me in an


    embrace.


    Though his voice was as hoarse and choked as ever, the hands holding me were strong.


    He clung to me as if he feared I wouldn¡¯t return. His hand cradled my head, holding me tightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± I raised my hand to pat his back soothingly.


    ¡°Nobody¡­ can take you away from me again,¡± he said in a low voice, his presence sending shivers


    down my spine.


    ¡°Hickey said it was Carter¡¯s sister who ordered the hit but isn¡¯t Carter¡¯s sister¡­ intellectually


    challenged?¡± I asked softly, feeling uneasy.


    ¡°Yes, she has cognitive issues,¡± Colin confirmed.


    ¡°If Carter¡¯s really behind this, he wouldn¡¯t drag his own sister into it, right?¡± Things were bing more


    and more opaque to me.


    10.02


    The two most likely suspects, one was Colin, the other Carter, and if Carter had taked Kisos death¡­ he


    wouldn¡¯t implicate his own sister,


    Was Colin, as Robin suggested, the mastermind behind it all?


    Colin¡¯s gaze was deep as he looked at me, and after a long while, he finally spoke, ¡°PhOA, & you


    hungry? Let¡¯s go home for dinner,¡±


    He took my hand and led me home. As I watched his back, my mind was in turmoil.


    ¡°Caleb!¡±


    Suddenly, a car screeched to a halt behind us; Julian got out, his eyes zing with anger as he


    confronted Colin, ¡°My dad¡¯s been taken by the cops. Did you do this?¡±


    Colin looked bewildered, taking refuge behind me. ¡°Phoebe, I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s talking


    about.¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, Mr. Henry is implicated in numerous criminal activities, and the evidence is solid, Mr.


    Henry¡¯s getting on in years; I think you, sir, should be thinking of a way to help him at home rather than


    making usations here,¡± Eric interjected with a firm voice.


    Julian red at Eric and Colin. ¡°It was you who did this!¡±


    ¡°Phoebe, he¡¯s so aggressive,¡± Colin said, looking into Julian¡¯s eyes with deep intensity yet still hiding


    behind me.


    ¡°Why do you think Colin is responsible, Mr. Langley?¡± I asked, furrowing my brow.


    ¡°Right after you walk into the police station, my dad gets in trouble. Who else would do it?¡± Julian


    angrily pointed at Colin. ¡°I see it clearly now; he¡¯s nothing but a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing!¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying


    I ended up at the police station because of you?¡± I asked Julian, on my guard.


    1


    Julian just snorted, offering no reply. Clearly, he was deeply involved in this whole string of


    events.


    Colin straightened up, pulling me into his arms, and looked coldly at Julian. ¡°Touch what¡¯s mine, and


    you will die.¡±

 Chapter 187

    Julian¡¯s eyes zed with anger as he clenched his fists tightly, each knuckle turning white, ¡°You Aust


    wait, Caleb.¡±


    I watched, astonished, as fear flickered in Julian¡¯s usually fierce gaze, Was he actually afraid of Colin¡®?


    Turning to look at Colin, I saw his eyes dark with menace as he stared after Julian. It wasn¡¯t until we


    were alone that his expression softened.


    ¡°The string of mishaps hitting the Langley family¡­ it¡¯s all happening too fast,¡± I murmured. ¡°Colin, are


    you sure you¡¯re not involved?¡±


    Colin didn¡¯t answer, just held me closer. ¡°Phoebe, I¡¯m starving.¡±


    His voice was hoarse, and I couldn¡¯t tell if he was feigning ignorance or genuinely clueless. He had


    been up all night without a bite to eat; of course, he was hungry.


    I took him out for a hearty meal, then coaxed him into bed for some much¨Cneeded rest.


    Sitting by the bed, I studied his face for a long time. Beneath that mask of Colin¡¯s, what kind of facey


    hidden?


    Lying beside him, I, too, drifted off into a heavy sleep.


    Being pregnant made me sleepy, and after a night without rest, tense in the interrogation room, I was


    exhausted.


    I had nightmares but vaguely felt a hand pulling me close, holding me tight. My body warmed, and I


    finally slept soundly.


    ¡°Mr. Caleb, going after Mr. Henry now is too hasty. You might alert him. You shouldn¡¯t be taking such


    risks for her.¡±


    I heard Eric¡¯s voice in my half¨Csleep.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let anyone touch her.¡± Colin¡¯s voice was ice cold.


    ¡°It was just an investigation, nothing serious,¡± Eric sighed. ¡°But you¡¯ve revealed your hand too early,


    and Mr. Henry might strike back. You¡¯ve been patient for so many years; it¡¯s not like your to gamble


    everything for her.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve been biding my time all these years just for the dirty secrets of the Langley family?¡±


    Colin chuckled darkly. ¡°Eric, you know better than anyone what I want.¡±


    ¡°Is she worth it?¡± Eric questioned.


    ¡°Fate is on my side¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you so certain she is¡­¡± Eric sounded anxious.


    ¡°She is.¡± Colin asserted with unwavering conviction.


    10.02


    I struggled to open my eyes, to grasp the full meaning of their words, but sleep was a heavy curtain.


    The room felt spacious, and Colin and Eric¡¯s voices seemed toe from just beyond the door. I


    curled up, trying to muster the energy to get up and eavesdrop.


    Then the door opened, and there was Colin, holding a small cupcake, his eyes clear and bright,


    ¡°Phoebe, you¡¯re awake.¡±


    He stood bathed in sunlight, the soft golden light creating a warm, clean halo around him.


    The Colin before me always seemed pure and angelic, making me doubt my own senses. wondering if


    what I¡¯d heard was just a bad dream.


    ¡°Colin¡­¡± I sat up slowly on the bed.


    Colin poured me a ss of warm water, his loyal demeanor making it hard to stay upset.


    ¡°How long have I been asleep?¡± I asked softly.


    ¡°A full day and night,¡± he whispered, lying down next to me.


    I was taken aback; had I really slept that long?


    ¡°Phoebe, want some?¡± Colin looked at me earnestly, his hands still stained with the remnants of fruit


    coloring.


    I examined the cupcake ¨C it was clumsily made. Had he made it himself, knowing Phoebe liked dragon


    fruit cupcakes?


    ¡°I don¡¯t like dragon fruit,¡± I deliberately said.


    Colin paused, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°Has it changed¡­¡±


    Could tastes change?


    I didn¡¯t answer, feeling unountably irritable. ¡°You eat it.¡±


    I went to the bathroom and stared at my reflection for a long time.


    Why had I been reborn? Why was I trapped in someone else¡¯s body?


    At first, I thought my rebirth in Foebe¡¯s body was a second chance from above. But at some point, it


    began to feel like torture, my soul trapped in a body that wasn¡¯t mine, alien and fraught with danger.


    When I came out, Colin was gone, but he¡¯d left the cupcake behind.


    I took a bite; it was sweet but not sickeningly so.


    The vor was familiar, and despite everything, a smallfort in this strange new life.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    For a moment, I was lost in a haze.

 Chapter 188

    ¡°Colin, are you hurt? Who¡¯s been picking on you?¡±


    ¡°They ruined the cupcake I made for you¡­¡±


    Memories, strange and unfamiliar, began to surface in my mind¨Csnapshots of a little girl crouching


    beside a boy, inquiring about his injuries.


    The little boy was holding a smashed cupcake, his eyes brimming with tears.


    The girl was dressed in a red dress; she took a piece of the ruined cupcake and tasted it. ¡°It¡¯s so


    sweet.¡±


    My head pounded as if it were about to split open. I rubbed my temples, but the alien memories clung


    to me, persistent and unsettling.


    What were they?


    ¡°Madam, would you like something to eat?¡± The nanny¡¯s voice came softly through the door.


    Her words pulled me back to the present, and I stepped outside. ¡°Where¡¯s Caleb?¡±


    The nanny nced around before speaking in a hushed tone, ¡°Mr. Caleb¡­ we don¡¯t know where he


    has gone.¡±


    A frown creased my brow. Where could he be?


    ¡°Madam, I haven¡¯t been here long, but you might ask Wendy; she¡¯s been with the Langley family for


    ages.¡±


    I nodded, not wanting to trouble the young nanny further, and made my way downstairs.


    Ever since Samuel¡¯s ident and Brendan¡¯s stroke, the Langley family had undergone aplete


    overhaul. The old staff was gone, except for Wendy, who still managed the kitchen; the rest had been


    let go.


    ¡°Wendy, where¡¯s Caleb?¡± I was irritable earlier and somewhat short with Colin, and I hoped I hadn¡¯t hurt


    his feelings.


    ¡°Madam, Mr. Caleb takes some time away each year at this date. He asked me to tell you to rest well


    and eat properly,¡± said Wendy.


    Colin wasn¡¯t at the Langley estate. Still, I couldn¡¯t shake off a nagging worry for him; his moods were so


    unpredictable.


    ¡°Did he say where he was going?¡± I pressed.


    Wendy shook her head. ¡°We dare not pry into Mr. Caleb¡¯s affairs.¡±


    After eating only a few bites, I left the house, distracted.


    10:02


    On the way to my destination, the memory of the girl in the red dress and the boy with the cupcake


    consumed my thoughts.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    ¡°Phoebe.¡±


    The boy¡¯s face was a blur, but I remembered a cut at the corner of his mouth. Desperately, I tried to


    recall his features.


    Lips, nose, eyes¡­


    I suddenly sat upright, my breath catching.


    Colin.


    Why was I thinking of Colin¡¯s face? The young boy with mixed heritage, his eyes so clear and piercing.


    ¡°Madam, we¡¯ve arrived.¡± The driver announced our destination and parked the car.


    Snapping back to reality, I stepped out to face the dpidated alleyway, littered with trash and reeking


    of decay.


    This was Sea City¡¯sst slum, an undeveloped demolition area.


    Many homeless gathered here, a melting pot of the desperate and lost.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    I was there to see Zoe, Carter¡¯s sister¨Cthe woman with mental challenges, yet somehow used of


    orchestrating the murder.


    Navigating the dirty staircase to the third floor, I was surrounded by refuse.


    ¡°Fucking hell, paying 200 bucks for a woman like you is already being generous,¡± echoed the coarse


    language through the hallway, a clear indication of the sordid activities taking ce.


    At room 306, the metal door swung open, and a man, fastening his pants, emerged cursing and


    embodying vulgarity.


    He gave me a once¨Cover. ¡°Huh, didn¡¯t know this ce had quality chicks.¡±


    I red a warning. ¡°Leave now unless you want the cops here.¡±


    He muttered an insult but moved on without further fuss.


    Inside the dim room, a woman with pale skin but an off¨Clook about her sat on the bed, bruises marring


    her face.


    My eyes scanned the room, freezing on a photograph prominently disyed on the wall. My blood ran


    cold.


    The photo featured three young people.


    The girl in the middle, donning a red dress, was me, around seventeen or eighteen.


    10.02


    To my right stood Colin, his height pronounced, his demeanor aloof as he seemed to shy away from the


    camera. On my left, a boy wearing an expression of discontent was Carter.


    1


    This photo was one I had nevere across while searching for orphanage records.

 Chapter 189

    If I ever harbored doubts that Colin and I had a past together, those doubts have now crystallized into


    certainty.


    It was not just Colin I knew¨CI was also acquainted with Carter.


    The fact that Carter¡¯s sister had hung this photo in such a prominent ce suggested that my


    rtionship with Colin and Carter was once quite significant.


    ¡°What¡¯s the connection between those three?¡± I turn to Zoe, seeking answers.


    She curled up a bit more, fear etched on her face, and whispered, ¡°My brother¡¯s¡­ friends.¡±


    My gaze settled on Colin¡¯s photo for a long, drawn¨Cout moment.


    Colin, in his youth, seemed colder, more aloof, with that distant air of genius about him. Yet his eyes


    were like those of a bashful fawn, skittish and darting.


    ¡°The police have been to see you, haven¡¯t they?¡± I pivoted back, lowering my voice to a hush.


    Of course, they must have questioned her at the first opportunity, but the fact that they didn¡¯t detain her


    indicated ack of evidence¨Cor something that cleared her of suspicion.


    ¡°She deserves to die¡­¡± Zoe muttered under her breath, hugging her knees. ¡°She¡¯s the worst¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you send Hickey to kill Melody?¡± I edged closer to the bed, my question direct.


    Zoe looked dazed, clearly not all there mentally.


    Yet, she confessed, ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    No matter what you asked, she would confess.


    The police probably had no grounds to hold her ountable.


    ¡°What poison did Hickey use on Melody? Where did you get it?¡± I pressed on.


    Zoe looked up at me, her voice faint. ¡°Roundup¡­ kills weeds, pests.¡°,


    She was taking all the me upon herself, but with her intellectual challenges and theck of concrete


    evidence, plus the absence of a legal guardian, Zoe¡¯s admission brought the police¡¯s investigation to


    another dead end.


    ¡°Who gave you the Roundup?¡± I continue my inquiry.


    ¡°Roundup, no cure, enters the bloodstream, no hope¡­¡± Zoe hugged her head, mumbling as if


    repeating someone else¡¯s words.


    It was clear as day¨Cthis was incitement to murder.


    Someone had manipted Zoe into bribing Hickey to kill Melody.


    ¡°Who told you about this?¡± I challenged her. Zoe¡¯s mental capacity wouldn¡¯t allow her to know


    10:02


    that once Roundup entered the bloodstream, the victim would be doomed, that it offered pain and


    regret but no chance at life.


    Survival after ingesting Roundup was nearly impossible.


    Once it was injected into Melody, her blood would be swiftly contaminated, her organs slowly fibrosing


    until she could no longer breathe, dying in agony.


    Zoe just shook her head, repeating. ¡°It was me, it was me.¡±


    She refused to reveal her instigator.


    I didn¡¯t push further; if the police couldn¡¯t extract the truth, I stood little chance. I simply kept my eyes


    on her, searching for my own answers.


    ¡°Zoe.¡± I turned, pointing to the photo. ¡°Can you tell me about the three people in this picture?¡±


    ¡°Carter,¡± Zoe seemed eager to share, her fear dissipating. She hopped off the bed and rushed to the


    photo. ¡°Colin, and this one is¡­¡±


    Zoe¡¯s excitement bubbled over as she pointed to the girl in the red dress in the middle¨C¡®Phoebe


    Caldwell¡® and looked perplexed for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s you.¡±


    My heart skipped a beat, and I stared at Zoe in shock. ¡°No, you¡¯re mistaken. We just look alike.¡±


    Zoe shook her head, confused. ¡°I remember you¡­ it¡¯s you. Carter said he didn¡¯t care for you. that you


    always fought with him over Colin.¡±


    My nerves tightened. ¡°I¡­ fought with him over Colin?¡±


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Colin was Carter¡¯s best friend; they were always together, and both got into the Genius ss. But


    Colin kept leaving Carter to be with you. Carter wanted to follow, but Colin wouldn¡¯t let him.¡± Zoe¡¯s


    voice carried a note of sadness. ¡°Carter was so heartbroken; he cried in my arms for a long time. He


    said that you and Colin didn¡¯t want him anymore.¡±


    Suddenly, Zoe¡¯s demeanor changed as she looked up at me, her anger ring. ¡°Why did you have to


    take Colin away? Why take him if you won¡¯t cherish him? Why hurt them? You¡¯re the one who deserves


    to die!¡±

 Chapter 190

    I stumbled backward as Zoe lunged at me with a force I hadn¡¯t anticipated. She pushed me so hard


    that I lost my footing and toppled over.


    My head struck the edge of Zoe¡¯s footstool, and darkness crept into the edges of my vision.


    ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, you killed them! You stole Colin away from Carter, and then you just threw him away.


    You¡¯re so horrible.¡± Zoe wailed, her voice a haunting echo in my dazed state.


    Memories, long buried underyers of dust in my mind, began to resurface.


    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Phoebe Caldwell. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    In the grassy field behind the orphanage, a frail, biracial boy with bruises all over cowered in a


    corner.


    A little girl in a red dress spotted him and reached into her tiny purse to pull out a band¨Caid. ¡°Does it


    hurt?¡± she asked.


    The boy shook his head, looking lost.


    ¡°Half¨Cbreed, blue eyes! Never cries, neverughs, never feels pain!¡±


    A gaggle of orphansughed and jeered, pelting Colin with stones. They taunted him for being a half¨C


    breed because of his strikingly beautiful eyes that shone like stars.


    ¡°Who you calling half¨Cbreed?¡± the girl in the red dress stood defiantly in front of the boy. scooping up


    stones from the ground. ¡°If you bullies don¡¯t stop, I¡¯ll hit you!¡±


    ¡°Who are you? Are you new here? Don¡¯t you know the rules of the orphanage?¡±


    ¡°Look at her dress; it¡¯s so pretty.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s new!¡±


    ¡°If we take off her dress, it bes ours.¡±


    The other girls coveted the red dress,manding the few boys they had to rip it from the little girl.


    The girl stood rooted to the spot, crying.


    Watching her tears, something in the boy snapped. He grabbed a stone and pounced on one of the


    attackers, mming it down on the bully¡¯s head again and again.


    Terrified, the girl in the red dress screamed for her father.


    A shadowy figure approached from the distance, and the faces in my memory grew clear.


    The girl in the red dress was me as a child. The boy fighting was Colin.


    And the figure running towards us was my dad, along with the head of the orphanage.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Colin was thrown into solitary confinement, ordered by the head to reflect on


    his actions.


    The girls who had bullied us said they liked my dress, so my dad promised to bring each of them one


    the next time he visited.


    I was cradled in my father¡¯s arms as we left, and as we walked away, I caught sight of a boy peeking


    from behind a window.


    It was Colin, with those eyes I could never forget.


    I had known Colin long before I thought I did. But I had forgotten that memory.


    ¡°Colin, I like you but I need to focus on my college entrance exams. After graduation, we can be


    together, okay?¡±


    ¡°Colin, can you wait for me?¡±


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Colin.


    Colin¡­


    ¡°Phoebe!¡±


    The door burst open, and familiar voices rushed in ¨C Ste and Robin, and¡­ Dexter?


    Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be in detention? How did he get out?


    ¡°What did you do to her?¡± Ste shouted at Zoe, urging Robin to call 911.


    ¡°Phoebe Caldwell, she¡¯s Phoebe. She¡¯s definitely Phoebe,¡± Zoe muttered from her corner, pointing at


    me with a tilted head. ¡°I know I¡¯m right. She¡¯s Phoebe.¡±


    ¡°Do you believe in ghosts?¡± Zoe asked Robin and Dexter, her voice tinged with madness.


    ¡°Her spirit lingers¡­ she¡¯se back to haunt Carter, to steal Colin.¡±


    Dexter, pale as a ghost himself, held me in his arms. ¡°I¡¯m taking her to the hospital!¡°. ¡°Phoebe, you¡¯re


    going to be okay. I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡± My consciousness was drifting, and I heard


    Dexter¡¯s voice as if through a veil, the sound of tears unmistakable.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let anything happen to you again, I swear¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Phoebe¡­ I¡¯m so sorry. I like


    you¡­¡±


    I murmured, unsure of what I was saying. Dexter tensed, desperate to hear more, to hear the answer


    he longed for.


    ¡°Colin¡­¡±


    But it was Colin¡¯s name I called out.

 Chapter 191

    ¡°Dexter! Don¡¯t youy a finger on her!¡± Ste tried to wrestle me away from Dexter¡¯s grasp, careful not


    to hurt me in the process.


    On the way to the hospital, Ste was on a tirade against Dexter.


    ¡°You¡¯re nothing but scum, a waste of oxygen walking this earth.¡±


    ¡°Dexter, why don¡¯t you just drop dead? Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d follow Phoebe to the grave? Well, go on


    then!¡±


    ¡°Dexter, even in death, you¡¯d be a waste of space. Get Phoebe¡¯s headstone changed! You don¡¯t


    deserve to have her as your wife¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re shameless.¡±


    Ste¡¯s mouth didn¡¯t stop moving the entire journey.


    I have to admit, she was saying everything I couldn¡¯t, and it was satisfying to hear.


    I was fighting to wake up, desperate to see Colin.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, you¡¯re out on bail. I¡¯d advise against any rash actions,¡± Robin warned Dexter.


    Dexter was silent for a long time before finally speaking. ¡°She¡¯s Phoebe, isn¡¯t she¡­¡±


    Ste paused, her expression darkening. ¡°Dexter, are you out of your mind? They said you¡¯d lost it after


    Phoebe died, and I didn¡¯t believe them, but now I think you really have gone mad.¡±


    ¡°You know¡­ she is Phoebe,¡± Dexter pressed, his eyes reddening.


    Ste looked a bit guilty. ¡°I think you¡¯ve truly lost it.¡±


    ¡°Whether she is Phoebe or not, she has to be mine,¡± Dexter¡¯s voice was low and raspy,ced with


    fierceness. ¡°I won¡¯t let her anywhere near that lunatic Caleb.¡±


    ¡°I think Caleb¡¯s the sane one here. You, on the other hand, are acting like a madman,¡± Ste retorted,


    whispering to Robin. ¡°He got locked up for a few days and came out crazier. Did you guys brainwash


    him or something?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? He went on a hunger strike in there to get bailed out,¡± Robin murmured back.


    The doctors gave me a thorough check¨Cup and said there was nothing wrong.


    But for some reason, I just couldn¡¯t wake up.


    My mind was clear, struggling to open my eyes, but for a moment, my body felt out of control.


    An inexplicable panic set in as I desperately tried to open my eyes, to no avail.


    It felt like sleep paralysis.


    10:03


    ¡°No issues? Then why won¡¯t she wake up?¡± Dexter asked the doctor anxiously.


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s just exhausted. Let¡¯s keep observing.¡±


    ¡°Colin¡­¡± In my panic, I called out Colin¡¯s name.


    Why can¡¯t I wake up?


    ¡°Colin¡­¡±


    Memories started to resurface; I remembered meeting Colin as a child.


    We met in that orphanage.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Colin defended me and hurt a boy who was bullying me, and afterward, he got locked up by the


    headmaster.


    What happened after that?


    I couldn¡¯t recall.


    My memories were fragmented, and the onlyplete recollection I had was of meeting Colin for the


    first time.


    From the picture at Zoe¡¯s house, it was evident that Colin and I had known each other since we were


    about eight or nine, and we remained close into our adolescence.


    But why, after the ident, did I specifically forget the orphanage, Colin, Carter, and everything rted


    to that time?


    ¡°Colin¡­¡±


    His name was all I could say.


    A voice told me Colin was waiting for me; he¡¯d always been waiting.


    ¡°Colin!¡± Maybe it was my strong desire to wake up, but suddenly, I felt like I broke free from some kind


    of restraint, and my eyes flew open.


    ¡°Phoebe Caldwell¡­¡± Dexter was the first to rush over, calling me by Phoebe¡¯s name in a panic.


    I ignored Dexter and made a beeline for the door.


    Colin was waiting for me.


    ¡°Phoebe.¡± Ste came back with the test results just as I was running out.


    ¡°Phoebe?¡± Ste tried to follow me.


    I dashed out of the hospital, hailed a cab, and headed back to the Langley family mansion to see Colin.


    I couldn¡¯t exin it, but I had an overwhelming urge to see him.


    Now, I knew I had lost some memories, and they were slowlying back.


    10:03


    ¡°She is Phoebe, isn¡¯t she?¡± Ste stood not far off, watching me get into the cab.


    Robin followed, letting out a sigh of relief. ¡°Let her go. The doctor said she¡¯s fine, and so is the


    baby.¡±

 Chapter 192

    Ste¡¯s eyes lowered, shimmering with tears on the brink of falling. ¡°If she really is Phoebe, do you


    think she¡¯ll be mad at me for not recognizing her at first?¡±


    Robin sighed heavily, his gaze shifting back to Dexter¡¯s intense stare. ¡°You two are off your rockers, I


    swear.¡±


    Ste¡¯s gaze dropped to her tightly sped hands. ¡°Is it possible that all the science we know can¡¯t


    exin some things¡­¡±


    Robin¡¯s phone buzzed, and he stepped aside to take the call.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡± Unable to hail a cab on the curb, Dexter came over, his voice hoarse with


    the offer.


    I ignored Dexter. All I wanted was to get back to the Langley estate to see Colin to apologize¡­


    It felt like I had truly forgotten him.


    But I was trying so hard to remember, to recall every memory between us.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Dexter caught my wrist as I started to run. ¡°Snap out of it!¡±


    ¡°Get off me!¡± I jerked my arm free from Dexter¡¯s grasp, my eyes filled with loathing and hatred.


    Dexter stood frozen, watching me for a long moment.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± I finally managed to g down a taxi, and just before stepping in, he called me Phoebe


    again.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ it¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Dexter hurried forward, tapping on the car window.


    I shot the driver an impassive nce. ¡°Drive.¡±


    Dexter chased after the taxi for a few steps before standing deste on the sidewalk.


    ¡°Phoebe!¡± Dexter called out my name. ¡°Come back, please¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop the act; who do you think you¡¯re performing for? You really think loved ones can be resurrected?


    Have you lost your mind? Let me tell you, Phoebe¡¯s dead; you killed her! And your child, too.¡± Ste


    kept provoking him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just die, Dexter?¡±


    ¡°You think I haven¡¯t tried?!¡± Dexter shouted back at Ste, his voice trembling.


    I nced at them through the rear¨Cview mirror until their voices faded into the distance.


    Late affection is worse than disdain. Dexter¡¯s bted remorse meant nothing to me.


    At the Langley estate.


    I rushed out of the car frantically, searching for Colin. ¡°Colin¡­ Caleb¡±


    10:03


    ¡°Has Caleb not returned?¡± I asked Wendy, gripping her arm anxiously.


    Wendy shook her head. ¡°Mr. Caleb won¡¯t be back today,¡±


    Panic surged within me. Was it because I didn¡¯t eat the cupcake today that I upset him?


    ¡°Eric, where¡¯s Colin¡­ I need to see him,¡± I called Eric; he was sure to know.


    Eric remained silent for a moment before speaking. ¡°Madam, perhaps you should rest early tonight. Let


    Mr. Caleb have some time to himself today.¡±


    ¡°ed to see him!¡± My voice was firm.


    eded to see him¡­


    A voice in my head kept telling me to go to him, that he had been waiting for a long time.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be at the Langley estate shortly to pick you up.¡±


    Eric arrived in twenty minutes, and I waited anxiously at the front door.


    I finally understood the agony of waiting¨Cit felt like years, every second stretched into eternity¡­


    My emotions were magnified with the wait¨Canxiety, panic, fear¡­


    Memories of my first encounter with Colin as a child kept reying in my mind. Our bond was surely


    not so simple.


    Otherwise, Carter wouldn¡¯t have been so bitterly jealous.


    ¡°Where has Colin gone?¡± As soon as I got into the car, I couldn¡¯t wait to ask Eric.


    ¡°Mr. Caleb has his own secret hideout, a ce he bought with schrship money from the Genius


    ss,petition winnings, rewards from Mr. Ethan, and his own earnings. He said the Langley estate


    wasn¡¯t his home; he wanted his own. That was a promise he once made to a loved one.¡±


    ¡°Is he hiding from me there?¡± I asked, a tinge of nervousness in my voice.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Eric hesitated, then finally said, ¡°Mr. Caleb not only has a tendency for self¨Charm but also for


    suicide. After Ms. Phoebe Caldwell passed away, he attempted it many times. Then¡­ you came along,


    and we all thought you were his salvation, that he would get better.¡±


    My heart felt like it had been stabbed.


    ¡°He said, in death, there is a chance for a new beginning. He wanted to return to where they first met.


    He¡¯s afraid that another self¨Charm incident might frighten you, so he¡¯s retreated to a ce he considers


    safe¡­¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

 Chapter 193

    Eric steered his sleek sedan through the bustling downtown streets until he pulled up in front of a vi


    nestled in the heart of the city¡¯s most affluent neighborhood.


    The houses here were known for their staggering price tags. I remember Dad had once mentioned that


    this area was developed by the Langley Group¨Ca gatedmunity so exclusive that our family couldn¡¯t


    afford a mailbox here, even if we scrimped and saved for another twenty years.


    Could Colin really afford a ce like this? Ever since he was fourteen and got into the Genius ss


    with all those bonuses, schrships, and part¨Ctime jobs¡­ it still didn¡¯t seem likely. Especially not since


    the Langley family¡¯s fortune seemed out of reach after his father Ethan¡¯s passing.


    Even the Langley Group was a recent responsibility thrust upon him, and he was hardly wielding real


    power yet, constantly being undermined and forced into a defensive stance.


    ¡°How on earth did he buy a house here?¡± I asked Eric, my voiceced with astonishment.


    Eric took a lengthy pause before he sidestepped my question with a vague admiration. ¡°Mr. Caleb is


    quite remarkable; he¡¯s a genius.¡±


    We parked the car in the driveway of thekeside vi. I was blown away by the opulence that


    surrounded us¨Ctruly, this was Sea City¡¯s crown jewel of real estate.


    This house of Colin¡¯s. It couldn¡¯t possibly be bought with his own money, could it?


    Stepping into the garden, I was struck dumb. It was a floral paradise, bursting with blooms that stirred


    memories within me¨Cbellflowers, roses, and the walls were draped with climbing roses. ¡°Phoebe, we¡¯ll


    have our own home¡­¡±


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ I¡¯ll hide you away, so no one can ever hurt you again¡­¡±


    Suddenly, a wave of dizziness overcame me, along with that familiar throbbing headache, signaling a


    slow return of my memories.


    And every fragment I recalled was intertwined with Colin.


    ¡°Colin¡­¡± Rushing into the living room, I searched for him.


    His bedroom door was shut tight, curtains drawn, not a sliver of light escaping from within.


    ¡°Colin! Open the door.¡±


    Panic was setting in; the thought of him hurting himself again was too much to bear.


    ¡°Mr. Caleb¡¯s condition is quite unstable; I¡¯ll have someone break down the door,¡± Eric said, his concern


    evident.


    ¡°Colin, I need to talk to you,¡± I coaxed gently, fearing the worst.


    ¡°Whether you¡¯re Phoebe or not¡­¡± Eric¡¯s voice dropped, hoarse and grave. ¡°Please, save him.¡±


    He said ¡®save¡®, a pleaden with urgency, as if Colin were on the brink of death.


    ¡°Colin¡­¡± I pounded on the door with force.


    ¡°Don¡¯te in, don¡¯t look at me,¡± his voice came through, desperate, not wanting me to see him in a


    state of disarray.


    This time, I didn¡¯t run. I embraced my identity. ¡°Colin, I remember our first meeting at the orphanage.¡±


    The room fell silent after my words, and shortly after, the door swung open. Colin stood there, eyes


    wide with rm, his hands covered in blood as they trembled to cup my face. ¡°Phoebe, do you


    remember everything?¡±


    He seemed fearful.


    Was he hoping I¡¯d remember everything or afraid of it?


    ¡°Colin¡­ I only remember meeting you at the orphanage as children, and something about waiting for


    you during the college entrance exams¡­ What exactly is our rtionship?¡± My eyes welled up as I


    questioned him.


    Colin¡¯s eyes mirrored my own. ¡°You remember me¡­¡±


    Although it was just a fleeting moment from the past.


    ¡°Nothing else matters, as long as you remember me¡­¡± His voice was charged with emotion as he


    pulled me into a tight embrace, his fingers still dripping blood.


    The scent of iron filled my nostrils, and my heart raced with inexplicable anxiety.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ the bad people are almost gone very soon,¡± Colin whispered.


    I clutched at his shirt. ¡°Colin, please don¡¯t make a mistake. Tell me you have nothing to do with the


    serial killings.¡±


    Don¡¯t be a murderer.


    Colin shook his head. ¡°I swear, I will always be with you.¡±


    I took Colin¡¯s hand and led him back to his room to tend to his wounds.


    He reverted to a docile manner, sitting obediently before me.


    ¡°It¡¯s like I can¡¯t even take my eyes off of you for a moment,¡± I chided softly.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ please don¡¯t leave my sight,¡± he begged in a pitiful whisper.


    And there it was, the guilt trip.


    I sighed, resigned to pacify him for the moment. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ I don¡¯t me you,¡± he suddenly said, forgiving me.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    10-03


    ¡°You forgot me, but I don¡¯t me you,¡± he repeated.


    Tears I couldn¡¯t control welled up in my eyes as the weight of his words settled in my heart.

 Chapter 194

    I wasn¡¯t sure why the tears were streaming down my face.


    ¡°Phoebe, don¡¯t cry.¡± Colin said, his voice tinged with panic as he fumbled to wipe away my tears and


    pulled me into his embrace. ¡°Phoebe, it¡¯s all in the past, all over. Could you try to love me again?¡±


    ¡°Colin, I¡¯ll try to get to know you again.¡± I whispered back.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    He lit up with happiness.


    It seemed like things were finally turning around.


    Everything was going to be alright.


    ¡°I went to see Carter¡¯s sister today, you know. She might not be all there in the head, but it feels like¡­


    she¡¯s involved in some shady business,¡± I murmured.


    I wondered if Colin knew if he should help, considering it was Carter¡¯s sister we were talking


    about.


    Colin paused, a flicker of rm crossing his eyes. ¡°You went to see her?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go near her again, and don¡¯t believe a word she says,¡± Colin said urgently, his eyes locked on


    mine, his hands still cradling my face. ¡°Phoebe, from now on, don¡¯t trust anyone but


    me.¡±


    Seeing his distress, I nodded quickly. ¡°Okay, I trust you.¡±


    He finally seemed to breathe easier.


    My phone buzzed, and I nced at the caller ID in surprise ¨C it was Melody.


    That was odd.


    ¡°Foebe Larson, I¡¯m getting discharged.¡±


    ¡°Are you nuts? Call Dexter about your discharge, not me,¡± I snapped back, my mood souring.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re with Dexter.¡± She was good at guessing.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡°He¡¯s in the shower. Want me to call out to him?¡± I taunted Melody with the same old trick. Melody


    actually managed to sound flustered as she took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m going to help the cops tonight to


    lure out the murderer. Don¡¯t you want to see for yourself who it is?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t miss it,¡± I


    retorted coldly. ¡°Just make sure you don¡¯t drop dead too easily.¡± ¡°Foebe, you¡¯re a good impersonator,


    but there are secrets about Phoebe you¡¯re not privy to.


    10:03


    Come see me tonight, wait with me for the murderer, and I¡¯ll reveal a secret about Phoebe Caldwell.


    Anyone who knew it¡­ is nearly extinct at the murderer¡¯s hands.¡±


    Melody¡¯s words were tantalizing as if she held some earth¨Cshattering secret.


    What secret could I possibly not know about myself?


    ¡°If you¡¯re Phoebe, there are things you don¡¯t remember. Phoebe had amnesia, forgot a lot,¡± Melody


    said, pressing on.


    I furrowed my brows, remembering the first time I encountered Melody. She¡¯d been nervous, asking in


    a whisper if I remembered her.


    She had been testing me.


    But back then, I truly didn¡¯t remember her.


    Since Melody was also from the orphanage, there had to be some history between us.


    ¡°You care about Phoebe a lot, don¡¯t you? Don¡¯t you want to know why Dexter treated her the way he


    did? Don¡¯t you want to know¡­ what I did to make Dexter hate her so much? If it was just me framing


    Phoebe for pushing me down the stairs, Dexter wouldn¡¯t hate her that much.¡± Melody certainly knew


    secrets that Phoebe didn¡¯t.


    I was silent for a long time, standing by the window, looking at Colin, sitting obediently on the bed,


    waiting for me.


    He was so good; he seemed to listen to everything I said.


    ¡°Plus, I know about Phoebe¡¯s rtionship with that maniac Colin, and it¡¯s connected to this series of


    murders! You want the truth;e see me!¡± Melody¡¯s voice trembled with a strong


    will to live.


    I knew she was afraid of dying. She firmly believed Colin was the murderer, so by dragging me into


    this, she felt her chances of survival would increase. After all, Colin wouldn¡¯t want to hurt me or the


    baby, which might stay his hand.


    Melody wanted me as a ¡®hostage¡® at the crucial moment. Not a single word from this woman was


    trustworthy.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always known about the orphanage¡¯s underground secret room¡­ I also know all the dark secrets


    of the orphanage that no one talks about. Don¡¯t you want to know?¡± she persuaded sessfully.


    These were the secrets she wouldn¡¯t divulge to the police, no matter how they pressed her.


    Maybe today, out of fear, she would spill everything to me.

 Chapter 195

    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± No sooner had I hung up the phone than Colinunched into his performance.


    ¡°Ow, that hurts.¡± Colin lifted his hand to show me the wound on his wrist.


    I had a hunch he had overheard my call with Melody, and now he was scheming to keep me from


    leaving.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the doc patch you up already?¡± I held Colin¡¯s wrist briefly. ¡°If it hurts, why do you keep hurting


    yourself?¡±


    Colin looked at me with those puppy¨Cdog eyes and whispered, ¡°Phoebe, can we just move out and live


    on our own?¡±


    He didn¡¯t want me to stay at the Langley estate any longer, and as for Brendan, he couldn¡¯t care less.


    ¡°We have a home, he said, his gaze unwavering, as if to tell me that this ce was our true home.


    Only then did I snap back to reality and take in my surroundings.


    The garden wasn¡¯t just filled with my favorite flowers; even the decor of the rooms was tailored to my


    tastes.


    It seemed like he had really been working hard to build a home for us.


    ¡°Colin¡­ This ce isn¡¯t cheap. Did you buy it, or is it a rental?¡± I asked suspiciously.


    He looked a bit evasive for a moment. ¡°Rental¡­¡±


    I nodded; that seemed to make sense. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go back to the Langley estate, we¡¯ll just


    stay out here.¡±


    Colin was the heir to the Langley fortune, and the trust fund could easily cover the rent each month.


    Colin was thrilled, and suddenly, the pain in his wrist seemed to vanish.


    ¡°Your ankle and shin aren¡¯t fully healed. If you keep hurting yourself, I¡¯m leaving,¡± I warned, leveraging


    the threat of departure to make him take it seriously.


    Sure enough, Colin panicked, looking at me nervously before pulling me into a tight embrace. ¡°You


    can¡¯t leave¡­¡±


    ¡°Then stop hurting yourself.¡±


    Colin didn¡¯t say a word; he just held me, refusing to let go.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to head out tonight, but you need to get some sleep. I¡¯lle straight here to be with you


    afterward,¡± I coaxed softly, testing the waters.


    10:09


    I hadn¡¯t recalled many memories with Colin yet, but the recollection of our first encounter as children


    seared in my soul.


    If Colin and the orphanage were really that important to my past, why had I forgotten them?


    Melody was from the orphanage, too. In the scant childhood memories I had, the woman who had


    complimented my dress, Fanny, was the one who had died, and Melody was the one who always


    followed Fanny, seemingly fragile but always watching with cold eyes, even taking pleasure in others¡®


    misfortunes.


    Even as a child, Melody had that maniptive aura about her.


    On the way back, I asked James about the incident when Phoebe was bullied for that red dress and


    several boys were beaten up. In my memory, James hadn¡¯t been involved; he hadn¡¯t been one of those


    tearing at my dress.


    James told me that it was Phoebe¡¯s father who hade to discuss sponsoring the


    orphanage, and his own daughter ended up being bullied by the kids there. The headmaster had


    punished Colin and the other children who tormented Phoebe, but Melody had gotten away scot¨Cfree.


    It was clear Melody had been cunning and maniptive since she was young.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Phoebe! It hurts so much.¡± Colin¡¯s grip on my hand suddenly tightened. ¡°Please don¡¯t go out, just stay


    with me, okay?¡±


    I looked at Colin skeptically. Had he heard my phone call, or did he sense something was going to


    happen today?


    ¡°Colin, I have to go.¡± I, too, wanted to uncover the truth and reim my memories.


    At the very least, I couldn¡¯t just naively get to know him all over again.


    It wouldn¡¯t be fair to Colin, and it wouldn¡¯t be fair to me.


    ¡°Phoebe, I¡¯m thirsty,¡± Colin changed the subject.


    I sighed and went to get him some water.


    As soon as I stepped away, Colin¡¯s gaze darkened. He saw Dexter¡¯s iing call on my phone and


    promptly blocked the number.


    Colin¡¯s vi was expansive, yet there wasn¡¯t a single maid in sight.


    Colin didn¡¯t like people much; only an old butler was employed to manage the grounds outside.

 Chapter 196

    I fitted a ss with water and carried it into the bedroom, only to find Colin burning up with


    fever.


    He was curled up on the bed, the nket untouched beside him.


    A pang of concern hit me. How had he managed all these years with such poor self¨Ccare skills?


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    Freached for the thermometer, but Colin caught my wrist and pulled me down onto the bed, wrapping


    his arms around me.


    Even sick, he had the strength of an ox.


    ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± he murmured with a muffled groan, pulling me closer, Now he thought to cover us both


    with the nket, his long legs circling mine as if he feared I¡¯d escape.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± I asked, puzzled,


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid of sleeping alone¡­¡± He feared waking up to find his dreams shattered.


    ¡°Phoebe, tell me, which do you think is the real world ¨C dreams or reality?¡± Colin whispered.


    ¡°Who knows?¡± I was just as lost.


    ¡°Do you know why we see our memories from a bird¡¯s¨Ceye view?¡± he continued in a soft voice.


    His question stumped me. Indeed, my childhood memories seemed to y out from that very


    perspective.


    ¡°Is it possible that when we return to those moments in time, we¡¯re no longer ourselves?¡± Colin¡¯s voice


    deepened, his grip on my hand tightening.


    1 pondered his words for a long time without understanding.


    This probably was the thinking of a madman or a genius, beyond the grasp of ordinary folks like


    1. me.


    ¡°Want some water?¡± I coaxed softly, turning to look at him. He had fallen asleep.


    He always seemed to drift off so easily when I was with him.


    His eyshes were long, his skin wless, not a pore in sight. It was almost infuriating he¡¯d been


    wandering for so long, wearing ill¨Cfitting clothes, and yet his skin was better than those who spent


    fortunes on skincare.


    The room was filled with a clean scent reminiscent of sandalwood, indescribably soothing and sleep¨C


    inducing.


    I don¡¯t remember drifting off; I just simply did in Colin¡¯s arms.


    10:09


    When I woke up, it was ten o¡¯clock, and the night had fallenpletely. Colin was gone.


    A sense of dread filled me. I grabbed my phone, but there were no calls from Melody.


    Upon checking, I found my phone had been set to Do Not Disturb.


    Colin¡¯s doing¡­


    ¡°Where¡¯s Colin?¡±


    The spacious vi was dim and eerily quiet. There was no maid, only an old butler still weeding


    in the yard.


    ¡°Hello, have you seen Caleb?¡± I asked, anxiety creeping into my voice.


    The butler, perhaps hard of hearing or suffering from some impairment, just nced at me and


    continued his work.


    It was ten at night, and he was still weeding.


    Arge dog emerged from the bushes andy obediently at my feet. It looked gentle; ears perked like a


    wolf¡¯s, big eyes brimming with innocence and a pitiful charm.


    For some reason, it reminded me of Colin.


    ¡°Sir, where¡¯s Caleb?¡± I asked again.


    The old man set down his hoe and used signnguage to convey he didn¡¯t know.


    Not understanding signnguage, I had no choice but to call Eric.


    Today, Melody had promised the police she¡¯d help draw out a murderer, and I hoped Colin wouldn¡¯t


    show up.


    Eric didn¡¯t pick up my call, so I tried Robin next.


    Robin also didn¡¯t answer; he must be watching over Melody.


    They had to make sure she was safe.


    As long as Melody was alive, it meant the murderer hadn¡¯t made another move. The murderer must be


    desperate, eager for Melody¡¯s death.


    ¡°Foebe Larson, why didn¡¯t youe?¡± I dialed Melody¡¯s number, and her voice sounded panicked on


    the other end. ¡°Foebe, where are you? He¡¯s after me. Save me, please, I don¡¯t want


    to die!¡±


    I stared at the phone, a bitterugh escaping me.


    Was this Melody¡¯s game?


    Was she tasting the despair I felt before my death?

 Chapter 197

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the cops be in touch with you all the time? If you were under their watch, nothing could


    happen to you,¡± I said, my voice low and steady.


    ¡°We¡­ we got separated.¡± Melody stammered, her voiceced with fear as her eyes darted around.


    ¡°Foebe, that maniac only listens to you. If youe to get me, I¡¯ll tell you everything: just please help


    me.¡±


    There she was, actually begging me for help.


    How the tables had turned.


    ¡°And do you have any idea how desperate Phoebe Caldwell was before she died? She called Dexter,


    and Dexter told her to drop dead. She cried out for you guys, and what were you doing? What were


    you doing?¡± I scoffed. ¡°Melody, this is youreuppance.¡±


    Melody¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°Foebe! You¡¯re not Phoebe; stop this madness. Even if you look like her,


    you¡¯re not her! Please, save me¡­¡±


    ¡°Why should I save you? Didn¡¯t you tell the cops that I was in cahoots with the murderer? That


    intentionally had you pass Phoebe¡¯s information to me, that I was impersonating Phoebe? Didn¡¯t you


    say¡­ I was an aplice in her murder?¡±


    I chuckled before continuing. ¡°If I¡¯m an aplice, why on earth would youe to me for


    help?¡±


    The moment Melody begged me to save her, something in my chest inexplicably eased.


    Melody was no fool. If she had real evidence of me being an aplice to the murderer, she would


    never ask for my help.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    1


    I should be hoping for her demise, really.


    ¡°Foebe!¡± On the other end of the line, Melody was dodging something, her voice shaking. ¡°I know it was


    wrong of me to lie to the police. Someone told me¡­ they said you were always imitating Phoebe to


    seduce that maniac and Dexter.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t tell how scared Melody was, but after a long pause, she spoke again. ¡°Foebe, save me¡­


    Please, the maniac won¡¯t let me go. He¡¯s insane, and when he finds out you¡¯re not Phoebe, he¡¯ll kill you


    just as mercilessly.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯sing¡­ he¡¯s here¡­ Foebe,e and save me.¡± Melody¡¯s voice was frantic.


    My heart tightened.


    Had she seen Colin?


    Honestly, I was getting scared too. Waking up without seeing Colin, where had he gone?


    ¡°If you¡¯re asking me to save you, you should start by telling me where you are. The cops couldn¡¯t


    possibly lose you; you¡¯re a valuable asset. Whatever you¡¯ve done, you know it,¡± I said


    10:09


    sharply.


    I knew Robin was a responsible officer; he wouldn¡¯t let a hostage out of his sight.


    There was only one possibility: Melody, full of herself, had deliberately strayed from the police¡¯s gaze,


    thinking she could avoid the murderer, or¡­ she knew the cops were tailing her, but she couldn¡¯t lure


    out the murderer; she was gambling.


    They say no kid from Double¨CGenius Orphanage is short on brains.


    Two absolute geniuses, and the rest were just overshadowed by them.


    Melody was indeed a top student, a ssmate of Dexter¡¯s, a grade above me, and she graduated as


    top of her ss, fourth in the whole grade. Her adoptive parents treated her pretty well, believing she


    brought them pride.


    Melody knew she had to work even harder, be even more outstanding, to gain wider recognition. So,


    when she became Dexter¡¯s lover, ver thought of her as just another pretty face. She was smart,


    which is why, in my past life, I ended up dead by her hand.


    Even in her terror, she wasn¡¯t calling the cops; she was calling me.


    She knew that if Colin was the murderer, I was her only chance of survival, that the police couldn¡¯t


    protect her for long. She was betting on it.


    I believed she had more than just me as a backup, so I wasn¡¯t worried about her dying.


    I was worried about Colin. Worried that he was the one going after her.

 Chapter 198

    This was a trap Melody had set for the ¡®murderer¡®.


    My heart skipped a beat, and confusion began to cloud my thoughts.


    What was I even thinking? If Colin really was the murderer, I should despise him with every bone in my


    body, wishing he¡¯d be riddled with bullets already.


    So why¡­ why was I actually worried about him?


    ¡°Foebe, you¡¯re the only one who can stop him now,¡± Melody¡¯s voice was still shaking. She was hiding


    somewhere; through the phone, I could hear the sound of metal scraping against the ground, as if


    someone was dragging an axe or some other tool.


    ¡°I¡¯m at the orphanage¡­ I¡¯m at the orphanage.¡±


    Melody had a death wish, sneaking off to the orphanage of all ces.


    ¡°I bet Dexter¡¯s lurking in the shadows, too, huh? You love him so much; he¡¯ll keep you safe. Calling me


    over, you sure know how to cover your bases. What, killing Phoebe wasn¡¯t enough for you? Now, you


    want to get me killed, too? I¡¯m not as naive as she was.¡±


    I felt a twinge of guilt as I said it.


    ¡°You¡¯lle because you want to know the secret about her¡­¡± Melody said confidently.


    I guessed she must¡¯ve plotted with Dexter, wanting me toe and see the real face of the ¡®murderer¡®,


    who they were convinced was Colin.


    That was also why Melody was so adamant about me going there.


    ¡°He¡¯s here¡­¡± Melody¡¯s voice trembled even more.


    ¡°Come now, and you¡¯ll see your husband.¡± Melody¡¯s shaky voice ended the call.


    I stood there, hesitating for a moment, before deciding to call the cops first.


    If I had called the police in my past life, I wouldn¡¯t have met such a tragic end..


    Reborn into this life, though I couldn¡¯t rely on anyone, the police were surely more dependable than


    Dexter and his crew.


    ¡°Robin, Melody¡¯s at the orphanage,¡± I finally got through to him on the phone. ¡°She says the murderer¡¯s


    after her, and he¡¯s already there.¡±


    Robin cursed loudly on the other end, his voiceced with urgency, clearly having lost track of Melody.


    ¡°That woman is crazy! A total lunatic! We agreed to operate on Tangle Lane, and she sticks the


    tracking device on a dog, sneaking off to Nocturne by herself, leaving us running in circles after the


    damn dog!¡±


    Robin was still in a frenzy, probably leading a team to the orphanage.


    10:10


    ¡°I¡¯m heading there too.¡± After hanging up, I decided to go to the orphanage.


    Truth be told. I was scared.


    Scared that it was Colin who was out to kill Melody.


    As I dashed out of the vi, therge dog squatting in the yard bolted, wagging its tail and cozying up to


    the approaching figure.


    Colin stood under the streemp, holding a steaming bag of deep¨Cfried mushrooms, grinning at


    1. me.


    It was from my favorite fast¨Cfood chain, where there¡¯s always a long line to endure.


    He went to buy deep¨Cfried mushrooms? Somehow, my heart settled back into ce.


    Colin was under the streemp, the light haloing his head, his shadow stretched out beneath


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    him.


    That image was striking, like the fusion of an angel and a demon.


    ¡°Colin¡­¡± I rushed over, asking anxiously, ¡°You didn¡¯t go to the orphanage?¡±


    ¡°You knew I was supposed to go to the orphanage?¡± Colin asked, puzzled.


    I paused for a moment.


    ¡°Dexter called, told me to head to the orphanage, deliberately provoking me.¡± Colin said, sounding hurt.


    ¡°And Melody, she intentionally talked trash about you to get a rise out of me, tricking me into going to


    the orphanage to confront her. But I didn¡¯t go. I went to get your deep¨Cfried mushrooms instead.¡±


    Colin looked at me with his best ¡®I¡¯ve been so good, please praise me¡® face.


    My expression darkened, confirming my suspicions. This was all a charade orchestrated by Dexter and


    Melody! They wanted to lure Colin there, to enrage him, to make him lose control, and to convince the


    police that he was the murderer.

 Chapter 199

    ¡°Asshole.¡± I gritted my teeth and cursed under my breath.


    Dexter was getting out of hand.


    After all he¡¯d done to me, now he was gunning for Colin.


    I was fuming and ready to storm the orphanage to expose his two¨Cfaced nature, but Colin grabbed my


    arm.


    He looked at me with those big, sad puppy eyes. ¡°Phoebe, it¡¯s going to get soggy.¡±


    I could see how much it meant to him, waiting in line for ages just to get it. It would break his heart if I


    refused.


    Now I got why they say ¡®beauty is a mighty weapon.¡® It¡¯s disarmingly effective. There he stood. under


    the streemp, his eyes brimming with a mix of vulnerability and plea. How could anyone say no?


    I took the fried mushrooms he offered me and took a bite, and they were indeed crispy, fresh out of the


    fryer.


    Colin couldn¡¯t have been at the orphanage; he was with me, his alibi as solid as theye.


    ¡°Phoebe, are they good?¡± he asked, leaning in close.


    Under the dim glow of the streetlight, my heart skipped a beat. ¡°You¡­ you didn¡¯t have any?¡±


    He suddenly kissed me, then said firmly, ¡°Delicious.¡±


    Damn it, my heart was racing. When he flirted, he was anything but a fool. I¡¯d suspected him of ying


    the fool more times than I could count, but ver had proof.


    ¡°Ahem¡­¡± I coughed to ease the awkward silence, looking down and continuing to munch on the


    mushrooms.


    He reached out for my hand, leading me home. ¡°Phoebe, I think I¡¯m sick. Got a fever. Will you stay with


    me?¡±


    He just wouldn¡¯t let me go.


    That big, friendly hound followed close behind us, tail wagging, hopeful for a taste of the fried


    mushrooms in my hand. I tossed it a piece, whispering to Colin, ¡°Is this your dog?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ Found it as a pup, abandoned by the roadside. I took it in, and it¡¯s been following me ever


    since,¡± Colin said, patting the dog¡¯s head fondly. ¡°Sometimes, dogs are more loyal than people.¡±


    I gave the dog another piece of mushroom. ¡°It¡¯s such a gentle creature.¡±


    Colin looked at me, surprised, then smiled. ¡°Dogs have a way of seeing the true nature of things, the


    things we can¡¯t. It¡¯s loyal to its master.¡±


    10:10


    I didn¡¯t think much of his words.


    The dog was gentle and obedient around me, always wagging its tail. I¡¯d always thought it was just a


    friendly, non¨Caggressive pooch.


    ¡°Phoebe, my hands hurt, can¡¯t get them wet.¡± Colin suddenly said as we were getting ready for


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    bed.


    He held up both hands, wrapped in bandages, giving me that helpless look.


    Clearly, he couldn¡¯t bathe himself. He was asking for my help. Was he genuinely clueless, or was this


    an borate game he was ying?


    My cheeks flushed, and I muttered, ¡°Just skip it, go to bed.¡±


    ¡°No. Hygiene is very important,¡± Colin insisted earnestly.


    My lips twitched. ¡®Hygiene¡®? Thising from a guy who¡¯d been a vagrant for who knows how long?


    I didn¡¯t call him out on it. Everyone¡¯s got their pride.


    ¡°Phoebe, it¡¯s legal,¡± he reminded me suddenly.


    I looked up at him. He¡¯d already taken off his shirt, revealing a toned chest and well¨Cdefined muscles¡­


    and, ahem, impressive abs. I couldn¡¯t me myself; he was tempting me with his


    looks.


    He usually wore loose clothes that made him look slender, but with his shirt off, he was pure


    temptation.


    ¡°Phoebe, look, it¡¯s all legal,¡± he said as if thew was his prime concern.


    I just hoped he was asw¨Cabiding when it came to murder, praying he had nothing to do with the


    serial killings.


    ¡°I¡¯m dirty, Phoebe. Help me wash,¡± Colin said, reaching to remove his pants.


    I grabbed his hands quickly. ¡°Hey, keep your pants on.¡±


    ¡°How can I wash with my pants on?¡± Colin looked at me, dead serious.


    I took a deep breath. ¡°Just wash with them on.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± he sulked, his head down.

 Chapter 200

    I couldn¡¯t help butugh despite myself as he managed to tickle my funny bone. ¡°Alright, hold tight. I¡¯m


    off to run you a bath.¡±


    He nodded obediently, but as I turned away, I noticed a shadow pass over his face, his expression


    darkening.


    When I came back to tell him the tub was ready, I could have sworn I saw him fiddling with my phone.


    ¡°Phoebe, my hand really hurts.¡±


    Just as I was about to grab my phone, he winced, iming his hand was in pain. Sure enough, the


    white bandage was soaked through with blood.


    I quickly fetched the first aid kit, redressed his wound, and coaxed him into the bath, drying his


    hair afterward.


    He was as docile as a golden retriever, quietly letting me take care of him.


    By the time I¡¯d put His Highness to bed, I was dead on my feet.


    He gave me a wry smile and pulled me into his embrace. ¡°Phoebe¡­ time for sleep.¡±


    I was reluctant, sensing some kind of scheme in the air. But exhaustion overcame suspicion, and as


    soon as Iy down in his arms, sleepiness washed over me.


    His room always had this subtle scent of sandalwood,forting and perfect for a peaceful sleep.


    And I drifted off.


    There was no need to check on Melody and Dexter since they were just ying their games; I had


    already alerted the cops.


    Robin was on his way, and he¡¯d be much more useful than me. If it was all an act, Robin would give


    them a piece of his mind.


    But if it wasn¡¯t¡­ with Robin there, hopefully, the perpetrator would be caught.


    That night, I dreamed Dexter stood before me, drenched in blood, smiling. ¡°Phoebe, I¡¯vee to join


    you.¡±


    I recoiled in disgust, but he kept advancing.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ I¡¯m sorry; how about I join you and the kid in the afterlife?¡±


    I shouted back at him, ¡°No! Stay away! You¡¯ll taint my path to reincarnation.¡±


    His eyes brimming with tears, he said, ¡°Phoebe, I¡¯m sorry, ver knew how to love anyone else. I just


    wanted you to fall for me¡­¡±


    Ö·


    10:10


    ¡°Get lost!¡± I screamed.


    In my struggle, I must have kicked something hard.


    My eyes snapped open, my breath quick, sweat beading on my forehead.


    As I came to, the daylight was already spilling into the room.


    Turning around, I saw Colin sitting on the floor, his fluffy head peeking out, eyes looking at me.


    innocently.


    ¡°I¡­¡± What did I do to him?


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ you kicked me.¡± Colin¡¯s voice wasced with injury as he climbed onto the bed, taking my


    hand. ¡°Rub it, it hurts.¡±


    Apparently, I had kicked him really hard. He was only wearing boxer shorts and ced my hand near


    his groin.


    I blushed furiously. What was he ying at this early in the morning?


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ it¡¯s swollen.¡± He looked at me with puppy¨Cdog eyes, implying my kick had left a mark.


    Sometimes, I really felt like calling the cops on him. Was he ying dumb or truly clueless?


    ¡°You¡­¡± I warned him with a pointed finger to cut the act, but he just yfully bit my finger.


    I couldn¡¯t be bothered with him and wanted to check my phone.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ I¡¯m starving.¡± And with that, he pinned me down and kissed me.


    I suspected he was deliberately stalling me from checking my phone, but I had no proof. Every time


    he¡¯d pout, what could I do?


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± He always liked to call my name in moments of passion.


    The sunlight was warm, filtering through the sheer curtains into the room.


    Everything felt like a dream, yet the flush in my cheeks and the heat coursing through my veins kept


    me acutely aware.


    I must be going mad.


    The phone buzzed incessantly, and I reached out, pushing Colin away with disdain.


    When did I put it on silent?


    The caller was an unknown number.


    ¡°Where are you? It¡¯s Ste. Why aren¡¯t you answering mine or Robin¡¯s calls? Dexter¡¯s in trouble!¡±

 Chapter 201

    I blinked, shocked, and bolted upright. ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t get any missed calls from you guys.¡±


    ¡°Last night, Melody and Dexter went rogue trying to lure the murderer. Melody almost got herself killed,


    and Dexter wound up getting stabbed trying to save her. He¡¯s in critical condition now¡­¡± Ste


    sounded frantic. ¡°Did that witch Melody call you? Thank God you didn¡¯t show up, or else¡­¡±


    Ste didn¡¯t finish her sentence, but the implication hung heavy in the air. I would¡¯ve been walking right


    into the same nightmare that had imed Phoebe.


    I gasped, the cool realization hitting me. Melody and Dexter had conspired against Colin, and it had


    backfired, bringing a real murderer onto their trail and leaving Dexter injured?


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way.¡±


    Regardless, Hailey was still in the hospital, and ording to Ste, she had just woken up. And now


    Dexter was in trouble.


    ¡°Did they catch the murderer?¡± I found myself asking instinctively.


    I had called Robin right awayst night. Dexter, the scumbag he was, frequented the gym; it wouldn¡¯t


    have been easy for the murderer to take him down.


    Robin and the team were stationed at Tangle Lane, a stone¡¯s throw from the orphanage. They could


    make it in five minutes. Surely, the murderer couldn¡¯t have gotten far?


    ¡°They caught him.¡± Ste¡¯s voice rxed over the phone, then turned emotional, almost tearful.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ they got the murderer.¡±


    She was speaking to Phoebe, her best friend, her confidante.


    My eyes unexpectedly moistened, and I covered my mouth with a trembling hand.


    Had they finally caught him?


    Perhaps it was the shock, but my fingers were shaking uncontrobly.


    It all felt so sudden.


    ¡°As much as Dexter deserved to die¡­ this time, he actually yed a part in drawing out the murderer.


    Robin said the guy was smart, left no traces, and had a knack for evading detection. Dexter had been


    staking out the orphanage since yesterday, using Melody as bait, making her atone for her sins.¡±


    The murderer was too clever for the cops to use Melody as a lure. He would¡¯ve seen through it right


    away. Inside the police¡¯s watchful eye, the murderer wouldn¡¯t bite.


    But if Melody went off on her own, acting crazy at the orphanage, that was a different story. A fish


    jumping right into the. The murderer wouldn¡¯t miss such an opportunity.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Who¡­ who is the murderer?¡± My voice was hoarse as I asked.


    Ste was silent for a long while before she finally spoke. It¡¯s that Dorian. After we let him go. he struck


    again.¡±


    I was stunned, frozen in ce.


    Dorian?


    I¡¯d always suspected something was off about him. A minor, fifteen or sixteen, but with eyes too cold for


    his age.


    After hanging up, I hurried to the hospital eager to get the police¡¯s take.


    It wasn¡¯t a solo act; the security footage had caught at least three different suspects.


    Among them, Dorian was definitely one.


    With Dorian caught, it was only a matter of time before the others would be interrogated and found.


    As I descended the stairs, Colin was in the yard, trimming flowers. He picked a few white roses and


    handed them to me.


    I took the flowers, my vision blurring. Sniffling, I managed a smile at Colin. It was a relief; the murderer


    wasn¡¯t him.


    Although I couldn¡¯tpletely rule him out as a suspect yet, I realized I was starting to hope it wasn¡¯t


    him.


    ¡°Colin,e with me.¡± I reached out to him. ¡°They¡¯ve caught the murderer. Dexter¡¯s in trouble. Let¡¯s go


    to the hospital¡±


    Colin¡¯s hand stiffened, and then he looked up at me. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I nodded, my excitement making my hands tremble. ¡°The police got him. It was Dorian. We


    were all fooled by him.¡±


    I hoped Colin had been fooled, too. The police knew about Colin asking Eric to fund Dorian: I feared


    Colin might also be a suspect.


    On the way to the hospital, Colin was silent, lost in thought. Just before we got out of the car, he shook


    his head abruptly. ¡°No¡­ something¡¯s not right.¡±


    I paused, puzzled, looking at him. ¡°What¡¯s not right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not right; the timing isn¡¯t right. He wouldn¡¯t let himself get caught now.¡±

 Chapter 202

    Colin muttered under his breath, his mind racing with calctions.


    Getting caught at this time¡­ Something was off.


    ¡°Is it possible that Dexter set a trap to lure him out?¡±


    Dexter¡¯s machinations had thrown the murderer¡¯s n off kilter, rendering any nned timeline utterly


    useless.


    Colin shook his head. ¡°Dexter¡­ idiot.¡±


    In Colin¡¯s eyes, Dextercked the necessary skill.


    I shook my head. ¡°Dexter¡¯s not dumb. Back in Melody¡¯s ss, he was top of the grade.¡±


    He was also dubbed the prodigy of the finance department, and upon taking over the Fitzgerald family


    business, he catapulted the Fitzgerald Group to new heights.


    I was just being objective. I had no intention of singing Dexter¡¯s praises. But Dexter did have his


    moments of brilliance.


    Colin puffed out his cheeks and snorted. ¡°Idiot.¡±


    To a genius like Colin, Dexter was an idiot. There was an immense difference between being smarter


    than most, like Dexter, and being a genius of a decade, possibly of a century, like Colin. I sighed and


    tugged at Colin¡¯s arm. ¡°Anyway, once we catch one murderer, the rest are sure to follow.¡±


    Colin seemed distracted.


    And my eyelid twitched incessantly. Though we had apprehended the murderer, and I was thrilled,


    something about it all felt too easy.


    Was Dexter really capable of outsmarting that murderer?


    Dorian was caught, and Eric, who had been in contact with and funded him, was also brought in for


    questioning.


    However, Eric¡¯s answers were watertight, and with no incriminating evidence from the murderer¡¯s side,


    he was quickly released, though required to remain on call.


    ¡°Dexter¡¯s situation isn¡¯t optimistic,¡± Robin said, waiting outside the emergency room, massaging his


    temples.


    ¡°He talked about atonement, not to involve the cops, which is ridiculous¡­ Phoebe is dead; his


    atonement is pointless,¡± Robin¡¯s voice was hoarse with frustration.


    ¡°He said he owed it to Phoebe, knowing full well he was putting himself in danger. He even coerced


    Melody, saying it was a debt owed to Phoebe.¡±


    In the eyes of the police, that was sheer foolishness. But at least the murderer was caught, though the


    cost was far too high.


    ¡°Dorian confessed to orchestrating the murders, got all the timelines right, but¡­ he won¡¯t give up his


    two aplices,¡± Robin said, ncing at me and then at Colin.


    I could tell he suspected Colin.


    ¡°From the surveince footage, there¡¯s no one with Colin¡¯s height. Sure, you can disguise


    yourself to appear taller, but you can¡¯t fake being shorter,¡± I found myself defending Colin instinctively.


    Colin stood behind me, his gaze fixed on me. He murmured for a moment, then suddenly looked up at


    Robin. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t let you catch him that easily; it¡¯s not right¡­ the timing¡¯s off.¡±


    Robin furrowed his brow, not quite grasping Colin¡¯s point.


    Colin kept repeating, saying it wasn¡¯t right.


    ¡°The guy was wearing a wig, with severe burns on his head and body, no hair left. He was a severe


    burn victim, his organs failing, not much time left to live. He said he just wanted revenge, revenge on


    those responsible for the orphanage fire all those years ago; he had nned everything.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Due to his burns, Dorian had no hair and no fingerprints, leaving no trace but his footprints.


    As a severe burn victim, he had suffered immensely over the years. The hospital had allowed him


    ess to certain narcotic painkillers, which exined how he had those drugs.


    The police had traced the drugs back to him, and the timing was too coincidental to ignore.


    ¡°He still won¡¯t reveal his aplices.¡± Cory shook his head at Robin.


    Then, a female officer received a call. ¡°Officer Robin, Dorian says he¡¯ll give up his aplices, but he


    has a condition: he wants to see you!¡±


    Robin stood up and nced at me. ¡°I¡¯ll head back first.¡±


    But suddenly, Colin reached out and grabbed Robin¡¯s arm. ¡°It¡¯s not right. It¡¯s not right.¡±

 Chapter 203

    With the trail of drugs as a lead, it was aplicated maze to navigate, but persistence would


    inevitably point the finger at Dorian.


    Besides, I had already seen him at Phoebe¡¯s ce; he was one of the first to blow his cover.


    It was only a matter of time before the cops caught up with him.


    And it was he, of all people, who nearly killed Dexter, getting nabbed by thew right at this crucial


    moment.


    It did seem a bit too coincidental.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a red birthmark on his arm, does he¡­¡± I murmured softly.


    If Dorian didn¡¯t have one, then there had to be an aplice.


    Despite doubting my own recollection, I clearly remembered wing at my attacker¡¯s arm and the red


    birthmark on it before my death.


    I couldn¡¯t be wrong.


    Robin patted Colin¡¯s shoulder before leaving. He needed to get back to the interrogation room to see


    what kind of tricks Dorian was ying.


    ¡°When did you start funding Dorian?¡± I asked Colin in a hushed tone, gripping his hand.


    Colin looked down. ¡°He was severely burned, living off welfare, but when the orphanage couldn¡¯t take


    him anymore, those kids¨Cscars from the fire, unwanted by families¨Cwere left to institutions that


    struggled with the medical bills.


    But¡­ this world isn¡¯t ck and white. There¡¯s so much charity that never reaches those who need it,


    and it doesn¡¯t solve the core issues. His life was a painful one.¡± Colin lifted his gaze briefly, unsure if I


    could empathize.


    I did feel a suffocating wave¨Cof a life reduced to mere survival, clinging on through infections that


    ravaged the organs, desperate enough to rely on drugs just to ease the pain¡­


    ¡°After I was rescued from the mental institution, I returned to the orphanage to wait.¡± Colin hesitated,


    then continued, ¡°Dorian came back around the same time. We shared simr fates, and I¡¯d give him the


    money I made from collecting bottles and selling scraps so he could buy his medicine. Later, when the


    Langley family took me in, I asked them to look after him too.¡±


    Colin¡¯s nature was inherently good, something I came to realize through our time together. From what


    remained of my childhood memories, Colin would fight for me, knowing full well the severe


    punishments that awaited him, yet he did it anyway.


    I leaned on his shoulder, whispering. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ as long as you¡¯re not involved.¡±


    If Dorian¡¯s soul had been twisted by pain, seeking vengeance on those responsible for the fire,


    using himself and Colin as a cover, the motive seemed usible.


    Yet, something still felt off.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°The police have many investigative methods. They¡¯ll solve the case soon, and Robin¡¯s quite skilled.¡± I


    murmured, seemingly to reassure Colin but also tofort myself.


    ¡°Robin¡­ he¡¯s smart.¡± Colin conceded, rare praiseing from him.


    Robin was one of the sharper tools in the police shed, privy to many secrets and truths about the


    orphanage, but as an officer, he couldn¡¯t disclose them.


    Robin¡¯s presence surely affected the person lurking in the shadows. His team was also the


    most determined to catch the real murderer.


    With a serial murder case on their hands, the higher¨Cups were pushing Robin for a quick resolution,


    pressuring him to pin it on someone like Colin, who had turned himself in.


    Robin had fought with his superiors over it; he was a man of integrity.


    Cory had hinted at this in ourst conversation.


    ¡°But only somewhat so,¡± Colin added after a pause.


    I let out a small ¡°huh¡°.


    He had said Robin was smart but only somewhat smart.


    ¡°Still, with Dorian caught, it¡¯ll root out the others, too.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but feel excited, even though it


    wasn¡¯t Dorian who killed me in the orphanage¡¯s basement. The culprit would soon be apprehended.


    Robin was a responsible cop; he would undoubtedly clear my name and find the murderer, allowing me


    to rest in peace.


    No. ¡®rest in peace¡® probably wasn¡¯t the best choice of words, considering I had been reborn.

 Chapter 204

    ¡°Dexter¡­ Dexter!¡±


    While we were all anxiously awaiting news on whether Dexter would pull through, a wail carried over


    from a distance.


    I frowned. Isn¡¯t it a bit early for a funeral procession? The guy¡¯s not dead yet.


    Melody was sobbing her heart out; her wails were legendary.


    Clutching a ghostly pale Hailey, Melody stumbled closer, her cries punctuating each step. Professional


    mourners had nothing on her performance.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I watched her with a furrowed brow. This woman was such a jinx.


    ¡°Why the waterworks? He¡¯s not gone yet.¡± I said, frowning.


    At the sight of me, Melody lunged like a rabid dog spotting a steak.


    I was just about to retaliate, to knock her into next week when suddenly I was hoisted aside and


    shielded in a protective embrace.


    Colin¡¯s icy stare bore into Melody, his presence alone enough to chill the air.


    Melody¡¯s raised hand and her fiery temper extinguished at the sight of Colin, and she recoiled in terror.


    ¡°It¡¯s him, Hailey, it¡¯s him¡­ He¡¯s the murderer!¡±


    Fury etched across Hailey¡¯s face.


    Apparently, Melody had charmed the socks off the older generation, and Hailey had already pinned the


    me for a car ident on Colin, striding over to deliver him a p.


    Colin was quick to shield me but took the p without flinching.


    Hailey was gearing up for another hit, but I stepped in, grabbing her wrist. ¡°Hailey, Melody is one of the


    culprits behind Phoebe Caldwell¡¯s death. Don¡¯t believe a word she says.¡±


    ¡°I trust my gut!¡± Hailey retorted, visibly shaken, her eyes rimmed red. ¡°He¡¯s definitely a murderer!¡±


    ¡°Dexter was hurt because of him, Phoebe too!¡± Hailey loathed Colin, itching for vengeance on behalf of


    Phoebe and Dexter.


    I stood by Colin, determined not to let Hailey hurt him further.


    Melody wailed on. ¡°Dexter got stabbed to save me; I¡¯m so sorry, Hailey. It¡¯s all my fault.¡±


    Her act had begun. She was seizing every opportunity to curry favor with Hailey, all to secure her


    approval to marry Dexter.


    Once upon a time, Melody and Dexter had been the picture of romance. Hailey didn¡¯t dislike her, but


    knowing how Dexter had mistreated me, Hailey had never given her blessing to their union


    10.11


    because of our marriage.


    Melody knew that winning over Hailey was crucial to securing her ce in the Fitzgerald family. ¡°You


    really are a jinx, crying over Dexter like he¡¯s already a goner,¡± Ste remarked, returning from seeing


    Robin to the elevator, having caught Melody¡¯s sobfest from afar.


    ¡°Hailey, open your eyes. This one beside you isn¡¯t human; she¡¯s a demon. Dexter didn¡¯t have to be


    critically injured; it was her stupidity that got him stabbed.¡±


    Ste spoke through gritted teeth, barely containing her rage at Melody.


    Melody kept up her tears. ¡°Hailey, they¡¯re all in cahoots with the murderer, trying to smear my


    name.¡±


    Hailey seemed inclined to believe that Colin was the murderer, a madman, ring daggers at


    him.


    If the doctors hadn¡¯t emerged from the operating room, she looked ready to tear him apart.


    Colin stood behind me the whole time, vigntly watching over them.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you dodge?¡± I whispered, eyeing Colin¡¯s swollen cheek.


    ¡°She¡­ gave you a home once.¡± Colin was a man who knew the clear lines between right and wrong,


    gratitude, and grudges.


    After all, Hailey had shown me kindness.


    I tightened my grip on Colin¡¯s hand. ¡°Next time someone hits you, dodge.¡±


    In the emergency room.


    The doctor came out to face Hailey. ¡°Are you the victim¡¯s mother?¡±


    #


    Hailey nodded through her tears. She was frightened.


    I wanted to go to her, to offer support, but my rtionship with her now¡­


    ¡°Excessive blood loss, the wound is deep; we will do everything we can, but whether he


    survives is out of our hands.¡±

 Chapter 205

    Hailey¡¯s knees buckled, and she nearly copsed right there on the spot.


    I rushed forward to catch her, but she shoved me away.


    Melody wrapped her arm around Hailey, leading her to a nearby bench to sit down.


    ¡°Hailey, Dexter only went because he wanted to avenge Phoebe,¡± Melody choked out, cing the


    me squarely on Phoebe¡¯s shoulders.


    Even in death, they couldn¡¯t resist dragging my name through the mud.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault¡­¡± Hailey¡¯s voice was a hoarse whisper, her face ashen.


    I wanted to step forward, but then she spoke again. ¡°I should never have brought Phoebe into our


    home.¡±


    I stood there, rigid, as the realization hit me¨CHailey regretted bringing me into the Fitzgerald family.


    Even having died once and feeling numb to the core, her words stung deep.


    Suddenly, Colin wrapped his arms around me from behind, his chin resting atop my head as he


    whispered, ¡°Phoebe, I¡¯ll give you a home.¡±


    He was trying so hard to give Phoebe a home, to rebuild that sense of family she once had.


    I stiffened for a moment, then looked up at Colin.


    He said he¡¯d give me a home¡­.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Dexter was hurt because of me, and so was Phoebe,¡± Hailey continued, her voice trembling.


    Melody, tears streaming down her face, clutched Hailey¡¯s hand. ¡°Hailey, Dexter will wake up. And if


    if anything happens to him, I¡¯ll go with him. I love him; I¡¯dy down my life for him.¡±


    Melody sure knew how to make herself look like a saint.


    Ste rolled her eyes from where she stood. ¡°What a load of bull.¡°.


    Melody shot Ste an angry nce. ¡°Hailey, just because Foebe¡¯s husband was mentally ill doesn¡¯t


    mean she should keep dodging thew.¡±


    I frowned at Melody¡¯s words, thinking how low she could stoop. ¡°You think that just because they¡¯ve got


    one murderer, nobody can touch you? As far as I know, there¡¯s more than one murderer out there¨Cat


    least three. And just because one¡¯s caught doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re safe from the others.¡±


    Melody¡¯s face nched, and she edged closer to Hailey in a nervous shuffle.


    Moraver.


    Hailey, with all her focus on Dexter, sped her hands together in a silent


    Praying that Dexter would make it through.


    Mer 2015


    I patted Colin on the head. ¡°Let¡¯s go sit down for a while.¡±


    Colin nodded, obediently following me to a quieter corner.


    ¡°We¡¯ll catch all the murderers this time. Robin¡¯s onto something, and we¡¯ve found some valuable clues


    on the body,¡± Ste whispered to me, signaling for me to stay calm.


    Catching Dorian could lead us to the rest of them.


    I nodded, silently hoping Robin could coax the whereabouts of the other murderers from Dorian¡¯s lips.


    Colin sat beside me, head bowed, eyes fixed on the ground. He seemed to be deep in thought, his


    mind tirelessly working through something.


    Suddenly, Colin looked up at me, his voice tense. ¡°Robin¡­ the people behind this won¡¯t be caught so


    easily. This time, their target is Robin.¡±


    Robin was clever, nibbling away at the perpetrators¡® cake¨Cgetting closer to the truth.


    Someone didn¡¯t want the truth revealed, the murderers exposed, so they had to eliminate the threat


    Robin posed.


    ¡°The timing¡­ it¡¯s the police station,¡± Colin¡¯s voice tightened. ¡°Call Robin now.¡±


    Trouble was brewing; a maniac was nning a murder within the walls of the precinct.


    ¡°At the police station? That¡¯s impossible.¡± I stared at Colin, shocked. Who were we dealing with¨Cman or


    monster?


    ¡°I¡¯ll call Robin,¡± Ste said as if shepletely trusted Colin¡¯s intuition. She quickly got to her feet and


    dialed Robin¡¯s number.


    But there was no answer.


    Robin must have been in an interrogation without his phone.


    Chucher 205


    I patted Colin on the head. ¡°Let¡¯s go sit down for a while.¡±


    Coun nodded, obediently following me to a quieter corner.


    ¡°We¡¯ll catch all the murderers this time. Robin¡¯s onto something, and we¡¯ve found some valuable clues


    on the body.¡± Ste whispered to me, signaling for me to stay calm.


    Catching Dorian could lead us to the rest of them.


    I nodded, silently hoping Robin could coax the whereabouts of the other murderers from Dorian¡¯s lips.


    Colin sat beside me, head bowed, eyes fixed on the ground. He seemed to be deep in thought, his


    mind tirelessly working through something.


    Suddenly, Colin looked up at me, his voice tense. ¡°Robin¡­ the people behind this won¡¯t be caught so


    easily. This time, their target is Robin.¡±


    Robin was clever, nibbling away at the perpetrators¡® cake¨Cgetting closer to the truth.


    Someone didn¡¯t want the truth revealed, the murderers exposed, so they had to eliminate the threat


    Robin posed.


    ¡°The timing¡­ it¡¯s the police station,¡± Colin¡¯s voice tightened. ¡°Call Robin now.¡±


    Trouble was brewing: a maniac was nning a murder within the walls of the precinct..


    ¡°At the police station? That¡¯s impossible.¡± I stared at Colin, shocked. Who were we dealing. with¨Cman


    or monster?


    ¡°I¡¯ll call Robin,¡± Ste said as if shepletely trusted Colin¡¯s intuition. She quickly got to her feet and


    dialed Robin¡¯s number.


    But there was no answer.


    Robin must have been in an interrogation without his phone.

 Chapter 206

    ¡°Do you think everything will be okay? I mean, we¡¯re talking about the police station here,¡± Ste


    murmured under her breath.


    Colin shook his head. ¡°No, the next victim is going to meet their end right there¨Cat the station.¡± He was


    certain of his calctions; there was no room for error. ¡°Dexter wasn¡¯t an insider; he shouldn¡¯t have


    been involved. His incident was a fluke.¡±


    Dexter was the so¨Ccalled innocent bystander. It must have been Dorian trying to cover his own. tracks


    that led to an innocent man getting hurt.


    ¡°Based on the clues we found at Melody¡¯s crime scene, the next incident will take ce at the police


    station,¡± Colin repeated, emphasizing the words ¡®police station¡®.


    That meant trouble was brewing there.


    Robin had uncovered too many secrets, now posing a threat to the mastermind behind it all.


    The target had to be Robin.


    I suddenly stood up, looking directly at Ste. ¡°We need to make a run to the station.¡±


    Hovering around Dexter was pointless; the doctors had said his fate was in the hands of higher powers.


    But we couldn¡¯t let anything happen to Robin.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Ste said with a nod.


    Colin tugged at the hem of my shirt and whispered, ¡°Phoebe, do you guys trust me?¡±


    I was silent, preferring to err on the side of caution.


    But Ste nodded firmly. ¡°Of course, you¡¯re a genius! If it wasn¡¯t for your sharp mind figuring out where


    Melody was taken, she¡¯d be a goner!¡±


    Ste raised her voice deliberately for Melody to hear. ¡°And then there are some people, so ungrateful,


    biting the hand that feeds them. What a piece of work! Calling her a beast would be an insult to


    animals; even they would be offended!¡±


    Fuming. Melody clenched her fists but didn¡¯t dare to retort, as her facade of innocence dictated she


    couldn¡¯t out¨Cargue Ste.


    Colin seemed pleased, taking my hand and leading me outside. ¡°Phoebe, let¡¯s go save Robin.¡±


    Seeing Colin so enthusiastic was a rarity, so I smiled and quickened my pace to keep up with


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    him.


    ¡°We have to hurry,¡± Colin urged the driver to speed up on our way to the station.


    If we w


    were toote, things could go very wrong.


    When we arrived at the station, we were stopped outside. Robin was inside, conducting an


    11:06


    interrogation on Dorian, and naturally, we were not allowed in. We could only wait.


    Feeling uneasy, Ste asked one of the cops to keep an eye on the surveince. If anything looked off,


    they were to rush in immediately.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way Dorian couldmit any crimes tied up in the interrogation chair,¡± Cory reassured us.


    ¡°Besides, Robin is tough as nails; you think Dorian can hurt him?¡±


    I nodded, feeling a bit relieved.


    Maybe Colin was wrong this time?


    Ste rxed a bit as well. ¡°Robin is as tough as theye; that Dorian¡­ he won¡¯t take him down.


    We¡¯re probably just overestimating the murderer¡¯s abilities¨Che always incapacitates his victims first;


    he¡¯s not much of a fighter.¡±


    It seemed like all of us were on edge for no reason. But Colin remained silent, shaking his head. ¡°No¡­


    it¡¯s not right.¡±


    Still, something was off, but what?


    ¡°Get Robin out of there! Now!¡± Colin suddenly yelled out, his voice filled with urgency, demanding that


    Robin be brought out of the interrogation room.


    The police blocked Colin from entering the interrogation area; it was against protocol.


    Colin looked at me with desperation. ¡°Phoebe we need to get Robin out.¡±


    I nodded and turned to Ste. ¡°Ste, find a way to get Robin out. Let¡¯s hear what Colin has to


    say.¡±


    Ste nodded back, her gaze fixed on Colin with curiosity.


    Though none of us understood why Colin was panicking, we somehow feltpelled to trust him.


    Ste went tomunicate with Cory, who agreed to call Robin out.


    But before they could even knock on the door, a loud noise came from the interrogation room.


    Considering the walls and door were soundproof, any noise meant something significant was


    happening inside.


    Cory and the others rushed in immediately.


    But it was already toote.

 Chapter 207

    Doriany slumped in the interrogation chair, his face smeared with blood, a twisted smile on his lips as


    crimson droplets trickled from his mouth.


    With what little strength he had left, he gazed at the ceiling and chuckled. ¡°Free¡­ I¡¯m about to be free.¡±


    Robin stood beside him, a tempest of emotions raging within, his hands stained with blood. He had


    lashed out at Dorian, and it seemed Dorian had anticipated his own end.


    Just one punch from Robin, and Dorian was spitting blood.


    Dorian was gone before the medics could arrive, hisst breath slipping away.


    Robin stood there, numb, realization hitting him hard. Dorian had deliberately provoked him, pushed


    him tosh out. Dorian had wanted to die..


    The surveince footage showed Robin¡¯s strike, a ssic case of excessive force during questioning.


    Robin was in for it now. There would be repercussions, a suspension, a halt to all his ongoing cases.


    And if he stepped away from this one, the investigation would stall, giving the real murderer more time


    to strike.


    Dorian was nothing but a pawn.


    ¡°He¡­ he said he was the next target.¡± As Dorian was wheeled away by hospital staff and colleagues,


    Robin stepped out of the room, lighting a cigarette, his fingers trembling. ¡°That bastard knew we¡¯d find


    Melody. It was never Melody he intended to kill.¡±


    Colin squeezed my hand tighter, his gaze dropping as he fell silent. He had figured it out, but it was too


    late.


    ¡°It was always meant to be Dorian¡­¡± Robin stumbled upon a terrifying truth. The murderer is both


    culprit and victim.¡±


    I was puzzled. What did that mean?


    ¡°Dorian confessed he hadn¡¯t been asleep that night. He heard themotion and peeked out his


    window, saw those guys trick Colin and Carter into a room, lock them in, and then¡­ ignite the fire. He


    didn¡¯t go to the teachers; he just hid under his covers, shivering.¡±


    Dorian never imagined the fire would spread through the whole floor, trapping them in the dorm as well.


    So many lives were lost in that ze.


    ¡°He was traumatized and wanted to avenge those who started the fire. He admitted to several assaults.


    I lost it when he provoked me¡­¡±


    Robin¡¯s gaze dropped to his bloodied hands, his mind having gone nk in that moment.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t on you,¡± Ste said, trying to offer somefort.


    11:07


    Chacter 347


    Robin shook his head. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t name his aplices, denied there were any. But he wasn¡¯t the


    mastermind.¡±


    ¡°Not the mastermind,¡± Colin whispered. ¡°Just a pawn, a doomed yer in the game.¡±


    ¡°Is it possible¡­. that among the previous victims, there were perpetrators, too? They included


    themselves in the n?¡± I asked softly.


    We¡¯d been searching for so long. Robin even longer. We were on the right track, so why couldn¡¯t we


    find the murderer?


    Could it be that the three different people we saw in the videos were already dead, part of the victims


    themselves?


    My words struck a chord with Robin, who suddenly looked up at me. ¡°Yes¡­ you¡¯re on to something!¡±


    Robin sprang to his feet, took a deep drag on his cigarette, and bolted for the records room to continue


    his investigation.


    However, as news of Dorian¡¯s death spread, orders came from above demanding Robin¡¯s temporary


    suspension and a halt to the investigation.


    Robin was still in his office, arguing loudly with his superiors, his fist banging on the table echoing


    through the empty corridors.


    I nced at Colin, who seemed to be grappling with guilt and remorse.


    I took his hand. ¡°Colin, this isn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    Colin looked at me, then pulled me into an embrace.


    ¡®Madam, the hospital called. Dexter¡¯s not out of the woods, but he¡¯s alive, under observation in the


    ICU,¡± said my contact from the hospital over the phone.


    Dexter was alive but unconscious.


    I stood there, somewhat dazed, in the yard, turning to look at Ste.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 208

    Ste paced back and forth, her anxiety for Robin practically tangible in the crisp air of the early


    evening.


    Finally, Robin emerged, his face a thundercloud of fury, not sparing a nce for Ste, nor for me, nor


    even for Colin. He stormed past us, flung himself into the car, and mmed the door with a resounding


    thud.


    Ste took a couple of steps after him, muttering, ¡°Why¡¯s he being so damn stubborn?¡±


    Colin, nonchntly with one hand in his pocket and the other firmly gripping the back of my shirt, pulled


    me into his embrace. He seemed worried that Robin, in a fit of rage, might just drive off and run over


    my toes.


    ¡°He¡¯s as stubborn as a mule!¡± Ste eximed, angerced with concern as she watched Cory.


    ¡°Dorian¡¯s death wasn¡¯t Robin¡¯s fault, he¡­


    ¡°But that punch Robin threw¡­ it led to the guy¡¯s death. If they really want to pin it on Robin¡­ well, this


    time, he might not get off so easy,¡± Cory said, his voice tinged with worry.


    Ste paused, her voice filled with nervous tension. ¡°Is it really that serious? Dorian was clearly


    provoking Robin; it was so obvious.¡±


    ¡°It was part of their n,¡± Colin whispered into my ear.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    No official punishment for Robin had been announced yet, but avoiding a jail cell was a small blessing.


    His career in the police force, though, was likely over.


    I stood there, feeling numb, experiencing for the first time the chilling realization of the murderer¡¯s


    menace lurking in the shadows.


    I


    A shiver ran down my spine as I felt countless eyes watching us, invisible strings pulling at our backs.


    To that genius mastermind, we were mere puppets on strings.


    He could manipte and y with us at will. He could kill with impunity, get a cop fired, and ensure


    Robin could never get involved in this murder case again.


    He was too clever, He used a dying Dorian to provoke Robin into making a mistake and then


    sessfully took Robin out of the picture.


    My fingertips felt icy, my fear of the unknown and of such formidable intellect peaking.


    In the face of such genius, I was nothing but a fool among fools, no different than an ant.


    ¡°Colin, he¡¯s terrifying.¡± I whispered about the man behind it all, the fear evident in my voice.


    Colin tightened his hold on my hand, his eyes deep and resolute. ¡°Then we¡¯ll be more terrifying. Don¡¯t


    worry, Phoebe, I¡¯m here for you,¡± he reassured me.


    When we returned to the hospital, Dexter had been moved to the ICU, and Melody had been keeping a


    vigil by Hailey¡¯s side, both of them in tears.


    ¡°Good people have their guardian angels; Dexter will wake up,¡± Melody tried to reassure Hailey.


    dabbing at her eyes.


    ¡°Hailey, you¡¯ve just been discharged yourself. You should go rest,¡± Melody urged Hailey to leave. ¡°Don¡¯t


    worry, I¡¯ll be here.¡±


    Hailey, looking unsteady, wanted to stay, but she was too weak to argue. She finally nodded, allowing


    the nurse to help her out.


    As Hailey passed by Colin and me, she shot us a furious re. ¡°You¡¯re not wee here, get


    out!¡±


    I clenched my fists and stayed silent.


    Once Hailey had left, I turned to Melody with a furrowed brow.


    Melody, staring through the observation window into the ICU where Dextery, spoke gravely. ¡°Foebe


    Larson, don¡¯t you want to talk to me?¡±


    She was finally getting to the point. The secrets she had mentioned over the phone that she wanted to


    reveal to me.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to,¡± Colin said, eyeing Melody warily as he held me closer.


    Melody sneered. ¡°Foebe, if you keep consorting with beasts, you¡¯ll end up with nothing left of you, not


    even bones.¡±


    Then, her gaze shifted to Colin. ¡°Colin, what are you afraid of? Afraid that Foebe will find out something


    about you and Phoebe? You may treat her like Phoebe, but she¡¯s not! A counterfeit will always remain


    just that.¡±


    Colin¡¯s expression darkened, his fingers tightening until they turned white.


    I had the eerie feeling that he wanted to leap forward and tear Melody apart.

 Chapter 209

    Melody always had a way of appearing delicate and kind, the kind of woman that sparked a protective


    instinct in any man whoid eyes on her. It was almost like a reflex for them to trust her without


    question.


    Back in the day, guys like Dexter and Hank readily took her side over mine. But her usual tricks


    seemed to have no effect on Colin, who didn¡¯t buy any of her frail acts. To him, she might as well have


    been a she¨Cdevil.


    I had to admit, there was a certain satisfaction bubbling inside me, knowing that someone had finally


    seen through Melody¡¯s facade, had glimpsed the real her.


    Even if that Colin was widely regarded as the town¡¯s oddball


    But in a world where lined between reality and pretense blur, who was to say who the real madman


    was? Who was to define what was normal for the rest of us?


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to rile up Colin. If he loses it and ends up hurting you, it¡¯ll be nobody¡¯s fault but your


    own,¡± I warned Melody with a frosty edge to my voice.


    It was clear Melody feared Colin; she took a couple of steps back to maintain a safe distance before


    speaking in a hushed tone, ¡°Foebe, are you sure¡­you don¡¯t want to talk about Phoebe Caldwell with


    me?¡±


    I patted Colin¡¯s hand, ¡°Wait here for me, okay?¡±


    He seemed reluctant, but after seeing my determined look, he nodded and let go.


    I moved next to Melody, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Colin frowned, his gaze shifting to the bodyguard who was keeping a watchful eye on us from a


    distance, ¡°Follow her.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± the bodyguard began in a low voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Colin instructed, making it clear that the bodyguard was there to protect me.


    Before we entered a secluded hallway, I nced back at Colin. He sat obediently on a bench, looking


    like he was patiently waiting for me to take him home.


    Once we were alone, I confronted Melody. ¡°Spit it out. What do you want to say?¡±


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°ver said I¡¯d tell you everything for free.¡± Melody rasped. Dexter¡¯s incident had hit her hard.


    ¡°What do you want in exchange?¡± I raised an eyebrow at her.


    ¡°Dexter¡¯s in trouble, and I want you to use your Langley family influence to keep me safe.¡±


    Melody¡¯s audacity made meugh out loud, ¡°Ha! Who the heck do you think you are? And why exactly


    should I mobilize the Langley family resources for you? What are you, some kind of


    endangered species? Or do you think I¡¯m a bleeding¨Cheart animal lover?¡±


    Melody clenched her teeth, ¡°Foebe, you don¡¯t have to be so sharp¨Ctongued. I may not have concrete


    evidence of your direct ties to the murderer, but your emtion of Phoebe, your attempts to seduce


    Colin by taking on her persona ¨C you can¡¯t hide the truth forever!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s totally fine for you. You¡¯re so thick¨Cskinned; my sharp words couldn¡¯t possibly make a dent,¡± I


    shot back, my voice heavy.


    Melody was practically unraveling, her facade teetering on the brink, ¡°Phoebe and Colin were the real


    item! Phoebe lost some of her memory, and she wasn¡¯t in love with Dexter ¨C it was Colin all along.¡±


    I frowned, feeling a tightness in my chest, but how much of Melody¡¯s words could I trust? ¡°What¡¯s your


    angle in telling me this?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re so set on ying Phoebe, then stay away from Dexter. He¡¯s mine. You can¡¯t have it all both


    Colin and Dexter. You¡¯re being too greedy.¡± Seemed that Melody was jealous of me.


    She probably never foresaw Foebe stepping into the picture after getting rid of Phoebe, and still, Dexter


    wouldn¡¯tmit to her. She was adopted by the Burton family after all; they might have raised her, but


    they weren¡¯t about to hand over their wealth and legacy so easily. Everything she had, she needed to


    fight for herself. Her whole scheme to marry Dexter was to secure a ce in the high society.


    ¡°Talk or don¡¯t ¨C I¡¯m not fussed, weirdo,¡± brows furrowed, I cussed, turning to leave.


    Melody probably hadn¡¯t expected me to stand my ground so firmly. In ast¨Cditch effort, she reached


    out to stop the door from closing, ¡°Foebe!¡±


    Her face was ashen, devoid of color. I could tell she was desperate. With Dexter still in aa, and


    Dorian arrested and other culprits still atrge- no one was left to protect her.


    ¡°Melody, I¡¯ve never seen anyone beg with such an iron spine.¡± I said with a coldugh, leaning against


    the door, ¡°If you¡¯re here to ask for my protection, you¡¯d better adopt the right posture and attitude.¡®


    Melody clenched her teeth, ¡°What do you want from me?¡±


    I quirked an eyebrow, ¡°You¡¯re begging for my help. Why not get down on your knees?¡±

 Chapter 210

    My voice was a low rumble, indifferent as I locked eyes with Melody.


    I¡¯d never forget how, before my untimely demise. Melody had falsely used me of pushing her down


    the stairs, and Dexter had insisted I get on my knees and apologize to her. The hospital room had been


    packed with onlookers.


    Fury smoldered in Melody¡¯s gaze, ¡°Foebe!¡±


    I snorted dismissively, ¡°Can¡¯t do it? Then you¡¯re on your own.¡±


    I brushed past Melody, her so¨Ccalled secrets holding no weight with me. Why waste time on someone I


    didn¡¯t believe?


    ¡°Foebe! I could kneel to you! But in Sea City, there isn¡¯t just the Langley family that can protect me.


    Have you heard of the president of All¨CStars Consortium in Kingstone City?¡± Desperation edged her


    voice, likely she hadn¡¯t expected Dexter to be in trouble, leaving her without her usual support, ¡°He¡¯s


    been backing Dexter for years. If I ask him, he¡¯ll help me too!¡±


    Melody seemed confident. She was shrewd. Across the entire businessndscape, aside from the


    meteoric rise of the All¨CStars Consortium in Kingstone City, the Langley family was an unparalleled


    force.


    The Fitzgerald Group had soared under Dexter¡¯s leadership, yet his personal fortune still ranked fifth.


    But Dexter had be a legend in the business world ¨C the youngest among the top ten tycoons after


    all.


    The Langley family had once dominated the ranks for nearly a decade until All¨CStars Consortium had


    overtaken them three years prior, pushing the old man to second ce.


    The en


    enigmatic founder behind this surging enterprise was shrouded in mystery, with no media coverage and


    no insiders familiar with him.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Melody was well aware that clinging to Dexter was her peak achievement. She had hoped to marry into


    the Fitzgerald family, bing Dexter¡¯s wife and the missus of the Fitzgerald Group CEO.


    Sadly for her, with Phoebe gone, her dream was slipping away. Now with Dexter¡¯s ident, she knew


    that both the Langley family and the president of All¨CStars Consortium could protect her. But the


    president of All¨CStars Consortium was beyond her reach.


    ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been using your connection with Dexter to dig up info on the president of the All¨CStars


    Consortium. About this mysterious man, I¡¯m quite intrigued too.¡± I said with a mockingugh. I had once


    thought Melody truly loved Dexter, but now her true colors were showing, ¡°Water afar quenches not


    fire. If you could ask him for help, you wouldn¡¯t be begging me.¡±


    Realizing Dexter might not marry her, she began to use him as a stepping stone. What a pity.


    The president of All¨CStars Consortium was a master of mystery. Not just out of Melody¡¯s reach, but


    even Dexter had been cold¨Cshouldered.


    When Dexter first took over thepany. All¨CStars Consortium¡¯s rise was friendly towards the


    Fitzgerald Group. Thanks to that enigmatic president, Dexter was able to stabilize the


    Fitzgerald Group and bring it to its current heights.


    Everyone spected there must be some connection between Dexter and the mysterious president.


    Many tried to cozy up to Dexter, hoping to meet this elusive figure.


    But only I knew that the All¨CStars Consortium¡¯s president wouldn¡¯t even spare Dexter a nce. Dexter


    had once traveled to Kingstone City to visit, only to be turned away, which soured his mood


    considerably.


    He didn¡¯t know who the mysterious president behind All-Stars Consortium was, or why he had helped


    him without wanting to meet. So, whenever someone approached Dexter with the ulterior motive of


    inquiring about the president of All¨CStars Consortium, Dexter¡¯s mood would plummet.


    L too, had been curious about this president. In just three years, he had surpassed the Langley family


    and be a titan of industry. This man was a legend, a business prodigy. Every move he made


    seemed to ride the wings of the era¡¯s development. He was at the forefront of the industry¡¯s progress.


    The hottest apps everyone used were all his creation. Dawn Pharmaceuticals, Star Media Co. ¨C they


    were all part of his empire. In less than a year, he acquired real estate, pharmaceuticals, food,


    entertainment ¨C he was leagues ahead, leaving everyone else in the dust.


    Melody¡¯s face drained of color as she looked at me. ¡°The president of All¨CStars Consortium is a


    mystery, unseen by anyone. Do you think you can curry favor with him?¡±

 Chapter 211

    ¡°Got any dirt for me?¡± I said with a half¨Csmirk.


    eded the connections just as much as Melody did. Better to strike first than to take the hits. With


    Dexterid up, it was my chance to solidify Colin¡¯s standing in the Langley Group. Otherwise, we¡¯d be


    sitting ducks. Although it felt like someone had my back, cutting ties with Henry and his son left me


    feeling like I was walking on eggshells in the Langley family.


    Melody was clearly reluctant.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk, fine by me.¡± I headed for the door.


    ¡°I found out¡­the president of All¨CStars Consortium will be at a charity g in Sea City on the first of


    next month. It¡¯s a fundraiser for orphanages, organized by the local chamber ofmerce.¡± Melody¡¯s


    grip on my wrist tightened. ¡°That¡¯s all I know. The guy¡¯s a legend in the business world, untouchable.


    Nobody dares cross him. We each fend for ourselves, but¡­don¡¯t ruin my chances.¡±


    Her voice was shaky. She was afraid I¡¯d y dirty.


    ¡°Ha, you think you¡¯ll even make it to next month?¡± I shrugged off her hand, ¡°How much faith do you


    have in that face of yours? You think every man has the same blind spot as Dexter? A man at the helm


    of All¨CStars Consortium isn¡¯t just high status ¨C he¡¯s not going to be some young stud. I heard he¡¯s a


    septuagenarian, and you¡¯re ready to swallow your pride for that? Brutal.¡±


    My gaze on Melody was dripping with sarcasm.


    Apart from her beauty, she didn¡¯t seem to have any other tricks up her sleeve. Getting into the


    Fitzgerald Group as Dexter¡¯s secretary certainly wasn¡¯t because of her qualifications.


    A mythical figure like the president of All¨CStars Consortium falling for Melody? Surely he wouldn¡¯t be as


    indiscriminate as Dexter.


    ¡°Foebe Larson!¡± Melody clung to my wrist in panic, ¡°Help me out. If I can get in with the president of


    All¨CStars Consortium, I can help you too. Just keep me safe.¡±


    ¡°Dexter¡¯s not dead yet. How heartbroken would he be to find out you¡¯re hunting for a new man before


    he¡¯s even cold?¡± I asked sharply.


    Melody clenched her teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t nder me. I¡¯m doing this for Dexter. Getting in with the president of


    All¨CStars Consortium could be good for him too.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    I was tired of her nonsense. ¡°Want my protection? Okay, but like I said, kneel.¡±


    I was already halfway down the hallway. Melody intended to do it without any other people¡¯s presence;


    proved she¡¯d go to any length.


    ¡°Don¡¯t kneel here. When you made Phoebe do that, there was quite an audience in that hospital.


    room.¡± I scoffed. settling down next to Colin, ¡°If you¡¯re going to kneel, do it here.¡±


    Melody red at me with venom in her eyes, wishing she could tear me apart. She knew I was


    humiliating her.


    Colin, ever so obedient, sat on the bench, relieved when I returned and took my hand, ¡°Phoebe, she¡¯s


    not worth your time.¡±


    I smiled at Colin, ¡°She won¡¯t do it. Let¡¯s head home.¡±


    ¡°Foebe Larson!¡± Melody blurted out my name as Colin and I stood to leave, her eyes red with


    desperation, kneeling down in utter humiliation, ¡°Please, I¡¯m begging you. Dexter¡¯s badly hurt. You¡¯re


    the only one who can help us now.


    It was a public guilt trip. People around the hospital began to whisper.


    ¡°Melody, when you ndered Phoebe and forced her to her knees, did you ever imagine this day would


    come?¡± I looked down at Melody, who was now the spectacle, and I almost wanted tough.


    Melody clenched her fists ferociously. I knew she couldn¡¯t stand it.


    Women like her were the most dangerous, capable of both submission and dominance. She was


    enduring my humiliation because she was confident that one day she¡¯d climb to the top and repay me a


    hundredfold for today¡¯s shaming.


    That was why her ambitions were soaring, aiming to bypass Dexter and connect with the president of


    All¨CStars Consortium.

 Chapter 212

    Because she knew that only the president of All¨CStars Consortium could outy the Langley family.


    After all, I was now Mrs. Langley, and even if I didn¡¯t have real power yet, I was still the missus of the


    Langley Group CEO.


    And what was she? Dexter wouldn¡¯t even give her a proper title. If she didn¡¯t hustle to get close to the


    president of All¨CStars Consortium, how was she supposed to protect herself, to outshine me, to


    compete with me?


    ¡°Foebe Larson, I¡¯ve already knelt before you in public. What more do you want?¡± Melody ground her


    teeth as she spoke, her voice tinged with a plea for sympathy.


    The onlookers began to murmur among themselves. Seizing the moment, Melody burst into tears,


    ¡°Foebe, you wanted me to kneel, and I did. Please, just help me; you¡¯re the only one who can save me


    now.¡±


    Melody feared Colin, thinking he was the murderer, yet she knew she had to leverage her connection


    with the Langley family for protection.


    ¡°Colin¡­I know you despise those of us from the orphanage, but we grew up together. We were all kids,


    bound to make mistakes. Can¡¯t you just forget the past and let us go?¡± Melody¡¯s gaze fell on Colin.


    Colin furrowed his brow, holding me with one arm, ¡°Don¡¯t try to guilt¨Ctrip me. I don¡¯t do morals.¡±


    Melody, lips quivering with anger, spoke again, ¡°Colin, do you really have to nitpick with us?¡±


    ¡°Come on, what¡¯s the big deal? Forcing this poor girl to her knees?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being too harsh. What harm could she possibly do?¡±


    A few ¡°kind¨Chearted¡± women began to chide.


    I nced at them, ¡°She, along with a pack of beasts, locked my husband in a tiny, barred room, set it


    on fire, causing over twenty deaths and numerous serious injuries.¡±


    As my words settled, everyone was shocked, looking at Melody as if she were a ghoul.


    Melody, stunned, tried to exin, ¡°Foebe, I wasn¡¯t involved in that orphanage fire.¡±


    ¡°Whether you were involved, you know it damn well. A murderer doesn¡¯t kill the innocent, and you


    seem far from innocent.¡± I stepped forward, towering over Melody, ¡°Back then, those who were burned


    alive, struggling in the fire¡­they saw you through those bars, clear as day.¡±


    Melody copsed to the ground, recoiling in terror, ¡°You¡¯re lying¡­you¡¯re lying.¡±


    I scoffed, seeing her reaction; she was definitely involved.


    ¡°Foebe Larson! Colin is a madman; he¡¯s been crazy since we were kids! His love is Phoebe!


    Phoebe was his girlfriend, and she¡¯s just as mad!¡± Melody screamed as if she had been


    startled.


    Her eyes were wide with fear, looking past me at Colin.


    ¡°He loved Phoebe, and now that she¡¯s dead, you¡¯re nothing but a stand¨Cin, a puppet, a piece of


    decoration. Do you think he loves you? When he tires of you, he¡¯ll kill you without a second. thought,


    trapping you in a ss cab! You¡¯ll die too; you¡¯ll all die!¡± She yelled at me.


    I turned, equally shocked, to look at Colin.


    Did I have a romance with Colin that I couldn¡¯t remember because of my amnesia?


    Aggrieved, Colin looked at me with a hint of red in his eyes, offering a faint smile, ¡°Phoebe, I don¡¯t


    me you.¡±


    For not remembering him. He always said he didn¡¯t me me. But it only made me more


    anxious.


    Colin didn¡¯t deny Melody¡¯s words, which meant she was telling the truth about this.


    I had forgotten my former lover Colin, and during the years he was trapped in his personal hell, I had


    fallen in love with Dexter.


    And when Colin finally broke free from his cage to find me, he discovered I had forgotten him and fallen


    for someone else?


    Why did my heart ache so much?


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Was this really the truth?


    If so, I owed Colin so much, too much.

 Chapter 213

    ¡°Foebe, you¡¯re not Phoebe; you just aren¡¯t!¡± Melody¡¯s cries filled the air.


    A nurse hurried over to calm her; sensing trouble, she called for a doctor.


    ¡°Foebe, I know Phoebe¡¯s secrets. You don¡¯t believe me, do you? I really do know secrets about her.¡±


    Her voice turned hoarse as she suddenly grabbed me, ¡°Watch out for Colin, beware of that lunatic.¡±


    I took a step back, looking at Melody who was in despair, ¡°The Langley family won¡¯t shield you, and I


    don¡¯t need to hear Phoebe¡¯s secrets from you, Melody. You¡¯ve made your bed; now you must lie in it.


    No one can save you.¡±


    Melody trembled, copsing to the floor, ¡°Foebe Larson! You¡¯ll regret this!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Her hatred for me was palpable, furious that I had made her kneel today yet refused to protect her.


    I ignored her. Her hysterical screams continued.


    Colin took my hand and led me away. I didn¡¯t look back. I was no saint; her pain should bring me joy.


    As I watched Colin¡¯s back, my vision blurred. Melody had said that Phoebe and Colin were lovers, that


    Phoebe¡¯s heart belonged to Colin, and his to her.


    Why had Ipletely erased such deep memories? Howe?


    ¡°Phoebe Caldwell! Why did you have to fight me for Dexter? Why can¡¯t you just leave me be? Why do


    you haunt me even in death? You¡¯re a maniac, a specter! You almost killed Dexter once; it was all your


    fault! If he hates you, it¡¯s because of you!¡± Melody¡¯s voice echoed.


    Colin quickened his pace, giving Melody a dark look, and then ushered me into the elevator, covering


    my ears, ¡°Don¡¯t believe a word she says.¡±


    All I could do was watch Melody¡¯s breakdown until the elevator doors closed.


    ¡°Phoebe.¡± Ste, who had been outside on the phone, rushed over anxiously, ¡°Robin¡­ the news about


    him has just blown up online, the media pressure is intense, and the higher¨Cups, backed into a corner,


    have decided to take action against him.¡±


    I was taken aback and quickly checked my phone. Police brutality ¨C it was trending. Someone was


    clearly manipting public opinion.


    ¡°At first, I thought the murderer was acting alone, a lone madman, but it seems we¡¯ve all


    underestimated the situation,¡± my voice was raw.


    Behind the scenes, it wasn¡¯t just one person. They had substantial power and resources. To sway


    public opinion, to steer the narrative ¨C it wasn¡¯t something just anyone could do.


    Who on earth was this murderer?


    11:18


    ¡°Robin¡¯s been reassigned to the traffic division,¡± Ste¡¯s eyes were downcast, her voice choked up.


    ¡°Robin was on this case from the start, and now he¡¯s been demoted to traffic duty. This case just got


    even more hopeless.¡±


    ¡°Robin must be feeling awful,¡± I didn¡¯t know what to say,


    ¡°Let¡¯s go keep himpany,¡± Ste suggested quietly, seeking my input.


    I was surprised that she seemed to trust me now.


    Colin was still holding my hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    I was astonished that Colin would actually take the initiative to show concern for someone else.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    At Robin¡¯s ce..


    Ste was outside, banging on the door, but Robin wouldn¡¯t open. Ste kicked at the door, ¡°Robin, I


    know you¡¯re in there. If you don¡¯t open up, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re the talk of the Family Housing!¡±


    I knew Ste was worried something might have happened to Robin. Yet still, he didn¡¯t open the


    door.


    ¡°Robin,e out here, you heartbreaker! I¡¯m pregnant with your child, and you dare to abandon me.¡±


    Ste began her performance, crying out loud.


    This was the Police Courtyard, where Robin¡¯s dad had been an officer, dying in the line of duty. Robin


    had taken up his father¡¯s badge, thinking he could honor his memory with his own dedication. But


    reality had forced him to bow his head time and again.


    Ste¡¯s wails shocked both Colin and me. We exchanged a nce and instinctively stepped back.


    Colin seemed particrly impressed by Ste¡¯s act, whispering to me in awe, ¡°Phoebe, your friend is


    pretty intense.¡±


    I put a hand to my forehead, feeling speechless. ¡°Intense¡± was one word for it.


    Soon enough, Robin opened the door, his face grim and unshaven, as he mped a hand over Ste¡¯s


    mouth.

 Chapter 214

    The folks around here were all his father¡¯s colleagues, and Ste was practically setting him up for


    social suicide.


    ¡°What are you hollering about?¡± Robin yanked her inside, casting a nce at me and Colin, and he


    quickly ran his fingers through his disheveled hair, ¡°Well, this ce is a bit of a mess.¡±


    Colin and I stepped in, surveying the sea of beer cans and cigarette butts. A bit of a mess was an


    understatement.


    ¡°You¡¯re just gonna let this case go?¡± Ste prodded.


    Robin lit a cigarette, took a drag, then realized I was pregnant and hurriedly snuffed it out.


    Colin frowned and pulled my head into his chest, ¡°Secondhand smoke, it¡¯s toxic.¡±


    Robin rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up about it. You¡¯re smart but not that smart. Not being able to handle it is normal;


    it¡¯s a matter of talent.¡± Colin said, trying to offerfort.


    I opened my mouth without uttering a word, feeling awkward. Colin¡¯s idea offort was a bit too blunt.


    Robin¡¯s lips twitched as if he wanted to kick Colin out, but his good manners held him back. ¡°Even


    though I¡¯ve stepped down, it¡¯s not all bad news. The higher¨Cups have sent down an expert, a real wiz


    in criminal investigations. Heard he¡¯s from the Genius ss too, probably crossed paths with your


    man.¡± Robin nced at me, ¡°Name¡¯s Finn, supposed to have an extraordinary memory. He doesn¡¯t


    miss a thing once he¡¯s seen the crime scene.¡±


    I looked at Colin with surprise. Could this guy really be that impressive?


    Colin just snorted softly, muttering under his breath, ¡°Useless, I give you that.¡±


    I was like, ¡°?¡±


    Although Robin didn¡¯t catch Colin¡¯s mutter, I did. It was clear he and this Finn didn¡¯t get along.


    ¡°Genius ss ¨C they¡¯re one in a billion, truly exceptional; hope he can crack the case as soon as


    possible.¡± Ste whispered, hopeful.


    ¡°There¡¯s a world of difference between geniuses,¡± Colin disproved Ste¡¯s words.


    *For geniuses scoring over sixty, those with a thousand are different from others scoring sixty¨Cone.


    There¡¯s no limit to excellence.¡± He clearly wasn¡¯t impressed with Finn, ¡°And this guy. he¡¯s as annoying


    as Dexter.¡±


    felt helpless as Colin had now made ¡°Dexter¡± synonymous with annoyance.


    Ste looked at Colin, surprised, ¡°He¡¯s talking a lot today.¡±


    11:08


    The folks around here were all his father¡¯s colleagues, and Ste was practically setting him up for


    social suicide.


    ¡°What are you hollering about?¡± Robin yanked her inside, casting a nce at me and Colin, and he


    quickly ran his fingers through his disheveled hair, ¡°Well, this ce is a bit of a mess.¡±


    Colin and I stepped in, surveying the sea of beer cans and cigarette butts. A bit of a mess was an


    understatement.


    ¡°You¡¯re just gonna let this case go?¡± Ste prodded.


    Robin lit a cigarette, took a drag, then realized I was pregnant and hurriedly snuffed it out.


    my head into his chest, ¡°Secondhand smoke, it¡¯s toxic.¡±


    Colin frowned and pulleder


    Robin rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up about it. You¡¯re smart but not that smart. Not being able to handle it is normal;


    it¡¯s a matter of talent,¡± Colin said, trying to offerfort.


    I opened my mouth without uttering a word, feeling awkward. Colin¡¯s idea offort was a bit. too


    blunt.


    Robin¡¯s lips twitched as if he wanted to kick Colin out, but his good manners held him back.


    ¡°Even though I¡¯ve stepped down, it¡¯s not all bad news. The higher¨Cups have sent down and expert, a


    real wiz in criminal investigations. Heard he¡¯s from the Genius ss too, probably crossed paths with


    your man.¡± Robin nced at me, ¡°Name¡¯s Finn, supposed to have an extraordinary memory. He


    doesn¡¯t miss a thing once he¡¯s seen the crime scene.¡±


    I looked at Colin with ¡®surprise. Could this guy really be that impressive?


    Colin just snorted softly, muttering under his breath, ¡°Useless, I give you that.¡±


    I was like, ¡°?¡±


    Although Robin didn¡¯t catch Colin¡¯s mutter, I did. It was clear he and this Finn didn¡¯t get along.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Genius ss ¨C they¡¯re one in a billion, truly exceptional; hope he can crack the case as soon as


    possible,¡± Ste whispered, hopeful.


    ¡°There¡¯s a world of difference between geniuses,¡± Colin disproved Ste¡¯s words.


    ¡°For geniuses scoring over sixty, those with a thousand are different from others scoring sixty¨Cone.


    There¡¯s no limit to excellence.¡± He clearly wasn¡¯t impressed with Finn, ¡°And this guy. he¡¯s as annoying


    as Dexter.¡±


    I felt helpless as Colin had now made ¡°Dexter¡± synonymous with annoyance.


    Ste looked at Colin, surprised, ¡°He¡¯s talking a lot today.¡±


    11:08


    Colin really must have disliked this Finn.


    ¡°He¡¯s not even in your league,¡± Colin gave Robin a meaningful look. It was his way of telling Robin not


    to give up.


    Robin didn¡¯t respond, pouring himself a beer.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna drink that? How old is it?¡± Ste tried to snatch the bottle away.


    ¡°Cracked it openst night.¡± Robin dodged her, ¡°Don¡¯t want to waste it.¡±


    Before long, Robin was clutching his stomach and bolting for the toilet.


    Ste sighed and started cleaning up the mess.


    ¡°Melody went ballistic at the hospital today.¡± I mentioned to Ste as we left Robin¡¯s ce, ¡°She knows


    now that Dexter¡¯s out of the picture, she¡¯s unprotected.¡±


    I wanted to cheer Ste up a bit. Melody¡¯s downfall felt like karma.


    Ste paused her trash¨Cpicking, looking at me, ¡°This is just the beginning. She deserves to feel even


    more despair.¡±


    I smiled and took Colin¡¯s hand as we walked away.


    ¡°Colin, were you and Phoebe ever an item?¡± I looked up at him seriously.


    Did he really recognize me as Phoebe, or was he treating me as a recement of her just like what


    they said? What would happen when he came to his senses? Would he lose it, maybe evensh out at


    me?


    Colin stood before me, his gaze intense, ¡°My love. You are the one I love.¡±


    He said it with such conviction. The word ¡°love¡± made my heart ache.


    Ste and Robin scurried out from the room upstairs, ¡°Someone from the hospital called. Melody


    attempted suicide next to Dexter¡¯s hospital bed. Dexter¡¯s awake!¡±

 Chapter 215

    I nced helplessly at Ste, ¡°It seems like some problems just refuse to die, is Melody gone? If she¡¯s


    out of the picture, I might just pop a bottle of champagne,¡±


    Ste was leaning on the balcony rall, letting out a sigh, ¡°What else does she know besides acting?


    She¡¯s clever enough, just looking to keep Dexter in her debt forever,¡±


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    It was clear as day; even Ste could see right through Melody.


    Robin and Ste came down the stairs, and we all headed to the hospital together. Robin¡¯s beard was


    scruffy, and he looked a bit rough around the edges.


    ¡°You look even more like a hobo than Colin does right now.¡± Ste whispered with a snicker, ¡°But you


    don¡¯t have Colin¡¯s rugged good looks.¡±


    Robin shot Ste a look, ¡°Is that your idea of politeness?¡±


    Ste justughed and hopped into Robin¡¯s car.


    Dexter hade to, and his statement could really push the case forward. What exactly went down


    that night, how he ended up getting stabbed, and whether Dorian was the assant or not.


    His testimony was critical. We rushed up the hospital stairs, eager to get to Dexter¡¯s room, but we were


    stopped in our tracks.


    Cory cordoned off the ce with police tape, looking diforted as he faced Robin, ¡°Robin¡­the


    higher¨Cups just sent someone here. No unauthorized personnel allowed.¡±


    It was obvious they anticipated Robin¡¯s arrival, and to them, we were just the ¡°unauthorized personnel¡°.


    ¡°Finn?¡± Robin frowned, clearly annoyed as he barged through. ¡°I just want to know what happened that


    night.¡±


    Inside the room, a man in a sleek ck suit stood with his back to the door. As Robin entered,


    the man didn¡¯t even turn around, his voice deep and measured, ¡°Officer Robin, or rated.


    to yourck of professionalism, you¡¯re no longer in charge of this investigation.¡±


    Robin¡¯s brows knitted together, and he clenched his fists.


    thanks.


    Even without seeing his face, the arrogance wafting off this guy was palpable, as if he looked down on


    everyone.


    On the way over, I did a quick search on this Finn. He used to be known as Felix before he switched to


    Finn. He was the third¨Cranked genius to enter the Genius ss at the age of fifteen, a year old


    than Colin and Carter.


    Colin was first, Carter second.


    In an exam out of a perfect score of 700, one got a 706 and the other a 700. Colin had pointed


    out some mistake and Impreciseness in a mathpetition question and provided solutions from two


    aspects, earning himself an extra six points.


    Carter, on the other hand, would have had the same score if his handwriting wasn¡¯t so atrocious; It


    looked like a worm¡¯s trall, costing him six points for penmanship.


    As for Finn, he scored 367. That was the gulf Colin spoke of


    The Genius ss entrance exam was a beastly 700¨Cpoint test where scoring over 300 was enough to


    get in. But out of countless kids nationwide, only fourteen managed it.


    What was even more shocking was the massive gap between the third ce and the top two,


    The presence of Colin and Carter had turned the Double¨CGenius Welfare House into a national


    sensation. Because of them, the rest of the twelve geniuses were merely in the backdrop.


    ¡°Dexter, what happened that night?¡± Robin had been hitting the bottle hard these past few days; his


    mental state was on edge.


    Dorian was pushing him towards a death wish, but Robin still wanted to get to the truth.


    ¡°The patient just regained consciousness. He can¡¯t be stressed with too many questions right. now.


    Shouldn¡¯t you know that, Officer Robin? After all, you graduated top of your ss from the police


    academy.¡± Finn spoke coldly, every word dripping with disdain.


    I stood at the door, just looking at his silhouette was enough to feel his unapproachability.


    ¡°Just because you¡¯re provoked, you attack the suspect, potentially killing the only lead. Officer Robin,


    your intelligence, frankly, is worrying,¡± Finn was goading Robin.


    Robin¡¯s hands were balled into fists, barely restraining himself fromshing out.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re pretty smart, huh?¡± At the door, Colin chimed in, ¡°Dressed like you¡¯re going to a


    funeral ¨C is that to make us think you¡¯ve got bra

 Chapter 216

    Ste and I stood there, mouths agape, as Colin delivered a verbal smackdown that was nothing short


    of epic.


    Finn stiffened for a moment before turning to Colin with a smirk, ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this¡­my old pal? Released


    from the loony bin? Still as uncouth as ever ¨C I wonder how your folks let a lunatic like you run loose.¡±


    The animosity between Finn and Colin was palpable. He deliberately mentioned parents to get under


    Colin¡¯s skin.


    Everyone knew about Colin¡¯s his father¡¯s fatal car ident, his mother¡¯s unknown fate, and his


    abandonment at the doorstep of an orphanage as a child.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got quite the mouth on you. Must¡¯ve grown up all by yourself, huh?¡± I frowned. This guy didn¡¯t


    have any manners at all Did he even have parents?


    Finn¡¯s eyes darkened as he fixed his gaze on me, deep and probing.


    After a moment, he chuckled. ¡°Ah¡­maybe I should call you Caleb Langley now, you¡¯re still the same,


    addicted to collection.¡±


    Clearly, he was mocking the resemnce I bore to Phoebe.


    ¡°Everyone out,¡± on the hospital bed, Dexter¡¯s pallor was off, and he motioned for us to leave.


    Finn nced back at Dexter, ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, you rest up. I¡¯ll swing by when you¡¯re feeling


    better.¡±


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    As he walked out, he paused deliberately in front of me, ¡°You do look remarkably like Phoebe.¡±


    He thought that would get to me, that it was all intentional. But he didn¡¯t realize that I was, in fact,


    Phoebe.


    I furrowed my brow. ¡°You know Phoebe?¡±


    Finn was from the Genius ss, Colin¡¯s ssmate, and it had slipped my mind. Now, I was starting to


    piece together that the memories I¡¯d lost were all connected to Colin. I had forgotten Colin and all of his


    friends.


    ¡°Of course. All the guys in our dorm knew Phoebe. After all, Colin used to sleep with a photo of her ¨C


    crystal clear.¡± Finn¡¯s gaze shifted to Colin, ¡°Too bad the photo got torn up by them, though. They say


    tearing up photos brings bad luck, and look ¨C Phoebe¡¯s supposedly dead.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t repeat the same mistake,¡± Finn warned again.


    Colin, who had been holding back, got furious through Finn¡¯s provocation. He charged forward, shoving


    Finn against the wall with a re thick with rage. ¡°You¡¯re going to die.¡±


    ¡°Am I on the hit list for a serial murderer now? Great, I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Finn scoffed, ¡°Let¡¯s see if a genius


    who¡¯s entered the Genius ss with a full mark can take me out.¡±


    08:05 6 7


    Chanel 216


    Pushing Colin off, he straightened his clothes and walked away.


    Stunned, I looked down at the slip of paper that had found its way into my hand during themotion ¨C


    Finn had slipped it to me on the sly.


    What was he trying to tell me in secret?


    That night. I hid in the shadows, hoping to see if Melody could lure out the murderer. But Dorian


    showed up, intent on killing Melody. I stepped in to stop him and got stabbed,¡± Dexter finally spoke, his


    words meant for Robin.


    He trusted Robin more than any unknown investigator.


    ¡°Dexter¡­¡± Robin was about to say something, only to be interrupted by Melody¡¯s sobs.


    Her wrist was bandaged as she leaned on Hailey, entering the hospital room.


    ¡°Dexter, Melody¡¯s a good girl. She¡­she tried to take her own life out of love for you, but I found her in


    time.¡± Hailey sighed, ¡°Now that Phoebe is gone, nothing can be changed. I won¡¯t pressure. you


    anymore. If you want to take responsibility for Melody, then marry her.¡±


    Melody was cunning, leveraging a suicide attempt into gaining Hailey¡¯s eptance.


    Dexter¡¯s eyes flickered toward me in a panic, ¡°Phoebe.¡±


    Ste and I stood there, mouths agape, as Colin delivered a verbal smackdown that was nothing short


    of epic.


    Finn stiffened for a moment before turning to Colin with a smirk, ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this¡­my old pal? Released


    from the loony bin? Still as uncouth as ever ¨C I wonder how your folks let a lunatic like you run loose.¡±


    The animosity between Finn and Colin was palpable. He deliberately mentioned parents to get under


    Colin¡¯s skin.


    Everyone knew about Colin¡¯s his father¡¯s fatal car ident, his mother¡¯s unknown fate, and his


    abandonment at the doorstep of an orphanage as a child.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got quite the mouth on you. Must¡¯ve grown up all by yourself, huh?¡± I frowned. This guy didn¡¯t


    have any manners at all Did he even have parents?


    Finn¡¯s eyes darkened as he fixed his gaze on me, deep and probing.


    After a moment, he chuckled. ¡°Ah¡­maybe I shoul

 Chapter 217

    I ignored Dexter¡¯s calls and gripped Colin¡¯s hand, eager to get home.


    ¡°Phoebe Caldwell,¡± Dexter¡¯s voice was tinged with urgency as he said my name.


    ¡°Dexter, stop scaring me. She¡¯s not Phoebe; just looks a bit like her.¡± Hailey interjected with a pale face,


    pressing down on Dexter to keep him from getting up, ¡°Your wound is deep; don¡¯t move around.¡±


    Melody was looking at me with teary eyes and a challenging gaze, as if to say she had won the bet


    once again.


    At least heaven had mercy: Dexter hade around. If Dexter agreed to marry her, Melody wouldn¡¯t


    need to go through the trouble of connecting with that mysterious guy from All¨CStars Consortium.


    ¡°Dexter, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re awake. I thought¡­¡± Melody broke down in tears, ¡°I was ready to follow you


    into the beyond, but thankfully Hailey found me in time.¡±


    Dexter¡¯s eyes were fixed on me all along, as if he had a million things to say.


    Melody saw no response from Dexter, her eyes reddening even more.


    ¡°Dexter, it¡¯s good you¡¯re awake. Take your time to heal, and when you¡¯re better, treat Melody right,¡±


    Hailey sighed.


    I walked to the door, and looked back at Dexter onest time.


    His gaze was on me all the time; I snorted, and then left with my hand holding Colin¡¯s.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look back at him.¡± Colin was clearly upset, gripping my hand a little tighter.


    ¡°He¡¯s blind,¡± Colin muttered under his breath about Dexter.


    I nodded and gave Colin a smile, ¡°I agree with you.¡±


    Ste trailed behind Robin, who seemed out of sorts, clearly disturbed by something. Probably the


    words of that genius Finn had gotten to him.


    ¡°Your heart can¡¯t be that fragile, can it?¡± Ste asked softly.


    Robin didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Fragile as ss.¡± Ste sighed and kept talking to Robin, ¡°Robin, don¡¯t listen to that so¨Ccalled genius;


    he¡¯s nuts. To me, he looks more like a mobster.¡±


    I smiled, watching Steforting Robin. Ste and I met after my parents passed, and I transferred


    to Dexter¡¯s high school. We promised each other to get in the same university; she was into medicine,


    and I preferred math, although unluckily, without Colin¡¯s innate talent, I settled for a more mainstream


    major.


    Ste was a good soul, like me, with few friends; we only really had each other. Her family


    issues had made her introverted, often lost in thought alone. We clicked andplemented each other


    perfectly.


    Sometimes I thought that friendship might be the most sincere rtionship because it was not about


    blood; it was just about genuinely liking each other.


    During my most helpless times, it was always Ste by my side, helping and supporting me, sharing


    tears andughter with no conditions. Even after my death, she tirelessly sought the


    truth.


    ¡°Take care of Officer Robin.¡± I called out to Ste, waving my hand as Eric approached.


    Seeing Eric, Ste nodded and hopped into Robin¡¯s car. With a rev of the engine, she reversed and


    sped off with him.


    Standing at the curb. I witnessed Robin¡¯s face, which was a picture of shock. I remembered when


    Ste and I got our driving licenses back in high school, joking about being reckless once. we hit the


    streets.


    ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Langley,¡± Eric said as he opened the car door, gesturing for us


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°The police finished taking the statements?¡± I asked.


    to get in.


    Eric nodded, ¡°We did fund Dorian, but we had no idea about his involvement in the murder.¡±


    I didn¡¯t push further and got into the car. On the way, my mind was preupied with the note Finn had


    given me. He wanted to meet me tomorrow at noon, insisting I keep it from Colin.


    Finn was a cop, so meeting him shouldn¡¯t pose any danger.


    But why the secrecy?


    He said he¡¯d take me somewhere.

 Chapter 218

    Where was he nning to take me?


    ¡°Phoebe,¡± Colin noticed my distraction and held my hand, his touch catelu


    ¡°Mr. Langley, there¡¯s a charity g on the first of next month that you need to attend the nced at


    Colin through the rear¨Cview mirror.


    ¡°Not going,¡± Colin grumbled, his mood visibly sour. He had social anxiety and batted such events.


    ¡°You¡¯ve just taken the helm of the Langley Group. It¡¯s important to show face at these kinds u


    gatherings,¡± Eric coaxed with a hint of resignation.


    ¡°Annoying.¡± Colin muttered, his irritation tinged with a petnt edge.


    I propped up my head, watching Colin, and suddenly I found it amusing. He looked just like a d being


    forced by his parents to attend some tedious family gathering.


    ¡°Colin, we really should go to this charity g. Henry¡¯s been bailed out caring somente ese took the fall


    for his crimes. His son Julian is convinced we¡¯re involved if merry¡¯s out he wo let us off easy.¡± I sighed,


    ¡°I heard that a high roller from All¨CStars Consortium will be there the CEO whose presence has been


    near¨Cmythical in recent years.¡±


    Colin paused, and then turned to look at me, ¡°You want to go?¡±


    I nodded.


    Whether it was to sniff out the real culprit or anything else, survival aways came first Herr certainly


    didn¡¯t seem keen on letting Colin and me keep breathing. Getting to ON THE enigmatic CEO of All¨C


    Stars Consortium might be a major boost for our standing within the Langley family.


    ¡°Yeah, the mysterious big shot could really help us out of our current bind hec you secure your position


    at the Langley Group,¡± I whispered.


    Eric braked a little too sharply, and arly toppled over but was caught in Colin¡¯s emprace


    Colin frowned, gazing at Eric.


    ¡°My apologies.¡± Eric said, clearly regretful ¡°I got distracted for a second there


    ¡°Do you know anything about the CEO of All¨CStars Consortium, Eric? After all you move in these


    circles,¡± I was curious if Eric had ever encountered the illustrious leader.


    ¡°Sorry, Mrs. Langley, All¨CStars Consortium has risen quickly these past few years, but its founder


    remains a mystery. No one¡¯s seen him, and he rarely makes the news ¨C almost secluded,¡± Eric shook


    his head.


    Even as the assistant to the chairman of the Langley Group, he hadn¡¯t met the CEO of All¨CStars


    Consortium. That person was indeed a mystery.


    did some digging, and there are online rumors about the All¨CStars CEO being an old, ugly man with a


    mo- that¡¯s why he¡¯s rarely in the public eye, hardly seen by anyone.¡± I shared, unsure of the Inte¡¯s


    reliability.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Colin¡¯s action of sipping water stiffened, and he coughed, looking like he had choked. Instinctively, I


    reached out to wipe the water that had dribbled down to his neck.


    His Adam¡¯s apple¡ªit was so striking, prominent and defined. He swallowed, and I watched it


    I blushed, and reflexively pulled back my fingers.


    I¡¯d heard one shouldn¡¯t touch a man¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple carelessly. Sure enough, Colin¡¯s hand reached


    out, pulling me into his embrace, and he leaned down to kiss me.


    Eric, resigned to the situation, raised the privacy partition and drove on with the focus of a soldier on a


    mission.


    ¡°You¡± I tried to push Colin away.


    ¡°You¡¯re provoking me.¡± Colin said with a feigned wistfulness.


    Was he implying I had seduced him first?


    ¡°I was just wiping off the water for you.¡± I muttered softly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Colin pouted, cradling my cheeks, leaning in to kiss me. ¡°You¡¯re mine.¡±


    I had no choice but to submit, letting him kiss me.


    ¡°Colin.¡±


    I whispered his name, my breath hot.


    Why could I forget everything but what rted to you?


    ¡°Henry¡¯s stirred up some senior executives to strike. Tomorrow morning, you have to go to the office.¡±


    Eric, reluctant to interrupt, spoke up after taking a call.


    I breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¨C


    With Colin away at the office tomorrow, I could sneak out at noon to meet Finn. I wanted to know what


    he was nning to show me.

 Chapter 219

    Back home, I coaxed Colin into hitting the sack first.


    The guy acted like he¡¯d hit the jackpot, putting on a pitiful face, iming he had a fever, his hand hurt,


    his foot hurt, and he needed me to bathe him.


    If he¡¯d just behave, it wouldn¡¯t be such a chore¡­but no, he had to push his luck. At first, he stripped


    down himself, and now he had me drenched from head to toe.


    ¡°Caleb Langley called out his full name through gritted teeth, soaked through.


    ¡°Phoebe, your clothes are wet; let¡¯s just shower together, Colin said with an innocent face, earnestly


    reaching for the buttons on my blouse.


    I pped his hand away. Taking a deep breath, I kept reminding myself he was my husband. It was my


    fault, really. I¡¯d spoiled him rotten.


    ¡°Phoebe.¡±


    My phone rang. To avoid any water damage. I kept it on the ledge inside the bathtub.


    Colin reached to grab it for me, but the moment he saw it was Dexter, his face darkened and his fingers


    slipped.


    There I was, watching my phone take a dive into the bathtub, struggling for a few seconds


    before it went dead.


    I took a deep breath as rage surged within me. Dexter¡¯s number had been cklisted before, and I


    could bet my bottom dor it was Colin¡¯s doing.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­I got my wound wet; it hurts so bad. I couldn¡¯t hold on. You¡¯re not mad at me, right?¡± Colin


    looked at me with puppy dog eyes, the dark clouds from moments ago gone, reced by a plea for


    forgiveness like a naughty child caught red¨Chanded.


    My rising anger was quelled yet again by his good looks.


    ¡°Caleb, this is the third phone you¡¯ve wrecked.¡± I said through clenched teeth, trying to keep a lid on my


    anger, ¡°Next time, hands off my phone.¡±


    His eyes brimmed with tears. ¡°Is a phone more fun than me?¡±


    I was puzzled. Fun?


    As I reached to salvage my drowned phone, he grabbed my wrist, and before I knew it, I was pulled


    into the tub, sprawling on top of him.


    My anger truly erupted in that instant, only to be extinguished just as quickly by his physique and good


    looks.


    He was pale as a ghost with well¨Cdefined muscles, water droplets adorning him like a merman fresh


    from the depths, untouched by the world.


    ¡°Oh well, guess we¡¯re in this together now,¡± Colin said innocently, a smirk creeping on his lips as he


    pulled me into his embrace,


    Exasperated, I tried to push him away, but he was too slippery, and I just ended up even closer. Having


    reached my limit, I bit down hard on his corbone.


    Colin tensed for a moment, not pushing me away or resisting.


    ¡°Still like biting when you¡¯re mad?¡± He murmured, and then suddenly flipped us over, pinning me under


    him in the bathtub.


    Water washed over my head, and I instinctively held my breath, only to have him kiss me. Suddenly, it


    hit me this guy was definitely no fool.


    Who taught him these tricks? He seemed so innocent, like he didn¡¯t know anything, but every time, he


    could turn up the heat until I was blushing and breathless.


    ¡°Caleb, you¡¯re going to drown me!¡± 1 shoved him off and gasped for air, shaking my head to get the


    water out of my ears.


    Angry but unable to stay that way, I fixed him with a re.


    ¡°Get washed up and go to bed. No arguments!¡± I threatened in a low voice, but it was useless. He was


    as stubborn as theye, hands wandering. The bathroom was steaming, and the scene was turning


    PG¨C13.


    After much fuss, I ended up tiring myself out, crashing into bed, dead to the world.


    ¡°Mr. Langley, you really must go to the office tomorrow morning,¡± Eric pleaded from outside the door,


    still trying to reason with Colin.


    ¡°Not going.¡± Colin grumbled, ¡°I¡¯m taking Phoebe for her prenatal check¨Cup.¡±


    He never forgot anything; he was more punctual than my phone¡¯s reminder when it was time for a


    check¨Cup.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    With a muffled groan, I quickly spoke up. ¡°You go to the office. I¡¯ll manage the check¨Cup on my own in


    the morning.¡±

 Chapter 220

    ¡°No way.¡± Colin mumbled, his head hanging low, ¡°Phoebe, do you despise me or something?¡±


    Feeling a bit cornered, I had to speak up, ¡°Look, why don¡¯t you head to the office tomorrow, and then


    you cane with me the day after, okay?¡±


    It was not like one day would make much of a difference.


    Colin kept his gaze down and stayed silent.


    ¡°Mrs. Langley, I¡¯ve left the new smartphone for you by the door,¡± Eric set down the phone and left,


    content that his job was done.


    They all had figured it out: Colin only ever listened to me. Even I had to admit it was true.


    Yawning, I got out of bed to fetch the phone, powered it on, set it to silent, and then slipped back. into


    bed.


    Colin seemed wide awake, not the least bit sleepy, as he climbed into bed, pulled me into his arms and


    started toying with my hair.


    I was too tired to deal with him, so I just snuggled against his chest and drifted off. After who knew how


    long, a pressing need to pee woke me up. I wanted to head to the toilet, but when I opened my eyes, I


    saw Colin was still awake.


    He was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at something in his hands.


    I rubbed my eyes, not quite understanding at first.


    Then, my heart skipped a beat. Could it be the note Finn gave me? I remembered clearly tossing it in


    the hospital¡¯s trash after memorizing the contents and the phone number. How did it end up with Colin?


    I walked over to him and saw that what he was holding was just a piece of toilet paper.


    Relieved, I whispered, ¡°What are you doing up in the middle of the night?¡±


    ¡°Just heading to the toilet,¡± he looked just as sleepy as me.


    I nodded.


    He was probably just woken up too. After all, we¡¯d been sshing around in the tub for so long. we


    were both terribly thirsty before bed. As refreshing as it was to drink all that water, the midnight


    bathroom trip was equally annoying.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­I¡¯m scared,¡± he clung to me from behind.


    I looked up at him, puzzled.


    What was there to be afraid of in going to the toilet?


    ¡°Phoebe, do you think souls could be lingering around us in a form we can¡¯t see?¡± Colin asked


    softly.


    08:05:


    A chill ran down my spine, and I clutched at the hem of Colin¡¯s shirt. Now, it wasn¡¯t him who was


    scared; it was me. Because I knew that souls could indeed exist around us, unseen.


    ¡°I think I should step out while you use the toilet,¡± Colin said innocently but seriously.


    The ce suddenly felt drafty at every corner.


    He knew me too well. I was such a scaredy¨Ccat.


    Holding on to Colin¡¯s shirt, I whispered, ¡°Just turn around; don¡¯t look at me.¡±


    Colin grinned obediently, gave an ¡°okay¡°, turned around and stood by my side. I snorted, knowing he


    was just messing with me.


    ¡°Are you using all your smarts just to torment me?¡± I muttered under my breath.


    Colin didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°You once asked me, if a genius suddenly became a fool one day. what¡¯s the


    one thing that wouldn¡¯t change?¡±


    I looked up at Colin, with no recollection of such a conversation.


    ¡°Even if I became a fool, I¡¯d still love you,¡± he said softly, his voice so low I could barely hear him.


    I wanted him to repeat it, but he had already bowed his head in silence.


    Early in the next morning.


    When I woke up, Colin had already left for the office. I reached for my phone to see a few missed calls


    from Ste.


    ¡°Sleepyhead, you finally picked up,¡± Ste whispered in a teasing tone.


    I paused. Ste? Was she also treating me as Phoebe now? Before, she would only ever call me


    ¡°Sleepyhead¡°.


    ¡°Last night, Dexter went bonkers, insisting on seeing you. The doctors couldn¡¯t hold him back. He was


    so hurt that getting out of bed made him bleed again. His primary doctor is my senior, so he called me.


    I told him there was nothing I could do, might as well euthanize Dexter.¡± Ste¡¯s sarcasm was as sharp


    as ever, ¡°And guess what? Bleeding and all, he took off when the doctors weren¡¯t looking.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

 Chapter 221

    ¡°Took off?¡± I frowned, wondering what on earth Dexter was up to now.


    ¡°Did he swing by your ce?¡± Ste inquired.


    ¡°Nope, I¡¯ve been¡­¡± I was shacked up in a vi that Colin had rented on the outskirts of town. Dexter


    wouldn¡¯t have a clue where to find me, unless he went to the Langley Mansion?


    ¡°What if he showed up at the Langley Mansion?¡± I bolted upright, got up and changed my shoes, ¡°The


    guy better not be kicking the bucket on the Langley family¡¯s doorstep. Talk about a bad


    omen.


    After hanging up, Ste and I both made a beeline for the Langley estate. Sure enough, we found


    Dexter barely on his feet at the entrance.


    What was he thinking, leaving the hospital and his cozy bed toe see me?


    Dexter was as pale as a ghost, and when he saw me, he slumped against the wall, ¡°Phoebe Caldwell.¡±


    He was calling me ¡°Phoebe¡°?


    The guy had lost it, looking for a stand¨Cin again.


    My brows furrowed, ¡°Dexter, if you¡¯re gonna die, at least don¡¯t do it on my doorstep.¡±


    Dexter stumbled towards me, and then suddenly pulled me into a fierce hug, ¡°Phoebe¡­I¡¯m


    sorry.


    I recoiled as if I¡¯d been shocked, my anger ring up as I stared at him, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Dexter copsed on the ground, his shirt soaking up fresh blood from a wound in his abdomen. ¡°I


    shouldn¡¯t have doubted you,¡± he seemed convinced I was Phoebe, like Colin, looking for some fragile


    hope to cling to.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong person,¡± my voice was grim.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re Phoebe. When I was nearly dying, I saw Foebe Larson,¡± Dexter seemed delirious,


    his words low.


    I froze, panic surging through me, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Who did he think he saw?


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Foebe Larson,¡± he seemed to doubt his own words, as if it was all just a dream. But he was stubborn,


    convinced his dream was reality. Phoebe hadn¡¯t died; she was reborn in Foebe.


    I took a deep breath, ncing nervously around.


    ¡°Maybe it was all just a dream.¡± Dexter¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°At least, let me make it up to you.¡±


    He meant that whether I was Phoebe or not, he wanted to atone for his guilt towards her by making it


    up to me. To be honest, it was sickening.


    ¡°Phoebe, believe me, whatever Caleb can offer you, I can match.¡± Dexter¡¯s gaze burned into me, his


    hand reaching out desperately, ¡°Phoebe,e back with me, will you? If you must use Caleb¡­then


    use me instead.¡±


    It seemed like he was pleading, begging me to use him.


    I snorted, taking a step back. Once upon a time, I would have done anything for him, and he treated me


    like I was poison. And now he was begging someone who looked like me to use


    him.


    All to make up for the way he treated me before.


    What a piece of work.


    ¡°Dexter, you¡¯re despicable.¡± I said gravely, and then turned to Ste, who had arrived with Robin, ¡°This


    guy belongs in an asylum, thinking I¡¯m Phoebe.¡±


    Ste gave me aplex look, and then asked softly. ¡°Do you think if Phoebe was still around, she¡¯d


    have let go by now?¡±


    ¡°Pfft, only a fool holds onto grudges. What, does she want to die a few more times or something?¡± I


    responded sarcastically.


    Ste cracked a smile and then suddenly hugged me tight.


    I was baffled, ¡°What the¡­ We¡¯re not exactly tight, Ste.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re pretty cool. I want to be friends with you.¡± Ste extended her hand to me, ¡°Nice to meet


    you, Foebe Larson. I¡¯m Ste, Phoebe¡¯s best friend.¡±


    I looked down, smiling, and took her hand.


    Starting life anew, I wasn¡¯t just going to protect myself; I was going to look out for the friends i


    cherished the most.


    In fact, the moment before myst breath, I had sworn that if I got a second chance, 1, Phoebe


    Caldwell, would only care about those who cared for me, only love those who loved me.

 Chapter 222

    was koolish in the past: eded to inch towards growth and change, but my lessons came at a heavy


    cost


    ¡°M. Fitzgerald, you¡¯re acting like a madman. I¡¯m seriously considering calling the loony bin,¡±


    growing his brow, Robin genumely believed Dexter had lost it.


    As an atheist Dexter couldn¡¯t possibly believe in reincarnation or souls. Dexter opened his mouth to


    speak, but Hailey and Melody arrived in a rush.


    Dexter Hailey and Melody ran to him, enveloping him in a tight embrace, ¡°How could you speak out like


    this? Are you out of your mind?¡±


    Melody¡¯s eyes were red, ring at me viciously, ¡°Foebe, still ying dress¨Cup as Phoebe to seduce


    Dexter ¡°You¡¯re ying with his life!¡±


    She was pinning the me on me now.


    a at


    ¡°It¡¯s not her tault. I came here to see her.¡± Dexter exined with a grave voice.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Hailey snapped, pping Dexter across the face. ¡°You never appreciated Phoebe when she


    was here, and when I told you to cherish her, what did you do? Now, for this obvious impostor, you¡¯re


    acting like it¡¯s a matter of life and death!¡±


    Hailey was the epitome of a strong woman. She turned to me, her voice low and threatening. ¡°Foebe


    Larson, I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re after the Langley family or the Fitzgerald family, but if your hurt my son, I


    won¡¯t let you off easily!¡±


    I nced at Melody, whose talent for stirring up trouble hadn¡¯t changed a bit since she was kid. ¡°Hailey,


    I married Caleb, and now I¡¯m carrying his child. No scheme of mine would involve your son: he¡¯s no


    match for Caleb.¡± I retorted with a coldugh before continuing. ¡°Instead of doubting my motives, you


    might want to take a closer look at the venomous woman beside you. Not content with having a hand in


    Phoebe¡¯s demise, she¡¯s now eyeing the Fitzgerald fortune. The worst part is just as Dexter¡¯s


    recovering, she¡¯s already trying totch onto the enigmatic CEO of All¨CStars Consortium.¡±


    Melody turned pale. ¡°You¡¯re spouting nonsense!¡±


    ¡°Hailey, Dexter, don¡¯t believe her. She¡¯s an aplice to the murderer, a bad seed,¡± Melody said in a


    panicked tone, clearly showing her guilt.


    ¡°Ha.¡± I reached for my phone, and paused for a moment, only to remember that Caleb had chucked my


    previous one into the water. Luckily, all my recordings were backed up in the cloud.


    I


    After logging into my ount, I yed the recording of my conversation with Melody at the hospital,


    ¡°Come on, Dexter and Hailey, listen to this. This is proof of Melody begging me to hook her up with the


    CEO of All¨CStars Consortium while your son was in aa.¡±


    08:06


    I raised an eyebrow, giving Ste a proud tilt of my chin. I had learned from my past mistakes after all.


    I¡¯d been murdered by that woman before; when it came to a meeting with her, I had to record the


    conversations.


    As the recording yed from my phone, Melody was in shock. She flicked a panic nce at Dexter,


    and then quickly stepped forward to exin. ¡°Don¡¯t stir up trouble. I just wanted the CEO to help


    Dexter. I feared he wouldn¡¯t wake up, and Hailey couldn¡¯t manage thepany alone.¡±


    Flustered, she turned to Hailey; she had finally salvaged the goodwill she¡¯d worked so hard to build in


    thest few days.


    ¡°Funny, isn¡¯t it? Trying to entangle with the CEO of All¨CStars Consortium while pretending to be suicidal


    over lost love. Quite the actress,¡± Ste chimed in, twisting the knife.


    Both Hailey and Dexter looked furious.


    I gave Ste a sly smile. Ste and Robin gave me an approving thumbs up.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°I have other matters to attend to, so I won¡¯t keep you. Mr. Fitzgerald, if you are ill, you should seek


    treatment. The Langley family is not a crematory; we don¡¯t need your weeping and wailing here,¡± I said


    firmly, checking my watch.


    I had a meeting with Finn and no time for Dexter¡¯s regretful theatrics.

 Chapter 223

    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Dexter tried to get another word in, but I had already instructed the butler to close the door.


    Ste and Robin blocked Dexter¡¯s path, ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, if you really kick the bucket out here, It¡¯s going


    to be a nightmare for the docs.¡±


    Face ashen, Hailey looked at Dexter with a mix of frustration and disappointment, ¡°Dexter, you¡¯ve truly


    lost it.¡±


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Hailey was the epitome of a modern, independent woman. I could see the exhaustion in her eyes, and


    even disbelief. She probably never imagined her son turning out like this.


    With a helpless shake of my head, I walked into the living room.


    After I left, Ste texted me.


    [Hailey was nearly driven mad by Dexter¡¯s antics, wondering if her son was possessed by some evil


    spirit or had lost it. She even asked the assistant to find out who the best exorcist in Seal City was,


    wanting them toe and cleanse her home of bad juju.]


    I paused for a long time, myughter tinged with helplessness.


    Everyone knew that dead didn¡¯te back to life, but Hailey was Dexter¡¯s mother, after all. Even now,


    she wanted to me external forces for his troubles.


    I guessed Hailey probably hated me now. Regretted bringing me into the Fitzgerald family. med me


    for her son¡¯s downfall. Because of me, her son had ended up like this.


    Sure enough, I hadn¡¯t even reached the spot Finn had arranged to meet when Ste sent another


    message.


    [Hailey had taken an exorcist to Phoebe¡¯s gravesite.]


    She was performing some sort of ritual to exorcise spirits, and it was me she was trying toy to rest.


    She wanted me to find peace, so I wouldn¡¯t haunt her son any longer.


    ¡°Mrs. Langley, we¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    I didn¡¯t dwell on since when the Langley family¡¯s driver had started considering Colin as the eldest son


    of the family..


    After all, Samuel Langley had be a vegetable, unlikely to ever wake up, and the old man Brendan


    was now an invalid, struck down by a stroke, incapable of even the most basic self¨Ccare and decision¨C


    making. The Langley family was indeed in Colin¡¯s hands now.


    Stepping out of the car, I took a look around.


    Kingstone University, straddling Sea City and Kingstone City, was the nation¡¯s top university, the only


    one to offer a Genius ss for exceptional students.


    08.06


    Thad no clue why Finn wanted to meet here, but I was getting somewhat irritated. The traffic had made


    me three minuteste, and I¡¯d thought Finn would be annoyed. Yet, he was nowhere to be seen!


    I¡¯d always disliked people who couldn¡¯t keep time. Dexter was punctual to a fault, his timings precise to


    the second. If I was everte or disappointed him, he had creative ways to punish


    That made me sensitive about time. If I promised to meet someone, their absence would set me on


    edge.


    Was I being yed again? Pulling out my phone, I called Finn, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say to be at the ce written


    on the paper at the specified time?¡±


    Through the phone, Finn¡¯s voice was tight with anger, ¡°And I also told you not to tell Caleb, that tunatic.


    I was taken aback, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him. I threw the note away in the hospital trash right after reading it. No


    one saw it, not even Caleb.¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­¡± Finnughed bitterly, and then inhaled sharply as if in pain, ¡°I knew I couldn¡¯t fool that maniac.


    He must have seen it: had someone beat me up good. I¡¯m too embarrassed to show my face now!¡±


    On the other end, Finn cursed, ¡°It had to be him. There¡¯s an unspoken rule about not hitting the face,


    but he knows that¡¯s what I prize most. He had them target my face on purpose!¡±


    I was upset, ¡°Don¡¯t nder my husband like that. He needs assistance for the most basic tasks of


    living. If he could arrange for someone to beat you up, he wouldn¡¯t be the one getting pushed around.¡±


    If Colin had the means to have Finn beaten, he wouldn¡¯t have allowed Brendan and Samuel to bully


    him so ruthlessly.


    Sometimes I wonder if he really wasn¡¯t the culprit. What kind of murderer, with such capability, would


    allow himself to be tormented like that?

 Chapter 224

    ¡°So, all the guys who bullied him are just walking around scot¨Cfree?¡± Finn¡¯s voice carried a deep,


    meaningful tone through the phone.


    I felt my heart skip a beat as my eyes widened.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°His father, Ethan¡¯s death and his uncle Samuel are closely connected, and even people like Henry


    were involved. You¡¯ve seen what happened to Samuel. And Brendan, who turned a blind eye to the


    murderer, is now bedridden. Do you really think none of this has anything to do with him?¡± Finn¡¯s voice


    dropped to a cold chuckle.


    I fell silent, well aware that deep down, I didn¡¯t fully trust Colin, but I had known him since we were kids,


    and I knew he was essentially a good person.


    ¡°That lunatic thinks that by swelling up my face, I won¡¯t be able to take you there? Ha, he


    underestimates me,¡± Finn sounded as if he was hell¨Cbent on setting himself against Caleb, his words


    faltering as if his face was incredibly swollen.


    Finn had a cool aloofness about him that made it hard to imagine him with a puffed¨Cup face.


    ¡°Have you made it to Kingstone University yet?¡± He asked again.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here,¡± I nced around.


    ¡°Go to the gate, give your phone to the guard, I¡¯ll have a word with them, and they¡¯ll let you in. Just


    follow my directions from there.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what Finn was up to, but I followed his instructions, trekking across the entire


    campus.


    He directed me to cut across the field, use the side gate, and head to a row of apartment buildings at


    the back of the school.


    ¡°Are you ying me?¡± I was running out of patience and asked through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Why would I y you? I¡¯m right behind you. What are you afraid of?¡± Finn teased.


    I nced back and suddenly understood why I felt like someone was following me. He had his cap


    pulled low, sunsses and a mask on, with a hoodie over the cap, looking like a celebrity incognito.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit much?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but twitch the corner of my mouth.


    ¡°Better to lose my head than lose my looks! If he ruins my face, I wouldn¡¯t need to wait for him to kill


    me; I¡¯d take a leap myself.¡± Finn said through clenched teeth.


    I twitched again. He seemed so icy and proud at the hospital, almost untouchable, but who knew he


    had a silly side?


    AB¨C06


    ¡°Third row of apartments,¡± Finn hung up and approached me.


    I took a look at him- even behind the sunsses, his face was bruised.


    ¡°Was it really Colin who had someone beat him up? Impossible. Colin was the kind of guy. whose eyes


    would turn red at the slightest touch of water with his hand, let alone hit someone. Finn led me into the


    apartment building, down to the basement. I felt a bit scared, not knowing why, but it felt eerily cold and


    somber here.


    ¡°Scared? Hah¡­I thought you¡¯d be braver, marrying a madman,¡± Finn had a sharp tongue, but he didn¡¯t


    seem like a bad guy.


    ¡°This is a private residence, that madman¡¯s private territory. I¡¯m only here thanks to my good. looks,¡±


    Finn said with a touch of pride, as if he¡¯d won over the gatekeeper with his charm.


    I followed him, feeling strangely heavy¨Cfooted.


    The old apartment¡¯s basement was cold but not damp, as it was only semi¨Csubterranean. The walls


    were covered in graffiti, forms, and numbers. It was clear that Colin had lived here during his Genius


    ss days.


    ¡°Why would he live in a ce like this if the Langley family had already.taken him in during his Genius


    ss days?¡± I was a bit puzzled, my fingers brushing the wall, sending a jolt of pain through my heart.


    ¡°He was like a ghost that couldn¡¯t stand the light, always lurking in the shadows,¡± Finn said through


    gritted teeth, pushing open the door to one of the basement rooms, which creaked loudly on its hinges.


    I stepped in behind him. The room was spacious, with what appeared to be bookshelves covered in


    ck cloth along the walls.


    Finn reached out and yanked the cloth away, and in that moment, I froze in ce.


    Fear crept up from my toes, spreading through me.

 Chapter 225

    People used to say that Colin was a nutjob, obsessed with hoarding animal corpses and then


    disying them in ss domes.


    I didn¡¯t believe it, but the sight before me was nothing short of shocking. Row upon row of ss domes


    lined the shelves, each one housing the ¡°corpse¡± of a butterfly ¨C specimens, they called them


    Some were blue, others ck, and a few were a kaleidoscope of colors. But it was the dome at the


    bottom that caught my eye ¨C a cat, looking ever so peaceful, was curled up inside.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Puppies, snakes, hamsters¡­.


    ¡°Scared?¡± Finn¡¯s chuckle held a chill as he saw me stiffen, a sheen of sweat forming on my forehead,


    ¡°He¡¯s a freak, likes to turn everything he loves into specimens and dolls, trapping them in ss domes.


    Now you should know how Phoebe died, right?¡±


    Finn was convinced that Colin was the murderer. I¡¯m aware that he took on this case to beat Colin,


    searching for clues.


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a perfect murder when ites to homicide cases. I will find evidence, and if


    he did it, I won¡¯t show mercy,¡± Finn¡¯s voice was heavy with resolve.


    He was determined to put Colin behind bars.


    ¡°No¡­Colin wouldn¡¯t kill Phoebe; he said she was the one he loved,¡± I muttered weakly, my heart racing


    as I shook my head.


    Finn scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re so naive! Foebe, you think I brought you here for fun? I¡¯ve looked into you, and


    you¡¯re not beyond saving yet. But if you stay with him, you¡¯ll end up dead. Don¡¯t delude yourself into


    thinking that by imitating Phoebe, he¡¯ll care for you. The day he cares is the day you die!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t believe you,¡± my hands trembled, and I turned to leave.


    But Finn grabbed the back of my cor, forcing me to face those butterfly specimens. ¡°Do your know


    how these are made? He traps these animals before they¡¯re even dead. When I was fifteen, out of


    curiosity, I followed that madman here. You know what he was doing?¡±


    He trapped a butterfly in a ss case, watching it flutter its wings; the thrill and excitement in his eyes


    were terrifying! That was the day Finn was truly scared of Colin.


    ¡°He¡¯d say ¡®seed, seed¡°, as if trapping and killing the animals he loved was a joyful thing.¡± Finn


    couldn¡¯t understand or let it go.


    ¡°He¡¯s a total madman,¡± Finn¡¯s voice was low.


    r


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe what you said,¡± I pushed Finn away and ran.


    But as soon as I bolted from the basement, someone lunged at me with a knife.


    03:05


    ¡°Ah!¡± As I closed my eyes, thinking I would face death again, a strong and familiar figure shielded me.


    Then came the thick scent of blood.


    ¡°Freeze!¡± Finn had followed, and upon seeing the attack, he tackled the assant to the ground.


    Shaking. I opened my eyes to meet Colin¡¯s worried gaze.


    ¡°Phoebe.¡± Colin¡¯s panic was clear as he cradled my face, searching my eyes, ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    In that moment, I broke down crying, overwhelmed by the fear and injustice.


    Colin held me tight, his embrace strong.


    ¡°Damn.¡± Finn cursed, feeling guilty and frustrated as he pinned down the attacker, ¡°Quit the lovey¨C


    dovey act; you got hurt, you nutcase.¡±


    Only then did Colin notice the blood soaking his side. He had been stabbed protecting me, yet he


    seemed oblivious to the pain.


    My gaze fell on his wound, and I panicked, trying to cover it, ¡°Colin¡­Colin, does it hurt? We need to


    get to the hospital.¡±


    But he seemed more worried about whether I was frightened than his own injury.

 Chapter 226

    Clutching his wound with one hand, Colin held me tightly against him with the other, ¡°It¡¯s okay: don¡¯t be


    scared. It¡¯s just a flesh wound nothing vital hit. The bleeding¡¯s not too bad, and the cops and


    ambnce will get here before I evene close to passing out.¡±


    He always seemed to have everything down to a science, like he was in total control.


    Tears streamed down my face as I pressed my hands against his injury, feeling utterly helpless.


    The cops burst in and hauled the assant away, and the ambnce arrived right on time.


    Colin had predicted someone would get hurt.


    ¡°You knew someone was after Foebe, so you called an ambnce ahead of time?¡± Finn¡¯s voice


    dripped with haughtiness, but even he had to admit the situation was moreplex than it seemed. He


    had been cautious, but the attacker must have followed him. It was the only exnation for how they


    had Foebe in their sights the moment she stepped out the door, following her all the way here.


    ¡°The ambnce was for you,¡± Colin said with a low, emotionless voice, locking eyes with Finn.


    I watched as a flicker of fear passed through Finn¡¯s normally cool and confident gaze. He was clearly


    still afraid of Colin.


    ¡°You summon my wife without my consent, and next time, you¡¯ll be the one leaving in an ambnce.¡±


    Colin let me continue to press against his wound, then covered my ears and cursed, ¡°Fucking idiot.¡±


    Even though he covered my ears, I still heard the curse. And it was a filthy one.


    On the ambnce ride, I saw Finn lose his cool. If it weren¡¯t for the cops holding him back, he would


    have lunged at Colin.


    But it was clear, he let the cops hold him back on purpose. He didn¡¯t dare make a move, yet still


    shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t hold me back! I swear I¡¯ll kill that lunatic today!¡±


    Then, the young officer actually did let him go, and Finn immediately calmed down, gritting his teeth as


    he sat back down, schooling the officer beside him, ¡°Humph, if a dog bites you, you don¡¯t bite back.¡±


    ¡°The cut¡¯s not bad; it¡¯s practically stopped bleeding,¡± Colin reassured me softly, noticing my distress.


    I looked up at him. He was the one hurt, yet he was the oneforting me.


    ¡°That fool doesn¡¯t understand our situation. Henry¡¯s desperate; he was bound tosh out,¡± Colin


    whispered, looking so different from his usual self.


    Was he worried about me?


    Now, he seemed mature andposed, giving me a strange yet not unpleasant feeling. It was like this


    was how he was meant to be: a master strategist.


    ¡°How should I know the state of the Langley family affairs? Your enemies are legion,¡± Finn muttered


    under his breath, this time clearly at fault.


    ¡°Felix, let there be no next time,¡± Colin warned in a low voice as we disembarked from the ambnce.


    Finn¡¯s real name was Felix, and Colin seemed to prefer it to Finn.


    Finn frowned, sensing the thick air of threat.


    I couldn¡¯t help but nce back at Colin; the way how he intimidated people really scared me. But he


    always was capable of getting back to ying the sympathy card as he sped me to him, ¡°Phoebe,


    I¡¯m feeling a bit dizzy now. Hold me.¡±


    Sure enough, the charm onlysted a few seconds.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°Phoebe, it really hurts.¡± Colin whined as the doctors and nurses came to treat his wound, clinging to


    me with a scared and pitiful look. ¡°Phoebe, I¡¯m scared.¡±


    Was this really the time he chose to feel scared? Maybe he was just slow to react.


    I held Colin close, guilt¨Cridden, and patted his back, ¡°I¡¯m here with you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let him fool you. He¡¯s scared? If I had gotten hold of that attacker, the one who should be scared


    is him!¡± Finn pointed at Colin, his finger trembling, too angry to finish.


    ¡°Finn, please stop making baseless usations against my husband. I trust him


    unconditionally,¡± I said, frowning.


    Colin arched his lips upwards, his eyes darkening as he gazed at Finn, almost as if taunting him.


    Finn clenched his fists in fury, ¡°You¡¯ll regret this.¡±

 Chapter 227

    I didn¡¯t say anything, but so far, I was still willing to give Colin the benefit of the doubt. After all, how


    many people would take a bullet for someone else out of sheer concern? That could kill them.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­it hurts so bad; it¡¯s all his fault. If he hadn¡¯t dragged you around, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten hurt.


    He¡¯s bad news.¡± Colin clung to me, casting a warning nce at Finn, ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t go out


    alone with him again, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± I nodded. In that moment, I definitely had to agree with him.


    ¡°Caleb, you¡¯re missing your true calling in the theater.¡± Finn hissed between clenched teeth, ¡°Freakin¡®


    lunatic, nutcase!¡± Finn, clearly agitated, kicked a trash can by the door.


    ¡°Phoebe, he scared me.¡± Colin said intively. ¡°Doc, I think he might have that mania thing.¡±


    The doctor frowned, eyeing Finn, ¡°Sir, you just damaged hospital property. You need to cover the costs,


    and if there¡¯s nothing else, please leave.¡±


    I was a bit miffed myself, ¡°Finn, if there¡¯s nothing else, you can go.¡±


    Finn opened his mouth to retort but ended up just pointing an angry finger at Colin, ¡°Keep acting, man.


    Nobody does it better than you.¡±


    And with that, Finn turned on his heel and left. It was clear the two weren¡¯t ying in the same league.


    ¡°Phoebe, it hurts so much,¡± Colin clung to me, suddenly crying out in fear.


    I looked nervously at the doctor, ¡°Doc, could you be a bit gentler? He¡¯s really afraid of pain.¡±


    The doctor adjusted his sses, pausing with his cotton¨Cswabbed hand mid¨Cair. ¡°Why don¡¯t you check


    if I¡¯ve actually touched him? Plus, the nurse already administered an anesthetic; he shouldn¡¯t be feeling


    pain right now.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t even touched Colin yet, and the guy was already screaming.


    I offered an awkward smile, ¡°Sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°Lucky for him, the wound isn¡¯t deep. He¡¯ll need a few days of IV antibiotics after we stitch him. up.¡±


    The doctor said as he worked, ¡°Keep it dry these days, and just clean off any blood on the skin.¡±


    I nodded earnestly.


    Colin rested his head on my shoulder, sobbing quietly.


    ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± I whispered, surprised at my own pang of sympathy.


    Colin¡¯s eyes were red, ¡°Phoebe, I¡¯m so thirsty.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°You¡¯ve lost a lot of blood; don¡¯t drink too much water all at once. I¡¯ll prescribe some glucose


    05:07


    oral solution. Pick it up from the pharmacy and let him sip on that,¡± the doctor instructed,


    Nodding. I hurried to my feet, ¡°You wait here; I¡¯ll go get it for you.¡±


    Colin nodded in agreement.


    I dashed out of the treatment room, nearly reaching the ground¨Cfloor pharmacy before! realized I¡¯d left


    my phone behind in my rush.


    I hurried back to retrieve it, but the elevator was too crowded, so I opted for the stairwell instead.


    Colin was on the third floor, but as I reached the second, a loud crash and a scream stopped me dead


    in my tracks.


    Someone had fallen down the stairs?


    Just as I was about to go and check, I saw Colin holding a bat, his expression icy as he descended the


    steps, mercilessly striking the bruised and swollen figure on the ground. His face was emotionless. The


    pallor from blood loss made his eyes appear even more sinister. ¡°Please, please spare me. Mr. Henry


    Langley sent me to keep an eye on you and Ms. Larson, said to get rid of the baby. I didn¡¯ty a hand


    on her, I swear; I haven¡¯t done anything. Please, have mercy,¡± the man kneeling on the ground begged.


    I stood in shock.


    Was this Colin? Had I seen wrong? Just moments ago he was crying from the pain of getting stitches.


    ¡°You touch her? Then you deserve to die,¡± Colin raised the bat, his eyes filled with an icy deathly intent.


    I felt an illusion; he was about to kill someone.


    ¡°Colin,¡± afraid I was mistaken, I called his name softly.


    Colin¡¯s body stiffened, his back to me. I couldn¡¯t see his face, only his menacing silhouette. Dropping


    the bat, he turned around, his eyes suddenly brimming with tears, ¡°Phoebe, I¡¯m scared. He was


    following me; he hit me.¡±

 Chapter 228

    After that, Colin was crouched on the floor, panic written all over his face, smudges of the other guy¡¯s


    blood painting a picture of innocence and pity.


    My heart skipped a beat. I must have been seeing things. That guy must have pushed Colin too far,


    and he just snapped and fought back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. It¡¯s okay.¡± I quickly moved to embrace Colin.


    The man who had tumbled down the stairs looked at Colin with a mix of shock and disbelief, as if he¡¯d


    just seen some kind of monster, then scrambled to his feet and bolted.


    The nurse couldn¡¯t find Colin and, upon entering, found a bloodied man, ¡°What happened here?¡± Colin


    turned, giving a look that made the man blurt out in panic, ¡°I¡­I took a fall down the stairs.¡± With that, he


    pushed past the nurse and ran off.


    The nurse seemed unconcerned, turning to Colin. ¡°Time for your IV. Why are you wandering off?¡±


    Colin clutched to me, a picture of aggrievedness. ¡°Phoebe, I¡¯m not thirsty anymore. I¡¯m scared. Don¡¯t


    leave me.¡±


    Colin trembled in my arms, and I held him tight, feeling a pang of guilt. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere. Eric


    will be here any minute to get us what we need. I¡¯ll stay with you.¡±


    Colin nodded obediently. ¡°You have to stay with me, Phoebe. Don¡¯t leave me again.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± I nodded.


    After cajoling him back to his hospital bed, I went to the restroom to moisten a towel to clean his hands.


    When I returned, I overheard Colin sweet¨Ctalking the nurse in a hushed tone.


    Seeming in good spirits, Colin shed a charming smile at the nurse the whole time, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re so


    kind.¡±


    The nurse was nearly conning at his praise, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re such a charmer.¡±


    ¡°Could you please tell my wife that I can¡¯t get out of bed and that she needs to take good care of me?¡±


    Colin asked sweetly.


    The nurse was beaming, easily agreeing. ¡°Of course.¡±


    She turned to see me, ¡°The patient¡¯s wound is fresh. He shouldn¡¯t be walking around just yet.¡±


    I was still piecing together what Colin was up to when Eric arrived with a glucose oral solution, some


    comforting chicken soup, and a moist, honey¨Csweetened cake.


    Colin was quick to dismiss him. ¡°Eric, I think you can head home now.¡±


    ¡°Your well¨Cbeing is my priority.¡± Eric responded, concerned.


    Once again, Colin spoke up. ¡°Family time is more important. I can¡¯t monopolize your personal


    time. Eric.¡±


    Eric nced at Colin: he didn¡¯t have any family, Eric was Brendan¡¯s right¨Chand man precisely because


    he was an orphan with no strings attached ¨C no background, no ambition, no family.


    With an awkward nod, Eric looked my way. ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way then. I¡¯ll have to leave him to you, Mrs.


    Langley.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°It¡¯s what I should do.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    As Eric reached the door, he remembered something. ¡°Oh, the police have news. The man who tried to


    kill Mrs. Langley has confessed. It was Frank, Julian¡¯s henchman, behind it. Frank¡¯s been caught, but


    he hasn¡¯t implicated Henry or Julian,


    Colin was silent before speaking up innocently, ¡®Eric, could you have someone take care of the weeds


    in my backyard? They¡¯re stifling the flowers. Make sure to get the roots, or they¡¯ll just grow back.¡±


    Eric inhaled deeply. ¡°Of course. Mr. Langley.¡±


    No sooner had Eric left than Colin turned to me with a pitiful look. ¡®Phoebe, the doctor says I can¡¯t get


    out of bed.¡±


    ¡°Right, just rest up. What do you need? I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± I replied, still oblivious to his schemes.


    ¡°Phoebe, I need to pee.¡±


    Maybe I should just let him stew.

 Chapter 229

    Colin looked at me with his best impression of an innocent puppy, ¡°Phoebe, my hand hurts.¡±


    He had cunningly convinced the nurse to put an IV in his less¨Cinjured hand and then yed the pain


    card with me.


    Was I really supposed to wait on him hand and foot? To the point of unzipping his jeans? Suddenly,


    Finn¡¯s words echoed in my mind. ¡°Keep acting; nobody does it better than you.¡± Colin¡¯s eyes were


    rimmed with red. ¡°Phoebe, you¡¯re my wife.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± I steeled my heart. After all, he was injured saving me, and the doctor¡¯s orders were bed


    rest, so wait on him I must.


    I grabbed the supplies the nurse sent us. Blushing furiously, I pulled the privacy curtain around us and


    reached out. ¡°You can manage on your-


    ¡°My hand hurts.¡±


    I gritted my teeth and threatened. ¡°Caleb, don¡¯t push it.¡±


    He looked at me, the picture of innocence. I felt like a pufferfish, all puffed up with indignation as I


    helped him¡­


    Then I heard he say, ¡°Phoebe, I don¡¯t need to pee anymore.¡±


    Could I strangle him?


    ¡°Phoebe, you¡¯re too rough; you¡¯ve scared it.¡±


    ¡°Caleb!¡±


    After a solid ten minutes of ear¨Ctwisting education, Colin finally conceded with the air of a scolded


    puppy.


    I snorted and sat beside him, spoon¨Cfeeding him soup. ¡°Drink up; it¡¯ll help you heal faster.¡± *Phoebe.¡±


    Colin looked like he was cooking up some mischief when an uninvited guest appeared.


    Yes. Dexter, looming like a ghost she couldn¡¯t shake.


    Colin¡¯s face turned stormy in an instant. How could I forget that Dexter¡¯s room was just next door, also


    recovering from an injury?


    ¡°Phoebe, my wound is killing me. Could you give me a kiss?¡±


    I didn¡¯t turn around or even see Dexter; I just wanted to ignore Colin¡¯s whining.


    ¡°Phoebe, it really hurts.¡± Colin choked up, tugging at his bandage to show me, ¡°Phoebe, I got seven


    stitches.¡±


    08:07


    I just wanted him to shut up, so I steeled myself and leaned in toward him.


    Turned out, his hand wasn¡¯t hurting anymore as he pulled me into a kiss. I knew he was up to no good.


    By the door, Dexter stiffened, his eyes darkening as they were fixed on Colin.


    Colin¡¯s gaze and the tension in the room dropped to freezing levels. He was clearly provoking.


    Feeling someone¡¯s presence, I straightened up quickly to see a heartbroken Dexter.


    I frowned at him. ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, you¡¯re up and about already? Quite the speedy recovery


    there.¡±


    If he could be out of bed with such serious injuries, why was Colin still bedridden over a few cuts?


    Dexter seemed a bit flustered. ¡°Can we talk?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I refused t out.


    But Dexter didn¡¯t give up: he knew me too well and went for what he thought would work best- a threat.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Foebe: your grandma¡¯s taken ill. She¡¯s been rushed to emergency care. I couldn¡¯t reach you,


    heard you were here.¡±


    I froze.


    Grandma? Foebe¡¯s grandmother. I had been too scared to visit her, fearing she¡¯d discover I wasn¡¯t the


    real Foebe.


    ¡°My grandma, she¡­¡± guilt washed over me. Thedy was getting older. After all, I had taken over


    Foebe¡¯s body; it was only right to see her.


    ¡°She¡¯s in emergency care. I can take you there,¡± he offered, almost too eagerly.


    ¡°No need.¡± I nced back at Colin, ¡°Stay put and finish your IV. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Colin¡¯s eyes darkened with a mix of anger and worry as he watched Dexter. He wanted to get up and


    come with me.


    ¡°The doctor said you can¡¯t get out of bed. Be good.¡± I forbade him from following.


    This time, his scheming had backfired. Fists clenched, Colin red at Dexter. Dexter¡¯s gaze turned


    even more provocative.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether she¡¯s Phoebe or Foebe: I¡¯ll take her from you,¡± Dexter warned, looking at


    him.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    He moved to the door, throwing onest jab, ¡°Caleb, if I could take her away from you once, I can do it


    again.¡±


    No sooner had I left the room than a crash sounded behind me. I worriedly considered turning back for


    Colin, but Dexter pressed on urgently. ¡°Your grandma¡¯s condition is worrisome: the doctors have


    pronounced critically ill notice. You¡¯re her only kin; they need your signature.

 Chapter 230

    In the emergency room, the air was thick with tension and antiseptic.


    My hands were sped together tightly as I silently prayed for Grandma Que. Though she wasn¡¯t my


    actual grandmother, I couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that she had raised Foebe Larson, the girl whose identity I


    had inadvertently assumed.


    The doctor emerged midway through the ordeal, a solemn look on his face as he prepared us for the


    worst and asked me to sign some documents. My heart raced, fear gnawing at me from


    the inside.


    ¡°There¡¯s no immediate danger to her life now,¡± the doctor finally said after what felt like an eternity.


    ¡°We¡¯ve moved her to a regr room for observation. Given her age and the 99% blockage in her


    cerebral artery, surgery isn¡¯t advisable. Just make sure she gets plenty of care. It was a sudden heart


    attack this time. She¡¯s lucky to have pulled through.¡±


    I nodded, my thanks a mere whisper, and took my vigil beside the hospital bed.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Your grandmother is going to be okay.¡± Dexter murmured, trying to soothe me.


    I was in no mood for his presence. ¡°Dexter, how is this any of your business? She¡¯s my grandmother,


    not yours. You can leave now.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe¡ª¡± He persisted stubbornly, his voice hoarse with emotion, as if he was desperate to exin.


    ¡°ver stopped loving you


    I frowned, his words stirring a wave of nausea. ¡°Get out.¡±


    ¡°I read your journal. You think I don¡¯t love you, that I despise you, that I don¡¯t trust you.¡± With his gaze


    lowered, Dexter continued speaking, seemingly more to himself than to me. He was convinced I was


    Phoebe Caldwell, and he was hell¨Cbent on making amends.


    Pathetic.


    ¡°I do love you, Phoebe, more than anyone else. I just¡­ couldn¡¯t believe that you could love me back.¡±


    Dexter¡¯s voice broke as he reached for my wrist. ¡°You were so against the arranged marriage, so


    unwilling to marry me. It was you who had a teenage crush on someone else, you who never had a


    ce for me in your eyes. I couldn¡¯t trust it, couldn¡¯t ept that you might love me. I thought¡­¡±


    ¡°That Phoebe Caldwell had an ulterior motive?¡± I scoffed, pulling my hand away. ¡°Dexter, you¡¯re full of


    yourself. If Phoebe Caldwell ever loved you, that would be the saddest thing of all


    Dexter hung his head, weighed down by a guilt that seemed to drain his strength. ¡°I just


    He wanted to exin, but his exnations were weak and futile.


    ¡°Foebe¡­ Coraline.¡± Grandma Que mumbled in her delirium, calling out the names of Foebe Larson


    and Coraline Larson.


    There had been a mix¨Cup, a chance that Coraline¡¯s biological parents had intentionally switched her


    and Coraline. But Coraline¡¯s real parents had died when Foebe was still a teenager, and the Larson


    family chose not to pursue the matter further. Instead, they doted on Coraline, the girl they had raised,


    while treating Foebe like a wild country girl, fearing she might tarnish the Larson family name.


    In the end. Coraline was Grandma Que¡¯s blood granddaughter, so it made sense for Grandmal


    Que to be concerned about her. Yet, no matter how much she longed for her, Coraline would


    nevere to see her.


    ¡°Phoebe, when you came to live with us at eighteen, you were badly hurt. You spent seven days in a


    coma at the hospital. When you woke up, it was like you had forgotten so much. You asked me if I had


    saved you. I was selfish then, I let you believe I did. I admit fault for that.¡± Dexter whispered, recounting


    the past.


    ¡°My mother said your mental health was unstable, but the amnesia made you forget your own


    psychological issues ¨C a blessing in disguise. But I always felt¡­ you were pretending. Pretending to


    forget the tragedy of your parents¡® death and everything that happened to the Fitzgerald family.¡±


    I was getting tired of his ramblings, but when he mentioned a sickness; I stiffened and turned to face


    him. ¡°What do you mean? Phoebe Caldwell had a mental illness?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten¡­¡± He looked up at me, his eyes searching. ¡°As a child, you were locked in a pitch¨C


    ck basement at the orphanage for a very long time. When your parents found you, you were semi¨C


    conscious. For years after, you received psychological counseling as a result

 Chapter 231

    My head was swimming, a dull ringing in my ears as I sat rigidly on the edge of the bed,


    *Phoebe?¡±


    Dexter¡¯s voice was calling out to me, but I was trapped in a dizzy haze. Suddenly, I stood up, and the


    world spun violently.


    ¡°Phoebe?¡±


    Before my memory faded, did I suffer from some sort of psychological disorder? Was that why I


    specifically forgot everything about the orphanage, specifically forgot Colin? What on earth happened?


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Phoebe, forget it. I don¡¯t me you, just forget¡­*


    ¡°Phoebe, don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯ll always be by your side.¡±


    ¡°If your current life makes you feel at ease, then forget me¡­¡±


    ¡°Phoebe Caldwell, what am I to you? Am I just a forgotten relic in your memory?¡±


    ¡°Phoebe Caldwell, don¡¯t die, please. Don¡¯t turn me into your legacy, you know I can¡¯t live alone.¡±


    In the recesses of my mind, a voice was constantly screaming, crying, shouting.


    ¡°Phoebe, don¡¯t leave me behind.¡±


    In a moment of blurred consciousness, it felt like I had returned to the moment before my near¨Cdeath,


    when I had fled disheveled from Nocturne, only to find myself cornered by vagrants in an alley. A tall,


    menacing figure, wielding a baseball bat, was smashing it down on those


    men.


    ¡°Touch her and you¡¯re dead.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯ve always been here.¡±


    ¡°Why forget me? Am I just a part of your painful memories too? Phoebe¡­¡°¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t me you.


    And then, when I had passed out in the alley from hypoglycemia, that same figure covered me with his


    jacket, letting me rest on hisp as he stayed by my side through the night.


    Colin.


    It was Colin!


    The blurry silhouette slowly came into focus.


    Colin stood in the dim light, his back to me. He slowly halted his steps, turning to look at me.


    10:37


    Tears streaked his face, his hands dripping with blood. His eyes were red as he gazed at me. ¡°Phoebe,


    this world is disgusting.¡±


    ¡°Colin¡­ Colin.¡±


    As he turned around, a burst of light seemed to bloom before my eyes; he was always my salvation. To


    others, he might be a madman, a devil, but to me, he was my salvation and mine


    alone.


    ¡°Colin.¡± In my memory, I hugged him with joy, cing the gift I had picked out for him on the table. ¡°This


    is from my mom. I chose the clothes myself. Mom said you¡¯re still growing, so we got a sizerger.¡±


    ¡°Colin, if you weren¡¯t a genius, what would you want to do most?¡±


    ¡°Love you¡­¡±


    Genius or not, I¡¯d love you.


    Even if I were a fool, I¡¯d love you.


    Only you.


    ¡°Pregnant?¡± The doctor came to check on me, instructing the nurse to prepare a glucose solution.


    ¡°Take extra care, hormones can be unstable during pregnancy and may cause dizziness, but that¡¯s not


    necessarily the main reason. We¡¯ll keep an eye on it.¡±


    The doctor¡¯s questions pulled me back to reality.


    Unbeknownst to me, tears had already soaked my hair.


    I was so desperate to remember the past, that just a few fragments rted to Colin made my chest hurt


    to the point where I could hardly breathe.


    In the treatment room, I asked quietly, ¡°Doctor, is there any way to recover memories quickly?¡±


    The doctor paused, surprised. ¡°Amnesia? Have you had a serious injury before? You don¡¯t seem to


    have a history of trauma.¡±


    At the door, Dexter¡¯s hand froze holding a ss of water, then he hurried over and crouched in front of


    me. ¡°You¡¯re Phoebe, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    My gaze trembled as I clutched my hands until they were numb.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, I heard your mother is having an exorcism done for you. It seems you really have gone


    mad,¡± I bit back, pushing Dexter¡¯s hand away. ¡°I¡¯m not Phoebe Caldwell, and even if Phoebe Caldwell


    were still alive, what makes you think you¡¯re worthy of a second nce from her?¡±


    Dexter¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°I can make amends, just give me a chance.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve it.¡± Despite the rising anger, I pushed Dexter away, storming out. ¡°You¡¯re nothing but


    a liar.¡±

 Chapter 232

    I racked my brain for every conceivable reason Dexter might have fallen out of love with me. But I


    never considered that it was I who was mixed up, I who loved the wrong person, I who was deceived,


    A fire of frustration smoldered in my chest, and I trembled like a leaf in a storm, unable to take another


    step forward, Tears cascaded down uncontrobly, and my mind, my very soul, was haunted by Colin,


    There he stood, a silhouette against the backlight of the fog, turning back to look at me.


    By what right? Phoebe Caldwell, by what right do you forget him, erase him sopletely, and fall so


    recklessly in love with another?


    By what right?


    Sobbing, I ducked into the emergency stairwell and pped myself hard across the face.


    ¡°What right do you have¡­¡± I was interrogating myself.


    Why couldn¡¯t I remember? Why!


    ¡°Ah!¡± Desperation led to copse, and I sat huddled in a corner, clutching my hair and growling low. I


    questioned why I couldn¡¯t remember everything, why I had to forget Colin.


    Why had I made Dexter my crutch?


    So, maybe I deserved my own death? Because I had ¡®betrayed¡® Colin. Even if he was the one who


    killed me, it would be no more than I deserved. I should be dead.


    I deserved it!


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Up the stairs of the emergency exit, Colin stood in his hospital gown, fingers dripping


    blood..


    I looked up at him, then broke down again in tears.


    ¡°Do you not want me anymore?¡± His voice was hoarse as he approached.


    I looked up at him as though he were my savior. He wasn¡¯t a devil, never had been.


    ¡°Colin.¡± I reached out to him.


    He grabbed my hand with a nervous nce.


    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot, you know that?¡± No genius was like him.


    He pulled me into his arms and held me tight. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m an idiot.¡±


    As long as Phoebe still wanted him.


    ¡°The nurse said you shouldn¡¯t be out of bed.¡± I choked out through tears.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t listen.¡± Colin whispered an apology, each word seemed to soothe my pain. ¡°Punish


    me. Just don¡¯t leave me, don¡¯t let them take you, don¡¯t believe him.¡±


    ¡°Did you pull out your IV and run here?¡± I pressed my hand against his still bleeding hand as! wiped


    away my tears.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt at all,¡± he said softly, wiping the tears from my eyes.


    ¡°Idiot,¡± I scolded.


    ¡°Why are you crying?¡± Colin cradled my face gently. ¡°Did he make you angry? I¡¯ll get rid of him.¡±


    I shook my head, tears still flowing. ¡°Why can¡¯t I remember, no matter how hard I try.¡±


    Why could I only recall those fragmented memories? Why did I have to forget Colin?


    I hated myself. I was consumed by guilt.


    Colin¡¯s fingers stiffened, icy to the touch. ¡°Don¡¯t try to remember. It¡¯s better this way.¡±


    He bent down, kissing the tears at the corner of my eyes. His touch was feather¨Clight, as if he were


    handling his most prized piece of art.


    Suddenly, I remembered the basement Finn had taken me to, filled with ss cases and animal


    specimens.


    ¡°Colin, why do you collect those dead animals? Those little creatures, did you kill them?¡± I asked softly.


    Colin¡¯s gaze flickered with panic and evasion.


    I watched Colin nervously, fearful that the creatures under ss were indeed his victims.


    ¡°No. They were gifts.¡°, Colin looked down, tugging at his fingers.


    I paused, uncertain if Colin was lying or if they truly were gifts from friends.


    For some reason, Carter sprang to mind, a man who had vanished even morepletely from


    my memory.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Judging from the photos at Carter¡¯s sister¡¯s ce, the three of us once shared a decent rtionship,


    enough to take pictures together, yet I had absolutely no recollection of him.

 Chapter 233

    ¡°Did Carter send them to you?¡± I whispered, my eyes urgently seeking the truth in Colin¡¯s gaze.


    He dodged the question. ¡°Phoebe, how¡¯s Grandma doing?¡±


    He was changing the subject.


    I knew Colin was a vault of secrets. My drive to get close to him was fueled by the desire to uncover


    the mysteries that clung to him like shadows.


    Otherwise, Finn wouldn¡¯t be watching Colin like a hawk.


    The more I got to know him, the more I realized that it wasn¡¯t just Colin with secrets; even within Foebe


    Larson, there wereyers yet to be peeled back.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    And now, I was beginning to question even myself.


    What was hidden in the memories I couldn¡¯t quite recall? Why did Dexter say I had a mental illness?


    What kind of illness was it? Was my rebirth as Foebe Larson truly a coincidence?


    The more I thought about it, the more chilling the possibilities seemed.


    After escorting Colin back to his room, where the nurse scolded him and reattached his IV, I made sure


    he was in good condition to get out of bed before taking his hand and leading him to Grandma Que¡¯s


    room.


    ¡°Grandma, have some water.¡± Dexter had been tending to her the whole time I was gone.


    I frowned, a bit irritated. Before this, Dexter was the type who couldn¡¯t even look after himself, let alone


    anyone else, always waited on hand and foot. And now, here he was, ying the devoted caretaker.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, that¡¯s my grandma you¡¯re fussing over. You can go now.¡± I walked over and snatched


    the water ss from his hands.


    Dexter looked down, silent.


    Grandma was awake, propped up against her pillows, and seemed quite taken with Dexter. ¡°Foebe,


    dear, don¡¯t be so harsh with Dexter. He¡¯s been a sweetheart. When¡¯l fell ill, it was all Dexter looking


    after me. If he hadn¡¯t found me in time, I wouldn¡¯t be here to see you.¡±


    I paused, frowning at Dexter.


    He had been worming his way into Grandma Que¡¯s good graces well before this. What was he really


    up to?


    At the door, Colin watched Dexter with a sharp gaze, likely recognizing a rival in the art of pretense.


    ¡°Phoebe.¡± Colin whispered my name.


    I reached out, took his hand, and turned to introduce him to Grandma. ¡°Grandma, this is my


    10:38


    husband. Caleb Langley. You can call him Colin.¡±


    Grandma nced at Colin, visibly displeased. ¡°You¡¯ve been married this long and haven¡¯t visited? It¡¯s


    been all Dexter here, running around taking care of things.¡±


    ¡°Grandma, Caleb¡¯s been ill. He can hardly take care of himself, let alone bother you,¡± Dexter said softly,


    his voice dripping with an undertone of provocation.


    Dexter knew me well. I cared deeply about what my family thought.


    But that was the me before his ¡®murder.¡®


    Or rather, the me after the car ident at eighteen, when I lost a crucial chunk of my memory.


    Back then, I was drowning in the grief of my parents¡® deaths, engulfed by a darkness that seemed to


    smother me. I was barely functional, needing a ce that felt like a warm harbor, a home.


    So even at eighteen, I was grateful when Hailey took me in, giving me a sense of family because I


    couldn¡¯t live independently.


    I had forgotten so much, yet ver doubted myself. My memories didn¡¯t just vanish; they seemed


    erased.


    Que looked at Caleb reluctantly,menting that someone with a mental illness couldn¡¯t provide a


    better life for her granddaughter. ¡°What a tragedy¡­¡±


    But it was her own granddaughter, Coraline, who was supposed to marry Caleb.


    ¡°Foebe, dear, has Coraline said she¡¯d visit me?¡± Grandma cared deeply for Coraline.


    At first, I worried that Grandma Que would instantly spot that I wasn¡¯t the real Foebe, but it seemed


    my fears were unfounded. She didn¡¯t seem to care much for Foebe; her concerny more with her


    biological granddaughter, Coraline.


    ¡°Grandma, she¡¯s not going to visit you,¡± I said, shattering her illusion.


    Grandma sighed, a look of resignation on her face. ¡°Oh well, let it be.¡±


    Dexter nced at the time. ¡°Grandma, I should head back to my room. Call me if you need anything.¡±

 Chapter 234

    Que nodded with a warm chuckle. ¡°Blessed be. Foebe is lucky to have you.¡±


    Colin stood off to the side, quiet as a church mouse, a stark contrast to his usual charming self. His


    presence felt cold, almost detached.


    I had this sinking feeling that he didn¡¯t take to Foebe¡¯s grandmother all too kindly.


    ¡°Foebe, darling, I just don¡¯t get your folks. Why on Earth would they push you to tie the knot with the


    Langleys? How much dowry did they pocket? I raised you, sweetheart. Surely, your dear old grandma


    should get a heads¨Cup before any of that money reaches your mcm and dad, right?¡± Que said, her


    voice sugary sweet, feigning concern for her.


    I stiffened. There was something off about Foebe¡¯s grandmother. She was nothing like I¡¯d imagined. I


    thought she genuinely cared for Foebe, but now it didn¡¯t seem quite so.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Foebe, why don¡¯t you give Coraline a ring, have here by for a visit?¡± Que whispered, tantly


    ignoring Colin.


    Perhaps she thought Colin was none the wiser.


    ¡°Also, before I got hospitalized, your brother mentioned wanting to buy a house. He¡¯s not your blood,


    sure, but you grew up in our family, didn¡¯t you? Your uncle looked after you too.¡±


    When I didn¡¯t respond, Que spoke again, a little more hushed. ¡°Foebe, that dimwit Colin, does he


    have any money? Enough to help your brother get a ce? Nothing big, just a modest home in the


    suburbs of Sea City, maybe 1,000 square feet or so. And if he could swing a car too,


    that¡¯d be the cherry on top.¡±


    I stared at Foebe¡¯s grandmother in disbelief. A house in Sea City¡¯s suburbs? Even the most basic ones


    run a quarter of a million per square foot. Was she out of her mind, or was it Colin? Why should anyone


    bankroll a house for someone they barely knew?


    ¡°Grandma, he¡¯s broke as a joke, and he holds no standing within the Langleys. Because of his


    condition, everyone bullies us,¡± I said, feigning distress.


    But Que glossed over my plight, pressing on. ¡°Well, he¡¯s certainly no Dexter. Dexter runs some big¨C


    shotpany; he could afford it. He seems sweet on you. Maybe drop a hint his way?¡±


    ¡°Grandma, Colin¡¯s not feeling too hot, I need to get him back to his room. You rest up, I¡¯lle around


    another day,¡± I said, dodging her demands and pulling Colin out of the room.


    ¡°Foebe Larson, growing wings now that you¡¯re back with your birth parents?¡± Que spat out angrily.


    Was this old bat serious?


    ¡°Do you know how Foebe Larson¡¯s adoptive parents died?¡± Colin¡¯s voice was dark and heavy as we


    walked down the corridor. Suddenly, he didn¡¯t seem the fool.


    ¡°Huh?¡± I was genuinely clueless about the fate of Foobe¡¯s adoptive parents,


    ¡°Shot while resisting arrest. idental death,¡± he said solemnly.


    That had been the root of his disdain for Foebe.


    ¡°Human traffickers.¡±


    The whole lot of them.


    Foebe¡¯s grandmother was part of the ring. She¡¯d parade Foebe around homeless kids, pretending to be


    friendly, all the while waiting for buyers to make their move,


    I looked at Colin, stunned. Had he known all this from the start?


    Foebe Larson was indeed shrouded in secrets,


    ¡°Foebe Larson, are you alright?¡± As we entered the elevator, it seemed we had bumped into someone


    from Foebe¡¯s past.


    She greeted me, concerned.


    Feeling a bit dazed, I replied, ¡°Oh? I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°I was so worried when you asked for all that quinidine the other day. Afraid you might do something


    rash,¡± the acquaintance sighed with relief. ¡°You said it was for your grandma, but I asked the doc, and


    he said your grandma already had her prescription. I was scared stiff trying to reach you, afraid you


    might be¡­ you know¡­¡±


    My body tensed. Quinidine?


    ¡°Do you remember when I asked for it?¡±


    She paused, thinking, ¡°It was the 17thst month.¡±


    I nced at Colin instinctively. That was the day Foebe died, the very day I hade back.


    Foebe¡¯s death hadn¡¯t been an ident. She had intentionally overdosed on quinidine, leading to a


    cardiac toxicity and sudden death. Foebe had taken her own life.

 Chapter 235

    Based on the clues at hand, it was clear that Foebe had intentionally imitated me, and her n to


    ensnare Colin by doing so was undeniable.


    But why had she expended so much effort only to choose to swallow pills on her wedding day?


    Colin didn¡¯t seem as surprised as I would¡¯ve expected. Could it be that he had some inkling that Foebe


    was on a path to self¨Cdestruction?


    ¡°Foebe, I¡¯m off to work now. Call me if you need anything.¡±


    I nodded to the familiar face as she headed upstairs.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you shocked? Why would Foebe grab all those pills?¡± I whispered to Colin.


    Colin looked down, his grip on my hand tightening. ¡°Who would want to marry me?¡±


    I was taken aback, almost missing the gravity of his question.


    Before my resurrection, Colin had been nothing but a dirty, deranged vagabond. Indeed, no girl in her


    right mind would have wanted to marry him.


    ¡°But she¡­¡± What puzzled me was that Foebe had gone to such lengths to mimic me. Wasn¡¯t her goal


    to get close to Colin?


    After taking Colin back to his hospital room, I used the excuse of going out to get dinner to actually


    meet the acquaintance on the second floor.


    She was at the nurse¡¯s station and seemed surprised to see me. ¡°Foebe, haven¡¯t you gone home yet?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ actually, about those pills I took that day, I swallowed them,¡± I murmured.


    The nurse turned pale as a ghost. ¡°You¡­ please don¡¯t mention I assisted you in getting them. It was


    because of your grandma¡¯s heart condition that the doctor prescribed them. Please don¡¯t get me into


    trouble.¡±


    I waved her off. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. I woke up that day, forgetting a lot of things. Do you know why


    I was so desperate?¡±


    The nurse opened her mouth, then finally spoke in a hushed tone. ¡°Foebe, have you lost your


    memory?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°You mentioned your grandma pressuring you to do things you didn¡¯t want to, and your biological


    parents urging you to marry someone you didn¡¯t love. You said you felt threatened by everyone. But


    you didn¡¯t tell me the specific details.¡±


    I was stunned for a moment, then nodded again. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    1


    ¡°Foebe, it¡¯s nothing big, don¡¯t take it to heart. Didn¡¯t you say you liked to write in a journal when


    10:38


    you had no friends to confide in? Write down your feelings, and let it all out. Take a moment to rx:


    this too shall pass,¡± she reassured me in a soft voice.


    I managed a smile. ¡°Sure.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Leaving the hospital. I took a detour back to the Larsons.


    Anthony Larson was lounging on the couch, ncing at the newspaper, responding indifferently. ¡°What


    brings you back today? How¡¯s everything with the Langley¡¯s? Why didn¡¯t you answer my calls recently?


    Coraline¡¯s been sent off by the Langley Group to supervise some project, did you know?¡±


    Poor Coraline, delicate as she was, now Eric had her running around construction sites, her skin


    peeling every three days.


    Ignoring Anthony, I entered my room only to find Foebe¡¯s belongings had been cleared out, reced by


    Coraline¡¯s wardrobe.


    My brow furrowed in irritation as I stepped back out. ¡°Where are my things?¡±


    Anthony¡¯s voice was nonchnt. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re married off now, so your sister¡¯s taken over your room.


    Your stuff¡¯s been moved to storage by your mom¡¯s orders.¡±


    I felt a tightness in my chest at the callous treatment of Foebe by these people. No wonder she


    chose to end her life.


    But what eded to understand was who pressured her to impersonate me, what the deal was with


    those street kids, how she knew Dorian, and whether she had any connection to the murderer.


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t this my sister who married into money,¡± Coraline said as I approached the door.


    She strutted in her high heels, visibly tanned, and spoke with arrogance. ¡°You and that dimwit Caleb


    haven¡¯t even made your mark in thepany yet. Just mentioning that fool¡¯s name gets me targeted!


    You¡¯re such a failure.¡±


    ¡°Our dear Coraline has been run ragged these days,¡± Foebe¡¯s mother chimed in, returning from a


    shopping spree with Coraline. The nanny carried loads of luxury goods, apparently topensate


    Coraline.


    A biological daughter without affection, a foster daughter doted upon so extravagantly¨Cit was


    indeed ironic.


    Foebe¡¯s mother passed by me as if I were invisible.


    I took a deep breath, fearing my blood sugar might plummet from the stress. I unwrapped a stick of


    gum from my purse and started chewing to steady myself before heading to the storage.


    Among a heap of discarded items, I found Foebe¡¯s journal.


    The entry read:


    Overcast skies today. Grandma asked me to bring Uncle some pie. I was scared; Uncle would


    make me undress when we were alone. I ran away and told Grandma, but she said I must never speak


    of it to anyone, lest a girl¡¯s value be diminished.

 Chapter 236

    A drizzle today. Grandma said she¡¯s taking me to Sea City today, to confront my biological parents


    about the child support they owe for all these years.


    Today, Grandma took me to distribute food to the homeless kids again. She yed the part of a saint,


    but I know better¨Cshe¡¯s a monster, a ghoul that devours children.


    Grandma said those kids are sick and worthless, bringing bad luck. She¡¯s decided not to give them


    food anymore. I saved every penny I could, skimping on meals, just to buy them something to eat.


    Clear skies today. Grandma suddenly announced she found my real parents. They¡¯re taking me back.


    I¡¯m so happy. I can finally escape this nightmare.


    Sunny today. it turns out my parents don¡¯t really like me. They disdain me for being from the


    countryside. My sister despises me too. She refuses to be seen with me in the car, fearing her


    ssmates willugh. She and her peers have ostracized me.


    Today, Coraline cornered me in the school bathroom again. They stripped me, forced me to drink from


    the toilet, mocking me as country trash and a fool.


    Just hold on a little longer, until graduation. I don¡¯t want to attend college. I want to leave this house. I


    thought the countryside was hell, but this ce is far worse.


    Today, Coraline had the nanny serve me spoiled food, while she enjoyed a gourmet meal prepared by


    a chef. I was so hungry that I told my parents, but they said I should be grateful for the food since I


    used to eat coarse grains in the countryside.


    In retaliation for snitching, Coraline ambushed me on my way home, cornering me in an alley. She


    brought along a few boys from school, had them strip me, record videos, and forced me to beg.


    I was terrified.


    Today, someone found out I¡¯ve been secretly feeding the homeless kids. He said he could help me


    escape hell, that he could kill those who hurt me. All I had to do was observe and mimic a woman


    named Phoebe Caldwell and be obedient.


    He asked for a list of names. He¡¯d eliminate everyone on it for me. Just one chance.


    I didn¡¯t believe him, but on a whim, I listed a boy from school who often bullied me ¨C Elijah.


    Today, Elijah didn¡¯t show up for ss. After school, word spread that he died¨Can old man with dementia


    threw a flowerpot from his apartment window, hitting Elijah. A freak ident.


    Am I to me for giving that man Elijah¡¯s name?


    He came to me again, insisting I take Phoebe Caldwell¡¯s ce. I¡¯ve been tailing Phoebe for a while


    now. She seems as pitiful as I am. I don¡¯t want to hurt her.


    Today, I heard Phoebe Caldwell has disappeared. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s behind it. I¡¯m scared. I tried to go to the


    police station three times today but couldn¡¯t muster the courage to walk in.


    Will Phoebe die because of me? He wants me to rece her, to marry an idiot from the Langley family.


    I¡¯m scared.


    I don¡¯t want to rece anyone.


    Did I cause Phoebe Caldwell¡¯s death?N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    I don¡¯t want to harm others. Why me?


    Is death my only escape?


    I wish I could just die.


    Foebe Larson¡¯s journal was a tome of darkness, chronicling the evil in humanity.


    When an avnche urs, no single snowke is innocent. The Larson family, Coraline, the


    mastermind¨Cthey all embody this evil.


    ¡°What are you doing here? Ady of your status rummaging through trash at my house?¡± Coraline


    sneered at the warehouse door.


    I turned to face her, my gaze turning icy.


    Step by step, I approached her, grabbed her hair, and mmed her head into the wall. A nail protruded


    from the wall, slicing Coraline¡¯s face open, blood gushing forth.


    For a fleeting moment, a dreadful thought crossed my mind¨CI could just kill her, maybe even turn her


    into a specimen.


    But I released my grip, stepping back in horror.


    What was I thinking?


    ¡°Mom! Foebe¡¯s gone mad, Mom!¡± Coraline¡¯s cry for help sliced through my confusion as she attempted


    to flee.


    11:48


    Almost without thought, I grabbed her hair, pinning her to the ground, picking up the rusty nail, ready to


    silence her forever.


    Coraline looked at me with pure terror, as if seeing a demon incarnate.

 Chapter 237

    ¡°Try yelling one more time, I dare you.¡± I sneered, yanking Coraline¡¯s hair and mming her head


    against the cold concrete floor. ¡°No one¡¯sing to save you here. Your mommy and daddy can¡¯t hear


    your cries. Trust me, I¡¯d ruin that pretty face of yours.¡±


    Coraline was petrified, her voice trembling. ¡°Have you lost your mind, Foebe Larson? If you hurt me.


    Mom and Dad will make you pay. Don¡¯t think just because you married some lunatic¡­¡±


    Her words were cut short by her own scream as my nail pierced her skin.


    ¡°Did you forget how you treated me back in high school, huh?¡± Memories of Foebe¡¯s journal entries


    surged through me like a wave of boiling blood.


    For some reason, I felt a raging, uncontroble sensation bubbling inside me. It felt like a hypoglycemic


    attack, but was it really just low blood sugar? Or was it more like an adrenaline rush, a surge of


    excitement?


    Startled by my thoughts, I swallowed hard, pulling Coraline to her feet. ¡°I remember you had people


    beat me up, stripped me down, forced me to drink toilet water, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    As I recollected the incidents Foebe had penned in her journal, I could feel my blood boiling, like


    something long suppressed was wing its way out.


    Coraline looked at me in horror. ¡°Is madness contagious? You¡¯ve gone insane, Foebe. You can¡¯t


    threaten me like this¡­¡±


    I silenced her with a p, her hair in my grasp. When she tried to speak again, I delivered another p,


    until she was too scared to make a sound.


    ¡°Coraline, your grandma¡¯s been asking for you, you know. She¡¯s at the Sea City Hospital. Don¡¯t forget


    to visit her, because, well, you might not get another chance.¡± I chuckled coldly.


    If Colin had evidence that Foebe Larson¡¯s adoptive family were traffickers, then it was time to


    act.


    I was ready to throw these monsters in jail. They had shattered so many lives. These scum of the earth


    deserved nothing but death.


    ¡°As for you, I¡¯ll make sure you get your fifteen minutes of fame real soon.¡± I dered, rising to my feet. I


    took a deep breath, stretching my neck.


    If I was going to use Foebe¡¯s body, it was only right to seek vengeance for her, wasn¡¯t it?


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    She chose death over allowing them to kill me, over bing my recement. Although I couldn¡¯t


    figure out why I woke up in her body, given her conscience, it was my duty to deal with these lowlifes.


    I¡¯d start with the ones mentioned in her journal, one by one.


    No mercy.


    ¡°Foebe, what are you nning to do?¡± Coraline continued to nag.


    11:48


    Suddenly, a ringing in my ears drove me mad, my actions bing erratic.


    I don¡¯t know how long the ringingsted, but by the time I came to, Coraline was bound with rope,


    hanging from the warehouse rafters, her cries of terror echoing my ears as she thought I had lost my


    mind.


    I was shocked myself; how had I managed to hoist her up there? It was only when I saw the table and


    the barrels on the ground that I remembered leveraging them to pull her up.


    She dangled there, gagged, not at risk of dying but certainly scared out of her wits. Her skirt was


    drenched; she¡¯d be having nightmares for life.


    But did this evene close to a thousandth of what she¡¯d done to Foebe?


    The journal recounted how Coraline had someone beat Foebe until she wet herself, then everyone


    laughed, forcing her to kneel and lick it clean.


    These people were vile.


    had never imagined human hearts could be so dark.


    Jealousy and fear of Foebe stealing her affluent life led Coraline to unleash such malice upon her.


    ¡°Enjoy the view, and be careful not to fall. It could kill you,¡± I said as I drove a few long nails into a nk


    and ced it beneath the suspended Coraline.


    If she struggled and fell, she¡¯dnd right on those nails, and that would certainly hurt.


    ¡°Mmmph¡­¡± She continued to cry, to whimper. ¡°Mmmph caww poweece¡­¡±


    She was probably trying to say she¡¯d call the cops on me.


    Iughed. ¡°Is there a camera here? Who saw me tie you up? I¡¯m pregnant, for Pete¡¯s sake. I don¡¯t have


    the strength to lift you up there. Besides, I¡¯m carrying the Langley heir. Think about it, even if your


    parents found out, do you think they¡¯d let the cops arrest me?¡±

 Chapter 238

    They thought they could use me to wrest control of the Langley Group, huh? Even if it was like


    swallowing a bitter pill, they¡¯d have to choke it down. Forget bitter pills, even if it was a mouthful of


    nails, they¡¯d still have no choice but to swallow!


    Coraline looked at me, eyes wide with terror, shaking her head frantically.


    I knew she was shocked. Even I was shocked.


    What was I doing?


    I stepped out of the storage shed and locked the door behind me.


    The nanny was at the back door taking out the trash; she didn¡¯t say a word or even greet me.


    ¡°There are rats in the shed. I set out some rat poison and locked it up. Don¡¯t go in there today to give


    them a chance to escape. Check back tomorrow morning to see if they¡¯re dead,¡± I said nonchntly.


    The nanny seemed annoyed. ¡°Got it.¡±


    Clearly, in this household, Foebe was no different than the hired help, often doing chores, so the nanny


    was used to it.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    They brought it on themselves. Some evils, skirting the edges of thew, trampling on morals¨Cwas


    there nothing left to hold them in check?


    Action and reaction, cause and effect¨Cit¡¯s as if the trajectory of everything had been calcted


    in advance.


    You reap what you sow. What goes aroundes around, as sure as night follows day.


    ¡°Are you leaving just like that? Go back and sweet¨Ctalk that fool, and then quickly seize control of the


    Langley Group. You¡¯re too useless; can¡¯t even handle a simpleton?¡± Anthony said, his impatience


    evident as I turned to leave.


    I gave him a smile. ¡°Sure thing.¡±


    ¡°Foebe, your sister¡¯s being run ragged by the guys at the Langley Group. She¡¯s working like crazy on


    the construction site, practically breaking her back. Find a way to help her out, maybe get her a


    different assignment,¡± Foebe¡¯s mother Diane chimed in. ¡°As her older sister, you should be looking out


    for her. She¡¯s had it easy, unlike you who¡¯s had a rough go.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, looking at Diane. ¡°Blood ties really aren¡¯t worth a damn, huh?¡±


    Diane paused, confused. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Ever hear the saying?¡± I asked, with a knowing smile and mimicked firing a gun with my hand. ¡°The


    bullet you shoot without a second thought, one day, it might just make a full circle and hit


    11:48


    you in the back.¡±


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    I said with a smile, pretending the sound of a gunshot and blowing on my finger like it was a smoking


    barrel, then turned and walked away.


    Diane didn¡¯t quite catch my drift and retorted angrily. ¡°Is Foebe getting too big for her britches?


    Teaching me a lesson now? At least Coraline has some sense.¡±


    ¡°I saw Coraline leave a while ago,¡± I said with a smile, stepping into the car Eric had brought to pick me


    up.


    They cared so much about Coraline, and I wonder how they¡¯d react when they found their darling


    daughter strung up in the shed? I couldn¡¯t wait to see it.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, the master has already returned home,¡± Eric said once we were in the car.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be under observation at the hospital for a few days?¡± I asked, looking out the


    window, my voice catching in my throat. Perhaps Foebe¡¯s life would only find release at the moment of


    death.


    ¡°There¡¯s a family doctor, no need for concern,¡± he reassured me.


    I leaned against the car window, my head pounding. It seemed like death had taught me a lesson- I


    had learned to fight fire with fire. Surprisingly, it felt good.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    I fell asleep in the car and woke up in bed.


    Colin was there in nothing but his underwear, bandages on his wounds, looking at me with puppy¨Cdog


    eyes. ¡°Phoebe, I need a shower.¡±


    I decided I woke up the wrong way and turned over to go back to sleep.


    ¡°Phoebe,¡± Colin began, his face innocent, ¡°Foebe Larson¡¯s grandmother was identified by the police as


    a top¨Cwanted human trafficker, Allison. She¡¯s been taken in for questioning.¡±


    He paused, then added, ¡°Oh, right, Foebe Larson¡¯s brother was also arrested for indecent assault,


    theft, robbery, rape¡­¡±


    Colin thought for a moment and then continued, ¡°Oh, their whole family is involved in trafficking. Foebe


    Larson¡¯s uncle tried to resist arrest, took a bystander hostage in a panic, and was shot dead on the


    spot.¡±


    I was stunned for a long time. I hadn¡¯t even made my move yet! How did it end so abruptly without


    giving me a chance to do something!


    Was this just a coincidence?

 Chapter 239

    ¡°Oh, and Coraline is the child of a human trafficker.¡± Colin said with dead¨Cserious eyes. ¡°She was


    deliberately swapped with a wealthy family¡¯s baby. It wasn¡¯t a mistake at all. She just wanted her own


    granddaughter to live the high life.¡±


    Still reeling from the shock and barelying to grips with the revtion, I nced at my phone.


    Coraline Larson, the heiress of the Larson family, was the daughter of a kidnapper.


    The twisted fates of Coraline, the faux heiress, and the true heiress, Foebe Larson.


    A source revealed that to drive away the real heiress, Coraline led a high school clique that bullied


    Foebe Larson, tormenting her and causing harm. Now, the evidence was out there for the world to see.


    Coraline suddenly became infamous, her story stered across every headline.


    A flood of those in the know from back in the day began to spill the beans online,plete with photos


    and hard evidence.


    I had no doubt that the Larsons, with their clout, were trying to squash the story. After all, Coraline was


    their meticulously groomed poster girl, a socialite of the Larson name, a bargaining chip in the marriage


    alliance with the Helm family.


    But Foebe Larson? She was just a pawn.


    Yet, the story had been burning up the trending charts sincest night, with no sign of being pushed


    down. Unless there was some greater power and capital backing it, there was no way it could have


    gained such traction and maintained it.


    I cast a suspicious nce at Colin, who was fussing with the waistband of his underwear, muttering


    under his breath. ¡°Phoebe doesn¡¯t care about me. It hurts so much.¡±


    He was ying the sympathy card, but it was effective.


    ¡°The doctor said to keep it dry,¡± I warned in a low voice, pulling him into the bathroom to clean him up


    with a damp cloth. ¡°Were you nning to parade around the house in your birthday suit if I didn¡¯t help?¡±


    Colin didn¡¯t speak, just watched me with serious eyes.


    ¡°Phoebe, where did you go?¡± he suddenly asked.


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°As if you wouldn¡¯t know.¡±


    I was beginning to wonder if he¡¯d put a tracker on me or installed some kind of surveince.


    Colin cracked a smile, wrapping his arms around me. ¡°Phoebe, a little kiss?¡±


    ¡°Stop pretending,¡± I used, now thoroughly convinced he was faking it.


    But he was just too tame around me.


    ¡°Phoebe, Coraline¡¯s gone viral¡­ Just as she wanted,¡± he murmured against the nape of my neck, his


    voice dropping.


    A tingling sensation spread through me. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Coraline wanted fame, right? Well, now she had it in spades.


    I wondered what the Helms, that scumbag Oscar Helm in particr, was thinking now. He¡¯d probably


    cut his losses and call off the engagement with Coraline soon, right?


    I was halfway through my meal, nearly choking onughter at thements online bashing Coraline.


    Colin patted my back with a resigned air. ¡°Eat properly.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    I paused. Was he scolding me? When he got cold andmanding, he was a stranger, almost


    domineering. But his handsomeness neversted more than three seconds.


    ¡°Phoebe,¡± he kissed the corner of my mouth. ¡°So sweet.¡±


    I was slightly annoyed; the man was always looking to steal a taste at home.


    ¡°The Larsons are in for a show. I wonder if they¡¯ve found out about Coraline,¡± I mused, biting into a


    muffin. ¡°I left her hanging from the rafters, locked in the storage room.¡±


    Colin¡¯s eyes gleamed with indulgence as he replied in a hushed tone, ¡°Yeah, keep a few for your


    amusement.¡±


    I didn¡¯t understand what he meant. I lifted my gaze to him again, but he said no more.


    ¡°Sir.¡± Eric burst in before breakfast was done, anxiety etched on his face. ¡°The Larsons are causing a


    scene at the Langley¡¯s.¡±


    Eric spoke softly, ncing my way to gauge my reaction.


    Colin¡¯s frown was detached as he ced a peeled egg on my te. ¡°Finish your breakfast first.¡± Eric


    stepped back, full of apologies.


    I thought Eric was overreacting. Was Colin really that intimidating? His reverence seemed a bit


    overdone.


    I wasn¡¯t in a rush. Let the Larsons create their drama. As for the Langleys, apart from the old man


    fuming and bedridden, who else was there?


    ¡°Sir, there¡¯s been an incident at the Langleys too,¡± Eric continued, hesitating. ¡°Mr. Julian is suspected of


    involvement in a kidnapping and assault case and has been taken by the police, but¡­¡± He trailed off,


    looking apologetic. ¡°Sorry, Sir, the weed roots in the backyard are too entangled. It¡¯s hard to clear them


    out all at once.¡±

 Chapter 240

    The weeds, like problems, were never truly gone. They¡¯d return with the spring breeze, resilient


    as ever.


    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to get the gardener to put in some extra work, keep those weeds at bay. If we can¡¯t


    uproot them, we¡¯ll at least intimidate them. Let them know they¡¯ll be plucked if they grow too rapidly.¡±


    Colin whispered.


    I caught the metaphorced in his words, but since he and Eric didn¡¯t seem to mind my presence, I felt


    awkward asking for rification.


    ¡°How about a y after dinner?¡± Colin asked, leaning on my shoulder once we finished eating.


    With Eric gone, Colin reverted to his clingy, puppy¨Clike demeanor around me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to a show.¡± I said, raising an eyebrow and taking Colin¡¯s hand. ¡°I bet Anthony Larson and


    Diane would love to have me for dinner.¡±


    They must be distraught, their precious daughter having been left hanging from the rafters all night.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got your back,¡± Colin assured me seriously, as we made our way out.


    Following behind him, I couldn¡¯t help butment, ¡°You¡¯ve really grown, haven¡¯t you? Your legs are so


    long.¡±


    Had the man been feeding on fertilizer? My memory was a bit hazy, but thest time I measured him


    for clothes, he was around six feet. Now, he must be pushing six¨Ctwo?


    Colin turned around with a goofy grin and winked. ¡°Everything¡¯s grown.¡±


    I took a moment to catch his drift. His eyes were as innocent as ever, but his words, not so


    much.


    Upon entering the Langley estate, Diane charged at me like a bull.


    Colin stepped in front to shield me, his gaze icy as he watched her approach.


    Diane stumbled and, unable to stop herself, fell t as Colin deftly sidestepped with me in tow.


    ¡°No need for such dramatics so early in the morning,¡± Colin said with mock seriousness.


    Diane, fuming, pointed at me and used, ¡°Foebe Larson, you lunatic! Must be contagious. How dare


    you leave your sister hanging from rafters? I ought to teach you a lesson!¡±


    As her hand came flying toward me, Colin caught her wrist and pushed her away. Gone was the


    foolishness that once characterized him; in that moment, he was nothing short of majestic. ¡°Who gave


    you permission toy a finger on my woman?¡±


    Diane was taken aback, ncing back at Anthony for support.


    11:49


    *Caleb. Foebe is our daughter. This is a family matter.¡± Anthony said, still testing the waters to see if


    Colin¡¯s wits had returned.


    ¡°Your daughter? Didn¡¯t you already take a two¨Chundred¨Cmillion investment from Brendan, effectively


    selling her to me?¡± Colin¡¯s voice was low and protective as he held me close. ¡°Since she¡¯s sold, she¡¯s


    no longer your concern. Try touching what¡¯s mine and see what happens.¡±


    Anthony furrowed his brow, sensing a newfound authority in Caleb¡¯s demeanor. Was he pretending, or


    was this the real him?


    L too, was stunned, watching Colin.


    Which side of him was the most authentic?


    ¡°Foebe, you did go too far this time. Your mother¡¯s just upset. How could you leave your sister hanging


    like that? It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Anthony said in a lowered voice, unsure of how to handle Caleb and deciding


    it was best not to act rashly.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What can you do?¡± I said arrogantly, nestling into Colin¡¯s embrace. ¡°Maybe you should call the


    cops.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Anthony and Diane trembled with rage.


    ¡°Foebe Larson, get out here! I¡¯m going to kill you!¡± Themotion outside continued as Coraline and


    Oscar arrived, looking for vengeance.


    Coraline¡¯s face was bruised, bandaged, and she brought a posse with her, intent on settling


    scores.


    I couldn¡¯t help butugh at her foolishness.


    This was the Langley estate, and I was carrying the Langley heir. Did Coraline and Oscar really think


    the Langleys were defenseless? They were practically begging for trouble.


    Colin¡¯s eyes deepened for a moment, and he nced at Eric, who nodded before stepping outside to


    handle the situation.

 Chapter 241

    ¡°Caleb, my dear, Foebe is my daughter, and by marrying her, you¡¯re as good as my son¨Cinw. Now,


    when your wife hoists her sister up by the rafters, it¡¯s your job to teach her a thing or two on my behalf,¡±


    Diane was rambling on when Anthony cut her off, clearly unable to get a read on Caleb.


    Colin cocked his head to one side, eyeing me curiously. ¡°How could you string up your own sister by


    the rafters?¡±


    Anthony visibly rxed, eager to take any lifeline to escape the situation.


    But Colin, ever so earnest, added, ¡°She should have been left hanging from those rafters for good.¡±


    Silence fell. Not only did Anthony look shell¨Cshocked, but so did I.


    He was dead serious.


    So, I gave him a serious piece of my mind. ¡°Zip it, no one¡¯s breaking thew on my watch.¡±


    Colin nodded obediently. ¡°Oh, okay.¡±


    ¡°You! All of you! This is too much,¡± Diane blustered, face flushed with anger.


    Anthony was fuming, teeth clenched. ¡°Caleb, you¡¯re nothing but a bastard child of the Langley family.


    You haven¡¯t even secured your footing with them. The Langleys have Henry; it¡¯s not your turn to strut


    around.¡±


    That was Anthony,shing out in embarrassment and fury.


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh boy, look who¡¯s getting worked up.¡±


    ¡°Or, you know, we could just lock the door and take care of them all,¡± Colin suggested, his voice a low


    rumble.


    At the door, Eric, who had finished up his tasks, strolled in. He was ready to close the door as


    instructed.


    Anthony and Diane panicked. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, I don¡¯t believe for a second he¡¯d have the guts to kill us in broad daylight!¡± Anthony blustered,


    trying to muster some courage.


    That¡¯s when Eric, ever so seriously, pulled out Colin¡¯s mental disability certificate.


    ¡°Sorry, our young master has a mental disorder,¡± Eric sighed.


    Anthony¡¯s legs turned to jelly with fear, because Colin had grabbed a paring knife from the table.


    Diane, terror¨Cstricken, clutched Anthony¡¯s arm, backing away in a frenzy. ¡°Foebe Larson! You¡¯re


    inciting a mentally ill person tomit murder. Tell him to put down the knife; let¡¯s talk this


    10:59


    out!¡±


    I feigned helplessness. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry, but his condition is beyond my control.¡±


    Outside, Coraline, her boyfriend, and about seven or eight bodyguards had yet to burst in.


    The Langley family¡¯s security was tight, but something didn¡¯t sound right.


    Soon, deafening barks erupted from outside, along with Coraline¡¯s screams, Oscar¡¯s shrieks, and the


    bodyguards¡® roars.


    Had they released the hounds?


    I looked at Colin, astonished.


    He was casually approaching Anthony and Diane, an apple in one hand, the knife in the other. ¡°The


    Langley family paid a hefty sum. How about you two cut ties with my wife for good? Go your separate


    ways, and stop bothering her, deal?¡±


    His tone was casual, yet the threat was chilling.


    Anthony, face ashen with fear, turned his anger on me. ¡°Foebe, after all we¡¯ve done for you since you


    were eighteen, this is how you treat your own parents?¡±


    ¡°Calling yourselves ¡®parents¡® now, are we?¡± I chuckled. ¡°When Foebe came back to this house at


    eighteen, did you ever truly care for her?¡±


    Her journal detailed bouts of acute gastroenteritis, but they assumed Foebe, having grown up in the


    countryside, was resilient and pretended to be sick for attention. When she writhed in pain from an


    attackte at night, if it weren¡¯t for a security guard who found her as she dragged herself out of the


    house, she might have died in agony in that so¨Ccalled home.


    ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s all too much trouble. Maybe it¡¯s time to call it quits,¡± Colin suggested, turning to me with


    an innocent look.


    I took a deep breath and remained silent.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Now Diane and Anthony were trembling with fear.


    ¡°Foebe, get this madman out of here. Don¡¯t forget the promise you made to me!¡± Anthony tried to use


    the fact that Foebe Larson had imitated Phoebe Caldwell to get close to Caleb as leverage.


    I was indifferent. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I forgot. On my wedding day, your precious daughter drugged me, and


    so did Samuel from the Langleys. The dose was too strong, and I couldn¡¯t handle it. I lost my memory.¡±


    Anthony¡¯s face contorted with rage.

 Chapter 242

    ¡°Foebe Larson! We¡¯re disowning you, now get that lunatic out of here!¡± Anthony blurted out, his voice


    trembling with fear.


    ¡°Fine.¡± I nodded, my heart heavy with resignation.


    Outside, Coraline¡¯s screams for help pierced the air. ¡°Help me, Mom and Dad! Ahh!¡±


    Curiosity tugged at me, wondering what havocy beyond the door.


    As Colin stepped back, Anthony and Diane bolted for the exit, only to be met with a sight that froze


    them in their tracks.


    The backyard had turned into a scene straight from hell- a pack of dogs had overpowered seven


    bodyguards, Coraline, and Oscar. Screams, growls, and the sickening sound of tearing flesh filled the


    air.


    Diane nearly fainted at the sight, her legs giving way beneath her, and she copsed to the ground.


    Coraline was trying to fend off a dog that hadtched onto her leg, her cries for help ignored by Oscar,


    who was solely focused on saving his own skin. He left her to the mercy of the dogs, which had now


    bitten her face.


    I gasped, feeling helpless and unsure how to intervene. The Langley family¡¯s bodyguards were already


    attempting to stop the attack, but the dogs were relentless.


    ¡°Colin¡­¡± I whispered, fearing for their lives.


    As Colin approached, his expression remained detached. He ced a peeled apple in my hand and


    gently covered my eyes, whispering soothingly, ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡±


    Clutching my skirt, I stood tense, knowing this was Coraline¡¯seuppance.


    Meanwhile, several burly bodyguards had already fled, leaving Oscar cowering inside a car, too scared


    to attempt a rescue. Coraline was left alone, surrounded and bitten by the dogs.


    Anthony and Diane were paralyzed with fear, crying out as they desperately called the police.


    ¡°These are just some strays from the neighborhood. Mr. Langley was kind enough to allow us to keep


    them in the backyard. Coraline barged in with her gang, and they upset the dogs. I already called the


    police ahead of time. I¡¯m terribly sorry about this,¡± Eric exined, unfazed.


    Before the police arrived, the dogs, sensing something, ceased their attack and fled the scene, leaving


    no trace behind.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    The leader of the pack was the same adorable Great Dane I¡¯d seen in Colin¡¯s backyard. I had thought it


    was gentle, but it clearly had a side I hadn¡¯t seen. Its ferocity could have rivaled a wolf¡¯s.


    ¡°What happened here?¡± The police burst in, finding Coraline bloodied and screaming, on the


    11:00


    brink of hysteria.


    *Thisdy, along with some thugs, forced their way into our house. They meant no good, all armed. Our


    old man¡¯s stray dogs got scared and bit them. Now the dogs have run off, and we did our best to stop


    them,¡± Eric stepped forward to handle the situation. ¡°Since the strays are under our care, we, the


    Langley family, will cover any expenses,¡±


    The ambnce was called immediately.


    Diane and Anthony rushed over, holding Coraline in their arms.


    Coraline had passed out from the shock, her face mauled, presenting a pitiful sight.


    Standing at the doorway, I watched the unconscious Coraline with mixed emotions.


    In her journal, Foebe had once been locked in a dog kennel on the school grounds by Coraline and her


    cronies, Curled up inside, she screamed for help all night, but the school was deserted, and no one


    came to her rescue. It wasn¡¯t until the groundskeeper came to feed the dogs the next morning that a


    somewhat delirious Foebe was freed.


    When the incident reached the Larson family, Anthony and Diane defended Coraline, insisting she was


    incapable of such an act, and that Foebe must have identally locked herself in.


    I wondered if this was Coraline¡¯s retribution. She had trespassed and gotten bitten by dogs, a


    consequence of her own making.


    Eric had made it clear the Langleys wouldpensate as required, but the pain and disfigurement


    were for Coraline to bear.


    Karma indeed.

 Chapter 243

    ¡°Our young master has a severe mental disorder; he can¡¯t handle any stress. But these folks just


    showed up uninvited, and it¡¯s just¡­¡± Eric let out a heavy sigh and pointed to the surveince cameras


    in the yard. ¡°We¡¯ve got cameras all over the ce; you can check the footage. Our guys tried to stop


    the stray dog from biting someone right when it happened, but you know how it is- once a dog goes


    rabid and mps down, it¡¯s not letting go easily.¡±


    The officer nced at Colin¡¯s state, then at Anthony and Diane. ¡°You better get him to the hospital


    quick. We¡¯ll get to the bottom of this, but if you were trespassing, that¡¯s a whole different matter.¡±


    Colin was hiding behind me, his eyes intense as he red at Anthony and Diane.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, we¡¯ve cut ties. Next time you barge in and rile me up, I might just¡­ kill someone, you


    know.¡± Colin¡¯s voice was timid as he uttered the most sinister threat.


    ¡°Phoebe, are you scared?¡± Colin whispered to me after the police and Anthony had left.


    I was worried about the dog and shook my head. ¡°Is the lead dog the one you own? It¡¯s not going to be


    in trouble, is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s smart. It should have run back home by now,¡± Colin said cheerily.


    I asked him in a low voice, ¡°What¡¯s the dog¡¯s name?¡±


    Colin looked down, silent.


    ¡°No name?¡± I prodded.


    ¡°Coly.¡± he muttered softly.N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Huh? That dog¡¯s name is almost like yours?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Colin just grunted and fell silent.


    ¡°Sir, Ma¡¯am, Coraline¡¯s been taken to the hospital; her life is not in danger, but her face¡­ it¡¯s pretty


    messed up. And the chatter on social media is still brewing,¡± Etic came over and updated us on the


    hospital situation.


    ¡°Colin, about the situation with the Larsons, was that your doing?¡± I asked quietly.


    Colin didn¡¯t deny it but changed the subject. ¡°Phoebe, I don¡¯t want to go to the office.¡±


    He was pouting, saying he didn¡¯t want to go to work. ¡°Stay with me, Phoebe.¡±


    I pushed away his pitifully handsome face with my hand. Such tricks wouldn¡¯t sway me. ¡°Go on your


    own, I¡¯ve got things to take care of.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t wanna¡­¡± Colin seemed afraid to let me out of his sight, probably worried something might


    happen to me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll apany you to the office first,¡± I relented to pacify him.


    Before leaving the Langley¡¯s, Colin and I went to see the old man who was now paralyzed and mute.


    To be honest, living like that seemed more painful than death.


    Unfortunately, he was stuck in a limbo where he wasn¡¯t really alive but couldn¡¯t die either- just a human


    shield now.


    I didn¡¯t buy for a second that Brendan had the heart to feed stray dogs. Those dogs were clearly


    Colin¡¯s.


    On the bed, Brendan watched Colin, his eyes nearly bulging out, unable to utter a single word, the


    frustration almost killing him.


    Colin just looked at Brendan, the corners of his mouth turned up in a slight grin. For a moment, he was


    truly terrifying.


    ¡°Grandpa, take care of yourself. You need to live a long, long¡­ life,¡± Colin said in a low voice as he


    approached Brendan.


    Brendan¡¯s veins bulged with urgency, but sadly, he couldn¡¯t say a thing now.


    I turned and walked out of the room, tooking at Eric who was waiting outside. ¡°How many years have


    you been with Brendan, Eric?¡±


    ¡°Ten years,¡± he answered truthfully.


    ¡°And in those ten years, you didn¡¯t develop any affection?¡± After Brendan fell ill, they talked about


    clearing the household, and Eric purged everyone from the Langley estate down to the


    nanny.


    At that time, I even suspected Eric was some sort of hidden kingpin, but then I saw how respectfully he


    treated Collin.


    Later, I wondered if Eric was using Colin, exploiting the heir of the Langley family, taking advantage of


    his naivety to control others.


    ¡°You¡¯re still young and might not understand the depths to which human depravity can sink,¡± Eric


    seemed to dodge my question, shifting the topic, yet there was a message in his words.


    ¡°My dad died in a work ident when I was a teenager, crushed in a construction incident. That year,


    my little sister was just five. My mom took the money from my dad¡¯s death and ran off, leaving me and


    my sister to fend for ourselves. I was barely in my teens, juggling school and work, scavenging,


    seeking shelter, and with the help of some kind souls, I managed to pull us out of the slums.¡±

 Chapter 244

    Walking beside me, Eric made his way through the backyard, his footsteps deliberate amid the


    neglected garden.


    As he casually plucked a weed from the earth, a wry smile crossed his lips. ¡°My sister, she was a true


    beauty. Marrying into the Langley family was like winning the lottery for Samuel. Everyone said he was


    the lucky one.¡±


    Back then, for Eric and his sister, being epted into the Langleys was like reaching the stars.


    I stared at Eric in disbelief. Samuel had been married, and I had never imagined that his wife was Eric¡¯s


    sister.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been working as Brendan¡¯s right hand, Samuel probably wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to


    get close to my sister,¡± Eric said with a sneer. ¡°Guess he thought by winning me over, he could curry


    favor with Brendan. Too bad, Samuel turned out to be a real piece of


    work.¡±


    His gaze fell upon my belly, and I felt a chill down my spine. ¡°When my sister was six months pregnant,


    the hormonal changes¡­ they took a toll on her. She lost her figure, looked run¨Cdown. Samuel, he


    couldn¡¯t stand that she wasn¡¯t the fresh young thing he married. He spent his days and nights out on


    the town, dazzled by some starlet. Even with his father¡¯s disapproval, he wanted a divorce. But she


    was six months along. What was she supposed to do?¡±


    Pregnancy usually meant a woman could refuse a divorce, and Samuel was trapped by that.


    ¡°What do you think that starlet suggested to Samuel?¡± Eric asked, a cold smile ying on his lips.


    I involuntarily took a deep breath, bracing myself for the worst.


    ¡°She told him about this type of horsewhip, the kind they use in the stables. It doesn¡¯t leave much of a


    mark, but it hurts like hell. Advised him to beat my sister until she agreed to the divorce. She said


    domestic disputes were just that, disputes. If she was stubborn and wound up dead, well, she¡¯d have


    gotten what she deserved.¡±


    ¡°So, one night, Samuel came home drunk and he¡­ he beat my sister. It was a double tragedy.¡± Eric¡¯s


    voice was eerily calm, as if he hade to terms with it all.


    But I knew better. He hadn¡¯t let go. He harbored a deep¨Cseated hatred for the Langleys, for Samuel, for


    Brendan.


    The more he spoke, the more I was convinced that Eric had yed a role in the downfall of the Langley


    family. This man¡­ he was not to be underestimated.


    ¡°Samuel lied, said it was a fall down the stairs. Brendan paid off whoever he needed to bury the truth. If


    it hadn¡¯t been for a Langley housemaid risking it all to give me the footage she¡¯d caught, I would¡¯ve


    thought my sister was just unlucky in life.¡±


    He opened the car door for me. ¡°I apologize, Ma¡¯am. I shouldn¡¯t have burdened you with this.¡±


    11:35


    ¡°What happened after?¡± I pressed, sensing there was more to the story.


    Eric hesitated, then smiled faintly. ¡°Afterward, I took the young master Caleb out of the psychiatric


    facility. We were kindred spirits; his eyes reminded me of my sister¡¯s. I dedicated myself to making it up


    to him, all the apologies I owed her.¡±


    He alluded to meeting Colin, but I sensed an undertone to his words I couldn¡¯t grasp.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°Later, Samuel got hiseuppance. He yed too rough, damaged himself beyond repair, became


    incapable of fatherhood. He also injured his spine, and now he¡¯s bound to a wheelchair.¡±


    I murmured, the words spilling out. ¡°Now, he¡¯s living a fate worse than death, in a persistent vegetative


    state. Serves him right.¡±


    ¡°For the truly wicked, death isn¡¯t punishment. It¡¯s the living death, hanging by a thread¡­ that¡¯s the real


    punishment,¡± Eric said, his voiceced with meaning.


    For some reason, a sharp pain struck my chest.


    Death wasn¡¯t punishment; it was the living death.


    Before my own demise, I was made into a specimen in a ss disy, my life sustained by countless


    nutrients.


    Was my killer punishing me?


    My head began to throb fiercely, and I leaned on the car door for support until Colin came over and


    wrapped his arms around me, offering some relief.


    What had I forgotten?

 Chapter 245

    When Colin and I arrived at Langley Group¡¯s office, some of the employees were raising a ruckus.


    ¡°Langley Group, this behemoth of a corporation, publicly traded and all, and they let an idiot run the


    show? Are we seriously out of options?¡± one of them sneered. ¡°With the chairman gone, we need


    someonepetent in charge!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Why should a nutjob be in the driver¡¯s seat?¡±


    ¡°An illegitimate child from the Langley family and a loony to boot, why should he manage?¡± Their words


    wereced with malice, clearly incited by someone behind the scenes.


    Indeed, the darker side of human nature is magnified in the face of self¨Cinterest. If Henry could offer


    them perks, they would nder someone who never hurt them without a second thought.


    ¡°That lunatic, why didn¡¯t he bite the dust in that car crash instead of Mr. Ethan?¡±


    ¡°I heard that the nutcase brings bad luck.¡±


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°And that he even survived the fire at the orphanage!¡±


    I felt my face grow hot with anger as I fixed my gaze on the speaker.


    ¡°Colin,¡± I whispered, tiptoeing closer to him and covering his ears. ¡°Follow Eric up the back stairs.¡±


    Colin looked at me obediently, reluctant to go on his own.


    ¡°Please, just do as I say.¡±


    With a hesitant nod, Colin lowered his gaze and followed Eric away.


    I stood at thepany¡¯s entrance, surveying the protesters.


    ¡°How many favors did Henry promise you to stir up this mess?¡± I walked over and confronted them.


    These were clearly key middle and upper management figures, confident in their indispensability,


    certain thepany couldn¡¯t afford to fire them on short notice.


    ¡°And who might you be?¡± the ringleader challenged.


    ¡°My name is Foebe Larson, wife of the CEO of Langley Group,¡± I introduced myself in a low voice.


    ¡°Ha! You? Wife of the CEO? With the chairman indisposed, the CEO seat doesn¡¯t fall to some fool, and


    you, ¡®Mrs. CEO,¡® have no right to strut around.¡± The ringleader spoke with pride, harping on the notion


    that Colin was unfit.


    ¡°How would you like to take a shot at being CEO?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re


    10:38


    up for it?¡±


    His face hardened. ¡°You have no say in this. Get Eric or Caleb out here, we won¡¯t ept him as


    CEO!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leading this charade, must be a nice payday, huh? But what about them, your followers? How


    much will they get?¡± I continued to provoke him. ¡°The Langley Group is never short of talent. You don¡¯t


    need to strike; consider yourselves fired.*


    ¡°On what grounds can you fire us? What are you?¡± he bellowed at me.


    ¡°On the grounds that I am the CEO¡¯s wife, and you¡¯re not doing your job, disrupting thepany¡¯s


    operations. We can¡¯t keep you around just for decoration, can we?¡± I nced at the lobby¡¯s security


    camera, subtly shifting my position.


    He advanced angrily, pointing and arguing with me.


    I channeled Colin¡¯s acting skills, took a step forward, and then promptly fell to the ground, clutching my


    stomach, feigning agony. ¡°Why did you push me?¡±


    The ringleader was taken aback. ¡°What are you on about? ver even touched you.¡±


    I looked around in feigned pain. ¡°I know it wasn¡¯t any of you. It was him, he pushed me. There¡¯s a


    Langley heir in my womb. If anything happens, I¡¯ll only hold him responsible.¡±


    I was perfectly fine, of course.


    Everyone else was stunned. In themotion, no one had seen whether he had touched me or not.


    My performance was convincing, and in my feigned distress, I called out for security. ¡°Call the police.


    Someone help, he¡¯s attacked me!¡±


    With no way to defend himself in the chaos, he was utterly flustered. ¡°Stop faking it, I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°You were the closest to me. I know you didn¡¯t push, but you saw him push me, right?¡± I addressed


    someone nearby, sowing discord. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I only want justice from the person responsible.¡±

 Chapter 246

    The man was panicking, ncing at the ringleader with desperate eyes. ¡°It wasn¡¯t¡­¡±


    The leader was urgently gesturing to his cronies to vouch for him. But in this situation, the best they


    could muster was feigned ignorance. ¡°I didn¡¯t get a clear look¡­¡±


    The police showed up swiftly, and I was helped onto the ambnce by Eric.


    ¡°We suspect this guy named Connor of taking a bribe,¡± Eric announced to everyone within earshot, his


    voice stern yet audible to all. ¡°His wife tipped us off that Connor¡¯s been keeping a mistress on the side,


    and we found a million in cash at her ce. Now he¡¯s gone as far as assaulting someone, trying to


    harm our CEO¡¯s wife and her unborn child. Looks like a case of a hit gone wrong.¡±


    The faces around him turned ghostly white. Clearly, only the leader had pocketed the million windfall.


    Regardless of the oue, their little gang had crumbled.


    Sitting in the ambnce, I nced at Eric. I had merely mentioned to him on the way over, ¡°Cut off the


    head of the snake,¡± and he had already seized the leader¡¯s weaknesses.


    I had this eerie feeling that Eric had anticipated everything I could think of, and his silence was just


    ying into my charade. I felt pretty sharp for figuring that out, but something didn¡¯t sit right.


    Was it really me protecting and aiding Colin? Without me, could Eric not have handled it?


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, everything has been taken care of as per your instructions,¡± Eric said.


    The police had escorted Connor away.


    I was taken aback. He was giving me too much credit; I had only hinted at a n, and he executed it to


    perfection. This kind of ttery sent shivers down my spine. ¡°Ah¡­ You didn¡¯t tell Colin, did you? I don¡¯t


    want him to worry. It¡¯s nothing serious.¡±


    ¡°Sir¡¯s unaware. Once things are settled here, he¡¯s nning to join you at the hospital for the check¨Cup.


    I told him you had gone ahead,¡± Eric exined, covering all bases.


    I nodded in agreement. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Before following the ambnce, I looked out the window onest time. Maybe it was just my


    imagination, but I felt like Colin was watching from the building above.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Not long after the ambnce arrived at the hospital, Colin showed up.


    ¡°Phoebe, you didn¡¯t wait for me,¡± Colin said, his eyes drooping slightly, projecting a hint of hurt.


    I looked around; the ambnce ride had been smooth.


    12:41


    Didn¡¯t wait for him? I was practically making him wait on me.


    ¡°Well, I was worried that you might be too busy with work,¡± I murmured reassuringly.


    Colin gripped my hand, visibly anxious. ¡°Phoebe, I¡¯m going to be a dad, right?¡±


    I paused for a moment; the child was indeed his. ¡°What else? Should I go find another dad for this


    baby?¡±


    Colin¡¯s gaze instantly deepened, his grip tightening. ¡°That¡¯s not allowed.¡±


    1 chuckled. ¡°Did you sort out everything at thepany?¡±


    ¡°Eric filled me in,¡± Colin¡¯s face lit up in a mix of happiness and excitement, as if he relied heavily on me.


    ¡°It was your idea that solved the problem with those guys. You¡¯re so smart.¡±


    I felt a bit guilty but couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint what was off. ¡°Next time there¡¯s trouble, let me know in


    advance.¡±


    That emerging protective instinct made


    e confident. After all, I had a second chance at life, and these jerks didn¡¯t stand a chance. With me


    around, no one would dare bully the people I care about again.


    ¡°Phoebe, you¡¯re the best. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do without you.¡± Colin continued his yful whining,


    holding me close.


    I felt I might have spoiled him, but what could I do? Other than dote on him, what else was there?

 Chapter 247

    Eric was a man of swift and decisive action.


    Connor cracked under his intense pressure, admitting that the one million hade from Julian¡¯s


    assistant¨Cit was hush money for stirring up trouble at the firm. But he wouldn¡¯t confess to pushing me.


    I didn¡¯t press the issue. After all, my goal was to expose the puppet master behind the


    scenes.


    Deep down, everyone knew it was Julian. Yet, somehow, he always managed to slip through our


    fingers.


    But it didn¡¯t matter. I¡¯d chop off his henchmen one by one, then find ways to ce our own people in


    their stead. After all, Julian had Henry¡¯s unwavering support¨Croots running deep and unchecked.


    ¡°Henry¡¯s not getting any younger, and with Julian being his only son, just imagine how broken he¡¯d be if


    he lost his sole heir,¡± I mused out loud as Colin followed the nurse to retrieve some test results. I looked


    at Eric with a meaningful gaze. ¡°Eric, I know you¡¯re a sharp one. Whatever your reasons for cozying up


    to Colin may be, I reckon we share amon foe.¡±


    That foe was Julian and Henry.


    By choosing to align with Colin immediately after Brendan¡¯s mishap, Eric had effectively dered war


    on Julian and Henry. Those two were ruthless; if Eric was betting on Colin, it was a gamble he had to


    win.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Eric nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll carry out the instructions from Sir and Ma¡¯am to the letter.¡±


    ¡°Is there any chance we could nt one of ours close to Julian?¡± I queried..


    Eric paused, weighing his words. ¡°Julian might not be as meticulous as Mr. Henry, but he¡¯s pretty


    selective about his inner circle. I¡¯ve thought of a few strategies, but getting close to him isn¡¯t easy. His


    confidants are handpicked by Henry himself.¡±


    I chuckled. Henry sure kept a tight leash on his son. But rebellion is part of human nature. I didn¡¯t


    believe for a second that Julian didn¡¯t have his own rebellious streak.


    ¡°Maybe we need to change our approach. Waiting on Henry won¡¯t do us any good. We¡¯ve got to exploit


    Julian¡¯s weakness for thedies. Even the mightiest heroes can stumble over a beauty,¡± I said


    somberly.


    When I first crossed paths with Julian, I knew right then¨Cthe Langleys were all charmers in their own


    right, Samuel included. But Julian differed; women were mere ythings to him, his true passion being


    his empire.


    But sometimes, ythings can be one¡¯s undoing.


    12:42


    Eric met my gaze, a flicker ofplexity in his eyes, and nodded.


    I pondered. Without Julian as his ace, what cards would Henry have left to y? And when that time


    came, it would be just a matter of time before Colin consolidated his authority within thepany.


    ¡°Phoebe, the doctor says everything¡¯s normal. Just stick to the routine prenatal visits, Colin returned,


    his innocence almost palpable, as white and unblemished as a nk


    canvas.


    Something inside me insisted on protecting that innocence.


    ¡°Yeah, congrattions, Mr. Langley,¡± I said, epting the prenatal report, the word ¡®congrattions¡®


    slipping out before I could think.


    Why was I congratting him? Had he always longed to be a father, or had I once made him a


    promise?


    Colin stiffened, then enveloped me in a tight embrace, his voice husky. ¡°Phoebe, thank you.¡±


    He was thanking me when I was the one filled with guilt. After all, it was me who had forgotten him, left


    him, and fallen for someone else during his darkest hours, even bearing another man¡¯s child. Could he


    really not harbor any resentment towards me?


    Sometimes I thought, if it turned out that Colin was the one who had lost control and hurt me, I wouldn¡¯t


    hold it against him. After all, I was the one who had wronged him first, forgetting him and falling in love


    with another when he needed me most.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home,¡± I suggested, feeling a lump in my throat.


    ¡°The doc¡¯s called me in for a quick word,¡± Colin said with a hint of mystery, and I let him go without a


    second thought.


    Sitting in the hallway, waiting for Colin¡¯s return, I caught a glimpse of Dexter.

 Chapter 248

    Dexter¡¯s injuries should have mostly heated by now, since trouble always had a way of sticking around


    for a lifetime. He was walking alongside a middle¨Caged man, engaged in a conversation about


    something I couldn¡¯t make out.


    As they turned the corner, he caught sight of me, hesitated, as if he had something to say but thought


    better of it


    I ignored him, but my gaze lingered on the middle¨Caged man, causing a strange tightness in my cheat.


    There was something too familiar about him.


    Who was this man?


    tracked my brain trying to ce the middle¨Caged man, but his face eluded me.


    He noticed me too and approached with a smile.


    Instinctively, I resisted, my body tensing as I prepared to flee.


    His scrutinizing gaze seemed to pierce through me. ¡°Good day, Miss Larson, I¡¯m Damian, a


    psychologist.¡±


    I paused, taken aback.


    A psychologist?


    ¡°I was a childhood buddy of Edward Caldwell, we grew up together, best of friends.¡± It was as if he


    intended for me to overhear, emphasizing his special bond with my father.


    My eyes widened in shock.


    Edward was Phoebe Caldwell¡¯s father.


    ¡°Phoebe Caldwell fell ill as a child, and I was the one providing her with psychological counseling,¡±


    Damian said with a smile. He had the air of someone seasoned by life, but his presence was


    undeniably maic.


    Dexter stood off to the side, observing my every reaction.


    I felt annoyed, as if their probing eyes were studying ab rat in a cage.


    ¡°What¡¯s it to me who you¡¯re friends with or whose doctor you are?¡± I frowned.


    Damian simply smiled. ¡°Apologies for the intrusion.¡±


    Dexter chimed in. ¡°It was my mother who found Dr. Damian, to help me with some psychological


    counseling.¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°What, have you gone mad? If you¡¯re insane, there are institutions for that.¡± Damian remained


    silent, his smile gentle yet somehow unsettling.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Foebe Larson, Dexter smartly used my current name Instead of calling me Phoebe. Im sorry for


    mistaking you for Phoebe Caldwell. I apologize for the inconvenience.¡±


    His sudden shift to politeness threw me off. I snorted dismissively, wondering what he was up to.


    ¡°Sorry to have bothered you,¡± Dexter apologized again, leaving with Damian. His behavior was too


    abnormal, making me suspect something was amiss. My left eyelid twitched uneasily.


    ¡°Can you make any sense of it?¡± As they rounded another corner, I stealthily followed to overhear


    Dexter¡¯s question to Damian.


    ¡°Your guess might be right,¡± replied Damian.


    ¡°So, what should I do then?¡±


    ¡°Phoebe Caldwell has a strong sense of self. When she¡¯s stressed, she might choose to block out


    memories she doesn¡¯t want to face. Through psychological guidance, we can help her to¡­¡±


    Their conversation faded out of earshot.


    Frowning, I sensed these people were up to no good.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± Eric called softly from behind me. ¡°Your car is here.¡±


    Startled, I turned to Eric. ¡°Did you see the man with Dexter? Damian, he ims to be a psychologist.¡±


    Eric nodded calmly. ¡°I¡¯m aware of him. He¡¯s considered the best in Sea City for mental health, quite the


    authority. Brendan had him consult for the young master once.¡±


    ¡°And it didn¡¯t help?¡± I asked subconsciously.


    ¡°He imed the young master was fine,¡± Eric¡¯s voice was steady. ¡°Such authority, yet so fallible.¡±


    I took a deep breath. ¡°Exactly, what kind of authority is this?¡±


    ¡°He says the young master is fine, yet he ims Phoebe Caldwell, who¡¯s supposedly healthy, is ill.


    Quiteughable,¡± Ericmented dryly. ¡°I heard he came from the same mental institution the young


    master was confined to, that very one.¡±


    I nced at Fric concina on underlui.

 Chapter 249

    Colin and the doctor emerged together, with the doctor offering a few words of advice. Colin seemed


    genuinely pleased with the news.


    Phoebe, he approached me, taking my hand in his. His fingertips were cool to the touch, but as he held


    mine, I felt a settling calm.


    ¡°Something on your mind, Phoebe?¡± He always had a way of seeing right through me.


    shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s head home.¡±


    On the way back with Colin, I was distracted, my thoughts elsewhere.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Damian had said that he used to be my therapist. Eric told me that Damian said Colin wasn¡¯t sick; it


    was me who had a problem. What did all of this mean?


    ¡°Sir, Madam, Henry has organized a family gathering. It¡¯s the annual Langley family banquet and your


    attendance is required.¡±


    Colin was visibly annoyed. ¡°How tiresome.¡±


    I had a hunch that Henry was going to seize this chance to provoke Colin. After Colin had thwarted


    Julian¡¯s schemes so many times, it was likely that Henry had grown suspicious. He probably thought


    Colin was feigning his condition, and now he¡¯se to probe. ¡°Colin, when we get home, don¡¯t go


    anywhere. Stay with me, even call me if you need to go to the restroom,¡± I said, holding his hand a little


    tighter, worried.


    Eric parked the car in front of the Langley Mansion, and as I stepped out with Colin, I spotted Melody


    standing in the distance. She was supposed to be under police protection, yet here she was, out and


    about.


    I gave her a nce and smirked. Perhaps living in constant fear had taken its toll; she looked haggard


    and disheveled. Dark circles underscored her eyes as if she hadn¡¯t slept properly in ages.


    Melody walked towards me.


    I ignored her, intent on entering with Colin.


    ¡°Foebe,¡± she called out to me.


    I looked at her. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    She seemed to have adopted a different tone. ¡°Foebe, I came here today¡­ to apologize. I¡¯m sorry for


    the misunderstanding before, and for telling the cops you were involved with the murderer.¡±


    I was stunned. Had Melody and Dexter gone off their meds today?


    The police told me today that Dorian¡¯s crimes are clear¨Ccut, and they¡¯re still on the hunt for his


    aplices. But since Dorian¡¯s death, there have been no more killings, which Buggests he was likely


    the mastermind. I can¡¯t stay under police protection forever. I need to get my life back on track,¡± Melody


    said softly, as though she was truly repentant.


    appraised her. And you got off scot¨Cfree for what you did to Phoebe Caldwell? You¡¯re quite something,


    aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Melody visibly bristled but spoke softly. ¡°Foebe, that wasn¡¯t my intention. I didn¡¯t want Phoebe Caldwell


    dead, I just¡­¡±


    Seeing that I was uninterested, she spoke again. ¡°I admit I was wrong, and I¡¯ll make it right. She loved


    Dexter so much, and I will spend my life taking care of Dexter for her, loving him as she did.¡±


    I was bbergasted. How brazen! So, she came here to dere her territory to me? Was she


    reminding me to stop imitating Phoebe and stay away from Dexter?


    ¡°Hailey has epted me, too. I¡¯ve moved into the Fitzgerald household, into Phoebe¡¯s room. I now


    understand her love for Dexter, and I promise to love him in her stead,¡± Melody said, wiping a tear.


    ¡°And I¡¯ll take care of Hailey for her, too.¡±


    I stood there, watching Melody¡¯s performance. If it were the old me, I¡¯d be heartbroken, but now, I felt


    like an outsider, merely an audience to this drama. I even began to see my amnesiac self as someone


    entirely unrted to me.


    I felt a repulsion. I was actually repelled and disgusted by the person I had been. Memories seemed to


    be resurfacing, something was awakening within me.


    ¡°Is she for real?¡± I muttered to Colin.


    Colin seemed just as engrossed in the spectacle, nodding solemnly. ¡°Definitely off her rocker.¡±


    Melody clenched her teeth and continued. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the trouble I¡¯ve caused. Colin, we were


    ssmates after all. You know ver took part in bullying you or Carter, and ver did anything bad


    intentionally. If Dorian was acting under your orders, I beg you to stop this madness.¡±

 Chapter 250

    Get yourself checked out if you¡¯re feeling sick, Colin frowned in disgust, pulling me back With him.


    Don¡¯t catch whatever she¡¯s got; it¡¯s toxic.¡±


    Melody gave a mockingugh, looking at me with amusement. ¡°Foebe, congrattions on snagging


    yourself a real catch,¡± she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she emphasized the words ¡®real


    catch¡®.


    She seemed like someone watching a y, waiting to see my downfall. ¡°You two are just perfect for


    each other. Here¡¯s to a lifetime of happiness, to growing old together, and to having a bunch of little


    ones running around.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    The blessing that came from her lips sounded more like a wicked curse.


    It was evident she was waiting to see me be the butt of the joke, to witness my demise. She was


    mocking me for consorting with the devil, for my own descent into hell.


    ¡°I wish


    you the same,¡± I said to her, holding Colin¡¯s hand tightly as we turned to leave. ¡°May you and Dexter be


    inseparable. Make sure he doesn¡¯t escape to bring misery to others.¡±


    Melody¡¯s eyes filled with venom as Colin and I walked into the living room, and only then did she leave.


    ¡°Don¡¯t believe a word she says. I¡¯ll treat you right, Phoebe, I promise,¡± Colin said, as if to reassure me,


    worried that Melody¡¯s words might affect me.


    ¡°I believe you,¡± I replied with a smile.


    Colin was overjoyed, wrapping his arms around me and refusing to let go. ¡°Wifey, I can¡¯t wait to get


    home.¡±


    ¡°What did the doctor tell you at the end?¡± I asked curiously.


    ¡°The doctor said that being intimate during the second trimester can help stabilize a pregnant woman¡¯s


    hormones, calm her emotions, and keep her spirits high.¡±


    arly bit my tongue. I knew I shouldn¡¯t expect anything serious toe out from his mouth.


    ¡°You actually know to attend today¡¯s family dinner,¡± Henry said sternly, clutching his cane.


    Normally, that seat would have been taken by Brendan, but since he had suffered a stroke and was


    bedridden, Henry had taken it upon himself to step in.


    The Langley family rtives had all arrived, including those who had been frightened by Colin before.


    They were pale as ghosts, huddling close to Henry, clearly still terrified.


    Colin surveyed the room silently.


    Today is a family gathering,e and take a seat,¡± Henrymanded, puffing up with


    authority of the head of the family clearly trying to put us in our ce


    able was full, and he was telling us to sit down¨Cwhere exactly? In the corner, or should we stand?


    I nced at Eric and asked innocently, ¡°Whose family dinner is this, anyway?¡±


    Eric replied politely, ¡°It¡¯s the Langley family¡¯s.¡±


    And who¡¯s the head of the Langley family?¡± I continued. ¡°Is it Henry? Since when did he take over?


    Grandpa¡¯s not gone yet, and here he is, sitting in Grandpa¡¯s chair. That can¡¯t be good luck. Wouldn¡¯t


    want him to have a stroke tomorrow too.¡±


    Colin joined in with feigned concern, ¡°Yeah, not good at all. Sitting in that chair is like asking for a


    stroke.¡±


    Henry¡¯s face hardened as he mmed his hand on the table and stood up. ¡°The nerve! Where¡¯s the


    respect for your elders?¡±


    ¡°Eric,¡± I said sternly, not the least bit intimidated by his loud voice. ¡°My husband and I aren¡¯t feeling


    well, so we won¡¯t be staying for dinner. We¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±


    ¡°Stay right there!¡± Henry bellowed, signaling for several bodyguards at the door to block


    our exit.


    Colin¡¯s gaze turned frosty, and he positioned me protectively behind him.


    I knew Colin was angry.


    Henry hade prepared, bringing a crowd and locking the doors of the Langley Mansion.


    Was he nning on holding us against our will?


    ¡°Caleb, you¡¯ve been diagnosed with a mental condition; you¡¯re not fit to make your own decisions. I


    took over thepany management for the good of the Langley family,¡± Henry believed he held all the


    cards. ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged for you to be admitted to the best psychiatric facility in Sea City. They¡¯re


    on their way here, and whether you like it or not, you¡¯ll spend the rest of your days there.¡±


    1 frowned; Henry was nning tomit Colin to a psychiatric hospital.


    I was worried, ncing at Colin.


    They had the upper hand with more people on their side, and with Colin¡¯s history of mental illness,


    Henry, as a senior member of the Langley family, had every reason to send him to a psychiatric facility.


    Even involving the police wouldn¡¯t be of much help.


    What should I do now?

 Chapter 251

    Henry, I¡¯m Caleb¡¯s guardian, not you! You don¡¯t get to call the shots for me!¡± I stood firmly in front of


    Colin, my gaze wary as I faced down the bodyguards.


    ¡°Who do you think you are, talking to Mr. Henry like that? The Langley family is his tomand now,¡±


    someone from within the house spoke up, backing Henry.


    After all, Caleb had cut off their allowances, which had sparked fury among the Langleys.


    Colin¡¯s eyes were sharp, ncing at the speaker as if looking at a dead man.


    ¡°If you want to see bloodshed in broad daylight, just you try me.¡± My stance was resolute as I shielded


    Colin, showing no sign of stepping aside.


    Henry clearly couldn¡¯t care less about my life; he was here today to provoke Colin, to test if the man


    really had lost his mind.


    They were sizing each other up.


    And me, I was just an obstacle Henry needed to remove to get a clear read on Colin.


    But Henry had surely done his homework on Foebe Larson, the Larson family¡¯s daughter who had just


    cut ties with Anthony. No doubt Anthony had already cozied up to Henry, so he was confident I couldn¡¯t


    stir up any trouble. ¨C


    Truth be told, I am pretty powerless right now.


    All my hopes were pinned on Eric, praying he still had some fight in him.


    But Eric, this time, just stood by calmly, showing no intention of intervening.


    Didn¡¯t the Langley family have their own muscle? At the very least, I couldn¡¯t let them take Colin away.


    ¡°Mr. Henry, the folks from the mental institution are here,¡± a bodyguard announced from the doorway.


    Eric cast a meaningful nce at Colin, but he remained silent, not moving an inch.


    ¡°Henry, I won¡¯t let you take him,¡± I said, my hands clenched tightly, unsure how to help


    Colin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go with them,¡± Colin whispered from behind me.


    I was taken aback, turning,to face him. ¡°No, you can¡¯t!¡±


    I didn¡¯t want him¡­ to go back to that ce.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Colin assured, aware that Henry was testing him.


    ¡°You can¡¯t go there¡­¡± My voice trembled slightly, unsure why¡­ I was so afraid of him


    05-27


    being sent to the mental institution.


    Wash because Dexter had forced me to watch those videos of Colin there?


    theche¡­ don¡¯t be scared Colin whispered, shaking his head at me.


    I reached out and grabbed his wrist


    In a hushed tone, Colin said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back soon¡±


    Without wailing for those men to grab him, Colin walked out on his own. I held onto his hand tightly, not


    wanting to let him go to the mental institution.


    These people were definitely Henry¡¯s men, they wouldn¡¯t make it easy for him inside.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you mustn¡¯t get agitated, especially in your condition,¡± Eric intervened, shaking his head at me.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if they had a n in mind.


    ¡°Speed it up, destroy the Langley Group¡± Colin whispered to Eric just before getting into. the car


    I thought I had misheard, but I had caught a whisper of him saying he wanted to bring down the


    Langley Group,


    Was it a case of if I can¡¯t have it, no one can? Destroy it so it¡¯s out of everyone¡¯s reach?


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you must be exhausted, Come, let¡¯s go back,¡± Eric said.


    I watched helplessly as Colin was taken away by the mental institution¡¯s vehicle, feeling utterly


    powerless,


    ¡°Eric, is Colin really mad?¡± I asked quietly,


    ¡°When someone wants you to be mad, and you can¡¯t fight back, you have no choice but to y the


    part,¡± Eric said, watching the departing car. ¡°But like a butterfly, therees a time to break free from


    the cocoon, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    I took a deep breath and clenched my fists.


    ¡°The shares are still in the Brendan¡¯s grip. When he passes, they¡¯ll go to the young master Caleb, but


    with Caleb in the mental institution, Mr. Henry, you might just have your


    chance¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, Mr. Henry, you¡¯re the patriarch of the Langley family now. It¡¯s up to you to lead.¡±


    Inside the house, that group of vultures was still eagerly discussing the Langley family fortune, plotting


    over the patriarch¡¯s will.


    being sent to the mental institution.


    Was it because Dexter had forced me to watch those videos of Colin there?


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ don¡¯t be scared,¡± Colin whispered, shaking his head at me.


    I reached out and grabbed his wrist.


    In a hushed tone, Colin said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    Without waiting for those men to grab him, Colin walked out on his own. I held onto his hand tightly, not


    wanting to let him go to the mental institution.


    These people were definitely Henry¡¯s men; they wouldn¡¯t make it easy for him inside.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you mustn¡¯t get agitated, especially in your condition,¡± Eric intervened, shaking his head at me.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if they had a n in mind.


    ¡°Speed it up, destroy the Langley Group,¡± Colin whispered to Eric just before getting into. the car.


    I thought I had misheard, but I had caught a whisper of him saying he wanted to bring down the


    Langley Group.


    Was it a case of if I can¡¯t have it, no one can? Destroy it so it¡¯s out of everyone¡¯s reach?


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you must be exhausted. Come, let¡¯s go back,¡± Eric said.


    I watched helplessly as Colin was taken away by the mental institution¡¯s vehicle, feeling utterly


    powerless.


    ¡°Eric, is Colin really mad?¡± I asked quietly.


    ¡°When someone wants you to be mad, and you can¡¯t fight back, you have no choice but to y the


    part,¡± Eric said, watching the departing car. ¡°But like a butterfly, therees a time to break free from


    the cocoon, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    I took a deep breath and clenched my fists.


    ¡°The shares are still in the Brendan¡¯s grip. When he passes, they¡¯ll go to the young master Caleb, but


    with Caleb in the mental institution, Mr. Henry, you might just have your


    chance¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, Mr. Henry, you¡¯re the patriarch of the Langley family now. It¡¯s up to you to lead.¡±


    Inside the house, that group of vultures wExclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 252

    Brendan was just lying in the house, unable to speak or move, but he wasn¡¯t dead.


    I had a hunch that once Henry got rid of Caleb, he¡¯d being for Brendan and me next.


    Is Brendan safe?¡± I whispered.


    There was a moment of silence before Eric spoke. ¡°Not everyone has a conscience like the young


    master.¡±


    In other words, Colin might have spared Brendan¡¯s life, but Henry wouldn¡¯t.


    I didn¡¯t say a word, knowing there was nothing I could do to stop it.


    Once Henry got rid of Brendan, I would be next.


    On the way back to Colin¡¯s ce, I sent a text to Ste.


    [Ste, Henry had Colinmitted to a mental institution. How can I get him out?]


    Ste cursed, [Fuck! Don¡¯t panic. Just give me the address of the hospital, and I¡¯ll figure something


    out.]


    There weren¡¯t many people I could trust, but Ste was one of the few who was truly


    reliable.


    I sent her the location.


    But Ste¡¯s response came quickly; there was no record of a patient named Caleb Langley being


    admitted.


    My heart tightened with fear. ¡°Eric, are you sure they took Colin to the mental institution?¡±


    Eric didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Pull over!¡± I yelled. ¡°Eric, turn around and follow that car!¡±


    Eric parked by the roadside and turned to look at me. ¡°Ma¡¯am, the priority now is to ensure your safety


    and the safety of your unborn child. That¡¯s what¡¯s important.¡±


    ¡°ed to make sure Colin is safe first. Did Henry really take him to the mental institution?¡± My eyelids


    twitched with anxiety, regretting letting Colin get in that car.


    Soon, Eric received a phone call.


    I faintly heard that the mental institution¡¯s car had crashed on the mountain ring road, struck by an


    overloaded truck and sent tumbling down the cliff. Everyone in the car was dead.


    The room spun, and I grabbed Eric¡¯s clothes, shaking. ¡°Tell me¡­ what happened.¡±


    05:271


    There was a crash.¡±


    Eric¡¯s voice seemed to drift further and further away.


    My consciousness began to blur, the ringing in my ears growing louder.


    Phoebe¡­¡±


    ¡°Foebe?¡±


    A cacophony of noises buzzed around my ears.


    Until I lost consciousness entirely.


    When I woke up again, I was lying in a room in Colin¡¯s vi. I sat up abruptly and rushed outside,


    desperate to hear that Colin was safe.


    But the vi was eerily empty, just me alone. Even the mute butler who tended the yard had


    disappeared.


    ¡°Bark, bark!¡± Suddenly, Coly was barking furiously in the yard, and several figures climbed over the wall


    from outside, one after another¡­


    new w


    I knew they were here to take me out.


    This was a society governed byw, but behind the shadow of the immense wealth that shrouded the


    Langley familyy a pack ofwless brutes.


    Coly bared his teeth, warily watching the intruders, and seized the moment to leap at them, filling the


    yard with screams of pain.


    Panic¨Cstricken, I reached for my phone to call the police, knowing Coly wouldn¡¯tst long


    on its own.


    But as my fingers touched the phone, I noticed dark red blood beneath my nails¡­


    I froze for a second and inspected my hands. I had no wounds; where had this bloode from?


    There was no time to ponder; I called the police, grabbed a stick from the corner, and charged


    downstairs.


    ¡°Bark, bark!¡± Several men were pinning down Coly, and therge dog was no match for them.


    The leader wielded a knife and aimed for Coly¡¯s throat.


    ¡°Let it go!¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I screamed uncontrobly, stumbling and falling onto thewn.


    Suddenly, a scream ripped through the air; Coly, enduring the pain, bit one of the men,


    6533


    breaking free and bounding towards me.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Blood soaked his fur as he whimpered and nuzzled into my arms.


    My eyes reddened, my fingers trembling slightly. ¡°Coly..

 Chapter 253

    Somebody¡¯s got a hit out on you. Don¡¯t me us for what¡¯sing.¡± The ringleader, brandishing a


    knife, was hell¨Cbent on taking me out.


    Coly mustered itsst ounce of strength and lunged forward.


    What dark thoughts could a dog harbor? It knew only one thing: to protect me at all costs.


    Argh!¡± My head throbbed as if it were about to explode.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    shes of memories surged through my mind.


    A frail little pup, barely alive after its birth, its stray mother was stoned to death by a gang of kids.


    The mother dog, dragging her weary body, was just trying to scrounge some scraps to feed her litter.


    But those kids, it seemed, found pleasure in cruelty, pelting the dog with rocks mercilessly. From the


    moment of birth, the nature of good and evil is etched within us. Some manage to curb their


    malevolence, letting benevolence steer their course; others forsake all goodness, bing ves to


    their wickedness.


    Those kids didn¡¯t think they were in the wrong. It was the primitive, cruel gene within humanity.


    They delighted in tormenting creatures weaker than themselves, finding joy in their pain.


    ¡°Get lost!¡± The me in the memory was just a kid, too, wielding a brickrger than my own head,


    mming it emotionlessly into the forehead of the ringleader who had hurt the


    puppy.


    Instantly, the kid¡¯s forehead bled, and he burst into tears.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± I grasped his hair, asking coldly. ¡°Does getting hit by a rock hurt?¡±


    The other kids fled in terror, leaving the crying boy alone. ¡°See, you know what pain feels like, too.¡±


    The boy¡¯s parents came, berating my own, relentless in their usations.


    In the end, my parents paid the price and got the injured dog to the vet, but the poor thing didn¡¯t


    survive.


    My parents adopted the surviving pup, the only one from the litter, a fierce¨Clooking wolfdog I named


    Howler.


    From that moment on, a fearsome girl was never without her equally fearsome hound.


    There she is, run!


    The kids seemed terrified at the mere sight of me. Seeing me meant fleeing.


    Phoebe can¡¯t go on like this. She¡¯s too cold, too detached. What are we going to do?¡±


    ¡°What sins did wemit to deserve this¡­¡±


    ¡°Did we do something wrong? Starting tomorrow, I¡¯llmit to charity work, I¡¯ll pray to God, I¡¯ll do


    anything just to see my daughter healthy again¡­¡±


    In the memory, my parents cried secretly in their room.


    ¡°Damian said she¡¯s got an emotional disorder, that it can be treated. There are mature treatments


    avable now. If you can bear it, we¡¯ll send Phoebe to him.¡±


    ¡°Edward Caldwell, she¡¯s just a child! You want to send her to a mental institution?¡±


    ¡°Shush¡­¡±


    In the memory, my dad tried to soothe my mom. ¡°Then what? She cracked that kid¡¯s head open and


    didn¡¯t even blink! No daycare will take Phoebe now. At thest one, she bit off a male teacher¡¯s finger!


    Our child is too harsh.¡±


    ¡°But didn¡¯t Phoebe tell you? That teacher was picking on the little girls! The surveince footage shows


    it; that teacher was the problem!¡± my mom argued.


    ¡°It¡¯s not about who¡¯s the problem now. It¡¯s about how Phoebe solves problems, the methods she


    uses¡­ They¡¯re not what ¨¤ child should even think of, let alone do. What child bites off fingers¡­¡±


    Then, my mom fell silent.


    ¡°And the daycare before that, she pushed a girl down the slide. She¡¯s just too cold¡­¡±


    Even if that girl had pushed me first, repaying the deed in kind seemed too cruel in the eyes of others.


    The memory of my younger self painted me as a viiness, the kind everyone feared upon sight.


    ¡°And have you not noticed? Howler, the dog Phoebe¡¯s raised, listens only to her. It¡¯s eerie, it¡¯s


    frightening. It¡¯s not just Howler. Even the circus beasts¡­ they all fixate on Phoebe.¡±

 Chapter 254

    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¨Cyear¨Cold 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¨Cbrown 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.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°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¨Cdefense. 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.

 Chapter 255

    Eric took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You passed out, and I was bringing you home when we got targeted.


    That was my oversight.¡±


    I felt like Eric had more to say, but he held back.


    What did I do? When I woke up, there were traces of blood under my nails.


    ¡°We should head to the hospital for a full check¨Cup; you¡¯re pregnant,¡± Robin and Ste were


    concerned about me.


    ¡°I want to see Colin¡­¡± I whispered.


    ¡°The hospital first,¡± Ste shook her head. ¡°Search and rescue are on Colin¡¯s case. You showing up will


    just cause chaos, especially with the baby.¡±


    Tears welled in my eyes as I reluctantly got into the car.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be alright because you¡¯re waiting for him.¡± Just before I got in, Eric said something out of the


    blue, assuring me Colin would be fine.


    Tears pooled in my eyes, and my chest ached fiercely.


    Please, don¡¯t die¡­


    Colin, please don¡¯t die.


    ¡°These guys are all alive; this one¡¯s still breathing.¡± The police were checking the yard; the people who


    came to kill me were still alive, which eased my worries.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡± Seeing me trembling from the start, Ste wrapped her arms around me. I stared


    nkly outside.


    Scared?


    It didn¡¯t feel like fear¡­ Apart from worrying about Colin, I couldn¡¯t seem to feel anything


    else.


    The moment we arrived at the hospital, I saw Dexter.


    He got out of his car, looking at me somewhat frantically. ¡°I heard about Caleb¡­ Are you okay?¡±


    He seemed genuinely concerned about me.


    I frowned and instinctively stepped away from him. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± His voice was fraught as he called my name.


    I ignored him.


    But he lingered like a bad smell, following me around.


    With Eric off looking for Colin and Robin assisting the police with the scene, only Ste was left by my


    side,


    Can you show some shame? She¡¯s Foebe, for God¡¯s sake. Could you back off?¡± Ste chastised


    Dexter, hands on her hips.


    ¡°How can you be so shameless? Phoebe was so good to you, gave you all her kindness, and how did


    you repay her?¡±


    Dexter seemed deaf to Ste¡¯s scolding, probably used to it by now. He shadowed me, apanying


    me to every medical checkup.


    I was annoyed and told him to get lost, but he wouldn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°Dexter, you¡¯re annoying,¡± I said, getting angry.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± He seemed more convinced than ever that I was Phoebe. ¡°You went to the Langley family¡¯s


    ce; Julian had injured his hand, and Henry got into his car surrounded by bodyguards. I heard from


    the Langleys¡­ when Caleb had his ident, you went back there, stabbed Julian¡¯s hand with a fruit


    knife, nearly killed Henry¡­¡±


    I stiffened, shocked at Dexter¡¯s words. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Dexter¡¯s eyes flickered as he clung to my wrist, seemingly excited. ¡°You don¡¯t remember what you did,


    do you? The Langley¡¯s servants said, if you hadn¡¯t suddenly fainted, defenseless Henry would have


    been a goner.¡±


    I frowned. I didn¡¯t believe Dexter, but he had no reason to lie.


    Was this what Eric wanted to say?


    In that short span of time after learning about Colin¡¯s ident, the memory loss¡­ was I responsible for


    this?


    How did I manage that?


    ¡°Phoebe, don¡¯t listen to his nonsense. You can barely hold a knife steady to peel an apple; he¡¯s lying


    through his teeth,¡± Ste snapped back to reality.


    But then, Ste fell silent. Because Robin sent her a footage from Colin¡¯s vi¡¯s security


    cameras.


    In the video, the dog lunged and bit the man trying to kill me.


    I took the opportunity to grab his dagger and plunged it towards his chest with force and precision¡­


    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, my movements were swift and decisive.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    For a moment, I began to doubt myself.


    It looked like I was a seasoned criminal.


    Thankfully, this time, it was self¨Cdefense.


    Dexter¡¯s brow furrowed, not bothering to argue with Ste. ¡°Come with me. I¡¯ll take you to


    Damian.¡±


    I shook off Dexter¡¯s hand, looking at him warily.


    Damian¡­


    That name sounded familiar.


    In my childhood memories, my parents mentioned Damian, a mental institution¡­


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t trust me anymore¡­ Foebe, don¡¯t you want to know why you¡¯re like this? Losing


    control, not aware of your actions, waking up with no memory of what you did, forgetting many


    memories? Don¡¯t you want to remember those memories?¡± Dexter spoke softly.

 Chapter 256

    Don¡¯t you try spinning tales to Foebe,¡± Ste blocked Dexter with an outstretched arm, ¡°I swear, you¡¯re


    the worst of the lot, Dexter!¡±


    Ignored Dexter¡¯s sweet talk. All I could think about was finding Colin¡­


    My heart was racing, panic setting in, an urge overwhelming my thoughts¨Cif anything happened to


    Colin, I¡¯d take down Henry myself¡­


    Ste shoved Dexter away and whisked me off for a thorough check¨Cup. The doctor let out a weary


    sigh. ¡°You¡¯re carrying a child. Stop putting yourself in harm¡¯s way. Now¡¯s the time to be at home, resting


    and nurturing your little one.¡±


    Tears welled up as I looked down at my belly.


    Our baby and I¡­ we were waiting for Colin. He¡¯de back for us. He had to.


    ¡°Colin¡­¡± My voice was tight with worry as I turned to Ste.


    She squeezed my hand reassuringly. ¡°Think about it. Colin¡¯s a genius, bet he wasn¡¯t even on that bus.


    How else do you exin everyone else being ounted for except him? It¡¯s a blessing in disguise that


    they can¡¯t find Colin.¡±


    With teary eyes, I nodded.


    Maybe Colin had already figured a way out. He was that smart¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s check over there.¡±


    ¡°This way!¡±


    The hospital corridors buzzed with suspicious characters, brandishing photos and asking


    questions.


    I knew they were Henry¡¯s goons; he wasn¡¯t the type to let things slide.


    Especially after what Dexter revealed¨Cif I had truly injured Julian and Henry, then Henry would have all


    the more reason toe after me.


    Ste¡¯s voice wasced with nervousness. ¡°They¡¯re insane, showing up here at the hospital.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve truly lost it¡­¡± I spoke gravely.


    With Brendan gone and Colin¡¯s fate uncertain, all Henry had to do was kill me to seize the Langley


    family¡¯s fortune. It was a far easier score than risking his neck for dirty money.


    ¡°Money magnifies the worst in people,¡± I murmured, pulling Ste into an examination room to hide


    among a crowd of patients.


    05:28


    Dexter shot me a look. Til draw them away!


    howned, skeptical. These were trained mercenaries, and Dexter couldn¡¯t even hold a candle to Golin in


    a fight, let alone them.


    But they were cloaing in, and my only choice was to blend into the crowd,


    Dexter charged forward, bumping into one of the men, and bolted, drawing their attention


    away.


    Ste and I waited it out, and once the coast was clear, we made a beeline for the underground parking


    lot through the service exit.


    ¡°Screech!¡± Suddenly, a car sped towards us, gunning straight for Ste and me.


    ¡°Watch out!¡±


    ¡°Phoebel¡±


    Instinctively, we both pushed each other out of the way,


    I watched, frozen in horror, as the headlights bore down on us, and I shut my eyes against the


    impending impact.


    But then, in the nick of time, a sleek ck Mercedes veered in, ramming into the


    assant¡¯s vehicle, deflecting the danger.


    Emerging from the chaos was Melody, shouting for Dexter. Like a bad penny, she was back, and


    clearly, she was here for Dexter.


    ¡°Dexter!¡± She cried, rushing to his side to check on him.


    Dexter winced but shouted at us, ¡°Get in the car!¡±


    Without a second thought, Melody mbered into Dexter¡¯s passenger seat, marking her territory.


    ¡°Foebe, Ste,e on!¡±


    Snapping out of our shock, Ste and I had the good sense to choose life over disgust. and hopped


    into Dexter¡¯s ride.


    ¡°We can¡¯t shake them.¡± Dexter nced in the rear¨Cview mirror.


    Ste and I looked back to see a ck SUV tailing us relentlessly.


    ¡°Be careful!¡±


    As we hit the overpass, they made their move.


    With a loud crash, we were sent careening off the guardrail.


    My consciousness started to blur, darkness creeping into my vision.


    ¡°My baby¡­¡± In that moment of impact, a mother¡¯s instinct took over, and I curled up, shielding my


    unborn child.


    But still, a warm sensation spread below.


    Please, no¡­


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    I couldn¡¯t lose this child, not when Colin wanted this baby so much,

 Chapter 257

    The blinding headlights sent my consciousness into a haze.


    No. I struggled against the encroaching darkness.


    I couldn¡¯t bear to lose this child.


    ¡°Dexter, don¡¯t touch her¡­.


    ¡®Dexter¡­ She¡¯s not Phoebe. Stop it, you¡¯re scaring me.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe, don¡¯t die, please, don¡¯t leave me.¡± Dexter¡¯s voice was frantic, bordering on madness, as he


    clung to me, pleading for me not to slip away.


    Melody and Ste¡¯s voices grew fainter.


    ¡°Dexter, you bastard.¡± Ste¡¯s curses echoed in the distance.


    I fought to open my eyes, my awareness slipping further into chaos.


    ¡°Save her. Doctor!¡±


    ¡°The baby¡­ we¡¯re losing the baby¡­¡±


    ¡°Save the child at all costs, we must ensure both mother and child are safe.¡±


    I heard Dexter¡¯s voice cracking as he begged the doctor to save our unborn baby.


    What was he doing? Feeling regret now? What was he thinking? Was it the image of my lifeless body


    being found by the police?


    ¡°Please, doctor, save the baby. She¡¯s already lost one; she can¡¯t lose another, I beg you.¡±


    Dexter was pleading like a madman for the doctor to save me and the baby.


    Melody, through her tears, tried to bring him to reality. ¡°Dexter, when will you wake up? She¡¯s not


    Phoebe, her name is Foebe. No matter the resemnce, she isn¡¯t Phoebe! Snap out of it!¡±


    Dexter ignored Melody.


    ¡°Dexter! What was so great about Phoebe, anyway? You know how vile the real Phoebe was¡­ you


    despised her.¡± Melody¡¯s tears turned to questions, asking why he had changed so much after Phoebe¡¯s


    death as if he¡¯d gone mad.


    ¡°Dexter, look at yourself. You tried to kill yourself over Phoebe, risked your life for her¡­¡± Melody¡¯s voice


    was tinted with jealousy. ¡°And now, for a woman who just looks like her, you¡¯re ready to throw your life


    away. Dexter! What am I to you?¡±


    I could still hear Melody¡¯s cries, questioning Dexter.


    Kill himself?


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Would someone like him really consider suicide for someone like me?


    Ridiculous.


    ¡°That lunatic finally died¡­ ha¡­ finally gone.¡± Melody seemed delirious with joy, probably upon hearing


    Colin had fallen off a cliff.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone, Carter¡¯s gone, the monsters from Double¨CGenius Orphanage are finally dead. They


    should¡¯ve died long ago. Why should they have talents? Why should God favor them? Such geniuses


    deserve death¡­


    1126


    equality onlyes when everyone is ordinary, right?


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    There was a p ¨C Ste must have had enough and hit Melody


    ¡°Ste! Do you think Phoebe was some kind of saint? You were the only one who treated her like a


    friend! Back at the orphanage, just because someone liked her red dress and wanted it, guess what


    she did? She pretended to be an innocent angel and got praise for being sensible and cute, but behind


    the scenes, thed kill the kitchen chickens, smear their blood on someone, dye their dress red, and then


    ask with a smile if they liked red dresses, promising to dye it for them every day¡­


    Melody shook as she recounted these horrors as if reliving some terrible memory. ¡°Phoebe was a


    lunatic, a perfect match for that Colin! They both deserved to die!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± This time, it was Dexter who roared at Melody.


    ¡°She¡¯s not¡­¡± Dexter was actually defending me. ¡°She was just sick, Dr. Damian said Phoebe was just


    traumatized as a child. He had a way to make her normal again, to make her forget those bad


    memories¡­


    Dexter¡¯s voice was a whisper.


    ¡°If it happened once, it could happen again. I didn¡¯t believe Dr. Damian before, but this time, I make


    sure she stays by my side. I¡¯ll help her forget all the unhappy things, forget everything about that


    madman. She¡¯ll only remember me ande back to me.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not Phoebe!¡± Melody wailed.


    And that¡¯s when panic set in for me too. I tried to struggle, to wake up.


    I was scared¡­ scared that my amnesia was linked to that Damian, scared of losing my memory again,


    of forgetting Colin.


    No, I couldn¡¯t forget him.


    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Our Phoebe daring to kill a chicken? That¡¯s badass,¡± Ste retorted


    to Melody. ¡°You don¡¯t need to spread lies. I¡¯m telling you, even if Phoebe really did kill a chicken and


    smear blood, that person had iting,¡±

 Chapter 258

    Yall have been totally hoodwinked by her, Melody spat through gritted teeth, her voice dripping with


    venom.


    ¡°And why hasn¡¯t anyone been charmed by you, huh? You¡¯ve always yed the sly one well. Howe


    Dexter snapped out of it? What does that tell you? It tells you that you still have a long way to go, you


    sneaky witch.¡±


    A scuffle broke out between Ste and Melody.


    ¡°Quiet down, this is a hospital!¡± a nurse chastised as she stepped out of a nearby room.


    Soon after, the corridor fell silent again.


    I was still struggling inside, praying Ste wouldn¡¯t leave, that she wouldn¡¯t let Dexter sweep me away. I


    was terrified¡­ afraid he¡¯d actually take me to that Damian.


    I feared I¡¯d forget Colin.


    ¡°The patient is very weak. We¡¯ve managed to keep the baby stable, but we need to observe her for a


    while longer. She absolutely must not undergo any more stress,¡± the doctor announced before leaving,


    giving Dexter a few instructions.


    ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s Phoebe doing?¡±


    Just as I was beginning to think I could awaken from this nightmare, I heard that middle¨Caged man¡¯s


    voice.


    It was Damian.


    My nerves tensed instantly.


    ¡°Phoebe still hasn¡¯te to, but the baby¡¯s safe,¡± Dexter breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Get rid of those two bickering women outside and take Phoebe away,¡± Damian sounded displeased.


    Panicked, I desperately tried to open my eyes. I didn¡¯t want to be taken away.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if my past amnesia was rted to Damian, but knowing he was a psychiatrist and that he


    worked at that mental institution, I just couldn¡¯t trust him.


    Deep down, I found him terrifying.


    ¡°Damian, will it work?¡± Dexter whispered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it will,¡± Damian replied with unnerving confidence.


    The more confident he sounded, the more my fear grew.


    Memories started to flood back.


    I remembered¡­ my parents did take me to a mental institution to see Damian.


    My first impression of him was that he was frightening.


    He smiled too kindly and called my name. ¡°Phoebe,e with me.¡±


    He led me down a long, deep corridor, past rooms filled with patients in hospital gowns. I looked at


    them,


    then back at my parents, who stood at the end of the corridor, weeping.


    11:26


    They were so desperate for me to be like a normal, lovable child.


    Phoebe, here are two oranges. If I wanted one, would you give it to me?¡± He took me to a therapy room


    and began assessing me.


    I looked at him Indifferently, clutching a doll, as if his childish question was beneath me.


    ¡°Phoebe, if you had a friend who was jealous that you had two oranges and tried to steal them from


    you, and you caught her, what would you do?¡±


    ¡°Cut off her hands.¡±


    My voice echoed with a coldness that didn¡¯t match my age.


    The nurse beside us was shocked by my answer, turning to Damian in disbelief. ¡°Is she really only


    five?¡±


    After observing me for a while and putting me with other kids who bullied me, they watched me like I


    was some kind of specimen.


    Without a definitive diagnosis, Damianbeled me with severe affective and cognitive impairments.


    I watched him through the ss, his voice cold as a butcher as he proimed, ¡°Apply for transcranial


    maic stimtion with hypnotherapy, and if that¡¯s ineffective, we¡¯ll consider electroconvulsive


    therapy¡­¡± ¡°Dr. Damian, she¡¯s just a child, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    Damian drew a sharp breath. ¡°Have you ever seen teenagers afraid of a five¨Cyear¨Cold girl?¡±


    As my memories became clearer, my fear intensified.


    Damian¡¯s so¨Ccalled treatments were hypnosis and physical stimtion.


    No wonder I had amnesia.


    If Dexter handed me over to Damian, I¡¯d likely end up just as before, forgetting my past, forgetting


    everything about Colin.


    ??


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°Phoebe indeed forgot a lot after the ident. It¡¯s my fault for not cherishing her,¡± Dexter continued his


    charade of guilt. He just wanted me amnesiac, trapped by his side.


    I thrashed in fear, refusing to forget again, to be trapped by Dexter¡¯s emotional ckmail as a helpless


    pawn!


    ¡°Colin¡­¡±


    ¡°Colin, save me¡­¡± I struggled, crying out.


    Colin, pleasee and save me.

 Chapter 259

    Dexter, she¡¯s not Phoebe¡­¡±


    Thest fragments of consciousness hung on Melody¡¯s tearful deration that I wasn¡¯t Phoebe.


    ¡°Phoebe is dead.¡±


    I knew she was scared, panicking.


    But why the panic? She was so confident before, so sure Dexter would marry her. Now, why the tears?


    When I woke up again, everything was stark white. I found myself in a strangely familiar yet foreign


    ce.


    It was the Fitzgerald family mansion, the bedroom I had lived in for many years.


    My vision was a bit numb. I tried to move my arm, but my body wasn¡¯t quite under my control.


    ¡°Miss Phoebe¡­¡± a familiar voice called out my name.


    ¡°Miss, dinner¡¯s ready,¡± said Wendy, the housekeeper, calling out to me.


    I sat up with a headache, looking down at the clothes I was wearing, feeling a bit out of it.


    These pajamas¡­ they were a gift from Hailey.


    ¡°Miss, the young master is back,¡± Wendy said with a smile from outside the door.


    Everything was so familiar yet so strange.


    ¡°That murderer is still atrge, Dexter. You have to protect Melody.¡±


    ¡°These are dangerous times. That murderer is so vicious, took so many lives, and is still on the loose.¡±


    Downstairs, Hank and the others were discussing the murderer, a scene that felt eerily familiar.


    Melody sat on the sofa, still in her white sundress, gentle as a stream. She was the first to notice me,


    her eyes shifting uneasily.


    I instinctively recoiled, not understanding why I trembled at the sight of them.


    Though my body shook, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that it wasn¡¯t fear I was feeling.


    A thought shed through my mind ¨C they all deserved to die.


    I startled myself with the thought, numbly backing away, breathing fast and heavy.


    ¡°Phoebe?¡± Dexter came upstairs, looking at me anxiously. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. They¡¯re just here for a get¨C


    together; join us for dinner.¡±


    Dexter¡¯s voice was unusually gentle, far from the one I remembered.


    I dodged with fear, watching him warily. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t touch me.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ are you still mad at me? I was wrong before; I¡¯ll never hurt you again.¡± Dexter¡¯s promise


    was sincere as if he was taking an oath.


    He reached out to me, asking for my trust.


    Looking at his hand, my vision blurred.


    What was I thinking? I actually wanted to¡­ break his hand.


    ¡°Phoebe?¡± He saw me spacing out and tried to touch me.


    ¡°Ahh!¡± I cried out in fear, quickly stepping back.


    It wasn¡¯t Dexter I feared, but the thoughts swirling in my own mind.


    ¡°Phoebe, are you okay?¡± Melody came up the stairs, step by step. ¡°Come down for dinner.¡±


    Her smile was soft and inviting.


    I watched her with suspicion, my pupils dted.


    ¡°Phoebe?¡±


    stepped towards Melody.


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    A scream rang out suddenly as Melody tumbled down the stairs.


    When I came to my senses, I looked at my hands in horror,


    I had¡­ pushed Melody down the stairs.


    There was a voice in my head just moments ago urging me to push down this wicked woman¡­


    Dexter looked at me in shock, and the people downstairs were equally stunned.


    They all stared at me with eyes wide in horror.


    This time, it was clear to everyone. I had pushed Melody down.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°Dexter¡­¡± Thankfully, Melody wasn¡¯t seriously hurt, just a twisted ankle and a swollen head. She


    looked at Dexter with teary eyes.


    Dexter stood still, his fingers clenched. ¡°Hank, take Melody to the hospital.¡±


    Melody bit her lip, holding back words, her eyes a mix of despair and defiance as she looked at Dexter.


    Then, with a resentful gaze, she turned to me.


    I tilted my head, looking down at her from my higher vantage point. I didn¡¯t understand why I wanted to


    smile, but¡­ I felt oddly cheerful.


    ¡°Phoebe, you¡¯ve been in an ident; you need to rest,¡± Dexter told me to go back to my room, then


    hurried downstairs. ¡°What happened today, nobody speaks a word outside.¡±

 Chapter 260

    Hank shot me a nce filled with panic and quickly nodded in agreement.


    The others all kept their heads down, too afraid to utter a word.


    Melody, crying in pain and frustration, shoved Hank away and managed to take a few steps before


    copsing to the floor again.


    I descended the stairs step by step, my eyes fixed on Melody. She looked back at me with terror, as if


    profoundly afraid, and scrambled to hide behind Dexter. ¡°Dexter, don¡¯t let here near me.¡±


    Dexter immediately stepped forward to block me. ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you guys call the cops when I pushed her?¡± I asked, suspicion coloring my tone as my


    gaze settled on Hank.


    Hank retreated, fear evident in his eyes. ¡°Ha¡­ We¡¯re all friends here. It wasn¡¯t on purpose, Melody¡­


    she fell on her own, right. I saw it; Melody just lost her bnce!¡±


    Melody bit her lip in anger and remained silent.


    ¡°Phoebe, it wasn¡¯t you. Melody fell on her own. You didn¡¯t push her,¡± Dexter quickly interjected. ¡°You¡¯re


    exhausted. Go get some rest.¡±


    ¡°But I clearly¡­ I did push her¡­¡± I looked at Melody. ¡°I pushed you, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Dexter frowned, warningly ncing at Melody.


    Tears rolled down Melody¡¯s cheeks as she spoke, ¡°No¡­ it was my own fault; I fell.¡±


    I opened my mouth, chuckled, and leaned in to whisper in Melody¡¯s ear. ¡°How odd. You im it wasn¡¯t


    me who pushed you, yet before, when I hadn¡¯t, you used me.¡±


    Melody¡¯s body tensed, shock shing in her eyes as she suddenly stood up. ¡°Dexter¡­ she¡­¡±


    It felt oddly satisfying to see Melody struggling to speak. My head was foggy, my memories jumbled


    and unclear.


    ¡°Melody, you¡¯re hurt. You need to go to the hospital,¡± Dexter said with a stern tone.


    With her eyes still red, Melody turned and began to mutter incessantly, ¡°She¡¯s not Phoebe¡­ not at all.¡±


    Hank turned and ran as if he¡¯d seen a ghost.


    Only Dexter stayed by my side.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to be with her? Don¡¯t you like her?¡± I asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Dexter¡¯s eyes flickered with a hint of panic. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. It¡¯s not Melody I like; it¡¯s you


    that I love.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ your memory¡¯s been mixed up since the car ident. We¡¯re together now, and you¡¯re


    carrying my child,¡± Dexter coaxed gently.


    I looked at Dexter skeptically, then down at my stomach, suddenly overwhelmed by a severe


    headache.


    Is that so?


    I¡¯m pregnant.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not hungry, rest well. Come down for dinnerter, Dexter said, taking a ss of water and a


    few white pills from the housekeeper. ¡°These are to stabilize the pregnancy. Be a good girl and take


    them, then


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    bet some sleep.¡±


    I numbly swallowed the pills under Dexter¡¯s watchful eye.


    It wasn¡¯t until I turned to head upstairs that Dexter finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Are you sure Caleb is dead?¡±


    The rescue team has been searching for so long without finding him, but they discovered Caleb¡¯s


    clothes and bloodstains at the base of the mountain. No one could survive a fall from that height.¡±


    Hidden behind the door, I eavesdropped on Dexter¡¯s conversation with his assistant,


    Caleb?


    My head was throbbing.


    ¡°Caleb¡­¡±


    ¡°Colin¡­¡±


    ¡°Phoebe, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m right here.¡±


    ¡°Dexter! Come out and hand over Foebe!¡± Ste¡¯s voice rang out from outside, filled withmotion.


    ¡°Dexter, Foebe is Caleb¡¯s wife. Taking her away like this is uwful imprisonment.¡±


    ¡°Ste, you can take her if you¡¯d like, but it¡¯s up to her whether she wants to go with you or not,¡± Dexter


    spoke with a confidence that suggested I wouldn¡¯t leave with anyone.

 Chapter 261

    As I stood by the door, my heart pounding like a drum, I could sense the tension before Ste even


    burst into the room. Her footsteps faltered, and her eyes widened in shock. ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    I was dressed in an old outfit, one that probably reminded her too much of ¡®Phoebe¡®.


    Even Robin was caught off guard, cursing under his breath. ¡°Dexter, are you out of your mind?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s Foebe, not Phoebe; you¡¯re the one who¡¯s crazy,¡± Robin growled, stepping forward to inspect me.


    ¡°Foebe, you¡¯reing with us.¡±


    I stared nkly at Robin, my expression one of pure confusion. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Ste¡¯s breath hitched. ¡°Phoebe, it¡¯s me, Ste.¡±


    I looked at her. ¡°Ste, why are you here? And who is he?¡±


    Ste advanced with nervous steps, taking my hand softly. ¡°Do you remember¡­ are you Phoebe


    Caldwell or Foebe Larson?¡±


    I paused, a frown etching my features. ¡°Huh? I¡¯m Phoebe Caldwell¡­¡±


    Robin swore again. ¡°Fuck¡­ Dexter, you psycho, what the hell did you do to her?¡±


    Dexter stepped in front of me protectively. ¡°I told you, she¡¯s not going anywhere with you. She¡¯s free to


    make her own choices, and you¡¯ve got no right to interfere.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe, this guy¡¯s a scum, don¡¯t listen to him. I¡¯m here to take you away,¡± Ste¡¯s eyes brimmed with


    tears as she reached out to me. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? Colin¡¯s waiting for you; he¡¯s your husband.¡±


    ¡°Colin¡­¡± I clutched at my head, a surge of pain following the name.


    Colin¡­


    Caleb¡­


    ¡°Phoebe,¡± Dexter said, his arms tightening around me, his gaze warning Ste. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to


    see her hurt, stop bringing up things that will upset her!¡±


    Ste clenched her fists, barely containing her fury. ¡°You¡¯re disgusting, Dexter. Was Phoebe¡¯s amnesia


    before rted to you?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Dexter remained silent, neither denying nor confirming.


    ¡°Phoebe, don¡¯t be afraid, just ignore them. Let¡¯s get you back to bed,¡± Dexter said, guiding me towards


    the bedroom.


    Ste was relentless. ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    Robin held her back.


    I let Dexter help me into the room, but before the door closed, I turned and winked at Ste.


    She paused, then nodded to me discreetly.


    Did Dexter really think Damian was that capable?


    Indeed¡­ electroshock therapy could cause temporary memory confusion, even amnesia.


    But something had gone wrong this time. Damian¡¯s experiment didn¡¯t seem to have worked as nned,


    ¡°Phoebe, don¡¯t listen to them. Rest up, I¡¯ll talk some sense into them,¡± Dexter reassured me gently, as if


    he truly cared, then stood and left the room.


    I sat numbly, watching him go.


    ¡°The people after Foebe are from the Langley family. Can anyone from the Langley family be trusted?


    You want her to go back to them; you¡¯re sending her to her grave,¡± Dexter¡¯s voice was a low, ominous


    warning to Robin and Ste. ¡°And you, Ste, do you think you can protect her? Or you, Robin, a mere


    traffic cop, can you keep her safe?¡±


    ¡°Dexter, you scumbag!¡± Ste made a move as if to attack.


    Robin caught her arm. ¡°The situation with the Langley family isplicated; no one can be trusted.


    Foebe might actually be safer here. Look at her, she can¡¯t handle any more stress.¡±


    Ste¡¯s breath came in short gasps. ¡°You didn¡¯t cherish her when she was alive, and now you¡¯re pulling


    this crap. You¡¯re revolting, Dexter.¡±


    Dexter looked down. ¡°I¡¯ll make amends.¡±


    ¡°Make amends?¡± Ste turned to Melody, who had just returned from assessing her injuries. ¡°Is that


    what you call it? Trapping someone by your side while their memory¡¯s messed up? And keeping your


    old me close, too? You¡¯re ying a dangerous game, trying to have your cake and eat it too. Don¡¯t


    choke on it.¡±

 Chapter 262

    Melody¡¯s forehead was adorned with a bandage, making her look fragile and innocent.


    Her voice was choked with emotion, barely above a whisper. ¡°Dexter.¡±


    Dexter was visibly irritated and snapped at Ste, ¡°This is none of your business; you¡¯ve got no right to


    stick your nose in my affairs. I¡¯d advise you to stop agitating her!¡±


    I hid behind the door, listening until the hallway fell silent, then made my way to the window to watch


    Ste and Robin walk away.


    Dexter had a point; the Langley residence was no longer safe, but here, here was a temporary


    sanctuary.


    ¡°Knock, knock, knock.¡±


    Someone rapped on the door.


    Without waiting for an invitation, they barged in.


    It was Melody.


    She stood there, probing cautiously. ¡°Foebe? You don¡¯t seriously believe¡­ that you¡¯re Phoebe now, do


    you?¡±


    I cocked my head to the side, feigning confusion. ¡°What are you talking about? Who¡¯s Foebe? I¡¯m


    Phoebe.¡±


    Melody¡¯s face darkened a shade, her hands clenched tight. ¡°Foebe, cut the act! You¡¯re not Phoebe; you


    never were. Damian¡¯s hypnotherapy never worked on you because you¡¯ve been ying Dexter all


    along!¡±


    1 couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the clever one?¡±


    Melody stared at me in shock. ¡°So it¡¯s true. You¡¯ve been faking it. You never had amnesia.¡±


    ¡°Yep, I was just ying my part, giving Dexter what he wanted the perfect Phoebe,¡± I said with a light


    chuckle, stepping closer to her.


    Melody red at me with venom. ¡°Foebe, Caleb¡¯s gone, and now you¡¯re setting your sights on Dexter,


    aren¡¯t you? I won¡¯t let you seed. I¡¯ll protect Dexter.¡±


    ¡°Such devotion. Let¡¯s see how you¡¯re nning to do that,¡± I said with a smirk, my hand reaching for


    Melody¡¯s throat. ¡°Caleb isn¡¯t dead. And if he were, I¡¯d make sure you all joined him.¡±


    Caleb wasn¡¯t dead. He wasing for me.


    Melody¡¯s eyes widened with terror as she struggled in vain; she was no match for me.


    I could strangle her.


    Just snap her neck, and it would all be over.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Dexter burst through the door, and I instantly released my grip, pping myself across the face in


    a mimicry of the old Melody, covering my face and shaking my head with tears. ¡°Dexter, she¡­ I don¡¯t


    understand. She¡¯s talking about Foebe, but who is that?¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Dexter¡¯s face turned to stone, a surge of anger directed at Melody. ¡°Melody!¡±


    Melody clutched her throat, panic¨Cstricken, looking at Dexter.


    ¡°Dexter, she¡¯s faking it, she is Foebe with an F, she¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± To my surprise, Dexter pped Melody across the face.


    I watched, a smile curling my lips.


    So this was how it felt, watching Dextersh out at me through Melody¡¯s eyes.


    Was this karma?


    ¡°Dexter, you hit me¡­¡± Melody¡¯s voice wasced with disbelief, her hand covering her cheek as if she


    never expected Dexter to turn on her for me. Sobbing, she turned and ran away.


    Dexter turned back to me, his expression a mix of confusion and panic. ¡°Phoebe, don¡¯t listen to her


    nonsense. It took me so long to find you again.¡±


    His voice trembled as he pulled me into a tight embrace.


    He said It took him so long to find me again?


    Howughable.


    ¡°Phoebe, I won¡¯t let you go again; I won¡¯t be fooled by her anymore. I¡¯ll trust you, Phoebe¡­ only you,¡±


    he said, his voice choking with emotion as if he truly intended to make amends for all his past wrongs.


    Too bad, all I felt was his words buzzing annoyingly.

 Chapter 263

    As the evening sky began to deepen into a dusky hue, Melody returned to the Fitzgerald residence, a


    ce that seemed to pull her back like a ma she couldn¡¯t resist.


    The word on the street was that Hailey hade down with a nasty bout of arthritis and had jetted off


    to Sunya Bay to soak up some sun and recuperate. With a heart heavy with worry for Dexter, she had


    given her blessings for Melody to stay on at the Fitzgeralds¡® to keep an eye on him. She had even


    made it clear that if Dexter was on board, she would dly wee Melody into the family fold.


    The Gordian knot that seemed unsolvable was now untied.


    Melody should have been over the moon, just a hop, skip, and a jump away from her heart¡¯s desire.


    Surely, Dexter¡¯s p wasn¡¯t enough to send her packing.


    From the upstairs balcony, I watched Melody with a smirk. If a single p could send her running, the


    game wouldn¡¯t be half as fun.


    Years of underhanded schemes and nders from her directed at me within the Fitzgerald household


    had built up a debt of revenge that was due. To settle for anything less than giving Melody a taste of


    extreme payback would hardly seem fair, would it?


    ¡°Dexter¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I was out of line earlier,¡± Melody cooed apologetically, the queen of ying coy.


    ¡°Phoebe was trying to rile me up, and I lost my cool. Hailey asked me to take care of you, and since


    you¡¯re fresh out of the hospital and still healing, I need to be here for you.¡±


    Dexter, who seemed eager to leave, nced at his watch and frowned. ¡°Wendy is more than capable


    of taking care of things here. Phoebe just pointed out that you¡¯re not exactly stable at the, moment.


    Maybe it¡¯s best if you head back.¡±


    ¡°Dexter¡­¡± Melody¡¯s voice was a mix of a choke and tension. ¡°You know as well as I do that not all of


    the murderers have been caught. If I go back now, it could be the end of me.¡±


    Dexter fell silent, perhaps out of a sliver of lingering affection.


    Ridiculous.


    I watched the exchange between Melody and Dexter with icy detachment.


    ¡°I¡¯m stepping out for a bit. Don¡¯t go picking fights with Phoebe,¡± Dexter finally said, not dismissing her


    but quickly moving to leave..


    Melody shot a nce my way, her eyes brimming with warning and loathing.


    I shed her a smile and descended the stairs gracefully.


    ¡°Why do we have a new maid?¡± I taunted Melody, unable to resist poking the bear.


    She looked like she wanted to devour me, mming a ss of warm milk on the table with spite. ¡°Drink


    up.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare touch anything you¡¯ve offered. If I fall ill, Dexter would be the one suffering,¡± I said,


    propping my chin on my hand, never taking my eyes off her.


    Melody was seething, her breath/uneven with rage. But she was a master at ying the victim, not one


    to crumble after being framed just once.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    She reined in her anger, settling beside me with a facade of calm. ¡°Foebe, since we¡¯re both bored, why


    don¡¯t, we chat?¡±


    ¡°What about?¡± I asked, keeping my smile firmly in ce.


    11.17


    Let¡¯s talk about Phoebe and Colin, Melody said, her smile chilling. ¡°Do you know why Phoebe had to


    die? 1 had a hunch that the murderer would target her because everyone who ever crossed or


    wronged Colin ended up dead¡­¡±


    I frowned, my fingers tensing up.


    ¡°Phoebe deserved it more than anyone,¡± Melody continued, leaning back in her chair. ¡°Colin adored


    her, but she forgot him and fell for someone else.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard about the orphanage fire, right?¡± she asked, toying with a lighter in her hands. ¡°Someone


    couldn¡¯t stand the gloom a genius cast over everyone and decided to lock them up and scare them with


    a little fire. But they didn¡¯t count on the old dorm¡¯s faulty wiring turning a small me into an inferno.¡±


    I struggled to restrain the urge tosh out at her, listening as she went on.


    ¡°That day, Colin survived. The firefighters and police found him protected in a corner by a charred


    body.¡± Melody shook her head in feigned pity. ¡°Their bond must have been strong. Carter shielded


    Colin with his body, burned beyond recognition, yet he never moved from that spot, protecting Colin to


    the very end.¡± ¡°In the aftermath, Colin was severely burned but alive, while Carter¡­ was gone,¡± she


    sighed.


    As Melody spoke, my body tensed with barely contained fury, trembling with the effort to remain calm.

 Chapter 264

    ¡°After the ident, Colin went off the deep end. He fought like hell in that hospital for ages. I heard the


    burns were a nightmare, and with the risk of infection, too. It¡¯s a wonder how he hung on. Tough as


    nails, that guy¡­¡± Melody rolled her eyes with a hint of mockery.


    ¡°Surviving something like that, how could he not lose his marbles? During his darkest hours, you know


    what Phoebe was up to? After her car wreck, she was out cold for a while. When she came to, poor


    thing had wiped Colin clean from her memory. I¡¯m not exactly clued in on what Phoebe went through,


    just that she was in her own bubble for the longest time after.¡±


    Whenever Melody talked about Phoebe, you could tell she was green with envy.


    ¡°She turned into a recluse, wouldn¡¯t chat with anyone. Looked all meek and scared, like she was a


    totally different person. Easy prey. It wasn¡¯t until she got back on her feet, returned to school, and


    started living a normal life again that things changed. She hit the books hard, prepping for the SATS.¡±


    Melody let out a bitterugh, ¡°Around that time, rumor has it Colin busted out of the hospital. Risking


    infection and everything, hobbling after Phoebe. But she had forgotten him. She¡¯d scream at the sight


    of him, run away in a panic.¡±


    Melody definitely spilled the beans on purpose. ¡°I once saw Phoebe scream and run away from Colin


    right at the Fitzgeralds¡® front door. To think, two people who used to be in love, nowplete strangers.


    I watched Phoebe¡¯s memory fade, watched her fall for someone else on purpose. Watched as Dexter


    stopped trusting her and tormented her. She deserved every bit of it. She ought to be dead.¡±


    I stood up suddenly, my breathing ragged. With a dark look, I grabbed Melody by the cor and hissed,


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush it now, Melody. She ought to be dead¡­ but you? You deserve it even more.¡±


    Snatching the lighter from her hand, I confronted her without flinching. ¡°That fire¡­ you started it, didn¡¯t


    you?¡± Fear flickered across Melody¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s got nothing to do with me¡­¡±


    ¡°But¡­ Dorian,¡± I said, my voice quivering as I tightened my grip on her cor. ¡°Dorian confessed to


    Robin on his deathbed. He said he saw a girl in a white dress, a little hair clip in her hair, tossing a


    lighter into the mes amid the cheers of the crowd. How could you all be so damn heartless?¡±


    That was someone¡¯s life.


    ¡°Two lives!¡± I was yelling at Melody now, my eyes burning with rage.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me!¡± Melody screamed in terror. ¡°They made me do it. It wasn¡¯t my choice. They were


    jealous; they pressured me. If I didn¡¯t do it, they were gonna lock me up too.¡±


    She seemed haunted by the nightmare of her past.


    Indeed, the victim was also the perpetrator, and the perpetrator was the murderer.


    They all deserved to die¡­


    ¡°Ever wanted to know what it feels like to be consumed by fire?¡± I asked with a twisted smile, gripping


    Melody¡¯s hair tighter. ¡°Do you want to find out what it feels like to be alive as the mes devour you?¡±


    Melody was truly frightened now, her eyes wide with panic. ¡°What are you gonna do, Foebe? I¡¯m


    warning you, don¡¯t you lose it. Cameras are everywhere, and the nanny¡¯s here¡­ Ah!¡±


    I dragged her by the hair to the kitchen, opened a cab, and grabbed a bottle of vodka, dousing her


    head


    to toe.


    11-17


    My hand trembled as I flicked the lighter again and again.


    Why is it that your wicked deeds get forgiven, but when we fight back, we¡¯re the onesbeled as


    crazies, as emotional wrecks to be locked away, experimented on like animals?¡± I coldly brought the


    ignited lighter closer to Melody.


    Just burn her; let her taste what it¡¯s like to die in mes.


    Phoebe, do it. Kill her.N?velDrama.Org ? content.

 Chapter 265

    Outside, Dexter and Damian walked in.


    Melody was in tears, desperately calling for Dexter to save her. ¡°Dexter, she¡¯s lost it. Save


    me.¡±


    Dexter was clearly taken aback. ¡°Phoebe¡­ put the lighter down.¡±


    Damian, equally shocked, stepped forward. ¡°Phoebe, take it easy, drop the lighter, take a deep breath.


    You don¡¯t really want to hurt anyone, right?¡±


    I nced at Dexter and Damian, a sneer spreading across my face. ¡°Wrong answer. I¡¯m not looking to


    hurt a person.¡±


    The moment the me from the lighter neared Melody¡¯s hair, the high¨Cproof alcohol caught fire.


    Melody screamed in terror, her hands frantically pping at the mes in her hair, panic making her fall


    to the floor, crying out for help.


    I stood there, detached, watching Melody¡¯s tears and pleas.


    Watching Dexter rush to smother the mes with a damp towel, watching Melody sob in Dexter¡¯s arms.


    Damian furrowed his brows, his gaze lingering on me for a long time.


    ¡°Dexter, she¡¯s going to kill me; she wants me dead. Dexter, save me, please¡­¡± Melody continued to


    cry out, her hair singed, her face reddened by the mes, but, sadly, her beauty unmarred.


    ¡°You lunatic!¡± Melody screamed at me, out of her mind with terror. ¡°Lunatic! You¡¯re all


    mad!¡±


    I toyed with the lighter in my hand, ready to ignite it again, but Damian rushed over and snatched if


    away.


    Damian seemed angry, his voice like he was trying to hypnotize me. ¡°Phoebe! How can you do this?


    Would your parents be proud? If they could see you now, how heartbroken they would be!¡±


    Suddenly, a ringing in my ears, a piercing sensation through my body as Damian touched me, my


    vision darkening, my consciousness starting to blur.


    ¡°Phoebe?¡±


    ¡°Phoebe!¡±


    Just before Ipletely cked out, I saw Dexter, anxious, holding Melody, rushing over to catch me.


    10.32


    Ridiculous, just as Ste said, he really was trying to have his cake¡­d eat it too.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Holding Melody in his arms, yet trying to reach out to me?


    Disgusting!


    ¡°Dexter, it hurts, my face hurts so much.¡± Melody cried, clinging to Dexter, preventing him froming


    any closer to me. She red at me with a look of triumph as if she wished she could devour me.


    And then, my consciousness was gone. Darkness enveloped me.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    ¡®Phoebe Caldwell¡­¡±


    In my memories, after losing my parents in a car crash, I became quiet and withdrawn.


    I moved from my home to the Fitzgerald family¡¯s care.


    ¡°Dexter, Phoebe¡¯s going to live with us now. She¡¯s got her SATS this year. Make sure you look out for


    her.¡±


    Dexter¡¯s look wasplex, indecipherable.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t remember the kids from the orphanage?¡± I remember Dexter¡¯s first question to me,


    filled with doubt.


    ¡°What orphanage?¡± I looked at him, clueless.


    He didn¡¯t respond, just turned away with a dark expression.


    ¡°Dexter¡­ do you still mean it when you said you liked me?¡±


    From that day on, I paid close attention to Dexter; he was all I could see. I didn¡¯t understand why I felt


    like Dexter had once said he liked me.


    He frowned at me. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You said it when you were a teenager¡­ that you liked me, that you¡¯d marry me when I grew up.¡± I


    said, feeling deted.


    Back then, I thought I was upset because Dexter had forgotten a childhood promise.


    But it wasn¡¯t that.


    Because the one who made me that promise was never Dexter.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? We were kids; how could those words ever count?¡± Dexter cursed and walked


    away.


    Later, I started to care for him in silence. I would make his favorite desserts, his beloved


    mango tapioca pudding.


    ¡°Dexter, I made some mango tapioca. Try some¡­¡±


    He pushed my hand away with disgust, looking at me angrily, but said nothing.


    The housekeeper looked as if she wanted to speak but stopped herself.

 Chapter 266

    My eyes welled with tears, nervous yet cautious as I spoke up. ¡°Is it¡­ do you not like it anymore? Has


    it changed?¡±


    Dexter opened his mouth but ultimately forced down a swallow. ¡°Give it here.¡±


    I handed him the mango pudding with a heart full of joy.


    He gave it a cold nce, snorted, and walked away.


    The nanny whispered, ¡°Miss, the young master is allergic to mangoes.¡±


    I was stunned. ¡°Impossible, his favorite has always been mango tapiocas¡­¡±


    The nanny hesitated, then said, ¡°Miss, the young master said he wants you to go to school alone. He


    said you¡¯re not a Fitzgerald. No need for special treatment. The chauffeur¡­ he¡¯s been called to drive


    Ms. Melody Burton.¡±


    I stood there, motionless, my eyes reddening with loss.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    He once said he loved me. Why did those young feelings change upon meeting his, so¨Ccalled true


    love?


    With my backpack slung over my shoulder, I stepped out of the house alone.


    ¡°Did you tell her?¡± Not far from the door, I overheard Dexter speaking with the nanny.


    ¡°Sir, this will break her heart,¡± the nanny sighed.


    Dexter asked urgently, ¡°Did you say I had the driver pick up Melody? Was she upset?¡±


    ¡°She seemed quite heartbroken.¡±


    Dexter huffed. ¡°An act, I bet. I want to see how long she can keep this up. She¡¯s been more venomous


    than a snake since we were kids, now ying the innocent doe.¡±


    Then came the nanny¡¯s rmed voice, ¡°Sir! What¡¯s with the rash on your face? Did you eat mango?


    Good heavens, take an antihistamine, quick.¡±


    The walk from the Fitzgerald estate to high school took me a full forty minutes.


    ¡°Hey, pretty girl, on your own today? Got any pocket money? The guys need cash for the inte caf¨¦.¡±


    On the small road outside the school, delinquents often hassled students.


    Shivering, I tried to retreat from their leers.


    I always thought my trembling was out of fear¡­


    10:32


    But looking back, I think I was suppressing my excitement.


    The excitement for violence.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any money¡­¡±


    My eyes reddened as I turned to run, only to be blocked by a thug who pped my ¡°Got a pretty face,


    you.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, you like her? You want to make her Gary¡¯s girl?¡± The others jeered.


    1.backed away in fear as they snatched my backpack.


    behind.


    ¡°This ne must be worth something,¡± they said as they took the money from my bag and even my


    ne.


    Crying, I begged them to give it back. ¡°That was left to me by my mom.¡±


    They taunted me, raising their arms out of reach in mockery, before riding off on their motorcycles.


    I sat on the ground, sobbing, picking up my scattered books one by one.


    A boy in an oversized hoodie, with a hood pulled over his head, approached. He said nothing, just bent


    down to help me pick up my books.


    My gaze fell on the frightening tattoos on his hands, and I froze in fear, crouching on the ground.


    4318


    He panicked, hiding his hands behind him, mouth agape, his voice hoarse and unpleasant. In the end,


    he said nothing; just got up and ran away.


    Watching his retreating figure, I snatched up my bag and fled.


    Back then, I didn¡¯t remember it was Colin. I hadpletely forgotten him.


    All I remembered was thatter that day, after school, he waited for me at the gate, wearing gloves.


    He was well¨Ccovered, those trembling eyes watching me. He had gotten back everything that was


    stolen, and he was returning it to me.


    Fearfully, I watched him, too scared to take it.


    Without a word, he stuffed the items into my hands and ran off.


    I didn¡¯t even know who he was, just another forgettable passerby in my life.


    I even¡­ missed the blood at the corner of his mouth.

 Chapter 267

    ¡°Phoebe?¡±


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    My consciousness slowly returned, and I could hear someone calling my name.


    It was Dexter.


    ¡°Damian, what¡¯s wrong with her? She looks¡­ off,¡± Dexter asked with an anxious edge to


    his voice.


    ¡°Did you give her the medication I prescribed on time?¡± Damian inquired.


    ¡°I made sure she took it at the exact hour every day. There¡¯s no mistake.¡±


    ¡°Memory erasure and reconstruction isn¡¯t an overnight process. She shouldn¡¯t be experiencing


    amnesia right now. If she¡¯s forgotten, be careful ¨C it might be an act. You need to keep reinforcing the


    psychological suggestions, keep stimting her environment, and don¡¯t skip the medication. Bring her


    to the clinic on schedule for hypnotherapy and electroconvulsive therapy,¡± Damian instructed seriously.


    Dexter fell silent for a moment before speaking. ¡°Damian, is this fair to her?¡±


    ¡°Her mother wanted her to live an ordinary life, just like any other child. She¡¯s ill; she needs treatment,¡±


    Damian insisted firmly.


    But Dexter hesitated. ¡°Is she really Phoebe? Do souls really cross over to other bodies?¡±


    Damian responded coolly, ¡°That¡¯s something you need to ask yourself: who do you want


    her to be?¡±


    It took Dexter a long time to reply. ¡°Phoebe. I want Phoebe toe back.¡±


    Damian simply grunted. ¡°Then do as I¡¯ve told you.¡±


    When I opened my eyes, Damian had already left.


    Dexter was sitting by the bed. Seeing me awake, he was both excited and relieved. ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    I looked at him and said, ¡°Dexter, I¡¯d like some mango tapioca pudding.¡±


    Dexter paused, then nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone fetch it for you right away.¡±


    Soon, the housekeeper brought the mango tapioca pudding.


    ¡°Have some?¡± He coaxed, trying to feed me.


    ¡°You first,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°I remember how much you love mango tapioca pudding.¡±


    10-323


    But in reality, it was Colin who adored mango tapioca pudding.


    Dexter¡¯s fingers stiffened noticeably, and he whispered, ¡°You eat.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, I want you to have it.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Dexter looked at the mangoes in the bowl and took a hesitant bite.


    ¡°Why lie to me¡­¡± My voice was hoarse as I confronted him. ¡°You¡¯re not my lover, yet you pretend to be


    him, leading me to form false memories, mistrusting and tormenting me?¡±


    Dexter was taken aback, his gaze shifting from shock to confusion as he stood up. ¡°Phoebe, Do you


    remember now?¡±


    I watched as his face broke out in hives after eating the mango.


    Since Damian said I wasn¡¯t supposed to have amnesia, I didn¡¯t see the point in pretending


    anymore.


    ¡°Why deceive me if you don¡¯t love me, why trap me, why not tell me the truth¡­¡±


    Why did he make me treat Colin like a stranger?


    I was filled with resentment.


    Dexter scrambled for words. ¡°Phoebe, it¡¯s not like that. I admit I was selfish for a moment, I¡­ I didn¡¯t


    want you to remember him; I wanted to be the only one in your heart and mind.¡±


    ¡°You seeded, so why keep hurting me?¡± I challenged him.


    His goal was achieved, yet the pain continued.


    Dexter clenched his hands tightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was just paranoid, scared you were pretending because


    you used to¡­¡±


    Dexter stopped short, unable to continue.


    ¡°Huh,¡± I sneered, eyeing the pills on the table. ¡°I remember you and Hailey have been making me take


    these pills since I was eighteen, prescribed by Damian, right?¡±


    Dexter¡¯s gaze becameplicated as he nced at me. ¡°Phoebe, you¡¯re sick.¡±


    I prompted him with a mocking smile. ¡°What¡¯s my illness?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± He seemed to find the words ¡®emotional disorder¡® too hot to handle. ¡°Phoebe, it¡¯s time for your


    medication.¡±


    He picked up the pills from the table, urging me to swallow them.

 Capítulo 268

    I¡¯m not eating that,¡± I said with disgust, ring at him.


    I remember waking up on my eighteenth birthday, having forgotten all about Colin. Since then, I¡¯ve


    been force¨Cfed these pills that dulled my senses, caged my spirit, and ripped out my fangs one by one.


    ¡°Phoebe, you¡¯ll take it. I won¡¯t let you remember him. You¡¯ll be just an ordinary girl, staying by my side.


    I¡¯ll protect you. We¡¯ll get married and have kids. We¡¯ll have a beautiful future,¡± he pleaded softly,


    squatting beside the bed. ¡°Phoebe, you¡¯re hurting too, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    He pressed the pill to my lips. ¡°Be a good girl, Phoebe.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re disgusting,¡± I spat out.


    ¡°Phoebe, Caleb¡¯s not dead, but he¡¯s badly injured. My men found him before the Langley family


    could¡­¡± Dexter¡¯s gaze darkened, his voice turning icy cold.


    The same old threats.


    My voice quivered. ¡°You think I¡¯d believe you?¡±


    ¡°Look.¡± He unted his smartphone, showing me Colin, bloodied and barely hanging on to life. ¡°He¡¯s


    got a strong will to survive.¡±


    Dexter kept up his threats.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡± I snatched the pill from his hand and swallowed it down.


    Dexter didn¡¯t trust me. He pinched my cheeks, checking to make sure I really did swallow before letting


    go.


    ¡°Phoebe, get some sleep. When you wake up, everything will be better,¡± he believed wholeheartedly


    that once I took those pills and slept, I¡¯d wake up with no memories.


    ¡°Sir¡­ Sir! Miss Melody is screaming about taking her own life.¡±


    The housekeeper ran in, panicked.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I just stared at Dexter, silent.


    He nced at me, troubled as always, but then chose to go to Melody.


    Like a dog returning to its vomit, he professed his love for me, then turned back to his old me.


    I rushed to the bathroom, trying to throw up the pills. But it was toote; nothing came


    out.


    Before, Dexter wasn¡¯t as cautious, and I¡¯d pretend to swallow the pills, hiding them under my tongue.


    This time, I had no choice but to swallow them in front of him.


    10:23


    The pills must have contained sedatives because I felt drowsy and copsed onto the bed, falling


    asleep.


    I didn¡¯t know what I¡¯d forget upon waking, nor did I know if I¡¯d still remember Colin


    tomorrow.


    Colin wasn¡¯t dead; he was in Dexter¡¯s clutches; he was badly injured.


    I mustn¡¯t forget.


    I have to find a way to tell Ste and Robin that Colin is with Dexter.


    *Phoebe?¡±


    In a daze, I heard a hoarse voice calling my name.


    The window must¡¯ve been open, a chilly breeze wafting in.


    He gently kissed my forehead. ¡°Phoebe, I¡¯m taking you home.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe, shall we go home?*


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget me again¡­ it hurts.¡±


    I tried to open my eyes, clutching his hand tightly.


    He seemed surprised. ¡°Phoebe, you remember me, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Colin¡­¡± I croaked his name.


    He hugged me tightly, his voice choked with emotion. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Suddenly, the door burst open, and the room¡¯s lights were blinding.


    My heart raced, I tried to open my eyes.


    ¡°Caleb, I¡¯ve been waiting for you,¡± Dexter¡¯s voice rang out.


    So, Caleb wasn¡¯t in Dexter¡¯s hands after all; he was using me as bait.


    ¡°I made a deal with Henry, I¡¯ll hand you over to him. Whether you live or die, it¡¯s none of my concern,¡±


    Dexter¡¯s voice was low.


    (Authors¡® note: I¡¯ll send you guys a third¨Cperson perspective of Colinter, xoxo)


    In the Sea City Hospital back then.

 Capítulo 269

    The incessant hum of medical equipment, the sharp scent of antiseptic, the sterile wash of fluorescent


    lights, and the sepulchral silence of the hallways¡­


    ¡°Hang in there¡­¡±


    The hoarse and piercing screams resonated through the istion ward.


    The young nurse stood aside, turning her gaze away in sympathy.


    On the hospital bed, the man clinging to life gripped a small, wallet¨Csized photo with fingers


    grotesquely mangled by burns.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    ¡°Your vocal cords are damaged; surgery can¡¯t fully restore them. Try not to speak; bear with it.¡±


    The doctor, with a heavy heart, whispered his instructions.


    ¡°Mhm.¡± He simply bowed his head into the pillow, enduring as the doctor worked on his raw and


    mangled wounds.


    ¡°How is he holding up?¡±


    ¡°Why does someone so handsome have to suffer like this?¡±


    ¡°His survival is a miracle.¡± The doctor sighed as he left the ward.


    ¡°Multifocal burns¡­ The pain from those superficial second¨Cdegree burn areas can reach a level 10. It¡¯s


    going to significantly affect and stimte his senses. Even if he lives, his perception of pain will


    be numb.¡± The doctor peered at Colin through the


    observation window.


    Hey there, seemingly surviving on sheer willpower alone.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    Slowly, he loosened his fingers, gently wiping the bloodstained photo. His eyes shimmered with a soft


    light


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯ve made you wait too long. Don¡¯t me me.¡±


    ¡°Brendan insisted we keep a close eye on him, not to let him leave the hospital. Once his


    10:23


    condition improves, we¡¯ll take him back.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t leave, sir.


    Beep¡­


    The hospital rm sounded, drawing the attention of the doctor and bodyguards with its fire alert


    Colin donned an oversized hoodie with the hood pulled up, gritting through the pain, limping his way


    out.


    Blood, the color of pale pink roses, oozed from his prematurely stressed leg wounds.


    No one knew how much he hurt.


    But he didn¡¯t want to make his Phoebe wait any longer.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t know what strength he drew upon to leave the hospital nor how much effort it took to reach


    the doorstep of Phoebe¡¯s home.


    But the ce was already empty.


    ¡°Poor family, both parents gone, left a daughter behind. Heard she was in aa for ages, woke up,


    and went to live with rtives.¡±


    Upon hearing the neighbor¡¯s words, Colin¡¯s eyes reddened as he turned and ran.


    His wounds screamed in pain. He was at constant risk of infection, but he couldn¡¯t let his Phoebe face


    the agony of loss alone.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    Finally, at the school gates, he saw his Phoebe.


    ¡°Ah!¡± But her eyes met his with utter unfamiliarity.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± His voice broke, so hoarse and alien it nearly shattered him.


    His Phoebe, she didn¡¯t recognize him.


    ¡°Who are you? Stop following me¡­ Help!¡± Phoebe mistook him for a stalker, running and screaming for


    help.


    Colin stood numbly, his outstretched hand frozen in ce. He retreated into an alley, his breath ragged


    as he pounded his own head in frustration.


    Why¡­ Why was even his voice changed?


    Why did he frighten Phoebe?


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    10:24


    From that day, Colin followed his Phoebe almost every day, unseen. He watched her go to school,


    watched her return home, and watched her trail cautiously behind Dexter, her eyes and heart filled with


    another man.


    ¡®Phoebe¡­ I don¡¯t me you.¡±


    In his feverish delirium, he¡¯d whisper assurances. Though Phoebe couldn¡¯t hear, he continued to


    comfort her.


    ¡°Phoebe, I don¡¯t me you for forgetting me. Nor do I me you for falling for someone else.¡±


    That day, Colin, despite a raging fever and pain that nearly contorted his body, took one


    step at a time toward the school entrance.

 Capítulo 270

    He couldn¡¯t settle until he saw his little girl safe inside her school building.


    ¡°Guess this ne is worth something, huh?¡± But a few local thugs had snatched her backpack full of


    lunch money and the ne she wore around her neck.


    Phoebe cried, begging them to return the ne. ¡°It was my mom¡¯s,¡± she sobbed.


    Colin charged like a madman, but the thugs sped off on their motorcycles.


    He watched his little girl cry and pick up her scattered books one by one from the ground.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Phoebe¡­ please don¡¯t cry.¡± He longed to go to her, to hold her.


    But he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it.


    In the end, he couldn¡¯t stand it. He hobbled over, reaching out to help her gather her books, but the


    gruesome, bloody wound on his hand frightened her.


    He stood there numbly as his beloved girl ran away in terror.


    Powerless and panicked, he hid his hand behind his back, opened his mouth to speak, then turned and


    fled.


    That day, he found those punks.


    Burning with fever, his body riddled with unhealed wounds, he fought to retrieve her ne and her


    money.


    He was no match for so many, and he felt pain too, but if he hadn¡¯t been so reckless, gritting his teeth


    andnding punch after punch as though he wanted to kill the ringleader, they would never have


    returned the items.


    Finally, he couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and vomited blood, copsing unconscious on the bloody


    concrete.


    So cold.


    He stared at the murky sky. ¡°Phoebe¡­ I¡¯m so cold.¡±


    Outside the school.


    After ss, Phoebe cautiously surveyed her surroundings. She feared those punks would bother her


    and bully her again. She walked with caution, trying to avoid them.


    But as soon as she stepped out of the school gates, she smelled a strong scent of blood.


    Fearfully, she looked up into Colin¡¯s deep eyes.


    Perhaps afraid of scaring her, Colin wore gloves as he handed her the ne and


    10:24


    money, then turned and walked away.


    Phoebe opened her mouth but ultimately said nothing.


    Phoebe left, heading home.


    To another man¡¯s house.


    To forget himpletely, to fall in love with someone else.


    He hid in an alley, enduring the pain as he slowly removed his gloves with his teeth.


    His hand was severely burnt; how could he wear gloves¡­


    Every time he took them off, it was like peeling away ayer of his skin.


    But he didn¡¯t want to frighten his Phoebe.


    ¡°Hey Phoebe, walk home with us?¡±


    That day, Phoebe had friends to walk home with.


    ¡°It¡¯s been so quiet around the schooltely; those punks are nowhere to be seen. Weird, huh?¡±


    Phoebe stood at the mouth of the alley, ncing back. She didn¡¯t know what she was looking for, what


    she wanted to see.


    ¡°Phoebe, those bullies are gone. Karma¡¯s got a way of sorting things out.¡±


    Phoebe smiled faintly, looking toward the corner.


    In that corner, Colin was hidden, lurking in the shadows, protecting his Phoebe.


    ¡°Touch her again¡­ and you¡¯re dead.¡± Colin¡¯s voice was hoarse as he pinned a punk under


    his foot.


    The punks fled, gathering a crowd to corner Colin.


    Atst, in the ce where Phoebe appeared, they caught Colin.


    ¡°There¡¯s a fight down there, Phoebe; let¡¯s get out of here. It¡¯s scary.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe! Someone¡¯s getting killed; we need to go.¡±


    Phoebe¡¯s legs went numb as she looked back toward the alley corner. All she saw was a dark red pool


    of blood, slowly spreading.


    ¡°Come on, Phoebe, let¡¯s not rubberneck.¡±


    In the alley.


    Colin leaned against the wall, his arms hanging limply, the one¨Cinch photo of Phoebe in


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    10:24


    his palm soaked with blood.


    ¡°Phoebe, it¡¯s good, you¡¯ve forgotten me¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, Phoebe¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look back, don¡¯t remember me¡­¡±


    (Authors¡® note: Next chapter is the main story, folks Colin¡¯s perspective.)


    ¨C


    this one was a special peek into

 Capítulo 271

    ¡°Hmph¡­


    I heard Colin¡¯s derisive chuckle. I wanted him to run, to get the hell out of there.


    Dexter was nothing but a jerk.


    ¡°Phoebe¡¯s not going anywhere with you,¡± Dexter¡¯s voice rumbled, signaling his goons to step forward.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t really think I came alone, did you?¡± Colin wasughing, his voice cold, and the raspiness


    added a terrifying pressure.


    ¡°Dexter¡­¡± Outside, there was Melody¡¯s trembling voice.


    Struggling to open my eyes, I saw a tall figure in a baseball cap pressing a knife against Melody¡¯s


    throat.


    Colin hadn¡¯te alone.


    I actually breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Dexter¡­¡± Melody¡¯s face was ashen, the half that was burned still red and swollen, her long hair


    cropped short from the mes.


    ¡°Caleb!¡± Dexter red at Colin, his anger palpable.


    Colin sneered, the chill in his eyes sending shivers down one¡¯s spine. ¡°What¡¯s more important to you,


    your lifesaver or your interests?¡±


    Melody was shaking all over, crying out. ¡°Dexter, save me.¡±


    Dexter clenched his fists tight, ncing back at Melody. Clearly, he couldn¡¯t choose between his debt of


    gratitude and his ambitions.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Because he knew, if Colin lost it, he¡¯d definitely kill Melody.


    I propped myself up, shaking my head to clear the fog, but I was mostly okay.


    Maybe it was a stroke of luck; Foebe¡¯s body must be a new shell for me; it didn¡¯t seem to mesh well


    with my soul, so the drugs weren¡¯t having much effect on me.


    But Damian was a threat. His hypnotic therapy messed with me, big time.


    eded to steer clear of that guy; he was like my kryptonite.


    Seeing me awake, Colin shed a moment of panic, fear flickering in his eyes. He was probably afraid


    I¡¯d forget him again, like before.


    Dexter looked at me, too, a mix of joy and apprehension in his voice. ¡°Phoebe¡­¡°.


    He was hoping I¡¯d forgotten Colin by now, remembered only him.


    10:24


    Phoebe,e here: Dexter reached out to me, beckoning me to his side.


    I nced at Dexter, then got off the bed


    Colin reached out to me but quickly pulled back as if shocked. He wasn¡¯t sure if I remembered him, if 1


    would be scared of him.


    I reached out, grabbing Colin¡¯s fingers, my voice hoarse. ¡°Where did you go?*


    Colin¡¯s body stiffened, his eyes reddening as he pulled me into a tight embrace. ¡°Had a couple of rats


    on my tail, sorry¡­ made you wait again.*


    bowed my head, pressing my forehead against Colin¡¯s chest, smelling the blood again.


    He was hurt again.


    Those bastards¡­


    Everyone who hurt him deserved to die.


    I wanted to kill them all.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Dexter was panicking, clearly not wanting Colin to take me away.


    With Damian¡¯s treatment, it wouldn¡¯t be long before I forgot Colin again. If I was taken away now, all his


    ns would be for nothing.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t let us go, Melody will die.¡± I stared at Dexter, forcing him to make a choice.


    Melody was still crying. ¡°Dexter, I¡¯m scared.¡±


    Dexter clenched his fists, the veins on his arms bulging, clearly hesitating.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ he¡¯s a madman; he¡¯ll only make your condition worse. Your parents said, no matter what,


    you can¡¯t be with him,¡± Dexter whispered as if coaxing me. ¡°Phoebe, please,e back to me, will


    you?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer his plea. Instead, I looked up at Colin. ¡°Colin, I want a mango tapioca pudding.¡±


    Colin shook his head. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why not¡­¡± I murmured softly.


    ¡°You¡¯re allergic,¡± Colin whispered, holding me close.


    ¡°But I love it.¡± I muttered under my breath.

 Chapter 272

    I¡¯m the one with the insatiable craving for mango tapioca pudding, but I¡¯m cursed with an allergy to


    mangoes. Every time I snuck off to indulge, Colin was quick to cover for me, iming he was the fan of


    the sweet treat. Then he only let me have a taste before he scarfed down the rest.


    He said he loved mango tapioca pudding. But in truth, it was Phoebe who adored it. He was just


    ¡®forced¡® to love it, that¡¯s all.


    ¡°Just a little bite,¡± Colin whispered, coaxing me away.


    Dexter stood there, rigid, trying to find the words. ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    ¡°I thought I made it clear to you, ¡®Phoebe¡® is allergic to mangoes.¡±


    Ignorance was forgivable once, but to still forget? Love seems to falter in the details.


    ¡°Phoebe, it¡¯s not like that. I just thought¡­ your body now is Foebe¡¯s¡­¡± Dexter tried to rify that Foebe


    wasn¡¯t allergic to mangoes. But deep down, he was still doubting my identity as ¡®Phoebe¡®.


    Yet he was obsessed and stubborn about turning ¡®Foebe¡® into Phoebe.


    Treating me like his puppet, his perfect substitute.


    ¡°Dexter, you¡¯re just as selfish as ever. You don¡¯t love anyone; you only love yourself,¡± I said with biting


    sarcasm, gripping Colin¡¯s hand tighter. ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone tell you love can fade? Especially when it¡¯s built


    on your lies.¡±


    He went to such lengths to deceive, yet he couldn¡¯t cherish what he had won.


    Dexter¡¯s hands fell limply by his sides, wanting to say he loved Phoebe. But his throat felt too raw to


    speak.


    In his quest to make Phoebe love him, to be the lover in her heart, he had tried so


    hard.


    But in the end, he had only moved himself.


    ¡°If


    you don¡¯t want Melody to die, let us go,¡± I spoke up again, my grip on Colin¡¯s hand firm.¡¢


    I¡¯m not letting go this time. I owe Colin too much.


    Maybe because I was in front of him, Colin¡¯s fierceness softened, his gaze on me tender.


    ¡°Phoebe, he¡¯s bad.¡± He started to sulk. ¡°He always tries to take you away.¡±


    I squeezed his hand a little tighter.


    Dexter¡¯s eyes darkened; he had no intention of letting us leave.


    11:30


    I knew he was stalling; Henry¡¯s men must be on their way,


    ¡°Dexter, save me.¡± The person threatening Melody shed a knife across her neck, and she cried out


    for Dexter.


    I locked eyes with Dexter; he was gambling.


    I snatched the knife from the bodyguard and pressed it to my own throat.


    What if ¡®Phoebe¡® dies?


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Colin panicked, his eyes wild with fear.


    Dexter was visibly shaken. ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    ¡°Let us go,¡± I demanded, my gaze steely.


    Dexter relented, stepping away from the door, directing his guards to do the same.


    I took Colin¡¯s hand again, leading him away. ¡°Colin, let¡¯s go home.¡±


    I¡¯ll take you, and we¡¯ll escape.


    Colin watched my back, the way I held his hand, and smiled.


    ¡°Phoebe, we¡¯re going home.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe, he can¡¯t protect you,¡± Dexter called out from the doorway. ¡°The loss of memory isn¡¯t a choice


    we can make, but you can. Memories you desperately want to forget get locked away; you don¡¯t love


    him; you want to forget him!¡±


    My steps faltered, but I didn¡¯t look back.


    Colin¡¯s eyes were filled with panic; he was afraid.


    What memories were so painful that I wanted to erase them, forget Colin, forget everything about that


    orphanage?


    ¡°Phoebe, don¡¯t listen to him.¡± Colin¡¯s eyes glistened with unshed tears, pleading with me not to


    abandon him.


    ¡°Whatever memories I¡¯ve lost, right now, I just want to go home with you,¡± I said, tightening my hold on


    his hand, eager to lead him away.


    But fate intervened.


    Henry¡¯s car pulled up outside the Fitzgerald family mansion, and a group of people disembarked.

 Chapter 273

    Caleb, your grandpa passed away, and you¡¯re up to bat for the funeral, Henry said, his Yolce somber


    as he stepped out of the car.


    I eyed him with suspicion, knowing full well his visit wasn¡¯t solely motivated by funeral arrangements.


    ¡°Your grandpa¡¯s body is still at the morgue, waiting for a direct family member to sign off on the


    cremation. You wouldn¡¯t want to leave him in limbo, would you?¡± Henry said, his face the picture of


    compassion, like a concerned elder fretting over his kin.


    I frowned, realizing the true situation as I spotted the line of cars behind him, packed with reporters.


    Brendan¡¯s death was big news in the business world, and with the media circus that followed, Henry


    had to y his part to the hilt.


    I stepped in front of Colin, speaking softly. ¡°Colin, don¡¯t be scared¡­¡±


    With the media on our heels, Colin was safe for now.


    They surely wouldn¡¯t dare to harm him under the ring spotlight.


    Out of sight, Henry¡¯s eyes sharpened with anger. He was irate that his attempt to dispatch Caleb on the


    way to the mental institution days earlier had failed, and now, with the media swarming, his hands were


    tied.


    Colin stood behind me, his eyes signaling to the person holding Melody to let go.


    The man relented, stepping back behind Colin with a tense air.


    It was clear Colin trusted him.


    never


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, I appreciate you helping me find Caleb. The boy has a wild streak could keep him


    home,¡± Henry said with a smile, ying the doting elder to perfection in front of the reporters.


    Dexter emerged as well, his aggressiveness subdued. He was a businessman too, no different at heart


    than Henry.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°The passing of the head of our family is a serious matter. I won¡¯t express my gratitude today. Let¡¯s


    save it for the charity g when we can discuss the partnership between our two families in detail,¡±


    Henry said, extending his hand to Dexter.


    Henry¡¯s talk of a partnership referred to a potential alliance between the Langley Group and the


    Fitzgerald Group.


    Clearly, he already saw himself as the master of the Langley Group, announcing a partnership with the


    Fitzgerald Group in full view of the media as a power y and a way to pressure Colin.


    12:37


    I nced back at Colin, anxious, but a barely perceptible smile yed on his lips.


    ¡°Colin, with the media here, he won¡¯t touch you. Just y along for now, I whispered.


    Don¡¯t resist, follow my lead and watch for the right moment.¡±


    Colin subdued his emotions, his eyes flickering with fear. ¡°Phoebe will protect me.¡±


    gripped Colin¡¯s hand reassuringly before turning to the reporters, wiping away a tear. ¡°Grandpa¡¯s


    passing has hit Caleb hard. He¡¯s been working through his grief, and he¡¯ll step up to lead the Langley


    Group in no time, ensuring Grandpa¡¯s legacy isn¡¯t squandered.¡±


    The cameras zeroed in on Colin. He seemed to despise the attention but didn¡¯t shy away.


    ¡°Caleb¡¯s been rumored to have mental health issues. Is that true?¡± a reporter asked.


    I smiled at the inquiry. ¡°I believe we all have our share of mental battles, don¡¯t we? He¡¯s fine, perfectly


    normal, and has been on the mend for a while now.¡±


    ¡°Are you Caleb¡¯s wife? With Brendan gone, who will run thepany? It¡¯s been said there¡¯s resistance


    to letting someone with mental health issues take over, especially with Henry being the most


    respected.¡±


    Henry¡¯s expression darkened, clearly displeased with the media¡¯s interference.


    ¡°Despite being from a coteral branch and benefiting from the Langley family and our grandfather,


    Caleb is the sole heir. The Langley Group rightfully belongs to him,¡± I said, locking eyes with Henry


    challengingly.


    I hadn¡¯t forgotten his attempt on Colin¡¯s life, and I was far from letting it go.


    Henry regarded me with a loaded gaze but, uncharacteristically, remained silent. His silence was a tell-


    he was definitely cooking up some mischief.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ I want to go home,¡± Colin whispered from behind me.


    I nodded soothingly, projecting an ¡®I¡¯ve got your back¡® vibe.


    The reporters were gearing up for more questions, but I cut them off. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a bit worn out. I¡¯ve


    been pregnant for a while, and standing too long makes me dizzy. We¡¯ll be taking our leave now.¡±

 Chapter 274

    Leaning Into Colin¡¯s embrace, I deliberately brought up my pregnancy again, just to rile Henry up.


    Even if Colin wasn¡¯t around, there was still our baby.


    ¡°Sir, ma¡¯am.¡± Eric¡¯s car was parked just beside us, and he opened the door, ushering us in.


    I cast a nce at the man standing silently behind Colin. He wore a baseball cap and remained silent


    but was ever¨Cvignt, guarding Colin¡¯s back.


    ¡°He is¡­¡± I whispered as we got into the car.


    ¡°Bodyguard.¡± The man himself answered my question before Colin could.


    ¡°His name is Bran. Eric adopted him. He¡¯s in charge of our protection,¡± Colin whispered back to me.


    Bran hummed dismissively, his cap¡¯s bill lowered as he gazed out the car window.


    I had this nagging feeling that Bran held some animosity, but I couldn¡¯t tell if it was directed at me or


    someone else.


    I looked at Colin, then at Eric.


    One was his foster father, the other his employer. Naturally, the animosity wasn¡¯t aimed at them, which


    left me.


    Had I offended him in some way?


    ¡°Eric, did you set up the reporter ahead of time?¡± I asked.


    Eric nced at me through the rear¨Cview mirror before nodding. ¡°Yes.¡±


    I breathed a sigh of relief. At least Colin wasn¡¯t facing this alone.


    He knew to bring a bodyguard to handle Melody and to alert the media to intercept Henry.


    ¡°Phoebe, you¡¯re so amazing. With you around, they wouldn¡¯t dare mess with me.¡± Colin shed me a


    smile, innocent and pure.


    I felt a twinge of guilt. Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be you rescuing me, big guy?


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Bran, sitting in the passenger seat, let out another grunt.


    I wondered if he had some sort of nasal issue¡­


    As Eric drove past Henry¡¯s car, Hooked out the window, my expression darkening instantly.


    The person who hadn¡¯t left Henry¡¯s car was Damian.


    had done my research on Damian. He was a formidable psychiatrist, a well¨Cknown counselor in Sea


    City, and had won countless awards years ago, even securing the highest honors in his field. He was


    considered a prodigy in the world of mental health, not just in Sea City but globally.


    What was most unsettling was that his research focused on treatments for super¨Cmale children and the


    so¨Ccalled ¡®bad seeds.


    It¡¯smon knowledge that super¨Cmale kids are born with a gic anomaly that makes them


    uncontrobly aggressive. Without altering their genes, curing their ¡®condition¡® seemed an impossible


    task.


    Yet, Damian had numerous clinical experiences and sessful case studies. Countless parents sought


    him out, entrusting their children, whom they considered ¡®bad seeds,¡® into Damian¡¯s care, all in the


    hopes of them being ¡®normal¡® after discharge.


    Damian rolled down his car window, looking over in our direction.


    A chill ran down my spine, and I found myself avoiding his gaze as my breathing became erratic.


    Danger.


    An inner voice warned me that this man was dangerous.


    ¡°Why is Damian with Henry?¡± My voice trembled slightly.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°The media¡¯s involved now. Henry wouldn¡¯t dare eliminate Sir without raising suspicion. He must be


    switching strategies, framing Sir as mentally ill, and coborating with a psychiatrist¡­¡± Eric spoke


    softly.


    My breath shook with fear as I realized their n.


    ¦²¦¥


    They wanted to exploit the narrative that Colin was ill to forcibly subject him to their


    so¨Ccalled treatment.


    they couldn¡¯t remove Colin, they¡¯d do everything they could to turn him into a docile


    puppet.


    My eyes filled with dread as I looked at Colin, gripping his hand tightly. ¡°I won¡¯t let them hurt you. No


    one will.¡±

 Chapter 275

    Hmph Bran huffed again from the passenger seat.


    I nced over with a puzzled frown and whispered to Colin, ¡°Is it just me, or does he seem a bit sick?¡±


    Colin¡¯s gaze darkened for a moment, then he spoke with a casual air that carried an undercurrent of


    warning, ¡°He¡¯s got hay fever.¡±


    Sure enough, the good looking guy with the hay fever in the passenger seat mmed up


    I took a better look at Bran. He was tall, so tall that his face was obscured from this angle, especially


    with the baseball cap he was wearing. His features were indistinct, but he had the vibe of a heartthrob¨C


    and he sounded young.


    As expected, Eric pulled up in front of Harmony High School.


    The teenager was clearly reluctant. ¡°Don¡¯t wanna go.¡±


    ¡°Finals are around the corner, kid. Like it or not, you¡¯re going,¡± Eric¡¯s voice held a threatening edge.


    Bran snorted again. ¡°Don¡¯t need to study; I¡¯ll ace it anyway. And what¡¯s the point? I¡¯m better off


    protecting¡­¡±


    He cut himself off, casting a nce back at Colin, then huffed once more. ¡°You¡¯ve seen the way he falls


    apart when I¡¯m not around.¡±


    I blinked, amused by the novelty of his insult.


    ¡°Get to school,¡± Eric growled through gritted teeth.


    Bran was like that stereotypical troubled teen, reluctantly getting out of the car with


    another snort.


    I was starting to believe the hay fever story.


    ¡°Take that hat off!¡± Eric scolded with the exasperation of a parent who can¡¯t quite hide his


    affection.


    I¡¯d always thought of Eric as some sort of emotionless robot, all about work. But watching him interact


    with Bran, I saw a spark of humanity.


    The boy gave Colin a sullen look, but Colin didn¡¯t even bother lifting his eyelids, just kept hugging me.


    When Bran finally took off his hat and tossed it angrily onto the dashboard, he transformed. Without the


    hat, he looked more approachable, his buzz cut adding a hint of edginess. He wasn¡¯t as stunning as


    Colin, but he definitely stood out as a looker among high schoolers.


    switched my gaze between Bran and Colin.


    Of course, Colin was the one with the otherworldly good looks.


    Feeling like I hit the jackpot, I caressed Colin¡¯s face and blurted out, ¡°So handsome¡­


    Colin snuggled closer, his smile radiant. ¡°Yours.¡±


    My cheeks flushed. Damn, he really knew how to charm.


    Colin was about to seize the moment for a kiss and a cuddle, maybe even a little whine about his


    aches and pains, when the car door mmed open, and Bran was back, asking Eric for cash. ¡°Need


    my allowance.¡±


    Eric reached into the glovepartment and handed Bran some money.


    This time, Bran¡¯s gaze skipped Colin andnded on me with a shadowy intensity.


    His eyes¡­ there was no malice in them, but they sent a shiver down my spine.


    The car door mmed shut again, and I jumped.


    Eric finally spoke up, ¡°My apologies, young master, madam. Work has kept me from disciplining him


    properly; he¡¯s developed quite the temper.¡±


    ¡°If discipline¡¯scking, then enforce it. Set rules, or cut the allowance,¡± Colin¡¯s voice was deep and firm.


    I felt like he was issuing a threat.


    ¡°Ha, teenagers are supposed to rebel. It¡¯s normal, and the kid¡¯s got looks. Seems pretty popr at


    school,¡± I hurriedly changed the subject.


    As soon as Bran stepped out, a group of girls surrounded him, clearly smitten.


    Colin seemed a bit miffed, grabbing my head and turning it back to face him. ¡°I¡¯m better looking.¡±


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I nodded vigorously in agreement, No question, he was the more stunning one.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved that Colin had been whisked off to the Genius ss in his teens. If he¡¯d


    been in regr school, I bet those high school girls would have devoured him. And then where would I


    be?

 Chapter 276

    I nodded with a sense of relief washing over me. ¡°Thank goodness no one tried to steal you away from


    me¡­¡±


    That Dexter, with his smug attitude, still had a swarm of admirers. It was baffling, really.


    In fairness, Dexter had his charms: tall, from a well¨Coff family, and in my memory, the girls who fell for


    him did so with a frightening intensity. But the only one who ever got close enough to Dexter was


    Melody.


    And that had to mean Melody had some tricks up her sleeve.


    She would have been perfect for a role in one of those historical dramas, like a queen in Game of


    Thrones, destined to survive until the very end.


    Ever since ¡®Phoebe¡® supposedly bit the dust, Melody had been ying the fragile damsel, careful not to


    show her true ¡®talents¡® since she knew a killer was lurking in the shadows, ready to strike at her. She


    had been ying it safe for a while.


    But I was certain she wouldn¡¯t stay low forever.


    Today, I singed her hair and nearly scarred her face¨Cshe wouldn¡¯t forget that in a hurry. She must be


    plotting her revenge.


    Besides, Melody always believed Colin was the mastermind behind the murders. I bet Henry¡¯s move


    against Colin had her fingerprints all over it.


    She was truly wicked, a match made in heaven for Dexter. They should be chained together for all


    eternity.


    How had I not seen it before? For that, 1 probably deserved to die once.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ it hurts so much.¡± Colin, seeing me spaced out, tried desperately to catch my attention,


    rolling up his sleeve to show the purplish bruises and scrapes that hadn¡¯t healed properly.


    Worried, I inspected the injuries on his arm, knowing they were likely the least of his


    concerns.


    I wanted to check the rest of his wounds, but he just held me tight. ¡°Phoebe¡­ Dexter¡¯s awful. He¡¯s


    trying to take you away; he won¡¯t let me see you; his guys beat me up.¡±


    Colin whispered his grievances against Dexter.


    ¡°This is his work,¡± Colin pointed to the most swollen spot, clearly a recent injury, probably inflicted when


    he crashed into the Fitzgerald estate and got into it with the Fitzgerald family¡¯s security.


    ¡°And this too,¡± he continued his litany ofints.


    11:35


    I stayed silent the whole way back to Colin¡¯s ce, fuming inside. Dexter and Henry


    teaming up against Colln was a clear sign they were out for blood.


    Once we got back, Eric had a doctor tend to Colin¡¯s wounds before leaving.


    ¡°Phoebe, it¡¯s so painful¡­ Dexter must be out for my life,¡± Colin said innocently, looking like he¡¯d


    suffered the greatest injustice.


    sping my hands together, I vowed to remember this hatred for Dexter.


    ¡°Rest up, try to get some sleep,¡± I soothed Colin, urging him to rest while I went downstairs to grab my


    phone and dial Dexter.


    ¡°Dexter, you¡¯re such a jerk,¡± Ished out as soon as the call connected. ¡°You¡¯re utterly repulsive!¡±


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Dexter sounded somewhat excited to hear from me but quickly tried to deflect my anger.


    ¡°Don¡¯t trust Caleb; he¡¯s the murderer¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up, you¡¯re the murderer,¡± I cut him off, my fingers trembling with rage. ¡°Colin is my husband; it¡¯s


    his right to take me with him. You want someone to go after his life? Your goons didn¡¯t hold back!


    Whatever you and Henry are nning, I don¡¯t care, but let me make myself clear! Dexter, if youy a


    finger on him again, I won¡¯t let you off the hook.¡±


    There was silence on the other end of the line.


    After a pause, Dexter finally spoke. ¡°Phoebe Caldwell, who¡¯s really being harsh? I told my security to


    stop him, and he nearly killed one of them.¡±


    ¡°Dexter, I have eyes. I can see. Those injuries on Colin, they¡¯re your doing, aren¡¯t they?¡± I found Dexter


    revolting, never owning up to his actions.


    ¡°Where¡¯s he hurt? The security I sent to stop him is in the hospital becaus for his life,¡± Dexter¡¯s voice


    was shaking with anger.


    im, fighting


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe a word you say.¡± I hurled a few more insults at Dexter, not giving him a chance to argue,


    and hung up.

 Chapter 277

    Upstairs, Colin had somehow snuck in without me noticing, and when I caught sight of him, he was


    chuckling to himself. As our eyes met, theughter in his eyes quickly turned to an expression of pain.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ it hurts so much, I can¡¯t sleep.¡±


    What could I do? I sighed and went up tofort him, feeling like I somehow owed him.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ rub it for me?¡± Colin pleaded from the bed, stretching out his arms for a soothing touch.


    My mind was elsewhere, but I started to massage him absentmindedly.


    Henry wasn¡¯t going to let things slide, not after Colin¡¯s mishap, followed by my own troubles and then


    Brendan¡¯s departure. Henry¡¯s tactics were just too ruthless¡­


    ¡°Phoebe, my chest hurts too,¡± Colin said, pointing to his heart.


    I was deep in thought, but wherever he said it hurt, I¡¯d rub.


    I have to admit, his pecs were quite solid. Where had he been working out during his years on the


    road? Must be those good genes, making those who spend every day in the gym green with envy.


    ¡°Phoebe, my stomach hurts too.¡± Colin looked at me with a mischievous glint in his eye, clearly pushing


    his luck.


    My thoughts were on how to retaliate against Henry after his string of ¡®gifts.¡¯


    Colin guided my hand to his stomach, and I obliged him with a rub.


    I must say, it felt good; his muscles were well¨Cdefined.


    But my mind wasn¡¯t on admiring him. The fact that Henry was in cahoots with Damian was the real


    headache.


    It was probably Dexter who brokered the connection; that guy never did anything decent.


    The more I thought about it, the angrier I got.


    And to think they had Colin beaten up like this¡­


    1 3 = F <3 <= ?


    What good coulde from Henry and Damian teaming up?


    As for Damian, I couldn¡¯t remember exactly what he had done to me; my lost memories included him,


    and it seemed there was a sense of dread associated with him.


    ¡°Phoebe, it hurts here too¡­¡± Colin continued, moving my hand lower.


    I was propped up on one hand, lost in thought, when he guided my hand¡­


    I snapped back to reality and instinctively pped his hand away.


    Colin curled up, wincing in pain and clutching his lower belly.


    ¡°Phoebe, you¡¯re murdering your husband.¡±


    My cheeks burned with embarrassment as I grabbed his ear and threatened, ¡°Shut it.¡±


    Colin obediently mped his mouth shut, turned over, and burrowed his head into the soft pillow as if


    he were trying to suffocate himself.


    I sighed helplessly and patted his head. ¡°Colin¡­ about Brendan¡¯s funeral, what are you going to do?


    It¡¯s got to be grand; the bigger, the better. Get the media involved; you need to cry and y the part of


    the grieving grandson.¡±


    I whispered, knowing full well how difficult this was for him.


    H


    Brendan hadn¡¯t been kind to Colin; more often than not, he was harsh and abusive.


    They ignored Colin, knowing he existed, but still left him in the orphanage until they realized he was a


    prodigy and wanted to bring him back to the Langley family to add to their prestige.


    But after he ¡®lost his mind¡® and the prodigy aura faded, they discarded him mercilessly, even¡­ trying to


    completely destroy this blemish.


    The evil in human nature was truly embodied by the Langley family.


    ¡°The funeral, can¡¯t do it,¡± Colin mumbled into the pillow, his voice deep andced with


    resentment.


    ¡°Can¡¯t do it?¡± I paused, aghast. Skipping the funeral wasn¡¯t an option.


    Henry was using this event to publicize himself as the current head of the Langley family, suggesting


    that he should manage the Langley Group.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Argh.¡±


    A knocking on the door interrupted us, followed by barking.


    I knew it meant a stranger was at the door. But nobody was supposed to know Colin was staying here.


    ¡°Coly.¡±


    I opened the door to see the deaf¨Cmute man, whomunicated with me through signnguage and


    his imperfect speech, telling me that Coly had returned.


    I looked at him in surprise and hurried downstairs.


    Robin must have taken ?oly to the hospital; he must be out of danger now.

 Chapter 278

    Robin, still in his traffic cop uniform, must have just finished his shift when he dropped off Coly. ¡°This


    pooch is one tough cookie, like its owner,¡± he said, eyeing the dog that had clearly taken a shine to him.


    ¡°Smart, too. Could¡¯ve made a fine K¨C9 unit.¡±


    I crouched down, my gaze fixed on Coly, still bandaged around the belly. As I reached out, therge


    wolfhound bounded towards me with a wagging tail, leaping into my arms.


    At that moment, shes of my childhood flickered through my mind.


    ¡°Howler, bite him!¡±


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Howler, attack!¡±


    ¡°Howler, fetch!¡±


    It seemed like I¡¯d gotten up to some serious mischief with Howler back in the day.


    But the details were hazy, lost in the fog of memory.


    One thing I did recall was using Howler to bully Dexter when we were kids.


    Thinking about it now, I could sort of understand why Dexter despised me, why he thought I was rotten


    to the core. But he should¡¯ve just hated me, in and simple. Why the act, the charade of deep


    affection after I was gone?


    Was it some twisted form of masochism? I sicked my dog on him when we were kids, and he still


    yed the devoted lover, iming he was my true soulmate.


    Definitely screwed up, if you ask me.


    ¡°Colin okay?¡± Robin¡¯s voice brought me back as he crouched beside me, p head affectionately.


    Coly¡¯s


    Coly seemed to have a sixth sense for sussing out the good from the bad, taking to Robin


    with ease.


    ¡°He¡¯s been through the wringer, not a spot on him that isn¡¯t battered. He¡¯s resting upstairs,¡±


    I murmured.


    ¡°Melody¡¯s alive, and Dorian confessed. The killer¡¯s gone quiet, vanished into thin air. Maybe this whole


    serial killing spree is over, and hopefully, with Dorian gone, it¡¯s the end of it,¡± Robin whispered, more to


    himself than to me.


    From the looks of it, the killer had indeed slipped away, as if with Dorian¡¯s death, they had disappeared


    too.


    ¡°Plus, the police found DNA on the third victim that matched the first male victim,¡± Robin added, his


    tone somber.


    11:36


    The victims were the killers, and the killer became a victim.


    What was chilling about this case was that the perpetrator was hiding among the victims. You just


    couldn¡¯t tell who would be next.


    I¡¯ve heard of strangers contracting killings to throw off the scent, but a serial killer turning up as a


    victim? That¡¯s a first for me.¡± A conspiracy this organized, this disciplined.


    ¡°If no new victims turn up, chances are high Dorian will be pegged as the final killer, but I¡¯ve got this


    nagging feeling¡­ it¡¯s not that simple,¡± Robin confessed, his intuition on point.


    Because I knew too that it wasn¡¯t that simple.


    The person who killed Phoebe is still out there,¡± I said, meeting Robin¡¯s gaze. ¡°Is it possible they¡¯re a


    future victim, too? Like Melody, who lured Phoebe to Tangle Lane. There¡¯s more to her than meets the


    eye.¡±


    Melody, I was certain, was more than she seemed.


    Robin nodded. ¡°Which is why I¡¯ve been shadowing her when I¡¯m not on duty.¡±


    ¡°Watch your back too. The Langley family is no walk in the park,¡± Robin cautioned, ncing up at the


    window where Colin stood watching us.


    He waved at Colin and turned to leave when Henry showed up, his presence as unwee as ever.


    And this time, he brought Anthony with him.


    ¡°Foebe,¡± Anthony began with a grimace, still visibly shaken at the mention of Caleb. ¡°Brendan¡¯s gone,


    and you and Caleb¡­ you should get a divorce.¡±


    I stared at Anthony as if he¡¯d lost his mind. ¡°What? Did Coraline¡¯s dog bite give you


    rabies?¡±


    Anthony¡¯s face darkened. ¡°When you entered this marriage, you were deceived. As father, it¡¯s my


    responsibility to help you annul it.¡±


    your

 Chapter 279

    I chuckled to myself, watching the scene unfold like a poorly scripted daytime drama. Anthony and


    Henry seemed hell¨Cbent on kicking me out of the Langley family.


    Thanks to the marriage contract, I was Caleb¡¯s legal guardian. Only I had the power tomit him to a


    mental institution.


    If I were out of the picture, Caleb¡¯s guardianship would fall to the family patriarch.


    And that would give Henry free rein over Caleb.


    ¡°Who says I¡¯m out of the loop? I¡¯m nning to marry Caleb. I¡¯m his wife, his only guardian. Is there a


    problem?¡± I stood up, facing Henry and Anthony with a defiant re.


    ¡°Mr. Henry, this house Caleb and I live in is rented under the radar. Nobody knew where we were, yet


    recently, someone tried to off me at home¡­ The address got leaked, and today, you just waltz in here


    unannounced. Surely, you wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with that, would you?¡± I said, locking eyes with


    Henry.


    With the Langley family¡¯s power struggle making headlines and stirring up a social media frenzy, Henry


    needed to y the saint if he wanted to take over the Langley Group. He couldn¡¯t afford to let anything


    happen to Caleb and me in the public eye. But that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t stir the pot behind the


    scenes.


    ¡°Foebe, finding you was a tip from the police. As an elder of the Langley family, it¡¯s my right to ensure


    your safety, Henry said with a sly smile. ¡°Foebe, you¡¯re a smart girl. Leaving the Langley family can


    only do you good. Anything you want, anything you¡¯re entitled to, the Langley family will provide. You¡¯ll


    have more money than you can spend, and we¡¯ll even help fill the financial gaps for the Larson family.


    It¡¯s for your own good.¡±


    So the hard sell wasn¡¯t working, and Henry was trying a softer approach.


    Robin, the outsider of the group, didn¡¯t say a word. But he was worried these people might try


    something with me. He stood by Coly, ready to protect me at a moment¡¯s notice.


    ¡°Foebe, your mother and I, we neglected you these years. I was a fool to agree to your marriage into


    the Langley family. My daughter should never have married a¡­ simpleton,¡± Anthony said, his voice


    breaking as he wiped away a tear. ¡°Foebe,e back home with me. The Helm family has already


    called off Coraline¡¯s engagement. Oscar says he still loves you. If you agree to divorce and¡­ get rid of


    the child, he won¡¯t mind that you¡¯ve been married before. He¡¯ll take you as his wife.¡±


    As Anthony spoke, his eyes darted to the car parked nearby.


    Sure enough, Oscar was there too.


    So, this was a gathering of scoundrels?


    I nced at Oscar, who was visibly shaken, clearly still terrified from the time Colin sicked his dog on


    him. He didn¡¯t want to be here, but he had no choice. He stepped out of the car, cowering behind the


    door like a scared kitten.


    ¡°Foebe¡­¡± Oscar started, barely daring to look at me. ¡°Just leave that lunatic, and I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll marry you.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°You do know insanity is contagious, right? I might be ¡®infected¡® too.¡±


    I shed a smile and turned to Coly. ¡°Coly, bite him!¡±


    Coly¡¯s dopey gaze instantly sharpened as he lunged toward Oscar.


    Oscar howled like a banshee, scrambling back into his car and mming the door shut.


    ¡°Coly,¡± I called out, and the dog trotted back, nestling at my feet.


    I turned my cold gaze to Anthony, who was starting to look frightened. ¡°Coraline¡¯s grandmother has


    been arrested, and her family is involved in human trafficking. You¡¯re aware of that, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    The inte was abuzz with the scandal, and it was no wonder the Helm family was desperate to sever


    ties.


    ¡°And here you are, trying to y the doting father instead of taking care of your precious foster


    daughter. Telling me to get a divorce? You think you have that right?¡± I patted Coly¡¯s head, my eyes icy


    as I stared down Anthony.


    Clearly intimidated by my stare, Anthony scurried behind Henry. ¡°You ungrateful little brat. We took you


    in, raised you since you were eighteen, and you¡¯ve yed us all along. You acted so meek, making us


    let our guard down¡­

 Chapter 280

    "I''m done ying the part, Henry. I''m not signing those divorce papers. What are you gonna do about it?" I cocked an eyebrow, challenging him across the dimly lit living room. "Don''t tell me you''re thinking of using force, Mr. Henry. With the paparazzi lurking around every corner of this fancy neighborhood, I doubt you''d want to cause a scene. I mean, just a while ago, some blogger tried to sneak a snapshot. Remember, this ce is wired with cameras. You better keep your cool and think twice."


    Henry''s face twisted into a scowl, and he let out a derisive snort. "You''re digging your own grave, thinking you can take me on."


    He seemed to think he was doing me a favor, giving me onest chance.


    "From now on, I''m Caleb''s guardian, Henry. You want to do anything involving him; you need my okay," I said firmly,ying down thew.


    He justughed a cold, mirthless sound. The guy''s been around the block like a sly old fox. I knew he had other cards to y.


    "The funeral''s tomorrow. Make sure you bring Caleb," Henry said before climbing into his car and driving off.


    Tomorrow would be his version of the Last Supper for me, no doubt about it.


    I watched their taillights disappear, then turned to nce at the second-floor bay window.


    Colin was no longer there. In a heartbeat, he was right behind me.


    "We need to be extra careful these days," I whispered to him.


    Colin wrapped his arms around me, his voice muffled. "Mhm."


    "The dog''s back home safe. Try to stay inside if you can. This ce is crawling with cameras. That block of high-rises has be a hotspot for reporters and influencers, broadcasting your life live and taking videos. It''s a bit invasive, but at least Henry won''t dare touch you in broad daylight." Robin gestured toward the high-rises. "I rented a ce there too. Holler if you need me."


    I was taken aback. "Ste told me she rented a ce in one of those buildings too. You''re not roommates, are you?"


    Robin coughed awkwardly. "Roommates..."


    They were house-sharing.


    "Oh," I replied, turning back to Colin. "We''re going to Brendan''s funeral tomorrow. If Robin''s not busy, he shoulde along."


    Robin being a cop might deter any bold moves from Henry''s side.


    Colin, with the loyalty of a big hound, shot a nce at Coly, who was trying to stick close to me, and grumbled an agreement. "Okay."


    He really did act as if he''d listen to anything I said.


    "Phoebe... my wound is hurting, can''t sleep," Colin whined as soon as Robin left.


    I was in no mood to coddle him. "The funeral tomorrow, are you scared?"


    15:10


    Henry surely wouldn''t let us off the hook easily.


    "Phoebe will protect me," Colin said with such trust that it made me feel guilty for putting on a brave face.


    "Yeah, I''ll protect you." I promised, nheless, leading him back to our room.


    Colin grinned at me, then gestured with his chin for Coly to retreat to his bed.


    Coly, with a woeful wag of his tail, reluctantly settled into his dog bed.


    "He''s a good boy, almost like he understands us," I murmured had a dog when I was a kid... looked a lot like Coly.*


    "It was Howler. Colin''s voice was soft as he filled in the name I couldn''t remember.


    I froze for a second, then looked up at him. "Right, I think his name was Howler."


    "Coly''s from Howler''s lineage, Colin added quietly.


    I was stunned, "I don''t remember what happened to my dog... after..."


    The memories were too vague. I couldn''t recall Howler''s fate.


    Colin''s gaze dropped, his grip on my hand tightening. He opened his m mouth as if to say more, but then he fell silent. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Did I give Howler to you?" I asked, trying to make sense of it all. How else would bowler''s grandpup end up with Colin?


    There was a long pause before Colin managed a smile. "Howler passed away of old age."


    I sighed in relief. "That''s good to hear."


    But for some reason, I felt a tremor in Colin''s embrace.

 Chapter 281

    The next moming, I was rudely awakened by the relentless barking of Coly.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I moaned, feelingpletely worn out from the restless sleep.


    Stretching out with a yawn, I had half a mind to kick Colin, who was clinging to me like an octopus, right


    off the bed.


    But with the wounds he was nursing, I held back.


    ¨C ?? ? ? ? ? ?


    Thinking aboutst night¡­


    Just the thought made my cheeks re with anger and embarrassment.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    That guy, he never holds back when ites to flirting or, well, getting frisky.


    Like now, for instance. He didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of getting up, continuing to yfully pester


    me instead.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ so sleepy,¡± Colin murmured groggily, tightening his grip around me from behind, his limbs a


    bit too restless for my liking.


    ¡°Colin, for heaven¡¯s sake, it¡¯s your granddad¡¯s funeral today.¡± I swatted him on the forehead to make my


    point.


    Colin grunted in difort, reluctantly giving in. ¡°He wasn¡¯t my granddad¡­¡±


    I knew he still harbored resentment towards Brendan, but there were appearances to keep up with.


    When I tried to get up, Colin suddenly pulled me back, trapping me on the bed.


    Then, flipping over, he pinned me beneath him, his smoldering gaze making my heart race. ¡°What are


    you doing?¡±


    He looked at me, bending down to nt a kiss on my forehead.


    ¡°Be good,¡± he whispered.


    Colin let out a suppressed groan, clearly displeased, as he headed to the shower, casting a resentful


    nce at my belly.


    Probably ming the little one inside.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the pregnancy, he¡¯d have his way with me in a heartbeat.


    Relieved, I quietly slipped out of bed and tiptoed to the bathroom to freshen up.


    Colin was taking a cold shower, the bathroom devoid of steam, instead filled with a chill. His back was


    to me; the scars from burns spread like a devil¡¯s tree, chilling to the beholder.


    Without thinking, I reached out to touch the scars on his back.


    He tensed up for a moment, his long legs shifting as if contemting escape.


    ¡°Scared?¡± His voice was husky with the question.


    ¡°It¡¯s not


    my


    first time seeing them¡­¡± I shook my head. ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    He knew I wasn¡¯t asking about now but about the past.


    Did it hurt back then?


    Without turning, Colin shook his head.


    But how could it not have hurt.


    ¡°Here, how¡¯d you get this one?¡± He turned off the shower, not wanting the cold water to hit me.


    My fingers traced down to a scar about four centimeters long on the left side of his waist, clearly from a


    knife wound.


    Colin was silent, just gripping my fingers and taking a deep breath. ¡°Phoebe¡­. are you punishing me?¡±


    I paused. ¡°No, why?¡±


    ¡°Then why provoke me¡­¡± His voice trailed off, frustration evident in his tone. His desires, freshly


    quenched with the cold water, were stirring again.


    ¡°Are you in heat or something?¡± I asked through gritted teeth.


    He nodded seriously. ¡°Only when I see you.¡±


    I turned away to avoid his burning gaze, hurriedly brushed my teeth, and fled the scene.


    Colin lingered in the bathroom for nearly half an hour before finally emerging, leaving Henry¡¯s people


    nearly steaming with impatience.


    ¡°What¡¯s taking so long?¡± Downstairs, a ruffian¨Clike man grumbled impatiently.


    I frowned. ¡°Did we ask you to wait? If you don¡¯t want to wait, you can get lost.¡±


    10:42


    The man spat out in disdain. ¡°ying high and mighty, are we?¡±


    I clenched my jaw, not stooping to his level. It was best not to ruffle feathers with Henry¡¯s crowd at the


    moment.


    ¡°Foebe, you were quite the wild one in school, weren¡¯t you? Think you¡¯ve be a queen now that


    you¡¯ve married into the Langley family?¡± The man seemed keen on provoking me. ¡°Me, don¡¯t you


    remember? I¡¯m Carl; we were in the same school before you went off to the city. You were quite the talk


    of our school. Your grandma used to say, anyone could have their way with you for the right price.¡±


    1 nced at the man, probably one of Foebe¡¯s old high school ssmates. But I had no real memory


    of him. I just felt a pang of sadness for the Foebe of the past.


    When Colin appeared, Carl shut his mouth, but not before daring to stroke my face in front of Colin.


    My eyes darkened, and I nced up toward the higher floors, aware of the many cameras. Today was


    not the day for trouble.


    Colin came up beside me, lifting his hand to wipe my face.

 Chapter 282

    The air felt heavy with tension, a prelude to trouble on the horizon.


    ne for i


    ¡°Get in the car,¡± Eric called out, his arrival marking the time for us to leave.


    Carl, the overseer of our grim procession to the funeral, couldn¡¯t resist a jab before we departed.


    ¡°Foebe, as I recall, a touch from your back in school was cheaper than a diner burger. What¡¯s your


    price now?¡±


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    My grip tightened around Colin¡¯s hand. Henry likely sent this man to provoke us, knowing full well the


    media vultures were circling.


    ¡°Take the lead,¡± Colin instructed with an indifferent tone, motioning Eric to drive ahead.


    Carl¡¯s car trailed us closely.


    Eric maneuvered the car with haste, prompting Carl to keep up the chase.


    ¡°Take the back roads,¡± Colin ordered, his voice low and steady.


    I knew what Colin was plotting and wanted to intervene, but the icy resolve in his eyes deterred me.


    ¡°Brake now.¡±


    Colin¡¯smand was perfectly timed, and Eric mmed the brakes.


    Carl, caught off guard, swerved desperately, his car crashing against the guardrail.


    Secluded under an overpass, with no cameras or followers in sight, we were alone.


    Colin nced at me before covering my eyes with his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t look. Count to one hundred.¡±


    My hands clenched nervously.


    Colin stepped out of the car, heading towards the wreckage.


    Carl, sitting shotgun, was bloodied from the impact.


    With brute strength, Colin wrenched open the twisted car door and dragged Carl out.


    Initially, Carl managed a bloodied smirk. ¡°An idiot and a slut¡­ a perfect match.¡±


    But his smile quickly faded as he encountered a side of Colin he¡¯d never seen before.


    ¡°Mmph!¡± Colin knew just where to strike to silence him, hitting Carl¡¯s throat before pummeling his face


    with ruthless punches.


    Finally, he stomped on the wrist that had dared to touch me.


    Panic set in, and I hurried of the car. Just as I feared¡­ Carl¡¯s cohort was secretly recording everything.


    This was Henry¡¯s true intent: to incite Colin, capture his violent outburst, and exploit it.


    ¡°Colin!¡± I ran to intervene, eyeing the man in the car with a cold gaze.


    Terrified, he fumbled with the locks, but I was quicker.


    I yanked the door open, reaching for the phone.


    Colin shielded me from behind, pulled the man out, and pinned him down. ¡°Hand it over.¡±


    The man¡¯s voice trembled, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s already sent.¡±


    The video had been dispatched to Henry.


    Sit back


    Colin¡¯s eyes darkened, his expression unreadable as he led me back to


    ur car.


    Eric, ustomed to such incidents, hadn¡¯t even exited the vehicle. ¡°Someone will handle this, Sir.¡±


    Without a word, Colin handed me a wet wipe/¡°Phoebe¡­ my hand hurts.¡±


    My fingers trembled as I cleaned the blood from the back of his hand. ¡°Henry will use the video against


    us¡­¡±


    Colin changed the subject. ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    He pulled me into his embrace, his voice colder than I¡¯d ever heard. ¡°I won¡¯t allow¡­ anyone to touch


    you.¡±


    I could feel the fury within him. If I hadn¡¯t intervened, would he have killed?


    ¡°Henry will exploit this. If he calls the cops, even if he¡¯s not your guardian, he could have you


    committed.¡± My voice shook as I spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s not go¡­ skip the funeral. I¡¯ll take you away.¡±


    Let¡¯s run.


    All I could think about was to flee with him, to get as far away as possible.


    10:42


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ we¡¯ve run before, but we can¡¯t escape,¡± Colin¡¯s grip tightened as he spoke words that sent


    shivers down my spine.


    ¡°They are vile¡­ why can¡¯t we just kill them?¡± His voice began to shake, too.


    Past traumas seemed to torment him. And that past, it must have been something we shared.


    He said we¡¯d run before. Had we fled in the memories I¡¯d forgotten?


    ¡°When did we¡­ try to run?¡± I asked nervously, knowing Colin wouldn¡¯t deceive me.


    ¡°Henry¡¯s been dealing in the shadows of Sea City for years. Running¡­ was always our most foolish


    option,¡± he dodged my question.


    I realized then, it was a chapter of agony and darkness.


    My amnesia, the reasons behind it, perhaps even my ¡®death,¡® might all be tied to this failed ¡®escape.


    We must have tried, resisted, but to no avail.


    T


    ¡°Instead of fleeing, let¡¯s change the game,¡± Colin¡¯s voice was a low growl, his eyes unreadable.


    My heart clenched at his words. ¡°Change the game?¡±


    Colin nced at Eric, who nodded in understanding.


    ¡°No matter what happens, don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Colin¡¯s hands cradled my face. ¡°Whatever I do, I


    have a n.¡±


    My heartbeat quickened, aware of the storm ahead, yet Colin¡¯s assurance brought a semnce of


    calm.


    ¡°Phoebe, trust me, those who wish us dead won¡¯t get away. Nor will the one who took you from me. I¡¯ll


    find them, I promise,¡± Colin¡¯s voice trembled, tears falling onto my hands.


    I realized then, throughout my years of lost memory, Colin had been fighting this battle alone.


    I grasped his hands, my voice hoarse. ¡°Colin, you¡¯re not alone anymore. I¡¯m here. I¡¯ve returned.¡±


    Even without my full memory.


    But my heart and instincts told me to believe in Colin¡¯s innocence. We were fighting against the


    injustices of fate. And we deserved to


    win.


    Colin¡¯s body shook more violently, a rare vulnerability shown only to me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ alone,¡± he whispered. ¡°I know, you¡¯re all with us.¡±


    He spoke of ¡®us.¡®


    Who else did ¡®us¡® include?


    dia


    Colin and I were wrapped in secrets, including those of Foebe Larson, not yet fully unveiled. The ¡®diary¡®


    I found too conveniently ced, as if by someone¡¯s design.


    Was everything I saw meant for my eyes?


    Having brushed with death, trust didn¡¯te easily anymore.


    The Langley family funeral was a solemn affair, with Brendan¡¯s body still resting in its casket, awaiting


    Caleb¡¯s approval before any further arrangements could be made. The cremation and burial processes


    were strict, and nobody wanted to cross any lines without Caleb¡¯s say¨Cso.


    Ste and Robin were among the early arrivals, dressed in sharp suits.


    ¡°Our condolences,¡± Ste and Robin approached, cing their flower by the casket.


    Henry, seated among the elders, sipped his water with an air of calm about him, as if the media frenzy


    outside the chapel walls couldn¡¯t touch him here in this quiet sanctuary.


    Dexter also made an appearance, apanied by Melody. It was hard not to notice how Melody


    managed to keep Dexter by her side wherever he went.


    Melody, her face half¨Chidden by a mask, ced her flower down and shot me a venomous look, which


    I chose to ignore as I bowed respectfully with Caleb.


    Dexter started to say something to me but thought better of it given the setting, settling instead for a


    simple, ¡°Sorry for your loss.¡± The solemn atmosphere was abruptly shattered by a loud, usatory


    voice. ¡°Foebe Larson! How dare you hide away in thisvish lifestyle, I¡¯ve been trying to reach you!¡±


    The aggressor, clearly there to provoke, pointed at me andunched into a tirade. Henry frowned,


    pretending to be concerned, ¡°Remove this person, this is a funeral. We will have no scenes here.¡±


    But I knew this was Henry¡¯s doing, a ploy to unsettle Caleb further, hoping to capture a violent outburst


    on video to justifymitting Caleb to a psychiatric facility.


    10:42


    ¡°Feeling guilty, Foebe?¡± the man continued to bellow, trying to draw the attention of the reporters


    outside. ¡°We¡¯ve shared more than a few nights together, and here, look at these disgraceful photos you


    sent me. Don¡¯t you want to see?¡±


    I felt a chill, knowing full well that since my return, Colin was the only man I¡¯d been with, evidenced by


    the blood¨Cstained sheets that morning.


    The idea that a woman¡¯s virtue could be judged by such standards was abhorrent to me, and Colin¡¯s


    cold gaze told me he was barely holding back his fury.


    ¡°Colin, stay right here!¡± Imanded as he moved to confront the man, his eyes filled with a mix of


    rage and hurt. ¡°Phoebe¡­I want to tear his mouth cff.¡±


    I took a deep breath, knowing he wasn¡¯t joking. ¡°Stay here!¡±


    Colin clenched his fists, shaking with the effort of holding back.


    Henry seemed taken aback by my control over Colin, whom he considered a madman. He nced at


    Damian, who had arrived unnoticed during themotion.


    Damian whispered something to Henry, a sly smile on his lips. I caught something about ¡°taming the


    beast,¡± hinting that Colin, like a dangerous but beautiful creature, needed to be subdued but never


    broken.


    As Damian spoke, I felt a shiver run down my spine, his words echoing a sinister intent.


    Suddenly, Ste sprang into action, her training in boxing evident as she tackled the instigator with a


    fierce kick. ¡°How dare you say such things at a funeral? Were you paid to do this or is your head just


    filled with garbage?¡±


    Standing on the chapel steps, I gave Ste a thumbs¨Cup, admiring her bravery. It seemed that since


    my ordeal, Ste had be a warrior in her own right, filled with regret for not being able to protect


    her best friend.

 Chapter 283

    You son of a¡­ The jerk was about toy hands on Ste when Robin stepped in, grabbed his wrist,


    and twisted it behind his back like he was handling a misbehaving puppy.


    Let¡¯s keep it civil, Robin said, his voice a low rumble.


    I faced the jerk. ¡°So you¡¯re iming those photos on your phone are of me? What¡¯s your game n?¡±


    ¡°Sleazebag, if you just quietly divorce ande with me, I¡¯ll let you off the hook,¡± he babbled on.


    ¡°Oh, I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s not my photo. How can you prove it¡¯s me? I have picture.¡±


    mole on my left shoulder, which, I notice, is missing from your


    The jerk was momentarily stumped, zooming in on the photo. ¡°How am I supposed to know you¡­¡±


    ¡°Officer Robin, would you mind calling the cops? With all these reporters around and the live


    streamers, his nder¡¯s got to be worth some jail time, right? Give them a call, then I¡¯d appreciate it if


    you and Ste could handle this.¡±


    Before the jerk could utter another word, Ste had stuffed something into his mouth.


    It took a moment for Robin to realize Ste had used his wallet to gag the fool.


    As Robin escorted the man away, the media swarmed, cameras shing non¨Cstop.


    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry for this spectacle,¡± I apologized, wiping away tears and bowing to the press. ¡°Lately,


    some people have been targeting me with their nder for reasons I can¡¯t fathom¡­¡±


    From the crowd, someone shouted a possible motive. ¡°You¡¯re too naive. Your unborn child and your


    husband are the sole heirs to the Langley Group¡¯s fortune and shares. They have to smear your name


    if they want to grab that inheritance.¡±


    I felt as if I¡¯d been struck by lightning, turning to the speaker in shock. ¡°Is that¡­ really why?¡±


    Tears streamed down my face. ¡°My husband¡­ he¡¯s a bit simple¨Cminded, so trusting, so easy to exploit.


    He once tried to help stray animals and was used of cruelty. I¡¯m terrified¡­ terrified that they¡¯ll use


    his mental health against him, and the Langley family legacy will be stolen fight from under us.¡±


    My crying rallied support from many in the crowd.


    ¡°I¡¯ve met his husband, the simple soul. He¡¯s kind¨Chearted, always feeding stray dogs! He¡¯s no viin.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, this is all about seizing assets, preying on a simple man and a pregnant woman.¡±


    When did the underdog start to carry this innate advantage, this power to draw sympathy?


    I remember learning this from Melody. I couldn¡¯t help but think Melody had been my teacher¡­


    Melody watched me with a venomous re, realizing I was copying her tactics.


    I turned back to Henry and Dexter, my lips curving into a smile.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    If Henry still wanted to y the ¡®Caleb is mentally ill¡® card, even if he managed tomit Caleb to a


    mental institution, public opinion wouldn¡¯t be on his side.


    Henry¡¯s face had turned a sickly shade of pale, whereas Damian was smirking with a knowing look.


    ¡°We¡¯re the police, responding to a report of assault. We need to investigate further; pleasee with


    us.¡±


    Sure enough, the cops showed up soon after, looking for Colin.


    Carl, under Henry¡¯s orders, had called them in.


    ¡°It was Carl who instigated the trouble¡­¡± I instinctively wanted to protect Colin.


    But Colin hugged me from behind and whispered, ¡°Phoebe¡­ I have to go.¡±


    Colin¡¯s voice was soft, but his eyes were fixed on Damian.


    I could feel the chill in his embrace.


    Colin seemed to have anticipated Henry¡¯s move. He knew everything, yet he stillshed out and


    walked into the


    wanted¡­ to see Damian?


    Colin was aware that once he was sent to the mental institution, it would be Damian ¡®training¡® and


    ¡®treating¡® him.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to go¡­¡± I murmured, knowing full well that Damian was dangerous.


    ¡°I have to,¡± Colin held me close and spoke again. ¡°Eric is trustworthy.¡±


    trap, all because he

 Chapter 284

    He had checked Colin into the mental institution, and Colin retaliated by reporting that Brendan¡¯s death


    wasn¡¯t natural but murder.


    As long as Brendan¡¯s body wasn¡¯t cremated and wasn¡¯tid to rest, these people couldn¡¯t squabble


    over the inheritance; they couldn¡¯t touch me until Colin returned.


    09:52


    Colin was protecting me.


    ¡°Brendan passed naturally. Respect the deceased, there¡¯s no need for an autopsy, I believe¡­ Henry


    began through clenched teeth.


    ¡°What do you believe? I find this suspicious. As his granddaughter¨Cinw, I have a right to request an


    autopsy. Otherwise, he won¡¯t rest in peace,¡± I cut Henry off.


    Henry red at me, fists clenched. ¡°Fine, very well,¡±


    With that, Henry left.


    I let the police take away Brendan¡¯s body.


    No wonder Colin said the funeral wouldn¡¯t happen.


    Brendan¡¯s death wasn¡¯t natural, but the investigation would beplex, so the case would be put on


    hold, at least long enough for Colin to return.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ I¡¯ll make you believe me. He¡¯s just a lunatic; he¡¯s been the one obsessing over your you


    never loved him. You only left him after finding out the truth. He¡¯s deranged; he wants to harm you. He


    once held you captive.¡± Dexter came up beside me, speaking in hushed tones, ncing around


    nervously. ¡°Phoebe, Henry will definitely make a move on you, and I¡¯m the only one who can protect


    you now. Can you trust me just once?¡±


    Seeing my cold stare, Dexter seemed desperate. ¡°Phoebe¡­ what do I have to do for you to trust me? Il


    know I made mistakes¡­¡±


    His voice trembled, his hands gripping my shoulders tightly. ¡°Your parents¡­ they left a login for a


    sociall media app. The ount and password are with my mother. Go see for yourself, then you¡¯ll


    understandi everything.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content.

 Chapter 285

    Dexter seemed almost desperate for me to believe him.


    ¡°Dexter¡­¡± Melody¡¯s presence was like a bad penny as if she couldn¡¯t stand a moment apart from him.


    Dexter frowned, still standing his ground, waiting for Melody toe over and cling to his arm.


    He didn¡¯t push Melody away; instead, he looked at me somewhat worriedly as if afraid I¡¯d get jealous.


    ¡°Go wait in the car,¡± Dexter told Melody.


    Melody hesitated.


    ¡°The ce is swarming with reporters; Caleb¡¯s already been taken away by the cops. You¡¯ll be fine,¡±


    Dexter whispered.


    Melody bit her lip, shot me a resentful re, and left unwillingly.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Dexter seemed to want to exin.


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, you really are adies¡® man,¡± I said with chilly sarcasm.


    ¡°Melody did save my life once, and I promised to ensure her safety. Now that the murderer is after her,


    the police can¡¯t protect her around the clock¡­ I¡­¡± Dexter hoped I would understand. ¡°And eded to


    uncover the truth, to show you Caleb¡¯s true colors.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you were doing it all for me. How touching,¡± I couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    How blind was I in the past to see Dexter through rose¨Ccolored sses just because of a supposed


    debt of gratitude?


    ¡°Sometimes, people do confuse gratitude with love; I can rte to that,¡± I said coolly.


    Dexter¡¯s face turned even more ufortable. ¡°Phoebe¡­ I didn¡¯t mean¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°Dexter, even if you don¡¯t want to admit it, I have to tell you a fact. Phoebe is dead. The person


    standing in front of you is Foebe,¡± I cut him off indifferently.


    Dexter¡¯s throat seemed to close up, his eyes reddening. He opened his mouth to speak, but no word


    came


    out.


    Finally, he looked down, a bitter smile on his lips. ¡°I know you are¡­ Phoebe Caldwell.¡±


    ¡°Foebe, you¡¯ve ruined a perfectly good funeral. Look at the mess now!¡± The Langley family, those so¨C


    called rtives, saw Caleb taken away, Brendan¡¯s body removed by the police and started to turn on


    me one by


    one.


    That aunt¡¯s son¨Cinw, fired up as if on steroids, stepped forward demanding an exnation. ¡°Foebe!


    You¡¯re a jinx! Since you married into the Langley family, we¡¯ve never had a moment¡¯s peace. Samuel¡¯s


    ident, Brendan¡¯s death, look at what you¡¯ve done to this family!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! Brendan can¡¯t even rest in peace because of you. You¡¯re going to be the end of the Langley


    family!¡± The daughter chimed in with her ownints.


    ¡°If you¡¯re sick, see a doctor. Whether Brendan died naturally or was murdered, the police need to give


    us an answer,¡± I frowned, stepping back warily, knowing these people were now in cahoots with Henry.


    If they hurt me or the baby in my belly by ident, it would only be a case of involuntary injury.


    09:53


    Sure enough, that son¨Cinw made a move to push me.


    Dexter furrowed his brow and grabbed the man¡¯s wrist. ¡°Back off.¡±


    The man flinched, still somewhat intimidated by Dexter. ¡°Foebe, you¡¯re really something! Even Mr.


    Fitzgerald¡¯s got your back.¡±


    My gaze fell on Dexter¡¯s wrist, where a vicious scar was visible, looking like a relic from a suicide


    attempt.


    Seeing me looking at his wrist, Dexter quickly withdrew his hand, hiding it behind his back. ¡°This isn¡¯t


    safe. Come with me.¡±


    Eric stepped forward to block those demanding an exnation from me while Dexter grabbed my wrist,


    trying to lead me away.


    I shook off Dexter¡¯s hand, and in the crowd, I saw Bran with a baseball cap on. It looked like he was


    skipping school again.


    When he saw me looking, Bran came over with a dark expression, ced the cap on my head, and


    gave Dexter a warning look before leading me to the car.


    ¡°Did they take him away?¡± Bran asked me with displeasure.


    I nodded.


    Bran cursed under his breath as if he had anticipated this all along.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 286

    Bran mmed the car door with a curse, his frustration boiling over. ¡°Stay in the damn car, don¡¯te


    out.¡±


    The crowd was a cacophony of chaos; the Langleys were at it again, raising hell. Poor Eric was


    outnumbered, and a few opportunists made a break for it, wing at my car doors, demanding


    answers.


    I was trapped inside, the doors shaking violently under their grip.


    It was like a scene from a horror flick, these people wing and pounding, ready to rip me to shreds.


    Trapped, I was surrounded by fists and faces pressed against the windows.


    Their curses and interrogations sent my mind spiraling into an abyss.


    I felt like I was suffocating, struggling to breathe¡­


    Slowly, the outside noise began to fade, and all I could hear was the pounding of my own heart and the


    shallow breaths I managed to take.


    *Crash!¡±


    Suddenly, someone deliberately smashed the window, and shards of ss danced across my cheek. I


    felt hands grabbing at me.


    The metallic smell of blood spread through my nostrils¡­


    ¡°Phoebe, run¡­ don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe! Get out!¡±


    ¡°Bark! Bark!¡±


    The barking of dogs, the cacophony of shouts and curses.


    ¡°Phoebe, you¡¯ve been very naughty¡­ You hit too hard; everyone¡¯s got someone they care about. How


    does it feel to watch what you love die before your eyes?¡±


    ¡°You, child,ck empathy, can¡¯t feel others¡® pain, and that¡¯s not right.¡±


    ¡°You like your dog Howler, don¡¯t you? Kill it. Phoebe, kill it and feel the pain of a normal person.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe! What¡¯s it like to see your beloved dog die in front of you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, get off me, go away!¡±


    Suddenly, my breathing halted, and the raucous sounds around me fell silent.


    When I came to, I was standing outside the car, my hands soaked in blood.


    Someone must have pulled me out.


    Was I hurt? No.


    The blood on my face, body, and hands wasn¡¯t mine.


    The crowd was silent, staring at me in shock.


    Only then did I see clearly a man lying on the ground, drenched in his own blood.


    1.1/2


    09:53


    That son inw¡­ the loudest one, the one who wanted to take advantage of the chaos to harm my


    unborn


    child.


    ¡°Phoebel¡± Dexter knocked a man t with a punch, his breaths short and panicked as he looked at me.


    ¡°Murder!¡± The silence exploded into pandemonium, the aunt¡¯s daughter screaming at the top of her


    lungs, using me of killing a man.


    Eric and Bran pushed past the crowd and ran towards me.


    ¡°Where did that knifee from¡­¡± My heart raced as I asked, bewildered.


    ¡°It was his knife; he was going to stab you in themotion¡­¡± Dexter gripped my shoulders, his voice


    shaking. ¡°But Phoebe¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re brutal! You¡¯re a devil; you stabbed him over and over!¡± The aunt¡¯s daughter was wailing, and


    someone had already dialed 911.


    ¡°That man wanted to kill you.¡± A blogger who was livestreaming the whole event spoke up. ¡°I saw it. He


    dragged you from the car, trying to stab you amid the confusion, but you wrestled the knife from him


    and turned it on him!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he was the one who tried to kill you first.¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    People stood up to vouch for me. I looked at the crowd, bewildered.


    These media folks¡­ I began to suspect, were they Colin and Eric¡¯s nts?


    Otherwise, how could they possibly take my side?


    *Phoebe¡­e with me, I¡¯ll protect you.¡± Dexter¡¯s voice was tense. ¡°Even if it was self¨Cdefense, it


    went


    too far.¡±


    I could tell Dexter was scared; he thought I¡¯d been too harsh.


    The other guy just wanted to stab me once, but I¡¯d taken the knife and stabbed him multiple times.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to sue you; I¡¯ll see you behind bars, you devil! You¡¯re too cruel! You must pay with your life!¡±


    The aunt and her daughter, along with their rtives, wailed on the ground as if the man on the ground


    was already dead.


    I stared at the man still twitching on the ground, his body a canvas of blood, and spoke firmly, ¡°He¡¯s not


    dead yet.¡±

 Chapter 287

    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Dexter¡¯s tone held an urgency as he reached for my hand, signaling for us to leave the


    chaos behind. ¡°Come with me, now. The cops have been called, and I¡¯ll figure out a way to handle this.¡±


    The crowd was buzzing with whispers and gasps when Melody screamed, intentionally magnifying ¡­


    drama, her eyes wide with feigned horror as she turned to Dexter. ¡°Dexter, what happened¡­ who¡¯s the


    murderer?¡±


    Dexter¡¯s brow furrowed in annoyance. ¡°No one¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°Dexter¡­ what¡¯s going on? Could it be Foebe¡­¡± Melody threw a pointed nce my way; her eyes


    fixated on the blood staining my clothes. ¡°Foebe, you went too far. This could be attempted murder, and


    that means prison time.¡±


    Dexter¡¯s face darkened, his grip on my wrist unyielding. ¡°Just follow me. I¡¯ll get you bailed out.¡±


    ¡°Bunch of lunatics,¡± Bran scoffed as he shouldered past Dexter and freed me from his grasp. ¡°Even a


    high schooler knows self¨Cdefense isn¡¯t a crime.¡±


    ¡°But she was so brutal; it¡¯s excessive force,¡± Melody whined, covering her mouth in mock shock.


    ¡°Everyone saw it.¡±


    ¡°Everyone saw you making a scene for nothing,¡± Bran snapped at her, his words sharp. ¡°You look like


    the definition of excessive.¡±


    He yanked open the car door and, with no regard for decorum, shoved me inside. ¡°Look! Damaging


    property, grabbing people, pulling a knife, attempting murder, and then getting stabbed himself when


    the knife was turned on him. She stopped a crime in progress. No harm, no foul.¡±


    Soon enough, the police and the EMTs arrived.


    I figured the Langley family were probably hoping their son¨Cinw would just drop dead.


    That way, I¡¯d definitely be in hot water for excessive self¨Cdefense.


    But, unfortunately for them¡­


    He was just bleeding enough to scare the hell out of everyone; no real danger to his life.


    The medics and nurses examined his wounds, whistling softly in surprise. ¡°Ten stabs¡­ every single


    one avoiding vital organs, and none too deep. Looks like he¡¯ll just have minor injuries.¡±


    The son¨Cinw in question, as white as a ghost and trembling like a leaf, was loaded onto a stretcher.


    Whether the wounds were fatal or not, I wasn¡¯t sure, but the scare might have nearly killed him.


    *Pretty impressive¡­¡± A familiar voice came from outside the car.


    Leaning against the vehicle with a teasing grin was Finn. He must have been part of the police


    response team. ¡°Foebe¡­ How did you manage to make each strike so clean and calcted, avoiding


    the vitals like that?¡±


    Finn eyed me suspiciously, tapping his gloved fingers against the car door, a silent interrogation.


    ¡°L.. I don¡¯t know,¡± I admitted, my mind a total nk from the recent events.


    ¡°Years ago, there was a case. A boy at an orphanage got stabbed, none of the wounds deep, none


    fatal. He woke up scared out of his mind, though¡­ Guess who the stabber was?¡± Finn¡¯s gaze was


    probing.


    I avoided his piercing eyes. ¡°I have no idea.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°The attacker was named Phoebe Caldwell,¡± Finn said in a low, serious tone.


    I froze, then reluctantly met Finn¡¯s gaze.


    Me? I didn¡¯t remember a thing.


    ¡°Miss Foebe, pleasee with us,¡± Finn said, still in that deep,manding voice, gesturing for me to


    step out of the car.


    ¡°She was defending herself! On what grounds?¡± Bran started to protest but was held back by Eric.


    ¡°Regardless of the situation, she¡¯s entitled to cooperate with the police investigation,¡± Finn stated


    coldly, his warning gaze fixed on Bran. My legs felt weak as I stepped out of the car.


    Finn pulled a white handkerchief from his pocket and, with a hint of a smile, gently wiped the blood


    from my cheek.


    I flinched, the sting sharp from where the car ss had cut me.


    He smiled softly, motioning toward the police cruiser.


    ¡°She can¡¯t get away with this; she¡¯s a murderer!¡± The aunt and her daughter continued their wailing.


    Finn looked at them coldly. ¡°Your husband isn¡¯t dead, and you can¡¯t be a murderer without a body, can


    you?¡±

 Chapter 288

    I climbed into the squad car, giving Eric a nod to signal I was alright. My mind, though, was


    preupied with Colln.


    ¡°Take this for DNAparison with Phoebe, I overheard Finn instructing another officer to test the


    handkerchief he¡¯d used to wipe my


    face.


    He suspected¡­ that I wasn¡¯t Foebe but Phoebe.


    Too bad, he couldn¡¯t fathom the idea of a soul reborn. This body was, without a doubt, Foebe¡¯s.


    ¡°No way, Phoebe is dead for sure. Her body was disyed in a ss case, shocking the whole of Sea


    City,¡± one cop expressed his confusion.


    ¡°I suspect a switcheroo, a bait¨Cand¨Cswitch,¡± Finn sneered. ¡°Dig deeper, and don¡¯t underestimate the


    lengths to which some lunatics will go¡­¡±


    Finn got into the car and sat beside me.


    I nced at him but kept silent.


    ¡°Heard the nutjob wasmitted to the mental institution, right? Good ce for him; lunatics belong in


    the loony bin, Finn was a little too chatty.


    I clenched my fists and spoke up. ¡°Where should you be going then? To a beauty parlor? Considering


    how much you value your looks, if someone messed up your face again¡­ wouldn¡¯t you just jump off a


    roof?¡±


    Finn¡¯s eye twitched with irritation. ¡°Hah¡­¡±


    He let out augh, then casually added, ¡°Caleb really has a collector¡¯s obsession, huh? Likes the


    Phoebe type. I guess¡­ it takes a nutcase to attract another nutcase. Birds of a feather.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, we are birds of a feather, and you¡¯re the odd one out, hardly human.¡±


    ¡°Sharp¨Ctongued, Finn gritted his teeth.


    Outside the car window.


    Dexter was still negotiating with the police.


    ¡°She acted in self¨Cdefense. Sure, she went a bit overboard¡­ but she was threatened.¡°.


    I scoffed. Was he speaking up for me or making things worse?


    As the police car drove me away, Dexter¡¯s gaze followed me withplexity.


    It was as if he saw me as a born troublemaker, his expression a mix of regret and concern. Regretting,


    perhaps, why I had to be so bad.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get you out of this,¡± Dexter tried to reassure me.


    ¡°Better watch over your lifesaver. Wouldn¡¯t want her to get whacked by a murderer,¡± I gestured across


    my


    Dexter stood frozen, watching as I was taken away.


    Melody clung to Dexter¡¯s arm, terrified. ¡°Dexter, she¡¯s so scary¡­¡±


    neck.


    ¡°People say after spending a lot of time together, they start to resemble each other,¡± Finn remarked,


    looking at me. ¡°You and Caleb are quite alike.¡±


    ¡°Would you tell me about Caleb and Phoebe?¡± I wanted to know.


    And Finn, despite his sharp tongue, was at least objective. He didn¡¯t stoop to lies.


    ¡°Caleb and Phoebe?¡± Finn chuckled. ¡°A match made in heaven or hell¨Cwhat¡¯s there to tell?¡±


    Despite his scornful tone, he seemed eager to dish.


    ¡°Caleb was always aloof, even as a kid. In school, he was my deskmate. I¡¯d ask him a question, and


    he¡¯d barely acknowledge me!¡±


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I took a deep breath. I wanted to hear about Caleb and Phoebe, not his personal grievances with


    Caleb.


    Finn rambled the whole ride, mostly about his love¨Chate rtionship with Caleb, without touching on


    anything substantive.


    The squad car pulled up in the precinct yard, and before Finn could step out, his phone rang.


    ¡°Trouble! There¡¯s been another murder on Tangle Lane! A male body! Time of death no more than two


    hours ago.¡±


    Finn¡¯s expression turned grim.


    After Dorian¡¯s case went cold, there hadn¡¯t been another murder for a while. The higher¨Cups were even


    considering closing the Serial

 Chapter 289

    Over there, Cory dashed off to make a call and came back quickly. ¡°After Caleb was taken in for


    questioning, he was sent off to the mental institution. He¡¯s been there ever since, so he¡¯s got an alibi.¡±


    Finn furrowed his brow. ¡°Huh, that guy wouldn¡¯t get his hands dirty with a murder. He just needs to lift a


    finger.¡±


    I rolled my eyes at Finn. ¡°What are you, spinning fairy tales? Why don¡¯t you just say Caleb is a god or


    something, with all that finger¨Clifting talk¡­


    Finn shot me a disdainful look. ¡°What do you know? Ever seen a case of murder disguised as an


    idental death?¡±


    I shook my head earnestly.


    ¡°There are plenty of ways to wish someone dead without breaking thew,¡± Finn said with a detached


    tone.


    I pursed my lips, clearly skeptical.


    Finn grew impatient. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re definitely not Phoebe.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    I rolled my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m Foebe Larson, and what makes you so sure Caleb¡¯s the killer? Didn¡¯t you say the


    serial murder case was about to be closed?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot more to it than meets the eye. It¡¯s normal for someone with an average mind like yours


    not to follow,¡± Finn said bluntly before directing me to an interrogation room, preparing to head to the


    crime scene. ¡°Guess what? The killer was following a n, and if Melody hadn¡¯t died, the others were


    supposed to be safe. But why did the killings start as soon as Caleb wasmitted to the mental


    institution?¡±


    I frowned, not quite following Finn¡¯s logic.


    ¡°The killer, he¡¯s taunting the police. He¡¯s been targeting each victim just for Caleb. Can you really say


    this string of murders has nothing to do with Caleb?¡± Finn¡¯s eyes zed with anger, convinced that


    Colin was the mastermind behind it all.


    ¡°He¡¯s pressuring the cops. Theymit Caleb, and he gives them hell. After all, he¡¯s helped Robin


    solve cases and found Melody before. He¡¯s an asset, and if the cops hit a wall and can¡¯t predict the


    next victim, they have to turn to him,¡± Finn said through clenched


    teeth.


    Finn¡¯s fury was so intense I stepped back until I was pressed against the car door.


    Finn scoffed. ¡°Caleb wants to challenge me? Let¡¯s see if I can figure out who the next victim is and


    where before anything happens.¡±


    I took a deep breath, watching Finn, who seemed almost possessed in his need to outdo Colin.


    ¡°Is thetest victim from the orphanage?¡± I asked quietly.


    That snapped Finn back to the present. He turned to Cory. ¡°Has the victim¡¯s identity been confirmed?¡±


    ¡°Dr. Quinton is on it, but we can¡¯t be sure yet. The scene¡¯s been cordoned off, but there were a lot of


    stray dogs in the alleyst night¡­¡± Cory murmured. ¡°The scene¡¯s quite a¡­ mess. You going over?¡±


    Finn massaged his temples. ¡°I¡¯m heading there now.¡±


    I blurted out instinctively. ¡°Can Ie along?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t exin why, but something felt off about this murder.


    Tangle Lane¡­


    It was different from the previous killings.


    In this series of murders, the bodies were always found near water. Dumping it in Tangle Lane¡­ was it


    really because Colin was in the mental institution, and someone wanted to pressure the police and


    make solving the case more difficult?


    But throwing a body in the water could destroy most of the evidence left during the crime. Dumping it in


    an alley¡­


    Stray dogs.


    I gasped, my hands clenching in nervousness.


    Could it be the stray dogs had gnawed at the body?


    Finn nced at me.


    ¡°No, you


    can¡¯t.¡±


    I didn¡¯t press further and followed a female officer into the interrogation room.


    It was self¨Cdefense on my part ¨C there was video evidence and witnesses at the scene.

 Chapter 290

    Word had it that the Langley Aunt was raising hell, refusing any notion of a settlement. She was out for


    blood¨Cinsisting that I face the full wrath of thew. Fortunately, Eric had awyer on speed dial, and


    since the injuries I inflicted were minor, and my intentions were to protect my child and myself¨Ca


    mother¡¯s instinct to halt a crime¨Cthere was no real dispute.


    After Eric posted bail, I was taken into custody.


    As I was being escorted out, the female officer looked at me with a mix of surprise and skepticism.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite the fighter, you know your way around anatomy? Your stabs weren¡¯t fatal, barely reaching


    the fascia. You showed restraint.¡±


    Truth be told, I was clueless. ¡°Maybe I just don¡¯t have the strength to push deeper?¡±


    She eyed me, unconvinced. After all, I didn¡¯t exactly struggle to wrestle the knife from a grown man¡¯s


    grip.


    I didn¡¯t borate. The guy wasn¡¯t seriously hurt, and that was a relief¨CI hadn¡¯t reached the level of


    wanting to take a life.


    ¡°How is Colin?¡± I asked Eric urgently as we got into the car.


    He nodded. ¡°He¡¯s fine. We¡¯ve got a man on the inside at the mental institution, briefed and ready. If


    anythinges up, we¡¯ll know immediately.¡±


    I nodded back, my thoughts scattering.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take Tangle Lane,¡± I suggested, a chill running down my spine at the thought of the recent


    murder there. I was a victim myself, after all.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Who was the person with the red birthmark on their inner arm?


    I was certain, in the haze before arly died, I saw that arm, the birthmark unmistakable.


    In my memory, that arm was frail¡­ pale, definitely not Colin¡¯s.


    Dorian was skinny enough, but no birthmark adorned his arm.


    I massaged my temples, a fierce headache setting in.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, Tangle Lane¡¯s been cordoned off. We can¡¯t drive through,¡± Eric said, parking the car near


    Nocturne¡¯s entrance, exining the police had sealed off thene.


    Stepping out, I caught a glimpse of Finn talking to a forensic investigator.


    Onlookers gathered, their curiosity turning to fear as they scurried away, some even retching at the


    side, indicating a particrly gruesome scene.


    ¡°The killer thought they could cover their tracks by smearing spices on the body to attract stray dogs to


    the scene?¡± Finn scoffed. ¡°Why are these strays congregating on Tangle Lane? Who¡¯s feeding them?


    Find out.¡±


    Finn shifted the focus to the stray dogs.


    If the dogs had tampered with the evidence, then they were evidence themselves.


    ¡°This victim wasn¡¯t from the orphanage but from the now¨Cdefunct mental institution. He was one of the


    psychiatrists there but left years ago, never treated Caleb, had no ties to him,¡± Cory reported, sprinting


    over to Finn.


    Finn must have thought there was a conflict with Caleb. But there wasn¡¯t.


    @ i = F @ i ¨C E E = 2 <


    I stood behind the police tape, watching Finn.


    Finn faltered for a moment, but upon seeing me, an understanding shed in his eyes. ¡°Phoebe


    Caldwell! Was she ever admitted to the mental institution as a child? Look into any connection between


    the victim and Phoebe!¡±


    I stared nkly at Finn.


    Me?


    Augh escaped me, but it was hollow, devoid of humor.


    My head began to throb as if it would explode, haunted by a sinister echo I couldn¡¯t shake.


    ¡°You love your dog, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Such an obedient little thing¡­¡±


    ¡°Dare to bite me? I¡¯ll kill it!¡±


    The screams, the barking¡­


    Suddenly, a stray dog brushed past me, jolting me back to reality. When I refocused, Finn was standing


    before me, his gazeden with scrutiny.

 Chapter 291

    ¡°Huh. Finn squinted his eyes, a mix of disbelief and amusement dancing in them. ¡°You¡¯ve got some


    nerve, don¡¯t you? Most folks would be puking their guts out at the sight of a half¨Ceaten corpse, and


    there you are, pregnant and all, not even flinching?¡±


    Swallowing hard, I managed a nervous chuckle. ¡°I didn¡¯t dare look that way, to be honest.¡±


    Finn snorted, his voice taking on a darker edge. ¡°Foebe, you¡¯re not as innocent as you pretend to be..¡±


    I sucked in a sharp breath. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna catch the bastard myself, Finn replied, sidestepping my question like he was making a


    solemn vow.


    He was dead set on catching the killer. He believed the killer was Caleb.


    ¡°So, you think Caleb is the mastermind behind the serial murders, avenging Phoebe Caldwell? So the


    victims are all somehow linked to Phoebe, bullied her, or messed with Caleb and Carter, right?¡± I


    looked at Finn for confirmation.


    Finn didn¡¯t respond, but his silence was as good as an affirmation.


    ¡°And Phoebe¡­ why would she end up dead at the hands of a serial killer? Who killed her? Caleb? But


    why?¡± I found Finn¡¯s theory hard to swallow.


    ¡°Because he¡¯s a madman! Obsessed with a love he couldn¡¯t have! Because Phoebe stopped loving


    him!¡± Finn gritted his teeth. ¡°He once said nothing in this world is permanent, not even the stars above


    us¨Cthey¡¯re always shifting. No one can be someone else¡¯s forever unless¡­ unless you find a way to


    freeze time, to preserve youth, and hold on to the one you love.¡±


    Finn believed that Colin killed Phoebe to preserve her love, like some kind of twisted trophy.


    ¡°By that logic, the Phoebe you speak of should be trapped forever below, caged in a ss disy, his


    and his alone, not hastily left for the cops to find and put on public disy,¡± I countered.


    Finn¡¯s brow furrowed in irritation at my challenge. ¡°Semantics.¡±


    ¡°Deduction has to be rooted in fact, Finn. There¡¯s no such thing as a perfect murder or a perfect victim,


    right?¡± I took a step back and turned to leave.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    It was a moment before Finn spoke again. ¡°The mastermind behind these murders is either Caleb or


    Carter. Unless Carter is still alive, Caleb is our prime suspect.¡±


    My stride faltered. Why did it have to be one of them?


    ¡°I know better than anyone how dangerous those two can be. It¡¯s a blessing one¡¯s gone. If they were


    both alive, they¡¯d kill without leaving a trace for the police to find¡­¡± Finn muttered under his breath.


    I nodded, understanding that, in Finn¡¯s mind, without the intellect of Caleb or Carter, no one else could


    have orchestrated such meticulous killings.


    ¡°The victim profile has changed, which means the orphanage sequence is out the window. Melody¡¯s


    under 24¨Chour protection from Dexter, making it hard for the killer to make a move. They must be


    starting fresh¡­* I pondered aloud, then paused and turned back to look at Finn. ¡°If the killer sticks to


    their M.O., they¡¯ve already got their next victim lined up by the time they dump the first one. Time¡¯s


    running out¡­¡±


    We had little time to find the next crime scene before


    was lost.


    If Colin were here, maybe we¡¯d have a shot at finding it before the next victim expired. But Colin was


    locked away in a mental institution. ¡°Go find Caleb,¡± Robin urged, striding over in his traffic cop uniform,


    clearly having rushed here straight after his shift, insisting that Finn


    seek out Colin.


    ¡°Officer Robin, maybe you should stick to directing traffic. Just because you need backup doesn¡¯t mean


    I do,¡± Finn retorted with a smug


    sneer.


    Robin¡¯s face flushed with the urgency of the situation. ¡°We¡¯re talking about a human fe here! We can¡¯t


    afford any mistakes, not even a


    second!¡±


    His eyes were bloodshot with desperation.


    ¡°Robin, I don¡¯t need your lectures,¡± Finn shot back, voice cold as ice.


    Gasping for air, Robin moved closer, attempting to grab Finn¡¯s arm. ¡°Finn, I know you¡¯re capable, but


    we¡¯re running out of time. From the body¡¯s discovery to the next death, we¡¯ve got less than twenty¨Cfour


    hours. We don¡¯t have a moment to waste!¡±

 Chapter 292

    ¡°Robin, don¡¯t be a roadblock to justice,¡± Finn said dismissively, signaling Cory to intercept Robin.


    ¡°Bro, just chill¡­ Finn¡¯s got this; he¡¯s the expert.¡± Cory quickly stepped in front of Robin, trying to calm


    him down.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Calebst time, we wouldn¡¯t have found Melody so fast! If only¡­ if I¡¯d been quicker,


    Phoebe would still be alive!¡± Robin was visibly shaken and out of control.


    I knew the death of Phoebe had hit Robin hard. He couldn¡¯t shake off her demise.


    The image of Phoebe trapped in that ss coffin had been a haunting vision for Robin. He didn¡¯t want


    history to repeat itself; he wanted to catch the culprit to save the victims. He wasn¡¯t in the wrong.


    1


    Robin¡¯s fist mmed into the wall, his hands clenching into tight fists.


    I wanted tofort him, but before I could approach, Robin suddenly turned and grabbed my wrist.


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯m taking you to see Colin.¡±


    I hesitated for a second before he pulled me into his car.


    ¡°Hey Officer Robin,¡± Eric greeted as he approached Robin.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°We need to go to Sea City Mental Health Sanatorium.¡± Robin was determined to see Colin, hoping he


    could help locate the next victim.


    I nced at Robin. ¡°Are we allowed to visit?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a patient, not a prisoner,¡± Robin gritted his teeth. ¡°I dare anyone to try and stop us.¡±


    I nodded, feeling a rush of adrenaline.


    Soon, I¡¯d see him.


    But things didn¡¯t go as smoothly as we had hoped.


    Upon arriving at the sanatorium, we were denied ess on the grounds that Colin was a high¨Crisk


    category five patient.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, the patient could be violent at any moment, so¡­..*


    Robin, anger ring, grabbed the attendant¡¯s cor. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him hurt anyone! He¡¯s coherent;


    he listens to reason; how is that the behavior of a high¨Crisk psychotic?¡± he demanded to see the head


    physician.


    Despite our efforts, we were still barred from seeing Colin. It was clear there was collusion at y.


    ¡°Officer Robin, shouldn¡¯t you be out there directing traffic? What¡¯s this, some kind of PTSD from a


    detective case? Our facility is renowned for its psychological healing,¡± Damian arrived, a taunting smile


    on his face.


    It was like a half¨Cjoke, yet sharp enough to sting.


    That was Damian¡¯s way¨Calways grinning like a Cheshire cat, impably dressed, a wolf in sheep¡¯s


    clothing¡­


    He seemed like he never got angry, always wearing that smug smile, but with a few words or just a


    look,


    10.33


    he could infuriate anyone on edge.


    Daman had gotten under Robin¡¯s skin, and I instinctively grabbed him, whispering urgently, ¡°He¡¯s


    bringing up your job your emotions, to set you up. If you take the bait, be careful they don¡¯t lock you up


    in here 100*


    Damian was truly frightening. He could spot a person¡¯s weakness in an instant.


    I even suspected many who crossed him ended up branded as insane and locked away in his


    sanatorium.


    We need to see Colin,¡± I said, taking a deep breath and forcing a serious tone.


    You mean Caleb? I¡¯m sorry, but my patient is undergoing treatment. You know as well as I do, these


    aggressive types require¡­ special methods. Electroshock, hypnosis, even medication¡­¡± Damian


    spoke softly, each wordced with provocation.


    My body trembled. I couldn¡¯t bear to think what Colin was enduring.


    ¡°Damian¡­¡± I ground out through clenched teeth, feeling like I wanted to throttle him.


    I wanted to¡­ storm in there and rescue Colin. But all I could do was contain my anger and plead with


    him. *Please¡­ we need your help. It¡¯s urgent. We have to see him.¡±


    Damian seemed pleased with my submission.


    That was his way, taming all the ¡®disobedient¡® ones.

 Chapter 293

    Damian chuckled. ¡°What in the world are you talking about, Ms. Larson? Family visiting a patient is as


    natural as apple pie.¡±


    I let out a sigh of relief, my grip on Robin¡¯s hand slowly easing.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Damian¡¯s smile faded somewhat ¡°Caleb isn¡¯t your run¨Cof¨Cthe¨Cmill patient. He¡¯s highly


    aggressive, and he¡¯s broken thew. He¡¯s under investigation, and without police clearance, we can¡¯t


    allow visits.¡±


    ¡°Dr. Damian, the reasons behind Caleb¡¯s assault are still being investigated. Even the police haven¡¯t¡­


    Robin began, bis voiceced with barely contained anger.


    Damian cut him off. ¡°Officer Robin, if you were still on the detective squad, providing the right


    paperwork might persuade me to let you visit. We have protocols to follow, and you wouldn¡¯t want to


    put us in a tough spot, right?¡±


    The subtext in Damian¡¯s words was clear: Robin, you¡¯re not a detective anymore, you¡¯re a traffic cop


    now, and you should stick to directing cars.


    Robin clenched his fists, ready to lunge forward.


    I grabbed his arm tightly. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time,¡± Robin said, a note of panic in his voice.


    *Our only hope is to rely on Finn to figure out who the killer is targeting next,¡± I said with a shake of my


    head.


    Damian wasn¡¯t going to let us see Caleb.


    ¡°Caleb was provoked, deliberately targeted because the aggressor knew about his mental health


    issues. If the police wrap up their investigation and lift the surveince, then Damian will have no right


    to stop us from visiting,¡± I said, taking a deep breath before ncing back at the towering facade of the


    mental institution.


    Right now, any effort would be futile. If Colin had decided to check himself in here, he must have had


    his reasons.


    ¡°We need to find Finn,¡± Robin said, leading me off in search of Finn.


    ¡°Your current status¡­, ites with a lot of restrictions,¡± I murmured as a reminder.


    Robin fell silent, clearly regretting his earlier impulsiveness that led to him decking Dorian. Otherwise,


    he wouldn¡¯t be in this position¡­


    ¡°I just feel¡­ there¡¯s something off about Damian,¡± I whispered, eyeing the institution¡¯s building. ¡°Robin,


    do you hear someone crying?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t be sure if it was just my imagination, but every time I got close to the institution, I could hear


    screams and cries, as if countless tortured souls were struggling.


    Robin listened intently for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°I don¡¯t hear anything.¡±


    I took another deep breath. ¡°Then maybe¡­ I¡¯m just too on edge. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Once in the car, I looked at Eric. ¡°We need to find a way to get to Carl and make him drop the charges


    voluntarily. If we can do that, we can secure visiting rights for Colin.¡±


    Eric nodded. ¡°It¡¯ll be tough; Carl¡¯s Henry¡¯s man.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I paused before speaking again. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Henry have people he needs favors from?¡±


    Eric nodded again. ¡°Sure does. Henry¡¯s been eager to legitimize his dockside dealings and his


    underground earnings. He wants to take over the Langley Group to slowlyunder his shady assets.


    But to get his hands on the Langley Group, he needs solid strategic partners. The All¨CStars Consortium


    has been rising rapidly in the business world, and Henry¡¯s been itching to cozy up to their mysterious


    CEO.¡±


    In a nutshell, the person Henry was after was the CEO of the All¨CStars Consortium. The very same


    enigmatic character Melody said she might be able to introduce us to.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it,¡± I said, massaging my temples.,


    We would have to work through Melody to arrange a meeting with the CEO of the All¨CStars


    Consortium.


    At Finn¡¯s ce.


    Finn had just returned from work when he spotted Robin and me waiting downstairs, obviously startled.


    Finn was a tad irked. ¡°What are you guys doing, ying sentry?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re running out of time. Have you figured out who the next target is?¡± I asked in a stern voice.


    Finn huffed, clearlycking confidence. He had no leads. ¡°Something¡¯s not right about this case¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking gamble with people¡¯s lives, dammit! What¡¯s not right?¡± Robin snapped, grabbing hold of


    Finn¡¯s cor as if he was about to punch some sense into him.

 Chapter 294

    Finn instinctively shielded his face. Hey, ever heard of ¡®don¡¯t hit a man in the face?¡±


    ¡°Listen, Finn, you¡¯re the lead on this case, man. You¡¯ve got the authority to get the order to see Caleb.


    Right now, the mental hospital¡¯s giving us the cold shoulder, but you? You¡¯ve got a way in. I grabbed


    Robin¡¯s wrist, my eyes pleading with Finn.


    You want me to go begging to him? Finn seemed irked.


    No begging needed, I said, slipping off my wedding band and pressing it into Finn¡¯s palm. The ring


    Colin had sneakily put on my finger while I was asleep, dering me his wife. ¡°Once he sees this ring,


    hell know it¡¯s me asking. He¡¯ll answer your questions.¡±


    Colin¡¯s proposal hade as an afterthought, like popping po long after the rice had boiled over,


    not caring a whit about consent. Finn fell silent for a moment.


    ¡°Still hesitating? If you can¡¯t find the answers, the victims could end up dead,¡± Robin said, his irritation


    palpable.


    Finn nodded. ¡°I get it. I¡¯ll go now¡±


    Finn. My voice trembled with nervousness. ¡°Just¡­ check on him for me, will ya? If those hospital


    goons are roughing him up¡­¡±


    My palms were sweaty with worry.


    Finn seemed to relish needling me. ¡°A mental institution, where do you think you are? No sane person


    walks out of there the same. And the crazies? Well¡­¡±


    ¡°Finn!¡± I shouted his name, a wave of panic rushing over me.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I know, I know. It¡¯s his own fault for throwing punches. I warned him to keep his cool, but he went and


    hit someone anyway. For such a smart guy, it¡¯s almost like he did it on purpose like he wanted to get


    locked up¡­¡± Finn muttered under his breath as he turned to leave.


    I exchanged a nce with Robin.


    Yeah, Caleb was too smart not to see Henry baiting him, too smart not to know about Henry¡¯s and


    Damian¡¯s n to get him in the mental hospital. He must have known everything. Yet he still chose to


    lash out, as if he deliberately jumped into a trap he knew was


    there.


    What was he really up to?


    The higher¨Cups want to downy the serial killings, close the case with Dorian¡¯s death¡­ But there are


    too many pieces of the puzzle still missing.¡± Robin whispered, leaning against amppost with a


    cigarette dangling from his lips. ¡°Take the first victim, Fanny¡­ She was adopted by a wealthy


    pharmaceutical magnate. After the orphanage fire, she left Sea City for Harbor City. Now she¡¯s dead


    back in Sea City, supposedly here on family business. I found out she had ties to the ck market.¡±


    Every victim had a shady past. The police just hadn¡¯t made their findings public.


    ¡°As of now, none of the victims were innocent, except for Phoebe¡­ Phoebe was an enigma. What she


    went through, what happened to her, I can¡¯t find a single trace. Her life after she turned eighteen was a


    nk as if someone intentionally erased it.¡± Robin¡¯s voice was tense, he needed the cigarette, even if


    he didn¡¯t smoke it.


    I stared at Robin, lost in thought


    Even my own memories of Phoebe before she was eighteen were a nk.


    Robin was right, it was as though someone had deliberately tampered with them. But could someone


    really alter my own memories?


    A buzz cut through my thoughts. On our way back to the vi, Finn called Robin.


    ¡°Meet me at the gates of the old abandoned mental hospital.¡±


    Robin nced at me and swung the car around, heading for the long¨Cclosed mental institution.


    ¡°Did you see Caleb? I jumped out of the car as soon as we pulled up, scanning Finn¡¯s face for answers.


    #


    Finn leaned against the car door, looking like he was piecing together a puzzle.


    ¡°Saw him. His shrink was there the whole time, wouldn¡¯t leave his side. He only gave me this.¡± Finn¡¯s


    annoyance was clear as he scratched his head. ¡°Always with the cryptic games.¡±


    What Colin had given Finn was a math problem.


    ¡°This equation has no solution. Caleb¡¯s saying that someone¡¯s mixing lies with the truth. The Tangle


    Lane murder is unrted to the serial killings. Someone¡¯s using the serial case to throw us off the


    scent.¡±


    Finn¡¯s words were like a knot tightening.

 Chapter 295

    I stared at Robin in shock.


    ¡°Indeed, I¡¯ve visited the crime scene, and there¡¯s a possibility the killer was trying to mimic a serial


    killer¡¯s MO, but we can¡¯t rule anything out just yet, Robin nodded.


    ¡°Dr. Quinton¡¯s autopsy found that the fatal blow was to the back of the head. Someone struck him from


    behind with a clean and precise hit, knowing exactly where tond a deadly blow,¡± Finn mused


    thoughtfully. ¡°The victim was probably on a call before he was attacked. There was a trace of a


    dropped phone on the ground, but the killer took it. Serial killers never take anything from their victims.


    It¡¯s like they are confident the police can¡¯t trace anything back to them.¡±


    ¡°That means we¡¯re looking at two separate cases,¡± I murmured.


    The serial killings and this Tangle Lane muttion case were not connected.


    ¡°What about the victim¡¯s identity? Didn¡¯t you say he was a former psychiatrist? Connected to Phoebe


    Caldwell?¡± I looked at Finn anxiously.


    ¡°I checked the victim, named Alex, a psychiatrist who won several awards in mental health years ago.


    At the hospital, he was always neck and neck with Damian, but the head preferred Alex, because Alex


    was better at navigating social waters,¡± Robin interjected.


    As soon as word of a murder on Tangle Lane broke, Robin had started digging.


    ¡°But this guy left the mental hospital years before it was shut down,¡± Finn turned, ncing at the old


    hospital wing sealed off with crime scene tape. ¡°And after the head was disciplined and took his own


    life in prison, most of the doctors moved to the current Sea City Mental Wellness Sanatorium. Alex left


    before the hospital¡¯s closure, and I heard he went off to Cloud City to venture into business, got into


    fashion, and was making good money. He was always decked out in designer wear, even had a watch


    worth over three hundred thousand dors,¡± Finn pondered. ¡°But when I checked hispany, it was


    just a front, and the so¨Ccalled fashion business was just a smokescreen. What was he really profiting


    from¡­¡±


    ¡°Then dig deeper, why guess here?¡± Robin looked at Finn disapprovingly.


    What a time to be specting.


    Finn¡¯s phone vibrated on the hood of the car. He shot Robin a re and answered the call.


    ¡°Officer Finn, we might have a break! We¡¯ve checked the nearby surveince footage and pinpointed a


    suspect¡¯s address, at 37 Coastline Avenue, in the demolition area.¡±


    I nced at Robin.


    37 Coastline Avenue, in the demolition zone, was Sea City¡¯s so¨Ccalledst slum.


    ¡ê5 F 3 # 9 8 9 8 2 2 2 2~


    Carter¡¯s sister Zoe lived there, a ce indeed teeming with all sorts.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a lead to follow. If you are so capable, you can keep digging yourself.¡± Finn, still holding a


    grudge, pushed past Robin and drove off.


    Robin frowned and looked at me. ¡°Shall we go?¡±


    I nodded.


    I hoped this murder case truly had nothing to do with the serial killings.


    37 Coastline Avenue.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    The police had zeroed in on a room on the third floor.


    By the time Robin and I arrived, they were breaking in to make an arrest.


    It was one of those tube buildings, with small spaces between floors, rooms packed tight together.


    The suspect lived on the east side, Carter¡¯s sister on the west, ?eparated by the gap.


    When I looked westward, I saw Zoe in disarray, her gaze vacant as she watched the police action.


    Suddenly, her eyes met mine, and her lips curled into a smile.


    That smile sent a chill up my spine¡­


    ¡°The killer¡­¡± Zoe suddenly pointed at me,ughing foolishly.


    Even though I couldn¡¯t hear her, I could read her lips: the killer.


    Was she calling me the killer? What did she mean?


    ¡°Watch out! Hold him!¡±

 Chapter 296

    The photograph was smeared with blood,


    My breath hitched as I stared at Robin.


    Robin reached out to take it.


    ¡°Save my daughter.¡±


    Cops came rushing down, all panting, staring at the suspect who had fallen from the bullding.


    Each of them was cursing under their breath.


    ¡°Call an ambnce! Get an ambnce!¡±


    Inumbly watched Robin.


    Robin shook his head at me, snapped pictures of both sides of the photograph with his smartphone,


    and handed it to Finn. ¡°Are we sure he¡¯s the killer?¡±


    ¡°We found the murder weapon in his room, a heavy sledgehammer. Looks like he¡¯s been doing manual


    labor for years, probably a construction hand, Finn said, ncing up at the third floor. ¡°Heard his


    daughter¡¯s been missing for three years, and he and his wife have been searching nonstop. Couple


    days ago, his wife took her own life due to severe depression. A family torn apart by human


    traffickers¡­¡±


    I stood there, feeling a strange numbness creeping up my legs.


    ¡°How old was his daughter when she disappeared?¡± I asked quietly.


    ¡°Eighteen,¡± Finn replied with a hint of sorrow.


    I nced at the photograph in Finn¡¯s hand. The girl in the picture was vibrant and pure, the kind that


    sparked an instinctive fondness.


    ¡°Such a beautiful girl¡­¡± I murmured.


    ¡°She¡¯s been missing for three years. I¡¯ve heard about this case. The girl was abducted by traffickers, in


    a cloned car no less. It¡¯s an open case to this day¡­¡± Robin said hopelessly. ¡°A father driven to the


    brink wouldn¡¯t just kill without reason. He must have discovered some truth, and the sheer despair


    broke him¡­¡±


    ¡°There has to be a connection between the two cases. Could the victim be rted to the girl¡¯s


    disappearance?¡± I wondered aloud.


    Finn nodded, suspecting the same.


    ¡°And there¡¯s another thing. How would a construction worker desperate to find his daughter know to


    sprinkle spices on a corpse to ge dogs to eat it, destroying evidence?¡± I puzzled. ¡°And if he needed to


    dispose of the body that meticulously, why wouldn¡¯t he scout ahead to avoid therge surveince


    camera?¡±


    It just didn¡¯t add up.


    Finn looked at me. ¡°Clearly, he¡¯s just another victim.¡±


    A pawn.


    Someone behind the scenes was using people tomit murders. No one could tell whether this was


    connected to the serial killings or not yet.


    The ambnce took the man away, and Robin drove me back.


    On the way home, Robin got a call. The poor father hadn¡¯t made it. Hisst act was to entrust the


    photograph to me and Robin, still clinging to a sliver of hope.


    Hoping the police could find his daughter¡­


    ¡°Somebody¡¯s using these poor souls. They¡¯re innocents. This isn¡¯t the serial killer¡¯s style. One avoids


    killing the innocent, the other exploits them,¡± I said with a pounding headache.


    My gut told me these cases weren¡¯t the work of the same person.


    The car stopped in front of the Langley family mansion.


    I got out and saw Dexter¡¯s haunting figure. He seemed really worried about me, approaching anxiously.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ His voice was hoarse, his broken demeanor like that of a man truly in love.


    If it weren¡¯t for Melody who stuck to him like a shadow, I might have believed that a leopard could


    change its spots.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ I¡¯ve got it, I¡¯ve essed your parents¡® social media ounts. They recorded your


    upbringing in their posts. Phoebe, trust me,e home with me. Let that lunatic rot in the asylum! I


    swore to protect you the year your parents passed away, Dexter implored,


    desperate for me to believe him.


    Phoebe.. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m truly sorry. His fingers trembled as he pulled me into an embrace. Phoebe, once


    you see it, you¡¯ll understand. Only I truly love you. Caleb Langley? He¡¯s nothing but a madman.


    I felt numb


    The Dexter of the past was selfish, arrogant, filled with pride and possessiveness, like an untouchable


    deity. When I drew close to him, he pushed me away, leaving wounds so deep they would never heal.


    And now, did he expect to spend a lifetime making amends?

 Chapter 297

    ¡°Do you even realize what you¡¯ve done?¡± I asked Dexter, gripping his cor with a feigned smile, my


    eyes flicking over to where Melody was standing, fuming in theer.


    Melody looked like she was about to grind her teeth to dust.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Dexter¡¯s voice wavered as he took my hands in his. ¡°I should¡¯ve trusted you. Whatever


    happened before, I¡¯ll make it up to you. From now on, I¡¯ll be your knight in shining armor. No one will


    ever hurt you again. I swear.¡± Dexter dered, his face etched with eamestness.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I put on my best damsel¨Cin¨Cdistress act and batted my eyshes at him. ¡°What to do? I can¡¯t stand the


    sight of her.¡±


    I nodded subtly in Melody¡¯s direction.


    Dexter nced back at her, his brows knitting together. ¡°Melody, I¡¯ll have my bodyguards ensure your


    safety, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Dexter, there¡¯s been another murder on Tangle Lane, and I¡¯m terrified, you know that. I¡¯m not asking


    for much. I don¡¯t want to fight with her over you.¡± Melody¡¯s voice wavered as she bit back her anger,


    ring at me. ¡°I just¡­ just hope you can protect me, for old times¡® sake.¡±


    She was still ying the gratitude card for some ancient favor she imed to have done Dexter.


    I knew full well it wasn¡¯t Melody who¡¯d helped Dexter all those years ago, but exposing her now would


    spoil the fun.


    Let those two continue their little drama. Interfering now would only make Dexter cling to me more


    desperately.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ Sure enough, he was swayed.


    Dexter seemed to have some semnce of a conscience, tolerating Melody for some supposed life


    debt.


    ¡°Phoebe, Melody¡¯s in danger. The police protection won¡¯tst forever, so¡­ Dexter tried to make me


    see reason, to have me agree to keep Melody around. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to see her fall victim to a


    killer, right?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind,¡± I said with augh.


    Dexter really was something. Why would I care? I¡¯d have no problem watching her meet her end.


    ¡°Dexter¡­¡± Melody stepped forward, her eyes welling up. ¡°Phoebe has never cared about my well¨C


    being.¡±


    Dexter massaged his temples, looking at me with a plea in his eyes. ¡°Phoebe,e back with me,


    okay?¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll


    go back with you. Just worried Melody might not take it too well,¡± I said with a shrug, keeping my eyes


    on Melody.


    Melody clenched her fists, swallowing her pride as she bore my gaze.


    ¡°She¡¯s understanding. After all, it¡¯s your house we¡¯re talking about, and our house,¡± Dexter coaxed in a


    low voice.


    Thinking I¡¯d fall for the same old sweet talk as before.


    ¡°Understanding? Are you implying I¡¯m not?¡± I gave Dexter a wounded look.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    Watching Dexter squirm was quite entertaining.


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go. I¡¯m with you,¡± I said, my attention briefly caught by a movement not too far away. Instinct


    told me someone had been watching us all along.


    With Colin not around, I had to ensure both my unborn child and I stayed safe, which meant sticking


    with Dexter for now.


    Dexter was ted, hurrying off to start the car.


    I spared Melody onest cold smile. ¡°See, even when I told him I¡¯m not Phoebe Caldwell, he still treats


    me as if I am.¡±


    Melody spat out through gritted teeth, ¡°Foebe Larson, you¡¯d better stay away from Dexter!¡±


    ¡°Or what? I want what you want, unless¡­ I find a better option.¡± I stepped closer to Melody, my voice


    light and teasing. ¡°I know you¡¯ve got a backup n, always eyeing the president of All¨CStars


    Consortium. People can¡¯t be too greedy. If you spill some secrets about the Consortium¡¯s president to


    me, I¡¯ll back off from Dexter.¡±


    Melody shot me a re. ¡°In your dreams.¡±


    ¡°You see¡­ just like you, I¡¯m fighting to survive. Henry Langley wants me dead, Caleb¡¯s locked up in a


    mental ward, so I need a powerful ally. Since I¡¯ve got no way to meet All Stars Consortium¡¯s big shot, it


    looks like I¡¯ll have to fight you for Dexter,¡± I said with a chuckle, then turned and opened the car door,


    ready to leave.

 Chapter 298

    Melody had clearly thrown down the gauntlet, and her instincts kicked in as she reached for the


    passenger¡¯s door, intent on iming her rightful spot.


    Dexter seemed utterly oblivious.


    But as I stood there, refusing to get in, he stepped out and cajoled in a hushed tone, ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    Isn¡¯t riding shotgun ¨¢ privilege reserved for your girlfriend? What the heck is she?¡± I asked, my voice


    tinged with hurt.


    Dexter winced, then offered an exnation. ¡°She gets carsick.¡±


    I made a retching gesture. ¡°Well, I¡¯m pregnant and even more carsick.¡±


    Dexter nced at Melody. ¡°Sorry, shotgun¡¯s for Phoebe today. She¡¯s not feeling well.¡±


    Melody¡¯s grip tightened, and she reluctantly got out of the car, shooting me a venomous look.


    I couldn¡¯t help but smirk, wondering how long she could hold her temper.


    Following Dexter back to the Fitzgeralds¡® ce, I stayed put in the car until he came around to open my


    door.


    I stepped out and looked around, taking in the familiar yet foreign surroundings.


    Seeing Melody, red¨Ceyed and rushing to get inside first, I couldn¡¯t keep quiet. ¡°Dexter, I remember you


    used to let me stay in the attic room across the way.¡±


    I pointed to the storage space. ¡°You said I pushed Melody and I owed her. You locked me in that attic,


    left me to burn with fever¡­ on the brink of death. That¡¯s on her, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Dexter paused, then dropped his gaze, guilt¨Cridden. ¡°Phoebe¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡±


    Sorry doesn¡¯t cut it.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t Melody pay her debts too? That¡¯s only fair,¡± I pressed firmly. ¡°Just looking at her makes stay


    there. She¡¯s the one clinging to you, begging for your protection.¡±


    Dexter hesitated.


    ¡°Foebe Larson! Don¡¯t you dare push it!¡± Melody snapped, losing herposure.


    me ill. The attic¡¯s quite nice; let her


    ¡°Back then, I was pregnant, Dexter. What did you do to me? It¡¯s all her fault. What makes you think that


    Phoebe should pay Melody back when Melody doesn¡¯t have to pay anything back to Phoebe?¡± I


    scoffed. ¡°Dexter, your repentance seems a bit hypocritical, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Dexter quickly grasped my shoulders. ¡°Phoebe, I didn¡¯t mean that. She can stay in the attic.¡±


    Turning to Melody, he said, ¡°Phoebe has a stress response when she sees you. You¡¯ll stay in the attic


    for now; the staff will clean it up. As long as you¡¯re in the Fitzgerald home, you¡¯re safe.¡±


    Melody looked like she was on the verge of tears, her hands clenched. ¡°Foebe Larson!¡±


    I tilted my head and waved cheerily at Melody. ¡°Heard the attic¡­ might be haunted. Sweet dreams.¡±


    Melody stamped her foot, pale as a ghost.


    I yawned and headed to my room, uninterested in her drama.


    eded to connect with the CEO All¨CStars Consortium, by any means necessary. Colin was in


    Damian¡¯s clutches, and that was far too dangerous.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Dexter followed, catching my wrist gently. ¡°Check the ount I gave you when you have


    time. You¡¯ll understand my reasons then. Everything I¡¯ve said is true. Even though I¡¯ve made many


    mistakes, you can¡¯t keep following Caleb. He¡¯s imprisoned you, hurt you; those are undeniable facts.


    Oh, and Phoebe, do you remember the wolfhound you had as a kid? The one you used to scare me


    with. Caleb, that maniac, was the one who killed it.¡±

 Chapter 299

    My steps faltered, and I turned back to look at Dexter.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember ever having a dog¡­¡±


    I was lying through my teeth.


    Dexter looked taken aback for a second before he swiftly changed the subject. ¡°Phoebe, if you don¡¯t


    remember, then let it go. It¡¯s not worth dwelling on, and it¡¯s not exactly a fond memory.¡±


    I stepped into my room and quickly shut the door before Dexter could follow.


    nat


    Leaning against the door, I pulled out my phone, determined to log into ount. I knew my parents had


    maintained a social media profile to chronicle my upbringing.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Dexter¡¯s voice didn¡¯t fade from the other side of the


    voor He


    ed like he had a world of


    things to say.


    But I really didn¡¯t want to hear it.


    ¡°Phoebe, I¡¯m sorry, I know it¡¯s toote for words now, but I¡­¡±


    ¡°Mr. Fitzgerald, Miss Melody took a nasty fall from the attic, looks pretty bad.¡±


    Dexter hadn¡¯t even finished, and Melody had pulled one of her stunts. Her way of vying for attention


    was nothing short of juvenile.


    Sure enough, Dexter¡¯s concern shifted to Melody.


    Busy man indeed.


    I couldn¡¯t help but find amusement in how he scurried about for Melody, dancing to her tune without a


    second thought.


    I was itching to see the look on Dexter¡¯s face when he¡¯d find out that it wasn¡¯t Melody, but Phoebe who


    had saved him back then.


    Years ago, it was I who had distracted the kidnappers, but when Dexter came to, it was Melody he saw


    I had been discovered by the kidnappers and was knocked out cold,nding me in the hospital for


    days. By the time I came to, Dexter and Melody were an item.


    What a joke. Back then, I was naive enough to take it hard for quite a while.


    Logging into the ount, I sprawled on my bed, scrolling through the posts.


    From day one of my life, my parents documented my life.


    ¡°Our little princess has arrived.¡± On the day of my birth, the photo they posted featured four of us:


    myself, my parents, and Damian.


    And the person holding me was Damian. Despite his smile, he looked downright eerie, giving me the


    chills


    just looking at him.


    ¡°Our little princess is a prodigy, walking so young.¡± And there Damian was again, lurking in the


    background. My parents seemed overlyfortable leaving me alone with Damian.


    10:52


    ¡°Phoebe doesn¡¯t smile much, not even for Dad¡¯s antics. Doctor says she might be on the autism


    spectrum, Damian thinks it¡¯s just a personality mismatch.¡±


    ¡°No matter what, we¡¯re in this together. We won¡¯t give up on Phoebe


    ¡°Phoebe¡¯s one now, and the therapy seems to be working. No developmental dys, normal


    intelligence, but her personality is¡­ off.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe, age two, decided to feed the goldfish to the cat today.¡±


    ¡°Phoebe¡¯s behavior is getting stranger. Today in the bathroom, there was blood everywhere. She¡¯s only


    two and had used a paring knife to kill a snake.¡± That post¡¯s photo showed just me, but I could see a


    foot in the doorway. It was Damian¡¯s, confirming he was there.


    1 sifted through the records, picking out the anomalies.


    A two¨Cyear¨Cold killing a snake? Quite the fearless tot.


    ¡°Damian came by today; he says he¡¯s quite fond of Phoebe.¡±


    From what I could tell, every time there was an incident with me before the age of five, Damian was


    present.


    Coincidence?


    I tried to keep reading, but a wave of dizziness washed over me.


    An odd fragrance filled the room, heady and disorienting.


    Thankfully, having been exposed to my fair share of underhanded tricks, I had developed a bit of


    resistance.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    I managed to stuff the aromatic diffuser on my bedside table with some tissues.


    After shaking my head to clear it, Iy down and pretended to sleep.


    ¡°Miss, dinner is ready,¡± the housekeeper called from beyond the door.


    Silence was my only response.


    ¡°Miss?¡±


    The sound from outside ceased.


    Not long after, the housekeeper returned. ¡°Miss, it¡¯s time for dinner.¡±


    Still, I didn¡¯t make a sound.


    Once again, she left. Before long, I heard the sound of a car pulling into the Fitzgerald family¡¯s


    driveway.


    I got up and peeked out the window. Sure enough, a car had parked, and out stepped Damian.


    Instinctively, my grip tightened on the curtain, hiding behind it.


    Damian was back.


    Had Dexter sent for him? On the surface, he seemed to be repenting, but was he actually conspiring


    with Damian to erase my memories?


    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s time for dinner,¡± the housekeeper called out again after a while.

 Chapter 300

    I scurried back under the covers, pretending to be sound asleep.


    It wasn¡¯t long before I heard the door creak open.


    The figure approaching my bed wasn¡¯t Dexter; it was Damian.


    My hands tightened into fists beneath the nket. I tried to keep my breathing even, to avoid giving


    myself


    away.


    Damian stood by the bed, seemingly studying me for an eternity before he chuckled. ¡°Only a lunatic


    would believe in reincarnation, right?¡±


    ¡°Dr. Damian, you don¡¯t believe it either, do you?¡± Melody¡¯s voice came from the doorway as she


    entered the room. ¡°And yet Dexter wants to believe her, despite her being a fraud. No matter how


    convincing her act, she¡¯s not Phoebe. Phoebe is dead, and I¡¯ve worked too damn hard¡­¡±


    Her voice trailed off abruptly.


    ¡°Dexter loved Phoebe, so he¡¯d rather create a fantasy,¡± Damian said, his voice dispassionate, ¡°This


    fantasy could be Foebe or you.¡±


    I exhaled a silent sigh of relief. Damian, sharp as he was, clearly didn¡¯t buy my act as Phoebe.


    ¡°I was thinking the same¡­ but then this Foebe came out of nowhere,¡± Melody spat through clenched


    teeth. It seemed she had entertained the thought of passing herself off as Phoebe.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The fake¡¯s presence only makes you seem more genuine,¡± Damian reassured her with a


    smirk. ¡°Just do as I say, and not only will Dexter be convinced that you are the true Phoebe; but


    Caleb¡­ he¡¯ll believe you¡¯re Phoebe as well.¡±


    Melody¡¯s excitement was palpable. ¡°Dr. Damian, what¡¯s your n¡­?¡±


    ¡°Anything Foebe can mimic, you can do too. Besides, you know Phoebe¡¯s childhood memories better


    than she knew herself,¡± Damian continued with a nonchnt tone. ¡°Dexter is already blinded by guilt,


    Have you been giving him the medicine I prescribed?¡±


    S


    ¡°Yes, he took it just before he fell asleep. Ever since the real Phoebe died, he¡¯s been like a madman,


    completely oblivious¡­¡± Melody whispered.


    ¡°The medication is meant to induce hallucinations in Dexter. He¡¯s easy to fool. As for Caleb¡­ with my


    treatment and psychological suggestions, once discharged, he will firmly believe you are Phoebe.¡±


    My heart clenched, my grip tightening.


    Damian!


    What was he nning to do to Colin¡­


    ¡°And if Foebe Larson uncovers our n?¡± Melody¡¯s voice was barely audible.


    ¡°So what if she does? She¡¯s pretending too¡­ may the best actor win,¡± Damian¡¯s fingers traced my


    cheek, sending a shiver down my spine.


    ¡°Dr. Damian, you¡¯re right. May the best actor win,¡± Melody said with a coldugh, stepping closer and


    grabbing my chin. ¡°Foebe Larson, let¡¯s see how long you can keep up your charade. When Caleb and


    Dexter see me as Phoebe, I¡¯ll be the one they adore¡­ As for you, I¡¯ll make sure you learn what it feels


    like to be trampled underfoot!¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Damian said sternly. ¡°Don¡¯t forget what I¡¯ve tasked you with.¡±


    Melody quickly released me and turned to him. ¡°The police have been watching metely¡­ I can¡¯t


    make my move or meet with my contacts easily.*


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°Find a way soon. They¡¯re getting impatient,¡± Damian said coolly.


    After they left, I knew I had to unravel their plot. From Melody and Damian¡¯s conversation, it was clear


    they


    had been in cahoots for a while.


    What did Damian mean by ¡®they¡¯re getting impatient¡®?


    Whatever Melody and Damian were up to, I had to rescue Colin quickly.


    If Damian really could convince Colin not to recognize me, what then?


    Listening to Damian¡¯s car fade into the distance, I slipped out and sneaked into Dexter¡¯s room.


    He was out like a light.


    Idiot¡­ He could be led to ughter and he wouldn¡¯t know.it.


    ¡°Dexter?¡± I tried to rouse him, patting his cheek.


    The drugs must have been strong; Dexter was unresponsive.


    *Phoebe¡­


    He was murmuring my name.


    I wanted to flee, but suddenly Dexter¡¯s grip mped around my wrist.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    His voice was choked, like he was caught in a nightmare.


    I struggled to break free, but he pulled me down onto the bed. ¡°Phoebe¡­e back, please? I¡¯m


    sorry¡­


    ¡°Click!¡± Just as I tried to escape, the door swung open.


    *Chapter 300


    grabbing my chin. ¡°Foebe Larson, let¡¯s see how long you can keep up your charade. When Caleb and


    Dexter see me as Phoebe, I¡¯ll be the one they adore¡­ As for you, I¡¯ll make sure you learn what it feels


    like to be trampled underfoot!¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Damian said sternly. ¡°Don¡¯t forget what I¡¯ve tasked you with.¡±


    Melody quickly released me and turned to him. ¡°The police have been watching metely¡­ I can¡¯t


    make my move or meet with my contacts easily.¡±


    ¡°Find a way soon. They¡¯re getting impatient,¡± Damian said coolly.


    After they left, I knew I had to unravel their plot. From Melody and Damian¡¯s conversation, it was clear


    they had been in cahoots for a while.


    What did Damian mean by ¡®they¡¯re getting impatient¡®?


    Whatever Melody and Damian were up to, I had to rescue Colin quickly.


    If Damian really could convince Colin not to recognize me, what then?


    Listening to Damian¡¯s car fade into the distance, I slipped out and sneaked into Dexter¡¯s room.


    He was out like a light.


    Idiot¡­ He could be led to ughter and he wouldn¡¯t know.it.


    ¡°Dexter?¡± I tried to rouse him, patting his cheek.


    The drugs must have been strong; Dexter was unresponsive.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    He was murmuring my name.


    I wanted to flee, but suddenly Dexter¡¯s grip mped around my wrist.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    His voice was choked, like he was caught in a nightmare.


    I struggled to break free, but he pulled me down onto the bed. ¡°Phoebe¡­e back, please? I¡¯m


    sorry¡­


    ¡°Click!¡± Just as I tried to escape, the door swung open.

 Chapter 301

    I scrambled under the bed, watching the figure slip into the room.


    It was the nanny.


    The fact that Damian and Melody could roam the Fitzgerald mansion so brazenly was a testament


    to something off about the nanny.


    Since arriving at the Fitzgerald estate, we''d simply called her Wendy. She''d been my and Dexter''s


    personal caregiver, always close at hand.


    Wendy was 48, always dressed in in, no-frills clothes that made her seem older than she was.


    Yet, beneath the simplicity, you could tell she had been a stunner in her youth, with delicate features


    that time hadn''t fully erased.


    She had a gentle demeanor and a sharp mind, rarely speaking out of turn. Hailey trusted her


    implicitly, which is why she feltfortable leaving both me and Dexter in Wendy''s care.


    From my hiding spot under the bed, I watched silently.


    Wendy moved slowly to the bedside, gazing at Dexter as hey asleep, not uttering a word.


    I frowned, alert and wary. A nanny sneaking into the master''s room in the dead of night, staring at


    him like that¡ªit was downright eerie.


    "Wendy, who are you trying to spook, up and about at this hour?" Melody''s voice came from the


    doorway, catching Wendy off guard.


    The room was dim, and Wendy''s silhouette by the bed was indeed a bit unsettling.


    "Those meds... they''re not harming Mr. Fitzgerald, are they?" Wendy finally spoke, her voice barely


    above a whisper.


    "Phoebe''s death hit Dexter hard, and he''s been prone to depression. If you hadn''t found him that


    time he attempted..." Melody sighed. "We''re just looking out for him."


    Wendy nodded. "That''s good. I just worry about Mr. Fitzgerald. Ms. Burton, you should get some


    rest too."


    Wendy turned to leave, pausing at the door.


    Perhaps it was my imagination, but I felt her gaze linger in my direction...


    I clenched my fists and held my breath, daring not to make a sound.


    Everyone in the Fitzgerald family seemed increasingly inscrutable to me.


    Ironically, Dexter, once the most enigmatic, now seemed the most transparent.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    "Dexter... don''t me me... it was you who involved me first, asking for my help to shake off


    Phoebe, saying she was always clinging to you. I helped you, now it''s your turn to help me," Melody


    sat on the edge of the bed, gently touching Dexter''s face. "Dexter, I truly love you. Do you know


    how jealous I was of Phoebe? Why did she gain your mother''s approval and not me? Am I inferior


    to her? If it weren''t for your mother''s disapproval, we might already be engaged, or even married.


    Did I have to resort to extremes... I even let myself be vited for you... and got pregnant, you owe


    me, you''ll always owe me," her voice turned from hoarse to hateful.


    I furrowed my brows, steadying my breathing from beneath the bed, afraid Melody would discover


    me.


    No wonder Dexter kept her close, not just out of gratitude, but out of guilt.


    Dexter imed Melody''s child wasn''t his, suggesting aplicated history between them.


    "Dexter, you can only be mine. I don''t care if that Phoebe Larson is a real ghost or a fake, I can''t


    leave her be," Melody said through gritted teeth.


    She wanted me gone. Because she felt threatened.


    She and Damian were plotting something big, and I was in the way.


    "Sleep tight, it won''t be long before I take Phoebe''s ce by your side," Melody smiled, then stood


    and left the room.


    Once I was sure Melody was gone, I let out a sigh of relief.


    Crawling out from under the bed, I nced at Dexter...


    He always seemed untouchable, yet he''d always been a pawn in someone else''s game. It was truly


    pitiful.


    "Dexter, oh Dexter... you better watch out..." I shook my head and left the room.


    As I quietly closed the door, I thought I saw Dexter stir, but I couldn''t be sure.


    He couldn''t be faking it, could he?


    ...


    Back in my room, I continued to pore over my parents'' journals.


    "Phoebe''s been diagnosed," one entry read. "Damian says it''s Asperger''s Syndrome, part of the


    autism spectrum. I don''t know why my child is like this. I just want her to grow up healthy and


    happy."

 Chapter 302

    When I was five, Mom and Dad told me I was diagnosed with Asperger''s Syndrome. All I knew


    about it was that it supposedly meant you were a loner with an off-the-charts IQ.


    Scratching my head, I wondered, am I really one of those reclusive geniuses? As for my smarts...


    they seemed pretty average to me. Remembering high school, poring over textbookste into the


    night, I was just your typical studious kid, nothing on the level of a prodigy like Colin.


    "Today marks Phoebe''s first day of therapy at the hospital. Damian says her case isn''t severe. With


    proper treatment, she''ll be able to live like everyone else."


    "Phoebe''s second day in therapy, and Damian says she''s improving, even ying games with other


    kids now."


    "Phoebe''s third therapy session. Damian says there''s been a setback."


    "Today Howler ran away from home. We searched for ages until we found him sneaking into the


    sanatorium to see Phoebe."


    "After Howler came back, he stopped eating and drinking, justy by the door looking miserable. I


    knew he was waiting for Phoebe."


    The picture of Howler lying by the door, head hanging low, was taken by Mom. It captured his


    somber silhouette.


    A tightness gripped my chest, aching as I gently touched the photo. I wish I could reach out and feel


    Howler again.


    I have no memory of Howler, but his picture still brings me to tears.


    "Damian says Phoebe can go back to her normal life. We can bring her home from the hospital. I


    cried with joy allst night. We can finally pick up Phoebe."


    ording to the journal, I had three stints of treatment with Damian, thest onesting six months,


    making up a year of therapy. What did Damian do during that year? Why can''t I remember any of it?


    It''s as if those memories were scrubbed clean from my mind.


    "Phoebe and Howler."


    After my first round of therapy, I managed to start kindergarten. Howler was still alive. I was a bit of


    an introvert, but I could interact normally with the other kids and teachers.


    Then, when I was eight, the year I met Colin, I ended up back in the sanatorium.


    The reason was that I had hurt a kid from the orphanage. Not fatally, but enough to scare everyone.


    The journal mentioned I had killed a chicken at the orphanage.


    I massaged my temples, overwhelmed by my mother''s records of my past. Was I really such a wild


    child, killing chickens?


    The most terrifying part is that reading these entries feels like I''m looking into someone else''s life.


    It''s as if the memories from that time don''t belong to me at all.


    What was I like before losing my memories?


    Dexter is wary of me, afraid, yet he ims he loves me.


    Colin''s obsessive, protective love was for the me back then.


    Was I really better off in those days?


    Iy on my bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep.


    Jealous, of all things, of my former self.


    Even though I don''t know why I''ve lost my memories, the current me actually envies the past me


    who had them.


    "Miss, it''s time for breakfast."


    Around 7:30, the housekeeper knocked on my door.


    I didn''t respond.


    Half an hourter, there was another knock. "Miss, it''s really time for breakfast now."


    Reluctantly, I opened the door, only to see Dexter standing there.


    "Phoebe,e down for breakfast," he said, relieved to see me open the door. "Did you sleep well


    last night?"


    I eyed Wendy warily and shot back at Dexter, "How about you? Did you sleep well?"


    Wendy nced at me and, with Dexter unable to see, she gestured for me to keep quiet and then


    shook her head slightly.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I froze, puzzled.


    What was she trying to tell me? Had she seen something in Dexter''s roomst night?

 Chapter 303

    "Pretty good," Dexter nodded, trying to take my hand.


    I sidestepped Dexter''s advance, standing there with an indifferent air.


    Dexter looked down, then turned to descend the stairs.


    "Dexter," I called after him, a question forming on my lips. "Why do you think I''m Phoebe?"


    He paused mid-step, turned to look at me. "Because you are..."


    "And what if tomorrow someone else ims she''s Phoebe? How would you choose then?" I


    scoffed.


    Dexter hesitated. "That won''t happen. I''d recognize you."


    Would he really?


    Colin would recognize me in a heartbeat.


    But Dexter? I wasn''t so sure.


    If Melody and Damian''s scheme actually worked, would Colin and Dexter still recognize me?


    Would they trust me?


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Dexter opened his mouth to say something but then just bowed his head and continued downstairs.


    Just as I was about to follow, the nanny, Wendy, grabbed me, eyeing me questioningly.


    "Phoebe dear, the cherry tree on Celebration Street is in bloom..."


    I stared at Wendy, perplexed. What did she mean?


    Seeing my confusion, Wendy quickly let go and retreated into a more formal tone. "Miss, it''s time for


    breakfast."


    As Wendy left, my legs felt stiff.


    The cherry tree on Celebration Street is in bloom?


    It sounded like a code.


    Was she speaking in code to Phoebe or Foebe?


    Was the nanny a double agent?


    "Miss, try this sea bass, it''s your favorite," Wendy said during dinner, cing the steamed fish in


    front of me.


    I frowned slightly. She knew I didn''t eat sea bass...


    Seeing I didn''t touch it, Wendy spoke again. "Miss, the weather''s warming up. Maybe you and Mr.


    Fitzgerald could get some fresh air, admire the tulips. They''re quite lovely."


    Dexter cut in with a stern voice. "Phoebe is allergic to fields of tulips. It could cause her serious


    breathing problems."


    "Oh, I must have forgotten..." Wendy nodded and excused herself.


    Dexter served me more food and reached out with a napkin, intending to wipe my hands.


    I instinctively pulled away, still resistant to his touch.


    Dexter was silent, continuing todle soup into my bowl.


    Across the table, Melody''s eyes nearly bulged with envy.


    I whispered to Dexter, "I''d like an egg, so could you peel one for me?"


    Dexter took an egg and carefully peeled it, cing it on my te.


    Watching Melody, I propped my head up and smirked. "Dexter, I can''t eat with her staring at me."


    I was stirring the pot.


    Making a scene.


    She wanted to rece me? Well, I was going to make it as difficult as possible before she got the


    chance.


    Dexter sighed, knowing I was making trouble but letting me be. It was like he was at his wit''s end.


    "Melody, I''m sorry, but from now on, you''ll eat in your room. I''ll have the nanny bring your meals."


    Melody''s hands clenched in anger, her eyes reddening. "Dexter, do you really... despise me that


    much?"


    "It''s not him; it''s me," I said, resting my fork and ring at Melody. "The sight of you makes me sick.


    I can''t eat."


    "Foebe Larson!" Melody stood up in rage.


    "Dexter, she''s so aggressive..." I feigned distress, clutching Dexter''s arm.


    Dexter was taken aback, but then he told Melody, "Phoebe is thedy of this house."


    Melody took a deep breath, clearly restraining herself. "Fine, I''ll go."


    As soon as Melody left, I immediately let go of Dexter, wiping my hands as if disgusted.


    Dexter sighed, resigned, and didn''t say anything more, just kept serving me food.


    "Stop it, I don''t want anything you''ve touched." I ate the egg, sipped some soup, then stood up. "I''m


    going for a walk. Don''t follow me."


    Dexter stood, as if to say something. He followed me to the door, and seeing my angry re, he


    whispered, "Put on a jacket. It''s still a bit chilly outside."


    I didn''t respond, so Dexter took off his own jacket and carefully draped it over my shoulders.


    I thought he was pathetic. I had been so good to him before, and he discarded me like trash.


    Now, he was cautious even in being kind to me.

 Chapter 304

    "I don''t want to see you anymore," I said, turning away.


    Dexter stood there, motionless, his silhouette tinged with a hint of dejection. He exchanged some


    words with Wendy, but I couldn''t catch what they said.


    Anyway, the Fitzgeralds... I was starting to have my doubts about them too.


    Wendy was no simpleton, Dexter had been yed by Melody and Damian for a fool, Hailey was


    hardly ever in Sea City, and Dexter¡¯s father seemed to have ady friend on the side... He was


    practically invisible in the Fitzgerald household.


    And now, Dexter was the only one holding the Fitzgerald fort.


    "Foebe Larson!" Just as I reached the garden, Melody''s voice, thick with fury, called out to me.


    I tugged on Dexter''s shirt, taunting her on purpose. "What''s the matter? Can''t handle it? Then just


    tell me what I want to know..."


    "You''ll leave if I tell you?" Melody eyed me warily.


    She finally caved.


    "Sure," I nodded.


    "Fine..." Melody squinted her eyes, scheming clearly written all over her face. "There''s a charity ball


    in a few days. The CEO of All-Stars Consortium will be there in person. I have insider info on where


    he''s staying, which room at the hotel."


    "How can I trust you?" I asked, unimpressed.


    "Bring backup if you want. It''s just business, nothing shady. If I''m lying... well, you can always keep


    fighting me for Dexter," Melody spat out through clenched teeth.


    "Alright, give me the address." I reached out for the room details.


    Reluctantly, Melody pulled out her phone, typed something, and let me snap a picture.


    With the room number secured, I shed Melody a smile. "Best of luck... may you and Dexter have


    a happily ever after."


    Melody gritted her teeth. "Your sarcasm isn''t needed."


    I ignored her, my mission aplished. I had to leave the Fitzgerald estate and quickly figure out a


    way to rescue Colin.


    With the constant threat of being drugged, my life was hanging by a thread.


    After leaving the Fitzgeralds, I called Eric.


    Eric told me toy low and stay out of sight.


    I had overlooked one thing, though - Melody.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    The moment I left the Fitzgerald estate, she must have informed Henry''s people.


    So, it wasn''t long before I noticed motorbikes prowling the streets.


    I hid behind a dumpster, waiting for the gang to pass before cautiously emerging.


    Henry was after my life and my child''s. He was desperate.


    "Vroom!" Suddenly, the roar of a motorbike engine sounded from behind.


    A biker elerated wildly, aiming straight for me.


    I dodged behind amppost just in time, and the rider crashed into a telephone pole.


    The other bikers realized what happened and turned back.


    I stood still, timing it out, knowing Dexter would be following.


    "Three... two... one..."


    A ck car zoomed in, Dexter at the wheel, ramming the bikers aside and flinging open the


    passenger door. "Phoebe! Get in!"


    As a biker took a swing with a club, shattering the driver''s side window, Dexter blocked it, the club


    striking his arm. Then came a knife, thrust towards Dexter.


    "Dexter!"


    Dexter grabbed the de, his hand sliced open, but he shoved the attacker away and floored the


    elerator, taking us away from danger.


    "Why can''t you stay put at the Fitzgeralds''? Henry''s men won''t stoping after you..." Dexter''s


    voice was tinged with anxiety as he nced at me. "Are you hurt?"


    I stayed silent, looking away.


    Dexter sighed before speaking again. "Have you finished reading your parents'' journals?"


    I shook my head; there was no way to get through so many entries that quickly.


    "I saw on the news this morning. There''s been another incident at the auto shop, a stabbing. They


    poured spices on the victim, and stray dogs were chewing on him."


    I stared at Dexter in shock. Another murder in Tangle Lane, with the prime suspect already dead


    from a fall. And now, a simr crime.


    Was it a copycat, or a serial killer?


    "But what''s different this time," Dexter continued, "is that the victim didn''t die. Despite being mauled


    by stray dogs, he was still breathing when the cops found him. Not sure if he''ll make it, though."

 Chapter 305

    I blinked, confused. The cops had just broadcast that the victim was alive. Weren''t they worried that


    the perp might find out and go finish the job at the hospital?


    Or maybe the police had their own agenda.


    "Let''s head to the hospital," I murmured.


    Dexter nced at his arm and whispered, "I''m okay."


    "To the hospital," I insisted, frowning.


    With a smile, Dexter steered the car toward the hospital.


    "Phoebe." He shot me a sidelong nce. "You''re still worried about me, aren''t you? Back there..."


    I frowned at Dexter. "If it was a dog that got whacked, I''d be concerned too."


    Dexter looked like he wanted to say something but didn''t. Hisplexion wasn''t great.


    But ever since ''Phoebe'' had died, Dexter''s temper seemed to have mellowed significantly.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    If I''d made a snarkyment like that in the past, he probably would have blown his top.


    "Hanging with me, anyone from Henry''s crew who touches you is gonna have to think twice," Dexter


    said, hinting that I should stick by his side.


    I scoffed. "Being with you is the most dangerous ce to be. Guess why Henry''s goons were on me


    the second I stepped out your front door? It means there''s a snake in your house."


    Dexter''s brow furrowed. "Wendy?"


    I looked at him like he was insane. "You kidding me? Melody!"


    He chuckled. "Just messing with you."


    I thought Dexter was nuts and ignored him.


    "You did that on purpose," he spoke up again.


    "I have no idea what you''re spouting," I said, getting irritated just hearing him talk.


    "You can''t be clueless about the possibility of a traitor in the Fitzgerald family, that stepping out


    could be dangerous," Dexter said, his arm clearly paining him. Because he hadn''t bandaged it,


    blood kept dripping from his fingertips.


    I ignored him; it''s not like he was going to die.


    "You know I wouldn''t let anything happen to you." Dexter''s face was turning pale.


    He nced at me. "Phoebe, help me with this bleeding."


    Annoyed, I nced at him. "You won''t die. Let it bleed, might prevent an infection."


    Dexter''s mouth twitched. "Phoebe... you intentionally got me to take you out alone. What do you


    want to tell me?" he asked, hope in his eyes.


    I looked at Dexter, indeed wanting to tell him about Melody''s scheming.


    But knowing Dexter''s usual stubbornness, he wouldn''t believe me. It''d be a waste of breath. "You''ve


    never suspected Melody?"


    There wasplexity in Dexter''s gaze as he looked back at me, a depth in his eyes. After a long


    silence, he finally spoke. "I''m not an idiot."


    "Yeah, right," I snorted mockingly.


    He''s not an idiot, huh?


    "Watch your back," I said with no further exnation. If he had any doubts about Melody, he should


    stay alert.


    "Phoebe, the wound''s still bleeding," Dexter said, reaching out his hand to me.


    I looked at his wound and pressed some tissue against it. "There, bear with it."


    Dexterughed ruefully. "Phoebe, I don''t believe your feelings for me havepletely vanished."


    "You''re delusional. Phoebe never had much feeling for you from the get-go. She had a lover named


    Caleb. She thought you saved him, but her savior wasn''t you," I said coldly, cutting off Dexter''s


    fantasy.


    Dexter''s eyes dimmed, and he fell silent.


    The car pulled into the parking lot of Sea City Hospital before Dexter spoke again. "Phoebe, the guy


    you love isn''t Caleb. Trust me just this once. You don''t love him; you''re afraid and terrified of him.


    You once begged me to help you, to hide you from him."


    I frowned. "As if I''d trust you."


    Between Colin and Dexter, Colin seemed a tad more credible.

 Chapter 306

    "Phoebe..." Dexter''s voice carried an edge of desperation, the sting of mistrust tasted all too familiar


    now. "Why can''t you just trust me once? Caleb is dangerous, and you should be running the other


    way, not... not falling for him. He''s deceiving you, ying on the fact that you''ve forgotten your past.


    Dr. Damian told me that Caleb is a psychopath; hecks empathy, incapable of love. His mind, his


    vision, it''s all consumed by obsession¡ªnot a soul in sight."


    I tuned Dexter out. He was relentless in his bad-mouthing of Colin.


    "Foebe?" As I stepped into the hospital, Robin caught sight of me. "What happened? Are you hurt?"


    I shook my head, pointing a thumb at Dexter. "Him."


    A nurse approached to assess Dexter''s injuries and ushered him off to the treatment room.


    I whispered, "Henry''s men."


    Robin nodded in understanding. "Stay inside if you can."


    "Why are you here?"


    "There''s been another incident," Robin murmured, ncing around. "Came to check it out. The


    victim''s still hanging on, fighting for his life. The assant was sloppy, panicked¡ªdidn''t make sure


    the target was dead before dashing off, scattering spices to cover the track."


    I nodded in acknowledgment. "So if the victim wakes up, he could ID the attacker?"


    "We have already got surveince footage of the suspect, they''re moving in to arrest. I suspect


    there''s a puppet master behind all this. If the victim survives, he might just flush out the


    mastermind." Robin spoke softly. "Look."


    He shared his findings with me. "This person, another parent searching for his child, an eighteen-


    year-old gone for three years."


    I paused, looking at Robin. "Themon thread... the killers are parents driven to the brink by the


    loss of their children."


    Victim and killer were one and the same.


    "Did their kids all go missing at the same time?" I wondered aloud, suspecting these


    disappearances were connected to the shadowy figure behind it all.


    "Not at the same time, but there is amonality¡ªthe missing kids all had... issues," Robin tapped


    his temple.


    "Mentally challenged, or...?" I gasped.


    "Asperger''s syndrome," Robin checked our surroundings. "The so-called ''genius disease.'' They say


    these kids are touched by God, either geniuses or the opposite."


    Both extremes.


    I took a deep breath, facing Robin. "Asperger''s syndrome..."


    Suddenly, my head pounded as if it would explode.


    The missing children, all diagnosed with Asperger''s syndrome.


    In my parents'' journals, it was written that I too was a ''problem'' child diagnosed with Asperger''s.


    But that didn''t make sense. Aside from being a bit of a loner, I was neither a genius nor mentally


    challenged.


    I felt utterly ordinary, as in as theye.


    "Colin and Carter were alsobeled with this ''genius disease.''" Robin sat back, his toneced with


    resignation. "These geniuses are not like us. They''re lonely, misunderstood, yet they shine with


    extraordinary gifts in fields like art, math, finance, chemistry, physics..."


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    A chill crept over me, and a terrifying thought whispered through my mind.


    Was it possible that someone was exploiting these so-called child prodigies?


    What if there was an even darker conspiracy at y?


    "What business was thetest victim involved in?" I asked quietly.


    "Overseas stuff, supposedly in health supplements," Robin scoffed. "More like the head of a


    pyramid scheme, if you ask me."

 Chapter 307

    Dexter''s wound had been bandaged, and he walked over to where I stood, gazing into space.


    "Phoebe, let''s go home."


    Jolted back to reality, I shook my head. "You go back by yourself."


    The murder case was getting more convoluted by the minute.


    And Colin - God knows what state he''s in, at the mercy of Damian. Being in that mental institution...


    it''s no ce for anyone.


    "Only I can protect you." Dexter frowned, gripping my wrist. "Don''t be stubborn."


    "I don''t want to go back with you right now." I wrenched my hand away from his.


    Going back meant facing Melody, and just the thought of her made my blood boil. I had to figure out


    a way to attend the charity g tomorrow. eded to meet the president of the All-Stars


    Consortium.


    "Did you ask Melody about the president of the All-Stars Consortium?" Dexter threatened, seeing


    my defiance.


    I knew it.


    I looked up at him, a sardonic smile ying on my lips. "Oh, trust Melody to be the queen of


    gossip."


    "You know your chances are better if I introduce you," Dexter said with a grave tone.


    The mention of the All-Stars Consortium president cast a shadow over him. He was jealous, and he


    harbored resentment towards the man who had always refused to meet him, not even giving him


    the courtesy of acknowledgment.


    Yet, ironically, he had once been obliged to help him.


    Dexter felt slighted.


    "And why would you be so generous?" I scoffed.


    "Come home, stay by my side, and I''ll make the introduction," he insisted.


    With a frown, I knew I had topromise.


    "Foebe," Robin called out, approaching with his phone in hand. "That guy Carl dropped the charges.


    He admitted to provoking Colin. The cop handling the case is a buddy of mine. I spoke to him, and


    he agreed to issue a letter of forgiveness and bring Colin home."


    A wave of relief washed over me. "Really?"


    Robin nodded. "Yeah."


    Excited, I grabbed his arm. "Let''s go get him then!"


    Dexter watched me, his gazeplex, and let out a cynical chuckle.


    Robin shook his head. "It''s not that simple. There''s a process. Don''t rush it. I''ll push things along on


    my end."


    I nodded. Even if Colin got out, I still needed to meet the All-Stars Consortium president. He was


    the only one who could ensure safety for Colin and me. Coborating with this enigmatic tycoon


    could secure Colin''s footing in the Langley family.


    ...


    Dexter and I went home. His driver took us back, and we sat in silence in the backseat.


    He nced at me several times, as if holding back words.


    "Phoebe, you should finish reading your parents'' journals."


    I stayed quiet, already nning to do so.


    "Tomorrow''s charity g... Caleb''s been invited, but with him in the psychiatric ward, and you as his


    date, you can''t attend without him," Dexter remarked.


    Suspicious, I watched him, wondering what kind of threat he was cooking up now.


    "I''m also on the guest list. You could attend as my date," he offered, extending an olive branch.


    I snorted, looking at Melody waiting in the yard, her anxiety and concern palpable. "And if I''m your


    date, what about Melody?"


    Dexter frowned and stayed silent.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    As soon as the car stopped, Melody rushed over, tears brimming in her eyes. "Dexter, I heard you


    were hurt, what happened...?"


    "It''s nothing." Dexter kept his distance from Melody.


    "Dexter... about the g tomorrow, you promised I could go with you. The dress has arrived, should


    we give it a try?" Melody hurriedly said, fearing he might change his mind.


    Clearly, Dexter had made promises to Melody before. He had mademitments to her, yet here


    he was, offering me that same olive branch. What a sleaze.


    I huffed and turned to leave.


    "Phoebe..." Dexter caught my wrist, facing Melody. "Sorry, but I have to take Phoebe with me."

 Chapter 308

    I was pretty surprised by Dexter''s cold shoulder towards Melody today.


    Melody was a ghostly shade of pale, frantically trying to use Dexter as her ticket to high society.


    Looks like her ns went down the drain, huh?


    "Dexter... you already promised me." Melody''s eyes were red and watery as she spoke.


    Dexter remained silent, offering no exnation.


    I struggled to break free from Dexter''s grip, but he wouldn''t let go. "Phoebe, whether you get to


    meet the president of the All-Stars Consortium at tomorrow''s charity g depends on you ying


    ball today."


    He was obviously running out of patience. "Who else in Sea City could take you to the g but


    me?"


    I looked at Dexter. "So, what''s it gonna be? You nning on taking us both? Dream on."


    Dexter''s hand on my wrist tightened. "I''m taking you."


    Melody turned and ran off crying.


    I scoffed. "I''m not exactly dying for it."


    "Do you have any other options?" Dexter asked me.


    To be honest, I didn''t.


    "Alright, Mr. Fitzgerald, take me. What''s your angle?" I eyed Dexter; he wasn''t the type to do


    something for nothing.


    "Don''t give me that attitude. Phoebe..." Dexter pleaded.


    "How should I act towards you, then?"


    "Like before, okay?" Dexter''s voice was filled with desperation.


    "Ha... Please you like before, huh?" Iughed. "Fine, just wait."


    I wrenched my hand away and left him standing there.


    It just goes to show you''ve got to have a backup n in life.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Dexter had already burned all his bridges with me.


    ...


    Back in my room.


    I flopped onto the bed and continued to scroll through my parents'' journal.


    "Today, Phoebe fit in with the other kids, so happy."


    "Marking down Phoebe''s first group picture."


    "Phoebe and Howler."


    "Phoebe''s getting clingier with Howler. Howler only listens to her."


    "Some kid deliberately brought a hardcore guard dog and scared Phoebe. Howler got hurt


    protecting her."


    Most of the entries were about me and Howler growing up.


    "Today, Phoebe hid in the orphanage, and her dad couldn''t find her. He almost had a heart attack.


    That little rascal."


    "Phoebe made some friends!"


    It was obvious my parents were thrilled back then.


    In the photos, there''s little me with Colin and Carter, squatting in the bushes on the yground, up


    to who knows what.


    "Phoebe, if a worm gets cut in half, it can grow back. Why can''t people?"


    "When people die, they''re really gone."


    "What about souls? Could they exist in another form? Could we capture them somehow and put


    them back in a body?"


    Suddenly, my head starts pounding again, a voice exploding in my skull.


    Who brought up that topic?


    Was it Colin?


    Someone was banging on the door outside, and it was not for a friendly visit.


    "Foebe! Get out here!" It was Melody.


    Looked like Dexter''s out; he''d never let Melody barge in like this.


    I didn''t feel like dealing with her. Iy in bed with a splitting headache, forcing myself to remember


    something.


    Suddenly, the window stirred, the curtains billowing with the wind.


    Instinctively, I looked up to catch a glimpse of a face peering in, those big innocent eyes filled with


    hurt staring at me.


    "Phoebe..."


    My heart clenches, I jump to my feet as if electrified, rubbing my eyes.


    Was it just my imagination?

 Chapter 309

    He was only peeking his head halfway through, a look of distress in his eyes.


    I rubbed my eyes to make sure it wasn''t just a trick of the light, and then I darted over in a panic.


    "Colin..."


    Seeing how frightened I was, he mustered his strength, pushed himself up on the windowsill, and


    leaped inside.


    I gotta admit, it was kinda cool.


    For a moment, it was like being whisked back to my teenage years. This scene used to unfold quite


    often in the past, it seems. I''d just forgotten.


    "How did you... break out?" I cradled Colin''s face in my hands, examining him closely.


    There were bruises at the corners of his mouth and eyes, and marks on his Adam''s apple where


    he''d clearly been choked. He had been bound...


    I checked him all over frantically, finding red marks on his wrists and ankles, scars on his arms.


    Panic surged through me, and I reached to lift his hoodie, only to have Colin grasp my hands.


    His voice was still hoarse, tinged with a hint of vulnerability. "Phoebe... they wouldn''t let me see


    you."


    Tears welled up in my eyes as I whispered, "Let me look..."


    Colin lowered his gaze, slowly releasing my hands.


    I lifted his shirt to find burn marks from electric shocks on his well-defined abs. They were just


    reddened, but they hinted at the kind of ''treatment'' he had endured in the mental hospital.


    "What have they done to you?" I asked, gripping his hand tightly. "You..."


    I was actually scared. Scared that Damian had brainwashed Colin and that he wouldn''t recognize


    me anymore.


    But Colin just shook his head and pulled me into his arms, his voice trembling. "Phoebe... I missed


    you."


    I clutched Colin''s hand, not wanting to waste another second. "Let''s go home."


    "Phoebe..." His grip on my hand tightened. "They know I''de to you."


    My heart sank, realizing Colin had escaped.


    "Carl''s dropped the charges. We could''ve gotten you out soon. Why take the risk to escape?" I


    murmured, aware of the odds he faced, the injuries he''d suffered.


    Colin''s hold on me grew firmer. "I was afraid..."


    Afraid of what?


    "If the body is just a vessel for the soul... I was afraid..." Colin''s voice was rough with emotion.


    When the soul can''t control the body, it bes a source of pain and vulnerability.


    And psychiatrists always have drugs and methods to make patients¡ªor even sane people¡ªlose


    control of their bodies.


    Like anesthetics... or mind-altering substances like GHB, the so-calledpliance drug.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "Phoebe..." He was calling my name, but I could hear the panic in his voice.


    "What have they done to you?" My voice shook as I scrutinized his arms, spotting numerous needle


    marks.


    That bastard Damian...


    Just because Colin wasbeled ''mentally ill,'' Damian felt he could use mind-altering drugs without


    restraint.


    And it was all legal.


    "Phoebe..." Colin cupped my face as if to etch my image into his soul.


    Even though he said nothing, I knew he was fighting to remember me, struggling to imprint me onto


    his very essence.


    Damian had likely already begun his process, using his methods to control Colin, trying to make him


    compliant, trying to bind him with something.


    Just like Damian told Melody that night, he had ways to make Caleb obey. As if he could control


    anyone he wanted to.


    "Don''t let it get to you." I held his wrist tightly.


    Don''t let the drugs affect you. But how can an ordinary person''s will stand against pharmaceuticals?


    It''s impossible.


    "Phoebe..." His breathing was bingbored.


    I stood on tiptoe, cradling Colin''s head, our foreheads touching. "You won''t forget me, will you?"


    Colin was silent for a long time before shaking his head. "I won''t..."


    He wouldn''t forget, nor fail to recognize me.


    "Phoebe, trust me." Colin was trying hard to make me believe him.

 Chapter 310

    "Alright," I nodded, my voice firm but lighthearted, like I was agreeing to some everyday n


    instead of a pact of trust.


    I believe in you.


    "Let''s head back home," I murmured, trying to make my tone sound casual and hopeful.


    Colin''s fingers were trembling - a telltale sign he was nearing his limit. As we stepped outside, right


    on cue, Dexter and the people from the mental health sanatorium arrived.


    Talk about perfect timing.


    "He escaped. I figured he''de to you," Dexter said, his brow furrowed in concern, his voice deep


    and his gaze on Colin icy.


    "Carl''s dropped the charges, and the paperwork''s almost through. I''m taking him back home. We


    don''t need any hospital treatment!" My grip on Colin''s hand tightened, silently vowing to myself.


    I''m not letting anyone take him away again.


    "Sorry, we have our protocols at the clinic," Damian interjected, strolling in with an air of


    nonchnce, as though he''d let a pet slip away on purpose, only to reel it back in at his leisure.


    He gave Colin a meaningful look and smiled. "Colin, it''s time to return. Have you forgotten our


    conversation?"


    Instinctively, I nced back at Colin. "Don''t listen to him, don''t even look..."


    I had this nagging feeling Damian was hypnotizing Colin.


    Colin''s grip faltered, his hand slowly unsping from mine.


    My heart raced, panic-stricken, I shook my head furiously at Colin.


    "Damian, you bastard, what have you done to him!" In a frenzy, I lunged at Damian, only to be


    yanked back by the cor of my shirt.


    I turned, shocked and scared, to face Colin. He pulled me into his embrace, holding on stubbornly.


    It seemed like he was about to copse, yet protecting me was his primal instinct.


    Tears stung my eyes as I faced Damian again. "You''re insane..."


    Damian frowned, apparently taken aback himself. He whispered to his colleague, "What dosage?"


    "We increased the meds..." the doctor replied anxiously.


    Damian checked the time.


    "Heh..." A coldugh escaped his lips. "Once gamma-hydroxybutyrate enters the system, the


    chemicals induce prization in neurons, altering the electrical charges inside the cell membrane..."


    My breath trembled as I watched him warily.


    "It leads to ion channel blockage, slowing downmunication between the brain and central


    nervous system... In a matter of minutes, a normal person would be like someone intoxicated - brain


    activity decreases, bodily sensations suppressed..."


    I clenched my fists, my eyes red as I turned back to Colin. He was unsteady on his feet, leaning on


    me for support, yet fiercely protective, his eyes bloodshot.


    "As his blood sugar rises, his breathing will slow, deepen, his heartbeat beginning to decelerate..."


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Damian calmly narrated the expected effects on Colin.


    "But him, after being medicated at the sanatorium and escaping... finding you... that''s twenty-three


    minutes."


    Damian was shocked by Colin''s control over his body and his intense mental focus.


    For Damian, this was a terrifying phenomenon because no ordinary human can withstand chemical


    substances.


    Injected with a high dose, a person enters a dizzying state, slowly losing intellect and memory, like a


    senseless infant. Completely at the mercy of others...


    And during Colin''s time at the sanatorium, Damian had done more than just medicate him. There


    were psychological interventions, mental disruptions, and hypnotherapy.


    "I''m curious to see how long he canst," Damian said, a sudden interest sparking in him as he


    waved off his colleagues from seizing Colin. He shed me a grin, ncing at his watch. "Colin,


    come here."


    His voice was like the ring of Pavlov''s bell in an experiment, designed topel someone losing


    consciousness to obey.


    I knew Damian was taunting me.


    He wanted me to realize that human emotions could never triumph over chemical substances.

 Chapter 311

    "Dr. Damian..." The doctor beside him was clearly ufortable; what was happening seemed


    fundamentally inhumane.


    Any doctor with a shred of conscience wouldn''t want to torment a patient with mental illness.


    Colin was a patient, but he was also a human being.


    The other doctors averted their eyes, simmering with anger but silent in their protest.


    At Sea City Mental Health Sanatorium, next to the director, was Damian. And since Damian was


    married to the director''s daughter, he was essentially the most powerful and influential person there.


    No one dared to challenge him.


    No one dared to question him.


    Damian nced coldly at the hesitant doctor. "This kind of experimental data is a rare opportunity."


    I gripped Colin''s hand tightly, ring at Damian with fury. "You''re the real monster here."


    Damian simply looked at me, his expression unreadable.


    Nearby, Dexter seemed to realize something was off with Colin. "Dr. Damian, you just need to get


    him back quickly. There''s no need for¡ª"


    "Dexter," Melody, with tears in her eyes, interrupted before he could finish. "Dexter, when Caleb


    loses it, it''s terrifying. Let''s not interfere; the doctors must have their reasons."


    Dexter frowned, ncing at me subconsciously. It was as if he was searching for a plea in my eyes.


    As if my asking would prompt him to keep advocating for me.


    But I didn''t ask.


    I just held Colin''s hand tighter. "Can you hold on? Shall we go home?"


    Colin''s breathing becamebored, his gaze losing focus.


    He seemed like a walking corpse, numb... soulless.


    Chemical restraints could imprison his spirit, paralyze his body...


    Damian''s mouth curled into a smirk as he saw the drugs taking effect.


    "Colin,e here," hemanded again.


    His voice was tinged with excitement, as if conducting some macabre experiment.


    Colin stiffened, wincing slightly, as if fighting an intense internal battle. He let go of my protective


    hand.


    In that moment, my eyes filled with tears. I clung to him helplessly, not wanting to let the drugs take


    hold, knowing it was futile, that it wasn''t his choice.


    "Colin, push her away, ande back with me," Damian ordered once more.


    Colin pushed me away and walked forward.


    The others at the mental health center exhaled in relief. It seemed there was nothing unusual after


    all, just a patient with stronger resistance to medication than most.


    Damian''s smirk widened as he looked at me with a challenging gaze. "Dexter, take care of your


    girl."


    He was warning Dexter to keep me in line.


    Dexter stepped forward, trying to take my hand. "Phoebe... He should go back and continue his


    treatment."


    "Do you know what the most effective treatment for the mentally ill in mid-20th-century Europe


    was?" Damian turned back, deliberately provoking me.


    I clenched my fists tightly.


    "Lobotomies..." He pointed to his own head.


    "Damian! I''ll kill you!" I charged at him, ovee with a rage so raw I truly wanted to hurt him.


    Dexter caught me in his arms, restraining me. "Phoebe! Calm down."


    I knew Damian was taunting me. He had no right to subject Colin to such a procedure, but still, I


    was terrified. The lengths these people would go to, thew meant nothing to them.


    Then it hit me, what Colin had said before: We tried to run, but we failed.


    The "run" he spoke of, the enemy he feared, might not be human at all, but these chemicals that


    could control the body, the nerves, and the cells.


    Like no one can fight off anesthesia, not even wild animals.


    "Phoebe, he''s mentally ill, and the sanatorium is where he belongs. Don''t let him out to harm


    others," Melody sneered, looking at me as if she had won.


    I must have been in shock; my breathing rapid, I shoved Dexter away.


    My memory nked out.


    Just like before, when I came to, everyone was staring at me in horror.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    My hands were numb with pain, shaking uncontrobly.


    I had smashed the ss, letting the shards cut through my hands.


    Standing there, bloodied, I called out to Colin with a trembling voice. "Colin, let''s go home."


    Numbly following Damian, he suddenly stopped at the scent of blood.


    If protecting me was his instinct, if I hurt myself, could it bring him back to his senses?


    "Phoebe!" Dexter looked at me in panic, calling for Wendy to get the first aid kit.


    I pushed Dexter away, reaching for the ss on the floor again. "Colin! Come home with me."

 Chapter 312

    As I clutched a shard of ss, ready to plunge it into my own throat, Colin''s hand shot up, seizing


    the bloody fragment from my grasp.


    "Madness, sheer madness..." Melody stumbled backward in terror, her legs giving out beneath her


    as she copsed to the ground, unconscious.


    Blood trickled from her forehead.


    Only then did it hit me¡ªI had dragged her by her hair, using her head to shatter the ss.


    "Ms. Burton!" The butler cried out in rm.


    Dexter, too panicked to care for decorum, rushed to Melody''s side to assess her condition.


    I couldn''t care less about Melody''s fate. My hands trembling, I cradled Colin''s face, pressing my


    forehead against his, and whispered, "Colin, let''s go home..."


    Damian''s face was a mask of disbelief, his gaze icy as it fixed on Colin and me. Then, he burst into


    crazedughter.


    Outside the courtyard, a car screeched to a halt. It was Robin, Ste, and Finn rushing to the scene.


    Finn nced at the blood on Colin''s and my hands, his anger palpable as he brandished some


    documents. "Carl has dropped the charges. Colin''s violent outburst was provoked! We don''t believe


    hecks the capacity to control his own actions! He is still a person with rights, and his guardian will


    decide where he goes!"


    A wave of relief washed over me¡ªwe were saved atst.


    I had sent a message to Robin earlier, never expecting Finn toe to Colin''s aid...N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "Phoebe..." Ste ran over, panic-stricken at the sight of my hands.


    I gave her a reassuring smile and shook my head.


    Finally... we had won a battle.


    Before Damian could smugly take Colin away, our people arrived.


    Damian cast me a chilly nce, the smirk on his lips as if to say we could never escape.


    "What''s wrong with him?" Finn stepped forward, examining Colin before frowning in concern. "That


    lunatic... he''s drugged him."


    Finn''s fury rose, and hended a punch on Damian. "The person in need of psychiatric help is you!


    Who gave you permission to drug him?"


    Damian wiped the blood from his mouth with a sneer. "If you believe our medical practices are


    inappropriate, feel free to report us to the health department or any other authority."


    Finn gritted his teeth. "Don''t worry, I will."


    Damian chuckled confidently and walked away, certain that all his actions and treatments were


    justified.


    "Colin, let''s go home..." I took Colin''s hand.


    He followed me, his eyes void of life but obedientlypliant.


    He was like... a docile puppet.


    "Phoebe!" Dexter, anxious as he carried Melody to the hospital, called out my name, not wanting


    me to leave with Colin.


    "Take care of yourself and the woman in your arms. Next time, it won''t be as simple as using her


    head to break ss," I warned coldly, leading Colin to the car.


    "Hey, I hear that drug makes people superpliant, and they''ll do anything you say," Finn said as


    he got into the car, eyeing Colin with interest as if amused by the situation. "Caleb, even you have


    your days. Be a good boy and call me ''boss.''"


    I rubbed my temples, annoyed at Finn, but let it slide considering he had punched Damian for us.


    But he was pushing it, taking advantage of Colin''s drugged state to pinch his face.


    "I''ve always been jealous of you, genius, and so damn attractive. Let me have a feel," Finn


    muttered. "It''s now or never."


    "Agh!" Then, a scream erupted from the car as Colin bit down hard on Finn''s hand, refusing to let


    go.


    Startled, I quickly tried to pry Colin''s jaw open. "Colin, easy, you''re going to break his fingers..."


    Finn was in tears, cursing up a storm. "Damn it! Is that freak Damian''s drug expired or what? Let go!


    Caleb, I swear..."


    "Alright, alright, you''re the boss, Caleb. My mistake! Let go, boss!"


    I felt a mix of concern for Colin and amusement at Finn''s antics, even as tears streamed down, I


    couldn''t help butugh.


    This time, we had won.


    But what about next time?


    I hugged Colin tightly.


    Colin, what must I do to keep you safe?


    "Crash!"


    Suddenly, a truck barreled out of an alley, timing its charge perfectly to ram into us.


    In that instant, Colin instinctively pulled me into his arms, shielding me.


    My breath grew erratic, my consciousness began to blur.


    Protecting me had truly be Colin''s instinct.


    Colin...

 Chapter 313

    "Shit..."


    When our car got hit, I could still hear Robin cursing through gritted teeth.


    There was a warm sensation on my face, and as I lifted my head, I caught sight of Colin''s face.


    He was shielding me, holding me tight, blood from his forehead trickling down his chin and dripping


    onto my face.


    "Colin..."


    He might have been out of it because of the drugs, his consciousness blurred.


    "Robin, they had more people!" The voice seemed distant, Finn''s anxious tone reaching my ears.


    A dozen guys jumped out of the van that rammed us, and it was clear that they were gunning for


    Colin and me.


    "Colin..." Panic set in, and I called out Colin''s name with a trembling voice.


    "Bang!"


    The crumpled car door was yanked open with brute force, trapping Finn and Robin, leaving them


    unable to escape.


    "What the hell did you want? You are attacking the police!" Finn yelled, fury in his voice, but our


    assants were obviously not intimidated.


    Colin and I were dragged out of the car, my vision blurring with the blood in my eyes.


    "Colin..."


    Suddenly, someone struck me from behind, a loud ringing filled my ears, and my consciousness


    started to slip away.


    ...


    "Colin..."


    When I came to, my head was pounding with pain. I shouted Colin''s name, but couldn''t make out


    anything in the dimness.


    "Click."


    Abruptly, the warehouse lights flickered on.


    I saw the figure walking in.


    It was Julian Langley of all people.


    Well, well... looks like he had been sprung from the mmer. Henry must''ve pulled some strings.


    Julian was notorious for holding grudges, and I bet he had been stewing, just waiting for his chance


    tosh out.


    My head was killing me, and I anxiously scanned my surroundings.


    The bastard had tied my hands and feet; there was no chance of escape now.


    "Bring in the man," Julianmanded with a steely voice, gripping my chin.


    Behind him, they dragged in Colin, covered in blood, and threw him to the side. He must still have


    been under the influence of the drugs, still unconscious.


    "Julian!" I screamed uncontrobly, desperate to check on Colin.


    "Such a pity..." Julian yanked my hair, hisugh bordering on hysterical. "To fall for a madman, truly


    a waste."


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    "Julian! This is outright kidnapping..."


    Julian pped me hard, and I was thrown to the ground. The world went dark, and my ears started


    to ring again.


    "Phoebe..." They revived Colin with a ssh of cold water, and he called out my name.


    Knowing Colin was drugged and injured, they didn''t bother to tie him up. Instead, they just pressed


    his head to the ground.


    "Let him go." I screamed in panic, praying Robin and Finn would find us soon.


    Even if Julian had gone off the deep end, he wouldn''t dare strike at the cops. Robin and Finn had to


    find this ce.


    "Caleb, you''ve been ying a deep game, haven''t you?" Julian sneered, picking up a bat from the


    floor and striking Colin''s back with it. "Hooking up with Eric behind the scenes? Draining the


    Langley family dry, taking control for yourself... and you had the guts to nt a mole by my side,


    betraying me!"


    Juliannded another blow on Colin.


    "I''m telling you, if you push me too far, if I can''t live, neither will you!" Julian was beyond reason


    now.


    "Stop it! Let him go!" I couldn''t control my tears, pinned to the ground.


    Colin was already hurt, and if this continued, he might not survive.


    Colin spat out blood, his gaze on Julian icy cold.


    "Colin..." I cried out his name.


    He struggled with all his might butcked the strength to break free for now. He looked at me with a


    mix of pain and determination, clenching his fists hard, willing his strength to return.


    "Thought you were tough, huh? Come on, show me some of that swagger now, let me see it," Julian


    flicked his cigarette away and kicked Colin viciously.

 Chapter 314

    Tears streamed down my face as I shook my head, my heart aching for Colin.


    "Do you know why... Henry bailed you out but refuses to let you near the Langley Group?" Colin''s


    laughter was cold, tinged with a trace of bitterness.


    His arms were restrained, the blood at the corner of his mouth a stark contrast to his pallid


    complexion.


    "Because... aside from you, he has another son, a shining star in finance from Sea City State


    University, the real... clean, unblemished heir," Colin said, hisughter taking on a carnivorous


    edge.


    From the start, Julian was just a pawn Henry was prepared to sacrifice.


    I wasn''t fully clued in on the Langley family dynamics, but Julian''s sudden breakdown, his


    aggression towards me and Colin, must have been sparked by something.


    If Henry''s people were behind this, they would have just killed us in the car crash, not gone to the


    trouble of kidnapping us.


    "So the old man''s sacrificing his pawn to save his king, huh... Thinks he can pin all the sins on me?"


    Julian sneered.


    Clearly, he had realized he was just a pawn.


    "All this was your doing, wasn''t it? Deliberately fanning the mes of discord within the Langley


    family, pushing us to take out Samuel Langley, to take out Brendan Langley... Then sitting back as


    father and son tore each other apart... watching the Langley family crumble bit by bit," Julian said,


    stepping back with an epiphany, his eyes wide with a mix of realization and fear as he gazed at


    Colin.


    Was he actually afraid of Colin?


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Impossible. Colin was a drifter all this time...


    "You truly are insane." Julian''s eyes were thick with fear as he gripped his bat tighter. "All I have to


    do is kill you, and it''s over."


    I watched Julian in horror, wriggling desperately, my hands working the ropes behind my back.


    "Julian! What are you thinking? Colin''s been drifting; he couldn''t possibly have plotted against you!


    The Langley family has reaped what they''ve sown, so why me Colin? Don''t hurt him!"


    Julian let out a coldugh, nced my way, and yanked my hair. "Since he''s a madman, I''m curious


    if he has any weaknesses."


    A flicker of panic crossed Colin''s eyes as he struggled violently. "Julian! It''s me you want. I


    masterminded this, and I targeted the Langley family. Come at me!"


    Julian''sugh was tinged with madness, theugh of a man who knew he was cornered. Without


    the Langley Group tounder his image, he''d always remain Henry''s dark pawn, forever in service


    to Henry''s legitimate offspring.


    Was he expected to live on the edge of a knife, all for the illegitimate son''s glory? Hell no!


    "You care about the baby she''s carrying, don''t you?" Julian''s bat hovered over my stomach.


    My breath caught in terror at the sight of Julian.


    Colin thrashed like a cornered beast on a fierce surge of adrenaline. "Julian... touch her and I


    swear, I swear I''ll make you wish you were dead."


    Julian raised an eyebrow. "Show me what you''ve got."


    He raised the bat high and brought it down with a brutal force towards my stomach.


    "Julian!"


    Colin, like a crazed animal breaking free, knocked the hands off him, his face a ghastly white


    smeared with blood, andnded a punch square on Julian¡¯s face.


    "Impossible..." Julian muttered in disbelief as Colin punched him.


    Colin was supposed to be drugged, powerless to resist or struggle.


    I was in so much pain that I couldn''t speak, curling up, my forehead slick with cold sweat.


    Tears had soaked my cheeks without my noticing, as I gasped for breath, desperately trying to calm


    myself down.


    I knew the baby was gone.

 Chapter 315

    "Colin..." My voice was hoarse as I called out his name.


    He wasnding punch after punch on Julian''s face,pletely unhinged.


    The thugs were petrified by Colin''s ferocity; those who tried to intervene were swiftly knocked to the


    ground by his baton.


    In that moment, he was a beast stripped of humanity, driven only by a primal urge to kill them all.


    "Colin..." I called his name again, desperate to snap him back to sanity.


    Thest thing I wanted was for him to be dragged back to some psychiatric ward.


    Perhaps he heard my plea, because Colin''s body stiffened and he dropped the baton, stumbling


    towards me drenched in blood.


    He copsed, pulling me into a fierce embrace, shielding my eyes with his hands, shaking and


    bewildered like a child who knew he''d done wrong. "Phoebe... don''t... don''t look, please don''t


    look..."


    Tears streamed down my face as my dress soaked up the blood.


    "My stomach... it hurts so much."


    Was I destined to never have a child?


    At first, I only wanted this baby to secure an heir for the Langley family, to wield the Langley power


    and Brendan''s social standing to do what I wanted. To escape that room, to unearth the truth...


    But gradually, as a mother-to-be attending prenatal checkups, I began to ept and even anticipate


    the arrival of this little one.


    Instinctively shielding my belly in times of danger, tapping into every maternal instinct to protect him.


    But now, I feared I could no longer protect this little life.


    "Phoebe..."


    My consciousness was slipping away; I could feel Colin trembling.


    His voice wasced with sobs and grievance.


    I couldn''t fathom why fate was so cruel to him and why he had to endure so much pain.


    And now, to witness his own flesh and blood slowly slipping away...


    What would it take for him to just live a peaceful life?


    Where did it all go wrong?


    "Colin... what are you doing? Are you trying to kill him?" I watched as Colin set me down, picked up


    the baton, and advanced towards Julian, who was too battered to rise.


    Panic etched across Julian''s face as he attempted to fight back.


    But Colin, not only was he ruthless, but he was also skilled, each strike targeting the most


    vulnerable spots.


    Julian''s henchmen were down for the count; no one could save him now.


    "Caleb... you can''t kill me... ah!"


    A scream shattered the air.


    I struggled to reach out, to stop Colin, but the pain left me speechless.


    "Phoebe! Caleb!"


    The warehouse door burst open, and Finn and Robin had finally arrived.


    Without so much as a nce back, Colin delivered a brutal blow to Julian''s head with the baton.


    "Colin..." I cried out, lifting my hand, but then darkness enveloped me.


    ...


    I didn''t know how long I''d been unconscious.


    In my dreams, I saw a baby being taken away.


    I screamed and cried, desperate to hold my child again, but the kidnapper moved swiftly, and no


    matter how hard I tried, I couldn''t catch up; I could only watch helplessly as they vanished.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Colin, I hate myself. I should be the one to die."


    "Colin, this is my retribution."


    "Colin, I''ve killed them all. Can you hide me, please?"


    "Colin... I''m scared."


    Throughout the dream, I seemed to be calling out for Colin. I said I had killed; I saw my hands


    stained with blood.


    "How can I save them..."


    "Colin, we can''t run away. Even if we do, guilt and nightmares will chase us to the ends of the earth.


    Colin... I was wrong. I made a mistake, and I must pay the price. So, I can''t escape."


    My fingers trembled as they touched Colin''s face in the dream.


    His features were clear but pale.


    "Don''t die, please."


    "Phoebe, don''t leave me alone."


    "Phoebe..."


    "Colin!"


    In the dream, I screamed his name as I watched him lying in a pool of blood, slowly fading away.


    I woke up in terror, my breathing ragged as I stared at the ceiling.


    I was in a hospital.


    "Colin..." My eyes frantically searched the room.

 Chapter 316

    Robin was jolted awake by my voice, his eyes snapping open in rm.


    Injury marred his features, with bandages wrapped around his head and arm. "Foebe!"


    "Colin..." My voice came out hoarse, calling for Colin.


    "He''s fine, just the medication and his injuries put him out for a while. Woke up once and then


    passed out again. The doctor said to let him sleep it off," Robin hurried to reassure me.


    I sighed with relief, my fingers icy as they clutched Robin''s hand. "The baby..."


    Robin hesitated, his eyes dropping guiltily.


    His silence was all the confirmation eded... I had lost the child.


    "But... losing the baby meant saving Colin," Robin murmured, rubbing his temples.


    Tears burned in my eyes, my voice choking up. "Colin..."


    "Julian''s dead."


    Robin''s voice was barely a whisper.


    Julian caused a car crash, a kidnapping, and then, in front of Colin, he had done the unthinkable to


    our unborn child. To protect me, Colin had been forced to act decisively.


    "There''s something else... Henry yed a ruthless hand, pinning all the Langley family''s dirty ck-


    market dealings on Julian. For all those criminal activities the police had been sniffing around for


    years, they''ve been washed clean with Julian''s death. It also means that Henry will fight tooth and


    nail against you for control of the Langley Group."


    Robin was visibly agitated.


    Corporate battles were dark affairs¡ªbloodless killings, using one enemy to destroy another.


    "With the baby gone, the Langley heir is gone. With Colin''s condition, you know how hard it would


    be for him to take over the Langley Group. It can only mean that, for now, Henry will have to


    manage it, and slowly..." Robin concluded that this round, Henry had won.


    I clenched my fists tightly, taking a deep breath. "He thinks he can profit from my child''s death just


    like that? He''s dreaming."


    "I advise you, don''t go head-to-head with him. You and Colin don''t have the power to resist," Robin


    believed Colin and I were too vulnerable.


    "There is another way..." My voice was raspy as I looked at Robin. "What time is it now?"


    "What are you nning?" He watched me anxiously.


    "The charity g in Sea City''s business district... When does it start?" I tried to sit up, feeling a


    tremendous wave of dizziness.


    That blow to my head had given me a concussion.


    "Have you lost your mind? You''ve just had a miscarriage surgery, and you have a concussion! What


    do you think you''re doing?"


    Robin tried to stop me in panic.


    I shook my head. "I have to go..."


    I had to meet with the president of the All-Stars Consortium.


    "Why?" Robin frowned.


    "I have to protect Colin..." My eyes reddened as I looked at him. "I have to protect Colin."


    I had already lost our child; I couldn''t lose Colin too. I couldn''t stand by and watch him be bullied,


    hurt, and exploited any longer.


    "I don''t want to continue like this... defenseless, powerless, without any leverage, allowing everyone


    to bully and hurt us."


    I lost control of my emotions as I faced Robin, tears spinning in my eyes. "I can''t just watch them


    take Colin away! I want to protect him."


    "I''ll take you there." Ste''s voice came from the doorway. Her eyes were red as she held a meal


    box, speaking softly again. "The charity g starts in three hours. You need to eat something first."


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I looked at Ste, managing a silent, grateful smile.


    She understood me.


    Robin frowned. "You''re being reckless too..."


    "Do you think that if they give up, step back, and make concessions, Henry will let them be? Today,


    he took the child from Phoebe''s womb; tomorrow, he could take Colin''s life! As long as Colin''s alive,


    they could have another child, right?" Ste shouted at Robin.


    Robin fell silent. "Alright... I understand. Don''t catch a cold, ande back immediately if you feel


    unwell. I''ll drive you both."

 Chapter 317

    "Phoebe..." Colin woke with a start, his face ghostly pale enough to frighten a ghost.


    "Phoebe!" Colin sat up in a panic, reaching to yank the IV from his arm.


    "Caleb, have you lost your mind?" Finn stepped forward to stop Colin, his voice tinged with anger.


    "You better chill out!"


    Finn''s fingers were wrapped in gauze, clearly bitten badly during the car ride.


    "Get lost!" Colin pushed Finn away, ripping out the IV recklessly, desperate to escape the room.


    "Caleb, there''s a limit to madness!" Finn shoved Colin back with force.


    Colin red at Finn. "You promised you''d keep her safe for me¡ªthat''s the only reason I agreed to


    your n!"


    Colin''s voice trembled as he grabbed Finn''s cor, his blood-stained fingersnding a punch on


    Finn''s face.


    Now what? Their child was gone...


    Finn hit the floor, wiping blood from his lip, a hint of guilt in his tone. "I... I messed up, okay? You


    bolted from the psych ward so unexpectedly, and I was caught off guard. I couldn''t prep in time. I


    never figured Julian would lose his marbles after a few jabs from Henry and go off half-cocked after


    you and Foebe..."


    "You should be dead too." Colin was beyond control, seizing Finn''s cor for another punch.


    Finn felt wronged too. "It was you who wanted to clear your name. You used to be all gung-ho for


    Phoebe, and now you''ve gone off the deep end for a fake..."


    Colin punched Finn again.


    "Stop it... I''m sorry, okay? This one''s on me. I owe you. Not the face!"


    I stood at the doorway, my fingers tingling numbly.


    Finn had sent Colin to the psych ward?


    Colin, what all had he done for me?


    "Colin..." My voice was a hoarse whisper as I called his name.


    Colin froze, his gaze lifting to mine in a daze, then dropped, fear and longing mixing in his eyes.


    He clearly wanted to rush over and hold me, yet feared I''d me him, his head bowed in silence.


    I walked over, ignoring Finn''s swollen face, my voice choked. "Colin, hold me."


    Colin''s eyes brimmed red in an instant. He stood, and as I opened my arms, he pulled me fiercely


    into his embrace, holding me tight.


    Finn tried to exin but found himself on the receiving end of a kick from both Robin and Ste,


    who dragged him out by the cor.


    The door to the room closed, leaving us in the quiet, sealed space, listening to each other''s


    heartbeat.


    "Phoebe, I''m sorry, it''s all my fault," Colin said, full of self-me, gripping me tightly, hating himself


    for not protecting me.


    The unexpected can strike at any moment, and such is life¡ªfull of unforeseen turns.


    Yet we can''t let the unexpected halt our progress.


    "Colin, we have to keep living." I said softly, patting his back. "The child... was just the first warning


    from Henry."


    Old foxes are craftiest, and Henry had shown his cunning and ruthlessness by using one of his


    unscrupulous sons as a pawn despite the adage ''a tiger never eats its cubs.''


    "Even if Henry now takes over the Langley Group, the shares of the group are still firmly in our


    hands," I took a deep breath, looking up at Colin. "We need a strong ally."


    I looked at Colin earnestly.


    Without a solid backing and partners right now, we''d be too vulnerable to Henry''s machinations.


    "Eric told me that the president of the All-Stars Consortium is someone Henry''s trying to woo. We


    hold shares in the Langley Group, which makes us a more controble alternative to Henry. That


    man''s bound to slip up with all his shady dealings, and if the president of the All-Stars Consortium is


    smart, they''ll know which side to pick."Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.

 Chapter 318

    I was brimming with confidence, certain that if I could just get a face-to-face with the president of the


    All-Stars Consortium, I could bring him around to our way of thinking and secure a partnership.


    Surely, that was a better bet than risking it all on a shaky deal with Henry.


    Colin paused, his gaze lifting to meet Eric''s, who had somehow materialized at the doorway without


    a sound. "Phoebe, let Eric handle this."


    I hesitated, a knot of worry tightening in my stomach at the thought of Eric flying solo on this one.


    "Trust Eric; he''s a pro," Colin whispered, his grip on my hand growing firmer. "He''s got this."


    My eyes flicked to Eric, who gave me a reassuring nod, though a trace of guilt shadowed his


    features. He probably felt bad for not being able to protect me on Colin''s behalf.


    "Sir, ma''am, don''t worry, I''ll handle the charity g," Eric said softly.


    He remained just beyond the threshold, not stepping into the room, but I could see the bruises on


    his face and the scrapes on his arms.


    Ever since Colin had been admitted to the psychiatric ward, Eric seemed to be running at full tilt.


    Though I didn''t know what exactly he was up to, I couldn''t shake the feeling that he and Colin were


    keeping too much from me.


    Just like Julian had hinted, had the Langley family''s fortunes been Colin''s doing all along?


    Was it true?


    "We''ve only got this one shot, and it won''tst long," I said, locking eyes with Eric again. eded to


    be sure he could pull it off.


    Eric nodded. "Got it."


    Relieved by his confidence, I let out a breath. "Okay..."


    "Get back to your room and rest. And what''s this about you walking around, and why''d you go


    pulling out your IV?" The nurse burst into the room, her eyes widening in exasperation at the sight


    of the dried blood on Colin''s hand.


    "For heaven''s sake, you''re a grown man. Don''t you know to call for a nurse before yanking out a


    needle?" She gave Colin an earful.


    Colin held me close, refusing to let go.


    "Come on, be a good patient. Go get your shot," I coaxed in a whisper.


    "No..." His voice was a choked mix of stubbornness and self-reproach.


    "I''ll stay with you, okay?" I soothed him back down to the bed, sitting by his side.


    After the nurse had fixed him up and left, Colin pulled me into his embrace.


    He was silent, just holding me.


    I didn''t speak either, letting him have this moment.


    I felt a coolness on my forehead ¨C probably the tears he couldn''t hold back.


    "Colin..." I called his name softly, looking up to find him drifting off into a heavy sleep.


    His moments of rity were brief; soon he was deep in slumber once more.


    The doctor had said there were heavy sedatives in his system, dulling his senses.


    "Let him sleep it off. The more he sleeps, the better he''ll feel when he wakes up," Finn murmured


    from beside the bed.


    "Why was Colin sent to the psychiatric sanatorium?" I frowned, my gaze wary as I turned to Finn.


    "It''s about Phoebe." Finn hesitated before spilling it out. "I''ve dug up some things... Phoebe might


    not be the innocent victim she appears to be. I suspect she''s a murderer."


    I red at Finn like he was the one who''d lost his mind. "What¡¯s wrong with you?"


    "Caleb believes Phoebe isn''t the killer. He said the truth is hidden in the psychiatric sanatorium and


    swore to help me uncover it, to show me who the real culprit is," Finn said, ncing at the still-


    sleeping Caleb. "For Phoebe''s sake, it seems he truly doesn''t care about anything else."


    "What evidence do you have to suspect that Phoebe is a murderer?" I asked, my voice edged with


    caution.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "I''ve uncovered some things," Finn said, frowning back at me. "Don''t you care even a little that


    Caleb''s been using you as a stand-in?"


    "Stick to the facts!" I snapped, cutting him off.


    Finn shrugged. "Alright. Do you remember a string of teen disappearances years ago? The


    daughter of that killer whomitted suicide by jumping was among those who went missing."


    "What does that have to do with Phoebe?" I asked, a sudden nervousness gripping me, my fingers


    tightening involuntarily.

 Chapter 319

    ¡°The police had been finding a troubling pattern in their investigation into the rash of missing


    teenagers. Each one had left home willingly, ventured to some off-the-grid location, and then


    vanished without a trace. There''s footage. They all had this vacant stare, like they''d been drugged


    or something," Finn said, tossing a stack of printouts on my desk.


    "And all of them, at some point, had crossed paths with Phoebe."


    I looked up sharply at Finn. "What are you implying?"


    "Every one of these missing kids was on the autism spectrum, prodigies in their own right but


    introverted, not big on socializing. Their parents hired tutors, teenagers like them, to help socialize


    them. Before Phoebe turned eighteen, she was a tutor to these kids."


    Finn frowned, his implication hanging in the air. Was Phoebe connected to the disappearances?


    "That''s impossible..." My head started pounding, and a ringing filled my ears.


    "Phoebe was just a regr student. She couldn''t possibly tutor prodigies..." I couldn''t believe it. I


    was no prodigy. Just an average student.


    Just a regr kid cramming for college entrance exams.


    "But that was her facade." Finn sneered, scrolling through images on his phone. "These are test


    papers from our Genius ss. The handwriting for the questions is Caleb''s, but look at the


    answers."


    I took Finn''s phone, my breath catching at the sight. That handwriting looked like mine.


    "Phoebe was a genius, masquerading as an ordinary student." Finn''s voice was icy. He always


    suspected there was more to Phoebe.


    "I got these from Caleb''s stash; he treasures them. He won''t admit it was Phoebe who answered


    them, but the handwriting doesn''t lie. She aced everything¡ªshe was one of those full-score freaks."


    To Finn, anyone who scored full marks in the Genius ss was more monster than human.


    If it weren''t for Phoebe''s death, rendering her beyond suspicion, she would''ve been a prime


    suspect.


    "Phoebe was a genius, especially in chemistry. She could concoct mind-altering drugs from basic


    ingredients, drugs that could make peoplepliant, and do it under the radar, leaving the cops


    clueless."


    Finn''s theory sounded like a wild guess. He spected that I had created some drug to make the


    autistic kidsply, to leave home willingly and then get snatched away where no eyes could see.


    Holding Finn''s phone, my hands trembled.


    Impossible... I couldn''t believe it.


    At that time, I wasn''t even of age.


    How could I have done such things?


    I had no memory of it.


    "My head... it''s splitting..." Suddenly, the pain escted, as if my skull would crack open.


    "Foebe?" Finn watched me sway, his expression a mix of skepticism and annoyance.


    I steadied myself against the bed, the room spinning.


    "Phoebe!" Dexter''s voice, frantic, came from the doorway. He must''ve heard about my car ident


    and Julian whisking me away.


    Dexter shot Finn a warning nce before scooping me up in his arms.


    I was too weak to resist, my head throbbing as if it might explode.


    "Phoebe, are you okay?"


    When I came to, Dexter was at my bedside, his eyes filled with concern.


    "I told you he couldn''t protect you," Dexter murmured, his voice tinged with guilt and regret.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Regret that I didn''t stick with the Fitzgerald family, that I left with Caleb.


    Ignoring Dexter, I closed my eyes again.


    A voice echoed in my mind, relentless, "You can''t escape, Phoebe."


    "Foebe''s awake?" Finn''s voice drifted in as he entered, questioning Robin and Ste at the door.


    Ste red at Finn. "What did you do to upset her this time?"


    Finn looked innocently baffled. "I just shared what I found about Phoebe! I have a legitimate


    suspicion that she was a genius and connected to the disappearance of those prodigies!"


    Ste looked at Finn as if he''d lost his mind. "Is there something wrong with you? Sure, Phoebe


    was a good student, top of our ss, but a genius of the sort you''re talking about? Not even close!


    Plus, she''d cry for days over a stray cat''s death. You think she''s involved in human trafficking?"

 Chapter 320

    "That''s Phoebe after the car ident," Finn grumbled with exasperation. "Did you ever consider


    that she''s been ying us all along since the ident? Hiding her brilliance, masquerading as an


    average Jane? Do you really think she was innocent?"


    Finn turned to Robin. "You should''ve dug deeper into Phoebe."


    "Too squeaky clean¡­" Robin was skeptical, too. "Phoebe Caldwell and her family, they''re all too


    pristine. Running their mom-and-pop shop, barely staying afloat, yet they kept up the charity work


    like some kind of saints¡­ But something just feels off."


    "There''s something fishy about the Caldwells, and Phoebe is no exception," Finn snorted.


    "A bunch of loonies, huh? Since when did being good folks be a crime?" Ste muttered under


    her breath. "Can''t find the real perp, so you pin it on the victim? Why don''t you just say Phoebe


    knocked herself out and killed herself, then tucked herself into a heavy disy case for a grand


    exhibit!"


    Finn and Robin fell silent.


    Because the evidence they had couldn''t exin anything.


    "But one thing''s clear... Caleb was onto something. He said once he checks himself into the mental


    sanatorium, another murder would pop up, pointing right at the Langleys, at Henry..." Finn eyed


    Robin.


    Caleb had checked himself into the mental sanatorium to prove Phoebe''s innocence, to catch Henry


    off guard, and to make him slip up.


    But there was still no proof linking the murders to Henry.


    "Nut job," Dexter spat from a corner, aiming the insult at Colin.


    I stood with my back to Dexter, listening to Finn and Robin''s exchange, silent.


    The web was getting more tangled by the second.


    "Phoebe, I talked to the doctor. You need rest, and you''re good to go home today. I''ll take you back


    to the Fitzgerald mansion," Dexter intended to take me back to his ce. "You''re safe as long as


    you''re with me. Caleb''s a lunatic, a menace. Stick with him, and you''re asking for trouble."


    "My husband''s back. I''m going home with my husband," I warned Dexter sternly, refusing to go with


    him.


    Dexter fell silent for a moment before speaking again. "Phoebe, Caleb''s a murderer..."


    His words were soft but threatening.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I red at him furiously, knowing he wanted to leverage Colin''s act of killing Julian. "It was self-


    defense."


    "If he was sane, I''d have no objections, but he''s a head case!" Dexter''s gaze wasplex as he


    looked at me.


    It seemed he was hell-bent on ''rescuing'' me from Colin.


    "Dexter, are you out of your mind? She''s not going with you. Go back to Melody," Ste opened the


    door, showing Dexter the way out.


    Dexter warned Ste with his cold eyes, "If you weren''t Phoebe''s friend, I''d make you disappear."


    He found Ste''s interference annoying.


    Robin frowned, standing in front of Ste. "Mr. Fitzgerald, quite the ego."


    Dexter gave Robin a warning look before speaking again. "Phoebe, Eric went to a charity g


    tonight, to meet with the All-Stars Consortium president, right? Without that connection, Caleb''s as


    good as dead at Henry''s hands."


    My heart clenched; I knew Dexter could sabotage the partnership if he wanted.


    "You bastard..." I looked up at Dexter.


    "I don''t care what you think of me. I can''t let you stay with him any longer. Caleb never intended to


    keep this child from the get-go. It''s all likely his twisted plot, using Julian''s hand to end the


    pregnancy!" Dexter''s eyes were tinged with red, a sign of his anger.


    "You are shameless," Ste cursed.


    "You''ll believe me... one day," Dexter said as he scooped me up from the bed. His bodyguards


    blocked Robin and Ste.


    "Phoebe, I won''t make the same mistake twice. I won''t let you die at that madman''s hands again."

 Chapter 321

    "She won''t go with you."


    At the doorway, Colin stood in his hospital gown, his voice hoarse.


    His chest heaved as his burning gaze implored me not to leave with Dexter.


    Dexter shot Colin a warning look. "Caleb, let''s see how long you can keep up this act!"


    I pushed past Dexter and nted my feet firmly, my voice low and resolute. "Mr. Fitzgerald, my fate


    is none of your concern. Never have, never will. I''m not Phoebe, and you don''t need to project your


    guilt onto me. I hope to avoid any further entanglement in the future."


    My stance was too clear, and it seemed to wound Dexter deeply.


    He looked at me with aplex gaze, a bitter smile on his lips. "So this is what it feels like to be


    distrusted. Phoebe, are you getting back at me?"


    He was tasting the bitterness Phoebe had once endured.


    "You''re overthinking it," I frowned, finding Dexter quite bothersome.


    Perhaps it''s just human nature to be prejudiced. No matter what I did in the past, Dexter refused to


    trust me. Now, whatever Dexter says, I can''t bring myself to believe him outright.


    "Phoebe..." Dexter''s voice was tinged with urgency. "When will you see him for what he really is?


    He''s a devil in disguise. What do I have to say for you to believe me?"


    Dexter looked at me as if he wished to bare his soul to me. "Do you really think he''s been


    wandering all these years? Why would Eric help him? How did the Langley family get to where they


    are today? If he were really a fool, a vagabond, the Langleys wouldn''t be where they are. Samuel,


    Brendan... they were his doing."


    Dexter pointed at Colin, desperately trying to convince me that Colin''s current guise was all an act.


    My eyes shifted to Colin, who seemed flustered, bowing his head.


    "Dexter, I told you, mind your own business." I warned Dexter to stop fixating on Colin.


    "Do you trust him that much? Did you ever wonder why you''ve erased him so thoroughly from your


    memory? Have you never questioned why you''re avoiding him, why you fell for me... if you truly


    loved him that much?"


    Dexter''s voice was husky, his hands gripping my shoulders as he tried to make me see his truth.


    "Phoebe... you can''t keep thinking I''m deceiving you just because I hurt you once. I was just


    conflicted about my own feelings back then. ver intended to use you or hurt you. All along... I


    was just running away, scared that you loved me only because of your amnesia. I feared the day


    you would remember."


    Dexter believed that his past avoidance was out of respect for me.


    "Phoebe, I wouldn''t hurt you," he said, desperate to exin.


    I stood still, observing Dexter. I didn''t trust him, but I knew him.


    He probably wasn''t lying, but not lying doesn''t mean he spoke the truth.


    Like he firmly believed one plus one equals three. He wasn''t lying, but his answer wasn''t the truth


    either.


    I nced sideways at Colin. He looked at me in panic, standing there barefooted in his haste, his


    entire being reminiscent of a discarded, broken doll. He was terrified that I would reject him.


    Dexter was right about one thing: why did I choose to forget him, wiping him so cleanly from my


    memory?


    To forget is akin to abandonment.


    Why did the me from the past abandon Colin?


    Colin''s eyes reddened as he shook his head at me.


    He wouldn''t threaten me like Dexter. If it was my decision, he wouldn''t oppose it, but he would be


    heartbroken, shattered alone.


    "If I decided to leave, would you stop me?" I asked Colin, my voice a rasp.


    Colin looked down, his hands clenched tightly, and after a long pause, shook his head.


    He wouldn''t.


    He would respect all my choices.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    How could such a person be as Dexter described, one to imprison me?


    I couldn''t believe it.


    "Would you let me do anything I wanted?" I whispered.


    Colin looked at me, shaking his head again. "Just don''t die..."


    Everything else, he wouldn''t stop. Only if I sought death.

 Chapter 322

    "Are you gonna miss me if I leave?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.


    He didn''t say anything, but his eyes were shattering.


    "If it hurts you, then just make me stay," I pleaded, my voice cracking as I stretched my arms out to


    Colin.


    Why did he always feel so insecure?


    All he had to do was say the word, and I wouldn''t go anywhere.


    Colin just looked at me, not uttering a sound, but pulled me into a tight embrace, his gaze icy as it


    fixed on Dexter.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Dexter looked upset. "Caleb, let''s see how long you can keep this act up."


    At that moment, Dexter might''ve gotten why I had such a hard time with Melody.


    Because no matter what I did, Dexter always stood by Melody first.


    Seeing it from another angle, maybe he was the one who couldn''t handle it first.


    "Back then... did Phoebe beg you too, begging you to believe her?" Colin finally spoke, a warning


    edge to his voice directed at Dexter. "But you chose Melody, and pushed Phoebe to the brink, didn''t


    you?"


    Colin pressed my head against his chest, possessively, not allowing me to see Dexter. His voice


    was hoarse and heavy with a dark oppression. "You''re right. I''m no fool. The charade was to survive


    the cracks, to live past twenty. That''s my life, not for someone like you to judge."


    Dexter frowned, clearly feeling the weight of Caleb''s presence.


    Robin and Ste were just as shocked, staring at Colin.


    Had he been pretending all along?


    "From now on, I''m gonna protect her my way. She''s mine, and I won''t let go," Colin dered,


    tightening his grip on me as if staking his im.


    "Oh really?" Dexter scoffed. "If Henry was that easy to handle, you wouldn''t have yed the fool for


    so long. Think you''ve grown wings now? That kid was just another piece in your game against


    Henry, right? From the start, you never intended for ''Foebe Larson''s'' kid to survive. It''s all part of


    your n."


    Dexter pulled out his phone. "The Langley family estate battle, Julian killing your kid, and now the


    press suddenly siding with you¡ªdon''t tell me this isn''t your doing. Those reporters were your pawns


    from the get-go, shielding you from Henry''s reach!"


    Colin remained silent, done with exnations.


    I looked up at Colin, my eyes jumping with realization.


    So, he wasn''t the fool after all.


    Was everything Dexter said true?


    Was this all part of his grand scheme? Including me and this child?


    To take over everything the Langley family had, he''d been plotting from the start?


    My gaze heated up, and I instinctively took a step back.


    I felt lost. Death was confusing, rebirth was confusing, and now even trust was a maze.


    With so many memories lost, I couldn''t even trust myself.


    "Turns out you''re no fool, how cool is that," Ste eximed, her thought process clearly different


    from the rest of us. "Does this mean you can really protect Phoebe now..."


    But seeing the tension between Colin and me, Ste''s confidence waned.


    Robin tugged at Ste, signaling her to pipe down.


    Seeing my doubt in Colin, Dexter seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "I told you, I''d never lie to you.


    I''ll let you make your own mistakes as long as you''re safe, and when you see things clearly, just


    come back. I''ll always be here."


    Dexter stepped closer, addressing me again. "Make sure you read your parents'' journals when you


    get a chance."


    At the mention of the journals, Colin''s head snapped up, his eyes reflecting panic, as if he feared


    something.


    "Phoebe..." he said anxiously. "Don''t read them. Don''t believe them."


    Dexter''s cold eyes met Caleb''s. "What''s wrong? You scared?"

 Chapter 323

    Colin shook his head, his body trembling. "Don''t look..."


    He didn''t want me to see, as if he didn''t want me to remember something.


    "Leave," I urged Dexter, my voice firm. "I can''t deal with you right now."


    Dexter cast his eyes down, speaking in a hushed tone. "When you''ve read it all, you''ll understand.


    Phoebe, I''ll wait for you."


    His frosty gaze warned Colin before he turned and strode away.


    Dexter''s visit today seemed purposed to reveal that Colin was no fool; rather, he was the


    mastermind behind everything that had befallen the Langley family.


    "Did you orchestrate all this?" I asked harshly. "Everything that''s happened to the Langley family,


    including what''s happening to me and the baby I''m carrying?"


    Online opinion had suddenly swayed in favor of Caleb, dealing a blow to Henry, not to mention


    Julian''s brush with thew. Even though all the usations fell on Julian, Henry couldn''t avoid the


    bacsh.


    If Caleb returned to thepany now, seized the reins of power, he could fully take control of the


    Langley Group.


    After all, to outsiders, no one would scheme against their own wife and unborn child.


    "How could he plot against your child when he sees you as Phoebe? He''s been love-struck and


    dreaming of fatherhood since he was a teenager..." Finn murmured under his breath, pressing an


    ice pack to his face.


    "It''s true." But Colin admitted to it.


    My eyes welled up with tears, wishing he would argue.


    "I yed the fool, but I orchestrated it all. The Langley family''s downfall, Henry and Brendan''s feud,


    Julian''s attack on Samuel, Henry ordering the hit on the old man... I admit I had a hand in it, fanning


    the mes. I arranged for those reporters," Colin confessed softly, his voiceced with panic and


    desperation.


    Ste was shocked, instinctively covering Robin''s ears. "Is this something a cop should hear? Stop


    listening."


    Robin gave a resigned smile. "I''m a traffic cop..."


    Ste sighed in relief. "Oh, well, that''s okay then. There is no evidence, anyway. It''s like that


    butterfly effect thing, the Langley family''s own doing."


    Robin nodded helplessly towards a police expert nearby.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste red at Finn. "You can''t hear anything because of the ringing in your ears, right?"


    Finn opened his mouth to speak, but seeing Ste balling her fists, he conceded with a bowed


    head. "I didn''t hear anything."


    Ste nodded, turning back to Robin. "You''re right, might makes right."


    "You and the baby were unexpected..." Colin''s eyes reddened as he continued, his voice filled with


    anguish. "I didn''t n for you and the baby."


    "If you were Foebe Larson... this child would never have existed. I wish... I really wish... it could be


    born." Colin choked up, his grief over the loss palpable.


    He was at a loss for words, not knowing how to express himself or how to articte his feelings.


    He had even held back his primal instincts, all to avoid harming the little one.


    He truly desperately wanted this child.


    The tears fell, his sobbing heartbreaking and bewildering.


    Robin couldn''t bear to watch, feeling as if I was bullying the honest man. "Um, that journal Dexter


    gave you¡ªcan we see it?"


    I wiped away my tears, still willing to believe him if only he''d exin.


    "So why stop pretending now?" I asked, my eyes brimming with tears.


    Colin just stared at me, his gaze still intense. "I was wrong. I failed to protect you and the baby. It¡¯s


    my fault. I want to try a different way..."


    He didn''t care about his own fate anymore. He finally had something to lose, so there was no longer


    a need to y the fool to save himself. He wanted to protect Phoebe.


    "I''ll believe you this once. Don''t let me down." I whispered. "If I find out you''ve lied to me, I won''t


    forgive you."


    Just like I could never forgive Dexter.


    Truth is, after getting a second chance at life, I didn''t want to trust anyone again. But Colin... he was


    the exception. He always seemed to be the exception.


    And Colin cried even harder, not saying a word, just sobbing away.

 Chapter 324

    Finn was frustrated but dared not raise his voice, murmuring under his breath, ¡°Man, you''re one


    heck of an actor. When your wife was out cold, you were strutting around like some kind of


    avenging angel, doctors were scared stiff of you. Now you''re bawling like you''ve been dealt the


    worst hand in life.¡±


    Colin said nothing, just stood there crying with tears falling on his shirt without bothering to wipe


    them away ¨C it made him look so pitiful that I felt like I was the one in the wrong.


    With hisrge eyes and longshes, those teardrops were like mas for sympathy ¨C I almost


    apologized on instinct.


    But then I thought, why should I? It wasn¡¯t my fault; he had been ying dumb all this time.


    ¡°Cut it out!¡± I threatened.


    Colin looked up at me, his voice choked with emotion. ¡°Phoebe¡­ don¡¯t be mad at me.¡±


    Stunned silence fell over Ste, Finn, and Robin ¨C their stares seemed to scold me silently, pleading


    for me toy off the poor guy.


    He was getting all the sympathy.


    It¡¯s true what they say, change the gender and the whole game flips. If he were a woman, he''d be


    the queen of maniptors, making even Melody look like an amateur. His tears had everyone


    rallying to his side in an instant.


    I averted my gaze, pulling out my phone from my pocket and logging into my parents¡¯ ID to hand the


    journal over to Robin.


    Robin browsed through it with a perplexed look. ¡°I get why parents would dote on their kid, noting


    down every milestone from the day they¡¯re born, but Phoebe¡¯s folks¡­ documenting from day one of


    pregnancy?¡±


    Scratching his head, Robin continued, ¡°I mean, that¡¯s understandable too, but this method of


    recording, it feels off, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Down to the minute, the precision was uncanny.


    Finn leaned in for a closer look. ¡°Seriously¡­ this doesn¡¯t look like someone charting a child¡¯s growth


    ¨C it¡¯s more like data from ab experiment.¡±


    The water ss Ste handed me dropped with a ¡°clunk.¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    I looked up at Finn, breathing hard.


    Colin was instantly at my side, covering my ears. ¡°Don¡¯t listen, don¡¯t look. Phoebe, if you can¡¯t


    remember, then don¡¯t try¡­ I¡¯m here.¡±


    Now I was almost certain Colin knew way more than he let on, and he wasn¡¯t nning to share, not


    even to clear up my suspicions.


    Was his silence a way to protect me?


    ¡°Spot on detective work¡­¡± Robin was struck by a realization. ¡°I knew there was something fishy


    about that journal ¨C it reeks of experimental data.¡±


    Finn loved apliment, chin held high. ¡°Well, what do you expect? When I was running tests on


    lab rats, this is how I¡¯d record ¨C today¡¯s reaction, same time tomorrow, the rat¡¯s condition, and so on,


    for months, sometimes even monitoring slow-acting drugs for a year or more.¡±


    My fingers tingled as I instinctively sought sce in Colin¡¯s embrace.


    What was I afraid of?


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just the way schrly parents keep records. Phoebe¡¯s dad is a medical doctor with


    international training, and her mom¡¯s a professor at Sea City Apex University. It¡¯s not far-fetched


    they¡¯d have such habits,¡± Ste suggested. ¡°Phoebe told me once her dad started his own thing in


    medical tech and hospital construction after leaving Westerly Pharma, nearly went bankrupt over


    dyed payments for the Sacred Hospital¡¯s new wing¡­¡±


    Robin and Finn nodded in agreement. ¡°Could be.¡±


    Finn¡¯s phone buzzed.


    ¡°Officer Finn, Melody¡¯s in trouble!¡±


    The serial case took another turn ¨C Melody was the catalyst that set everything in motion again.

 Chapter 325

    Finn bolted upright, his eyes locked on Colin. "ording to our n, putting out that the victim is


    still in surgery would make someone antsy, right? But if the serial killings and this dismemberment


    case aren''t connected, why the hell would Melody be in trouble?"


    Pacing back and forth, Finn continued, "You said the killer would definitely show up. Now the serial


    killer has surfaced, but you''re still saying they''re not the same crew?"


    Colin remained silent, then finally spoke up. "No... something''s off. The timing of Melody''s


    disappearance¡ªit''s deliberate."


    A smoke screen. Someone was using Melody to throw us off the scent.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "Everyone''s quick to lump the two dismemberment cases and the serial killings together. After all,


    the perps are the victims in each case, and there''s a slew of simrities. But it all seems like a sick


    copycat act," Robin chimed in, shaking his head, sensing something amiss. "Melody''s


    disappearance might just be a freak coincidence that''s muddling up the serial killings and the


    dismemberment cases."


    Ste shook her head as well. "There''s a crucial detail in the serial killings. The dumping grounds


    for those orphanage killers always had something to do with water. Back in the day, Sea City had


    this custom called a water burial. It was believed that tossing the worst of the worst into the water


    purged their sins, ensuring they''d be reborn as better souls.¡±


    ¡°Plus, the serial killer didn''t bother to hide or destroy evidence. But with the dismemberment case,


    they used stray dogs to mangle the bodies, to mess up the crime scene, making it impossible for


    the police to get a lead. And if they do get close, the perp''s usually a cornered victim who ends up


    offing themselves, leaving the trail cold," I added my two cents.


    These cases... they just didn''t seem like the work of a lone wolf.


    "It''s like two masterminds are ying a game of cat-and-mouse in the shadows," Finn said gravely.


    It was like a twisted duel.


    The brains behind the dismemberment case wanted to muddy the waters, pinning all the me on


    the orchestrator of the serial killings.


    It was a showdown to see who''de out on top.


    "I gotta bounce, go find some leads." Finn headed to the door, paused, and looked back at Colin.


    "Hey, aren''t you some kind of psychic or something? Figure out where Melody might be."


    "After a crime, the killer always leaves a clue at thest body''s scene. I''ve already predicted


    Melody''s location once; the trail''s gone cold. If the killer strikes again, it''s just Melody''s bad luck,"


    Colin said gravely.


    This time, he wasn''t nning on saving her.


    And truthfully, he couldn''t anymore.


    If the killer''s pattern was disrupted, the next move could be random. And if Colin could predict


    randomness, he''d be a marked man¡ªprobably wouldn''t need to work another day, just stay home


    and hit the lottery.


    Finn opened his mouth and clenched his teeth. "Fine, I''ll find her myself!"


    Without another word, Colin watched Finn leave, then turned to Robin. "Someone''s pulling a decoy


    move. Melody is probably an aplice or a lure, meant to distract our team. I bet the mastermind


    behind the second dismemberment case will take this chance to destroy evidence at the hospital."


    Robin''s eyes widened in realization. "Damn, you''re right! I''m on it, before Cory and the team are too


    stretched thin."


    As Robin dashed off, Ste followed suit.


    Colin''s eyes reddened as he slumped down, looking defeated. He moved closer to me, gingerly


    tugging at my sleeve. "Phoebe..."


    I looked up just in time to catch the silent tears falling,nding right on the back of my hand.


    Was he made of water or what?


    "So, you think the dismemberment case is linked to Henry, and that''s why you went to the mental


    sanatorium as Finn told you to draw out the killer?" I was both angry and frustrated.


    How much was he keeping from me?


    "Phoebe... I have more than just suspicions about Henry. Guys like Henry and Julian, they''re just


    tools." Colin leaned on my shoulder, crying as he spoke. "It''s Damian I''m really worried about."

 Chapter 326

    I blinked, a sense of dread washing over me. Somehow, I''d known it all along.


    Deep down, I''d harbored suspicions about Damian too.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    You can''t catch a fox without entering its den, and Colin would never have let me approach Damian


    without a n. So, he checked himself into the mental sanatorium voluntarily, hoping to dig up some


    dirt.


    "Find anything?" I whispered.


    "He''s got a knack for messing with people''s heads... a real talent," Colin murmured back. "He''s a


    master of psychology, skilled in hypnosis and the strategic use of drugs."


    I shivered, fearfully clutching Colin''s wrist. "You shouldn''t have tangled with him..."


    "But I found his Achilles'' heel." He leaned in close, his breath tickling my ear. "His daughter..."


    I nced sideways at Colin. "His daughter?"


    "While I was in the psych ward, I noticed Damian, obsessed with his research on the mentally ill,


    interrupted his consultations three times to take calls. Each time, his face lit up with a smile, and the


    caller ID showed ''Sweetie Pie.'' The voice on the other end was that of a young girl, definitely under


    thirteen, calling him ''Daddy.''"


    Colin''s voice grew cold as he continued. "Phoebe... I''ve done my homework on Damian. His eldest


    daughter was born to his ex-wife, just a couple of years before you, born with serious gic


    issues, a rare disease. There wasn''t much news about her after a few years, and rumors started to


    circte that she had passed away. His younger daughter, born to his current wife, should be


    thirteen now."


    Colin straightened up, looking down at me. "Phoebe, there''s something off about Damian."


    I looked up at Colin, it took a moment before I could speak. "Before my memory loss... did I know


    something? Did I tell you anything?"


    Colin''s gaze darted away, and he looked down. "Damian might be connected to the recent


    dismemberment cases. I suspect he''s covering his tracks."


    A knife borrowed tomit murder.


    So, Colin had been following the trail all this time.


    "When did you start suspecting Damian?" I asked, wary of Colin''s familiarity with Damian, which


    didn''t seem to be just a recent development. Damian''s own eagerness regarding Colin seemed


    equally premeditated.


    "I..." Colin''s voice faltered, and he seemed uneasy.


    He was always evading.


    Was he afraid for me to know, or just afraid I''d be hurt?


    "Colin, there are things I need to get to the bottom of. Forgetting and ignorance might not be


    blessings for me; they could lead me into greater danger." I had a right to the truth.


    Unless Colin didn''t truly trust me.


    "After your parents'' car ident... I''ve been investigating, looking into Damian, into anyone


    connected to him."


    Colin finally admitted it; he''d been onto Damian for a long time. Under the guise of wandering, he''d


    been quietly observing and investigating, piecing together clues.


    ...


    At Colin''s vi.


    After leaving the hospital, Eric arranged for a private physician to oversee our daily treatments and


    IVs.


    Once everyone had left, Colin took me down to the basement.


    The motion-sensitive lights flickered on as we descended the stairs, revealing a pristine space that


    seemed devoid of any dust.


    On both sides of the narrow hallway, crystal-clear ss cabs disyed countless butterfly


    specimens.


    I ran my numb fingers over them, transfixed.


    Specimens... so lifelike it seemed as if the butterflies might spring to life at any moment.


    "You like specimens..." I asked cautiously, recalling Finn''s words¡ªthat Colin was a madman.


    After all, my own death had involved being turned into a specimen, a deep-rooted fear from within.

 Chapter 327

    "You gave them to me." Colin''s fingers traced the lower-right corner of the specimen, where a ck


    signature with the letters ''C'' - Caldwell''s initial - was inscribed.


    I stared at Colin, my breath catching. "Me? I gave these to you?"


    All of these specimens?


    "You said that the beauty of a shooting star lies in its fleeting moment. That the brief bloom of a


    night-blooming cereus is enough to dazzle everyone..." Colin turned to look at me, his voice as


    raspy as ever.


    But it seemed to carry an endless stream of loneliness, grievance, and guilt. "Life is short, to


    preserve them forever, this was the only way."


    I was shocked as I gazed at the walls filled with butterfly specimens. For a moment, they all seemed


    toe alive, pping their wings, taking flight.


    "I can''t believe I would... like these," I said in astonishment.


    Colin took my hand and led me into a room in the basement.


    The door had a keypad, sturdy like a bank vault.


    As the door swung open, I followed Colin inside.


    When the lights flickered on, a tingling shock ran through my entire body.


    Had Colin... finally opened his heart to me?


    In other words, was he finally willing to trust mepletely, revealing his hidden secrets, his scars,


    all out in the open for me to see?


    An entire wall of the basement was covered with Colin''s investigations - about Damian, about me,


    my parents, the people from the orphanage, and... some individuals I didn''t recognize.


    And there was the current serial murder case.


    It was like he was watching over everyone, like the hand of God, orchestrating everything.


    I looked at Colin, a mix of panic and fear in my eyes.


    He... he couldn''t really be the killer, could he?


    Colin led me to a wall of photographs and pointed to the bottom left corner. "This isn''t the first serial


    murder case. Three years ago, after I left the psychiatric hospital, there was a series of mysterious


    deaths among the doctors there."


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Several psychiatrists had met their ends through slips, idents, drownings, fires - seemingly


    unrted, yet somehow intricately connected.


    "Do you suspect that the person behind those ''idents'' is the same one behind the serial killings?"


    I asked quietly.


    Colin nodded. "There''s one thing inmon ¨C they don''t kill the innocent."


    He pointed to a doctor who had reported illegal practices at the psychiatric hospital. "This man,


    Lamont, was one of the few with a conscience among the hospital''s staff. It was he who blew the


    whistle, saving me from that ce."


    He was also the doctor Dexter had brought to provoke Colin that day.


    "All these deaths... they all revolve around me," Colin murmured.


    The deceased doctors had all once hurt, bullied, and tormented Colin.


    "So, more eyes turn towards me, while the real killer often goes unnoticed," Colin said softly.


    "You knew there was a problem back then, you had this chain of evidence... why didn''t you go to the


    police?" I looked at Colin anxiously.


    Colin''s eyes reddened as he looked at me, his Adam''s apple bobbing with unspoken words.


    "Colin... you''re going to tell me everything, right?" I asked, my heart pounding. What was he still


    hiding?


    Colin looked away. "Everything I''ve investigated is here. Damian is definitely a dangerous person. I


    suspect your parents'' deaths, including Ethan Langley''s death... they''re all connected to Damian."


    Ethan was Colin''s father.


    My breath grew heated as I looked at the wall full of clues.


    When did the Langley family get entangled with Damian? It all started with a ''deification'' project


    Damian had proposed after receiving an award in the medical field years ago.


    "My dad... biology, gic research... gic editing of babies? What does that mean..." My breath


    was hot, my fingers trembling as I reached out to touch the documents.


    Gic editing? This so-called deification project was about giving the offspring of the wealthy an


    inherent advantage over everyone else.


    If such an inhumane and hical n were to be widely epted by society, it would upend the


    current social order, ensuring the elite became more elite, and the codes of wealth remained in the


    hands of the few.


    These individuals would be born immune to many diseases, naturally... as the so-called geniuses.


    "This project originally focused on research into AIDS, rare diseases, gic mutations, cerebral


    palsy, and XYY syndrome, among other areas. These medical professionals,cking sufficient


    funds, would seek financial support from the financial sector." Colin pointed to Ethan.

 Chapter 328

    ¡°As the brightest business prodigy of the Langley family and the most cherished heir of Brendan,


    Ethan had, through your father''s introductions,e to know many children with rare diseases. He


    established a charity foundation, invested in the construction of medical facilities, and provided


    ample funds to support their exploration and research...


    Damian, as the initiator, clicked with your parents and the elite, including Ethan, raising toasts and


    sharingughs. Then their rtionship took a turn to the brink of copse... The car crash that year


    was intentional, and I suspect that Ethan and your parents must have uncovered some


    unspeakable, dreadful secret.¡±


    And now, those who have died, more or less, were all in the know of some secrets. Someone is


    cleaning up the battlefield.


    "Five years ago, a new type of psychiatric drug emerged in the southern district. No one knew who


    developed it. Upon hitting the market, it shattered countless families, spreading disease, fear,


    violence... It was a feast of dopamine and endorphin spikes." Colin pointed to the top right corner.


    "Phoebe... What''s terrifying isn''t just the serial killings, but the vast, unfathomable web behind it. I''ve


    kept you in the dark... because I didn''t want you to get entangled again, I wanted you to live on like


    an ordinary person."


    Colin''s voice was trembling.


    I looked at the center of the entire backdrop wall, where there was a photo of ''Phoebe''.


    Colin had taken so many photos of me after my amnesia. It seemed like he had never left, always


    there protecting me.


    Tears scalding, my gaze fell on a photo at the entrance of our high school.


    I faintly remember that day, those bullies who tormented me suddenly disappeared, and in the alley,


    someone cried murder.


    I heard, a boy got stabbed in a fight.


    Was it Colin?


    He was always there, protecting me.


    "After I lost my memory, you never chose to make me remember you, instead, you silently followed


    and protected me. Was it to let me lead an ordinary life, to escape this web, right?" I asked him, my


    voice choked.


    Colin didn''t answer. He had always wanted to protect me. He tried in many ways.


    But he never managed to get me out.


    "But we''re all just bugs stuck in this web. How can we escape without burning it down?" I


    whispered, my voice growing firmer.


    Since Colin has chosen to tell me these things, it''s time... time for us to face it together, to


    investigate together.


    To catch the true mastermind and find all the truth.


    To expose all the darkness and filth to the light of day.


    "Phoebe... you''re right. We''ve tried to escape, but we couldn¡¯t. Instead of being helpless bugs in this


    web, we should fight back." Colin hugged me tightly, his body shaking.


    "This time... I will protect you properly," Colin whispered. "I will."


    "Colin, you''ve guessed the real culprit behind the serial killings and the bizarre deaths of the


    psychiatric hospital doctors over the years, haven''t you?" I looked at Colin.


    With all his years of observing and investigating, I guessed... he must have figured out who the


    murderer was, justcking substantial evidence.


    Colin averted his gaze, obviously avoiding the topic.


    Who could it be, that made it so hard for him to speak?


    Looking at the wall full of photos and clues, it wasn''t difficult to suspect that Colin was deliberately


    covering for the serial killer.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "Fanny died, and you had worked out who would be the next victim before the second death, but


    you didn''t tell the police. Colin, do you hate them, or are you covering for the murderer? What made


    you decide to help the policeter? Was it my death?"


    I was getting a little agitated. Could it be that Colin didn''t expect the murderer to kill even Phoebe?


    And so, Colin felt guilty, tormented, mad...


    Colin remained silent, clenching his fists.


    It took a while before he spoke. "Phoebe, it''s not important... please don''t ask anymore."


    "Not important?" I frowned at Colin, suddenly feeling a chill.


    My death is not important? Colin''s most crucial person on this wall of clues is Damian.


    The one he wants to dethrone is Damian, while my death, just a minor diversion, an insignificant


    deviation, is not important?

 Chapter 329

    "Phoebe..." His voice trailed off, the words lost in the panic that seemed to seize him.


    I was feeling irked, turning away to seek a moment of quiet.


    Colin''s cell rang - it was Finn calling.


    "Melody''s gone missing, no leads, just as you figured, a diversion. There''s been trouble at the


    hospital, Robin''s injured, but the good news is the assant''s been caught. Get over here. Dexter''s


    causing a scene at the station, insisting we find Melody ASAP. Come help me out."


    Colin ended the call with Finn abruptly, making it clear he had no intention of engaging. He just


    wanted to clear the air with me.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I waited for him to speak.


    "Phoebe..." He started to say, but the phone rang again.


    Still Finn.


    Colin, clearly agitated, hung up once more, ready to block the number.


    I reached out to stop him. "Take the call first. You took such a big risk getting close to Damian at the


    psych ward. Don''t let it all be for nothing."


    Colin fell silent and answered the phone.


    "Caleb! You''re burning bridges, throwing me under the bus now?" Finn''s voice was a roar on the


    other side, the background noise just as intense.


    I could hear Dexter''s angry usations, berating the police for their inaction.


    Saying that Melody, a person under police protection, could vanish right under their noses!


    Colin hung up again.


    "Phoebe..." Colin started again, his phone ringing once more.


    He turned it offpletely.


    "Phoebe, I''m not saying the culprit isn''t important. I''m on it, and all these things are connected. I


    just... can''t be certain, my theories might not be spot on." Colin stumbled over his words, clearly not


    adept at lying.


    His theories might not be urate, but he definitely had a prime suspect in mind, and he was


    keeping it from me.


    I didn''t know why he was withholding it from me, but from all the evidence we had, it almost seemed


    like he was ''protecting'' the culprit.


    "Caleb." I broke the long silence. "Death to me is like a dream. Before I died, I always thought you


    were the killer because there were too many things that made me doubt you."


    Taking into ount everything on the evidence wall, I was pretty sure Colin wasn''t the killer, but he


    was deliberately hiding something.


    "Now, I believe you''re not the killer. But if you help the killer get away with it or clear their name,


    then you''re one of the people responsible for my death." My voice was hoarse but firm, a warning to


    Caleb not to let me find out he had ever assisted the killer.


    Colin looked down in panic, his hands clenched helplessly. "Phoebe..."


    "If I can forgive even the person who brutally killed me, what does that make me?" I let out a bitter


    laugh, stepping back to survey the wall of photos and clues, my voice somber. "Colin, if it ever


    comes to that, let''s get a divorce. Let me go."


    Now that there were no children, there was nothing to bind us.


    I hade to believe he wasn''t my murderer.


    "Phoebe, I don''t want a divorce." Colin shook his head frantically, opposed to the idea.


    "But from where I stand, the killer seems to matter more to you than I do." My fingers pointed to the


    center of the serial killer case area on the wall, where two question-marked papers sat.


    Meaning, Colin''s investigation had all but confirmed the masterminds at the top of the serial killings:


    one the nner, the other the executor, the so-called executioner.


    Dorian was a rank below them, merely a pawn used by the two, and Colin, even knowing Dorian''s


    link to the serial killings, had taken him in.

 Chapter 330

    ver thought Colin was going all out just to track down the killer.


    It felt more like he was trying to cover something up.


    "Phoebe, nothing is more important to me than you..." His voice was hoarse, choked with emotion.


    "I was just guessing. The killer is so smart. I lost, Phoebe, I lost."


    Colin spoke in riddles that went over my head, probably about that time I died, when he lost some


    kind of game with the killer.


    "You say you love me, but I can''t see any hatred for the person who killed me in you." I shook my


    head, feeling a distance growing between Colin and me.


    It was all too obvious.


    He knew something but wouldn''t tell me.


    He had gotten close to the inner circle but kept me in the dark.


    Not even telling the police...


    Colin hung his head in defeat, tears welling up in his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, his


    Adam''s apple bobbing, but in the end, he said nothing.


    "I want to know the truth..." My voice trembled as I faced Colin. "I want to know how I died, why they


    hated me so much. I want to catch the killer!"


    Colin rushed over in a panic, pulling me into a tight embrace. After what felt like an eternity, he


    seemed to make a decision. "Okay... Phoebe, I''ll help you, I''ll help you. You know that whatever you


    ask, I will do it. I''ll help you."


    I let out a sigh of relief, looking down, feeling perhaps a bit guilty for forcing Colin to choose


    between me and ''the killer''. As it stood, it seemed he chose me.


    "Phoebe, I''ll help you," he reassured me, repeating the promise over and over.


    "Okay." I nodded, slowly closing my eyes as tears burned hotly. "Colin, we can''t keep running away.


    It''s time to fight back."


    "Okay." Colin nodded emphatically.


    It seemed like he would do anything I said.


    Except when it came to ''the killer''.


    My curiosity grew. Just who was this killer?


    Why did Colin, who acted like he''d sacrifice his life for me, repeatedly protect ''it'', not even caring


    about my death?


    "Now we need to find Melody. The dismemberment case isn''t closed. We can''t let the serial killings


    continue." I didn''t care about Melody''s fate, but if she didn''t die, then those who followed might live.


    I just didn''t want to see anyone else die.


    "As for Damian, he''s too high up, with too many knives at his disposal. We have to take it slow." I


    looked up at the wall of photos and pointed at Henry. "First, we need to protect ourselves. To make


    sure we survive, we must deal with the threat Henry poses."


    Colin nodded in agreement. "Okay."


    ...


    At the police station.


    Eric pulled up to the precinct, and Colin instinctively reached for my hand.


    I almost reflexively pulled away, stepping out of the car without him.


    Colin''s eyes dropped, shadowed with sadness.


    I looked away, feeling chilled by the truths of the basement, especially by Colin''s attitude toward the


    serial killer.


    "I don''t care what you have to do, you must ensure her safety!"


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    We entered the police station to find Dexter in the midst of a meltdown, probably triggered by


    Melody''s disappearance.


    "Mr. Fitzgerald, weren¡¯t you supposed to be protecting Melody around the clock? How could you let


    her disappear?" I said with a coldugh, my gaze dripping with sarcasm as I looked at Dexter.


    Dexter paused, his face tensing when he saw me. "Phoebe, I''m just worried, given that the killer is


    inhuman."


    Ignoring Dexter, I walked over to Ste. "Any leads?"


    Ste shook her head. "As a pain in the neck, I doubt she''s dead."

 Chapter 331

    "Where did she vanish?" Colin asked, his voiceced with a mix of concern and frustration.


    Finn, hot-headed as ever, lunged forward, attempting to grab Colin but missed as Colin sidestepped


    him smoothly.


    "Stick to the facts, man. No need to get physical," Colin grumbled.


    With a dismissive snort, Finn pointed to the clueden whiteboard. "Melody disappeared around


    2:30 PM at I-Futura Park. She went shopping with Dexter before she went missing."


    The grainy images from the security footage flickered on the whiteboard.


    "Dexter had left earlier to hit the hospital, and then he got the call that Melody was missing from the


    mall. That''s when he dialed 911."


    Colin studied the footage, noting how Melody entered thedies'' room and never came out. It was


    as if she''d vanished into thin air, spirited away by unseen hands.


    "There''s no secret exits or doors near the restrooms, and the cameras caught zilch ¨C no suspicious


    characters, no sign of Melody leaving. We''ve asked the janitorial staff too; nobody saw a thing,"


    Finn said, his voice heavy with gravity.


    Dexter scoffed, "That''s the best the cops can do?"


    "You think you''re better? Why''d you leave your precious Melody alone in the mall, huh? Took her


    shopping for fancy stuff, spoiling her rotten? Typical jerk." Ste rolled her eyes in disgust. "And


    keep away from Foebe Larson, will ya? You make me sick just looking at you."


    Dexter red at Ste, opening his mouth to retaliate, but I cut him off. "Mr. Fitzgerald, finding her is


    what matters."


    He huffed, trying to justify himself. "Melody was picking out a gift for you, on my behalf. She told me


    to woo you all over again, to find something you''d really like..."


    I frowned, signaling to Dexter to drop it.


    Colin, ever the child in moments like these, pulled me into his embrace and warned Dexter with a


    possessive re. "She''s mine, a married woman. What right do you have chasing after her?


    Shameless."


    Ste couldn''t help but giggle at Colin''s over-the-top im.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    I wanted tough too, but I was supposed to be mad at him, giving him the cold shoulder.


    Colin looked at me with puppy-dog eyes. "Phoebe, we''re legit. He''s a bad guy, trying to hit on you.


    It''s just not ethical."


    Dexter clenched his teeth, looking like he might explode with anger at Colin''s taunts.


    Finn was at his wit''s end. "Can you quit the lovey-dovey stuff for a sec and help me find Melody? If


    something happens to Melody on my watch, I''ll be stuck directing traffic with Robin!"


    Off to the side, Robin, the picture of rxation, raised an eyebrow and swung his leg casually.


    "Traffic division''s always open for new recruits."


    Finn ignored Robin, and Colin nced back at the surveince footage, murmuring, "She''s not


    dead. She left on her own."


    "What do you mean?" Finn leaned in closer to the screen, scrutinizing the video he''d watched


    countless times.


    "Pause it at 38:47," Colin instructed.


    Finn froze the video on the frame showing a woman with long hair, dressed like an average middle-


    ageddy,plete with a nondescript hat.


    "That''s Melody," Colin stated with conviction.


    It was Melody, all right ¨C in disguise, leaving on her own volition.


    No killer had abducted her; they''d been chasing shadows.


    "The killer probably never even made a move. It''s all Melody''s own plot."


    Finn furrowed his brow. "How can you tell it''s Melody?"


    "Her fingers ¨C Melody''s are long and slender. She dressed down on purpose, tried to look frumpy.


    Plus, if you fast-forward, you won''t find this ''woman'' entering the restroom." Colin had the knack for


    remembering details with just one nce.


    That''s just how terrifying a genius can be.


    "Aren''t you part of the expert panel yourself? Can''t you do this?" Robin teased Finn.


    Feeling defensive, Finn huffed, "My expertise lies elsewhere, not this..."


    "Enough already. Let''s not waste more police resources. Mr. Fitzgerald, Melody has cleverly made


    her own escape," Ste said with a sneer.


    Dexter''s frown deepened. "So you''re closing the case just like that? What if she was threatened?


    Where did she get those clothes? Someone must''ve forced her to change and leave on her own.


    She''s timid; she might''ve just followed orders. Shouldn''t you be focusing on finding her first?"

 Chapter 332

    I nced back at Dexter with a smirk.


    Back when I was snatched away and killed, Dexter just wouldn''t believe I was dead. He thought it


    was all my own ploy, a ruse to throw everyone off. He even hindered the police investigation,


    contributing to my untimely demise.


    Now, he''s utterly convinced Melody didn''t stage her own disappearance, that she was coerced.


    Oh, the hypocrisy.


    "Mr. Fitzgerald, I seem to recall that when all the evidence pointed to Phoebe being a victim, you


    were adamant that she wouldn''t just up and die," said Robin, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he


    called Dexter out.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Dexter blinked, his gaze inadvertently shifting to me.


    I scoffed and looked away.


    "Phoebe..." Dexter started to exin. "Phoebe, after all, Melody did save my life..."


    I rubbed my temples, feeling the onset of a headache.


    Save, save, save.


    "Are you out of your mind?"


    I wanted to say it wasn''t Melody who saved him back then, but he wouldn''t believe that, given I had


    already told him once before.


    Fed up with Dexter, I turned to Colin. "Can you find out where she''s hiding? By muddying the waters


    for the cops, she''s in cahoots with the butcher behind the dismemberment case, isn''t she?"


    "Phoebe, what does this have to do with the dismemberment case? You can''t just assume..." Dexter


    tried to defend Melody.


    I shot him an irritated nce.


    Dexter fell silent.


    "The victim of the dismemberment case is still fighting for their life in the hospital, and with the


    police distracted by her disappearance, that''s why Robin got hurt!" Ste said angrily, gripping


    Robin''s injured arm. "Look at this! The de was in his arm¡ªif it had been his chest, he''d be a


    goner!"


    Robin winced. "Hey, hey, take it easy on the arm."


    Ste let go, embarrassed. "Sorry."


    Robin massaged his forehead, feeling cursed by the turn of events.


    Dexter frowned, still clinging to the idea it was mere coincidence. "It''s just a coincidence. Anyway,


    the police need to find her first."


    I looked at Colin. "Some people just don''t get it."


    Colin nodded, scrutinizing the evidence Finn had gathered and the surveince footage from the


    intersections near I-Futura Park. They pinpointed Melody. She had slipped into a ck sedan.


    "Track it," Colinmanded, taking a snapshot of the license te.


    The team sprang into action.


    "The car''s tes are fake," Cory reported back quickly.


    Finn''s brow furrowed. "Just as I suspected, it''s premeditated and organized."


    Colin was silent, his eyes on the traffic map near I-Futura Park. "With fake tes, they wouldn''t dare


    drive openly in the city. If a cop pulls them over, the registration won''t match the tes."


    Robin eyed the vehicle. "Once they''re out of the city, they''ll switch tes. There are blind spots in


    the surveince there."


    "If Melody''s the type who can''t stand theck of amenities, she won''tst long in a rundown area


    without power or water. Once out of the city, the demolition area, that''s where you''ll find such


    ces. Look for a generator''s hum¡ªthat''s where they''ll be hiding," Colin murmured.


    Cory was astounded, giving Colin a thumbs-up.


    Finn nudged Cory. "Well, get going."


    Colin''s gaze was icy as he looked at Dexter. "Let''s make a bet. You don''t believe Melody would hide


    on her own, do you? If we find her in the demolition area, what will you do?"


    Dexter''s expression hardened. "What do you suggest?"


    "Stay away from my wife and don''t you dare bother her again," Colin warned coldly.


    Dexter clenched his fists. "So, if you don''t find Melody in the demolition area, you''ll peacefully


    divorce Phoebe and let me take her away, huh?"


    The tension between Dexter and Colin was palpable, like a storm about to break.


    I was getting annoyed. Why bring me into this bet?


    "Fine..." Colin surprisingly agreed.


    I frowned. If they really couldn''t find Melody, was he actually willing to divorce me?

 Chapter 333

    Dexter let out a snort of derision, as if mocking Colin.


    He thought Colin would get it wrong.


    He thought Colin was just full of himself.


    He held onto his faith in Melody with a stubborn grip.


    Suddenly, Dexter seemed rather pitiful to me, blinded by gratitude for a past rescue.


    "Phoebe..."


    When the cops went to investigate, both Dexter and Colin were moring to talk to me first. I


    frowned, eyeing the two men warily.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    One was an ex I hadpletely forgotten due to amnesia, the other a man I had foolishly fallen for


    after losing my memory. Both of them felt like strangers to me.


    Dexter appeared penitent, but his attitude towards Melody wasughable, tinged with irony. There


    were too many opaqueyers to him for my liking.


    And Colin... even more so.


    Colin was a genius, alright. A single nce at the surveince footage and he found the missing


    Melody. There''s no way he couldn''t have found a thread to follow in the serial killings by now, unless


    the killer''s IQ surpassed Colin''s. Or they shared the same spark of genius.


    But back in the day, the only two to score perfect in the Genius ss were Colin and Carter. Unless


    Carter wasn''t dead...


    In the years that followed, the Genius ss never saw another perfect score. Colin and Carter had


    be almost legendary within school records.


    "Phoebe..." Dexter stepped closer. "Melody wouldn''t put herself in danger willingly. She wouldn''t be


    caught in a rundown demolition site. It''s all a smokescreen, unless..."


    Dexter lowered his voice, speaking softly beside me. "Unless this whole thing was Caleb''s doing.


    He had Melody kidnapped, ying a game of cat and mouse."


    I gave Dexter a cool nce. His animosity towards Colin was palpable.


    "I''d advise you to mind your own business, Mr. Fitzgerald," I said firmly, taking a step back.


    Dexter''s wounded expression tightened, his eyes questioning why I didn''t trust him. "Haven''t you


    ever thought he might be the mastermind behind the serial killings? He''s orchestrating them, using


    the killers to take you out."


    I frowned, annoyed by his rambling.


    Yet, Dexter''s words were a reminder.


    If Colin was the mastermind... then indeed, no one could uncover the truth.


    He nned, others executed; it mirrored the question marks on his evidence wall - one for the


    nner, one for the executor.


    Could Colin''s evasive behavior be because he was the one behind it all?


    But if he wanted me dead, then treating me so kindly after recognizing me, being so obedient... that


    wouldn¡¯t make any sense.


    "Phoebe..." Colin stood not far from me, whispering my name.


    I nced at him before looking away.


    He hung his head as if he knew he was in the wrong.


    I hated being a pawn in someone else''s game. Dexter and his friends had gambled with me before,


    now Colin was doing the same.


    Win or lose, it felt bitterly cold.


    "We found her!" After a long, ufortable silence that seemed to stretch forever, Cory burst in,


    breaking the tension.


    "In an old building scheduled for demolition, we heard a generator running. Melody''s in there! She''s


    free, no one''s holding her captive. She''s just hiding out!" Cory was panting, gulping down a ss of


    water as he entered.


    Colin kept his head down, silent, not daring to look at me.


    Dexter, on the other hand, looked thunderous. "Was it you?" he demanded of Colin.


    using him, "You had her taken there, didn''t you?"


    Colin met Dexter''s gaze with an icy stare.


    "y by the rules, Dexter. Can''t handle a loss? Resorting to framing now?" Ste snapped angrily.


    "And what''s Melody anyway, some kind of saint?"


    Ste rolled her eyes, turning to Robin. "Typical damsel in distress, causing trouble as always."

 Chapter 334

    Dexter''s rage was palpable as he jabbed a finger at Colin. "This was all your doing, wasn''t it?"


    Colin remained silent, his eyes sinister, a mocking curl to his lips.


    Provoked, Dexter advanced, ready to throw a punch.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    I stepped in front of Colin, fury in my eyes. "Dexter, you agreed to the bet, and you lost, fair and


    square."


    From now on, all I wanted was for Dexter to disappear from my life forever.


    Colin wrapped his arms around me from behind, his gaze on Dexter growing icier. "You lost..."


    Dexter clenched his fists, silent, barely containing himself.


    Soon enough, Melody was brought back.


    The police had no right to detain her; it was her freedom to go wherever she pleased. So she had


    been quick to weave excuses.


    "Somebody told me the killer was after me, that I had to get away fast, not let anyone spot me. They


    said there were clothes hidden in the bathroom for me to change into and make a run for it."


    Melody''s voice broke into sobs. "I was so scared I''d end up like Phoebe, murdered and turned into


    some kind of freak show exhibit behind ss."


    With teary eyes, she showed the police an unknown number on her phone. "I got messages from


    this number."


    "You believed some stranger just like that? What if they were the murderer? If we hadn''t found you


    in time, you could be dead!" The officer scolded her sharply.


    Melody turned to Dexter, tears streaming down her face. "Dexter, I was so scared that I just


    believed the messages."


    Her nce at Colin was pointed. "I was so afraid..."


    Clearly, she was putting on a show, trying to pin the whole mess on Colin.


    "Was it you!" Dexter''s anger red at Colin, grabbing him by the cor.


    "And what would my motive be?" Colin asked coolly.


    "You wanted to trick Melody into running off, to make me panic. Then you''d swoop in, find her, bet


    me, all to make me lose!" Dexter spat out angrily.


    Robin sighed in frustration at the side, and even Finn couldn''t bear to watch.


    It was clear Dexter was no match for Colin in wits or deceit.


    Colin, when faced with Dexter''s usations, chose not to exin or defend himself. Instead, he


    made Dexter spell out his supposed motives, knowing that saying more would only lead to more


    mistakes.


    Only then did Dexter seem to realize, his anger mixed with a dawning horror. "You knew I''d bet


    against you?"


    Beyond the anger, Dexter''s eyes held a sh of shock, as if he was finally grasping the extent of


    Colin''s cunning.


    "I have no idea what you''re talking about," Colin said, feigning innocence as he turned to me,


    seemingly pleading for support.


    "Dexter, take your damsel in distress and head on home. It''s gettingte, and we wouldn''t want her


    to vanish again," I said, my voice hard, my hands clenched white as I turned my gaze to Melody.


    "Serial killer victims are usually found in ditches, but I bet there''s a filthy gutter out there just right for


    dumping your body."


    Myugh was cold, my eyes fixed on Melody. "Think you''re worthy of being preserved as an


    exhibit? As if."


    Melody recoiled, instinctively hiding behind Dexter. She stared at me, petrified, without uttering a


    word.


    "Phoebe..." Just as panicked as Melody was Colin, who almost subconsciously pulled me into his


    embrace, hurriedly speaking. "Phoebe, my wound is hurting. Can we go home, please?"


    I snapped back to reality, taken aback by my own words.


    Finn eyed me suspiciously, but said nothing.


    I nced at Ste and Robin, worried they''d misunderstand.


    Afraid they''d suspect I had ties to the murderer, especially since the identity of Foebe Larson was


    quite peculiar in its own right.

 Chapter 335

    Robin was on the phone when Ste''s cutting words sliced through the air, "She''s worse. She


    belongs in a septic tank, not a gutter."


    I cringed inwardly, grateful that Ste''s venomous attack overshadowed my own harsh words.


    There was a flicker of doubt in Finn''s eyes, but it slowly faded away.


    Once Robin ended his call, he looked over at Finn. "The dismemberment case closed?"


    Finn paused, surprised. "Someone confessed?"


    Robin made a face, clearly disappointed. "The boss rang me up, said I yed a key part in the


    arrest, took an honorable hit, and earned my stripes for wrapping up the case. They''re nning to


    award me with amendation at the traffic division...¡± He had hoped for a reinstatement to his old


    position, but no such luck.


    "That''s it?" Finn clenched his jaw.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "And they''re giving me leave. Told me toe back once my arm''s healed up."


    Finn scratched his head. "Wrapped up so quick, huh...¡±


    Clearly, there was pressure from above. A serial killer case dragging on without resolution, the so-


    called dismemberment case had a suspect in custody, and it was time to close the book swiftly to


    avoid public panic.


    "You guys head back. I''m going to see what''s up," Finn said before walking off to speak with the


    higher-ups.


    I nced at Colin, who was still holding me, unwilling to let go.


    Dexter snorted and turned to leave.


    "Mr. Fitzgerald, you''ve lost." Colin couldn''t resist a taunting reminder, though his voice was cautious,


    wary of my reaction.


    Dexter''s face turned thunderous. "You are childish!"


    Colin tightened his grip on me and called out loud enough for everyone to hear, "Shameless! She''s


    my wife, legally bound and protected."


    Dexter, choked with fury, wanted to lunge but was stopped by Melody''s tears. "Dexter, let''s just


    go..."


    He shook off Melody in a rage and stormed out.


    Melody nced back at me, a subtle smirk shing in her eyes. It seemed she was plotting


    something, and she was close to her goal.


    I scoffed derisively, wondering what little wave she could still make.


    "Let go," I said sternly, looking up at Colin.


    He hugged me tighter, his face a picture of misery.


    "Let go," I repeated.


    This time, Colin reluctantly released his hold on me.


    "Ste, I''ll head back if there''s nothing else," I whispered, myplexion still ghastly pale, reflected


    back at me from the ss. After all, I had just had a miscarriage; my body was still weak.


    "Rest up. If there''s any lead on the serial killings, I''ll let you know straight away," Ste said with


    concern, gripping my hand. She hesitated as if she wanted to say more, but all that came out was a


    choked, "Go home."


    Tears welled in my eyes. Did she recognize me?


    Without another word, I hurried away.


    Ste knew my obsession sinceing back was with the serial killer. As a victim, as someone


    brutally murdered, I had the right to know the truth.


    "The guy confessed, admitted to the killings. He was from the demolition zone on 37 Coastline


    Avenue, said he went bankrupt with another guy trying to find his child, and it led to a human


    trafficking case..."


    "The dismemberment case is closed, but now there''s this human trafficking case to deal with."


    I had just stepped out of the office when I overheard two officers discussing the case.


    "If you ask me, those two deserved death. Human traffickers should be put down."


    I stopped in my tracks, a chill running down my spine.


    Both dead men linked to missing persons?


    The man who jumped, the missing eighteen-year-old girl, the murdered...


    "37 Coastline Avenue," I murmured, a sudden wave of dizziness hitting me.


    That ce was thest slum of Sea City, inhabited by migrant workers, scavengers, those without


    homes or money, the lowest rung of society.


    The man who had jumped, Leo, was an elementary school teacher. His wife, a nurse at the local


    hospital. They lived modestly but happily.

 Chapter 336

    Their daughter was born with Asperger''s syndrome, but they neverined. In fact, they went


    out of their way to encourage her talents and abilities, making sure she shone brightly in the areas


    where she excelled.


    What did they do to deserve this?


    Was their daughter''s mistake being too brilliant? Did her brilliance make her a target?


    Leaning against the wall, I stiffened, then turned and walked back to my room, looking at Robin.


    "The girl who jumped, Leo''s daughter, what was her special talent?"


    "They say she had an extraordinary knack for numbers, spatial visualization a hundred times better


    than the average person. She could overlook the city, count every manhole cover, and recreate the


    entire urbanndscape and its underground infrastructure on paper with uncanny uracy."


    Likeputer-generated...


    "What about the person they caught this time? Did his child go missing too?" I asked Robin


    anxiously.


    Robin nodded. "It''s a boy, born with autism, but he''s obsessed with all sorts of insects and


    poisonous nts. He seems to have an innate interest in them, a sort of biology prodigy. He once


    slipped a toxin extracted from a toad into the water bottle of a bully, causing them to hallucinate and


    strip down to urinate in front of the whole ss..."


    I massaged my temples. "Toads?"


    Colin rified in a hushed tone. "They can secrete a sticky venom or release toxins from their skin.


    One is bufotenin, another is 5-MeO-DMT. These substances can cause intense hallucinations and


    can be quite harmful to humans..."


    "Geniuses," I muttered under my breath.


    "Both are standout savants with Asperger''s syndrome. I suspect they''re still alive... at least, until the


    value they possess is fully exploited. Could it be that someone''s deliberately targeting these gifted


    children, trafficking them, or even..." There could be a more sinister plot.


    Robin nodded, clearly sharing the suspicion.


    "Do these two kids have anything inmon?" I asked Robin.


    "Both disappeared five years ago and had both participated in a Genius Contest," Robin said with a


    shrug. "I''ve been looking into that contest. It was run by a group that vanished after just two events.


    They offered a hefty prize, so it was well-known at the time. After the teens disappeared, so did the


    people who organized the contest."


    "I''m investigating the organization behind that contest," Robin murmured.


    But with his currentck of official power, his investigation was limited; he needed Finn''s help.


    I bit my fingernail in frustration.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    It seemed that the disappearance of these young geniuses, the murder and disposal of their parents


    ¡ªvictims used as pawns¡ªpointed to arger conspiracy.


    "Phoebe, you should go back and rest. You look terrible," Ste said, concern etched in her voice.


    "There''s anothermonality..." Robin paused for a long while before continuing. "And that''s


    Phoebe."


    "Before the tragedy struck, the parents of the victims had sought a private tutor for their children.


    This tutor was Phoebe, the winner of the first Genius Contest," Robin took a deep breath. "I thought


    I got it wrong, or it was a case of mistaken identity, but no... it was indeed Phoebe."


    I stood frozen, staring at Robin.


    Finn had mentioned it too that the disappearance of the two teens was linked to ''Phoebe.''


    I didn''t believe it.


    But now Robin was saying it.


    I stepped back weakly and bumped into Colin''s arms.


    He wrapped an arm around me, speaking softly. "Phoebe..."


    My voice was hoarse as I looked up at Colin. He must know whether this was true or false. "Tell me,


    is it true? Was Phoebe really the winner of the first Genius Contest?"


    Could it be that I knew so little about myself?


    "How could that be..." Ste murmured in shock.


    Colin looked down, silent for a long while before finally speaking. "Yes..."

 Chapter 337

    I stared at Colin, gobsmacked. Was I?


    So, that meant the whole spiel about me being the valedictorian of the Genius Contest was real,


    and tutoring those missing kids was too?


    My fingers tingled with numbness as a throbbing headache made me sway unsteadily on my feet.


    Colin rushed over and wrapped his arms around me, his voice a soothing whisper. "It doesn''t


    matter. Their disappearance isn''t on you, it''s just..."


    His voice was husky with tension as he nced nervously at Robin. "The whole Genius Contest


    thing was just a publicity stunt, a way for the elite to lure in average families with the promise of


    hefty schrships, preying on the hopes of those dreaming for their kids to shoot for the stars.


    Phoebe was a victim too. She was just a pawn, like a mannequin in a store window, with no choice


    of her own, put on disy, an ornament. She''s not to me."


    Colin was shaking, trying so desperately to prove something to me as he held me.


    "Phoebe..." Ste''s voice shook as she rushed over to us.


    Robin furrowed his brow but said nothing.


    Clearly, everything now was proving that Dexter, Ste, and Colin all saw me as Phoebe.


    But in Robin¡¯s eyes, I was Foebe. How could a dead person just suddenlye back to life in


    another person¡¯s body? It defied any normal person''s understanding.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡±


    A memory shed through my mind, a voice familiar and chilling.


    "Do you know the most clever way to fool everyone?" Damian had circled around me, his smile sly


    as he began to speak. "It''s to weave a lie so well, even you believe it."


    "Ever heard of a montage of truths? Each sentence I say is true on its own, but strung together, they


    form a lie, a sequence turned on its head."


    "Phoebe, you have to convince yourself first..."


    "Like, the woman I love is in the arms of a rich yboy. Each part of that statement is true on its


    own, but the real order is that I fell for the woman in the rich yboy¡¯s arms."


    The same truth, spun differently, suddenly took on a whole new vor.


    "Tell me, how can you make him love you, to the point of doing anything for you, even giving up his


    life? Make him believe in you unwaveringly, believe that everything you say is true." Damian¡¯s


    sudden closeness amplified my headache.


    He seemed to be teaching me how to deceive. How to scheme.


    Who was he talking about?


    Was he telling me to deceive Colin?


    "Remember, only you can save your world," Damian patted my shoulder, his voice insistent. "To


    make him believe in you, you first have to fool yourself."


    "You''re a genius, I believe you can do it. I want you to be his one true love, his only one. Make him


    marry you, make him hang on your every word, and turn him into a puppet."


    My head pounded as I tried to make sense of who Damian was referring to.


    Who was it?


    Finally, a memory cleared, and I saw the photograph on the table.


    Dexter...


    "Phoebe, your families were already betrothed; he will marry you, but that¡¯s not nearly enough."


    Damian''s eyes lingered on the photo as he continued. "If you don''t y along, I''ll find someone to


    rece you."


    "Phoebe?"


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Phoebe!"


    Snapping back to reality, I took in ragged breaths as I looked around.


    Colin and Ste were staring at me with wide, panicked eyes, trying to gauge if I was alright.


    I shook my head and leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down to sit.


    Damian wanted me to get close to Dexter? He wanted me to deceive myself, to make Dexter fall in


    love with me, to marry me? He wanted to turn Dexter into an obedient puppet? Was it to control the


    Fitzgerald family through Dexter?


    The Fitzgeralds were all about clean business, dealing with real estate, medical equipment, and


    international trade. What could Damian want through Dexter. He was just a doctor.

 Chapter 338

    ¡°Phoebe, you gotta aim high, rise above the crowd if you don''t wanna get stepped on. Only then can


    you break free from all this¡­¡±


    Damian¡¯s voice was like a curse, echoing in my ears nonstop.


    The guy was a lunatic, a true devil.


    No wonder I have this amnesia¡ªthere''s a good chance he''s behind it.


    ¡°Is it possible... that with thebination of a car ident, hypnosis, medication, and other


    treatments, someone could forget certain memories and then have false ones imnted during


    hypnosis?¡± I asked quietly.


    Now I seriously suspect that my belief in Dexter as my decade-long love was all a result of


    Damian''s maniption. He took advantage of my memory loss to mislead me, to sow errors in my


    own recollections.


    ¡°There''s no denying that possibility,¡± Robin said gravely. ¡°Three years ago, there was a case of a


    psychologist who induced his patient tomit murder on his behalf.


    The reason was that this psychologist had hypnotized his client, who had psychological issues, and


    transferred his own hatred onto the patient. The patient felt the psychologist¡¯s rage and hatred as if


    it were his own, even bing delusional, believing that it was the victim who had harmed him and


    his family. In a fit of rage, the patient stabbed the man to death in broad daylight.¡±


    I sat there in silence.


    There was definitely something off about Damian, and now I was pretty sure of it.


    Dexter, it turned out, was just another fly in the web, not an outsider at all.


    And Melody¡¯s entrance¡ªcould it be what Damian warned me about, that if I didn¡¯tply, he¡¯d


    rece me?


    Melody was like a catalyst.


    It seemed Damian¡¯s real aim was to use her to warn me, to push me, to hasten mepleting his


    task¡ªto have Dexter marry me. But he hadn¡¯t anticipated my untimely death.


    Damian never saw my ending at the hands of a serial killer.


    Oh, what an uncontroble oue this was for him.


    ¡°The case is closed¡­¡± Finn muttered when he returned. ¡°The guy confessed clearly, said he found


    out his son¡¯s disappearance might be linked to the deceased. After repeatedly being rebuffed when


    trying to find his son, he developed a murderous intent.¡±


    It looked like chance, but it was clearly orchestrated.


    A case within a case, cases behind cases, and even cases behind those. Following the trail,


    forwards or backwards, there were issues everywhere.


    I watched Finn sketch out the web of clues on the whiteboard and spoke up softly. ¡°Two cases, a


    serial murder, and a dismemberment... It looks like the mastermind behind them all was using the


    victims to kill.¡±


    ¡°Because there¡¯s no such thing as a perfect victim in this world,¡± Finn said, looking at me. ¡°That


    year, there were six nationwide disappearances of young people with Asperger''s Syndrome. Do you


    know why only the parents of these two kids are still searching?¡±


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I shook my head.


    ¡°Because the others saw it as getting rid of a burden. Asperger''s, autism, pfft, to them, geniuses are


    monsters, freaks. Plus, with the kids gone, they cashed in on a hefty amount of donations. Why


    wouldn¡¯t they be happy?¡± Finn scoffed. ¡°Guess why the Langley family didn¡¯t bring Caleb, the


    illegitimate child, home? Couldn¡¯t the Langleys afford it? Were the Langleys too concerned about


    their reputation? No. Caleb¡¯s mother and Ethan had a legal marriage.¡±


    Colin frowned, giving Finn a warning look.


    Finn was asking for it. ¡°Because he was a monster too. Rumor has it that he never spoke a word


    after being born, was diagnosed with autism, and when he was dumped at the orphanage,


    everyone thought he was mute.¡±

 Chapter 339

    Finn was teasing, a wry smile etched on his face as he thought about the plight of the Langley


    family, a dynasty that would give anything to rid themselves of a child born with ws. How much


    more would the average families do the same?


    "And these two kids¡¯ parents... they''ve turned downmunity fundraisers, sold off all their assets,


    and were living a life full of regret," he mused. "They med themselves for letting their kid enter


    that high-pressure talent contest, for the unbearable stress they allowed to pile on the child''s


    shoulders, cursing their own helplessness..."


    They truly loved their child. But ironically, those who truly loved were the ones being exploited.


    Turned into weapons of murder, likembs to the ughter. They were innocent, their sorrow


    profound.


    It''s as if the rope of life frays most at its thinnest point, and the silent cries of despair from these


    powerlessmoners were just too heart-wrenching.


    What depths of despair must they have reached to willingly walk the path of bing someone


    else''s executioner?


    "Community fundraisers? Which families received such donations? From a charity, you say?" I


    furrowed my brow, pressing Finn for more information.


    "Yeah, I looked into it. It''s all been orchestrated by folks from the Angel Fund. They''ve been the


    beacon of hope for the folks at the bottom in Sea City and have a sterling reputation in the charity


    world. Nowadays, if a family''s kid gets sick, they''re eligible to apply for support from the Angel


    Fund," Finn shrugged nonchntly.


    I took a deep breath.


    Angel Fund.


    It sounded all too familiar.


    "It''s the charity foundation established by Dexter''s mother..." My voice was a whisper, hoarse and


    trembling.


    I hoped it was all just a coincidence. Otherwise, the game was too grand, the spiders on the web


    too numerous. How were we, mere insects, to survive on this vast?


    "Society itself is a web. There''s no absolute good or evil. The world isn''t just ck and white," Finn


    spoke calmly. "The person you consider utterly vile might be a devoted son. The great phnthropist


    you admire could have a trail of blood behind them... Every great fortune casts a long shadow,


    without exception. Do you think any of the world''s richest are spotless? Free from skeletons and


    bloodshed?"


    This world is like a giant grinder, where living in blissful ignorance and simplicity is the greatest


    freedom.


    "Did you find out who funded the big prize money behind the contest back in the day?" Robin asked


    Finn.


    "It was the Angel Fund," Finn replied with another shrug.


    It wasn''t a secret.


    Back then, the Angel Fund was devoted to helping children with congenital deformities, gic


    disorders, and rare diseases. It drew wide public attention, and the Fitzgerald family received heaps


    of praise from the media,ying a solid foundation for Dexter''s eventual takeover of the Fitzgerald


    Group.


    No one reaches the top in one leap. Without the legacy of the Fitzgerald Group as a stepping stone,


    Dexter wouldn''t have his status today.


    I took a deep breath and massaged my temples.


    Angel Fund.


    The Fitzgerald family.


    Dexter.


    Was it possible that not only had Dexter deliberately deceived me, but that I had approached him


    with deceitful intentions as well?


    What exactly was my rtionship with Damian?


    "Phoebe, you don''t look well. Let''s head back and rest," Colin said, concern etched on his face as


    he tried to lead me away.


    "Carter''s birthday ising up. Light a candle for him when you go. I won''t be joining," Finn said


    with a hint of defiance, visibly ufortable at the mention of Carter.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Colin remained silent, his eyes clouded with pain and loss.


    Carter had died because of him... a nightmare Colin would never be able to forget.


    "Why is Finn so afraid of Carter?" I whispered once we were in the car.


    "He''s afraid of me too," Colin whispered back, cautiously trying to take my hand when he thought I


    wasn''t looking.


    I swatted his hand away, and he looked up with a wounded expression. "He thinks Carter and I


    aren''t normal, that we''re monsters..."


    "And then?" That''s it?


    "He rallied the whole ss to call Carter and me monsters. So Carter and I got back at him, always


    using subtle tricks he couldn''t see or predict." Colin seemed to reminisce, a soft chuckle escaping


    him as his eyshes fluttered.

 Chapter 340

    Memories of Carter were one of the few highlights in the tapestry of his past.


    A pang of sympathy struck me, and my hand reached out instinctively toward Colin''s, only to recoil


    before contact.


    What kind of person had I be? Was there a future for Colin and me?


    "Phoebe... you''re not a bad person," said Colin, his grip firm on my hand.


    In moments of self-doubt, he steadfastly believed in me.


    "Do you know why Finn changed his name?" Colin seemed eager to lighten the mood, straining to


    shift the conversation. "After Carter''s death, he was haunted by nightmares, believing Carter''s ghost


    was following him, that... Carter was still with him. He even got electrocuted at home, said he saw a


    ghost."


    Colin chuckled. "His parents consulted all sorts of specialists to exorcise the ghost, but eventually, a


    therapist said it was a hallucination from the shock. But Finn wasn''t reassured, so he had a fortune-


    teller change his name to ward off Carter''s spirit." Colin fell silent.


    His grip tightened around my hand, his Adam''s apple bobbing.


    Looking at Colin, I should have found the story amusing, but I couldn''t muster a smile.


    I saw his effort to cheer me up. His clumsy tenderness was heart-wrenching.


    "I just want you to be happy... but I always mess things up." Colin''s voice was hoarse as his grip


    loosened.


    The rest of our walk was silent; neither of us spoke again.


    Back home, I secluded myself in Colin''s basement.


    Staring at the web of clues on the wall, I was lost in thought.


    Who was Colin so protective of?


    It seemed his concernsy with two people: Carter and ''Phoebe''.


    Both were ''deceased''.


    The clues on the wall captivated me for a long time.


    From mistrusting ''Foebe Larson'' to now doubting ''Phoebe Caldwell'', I felt caught in a vast


    conspiracy.


    Perhaps regaining my memory wouldn''t be enough to untangle this mystery. Behind the fogy a


    deeper fog, and beyond the mountain, another mountain.


    Leaving the basement, Eric sighed. "Colin... he''s been drinking."


    I paused.


    Colin was drinking?


    With his injuries, what was he doing drinking?


    "Eric..." I was anxious to check on Colin but then remembered the All-Stars Consortium''s CEO.


    "The charity g..."


    Had the charity g been a sess?


    Eric looked surprised. "Didn''t he tell you? Seems he drank too much before he had the chance..."


    Eric continued, "He sold all hiswful shares to the CEO of the All-Stars Consortium. Your and the


    kid''s mishap must have shaken him. He''d give up everything for your safety."


    So, regardless of whether Colin and I lived or died, the Langley family had changed hands.


    I was shocked at Colin''s revtion, an extreme measure I''d never dared imagine.


    Colin had sold the Langley Group!


    This fool! Without those shares, he also lost leverage and enraged Henry, who could now take his


    life at any moment!


    Although Henry lost his reason to kill me, Colin would be branded a traitor to the Langley family.


    They would never forgive Colin!


    Why did he always bear all the pressure alone?


    "Bang!"


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Suddenly, barking erupted from the backyard, amotion from the house; Eric and I panicked and


    ran toward the bedroom.

 Chapter 341

    The incessant barking of Coly in the backyard was a dead giveaway ¨C someone had definitely


    hopped the fence.


    Coly, ever the vignt watchdog, could sense the slightest disturbance, often catching what human


    ears would miss.


    Colin''s decision to sell his shares in the Langley Group to the All-Stars Consortium had sent


    shockwaves throughout thepany. The sudden involvement of the All-Stars Consortium and


    their upper echelon''s swift takeover had undoubtedly ruffled the feathers of the Langley family, with


    Henry at the helm, leaving them seething.


    Panic-stricken, I thrust open the door, my pounding heart finally settling as I slumped against the


    door frame, gasping for air.


    In that moment, I had to admit, despite the past, the current me was genuinely worried for Colin.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Colin''s voice was slurred, clearly inebriated. Curled up at the foot of the bed, he


    clutched his knees, his gaze clouded with confusion as he looked at me.


    Relief washed over me as I approached the figure sprawled on the floor, treading gingerly.


    "Are you hurt?" I crouched in front of Colin, whispering the question.


    His usually pallid face was speckled with droplets of blood, which somehow made him look both


    alluring and ethereal.


    Compelled by some unseen force, I reached out to wipe the blood from his face, only for my hand to


    be seized by him under his intense gaze.


    The heat in his eyes was palpable, flickering with an intensity that seemed to burn. ¡°Phoebe¡­ it¡¯s


    not my blood.¡±


    Chills crept up my spine as Colin''s eyes bore into me, as if he could swallow me whole.


    Just when I thought he might lean in for a kiss amid the tension, he jolted his head up and


    enveloped me in an embrace, his voice thick with alcohol. ¡°Phoebe¡­ what¡¯s going on? I¡¯m so


    scared; my head¡¯s spinning¡­¡±


    Inhaling the scent of liquor on him, I let out a resigned sigh. ¡°Eric, take care of this, will you? Hand


    this man over to the cops.¡±


    Eric chuckled, seemingly relieved as well. It was as if he was relieved that I hadn''t rushed to check if


    the person was dead but had first seen to Colin''s wellbeing.


    So, did Colin''s fervent gaze mean that I finally put him first?


    The silly man!


    ¡°Take him to the station,¡± Eric said after checking the intruder''s pulse, confirming he was just


    knocked out, not dead.


    I watched as both Eric and I exhaled in unison.


    Colin, utterly wasted, slumped against me. I couldn''t tell if he was truly drunk or feigning it, his body


    smeared with the intruder''s blood, hair a mess. And yet, his face remained strikingly handsome.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­¡± Colin was probably truly drunk, constantly murmuring my name.


    ¡°My wife¡­ Phoebe¡­¡± His voice was whiny, clinging to me, refusing to let go.


    I sighed. Now he wasn''t ying dumb but pretending to be drunk?


    Whether he was truly drunk or not, he desperately needed a bath.


    "Get up, let''s get you cleaned up. You''re filthy¡­" I said with a hint of disdain, dragging him toward


    the bathroom.


    Colin obediently followed, lifting his arms as we entered the bathroom. He was silently asking me to


    help him out of his hoodie.


    On tiptoes, I managed to pull it over his head, and for a moment, our eyes locked, my heart skipping


    a beat.


    My breath caught, and in the next second, Colin''s hoodie ensnared me in his embrace, and his


    foggy eyes imed mine in a kiss.


    It was impossible to resist. He was like a bewitching fae. If animals ever turned into humans, Colin


    would surely be a fox.


    ¡°Pants¡­¡± Colin kissed me breathlessly and had the audacity to shamelessly ask me to help him


    with his pants!


    I wanted to flee, my heartbeat quick, cheeks flushing, but trapped by his hoodie, I couldn''t escape.


    ¡°Phoebe¡­ your face is red,¡± Colin observed with a tone of surprise, as if he had stumbled upon a


    new wonder. ¡°Phoebe, check your pulse.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 342

    I stared at Colin nkly. "Why?"


    "You once said that liking someone is all about the sympathetic nervous system getting fired up,


    hormone levels rising, dopamine transmitting, and heart rate speeding up... If your heart races


    during a kiss, more than when you¡¯re calm, it means you like me," Colin exined earnestly.


    I paused, a little shocked. Was I really that melodramatic? Liking someone needed a form?


    "Cough... You talk too much," I mumbled, looking down and tugging at the drawstring of his


    sweatpants. Suddenly, I came back to my senses and squinted suspiciously. "Get your own pants


    off and into the tub! You''re drunk, not disabled!"


    Colin started to y the fainting card again with a pitiful look. "Phoebe, I feel awful. That booze


    made me so hot, it''s like... I''m in heat."


    I clenched my teeth. "I''ve got a pair of scissors. How about I help you with a little sterilization?"


    Colin immediately straightened up, obediently stripped off his clothes, and without a shred of


    shame, stepped naked into the bathtub.


    I massaged my temples. This man really had no sense of embarrassment!


    Though we were legally married.


    "Phoebe... my hands really hurt." Colin held out his palms, and only then did I notice the wounds on


    his hands!


    "Why didn¡¯t you say something sooner!" I rushed to grab the first aid kit, cursing and fretting over


    him.


    Looking all forlorn, Colin leaned over the edge of the bathtub, watching me tend to his injuries with a


    slightly dazed and loopy gaze¡ªhe was probably really tipsy.


    The steam from the bathtub filled the air, and Colin, leaning over the edge, looked as if he had


    stepped right out of a Greek myth.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Phoebe..." Colin called my name in a whisper, his eyshes fluttering.


    Too enticing.


    "Phoebe..." He truly seemed in distress, half-submerged in the tub.


    Damn it. This bathroom was too big, the tub too spacious; I couldn''t shake the feeling he was like a


    siren, luring me in.


    "What are you doing?" I eyed him warily.


    "Phoebe... I''m in agony." His hands still rested on the edge of the tub. "I can''t get my hands wet, so


    help me..."


    Seeing his presumptuousness, I stood to leave.


    "Phoebe," he called out pitifully.


    But this time, I didn¡¯t indulge him.


    "Phoebe, you like me. Don¡¯t believe Dexter. He''s shameless," Colin muttered, still finding the


    strength to insult Dexter.


    I snorted, looking at Colin. "You''re pretty shameless yourself."


    "Phoebe, we''re legit. Everything I own is yours, my face, my body, all yours. I don¡¯t need them.


    They¡¯re all for you."


    Colin said this with utmost seriousness.


    I was suddenly seized by an urge to see the world burn. I mmed the door shut, my racing heart


    only calming down after I gulped in some fresh air.


    It must have been the heat of the bathroom. Definitely.


    Colin was left to bathe alone. Concerned he might actually drown in his drunken state, I left the


    bathroom door ajar andy on the bed, positioned so I could keep an eye on him, just to prevent


    any idents.


    Colin squirmed pitifully in the tub, trying to dip his bandaged hands in the water.


    "If you get those hands wet, I''ll break them," I said sternly.


    Excitedly, Colin pulled his head out of the water and ced his hands, which hadn''t yet touched the


    water, back on the edge of the tub obediently.


    Seemingly reassured that I was watching, he began his own little show-off routine, fluttering like a


    peacock, grabbing this and that, never settling down.


    I gave up, figuring he wasn''t that drunk after all, and stopped paying him any mind. Instead, I pulled


    out my phone and scrolled through my parents'' journals.

 Chapter 343

    [Phoebe was sick again today. The medicine Damian gave her seems pretty potent, and it''s making


    her react badly. The poor kid''s be withdrawn since she started on it.]


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    [Edward took Phoebe to the orphanage today. When she got back, her clothes were torn, and I was


    worried that she might have gotten into a scrap with the other kids. I asked Edward about it, but he


    said that Phoebe was a good girl today, didn''t fight or get physical with anyone. She even cried!]


    Between the lines, I could tell my mom was thrilled about me crying. I tried to piece together those


    hazy, unclear memories.


    Before I met Colin, I indeed never cried. I didn''t cry at birth, which led the doctors to think I was


    mute, although I ended up speaking earlier than most kids my age. Eventer, when they would


    provoke me or hit me, ver cried.


    The day I first cried at the orphanage, as recorded in the diary, I was wearing a red dress. It must


    have been when those bullies at the orphanage tried to yank it off me.


    As I flipped through the journal, I noticed how meticulously my mom documented my life, missing


    not a single day. But the entries stopped cold during the days I was sent to the psychiatric hospital.


    Not a word about Damian''s treatment.


    [Today Phoebe lost her temper with the neighbors. They wereining about us keeping arge


    dog and even tried to drive Howler away.]


    ...


    My mom''s journal is filled with the mundane details of my life at home, but what''s odd is that there''s


    not a single mention of Colin and Carter, as if on purpose...


    I was close with Colin and Carter, and my parents must have known about my romance with Colin.


    So why is there no mention of it in the diary?


    It only noted that Phoebe made a friend at the orphanage who seemed to trust and like her a lot.


    And then there''s the entry that says I seemed to naturally attract kids with congenital personality


    defects, that they trusted me and yed well together.


    As I read through entry after entry, most were just boring daily stuff, but those two sentences sent


    chills down my spine.


    Putting it together with what Robin and Finn said, these didn''t seem like journal entries at all, more


    like notes from an experiment.


    I took a deep breath and kept reading.


    Why did Dexter say I was purposely forgetting Colin? And that Colin had hurt me?


    Sure enough, there was an entry from early in my eighteenth year, noting that Phoebe said she was


    an adult now and wanted her own independent life. She had started to rebel.


    And adolescence, indeed the age of hormonal surge, Phoebe was just like any other teenager,


    perhaps even more intense.


    The next entry.


    [Today we took Phoebe to get her blood drawn for tests. Her hormone levels have changed, but her


    physical and gic makeup still prevent her from having gically healthy children.]


    [March 27th: Phoebe disappeared. Today is the second day she''s been gone.]


    [March 28th: Still no clues about Phoebe''s whereabouts. That person is clever, hiding her away.]


    [March 29th: No leads today either, but Zero has also vanished. I suspect he took Phoebe.]


    I furrowed my brow, stopping my scrolling finger, staring at the screen.


    Zero? Was it the codename for the person who took me? Who was it that took me away?


    [April 8th: Atst, we found Phoebe. Zero had locked her in a cer, her hands shackled with


    chains, covered in wounds, barely clinging to life.]


    My mom had taken a photo of me tied up in the cer, battered and breathless, hands bound in


    chains. It was a harrowing sight.


    I felt a sense of panic. I had disappeared on March 26th and wasn''t found until April 8th. During that


    time, it seemed my parents didn''t even call the police.


    And from the photo, it was clear that my mom''s first reaction wasn''t to rescue me, but to take a


    photograph.


    Even more eerie was that my mom, who in my memory loved me so dearly, wrote the journal entries


    of those days without any emotion. Her words didn''t convey worry or urgency, but seemed like a


    clinical record of each day.


    My fingers trembling, I slowly scrolled through the entries on my phone.


    Who was Zero?


    [April 9th: Zero was found too. He was brought back home by Ethan who promised to discipline his


    son and not let him bother Phoebe again.]


    My gaze was locked in shock on the screen. The photo from the 9th, taken by my mom, was of


    Colin.


    Zero was Colin.


    Was that the codename they gave to Colin? Why?


    In the photo, Colin looked desperate, struggling against the Langley family''s bodyguards pinning


    him to the ground, with Ethan also in the picture.


    I looked at this man in the photo, supposedly Colin''s biological father, and frowned subtly.

 Chapter 344

    Ethan''s gaze wasn''t that of a father looking at his son. It was more like he was staring at a lunatic, a


    monster.


    But there was also a hint of pity...


    Ethan seemed to feel sorry for Colin.


    But it was far from pure paternal love; it seemed tinged with aplex mix of emotions.


    Underneath the photograph, my mother had noted that Zero''s emotional turmoil appeared to be


    more intense than Phoebe''s, with possible tendencies towards violence and abuse, but it wasn''t yet


    confirmed, requiring further observation.


    Suddenly, my head throbbed painfully, and a voice echoed in my mind.


    "Phoebe, you can''t have children of your own."


    "Phoebe... I''m sorry, darling, but there''s something wrong with your and Colin''s gics."


    "Shirley, what are you telling the child?"


    In my memories, my mother''s voice wasden with guilt, my father''s voice was scolding, and then


    the sound of packing.


    "Don''t burden the child with negative emotions, act normal, don''t give anything away. I''ll put the


    bags in the car. After the ceremony at the orphanage today, we''ll leave Sea City."


    My mother was sobbing, holding me tight. "Phoebe... I''m so sorry, darling, it''s all my fault."


    "We don''t have much time. He has eyes everywhere. We need to leave," my father urged.


    "Did you give all the documents and evidence to the police?" my mother sounded scared.


    "I''d be too obvious. I sent Mr. Larson instead."


    "Can we trust Mr. Larson?" my mother sounded doubtful.


    "He owes us his life. His wife couldn''t conceive, remember? You did their IVF treatment, so he''s


    grateful to us."


    In the memory, my father seemed to ce great trust in Mr. Larson.


    But who was Mr. Larson?


    I tugged at my hair as my headache intensified.


    This memory was hazy, but I could discern that on the day of the car ident, my parents were


    unusually tense. They seemed to be nning to evade someone, to take me and flee.


    And they had entrusted ''Mr. Larson'' with handing over some evidence to the police.


    Clearly, the oue suggested that ''Mr. Larson'' had betrayed my father''s trust. He didn''t hand over


    the evidence to the police; he might even have sold out my father.


    That''s why my parents ended up in that deliberate, severe car ident on the overpass with Ethan.


    "Honey..." Colin''s whiny voice pulled me back to reality. I instinctively shut off my phone and turned


    around to find myself enveloped in his embrace.


    My breathing quickened.


    Was Dexter telling the truth? Did Colin really imprison and abuse me?


    At least, that''s what my mother''s journal suggested.


    But without my memories, I couldn''t trust the journal alone. Because right now... I didn''t trust my


    parents.


    Until the truth came out, I couldn''t even trust myself.


    "Honey, I feel dizzy." Colin wrapped his arms around me and we tumbled under the covers, where


    he began his peacocking, no, his siren''s seduction.


    Those long, powerful legs entwined me, leaving no chance for escape.


    "Phoebe..." He held me from behind, slowly tightening his embrace.


    My ears were burning, and something else was insistently pressing against my lower back. That


    scoundrel!


    "Phoebe, I''ll just rub a little. I won''t enter."


    "Get lost."


    "Phoebe, please..."


    Is it toote to neuter him now?


    Thankfully, he still had some sense, knowing my body couldn''t handle it. He really did just touch,


    without going any further. But even that was too much! His hands were everywhere!


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Caleb Langley!"


    And just when Caleb''s breath was at its hottest, the phone rang.


    His eyes turned icy, as if he could kill.


    I couldn''t help but smile smugly. "Answer the phone."


    He wouldn''t. I reached for it, and he objected.


    "What if it''s important?"


    He gritted his teeth and nced at the screen. It was Finn.


    "He better have a good reason."


    "Caleb! I''ve got Phoebe Caldwell''s autopsy report and the gic tests of the fetus she was


    carrying. There''s something off! Get down to the forensicsb now!"

 Chapter 345

    Gic Assessment Center.


    When Colin and I arrived, Finn was perched on a couch in the waiting area, his expression heavy


    with concern.


    It wasn''t just Finn; several research scientists in whiteb coats also wore grave expressions.


    "See for yourself."


    Finn slid ab report across the table towards us.


    Colin picked it up and nced over it, his reaction muted, almost unsurprised.


    I exchanged a look with Colin before reaching out to examine the report myself.


    Regrettably, it might as well have been in Greek.


    Noticing my confusion, Finn massaged his temples. "We''ve got a big problem... Phoebe Caldwell


    appears to have been gically modified at the embryonic stage, and then the embryo was


    imnted back into a womb for gestation ¨C a gic-edited baby."


    The scientists shared his grave look. "Moreover, Phoebe Caldwell underwent the most advanced


    gic enhancements avable. She was born with the potential for genius-level intellect, a


    physicality and strength beyond that of an average person ¨C essentially... the creation of a prodigy."


    Put in more rming terms, humanity had fashioned a ''god'' that could age and die.


    "Gic editing..." I muttered in disbelief, looking at the researchers. "Is this technology


    widespread?"


    "It''s strictly prohibited," Finn frowned. "You don''t understand what gic editing could mean for


    society. Once..."


    He trailed off, as if further exnation would be lost on me anyway.


    Colin remained silent throughout, not uttering a single word.


    "Is it possible that some wealthy individuals have already started doing this? It sounds like... there


    are no downsides, making their children superior," I ventured cautiously.


    "Research into gic editing is banned from human trials for a reason. There are too many


    uncontroble factors. Like, if you close one door in the gic chain to grant natural immunity to


    HIV, you might inadvertently open another. And the consequences of that are unpredictable and


    uncontroble."


    The rich aren''t fools. They wouldn''t dare gamble on such an immature science. Thus a sessful


    experiment requires countless test subjects to be sacrificed until the perfect result is achieved.


    If gic editing were to be legalized, it would throw society into chaos.


    The wealthy would engineer their children to be ''gods'' from birth, while the poor would be


    oppressed for life.


    I stared at the gic test results, silent for a long moment. "So... Phoebe isn''t the natural-born fruit


    of her parents'' love but rather an experiment?"


    "It''s very likely," one of the scientists confirmed.


    Finn looked up at Colin. "This is why I called you. We can''t let this information leak; it would cause


    mass panic. We need to find out more. I suspect Phoebe is not an isted case."


    Considering the experimental data-like entries in Phoebe''s parents'' journals, Finn believed she was


    likely a test subject. "And her death might have been a deliberate move by those behind the scenes


    to destroy this living evidence."


    And it was possible they deemed Phoebe a failed experiment.


    "So, if the goal was to destroy the evidence, the person who killed me... Phoebe, shouldn''t have


    trapped her body in a disy case but should have incinerated it," I countered. "Disying the body


    in a ss case seems more intentional. Like they wanted to showcase her to the public, to expose


    the conspiracy behind her creation," I murmured.


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    The killer must be against gic editing. And they knew far too much about the secrets of these


    experiments.


    "But here''s the most terrifying part." Finn produced another report. "This is from the fetus found in


    Phoebe''s womb. Congenital deformities, abnormal morphology, severe gic defects,


    chromosomal anomalies..."


    It was, unmistakably, a ''monster''. A malformed child that could never be brought to term.

 Chapter 346

    "Why did this happen..." I gasped, hand mped over my mouth, my body trembling slightly.


    That child who was never born.


    "This is what happens when you mess with the gic code without understanding the


    consequences. Phoebe was born a genius, naturally immune to HIV and a host of other diseases,


    but it also meant that from the moment of her birth, her body was ipatible with the natural


    process of reproduction, like... a mule born from a donkey and a horse, sterile by nature."


    And with a child, unable to be carried or to survive healthily.


    Gic editing, it''s like Pandora''s Box, once opened, there are unforeseen consequences.


    "Don''t think this is a small issue, it''s horrifying... and the implications are vast. Behind Phoebe, this


    test subject, there must be a terrifying and sinister organization orchestrating it all."


    Finn pped the table. "From genius drafts to missing teens, from serial killings to muttion


    cases... Looking back at this gic editing case, all these seemingly unrted incidents are


    trapped in the same intricate web."


    Finn suddenly had an epiphany. Maybe he had always been quite smart. Just a littlete to the


    party.


    And Colin had figured it all out years ago, and had it all pinned up on the wall.


    I turned to look at Colin, my gaze intense. I wasn''t ming him.


    But even now, was he still unwilling to speak?


    "That''s right... The wealthy, in their quest to pass on superior genes, have been secretly dabbling in


    gic editing." Colin''s voice was hoarse as he finally spoke. "I too am gically edited, but unlike


    Phoebe, I wasn''tpletely edited. My changes were just enhancements to bolster resistance to


    hereditary diseases, intelligence, athletic ability, and to take advantage of the gic benefits of


    superior DNA."


    No sooner had Colin finished than everyone''s eyes were glued to him.


    A glint of something, perhaps excitement or greed, sparked in the eyes of the scientists.


    Human desire is terrifying. Since ancient times, emperors sought immortality, a pursuit that


    continues today, with research into eternal life and anti-aging never ceasing. But these anti-human,


    anti-natural experiments will inevitably take center stage in history, fueled by relentless human


    ambition.


    "Ethan never really loved my mother. She was just an ordinary mixed-race woman, her genes


    perfect, chosen by Brendan to be a surrogate and an egg donor, while Ethan provided the sperm."


    In other words, his so-called biological father.


    Colin let out a bitterugh. inly speaking, he was the product of surrogacy. Treated like an object,


    amodity.


    "Brendan wanted the perfect heir, so I, the gically edited child, was born in ab."


    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I began to understand why Colin was so reticent about these so-called secrets. Each secret was


    like a knife to him. As he divulged them, he was stabbing himself over and over.


    "I was observed by researchers as I grew up until I was eight, the age when, ording to the


    contract, the Langley family was supposed to take me in. But the Langley family went back on their


    word because I was naturally silent, reclusive, and the consequences of the gic modifications


    meant my brain developed abnormally slowly before the age of eight, my IQ even lower than an


    average person''s."


    "They deemed me a failure. After taking me back, they dumped me in an orphanage..." Colin took a


    deep breath, his gaze turning icy as he looked at Finn.


    "What they didn''t know was that after I turned eight, my brain started functioning beyond what


    normal people could achieve."


    Colin pointed to his temple, but his voice wasced with loathing. He seemed to see himself as a


    gically modified monster!

 Chapter 347

    I had a pretty good handle on what happened next.


    Colin''s genius streak suddenly kicked in, and in his teens, he was enrolled in the Genius ss,


    making a name for himself in a blink.


    And the Langleys, they were all too eager to scoop him back into the fold.


    Oh, the irony. Just how low can human nature stoop?


    "And what about Carter?" Finn asked anxiously, his voiceced with tension.


    Was Carter also a product of gic editing?


    "Do you know why the wealthy are so obsessed with gic editing? They want their kids to be the


    next Einstein, the next Rockefeller," Colin said, his voice deep and steady as he locked eyes with


    Finn. "But there''s something miraculous about how God created humans. Every so often, a natural-


    born genius appears, someone who pushes the world forward... The only hand that should be


    editing human genes is God''s. But there are always those who are mad enough to think they can


    y God''s role, or even believe they can create God."


    Colin''s message was crystal clear - Carter was a natural-born genius. A one-in-a-billion prodigy.


    And Colin? He was engineered.


    Born with the best genes and further enhanced and modified.


    Born at the summit of human potential.


    "You see... genes can be passed down and inherited. That''s the beauty and the terror of human


    gics," Colin said, looking over at the scientists. "Tell me, if thew allowed it, wouldn''t you wantT¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    your child to be born at the peak of their potential?"


    It was a mad idea, but it revealed so much about human nature.


    "Wouldn''t you want your child to be born a genius, naturally resistant to all sorts of diseases?"


    The scientists fell silent.


    "But it''s uncontroble. With such advantagese the risks of gic mutations. I wouldn''t dare


    let my child take that gamble," one of the scientists shook his head.


    Colin nodded. "Exactly... That''s why we need to get to the bottom of this."


    It was tough, sure, but it had to be done. To tear apart and burn the that was cast from the


    shadows.


    "I''ve been investigating this for six years now. I''ve never been able to truly get to their core. I


    underestimated human nature, the power of influence."


    And the intelligence of those behind the scenes. Colin could be sure of one thing: the mastermind


    was no ordinary person. He must be a genius, smarter even than he was.


    "Who do you suspect?" Finn''s eyes were wide with urgency as he looked at Colin.


    "Damian." Colin gripped my hand, his gaze resolute.


    It was as if he was telling me that together, we''d uncover it all; that he''d stand by me; that he''d


    always protect me.


    "But Damian might not be the real puppeteer. My visit to the psychiatric hospital wasn''t just to find


    Damian''s weakness, but also to test him. The man''s got ambition and some smarts, but he''s not


    smart enough."


    Damian was clever, sure, but not clever enough to be the one weaving this vast web.


    Finn nodded. "Then let''s start with him."


    "As for the serial killings, none of the victims were innocent," Colin continued, his gaze fixed on


    Finn. "The killer has drawn so much attention because his ultimate goal must be to expose the


    whole gic editing saga. He''s making us wait and watch; he''s provoking whoever''s behind the


    net." Colin''s voice was hoarse and low.


    My breath caught, and in a way, the person behind the serial killings seemed more like an


    adversary, an enemy of the enemy hidden behind the web.


    And the enemy of my enemy is a friend, right? So was Colin not going all out to find the serial killer


    but instead hoping to benefit from their showdown, waiting for them to destroy each other?

 Chapter 348

    "Where does that leave Phoebe?" Finn repeated the question I''d asked earlier.


    If no one is innocent, what about Phoebe?


    "She..." Colin''s grip on my hand was trembling. "She''s the key, the subject of the gic editing


    experiments, the smoking gun that should be disyed in a ss case, so..."


    So someone killed me.


    I let out a bitter chuckle. My genes were tampered with, I was conceived, I was born¡ªhow is that


    my fault?


    Why should I be mercilessly killed, exploited by everyone?


    I struggled to break free from Colin''s grasp, but he held on tight, his voice hoarse with pleading.


    "Phoebe..."


    Every time I got upset, he''d do this. But I''d been murdered!


    Was he still going to let the person behind it all off the hook?


    "I will find the serial killer behind it all!" I dered, my eyes welling up with tears. "I don''t care why


    you''re protecting him; I can''t let him kill everyone and then just target the so-called mastermind!"


    Those lives were innocent! Even if those people were guilty, it should be thew that punishes


    them, not some serial killer!


    Colin hung his head, his breathing shaky. He still wouldn''t exin anything.


    Still so stubborn...T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I looked away, no longer hoping he would help me with the serial killer case.I would find out on my


    own.


    "There''s no leads or progress in the serial killer case. Melody''s been tempting fate for so long, but


    the killer behind it hasn''t made a move, making it hard for us to pin anything down," Finn sighed.


    "On the other hand, the body parts case has led us to human trafficking. We suspect that those


    ''natural'' geniuses are being sold as gene carriers, and might even be facing a worse kind of hell.


    We have to find them as quickly as possible."


    I nodded in horror. Yes, we have to find those innocent geniuses first. They might be used as


    breeding tools, gic carriers, sperm and egg banks, or worse... drained of all their worth.


    "The regr police visits to Coastline Avenue''s demolition area are making the streetwalkers jittery.


    Too many people there are involved in the sex trade, and the cops can''t do anything about it; they''re


    like sewer rats, experts at hide and seek. But the more chaotic a ce is, the more likely it is to


    yield valuable clues," Finn analyzed the situation.


    To find the missing kids, we would have to go back to 38 Coastline Avenue.


    "I know someone there, her name is Zoe, Carter''s sister," I suddenly remembered. Zoe lived in that


    area, and she had a slight intellectual disability. With the right approach, she might know something.


    But the moment I mentioned Zoe, Colin''s expression changed drastically. "No!"


    He seemed vehemently against me meeting Zoe. "She''s got a learning disability; she won''t tell you


    anything. Besides it''s too chaotic there. It¡¯s not safe. I won''t let you go."


    I frowned at Colin, realizing that there were indeed more than a few things he was keeping from me.


    And then my mother''s journal entries about him imprisoning, kidnapping, and abusing me...


    I still couldn''t tell if they were true or not.


    Colin, what kind of person are you, really?


    "I''m going," I insisted. "Those kids have been missing for years. Can you imagine how desperate


    they must feel if they''re still alive? I have to save them!"


    After all, the disappearance of those young geniuses was closely linked to ''Phoebe.''


    Whether it was out of guilt or the need to uncover the truth, I had to investigate.


    Colin slowly let go of my hand, his voice gravelly. "I''ll go with you."


    Whatever it takes, we have to find those missing geniuses first.

 Chapter 349

    Coastline Avenue was a far cry from its former glory. The demolition signs hung like weary sentinels


    as I parked the car a good distance away and made my way on foot.


    Colin was a silent shadow trailing behind me, his inner turmoil palpable, yet he couldn''t find the


    words to stop me nor hide his disapproval of my meeting with Zoe.


    Frustration simmered within me. It was always the same with him¡ªhindering my path, yet


    withholding his reasons.


    If he had just said it outright¡ªthat Zoe was dangerous, capable of causing harm, or offered any


    tangible reason, I would''ve listened. But his stubborn silence? That was a different story. How could


    I possibly ept that?


    "Phoebe¡­" His voice barely reached me as he trailed three meters back, his head hung low.


    I nced back at him. Tall andnky, he held a fragile sort of beauty when he donned those


    oversized hoodies, as if the world had somehow wronged him.


    I snorted and kept walking, refusing to give in. I couldn''t let him get toofortable with having his


    way.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Being ignored seemed to tug at his heartstrings, his eyes rimmed with red, his nose sniffling as he


    kept his distance.


    I picked up the pace, letting my mood dictate my stride.


    Wasn''t I entitled to some normal human emotions? My husband was keeping secrets, protecting the


    one who harmed me. Of course, I was angry. Why should I be rational with my loved one? I wanted


    to throw a tantrum, wasn''t he supposed to indulge me and share the truth?


    I turned into an alley, seething inside, only to find it cluttered with loiterers and vagrants, puffing on


    cigarettes. An innate fear of these types lingered from the time Dexter roughed me up at Nocturne.


    "Hey, sweetheart, how much for a good time?"


    "Looking for some fun, are you?"


    Their lewdments stung the air, as if every woman who ventured here was tainted.


    I tried to rush past, but they seemed intrigued, blocking my path with filthy taunts. Fear gripped me,


    and I instinctively looked for Colin.


    When I turned, I crashed into his embrace.


    "I''m here," he whispered, holding me close.


    The men scoffed but retreated at Colin''s icy stare. He took my hand and guided me through the


    long, grim alley.


    "Colin, do you think I''m being too dramatic?" I asked quietly.


    Heced his fingers with mine, ncing back at me.


    "Phoebe, you once asked me what fear felt like, what dependence was, what terror meant..." Colin


    murmured, half to me, half to himself.


    "You said you were a monster, born emotionless, longing to experience a normal life. You envied


    the foolish, the girls who hid behind boys. You said you''d trade all your logic and intellect for a


    simple life..."


    As Colin spoke, we walked deeper into the alley, its depths shadowy and damp, seemingly endless.


    For a moment, I saw the Colin of the past, ill-fitting clothes and all, clearing each obstacle in that


    alley for me.


    "So, Phoebe, I won''t think you''re being dramatic. I''m happy for you; you''ve seeded in finding a


    new life. This is what you wanted, and I just want to safeguard everything for you," he said, his


    voice hoarse with emotion.


    I struggled to grasp his meaning. Was he saying that the old me was too smart and emotionless like


    a machine? That I wanted to dumb down, to be flesh and blood, to be dramatic like now?


    Frowning, I tugged at Colin. "So, what you''re saying is, you still think I''m being dramatic, huh?"


    Colin offered a sheepish smile and a shake of his head. "I didn''t say that."


    With an indignant huff, I pulled away from his grip and stormed upstairs.

 Chapter 350

    Colin was always a few paces behind me, close enough to feel safe, yet far enough to give me


    space.


    With him there, I felt a sense of calm inside.


    "Slut, stop your act!"


    "Ah!"


    A scream cut through the air, followed by a man''s curse.


    The door mmed open and out stormed a guy from Zoe''s room, cursing under his breath, "Giving


    you 200 bucks was already generous."


    Zoe''s cheeks were swollen, her gaze dazed and confused as she stumbled after him, tears in her


    eyes, stuttering as if she couldn''t get the words out. "Please, it was supposed to be 500, please."


    She was begging, her body trembling violently. She seemed desperate for the money.


    "Get lost!" The man was losing his patience, shoving Zoe aside. "Damn bad luck, idiot."


    Weren''t they all taking advantage of an idiot? Everyone else charged 500, but they always


    shortchanged Zoe with just 200.


    "ed the money, I really do, please," Zoe pleaded on her knees, rubbing her hands together,


    incessantly begging.


    I was at the end of the hallway, watching Zoe plead in her foolish way, feeling a difort stirring


    inside me.


    "Hand over the cash. You said it would be 500, so you better give her 500, or else we''re calling the


    cops. If you''re not afraid of being shamed and thrown behind bars, then let''s see you try!" I stepped


    forward, angrily grabbing the man''s arm.


    He turned angry, trying to push me away, but Colin swiftly pinned him against the wall.


    In the end, cursing and swearing, the man threw three hundred bucks on the floor and bolted.


    Zoe picked up the money, trembling, her eyes wide with fear as she looked at Colin. She seemed to


    be very afraid of Colin.


    Suddenly, Zoe darted back into her room, trying to lock herself in.


    Colin was quick, stopping the door with his hand. "Open up!"


    Only then did a fearful Zoe open the door, retreating nervously. "Co... Colin."


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Colin just looked at Zoe, silent.


    Zoe slipped the cash under her pillow, ncing at me uneasily. "It''s not... I didn''t mean to push her."


    She was afraid of the time she pushed me.


    Had Colin been to see her?


    Colin remained silent, just standing at the doorway, watching me.


    "Zoe, can we talk?" I tried to soothe her.


    She lowered her head, refusing to engage.


    "I can give you money." Seeing her apparent need, I reached into Colin''s pocket and handed Zoe


    some cash.


    Colin grunted, clearly reluctant. I was a bit curious. Zoe was Carter''s sister, and Colin was so close


    to Carter. If Colin had money, he wouldn''t just ignore her. Why was he so unwilling to give her some


    cash just now?


    "I don''t want it," Zoe shook her head vigorously, backing away. "Carter said, we can''t get something


    for nothing."


    I paused. "But what you''re doing is illegal, and also..."


    I found it hard to articte; what she was doing was just wrong.


    Zoe cocked her head, shaking it. "Carter said, we can''t get something for nothing..."


    She repeated it like a mantra, as if that''s all she understood.


    "Doing this kind of thing is illegal," I tried to correct her.


    She looked at me fearfully, then at Colin. "Then you too! Do you earn money? You... you sleep with


    him, and he gives you money."


    Zoe pointed at me and then at Colin.


    I was somewhat at a loss. "We''re legally married. His earnings are for us to share."


    Zoe sneered. "Shameless."


    I was baffled, ncing at Colin. How had I suddenly be shameless?


    Colin kept a vignt eye on Zoe, treating her not as a fool but as a potential threat.


    "I have something I want to ask you about, can you tell me?" I probed cautiously.


    Zoe murmured softly, "You give me money."


    I quickly offered it. Yet she still insisted, "We can''t get something for nothing."


    "What do you want, then?" I said through clenched teeth.


    Zoe pointed at Colin. "Let him sleep with me, and then you can give me the money."

 Chapter 351

    I was totally gobsmacked. My jaw practically hit the floor.


    I nced between Zoe and Colin in disbelief.


    Is this even real?


    "Zoe, he''s my husband," I tried to rify, hoping to sway her perspective.


    But Zoe just mumbled, head bowed. "It''s not like we haven''t shared a bed before."


    I froze, thinking I had misheard, and anxiously stared at Zoe. "What did you say?"


    "I''ve shared a bed with Colin," Zoe stated matter-of-factly.


    My gaze instinctively flicked back to Colin. He remained on edge, as if he had anticipated Zoe''s wild


    ims all along.


    He sped his hands together, exining calmly, "She''s talking about sharing a bed in the literal


    sense, not what you''re thinking."


    I was baffled. "Literal sense? What are you talking about?"


    "Back at the orphanage, me, Carter, and her often slept in the same bed, but it was just sleeping.


    That''s the literal sense," Colin exined through gritted teeth. "When I''m with you, and we have our


    baby, that''s the other sense."


    I took a deep breath, my frustration mounting.


    Zoe, still oblivious, went on. "He shared a bed with Carter too, and Phoebe shared a bed with Carter


    as well."


    I massaged my forehead, overwhelmed by her shocking statements.


    Colin, visibly upset, snapped, "Answer the question when you''re asked!"


    Zoe seemed genuinely scared of Colin, her voice timid. "Okay, got it."


    "Do you remember the construction worker who lived across us, the one who jumped?" I asked


    softly.


    Zoe nodded earnestly. "Yeah, I remember."


    "Do you recall if anyone visited him before he... you know?" I pressed anxiously.


    Zoe shook her head. "How would I remember?"


    I felt a twinge of disappointment. Of course, Zoe, with her challenges, wouldn''t remember.


    "Are you out of your mind?" Zoe tilted her head as she stepped outside, pointing at the surveince


    camera above her door. "I have a security camera, you know. Colin installed it for me. He said if I''m


    ever in danger, I just have to shout at the camera, and he''lle to save me."


    I paused, shifting my gaze between the camera and Colin. So, he had been in touch with Zoe all


    along, even installing a hidden camera for her protection.


    Colin avoided my gaze, seemingly guilty. He had installed the camera to protect her, but why hadn''t


    he taken her away from this life?


    I was confused.


    "The camera records to your ce?" I asked Colin quietly.


    Colin nodded. "If you want to check, we can review the footage at home."


    I clenched my jaw and pinched Colin''s arm in frustration. Why hadn''t he mentioned this earlier?


    Colin looked at me with a pained expression. "I thought... you were investigating Zoe..."


    Before he could finish, he quickly changed the subject. "I thought you were here for Finn, to inspect


    the scene."


    "If there''s a camera, why bother asking her anything?" I practically snarled.


    "Let''s go home," Colin suggested hastily, grabbing my hand as if eager to leave.


    Zoe, head tilted, watched me with a puzzled smile. "Phoebe... is the culprit."


    Colin froze, his expression turning icy. He turned back to Zoe.


    Zoe retreated, cowering and clutching her head.


    I was shocked. "What did she just say?"


    Colin shook his head. "I didn''t catch it."


    Zoe continued to murmur, "Phoebe is the culprit... Phoebe is the culprit..."


    But I heard her. Zoe was using me. Was she still ming me for taking Colin away, for Carter''s


    death? But that fire wasn''t my fault.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Sighing, I whispered, "Colin, why didn''t you let Eric take her away? After all, she is Carter''s sister."

 Chapter 352

    "She won''t leave," Colin said, pulling me away, his grip firm on my hand as we retreated. He


    exined in a hushed tone that Zoe was adamant about staying in what used to be her and Carter''s


    ce, that she''d rather go mad than leave.


    "But she can''t just keep doing this... this line of work," I protested, feeling it was too harsh.


    "Everyone makes their own choices and has their own way to survive. Zoe''s made hers," Colin


    hurried, eager to get me away from the scene.


    Then, a scream for help shattered the silence.


    The noise came from the room next to Zoe''s, followed by a girl''s cries and desperate pleas for help.


    I paused, looking at Colin. "Should we check it out? Could be dangerous."


    Colin kicked at the door, calling out, "What''s going on in there?"


    Inside, it sounded like a woman was trying to open the door, her efforts met with a man''s cursing,


    "Bitch, why are you running? Hand over the money."


    Frowning, Colin was about to lead me away when Zoe burst out, frantically banging on the door,


    "Don''t hit her, please don''t."


    Seeing Zoe in distress, I couldn''t hold back. I kicked at the door, and with a tremendous force, the


    lock bent. When my efforts seemed futile, Colin gave it a solid kick, and the door swung open.


    Inside, a man stood, barely clothed.


    Colin quickly shielded my eyes.


    The man cursed, "What the hell? She''s my wife."


    A woman emerged, battered and bruised, seeking refuge behind Zoe. "Zoe, please help me."


    Zoe tried tofort her, "It''s okay, you''re safe now."


    Then, turning to the man with newfound courage, Zoeshed out, "Jaxon, you bastard, hitting your


    wife? You''re inhuman."


    I froze for a moment, then pushed Colin''s hand away, focusing on the woman.


    Jaxon? He was also from the orphanage, right after Melody Burton.


    Which meant, after Melody''s death, it was Jaxon''s turn.


    Jaxon was also under Robin Lancaster''s close watch.


    What a coincidence?


    "Is he from the orphanage too?" I whispered to Colin.


    Colin stood, seething with rage and vengeance, his hands clenched, his body trembling with anger.


    "You''re interfering because I hit my wife? You gonna pay for the door?" The man, now pulling on a


    delivery uniform, spewed insults.


    Colin responded with a punch, sending the man to the ground, and continued with a barrage of


    kicks to his abdomen.


    "Colin..." I didn''t stop him.


    Maybe this was just a way to vent. After all, this scumbag seemed deserving of a good thrashing.


    "Does it hurt?" Colin''s voice was hoarse, pulling at Jaxon''s hair, smashing his head to the ground.


    "Tell me, does it hurt?"


    In that moment, Colin seemed to unleash his true nature, fierce as if he''d emerged from hell itself.


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    "You''re insane... it''s you," Jaxon managed a twisted smile despite his swollen eyes, recognizing


    Colin. "Of course it hurts..."


    "Then enjoy," Colin kicked him again.


    Jaxon, curled in pain,ughed insanely, "Colin... that fire didn''t finish you off. You and Carter...


    Monsters like you shouldn''t exist."


    Hisughter continued, provoking Colin.


    I couldn''t tell if Colin was rattled, but I certainly was. A sharp pain coursed through my head, driving


    me to kick Jaxon in the face. "You''re the waste that shouldn''t exist. Just you wait."

 Chapter 353

    Jaxon looked at me, his mocking smile slowly morphing into a mask of terror. "Phoebe Caldwell..."


    The fact that he called out Phoebe Caldwell meant he knew me, and seeing me struck fear into his heart.


    "You... you didn''t die..." Jaxon''s voice wasced with fear as he scrambled away from me, suddenly making a mad dash for it.


    I blinked, turning to Colin. "He seems really scared of me."


    Colin took my hand, whispering, "He''s mistaken you for someone else. Let''s go home."


    "Thank you," Jaxon''s wife muttered, her body bruised and battered, a trickle of blood staining her lips.


    ¡°He''s abusive. You can call the cops or get a divorce," I said softly, not wanting to meddle too much, and turned to leave with Colin.


    "Therees a time when enough is enough," I faintly heard Zoe say behind us.


    When I looked back, she was still standing there, foolishlyforting the battered woman.


    "Colin," I said, trailing behind him, feeling puzzled by his attitude towards Zoe. "Zoe is Carter''s sister, right? You could easily pull her out of this mess, even if she disagrees."


    "Everyone has their own path in life, and we shouldn''t impose," Colin said sternly.


    I frowned, not quite understanding.


    "I''ve tried to send her money through the butler many times, but she refuses it. I even had people forcibly take her away to give her a better life. Yet, every time, she manages to return here, insisting on earning her keep through her so-calledbor..." Colin looked visibly upset.


    He had tried to help Zoe numerous times, but she was adamant about living her life her way.


    I was stunned for a moment, then fell silent.


    On the way back with Colin, I stared out the window, my mind filled with my mother''s journal entries. She wrote that Colin had a violent streak, that he abused me.


    "Did you take me away when I was eighteen? Did you imprison and abuse me? Is that true?" I asked softly.


    Colin nced at me, obviously


    aware I had read the journal. He


    tightened his grip on my hand


    whispering, "If I say no, would you


    believe me?"


    "Then who was it?" I asked, wanting to believe him.


    But once again, he averted his gaze.


    Avoiding the question again...


    "Still protecting him," I said with a bitterugh, pulling away from Colin.


    The photos showed me barely alive, my wrists shackled.


    I couldn''t fathom what I hadN?velDrama.Org ? content.


    endured, but whoever had put me through that was no different from a murderer. Colin was shielding a criminal, the very person who had hurt me.


    "Phoebe..." Colin reached out to me again.


    But I stepped back.


    ¡°I''m just tired,¡± I said as the car stopped in front of the mansion. I wanted to go home.


    I hadn''t taken many steps when I saw Dexter.


    The disappearance of Melody had kept Dexter quiet for a while, but now he was back.


    "Phoebe..." Dexter grabbed my wrist, his confidence palpable. "I found Imara."


    I paused, looking up at him.


    Imara, the nanny who had taken care of me at home.


    A memory from my past.


    She had started looking after me when I was ten. After my parents died in a car crash, when the money ran out, I had to let her go. After that, I was taken in by the Fitzgerald


    family.


    "She can prove who kidnapped and abused you. It was him," Dexter said, his voice low, convinced he could now take me away from here.

 Chapter 354

    I nced back at Colin, feeling a knot in my chest I couldn''t quite untangle.


    Colin''splexion was off, clearly upset by the idea of me leaving with Dexter.


    But I had to know. "Tell me, who kidnapped me? Who hurt me?"


    I wanted to see if Colin would divulge the truth.


    He stood there, a picture of helplessness and panic.


    Reaching out, he tried to pull me to his side.


    For a moment, I was tempted to go to him, to close that distance, but my better judgment prevailed. "Tell me, who hurt me?"


    Colin''s hand, suspended in mid-air, slowly dropped. He remained silent.


    Nodding, I turned to Dexter. "I''ll go with you."


    Dexter seemed pleased, leading me toward his car. "Phoebe, let''s go."


    I didn''t look back but hoped Colin would stop me.


    Yet, as I climbed into Dexter''s car, Colin said nothing. He stood there, head bowed, engulfed in what seemed like a painful struggle.


    "I''ll ask you one more time... who was it?" My eyes reddened, my heart in turmoil.


    Who could Colin be protecting so fiercely?


    Colin looked up, his eyes glistening, and finally spoke. "Phoebe, It was me."


    He imed responsibility. "All of it..."


    He took all the me upon himself. He''d rather have me hate him, despise him, stay away from him, than reveal who truly harmed me!


    "I didn''t lie." Dexter''s cold gaze fell on Colin as he shut the car door.


    Looking at Colin standing outside, I felt a wave of disappointment.


    And heartache.


    Colin clenched his fists so tightly I could see the blood trickling down from his palms.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    "Dexter told me, during the time you


    went missing, your parents were frantic When they found you, they said Colin had lured you away, kept captive. He''s a con artist."


    Dexter exined why Colin had kidnapped me.


    "He imed to love you, but you had seen through him and wanted to break up with him." Dexter pulled out a letter from his pocket. "Take a look this is what you once wrote to Colin."


    As the car started to pull away, I watched Colin through the window. He stood there, shrouded in gloom.


    Taking the letter from Dexter, I nced at it. The handwriting was unmistakably mine.


    "Imara found it at your old ce. Your parents discovered this letter in the basement where he kept you captive," Dexter rified.


    Reading the letter, my words were cold, my tone decisive.


    [Colin, I feel nothing. Agreeing to date you was out of curiosity about love and wanting to experience what normal people feel. But it''s clear, no matter what, I can''t truly love you: I can''t possess love and normal emotions like a normal person. Let''s end this. I can''t keep deceiving you and myself. From Phoebe Caldwell.]


    The letter marked the end of my rtionship with Colin.


    "This lunatic turns dangerous when he doesn''t get his way. He''s a genuine madman, a danger to be around," Dexter frowned, urging me to see the reality.


    "Dexter..." Holding the letter, my chest ached profoundly.


    Dexter looked at me, his gaze intense.


    "Stop the car," I demanded, my voice firm.

 Chapter 355

    Dexter froze for a moment. "Phoebe..."


    I stared at Dexter, tearing the letter into tiny pieces. "None of this matters anymore. Phoebe is dead."


    The past doesn''t matter anymore.


    All I know is when I deliberately walked away just now, seeing Colin in such agony, my heart ached. It felt like it was being torn apart.


    "ed to get out of the car," I told Dexter to stop.


    But Dexter showed no intention of stopping.


    "Stop the car!" I lost control of my emotions, trying to force open the car door.


    Dexter signaled the driver to keep driving and pinned me to the seat with his hand. "Phoebe Caldwell! How long are you going to follow his madness? I know you hate me, I know you want to punish me. Isn''t it enough?"


    His face was filled with anger.


    I tried to push him away, but he let go of me with tears in his eyes, took off his jacket, and rolled up his sleeves to show me the scars on his wrists. There were even more than thest time I saw them. Crisscrossed, they looked like self-harm, like torture.


    "I''m punishing myself too..." Dexter''s voice was hoarse, choked. "I don''t know how to make you believe me. You tell me what do you want me to do for you to forgive me, Phoebe, just say it." Dexter hugged me tightly, desperately. His voice was hoarse and choked. "Even if you ask me to die, I can do it right now."


    "Dexter... She is already dead, so what''s the point of doing this now? Why didn''t you cherish her when she was alive?" I asked him, my voice rough. "God gave me another chance. I know you are her, Phoebe..." Dexter''s voice trembled, begging for my forgiveness.


    "Please, I beg you." He held me tight, pleading for my forgiveness.


    "What do I need to do for you to forgive me?" He was begging.


    "Then... die." My voice was hoarse, deep, filled with hatred.


    Then let him die.


    Why did he treat me like that back then?


    Why!


    Dexter froze, holding my arm, then slowly let go. He slumped back into the seat, whispering, "Stop the car..." Dexter asked the driver to stop.


    I didn''t even nce at Dexter, wanting to get out of the car.


    "Even if he''s been lying to you, using you, hurting you, even if what he did to you is a hundred, a thousand times worse than what I did, you''d still choose him, right?" Dexter asked softly.


    ????


    In that moment, he looked so defeated, as if he was about to break down. He was trying so hard to find evidence that I didn''t love Colin. And he was trying so hard to find evidence that Colin had hurt me. He thought, as long as I knew the troth about the past, I would leave Colin ande back to him.


    "If he really has been lying to me, using me, hurting me, I''ll leave him. I won''t keep any trash that hurt me," I said softly, pushing the car door open and getting out. N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    S


    In my hand was the letter I had written to Colin, now torn to shreds. Passing by a trash can, I threw the letter inside.


    When Colin first denied it and asked if I believed him, I did.


    But what made me angry was that he was protecting the real viin. He was shielding the person who truly hurt me. And for that, he took all the me upon himself.


    Taking a deep breath, I ran towards Colin''s ce.


    I guess, I still can''t let him go. But I''m still scared, panicked.


    What am I going to do if he''s the one who hurt me, and even worse, killed me...

 Chapter 356

    After a brisk fifteen-minute run, I finally made it back home.


    The butler, hard of hearing, was fussing over the garden, giving the deserted yard a somewhat forlorn appearance.


    The wind picked up, hinting at an impending downpour.


    I dashed into the living room in search of Colin but came up empty.


    Bedroom, bathroom, guest room - he was nowhere to be seen.


    I raced back out to ask the butler, who couldn''t hear or speak, where Colin might be.


    Without the knowledge of signnguage, I was at a loss for words.


    The butler, sensing my panic, gestured towards the backyard.


    Taking a deep breath, I headed there, only to find it just as empty.


    I thought maybe he''d be in the basement, our little secret hideout, but it was vacant.


    As I turned to leave, I spotted Colin in a corner. He was curled up next to a doghouse, holding Coly, whispering, "Coly, she doesn''t want me anymore."


    I approached him slowly. "Isn''t that dirty?"


    Colin didn''t look up, just kept holding Coly, choking up. "You don''t want me anymore."


    I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out.


    "I''m so tired, Colin," I whispered.


    Colin looked up with guilt in his eyes. "I''m sorry..."


    He seemed all too good at apologizing.


    "Why are you sorry?"


    "I shouldn''t have locked you up, shouldn''t have... hurt you, and tied you down."


    He spoke softly.


    "Is it really you who imprisoned me, hurt me, and tied me up?" I asked, frowning.


    He looked down, nodding.


    I didn''t say anything, unsure how much truth or lie was in his words.


    "Phoebe, I''m afraid of losing you." He stood up, following me. "I''m sorry."


    "Lies will only drive me away faster," I whispered tiredly, heading towards the basement. "Pull up the


    surveince footage, see who went to see that guy who jumped off the building."


    Colin reached out, grabbing my wrist. "You go rest, I''ll look for it and show you what I find."


    I paused, agreeing silently.


    "Colin, there''s so much we need to sort out." I hoped he wouldn''t keep any more secrets.


    Colin remained silent.


    I turned to leave.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    "Everyone has their secrets, something they need to protect. Phoebe, I''m sorry."


    Tears welled up as I looked back at him. "What you''re protecting is more important than me, right?"


    Colin clenched his fists. "Phoebe, what I''m protecting is you."


    I looked away, unwilling to listen to


    more of his excuses. Back in my et


    room


    lay on the bed exhausted


    and closed my eyes.  S


    "Phoebe is the culprit."


    For some reason, Zoe''s words kept echoing in my mind.


    "Phoebe is the culprit."


    Irritated, I opened my eyes, breathing heavily. What have I forgotten!


    "Foebe Larson! Come out!"


    Someone was shouting my name at the front gate. That voice was unmistakably Melody''s.


    "Foebe! What did you say to Dexter?


    He killed himself. Are you happy now? He''s dead, is that what you wanted?" Melody''s cries continued outside.


    Swnovel


    I frowned, rising to peer out the window at Melody who was still sobbing.


    "Dexter killed himself. You''re the murderer! You''re the murderer!"


    Dexter killed himself...


    Suddenly, I remembered my words to Dexter as I got out of the car, "Then die."


    Could someone like him really take his own life?

 Chapter 357

    ver meant to deal with Melody. After all, if Dexter had really taken his own life, there''s no way Melody would have the energy toe over and cause a scene. Her shouting and making a fuss seemed more like a deliberate act.


    If I''m guessing right, there must be reporters or someone lurking around. Melody was putting on a show.


    I frowned, feeling like every move this woman made was part of her and Damian''s next scheme.


    But, unfortunately, she managed to stir Colin.


    Colin walked out into the yard, looking at Melody outside.


    Melody visibly tensed up, taking a step back. "Caleb Langley, Dexter''s gone, it''s all because of Foebe, haven''t you ever doubted her identity?"


    Colin''s cold gaze fixed on Melody. "Not leaving? I''ll let the dog out."


    With a slight gesture, the butler prepared to open the gate, and Coly, our eager dog, was ready to dash out.


    Melody, terrified, looked at Colin, her face turning pale.


    "I have proof!" Melody shouted in desperation. "Caleb, I have proof that Foebe is a fraud... She''s not the real Phoebe; she''s been deceiving you all."


    Trembling, Melody took out an envelope, from which several photos fell out.


    Colin had no intention of entertaining her and signaled the butler to open the gate.


    As soon as there was a small gap, Coly bolted forward.


    Melody, scared out of her wits, screamed, ran to her car, and mmed the door shut.


    Colin walked to the gate indifferently, only looking down at the photos after Melody had fled.


    From upstairs, I couldn''t see the photos clearly but had a feeling things weren''t as simple as they seemed.


    Melody wouldn''t havee all this way for nothing.


    I hurried downstairs, wanting to see what she had brought, but by the time I got there, Colin had already torn up all the photos.


    "What was Melody shouting about?" I asked.


    Colin instinctively hid the torn pieces behind him. "Nothing... She''s crazy."N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    I didn''t respond or inquire further about the photos.


    Colin didn''t mention them either, lowering his head as he approached me. "Phoebe, are you still mad at me?"


    I remained silent.


    Colin kept his head down, not daring to look up at me.


    "Foebe Larson." Another ck car pulled up outside. As the window rolled down, I saw Dexter''s mother.


    I was startled for a moment. Had Haileye back because of Dexter''s suicide?


    Could it be true?


    "Hailey," I greeted respectfully as always.


    "Let''s talk," Hailey said coldly, her gaze shifting to Colin. "Sorry, I need to borrow your wife for a moment."


    Colin grabbed my arm, his gaze just as cold. "Not happening."


    Hailey''s expression darkened


    slightly, speaking softly yet firmly. "Selling off the Langley family''s assets t someone else, you''ve be theughingstock of the entire Sea City businessmunity. What do you have left to speak to me with such an attitude?


    Hailey was right; Caleb had sold the Langley family''s business to All-Stars Consortium, which was seen as a traitorous act by the Langley family.


    And in the businessmunity, it was a joke. Who in their right mind would sell off their family''s assets at rock-bottom prices? It was a move only a fool would make.


    Moreover, this decision had Henry and the Langleys all up in arms.


    Now that All-Stars Consortium had begun restructuring and acquiring new businesses, Henry might be too preupied to deal with Colin at the moment, but he surely despised Colin, It was only a matter of time before he took action against Colin.


    I frowned, still stepping in front of Colin. "Hailey whatever Colin has done, it''s our family''s business. Your son wasn''t exactly a role model


    either. If you hadn''t kept things nee


    under wraps, Dexter would have been theughingstock of Sea City long before the incident with Phoebe."

 Chapter 358

    Hailey''s expression darkened for a moment, her gaze piercing through me. "Foebe, get in the car. You''ll want to talk."


    Seeing me unmoved, Hailey spoke again. "When I give you a chance, you better treasure it."


    I guessed Hailey''s visit was about Dexter. But from her current demeanor, it seemed Dexter''s suicide attempt hadn''t been life-threatening.


    "Phoebe..." Colin tugged at my sleeve, unwilling to let me go with Hailey.


    "Sir." Eric arrived, looking somewhat anxious. He whispered something into Colin''s ear.


    Colin''s expression turned grim. He nced at Dexter''s mother and spoke softly to me, "Phoebe, there''s some trouble with the Langley Group. I need to sort it out. Don''t leave home, and don''t go with her."


    Colin had already sold the Langley Group to the All-Stars Consortium. What could possibly make him this nervous now?


    I looked at Colin, wanting him to exin, because as his ''wife,'' I was naturally concerned about his well-being and safety.


    But it seemed Colin never considered my feelings as a ''wife.'' It was as if I was something fragile, held high and protected under a ss dome, kept in the dark about everything.


    Like his plot with Finn to delve into the mental hospital to investigate Damian...


    He could have told me in advance. But he didn''t.


    "Just wait for me at home," he said in the end, as always.


    He left without offering any exnation.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I took a deep breath, saying nothing, watching as Eric drove him away.


    Bran, who sat in the passenger seat, hadn''t gotten out of the car. He looked at me, frowning, appearing unfriendly yet his gaze heldplexity.


    As Colin got into the car, he and Bran seemed to be in constantmunication. I couldn''t hear them, but felt excluded.


    That feeling was ufortable. It was like being the third wheel in a friendship, where two friends share secrets but keep them from the third.


    "The Langley Group had an


    employee who couldn''t handle the pressure of the leadership change and jumped off a building. What was once favorable news for Caleb has now changed direction," Hailey casually revealed, clearing my confusion.


    I looked up sharply at Hailey.


    "So, Caleb is the viin, the sin of the whole Langley Group," Hailey scoffed. "Only a fool would think selling thepany would solve everything. That might work on the §Ö upright, but against a devil like


    Henry, it''s like ying with fire. Caleb is still too young; he can''t handle Henry," Hailey made it clear that


    Caleb couldn''t win.


    "The oue is yet to be determined. Those whomit atrocious deeds will eventually face retribution," I said, lowering my voice.


    "Naive. Your kind of talk is just a loser''s constion. Throughout history, it''s always the victors who write the history. Behind every great fortune and power, isn''t there a pile of blood?"


    Hailey sounded like she was


    lecturing, yet there was a hint of


    self-mockery. "I know it was Damian who sent you to meddle with my son. You seeded; he attempted suteide. Are you satisfied now?"


    I hesitated for a moment, wary of Hailey. "I don''t know what you''re talking about."

 Chapter 359

    "Right from the get-go, I knew he was on edge, keeping everyone at arm''s length. And now, it looks like he''s on a cleaning spree, silencing one after the other..." Hailey murmured under her breath, her voice barely above a whisper.


    The veins on her neck stood out, a testament to the fury she was struggling to contain.


    "Six o''clock, at Shore Dine. Meet me there, we''ll discuss new terms. If you''re a no-show, don''t say I didn''t warn you," Hailey threw down her ultimatum before driving off.


    Once her car disappeared around the corner, I dashed to the dumpster, rummaging through it for the envelope Colin had discarded earlier. It contained photos that Melody had brought over.


    Despite Colin having torn them to shreds, I managed to piece them back together.


    The photos captured secret meetings between Foebe and Damian, and Foebe taking a homeless kid to meet a stranger.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    But no, not a stranger.


    After piecing the photos back together as best as I could, my breath hitched.


    The man Foebe took the homeless kid to see was the second victim in the string of murders, rumored to be involved in some import-export business. Considering Hailey''s ominous words, it seemed Foebe was far from the simple figure I had imagined.


    Six o''clock rolled around.


    I arrived early at Shore Dine, and Hailey was already there, seemingly waiting.


    Hailey was the epitome of a powerhouse, a figure my mother had often spoken about, saying the Fitzgerald family was practically carried on her shoulders alone. Her husband, Dexter''s father, might as well have been a ghost for all his presence in their lives.


    Hailey was also a figure of sympathy; her marriage was one of absence, with Mr. Fitzgerald rarely home after Dexter''s birth. In all my years with the Fitzgerald family, I could count on one hand the times I''d seen her husband.


    "How much is Damian paying you to y Phoebe Caldwell, to worm your way close to Caleb, to coax him into selling the Langley Group, destroying the Langley family in the process?" Hailey asked coolly. "Are we, the Fitzgerald family, next on your list?"


    I was taken aback, not by the usation but by the weight of her words. She believed I was Damian''s pawn, sent to infiltrate the lives of Caleb and Dexter.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about," I responded, my voice low.


    The Fitzgerald family, the Langley family, why were they all targets for Damian?


    "Save it, Foebe I wouldn''t have


    sought you out if I hadn''t dug up enough dirt on you. Did you really think I was off on vacation all this time?" Hailey scoffed. "Damian''s cleaned house, but did he really think I''d just sit around waiting for my turn?"


    I frowned, remaining silent.


    "Have you ever wondered why you bear such a striking resemnce to Phoebe?" Hailey mused. "Why he chose you to impersonate her? Because, in a way, you share the same DNA with Phoebe."


    Her words left me reeling. "What do you mean..."


    Hailey took a sip of her drink, a smirk ying on her lips. "For a fair exchange of secrets, you need to tell me what Damian offered you."


    I massaged my temples, feeling overwhelmed. "I... I can''t remember. But there was this ssmate, James, he once mentioned something about what we were supposed to do for that Mister."


    Whether that ''Mister'' was Damian remained unclear.


    "Likely, Damian found some leverage over you," Hailey said gravely. "Typical Damian, I suppose. Brainwashing you, then nting Phoebe''s memories, making you believe you are her upon waking."


    "This man is truly mad," she murmured more to herself than to me.


    I stayed quiet, pondering over the shared DNA Hailey mentioned.


    "Anthony Larson and his wife were incapable of conceiving. Anthony was sterile, meaning it was impossible for them to have biological children in the traditional sense," Hailey exined softly, her gaze fixed on me.


    I stared at Hailey in shock, realization dawning that perhaps Foebe wasn''t their biological child either.


    "Initially, it was Anthony and his wife who pleaded with Phoebe''s mother for assistance in having a child. They turned to IVF, with an embryo that shared DNA with Phoebe being imnted in Mrs. Larson," Hailey exined, her brows knitting


    together. "That''s all I know for now."


    She knew that both Phoebe and Foebe were from a batch of experimental embryos, sharing the same original gene.


    "After I married Caleb, Damian never


    made contact or asked me to do


    anything. Everything that happened all unfolded naturally. Whether you believe it or not, Dexter''s suicide had


    little to do with me," I attecide had


    rify.


    to

 Chapter 360

    Clearly, Hailey wasn''t about to trust me anytime soon.


    "I know you''re in dire straits for cash, and I''m aware Damian''s been using those runaway kids to ckmail you. Here''s a card with three million dors. All you need to do is agree to one request, and every three months, I''ll send you a sum of money," Hailey said, her gaze burning into me. I frowned, wary of Hailey''s intentions. She knew too much...


    It was obvious that the Angel Fund, established by the Fitzgerald family, had connections with Hailey and Damian, my parents, and even the Langley family.


    And now, the Larson family was involved too.


    Anthony and his wife...


    It turned out they couldn''t have their own biological child. Foebe was born via IVF, not gically theirs, which exined why they merely wanted a child and didn''t care whether the nanny switched the baby, or if she got lost somewhere.


    That exined the indifference, coldness, and exploitation the Larsons showed towards Foebe. They naturally favored Coraline Larson, who they''d raised for eighteen years, over a daughter with no blood rtion to them.


    And why Foebe''s gics matched Phoebe''s?


    Were they from the same batch of embryos? That is, biologically speaking, they are biological sisters.


    "What do you want me to do?" I asked Hailey.


    "Divorce Caleb, stay by my son''s side, and continue pretending to be Phoebe," Hailey pushed the card towards me. She wanted me to keep up the act of being Phoebe for her son.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    "Why? If you think I''m Damian''s person," I couldn''tprehend.


    Hailey frowned, a mocking smile on her lips. "Such a tragedy... After Phoebe''s death, my boy went mad. He''s different from his father. ver thought he''d be so sentimental. I used to think he was as cold-blooded and foolish as his dad."


    Hailey spoke again with scorn. "But after Phoebe died, he locked himself up, refusing to eat or drink, constantly hurting himself. I''ve never seen him like this before. Desperate, regretful, mad..."


    Hailey was probably shocked by Dexter''s state too.


    "I forced him to eat, but he almost vomited everything. He said he didn''t know Phoebe loved him, and he regretted it."


    Dexter never believed Phoebe loved him. He didn''t know Phoebe was pregnant.


    "He wanted to die, saying death would reunite him with Phoebe," Hailey clenched her fists. "My son, in love with a test subject. Such is fate." Hailey murmured.


    I looked up at her, my gaze cautious. She knew about the test subject matter too...


    "After punishing himself for days, he


    started self-harming. With no other choice, I turned to Damian, hoping he could help him move on, only to realize it was the beginning of


    Damian''s scheme," Hailey let


    gritted her teeth. "He must have fed my son some sort of potion, making him believe Phoebe was still alive."


    "He really tried to kill himself?" I was skeptical. Could Dexter, of all people, truly resort to suicide out of guilt?


    "The first time, he slit his wrists. The second time, on top of that, he tried to drown himself in the bathtub, saying it must have hurt Phoebe so much. He said Phoebe was afraid of the dark, and he wanted to be with her."


    "The third time, he starved himself to the brink of death."


    "The fourth time, just recently, he slit his wrists in Phoebe''s room, both horizontally and vertically."


    Dexter was still in aa. He had been resuscitated. But no one knew when he would wake up.


    "This is the letter he asked the nanny to give to Phoebe before the


    incident," Hailey said with a cold


    laugh, pushing the letter to


    me. "Consider it a mother''s sincere plea. Act out a y for me, even if it''s just to deceive him."


    "I just want him to live," Hailey''s voice choked up. She was actually begging me to help Dexter.


    Even if it meant pretending, to go back to him, to deceive him.

 Chapter 361

    "I''m sorry..." My voice broke the silence after what felt like ages. "Believe it or not, ver intended to hurt Dexter."


    I looked up at Hailey. "You know what Caleb is going through. When he loses it, he sometimes hurts himself, even talks about ending it all. I can''t just abandon him, and divorcing him isn''t an option for me. And..." I took a deep breath, my gaze fixed on Hailey as I finally let out the thoughts that had been suffocating me. "Do you honestly believe that abusers regret hurting their victims?"


    Hailey seemed taken aback, her brows furrowing. "What are you getting at?"


    "To Phoebe, Dexter was the abuser, and you... you were a bystander. You could have intervened but chose to turn a blind eye. That makes youplicit." My voice was trembling.


    "You''re not oblivious to what Dexter did to Phoebe, right? The acts forced upon her without her consent, what do you call that..."


    Hailey''s face soured. "Don''t specte about Phoebe like that. She loved Dexter. They were in a consensual rtionship."


    I clenched my fists, managing a bitter smile. "Love shouldn''t be used to justify any form of hurt. Phoebe might have loved him, but that doesn''t mean she consented to being possessed, vited, belittled, tormented by him... When Phoebe first suspected she was pregnant, she used a pregnancy test and then threw it in the trash out of fear. Later, worried the maid might find it, she went to retrieve it, only to discover it was gone." I murmured, looking at Hailey. "You took it, didn''t you?"


    Hailey was momentarily stunned, her eyes wide with disbelief as if she couldn''t fathom I knew such a specific detail. Could Phoebe really have disclosed this to someone so precisely? She regarded me with suspicion but remained silent.


    "You knew Phoebe was pregnant, yet you did nothing to stop Dexter from harming her. So... if Dexter is regretting his actions now, or even if he''s gone as far as to take his own life, you bear full responsibility for that. It''s not on me."


    It all seemed so absurd to me. Why do they always avoiding reality?


    "I believe, even if Phoebe were still here, she''d never forgive Dexter. The hurt is real and present. If his self-harm and guilt could magically undo all that''s been done, then all of Phoebe''s suffering would be in vain."


    My voice shook as I pushed the card back toward her. "I''m sorry, but I''m not Phoebe. I can''t help you. You''ll have to find another way."


    I stood up, ready to leave.


    Hailey leaned back in her chair, taking a deep breath. "You could have rejected me right at the Langley family''s doorstep. Whye at all?"


    I remained silent, perhaps out of some sense of gratitude for the years of support. After all, she took me in when I was at my lowest.


    "It''s not toote to change your mind, otherwise..." Hailey was threatening me.


    I didn''t respond, just walked away.


    "Hand it over to the authorities,"


    Hailey said into the phone as I


    l


    entered the elevator. Her gaze followed me, a mix of pity and something more intense, almost as


    if she was looking at someone doomed.


    On my way home from the diner, I stopped to buy a bag of mini doughnuts, thinking for some reason Colin would like them.


    Tears welled up in my eyes, and I couldn''t quite understand why. I just couldn''t stop them from falling t never thought Dexter would take his own life, nor had I ever considered forgiving him.


    What was the point of everything he did now?


    "Phoebe, don''t trap me with this engagement. Ask yourself, do you really want to marry me?"


    Dexter used to ask me this after he''d had a few drinks, questioning if my desire to marry him was genuine.


    "Phoebe, you''re disgusting."


    "Your love is so cheap."


    "Why don''t you just die."


    "Phoebe, you belong to me, remember?"T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Dexter''s actions, each one leaving a


    mark like a brand on me, his


    nes


    contradictory desires to possess me while simultaneously pushing me away with mistrust.

 Chapter 362

    "Foebe Larson," someone called out as I made my way through the alley leading back home.


    I turned around, surprised to see James.


    His face was etched with panic as he breathlessly said, "Run!"


    I frowned, puzzled by his sudden urgency.


    James hurried over, out of breath. "The cops are onto us."


    He grabbed my hand, intending to lead me away, my hand dropping a bag of mini donuts all over the ground.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    "What do you mean...?" I asked James, confused.


    "Have you forgotten? The Mister was finding adoption families for those kids, right? Remember the smartest kid got adopted by that guy named Ignatius?" James paused, then smiled at me. "That Ignatius, he''s a human trafficker."


    I stood frozen, disbelief washing over me. Before I could fully grasp the situation, the sound of police sirens filled the air.


    James''s expression turned to one of sheer terror, pulling me urgently. "Foebe, we need to run! Now!"


    Despite myck of memory, it was clear to me, James was setting me up.


    "Why are you doing this to me, James? We never had any bad blood," I asked, genuinely confused. To me, James always seemed like the kindest and most normal one from our days in the orphanage.


    It turns out, appearances can be deceiving.


    It seemed like everyone from the orphanage was against me.


    With a coldugh, James whispered in my ear, "It''s every man for himself in this world."


    I looked at him coldly, trying to understand his motive. Was he trying to frame me for a crime?


    "Someone wants you gone, and they need a usible reason, like... evading arrest," James said with a smirk, suddenly pressing a cloth soaked in chloroform over my face.


    The overpowering smell hit me, and I couldn''t resist; everything went ck.


    I had an idea of what James was nning. He was making me ''disappear,'' but not before pinning a crime on me.


    The police were investigating a series of murders, and my connection with the second victim would put me under scrutiny.


    Hailey handed over the so-called evidence to the police, and when they came to question me, I was nowhere to be found. Everyone would assume I fled out of guilt.


    They had crafted the perfect excuse for my disappearance.


    "If she won''t cooperate, we''ll just have to rece her," I heard Hailey''s voice through the haze.


    "It was all going smoothly until she started to be unmanageable," Damian''s voice followed, sounding frustrated.


    "It''s all been arranged with Melody. If


    het


    Foebe could impersonate Phoebe so convincingly, then Melody won''t have any slip-ups either. Now, we just need Foebe''s body to be found, and then the story of Phoebe''s ''resurrection'' transferring to Melody Will hold," Damian said sternly.


    "Will anyone believe that?" Hailey sounded skeptical.


    "We don''t need everyone to believe, just Caleb and your son, right? You said you just wanted your son to live, and I''ve followed your wishes," Damian retorted, clearly annoyed. "I''ve already nted the seeds in both your son and Caleb''s minds; they just need a push."


    miani


    Damian hadid the groundwork for Caleb and Dexter to slowly ept Melody as ''Phoebe Caldwell.''


    And for me, death was the only exit.


    "Ha, was all this not your grand design?" Hailey spat. "After those two, are our families next on your list?"


    "I''ve never targeted your family or the Langley family. We''re in this together; don''t let anyone drive a wedge between us," Damian responded calmly. "Clearly, this is someone''s attempt to create discord."


    Hailey fell silent.


    "Let''s get this over with, make it clean," Damianmanded before leaving with Hailey.


    Panic seized me as I struggled helplessly in my mind. They were going to kill me.


    Colin...


    For some reason, my thoughts drifted to Colin. Would hee to save me?

 Chapter 363

    ?


    "Make it look like a suicide," the boss had ordered.


    "Such a waste to just off her like that. You mean to frame it as if she''s taken her own life out of guilt? Wouldn''t running away in fear work just as well?" James smirked.


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "We could still turn a pretty penny."


    I strained to open my eyes, but I knew better than to make a move just yet.


    This James... he was part of the human trafficking ring.


    No wonder they were all considered suspects in the serial killings, not a single one spared.


    "Fanny''s gone, and now we can''t directly connect with our contacts on the other side. Any money we make, we have to split with them. Damn bad luck."


    "The serial killer''s dead, what''s there to fear?" James was convinced that Dorian, now dead, was the culprit.


    Fanny, the first woman killed from the orphanage. She was the so-called ''big sister'' of the ce.


    "You really think the mastermind behind the serial killings is dead?" James''s aplice chuckled. "Why do I feel like everyone on the killer''s list ends up dead?"


    Maybe it was a joke, but James, being on that list, was clearly unnerved. "Cut the crap. It''s been ages, and no one else has died. Clearly, Dorian was the killer, and he''s dead."N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    James had grown bold since Dorian''s demise, dropping all pretenses.


    "Seriously selling her off? What if the boss asks..."


    "Just say we dealt with her, made her disappear as ordered." James spoke indifferently, stepping closer to me.


    By now, I was awake but dared not open my eyes.


    James seemed to contemte me


    for a long while before sneering. "Oh, Foebe, don''t me me for this.


    me your own naivety, trying to survive and still generously funding those kids. Those kids, of all people, trusted you. If we didn''t use you, Who would we use?"


    "People shouldn''t be too kind-hearted, don''t meddle in others'' karma; it''ll only bite you back," James muttered to himself.


    I understood James''s words and breathed a sigh of relief. Foebe hadn''t broken thew; she was exploited.


    The man behind it all was Damian. Because of Foebe''s kindness and her goodwill towards those street kids, she became a target for exploitation by these viins.


    They must have threatened or deceived Foebe using this.


    Considering what James mentioned about charity funds and projects, it seemed Foebe couldn''t support so many children on her own, especially with some having congenital illnesses. Foebe needed a lot of money.


    "Foebe, I actually quite liked you."


    He grabbed my chin, taking the opportunity to stroke my face.


    I could feel his malice...


    "But what a pity, the boss actually wanted you to marry that fool." As he saw me unconscious, James grew bolder. "You''re sopliant just throw some money for those little brats'' treatments, and you''d even sell yourself. Such a good person..."


    His fingers began to creep lower, lifting my shirt.


    I suppressed the urge to react, knowing there were more than just James in the vicinity... If I showed signs of waking, they''d surely want me dead.


    "Such a shame, who could''ve


    known? Once you disappear, they''ll think you were the devil exploiting and trafficking those kids. Who will remember your goodness? Utterly foolish." James sneered, mocking Foebe''s naivety.


    Honestly, I felt sorry for Foebe too. She sacrificed so much for those children... even imitating ''Phoebe Caldwell'' and marrying Caleb was all to secure funds for the kids'' treatments.


    Sadly, in a world filled with malice, she was ultimately exploited.

 Chapter 364

    ?


    They exploited her kindness, and in the end, it backfired, hurting themselves and those kids.


    "That Colin, he''s a madman," James gritted his teeth.


    "That fire years ago, it''s a miracle it didn''t finish him off!" James seethed with hatred. "How are us decent students supposed to live with people like him around? Us regr folks can''t ever measure up to these geniuses. Geniuses shouldn''t even exist."


    His envy was palpable, ming Colin and Carter''s brilliance for their ownck of sess.


    "Just because they''re geniuses, all these wealthy folks rushed to the orphanage to adopt them. It was the Langley family, for crying out loud. Who wouldn''t want to be a Langley? But they chose Colin. Even if Colin was a secret Langley child, what about Carter? Why did that waste of space get all the attention?"


    "Do you have any idea how much we hate them?" James began unbuttoning my shirt with a fury. "Back then, it was fashionable for high-society to adopt from orphanages, like it was some sort of charity that brought them more benefits..."


    "The orphanage teachers, the principal, all the kids were so happy, thinking they''d get chosen. But who did theye for? Colin and Carter!"


    James was losing his mind.


    "With geniuses around, who would choose you?" James''s buddy mocked as he approached, wanting a piece of the action. "What''s the matter, can''t get that shirt off? Hurry up, I''ve already called our guys, they''ll be here in half an hour. Don''t waste time, you''re up next."


    I clenched my teeth, anger building in my chest, trying not to make any sudden moves.


    As they undid my clothes, I couldn''t stand it anymore. "James, you''re disgusting!"


    I struggled, but my hands were already tied.


    James was startled when I woke up, then turned to grab some chloroform, intending to knock me out again.


    "Hey, it''s more fun when she''s


    awake. No one''sing to save her,


    and being passed out is boring," his


    n


    buddy said with a lewd smile, starting to undress me. "Pretty face nice body... married to loser, can he even satisfy you?"


    "Don''t touch me!" Panic set in. If no one came to save me, I was doomed.


    Tears burned in my eyes, and for some reason... I always thought of Colin in times of danger.


    Maybe because Colin was always silently watching over me.


    "Colin... save me." I cried out Colin''s name as they tore my clothes.


    The man tried to spread my legs, and I cried out in despair, struggling, kicking him hard.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    "Smack!" He pped me, losing patience. "Damn it. Keep moving and I''ll kill you."


    I cried, pulling at the ropes binding me, but James pinned down my wrists.


    He sneered at me, hopelessness washing over me.


    "Hmph, if it weren''t for that madman Colin, we would''ve had Phoebe


    Caldwell by now... A genius''s woman, we can''t touch Phoebe Caldwell, and you''re no different," James''s words dripped with sarcasm and mockery.


    My head buzzed painfully.


    Phoebe Caldwell... Did those men at the orphanage hurt Phoebe Caldwell too?


    "Back then, I remember Melody tricked Phoebe Caldwell into going to the back of the orphanage, saying Colin was hurt. She actually believed it, ha!" James boasted to his buddy.


    "That time Fanny whipped up some


    drug, and we used it on Phoebe Caldwell. Just covered her mouth and nose, and she was out quick," James grabbed my chin, smirking. "Same drug we used on you."

 Chapter 365

    ?


    I red at him with all the bitterness I could muster.


    "So... you people... don''t deserve to live."


    His hands were wrapped around my neck, making it hard for me to breathe.


    His buddy had already started to unbuckle his belt, and despair filled my heart.


    I knew no one wasing to save me...


    Damian was too meticulous. Since it was Damian who had James bring me here, the chances of the police or Colin finding me were slim.


    My legs hurt from how tightly the man was holding them, the cold touch almost driving me to despair.


    The memories of being bullied by Dexter and his gang in my past life slowly crept up, suffocating me.


    "I''ll... kill you..." I cried out in despair, feeling sick to my stomach when he touched me.


    Don''t touch me.


    In that moment, I had only one thought.


    Don''t touch me, you''re filthy.


    Colin...


    I cried out Colin''s name, desperately praying for someone to save me.


    "Bang!" The metal door was kicked open.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    James and his buddy were startled, pants halfway down, warily looking towards the door.


    I fell off the wooden bed in despair, my hands still tied above me.


    I thought it might be someoneing to save me.


    But it wasn''t.


    It was one of their own.


    A man with sunsses and tattoos up to his neck got out of the car.


    He looked menacing, with a lip ring and a tall stature, his hair tied up.


    He stepped out, his wide shirt only buttoned once, his muscr body covered in tattoos.


    "I''m here for the goods," the man spoke, his voice deep.


    James and his buddy breathed a sigh of relief, cursing. "If it''s for the goods, then get it, why the hell didn''t you knock?" The man''s gaze fell on me.


    I was shivering, sitting on the ground, my pants torn off and tossed aside, leaving only my bare legs, ringly pale. "James sent me to check the goods," the man approached, grabbing my hair to look at my face.


    I trembled all over, panic-stricken as I looked at him.


    This man... felt somewhat familiar.


    He looked at me for a while and thenughed. "This is the goods?"


    James was displeased, frowning. "Are you blind? This is what a rising star looks like back home."


    Foebe was indeed beautiful, at least by my standards.


    I wondered if the man was mocking me.


    But now wasn''t the time to think about that. I was trembling with fear, unsure if I could escape.


    "Ah!" Suddenly, the man cut the


    ropes binding my wrists with a knife,


    lifting me up and throwing me onto the bed, spreading my legs in a posture that was both ambiguous and physically ufortable.


    I watched him warily, my body shaking.


    My eyes fell on the knife he had ced beside me.


    "ed to check the merchandise, is she untouched?" the man asked.


    James and his buddy scoffed. "Take it or leave it, you''re looking for a virgin in the wrong ce, buddy."


    The man raised an eyebrow, his lips curving up, his hand in a ck glove grabbing my thigh, slowly moving up.


    I breathed heavily, my hands clenched, watching what he intended to do.


    "It won''t fetch a good price."


    Suddenly, he stopped his


    movements, turned around to


    a


    cigarette, but deliberately ced the knife within my reach.


    I watched his back warily.


    James''s buddy cursed. "Damn it, are you ying us? You took those busted ones before, and now you don''t want this?"


    James eyed the man suspiciously, pulling his buddy back. "Something''s off..."


    James narrowed his eyes and pulled out his phone. "You said half an hourter, but you arrived a bit too early."


    As James unlocked his phone, intending to make a call, I grabbed the knife beside me and plunged it deep into his shoulder. "Agh!" A scream pierced the air.


    When I pulled the knife out, blood sttered into my eyes.


    I knew James couldn''t just die by my


    hand so


    easily. If he died, it would


    only make it harder for me my name with the police.


    clear


    Wontent


    His buddy tried to approach, but I stabbed him with the knife.

 Chapter 366

    I was trembling with fear, hiding behind the bed before my legs gave out and I copsed to the ground.


    That man, covered in tattoos, was leaning against his car, just staring at me.


    It felt like he was purposefully watching me struggle.


    Suddenly, sirens red, and the old steel mill was surrounded.


    James turned pale, and the two of them, forgetting about me, tried to run but were quickly pinned down by the police.


    Crouched on the floor, hugging my knees, and without my pants, fear gripped me...


    When the police burst in, the man finally took off his sunsses and wig, walking over to drape his jacket over my shoulders. "Useless."


    I was shaking, looking at the man in front of me. His tattoos were all fake, and he had put on a thickyer of foundation, but I could still recognize him... It was Bran, the high school student.


    His getup really did make him look like a gang member.


    Looking up at Bran, for some reason, a wave of grievance surged through me, and I started to sob. "Where''s Colin...?"


    Why hadn''t Coline?


    Bran frowned. "Big sis, if you keep being foolish, he''s going to end up dead because of you."


    Tears hit the ground as I looked down.


    "He''s been watching Mrs. Fitzgerald for you, knowing she''d team up with Damian. He told you to stay home, but you just had to go see her..." Bran dropped his cigarette butt and stamped it out. "Though I guess it''s not too bad that you''re a bit foolish, but you can''t be too naive, this is different from before..."


    Bran stopped mid-sentence, just staring at me suspiciously. "Sometimes I really wonder, are you truly Phoebe Caldwell?"


    My heart skipped a beat, nervously looking at Bran. "What happened to Colin?"


    "How else could I help the police catch these rats, and by extension, lure out the human traffickers behind them, if not by using you as bait?" Bran said nonchntly.


    Obviously, he had used me as bait.


    "Colin... knew about this?" I clenched my hands, relieved but also heartbroken.


    Did Colin know I was taken away,


    and did he cooperate with the police to use me to lure out James and his aplices, as well as the human trafficking ring behind them?


    Even though... this strategy was effective, capturing these people might lead to solving past cases of missing children.


    But why did it still hurt?Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    "You better get back, or he''s going to kill himself," Bran said with a furrowed brow.


    "rify that..." I grabbed Bran''s arm.


    "How could he let you be in danger? If he saw what happened just now, nobody here would survive! You know he doses control just by being near you, yet you keep putting him in danger. If I had let hime here, he''d spend the rest of his life in a mental institution!" Bran was losing control of his emotions.


    "I tricked him into the basement, locked him in a room..." Bran lowered his voice. "Hurry up ande with me. If you don''t, he''s going to go mad in there."


    I knew what Bran was worried


    about. James and his aplices were key figures; they couldn''t die now But if Colin hade first, they surely would have been killed...


    Colin would have killed James and his aplices, so Bran was right to act this way.


    But if Colin was locked away, knowing I was in danger, he really might harm himself!


    Ignoring the pain in my legs, I scrambled to my feet and ran outside.


    Barefoot, my foot was pierced by a nail on the ground, and the pain brought me to my knees.


    But I couldn''t care about that now.


    Colin...


    If he couldn''t see me, he would keep punishing himself.


    "The traffickers have been caught, and these two have been arrested, thanks to your information."


    Robin had arrived, intercepting the traffickers outside.


    Robin shook hands with the police officers, looking at me anxiously. "Foebe, are you alright?"


    I looked at Robin, my eyes welling up. "Take me home, Colin''s there... take me back."


    Bran was right, if I returnedte, Colin really might end up killing himself.

 Chapter 367

    ?


    Rushing home, I scrambled out of the car and bolted for the basement.


    Coly, trapped in its cage, was going berserk, clearly sensing its owner''s distress and unease.


    Panic surged within me, my foot wound reopened, spilling blood, and I tumbled down the stairs. Agony engulfed me, and I couldn''t hold back the tears.


    Gritting my teeth against the pain, I hobbled towards the basement.


    Fear began to grip me.


    Noise from the basement, like Colin throwing things around, wouldn''t scare me. But silence did.


    Bran had mentioned, Colin could hurt himself.


    I didn''t understand why I was so worried, it felt like a voice inside me insisted, "Save him, save him."


    Fumbling with the doorknob, my fingers trembling, I twisted off the wire lock and pushed the door open.


    The moment the door swung open, the smell of blood hit me.


    Frozen at the doorway, I saw Colin lying on the couch.


    He seemed to have lost his mind, destroying everything in the room, his blood everywhere.


    There hey on the couch, his fingers still dripping blood, as if exhausted from his frenzy.


    He was hurting himself.


    "Colin..." I called out his name.


    He struggled to open his eyes, and upon seeing me, his gaze flickered, pulling me into a tight embrace. "Phoebe... I''m sorry."


    Even though he did nothing wrong, he always felt the need to apologize.


    "You promised me you wouldn''t hurt yourself." My voice trembled with genuine fear.


    "I didn''t hurt myself..." Colin murmured, guilt evident in his voice.


    I grabbed his wrist, the battered wound on the back of his hand still bleeding.


    "Phoebe..." He looked at me anxiously, stripping off my jacket and draping his own over me.


    "Phoebe... Did they hurt you..." His gaze fell on my swollen ankle, a mark left by James''sckeys.


    Luckily, on my way here, a policewoman had given me a skirt.


    Colin''s gaze frantically scanned me, noticing the blood on my foot.


    He knelt down, his expression turning fierce. "I''ll kill them..."


    "It was my own doing." I pulled Colin towards me, cupping his face, forcing him to look at me. "Phoebe Caldwell... you were hurt by those people at the orphanage before, right?"


    In my faded memories.


    James had said they had drugged Phoebe Caldwell too. Attempting to harm...


    Colin''s gaze burned into me as he carefully touched my bruised cheek.


    His eyes were filled with murderous intent.


    "Phoebe Caldwell''s body... is drug-resistant." Colin whispered. "Back then, it was Melody who tricked you. You knew she was deceiving you, yet you went deliberately."


    "Why would I do that intentionally?" I clenched my fists.


    "Because those bastards had been tormenting Zoe in the same manner." Colin looked up at me.


    I took a deep breath, my fingers reflexively tightening.


    "Finn mentioned, years ago, there


    was a case at the orphanage where a boy was stabbed. The wounds weren''t deep, none were fatal, and the boy wasn''t in life-threatening danger. But when he woke up, he was terrified..."


    "Did I do that?" Why had I forgotten so cleanly?


    Had I, for Zoe, or for justice, deliberately allowed Melody to deceive me and then stabbed the person myself?Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Yes, that person was Heaton, the leader among the boys. He saw Zoe as an easy target because of her low intellect and bullied her. It was their dirty little secret." Colin pressed a napkin against the wound ommy foot


    So, Phoebe Caldwell at that time, not only remained unaffected by the drugs but also stabbed the ringleader, Heaton.


    Heaton was the first victim in the serial killings.

 Chapter 368

    Bran leaned casually against the door frame, a sigh of relief escaping him when he saw Colin was okay. "A pair of lunatics..."


    "Call the family doctor," Colin spoke with a chilling tone, his gaze heavy with warning towards Bran.


    It was as if he was saying, this is the first time, let there not be a second.


    Bran, clearly intimidated by Colin, straightened up. "I got it... I wouldn''t really let her get hurt..."


    Before Bran could finish, Colin had already grabbed a chair from the ground and hurled it with all his might.


    I flinched, my breath hitching.


    Luckily, Bran dodged in time, his own breathing fast and filled with shock as he looked at Colin.


    His eyes held aplex mix of disappointment and hurt. "Caleb! For her, you keep doing this to me, damn it, I''ve had enough!"


    Colin stood still, his fingers trembling slightly.


    Disappointed and angry, Bran left.


    I thought their friendship was over, but before long, Bran returned, head hung low, carrying a first aid kit and apanied by a doctor. Bran huffed, standing off to the side with a mix of pride and defiance.


    Colin ignored him, cold as ever.


    He let the doctor examine my injury.


    After a look at the sole of my foot, the doctor cleaned the wound and gave me a tetanus shot. "Be careful, no water on it for the next few days." Once the doctor had left and my wound was treated, Colin, still ignoring Bran, picked me up, intending to carry me back to the bedroom. Stubbornly, Bran followed, finally speaking up after a few steps. "I was wrong..."


    I was surprised, watching Bran drop his tough facade, looking very much the contrite young man, actually apologizing to Colin.


    "Don''t ignore me..." Bran murmured softly. "I don''t want to go back to school."


    Colin continued to ignore Bran.


    This time, Bran, acting on his own, even locked Colin in the basement, clearly infuriating him.


    "Isn''t it enough that I said I was


    yet


    wrong?" Bran''s youthful frustration was evident; he had apologized still wasn''t acknowledging him,


    driving him a little crazy.


    "I didn''t expect her to actually be so... clueless," Bran


    ????


    grumbled resentfully. B


    would dare mess with her, but suddenly she''s like a damsel."


    Bran kept muttering.


    Colin nced down at me, curled up in his arms and listening intently, then shot Bran a warning look. "She''s fine now..."


    Bran scoffed, then huffed. "You''re the odd one out, fancying a fool."


    Colin didn''t respond, and after returning to the room, he kicked the door shut, leaving Bran outside.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Then, he carried me back to the bathroom, intending to help me bathe.


    "Colin..." I looked at him nervously, stopping his hands from undressing me.


    I didn''t want to, after all, Foebe''s legs were too fair, and there was a red handprint on her thigh from where Bran had grabbed too hard...df Colin saw it, he might duel Bran


    "I can wash myself... Please, go out," I whispered, pleading.


    Colin looked down, a hint of sadness in his voice. "Phoebe, you hurt your foot, you can''t get it wet, let me help you."


    "Your hand is injured too..." I firmly disagreed.


    Colin carefully took my hand. "Phoebe... my hand doesn''t hurt."


    Seeing he had no intention of leaving, I stood up straight.


    The dress slid down...


    As expected, Colin''s gazended on the reddening handprint on the inner side of my fair thigh, his eyes turning cold instantly.


    "I''ll kill them..." Colin''s voice was low and menacing.


    "It was... Bran," I muttered softly, almost like I was snitching.


    Who told Bran to act all... macho when he came to save me.


    Colin furrowed his brows, saying nothing, but the oppressive atmosphere told me everything.


    It looked like Bran was in for it today.

 Chapter 369

    ?


    "Phoebe, this stuff is great, tons of bubbles." Colin squirted some shower gel onto a loofah and started scrubbing it.


    I was soaking in the tub, one leg hanging over the edge, my face flushed with embarrassment. "Can you, like, leave? My hands are fine." He pretended not to hear, beginning tother the foam over my legs.


    I covered my face with my hands, feeling like he was meticulously cleaning his favorite action figure. "Caleb, please, just go."


    Colin kept on ying deaf, spreading the foam all over my body...


    "Caleb!" My cheeks burnt with a mix of anger and embarrassment.


    He stayed silent, just leaning on my shoulder, rinsing my back with the handheld shower.


    "Phoebe... don''t listen to them, you''re not dumb, you''re perfectly fine... perfectly fine..." Colin whispered as if tofort me. "They don''t get it, it''s them who don''t understand."


    "Was the old me, not okay?" I asked quietly.


    Colin''s body stiffened for a moment, then he shook his head. "Not that you weren''t okay..."


    "Then what?" I looked at him.


    He sat up straight, looking down to avoid my gaze. "You weren''t happy, and I didn''t know how to make you happy."


    The Phoebe Caldwell of the past was devoid of emotions, her understanding and mimicry of feelings were all self-taught.


    She wouldugh when she thought normal people wouldugh, cry when she thought they would cry.


    In essence, she considered herself a monster, an outcast in society.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    She didn''t even understand pain or joy.


    "But now, I''m not happy either..." I felt like an idiot, not even sure of my own memories.


    "Phoebe... forgetting is for the best." Colin looked at me earnestly. "It was your choice to forget, it''s all on you."


    I fell silent, the difort overwhelming.


    If I turned back into my old self, would Colin still like me?


    "Oh right..." Something suddenly came to mind. "Damian and Hailey..."


    I was about to mention Damian and Hailey''s n to have Melody impersonate me, unsure if they had seeded yet.


    "Sir, Melody is here to see you," Eric knocked on the door before I could finish, announcing Melody''s arrival.


    I was taken aback, my heart tightening.


    Melody...


    Was she here for Colin? Deliberately impersonating me...


    Because Dexter hadn''t woken up yet, so she came for Colin first, right?


    "Don''t see her," Colin frowned.


    "She insisted on leaving this for you, said


    read go see her once y


    Eric spoke


    belongs to en.swnovels and


    Colin''s expression darkened, then he looked at me soothingly. "Phoebe, wait for me.¡±


    I nodded, though feeling uneasy.


    I quickly rinsed off and stepped out of the tub, wrapping myself in a towel and walking to the door.


    Curious about what Melody had given Colin.


    It was a piece of paper with a ''¦Ð'' written on it.


    I frowned, clueless about its meaning.


    But Colin''s fingers tensed at the sight, instinctively ncing back at me.


    In his eyes, I saw hesitation, doubt...


    What was he doubting?


    Feeling a sudden panic, Colin didn''t say anything but headed downstairs.


    I quickly dressed, limping after him.


    Outside, Melody seemed transformed, her demeanor cold, her gaze deep and utterly different from before.


    Her stare startled me, my fingers clenched with nervousness.


    Her acting... was surprisingly good.


    Making me doubt myself.


    Melody nced at me coldly, her voice deep. "You actually believed she could be Phoebe Caldwell."


    Colin''s brow furrowed; Melody''s


    current


    the Phoebeanor closely resembled


    Caldwell before her


    memory loss.


    "Damian created a ''Phoebe Caldwe knowing you''d fall


    ody checked the time. "Calhet


    have much time


    I


    sw content

 Chapter 370

    ?


    Colin eyed Melody with suspicion, his voice a low growl. "You don''t quite cut it."


    "ver imed I was anyone," Melody retorted with a coldugh, her gaze fixed on Colin. "Or what? Are you scared? Scared that I might be the real Phoebe Caldwell, aware of all the lies you''ve spun?"


    Colin clenched his fists tightly.


    "Caleb, we''re not the kind to get tangled up in feelings. Void of passion, our souls like specters, we''ve been monsters since birth. All those past emotions and love were just disguises, imitations of a normal life. You didn''t... actually fall for it, did you?" Melody''s voice was heavy as she stepped closer to Colin.


    "To be honest, I despise this body. But what I despise even more is someone... impersonating me." Her piercing gazended on me.


    A chill ran down my spine. Was Melody''s acting really this good?


    She seemed like apletely different person.


    "Don''t forget our n," Melody reminded Colin.


    "I forgot, enlighten me," Colin repliedzily, pulling me behind him, shielding me from Melody''s gaze.


    Hiding behind Colin, I felt a wave of panic.


    "Hah..." Melodyughed. "Operation Clean te."


    She only said those words, Operation Clean te.


    I could feel Colin stiffen beside me.


    That secret... must have been something only he and Phoebe Caldwell knew.


    I, too, was stunned, looking at Melody.


    How did she know about a secret that was only between Colin and Phoebe Caldwell...


    Meanwhile, Bran, who had been leaning against the doorway, picked up a pebble and tossed it at Melody.


    Melody, alert, didn''t fully dodge it.


    Bran chuckled. "If it were her, she would''ve caught it."


    "Idiot..." Melody scoffed at Bran. "It''s Phoebe Caldwell''s gically enhanced body you''re talking about. Do you think this current body of mine is up to par?"


    Bran frowned, staying silent.


    "Recite Pi," Colin demanded, staring into Melody''s eyes.


    Body functions might change, but if it were a soul reborn, that wouldn''t be forgotten.


    I was shocked. If Colin had asked me to recite it, I definitely wouldn''t have been able to.


    "3.14159265358979323..." Melody


    began effortlessly, and after a while,


    she asked indifferently, "Enough?" Want me to keep going till tomorrow morning?"


    It seemed like she really knew it.


    If this were an act, she had indeed put in a lot of effort.


    "Now you," Colin turned, looking at me.


    Me? I opened my mouth in disbelief.


    You''ve got to be kidding me.


    I barely knew the 3.14...


    Faced with Colin''s skepticism, I suddenly panicked, even beginning to doubt myself.


    Was I really not me? This was getting absurd.


    "Colin... don''t believe her. I overheard


    Damian and Mrs. Fitzgerald talking. They must have found a way to make Melody look very convincing, I. tried to exin, anxious.


    "Then how can you prove you''re Phoebe Caldwell?" Colin asked again.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    I was speechless, unable to prove my identity as Phoebe Caldwell, my memories of Colin and the past utterly nk. I felt like aplete fool.


    "If you doubt me... then maybe I''m not," I said with a heavy heart, turning to leave.


    I had to admit, Damian was quite clever, managing to make Melody look so convincing.


    "I can reveal Operation Clean te


    and the secrets of soul rebirth; you should believe me. You''ve really let your guard down in my absence, Melody said sternly, before adding, "Tomorrow at 10 AM, at our usual spot."


    With that, Melody left.


    to usual


    Bran nced at Melody, then back at me. "She seems more like the Phoebe Caldwell we knew." Clearly, he too felt that Melody''s current demeanor was more reminiscent of the Phoebe Caldwell from before.

 Chapter 371

    ?


    "What do you think?" Bran asked Colin.


    Colin stood still, watching as Melody walked away into the distance.


    I was hiding behind the door, feeling a bit jittery.


    For some reason, I feared Colin wouldn''t recognize me.


    This sensation of being doubted, not being acknowledged, it truly unsettles me.


    Scares me, even.


    So, could Colin be feeling the same? When I doubted him, didn''t trust him, or even misunderstood him...


    Holding my hands tightly and looking down nervously, I pondered how to exin myself so Colin would believe me.


    But I really forgot too much. I can''t remember him, nor can I recall anything about the orphanage, just like Bran said, I''m not sharp, I''m quite dim... I always seem to cause trouble for everyone.


    But I don''t know what the old me was like, I even know less about my past than Melody does.


    I''m terrified.


    "Did you even hear what I said?" Bran frowned and asked when Colin didn''t respond. "Clearly, she''s more like Melody."


    "Why don''t you chill out and eat a slice of humble pie," Colin retorted with a cold snort.


    "Caleb, cut the sarcasm!" Bran snapped back, a bit annoyed.


    "You thought she was Phoebe Caldwell, didn''t you? Then go after her, you know where to find her," Colin said in a deep tone, turning to leave.


    But Bran wasn''t ready to let it go and grabbed him. "It''s not that I doubt your judgment, but look at her inside, how does she resemble the Phoebe Caldwell we knew..."


    "Huh..." Colinughed. "It''s precisely because she''s different, that she is Phoebe."


    "You''ve lost your mind," Bran said with a frown. "Love is making you blind."


    "If she was the Phoebe Caldwell of old, would she openly seek us out, making such a spectacle? Especially with you, an outsider, standing right here?" Colin didn''t want to argue with Bran any longer and tried to enter the house.


    "What if she guessed my..." Bran still wanted to argue.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Colin cut him off impatiently. "The moment she insisted on winning, she gave herself away."


    Melody''spetitive nature is


    ingrained in her. Even if Damian did a thorough job hypnotizing heranto believing she''s Phoebe Caldwell, it''s useless.


    Fake is fake.


    "Why didn''t you say so earlier?" Bran muttered under his breath, frowning. "You make me look stupid."


    Colin pushed past Bran. "You weren''t exactly clever to begin with."


    "Would it kill you to exchange a few words with me?" Bran, full of youthful arrogance, insisted on engaging Colin more. "Are you nning some kind of seduction strategy with that Melody?


    Colin gave Bran a look. "ed to go smooth things over with mydy."


    Bran gasped. "Am I just a side character in your drama?"


    "What are you even talking about?" Colin frowned, puzzled.


    "It''s how we young folks talk; you''re out of the loop," Bran said smugly, leaning against the wall.


    Ignoring him, Colin went inside while I was still hiding outside.


    Clearly, I didn''t catch their whispered conversation.


    Just heard Bran teasing Colin about being old.


    Old? He looks nothing but dashing...


    I felt a bit embarrassed, awkwardly avoiding eye contact, finding myself in tears under false usations. My eyes must have been red.


    Colin nced at me, about to say something, but I cut him off. "If you believe Melody, I''ll leave right now."


    Colin had a deep look in his eyes, but I dared not meet his gaze, unclear of the emotions on his face. "Where to?" he asked softly.


    "None of your business. I''ll go


    wherever please," I said, feeling e


    and


    swn''


    love


    wronged as I pushed past Co limping away, ready to pack. leave.

 Chapter 372

    "What''s going on here?"


    "Just when I was about to leave, Colin grabbed my wrist.


    Outside, Bran tried toe in but Colin kicked the door shut on him, locking Bran out with a loud bang.


    Colin was fuming, and honestly, it scared me a bit.


    "What are you trying to do...?" I had no clue what Colin had in mind...


    "I want to keep you hidden... locked in the basement, where only I know you exist." Colin''s voice was husky, filled with a suppressed emotion.


    He cornered me, his presence and gaze more intense than I''d ever seen.


    To be honest, this side of Colin scared me.


    It reminded me of those stories my mom wrote in her diary about him locking Phoebe Caldwell in the basement, keeping her captive and tormenting her.


    "You... you''re not serious, are you?" I asked, my voice trembling.


    Colin pulled me into his embrace and sighed. "Phoebe... I just want you to have a normal life, with friends like Ste, a regr... husband, kids, three meals a day, happiness, and safety."


    "No matter the cost..." Colin murmured softly.


    That must be his biggest wish.


    My heart raced unexpectedly as I listened to his heartbeat against his chest.


    For some reason, I had this bad feeling. In Colin''s wish for me, he didn''t include himself.


    He said he wanted me to have a normal life, with friends, a normal husband, kids, three meals a day... but he wasn''t in that picture, was he?


    He always thought of himself as a monster, as abnormal.


    Would he let me go in the future?


    Or had he already nned out this so-called life for me?


    I felt a sudden panic and instinctively clung tighter to Colin''s shirt. "Don''t you doubt that I''m Phoebe Caldwell? Didn''t you say someone could only be Phoebe Caldwell if they could recite pi?"


    Colin didn''t answer, just gently patted my head.


    Though it was a simple gesture, itforted me.


    But I felt so insecure,cking made me scared.


    don''t have to pity me or


    I said stubbornly, afraid his current demeanor was just to test me.


    Colin sighed, seemingly exasperated. "Isn''t your husband a genius? Why so little faith in him..."


    I paused, realizing that my heart, numb as it was, could still skip a beat unexpectedly.


    He nced at my feet, noticing the slight bleeding from when I had angrily walked away earlier.


    He was visibly upset, scooping me into his arms. I felt so light in his embrace.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    It wasn''t me being light, but him being incredibly strong.


    After the ordeal with Melody and the kidnapping drama, I was physically and emotionally exhausted.


    Colin had justid me on the bed when I drifted off to sleep.


    The effects of the drug were severe; my head ached terribly, and I was lost in a haze of dreams.


    "She''s emotionless, even with amnesia, do you think she truly understands love?"


    In a drowsy state, I heard someone talking to Colin.


    "Her feelings for Dexter don''t seem


    like love, more like a


    more like a long-nned


    Sas if she''s using the elet


    method to destroy Dexter...


    The bullet I fired circled back, hitting Dexter right between the eyes.


    And Phoebe Caldwell was the mastermind.


    "She doesn''t love me..." Colin''s voice was husky.


    He was too smart not to sense the presence or absence of love.


    "She''s stubbornly searching for the feeling of love," Colin whispered softly.


    "But maybe that''s for the best... If


    something happens to me in


    future, she''ll be able to e


    calmly."

 Chapter 373

    ?


    I tossed and turned, sleep eluding me, haunted by the events of the day. The thought of nearly being taken advantage of by James, of nearly being trafficked, it was all too much to process. It left me wondering, what would the old Phoebe Caldwell have done in my ce? Would she have coolly wielded a knife, neutralizing the threat and handing the culprits over to the authorities? But I wasn''t her anymore.


    Doubts gnawed at me. Was I still the Phoebe Caldwell that Colin loved? If he loved who I used to be, and I''ve changed so much since losing my memory, am I still his beloved?


    Can a change in personality alter who you are at your core?


    "Phoebe... I just want you to survive. That''s all I ask," Colin''s voice echoed in my mind.


    "Colin... you can''t keep me caged."


    "Phoebe Caldwell, don''t be so cruel."


    "I''m heartless..."


    In my nightmare, I was self-destructive, trying every possible way to end my suffering. Colin, in a desperate attempt to save me, chained me up, begging me to stop. But I was indifferent, watching him hurt himself in front of me without lifting a finger to stop him.


    "If you want to die, I''ll join you. If you want to hurt yourself, I''ll do it too..." Colin pleaded.


    I coldly watched him struggle, trying to break free from the chains. "Colin, it''s useless. We can''t escape. I''m a monster, incapable of truly loving you. Even if you died right in front of me, I wouldn''t feel a thing."


    Seeing the desperation in Colin''s eyes, he asked softly, "Phoebe, are you hungry? I''ll go get us some food."


    And then he left, despair written all over him.


    I struggled in my dream, the sound of the chains around my wrists making my heart ache.


    I wanted to call out to Colin, to tell him not to hurt himself.


    "Don''t... Colin, please don''t."


    "Colin!"


    Waking up from the nightmare, I was gasping for breath, sweat soaking my hair.


    Colin wrapped his arms around me from behind, gently soothing, "Phoebe... did you have a bad dream?"


    It took me a moment to catch my breath, snuggling closer to him. My feelings for Colin were tangled-was it dependency or something more? But with so many gaps in my memory, it couldn''t be love.


    "Please, stop hurting yourself," I whispered, lightly touching the scars on his wrist.


    Colin stiffened slightly, whispering back, "Phoebe, does it hurt you to see this?"


    I could tell he was hoping for a particr answer, longing for me to say I cared.


    "Colin..." I held his wrist gently, admitting softly, "It does hurt me."


    He seemed taken aback for a


    moment before passionately kissing arrehead, then yfully r


    d with me in his arment


    "Stop


    "I protested, ending up


    lying on top of him, a position that was far too intimate forfort.


    t belongs to ent


    Colin just gazed at me, his eyes so captivating, they always made me pause.


    "Phoebe..." he murmured my name, his voice filled with joy, like an adult child.


    "You believe in me, right?" I asked, seeking reassurance.


    "I''ll always recognize you, no matter what," Colin promised, kissing my forehead again.


    stled into his chest, listening to his heartbeat, seekingfort.


    "Let''s try to sleep a bit more. It''s still early," he whispered.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    But sleep was thest thing on my mind now.


    Realizing I wasn''t moving away, Colin shifted awkwardly, clearly ufortable.


    At first, I didn''t understand, until I felt the warmth radiating from him.


    "Phoebe... don''t torture me," he begged softly.


    My cheeks flushed, and I quickly sat up, causing Colin to look even more distressed.


    I hastilyid back down, turning away from him, and we fell into silence.

 Chapter 374

    ?


    Being cooped up under the same nket, a man and a woman alone, was indeed ying with fire.


    "Phoebe..." Colin whispered as he wrapped his arms around me from behind, his breath hot against my skin.


    I felt a wave of fear, perhaps still haunted by the loss of our child and the forceful advances of James...


    "Don''t be scared, I wouldn''t dare touch you," Colin''s voice was so soft it melted all my defenses away.


    He just held me like that, his breathing slowly growing deeper.


    My cheeks flushed with heat, marveling at his stamina, and all we were doing was lying close...


    Seemingly unsatisfied with just cuddling, he took my hand in his.


    I tried to wriggle free, but couldn''t match his strength. "Phoebe... help me."


    "I... I don''t want to help."


    I just want to sleep.


    This is all so messy.


    "Phoebe, we''re married." I knew it, he always yed the marriage card when it came to this.


    Reluctantly, I turned around, and like a pretzel, I curled up in his embrace, helping him...


    Though it wasn''t the first time, each encounter sent my heart racing, filling me with a sensation... utterly foreign.


    Back when I was Phoebe Caldwell, entanglements with Dexter were frequent, yet each felt like a humiliation, devoid of any fond memories.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Dexter''s interactions were mostly vents of frustration, never the soothing whispers, the gentle caress that could stir the soul.


    "Phoebe..." Colin''s voice trailed off with a hint of seduction, his gaze filled with an intoxicating warmth.


    My fingers felt scorching to the touch, too shy to meet his gaze.


    "The doctor mentioned, after a month... we could, you know," I murmured shyly.


    My face was aze.


    It''s just human nature, isn''t it? We can''t keep him hanging forever.


    Colin paused, pulling me closer, and leaned in for a kiss.


    His kiss was passionate, yet he didn''t make me stop. "I''m afraid of hurting you... three months would be safer."


    He had made sure to ask.


    I bit my lip, taking a nibble on his, drawing blood...


    He was too beautiful, especially with that hint of blood, looking like a siren, tempting me to bite again.


    "Phoebe..." His gaze, always so passionate, seemed to scorch my very soul.


    I wanted to run, but he caught my chin, trapping me.


    He seemed to harbor no grand illusions of making me fall for him, yet he whispered, "Could you love me?"


    Like I once loved Dexter...


    Tears welled up in my eyes, unsure of how to respond.


    I didn''t know how to love someone anymore.


    My feelings for Dexter were clearly not love.


    Seeing my silence, Colin didn''t press further, choosing to continue kissing me.


    Yet, in his kiss, I found a sense of loss...


    He said, "Phoebe... this is fine too, not loving me is okay."


    Without love, the pain of loss is lessened.


    After a long struggle, my wrist ached, my body limp, he finally relented, cleaned us up, and we drifted to sleep. Come dawn, Colin received a call from Finn.


    "We''re digging deeper into the human trafficking lead. If we''re lucky, we might find those missing prodigies."


    "And my wife?" Colin''s voice was deep, his mind solely on clearing Foebe''s name.


    "There''s someplication. James


    insists Foebe was saving those


    l.n


    street kids for trafficking, iming she''s the mastermind..." Finn sounded troubled. "We... have to bring her in for questioning, it''s protocol."


    Colin remained silent, the air around him turning icy, as if he was about to devour someone.


    "It''s not... don''t be mad, it''s just a


    Pre. We all know she''s


    but we need evidence,


    right?" Finn''s voice waveredel


    "Will James die?" Colin wished death upon James.


    "Probably not, might get a few years," Finn sighed.


    "Well... then let me tell you, he will die," Colin''s voice was a dark promise, like a call from the reaper.


    Finn''s voice was clearly panicked.


    "Caleb,


    Cel


    ewhat are you nning?


    is in custody until the case is

 Chapter 375

    "He''s getting bailed out." Colin''s voice was filled with certainty, as though James'' release from the detention center was already a done deal.


    I was about to say something back when Colin hung up the call.


    ncing at him, I felt a twinge of fear, even though I knew Foebe was innocent and hadn''tmitted those crimes. But if James and Damian were plotting against her...


    "Don''t worry," he said, ruffling my hair casually as if that simple gesture could ease my anxieties.


    But, in a way, it did.


    My feelings towards Colin wereplex, a tangle of dependence and something else I couldn''t quite name...


    "The cops will want to talk to you, but I''ve got evidence that''ll clear your name," Colin reassured me. "Foebe... she didn''t do those terrible things."


    I looked down, silent. "If Foebe is innocent, if she''s truly a good person, then is any of this fair?"


    Despite her innocence, Foebe was used, manipted, and then... she was gone.


    And me? I''m just squatting in someone else''s life, a parasite.


    "This world isn''t about fairness," Colin said quietly, pulling me into a hug.


    I understood what he meant.


    Some things seemed beyond our control.


    Yet, I couldn''t shake off a feeling of guilt.


    Was it all just coincidence? Foebe being set up, her downfall, and my rebirth in her body?


    ...


    That afternoon, Finn and his team arrived.


    It was all business. They were taking me in for questioning.


    Hailey handed over what she called evidence to the police - a photo of me talking to the second victim of the dismemberment case.


    It all felt too orchestrated to be mere coincidence.


    "I didn''t take part, I was deceived, I know nothing."


    Without concrete proof of my guilt, I denied everything.


    James imed, Foebe was a good person. So, do good people deserve to be deceived, misunderstood, wronged?


    I wanted to defend not just myself but Foebe too.


    "Officer Finn, there are some kids outside iming to be Foebe''s siblings."


    I paused, looking up at Finn.


    Those kids...


    Colin must have sent them. They were here to vouch for Foebe.


    "She never hurt us. When Abdul got sick, Phoebe wanted to raise money for him. That''s why she reached out to a local charity. But they deceived her, promising to adopt Fenton, our brightest, in exchange for funding Abdul''s treatment. But after taking Fenton, they never gave us the money," one of the kids exined. N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    "She''s a good person."


    "She always looked out for us, protected us."


    These kids were willing to stand up for Foebe.


    I believed... Foebe was good.


    "Phoebe didn''t fully trust them. That''s why when she took Fenton to meet the adopters, she asked us to watch from a distance and secretly record everything on our phones. All the evidence is with Abdul, who got arrested and is currently in juvenile detention," the eldest kid revealed, pointing to a crucial piece of evidence.


    Finn looked at me, then signaled Cory to retrieve Abdul from juvenile detention.


    Abdul was the kid previously used of attempting to poison Melody.


    With these kids'' testimonies and the evidence Foebe had smartly left behind, my innocence was


    and James'' guilt was conf nee


    Everything fell into ce too smoothly...


    I was cleared of all charges, not just absolved but heralded as a hero.


    Walking out of the police station, I felt bewildered.


    Everything I had feared had been resolved so effortlessly.


    Yet, why did a sense of unease linger?


    It seemed too convenient, Foebe having recorded that video, leaving behind evidence as if foreseeing today.

 Chapter 376

    ?


    Everything seemed like it was all preordained.


    "Phoebe?" Outside, Colin was already waiting for me.


    He held an umbre over us, shielding me in his embrace.


    It was only then I looked up and noticed it had started to rain.


    "It''s okay now," Colin whispered back.


    "You knew I was going to be okay, didn''t you?" I looked up at him.


    Colin''s gaze shifted slightly, shaking his head. "I believed you''d be okay."


    His words were ambiguous, and I could interpret them as him dodging the subject.


    "Let''s go home," Colin said, guiding me back.


    On our way home, Colin told me Dexter had woken up.


    I responded with a nonchnt "Oh," unbothered by the news.


    If he''s awake, then so be it. It doesn''t really concern me much.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    "Melody''s been by his side the whole time. Chances are, he''ll think Melody is you," Colin seemed to be bracing me for the impact of this news, wanting me to be prepared.


    "Yeah, that''s fine," I nodded.


    After all, Dexter was blind to the truth. This could be for the best.


    ...


    As Colin and I had predicted, upon waking up, Dexter indeed seemed convinced that Melody was ''Phoebe Caldwell,'' keeping her close and protected.


    During this time, I had been cooped up at home, waiting for any developments regarding the traffickers.


    Robin mentioned that he had been reassigned back here, tasked with investigating the trafficking ring.


    Ste also visited me a few times, mentioning that Robin had left Sea City for a dangerous mission, presumably linked to the trafficking investigation. James ended up taking the fall for everything, with the police unable to pin anything on Damian.


    This was something I had anticipated.


    What I hadn''t expected was that James had been suffering from cancer, qualifying for medical bail.


    Colin was right; James had found a way to leave detention.


    "Don''t overthink it, just rest up at home," Ste visited, advising me to rest.


    But I couldn''t shake the feeling that a lot had happened in the past few days.


    The kidnapping had left me frightened, staying indoors, but during this time, Colin was absent.


    I was worried, concerned he might have actually gone to see Melody.


    To the ce Melody had mentioned, their old haunt.


    My heart was in turmoil, feeling insecure.


    I feared Melody''s cunning, capable of deceiving Dexter so many times, could easily deceive Colin too.


    Sitting on my bed, hugging my knees, I was tired of living this way.


    Is this really the life I wanted for myself?


    I began to doubt, struggling to understand the purpose of my rebirth.


    Was I meant to continue living in fear and stupidity, just to survive?


    Wasn''t my original goal to find my murderer?


    "Trust Robin, he''ll find those missing


    whispered, seeing my


    as a cue tofort me.


    "Phoebe..."


    ?


    ket


    "Why hasn''t the serial killer struck again after so long? Can''t he just kill Melody? Or is it... that the killer@eally is Dorian?" I expressed my confusion and doubts.


    Why was Melody still alive?


    If she didn''t die, the others wouldn''t get killed.


    I found myself... hoping the murderer would strike again.


    I wanted to catch him, but at the same time... I wished to use him to eliminate those on the list.


    To eradicate... the demons from the orphanage back then.


    "Phoebe..." Ste seemed to ce thoughts. "Melody... t belongs to = s


    on to


    like she''s a changed person dately."


    Ste looked down, probably to avoid upsetting me.


    Had she seen Melody too? Did Ste believe her as well?


    "She''s iming to be Phoebe Caldwell, right?" I asked nervously. "Do you believe her?"

 Chapter 377

    ?


    "No way," Ste shook her head. "Phoebe Caldwell reincarnating into Melody? Gross... Better off dead."


    The gloom of the past few days was finally lifted in that moment, drawing augh from us both.


    I bowed my head in resignation,ughing till I felt like crying. "Yeah, waking up as the person you loathe most is practically a fate worse than death." Seeing meugh, Ste reached out and took my wrist. "Don''t overthink it. She thinks she can fool everyone, but those who truly cared for Phoebe Caldwell can''t be deceived. Details and feelings are hard to mimic. Who does she think she is..."


    I too felt that Melody was fighting a losing battle.


    But her charade wasn''t for convincing us; it was aimed at Dexter and Colin.


    Dexter had long been brainwashed and manipted by Damian. It was no surprise he believed Melody was Phoebe Caldwell.


    But Colin...


    I tried calling Colin.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    He rejected my call the first time.


    He never used to do that.


    "Colin won''t be fooled by her," Ste sighed. "Phoebe... sometimes, you''ve got to try trusting someone. Constantly doubting someone is exhausting." Ste always had a knack for seeing through me.


    "And if... there really are reasons to doubt?" I still felt there were too many suspicious things about Colin.


    Hiding a murderer and secretly harboring Dorian...


    "Give unconditional trust a shot. Life''s a gamble, might as well bet big once in a while," Ste locked eyes with me before speaking again. "Let me tell you a secret."


    I nodded.


    "I actually have a thing for Robin..." Ste looked down, her ears tinting red.


    My mouth fell open, though I wasn''t really surprised; I''d sensed it.


    "What about Robin?" I whispered, feeling a bit anxious.


    Ah, the innate curiosity of women.


    "He...," Ste took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. "He doesn''t like me."


    "That''s impossible, I think he''s quite nice to you," I was shocked.


    "Phoebe, sometimes mutual feelings aren''t enough to be together. He said he doesn''t like me, and even if he did, it means he doesn''t want to be with me," Ste analyzed correctly.


    Robin''s sense of duty was too strong, and his return to the detective force was inevitable. His job was too dangerous.


    He probably didn''t want to hold Ste back.


    "The other day my mom suddenly


    showed up, found where I was renting, and knocked on the door to see Robin, I told her we were just roommates, but she wouldn''t have it, immediately started talking about arranging a marriage... wanting Robin to marry me..." Ste was helpless.


    I knew about Ste''s family situation.


    Her dad was a piece of work, and her mom was too conservative, obsessed with control.


    "Robin moved out to avoid dragging


    me into it went back to the


    barracks," Stey next to me, looking at the ceiling without strength, just like old times. "Phoebe, life is so exhausting."


    "What are you thinking?" I reached over, patting her head.


    "I think I want to get married. If I do, I can escape my mom''s control," Ste whispered.


    I understood Ste... Back in our


    college days, she''d mentioned if she


    wanted to start anew, she''d choose marriage post-graduation. If neither of us got married, we''d just stick together.


    But now, I was already married...


    To Colin, of all people.


    Ste probably felt utterly alone.


    I looked at her, feeling guilty, yet at a loss for words offort.


    "I asked him if he''d marry me, and he moved out," Steughed, but I knew she wanted to cry.


    Robin moving out of the apartment was his answer.


    They couldn''t get married.


    Robin couldn''t give Ste the life she wanted.


    "Have you guys, like, defined your rtionship? How far did it go?" I whispered.

 Chapter 378

    Ste rolled her eyes. "What are you thinking? It''s not even flirting, just truly roommates, with no... other stuff going on." They hadn''t even dated, and she was already hoping Robin would marry her. No wonder Robin got freaked out and bolted. But, Ste knew she had feelings for Robin.


    "Do you think marriage brings happiness?" I whispered to Ste.


    Ste sat up and looked at me. "Big sis, you were the one who got married first."


    Her gaze made me feel a bit guilty.


    "Are you happy?" she asked me again.


    I thought about it. "Habit can be a terrifying thing."


    I stared at my phone screen, panicking when Colin hung up on me.


    Am I happy in my marriage?


    Well...


    Happiness seems to be a word that''s not meant for me.


    I was mysteriously murdered, mysteriously came back to life... reborn into apletely foreign woman''s body.


    And mysteriously, the man lying next to me, whom I mistakenly thought was the murderer, was Colin.


    It feels like all the dramatic twists of life have centered on me.


    I really want to ask everyone, if all this happened to you, what would you do? Could you really do better than me?


    In this high-pressure, doubtful, and dangerous situation.


    I don''t know how to find happiness, how to survive.


    "I''ve given up on love," Ste shrugged. "I''ve agreed to go on a blind date my mom set up, tonight at 7. I''m heading out soon."


    Ste had agreed to a blind date, but I could tell she wasn''t thrilled.


    "Going on a blind date, huh?" I wanted to dissuade her, but didn''t know how.


    "If I don''t get married soon, my mom''s going to drive me to my grave," Ste sighed.


    Her toxic family environment was suffocating her.


    "Even for Robin''s sake, I have to get married quickly, or my mom will keep bothering him, you know..."


    Ste''s mom was the type who became neurotic after being hurt in love; she was obsessive and controlling.


    Back in school, Ste''s mom had publicly scolded a male project partner of Ste''s, making it known throughout the school.


    She didn''t care about Ste''s


    feelings, just what she thought wasText content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ste, humiliating horre


    ed most.


    it to


    Such family, truly suffocating.


    "I want to take a chance," Ste took


    a deep breath. "What if marriage i my and life,


    chance at life,


    right?"


    Ste smiled at me.


    I didn''t say anything.


    Remembering what she said earlier, to trust someone unconditionally, life is a gamble, what if you win?


    Even if you lose, what''s left to lose?


    Nodding firmly, I picked up my phone and called Colin again.


    I wanted to take that gamble... to trust him unconditionally.


    As a bet.


    But Colin, still, hung up my call.


    This time, I truly panicked.


    He couldn''t have... been deceived by Melody, could he?


    Ste went on her blind date.


    The sky was overcast, and it was raining.


    I watched Ste leave, noticing Robin''s car nearby...


    It was clear to me that Robin had feelings for Ste too, but they both seemed like hedgehogs with spines.


    Getting close meant getting hurt,


    and both were afraid of hurting theet


    other, so they chose to keep their distance.


    I stood in the rain, feeling the scent of the earth.


    For some reason, I felt like I could smell death.


    "Ugh, ugh," the mute old man gestured to me, telling me to go back inside and not get wet.


    I went back to my room, sitting in the empty, dry bathtub, and kept calling Colin.


    He hung up, and I called again.


    After several tries, he simply turned off his phone.


    I buried my head between my knees.


    Trusting someonepletely, it sounds easy, but in reality, it''s so hard.

 Chapter 379

    I was sitting in the bathtub, my hands trembling as I clutched my phone.


    Due to the schemes of James and Damian, I had been too scared to leave my house for a long time, let alone venture out onto the streets.


    But I was terrified, terrified that Colin would be ensnared by Melody''s lies too.


    I felt like I had lost everything...


    I didn''t even know who it was that had tried to kill me in the first ce.


    My phone buzzed. It was Colin.


    A wave of relief washed over me as I frantically answered the call, but it wasn''t Colin who spoke.


    Instead, a voice altered by a voice changer spoke, chilling me to the bone. "Phoebe Caldwell...¡±


    He called me by my full name, Phoebe Caldwell.


    My nerves instantly went on high alert, my body stiffening.


    "I''ve heard you''ve been doggedly pursuing the serial killer behind those gruesome murders," the voice said, a hint of amusementcing his tone. Clutching my phone tighter, my body started to shake uncontrobly. "Who are you... Where''s Colin, why do you have his phone?"


    ¡°I am the serial killer, I am a god..." His voice was deep, suddenly breaking intoughter. ¡°You can call me The Judge."


    I jumped up, my vision darkening. "Colin... Where is Colin?"


    "In his quest to find me... for you, he made a crucial mistake. Once a ''god'' bes emotionally involved, vulnerabilities and ws emerge," the caller taunted, hisughter growing more sinister. "He was too eager to prove himself, too desperate to catch me."


    "What do you want?" I asked, my voice trembling. "Please, don''t hurt Colin, I''m begging you."


    "Now, leave your house without telling anyone, or... he will certainly die," the caller threatened.


    I scrambled out of the bathtub, limping quickly towards the door.


    My injuries weren''t fully healed, but I couldn''t afford to waste a moment. ¡°I''ll do whatever you say, just don''t hurt Colin."


    "He''s already figured out the death list, although it''s iplete," the caller chuckled. "He''s smart, but... foolishly in love."


    My fingertips turned ice cold. "What have you done to him?"


    "Don''t you want to know how he ended up in my hands?" The creepy voice continued tough over the phone. "It''s because of you..."


    I froze in my tracks, my breath hitching.


    "Don''t stop, keep walking, or I''ll kill him," the caller evidently knew I had halted.


    He was the killer...


    The very killer I had been searching for.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The one who had tried to kill me.


    "Leave your neighborhood, walk three hundred meters, and you''ll see a van. Get in."


    He was directing me, instructing me to get into that van.


    ¡°Let me hear Colin speak, or... I won''tply," I said warily, holding my phone. eded to hear Colin''s voice.


    "Ha..." As if


    someone as clever as


    Vallerughed. "Speak?


    by


    him, who could escape just breathing, to remain to remain conscious."


    I frowned, my fingers trembling.


    t


    "Ding!" A message popped up on my WhatsApp.


    It was sent from Colin''s WhatsApp by the caller.


    In the WhatsApp message, Colin appeared unconscious, his wrist attached to an IV drip, a saline bag hanging above...


    Panic seized me, my entire body starting to shake uncontrobly.


    This madman had ced Colin in a ss enclosure, akin to a fish tank.


    ¡°You bastard, don''t hurt him, please..." My voice choked up, my legs weakening.


    That photo, it was eerily reminiscent of the state in which the police had found my body.


    "How perfect he is..." The caller''s


    voice wasced with a creepy affection. "He''d make for the most perfect specimen if made into a disy."


    "Don''t hurt him... I''ll do as you say. I said cautiously, scanning my surroundings, aware that the caller was somewhere nearby, watching me.


    Any slight attempt of mine to call for help or do anything else would result in Colin getting hurt.

 Chapter 380

    "Please... don''t hurt him," I pleaded, my voice quivering with desperation.


    "You care about him? Phoebe Caldwell... since when do you care about anybody? You''re heartless, how could you possibly beg?" The voice on the other end chuckled, a hint of madness in hisughter.


    It was clear to me now; this person knew me well.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t harm him like you would... He''s just sedated, easier to manage that way..." Even though the voice was distorted, I could detect a trace of fondness, a longing that seemed all too familiar.


    Could it be... Carter?


    But Carter was dead.


    "Stop ying games!" I was about to discreetly message Robin and Finn when the person on the line suddenly barked, startling me into halting my actions.


    Frozen with fear, I pressed on, moving forward.


    "Don''t go!"


    Just as I was about to leave the alley and get into the car, Bran burst out, enveloping me in a tight hug from behind, his breathsing in short gasps as if he had rushed over.


    "Don''t go... He told me to tell you not to go anywhere, to trust him, that he''de back for you," Bran said urgently, his relief palpable as he stopped me and caught his breath.


    He snatched my phone, his voice tense with anger. "I don''t care who you are, cut the crap! If you''ve got the guts, go after Melody, take out everyone on your hit list, ying the fool for what?"


    The silence from the other end of the phone was deafening.


    I trembled, wanting to grab the phone back. "Colin''s still with him..."


    "Stay out of this." Bran gestured towards me firmly, continuing his defiance. "Speak up!"


    Laughter broke the silence, a chilling, unhinged cackle.


    "Everyone on the list... will die," the voice grew eerier.


    "If Dexter and Caleb have been doing such a good job protecting Melody and Phoebe Caldwell, maybe it''s time to change the game, hahahaha..." He was insane.


    In that moment, it felt like I wasn''t talking to a human but a demon, a madman.


    "Are you sick? Who do you think you are?" Bran kept taunting. "If you''re so powerful, why don''t you...?"


    He probably meant to challenge him to take him too.


    But he spoke too soon. Someone


    appeared from the shadows of theet


    alling Bran off guarde


    covering his mouth and nose.


    I tried to scream for help, only to be silenced and dragged into a car.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    This was it...


    As I drifted into unconsciousness, one thought dominated.


    Bran was just too inexperienced, too naive.


    After all, he was still a high school student,cking the wariness needed in such situations.


    Now, not only was I in danger, but Bran too.


    After what felt like an eternity of grogginess, I was amazed at the type of sedative used on us, not the typical illicit kind that James and his crew would use. This one plunged me into deep unconsciousness.


    It felt more like... an inhble anesthetic.


    As if it knocked out my soul as well.


    One moment I was struggling, the next, everything went dark.


    When I finally awoke, my head throbbing, I tried to get my bearings, to sit up.


    But when I opened my eyes, a chill ran through me. Where was I?


    It was pitch ck, as if I had gone blind.


    There was no light, not even a sliver.


    Where am I?


    "Bran..." My voice was hoarse, my throat parched as if it would split open.


    How long had I been out?


    Lifting my hand, I felt something wrist. Touching it, I


    there was an IV needle


    the back of my hand.


    The person... was keeping me on a drip.


    In that instant, terror seeped into every fiber of my being, from my toes to the top of my head.

 Chapter 381

    ?


    If I''ve always lived in the shadows, please don''t show me the light...Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    If you give me light, don''t toss me back into pitch darkness where I can''t see my hand in front of my face.


    Suddenly, the room lit up.


    All I could see was a stark white wall, with something that looked like blood spelling out those two sentences.


    My eyes couldn''t adjust to the sudden brightness, and I instinctively closed them, my whole body shaking uncontrobly with fear.


    Rubbing away the tears brought on by the re, rvously scanned my surroundings.


    I woke up on an old, decrepit operating table, an IV hooked to my wrist. ncing up, I realized it was filled with the same kind of nutrient solution used fora patients, the same kind they used when I was turned into a specimen, disyed inside a ss cab.


    I fearfully looked down at my body.


    My clothes were gone, reced by a hospital gown. In a panic, I pulled out the IV and frantically checked for any wounds, incisions, anything.


    It must have been a long sleep; my vision went dark, and my legs gave way as I tried to stand, copsing onto the floor.


    Shivering all over, I fought to regain some semnce of sanity.


    I can''t go on like this... I need to replenish my energy.


    Supporting myself against the bed, I looked at the bag hanging from the hook. It was a fatty nutrient solution, something to stave off my overwhelming thirst.


    Suppressing my disgust, I drank the solution from the bag.


    Taking a moment to calm my racing heart, I took another look around.


    Apart from the chilling message written in blood on the wall and the operating table, the room was eerily clean, not a single hair out of ce.


    This must be some sort of medical facility...


    Not daring to make any sudden moves, I pulled the IV stand closer, gripping it tightly, ready to defend myself.


    The quiet was suddenly broken by a series of loud knocks.


    I crept to the door, pressing my ear against it to catch any sounds from outside.


    People were screaming, pounding on the doors. "Where is this, let me out!"


    "Is anyone there?"


    There were cries from both women and men.


    Tears welled in my eyes as fear gripped my heart. What is this ce?


    "Looks like everyone''s awake now." Suddenly, a creepy, modted voice came from a corner of the room, its age and gender indistinguishable.


    But it was the creepiness that truly instilled fear.


    "Wee to hell..."


    Then, the speakers sted a deafening noise.


    I clutched my ears, crouching down in agony, my breathing rapid.


    e


    "My death list you''re all familiar with it, right? All of you... you''re all on my list. Too bad... there''s been a little hup. Someone thought they were clever thinking that by saving Melody, they could save everyone else, ha..."


    The voiceughed eerily.


    "Pity, they were wrong."


    Two beeps sounded from the speakers, and the voice continued. "Since I can''t kill you one by one, let''s y a game. This ce... it''s hidden away don''t think the police can find you. By the time they do, you all be long decayed."


    Outside, I could hear more people banging on doors, cursing, some even crying.


    "This door is your first test. Escape, and you''ll find food, clothes, weapons waiting for you, firste, first served..." The voice chuckled again before adding, "Remember, in the end, only one of you can make it out alive."


    The speakers went silent, plunging the room back into quiet.


    I banged on the door, trying to pull it open, but it wouldn''t budge.


    These doors were reinforced steel, impervious even to gunfire, let alone my bare hands.


    I took a deep breath, this maniac... knowing he couldn''t easily kill Melody, he resorted to this mass murder game, the bastard... Does he think human life is a joke?


    I crouched down, forcing myself to calm down.


    If he called this the first challenge, then there must be something in this room that could help me escape.


    The key...


    The key must be somewhere in here.

 Chapter 382

    ?


    I rose to my feet, my fingertips tracing the walls with deliberate care, tapping lightly in search of hollow spaces or hiddenpartments to no avail. The hallways still echoed with sobs, screams, and curses.


    Some people couldn''t keep their cool, but I knew I had to.


    As I gently knocked against the wall, hoping for a sign of a secret passage or loose panel, the lights in the room began to flicker, dimming as if the electricity was unstable.


    I searched frantically but found nothing.


    Just when I felt utterly hopeless and sank to the floor,


    "Click." The sound of a metal door unlocking reached my ears, followed by footsteps in the hallway.


    My nerves instantly tensed up. Had someone already found the key and made their escape?


    Who was it?


    "Who''s out there? Who got out? Help us, where did you find the keys? Help us," the voices outside grew frantic as everyone shouted for help. The footsteps slowed, as if listening intently.


    Then, suddenly, someone outside began tapping on the metal door with a stick, silencing everyone. We all strained to hear what was about to happen.


    When everything fell silent, a voice spoke up. "Phoebe..."


    The voice was raspy and panicked.


    It was Colin!


    He was looking for me.


    I pounded on the door with all my might. "Colin! Colin, I''m here!"


    I heard him running towards me, his footsteps echoing in the panic.


    "Click." Another door unlocked.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    "Dang it, cut the crap. Don''t freaking dy my SATS," a voice cursed loudly. It was Bran.


    I was both relieved and terrified, crying and banging on the door. "Colin, I''m scared."


    "Phoebe... don''t be scared," Colin''s anxious voice came from the other side. "Phoebe... take a deep breath, listen to me, don''t be afraid, calm down."


    I did as he said, took a deep breath, and tried to stay calm.


    "Is she still not out? How dumb can you get?" Bran approached, his voice shaky, as if he was worried but trying to sound disdainful and indifferent.


    "Click." Another door unlocked.


    "Caleb." The person emerging called out Caleb''s name, then scoffed. "What, still looking for that fake? Do you think... if it were me, I''d fail to see through such a simple trick and find a way out?"


    That voice was Melody!


    My body tensed up; even she had found a key.


    And she managed to...


    Yet I had no clue whatsoever.


    "Phoebe, don''t be scared," Colin ignored Melody, his voice lowering. "Tell me, what''s written on the wall of your room?"


    I nced at it and quickly spoke up my voice trembling. "If I''ve always lived in darkness, please don''t show me light... If you grant me light, don''t thrust me back into pitch darkness."


    After a moment of silence, Colin spoke, "Check under themp, where the light is brightest."


    I realized what he meant and rushed to themp, tapping on the tile floor beneath. Indeed, it was hollow.


    I managed to pry the tile open and retrieved a key from inside.


    My hands trembled as I tried to unlock the door, failing several times before finally seeding.


    The moment the door opened, Colin was there...


    He pulled me into his arms, holding me tight.


    My breathing hitched.


    As if the words on the wall finally made sense to me.


    If I''ve always lived in darkness, please don''t show me light.


    Yes, if I too had been crawling through the darkness in fear, I''d surely feel grateful and dependent on the one who lit the way, allowing me to see the light.


    "Click." In the long, eerie hallway, another door opened.


    Our gaze shifted towards the sound.


    Emerging was Dexter.


    He stood there, frowning, his demeanor cold and unweing.


    I was shocked.


    If Colin and were pawns in the


    game, Bran an outsider dragged in this mess, and Melody already


    ed for death, then what about


    Dexter?


    Why was he here too...


    Was the murderer nning to kill us all?


    Were we all pawns in the game?


    Behind this series of murders, how many more secretsy hidden?

 Chapter 383

    ?


    "Dexter," Melody called out, her voice cutting through the silence as she addressed Dexter. A shiver ran down my spine. Would I have ever called out to Dexter like that in the past?


    And how urately was Melody portraying ''Phoebe Caldwell'' anyway?


    "Dexter''s got to be some kind of fool to think he''s got this all figured out so quickly..." I murmured under my breath, taking refuge behind Colin, gripping his arm tightly. Fear was creeping in.


    Where were we even?


    Dexter nced over, his gazending on me, his brow furrowing slightly before he looked away without a word.


    His look was cold, distant.


    Clearly, Dexter had made up his mind that Melody was the real Phoebe Caldwell, and I was just some imposter out to get him.


    "What kind of lunatic has got us all caught up in this?" Bran muttered, cursing under his breath. "How did this edgy maniac manage to drag us all here?"


    Melody shot me a hostile look and spoke up. "The Fitzgerald family''s nanny turned out to be a murderer, lurking within the Fitzgerald household for years,pletely undetected."


    Dexter''s expression darkened, clearly another victim of the nanny, Wendy, who had drugged and brought him here.


    I hid behind Colin, taking a deep breath.


    Wendy...


    During my time with the Fitzgeralds, I always felt something was off about Wendy. Wasn''t she supposed to be loyal to Damian and Melody? Could she really have been a double agent?N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    But if she was, what was the meaning behind her telling me the cherry trees on Celebration Street were in bloom?


    "Okay, so we were all outsmarted by someone we trusted," Bran acknowledged, pointing at Colin. "He''s the mad one, had himself kidnapped on purpose to catch the murderer."


    After a pause, he gestured towards me and himself. "So, it''s just the two of us fools, knocked out and dragged here."


    I didn''t correct Bran.


    Truth be told, Bran''s capture seemed too easy, almost as if he''d let it happen.


    So, it was just me who was the fool.


    "Help, someone get us out of here."


    "Please, save us..."


    The unnervingly clean hallway echoed with the desperate banging and pleading of countless voices.


    Their calls were growing weaker.


    Obviously, many didn''t know that the nutrient solution provided for IVs could be drunk to temporarily sustain them.


    If they continued to scream, cry, and panic, they''d quickly deplete their energy and blood sugar, eventually fainting from hypoglycemia or even going into shock, before dying from hunger and dehydration.


    "Click, click, click." The motion-sensor lights in the hallway flickered on and off.


    Fearfully, I stood behind Colin, nervously clutching the hem of his shirt.


    Colin reached back, signaling for me to hold his hand.


    I quickly grabbed it, our fingers interlocking.


    In that moment, the warmth from his palm steadied my frantic heart.


    "Where are we? How many people has that madman taken?" Dexter asked grimly, showing no intention of rescuing the others.


    "This hallway is so long, with these


    cage-like rooms on both sides, obviously filled with people," Bran


    cursed, looking at Colin, questioning whether they should attempt a rescue.


    Melody sneered. "Right now, we need to focus on saving ourselves."


    She stepped forward, grabbing Dexter''s wrist. "The madman mentioned there''s food and weapons at the end of the hallway. We should head there first."


    I looked anxiously at Colin.


    Should we try to save the others, or prioritize our own survival?


    Clearly, our energy was limited. My legs were already giving out.


    This was a moment that truly tested our humanity.


    Leaning against the wall, Bran cursed again. "For the first time in my life, I''m experiencing what low blood sugar feels like... starting to sweat..."


    Colin, on the other hand, seemed rtively unaffected.


    But holding his hand, I could tell he was starting to weaken too.

 Chapter 384

    "Crack." Another door swung open, and a figure stumbled out, tumbling to the ground.


    I was shocked to see the person was James.


    "He said he had cancer, got bail to be rushed to the hospital, how did someone snatch him from under the police''s watch?" I asked, bewildered.


    Colin didn''t respond, instead, he handed me off to Bran. "Go grab something to eat. Before these folkse out, pick something to defend yourself with."


    Colin was aware that the names on the list belonged to inherently vicious individuals.


    With limited food and resources, they might not even wait for a police rescue, as they could turn on each other over sustenance and provisions. The mastermind behind this wanted exactly that - to see them turn on each other.


    From the very first case of the serial killings, he had been exploiting the subtle connections between victims and survivors to orchestrate murders. James was lying on the ground, clearly struggling to stand due to low blood sugar.


    When he opened his eyes and saw Colin, fear and a primal survival instinct kicked in, pushing him to his feet, and he ran towards the end of the hallway.


    "Crack." Another steel door opened, and out came Jaxon''s wife.


    The woman we went looking for, the one Jaxon had abused.


    I was stunned and turned to Colin. "She... she''s innocent, isn''t she? How did she get caught up in this?"


    "She''s a victim," Colin frowned.


    I took a deep breath.


    So, the captured weren''t just perpetrators but victims too?


    "Zoe... Zoe, please, help me, I''m begging you. Zoe was captured with me, we were brought here together," the woman pleaded frantically with Colin and me for help.


    I looked nervously at Colin. "Zoe is here too..."


    "Bran, take her to get some food," Colin instructed Bran to take me to eat.


    Bran nodded and tugged at my wrist.


    I wanted


    cause tray but knew I''d only


    for Colin, so I


    Gran in search of f


    At the end of the hallway, we found a tableden with Western delights and a wall adorned with weapons.


    Dexter was calmly eating, eyeing the weapons on the wall, choosing something suitable.


    Although they were all melee weapons, knives, and axes were more than capable of killing. Melody wrapped up the leftovers with a tablecloth, clearly intending to keep them for herself.


    "What are you doing?" I asked, annoyed. "You''re taking everything, what about the others?"


    Clearly, Melody and Dexter had no intention of leaving anything for the rest.


    Melody gave me a cold nce and ignored me, moving to the wall of weapons. She picked out two sharp knives and began to hide the rest.


    SwnryN?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Bran saw through her n and grabbed Melody''s wrist.


    Dexter frowned and stepped in to stop Bran, tension mounting between the three.


    I walked over, crouched down, and picked out a dagger for myself, and selected another for Colin.


    Bran reached for the katana Melody had her eye on, but Melody blocked him.


    "Put down the food and weapons."


    presso


    don''t why... but I ended up the dagger against


    Melody''s


    Pavel


    throat.


    I circled behind her, lowering my voice. "Drop them, or I swear, I''ll end you."

 Chapter 385

    ?


    James finally made it over, copsing onto the table in a flurry. He devoured the leftovers Melody had tidied away, desperately trying to regain his strength.


    Meanwhile, the four of us were at a standoff.


    Bran nced at me, his eyebrow raised as if to say I had finally made a smart move.


    But Melody seemed unfazed. "You think you can kill me?"


    "Try me," I countered with feigned calm, the de of my knife pressing against her jugr, so sharp it nicked her skin.


    Dexter''s expression darkened, his voice thundering, "Foebe Larson!"


    There it was, he called me Foebe Larson.


    Convinced that Melody was the true Phoebe Caldwell.


    I scoffed. "If you don''t want her dead, drop the food."


    Reluctantly, Dexter took the package from Melody, opened it, and ced the food on the table.


    Bran grabbed some, enough for our survival, and led me to a corner.


    I kept a watchful eye on Melody and Dexter, whispering to Bran, "They''re dangerous."


    Here, the real danger wasn''t the maniptor but every person who had been captured.


    "Let''s go help Colin." After a few bites of a cupcake, feeling somewhat revitalized, I took some food and a carton of milk to find Colin.


    He was helping a woman who had suffered domestic abuse look for Zoe.


    I hurried over, handing Colin the cupcake.


    While munching, Colin knocked on doors, searching for keys to help the people inside.


    He moved through each room with a stoic expression, freeing everyone he found.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Compared to Dexter and Melody''s indifference, the so-called lunatic and the once-suspected murderer seemed to possess a bit more humanity.


    "Colin..." I whispered, "Most of these people locked up here are from the orphanage. They''ve hurt you, and they''re responsible for Carter''s death. Wouldn''t it be better to let them die here?"


    Colin remained silent. "Their guilt should be judged by thew and fate, not by us, and certainly not by him."


    His voice was low, referring to the person orchestrating everything from behind the scenes.


    Handing him the milk, I helped him search for Zoe.


    With a ng, a metal door swung open, revealing Jaxon.


    The domestic abuser.


    His first instinct wasn''t to look for food but tosh out at his wife.


    "Annora, you damn... bitch, didel


    do this!"


    The woman, terrified, hid behind Colin and me, her body shaking.


    Her face, especially around the mouth, bore the marks of long-term abuse.


    "I''d save your energy if I were you. In this ce, we''re lucky if any of us make it out alive," I warned him. Finally catching on, he turned and ran towards the end of the corridor, searching for food and weapons. The kids from the orphanage, even if not geniuses, were mostly sharp enough to find a way out. They looked quite different from their photos, making it hard for me to remember their names.


    Atst, Colin and I found Zoe in a room, barely clinging to life.


    We knocked on the door, but there was no response.


    "Zoe, Zoe!" Annora banged on the door, crying for her sister to answer.


    But there was silence.


    Panic set in... If she was unconscious inside, and we didn''t know where the key was, how could we rescue her? Just when I was at a loss, Bran arrived with an axe, repeatedly striking the door lock, sparks flying. Eventually, the lock gave way, and the door burst open.


    Bran rushed in first, offering Zoe a bottle of water. She was curled up in a corner, pale and clearly on the brink.


    On her wall was written, "If you can''t


    change


    your filthy world, then c . Survival of the fittChange


    the


    weak perish."


    I didn''t understand, looking at Colin for some sort of exnation.


    Colin pointed to a corner where a tile


    was


    with a drop of blood a


    around it.


    st as to the cleanliness rast to the cleanliness

 Chapter 386

    ?


    The key was right there, ringly obvious.


    After sipping some water and munching on a chocte bar, Zoe gradually calmed down.


    Annora, relieved, slumped to the ground, tears streaming down her face as she hugged Zoe. "Oh, Zoe."


    Once Zoe had regained herposure, she burst into tears, fearfully burrowing into Annora''s embrace, her whole body trembling.


    "It''s okay, it''s all going to be okay," Annora whispered soothingly.


    Colin nced outside with an indifferent look. "We need to move."


    Time to leave this ce.


    Everyone had been freed, and soon, the mad puppeteer behind this would make their next move.


    "Do you think you''re some kind of hero? Or God..." As expected, that voice echoed again, filled with anger. "They hurt you, yet you want to save them. Soon, you''ll regret your actions today."


    The voice was warning Colin. Saving these people might lead them to turn against him.


    Colin gazed coldly at the room''s speakers and cameras, a chilling smile ying on his lips, but he remained silent.


    For some reason, a shiver ran down my spine.


    Colin... Did he genuinely want to save these people, or did he relish the thought of them turning on each other? Starving them seemed too merciful.


    Their sins deserved a more brutal punishment. They should spend their remaining time in fear, slowly tortured to death.


    Shocked by my own thoughts, I quickly bowed my head, gripping my hands tightly. "Let''s go."


    By the time we reached the dining area, the ce was swarming with people who had cleaned out all the leftovers.


    Naturally, Melody had saved some food, and most of the weapons had been stashed away by her, with only a few people managing to get their hands on any.


    After eating, everyone still seemed rtively calm, and someone took the initiative to speak. "Can anyone exin what''s going on?"


    I recognized the speaker from a group photo at the orphanage.


    Standing next to James, he seemed to be the oldest boy from the orphanage crowd, named Archer, and thest to be adopted by a middle-ss couple.


    This person, now looking decent and kind, but I couldn''t shake off the feeling... that all of them were wolves in sheep''s clothing.


    "Seems like everyone''s had their fill," that eerie voice echoed through the hallway.


    "If you want to leave this ce, you''ll


    need to make it down to the first floor. You''re currently on the eighteenth. Only those who make it to the bottom and survive will be allowed to leave alive."


    "Now starting the countdown, thirty seconds... and this floor will be flooded with carbon monoxide..."


    The voice from the speakers, like a call from the Grim Reaper, was terrifying.


    "30, 29..."


    The countdown began.


    Panic ensued as everyone frantically searched for an exit.


    "Who the hell are you? Let us out!" someone bellowed in fear and desperation.


    People began to panic, losing their minds.


    I looked nervously at Colin.


    He and Bran appeared utterly unfazed.


    As for Melody and Dexter.


    In the blink of an eye, they were gone...


    Had they already found the exit and chosen not to tell anyone?


    Bastards...


    "Colin... are we going to die here?" I asked, gripping his hand tightly.


    Colin nced at me, his voice heavy with implication. "Phoebe, you''ll make it out... you''ll survive."


    In that moment, my heart plunged into an icy abyss. If only one of us could make it out alive...


    Did Colin want me to be the one?


    "Oh...


    to mention." The


    countdown abruptly stopped, andet


    that voice spoke again. "I am among you, I could be anyone."


    "20, 19, 18..."


    Gripping Colin''s fingers tightly, terror


    could. The killer was among us,


    be Bran, could be anyoN?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    could be me, could be Colin, be Bran, could be anyone...

 Chapter 387

    ?


    "15..."


    That eerie voice kept counting down, mechanical yet inexplicably terrifying.


    All of a sudden, Zoe lost it. Staring down the hallway, she called out in fear. "Carter..."


    She broke free from Annora''s grip, sprinting towards the end of the corridor as if possessed.


    Bran paused, stunned, then, without a thought, chased after her.


    "Colin..." Everyone seemed to have their survival instincts kick in, racing towards what they hoped was an exit at the end of the hallway.


    Colin nced back, trying to grab my wrist, but the crowd surged forward, tearing us apart.


    In that moment of separation, the lights in the windowless corridor flickered out, plunging us into darkness.


    At the same time, the mechanical countdown continued. "10, 9..."N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    I stood frozen, my feet glued to the floor. "Colin..."


    I called out for Colin in panic, but my voice was lost amidst the chaos of fleeing figures.


    Then, out of the inky ckness, a firm hand sped my wrist, pulling me to a secluded spot.


    Leaning against the wall, breathing heavily, I managed to ask, "Colin?"


    The grip on my hand tightened, his anger palpable. "Are you out of your mind?"


    His voice was a low growl, pulling me close for protection.


    My body stiffened; it was Dexter...


    "De..."


    I barely started to speak when he covered my mouth.


    Holding me from behind, Dexter whispered, "Quiet...listen, there''s something off about Melody, and Caleb too. Everyone around you could be a threat...except me."


    He wanted me to understand that everyone was putting on an act, lying, performing.


    He was the only one who was real.


    He wouldn''t harm me.


    I bit him, and he finally released me. "You could be the killer..."


    I hissed back at him, voice filled with venom.


    With no light, I couldn''t tell where we were, but the countdown pressed on.


    Frantically, I wanted to find Colin. "Colin..."


    As death seemed to inch closer, all I could think about was finding Colin.


    Even I was taken aback by my own thoughts.


    Dexter was furious, his jealousy tangible as he enveloped me in his arms, whispering fiercely, "We''re in an air vent room. I''ve checked; this floor has no windows, only these vents for air cirction. This is the safest ce. If you go out there now...you''re dead."


    "5, 4, 3..."


    The countdown neared its end, the corridor filled with the sounds of stumbling, crying, and banging.


    "1... Carbon monoxide release in progress."


    The hiss of gas release filled the air, along with the cries of many.


    I struggled fiercely, trying to push Dexter away. "Let me go! Colin''s still out there."


    Bran, Colin, Zoe...they were all still in danger.


    "There are plenty of vents throughout the building; he won''t die..." Dexter''s hold was unyielding, his voice hoarse. "Phoebe Caldwell, what do I have to do to make you trust me? Only I...really care about you Everyone else is using you, putting on an act. Caleb won''t die; he''s behind this game."


    With his voice raspy and the gas seeping in, Dexter held me tight, offering me the only vent, giving me fresh air...


    Essentially, giving me his life.


    Here we


    We, safe by a vent, yet I wondering what kind of hell wel


    still felt dizzy and nauseous,


    unfolding on the other side,

 Chapter 388

    ?


    "Colin..." I struggled to get out, my legs giving out beneath me as I fell to the ground.


    "Phoebe... he''s the mastermind, don''t trust him."


    "Melody is one of Damian''s, I''m sorry..." he whispered, holding me close and murmuring apologies.


    He actually knew Melody was with Damian.


    It seemed all this time, his foolishness was just a facade, a way to gain Melody and Damian''s trust.


    When did he start to suspect something was amiss?


    After my supposed death?


    So, his suicide attempts, self-harm, and even the drastic change in his behavior and personality were all to deceive, to make Damian and Melody believe he had been brainwashed, hypnotized?


    Then what was Dexter''s true motive?


    "After you disappeared, I''ve been digging... I knew Melody was involved in your case, but the deeper I looked, the more I found. It''s not just about a series of murders; it''s bigger, involving even the Fitzgerald family," Dexter''s grip on my hand tightened. "Phoebe... Can you trust me just this once?"


    My head felt heavy, the colorless, odorless carbon monoxide weakening my legs and draining my strength.


    "Don''t trust Caleb, don''t trust anyone but me, Phoebe... I''ll get us out of here, I won''t make the same mistake again," Dexter''s voice grew fainter. And then, I passed out, my strength failing me yet again.


    "Click, click..."


    Some time passed before the lights in the hallway flickered on.


    I squinted, slowly opening my eyes to the dim, cramped space.


    We were safe here, for now.


    But what came next wouldn''t be so easy.


    "It''s the venttion system kicking in; the gas is being cleared, should be alright now," I heard Bran''s voice from outside.


    Propping myself up on my elbows, I looked around; Dexter was gone.


    In my haze, I remembered Dexter''s plea for trust.


    It couldn''t have been just my imagination...


    But in this environment, who could be trusted?


    Anyone could be the nner, the executor.


    Maybe it wasn''t just one person.


    "It''s clear now." Bran led the way


    back into the hallway, where a feet


    Tay scattered, victims who


    couldn''t escape in time.


    I cursed under my breath, leaning against the wall to exit the venttion room.


    "Colin..." My head throbbed as I called out for Colin.


    Bran held a lighter, likely found among the discarded weapons.


    The me burned steadily, indicating the air was breathable again.


    "Down this way." Bran directed


    yone to proceed in an orderle


    down the staircase


    emergency exit. N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "Where''s Colin...?" I didn''t see Colin among the group.


    Bran looked at me, surprised. "Weren''t you with Colin? Alone?"


    His gaze shifted briefly towards the venttion shaft I had emerged from.


    I shook my head instinctively. "No... I was... by myself."


    Panic set in for Bran too, as he turned to inspect the lifeless bodies


    in the hallway. "I thought Colin


    was


    with you, he wouldn''t just leave you behind."


    ¨¦n.swnovels


    My fingers tingled numbly as I stumbled over, joining Bran in checking the bodies on the floor.


    "Colin..."


    He had to be alright.


    "Carter... Carter, I found Carter, hee hee..." Zoe''s voice echoed down the hallway.


    At the exit, Annora, holding Zoe, looked on anxiously at us.

 Chapter 389

    The floor was littered with three bodies, one of whom I recognized from the orphanage. The other two were strangers to me, not from the orphanage, but their presence here was a mystery.


    Relief washed over both Bran and me upon not finding Colin among the deceased.


    "These two were traffickers," Bran announced, eyeing the unidentified bodies.


    Surprised, I asked, "How can you tell?"


    "There''s a tattoo here," Bran pointed to a tattoo behind one of the trafficker''s ears, a cross emblem.


    "The victims of the dismemberment cases had simr mutted emblems behind their ears," Bran frowned, scanning our surroundings. "He''s got to be okay. We need to get out of here."


    I nced around frantically.


    Colin, please be safe.


    "Is this the only way to get to the 17th floor?" I asked Bran anxiously.


    "As far as I''ve found, yes. But I can''t be sure it''s the only one," Bran shook his head.


    Colin might have found another way up to the 17th floor.


    All I could do was pray for his safety.


    On the 17th floor.


    Dexter and Melody had been waiting in the open space at the center for a while.


    Dexter had reverted to his usual aloof self, standing by Melody as if he hadn''t been the one to save mest night...Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Honestly, I was starting to wonder if it had all been a hallucination.


    "Have any of you seen Colin?" I asked, panic rising when I couldn''t spot Colin on the 17th floor. Everyone shook their heads, denying any sightings of him.


    "He''s probably behind all this,


    laughing at us from the shadows!" James began to stir the pot. "Remember the voice that said the killer is among us? I bet it''s Colin. He''s a lunatic, even confessed to


    being a serial killer before!


    "Yeah...I know him. The mad genius from the foster home..." someone chimed in.


    Annora''s husband, Jaxon, also


    shouted, "I swear, that maniac is the


    killer, no doubt about it! It''s all


    e


    because we identally started that fire years ago and didn''t save them, letting that Carter guy burn alive. He''s been holding a grudge plotting against us!"


    My palms were sweating. Where was Colin? If this continued, they might really start believing Colin was the murderer and harm him. "No way, he saved us," someone defended Colin.


    "What do you know? Everyone''s dying, and his little game wouldn''t be fun anymore. That maniac wants to y us till we drop," James spat venomously.


    Archer joined in, yelling, "He''s a


    madman, a so-called genius. Killing us would be a piece of cake for him. We can''t just sit around waiting to die. If we find him, it''ll be self-defense to take him out!"


    The scene was descending into chaos.


    Melody and Dexter remained on the sidelines, coldly observing the turmoil.


    Annora tried to defend Colin through her tears, but her voice was drowned out by the others.


    "Carter...hehe, Colin, we''re going to be reunited," Zoe giggled, her speech slurred from her limited intellect, seemingly triggered by the situation and not entirely lucid.


    "Colin, have you seen him? Did hee to you?" I rushed to Zoe, crouching in front of her, gripping her shoulders in desperation.


    Colin couldn''t be the mastermind. With his intellect, if he were behind this, he would''ve blended in with the crowd instead of being singled out so early.


    Either Colin was in trouble, or... whoever was orchestrating this feared Colin''s involvement and intentionally separated him from us.


    Leaving us, the not-so-clever ones, to struggle through theseyered predicaments.


    "Colin..." Zoe smiled vacantly at me. "Went down."


    My breath hitched. "What do you mean, went down?"

 Chapter 390

    ?


    "Colin, wait for us downstairs, okay?" Zoe said, her voice bubbling with excitement.


    My fingers tingled, and it took me a moment to find my voice again. "We need to hurry down."


    Maybe Colin really was on the ground floor...


    That person, he didn''t want Colin involved.


    He wanted us to turn on each other.


    "It''s definitely Caleb. He''s the mastermind."


    The others were still murmuring among themselves, united by amon enemy, which boosted their morale.


    Now that someone had already died, their fear was maxed out. At the same time, their will to survive and the darkness hidden within were fully awakened.


    "We have to find him, take him out, or we''re all dead," James whispered, with the others plotting something in low voices.


    "That damned voice hasn''t shown up again. Let''s take this chance to look for a way out, find the stairs to the lower level," James, being the brains of the group, instructed hispanions to search for an exit while they had the chance. "Who knows what kind of craziness that madman will pull next."


    I also watched Bran cautiously. "We need to make our way downstairs, too."


    "Heh..." Melody, who had been watching the drama unfold, let out a coldugh. "Think it''s that easy to get downstairs?"


    I frowned at Melody. "What do you mean?"


    "You seem to have missed the real purpose of that man." Melody stepped closer. "He wants us to turn on each other. Without achieving that, why would he let us easily move to the ground floor?"


    My nerves were on edge.


    "What''s more thrilling than first uniting us, building trust and bonds, only to have us betray each other?" Bran scoffed. "So, this level is just a buffer. All we need to do is work together smartly to find the way out. No killing. You''re clearly not Phoebe Caldwell."


    Melody frowned, eyeing Bran warily. "What do you mean? Just because I''m not constantly asking ''why'' or ''what do we do'', or crying at the sign of trouble, that makes her it?"


    Melody pointed at me.


    Bran nced at me, his eyes deep. "The most sessful scams fool everyone, including the scammer themselves..."


    I didn''t understand what Bran meant.


    But my back suddenly felt cold.


    "Phoebe...Phoebe is the culprit," Zoe pointed at me, using me of being the murderer.


    Annora, in a panic, covered Zoe''s


    mouth, afraid her ramblings would cause trouble for me, then looked at me apologetically. "Don''t mind her, Zoe''s not in her right mind.


    I nodded, not taking it to heart, but I couldn''t shake off the feeling of unease.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    "Hmph, think you''re right? We''ll see if this level ends without death," Melody seemed unconvinced, her gaze cold as she looked at me as if betting against Bran.


    Bran believed this level was a buffer without death, just needing us to find the exit.


    Melody, however, was convinced someone would still die on this level.


    My thoughts were a mess; all I wanted to know was whether Colin was safe.


    I was worried about him, I admit, very worried.


    "Caleb knows the way out. He''s not on the 17th floor, which means he''s already moved to a lower level. He doesn''t care about your survival," Dexter walked up behind me, his votee low.


    I looked up at Dexter, my voice steady. "No, Colin isn''t like you; he wouldn''t leave me to face danger alone. I believe he''s encountered an irresistible threat."


    It must be that the real murderer feared Colin too much and took him away amidst the chaos.


    I couldn''t believe Colin would leave me behind.


    "Some people are too foolish to cry until they see the coffin," Melody wrapped her arm around Dexter, sneering. "We don''t need to bother with her. Let her face reality when she dies at Caleb''s hand. By then, it''ll be toote."

 Chapter 391

    ?


    "Everybody, gather around. Hear me out," rang out a voice thatmanded attention.


    Over there, James had already rallied a group around him.


    Back in the days of the orphanage, he was the so-called group leader, andter on, he even became the ss president at school. The guy had a knack for organizing, that''s for sure.


    "Listen up, folks. You''ve all seen what''s happened on the floor above. Someone''s dead. This isn''t a game; it''s a massacre. Someone''s out to get us, and we need to fight back, not just sit ducks waiting for our turn toe... Otherwise, we might be next. We need to stand united. As long as we stick together, they can''t pick us off!"


    James was rallying the troops, getting everyone on the same page.


    "If you want to survive, you''ll follow the n. We''ll get through this together and find Caleb, make him let us out!"


    "Let us out!" James shouted from atop a table, with the crowd echoing his call.


    They were convinced Colin was the perpetrator, so they were all pumped to head downstairs and confront him.


    I kept a wary eye on James. Now that he had rallied everyone, those of us who hadn''t joined his cause were sure to be targeted next.


    "Remember, we can only guarantee the safety of those who cooperate. As for the rest..." Sure enough, James was setting his sights on us.


    It was me, Bran, along with Zoe, Annora, and Melody.


    We hadn''t picked sides.


    "Those not with us are hiding something; we need to be wary," James spoke in a low tone, deliberately catching my eye.


    I clenched my fists, knowing trouble was brewing.


    As expected, Jaxon red at Annora with fury. "What are you doing over there, woman? Get over here!"


    Annora shrank back in fear, seeking refuge in Zoe''s arms.


    Zoe, protective and tense, knew Jaxon was about to make a move on Annora.


    "Annora, get over here," Jaxon bellowed.


    James watched, seemingly entertained. He was getting the chaos he wanted.


    "If you two can''t see eye to eye, maybe you don''t belong with us. You can stick with them," James taunted, provoking Jaxon further.


    Enraged, Jaxon stepped forward, intent on grabbing Annora by the hair.


    Annora looked around frantically, pleading for help. "Please, help me. He''ll kill me."


    I exchanged a nce with Dexter,


    who frowned, clearly reluctant to get involved. He believed anyone here could be the killer and preferred not tointerfere.


    As for Melody, she was even less likely to step in.


    Annora had no choice but to look to me and Bran for help.


    Zoe clung tightly to Annora, fear written all over her face.


    Jaxonnded a p on Annora''s head, then proceeded to kick and punch without care for Zoe''s proximity.


    "The day I married you was my unluckiest," he spat, dragging Annora towards him. "Mixing with these folks... you won''t even know how you''ll die. That lunatic... is the kille Jaxon yanked Annora by the hair, pulling her away. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Annora sobbed, pleading, "Let me go..."


    "Help!"


    Her cries for help were met with apathy from the onlookers, as if this violence was none of their concern.


    I took a deep breath and stepped forward, grabbing Jaxon''s wrist. "You''re going to kill her."


    "I''ll do what I want. Mind your own business. She''s my wife; it''s just a domestic issue if I kill her," Jaxon retorted, cursing.


    ????


    Taking another deep breath, I realized the depth of Annora''s despair. She must have called for help countless times before, but domestic violence... at most, it''s seem as a public disturbance All Annora got in return was more brazen beatings and threats.


    In such circumstances, even dreaming of divorce was a luxury.


    "Stop it... please," Annora wept, blood trailing from her mouth.


    "You already caused her to lose one child; you want to beat her again?" Zoe, enraged, rushed over to shield Annora.

 Chapter 392

    Jaxon lunged at Zoe, looking tond a punch, but Bran sent him flying with a swift kick. "Come on, man, hitting a woman? Show some ss." Jaxon hit the ground hard, groaning as he struggled to get up.


    Cursing under his breath, he pointed a threatening finger at Annora. "Fine, you''ve got your knight in shining armor now, but just you wait. Once we''re out of here, you''re dead."


    Annora was in tears, too scared to even look at Jaxon.


    Zoe wrapped her arms around Annora, whispering words offort that I couldn''t quite catch.


    Then, all of a sudden, the lights went out.


    Silence fell over us.


    Everyone held their breath, waiting to see what madness would unfold next.


    The only sounds were our collective breaths and the steady drip of a leaky faucet. No other hint of what was toe.


    "Please don''t tell me there''s some sort of gas leak. This ce isn''t exactly well-ventted," someone said, their voice shaking with fear. "Are we going to die here?"


    Panic started to spread.


    "What do we do? What do we do?"


    In the darkness, a hand found mine, squeezing it gently as if to say, "Don''t worry, I''ve got you."


    My breath hitched. It was Dexter''s presence I felt.


    He guided me back, shielding me as we moved to a corner of the room.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    In the pitch-ck darkness, it felt like the worst of humanity was magnified.


    After what felt like an eternity, a dim light began to spread from a distance.


    The lights flickered back on...


    Everyone looked up in confusion. "What''s going on?"


    "Was that it? Just a power cut?"


    They couldn''t believe that the perpetrator would do something as mundane as cutting the power.


    Then, a scream pierced the silence.


    The metallic scent of blood filled the air.


    Turning around, I saw a body hanging from the ceiling. His throat had been slit, preventing any cries for help, and a knife was plunged into his heart. It was a clean, precise kill.


    Jaxon...the man who had threatened Annora, was now dead.


    Instinctively, my gaze shifted to Annora.


    She was still nestled in Zoe''s arms exactly as she had been before the lights went out. She didn''t looke capable ofmitting such a dark act in the shadows.


    A


    Who killed Jaxon?


    The killer had to be among us.


    Bran frowned at the sight of Jaxon''s body, urging Zoe and Annora to move. "We need to get out of here."


    "Dexter muttered something under his breath, standing close to Melody. "Crazy..."


    I felt a chill run down my spine.


    Was the murderer really hiding among us?


    "Who killed Jaxon... Was it his wife?"


    "Is his wife the murderer? That lunatic said the killer is among us."


    "It had to be his wife. He was just attacking her."


    The crowd began to stir, suspicion growing.


    Annora sobbed, shaking her head in denial. "It wasn''t me..."


    But her calm demeanor in the face of Jaxon''s body was too much for some.


    I took a deep breath, stepping in front of Annora. "How could a single woman pull off something like this in such a short time? She''s not capable of that."


    "Then it must be a group effort..."


    James narrowed his eyes, stirring the pot "They''re outsiders. It must be them nning this whole scenario to pick us off."


    James had a bone to pick with me likely thinking this was all a setup for revenge, and he began riling up the crowd to turn on us. "If they don''t die, we''re the ones who will


    And just like that, talk of murder spilled out as casually as deciding what''s for dinner.

 Chapter 393

    "Let''s focus on finding a way out first," Melody said nonchntly, a hint of a smirk on her lips. "There''s no point in bickering if we''re all going to die here anyway."


    The others nced around, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, let''s find the exit. There''s plenty of time for revenge after that."


    Dexter turned to Melody. "Any idea where the exit might be?"


    Melody eyed the corridor. "There''s a difference between this floor and the one above. The emergency exits are blocked, but the structure of the building should be consistent. Even if theyout isplex, there has to be a pattern we can follow."


    "Enough with the riddles," Bran snapped back, his voice low. "Not helping."


    Melody''s expression darkened, clearly angered by Bran''sment.


    Without saying a word, she simply raised her hand. "Then you find the exit."


    Bran scoffed. "Remember when I said we should work together first? Looks like I was right."


    Melody pointed to Jaxon''s body. "Seems like someone did die, so I wouldn''t call it a total loss." As the argument heated up, Dexter intervened, annoyed. "Is this really the time for a fight?"


    "We''ll look for the exit," Bran motioned for Annora and Zoe to follow.


    "What if you find it and don''t tell us?" James stepped in front of Bran, blocking his path.


    We were suddenly surrounded.


    "And what do you propose?" Bran asked, his voice deep and firm.


    "Leave her behind," James pointed at me, suggesting they keep me as a hostage to ensure they''d share the exit information.


    "Nice try," Bran shot back coldly. "Think I don''t see through you?"


    Leaving me behind would give James an opportunity to...


    "You''re overthinking it. We just want to survive," James said with a smile, looking at me. "She''s close to that lunatic. Keeping her makes me feel safer."


    "Go look for the exit," I whispered to Bran, hiding a dagger up my sleeve. "Juste back for us when you''ve found it."


    If James insisted on taking me as a hostage, it would only lead to a.


    , and with their numbne


    n''t stand a chance


    we


    Bran frowned, clearly wanting to argue, but he held back. "Call if there''s trouble."


    I nodded.


    Melody shot me a mocking look before turning away, clearly enjoying the situation.


    Dexter''s expression was grim, but he managed to slip something into my hand as he passed by.


    I was startled but quickly hid it in my sleeve.


    It must have been a small, curved knife, a perfect fit for my hand.


    "Hand over the dagger," James demanded, knowing I was armed.


    "You better cooperate, or else..." James approached, his eyes threatening.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I reluctantly handed over my dagger to James.


    James made a move as if to search me, and I warned him. "Don''t push it, or we''ll all go down together."


    Considering we were on their turf, James backed off a bit.


    He sneered, grabbing my chin. "That madman seems very fond of you rushing to your aid, keeping you safe. How could he leave you behind? With us?"


    Leaving me with them felt like being thrown to the wolves.


    "Do you think he''s watching us right now, from behind the cameras?" James pointed to a corner of the room.


    I frowned, remaining silent.


    "What if we..... have our way with you? Think he''de to your rescue?" James''s interest seemed piqued.


    It looked like they were all waiting for Bran to find the exit, so James thought, why not have a bit of ''fun''?


    "Life''s too short. Might as well enjoy


    can, right?" James began


    to the others,


    e can, right?" James beat


    it


    o they


    in targeting me.

 Chapter 394

    ?


    I knew what James was up to. He was convinced Colin was the murderer and wanted to push Colin to his limits, hoping to provoke him into revealing himself.


    Clutching the knife in my hand, I began to back away slowly.


    James''sughter grew more maniacal, as if my fear was fueling his joy. "Come on then? Don''t say I haven''t been good to you," he taunted the men around him.


    Some of them looked shell-shocked, understandably so since Jaxon''s body was still dangling from the rafters, and they weren''t in the mood.


    But there were always the wild ones...


    Like Archer.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    "Do you remember me?" Archer''s voice was deep as he approached me.


    I frowned, who was he?


    "Phoebe Caldwell..." he sounded unhinged as he suddenly grabbed my neck, calling me Phoebe Caldwell.


    I looked at him, puzzled. Could he recognize me too?


    "You''ve got the wrong person; she just looks a bit like Phoebe Caldwell," James tried to caution Archer, to avoid any fatalities. "You''re crazy, seeing Phoebe Caldwell in everyone."


    Clearly, Archer was beyond reason, ignoring James''s words. "Remember this... all thanks to you."


    Archer began to unbuckle his belt.


    I panicked, trying to break free from his grasp.


    But he was too strong.


    As he dropped his pants, I instinctively closed my eyes, not wanting to see.


    "If it wasn''t for you ruining me... I should be married with kids by now, living a happy family life, all because of you!"


    His voice was filled with hatred, ming Phoebe Caldwell for his ruin.


    My face was turning red, the sense of impending death enveloping me.


    "Archer, get a hold of yourself," Yale seemed scared too, seeing that Archer was out for my life.


    He called a few people over, trying to pull Archer away.


    But Archer kept a tight grip on me. "Die, Phoebe Caldwell, you maniac, you maniac!"


    "Crazy woman."


    Just as I was about to lose consciousness from suffocation, the lights went out again.


    The lights on this floor seemed to flicker off at random intervals.


    Fighting the suffocation, I plunged the dagger Dexter gave me into his wrist.


    He screamed in pain and finally let go.


    Gasping for air, I copsed on the ground, my head pounding from theck of oxygen.


    Some buried memories... seemed to be breaking through the surface at that moment.


    "Taking advantage of her because


    she''s vulnerable, how many times have you vited her?" I remembered standing in the basement of the orphanage asking coldly.


    Tied to a chair, the one I had just saved myself from, was Archer.


    "I stabbed Heaton over and over, and yet it seems I haven''t scared you... daring to do such things to Zoe?"


    In the memory, myughter was terrifying.


    Huddled in a corner was Zoe, her eyes red from crying, naked, with traces of blood between her legs.


    Clearly... she had been vited.


    On the


    Archer was also naked,


    his eyes wide with terror."


    with terror. "Phoebe


    , you maniac, what are you


    nning to do!" Content to do!"


    "People who can''t control themselves...


    should be eu pret


    approached Archer, knife in hand, and stabbed down hard.


    Clean and decisive.


    Screams, blood, terrifying images flooded my mind.


    I was horrified and nauseous.


    Did I really do all this?


    "Phoebe Caldwell, you maniac, ah..."


    His screams echoed in my mind.


    Gasping for breath, I retreated into the darkness, terrified beyond measure.


    Colin...


    Where was Colin?


    It turned out, in moments of intense fear and vulnerability, I really did think of Colin.


    "Click, click, click."


    The lights came back on.


    Everyone held their breath.


    Another body was hanging from the ceiling.


    It was Archer...


    With every flicker of the lights, another life was lost.


    But who killed him? Bran, Dexter, Zoe, Annora, Melody... none were present.


    Could there be a murderer among us?

 Chapter 395

    ?


    Everyone was on edge, holding their breaths as they scanned the surroundings warily.


    I leaned against the wall, panting, my gaze falling to my hands covered in blood...


    But I had only nicked Archer''s arm with the knife, it shouldn''t have resulted in so much blood on my hands.


    Instinctively hiding my hands behind me, I frantically rubbed the fresh blood off my hands.


    It wasn''t me... I didn''t do it.


    But why was there blood on my hands?


    "It was her!" James suddenly pointed the finger at me. "I saw the blood on her hands."


    "Crazy... figures, anyone associated with that lunatic is a lunatic!"


    Emotions were running high among the crowd.


    "If you ask me, if that lunatic doesn''t let us out, we should just kill his wife," James whispered, inciting those around him to take action against me. "Yeah! Let us out or we''re going to kill her!" They surrounded me, shouting at the cameras.


    I sat on the floor, my body tense, and spoke firmly. "Killing me won''t help. Caleb is definitely not behind this, and even if he was... killing me wouldn''t solve your problems. He''s already abandoned me."


    "Pfft, killing you would at least be satisfying," someone retorted, expressing a desire to kill me to vent their frustration.


    I clenched my fists, trying to remain calm. "Instead of wasting time on me, we should look for a way out before the next ckout. Haven''t you noticed? Every time the power goes down, someone dies."


    "If I had the strength to kill someone and hang them from the ceiling, I wouldn''t be sitting here listening to your nonsense." I pushed myself off the wall, standing up, keeping a wary eye on those surrounding me.


    They could attack at any moment, and right now, I was on my own...


    "We found the exit!"


    Just as James was about to make his move, Dexter''s voice echoed from the end of the hallway.


    Everyone instantly turned and dashed towards the source of the voice.


    "Phoebe..." Dexter was running in the opposite direction. He nced back and whispered, "They''re all on the sixteenth floor, follow me."


    Dexter grabbed my wrist, leading me towards the end of the hallway.


    My breathing grew heavier, and my headache worsened.


    "Click!"


    Just as we reached the exit, the entire seventeenth floor went dark again.


    James and the others had already descended the stairs, leaving Dexter and me on the seventeenth floor.


    My heart raced, and in the darkness, I instinctively pushed Dexter towards the stairs. "Go..."


    "Thud!" A sound.


    Standing by the stairs, I distinctly felt someone behind me push me, sending me tumbling down the stairs.


    As I fell, I heard Dexter''s panicked voice, "Phoebe Caldwell!"


    I hit the ground, feeling disoriented, unable to feel pain, as if my body and soul had separated.


    The fall wasn''t fatal, thankfully.


    The sixteenth floor was well-lit, my nose was bleeding, and my consciousness was fading...


    ...


    I didn''t know how long I was unconscious, but I woke to the sound of people arguing.


    "You still think she''s Phoebe


    Caldwell, don''t you? How many


    times do I need to tell you she''s an


    imposter?"


    "You''re overthinking it." Dexter''s voice was low and tense, as if holding back anger.


    "What''s that? Why did you go backProperty ? N?velDrama.Org.


    for her, why are you so panicky. about her falling? What are aftead her?


    of? You''ve fallen for


    t belongs to envels


    Melody was pressing hard, and at this moment, she didn''t resemble ''Phoebe Caldwell'' at all.


    Even after losing my memory and living with the Fitzgerald family, I would never question Dexter like that.


    Dexter enduring and pretending to believe her was a struggle...


    "Is she okay? She didn''t die, did she?" Bran murmured on the side.


    Annora''s voice was gentle, touching my forehead. "She''s not badly injured just worried about a concussion. We need to get out quickly and take her to the hospital for a check-up."


    "Are her arms or legs broken?" Bran asked several questions in a row, none of them reassuring.


    I struggled to open my eyes, only then feeling the intense pain radiating from every part of my body.

 Chapter 396

    ?


    "Ouch!" I couldn''t help but cry out.


    "Wakey, wakey!" Bran rushed over, supporting me with excitement. "You alright?"


    It took me a while before I could open my eyes, the pain was so intense I couldn''t even breathe. "Don''t touch me..."


    My arm hurt.


    My leg hurt.


    Everything hurt.


    Bran finally let go of his grip.


    Dexter hurried over, worry etched across his face. "Do you remember who pushed you?"


    I shook my head. "It was too dark."


    But I was pretty sure, the person who pushed me, they were after Dexter.


    In a split-second decision, I pushed Dexter out of the way, and then... I was the one falling.


    Besides me and Dexter, there had to be someone else hiding on that floor.


    "Who was thest one down? Did you see anyone?" I asked through the pain.


    Bran shook his head. "We were too panicked seeing you fall, didn''t notice if anyone else was on the stairs."


    "It was pitch ck on the seventeenth floor. When you fell, I couldn''t see anything," Dexter frowned, instinctively reaching for my hand but stopped himself, mindful of Melody''s presence, and pulled back. "We need to get out of here fast. That maniac...won''t spare any of us."


    "The seventeenth floor briefly brought us together, fostered some trust..." Melody began analyzing again. "This means, the next level will likely see even more carnage."


    There were three power outages on the seventeenth floor, supposedly signaling three deaths, but I survived.


    The sixteenth floor was likely where the real carnage would begin.


    That person won''t let us make it to the ground alive.


    "Bang, bang, bang! Anyone there? Is someone on the other side?"


    Suddenly, we heard banging on the walls of the room we were in.


    The wall seemed to be made of drywall, partitioned off, sounding flimsy.


    I exchanged a wary nce with Bran, then looked at James and the others, counting the survivors minus those who had died, leaving thirteen of us. So, who was banging and talking on the other side of the drywall?


    "That voice sounds familiar," Bran muttered under his breath.


    "It''s Finn!" I eximed, equally surprised at the sight of the drywall.


    "Boom!" Probably frustrated by theck of response, Finn started pounding on the wall.


    Dexter instinctively pulled me away, keeping me at a distance from that wall.


    Before long, Finn''s head popped through. "Holy smokes, you''re all here."


    I stared at him in shock, and he mirrored my surprise.


    "Quit the chit-chat." Another voice came through, Robin''s voice.


    Robin pushed Finn aside, kicked through the drywall, and came through.


    "What''s everyone doing here?" Robin was just as surprised.


    He and Finn, both in what looked like hospital gowns, seemed to have been captured like us.


    Besides Finn and Robin, Ste also came through.


    "Ste!" I gasped. How did the three of them end up here too?


    "Where is this? We woke up here," Ste


    Ofatched her head. "


    was just on a blind date, had a ss of juice, and then cked out."


    "I saw her being taken away, followed, and got ambushed..." Robin cleared his throat awkwardly.


    "And you, Finn? You''re part of the special investigation team," we all turned our attention to Finn.


    "Heh..." Finn touched his nose


    sheepishly. "I let myself get captured


    on purpose. My goal was to catch


    the serial killer and bring them to justice!"


    "But why did they wake up on the sixteenth floor, and we on the eighteenth?" Annora asked, puzzled.


    "Because they''re cops." Bran


    scoffed. "A special investigation


    expert, a detective, a forensic


    scientist. Heh, it''s the maniac''s way


    of taunting us, challenging everyone, and signaling that the gameis leveling up."


    Leveling up the game.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Meaning... the difficulty was about to increase.


    Escaping the sixteenth floor would be tougher than ever.


    Suddenly, my head started throbbing again, my ears ringing.


    Warm liquid trickled from my nose, it was a nosebleed...


    And then, countless memories began to flood my mind...

 Chapter 397

    ?


    "Are you okay?"


    With a scream that cut through the air, it was Bran. In my dazed state, when Bran came to check on me, I had him pinned against the wall in a manner that must have been quite painful.


    Bran looked at me, utterly bewildered, before finally finding his words. "Holy smokes... Caleb was right, you really are Phoebe Caldwell..."


    I furrowed my brows, the headache feeling like it was tearing my soul from my body.


    "Feels weird to be back among the living, huh?" I croaked out.


    After I said it, even I was confused.


    Who was I asking?


    Myself or someone else?


    Bran, still pinned against the wall, stiffened before starting toin. "Ouch, ouch, let go..."


    Ste, standing nearby, watched us with shock, while Finn and Robin quickly intervened, prying me off Bran.


    "You''ve got some moves..." Robin said, looking puzzled.


    It was like a professional hold, something they were taught in training - a technique to maximize damage even with a significant power difference.


    Ste took a deep breath, trying to ease the tension. "Maybe Phoebe just reacted without thinking. She''s been struggling in her sleep, might''ve been having a nightmare."


    I quickly released Bran, stepping back without a word.


    Bran, rubbing his arm in pain, eyed me suspiciously.


    I looked down, then around, feeling an unfamiliar sense of alienation.


    "Phoebe?" Ste called my name softly, noticing my disorientation.


    Almost reflexively, I grabbed her by the throat, warding off anyone who came close.


    Ste''s body tensed, panic in her eyes.


    Robin stepped in front of Ste protectively, eyeing me warily. "Did the fall knock something loose?"


    I paused, looking down at my hand, overwhelmed by a rush of confusion and helplessness. "It wasn''t me... It wasn''t me..."


    I didn''t understand what I had just done.


    Ste shook off Robin, gripping my hand tightly. "Phoebe... it''s okay, don''t be scared. I know you didn''t mean it. Let''s get out of here, go home."


    "Please..." came a derisive voice from behind. Melody''s scorn was palpable. "If you didn''t kick the bucket, stop wasting time. If you want to survive, better find a way out of this floor!"


    Melody''s cold words hung in the air as she cast a meaningful nce at Dexter and walked away.


    Dexter frowned, his gaze on me mixed withplexity.


    I met Dexter''s eyes, frowning back, silent.


    "I''ve checked the whole floor. No passages or exits. This floor is different from the seventeenth; it''s. filled with partitions that seem solid but are actually just drywall. Some hide strange noises behind them. We shouldn''t break them down r¨¦cklessly," Dexter reported somberly.


    At this moment, it seemed cooperation was our only hope for a faster escape.


    "That lunatic won''t give us much


    time to find a way out. There must be other traps, like the power outage on the seventeenth floor, followed by murder," Bran cursed, kicking a wall nearby.


    The wall thudded, clearly hollow.


    Bran frowned, stepping back, then picked up an axe and struck the wall.


    The drywall cracked open, and a thick smell of blood wafted out.


    Everyone tensed up.


    Hearing themotion, James and his group rushed over, fearing they''d be left behind if an exit was found.


    "Be careful, there''s something


    = Finn said nervously,Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    close to Bran, his hand gripping Bran''s jacket.


    Bran looked at Finn with disdain. "Back off, man."


    Finn, taken aback, wiped his hand on his pants and rolled his eyes. "As if I wanted to be near you." "Stay back, or you might get hit," Bran warned, brandishing the axe to keep Finn at a distance. Finn reluctantly stepped back, eyes fixed on the darkness beyond the broken wall.


    As Bran opened up arge hole, the dim light revealed a gruesome scene of blood and bodies.


    Not human bodies... but those of ferocious dogs.


    "It''s rabid dogs..." Robin stepped in front of Bran, taking the lead as a police officer.


    After all, Bran was still just a kid.


    I stood frozen, my legs numb and unresponsive.


    "Phoebe?" Ste called out to me.


    Snapping back to reality, I approached.


    Crawling through the hole, we were met with the sight of rabid dog carcasses scattered across the floor.

 Chapter 398

    These vicious dogs... must have been nned to be unleashed on us by someone behind the scenes.


    But why did they die in their ''cages'' before they could be set loose?


    "Ugh!" Someone couldn''t stand the stench of blood filling the room and crawled out of the hole, retching.


    "There''s a timer here. When it goes off, the doors would automatically open, and these starving beasts would rush out, attacking anyone in sight, treating humans as prey." Finn frowned at the automatic mechanism by the door, realizing the wall could indeed open when timed.


    "How did they end up dead in here before that?" Robin asked, puzzled.


    "Someone took them out ahead of time." Finn analyzed the corpses on the ground, noting the knife wounds. "It''s hard to imagine... this was the work of a single person."


    Over twenty ferocious dogs, all in one room, taken down by one man.


    That person is even more terrifying than these beasts.


    "It was Colin..." My voice trembled as I crouched on the ground, pulling a piece of cloth from the mouth of one of the dead dogs.


    It was the same kind of hospital gown we were wearing.


    Who else but Colin?


    He''s not the murderer...


    He left early to eliminate a potential danger and threat for us.


    "That madman..... did he go down to the ground floor by himself?" Bran cursed.


    "Is he trying to find that person before all of us get killed?" Finn furrowed his brows. "He must be injured. We can''t let him go alone; we need to find him fast!"


    "Look, there''s a mark here!" Annora pointed out an arrow drawn in blood in a corner.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Phoebe... you won''t die. I won''t let you. You''ll make it out alive..."


    I stood still, surrounded by the bloodshed, feeling my body stiffen.


    I suddenly remembered asking Colin if we were going to die here when I first arrived.


    Colin looked at me firmly and said no.


    He said, Phoebe... I won''t let you die.


    So, even if the path ahead is fraught with danger, he has to wade through it alone?


    "Countdown 10, 9, 8..." Suddenly, that eerie voice echoed through the speakers on the sixteenth floor.


    "3, 2, 1..."


    As the countdown ended, the drywall opened as expected.


    What was supposed to be a moment for the starving vicious dogs to rush out and attack was now just an empty threat since all the dogs were already dead.


    "Huh..." Melody walked over to Dexter and wrapped her arm around his. "Looks like the person behind this isn''t so clever after all."


    "Let''s follow Colin''s trail." Finn urged us to keep up.


    Dexter nced at me, hesitated as if


    he wanted to say something, but Melody pulled him away. "Don''t


    worry about her; she''s with Caleb.


    Caleb won''t leave her behind."


    I still hadn''t moved from my spot when Annora and Zoe tried to pull me, but gave up seeing my reluctance.


    "Phoebe?" Ste called my name.


    "That''s not right..." I shook my head.


    Colin is also navigating his way through; he wouldn''t easily leave clues on the wall.


    Moreover, many walls on the sixteenth floor are movable, like a shifting maze...


    Even if he left clues, they wouldn''t be urate. Colin wouldn''t make such a mistake.


    I walked briskly past, crouching at the arrow''s location for a closer look. The arrow, drawn with blood, was sticky and not yet dry, obviously drawn by someone while we were distracted.


    Colin solved a problem for us, but someone among us is trying to create a new one.


    "Click!" As expected, as soon as everyone followed Finn into thatpartment, the wall closed behind them.


    "Ste!"


    "Phoebe Caldwell!" The door shut in


    an instant, Dexter and Robin tried to


    rush over, but it was toote. A


    they could offer were their shocked and worried looks.


    Ste and I were left on this side, and the rest were locked inside.


    "Hah..." I let out a coldugh. "The danger is with them, worrying about us is unnecessary."


    Ste paused in her knocking, turning to look at me nervously. "Phoebe... what''s gotten into you? Why so cold all of a sudden?"


    The way she looked at me felt unfamiliar.

 Chapter 399

    ?


    "They''re clueless," I muttered, frowning as I crouched down, inspecting the ground closely.


    Given that we were dealing with a shifting maze, there had to be seams between the walls and the floor that the naked eye could distinguish.


    Considering what we faced on the seventeenth level, it seemed some mechanisms were pre-set by the murderer - like timed release of poison gas, scheduled lights out, and walls moving to form a maze at specific intervals.


    Colin had managed to clear some obstacles for us in advance, but unfortunately, the killer was among us.


    He wouldn''t let us get through that easily. He still had cards to y.


    So... the killer took advantage of our distraction to paint bloody arrows, luring us into dangerous areas on purpose.


    "Ah!" A scream, followed by sounds of gnashing, came from beyond the wall.


    Just as I thought, they''d encountered danger.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Snakes! There are snakes!"


    "Aah!"


    Ste panicked, pounding on the wall. "Robin! Robin, are you guys okay?"


    No response came from the other side.


    Clearly, they were in no position to reply.


    "Phoebe, do you know how to open this wall?" Ste asked, her eyes wide with fear.


    "Why would we open it?" I looked at her, puzzled. "If we do, we''ll die too."


    Because they''re in there, we have a chance to get out safe. "Now''s our chance, I can lead you out."


    I stood up, walked over to a wall with a visible seam, and tapped it, confirming it could move. "Follow me."


    Ste looked at me incredulously, as if she couldn''t believe those words came from me. "Phoebe... What about Robin and Bran? They''re still in there... We..."


    "Do you really think we can save them? If it''s something we definitely can''t do, why waste time and risk our lives?" I couldn''t grasp what Ste was thinking.


    We couldn''t save them. Going in there would be a death wish. Why not take the chance to leave while we can?


    Ste stared at me, slowly backing away. "You''re not Phoebe... Who are you?"


    My expression darkened, and I


    frowned. "The maze''s walls move at


    random. They triggered a


    e


    mechanism; we can''t get in now. So, you shoulde with me, get out of here find the exit, and wait for them on the next level."


    Ste, looking somewhat scared, clutched her knife tightly.


    She seemed convinced I wasn''t Phoebe Caldwell.


    I didn''t bother exining further. "If you don''t want to die, keep up. Finn might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but escaping isn''t entirely hopeless... Besides, Bran''s with them. They won''t die."


    After hesitating for a moment, Ste followed me.


    I walked to the corner, found the trigger tile, and stomped on it.


    The maze''s creator was a genius. This tile, in a crowded and chaotic situation, would inevitably be stepped on, activating the


    mechanism and causing the walls to shift.


    I led Ste into another space, pristine as if untouched by dust.


    As soon as we entered, the walls shifted again, sealing me and Ste in this new space.


    "Stay put, don''t move," I warned Ste.


    She stood frozen in ce, not daring to make a move.


    I took my knife and jammed it into the seam between the floor tiles, pulling it out to a ghastly scream from below, the de stained with blood.


    Huh...


    That maniac had bred something beneath us.


    If I chose the wrong exit, creatures from below would swarm us, and Ste and I could end up eaten alive, leaving nothing behind.


    "Phoebe... what''s down there?" Ste''s voice trembled as she asked.


    Clearly, she too sensed that something lurked beneath the floorboards.


    "Rats..." I said indifferently. "If I choose the wrong mechanism and we don''t find the correct passage, then we, both of us, will die."


    Down there, were rats that could devour a person whole.


    Ste swallowed hard, her forehead sweat soaking her hair.

 Chapter 400

    "Freeze, don''t move. If you trigger anything by ident, I can''t save you," I warned Ste, stepping back slowly until my back pressed against the wall.


    Ste barely dared to breathe.


    "Phoebe..." Ste''s voice quivered with fear, her greatest phobia being rats.


    I gestured for her to be silent and slowly crouched down.


    The pristine floor beneath us was marked with theyout of a maze, its exit at the very center.


    The safe passage out was located in the heart of this floor.


    Navigating the maze wasn''t the hard part; the real challengey in its walls, which shifted positions at set intervals.


    Moreover, stepping on certain triggers could unleash dangers.


    "Countdown begins... 10, 9..."


    That eerie voice filled the space once more.


    If we hadn''t found the correct exit by the time the countdown ended, the maze would rearrange itself.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Once the walls started moving, rats would swarm out from the underground, trapping us alive in this space to meet a grisly end.


    Ste was panicking, too frightened to move.


    "5, 4, 3..."


    Right as the countdown neared its end, I stepped on a specific floor tile in the corner.


    In the nick of time, I solved the numerical equation above the maze and determined the right tile to step on.


    The room''s walls shifted, but at the same time, another wall slid open, unleashing countless rats from the crevices below.


    I dashed into the next room, looking back at Ste. "Come on!"


    But with the rats now out, she was paralyzed by fear and wouldn''t move.


    "Ten seconds before the wall closes, hurry!"


    I yelled at Ste.


    Terrified, she started jumping around frantically as the rats surged towards her. "Phoebe... save me."


    She was so afraid of the rats swarming the floor, she had nowhere to step.


    In her panic, she triggered another mechanism, causing the walls to start moving.


    It was toote.


    "Ste..."


    A thought crossed my mind in that instant.


    Should I just leave her to her fate?


    As the walls slowly closed, I caught Ste''s desperate, pleading gaze.


    "Damn it..."


    With a momentary headache, I dashed back into the room before the walls sealed shut.


    My knife pierced through a rat, and grabbed another that had climbed onto Ste''s back, hurling it to the ground with lethal force.


    Ste screamed and clung to me, crying hysterically.


    I began to feel numb, struggling to understand her fear...


    But it was clear she was on the verge of a breakdown.


    I looked around, realizing our missed chance made escaping all the more difficult... unless someone opened the door from the outside.


    But the odds of that happening were even slimmer than clearing out all these rats.


    And more rats kept pouring out from the crevices, impossible to kill them all...


    "Click!" Just as I was about to give up, the wall ahead slowly opened.


    On the other side... was a floor covered in dead wolves...


    Was that madman turning the maze into a wildlife battleground?


    As the wall opened, I saw Colin, drenched in blood and frenzied from battle.


    My body stiffened for a moment.


    crushing


    its


    I straightened up, emotionlessly another rat that had made onto my shoulder, and tried to speak, but no sound came out.


    Colin stood amidst the carnage, his


    hown soaked in blood


    l


    recognition, resembling a


    in blood.


    demon from hell, drs


    Since disappearing that night... he must have been on a relentless killing spree.


    Seeing me, he finally copsed to his knees.


    The blood couldn''t hide the intensity in his eyes.


    He gave me a weak smile, his voice hoarse. "Phoebe... I''ve killed them all..."


    All of them.


    We could now safely make our way to the exit leading down to the next level.


    Suddenly, my throat ached terribly as I took steps toward him.


    That boy, once so vibrant, was my Colin...

 Chapter 401

    Chapter 401


    ?


    The mice seemed to have a phobia of entering other spaces. After Ste made her escape, they just peered through the cracks, as if they were watching a horror movie they were too scared to star in.


    The walls of the room shifted again, sealing off the way we hade. The air was thick with the metallic scent of blood, like a butcher''s shop at the end of a long day.


    Colin, poor guy, looked like he was running on fumes... Battling non-stop for what felt like an eternity, he was about to crash.


    "Phoebe..." I approached him, and he looked up at me, exhaustion etched deep in his eyes.


    I didn''t say anything, just ruffled his hair, trying to offer a bit offort.


    Colin tensed for a moment, swallowing hard, his gaze heating up as he looked at me.


    "Take a break. I''ve got us from here," I whispered, my voice low, and turned to survey the room.


    Pushing himself off the floor, Colin moved slowly towards the wall. "I''ve got a n. There are 187 rooms on this floor, with the exit smack in the middle. We''re currently due north."


    I nodded, sketching a map of the maze on the wall with the blood that was, unfortunately, in ample supply.


    "Thest room with the mice had a map of the maze. It''s like it''s burned into my brain..."


    "We''re here," I pointed to our location on the north side. "The maze shifts every ten minutes, but the overallyout remains the same. We can''t wait for it to shift on its own; we need to find the mechanism that opens the wall we need."


    I pointed towards the center. The straightest path was due south.


    Ste stared at me, dumbfounded, before whispering, "Phoebe... You memorized the maze from the floor?"


    I nodded, not bothering with an exnation.


    "How do you know about the ten-minute shifts without a watch?"Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "My resting heart rate is 68 beats per minute. It took 683 beats between shifts. Minus a small margin of error, it rounds to about ten minutes." Ste looked at me, speechless for a long moment.


    Colin, leaning against the wall, remained quiet, his emotions unreadable.


    "Indeed... It shifts every ten minutes, clockwise," Colin''s voice was hoarse from fatigue.


    He had fought his way through by timing these shifts.


    "How can you tell north from south in this cage?" Ste asked, puzzled.


    "It''s pitch ck everywhere, with no just artificial light. If


    g time by heartbeats We''re


    we find our bearings?" Cont


    do


    "The venttion shaft on the eighteenth floor lets through a sliver of sunrise. From darkness to dawn," Colin exined.


    "And how long have you been awake?" I frowned, reaching out to touch Colin''s forehead.


    His eyes were red, bloodshot from exhaustion or stress, it was hard to tell. He seemed nervous, almost hesitant. "Phoebe... I''m so tired."


    "Rest for a bit. Trust me," I whispered, trying to soothe him.


    Colin reached out, tentatively grasping the hem of my shirt. "Phoebe..."


    It seemed he was seeking reassurance. "Are you worried about me?"


    "Worried," I answered directly. I was.


    For some reason, after that fall,


    had numbed, but


    nvinced than ever


    I


    feelings I could discern. Content


    Colin paused, his gaze burning into me. "Is it like how you worry about Howler?"


    He seemed desperate for a clear answer.


    I paused, looking into his eyes, and shook my head. "No, it''s different."


    His Adam''s apple bobbed, his gaze growing even more intense.

 Chapter 402

    Chapter 402


    ?


    "Close your eyes and rest for a bit." I turned to search the room for clues.


    Ste, still dazed, shuffled closer to Colin, her voice barely above a whisper. "Colin... have you noticed? Phoebe''s different, isn''t she? Is she still... our Phoebe?"


    "Yes..." Colin''s voice was hoarse but firm. "No matter how she changes, she''s still her."


    I nced back at Colin, my thoughts swirling.


    "Do you think Robin Lancaster and the others are okay?" Ste asked quietly, crouching on the floor.


    She was worried about Robin and the rest.


    "They''re fine..." Colin shook his head. "I''ve taken care of the rest."


    As long as Robin and the others made it out of those ces alive, they''d be safe.


    I walked around the room but couldn''t find any clues left by the designer.


    There should have been hidden clues in every room.


    Frowning, I looked up at the ceiling and, sure enough... the arrangement of the spotlights resembled the Big Dipper. "Follow the line from Dubhe to Pris... That''s true north." I followed the imaginary line to find the true north direction. "And that means south... We need to move this door."


    I pointed at the door in the exact south direction, right below the extended line, and stepped on a floor tile.


    Sure enough, the wall moved.


    I let out a sigh of relief, almost unconsciously turning back to smile at Colin.


    It was as if... I was seeking his approval and praise.


    This childish act...


    I paused for a moment.


    Colin smiled back at me, leaning against the wall as he walked over and hugged me. "I''m a mess, don''t mind me."


    I shook my head. "I don''t mind."


    Colin chuckled. "That''s good... You''re good, no matter what."


    I thought Colin was being silly, but I still patted his back. "I''ll get you out of here."


    "Okay..."


    Colin didn''t hesitate to follow me.


    Finally, when we opened thest wall, we saw the safety passage to the fifteenth floor.


    Ste, excited, grabbed my wrist but her eyes were worried. "Phoebe... they haven''t made it out, have they?"


    swno


    We didn''t know if Robin and the others were dead or alive.


    "They haven''te through yet." I looked at the pristine staircase and shook my head.


    If they hade out earlier, with so many people, the stairs wouldn''t be this clean.


    Not a speck of dust...


    "Can we wait for them, please?" Ste asked me softly, afraid I would refuse.


    I looked at Colin.


    As if wanting his opinion, if he said we should go, I might not wait.


    Colin took my hand, almost pleadingly. "Phoebe... I''m really tired."


    I sat on


    him to


    Low restaircase, gesturing f


    "Rest


    his head on myp. for a bit, we''ll wait."


    Ste breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes red as she stood there praying.


    Praying they woulde out soon.


    After all, every extra minute inside meant more danger.


    "Phoebe... do you remember now?" Colin asked quietly, leaning against me.


    "Not... everything." I shook my head, my gazeplicated.


    Colin sighed in relief, managing a smile. "It''s okay... don''t think about it."


    "Are you afraid I''ll remember?" I looked down at him.


    Colin''s his acting kicking in again.


    Colin''s gaze flickered away for al


    moment,


    My arm hurts, it gote


    swhot


    bitten."


    I instinctively tore open his shirt, gasping. "You..."Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    How did he even survive this long?


    His arm bore the marks of a vicious bite, bloody and torn.


    "We need to get out... fast," I said sternly, anger rising.


    st


    Whatever the reason behind all this, whoever hurt mine, deserved to pay...

 Chapter 403

    Chapter 403


    ?


    Ste looked at Colin, her eyes filled with concern. "Can Phoebe ever go back to her old self? She''s kind of freaking me out."


    Colin shrugged, his voice steady. "I like her any way she is."


    "But don''t you think she''s a bit...scary? Too detached. I miss the old Phoebe," Ste pressed on.


    "I like her any way she is," Colin repeated.


    Ste sighed. "She seems too cold now."


    Colin''s voice cracked with emotion. "No... It''s already perfect. At least you''re alive. She has emotions now, at least... understands friendship."


    I slowly opened my eyes, realizing I had dozed off against the wall.


    Ste was praying non-stop, trying to distract herself with conversation.


    "Can she really not go back? How terrifying will it be when she regains all her memories?" Ste''s voice quivered slightly.


    She was scared.


    Scared I''d be a stranger to my own kin.


    "What if Phoebe bes emotionless again, like she used to be? What do we do then? She surely won''t need us anymore..." Ste feared I''d abandon our friendship, Colin included. "It seems she truly didn''t understand love..."


    Colin looked down, a hint of sadness in his gaze, but he finally spoke. "I just want her to be alive."


    To live well.


    "Your brain is 80% intelligence and the other 20% is all Phoebe, isn''t it? Lovesick much?" Ste teased, trying to lighten the mood.


    "It''s not..." Colin seriously corrected her. "It could be all Phoebe."


    Ste felt like she was force-fed a dose of romance, rolling her eyes as she tossed a pebble she''d been fiddling with towards the sealed wall. "Howe they haven''t made it out yet? Isn''t Finn supposed to be a genius?"


    "Somebody''s holding them back," Colin said with certainty.


    The culprit... was definitely among them.


    Someone didn''t want them to escape, constantly dragging their feet.


    So, even with two geniuses among them, it wasn''t guaranteed they''d make it out quickly and safely.


    "Have you figured out who it is?" I asked Colin.


    He turned, his eyes lighting up before he rushed over to hug me.


    For once... I didn''t mind his clinginess, letting him hold me.


    "Not yet," he murmured.


    "They''reing." I heard noise from the room.


    Ste jumped up, excitedly banging on the wall, trying to signal those inside.


    "It''s no use. There''s a soundproof barrier," I told her to save her effort.


    It was a miracle we could hear anything at all.


    Now, it was up to them.


    The door creaked open.


    But not everyone came out.


    Finn, Annora, and an injured James among seven or eight others emerged.


    "Where''s Bran?" I asked, on high alert.


    "And Robin?" Ste''s eyes welled up with tears.


    Finn frowned. "Zoe ran off in another direction yelling Carter''s name, and when the stone door moved, we got separated."


    Bran went after Zoe, and Robin, worried about their safety, followed.


    I remained silent, observing the injured among them. It seemed some didn''t make it, leaving only these.


    James, wary of Colin, began


    shouting "It''s the madman, this lunatic He''s the murderer, setting up


    us to


    these horrors, wanting to up


    death!"


    n


    The others, still shaken, noticed Colin and gripped their makeshift weapons, ready to confront him.


    "Everyone calm down," Finn tried to defuse the situation. "If he were the mastermind, you''d all be dead by now. He helped us take down those things inside so you could make it out alive."


    But James wouldn''t listen. "It''s him, all his tricks! It''s him!"


    Colin''s gaze turned icy, filled with lethal intent.


    I stood up, my hand tightening around my knife.


    Colin instinctively reached out to stop me.


    I frowned. "He''s too loud. Let''s get rid of him."N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    James caught my nce and began to incite the others. "I knew this madman wouldn''t leave her alone Since the seventeenth floor, he''s been plotting... Let''s tie her up. That make the madman let us go for sure."

 Chapter 404

    Chapter 404


    ?


    As he motioned to his crew to grab me, Colin''s icy gaze locked onto James, a barely restrained fury simmering in his eyes.


    He gradually let go of my hand.


    Staring down James, I shoved aside anyone in my way and began to approach him.


    James, panicking with his bleeding leg, started to back away. "What do you think you''re doing? Why are you standing there, grab her!"


    "We''re the masterminds behind this game. If you want to make it out alive, it''s all about who listens," I said with a smirk, eyeing his cronies, nning to give them a taste of their own medicine. "Follow my lead, and I can get us out. Stick with him, and death is all you''ll find."


    The group exchanged wary nces and took a step back.


    Fear had taken hold.


    James red at me, furious. "Foebe, what do you think you''re... Don''t listen to her. She won''t get us out. We''re all targets for that lunatic. She''s just ying games."


    "You talk too much," I retorted, kicking him in the stomach and sending him to the ground before stepping hard on his injured leg. "Killing you now would be letting you off too easy."


    The sound of a moving door caught our attention as Zoe appeared to be unconscious in Bran''s arms, with Robin following close behind.


    Annora rushed over, concerned for Zoe. "Is she alright?"


    Bran shook his head. "Just a bit shaken up, nothing serious."


    Tears welled up in Annora''s eyes. "Thank you, thank you so much."


    Without a word, Bran handed Zoe over to Annora.


    Ste looked over at Robin anxiously. "Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"


    Robin, surprised, replied, "You guys got out before us? I was about to head back in after you."


    Ste sheepishly gestured towards me and Colin. "We ran into Colin."


    Robin nodded in understanding. "Ah, that exins it."


    Just as the stone wall began to close, I kicked James into the gap, his cries of desperation echoing as the gap sealed shut.


    "Does he really deserve to escape with us?" I asked coldly.


    Finn looked away. "I didn''t see anything... What just happened?"


    Robin scratched his head. "Uh?"


    "If he''s smart enough, he should remember how we got out, right?" Finn whispered.


    Annora shook her head, puzzled. "I... I don''t remember."


    I scoffed. If he couldn''t make it out, that was on him.


    "The staircase is copsing! We need to move, now!" Suddenly, the emergency exit began to shake.


    As the staircase threatened to give way, I grabbed Colin''s wrist and pulled him down to safety.


    Once we reached a secure area, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Did everyone make it?" Robin asked.


    "Melody Burton and Dexter Fitzgerald... They''re not here!" someone realized.


    Frowning, I looked up towards the seventeenth floor.


    The staircase was about to copse.


    "I''ll go for them," Robin dered, attempting to head back up, but Ste held him back.


    Her eyes brimming with tears, she shook her head.


    In that moment, did a police officer''s duty and mission still matter?


    Robin shook his head at Ste.


    This was his calling.


    It was also why he couldn''tmit to her proposal.


    It seemed he was always on the brink of danger.


    could flee,


    And when danger struck... everyone but he, burdened by duty and mission, had to forge ahead.


    swno


    "Dumbass," I muttered about Dexter, following Robin upstairs.


    Colin Join, but I shook my is time, you rest. Find the


    head.


    exitProperty ? N?velDrama.Org.


    it on


    the fifteenth floor and


    for us." o!??@


    "Wait... something''s off about Melody. She''s been with us the whole time, but she deliberately upset Zoe, leading her in the wrong direction," Annora suddenly realized, panic in her eyes as she looked at me and Robin. "Don''t go... Melody''s trying to lure you back!"

 Chapter 405

    Chapter 405


    ?


    Melody was ying a dangerous game, and I knew it. It wasn''t just a hunch that Robin wouldn''t abandon us, and that he''d find me and Ste-it was a calcted guess. So, Melody''s decision to stay hidden was a trap to lure me in? To take me out when I least expected it?


    The thought sent shivers down my spine. Melody wanted to take over my life, and the only way to do that was to get rid of me.


    "Something''s off about Melody," Robin began, but before he could finish his thought, the staircase beneath us trembled.


    "Watch out!"


    "Phoebe!"


    In a split second, the staircase shattered, leaving a gaping, dark void that seemed to lead straight to the basement of this 17-story nightmare.


    Colin, panicked, tried to rush forward but was luckily caught by Bran, saving him from tumbling into the abyss.


    "Colin!" My heart clenched, and I yelled his name as I teetered on the edge of the broken floor.


    Colin nearly fell through, his feet dislodging pebbles that took an age to echo back up to us, a terrifying testament to the depth below. Looking up at me, Colin''s eyes were filled with a mix of panic and hurt, as if despite our proximity, an insurmountable gapy between us.


    He stood perilously close to the void, his eyes reflecting his fear and vulnerability.


    "We''ll find another way out. Wait for me on the 15th floor," I said, trying to inject a note of calm into my voice.


    "Hey, get away from the edge, will ya? If you fall, your wife''s gonna have my head," Bran muttered, pulling Colin back from the brink. Colin''s gaze hardened at Bran''s words, a silent reprimand for not bringing Dexter and Melody back safely and allowing them a chance to exploit the situation.


    Bran averted his eyes, guiltily looking away. "There''s gotta be another way out."


    "We need to find a way in," I said, ncing at Robin. There was no turning back now-we had to save them.


    Robin nodded and tapped on the wall, an indication that James was still trapped inside. But the fool wasn''t making any progress with the door. Suddenly, a click sounded from within, and the wall shifted.


    I couldn''t help but scoff. James wasn''t smart enough to figure out the mechanism that quickly. It had to be Melody and Dexter finding their way to us. As the wall opened, James, fueled by rage, lunged at me. "Foebe, I''ll kill you!"


    His attack was full of lethal intent, but I sidestepped smoothly, watching as he stumbled towards the open void behind me.


    He screamed as he almost fell, but Robin, ever the hero, grabbed him by the cor at thest second. I knew Robin wouldn''t just stand by and watch him die.


    "If you value your life, you''ll keep quiet from now on," I warned James, stepping into the room where Melody and Dexter were indeed waiting. Dexter''s eyes lit up with relief at seeing me, but he held back his questions.


    "The emergency stairs have copsed. We need to find another way out," Robin exined, then turned to me. "What''s our next move?"


    "She''s not Phoebe, is she? Phoebe, before her amnesia, was a genius. Let her lead us out," I said, pointing at Melody, my voice dripping with


    sarcasm.


    Melody frowned, hostility in her gaze. "Done pretending, Foebe?"


    "Done. I can''t beat you at your own game," I replied nonchntly.


    Robin nced at Dexter. "Any other exits?"


    "There''s a venttion shaft in the southeast corner. It was supposed to be an elevator shaft in the original blueprints," Dexter said, his eyes never leaving me.


    If it was an elevator shaft, it would go straight up and down-our ticket to the 15th floor.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    "Scumbag..." James, still shaken, was cursing under his breath. He leaned against the wall for support, his legs trembling.


    "Our priority is to find a way to the 15th floor," Robin said, concern etching his features. "I have a feeling the upper three floors were just the beginning. With fifteen floors to go and sixteen of us left, it might end with only one survivor."


    We all knew the stakes now. Every floor could mean the death of one of us.


    "Let''s get out of here," Melody said, quickly finding a mechanism to open a secret passage. I watched her closely, knowing Melody wasn''t the type tosuddenly be a genius. Something was off, and I had to stay on guard.

 Chapter 406

    Chapter 406


    ?


    Finding our way out in record time...


    "Follow us," Melody warned, her gaze fixed on me and Robin.


    I trailed behind Melody, scrutinizing her every move. How had she managed this transformation? In her effort to impersonate ''Phoebe Caldwell,'' had her IQ shot up as well?


    "This way." True to form, Melody had a knack for uncovering secrets quickly, leading us from room to room towards escape.


    "Why did you guys split up?" Robin asked Dexter, probing for insight.


    Dexter nced at me. "I was worried they wouldn''t find their way out."


    Melody snorted but remained silent.


    Finally, she led us to a venttion shaft in record time. "The floor''s made of wood, not very stable. If we break through, we might be able to drop down to the fifteenth floor." Melody inspected the floorboards, which were clearly ater addition and not part of the original structure.


    Dexter and Robin set to work, creating a hole just big enough for one person to slip through. But below was pitch-ck, the situation uncertain.


    "It''s an elevator shaft. If we twist our clothes into a rope, we can slide down to the fifteenth floor," Dexter said, tossing a glow stick down the shaft. It appeared they had found new gear on this level.


    The glow stick took its time falling but eventually revealed that there was indeed anding on the fifteenth floor we could aim for.


    "Who''s going first?" Dexter asked, looking at me anxiously. "Can you... you know, handle it?"Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    "Idiot," Melody couldn''t help but insult, showing no care as she stripped down to her undershirt and handed her top to Dexter.


    Dexter followed suit, binding the shirts tightly together. Robin got the hint and did the same.


    James looked at me with ill-disguised reluctance, making no move to undress.


    I stepped forward, pressing my knife against his throat. "Take it off. We need the length."


    "What are you ying at..." James grumbled, reluctantly removing his shirt.


    Dexter tightened the makeshift rope, looking at Robin. "I''ll hold it. You go down first."


    Melody nced my way, seemingly suggesting I go first.


    Considering what Annora had told me, I certainly didn''t trust Melody. "You first. Show us how it''s done."


    Melody, sensing my distrust, scoffed


    ?????


    and, with a nervous determination, grabbed the rope and started her descent. Unfortunately, she was anything but graceful, hesitating long before daring to jump to the fifteenth floor.


    Her survival instincts kicked in as she clung to the rope, barely managing tond on the tform. It took her a moment to catch her breath before she called up. You


    guys...e on down." Content


    "Phoebe..." Dexter whispered behind me, trying to reassure me. "Trust me, don''t be scared."


    His words meant to convey that he could hold me, keep me safe.


    I gave James a cold look. "Your turn."


    "I can''t... I won''t!" James was visibly shaking.


    "Fine, stay here and wait for death. Once time''s up, this whole level will be destroyed, you included," I warned sternly.


    Pale-faced, James conceded. "I''ll..... I''ll try."


    Despite his fear, James had the strength; he gripped the rope and descended amidst screams and cries, the fabric straining and tearing under his weight.


    "Jump, will you!" Melody, ever impatient, tugged at James''s leg, urging him to make the leap.


    With a yelp, James finallynded on the fifteenth floor, his head still peeking out, gasping for air.


    "This rope won''t hold us both," Robin observed, concerned about the stability of our makeshift lifeline.


    I smirked and leaped down without a second thought.


    "Foebe!"


    "Phoebe!" Dexter and Robin were horrified.


    Inded smoothly on the fifteenth floor, challenging Melody. "The floor''s only about ten inches thick. We didn''t really need the rope."


    Melody''s face darkened as she instinctively covered her upper body, now only d in an undershirt.


    "No need to cover up. There''s nothing worth seeing," I taunted.


    Melody, furious and ready to retaliate, found herself at a disadvantage as my knife pressed against her throat. "Killing you would be too easy."


    Suddenly, lights flooded the entire


    fifteenth floor, the sudden


    e


    brightness almost blinding. The sound of a carousel filled the air, transforming the space into a vast... amusement park.

 Chapter 407

    Chapter 407


    ?


    Dexter and Robin both leaped down, and together, we wriggled into our stretched and distorted clothes, emerging from the venttion shaft. Fifteenth floor, an entire floor... turned into a massive yground.


    But the vibe of the yground was eerie.


    "This feels so familiar..." Suddenly, a headache surged through me. I reached up, tugging at my hair, trying to ease the pain.


    This yground was an exact replica.


    A replica of... the yground donated by Sea City''s charity to the Double-Genius Welfare House.


    All the amusement facilities were donated, and that yground was located right in the backyard of the orphanage, now long abandoned.


    Why would the perpetrator recreate this ce?


    "Wee to Double-Genius yground, a ce for everyone to enjoy, beep beep beep..." That creepy voice echoed once more.


    I could almost hearughter in the air, the sound of children from the orphanage fighting over toys.


    I vaguely remembered, the yground was the result of my parents'' numerous applications and negotiations with the charity organization.


    But after an ident urred, causing a child from the orphanage to get their legs trapped in the roller coaster, leading to amputation, the yground was shut down.


    Afterwards, children were forbidden from going to the yground.


    "Here..." I approached the carousel, observing the amusement rides that were only present a decade ago, the creepy horses, their bizarre eyes, even the sound of the music felt sinister.


    "What does that lunatic want?" Robin frowned, cursing under his breath.


    "Who knows what he''s up to, the madman..." James sounded panicked, his voice trembling, clearly hiding something.


    I eyed him suspiciously. "What do you know?"


    "What are you talking about?" James refused to admit anything.


    I didn''t press further, walking past the carousel.


    There were slides, an indoor roller coaster, and a Ferris wheel...


    "They should all be on this floor, let''s regroup with them first." Robin called out, moving forward to find Colin and the others.


    I stood there, numbly looking at the amusement rides.


    What was the perpetrator trying to convey?


    "Ahh!" A scream came from not too far away.


    Dexter, Robin, and James all ran towards it.


    I, as if not hearing, continued pondering the perpetrator''s intentions.


    On the constantly moving roller coaster tracks, I smelled a strong scent of blood.


    Back then, the child from the orphanage had their legs crushed on this very children''s roller coaster track.


    "Foebe, unless you die, they''ll never believe I''m the real Phoebe." Suddenly, someone pushed me from behind. Melody really wanted me dead.


    "Click click click." The roller coaster roared towards us.


    I grabbed Melody and pulled her down with me, flipping over to pin her on the track.


    As the roller coaster approached, I let her go.


    Melody sat up in terror, the roller coaster brushing past her head, leaving her in shock.


    I grabbed Melody by the throat. "You wanted to kill me."


    Melody struggled, grabbing at my hand.


    "Let me guess, how did you suddenly get so smart?" I leaned in close to Metody''s face, observing carefully, and sure enough, I founda clue in her ear. "Hmm... it seems you and the person behind you were prepared, knowing the serial killer would target you, so you ced a hidden wireless earpiece in your ear in advance."


    I pped Melody hard across the face, but the earpiece didn''te out.


    Quite hidden.


    Melody red at me fiercely.


    I smiled at her, another p, harder this time, causing her lip to bleed.


    Finally, the tiny hidden earpiece fell out.


    "Damian, right?" I stood up, stepping on the earpiece. "Anti-detection, anti-jamming, hidden earpiece... Even if the killer blocked the phone signals, they couldn''t block your earpiece''s signal."


    S


    Iughed, looking down at Melody. "If Damian couldmunicate with


    be nearby, right? He could have called the police for help, but instead, he chose to let you walk into danger... What is he really after?"


    you through the earpiece, heExclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    S


    I guessed that Damian didn''t want to call the police, he didn''t even want the police to know.


    Melody was his bait, and he was fishing.


    He was after the killer himself.


    It seems the serial killer''s actions were severely impacting Damian''s so-called gic experiments.


    The serial killer''s purpose in killing ''Phoebe Caldwell'' was to demonstrate against madmen like Damian involved in anti-human gics.


    "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind." I said, my voice deep.

 Chapter 408

    Chapter 408


    ?


    ver wanted to expose Melody, but time and again, she tried to sabotage me...


    "Without your little tricks, let''s see how you''re gonna get out of this one." I grabbed a handful of Melody''s hair, my voice low and threatening. "You lured us here on purpose, thinking of killing me? You can try... but if you as much as think about hurting Colin, I swear, I''ll end you..."


    A flicker of fear and surprise passed through Melody''s eyes as she stuttered, "You..."


    Then she denied her intentions. "Impossible, you can''t be Phoebe, Phoebe is dead..."


    "I didn''t lure you here, it was Annora..." Melody tried to exin, but got cut off.


    "Phoebe!"


    Behind me, Colin had caught up.


    I let go of Melody, stood up, and turned around, shing him a reassuring smile.


    Colin rushed over, pulling me into a tight embrace. "Thank god you''re okay, thank god..."


    ¡°What happened over there?" I asked.


    "There''s a trap on the ground. Someone fell through, broke his leg." Colin whispered back.


    I nodded. "Colin, does this amusement park look familiar to you?"


    Colin took a deep breath. "Yeah... it''s a replica of the one from the old orphanage."Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "What''s the killer''s motive?" I wondered aloud.


    "Revenge..." Colin''s gaze darkened as he nced at Melody. "Back then, at the orphanage, Dn was bullied... pushed off a moving roller coaster. His legs got caught in the tracks, snapped right off."


    The kid was left without his legs, sent to a school for the disabled, and then disappeared without a trace.


    Melody averted her gaze, guilt shing across her face. "The ones bullying Dn were James and his crew."


    "Ding ding, the roller coaster is arriving! Everyone, buckle up, we''re about to start, 3, 2.....¡±


    That eerie voice echoed again.


    Instinctively, Colin pulled me closer, stepping onto the carousel''s tform.


    As the countdown ended, the floor tiles began to shift.


    Sitting on the ground, Melody was lucky enough to lift her legs just in time.


    Underneath the tiles, saw des whirred menacingly...


    A fall would mean instant amputation.


    "Ah!"


    Another scream echoed.


    Colin and I rushed over, only to see a former orphanage resident with one leg caught in the trap.


    ¡°Everyone, find a safe spot, get on the carousel seats!" Robin yelled in panic, urging people to secure themselves.


    The injured were dragged to a rtively safer area.


    But with the blood loss and no proper medical facilities, making it to the ground floor would mean certain death for them. "Hahaha..." Laughter spilled from the speakers. "What fun."


    Robin, barely in control, yelled into the void.


    l


    ying Show yourself, stop ! Even if they desert


    games!


    it, it''s not for you to decide! They''ll face their punishment!"


    "So naive." The creepy voice mocked Robin. "Officer Robin, tell me, how will you punish them? Just because Dn took the front seat of the roller coaster, they secretly unbuckled his safety belt and pushed him off mid-ride."


    "It''s murder, Officer Robin, how will you punish them?"


    The voice screamed hysterically.


    Listening to Colin''s heartbeat, an inexplicable pain gripped my chest.


    These demons had gathered, and people like Colin and Carter, who didn''t fit in with them, must have lived through a nightmare.


    Colin looked down, our eyes meeting, his gaze flickering, whispering, "Phoebe... they''re not innocent."


    "Let''s y a game of hide and seek


    Thirty seconds countdown, everyone hide , or else... you''ll die!" Th


    creepy voice continued, starting the countdown.


    He wanted us all to hide.


    Colin, gripping my wrist, hid us both in a gap beneath the carousel.


    ¡°10, 9, 8... 3, 2, 1. Ready or not, here Ie...¡±


    Not far away, a stone wall slid open, and ten figures emerged, wearing bizarre masks and wielding chainsaws, their arms muscr, clearly hired assassins.


    ¡°Are you hidden? Hope I don''t find you.....¡±

 Chapter 409

    Chapter 409


    ?


    "Ready or not, herees the roller coaster ride..."


    The eerie voice cut through the air again, this time unmistakably human, not the mechanical recordings we''d heard on earlier levels. Someone was pulling the strings from behind the curtain.


    This person had to be part of the plot.


    "Such a grand setup... There''s definitely more than one person behind this," I muttered under my breath, my brows furrowed in concentration.


    In fact, I suspected a whole organization was involved, a gang of sorts.


    "It''s not just one person," Colin confirmed.


    "Countdown 3, 2, 1..."


    As the countdown ended, the mechanisms under the ground started moving unpredictably again.


    Colin and I took shelter under a carousel, narrowly avoiding a trapdoor that opened right beneath us.


    If it weren''t for our quick reflexes, we might have fallen through.


    "Screams echoed as people tried to escape their hiding spots, only to draw attention to themselves.


    "Help me!" one yelled, trying to run away.


    Nearby, Ste nearly fell through an opening trapdoor, but Robin caught her in time, saving her from the fall.


    Unfortunately, Zoe''s scream gave away their position.


    They all ended up hiding in a cab, practically blowing their cover.


    With no other choice, Bran stepped out to confront the assants, despite being poorly armed. "We''re really not equipped for this..." Bran cursed under his breath.


    As Robin tried to protect Ste and join the fray, his axe met the business end of an opponent''s chainsaw.


    "Help me!" Now it was Bran''s turn to scream, dragging Robin away in a desperate escape.


    Colin and I were cramped under the carousel, so close I almost ended up in hisp.


    He seemed oddly amused... This was a massacre in the making, and he was taking it lightly? "Phoebe..." Colin''s mind seemed to be elsewhere, trying to lighten the mood even in this dire situation. "Shut up..." I whispered fiercely, giving him a tap on the forehead. "Bran''s in trouble."


    But Colin just hugged me tighter, like a big puppy finding sce in its owner.


    "You..." I sighed, not as angry as I thought I''d be.


    Patting his head, I whispered, "Stay here. I''ll try to draw them away."


    It was strange. Protecting Colin felt like an instinct. But hadn''t I always sought his protection before?


    His grip on my hand tightened as he looked up at me, his eyes brimming with a mix of emotions.


    It was as if... the old Phoebe had always been there to protect him.


    "Don''t make me wait any longer," Colin''s voice was hoarse, trembling with anticipation.


    He was tired of waiting.


    "Phoebe, you often wonder if


    gically modified humans are still


    human. But what makes us human,


    irreceably so, is emotion.


    something that can never be


    reced," he said, his voice filledExclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    with conviction.


    That was what Phoebe had always sought to prove. With emotions, she was human. With emotions, she could find reasons and the strength to live.


    The side effects of gic


    modification were overwhelming Depression, ack of will to


    being puppeteered by


    het


    self-destructive thoughts. Content


    Because such existence was unnatural, against ethics, morality, even the natural order.


    I felt numb, reaching out to grab Colin''s wrist. "Let''s face it together."


    Lately, I had been haunted by dreams, pondering whether human consciousness belonged to carbon or silicon. If consciousness could be transferred likeputer files, and the human body was merely vessel, then perhaps ''rebirth ''regeneration,'' even ''immortality'' were not so far-fetched after all.

 Chapter 410

    Chapter 410


    ?


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Even in the distant future, could consciousness be transferred into silicon-based entities, allowing humans to transcend their ''flesh'' and be something between machine and man, or even... coexist in a more terrifying state of shared consciousness?


    "Hey!" With no time for further thought, I banged hard on the merry-go-round''s metal railing, trying to catch the attention of those people.


    "Spread out! Draw them away, take them down one by one," I yelled to Robin and Bran.


    Bran sprinted in the opposite direction, leaving Robin behind.


    Robin nced at Bran with a mix of frustration and admiration for the younger man''s energy.


    In a sh, Bran mbered up the slide and then leapt down, tackling one of the chainsaw-wielding attackers from behind.


    I rushed over, kicked the chainsaw away, and floored the guy with a solid kick, knocking him out cold.


    "Tie him up," I decided. One down.


    Behind me, Colin had another masked figure in a chokehold, his eyes gleaming with lethal intent.


    "Don''t kill," I frowned and shook my head at him.


    These people might not be hired assassins.


    They seemed... ethereal, as if they were haunted by fear.


    "Scream!" A terrible scream echoed as the two with broken legs were discovered by a chainsaw man and mercilessly killed.


    Instinctively, I stepped in front of Colin, realizing... subconsciously, I didn''t want him to witness the bloodshed.


    Just like how Colin had shielded me before.


    Colin looked at me, silent.


    "Phoebe! Colin, watch out!" Ste''s voice came from a hiding spot, her warning sharp.


    I turned just in time to see another chainsaw attacker bearing down on us.


    Colin and I backed away, trying to figure out how to take them down one by one.


    "Hide! That madman''s starting again," I guessed, feeling the timing was about right.


    Every ten minutes, like clockwork...


    "Hope you''re having fun, careful now, countdown begins 10, 9, 8....."


    Sure enough, that eerie voice filled the air again, and as the countdown ended, the floor opened up once more.


    This time, three masked figures fell through.


    They were mutted by the trap, silent in their demise.


    I watched Colin warily, pulling him back as we retreated.


    After two urrences, it was clear: the trapdoors were marked by dark-colored panels.


    "Even their own?" Dexter had dealt


    with another masked figure and


    over,


    ran


    "Something''s off with


    swno


    "Indeed..." I reached out and ripped off the mask of one, gasping at the sight.


    Their mouths... all sewn shut, bloodied and brutal.


    "The victims are also victims..." Colin''s voice was hoarse. "These must be from the Gene-Forge Collective." Damian''s people.


    Sure enough, I found that tattoo behind their ears. "Criminal thugs probably sent to catch a serial killer, but ended up being caught to fight us in this twisted game."


    eig


    "It''s bing clear now, the human trafficking ring and this so-called gene engineering crime syndicate, are in cahoots," Dexter said, his ga?eplex. "Phoebe... after the incident, I''ve been investigating... The truth I found was both shocking and terrifying..."


    He was hesitant to reveal the truth, hence the act with Melody,ing here to find the real culprit.


    Dexter moved closer to me.


    Colin, like a protective wolfhound, stood in front of me.


    He still seemed tock a sense of security, worried I might be taken away.


    My gaze felt numb, shifting between Colin and Dexter.


    Love... what does it taste like? I seemed still a bit lost...


    Was it pain, or happiness? Was it Colin, or Dexter...


    "Help me!" Then, Annora''s cries for help and sobs broke through my thoughts.

 Chapter 411

    Chapter 411


    ?


    "Help!"


    Annora and Zoe tucked themselves behind an intable castle, a spot that should have been safe, but fatefully, they were discovered by a masked


    man...


    "Zoe, look out!"


    In a critical moment, Zoe pushed Annora away and ended up lying in a pool of blood.


    "Zoe..." Annora cried out Zoe''s name in despair.


    By the time Colin and I rushed over, Zoe was barely hanging on.


    She was coughing up blood, her abdomen shed open by a chainsaw, blood pouring out relentlessly...


    The scene was gruesome.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    "It was her!" Annora cried, pointing at Melody nearby. "She''s in league with those masked freaks, she lured them here on purpose."


    Annora''s tears were usations against Melody.


    Melody froze, looking like she was at a loss for words. "No..."


    Before she could exin, Bran, in a fit of rage, shoved her away, his eyes burning with fury.


    Dexter frowned, grabbing Melody, examining her with a scrutinizing gaze.


    Everyone was suspecting Melody, ming her.


    "You purposely got lost on the sixteenth floor to draw Phoebe out, and now Zoe''s hurt because of you. You''re just wicked, siding with the killer!" Ste said angrily.


    "Right, I saw her talking to those masked people..." James added, nervously pointing at Melody.


    The other survivors quickly turned against Melody too.


    Melody frowned, clearly displeased, offering no exnation.


    I watched coldly as Melody faced the usations, then turned to see Annora sobbing over Zoe, stepping forward to examine Zoe''s wounds.


    "Next up, the real game begins." The eerie voice over the loudspeaker announced, and the ground started shaking violently.


    From the corner, every floor tile began to move like waves, rushing towards us.


    "Run for it!" James yelled, darting off first.


    The remaining few from the orphanage frantically followed.


    But masked men awaited them on the other side.


    It seemed like a dead end either way.


    ¡°Annora,e on!" The trap was closing in, and Annora was still holding Zoe, crying.


    Zoe''splexion was terrifyingly pale, and judging by the visible wounds... her chances were slim.


    "Carter..." Zoe''s gaze was vacant as she murmured Carter''s name. "I... failed you."


    "I couldn''t... protect you."


    "Carter..."


    Bran clenched his fists till they turned white and rushed to pull Annora away. ¡°Let''s go!"


    Just as Bran attempted to lift Zoe, the ground suddenly gave way.


    Zoe fell into the darkness below.


    As the mechanical wave passed, I, along with Colin and Bran, leapt over the turmoil.


    Bran stood on the sealed floor, his expressionplex.


    Annora continued to cry, Zoe''s body trapped beneath the floor...


    Before we could escape and alert the police, there was no chance of retrieving Zoe''s body.


    "Help!"


    On the other side, James and the others were still trapped in the massacre, with masked men relentlessly hunting them down.


    I carefully observed the mechanical wave, noting that the area beneath the roller coaster was the only part that remained still.


    "There''s the exit!" I shouted to the group.


    Everyone followed me towards the roller coaster.


    "Help!" James screamed, selfishly pushing someone towards the masked man to save himself, running towards us.


    That was just like him, always


    putting himself first, leaving hispanions to fend for themselves while he made a break for safety.


    "Open this up."


    Colin and Robin started prying open the floorboards, all of us too exhausted and defeated, leaning against the roller coaster.


    "Leaving so soon? Let''s y a bit


    over


    more." The eerie voice echoed again, all the ground opening up except for the spot under the roller coaster where a few of us had run to. The rest fell into traps and were swallowed by the floor below.


    Now... the only ones left were me, Melody, Finn, Dexter, Robin, Ste, Annora, Bran... James, and a man who had been hiding under the roller coaster all along, named Ss, along with a masked man Robin had just dragged in, unconscious.


    The other masked assants also fell victim to their own traps.


    "Oops, got a bit carried away there," the eerie voice said, merging with the creepyughter of the amusement park''s music.

 Chapter 412

    Chapter 412


    ?


    "I swear, he''s watching us through those cameras, and he''s got some secret way of bringing people in. We''ve got to find him, or we''re just puppets dancing on his strings," I frowned, ring at the security camera mounted on the ceiling.


    Using surveince to manipte the game-it was insane...Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Suddenly, one of the masked figures stirred, whimpering and struggling to speak. But with their mouth stitched shut, even the slightest movement drew blood.


    Annora and Ste turned away, horrified, while Melody instinctively averted her gaze. It was a ghastly sight.


    I stepped forward, holding the masked person down, and carefully cut the stitches with my knife.


    "He...he''s on this floor...the madman..." the person gasped in terror, pointing towards the direction from where they''d been brought in. "There''s a...control room...he''s in there."


    Colin and Robin pried up the floorboards, revealing a passage leading to the fourteenth floor.


    "Be careful..." Robin tugged at Colin, urging caution.


    I gave Colin a look, then swiftly tied my hair up with a strip torn from the masked person''s shirt. "You guys go ahead. I''ll pay our friend a visit." We wouldn''t get far if we didn''t take him down.


    "I''ming with you!" Dexter said, clutching my arm. It was too dangerous.


    I nced at Colin, who was watching me intently, wanting toe along.


    "Two''s too obvious," I said, shaking off Dexter''s hand and picking up a knife from the ground.


    I eyed the camera in the northwest corner.


    "You can''t go alone," Robin protested.


    "I bet the guy behind the controls isn''t much of a fighter," I said, looking back at Colin.


    We didn''t need words to understand each other.


    "Go, make it look like we''ve left. Cover for her," Colin said, pulling a dazed Bran along and giving me another look. "I already took out the camera in the northwest corner."


    I couldn''t help but smile. That was my Colin, always a step ahead,ying the groundwork for my n.


    Dexter looked at me with aplex expression, as if he wanted to say something but then, seemingly defeated, closed his mouth.


    "Ha..." Melody let out a sarcasticugh. "You''ll never be Phoebe, no matter how hard you try."


    "Cut it out! You''re too much! Why


    aren''t you gone yet!" Steshed out at Melody, losing control. "Zoe


    wouldn''t have died if it wasn''t for you!"


    Annora red at Melody with hatred. "You''re the one who should be dead..."


    Melody nced at me, dropping any pretense andughing bitterly. "You won, is this what you wanted? To make me the target, the one everyone suspects, to let me suffer like Rhoebe did-distrusted, ndered..."


    I furrowed my brow. Was it not her doing?


    "Move! We''re wasting time," Colin urged.


    With their departure providing a distraction, I quickly slid into a blind spot of the surveince.


    I was curious to see who was hiding behind those cameras.


    Following the wall, I disabled the door''s lock mechanism with my knife and slipped in as it opened.


    Inside was a short passage, which lit up entirely the moment I entered.


    The person behind this was expecting me.


    Kicking open the door to the control room, I eyed the person sitting before the monitors warily.


    He really wasn''t much of a threat just one person...


    And he was in a wheelchair, missing both legs.


    This had to be Dn, the one who''d been pushed off the roller coaster at the orphanage years ago.


    He wheeled around, greeting me with a smile. "Long time no see...Phoebe."


    My heart tightened at the mention of my name, my grip on the knife strengthening.


    "Remember when you asked me


    where the


    escape route should be? I decided then...didn''t get the to tell you." Content Belongs


    to


    MS


    "Do you know why I chose to put the escape route under the roller coaster?" Dn asked, smiling.


    My heartbeat quickened, and I tensed, suddenly unsure.


    What was he implying? That this ughterhouse of an amusement park was my design?

 Chapter 413

    Chapter 413


    ?


    "When I first spilled my guts about my revenge n, you told me...in life, it''s important to leave an escape route, not just for others, but for yourself too." Dn wheeled around to face me. "As I was pushed down that roller coaster, all I could think was how great it would be if someone... anyone, could save me."


    But no one did. No one could save him. All that awaited him was fear, pain, and..... a life of disability.


    "Let me be selfish for a moment, Phoebe... why should I leave an escape route for these people?" Dn''sugh was eerie. "Did they ever think of leaving one for me?"


    A chill ran down my spine as I turned around, intending to call for help.


    That wasn''t the exit to the fourteenth floor! That was Dn''s final trap!


    "Click!" The door to the control room mmed shut, trapping me inside.


    My heart raced as I red at Dn. "Let them out!"


    But Dn justughed, a sound filled with too much joy for the situation. "Haha... Phoebe, you can''t save them."


    Panic-stricken, I nced at the security monitors. Colin and the others had been trapped in a small space after trying to exit the stairwell, the door sealing behind them.


    "What have you done..." I gasped, feeling like a weight was pressing down on my chest, losing control for a moment.


    I turned back to Dn, dragging him to the ground, my knife piercing his palm. "Let them out..."N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    By the time I regained my senses, Dn was barely hanging on, a smirk tinged with blood decorating his lips. "When I was three, they diagnosed me with congenital heart disease. My parents worked themselves to the bone, saving for five years to afford my surgery. I thought... they wouldn''t give up on me. They were my parents, after all."


    "But what happened? On my eighth birthday, they left me in the middle of a carnival and never looked back."


    Dn''sughter was bitter.


    "Later, I ended up in an orphanage. I naively thought that all the kids there, abandoned like me, could huddle together for warmth, forming a new family... But the siblings I thought I had, would push me into the abyss over something as trivial as an egg, a slice of bread, a ss of milk, or a spot on a roller coaster."


    "I struggled, I tried to escape, understanding that human nature isn''t purely good or evil. It all hinges on a single thought - a thought can turn you into a demon or a saint..."


    Dn''sughter turned frenzied, blood oozing from his lips.


    He pushed my hand away, dragging his broken legs to the wall, leaning against it. "In that pitch-ck room §× there''s someone, the headmaster from a special school... I told him, to survive, he had to kill anyone who entered..."


    Dn gestured towards the screen, urging me to look.


    Desperately, I stood up, searching for a way tomunicate with Colin, warning him about the person inside...


    But the footage was too dark, and all I could hear were screams.


    "Let them out! Open the door!" I couldn''t find the controls, I couldn''t just let Dn die.


    I grabbed his cor, fury in my eyes. "Colin is still in there! With so many innocent people, have you lost your mind?"


    Dn looked at me, then suddenly, hisughter softened, reced by something that resembled contentment.


    With his bloodied hand, he gently wiped away my tears. "Phoebe... you''re crying. You''ve learned to fear, haven''t you?" I stiffened, releasing Dn.


    He just stared at me, as if he could see right through.


    Suddenly, I felt afraid and anxious. What was my connection to him?


    And to this deadly trap?


    "Let them out... please." I couldn''t


    find the switch to open the secret et


    room. knew Dn designed this so-called ''escape route'' as a death trap.


    He didn''t leave a way out, nor did he install a mechanism to release them.


    "Phoebe, this is a dead end," Dn said, looking at the screen, his voice hoarse "Every ten minutes, the fights in the secret room will sh on for three seconds. Whether they survive is up to fate."

 Chapter 414

    Chapter 414


    ?


    Frustrated and angry, Ished out with a kick at Dn, then turned my attention back to the screen with a sense of panic.


    True to his word, ten minutester, the lights in the escape room flickered on... For a brief three seconds, the floor was awash in blood... and bodies.


    The man in the mask was dead. James seemed to be injured as well, with a stab wound on his thigh.


    But the lights went out quickly, leaving them unable to even remember where the attacker had been.


    Once plunged into darkness again, they hesitated to move, fearing they might identally harm one of their own.


    "Shoulder to shoulder, call out your names!" In the dark, Colin''s voice rang out, instructing everyone to link up by touching shoulders and announce their identities.


    "Robin."


    "Ste." Ste''s voice quivered with fear.


    Ste reached for the person in front, who responded, "Dexter."


    "Melody."


    "Finn..."


    "James..." James'' voice sounded strained, likely due to his injury.


    In the darkness, James spoke again as he touched the shoulder in front of him. "Name yourself! Why aren''t you speaking?"


    In that moment, the room was thrust back into darkness. "Hmm!"


    James had the misfortune of encountering the murderer or, to put it another way... the person set on killing him during those fleeting seconds of light. His target was James.


    I feared that at this point, James was probably dead.


    With James'' death, the killer would be exposed, and Robin and Colin could seize the chance to subdue him.


    But the room was pitch ck, and it felt like Schr?dinger''s cat scenario; without the lights on, it was impossible to predict what might happen next.


    I lost control, throwing the mouse across the room and turning to confront Dn. "What do you really want? The people from the orphanage who hurt you are almost all dead! What more do you want? Colin is innocent, that cop, Ste, they''re all innocent!"


    Dn looked at me, his voice hoarse. "Phoebe... being part of the game means being in a trap. You, me... we''re all pawns."


    His gaze was deep and sorrowful.


    He seemed to have epted James'' death.


    The person he wanted dead was no longer alive.


    Is


    el.n


    "People say... that in the afterlife, souls are caught in a vastwork, trapped on Earth forever... I hope my soul can also vanish. This world. inherently a purgatory, where everyone ys different roles, tormenting each other..." To Dn, the horrors of hell weren''t about the ce or its punishments.  Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    But about the people.


    The tortures human beings inflict on one another.


    Abandonment by family, betrayal by friends, separation from loved ones, a partner''s stab in the back...


    Researchers at the Gene-Forge


    Collective, after advancing their gic studies to a certain degree discovered that the more a human''s intelligence is artificially enhanced, the colder and more merciless they be, devoid of any emotion.


    Because the enhancement of intelligence means the diminishing of feelings. In other words, only those devoid of emotion can reach higher levels of intelligence.


    Coldness bes the armor of highly intelligent beings, and heartlessness is their invulnerability.


    "This life... has been too bitter for me, truly too bitter."


    "My suffering isn''t because I lost my legs, but because I''ve lost all hope in humanity."


    "Open the escape room''s mechanism. With Colin''s intellect, he''ll find a way out..."


    "What are you nning to do..." My eyes burned as I looked at Dn wanting to rush to him, but it was toote. He retrieved a gun from the corner and pressed it against his temple.


    A gunshot echoed.


    The control room fell into silence.


    Hisst words to me before his suicide. "Phoebe... survive."


    He told me to keep living.


    Yet, he himself chose death so decisively, without a moment''s hesitation.

 Chapter 415

    Chapter 415


    ?


    Standing in the control room, I felt a chill run through me from head to toe...


    My head was pounding, and my ears started to ring.


    "Thud..." Dizziness made me unstable, and I crashed to the ground.


    On the floor of the control room, I spotted a switch. Dn had attached a note to it that read... Exit.


    He had hidden the real exit in his own control room.


    This meant, from the start, he never intended to make it out alive.


    Lying on the ground, a numb sensation spread across my chest, an indescribable feeling. Was it sadness? More like difort.


    It felt as though something was trying to break free from within my chest...


    The silence settled in the room.


    When ten minutes had passed, and the lights flickered for three seconds, Colin quickly captured the mechanism inside on camera, and the door to the escape room reopened. They crawled out from an exit beneath the roller coaster.


    Everyoney on the ground, panting, relieved to have survived.


    Robin counted heads and pinned the murderer they dragged out to the ground.


    The man was delirious, trembling all over, clearly having been confined for too long, edging into madness. "I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong, I shouldn''t have done that to you, shouldn''t have done that to you..."


    The man seemed insane, repeatedly admitting his faults.


    I walked out of the control room, my legs barely able to support me.


    "Dn''s dead, the exit was in the control room..." My voice was hoarse.


    Robin looked at me, visibly relieved. "James is dead."


    Those on the orphanage list were almost all gone, only Melody... and a man named Ss remained.


    Honestly, this Ss guy had been so under the radar that his survival felt like sheer luck.


    He was pale, probably knowing his end was near.


    I remembered the killer''s death list ced Ss right after Melody, meaning if Melody died, Ss would be next.


    "Don''t kill me, don''t kill me." The dragged man continued his mad rant, begging for his life.


    His sanity had already copsed.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Dn said this man was the headmaster of a special school. After Dn''s legs were broken, aspensation, he was sent to this special school with a charity


    ve


    agreeing to fund his education until


    coff¨¨ge graduation.


    to


    He thought leaving the orphanage would mark a new beginning, that everything would get better, but every person he met was a shadow. That''s why Dn had lost all hope in the world, in humanity.


    "I know him." Robin kicked the


    headmaster, frowning. "Years ago, I worked on a case with my mentor. During construction on the special school''s athletic field, they found a corpse... This guy was the main culprit, but he got off due to a psychiatric diagnosis and was locked up in a mental hospital."


    Finn scowled. "I''ve heard of that


    Finn scowled


    case too. This creep has a thing for


    students with disabilities. One


    student tried to resist him and report to the police, but he killed the


    vel


    student and buried him on the


    athletic field."


    The headmaster, with his greasy, obese body, continued to tremble, covered in blood. "I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong..."


    I let out a coldugh and turned around. "Let''s get out of here, fast."


    "Click!" Suddenly, that eerie sound echoed through the hallway again. "Have you experienced despair? Do you know what true despair is? Wee to... Floor Fourteen."


    I stopped in my tracks and looked back at Colin.


    Indeed, the killer wasn''t working alone.


    Dn was just one of them.


    yers, puppeteers, murderers, and victims.


    Dexter approached, concerned, wanting to make sure I was alright. "You okay..."


    But before he could finish, Colin mmed him against the wall and rushed over, giving Dexter a wary stare.


    Dexter took a deep breath, clearly trying to keep his cool.


    He couldn''tsh out in front of me, so he just massaged his temples. "Caleb Langley, are you being childish?" Colin ignored Dexter, taking my hand, iming his territory. "My wife, legally bound."

 Chapter 416

    Chapter 416


    ?


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Dexter''s face turned even darker, and with a deep breath, he gritted his teeth and said, "Marriage can be ended, you know." "I''m not leaving," Colin shot back at Dexter.


    "Caleb!" Dexter looked like he was about to throw a punch.


    With an innocent look, Colin hid behind me. "Phoebe, he''s so scary. Just now, downstairs, he looked like he wanted to kill me."


    I frowned, sending a warning nce towards Dexter.


    Dexter looked like he was about to lose it. "Kill him? It was pitch ck downstairs, how would I even know where he was? Don''t listen to his nonsense, Caleb, are you out of your mind?"


    Normally cool Dexter always lost hisposure around the sly Colin.


    Colin, still hiding behind me, started whining, "He grabbed my injured arm, it hurt so much, it even bled."


    Colin deliberately showed the wound on his arm, and seeing the look of sympathy on my face, he leaned contentedly on my shoulder.


    Finn couldn''t bear to watch. "Let''s go, leave him here to fend for himself. He''s too much."


    Bran had been zoning out the whole time, and aftering back to reality, he nced at Colin and walked away quietly.


    He seemed less lively than before.


    "He''s not telling a single truth," Dexter tried to convince me.


    "Phoebe, you can''t trust him. He and Melody might both be working for Damian. The Fitzgerald family is one of the backers of the gic engineering project. He''s a capitalist through and through..." Colin whispered hisints to me.


    Dexter clenched his fists, his gaze filled with the desire to end Colin.


    "You two seem perfect for each other, just make it work," I said indifferently, pushing Colin away and turning to leave.


    Colin, looking pitiful, clung to me. "Phoebe, it hurts so much."


    Ahead, Ste was helping the injured Annora walk, while Melody, after being exposed, was clearly isted, left to walk alone.


    She was also injured, trailing behind by herself.


    No one cared about the crazed dean, letting him fend for himself.


    "Dexter..." Melody called out Dexter''s name.


    Dexter stopped, his gazeplex as he looked at Melody.


    "You''ve always known I was Damian''s person..." Melody said with a sarcasticugh. "Actually, before Phoebe''supposed death, you had already sensed that the Fitzgerald Group was funding the gic engineering project, hadn''t you?"


    Dexter remained silent, not speaking.


    "Dexter, you''ve always known that Phoebe was product of gic experimentation. That''s why you were so sure, so convinced she wouldn''t die..." Melody asked in a low voice. "A gically modified freak, how could she possibly die? She''s so good at disguising..."


    Dexter didn''t respond, walking beside Melody.


    He only knew that Melody couldn''t die now, she knew too many secrets... about the gic engineering project, about the ''deification project''.


    "Why not exin it to her? Weren''t you convinced that she is Phoebe? Or are you starting to doubt it too?" Melody sneered. "The more you know the truth, the more terrifying it bes, right? Phoebe is dead, there won''t be another Phoebe, no matter how simr, no matter how much the memories ovep, it''s not her..."


    Dexter frowned. "Maybe there really are miracles in this world."


    Melodyughed. "Miracles? The miracle is us ending up in this godforsaken ce, not knowing if we can make it out alive."


    "Damian must have located you by now, right?" I stopped, turning to look at Melody. "Why hasn''t he sent someone in?"


    "Because he can''t tip his hand too soon." Melody looked at me, lowering her voice. "The real mastermind behind the normal game is among us. He wants to know who it is too, whether it''s you, Caleb, or anyone among us."


    I scoffed mockingly. "So, there''s someone even Damian is troubled and scared by."


    This made me even more curious...


    Who was the person behind all this?


    Among us?


    Looking at the few of us still alive.


    None seemed like the mastermind.


    And yet, he was among us...

 Chapter 417

    Chapter 417


    ?


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Wended on the fourteenth floor via the emergency escape, the atmosphere charged with an ominous vibe.


    I quickly held back the group, a silent signal to stay alert.


    Beside me, Colin was peering down at aser tripwire, its red beam slicing through the darkness like a beacon of danger.


    With a deliberate motion, Colin nudged the beam, and immediately, a click sounded, followed by a tiny steel ball dropping from above. It rolled down its designated path, ttering against the wooden floor tiles which copsed like a line of dominoes.


    As the domino effect continued, the entire fourteenth floor was suddenly bathed in light, revealing an expansive, unobstructed space.


    The copsing tiles eventually spelled out the word "DEATH".


    Finn rolled his eyes. "Dramatic much?"


    Robin frowned, surveying the floor with caution. "Something''s off here."


    Then, out of the silence, a little girl''s singing floated through the air, eerie and misced. "Twinkle, twinkle, little star..."


    Not far from us, a girl in a red dress was bouncing a rubber ball, seemingly oblivious to our presence.


    "Hey, kiddo!" Finn called out.


    The girl kept ying, ignoring Finnpletely.


    "I''ll check on her," Robin decided, moving towards theser tripwire.


    "It''s a hologram," Colin halted Robin with a firm grip. "That girl isn''t real."


    Robin paused, shocked. "Hologram technology hase this far?"


    "Given the lighting, the setting, and our current position, it appears incredibly lifelike," Finn added, offering his exnation.


    Dexter, curious, picked up a rock and tossed it toward the girl. As expected, it passed right through her, confirming our suspicions of a holographic projection.


    "What, did that maniac invite us here for a movie night?" Finn muttered with a scowl.


    Bran had been quiet, almost too quiet. Ever since Zoe''s death, he seemed to have lost his spark, carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.


    "Is he still shaken up by the chainsaw maniac?" Finn whispered to Colin, who chose not to engage.


    "Ever since Zoe..." Finn''s voice trailed


    off, a


    he


    running down his


    nced at Bran, who remaine


    t and withdrawn. Conte


    Suddenly, Zoe''s voice echoed through the vast space. "Carter..."


    At the end of the corridor, a bloodied Zoe stood smiling, calling out to Carter.


    We were all stunned.


    "Wait, is this some kind of Al resurrection? Are these tech freaks showing off?" Finn murmured under his breath.


    But Bran, caught off guard, dashed past theser barrier toward her.


    "Bran!" I tried to catch him, but it was toote.


    l.ne


    Colin''s expression darkened as Bran triggered a trap with his step, looking back at us with a mix of confusion and realization. "That...


    319


    wasn''t a hologram."


    Before I could process Bran''s words, the floor beneath him opened, swallowing him whole before snapping shut.


    "Bran!" Our voices echoed in the void, but there was no reply.


    I turned to Colin, my breaths short and panicked. Bran''s fate was uncertain.


    As Zoe began to fade from our view, she offered onest smile - a chilling gesture that sent shivers down our spines.


    Annora burst into tears. "Zoe... she''s so alone. I need to be with her."


    I frowned, gripping Annora''s arm tightly, scanning our surroundings with heightened vignce.


    Sure enough, a white gas began to


    seep from the ceiling, a


    hallucinogenic that drew us towards it,pelling our steps forward.


    "Colin..." My voice wavered, strength fading.


    Robin shook his head, trying to resist. "Ste... hold your breath."


    But Ste was already lost, her gaze fixed ahead. "Phoebe... Phoebe''s calling me."


    Despite my efforts to keep her back, Ste slipped from my grasp, drawn in by the gas''s maniptive power.

 Chapter 418

    Chapter 418


    ?


    Under the holographic disy, Phoebe... or rather ''me'', seemed toe alive, standing right there.


    She shed us a smile and spoke up. "Dexter... are you gonna marry my mom?"


    I nced at Dexter, who, as expected, was also under some sort of spell, moving forward.


    In a panic, I clung to Colin, fearing he''d fall under the same spell.


    Luckily, Colin seemed immune.


    He held me close, whispering, "She called out to Dexter first, definitely a fake. If it were really you, you''d have called my name first."


    I rested my head on Colin''s shoulder, exasperated. "Really? Jealousy at a time like this?"


    "Ste..."


    Robin tried to hold back Ste, but she was determined to move forward.


    Reaching the hologram, she raised her hand, trying to touch ''Phoebe Caldwell''.


    Choking up, Ste said, "Phoebe, I''m sorry... I should have taken you away sooner."


    Suddenly, the floor opened beneath her, and Ste fell through.


    A mechanical voice echoed from below.


    Everyone could hear it, the screams, then the smell of blood filled the air.


    And then.


    Where Bran and Ste fell, the floor tiles began to ooze blood.


    I gripped Colin''s shirt tightly, my heart racing, my whole body shaking.


    It was that feeling again...


    That insane, desperate, suffocating feeling.


    And I was powerless to do anything.


    My chest felt numb yet itchy; I wanted to cry, shout, go mad...


    "Colin..." My voice was hoarse, choked; I struggled weakly, desperately trying to stop Dexter.


    Colin reached out and grabbed Dexter.


    Dexter snapped back to reality, breathing heavily.


    It seemed Melody was also under control, moving forward.


    Dexter stopped Melody, his voice deep. "Melody! Snap out of it!"


    After watching Ste fall, Robin lost it, trying to follow but was brought back to his senses by a punch from Finn.


    Annoray on the ground crying, everyone overwhelmed by despair.


    What does it feel like to watch someone you care about, a friend, a lover, fall into the abyss, die right before your eyes?


    "Do you feel it? This is despair, suffocation, sadness, pain, struggle, anger..."Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Beneath the hologram, the little girl let out a sinisterugh, as if taunting us. "And you, are cowards."


    I clenched my fists, my whole body tense with suppressed shaking, unsure how to express my emotions.


    Anger? Pain?


    What kind of experience was this?


    "She''s dead... She was your best


    friend."


    as the girl taunted with augh,


    as the floor opened up and


    Sent


    pulled out a bloody head. belongs to


    It was Ste''s head...


    "I''ll kill you!" Robin struggled furiously, held back firmly by Finn.


    Annora cried in despair.


    Robin went mad.


    Finn held onto Robin tightly.


    Melody sought refuge in Dexter''s embrace, trembling.


    Dexter looked at me with red eyes.


    In that moment.


    All I could hear was Colin''s heartbeat.


    "A monster, she''s just a monster! She''s an emotionless monster!"


    My head ached as if it was about to explode.


    I fell to my knees, gasping for air.


    Echoing in my ears were the usations from children in the past.


    Mom''s desperate cries. "Edward,


    Phoebe is


    an emotionless


    I saw her kill that bird with b


    wings by her own hands."


    "Phoebe... she doesn''t feel anger, fear, or fright; she has no emotions."


    "Phoebe, why did you kill the bird?" Damian''s voice was usatory.


    "Its wings were broken. A bird with broken wings only faces death in nature. Rather than wait for it to be painfully killed by predators or eaten by insects, I thought, I''d help?t..."


    "Phoebe?" Colin called out to me.


    My thoughts snapped back to reality; my eyes reddened as I stared at the little girl in the hologram taunting me.


    I recognized her, the little girl in the red dress was me, the younger ''Phoebe Caldwell''.


    "Phoebe!"


    I pushed Colin away, crossed the red line, stepping on the floor tiles, moving towards the center.


    Anger?


    I seemed to feel it now!

 Chapter 419

    Chapter 419


    ?


    "Phoebe!" Colin''s voice roared, trying to reach me, but Finn had him by the legs, dragging him back.


    Dragging the axe Bran had left on the floor, I stepped forward, feeling the wooden floorboards under my feet. Somehow, I knew which board was safe, no traps beneath it.


    If you looked closely, where the Jenga tower had fallen, that''s where the trap was.


    Reaching the middle, I looked up at the projector hanging above and, in a fury, smashed it to pieces.


    The hologram flickered and blurred, the little girl''s image distorting and then vanishing.


    But soon, another projector on the right brought her back. "Phoebe, congrattions, you''ve learned anger."


    She was mocking me.


    Trying to provoke me.


    I shattered projector after projector until I was out of strength, copsing to the floor.


    As thest projector broke, the gruesome holographic head on the floor also faded away.


    It wasn''t real... it wasn''t Ste''s head, just an Al-generated illusion.


    But I''ll admit, they had seeded in angering me.


    I stood up, hacking at the floor, desperately prying at the floorboards with my hands covered in blood, tears dropping to the floor. "Ste..."


    "Ste..."


    I cried out her name, frantically wing at the floorboards.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Come out...


    Don''t die.


    Colin pushed past Finn, following the path I had taken. He tried to stop me, but I pushed him away.


    My tears numbly fell.


    Through the cracks, I could see Ste below, barely alive, as if about to drown in a pool of blood.


    But I couldn''t save her.


    "Phoebe... do you feel despair? Suffocating?" That voice echoed again. "You''re human, and humans have emotions, desires, loves, hates..." Is this despair?


    Is this what despair feels like?


    I pounded the floorboards, again and again.


    Colin wrapped his arms around me from behind, holding me tight.


    I watched helplessly as Ste was swallowed by the crimson blood below.


    I couldn''t save her.


    This was despair.


    "This is just the beginning, Phoebe. You''ve just lost a friend, but soon you''ll lose much more." That eerie voice echoed, someone behind this, eting me!


    "Come out! I''ll kill you, I''ll kill you!" I screamed uncontrobly, looking around.


    I wanted to kill.


    I wanted to kill her...


    My whole body shook, tears uncontrobly falling.


    My mind was filled with memories of the years spent with Ste.


    "Phoebe, if we can''t find anyone else, let''s just stick together."


    "Phoebe... I don''t want to marry, I want to be with you."


    "Phoebe, what''s so great about Dexter, please don''t like him, okay?"


    "Phoebe, let''s go shopping."


    "Hi Phoebe, my name is Ste, I''m new here too, can we be friends?"


    "Phoebe?"


    I sobbed in despair, my body trembling.


    Colin held me silently, feeling my pain.


    Even without words, he was always the one who could sense my emotions the most acutely.


    I wasn''t emotionless, devoid of desires or loves and hates; I just didn''t know how to express them.


    And Colin... was the only one who could feel all my emotional tremors.


    "Phoebe... I''m here," he soothed me with his raspy voice.


    Telling me, he''s always been there.


    For all these years, he''s always been there.


    Dexter and Finn were furiously knocking on the floor, trying to save Bran.


    But if I couldn''t pry it open, neither could they.


    Robin knelt on the ground, his hands bloody and torn, his fingers


    ovel.n


    desperately wing at the floorboard gap, struggling, screaming.


    My senses, numbed by despair, gradually sharpened.


    This was despair.


    I knew, this was despair.


    "The first one to activate the destruction device can leave alive... but the price is, everyone else will


    die," that creepy voice came


    again.

 Chapter 420

    Chapter 420


    ?


    I nced towards the end of the hallway, where Ss, the guy who usually blends into the background, had somehow made his way to the far end without us noticing.


    His eyes, shaky and uncertain,nded on the big red emergency button on the wall before darting back to us.


    "Hit it, and the escape route will open," a voice whispered, tempting Ss to press it.


    We all held our breath, eyes locked on Ss, tension crackling in the air.


    Tears streamed down Ss''s cheeks as he shook his head. "I-I''m sorry, I''m just so scared. I just want to get out of here, I''m so sorry..."


    It was a stark reminder of human nature-how, in the quest for survival, one might sacrifice everyone else.


    "Ss!" Annora cried out, her voice breaking with emotion.


    But Ss pressed the button anyway.


    Through his tears, he stammered, "I know I''ve made mistakes before, but I''ve changed, I swear. These past years, I''ve been trying to do good, to make up for not helping when Colin Carter was hurt in that fire. What could I have done against them? I wasn''t strong enough; I just wanted to survive. Is that so wrong? I''ve been living quietly, working hard, just wanting a normal life. Why am I here? Why?!"


    With a look of utter despair, he dashed through the now-open passage without hesitation.


    "Self-preservation activated," announced an eerie voice.


    As Colin and I made for the exit, a metal gate mmed down, trapping us inside.


    No way out.


    The room dimmed suddenly, and countless infrared sensors lit up, targeting our foreheads and chests.


    Behind us, we knew, were guns ready to fire, leaving us no chance of escape.


    "Let''s y a game," the creepy holographic little girl reappeared, smiling wickedly at me. "Phoebe, it''s him or him. Only one can survive. You choose. You have twenty seconds."


    She pointed at Dexter and Colin, forcing me to make an impossible choice.


    My body trembled with anger, a destructive urge swirling within me.


    I red at the camera. "I''ll kill you..."


    "Phoebe, I''m helping you figure out your heart. Don''t you want to know whether it''s Caleb or Dexter you truly love the unsettling voice teased.


    "Countdown begins...20...19, 18, 17..."


    Neither Dexter nor Colin spoke; their eyes fixed on me, waiting for my decision.


    Gripping the axe, I smashed it


    Ve


    towards the hidden holographic camera, growling, "Do I look like need your help making decisions?"


    Before the countdown ended, I sprinted towards a wall, using it to leap and grab one of the infrared sensors, pulling it down.


    Finn, with Robin and Annora in tow, quickly dodged to safety.


    Colin and Dexter also moved out of harm''s way as gunfire sprayed where we had just been.


    "Phoebe!" In the chaos, Colin found the switch controlling the gate.


    He pulled me away from the gunfire, and we made our escape.


    "Phoebe!" Dexter also got out, reaching for me, but Colin swiftly pulled me back, holding me tightly a challenging look in his eyes directed at Dexter. "Phoebe, I want to know too-between me and Dexter who would you choose?" Content


    Dexter, visibly angry, shot back at Colin, "Are you insane? This is not the time for choosing. Let''s go!"


    Finn, dragging a dazed Robin and a terrified Annora, led the way out.


    And Melody, lucky as ever, had made it to the fourteenth floor.


    "Phoebe...would you choose me?" Colin asked, his eyes red, voice tinged with a stubborn plea.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.

 Chapter 421

    Chapter 421


    ?


    Dexter leaned against the nearby wall, looking like he had taken a hit.


    "Dexter..." Melody called out his name, her voiceced with anxiety.


    I nced up at Dexter, catching his intense gaze fixed on me, as if he too was eager to hear what I had to say.


    "Let''s go, Dexter''s hurt." Melody shot me an angry look, seemingly frustrated that I had chosen this moment to pit them against each other in a do-or- die battle.


    I turned back to Colin, my voice filled with confusion. "And why wouldn''t I choose you? You''re my husband, legally bound and all."


    Colin froze for a moment before his eyes sparkled with excitement, as if he had just won the lottery.


    He gloated at Dexter, as if he were a peacock ready to strut.


    Dexter''s fingers tightened into fists, hisplexion turning a shade paler. He let out a coldugh. "You heard her. It''s only because of that marriage certificate that she chose you."


    "We''re inseparable," Colin dered boastfully, pulling me into his embrace, showing no signs of someone who had just narrowly escaped death''s clutches.


    My heart felt numb as I looked at Colin, my brows furrowing, words failing me.


    Dexter, sensing my change in emotion, deliberately stirred the pot. "Ste was her best friend, and Bran was one of your own. You''re utterly heartless. They just died down there, yet all you can think about is this petty squabble. Madman."


    Dexter was sowing discord.


    Because Robin''s mood had also hit rock bottom.


    Nearby, Annora was still crying, and everyone seemed to be engulfed in sorrow, myself included.


    Finn opened his mouth but then decided against speaking.


    This time, nobody stood by Colin.


    Colin did seem genuinely unaffected by the tragedy.


    "A real madman, an emotionless freak," Melody said with a heavy tone.


    Colin shot Dexter a look filled with anger, clearly intending to stir up everyone''s emotions.


    Annora sobbed, "Zoe... she''s gone too, along with Bran and Ste."


    Her words escted the grief to its peak.


    Everyone turned their eyes towards Colin, who failed to disy much sorrow.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    In that moment, I felt like an outsider in this world, as if not showing sorrow made one a monster.


    "Let''s leave..." Finn broke the awkward silence, attempting to lead the group away.


    Colin nced back at me, as if the only


    that mattered to hime


    was mine, to see what himet


    swno


    him.


    of


    Just because he didn''t mourn with others, did that mean he deserved to be condemned or ostracized?


    He didn''t care what others thought, but he cared about my opinion.


    I didn''t offer words offort, but I tightened my grip on his hand.


    "Caleb, do you really not care at all about Bran''s fate?" Finn suddenly asked.


    "I only care about Phoebe," Colin responded, somewhat defiantly, pulling me closer.


    He knew that saying this would make others judge him.


    "Ha... What a lunatic," Melody sneered, supporting Dexter as they prepared to leave.


    "No need to exin to anyone," I whispered, patting Colin on the head.


    Even if it was just a spiteful remark, it wasn''t worth it.


    Exining was pointless when faced with skepticism and differing opinions.


    Because they wouldn''t understand.


    Colin''s grip on my hand tightened, his eyes moistening as if he felt deeply wronged but was trying hard to conceal it. "Why feel sad... they won''t die."


    "Sorrow is for the foolish," Colin muttered under his breath.


    Dexter frowned, turning back to look at Colin.


    Robin''s gaze sharply turned towards us, her hand gripping Colin''s wrist tightly. "What do you mean by that?"


    "Bran... won''t die. He has his own


    ns; he just wants to prove something to himself," Colin withdrew his hand, meeting the


    anxious stares of the group.


    "Phoebe, let''s go home. I want to go home." Content belongs


    S

 Chapter 422

    Chapter 422


    ?


    He didn''t want to exin, and frankly, he couldn''t be bothered.


    I got it. In the eyes of ordinary folks, Colin and I with our oddball attitudes were the weirdos.


    Just by being us, we were the anomalies.


    Colin knew in his heart that Ste and Bran might still be alive, but exining that to people who didn''t share his level of understanding was futile... They probably wouldn''t believe him anyway.


    Only when we''d escape this ce and they saw Ste and Bran alive would they truly get it.


    "Ste''s not dead?" Robin asked Colin, his voiceced with anxiety. "Colin, you gotta make this clear, man."


    "If she''s innocent, she won''t die," Colin replied, locking eyes with Robin. "Are you absolutely certain she''s innocent?"


    Robin frowned. "She has to be."


    "Those who get caught fall into a few categories: the viins from the old orphanage incident, all bad to the bone, none spared. Then there''s the cops, you, Finn, Ste, you''re witnesses. As long as you don''t do something incredibly dumb and walk into the lion''s den, the puppet master won''t touch you."


    I nced at the security camera, offering an exnation for Colin. "And then there''s the mastermind or someone who could upset the whole scheme."


    My gaze settled on Melody. "Like her. The reason she''s still kicking isn''t luck or fate but because she''s under Damian''s protection. The person pulling the strings of this horror show isn''t out for blood but to provoke, to challenge the forces behind Melody, to poke at the web of kidnapping, human trafficking, gic tampering, and possibly more crimes."


    "It''s also mockery. He''s revealing the truth bit by bit,ughing at the so-called specialists like Finn for their inaction." I frowned, looking at Finn.


    Finn opened his mouth, probably to argue, but apparently too embarrassed, he looked down. "No one thought to connect human trafficking with gic crimes."


    "Idiot," Colin chimed in, timely as ever.


    Finn clenched his jaw, clearly itching tosh out but wary of Colin''s reaction, he swallowed his anger.


    "So... Colin''s not grieving because he


    trusts that Bran and Ste are innocent. He believes they''ll survive till the end, just getting out of this game earlier than us, safe and sound," I said, squeezing Colin''s hand.


    swne


    Before Colinid it out, I too was blinded by the mastermind''s smokescreen.


    His words were like a lightbulb moment for me.


    "What about Zoe?" Dexter chimed in.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    "Wasn''t she innocent? We saw her getting skewered by a chainsaw, vanishing into the mechanism."


    I paused, at a loss for words.


    Zoe... she indeed was beyond my expectations.


    "Zoe was innocent," Annora managed through sobs. "She was good. She''s been protecting me all these years."


    "Everything we see in this building is


    only what the game''s creator wants us to see," Colin said gravely, holding my hand as we moved forward. Passing by Dexter, he added firmly, "Move."


    Dexter nced at the wide-open space, clearly not in the way, but Colin was obviously picking a fight. "Caleb!"


    "Let''s go," I sighed, tugging at Colin''s arm. "Why are you always picking on him?"


    "Just can''t stand him," Colin grumbled.


    We hadn''t gone far when we heard Dexter gasp and slump against the wall. "Phoebe, I''m hurt."


    Now he decided to y the victim.


    "He''s been shot!" Finn examined the wound, shocked. "Why didn''t you say something earlier!"

 Chapter 423

    Chapter 423


    ?


    Leaning against the wall, Dexter winced, "Didn''t feel it before, but now the pain''s hitting hard."


    Tears brimmed in Melody''s eyes as she spoke angrily, "You''re talking nonsense... You were clearly trying to shield her, and that''s how you got hit by the stray bullet!"


    Melody red at me fiercely, as if ming me for everything.


    I nced at Dexter, who also looked up, his eyes reddening with pain as he leaned on the wall, taking deep breaths to cope.


    "We need to stop the bleeding, then get out of here as soon as possible," I said, trying to check on Dexter''s wound, but Colin tugged at my sleeve, giving me a pleading look, not wanting me to tend to Dexter.


    And just like that... I didn''t want to get involved anymore.


    "It hurts..." Melody attempted to touch Dexter''s wound, causing him to cry out in pain.


    "Ste''s not here, nobody''s trained in first aid. You''ll just have to bear with it," Finn said, patting Dexter on the shoulder.


    "Phoebe... you took a few first aid sses, help me stop the bleeding," Dexter insisted that I help him.


    As I moved closer, I carefully examined his wound.


    "Just a graze from a stray bullet, thought you were a goner," Colinmented, still holding onto my sleeve with a look of disdain, almost as if I had dragged him over.


    Dexter was seething; I could tell these two were on the verge of a brawl.


    "It''s an arm wound, not deep enough to hit the muscle; you won''t die from it." I started tearing Melody''s shirt to use for Dexter''s bandage.


    Melody looked at me in shock. "What are you doing?"


    "If you love him, you should be happy to use your shirt for bandages," I said coolly, deliberately tightening the wound dressing.


    Dexter winced in pain, almost falling over as he looked at me with hurt in his eyes.


    Angry, Melody turned and walked away alone.


    Robin and Finn, worried about her safety, followed her.


    Annora nced around, then quickly caught up with them.


    "Phoebe... I just wanted to know the truth, that''s why I kept her close..." Dexter grasped my hand, trying to exin. "Can you forgive me this once..." "No way!" Colin pped Dexter''s hand away. "Shameless."


    I had a feeling that if Colin had our marriage certificate on him, he''d m it on Dexter''s face right there.


    "Caleb! Don''t go too far." Dexter was about to confront Colin physically.


    I quickly hugged Colin. "Let''s just go. Is this really the ce to fight?"


    "Phoebe, you''re biased, holding me back," Colin used, his acting so convincing his eyes reddened.


    "I''m holding you back because I don''t want you to kill him..." I sighed, dragging Colin away.


    Dexter, for some reason, just stood there, not moving.


    It was as if he wouldn''t leave unless I went back and dragged him along.


    "Are youing or not?" I turned to ask him.


    "Phoebe... you still love me, right?" Dexter asked softly.


    "I don''t," I replied bluntly.


    "I don''t believe you," he stubbornly refused to ept it.


    "Believe it or not," I said, pulling Colin away. "Stay here if you''re noting."


    This method was my trump card for dealing with stubbornness, and sure enough, Dexter quickly caught up.


    Colin looked at him provocatively, as if mocking his delusion.


    "Phoebe, do you love him?" Dexter provocatively asked.


    I paused for a moment. Love... what does that even feel like?


    At the moment, all I knew was despair and pain.


    I was numb to the taste of love.


    All I knew was that I needed toText content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    pet


    will. found myself relying


    , unwilling to let him out?


    on


    "She loves me!" Colin answered for me.


    Dexter scoffed confidently, raising an eyebrow. "Let''spete fairly. We''re evenly matched."


    "You''re delusional. We''re married," Colin looked at Dexter as if he were an idiot.


    Dexter took a deep breath, lowering his voice. "You can always get a divorce."


    "I won''t divorce her!"


    And just like that, they were at it again.


    Both acting rather childishly.


    I pulled my hand away from Colin and quickened my pace to catch up with Robin and the others.


    Dexter and Colin continued their


    bickering


    behind us, their argument


    Sow easing the previously atmosphere. Content Belongs


    to


    "Is this the thirteenth floor?"


    Robin looked ahead at the solid wall, knocking on it. "They''re not letting us through?"


    The wall bore a sign for the thirteenth floor.


    But there was no entry point in sight.


    "Where''s Ss? He ran off earlier; where is he now?" Annora asked curiously.


    Finn carefully examined the wall. "It''s solid, alright. No cracks, it''s been sealed off. There''s no way through."


    I tapped the wall, then turned to look


    at the safety stairs leading


    downward. "Aren''t these stairs going down normally?"


    Were they blocking ess to the thirteenth floor, directly leading to the twelfth instead?


    "Guess the game''s over?"


    "She''s my wife."


    "We can divorce."


    "I won''t divorce her."

 Chapter 424

    Chapter 424


    ?


    Colin and Dexter were still at it, hammering out the details of their argument over whether to split up or not...


    I sighed, feeling the pressure drop. "Get over here!"


    Colin scampered over. "Babe..."


    "Look at this mess," I said, feeling like my IQ had taken a dive below Colin''s. My memory wasn''t fully back, and my mind felt like it was wading through fog.


    Colin was thrilled, d to be of use.


    "The thirteenth floor is sealed off. Must be something they don''t want us seeing. Let''s head down to the twelfth. We''re trying to get out of here, not take a tour," Colin said, leading me down.


    The emergency stairs went straight to the twelfth floor.


    But curiosity was gnawing at everyone about what was on the thirteenth floor and why it was sealed off.


    Curiosity, the age-old human trait that''s got us into trouble more times than not.


    "What''s so special about the thirteenth floor that it''s sealed off?" Finn asked, curiosity piqued.


    "The thirteenth floor has a secret passageway leading straight to the ground floor. How do you think those behind this got up? It''s the control room for the entire building, the source of all the holographic tech and Al on the fourteenth floor, and where those peoplended when the floor gave way," Colin exined with a grave tone.


    Of course, a building this tall needed a control room, especially one housing all the Al and holographic tech on an entire floor.


    Robin caught on to the significance, eyes lighting up. "So, you''re saying Ste and Bran might actually be alive? They just dropped down to make us lose hope?"


    "I can''t be sure. All I can say is, the innocent won''t die," Colin replied, shaking his head.


    At that time, everyone was under the influence of drugs. If everyone crossed that line and fell, those meant to die would be killed on impact, and those not meant to die would be let go in advance.


    If Bran and Ste were innocent, then their lives weren''t in immediate danger.


    But at this point, Colin trusted no one...


    "So, our goal now is to get out alive," Finn concluded, nodding. "Or get out and have the ce surrounded by the cops for a thorough investigation. There''s bound to be some leads."


    "Ha, ha, ha..." The lights on the twelfth floor suddenly came on, and that eerie voice spoke again. "Naive." "Wee to the twelfth floor. You all must be tired and hungry. The food on the table is prepared for you." Without the reminder, I hadn''t even noticed my thirst and hunger, adrenaline keeping me in survival mode. But with that eerie reminder, my stomach suddenly felt like it could eat a horse.


    "Some of this food is poisoned. Eat, and you''ll die. Who wants to be the first to test their luck?" the voice taunted.


    I nced at Ss, lying motionless on the


    er, likely having started the moment he ran in


    dying from poisoning.


    The food he touched was definitely tainted. Calcting the odds...Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    W


    "Phoebe, eat," Colin said before I


    l


    could start crunching numbers, taking a bite of a sandwich to test it,


    then passing it to me once he


    deemed it safe.


    Everyone was shocked, Finn giving Colin a thumbs-up. "Bro, my real bro, mind testing this for me?"


    Colin nced at Finn with a t look. "You don''t deserve it."


    Everyone hesitated, staring at the spread, too scared to take a bite.


    "Miss Melody, you im to love Dexter, don''t you? Won''t you taste it for him?" the voice chuckled, singling out Melody.


    Melody panicked, eyes darting to Dexter.


    Dexter, weak from hunger and blood loss, slumped against a wall.


    "Seems Miss Melody doesn''t truly love Mr. Dexter," the voice behind it allughed.


    "Mr. Dexter, would you risk tasting poison for your beloved?" the voice challenged Dexter again.


    Dexter nced at me, then grabbed a waffle from the table, taking a bite.


    Finding it safe, he passed it to me.


    "Eat your own," I snapped.


    "Mr. Robin the voice came again, targeting Robin this time. "What if said... just eat something at random, and I grant you a wish. Would you do it?"


    §Ù§Ú§Þ


    Robin frowned, picking up an apple. "Bring Ste back."


    "Alright, if you eat it."


    It was a gamble with their lives on the line.


    With each safe food discovered, the chances of picking a poisoned one only grew.

 Chapter 425

    Chapter 425


    ?


    Robin barely hesitated before chomping down on the apple.


    For a while, Robin felt no reaction, clearly, he made the right choice.


    "Pfft." The eerie voice changer couldn''t suppress augh.


    All of us cast suspicious nces at the cameras on this level, thinking the person behind this was a bit off.


    ¡°So, Mr. Finn, any wishes?" the voice asked Finn again.


    Finn pointed to himself. "Me? A wish? Well, then bring Bran back safe and sound."


    The voice sounded like it was trying to hold backughter. "Well then, Mr. Finn, would you dare to eat the remaining food on the table for Bran''s sake? As far as I know, the chances of the leftovers being poisoned are getting higher."


    Finn frowned, nced back at me and Colin, and muttered, "Is this person behind everything nuts? Is he mocking me?"


    Colin nodded earnestly. "Yeah, he''s looking down on you, not sure what you''re made of."


    This reverse psychology was taken seriously.


    I couldn''t help but chuckle.


    Colin, oddly enough, kept staring at me, not looking away.


    Finn, provoked, angrily grabbed a bottle of milk from the table. "To die or not to die, that''s life. Anyway, I''m not keen on finding out just yet." And so, Finn took a sip through the straw.


    Huh, not dead.


    Colin looked at him as if he were an idiot, shook his head, and whispered to me, "See, honey, despite both being from the Genius ss, the gap between him and me is quite significant."


    I nodded seriously.


    Just as the person behind was about to speak, Ss, who had ''died'' earlier, slowly came to, weakly asking for "Water..."


    ¡°?¡± Annora, frightened, hid behind Robin. ¡°He''s not dead!"


    "Hahaha..." The voice behind finally couldn''t hold back itsughter, sounding extremely eerie due to the voice changer. "He just nearly


    choked to death from being fool.neText content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    greedy. None of the food is poisoned."


    Robin frowned, realizing something was off.


    Warily, he watched the cameras.


    ¡°Click.¡± Suddenly, a panel in the ceiling opened, and Ste''s head popped out. ¡°You guys are killing me withughter."


    Robin looked at Ste, shocked. "Ste..."


    Bran''s head also appeared, mockingly looking at Finn. "Still as dumb as ever."


    Finn nearly choked on his milk. "What''s going on here?"


    "That trap, we fell and were dragged away. I passed out, but Bran, the youngster, held his breath and didn''t get knocked out. He took down the guy below, and when I woke up found out this level is actually the control room, hahaha..." Ste was stillughing.


    Robin''s face darkened. "Hurry up ande down here, it''s not safe."


    Ste swung her legs while sitting on the edge. "Mr. Robin, are you worried about me? Hahaha..."


    Robin snorted, not responding.


    "Won''t youe up here? There''s a


    ve?


    direct passage to the first floor from here," Ste asked, trying to suppress herughter.


    WP


    "How do we get up there?" Annora asked nervously, considering the height.


    "I found a rope to pull you up." Bran threw down the rope.


    Ss, feeling guilty for having run earlier, hid at the back, too ashamed to speak.


    ¡°Hold on, let''s eat something first." Colin grabbed a piece of bread from the table and took a bite. ¡°Need to refuel.¡±


    The others also rxed and started eating.


    "Robin, I want an apple, toss one up here for me," Stemanded with augh.


    Robin snorted, grabbed an apple to throw up to her.


    "I don''t want that one, it looks too sour," Ste said with a hint of yfulness.

 Chapter 426

    Chapter 426


    ?


    "Really? You can tell just from that?" Robin asked with a puzzled look on his face.


    "Just trying what you''re having there. You''ve already had a bite, so you must know if it''s sweet or not," Ste teased with a bubblyugh. Robin paused for a moment, his ears turning red. Ste had somehow managed to flirt with him...


    "Bran, can''t watch this anymore, toss me an apple, will ya?" Bran couldn''t stand it any longer and asked Colin for something to munch on. But Colin was too busy for that.


    He was diligently taking a bite out of each piece of food to make sure it was okay before handing it over.


    "Lovebirds..." Bran rolled his eyes and threw a piece of his sandwich at Finn, who was sipping on a milkshake while biting into a sandwich. "Hey, get me something to eat."


    Finn nced at Bran and casually tossed him a piece of the sandwich.


    Bran raised an eyebrow. "Considering you just saved my hide, I''ll pull you up first."


    Finn looked at Bran with disdain. Is this what high school''s like now? "Hurry up, don''t miss your SATs."


    The mention of SATS darkened Bran''s face. "Hmph..."


    After they had eaten, Bran threw down a rope and helped Finn climb up.


    Fortunately, with some athletic training, Finn managed to climb up smoothly.


    Robin was quick to follow.


    After they were up, we made sure to pull Annora up first.


    "Phoebe, you''re next," Colin said, gesturing for me to climb.


    I didn''t argue and wrapped the rope around my wrist to climb up.


    "You''re quite agile," Finn remarked teasingly.


    I looked back at Colin.


    He was getting into it with Dexter, both of them on the verge of a fight.


    "Are you guysing or what?" I asked. "The control room on the twelfth floor is on the thirteenth. We''re only temporarily out of our pursuers'' grasp. If they find us, we''re stuck here."


    Colin understood and tossed the rope to Dexter.


    Dexter was surprised Colin let him go up first. With an injured arm, he could only use one arm to climb and was pulled up.


    When Dexter came up, my assistance was purely out of camaraderie.


    Everyone was helping him, not just me...


    But Dexter had to provoke Colin by holding onto my hand and not letting go.


    I thought the two were being


    childish, so I shook him off and


    swnovel


    looked at Colin with a bit of and exasperated expression. "Come on up."


    Colin grabbed the rope with one hand and climbed up stylishly, purposefully only poking his head out near the top to say in a pitiful tone, "Phoebe, my wound hurts..."


    He just wanted to remind me that he was injured too.


    I smiled and reached out my hand.


    He obediently gave me his hand, allowing me to pull him up.


    Finn and Bran reached out to help, but he ignored them.


    Despite climbing up mostly by his own strength, he still pretended to be weak and copsed on me, then provocatively red at Dexter.


    ¨¦n.kikistoriesProperty ? N?velDrama.Org.


    swnow


    I knew all his childish tricks but didn''t call him out on them.


    Below, Melody was panicking, calling out nervously, "Dexter..."


    She was afraid no one would save her.


    Because indeed... Ste had pulled up the rope.


    Ste rolled her eyes. "She deserves it least of all, let her fend for herself."


    "Dexter..." Melody''s face turned pale as she looked anxiously at Dexter.


    Now, the only person who could decide her fate was Dexter.


    Behind Melody, Ss was also standing in despair, his head hung low.


    His chance at escape was bought with the lives of others on the fourteenth floor; these people... would surely not save him.


    "Let''s pull him up," Robin suggested, nodding towards Ss.


    It wasn''t out of a heroplex; he just couldn''t stand by and watch.


    Every life before them had to be treated as equal.

 Chapter 427

    Chapter 427


    ?


    Ss paused for a moment before lifting his gaze to meet Robin''s, his eyes flickering uncertainly.


    He lowered his head, his voice barely above a whisper. "I''m sorry..."


    He had said sorry.


    But sometimes, sorry means nothing in the face of real harm.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    If they all perished on the fourteenth floor, he''d be the most selfish viin of them all.


    Ste, reluctantly, threw down the rope.


    Melody''s will to survive was strong; she frantically grabbed the rope first, looking anxiously at Dexter. "Dexter... you know I can''t die."


    "Melody''s one of Damian''s, she knows the secrets of the ''deification project"." Dexter nced at me, seemingly waiting for my nod of approval.


    "She won''t survive this, but I''m confident we can uncover it," I said coolly.


    "Yeah, we can find out," Colin added, agreeing.


    Melody''s voice trembled with fear. "Foebe... don''t push it."


    "Me? Pushing it?" Iughed, looking down at Melody. "When you tricked Phoebe into that trap, letting her get killed, did you ever think you were going too far?"


    Melody''s face grew even more distressed, desperately seeking Dexter''s help.


    Ste sneered. "You''re getting what you deserve. Did you think about this day when you got Phoebe killed?" Ste spoke through clenched teeth. "That guy, Ss, you bettere up now, or you''ll die with her."


    Ss quickly stepped forward, but the rope was still in Melody''s grip.


    I thought, given Ss''s survival instinct, he''d push Melody aside and climb up himself, but he didn''t.


    He looked up at us, clearly struggling.


    After all, Ss''s survival until now wasn''t just luck...


    Was there someone behind him, thinking he could still be saved?


    "Ding! Twelfth floor, automatic self-destruct mechanism activated..."


    Suddenly, a mechanical voice announced the activation of a self-destruct mechanism on the twelfth floor.


    In an instant, everyone''s nerves were on edge.


    With the countdown ending, the floor of the twelfth level cracked and slowly started to copse.


    "Come on up!" Robin and Finn yelled in panic.


    In this extreme chaos, Ss still managed to pull Melody up first.


    "Ss!" Robin called out.


    Ss fell into the rubble, rocks hitting him, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth.


    Tears filled his eyes as he looked up at us, his voice breaking. "I really... just wanted to live... I realize my mistake... I just want to survive..." He just wanted to live.


    "Grab on!" After pulling Melody up, Robin threw the rope down again.


    Crying, Ss reached out, and just as the floor fully copsed, he grabbed the rope.


    "I was abandoned at birth by my


    birth mother she was a college girl, got pregnant before marriage... I heard from the orphanage director, she gave birth to me in a mall bathroom, or maybe it was some clinic, then left me in the bathroom."


    "This caused a big scandal at the time. A couple who had been unable to conceive for years decided to adopt me. At first, they were really good to me, raised me until I was ten... maively thought they were my real parents. But when I turned ten, they suddenly got pregnant, with twins. They felt raising three kids was beyond what their family could handle..."


    "So, they sent me to an orphanage, saying they weren''t really abandoning me, but because of financial pressures. They said they''d take me back once things got better..."


    Ss was hurt, and after being pulled up, he leaned against the wall, trembling as he recounted his past.


    His breathing wasbored, and I could tell his ribs were likely broken.


    If we didn''t get him medical attention soon... the broken ribs could pierce his lungs or heart... he could die.


    "I waited for them in the orphanage,


    one day... two days, three days... I


    always waited, just wanting to survive, Waiting for my parents to


    e for me... but they never did.


    come


    They even moved away, to a ce I couldn''t find... they didn''t want me anymore."

 Chapter 428

    Chapter 428


    ?


    The orphanage was a ce more haunting than I''d ever imagined, a wild garden where children, untamed and unchecked, grew rampant without the guiding hand of parents. Ten years of education had taught me the difference between right and wrong, and I knew I shouldn''t let myself be dragged down to their level. But I was scared. They''d beat me if I didn''t stand with them... If I didn''t, I''d be ostracized, left alone on the fringes.


    Ss''s chest heaved with growing intensity.


    I pressed down, urging him to lie back. "Stop talking..."


    "I was lucky, I guess. Inconspicuous enough that their malice... targeted the two misfits, the real brains of the bunch..." Blood was pooling in Ss''s mouth with each word he spoke.


    I was worried. It might''ve pierced his lung.


    "That day, when they nned to set the fire... I was terrified. I''d overheard their ns and hesitated, unsure if I should tell anyone... My conscience wouldn''t let me be. In secret, I warned Colin, told him to grab Carter and run... to leave the orphanage before they could act..."


    "But Colin said he had someone to wait for, he wouldn''t leave."


    Ss''s gaze found Colin.


    I turned, looking at Colin.


    Everyone''s eyes were on him...


    So, there had been a warning before the fire?


    Then why hadn''t Colin run... and why had Carter suffered the consequences?


    All because he was waiting for someone, he''d chosen not to flee, dragging Carter down with him?


    Colin stood there, hands by his sides, offering no exnations...


    Head bowed, he wouldn''t defend his actions from back then.


    He too... was wed, in his own way.


    "Colin... Carter could''ve escaped, but he stayed because of you, right?" Annora''s eyes were rimmed with tears as she spoke. "Zoe always said it was Phoebe''s fault, for making you wait for her..."


    All eyes turned to Colin.


    The fire that year, Carter''s death had been a consequence of being held back.


    Was Colin''s wandering, his self-imposed punishment, living in the orphanage, guarding it, all because of his guilt?


    "You don''t know anything!" Bran''s breath quickened, desperate to say more.


    "We need to leave... now," Colin''s voice was deep, cutting Bran off.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Bran clenched his fists, looking at Colin.


    Without another word, he lowered his gaze and headed towards the elevator, checking if it would take them directly to the ground floor.


    In that moment, watching his


    retreating figure... I saw his


    loneliness, his pain, as if... he was


    struggling alone in his world, unacknowledged, misunderstood.


    I thought, maybe what he needed right now was a hug.


    Or perhaps, a kiss.


    No need for words to exin, no need to say, Colin, I understand you.


    "Let him lie t, don''t move, we have to carry him out. I''m worried the vib has pierced his lung," I whispered, touching Ss''s chest again. "Stop talking, I know you just want to survive, just hang on."


    Ss was trembling, his gaze drifting. He looked at me, his bloodied fingers suddenly gripping


    mine "Phoebe... I''m sorno


    sorry..."


    I''m


    I frowned, wondering why he was apologizing to Phoebe?


    Robin and Finn fashioned a makeshift stretcher and ced Ss on it.


    I walked up to Colin, wrapping my arms around him from behind...


    "Colin, I''m so tired, I just want to go home."


    Colin stiffened, then turned to look at me, his eyes red-rimmed.


    Did he also feel wronged in silence when misunderstood?


    Looking into his eyes, and the tears at their corners, I found myself lifting onto my toes, and kissed him.


    In that moment, let''s soothe and heal each other''s broken souls.


    Colin, my Colin.


    Deep inside, a voice told me... I should trust and cherish him unconditionally.


    He''s Colin, the one and only Colin in this world.

 Chapter 429

    Chapter 429


    ?


    "I want you to live."


    After checking the elevator, Colin''s gazended on Ss.


    He said he wanted Ss to live...


    I knew it wasn''t just about wanting ''Ss'' the individual to survive, but rather, a desire for humanity and original goodness to prevail.


    Deep down, everyone is inherently good...


    Unless someone is a bad apple from the start, every person deserves a chance to make mistakes and then make amends.


    Ss was just an ordinary guy in the crowd, drifting along without a real chance to choose his own path. He was so average, trying his hardest just to stay alive...


    "If we get out..." Ss looked at Colin, managing a bloody smile. "If we''re still alive... Let''s all grab a beer... find me."


    I looked down at Ss, smiling. "Yeah, the biggest round of beers on me."


    Ss smiled back, but his focus slowly faded.


    He couldn''t hold on and passed out.


    Robin averted his gaze, pressing the elevator button for the ground floor.


    If we can make it out alive...


    Let''s all live well.


    Just... keep going.


    Cherish the people around us, cherish every day.


    "nk!"


    Suddenly, the elevator jammed between the tenth floor.


    I frowned at everyone inside.


    I had checked the thirteenth floor''s control panel and the others, just like how Dn''s control room had no connection to the rest.


    Yet, someone behind the scenes still knew of our escape n.


    This only meant one thing: there was a traitor among us.


    The elevator screeched, sparks flying.


    The lights inside flickered on and off.


    Colin instinctively tightened his grip on my right hand...


    While Dexter, grabbed my left.


    I tried to pull my left hand away in disgust, but he wouldn''t let go.


    The elevator stopped between the tenth and eleventh floors, the doors opening to a wall, looking ominously terrifying.


    "What do we do, are we trapped here..." Annora cried out in fear, hiding behind Finn and Robin.


    "It''s stuck in a service area," Bran frowned, turning to Colin. "What now?"


    "nk!" Suddenly, the elevator dropped rapidly.


    Colin pulled me into his arms, speaking sternly. "Everyone, squat down by the sides."


    "nk..." The elevator stopped at another service area, doors unable to close, sparks flying.


    Annora cried out in terror, while Ste also curled up in Robin''s arms.


    Finn, pale with fright, cursed. "This is insane..."


    "Someone''s messing with the power, it''s gonna get stuck if they cut it," I whispered, taking a deep breath.


    "They''re trying to kill us," Finn grumbled.


    "They''ve found us..." Bran looked around warily. "One of us is definitely a spy."


    Remembering what the madman on the eighteenth floor said, I''m among you...


    Now, with the dead and injured


    gone, those left were somewhat et


    familiar with each other. Yet,


    more familiar the faces, the e more likely one was the killer.


    "Trust no one," Colin''s voice was deep.


    "Is it you!" Ste red at Melody. "Are you trying to kill us?"


    Melody sat on the floor, terrified and pale,


    enerely able to muster the


    energy to defend herself. "I


    the elevator was


    unsafe..


    ||


    l


    you


    belongs to en.kikiot


    "It has to be her, she''s the most suspicious," Ste angrily used, ready to kick Melody.


    Melody, in fear, hid in Dexter''s arms.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Dexter nced at me instinctively.


    I couldn''t be bothered with him, standing up to examine the wall.


    "Ste, cut the crap with your stirring and settling scores. You just think I caused Phoebe''s death! Why don''t you use yourself? You and Bran are suspicious too, all supposed to be dead, and now suddenly back!" Melody shot back angrily, clinging to Dexter''s arm. "Dexter, don''t believe her, it''s not me."

 Chapter 430

    Chapter 430


    ?


    Seeing Dexter frown, Melody broke down, her cries bordering on hysteria. "If it really had anything to do with me, I wouldn''t be caught dead in this godforsaken ce!"


    She seemed genuinely on the edge, wailing in despair.


    I nced back at her and spoke in a low, stern voice. "You might want to tone it down a notch. At this rate, we''ll be meeting our maker sooner than expected."


    Melody red at me with such venom, wishing I was the one in the grave.


    At this point, I just found herughably naive.


    "If the killer is among us, that might actually be a silver lining," I tried to calm everyone down. "At least, they won''t be looking to end things hastily, which means... the person pulling the strings won''t actually drop us dead in this elevator."


    I was certain Melody wasn''t part of this twisted game behind the scenes because she just didn''t fit the bill.


    My words seemed to have a soothing effect, as even Annora quieted down, clinging to Ste in fear.


    The elevator slowly descended.


    It stopped on the seventh floor, where darkness enveloped everything in sight.


    "Well, that was a wake-up call. Dropping from the thirteenth floor straight to the seventh saved us a few stops at least," Finn tried to lighten the mood, though his fear was palpable, and he didn''t dare to step out first.


    Bran shot a look at Finn, who instinctively clung to his arm, and spoke with a heavy voice. "You really live up to that name you''ve chosen."


    Finn paused, then shot Colin an annoyed look. "You had to spill the beans to the kid?"


    In Finn''s eyes, Bran was just a high school brat.


    Colin, as usual, ignored Finn''s remark.


    "Ha..." Bran scoffed, almost seething as he spoke and dragged him toward the seventh floor. "You''re that afraid of... Carter?"


    Finn, his voice tinged with irritation, knew that name was practically a curse aimed at Carter.


    The saga of Finn and Carter''s feud was a long one...


    At the mere mention of Carter''s name, Finn felt a chill run down his spine. "You know too much for your own good, kid. Zip it."


    I pulled Colin out of the elevator.


    Dexter was about to follow when


    let''s


    Melody, now crying uncontroble! sed him by the leg."


    not go, please... I''m scared


    She was finally admitting her fear.


    Annora, too, was scared, shivering as she clung to Ste, too frightened to move.


    Ste whispered reassuringly, "We


    have to get out. The elevator isn''t safe, and we''re already on the


    seventh floor. Victory


    wneverneText content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    close.. let''s


    move."


    Annora, tears welling in her eyes, nodded and followed Ste out of the elevator.


    Robin called for Finn to help carry Ss out, scanning the surroundings warily.


    "Come on!" Suddenly, the elevator lurched into motion, and I yelled for Dexter to get out.


    Dexter tried to leave, but Melody, paralyzed by fear, clung to him desperately, as if determined to drag him down with her. "Dexter!"


    The elevator plummeted, and


    halfway down, Dexter managed to push Melody out, while he remained trapped inside, descending rapidly.


    I leaned over the edge of the elevator shaft, watching it fall.


    We were on the seventh floor... plus the buffer zone below... and if there was a basement... Dexter was a goner.


    "You jinx!" Ste yelled, furious, attempting tosh out at Melody but was held back by Robin.


    I was panting, looking down into the abyss, my body trembling slightly.


    He... shouldn''t have died.


    With a swift backhand, I pped Melody, ring at her with rage. "You... you deserve to be dead..."


    Melody looked lost, staring nkly at the descending elevator, copsing to the floor in defeat.


    "Dexter..."

 Chapter 431

    Chapter 431


    ?


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Dexter was gone, and with him, herst shred of protection vanished into thin air.


    Melody, selfish to the core, harbored a sliver of genuine affection for Dexter. Her dependence on him was profound, her fear of losing him even more so. She viewed Phoebe with envy and fear, obsessively plotting her downfall.


    But now, Dexter was out of the picture.


    In that moment, Melody felt as if she had lost her soul. Nothing made sense anymore.


    "It''s your fault he''s dead!" Ste shouted. "Though he wasn''t a saint, you''re far worse!"


    Robin looked pale, casting a nce downwards. "We need to get down there, fast."


    The seventh floor was like an unfinished construction site, shrouded in darkness, seemingly without electricity.


    No windows, no way to tell day from night.


    The damp air was thick around us as I looked at Colin. "This ce isn''t rigged. If we find the fire escape, we can get out without triggering any traps."


    But with no light, finding that escape would be a challenge.


    Peering through the darkness, we could barely see our own hands in front of us.


    "We''ll have to feel along the walls. I''ll lead, just stay close," Colin whispered, marking the wall before guiding us forward.


    This building, abandoned and iplete, was left untouched to avoid detection, its upper floors transformed into a deadly maze designed to ensnare


    us.


    The floor was vast, filled with the scent of raw concrete, void of any distinguishing features.


    After aplete circuit, we found ourselves back where we started, the exit still elusive.


    "Where''s the fire escape?" Ste asked.


    I grabbed Colin''s arm to halt him. "Colin..."


    He squeezed my hand reassuringly. "Don''t worry. Stand here, I''ll look around. If I find it, I''ll knock on the ground to signal you."


    My grip on his shirt tightened, my breathing quickened.


    I was worried about him.


    The risk of encountering someone else on this floor was real, and our unseen enemies wouldn''t let us escape easily.


    "Don''t be afraid," Colin whispered softly.


    "I just... Why does it always have to be you taking the risks? Let me do it this time."


    He pulled me into a hug, whispering, "I''ve


    by you... you mean r s to en.kikistong


    me than my own life." Contende


    Releasing me, Colin vanished into the darkness.


    We leaned against the wall in silence, waiting.


    Colin''s footsteps echoed faintly, growing distant as he moved cautiously forward.


    "Officer Robin, will we make it out alive?" Annora sobbed.


    "We will. We have to," Robin reassured her.


    Finn, terrified of the dark, clung to Bran. "Little bro, let me hold you. I''m scared..."


    "Get lost," Bran retorted, unamused.


    "I can''t... It''s so dark. What if someone sneaks up and stabs me?" Finn clung tighter, shivering. "I''m really scared. Let''s count off and tap shoulders. I keep feeling like there''s someone behind me..."


    Finn was at the end, with Bran in front of him, then the makeshift stretcher carrying Ss, followed by Robin, then Annora, with Ste in front of her, and me leading.


    "Phoebe, are you scared?" Ste whispered.


    "Not really," I replied, more collected than most. The darkness didn''t frighten me as much.


    My sense of my surroundings felt oddly numb.


    "Foebe, start the count," Finn called out from a distance.


    I turned back, tapping Ste''s shoulder. "1."


    Might as well join in, given the fear and boredom.


    "2," Ste called out.


    "3," Annora''s voice trembled, her legs too weak to stand.


    "4," Robin announced firmly.


    "What about you?" Finn nudged Bran.


    After a pause, Bran spoke, "And don''t forget Melody..."


    Then, from the direction of Bran''s feet, Melody''s voice emerged, weak but clear. "5..."

 Chapter 432

    Chapter 432


    ?


    Dexter was in trouble, and Melody felt like she had lost her soul. Yet, that didn''t dampen her intense will to survive.


    She clung to any hope she could find, desperate to escape together.


    "Six," Bran said in a deep voice.


    "Seven..." Finn, shaking uncontrobly, hugged Bran and managed to utter the number.


    "Eight..." Suddenly, a eerie voice called out "eight" from behind Finn.


    In that moment, silence fell over the group, and goosebumps covered their skin.


    Including Ss, there were supposed to be eight of them, but with Ss unconscious and unable to count off, where did this extra voicee from?


    "Ahh!" Annora was the first to scream, panic sending everyone scattering in all directions.


    Finn''s screams nearly took a physical form as he dashed around in a frenzy, eventually crashing into someone''s chest and clinging for dear life. "Help! A ghost!"


    A chillingugh emanated from the sturdy chest.


    "Ahh!" Finn, terrified beyond belief, screamed as if his life depended on it.


    "Help! Is anyone there?"


    Finn ran like his life depended on it, his screams echoing everywhere, but no one could calm him down.


    Just as he was about to fall down the stairs, Bran grabbed him and pinned him against the wall. "Stop screaming!"


    Finn was terrified, truly terrified. Hearing Bran''s voice, he burst into tears, a grown man sobbing like the world was ending.


    "Stop bawling..." Branined, his ears and head throbbing with pain.


    Finn, unable to care about any notions of masculinity at the moment, clung to Bran and wept uncontrobly. "I just... I ran into a ghost!" "ying tricks." Bran''s voice was deep, but he didn''t push Finn away, staring coldly into the shadows where a figure lurked.


    "Phoebe..." In the darkness, Ste''s panicked voice called out my name.


    "Phoebe?"


    "Ste?"


    Everyone had been scattered, now unable to find each other.


    "Annora..." Annora cried out as well.


    Melody didn''t know who to call for; she just kept crying. "Help..."


    I frowned and called out to Ste. "Ste, stay where you are, don''t move. I''ming to you."


    Ste, crying, stopped in her tracks. "Robin..."


    "Don''t be afraid..." Robin whispered soothingly.


    We all started moving towards Ste''s direction.


    "Hmm..." Suddenly, a muffled groan.


    Robin and I both reached Ste at the same time.


    She copsed, her breathing heavy and ragged. "Phoebe... Phoebe... run..."


    I was shaking as I felt for her injuries.


    Someone had taken advantage of the chaos and darkness to stab Ste.


    "Robin..." The pain didn''t hit Ste


    immediately, but as the blood f


    freely, her breathing grew


    labored. "Phoebe... run..."


    "Don''t be scared, I won''t let you die," I said, my voice choked with emotion.


    "Ste..." Robin was in a panic, his voice filled with shock, fear, and tears. "Ste..."


    "Hmm..."


    Suddenly, someone fell to the ground.


    "Melody?" Finn called out Melody''s name.


    "Help..." Melody''s voice was weak.


    Clearly, she had been stabbed too.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    It was


    was among us; I was certain


    ssible that the murderer


    ovelet


    I stood by Ste, hearing no additional footsteps.


    Someone was killing us in the dark.


    "Ahh!" Suddenly, Annora screamed,


    her


    again ading as she ne


    here!"


    the wall. "Help... help. someone''s here!"


    Annora''s voice grew weaker.


    All of our nerves were stretched tight.


    Soon, Annora and Melody fell silent.


    Suddenly... I felt someone approaching from behind.


    Frowning, I turned and grabbed the attacker''s knife, cutting my hand on the hilt.


    As the attacker withdrew the knife, I instinctively grabbed it, injuring their hand...


    If there was just a bit of light, I could identify who was trying to kill us among the crowd.


    "ng, ng, ng!" Suddenly, the sound of someone banging on a metal pipe echoed in the distance.


    It was Colin! He had found a way out!

 Chapter 433

    Chapter 433


    ?


    "Don''t be scared, I''ll get you out of here," I whispered to Ste, trying to sound reassuring. "Let''s move," Robin, panic-stricken, scooped Ste into his arms and stumbled forward.


    "Follow me..." I led the way, feeling our path in the darkness, making sure Robin and Ste were right behind me.


    "Annora? Are you okay..." Bran called out, squatting down to check on Annora.


    "She''s hurt!" Finn''s voice wasced with panic. "She''s been stabbed in the abdomen."


    Feeling around in the dark, Finn assessed Annora''s injuries before instructing Bran to carry the barely conscious Annora on his back.


    "What about Ss? We can''t leave Ss behind." Ss was still lying where he had fallen.


    They groped their way to Ss, lifting him onto an improvised stretcher, and slowly made their way forward.


    "Save me..." Suddenly, a weak voice grabbed at my ankle, halting me.


    It was Melody.


    I paused for a moment, my voice low and grave. "Without Dexter... who do you think will save you now? You''ve exhausted his goodwill over the years. It''s time to stop."


    Melody''s fingers trembled, but her desire to survive made her cling to me. "You think... he pushed me out of that elevator to save me? Oh, Foebe, you''re so naive... It was all for ''Phoebe Caldwell''. How can the livingpete with the dead? That''s the terrifying truth about Phoebe!"


    Despite her pain, Melody managed to shout. "I still have value. I know Damian''s secrets. He feared you wouldn''t find out, so he''d rather die than leave me, the only one who knows his secrets, behind!"


    I frowned, forcefully shaking off Melody''s grip. "I''m under no obligation to save you. If you want to live, get up on your own."


    Melody''s cries of despair filled the air, but her will to survive pushed her to crawl up, clinging to Ste''s hem, begging Robin to take her too. "Colin..."


    We moved towards the sound.


    Suddenly, the voice stopped, followed by the sound of a struggle.


    I knew someone was after Colin.


    "Colin!" I called out his name in panic, moving towards the source of the noise.


    "Crash!" Something fell from above.


    "Colin!" My breaths were rapid, my heart racing as I fumbled forward.


    This was fear, a racing heart...


    "I''m here." Just when I felt utterly helpless, a hand pulled me close, holding me tight.


    My breathing slowly steadied as I clung to Colin. "I can''t... lose you."


    In that moment, my feelings were crystal clear.


    I couldn''t lose him.


    "I''ll always be with you, always..." Colin''s voice was hoarse, clearly hurt.


    I frantically checked him for injuries, finally rxing when I found none serious.


    "Everyone, hold hands," Colin instructed, knowing we couldn''t stay put for long. We formed a human chain.


    "Stay close to the wall, and make


    your way down slowly." Guiding us, Colin took the stretcher from Bran,


    cting him to carry Annora down first.


    "Crack, crack!" Sounds came from the lower part of the emergency staircase, followed by the glow of fire.


    "Hey! Can you hear me?" The empty building carried Dexter''s shout from the ground floor.


    "Are you all okay?" Dexter called out.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Melody, spurred by excitement, tried


    `


    to move down the stairs, bet


    Step-and fell. crying out in p


    I looked down, Dexter''s makeshift torch barely illuminating the stairwell leading to the ground floor.


    "Where did you get the fire?" I shouted down.


    "The elevator shaft caught fire when it fell. I lit some construction debris on the ground," Dexter replied, resourcefully using the debris to create a source of light.

 Chapter 434

    Chapter 434


    ?


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Man, we should''ve just taken our chances sliding down the elevator together," Finn murmured under his breath.


    "But the will to survive would''ve driven us out anyway, not knowing if staying in would''ve meant certain death," I said, making my way down, the dim light from the ground floor helping my eyes adjust to the darkness.


    "Human beings, when faced with the unknown, always opt for the choice that seems safest," I turned to see Colin smiling at me, a smile that always broughtfort to my heart.


    "After going through something like this, everyone starts to appreciate life more. Live well, stay out of trouble, treat people right. No bullying, no hurting others. Just be your best self, without causing or looking for trouble," Robin said, holding Ste close, his voice somber.


    The series of tragedies and the deadly game that unfolded were the results of victims banding together.


    In orphanages or schools, bullies enjoyed their momentary happiness, heedless of the harm they inflicted on the more vulnerable.


    And when the tables turned, with the bullied adopting even more brutal methods, did the bullies ever regret their actions?


    As we made our way from the seventh floor to the fourth, Dexter emerged. "The one who fell was from the Gene-Forge Collective, wearing a mask." Dexter looked at me anxiously. "Are you hurt?"


    Colin seemed slightly annoyed. "Why do you care if my wife is hurt?"


    Ignoring Colin, Dexter scanned me from head to toe, rxing only when he was sure I was unharmed.


    Just as he was about to speak, Melody, crying, threw herself into his arms. "Dexter, I''m hurt... They tried to kill me in the chaos..."


    Melody had found her rock in Dexter, crying into his embrace, clutching the stab wound on her belly, resentfully using me. "It must have been Foebe. She was the only one near me who wasn''t hurt. She wanted me dead because I know her secret-that she''s not Phoebe!"


    I rolled my eyes. Some people''s nature never changes. No matter if you save them, they''ll still bite back. It''s the ssic tale of the Farmer and the Viper, the Man and the Wolf.


    "Why don''t you just drop dead..." Ste, weak but still feisty in Robin''s arms, didn''t miss a chance to curse at Melody.


    Melody clung to Dexter. "Dexter... save me."


    Dexter nced at Melody''s wound,


    ne


    then lifted her up, looking at me anxiously. "Phoebe... she can''t die yet. She knows something... We need to get down quickly."


    "Hold on," I gestured for Dexter to wait, letting the others go ahead.


    Colin gave me a knowing look, ruffling my hair as he carried Ss downstairs.


    He always knew what I was up to.


    Once everyone was downstairs, Melody, panicked, looked between me and Dexter. "Dexter, she''s going to kime... Take me with you please..."


    Her cries for help were desperate, urging Dexter to take her away.


    Dexter looked at her, a deep look in his eyes, but he didn''t move.


    I sneered. "You guessed right. I''m going to take this chance to end you..."


    I pulled out a knife, pressing it against Melody''s throat, examining her hands closely to make sure therewere no defensive wounds.


    "You think I''d let you live?" I yanked her from Dexter''s embrace and kicked her down the stairs.


    Melody curled up in pain, too hurt to even scream.


    "Phoebe..." Dexter took a deep breath, instinctively grabbing my hand.


    He was afraid I''d really kill Melody.

 Chapter 435

    Chapter 435


    ?


    "Feeling a bit tender-hearted, are you?" I turned back to look at Dexter, my voice heavy with sarcasm. "You know what the difference is between you and Colin?"


    Dexter seemed hurt, his grip on the hem of my shirt tightening.


    "It''s not... I just, don''t want you to..." He didn''t want me to kill, didn''t want me to cross that line.


    I understood his sentiment, but he didn''t really get me.


    The difference between him and Colin was, Colin backed me up no matter what. If I was the devil, he was right there with me; if I was an angel, he''d sprout wings too.


    I do good, he''s on board. I do bad, he''s ready to help dig the hole.


    But Colin knew me too well. He knew I wouldn''t actually cross certain lines...Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    At least, I had some semnce of a moralpass.


    "This is someone else''s designed ughterhouse. If I do kill her, who''s to say?" I scoffed, taunting Dexter. "You wouldn''t snitch to the cops, would you?"


    Dexter''s clutch on my wrist tightened in panic. "Phoebe... please, don''t."


    "You''re scarily righteous." I shook Dexter off and walked over to Melody, stepping on her neck.


    With the dim light of the fire reflecting off our faces, I spoke sternly. "You better spill what you know."


    Fear, pain, and the cold made Melody tremble all over.


    She knew I could easily end her life, but her silence spoke volumes. It meant Damian was far scarier than me.


    Damian had ways to make living feel worse than death.


    "Melody, you''ve got no other choice. If you want to survive, you gotta listen to me..." I let go of her hair, my disdain clear as I flicked her blood off my fingers. "Even if you don''t tell me, do you think Damian will ever fully trust you after this? The man is paranoid... Just a little nudge from me, and he''d make your life a living hell. Why not join forces with me instead?"


    Melody red at me with pure hatred. "You''re not scared I might kill you once I''m out?"


    "If you think you''ve got what it takes, be my guest..."


    "Phoebe was tough too, and look where she ended up... Dead. You''re no different," Melody spat back at me, defiance in her eyes.


    I slowly pressed my hand against her wound, fingers probing deeper into the cut.


    Her scream echoed down the staircase.


    My gaze remained unfazed, making Melody see a demon in me.


    "Dexter, Dexter help me."


    Dexter''s look towards me wasplicated. He stepped forward, wanting to stop me, but Melody''s life was in my hands.


    "I''ll talk! I can''t take it..." she sobbed.


    "Make it something I want to hear," I warned, my voice cold.


    "Aren''t you scared... Dexter finding out the truth?" Melody gasped from the floor, looking at Dexter. "If I spill, your little secret of ying Phoebe... won''tst!"


    "Enough with the drama." I pped her, tired of her stalling.


    Melodyy there, sobbing, trying to speak through her tears.


    "Dexter... don''t you want to know why Phoebe and Foebe share so many simrities? Why she could impersonate Phoebe so


    convincingly that even you and


    Caleb couldn''t see through her? Willingly deceived, relishing in the lie?"


    She cried out to Dexter, "Because, they are clones with the same gic makeup, imnted into different mothers... In other words, Foebe and Phoebe are both products of the Gene-Forge Collective... Clones!"


    With her revtion, Dexter staggered back, almost losing his bnce against the wall.


    Clones...


    "Damian''s always on guard. I really don''t know much..." Melody cried, looking at me desperately. "I only learned this.by overhearing his phone conversation... They''re conducting gic experiments on humans, creating clones from human embryos. Initially... it was just for organ transnts for the wealthy, but then... I don''t know what they''ve secretly been researching."


    Melody was gasping for air, tears streaming down her face. "Foebe, you''re not even human... you''re just an experiment. Phoebe too. You''re all iplete experiments, and globally, there might be countless others just like you, imnted into different mothers."


    This was a horrifying truth.


    It meant there could be countless ''Phoebe Caldwells''.


    Countless versions of me.


    Existing in ces I can''t see.


    In realms I''m unaware of.

 Chapter 436

    Chapter 436


    ?


    Cloning embryos, after being born, turn out to be quite diverse due to differences in environment, lifestyle, and even prenatal development. Thus, Phoebe and Foebe, although simr in appearance, are not exactly identical, not even in personality.


    Cloning.


    Now, there''s a word that sends shivers down the spine.


    "What about Colin?" I croaked out the question.


    What was he, if I was an experiment?


    "He''s not exactly an experiment..." Melody winced in pain, leaning against the wall. "He was gically screened, yes. He''s the result of gic optimization, unlike you... He''s still a normal person. But you, Foebe, you can hardly be called ''human.'' In their eyes, you''re just amb to the ughter, livestock let loose in human society... an experimental subject, a species to be erased by ''idents'' if the data turns sour."


    Melody spoke again, "Just like Dolly the sheep, your fate is to be a specimen, trapped in the basement of someb. I bet... the Gene-Forge Collective''s undergroundbs are filled with ''your'' corpses."


    "Ha..." Iughed weakly, getting up, not saying anything, and started to make my way downstairs, leaning on the wall for support.


    A clone.


    What a joke.


    Sci-fi movies have always yed it safe when ites to expressing human desires and evil.


    All the darkness hidden beneath the sun, for the sake of ''progress,'' ''evolution,'' immortality, anti-aging, the sheer will to live...


    The kind of darkness ordinary people never touch in their lifetimes, unimaginable to them.


    So, isn''t living a simple life a form of happiness?


    "Phoebe..." Dexter''s voice was hoarse as he called my name.


    "The Godfather opens with a quote that behind every great fortune lies a great crime. Marx said it too, that capitales dripping from head to foot, from every pore, with blood and dirt..."


    My voice was raspy as I continued to walk down.


    I wasn''t just speaking for Dexter to hear, but also for myself.


    What we see in this world, the splendor, is only what the puppeteers want us to see.


    The darkness behind it, unimaginable.


    "Phoebe..." Dexter sounded worried. "This isn''t your fault."


    I turned to look at Dexter, scoffing. "I never thought it was my fault..."


    So, who''s to me?


    "Keep your woman in line, tell her to shut her mouth..."


    I pointed at Dexter and spoke again "And you, Dexter, kind to everyone but cruel to Phoebe. Harden your heart, your softness will onlyo embolden her."


    "I''m not at fault, Colin isn''t at fault." I turned and continued walking down. "As for Damian and the vast, sturdy web behind him..."


    "Tell Damian, I will personally destroy everything."


    I won''tpromise.


    I won''t back down.


    Those who ''kill me, who use ''me,'' are like the Rebellion Syndicate, fighting all evil. They tear through the web with equally ''evil'' methods, exposing Damian and the interest groups behind him for their


    Loves


    inhumane gic experiments.


    S


    The police are already on high alert, so Damian and his associates are starting to panic...


    But this is just the beginning.


    "Phoebe... I will help you," Dexter said softly.


    Even though he knew the terrible cost of getting involved.


    "Before that, I need to find the murderer..." I whispered, continuing my descent.


    I''m beginning to suspect that the person controlling the game of murder is leading me... to find him, join him, and fight against theProperty ? N?velDrama.Org.


    e


    gic crime organization together.


    First floor.


    Colin stood by the firece, opening his arms to me.


    My eyes felt hot as I jumped down the steps and into his embrace.


    "Don''t be afraid, we''re on the first floor now, there''s light over there." Colin pointed to a sliver of lighting through a crack in the wall...


    This is Sea City, a ce where light should shine, not allowing these parasites to run amok.


    "Yeah, let''s go home."


    My gaze fell on Annora, who was sitting there, barely alive, her clothes soaked in blood, yet her eyes held a deep meaning.


    Indeed... her hand bore the marks of my grasp, bloodied.

 Chapter 437

    Chapter 437


    ?


    My face darkened as I frowned at Annora. She locked eyes with me, seemingly unfazed by my discovery. "Phoebe?" Colin whispered to me.


    I snapped back to reality, standing up straight. "Go find an exit, see if you can figure out a way to call for help."


    With a deep look at me, Colin nodded and left, pulling Finn and Bran by the arm.


    Meanwhile, Robin was holding Ste in a patch of sunlight, visibly worried as he inspected her wound.


    "Robin... if I die, would you put ''Wife of Robin'' on my tombstone?" Ste''s voice was weak and hoarse, her sense of humor still intact even in such dire circumstances.


    Robin pressed down on her wound, trying to calm her. "You''re not going to die... absolutely not."


    Tears welled up in Ste''s eyes. "I don''t want to die. I haven''t even gotten married, haven''t had a boyfriend... I''m still single."


    Seeing Ste like this, Robin was pretty sure she wasn''t going to die yet.


    "Don''t be scared, just..." He lifted her shirt to check the wound. It wasn''t deep but was still bleeding. She wasn''t immediately in danger, but they couldn''t waste time either.


    "Robin, am I going to die?" Ste sobbed loudly.


    "For now... you''re not dying," Robin reassured her softly.


    I nced at Ste and Robin, relieved that Ste was somewhat okay for the moment, then turned my attention back to Annora.


    Annora was still watching me, a smirk on her lips.


    The moment she saw the scratch marks on her own hand, she must have known I was onto her...


    "Come with me." I grabbed Annora by her cor, dragging her down to the staircase.


    I mmed her against the wall, her face turning pale with pain.


    "Oh... you sure don''t hold back," I tightened my grip around her neck, gradually increasing the pressure.


    Annora justughed, a provocative sneer on her face. "You won''t kill me..."


    "You''re thinking too much." My grip on her neck tightened further, my eyes cold with intent to kill. "Zoe, it was you who deliberately revealed our location, leading to her death, wasn''t it?"


    Annora struggled, gasping for air under my grip.


    I slowly let go, grabbing her hair. "For someone who''s been a victim of domestic violence, you sure had the strength to kill your own husband and hang him from the ceiling. How did you manage that?" Content


    I remembered how, on the seventeenth floor, someone would die every time the lights went out.


    How did she do it?


    "Just designed a mechanism in advance," Annora said, her voice cold and devoid of emotion.


    "Huh... So it was you. What''s the purpose behind all this?" I demanded the truth.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    "We''re awakening a ''god'', one that will cleanse this world," Annora spoke with a delusional fervor.


    I grabbed her cor, kneeing her in the wound. "You better stop ying games with me."


    Annora fell to the floor, still smiling at me. "Phoebe... you''re not the mastermind of this game... I''m just a pawn." So, Annora wasn''t the ultimate nner.


    "What''s your goal? Murder, revenge, or some twisted sense of justice?" I asked her, my voice low.


    "No, no, no... This is just the beginning," Annora chuckled, standing up and moving towards a beam of sunlight.


    Standing in the light, she turned to look at me with a smile. "We, we have amon purpose."


    I frowned, unsure of her intentions.


    "This world is tragic, fate seemingly


    picks on the downtrodden, and the rope always breaks at its thinnest point... The poor and the


    underprivileged can''t control their fate, can''t change it, only able to live in misery and pain, while the people at the top... control the fate of those below," Annora rambled on, her words making little sense to me.

 Chapter 438

    Chapter 438


    ?


    "Phoebe, this world is crazier than we could''ve ever imagined," Annora said, backing away with a smirk. "Jaxon, that bastard, he''s into domestic violence, statutory rape, running a prostitution ring, soliciting, human trafficking... he''s despicable. But, he''s a valuable pawn, a stepping stone. How else could we link all these criminals together for the ultimate takedown?"


    Marrying Jaxon was a calcted move by Annora.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She even provoked him into abusing her, crafting a sympathetic persona, all while waiting for us to join the game.


    "Now, Phoebe, you''re intrigued by us, aren''t you? Wee to the fold..." Annora lifted her hand towards the sunlight. "Jaxon, he''s one of Damian''s cronies, a key figure for the Gene-Forge Collective''s atrocities. His death is nothing to mourn over."


    Jaxon was trafficking women of childbearing age to Damian and the Gene-Forge Collective for their gruesome experiments on human gics and embryos.


    It was barbaric.


    "Everyone who dies here is guilty," Annora said as she moved to the wall, flipping a switch. The bricked-up windows shattered, flooding the room with sunlight.


    She gave me a smile. "Phoebe, the game is far from over... The mastermind is still among you."


    With that, Annora turned and leapt out the window, quickly disappearing in a waiting car.


    I stood at the window, gazing out.


    Where am I...


    "Phoebe!"


    Behind me, Dexter came running down with Melody in his arms, shouting my name.


    Snapping back to reality, I quickly ducked behind the wall, avoiding the bullets flying in from outside... "Everybody down! Get down!"


    Through the breached wall, a group of mercenaries stormed in, guns drawn, rounding us all up.


    "Get down, hands on your head!"


    I exchanged a nce with Colin andplied, hands over my head.


    Soon, the leader entered, his gaze falling on the barely alive Melody.


    "It was... Annora." Melody''s voice was raspy.


    The traitor among us was Annora. "She ran, I saw her..."


    The leader turned to his men. "Go after her."


    They were mercenaries working for the


    idge Collective, e by a tat


    ear


    behind


    swnol


    "Take them all!"


    In the chaos, we were pushed out of the dpidated building.


    "Carry him; he''s still breathing." Robin and Finn desperately carried Ss.


    His breath and life signs were faint, but he was alive.


    Exiting the building, I instinctively closed my eyes against the blinding light...


    "Where are we?" Finn murmured under his breath.


    "Criminal''s paradise?" Robin gasped.


    During their unconscious period, they were unexpectedly brought to this godforsaken ce?


    Outside the building was a bustling market.


    Inside was a scene of constant killing, yet the local popce outside


    Bith their sales andels


    laughter...


    Standing amidst the noisy crowd, my ears began to ring.


    My head started throbbing again.


    The pain was intense.


    As Annora fled, she mentioned, the mastermind is still among us.


    "Get in the van!" The mercenaries shoved us into the vehicle.


    I was gasping for air, looking at everyone who came out.


    Ste being carried, Finn, Bran... Robin, me, Colin, and... the unconscious Ss.


    Dexter and Melody, who had been t


    taken earlier by some of mercenaries for treatment en.kikistoriesna


    Hmm... after all, who is the mastermind?

 Chapter 439

    Chapter 439


    ?


    "Phoebe... don''t be scared." Colin whispered to me, intentionally bumping into a mercenary, knocking a local to the ground as we ran.


    The head mercenary, fueled by anger, rushed forward, aiming his gun at Colin.


    "Don''t shoot!" I blurted out in panic, all of us wanting to resist.


    Their guns were all pointed at us.


    The locals murmured among themselves in anguage we couldn''t understand, but it was clear they were all too familiar with the sight of armed mercenaries.


    Colin, with his hands raised, slowly walked back to us.


    We obediently followed them onto the van.


    Inside, we huddled in the back seat, crouching and holding our heads.


    Colin nced at me, sneakily pulling out a smartphone he had swiped from the person he had knocked over earlier.


    Finn gave Colin a thumbs up.


    Robin nodded at Colin too.


    This wasn''t home; even if Colin called the cops, it wouldn''t help... he could only send out our location and wait for the right moment. The lead mercenary took a call, and when the van stopped, he started checking each of us against something on the phone. "This one, this one." He pointed at me and Colin, and then we were yanked out of the van.


    Colin passed the phone to Robin.


    "What are you doing?" Dexter frowned, trying to protect me.


    But this wasn''t home, and no one cared to appease him.


    The mercenary hit Dexter with the butt of his gun.


    "These aren''t important, there''s a cop among them, let them go," the leader muttered, having his men release Robin and the others.


    Robin frowned, watching the mercenaries warily. "Where are you taking them?"


    "None of your business. If you want to live, beat it," the head mercenary pointed at Robin before turning to leave.


    "Phoebe..." Dexter, having been hit hard, called out anxiously, wanting to protect me.


    I frowned, signaling him to be quiet.


    Did he have a death wish?


    Dexter stood there, his gazeplex as he looked at me.


    I avoided Dexter''s gaze, looking at Robin instead. Ste and Ss needed medical attention, so they had to leave first.


    Robin nodded at me, signaling it was okay to let go.


    They were safe... Colin and I, we weren''t worried.


    I looked at Colin, offering a small smile.


    Colin smiled back at me, taking my hand.


    We were pushed into another vehicle, our hands tied, and blindfolded.


    "Maybe... the heart of the human trafficking operation is right here," I whispered.


    Colin hummed in response, squeezing my hand tighter.


    "Quiet!" The mercenary guarding us snapped.


    The van drove slowly, with the noise of locals persistently in the background.


    My fingers gently touched my pulse, and I slowly closed my eyes.


    Colin and I, we could memorize the route through sounds.


    ...Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After what felt like an hour, the van finally stopped.


    Our blindfolds were removed.


    I looked at Colin.


    He looked back at me.


    "Who remembers the route better, shall we see?" I whispered.


    Colin raised an eyebrow. "Sure..."


    He always indulged me, even in such dire


    Toumstances, tied up and taken to their stronghold, we sines


    da moment to joke. Content


    "Give them a shot," the leader whispered.


    I was dragged into a side room, separated from Colin momentarily.


    Inside, I say numerous women,


    barely clinging to life, locked in


    rooms, looking as though they were about to give birth any moment.


    They couldn''t even muster the strength to scream.


    I frowned, leaning against the wall warily, waiting for the person to approach.


    Suddenly,


    remembered what


    A said, "Phoebe, y


    interest in us,


    Wee... to join us." ?


    W


    I began to understand why Annora was so confident.

 Chapter 440

    Chapter 440


    ?


    She knew the moment we stepped out of the derelict building, the folks from the Gene-Forge Collective would whisk us away.


    I was about to face a sliver of truth and a whole lot of darkness.


    Alone, I couldn''t save them.


    Call the cops? In thiswlessnd, where sin and desire converged like nowhere else, not even the government troops dared to tread. Who would care about the fate of women abducted for childbearing?


    The guy came at me with a syringe. I feignedpliance, then, seizing the moment, I jabbed the needle into him instead.


    d in protective gear and a mask, I stripped him of his suit and donned it myself, then tied him up and stashed him in the closet.


    In that tiny room, the women looked at me with eyes full of hope, their eyes red, silently pleading for rescue.


    Most were pregnant, treated likeb rats, confined in protective rooms separated by clear ss, with just a single bed to their name. Every moment of their existence was observed, recorded as some sort of twisted data.


    I nodded at them, made a gesture, hoping they''d understand.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    I''d find a way to get them out.


    "Not done yet?" someone called from outside, growing impatient.


    I grabbed a vial from the cab, filled a syringe, and stepped out. I plunged it into the neck of the man waiting outside. As the drug took effect and he slumped unconscious, I relieved him of his gun.


    Colin emerged from another room, also in protective gear, and disarmed another guard using the same method.


    We exchanged nces, a hint of amusement in our eyes.


    But it was too soon for celebration.


    "This isn''t their main base, just a data point," I whispered.


    The presence of these pregnant women was a clear indicator that the main hub of the Gene-Forge Collective was elsewhere, carefully hidden.


    "I''ve memorized the details of every woman here," Colin said, his photographic memorying in handy...


    I nced at him. "I''ve got it memorized too."


    My steps faltered as I remembered... After awakening in the ruins, my intelligence and memory seemed enhanced.


    We walked away, casually nodding to the mercenaries we passed, making a swift exit before they noticed anything amiss.


    Clearly, their guard was down.


    Or perhaps, it was deliberate?


    Everything was too easy, from the seventh floor down to the first, brought here only to witness these horrors and then to leave unscathed.


    ¡°Did you notice? Someone let us go on purpose,¡± I said to Colin.


    "There might be ''Rebellion


    Syndicate moles among the mercenaries. So far, we haven''t stepped out of the ''killing game" theyve orchestrated," Colin''s voice was deep and serious.


    All of this was just for us to see.


    I chuckled.


    Caught in the crossfire between Gene-Forge Collective and Rebellion Syndicate, we were merely pawns.


    Every step we took, every move we made, might have been anticipated by our opponents.


    The mastermind behind Rebellion Syndicate must be a genius.


    "Letting us see this, they''re fueling our hatron for Gene-Forge Collective, pushing us to seek them out...To find "Rebellion Syndicate.


    And join them.


    Colin looked at me. ¡°Whatever you decide, I''m with you."


    I smiled. "Then let''s join them."


    "If capital is where the darkness lies, then first, we be the capital Colin said, taking my hand ande leading me out the back door, bold as brass.


    ¡°Annora said, the mastermind behind the killing game is among us..." I stopped, gripping Colin''s hand. "Colin, is it you?"

 Chapter 441

    Chapter 441


    ?


    Colin nced back at me. "Phoebe, did you hope it was me?"


    "I didn''t hope so," I shook my head.


    Whatever the intentions of the person behind all this were, their methods were undeniably extreme.


    Using such methods to deal with and harm others for their own ends... I couldn''t see them as entirely ''good.''


    Colin grabbed my hand, pulling me to hide behind a van, and took off his protective gear. "If you don''t hope it''s me, then it''s not me."


    I looked at him, puzzled. "And if I did hope it was you?"


    "Then I''d find the person behind this, rece them, and be the one you hoped for." Colin was earnest.


    I couldn''t help but smile at his silly yet clever response, which addressed my doubts.


    Finn said Caleb was all brains and no heart, but from what I saw... Colin was terrifyingly high in both IQ and EQ.


    He just... used his intelligence on others and his emotional smarts on ''calcting'' me.


    Sighing, I walked behind him and hugged him from behind, tiredly saying, "I''m so exhausted, carry me?"


    With a smile, Colin lifted me onto his back, step by step leading me away.


    "Sir," I murmured, eventually falling asleep on Colin''s back.


    When I woke up, Eric had surprisingly arrived by car, not only Eric but he had brought quite a few people with him, evidently aware of our precarious situation.


    I was astonished. "How did Eric get here so fast?"


    "Sir, you''ve been missing for days. Thest trace was here; I''ve been searching for you guys," Eric exined. "What about Bran and the others... Are they okay?" I must have been really worn out, feeling utterly weak. These past days, surviving the brutal game in the derelict building, I was practically living on adrenaline. Falling down the stairs didn''t help, and coupled with hunger andck of sleep, my body was severely fatigued.


    "They''re all right. Ss was the worst off, but he''s alive. Melody was taken by the Gene-Forge Collective, but she''ll survive. Ste''s injuries were minor Eric reassured me. "As for the fest, just superficial wounds."


    Relieved, I drifted back into sleep.


    In my dreams, I could feel Colin holding my hand, never letting go.


    Deep down, I knew the mastermind behind the deadly game wasn''t Colin, but I was scared it could be.


    Waking up again, I found myself in a hospital in Sea City, with Ste


    sobbing beside me and Dexter ne


    sitting nearby, giving Colin unfriendly looks.


    "Phoebe!" Ste eximed upon seeing me awake.


    "What happened...?" I frowned, confused. I had only slept, so why was I in a hospital with everyone looking so worried?


    "Phoebe, you''re finally awake." Ste climbed out of her bed and hugged me tightly.


    "What about Robin?" I patted Ste''s back.


    "Robin went back to the police


    station. This case has alerted some


    very high-ranking officials," Ste whispered, hesitating. "I shouldn''t


    say too much, but it''s big even the


    top brass are involved!" Content


    I paused, understanding. The person behind this had drawn significant attention, which seemed inevitable.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    But it hadn''t been made public yet, likely to avoid panic...


    The authorities would definitely intervene, and the people from Gene-Forge Collective must be panicking by now. "Have I been asleep for long?" I asked, noticing Colin had immediately stood up to block Dexter.

 Chapter 442

    Chapter 442


    ?


    "It''s been two weeks..." Dexter blurted out, his expression filled with worry for me.


    "13 days and 8 hours, to be precise," Colin retorted, giving Dexter a challenging look.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Dexter clenched his jaw, looking like he was ready to throw punches at Colin.


    I nodded, still in shock. "I''ve been out for that long? What did the doctor say?"


    "The doctor said there''s no clear reason. It could be due to severe shock or a concussion," Ste said, gripping my hand tighter, her voiceced with fear. "You scared me to death, Phoebe."


    I felt disoriented and numb, my body not quite responding the way I wanted it to.


    Shock seemed unlikely, and a concussion wouldn''t knock me out for that long...


    Colin''s gaze was filled with caution and fear. What was he afraid of?


    Clearly, it wasn''t that I wouldn''t wake up. It seemed more like he was afraid I wouldn''t remember him. Afraid I''d lose my memory again?


    This fool... he''s so insecure.


    He''s really scared I''d fall for Dexter again...


    "Colin, my head hurts," I murmured softly.


    They say showing your vulnerable side to your significant other can boost the sense of happiness in a rtionship.


    "Let me help with that," Colin pulled me into his embrace, massaging my temples right in front of Dexter.


    "Get a room," Ste huffed, jealousy tinging her voice. "Phoebe, I thought I was your favorite? Weren''t we supposed to stick together?"


    I nced at Ste, my gaze slightlyplex. After a moment, I managed a smile. "You''re not chasing after Robin anymore?"


    Ste chuckled. "He''s too caught up with work right now..."


    I smiled, though I wondered if it looked as stiff as it felt, my body still not quite under my control.


    Feeling numb...


    It''s an ufortable sensation.


    "What happened after...?" What happened after I fell unconscious?


    "Dexter and the police were looking for us, but..." Dexter stepped forward, eager to show his concern.


    Colin snorted, cutting him off. "The police found those people''s bodies in the ruins, but... Zoe and Dn''s were missing."


    I paused, looking up at Colin. "So, all the dead were ounted for except Zoe and Dn. Oh... and that headmaster from the special school is still alive but went crazy. The police tried to question him, but couldn''t get anything out of him."


    I fell silent, frowning at the absence of Zoe and Dn''s bodies.


    "What about Bran?" I looked around, noting the absence of Finn and Robin due to the case, but why wasn''t Bran here?


    "He''s at school, getting ready for his SATs," Colin exined.


    I opened my mouth to speak, but then held back. "How''s Ss?"


    "He''s still at the hospital. He was badly injured and needs to be moved from intensive care to a regr room before he cane back," Dexter quickly responded, as ifpeting with Colin.


    Colin rolled his eyes.


    "That''s good..." I nodded.


    As long as Ss is alive, that''s what matters.


    "After this murder game, the mastermind behind the serial killings should stop, right?" Ste spoke up, her voice tinged with fear.


    "You all remember the Erase to Zero


    n, right? Now, the only ones left from that list are Melody and Ss Ss got lucky, his crimes aren''t capitat I guess... that leaves only Melody, but she still has value," I said, turning to Dexter.


    Dexter looked down, his voice low. "Phoebe... she''s with Damian, and Damian''s too cunning, always on guard... We need to keep her close to uncover more secrets and leads."


    I scoffed. "It''s up to Damian whether he lets her live or not."


    The murder game has drawn significant attention. Damian''s now in a tight spot...


    I guess, it''s time for him to start cleaning house.

 Chapter 443

    Chapter 443


    ?


    Dexter paused, a hint of nervousness shing across his face as he looked at me. It was obvious he didn''t want anything bad to happen to Melody. For whatever reason, it seemed he believed Melody didn''t deserve the worst oue.


    I couldn''t help but find it amusing. I had thought that once he found out Melody had deliberately tricked me on the night of the 15th, he''d see her in a new light, losing trust and maybe even turning on her.


    But no... Dexter was as concerned about her well-being as ever.


    "Phoebe... she promised if she made it out alive, she''d give me the evidence she has on Damian. I haven''t gotten it yet," Dexter quickly exined.


    It wasn''t about Melody''s life or death to him; it was about not receiving the evidence.


    "Besides... she did risk her life for me once..." Dexter continued, deluding himself.


    "You really think someone as selfish as Melody would risk her life? Either she knew from the start there was no real danger, or you''re remembering it wrong," Ste rolled her eyes. "You saw how she acted in that abandoned warehouse. She was terrified."


    "It''s not the same..." Dexter tried to argue.


    I grabbed Ste''s arm. "Better to break ten temples than to destroy one marriage; they were engaged, after all."


    "Phoebe..." Dexter looked hurt and anxious. "I didn''t mean it like that. I just think her actions aren''t deserving of death. She..."


    "What you mean doesn''t matter to me," I interrupted Dexter, raising my hand.


    Colin was sitting quietly on the bed, barely containing his giggles...


    He probably thought Dexter''s emotional intelligence was in the basement, digging his own grave.


    But when Dexter was digging that grave, Colin made sure to act all innocent, as if it somehow made him seem more obedient and understanding. He''d even ''wag his tail'' from time to time, chiming in, "Babe, Melody almost got Phoebe killed, and he''s still defending her."


    Dexter frowned at Colin, clenching his fists. "That was Melody''s fault, I admit. She said she was too scared, and she didn''t expect Phoebe to actually get hurt. On the night of the 15th, she had too much to drink and lost track of the date, which led to the police investigation getting sidetracked." Dexter continued to make excuses for Melody.


    He was desperate for us to see that Melody didn''t deserve to die.


    "Dexter, this deadly game hasn''t served as a wake-up call for you at all..." I sighed, feeling he was beyond help.


    Too much kindness is a form of cruelty to oneself.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    "Phoebe, I know this is unfair to you, and I will make sure she faces the consequences. But we''re not the police; we need to rationally analyze the value she brings," Dexter tried to make me see why he wanted to protect Melody.


    Maybe, from his perspective, he wasn''t wrong. He just wanted to maximize Melody''s value before she faced her deserved punishment.


    In Dexter''s eyes, it seemed like all of us wanted Melody dead, and he was desperately trying to show us she still had value.


    It was as if we were not even on the same wavelength.


    "Phoebe,


    going to s EQ is so low. We''re not


    to do anything to Melody, He''s


    just so in love," Colin Sent


    adding his two cents again.


    Dexter was on the verge of exploding. "Shut up."


    "My wife! I''ll say whatever I want. We have a marriage license!" Colin retorted, not backing down. In that moment, his defiance was palpable, his brows furrowed as he stared down Dexter, ready for a fight.


    "When words suffice, fists are unnecessary," I said, pulling on Colin''s arm.


    Colin huffed, sitting down next to me in a huff.


    Rubbing his temples, Dexter looked at Colin, exasperated. "Can you step outside? I need to speak with her alone."


    "Nope," Colin responded, boldly defiant.


    I looked at Colin and couldn''t help butugh.

 Chapter 444

    Chapter 444


    ?


    It felt numbing, a dyed reaction that left me momentarily stunned.


    Did I justugh out loud?


    It was a strange sensation.


    Ever since returning from that abandoned factory, everything felt off, my reactions always a step behind my subconscious.


    "Phoebe..." Colin looked back at me, his tone suggesting he was about to snitch. "He asked me to leave, definitely up to no good."


    I nodded. "You can stay and talk here."


    Dexter looked like he was about to blow a gasket, taking a moment before he finally spoke. "Phoebe... Melody is really important, even the cops know..."


    "Are you exining all this because you think I might kill her?" I asked Dexter, genuinely curious.


    Did Dexter really fear me?


    Did that twisted game in the factory scare him that much?


    Dexter paused, clearly afraid I might actually harm Melody. "No, it''s not that..."


    He tried to exin, his voiceced with anxiety. "I just..."


    "If I didn''t kill her in the factory, you shouldn''t worry about me doing it now," I said, clearly remembering how I had frightened Dexter when I had interrogated Melody.


    "Honey, he''s scared of you," Colin whispered in my ear, tattling quietly.


    I didn''t respond, just kept my eyes on Dexter.


    He feared I would kill Melody, thinking I was the mastermind behind a series of murders? The architect of that game?


    "She..." Dexter took a deep breath, looking down. "Melody told the cops you''re behind the game, said... you stabbed her, even imed you... worsened her wound, demanding a medical examination..."


    My eyes narrowed as I watched Dexter. "Really, does she have any proof?"


    Dexter hesitated, then fell silent.


    I looked at Dexter. "Ah... I see..."


    In that moment, I understood why Dexter was so afraid I''d kill Melody.


    "Melody told the police I hurt her, and you''re the only witness," I said to Dexter, feeling a tightness in my chest and a slight shake in my anger. "So, you betrayed me?


    Dexter had told the police it was me?Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    He looked down, murmuring a quiet exnation. "I just..."


    "Just told the truth?" Iughed, pointing to the door. "Get out."


    Ste looked on in shock. "What did you do? Hurt Melody? When did Phoebe hurt Melody? She saved her life! If it wasn''t for Phoebe, Melody would''ve been dead!"


    Colin frowned, saying nothing.


    Melody had used me of harming her, of being the mastermind behind the murder game.


    And Dexter was the witness.


    "Melody''s scared... you''d kill her, I just..." Dexter clenched his fists.


    He couldn''t lie in front of Melody, not with her pleading eyes looking right at him.


    "Dexter, I''ve said it before, you''re kind, but your kindness alwayses from Melody''s perspective You didn''t do wrong because you didn''t lie," I said sternly, pointing to the door. "But I don''t want to see you right now, please leave." Content


    "Phoebe... Melody does have value, if..." Dexter stopped mid-sentence, closing his mouth, his eyes downcast in defeat.


    It seemed he was saying that admitting I had harmed Melody served no purpose without solid evidence in that chaotic situation.


    He just wanted to win Melody''s favor, hoping she''d hand over the evidence against Damian.


    "I''m sorry..." Dexter''s voice was


    hoarse as he apologized. "If Damian goes after Melody, she''ll be scared


    and then... the only person she''ll trust and rely on is me. It''s the only way she''ll hand over the evidence we need."


    With that, Dexter turned and walked away.


    S

 Chapter 445

    Chapter 445


    ?


    After that, the cops showed up, asking about Melody.


    I kept mum, and Ste did all the talking for me.


    The officer said Melody had dropped the charges, said she wasn''t pursuing it, so all I had to do was apologize to Melody.


    Still, I said nothing.


    "What do you make of this whole survival game debacle? As far as we know, you''re just an average Joe, barely out of college, with little to no real- world experience, and yet you spend your time helping homeless kids. How did you walk out of that wreckage unscathed? Your husband, too, isn''t exactly... I''m sorry."


    The officer questioning me was a stranger, just doing his job.


    I knew he didn''t mean anything by calling Colin mentally disabled, but it still put me on edge.


    "I wouldn''t say I came out unscathed. I fell down the stairs, ended up with a brain injury, and was in aa for two weeks before I finally woke up. As for Melody getting hurt, in the pitch-ck chaos, she freaked out and mistook me for an enemy, so I don''t think I owe her an apology," I stated, sticking strictly to the facts.


    But I carefully skirted around certain moments in time.


    Like when I deliberately aggravated her wounds on the stairs to press her for the truth.


    "I can vouch for that!" Ste interjected angrily.


    She was telling the truth, she hadn''t seen me harm Melody.


    And in her eyes, I would never do such a thing.


    Especially since Melody had been painted as the viin.


    The officer nced between Ste and me. "Mr. Dexter ims he was at the scene and corroborates the fact that you hurt Melody."


    "Mr. Dexter was also under extreme stress in that situation; I don''t think eyewitness testimony holds much water under those circumstances," I replied calmly and logically to every question.


    "Melody took a nasty fall, lost her footing on the stairs. By the time I got to her, she was already crying out in pain."


    A montage of truths, my words were factual but rearranged.


    It was my actions that had frightened Melody into falling...


    The officer nodded. "Alright, I''ve got a clear picture now. Since Melody isn''t pressing charges, this matter is essentially closed. Rest up, and someone from the special investigation team will be in touch soon. We''d appreciate your cooperation then."


    I nodded.


    After the officer left, I looked at Colin.


    His gaze was intense and jittery.


    Ste, cursing under her breath, went through a list of insults aimed at Melody''s entire lineage.


    I sat numbly, finally speaking up. "I did hurt Melody."


    I had resorted to violence.


    Ste looked at me, shocked. "How did you not finish her off?"


    I gave Ste a helpless look. "You can''t let friendship cloud your judgment; you''re a forensic scientist."


    Ste scratched her head. "Oh, right."


    She muttered, "Well, whatever. Since Melody''s not making a fuss, who cares?"


    ¡°I just wanted to see... how many steps it takes for a lie to be the truth." I knew Melody would drop the charges; Dexter had his ways.


    But my recent words, outsiders already believed them.


    This meant the police had taken statements from everyone who made it out alive, including Ste, Robin, and Finn.


    With their testimonies and Melody''s viinous reputation, people were more inclined to believe me.


    "So, why do you think Annora


    managed to Ride among us without being discovered? It''s because the underdog naturally wears a filter in everyone''s eyes, and with the likes of Melody and others painted as viins, we were all more inclined to suspect them."


    In other words, we only see what others want us to see.


    And Damian, he presents himself as the perfect husband and father, which means he''s hiding something... What secrets is Damian keeping?


    "Colin, do you think I should have lied just now?" I asked Colin.


    He''d been quiet this whole time.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    "You lied because you knew Melody would drop the charges, so it was harmless. If she hadn''t, you wouldn''t have died; you''d have owned up," Colin said softly.


    He really did know me too well.

 Chapter 446

    Chapter 446


    ?


    My breathing deepened, my gaze trembling as I looked at Colin.


    Colin''s eyes met mine, burning with intensity.


    He knew the old Phoebe was devoid of emotions. She didn''t know happiness, pain, despair, or what a broken heart felt like...


    She didn''t even have the instinct to protect herself.


    But now, I understood... I was starting to feel.


    When I found out Dexter had spoken to the police about me hurting Melody, I wondered, what was Melody''s end goal? Could she use this as leverage against me, or indirectly harm Colin? So no matter what the police said about me, I could remain silent. But the moment Colin was mentioned... I instinctively started to protect myself.


    "Phoebe... you''ve always been wonderful, in every way... don''t force yourself," Colin said, wrapping his arms around me tightly, his voice hoarse and shaking.


    He knew how hard I had tried... tried to be normal.


    But humans have emotions, selfishness is a nature, and lying is a possibility.


    Everyone has ws and weaknesses, nobody''s invincible.


    And it''s theseplex and varied elements that make up ''humanity'', a group of high intelligence that stands above all other life forms on Earth. So, when I found myself lying instinctively, I was shocked, and surprised.


    I looked at my hands, then at Colin.


    In my recovered memories, the me before amnesia felt like an outsider in this world.


    But after losing my memory, it was like I stumbled into a role-ying game as a novice, blundering through life without remembering that I wasn''t a ''normal person'', experiencing pain and disappointment.


    I had to admit, I was ''grateful'' to Dexter. Without this episodic teaching, I wouldn''t be who I am now.


    I was like an ancient tree that had been dead for ages, suddenly sprouting new buds, slowly clearing its channels, growing branches.


    But, it was a long process.


    This world had too many challenges for me to experience...


    "Knock, knock, knock." The sound came from the door of the hospital room, and standing there was a tall man in a suit.


    He was handsome, at least by my


    standards, somewhat resembling Colin but not quite, with a distinguished air about him, simr to Dexter, clearly a high-ranking corporate executive with both talent and capability.


    I guessed he was the sessor Henry had been nurturing outside, preferring him over his own son, Julian Langley, treating Julian like a disposable pawn.


    "Brother," the man gave Colin a sincere smile, seemingly non-threatening.


    But my keen senses picked up the danger emanating from every pore of his body!


    And I had a strong premonition that this man was no simple character...Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    "Is this my sister-inw? Hi, I''m Matthew Langley," he said, walking over with a basket of fruits, extending his hand in a gesture of friendliness.


    I frowned, looking up at him.


    Due to my concerns about Henry potentially harming Colin, I had looked into this Matthew. Being a prodigy was just the least


    impressive of hisbels. Raised in the West, he had been subjected to the finest education, nurtured by Henry with considerable resources.


    Now, I suspected he might be a gically engineered human.


    What worried me more was his upbringing in an aggressive capitalist environment...


    Colin might not be a match for him.


    "You''ve got the wrong ce," I was


    about to speak when Colin cut off Matthew''s words, his presence chilling the air instantly. "Out the door, turn right, straight ahead, down the stairs. If you can''t make it to the morgue on your own, I''d be happy to direct you to the crematorium."


    Colin, when dealing with Dexter, an ''enemy'', could be childish and loud because he never saw Dexter as apetitor on his level.


    But this man was different.


    His danger level was like the pheromones high-ranking animals in the wildpare, instantly putting the apex predators on high alert and sending out the same danger signals.

 Chapter 447

    Chapter 447


    ?


    "Bro, after all these years, you haven''t changed a bit," Matthew said with a chuckle.


    It sounded like a casual remark about Colin''s unchanged appearance, but it subtly implied that Colin hadn''t made any progress in life.


    "And who''s this? A brother from another mother I wasn''t aware of?" I looked up at Colin, my tone far from weing.


    Colin tightened his grip on my fingers. "An unimportant figure," he dismissed.


    My words were clearly unweing towards this unexpected brother.


    "Thedy seems to have taken a dislike to me," Matthewughed, extending his hand for a handshake. "I''m not here to stir trouble with the locals. I''m actually looking to coborate with you."


    Matthew''s sincerity was apparent, but trust was far from being established.


    "The Langley Group has been sold off to the All-Stars Consortium, which means members of the Langley family no longer enjoy any benefits from the Group. My brother took a bold move, essentially dering war on the entire Langley family," Matthew exined, the smile never leaving his face.


    I was unsure what he was trying to convey.


    "This recent spree of killings has touched upon many dark secrets behind major corporations. Damian was just a doctor..." Matthew leaned in, his voice low enough for just us three to hear. "And the team behind the Gene-Forge Collective is nothing but pawns for the capitalists. The true evil lies where you can''t even touch before you be part of the capital."


    I looked up at Matthew, understanding the gravity of his words.


    Damian was just another puppet for the capitalists...


    To get to the heart of darkness and truth, one needed to be the capital.


    That was probably why Colin had decided to return to the Langley fold.


    "Brother, I told you three years ago, only by joining forces can we confront everything," Matthew said, looking at Colin. "Sadly, you refused. Over the years, I''ve been trying to show you my sincerity. You must see that now, right?"


    Colin remained silent, his protective stance around me as if guarding something precious.


    Seeing the moment to retreat,


    Matthew stepped back, still smiling.


    "Bro, no need to be so tense. The upper echelons of capital are already infuriated by the killings, and soon.Osomeone will step in to eradicate and resolve everything. The masterminds behind the scenes, thinking they''re untouchable, will soon meet their end."


    Matthew was referring to the serial killings'' mastermind, suggesting...


    After a meaningful nce at me, he added, "Truly a masterpiece..."


    Then, Matthew turned and walked away.


    Chills ran down my spine at his words-masterpiece...


    Before ''Phoebe Caldwell'' was murdered, the killer had uttered the same phrase, "You''re the most perfect work I''ve ever seen..."


    I knew Matthew wasn''t the murderer, but his words... carried too many implications.


    "Who was that? Way too


    handsome..." Ste was still lost in


    Matthew''s presence and looks "But... doesn''t he seem a bit like a viin from the movies?"


    "Hmph," Colin huffed, clearly disgruntled.


    Seeing Colin''s reaction, Ste teased, "Oh,e on, he''s not as handsome as Colin, nowhere close."


    Colin turned to look at me, seemingly seeking the same reassurance.


    Was this really the time forparing looks?


    Matthew''s words hinted at the capital being thoroughly provoked by the serial killings, indicating they were ready to take action.


    "You''re all set to be discharged today," the doctor announced during his rounds, reviewing my medical records and results.


    Wearing his mask, he seemed... tooBelongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    observant. Maybe it was just my heightened sense of caution, but it


    felt like... everyone was wat at it


    me.

 Chapter 448

    Chapter 448


    ?


    "Phoebe?" Colin approached me, concerned, and gently touched my forehead.


    I suddenly looked up, snapping back to reality. "I''m fine..."


    "No health issues, everything''s okay," the doctor reassured us. "Also, the results from the health department''s check came through, all clear."


    Ste breathed a sigh of relief. "We really dodged a bullet there..."


    "Health department?" I frowned.


    "The headmaster of that special school we found, the one who was terrified out of his mind, he had HIV. And among those of us who were locked up together, one person had HIV and three others had contagious diseases."


    Ste rified.


    "Annora, it turns out, was an HIV carrier. Her husband, Jaxon, led a reckless life, engaging in risky behaviors both before and after their marriage, in addition to being abusive and an alcoholic... She got infected by Jaxon."


    I took a deep breath. In such circumstances, the risk of infection was indeed high, especially for those injured by her.


    "Ste! Did you get checked?" I instinctively grabbed Ste''s wrist, one of those who had been injured by Annora, potential blood contact...


    "I did, I''m clear, don''t worry," Ste quickly reassured me, smiling. "Guess I''m just lucky, should probably buy a lottery ticket..."


    I paused, not knowing what to say.


    Before finding out about Annora and the others being HIV positive, they wouldn''t have thought to take post-exposure prophxis, and by the time they found out, it might have been toote.


    "Sir, Melody is HIV positive and is currently in a state of breakdown. Dexter is with her," Eric informed us as we were about to leave the hospital, whispering to Colin.


    I numbly sat on the edge of the bed.


    Melody contracted HIV...


    It seemed like something Annora did intentionally. Since Melody couldn''t


    Ther


    be killed for the moment, making her live a life worse than death by infecting her with this highly contagious disease, which


    vel.nN?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    currently incurable, was her goal.


    "Whether it''s the HIV infection or this massacre, it was supposed to be strictly confidential. Matthew finding out wasn''t a coincidence... How did the news about Melody''s infection get out?" I looked up at Eric.


    Eric took out his phone. "Someone deliberately posted it online, the ID tracked is overseas. The police suspect it''s Annora." Annora had already exposed herself, she now had nothing to fear, posting online:


    Hello everyone, I''m one of the


    executors behind this massacre game, a pitiful woman. My family


    valued sons over daughters. From a young age, I was cast aside to live with my grandmother, unloved by my parents, eventually drained of all my worth and married off to an ignorant thug for a so-called dowry of a hundred thousand. Content


    I was abused, mistreated by my husband, maliciously infected with HIV, experiencing despair like never before.


    Until I came across the Erase to Zero n.


    This world is too dark, filled with too many parasites that need to be eliminated. Thus, we orchestrated this massacre game.


    In the game, I remained hidden among everyone, and in the end, I used a knife smeared with my blood to stab several survivors, including Melody, Ste, Caleb, and Foebe.


    Annora seemed to intentionally post online.


    I looked at Colin, worried.


    He shook his head at me. "I won''t contract the HIV virus because I have a natural immunity due to gic editing."


    "Then why are Ste and I..." I asked, puzzled, casting a meaningful nce at Ste.


    Foebe and Phoebe were from the same embryonic clone experiment. Phoebe was a fully gically modified test subject. What about Foebe? Could she also be?


    If my current body had been gically enhanced, I might be immune to HIV, but Ste...


    Ste, looking genuinely relieved, said, "I guess I''m just really lucky."

 Chapter 449

    Chapter 449


    ?


    "It''s time to head out," Eric announced, wrapping up the call that had summoned us.


    "You guys go on ahead. I won''t be discharged until tomorrow. Robin should be able to pick me up," Ste waved at me, pulling me into a hug. "Go home and rest. Try not to worry about anything."


    I nodded, following Colin numbly.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Colin noticed my concern and whispered, "Ste''s gic test came back clear. She''s just incredibly lucky."


    Relief washed over me as I looked at him. "That''s a relief..."


    Rubbing my temples, I realized just how stressed I''d be.


    Even a simple visit to the doctor had me suspecting foul y.


    "Don''t worry, you''ve got me," Colin soothed in a low voice.


    "This Matthew..." I wanted to know more about him and what he meant by coboration.


    "He sought me out at the orphanage three years ago, knew I was ying dumb," Colin said, holding my hand as we entered the elevator. "He''s dangerous. I could tell the moment Iid eyes on him. He showed me incriminating evidence and facts about the Gene-Forge Collective, exining how the elite had been dabbling in gic modifications over twenty years ago... The rich began secretly experimenting with gene editing, using their sperm, top-quality eggs, and surrogates to create offspring with superior intelligence, ensuring their industries and dynasties would thrive."


    Where there''s capital, there''s sin.


    That much has always been true.


    "But gene editing is a controversial topic. While scientists and researchers have validated and experimented with the concept on animals, such anti- humanitarian acts are banned worldwide. This led to the emergence of a sinister group, conducting experiments on humans in secret. These individuals are known as... test subjects."


    Clearly, both Foebe and I were among those test subjects, with potentially many more like us worldwide.


    "To keep the wealthy invested and trusting in their research, these test subjects were ced in ordinary wombs to be born, grow, and live. Special operatives would then monitor every significant action of the test subjects in society, noting their superior intellect, sharpness, and physical prowess, whether in sports, finance, research, or any other field, vastly outperforming their peers."


    "With these sessful experiment data, more capital and interest from


    to use their own ''children'' or


    the wealthy followed, leading''


    embryos as pawns and


    experimental subjects for what''s known as gene editing."


    Clearly, Colin was one such gically modified individual.


    A designer baby funded by the Langley family, Brendan''s attempt at leaving behind a stronger progeny.


    But no one anticipated Colin''s


    ''awakening'' toe sote,


    branding him a ''failure'' and


    vel


    heartlessly abandoning him at an orphanage.


    They didn''t even regard these gically modified children as their own, treating them more like toys or dolls.


    Such is the horror of human nature.


    And Foebe and I, we were part of an experiment, fully optimized test subjects.


    "Clearly, this technology and the evil


    evil


    behind it continue their


    Colin''s eyes held a


    e


    as he looked at me.


    I knew we were merely sacrifices of our era, stepping stones for what''s called scientific progress.


    Their ''progress'' wasn''t instantaneous but built over years of continuous experiments, observations, and umted data.


    Should gene modification be a global trend and be legalized, we were destined to be mere stepping stones in the flow of history.


    And rebels, they were fighting against this organization.


    Battling against formidable capital...


    It felt suffocating and daunting just to think about it.


    "Matthew, he''s also a product of gene editing, a high-intellect individual created behind Brendan''s back by Henry."

 Chapter 450

    Chapter 450


    ?


    Henry''s ambition was a ticking time bomb, and the moment Brendan stumbled upon the secret stash of letters from Matthew, it was all too clear he harbored dreams of overtaking the Langley family estate.


    Henry was merely a distant cousin, benefitted from the Langley''s generosity but hardly a direct heir.


    And yet, this distant cousin dared to eye the family fortune...


    "Ethan Langley''s demise came about because... he stood against gic editing, against these inhumane practices. When I was tossed into the orphanage,beled as a wed product of gic modification, he fought tooth and nail to bring me home. But the patriarch and the entire Langley family objected, viewing me as a blemish... Thereafter, he dedicated himself tobating the organization, opposing the cruel live experiments..."


    Thus, Ethan, the heir to Sea City''srgest fortune, met his untimely and obscure end.


    And Brendan, having lost such an exceptional son, remained silent, not pursuing the matter further...


    It highlighted the terrifying power of the backing corporations.


    "Why is Matthew coborating with us?" I asked Colin.


    "He''s against the experiments, against gic editing," Colin replied.


    I was taken aback. Matthew was opposed?


    "We stand against it because of the loss of loved ones, the suffering of our partners. We oppose these anti-human experiments, aiming to prevent the recurrence of tragedies. But his reason differs; he revels in his superior intellect, his artificial advantages. He refuses to allow any more high-IQ modified humans to emerge,peting with him for upper-ss resources."


    I nodded in understanding.


    It made sense.


    So, the real enemy was the Gene-Forge Collective.


    And Phoebe was one of Gene-Forge Collective''s most crucial subjects...


    My death was inevitable, a grim demonstration.


    Even if Melody hadn''t lured me out that night, my end was only a matter of time.


    I was on their hit list.


    "Foebe! I''m going to kill you!"


    As we were about to get into the car after leaving the hospital, a nearly crazed figure rushed through the crowd.


    She held a switchde, lunging at me.


    Instinctively, I raised my hand to grab the de, but Colin was quicker, seizing the hilt.


    "Foebe, why don''t you just die! You did it on purpose, didn''t you? You knew Annora had AIDS, you knew! I''ll kill you, I''m going to kill you!"


    It was Melody, disheveled and manic, screaming her intentions to kill me.


    "You ruined my life, you ruined me!" Melody cried, sitting on the ground as Dexter, who followed closely, tried to intervene in panic. "Melody!" Dexter shouted. "Come back with me!"


    Melody resisted, crying. "She ruined me, I won''t let her get away with it, I definitely won''t let her! Dexter, kill her for me, you kill her, she''s not Phoebe, she really isn''t Phoebe..."


    Melody''s struggle and her diagnosis with AIDS were akin to a death sentence; her life was indeed ruined.


    I looked down at the agonized,


    manic Metody and spoke solemnly. "Humanity should never challenge nature... What goes aroundes around, and fate''s judgment will arrive,te but inevitable."


    So, this was Melody''s retribution.


    The price of malice.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    "And what about you, think you''re any better? The sins and blood on your hands are far greater than mine, Foebe... stop pretending, stop it! No matter how much you y the victim, it won''t change your true nature!" Melody, in her frenzy, threw photos and documents at us.


    "Caleb! Dexter, she''s fooled you both! Look for yourselves, these are the Gene-Forge Collective''s observation records on Foebe, I stole them! See for yourselves!"


    Melody screamed uncontrobly, her eyes filled with loathing as if she were staring at a demon.

 Chapter 451

    ?


    It must be the organization behind the scenes, keeping a close eye on Foebe Larson''s upbringing without her knowing.


    Foebe herself... wasn''t as harmless as she appeared to be.


    She masqueraded as ordinary and timid, but behind the scenes... she was a high-IQ mastermind nning the downfall of her bullies, then hiding in the shadows, smirking with disdain.


    This included her parents being arrested for human trafficking, the Larson family''s golden boy developing brain damage from a severe fever, and Foebe''s grandmother suffering more than just poverty and having an idiot grandson and a son in jail...


    Phoebe used every means at her disposal to get revenge, using the people her enemies cherished most as her weapons.


    She knew exactly how to grasp someone''s deepest fears and insecurities.


    She knew how to make their lives a living hell, striking at their very hearts.


    Take Coraline Larson, for example...


    Although Coraline had stolen Foebe''s so-called boyfriend, Phoebe didn''t seem to have had any real feelings for anyone. It was more like she intentionally handed that so-called boyfriend to Coraline, plotting to rid herself of the man and continue her facade.


    Indeed... we all underestimated ''Foebe Larson''.


    She was also one of the experiments.


    Staring at theb data on the ground, I couldn''t snap out of it for a long time.


    If Foebe was really that smart, how did she end up dead?


    She was chosen by the Langley family as the prime candidate for their lineage, taken into the Langley household, only to die from a heart attack induced by drug overdose? And then... I coincidentally reincarnated in her body.


    Was all this really just a coincidence?


    And Foebe''s diary.


    Returning to the Larson household, could I really have stumbled upon Foebe''s diary in the storage that quickly... by coincidence?


    Thinking back, it seems more like it was all arranged by Foebe in advance.


    And Melody Burton, iming I''m not Phoebe Caldwell, but Foebe Larson...


    Ha... At this point, even I''m starting to doubt.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Who am I, what kind of ''thing'' am I? What sort of existence do I hold?


    What kind of experiment am I?


    The people behind Gene-Forge Collective, using us for their experiments, are they really just testing gics?


    Compared to Colin and Matthew


    Langley, who are considered


    perfected experimental data and put


    into ''production'' as geniuses, I should have no experimental value left. Yet, it seems the people behind the scenes are still observing us.


    S


    This can only mean that there are more terrifying secrets within me, Foebe, and possibly other clone subjects.


    ...


    At Colin''s ce.


    Following Colin home, Coly was already at the door to greet us.


    He looked excited, wagging his tail energetically.


    In my memories, my Howler was just like this, fierce towards


    everyone else but showing a gentle and obedient side to me and Colin.


    "Did you eat well?" I crouched down, patting his head, almost subconsciously raising my right hand.


    This was a gesture I often made when training Howler.


    Howler would sit obediently, tongue out, looking at me, waiting for my nextmand.


    As soon as my hand went up, Coly obediently sat down, just like Howler, waiting for my next instruction.


    I was momentarily taken aback, then stretched out my arms towards the food bowl in the far end of the garden. "Bring it here."


    Coly, as if understanding human nature, dashed over and grabbed his little bowl, trotting back to me.


    Colin sat on the garden swing, watching me interact with Coly.


    After rewarding him with a head rub, I hugged him. "Such a good boy..."


    Just as obedient as Howler.


    "Bark bark!" Suddenly, Coly started barking furiously towards the driveway.


    I turned around, my gazending on the ck sedan parked outside, and stood up with a wary frown.


    The visitor... was Damian.


    "Looks like it''s time to move," Colin said solemnly.


    This ce... wasn''t safe anymore.


    Anyone could show up.


    Damian stepped out of the car,


    dressed in a ck trench coat


    holding a ck umbre. "Foebe


    Larson... no, should I call you Phoebe Caldwell now?"

 Chapter 452

    ?


    I frowned, wary as I eyed him.


    He just shed me a grin. "Melody must''ve shared some secrets with you, huh? That''s just the tip of the iceberg."


    He knew. He knew that Melody had spilled the beans about those so-called cloning experiments.


    "The cops are already on it. Melody''s turned me in. It won''t be long before they trace it back to me. And you guessed it... I''m just another pawn in their game. When pushes to shove, they''ll sacrifice me without a second thought," Damian said, his voice tinged with sadness as he opened the car door. "Want to know more? Thene take a ride with me."


    I eyed Damian skeptically. Was he really going to spill the beans just like that?


    "Think we were born yesterday?" Colin''s voice was deep and grounded, standing by my side.


    Damian''s gaze shifted to Coly, who was baring his teeth at us, and he chuckled. "Phoebe, trust no one. Anyone could be a spy nted by ''The Organization'' to monitor you, even pushing the experimental data forward, including... a dog."


    Damian''s words sent a chill down my spine. Although he mentioned only a dog, it was a clear metaphor for everyone involved.


    "Ever seen ''The Truman Show''?" Damian spoke again. "Art imitates life, but life always surpasses art."


    I clenched my fists, looking at Colin.


    Everyone... Were they all just pawns ced around me? Was Colin one of them too?


    In my memory, there was this scene... Colin, in agony, holding me as I was covered in blood, stopping me from hurting myself. He said, "Phoebe... I have nothing. I''m just a piece used to y their games. I can live without the whole world, but not without you..."Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Belief is the drive and courage for a person to keep living.


    And Phoebe was Colin''s belief and courage.


    "Phoebe, stop hurting yourself, please."


    "My time is running out," Damian reminded me again.


    The ''Rebellion Syndicate''s'' protest game had evidently caused a significant butterfly effect. The


    higher-ups were taking


    et


    seriously,


    meaning the capital behind


    e


    Gene-Forge Collective was about to


    start cleaning house.


    I had thought Melody would be the one they''d eliminate, but Damian was on the list too.


    I guessed that before the cops could get to Damian, the capital behind the scenes would ensure he was silenced forever.


    "I have no regrets. After all, I''ve lived many more years than your parents," Damian said, retracting his ck umbre and getting into the car. I looked at Colin, and he looked back at me.


    Damian didn''t have much time left, and there was still so much we needed to know.


    "About your parents'' death, I''m sorry," Damian said as we got into the car.


    He was talking about Phoebe''s parents.


    "As for your father..." Damian''s gaze fell on Colin. "His death was purely his own doing. Openly opposing ''The Organization'' was like a moth to a me."


    Colin frowned.


    et


    "I advise you, before bing a capital that even ''The Organization fears, don''t make any rash moves," Damian seemed to be cautioning us, as if on the brink of death.


    "Caleb Langley, the dumbest thing you did was selling the Langley Group to All-Stars Consortium. All-Stars Consortium has risen too, quickly in recent years. ''The


    Organization'' fears and yet cou


    All-Stars Consortium. Last year, All-Stars Consortium donated billions to ''The Organization''s''bs, allowing them to prate deeper into the inner circle... By handing over the Langley Group to them, you''ve only made them stronger."


    The situation was only going to get worse from there.


    Colin smirked, his grip tightening on my hands. "That''s not your concern."


    I couldn''t help but nce at Colin.


    To fight against ''The Organization'', one must first be the capital.


    Could All-Stars Consortium be linked to Colin?

 Chapter 453

    ?


    "Human desire is bottomless, like a ck hole, devouring everything in its path..." Damian gazed out the car window, speaking again. "Some folks argue that humans aren''t native to Earth but prisoners trapped here, doomed to a cycle of birth, aging, illness, and death."


    "Do you actually buy into these fairy tales, Dr. Damian?" I scoffed.


    "Fairy tales? The end of science is theology because anything that can''t be exined by science can be exined by theology," Damian retorted with a smirk. "Take immortality, for instance. It seems impossible, right? But is it really?"


    "Could the ancients imagine that one day, the average human lifespan would extend to 73 years? Advances in medical technology have nearly doubled our lifespans, leading to an aging society with its own set of burdens."


    I frowned, absorbing Damian''s words.


    "The flip side of medical progress is an aging poption, a declining birth rate, and the elite focusing on the ''quality'' of their offspring: higher intelligence, superior physical strength, innate immunity to various diseases. A man-made ''evolutionary'' advantage over the average Joe..." Damian chuckled.


    Because this is what modern science and healthcare can achieve.


    "Ever wonder why the wealthy can live so long? Ny, even a hundred years old, and still bursting with vitality. Do you really think it''s just good genes? It''s because they have ess to things the average person can''t even dream of... be it drugs or other exotic treatments."


    There''s too much darkness beyond our imagination.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    All built on money and power.


    "And you, Phoebe, your very existence is tied to the interests and destinies of many... You''re like the protagonist in The Truman Show, with countless eyes watching every aspect of your life, including your ''rebirth'' in Foebe''s body - a ludicrous notion that''s nevertheless caught someone''s attention." "And the capital behind the scenes can amplify the value of your existence infinitely..." Damian said with a smirk. "Phoebe, you have no idea how valuable you really are."


    A chill ran down my spine as I grasped Damian''s implication.


    If ''rebirth'' were proven possible, the future would see more tycoons betting on this notion, with the Gene-Forge Collective''s backers using ''me'' as a guinea pig to attract more investment. Continuing the research on cloning and the transfer of souls and memories as a way to defy natural aging and death, perpetuating their existence indefinitely.


    Achieving the so-called ''immortality''.


    And with that, more sins and vitions of nature and human decency would emerge.


    "From the moment we''re born, the world is divided into sses. Fairness? It''s just a word." Damianughed, a hint of madness in his voice. "Whether you''re Phoebe or not... I hope you''re not..."


    There was a deep meaning in Damian''s words. He wanted me to hide, to avoid detection.


    "I''ve been working hard to prove you''re not Phoebe... I''m trying to save your life." Damian spoke again. "Here we are, time to get out."


    I frowned as I stepped out of the car.


    Damian had brought us to a ce that was the epitome of Western dread: a psychiatric hospital.


    His father-inw''s psychiatric hospital.


    "This ce... it''s riddled with sins." Damian looked at the psychiatric hospital''s inpatient building and


    spoke again. "Caleb, you''re reallyet


    smart, faking insanity to get in here, trying to unearth its secrets. You''ve made it this far, which is quite remarkable..."


    Damian''s voice was low, as if he genuinely admired Colin. "Too bad... those people are always more vignt than you''d expect." "Follow me," Damian gestured for us to follow him inside.


    "Dr. Damian, the hospital has a policy against bringing in outsiders..." The guard at the door stopped us with a wary look. "He''s a patient, and this is a family member," Damian pointed at Colin.


    The guard checked his tablet,


    verifying the information, and seeing


    that Colin was indeed a form seei


    patient, he finally rxed. "Alright, Dr. Damian, right this way..."

 Chapter 454

    ?


    Before the guard could finish his sentence, a delivery truck hurtled our way out of nowhere.


    "Bang!" That was the sound.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Instinctively, Colin wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his embrace, shielding me from the impact.


    But Damian... Damian wasn''t so lucky. The truck sent him flying.


    "Run... get out..." Damian''s voice was raspy, barely there, as if he''d mustered all his strength for those words.


    Get out.


    He wasn''t talking about escaping the immediate danger, but rather, like Truman from "The Truman Show," breaking free from a world under constant surveince.


    "Dr. Damian!" The hospital''s security rushed over, surrounding Damian, and dialed 911 for an ambnce.


    I stood frozen, my fingers numb.


    Damian was a target too...


    And me, I hadn''t evene close to reaching Damian''s level...


    Who was behind all this? How could they be so terrifying?


    For the first time, I felt a profound sense of dread and fear, from head to toe.


    To those at the top, we were no more than ants, easily crushed if they so wished.


    "This world is like a giant anthill, with clear divisions ofbor and hierarchical structures... You don''t touch the interests of the elite unless you can fight your way in. Otherwise... if you threaten their interests, your fate is sealed."


    In the truck, Damian''s words echoed in my ears.


    From matters of capital and conspiracy, nations and wars, to neighborhood gossip and workce rivalries...


    Human ambition and darkness grow with one''s station, shifting and magnifying.


    "Colin, what''s real and what''s fake, in the world around Phoebe and me?" I whispered, gripping his hand tighter.


    "Every one of us is the protagonist of our own world; everyone else is just background," Colin squeezed my fingers back. "To me, you''re always the protagonist, but I don''t want to be just background."


    "What if... I''m not really Phoebe?" I looked into Colin''s eyes.


    What if it turned out I wasn''t Phoebe, that my memories were just part of some experiment, an imnt? What would Colin do?


    What could he do...


    My nose tingled, a heat rising in my throat.


    I raised my hand to Colin''s face, resting my forehead against his. It all seemed so unfair to him; he''d suffered too much for Phoebe. If the truth turned out to be different from what he believed, how would he cope?


    Just the thought of that oue made my heart ache as if it were about to shatter.


    I didn''t know if it was the memories or if I had truly been reborn... I wasn''t even sure if I was Phoebe anymore.


    It felt like the whole world was a fabrication, an experiment designed for me.


    "You are..." Colin''s certainty never wavered.


    I didn''t know if he had some truth that I didn''t, or if he was just deluding himself.


    "From a scientific perspective, the


    idea of soul rebirth and parallel universes is usible. We can''t deny the unknown just because science hasn''t affirmed it yet..." Colin pulled me into a corner, cradling my face. "Phoebe, don''t overthink it. you; I''ve never stopped trying..."


    From the past to the present, and into the future.


    He was always striving to protect me.


    The ambnce arrived, taking Damian away.


    protect


    News from the hospital wasn''t promising; Damian was alive, but the chances of him waking up were slim.


    After all Damian had done for the organization, to end up disposed of like this...


    It''s said, "The hare is cooked when the hunting dogs are no more." Melody''s contracting HIV wasn''t the end; it was just the beginning of a nightmare.


    With Damian gone, Melody would live every day in fear of death, clinging desperately to Dexter Fitzgerald as her lifeline, hoping he''d save her.


    "Bro, sis-inw, thinking we can


    uncover the truth and stand up to et


    the powers-that-be through conventional means is a fairytale. We need to work together.


    At the hospital entrance, Colin and I ran into Matthew again.


    Damian had barely been admitted when he showed up.


    "You''re well-informed..." I eyed Matthew warily. His sources were frighteningly good...

 Chapter 455

    ?


    "I''m a tinum member of this club..." Matthew responded in a way that seemed off-topic, but in reality, he had addressed my question without directly answering it.


    The Global Commerce Guild.


    Aworking feast for the cr¨¨me de cr¨¨me of billionaires.


    This was a ce where many dreamt of entering but few could. Here, it wasn''t just about having substantial assets; prospective members were also evaluated on their intelligence, financial strength, capabilities, and social standing.


    In other words, a yground for the capital elite.


    Matthew was essentially telling Colin and me that to get closer to the truth, we needed to prate this exclusive club.


    ¡°Getting in isn''t easy,¡± Matthew said, a smirk ying at the corners of his mouth. ¡°In the entire Sea City Commerce Guild, only the enigmatic CEO behind All-Stars Consortium ranks above me... a tinum member. Dexter from the Fitzgerald Group, on his mother Hailey''s rmendation, is also a tinum member."


    Matthew chuckled before continuing. ¡°Back in the day, Ethan Langley was a figure who could have made it into the top ten of the guild. Just imagine... in all of Sea City, he was one of a kind. My father wanted Ethan to introduce him, but Ethan refused every time. My father thought Ethan looked down on him, which led to bad blood between them. Now, standing in this position has be something he can boast about."


    The rift within the Langley family probably started around then. Henry was ambitious and vain, always looking to climb higher.


    The Global Commerce Guild I knew of controlled the global economic pulse. Only by gaining entry could one leverage the powerful connections and resources within to pave their own path...


    In essence, bing a member meant that even if you started with nothing, as long as you had exceptional skills in a certain area, you could rise above the rest.


    Whether it was in medicine, science, or any field...


    The guild''s membership tiers were incredibly strict, with the top ranks upied by global moguls - the kind you''d only hear about in the news. These were the true titans of the capital world, capable of turning the tide at will.


    They were ssified into Gold, tinum, and Diamond tiers among others.


    Sea City''s businessndscape held a significant ce in the global economy, yet only the CEO of All-Stars Consortium had made it into the tinum tier.


    As for the Fitzgerald family, they indeed had the capital to enter this circle. However, before my rebirth, I never heard Hailey mention this group. Her tone was disdainful, and she explicitly forbade Dexter from participating in or even entering this circle.


    Why did Dexter choose to go in?


    Was it also to uncover the truth behind it all?


    "The CEO of All-Stars Consortium... what kind of person is he, really?" I murmured.


    Matthew''s gazended on Colin. "Bro sold the Langley family to him, aiming to use the CEO of All-Stars Consortium''s rmendation to join the club, right?"


    Entry required a capital sponsor and a series of assessments.


    So, Colin''s approach to All-Stars Consortium was for this reason?


    "If you don''t partner with me, relying on your own capabilities..." Matthew''s words dripped with irony and slight disdain. "It would be too~~~ hard to get in. Besides, the CEO of All-Stars Consortium is a mysterious and unpredictable figure. Even if you sett the Langley Group to him, he might not rmend you. It''s better to rely on myExclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    rmendation." Matthew was confident.


    Confident that Colin had no other choice.


    "Ha... At the end of the day, before you had any real business ventures, you were just a tinum member with a ''business prodigy'' title. Rather than begging for your


    el.n


    rmendation, it''s better to partner with Dexter. At least he has the entire Fitzgerald Group behind him." I spoke coldly, hoping to throw some cold water on Matthew''s confidence.


    But Matthew remained unfazed, as if he was certain Colin wouldn''t turn to Dexter. ¡°Let''s not even talk about the strained rtionship between my brother and Dexter... Just look at the Fitzgerald Group. Do you really trust them Damian''s rtionship with Mrs. Fitzgerald Hailey from the Fitzgerald Group isn''t ordinary... Damian is a key figure behind the Gene-Forge Collective. Hailey, do you think she can escape that connection?"


    I was taken aback, suddenly looking up.

 Chapter 456

    ?


    Matthew was spot on...


    "Hailey knew full well that Phoebe was a test subject, fully aware that she was Gene-Forge Collective''s most prized guinea pig. Yet, she deliberately kept Phoebe close, using the guise of an engagement with her son as a way to tether her... It was surveince, an experiment in emotional cognition," Matthew said, a smile ying on his lips. "From Phoebe''s amnesia to her entanglement with Dexter, and even to her death, it was all orchestrated. This Hailey... she''s no simpleton."


    Dexter''s mother... she could very well be one of the Gene-Forge Collective...


    "No... It can''t be." My voice was hoarse, instinctively I stepped back.


    From my car ident and memory loss, to Hailey taking me in, to my mistaking Dexter as my savior... to the so-called engagement, the love and hatred, the daily torment, Dexter''s distrust...


    All of it, Hailey couldn''t have been unaware. Nothing in the Fitzgerald family could escape her sight, yet she did nothing to stop it.


    She even intentionally took away my pregnancy test...


    Hailey, she truly had no affection for me, only seeing me as a specimen.


    Involving her son in the experiment, was it all part of the n?


    Ha... All fake, everything was a sham.


    "The Fitzgeralds, can''t trust them," Matthew said with a smile.


    Looking at Matthew, he exuded confidence from the beginning to the end, a sense of superiority thates with high intelligence.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Bro, I''ll be in touch," Matthew said, handing his business card to Colin before turning to leave.


    After a few steps, he looked back at me with a smile. "Sis-inw... you''re quite the valuable asset, make sure you stay alive... take care of yourself." I clenched my fists, feeling a chill down my spine.


    He said I was valuable, probably because my very existence was like ab rat under the capitalists'' watchful eyes.


    Those people, like bloodthirsty wolves, monitoring my every move, seeing if I could break through the barriers they set, to see if I could achieve the results they desired... only then to enter into ''mass production'' for capitalization.


    Ha... I staggered back, each word from Matthew sending me into emotional turmoil.


    I began to fear, to feel disoriented, feeling as if cameras were watching me everywhere.


    Even breathing felt numb.


    "Phoebe..." Colin held me close. "Don''t listen to him, don''t be afraid."


    I clung tightly to Colin''s shirt, warily looking around.


    Now, even passersby seemed like they were observing me.


    "Phoebe..."


    "Let''s go home... Colin, take me


    home," I said, clutching at Colin''s et


    cor, my breathing rapid, my voice choked. "Colin... take me home."


    Can you hide me away?


    They want to observe me, but why... why should I be the caged rat on disy? Why!


    I wanted tosh out, to rebel.


    "Ah!" A sudden intense headache made me clutch my head and crouch down.


    Memories flooded back... why I went I self-harmed, why Colin


    mad,


    and


    away, only to be


    e


    back'' in that warehouse.ught


    belongs to  I overheard my parents on the phone, reporting my every move, my growth,


    my abnormal be


    someone above. Content


    to


    belongs to


    MS


    I went mad, I wanted to escape, I begged Colin to take me away.


    I begged him to hide me.


    "We''re going home, Phoebe, we''re going home," Colin said, frantically holding me, his body trembling.


    He was afraid I''d recall past memories, afraid that the shock would drive me to self-harm again...


    And with Matthew''s return, a few words were enough to drag me back to hell.


    "Phoebe!"


    My consciousness began to blur, pain made my legs give out, and I knelt on the ground.


    When I came to, my hands were covered in blood.


    I was scratching my own face, self-harming unconsciously...


    I lifted my head, a dark look in my eyes, knowing someone was watching me.


    "I will find you..." My voice was hoarse.


    I will find you, those who threaten me and Colin, one by one... I will eliminate them all.

 Chapter 457

    ?


    "Phoebe..."


    Colin was terrified by my self-harm, aware that it was my way of protesting against those shadowy figures observing me from afar.


    But thest thing he wanted was for me to hurt myself.


    He would rather have a Phoebe who was blissfully unaware and amnesiac than the Phoebe who was fully conscious... at least she''d be carefree.


    That''s why... after all these years of my memory loss, Colin preferred to suffer in silence, protecting me from the shadows, never daring toe close. He feared that seeing him might trigger my memories of our shared past.


    He feared plunging me back into a hellish existence.


    He wanted to save me.


    He could only watch, helplessly, as I fell for someone else, never daring toe close...


    The agony he must have felt.


    It had to be a hundred times worse than mine.


    To watch the person you love forget you and fall for someone else.


    "Phoebe... look at me, please, just look at me," Colin''s voice seemed so distant.


    He begged me, his voice trembling, pleading for me to look into his eyes.


    His eyes, deep blue like the night sky or the vast ocean...


    I had once hoped to drown in those eyes of his, where death wouldn''t be a punishment, but my escape.


    Unfortunately.


    It was as if I was cursed, ''resurrected from death''?


    "Phoebe."


    Colin took me back home, and we hid in the basement.


    He held me close, whispering, "Phoebe, we''re going to win, we have to."


    "Can we really escape?" I asked Colin.


    I had asked him the same question when I was eighteen, begging him to take me away.


    "No more running..."


    Colin said, no more running.


    When I was eighteen, Colin had promised me we could, we definitely could escape.


    But we failed.


    Our youthful selves were no match for the power and influence of those we were up against.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    But this time, Colin said no more running.


    Alright, then no more running.


    They were our nightmare, and we could be theirs.


    "No more running..." I reached up to caress Colin''s face and kissed him.


    Colin brought his hands to my head, deepening our kiss...


    I wasn''t very good at kissing, struggling to breathe, almost suffocating.


    Colin gently kissed the corners of my eyes, tenderly wiping away the tears on my face, his breath scorching. "Phoebe... it hurts."


    He was asking for my consent.


    If I didn''t agree, he wouldn''t touch me.


    I remembered... during our awkward adolescence, it was the age of hormonal collisions and surges. We


    sensations of desire.


    tried kissing like this ward


    the


    "Making love is only right when both parties are willing; anything else is a vition." I remember telling Colin, such matters require consent


    UMS


    Back then, Colin seemed easily swayed by desire.


    But he could restrain himself.


    For Phoebe, he could control his instincts and desires.


    The Colin of the past was like a beast trapped in a cage, with Phoebe being his sole creed.


    If killing was the beast''s nature, then resisting that nature for you was my way of proving my love.


    "Phoebe, we have a license," Colin said, his gaze intense, almost as if he was bragging.


    Things were different now; back


    then, they were just of age, without


    the means to be responsible for


    each other, so they had to


    §Ö


    desperately control their desires and


    instincts.


    But now, it was different; they were legally married now, and to engage in such intimate acts waswful.


    I paused for a moment, looking at Colin, his eyes filled with innocence and longing as if they could instantly wash away all my fears.


    Somewhere inside me, a voice was telling me to hold him tight, to trust him, to fulfill all his desires.


    My cheeks flushed at the realization, only now understanding that in my frenzied state, I had already positioned myself on hisp.


    His arms wrapped around my waist, the posture incredibly intimate...


    With a slight chill at my fingertips, I gently touched his cheek and kissed him again.


    Let''s be wild one more time... and temporarily forget all theplications.


    "Colin..." I took the initiative, unbuttoning my shirt, slipping it off, then reaching for the sp of my bra...

 Chapter 458

    ?


    I took the initiative, and suddenly, Colin seemed bashful.


    His face flushed in an instant, his gaze darting away as if looking for an escape.


    "Look at me..." I pressed my forehead against Colin''s, resuming the kiss we had started.


    He tried to take control, but I quickly wrapped his shirt around his arms from behind, effectively tying his hands.


    "Who... who taught you this?" Colin''s cheeks turned a deeper shade of red as he stuttered, his presence imposing despite his flustered state. "The inte," I replied honestly.


    "Maybe you should steer clear of... certain websites," Colin coughed lightly, seemingly impressed yet concerned about my learning capabilities. "Hold on..." As my fingers grazed his waist, Colin, trying to suppress his desire, spoke again, his voice husky. "Top drawer... condoms."


    My eyes narrowed as I tightened my grip around Colin''s neck. "Why''s your man cave stocked with condoms?"


    He better have a good exnation.


    Colin''s eyes avoided mine once more. "Thought... about keeping you here."


    I knew it. He''d been plotting all along to keep me locked away in a basement, for moments like these!!


    "It''s... it''s all above board," Colin muttered under his breath.


    "Even spouses can''t imprison each other without consent..." I chuckled softly, deliberately rubbing against him to tease.


    Colin''s breath grew hotter, his restraint evident. "Beg me..."


    He was afraid I''d actually ask him to lock me up.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    As long as it''s consensual, everything''s legal.


    I leaned in for another kiss. "Colin... help me forget, even if it''s just for a little while."


    "Okay..."


    Somehow, he managed to free his hands and flipped me beneath him, his kisses bing more intense and desperate. "Colin..."


    Calling out his name felt like a temporary escape from it all.


    Only in moments like these could I focus solely on us, without overthinking or doubting anyone else.


    ...


    It wasn''t until 2 a.m. that Colin finally let me be.


    "Untie my hands..." My voice was hoarse, and my eyes were teary as I tugged at my wrists.


    He learned quickly, that much was clear.


    "No." Colin huffed, pulling me into his embrace. "You''ll run away if I do..."


    "Colin!" I bit out his name through clenched teeth.


    He remained indifferent, his hands wandering. "Phoebe... I still want..."


    "Don''t even think about it! Don''t you dare!" I instantly became alert; he was after my life...


    Colin let out a pitiful whine, wrapping his arms around me like an octopus, holding me tight.


    "Colin, I''m warning you, untie me..."


    He still didn''t budge.


    Exhausted, I eventually fell into a heavy sleep.


    When I woke up the next day, the ropes around my wrists were untied, and I was curled up in his embrace, sleeping peacefully and securely.


    I had to admit... Colin was like an antidote to me.


    Colin and I spent the night in his secretir, a basement room with windows, only ventted by an air system, yet I felt an unprecedented sense of security.


    et


    "Sir, there''s a woman outside iming to be Damian''s daughter," Eric knocked on the door just as Colinpretended to be asleep still holding me.


    I narrowed my eyes and tugged at his ear. "Stop pretending."


    Colin opened his eyes with a look of grievance, whispering softly. "Babe... my bad."


    Now he realized his mistake.


    "Damian''s daughter?" Damian''s


    eldest daughter was born with cerebral palsy and was rumored to have passed away. His younger daughter was from his current wife, so it must be her.


    The granddaughter of a mental asylum director.


    "And Dexter is with her," Eric added.


    My brows furrowed. Dexter and Damian''s daughter together?


    "Oh, and Melody," Eric added.


    Colin sat up with a look of annoyance. "Next time, spit it all out at once. Tell them to get lost."

 Chapter 459

    ?


    Stepping out of the basement, my back felt like it had aged a decade overnight.


    I shot Colin a re over my shoulder, and he couldnously looked away, muttering, "Phoebe, that mattress was a disaster. Told Eric to dump it." "I ought to dump you," I grumbled through clenched teeth.


    But Colin was quick to grab my hand, a yful seriousness in his tone. "No can do, darling. We''re signed, sealed, and delivered. No returns, no exchanges."


    I nced down at Colin''s hand enveloping mine but didn''t pull away as we stepped out into the open.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    And into the rain, which had started without our notice, cocooned as we were in our underground hideaway.


    I''ve always had a thing for spaces that cut you off from the world, granting a kind of security I rarely felt elsewhere. No concept of day or night, rain or shine - just a timeless bubble.


    "Phoebe!" Dexter''s voice cut through the patter of rain as he rushed over, soaked to the skin. "You alright?"


    "What, hoping for a spectacle?" I stood there, letting the rain drench me, while Colin held an umbre over my head.


    Dexter, looking every bit the tragic figure in the rain, said with regret, "I''m here to apologize... on behalf of Melody."


    I scoffed, "And what gives you the right to speak for Melody?"


    "Phoebe, why do you always twist my words? I... I just couldn''t keep an eye on her, and she almost hurt you. I''m sorry." Dexter''s eyes were filled with


    remorse.


    I didn''t respond, my gaze fixed on the umbre Colin was holding. He always angled it more towards me, protecting me from the rain. Dexter, on the other hand, never once offered me such shelter. He even went as far as to tear my umbres during storms, knowing full well my fear of thunderstorms. A warped way to punish me for some childhood slight.


    Late affection is worthless, a truth I hade to ept.


    Melody, her face wet from the rain, red at me from the car, her paleplexion a canvas of resentment.


    I looked back at her with pity. She was bound to a life tethered to Dexter''s conscience.


    "Melody, you''ll catch a cold," she rasped, urging Dexter to get in the car.


    et


    But even so, she didn''t step out herself. Melody was selfish, her love, even more so. Afraid that getting soaked would worsen her health, she dared not leave the shelter of the car. Concerned for Dexter, but more so for herself.


    "Phoebe, something''s happened to Damian, and my leads have dried up," Dexter said, gazing at his car where a young girl sat in the passenger seat. Her pale, colorlessplexion and damp hair marked heras Damian''s daughter from his second marriage. Content belongs


    "Every time I''m close to uncovering something, someone throws a wrench in the works," Dexter clenched his fists. "Damian was about to spill everything, but..."


    But someone had ''silenced'' him. Though Damian wasn''t dead, the odds of him waking up were slim, virtually a death sentence.


    "What does his daughter know?" I asked, looking at the girl in the passenger seat.


    If she knew nothing and was dragged into this, she was in grave danger. If those behind the scenes wanted to silence her, they wouldn''t hesitate. "Hannah," Dexter said, opening the car door and holding an umbre for the girl.


    She stepped out, her ck dress soaking immediately, her small shoes barely touching the puddles as if afraid. Only when Dexter stayed by her side did she dare to ce her feet firmly on the ground.


    "She''s a senior in high school, about Bran''s age, gearing up for college entrance exams," Dexter exined softly, then added, "She''s on the autism spectrum."


    I surmised as much from her behavior. Such conditions usually manifest in early childhood.


    "Damian''s first daughter had


    congenital cerebral palsy and


    passed away not long after birth. His


    second daughter is on the


    spectrum... Could there be


    el.ne


    something wrong with his gics?" I voiced my thoughts, a hint of concern in my tone.

 Chapter 460

    ?


    Dexter nodded. "So, he''s been working with the organization because he''s a victim of a gic disorder. His children have a hard time being born healthy, so he..."


    I began to understand. Damian was doing all this in hopes of obtaining perfect genes to circumvent his own gic ws.


    "My dad, he''s a good man." The girl who had been silent finally spoke up, her voice tiny as she timidly looked up at me. "He''s helping you..."


    I frowned, looking at her.


    From her tightly clutched backpack, the girl pulled out a photo album.


    Inside, there were pictures of a younger Damian with my parents.


    "His ssmates." The girl pointed at the people in the photos.


    Phoebe''s parents were Damian''s ssmates, top talents in the medical field, and key members of the Gene-Forge Collective.


    "They shared the same vision." The girl struggled to speak. "Eventually, they grew fond of the subject, wanting to help her escape..." The girl pointed at Phoebe in the photos.


    I knew, my parents were part of the organization, and I was just a subject.


    I knew they didn''t love me initially, just saw me as an object of study.


    But I didn''t hate them; they seemed to have developed feelings for me too.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    They wanted to help me escape, but died in a tragic car ident.


    The people behind the organization wouldn''t allow their subject to escape, disobedient employees had to be eliminated.


    As Matthew said, I, as a ''subject,'' was too valuable.


    The organization had invested billions, even hundreds of billions, to develop me, a step forward in science and medicine. Moreover, as a subject, my inherent value far exceeded their investment.


    Capitalists look at return on investment.


    Once they saw sess in me, I... could bring in endless wealth for capital.


    "They asked my dad to protect you to let you live like a normal person," the girlsaid, her eyes reddening as she pointed at Phoebe but looked at me.


    UMS


    So, Phoebe''s amnesia wasn''t a coincidence or an ident; it was intentional by Damian.


    "My dad entrusted you to the Fitzgerald family because he trusted them," the girl said, choking up, struggling with her words.


    I knew she was trying hard to convey that her dad was a good man.


    Her dad trusted the Fitzgerald family.


    Dexter also looked at me intently. "Phoebe... my mom was your mom''s best friend, someone Damian could trust, and you can trust me, believe in me..."


    Dexter wanted me to trust him, to believe in Hailey.


    But Matthew said the Fitzgerald family was not to be trusted.


    Hmph...


    "Sister..." Suddenly, the girl looked up at Colin behind me, then fearfully stepped back, hiding behind Dexter. "Don''t trust him, don''t... trust him."


    She clung to Dexter''s sleeve, her voice trembling. "Don''t trust him."


    Her emotions seemed somewhat out of control, fearfully backing away.


    "Sister..." Suddenly, Hannah rushed up and grabbed me, pulling me aside with surprising strength, watching Colin warily and whispering in my ear.


    "I''ve seen him, with those bad


    people... I''ve seen him, the


    organization''s... researchers. They''re


    studying... immortality, the


    connection between soul and genes,


    I''ve seen it, I''ve seen him...


    Hannah didn''t seem to be lying; her gaze at Colin was fearful.


    I looked back at Colin, who frowned, standing still, looking at the girl named Hannah, unsure of what to think.


    "Phoebe, don''t trust him. If he had no


    issues, why would he be so sure you''re Phoebe? The experiment on. the connection between soul and genes the so-called rebirth... it''s something he started studying back in his Genius ss days," Dexter also grabbed my wrist, urging me to trust him.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 461

    ?


    "Don''t trust anyone, Phoebe, not a soul around you..." Hannah clutched at my wrist with a frantic grip, her eyes wide with fear and unease. Dexter, with a thunderous frown, red at Caleb before turning his anxious gaze towards Hannah. "This... This is what you''ve been too scared to tell me?"


    Hiding behind Dexter, Hannah clung to my wrist, refusing to let go. Her eyes were rimmed red, not the eyes of someone lying.


    "Dad... he told me to protect you, and I will... I''ll protect you," Hannah sobbed, shaking her head, pleading with me to stay away from Colin. "Phoebe, Hannah never told me any of this before. She just said we should get you away from Caleb... I can''t believe he''s involved with the organization." Dexter''s voice wasced with anger and suspicion as he stared down Colin. "Caleb, what the hell do you want with her?"


    "Phoebe." Colin pulled me into his embrace, his warning gaze fixed on Dexter and Hannah. "Dexter, back off!"


    "Caleb, you''re the one who needs to back the hell away!" For the first time hearing all this from Hannah, Dexter, fueled by rage, pushed Caleb aside and pulled me closer. "I won''t let you hurt her."


    Colin''s pale fingers tightened around the umbre handle, his gaze fixed on me with tense caution.


    "Phoebe... don''t believe him. I''ve always felt there was something terrifying about him, like he''s unhinged," Dexter said, gripping my wrist tightly. "Come with me..."


    "Ah... a madman and a madwoman, isn''t that a perfect match?" In the car, Melody sneered, clearly scared of me leaving with Dexter.


    She feared that if I went with Dexter, he''d abandon her.


    I nced back at her, offering a deliberate smile. "I''ve said before, I could go with you, just get rid of her. I don''t want to see her around."


    Melody instantly became alert, her eyes darting fearfully to Dexter. "Dexter... you know my situation. Without you, I''m dead."Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    She was determined to cling to Dexter till the end.


    Dexter fell silent for a moment. "Phoebe, I can send her away..."


    Iughed. "Don''t make it hard on yourself. Even if you send her away, you''ll still take care of her, using your money, looking after her behind my back, right?"


    Melody''s eyes reddened as she looked at Dexter. "Dexter..."


    Dexter, visibly anxious, struggled to find the words, confirming my suspicions.


    u''l


    "Phoebe... I promise, she won''t live with us anymore. I can send her away... but she''s still an employee at the Fitzgerald Group. Given her current situation... I can''t just fire her, Dexter exined in a soft voice, as if trying to cate me.


    I pulled away from Dexter, shaking my head.


    He still nature.


    one wants their partner


    Dan''t get it. Love is selfish by


    to unconditionally for another person...


    Especially when that person is Melody, the woman responsible for ''Phoebe Caldwell''s'' downfall.


    It was absurd. Dexter was moved by his own sense of love and repentance, yet blind to his own faults.


    "Phoebe..." Colin finally spoke up, reaching out to shelter me with his umbre.


    He stoodpletely in the rain himself.


    Even as Dexter pulled me away, his umbre remained poised over me.


    "Linked to the organization?" I faced Colin, my question hanging in the air.


    Colin lowered his gaze, offering no exnation.


    "When did this happen?" I pressed on.


    Colin''s eyes slightly reddened, looking almost ferocious when he faced Dexter but now, he seemed to be pleading for pity. And somehow, his act seemed to work on me.


    "The year... the year our escape failed." Colin looked up into my eyes, not offering exnations but seeking my trust.


    That was the year of my car


    ident, the year I lost my


    memories and lived a mundane life tangled up with Dexter, falling in love with him...


    I took a deep breath, feeling a searing heat in my throat.


    Alone, what had he done behind my back?

 Chapter 462

    ?


    "Phoebe, he confessed." Dexter frowned, ncing at Colin before attempting to whisk me away. "This guy is seriously dangerous."


    "Sis... let''s get out of here." Hannah grabbed my wrist, trying to lead me away.


    Dexter wanted to take me away, too.


    But every time, Colin just stood there, his eyes brimming with sadness that seemed ready to spill over, yet he never spoke up to keep me by his side.


    I used to think he didn''t care, that my presence mattered less to him than the secrets he guarded.


    But now... I think I understand why he never asked me to stay.


    He didn''t want me to go, yet at the same time, he hoped I would.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    He was, in essence, torn.


    "How could you stand not to reach out to me, to not show up before me, to prevent me from remembering you?" I pushed Dexter''s hand away, snatching the umbre from Colin and throwing it to the ground.


    If we''re going to get drenched, then let''s get drenched together.


    Why should he be soaking wet while trying to keep me dry? "What''s the point of me standing under an umbre if you''re soaked? We agreed to walk together."


    I knew it, he must have been up to something these past few years.


    He feared getting involved with the organization was dangerous, feared he might die, feared I would be sad.


    That''s why he kept saying, maybe forgetting him was for the best...


    Colin''s eyes reddened, he picked up the umbre, and once again shielded me from the rain.


    This time, he and I stood under the umbre together.


    My eyes also burned fiercely as I looked up at him.


    We didn''t need to exin much to each other.


    "Phoebe..." Dexter''s hands trembled, clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.


    He must have realized, I wasn''t going to leave with him. "Why... why trust this lunatic?"


    "His love, it''s just for me. He could even forsake himself..." I whispered, grasping Colin''s hand with a firm voice.


    I trusted him unconditionally, even if it meant facing utter destruction.


    Even if he was deceiving me.


    Hannah bowed her head, closing her eyes as tears fell like pearls off a string onto the ground, shaking her head continuously. "You''ll regret it... you''ll regret it..."


    She kept saying I would regret it, she wanted to take me away, she seemed very afraid of Colin, iming she had seen him with the organization. Even though she has autism and doesn''t lie, her sincerity was clear.


    But still... I noticed the way she looked at Colin, it was fear mixed with other emotions.


    She definitely knew Colin, it wasn''t just a passing acquaintance...


    A woman''s intuition told me her sadness was real, but her words might not have been meant for me.


    I had a feeling, they were meant for Colin.


    She wanted to take me away, Colin didn''t stop her, but I chose not to leave, and Colin didn''t refuse.


    So, when Hannah said there would be regrets...


    It wasn''t just directed at me, but also at Colin, right?


    Colin, what exactly was he nning, and how much did I not know?


    His involvement in the organization''s Rebirth Project, selling shares to the All-Stars Consortium, couldn''t have been a rash decision by Colin.


    Someone had set a grand trap, a huge mystery, and Colin... seemed to be one of the masterminds.


    I couldn''t see through it, couldn''t make sense of it, only felt anxious.


    I feared... he was walking into a trap with no way out.


    I feared, he hadn''t left himself an escape route for the future.


    "Lunatics belong with lunatics... Dexter, let''s go," Melody finally spoke, urging Dexter to leave.


    Dexter didn''t move, standing still in the rain.


    He didn''t know what he could do to make things right...


    ne


    "Still holding qut hope? She only has eyes for that maniac, and besides, she isn''t Phoebe, just someone with Phoebe''s memories." Melody sneered, as if she had an epiphany. "That exins why Caleb was so sure she was Phoebe, because she was created by Caleb, wasn''t she?"


    Was it Colin who had been working behind the scenes to have Foebe Larson mimic Phoebe Caldwell ultimately recing her, bing Phoebe Caldwell herself?

 Chapter 463

    ?


    Colin frowned deeply, finally hitting back, ring at Melody with fury. "Is your head filled with garbage? Is that why every time you open your mouth, nonsensees spewing out? If you can''t keep up, maybe it''s best you don''t embarrass yourself!"


    Colin was livid. Hannah had used him of having ties with some shady organization, and he hadn''t batted an eye. But when Melody suggested he had ''created'' her, it struck a nerve. He felt it was an insult to his intelligence and emotions.


    Truth be told, I''d seldom seen Colin this enraged, even resorting to curse words.


    Usually, he''s the type who''d rather not speak a word if he could help it.


    Melody, on the receiving end of Colin''s wrath, turned a shade of ash. "Struck a nerve, did I? Hit too close to home with the truth..."


    Colin couldn''t be bothered to engage any further with Melody. Arguing with her felt like a waste of breath.


    "Foebe Larson pretending to be Phoebe Caldwell, using a child as leverage, tied to a kidnapping and trafficking case. It''s all about to unravel, and then, the truth will emerge clear as day," Dexter said, clenching his fists as if a wave of understanding crashed over him, his gaze seething at Colin. "Caleb, no matter how well you mask it, you can''t hide forever. Sooner orter, I''ll rip off your disguise and expose your misdeeds for all to see in the light of day," Dexter was convinced Colin was at the heart of this mess.


    Then, Dexter''s gaze fell on me, full of unspoken words.


    I ignored him, gripping Colin''s hand tightly instead.


    "Phoebe... you''re going to regret this," Dexter said with a bitterugh, standing in the rain, looking utterly pathetic.


    "Regret?" I challenged him. "Do you


    remember the day you left Phoebe alone in Nocturne, to be bullied and harassed? It was raining then too When those thugs dragged her into an alley, ready to devour her like demons, it was raining just like this."


    "Why do you think I choose to believe Colin over you? You''ve already answered that question yourself, haven''t you?" I continued, staring at Dexter. "You ask if I''ll regret this, but Dexter, do you regret what you did to Phoebe back then?"


    It was Colin who had chased those thugs away...


    The one who had always been silently protecting me was never Dexter.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Even if I had made the wrong choice, I''d do so willingly.


    I''m ready to be lost for those who love me...


    "He doesn''t love you... He, like you, doesn''t understand what love is. It''s all an act, a pretense of affection... Phoebe, you can''t condemn me forever just because I made a


    mistake.have a heart too; I justet


    didn''t know how to show it... At least I wont lie to you, hurt you, or use you. Our issues have always been purely emotional, without any ulterior motives," Dexter said, his exnation feeble, eyes rimmed red with intensity. "Phoebe, does making a mistake really mean one doesn''t deserve forgiveness? Don''t I even deserve one more chance to be trusted?"


    I remained silent, head down, saying nothing.


    "Dexter... you''re just deceiving yourself," Melody scoffed from inside the car, "No matter what evidence I bring to prove she isn''t Phoebe Caldwell, just Foebe Larson with Phoebe''s memories, you refuse to trust me... You all deceive yourselves, believing she''s Phoebe Caldwell. Sadly, Phoebe Caldwell is dead, and dead people don''te back. That''s the truth!" Melody, lost in her frenzy, pped the car seat, pulling at her hair like a madwoman. "Didn''t you also refuse to believe me? You once said you''d always treat me well, that you''d marry me..."

 Chapter 464

    ?


    Dexter stood defeated in the pouring rain, his heart torn between duty and love.


    "Really, Dexter? You''d rather express your love to a mannequin than keep your promises to me?" Melody''s voice was breaking, her words slicing through the stormy air like shards of ice.


    It was evident that he was struggling, caught in a whirlwind of his own making.


    On one hand, he was bound by a so-called debt of gratitude, constantly showing leniency towards Melody. On the other, he was haunted by his deration of regret that his true love was Phoebe Caldwell.


    Human emotions are abyrinth, ever-changing and beyond definitive judgment. Time and circumstances shift, and so do the hearts of men. "You''ll regret this..." Through the rain, Hannah''s voice quivered as she tightly clenched her fingers, her gaze forlorn as she looked towards Colin. Colin remained silent, his arms wrapping around me in a protective embrace.


    As Dexter opened the car door, allowing Hannah to get in, her eyes lingered on Colin. It was clear, even to an outsider, that Hannah harbored an unspoken affection for Colin.


    And yet, despite her feelings for Colin, she seemed intent on taking me away... What was she truly after?


    "Let''s go home, Phoebe," Colin said, his hand firmly in mine as we started our walk back.


    "Only those worthy can join the organization. I''m just the madman who proposed the theory they''re so interested in," he began to exin without prompting.


    "Hannah is Damian''s daughter. I''ve always known... That''s why I thought to use her to counterbnce Damian," Colin continued, his eyes meeting mine. "She''s on the autism spectrum, but thanks to Damian''s treatment and guidance, she''s been able to integrate into society, albeit somewhat awkwardly."


    "Many children on the spectrum possess extraordinary talents, and for Hannah, it''s art," Colin whispered, drying my damp hair with a towel "She can replicate anything she sees, from objects to people to buildings, with incredible uracy."


    "She likes you," I murmured, avoiding the topic of Hannah''s talent. "What I really want to know isn''t about her artistic skills."


    I was more concerned about the


    meaning behind Hannah''s words


    Why she wanted to take me away from Colin and what she meant by her repeated warning of regret.


    UMS


    "Getting too involved is a no-win situation," Colin said, turning off the hairdryer. "I''d do anything for you, even if it means facing death."


    Despite the noise of the hairdryer, I


    caught every word. I grabbed Colin''s hand, silencing the machine. "You infiltrated the organization as a genius, but what''s your n?What are you really up to?"


    Colin remained silent, his gaze heavy with unspoken truths.


    He wouldn''t share his n with me. A n that seemingly led to a dead end, where his death was inevitable.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    And I, I would be left alone.


    Clutching at Colin''s shirt, my body trembled. "If you die, how am I supposed to... live?"


    Colin wrapped his arms around me, offering aforting pat on my back. "Phoebe, we can both survive without the other."


    "So, you''re nning to leave me, aren''t you?" I held onto him tighter. "We promised to face everything together..."


    "Stop worrying. I''m not going anywhere," Colin reassured me, though his words felt more like a gentle lie meant to soothe rather than the truth.

 Chapter 465

    ?


    "Phoebe, that was my old n. The n for when you had forgotten me, when you didn''t love me," Colin whispered, cradling my face in his hands. "But now, you''re back in my life, and I''ve changed my ns. Look... I sold off my shares in Langley Enterprises. I had intended to take over the Langley family''s business empire, to secure a ce in the world of finance, and then... to carry out my n."


    Seeing me still in tears, Colin frantically continued to exin. "Phoebe, look, my ns were all disrupted by you, from the moment you woke up in my bed, really..."


    "How could I bear to leave you alone?" Colin said, his voice breaking and his hands trembling as he held my face. "Phoebe, don''t be afraid, I will never leave you."


    I looked at Colin, half-believing. "Really?"


    Colin swore, raising his hand, but his eyes held a sadness I couldn''t understand. "I swear, Colin will never leave Phoebe, never..."


    "But what if I''m not Phoebe?" I said, fearfully.


    What if, as Melody said, I was just a clone, with memories nted in me?


    "You are, Phoebe, you are," Colin soothed, caressing my face. "Never let anyone sway you. Belief is something you give yourself."


    Tears filled my eyes as I looked at Colin. "Then tell me, what was your original n?"


    "Phoebe... there''s a mastermind behind operations in each country, and you, you were their most prized and creative experiment," Colin whispered. "My n was to use Langley Enterprises to prate the financial core, find the person behind the organization, rece the mastermind, overturn the entire ''Deification Project'', destroy all experimental data, and make ''Phoebe Caldwell'', ''Foebe Larson'', and all other subjects,pletely disappear. To set you free once and for all."


    He intended to infiltrate the darkness, to be the evil hand behind it all, and then to save his love.


    The dragon yer, bing the dragon...


    He would be the source of evil, cutting it off at its root.


    But imagine how difficult that would be.


    To be evil, he would be forced tomit countless evil acts, his hands stained with blood.


    But my Colin, born bright and beautiful, how could he ever tolerate bing the embodiment of evil?


    In the end, he would perish with all the evil, burning it down, and in doing so, erase himselfpletely. That was hisplete n.


    That''s why he always said, it was okay if I forgot him...


    Whatever happened, it was okay.


    My Colin, from the very beginning, never left himself a way out.


    He paved many paths for me, each one a dead end for him.


    "Caleb... don''t lie to me, you''ve given up your n, your deadly n. You want to be with me, to stay by my side, to be with me forever... Tell me you''ve given up... Don''t lie to me." I grabbed his shirt in a panic, needing him to tell me he''d given up.


    I shook my head, crying, pleading him not to deceive me.


    Hannah was so scared, afraid that if I stayed with Colin, Colin would die.


    Hannah wanted Dexter to protect me, she wanted Colin to give up, to live.


    "Colin... won''t lie to Phoebe." Colin hugged me tight, refusing to let go no matter how much I struggled.


    "Don''t lie to me... Caleb, if you dare


    to do thane


    I''ll die with you." My


    et


    was firm, he knew I wasn''t jokice


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    "I won''t lie to you..."


    swno


    I looked up at him, wanting to see the truth in his eyes.


    His eyes, they couldn''t lie.


    But he leaned down to kiss me, his passionate kiss clouding my thoughts.


    "Colin..." I wanted to push him away, I needed him to answer me directly, but he yed dirty...


    "Phoebe... Dexter touched you, you''re dirty." Colin deliberately changed the subject, pulling me into the shower.


    The warm water instantly soaked


    set


    me from head to toe, I wanted to be angry, but then he kissed me again, holding my head gently.


    He was too quick to learn, especially in matters of intimacy.


    During my pregnancy, he had been so restrained, but now, it was as if he had unleashed his true nature...


    "You... Caleb! Let me go... mm..."

 Chapter 466

    ?


    Caleb seemed to be venting as much as he was trying to distract me from our earlier conversation.


    My breath hitched, cheeks flushed with the heat of the moment.


    He deftly stripped off my clothes, the hot droplets of water on my skin contrasted sharply with his icy fingers.


    In that moment, my mind went nk under his fervent touch.


    This jerk... must''ve watched too many of thosete-night shows.


    "Caleb... you bastard..." I gasped for air, the shower''s heat and his relentless kisses making it hard to breathe.


    Was he trying to suffocate me?


    Just as I caught my breath, ready to cuss him out, he kissed me again, relentless...


    Where did he learn this aggressive kissing? It was all over the ce... unmethodical.


    His hands wandered without restraint.


    "Caleb..." I was on the verge of tears, unable to think of anything else.


    He kissed the corner of my eyes, pinning me against the wall...


    The sound of the shower drowned out my breaths and sobs, this bastard... I don''t know where he learned to be this way, tormenting me till the wee hoursst night, and now continuing his assault.


    My legs trembled, my body pressed against the cold tiles, shaking in its entirety.


    "Caleb... you bastard..."


    Colin was behind me, gently nibbling, as if to soothe me, but his movements below were anything but gentle.


    "Mmm..." His voice was hoarse, as if acknowledging my insults.


    "Are you ever going to stop..."


    "Mmm." He continued, responding to whatever I said, but it only infuriated me more.


    "Caleb!" I tried to push him away, but I was too weak.


    He grabbed my wrists, seeking my lips from behind.


    I felt tears betray me, probably out of frustration.


    "I never thought... you''de back to me... how could I dare hope..."This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    His voice was raspy, as if ready to drown in this moment with me.


    "How could I dare..."


    I must''ve been crazy to respond to his kisses, biting his lip until the taste of blood filled my mouth.


    Let''s drown together then.


    Caleb, don''t you dare leave me alone.


    The bathroom''s temperature kept rising, the mirror now fogged over.


    What I''d held back before, I couldn''t contain any longer.


    "Caleb, my leg is cramping! You jerk..."


    "Baby..." Colin cooed, holding me close but not letting go.


    I gasped, leaning against the sink, praying it was mounted securely enough not to fall...


    "Dexter, that jerk." Colin was still jealous, jealous that Dexter wanted to take me away.


    Or maybe jealous of the past, of Phoebe having loved Dexter.


    "I can''t bear to hurt you..." His fingers caressed my wrist, gently rubbing the bruise left when Dexter grabbed me.


    "Phoebe, he hurt you, threatened me... don''t like him." Colin''sint was sweet, kissing my neck, tickling.


    What to do, the beauty trap and


    pillow talk are truly effective, I can''t help but want to curse Dexter. "He and Melody are of the same intellect... don''t bother with him."


    Swne


    Colin bit my corbone, continuing his persuasive whisper. "Phoebe he probably joined the club just to show off in front of you, hoping to uncover the truth earlier, to make like him again..."


    YOU


    Colin preemptivelyid out Dexter''s potential sacrifices'', inocting me against any future acts of heroism from Dexter that might sway me.


    Swr


    "Don''t be moved by Dexter''s sacrifices, don''t leave me for him."


    "I..."


    Just as I was about to say something, I heard someone shouting from the living room. "Anyone there? Caleb? Phoebe?"


    It was Bran''s voice.


    I tried to push Colin away in panic, Bran was still in high school... and we hadn''t locked the bathroom door!


    Colin, ever so mischievously, pressed me against the wall, refusing to let me move.


    "Caleb..." My voice choked up in nervousness, barely above a whisper.


    "Caleb, what are you doing?" Outside, Bran called out, alert.


    "My girl." Colin''s response was cold.


    A moment of silence, then a sharp retort. "Shameless, in broad daylight..."


    "Get lost!"


    "Alright then."

 Chapter 467

    ?


    My hand flew to my mouth, a gesture of shock and a rare show of modesty these days.


    Digging my nails into Colin''s hand, I left three red trails across his skin...


    Colin just chuckled, taking a sharp breath and pulling me closer.


    "Get lost..." At that moment, I was too flustered and furious to care about anything else, my heart racing with indignation.


    Colin, however, skillfully changed the subject, avoiding my questions.


    "Phoebe... it''s not over," he insisted, refusing to let go.


    Angered, I bit down on his neck in frustration, simultaneously hitting and pushing him, scared of actually hurting him.


    He probably took it as some twisted form of affection, continuing his advances with a smirk...


    "Caleb, you''re done for," I threatened, my anger heightened by his deliberate provocations, his voice taking on a mock-serious tone...


    I kept biting him, trying to stay quiet despite the urge to scream.


    All I could do was endure...


    ...


    I''m not sure how much time passed before Caleb, the jerk, finally decided to let me go.


    My legs were shaking... I leaned against the wall, ring at him fiercely.


    That jerk just pulled me in for another kiss.


    Biting my lip, I whispered sternly, "From now on, don''t touch me for a year."


    Colin looked pitiful.


    I ignored him, pushing him away and heading for the door.


    Trailing behind me like a kicked puppy, Colin seemed to forget he was the relentless one moments ago. "Babe, you don''t even recognize me with your clothes on."


    I shot him a withering look and had just stepped out of the living room when I saw Bran, sitting straight as an arrow, giving us a mournful look. Clearing my throat, I tried to exin, "The shower was broken... just fixing it."


    Bran red at Colin. "Shameless."


    "And you? Skipping school in broad daylight, what are you doing here?" Colin retorted, casually handing me a ss of water.


    I didn''t respond to him, but I was really thirsty, so I took a sip.


    "Annora''s in trouble," Bran said grimly.


    Colin, who was peeling an apple for me, paused, looking up at Bran. "Give me the details."


    "The international police found


    Annora''s body at a human


    et


    trafficking hideout. She knew the police were on her trail, so she deliberately stirred up media attention online before infiltrating the organization. They caught Ker and took her to their hideout. Before she died, she sent her location to the police. The hideout has been


    destroyed, and sixteen young geniuses have been rescued, six of whom are foreigners. The rest have been brought back for further investigation."


    Bran continued, "The hideout was involved in illegal organ transnts. Wealthy clients would order a


    novel.


    gically identical clone toText ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    minimize rejection during


    transntation."


    So, they were farming these talented individuals, harvesting them repeatedly for their own benefit, minimizing scientific costs.


    It was a ruthless business strategy.


    "Annora suffered a lot before she died. The organization had a way with torture. Robin Lancaster Finn is back; he found videos of Annora''s torture at the hideout, beyond what any human can endure. Yet, she never revealed anything about the ''Rebellion Syndicate.""


    Bran took a deep breath, impressed by the resilience of a woman who had endured domestic abuse for so long.


    "Herst words were that someday, the light would destroy all darkness."


    It seemed Bran had just returned from meeting with Finn.

 Chapter 468

    ?


    Zoe''s body had vanished. Finn and Robin scoured the area but came up empty-handed. It was likely Annora who had taken it, but with Annora now dead, no one knew where Zoe''s remains had ended up.


    "Annora was part of the Rebellion Syndicate. The organization was bound to take her out. She purposely let the syndicate''s goons snatch her, aiming for the cops to trace them back to their hideout and rescue those kidnapped ''prodigies,"" I whispered, setting my cup of coffee on the table. "That move tore a hole in the organization''s operations."


    The organization had a sprawling criminalwork that spanned from human trafficking to hical medical experiments, including gene cloning, and even a global supply chain for organ transnts, surrogate pregnancies, and various substances used in the beauty and anti-aging industry.


    Every day, tens of thousands of people disappeared worldwide, bing likembs led to ughter, eventually served up as a feast for those at the top of the societal pyramid.


    They ''feasted'' on human blood, ''gnawed'' on human bones, trampling over life and human rights.


    Finally, a group of people emerged, ready to fight back against the darkness and the organization. This group, starting with a series of serial killings, set the stage for a deadly game.


    Entering the game meant facing a dead end.


    Dn had said as much in the ruins of an old building.


    Every rebel against the organization was both a victim and a murderer. From the moment they joined the fight, they were stepping into a deadly trap.


    Annora was no different.


    She knew she was marked for death, so she threw herself into the fray, using her fragile body to tear a corner off the Gene-Forge Collective''s veil of deceit, exposing the darkness underneath.


    "The police will continue to investigate, it''s going to be a long process, but with the rescued ''prodigies,'' they''re bound to uncover more leads and keep digging," Bran shrugged. "So, it''s time for us to get back on track. I need to focus on my college entrance exams, and you guys need to get on with your lives. We''ll leave the rest to the cops."


    What Bran meant was, we''ve done our part, now it''s up to the police to take over the investigation.


    "If darkness is dense, sunlight struggles to prate," I murmured, ncing at Colin.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Though it seemed we had made a crack in the clouds, achieving clear skies was an even tougher battle.


    "Sir, Matthew has acquired a 15%


    stake in the Langley Group and has entered its board. Moreover, he''s


    established his ownpany, Matthew Rising Co., in Sea City, focusing on cultural media, business management, and tourism, among others. He''s got a wide coverage and managed to secure investments in record time, allowing his branches to expand rapidly," Eric reported to Colin as he walked in.


    I took a sip of my coffee, deep in thought.


    Matthew was a smart one, knowing how to mize his intellect and skills. He was showing off his power.


    Now with tangible assets, although


    l


    his new ventures couldn''t yetpete with the likes of the Fitzgerald family and other established enterprises, his future looked promising, setting him up for a potential fortune.


    "People outside areughing at you, thinking you sold the Langley Group for peanuts without gaining any advantage from the All-Stars Consortium," Bran said with a raised


    "They''re calling you a fool,"


    eyebrow, a smirk directed at


    "Selling it off might be for the best," I replied instinctively, gripping Colin''s hand tightly.


    I was bing... selfish, not wanting him to be a pawn at the top of the food chain.


    The so-called entry into the game being a dead end, I didn''t want Colin to get entangled in it.


    "Henry''s here," the old gardener stuttered, gesturing from the yard. Eric nced over, then back at Colin.


    Here we go again, Henry and his entourage of Langley family vampires were at our doorstep.

 Chapter 469

    ?


    "Caleb, you''re a lunatic, a fool, incapable of rational action. You have no right to sell thepany!" Leading the charge was the daughter of that so- called matriarch.


    Her son-inw probably didn''t dare show up, what with the few stabs I gave him. He''s likely not fully recovered yet.


    The group was clearly frightened, hiding behind their bodyguards, not daring to get too close to the iron gate because of the "Beware of Dog" sign hanging on it.


    Coly bared his teeth at them, ready to attack at any moment.


    I stepped outside for a look, and to my surprise, the Larsons had also shown up.


    Coraline didn''t make it, her face was disfigured, and she called off her engagement with the Helms, must be pretty rough for her now.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    But she brought it upon herself.


    "Caleb is mentally ill, he needs a guardian. Foebe, your unborn child is gone, you''ve lost the Langley heir, you have no right to remain Caleb''s legal guardian." Olivia shouted in my direction. "You''re a madwoman, I think you''re not right in the head either. I''ve already applied for a psychiatric evaluation, I bet you''re crazy too."


    Olivia had gotten smarter, clearly someone was advising her.


    She wanted to force me into a psychiatric evaluation, tobel me as mentally ill, so that Caleb''s guardianship would fall into Henry''s hands.


    Once Caleb''s guardianship was in Henry''s hands, he could argue Caleb was incapable of making decisions and get back the shares sold to All-Stars Consortium.


    They''ve nned it well.


    I guess, even if I wasn''t mentally ill, they would still have the hospitalbel me as such, nning to lock me up.....


    "Foebe, you''ve been acting strange since you were little. As your parents, we''re really worried about you. You even let your dog bite your sister, you''re aggressive." Anthony chimed in quickly, spinning a tale about Foebe being mentally ill.


    I noticed the psychiatric hospital''s van parked behind them, guessing that after provoking me, their next step would be to forcibly take me.


    "Looks like Henry''s gotten smarter today," I said to Colin.


    "His genius son is back, ying the role of the strategist," Bran scratched his ear, annoyed by the noise.


    Matthew was forcing Colin to make a choice.


    If I were taken to a psychiatric hospital, Colin would have no choice but to cooperate with them.


    Henry and his cronies were only after power and short-term gains, but Matthew, he was after the organization''srger interests.


    He wanted to climb the ranks, to rece the organization''s shadowy leader.


    He aimed to cut off the source of gene editing and be one of the few to benefit from gene editing technology.


    "Phoebe, your mental state is unstable,e back with mom and dad, what harm could we possibly do to you?" Anthony started coaxing me toe home.


    Take me home, drug me until I''m dazed, and then send me to a psychiatric ward, locking me up for good.


    Harsh.


    1


    "Dad, your emotional state seems pretty unstable too, could this be some bad gics running in our family? Oh... sorry, I forgot, dad, you''re sterile, no sperm means no genes to pass on, right?" I retorted with a smile.


    Because of his sterility, with no viable sperm, he had to beg ''Phoebe Caldwell''s'' parents to assist his wife with IVF.


    Sure enough,


    my words hit a nerve


    with Anthony. Fuming, he pointed at me, cursing; "You little wretch,e out here! Do you think Caleb can protect you? Without the Langley Group''s shares, what is he worth!"


    UMS


    As he raged, Anthony started to kick the iron gate furiously.


    Coly, sensing the threat to me, began barking fiercely at the gate, ready to bite him.


    Anthony, terrified, fell to the ground, continuing to hurl insults.


    "To those of you from the


    net


    psychiatric hospital, look sharp! There''s someone here having a mental breakdown. You''re all so unprofessional, hurry up and take him away!" I called out to the people standing behind Mrs. Larson, all from the psychiatric hospital.

 Chapter 470

    ?


    Mrs. Larson quickly helped the man up, scolding me angrily. "Phoebe, how could you say such things about your dad? Even if your genes aren''t ours, I carried you for nine months and gave birth to you. How could you be so ungrateful? The debt of raising you is greater than the heavens, you''re just heartless."


    "Heartless? First of all, you have to be human to deserve humanity," I replied calmly.


    Henry nced at Mr. and Mrs. Anthony, his voice deep and solemn. "Enough with the talking, let''s just take her away. It looks like she''s having a psychotic break."


    Henry was ready to take action.


    A sane person locked in a psychiatric hospital would surely go mad.


    The gate was smashed open; they came prepared, determined to take me away.


    To separate me from Colin and then deal with him alone.


    "Hey, hey, hey, what''s going on here? Broad daylight, a society under the rule ofw, and you''re treating us cops like we''re just for show?" Henry''s men had just rushed into the yard when Robin''s beat-up SUV blocked the way outside.


    He stepped out of the car, lit a cigarette, andzily watched, signaling to me, Colin, and Bran with a look that said as long as he was there, no one would touch us.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Out of the car, Finn, pale as a ghost, crawled into the bushes and started throwing up.


    Colin frowned in disgust and nced at Bran. "Get him out of here, it''s embarrassing... I have a thing about cleanliness."


    Bran pointed at himself. "Why me?"


    "Aren''t you two practically married?" Colin said coolly.


    "..." Bran widened his eyes. "When did that happen? How did I not know?"


    Colin leanedzily against the doorframe and spoke again. "You''re living off me right now. Your education, your food, what you wear, what you step on, all paid for with my money."


    Bran bit his lip. "Fine, wait until I get into college, wait until I make it big in business, then I''ll crush you with money."


    After saying that, Bran gloomily went over to Finn, lifting him up with a look of disdain.


    Finn turned back and startedining to Robin. "Can you get rid of this junk car? I''m falling apart here."


    Henry''s expression flickered, then he


    spoke coolly. "Officer Robin,


    ne


    although you''re a cop, you shouldn''t interfere with the Langley family''s private matters, right?"


    Olivia quickly joined in. "Exactly, this is our family matter. This woman is mentally ill, she let a dog bite her own sister, even stabbed my


    psychiatric evaluation is only riet


    husband. Taking her for a


    swnovel


    "Whether she''s mentally ill needs to be confirmed with a health certificate from a proper hospital," Robin frowned.


    "I''m her biological father, it''s my right to take her to the hospital," Anthony said angrily.


    "A direct family member has the


    et


    right to request a psychiatric evaluation for her. If the results show she doesn''t have a mental illness, then the family has no right tomit a sane person to a psychiatric hospital. But what if... the evaluation shows she does have a mental illness?" A woman stepped out from behind the car.


    The woman, dressed in a professional suit, smiled... bearing a striking resemnce to me.


    If Foebe and I looked somewhat alike, then the woman in front of me seemed even more simr to me.


    Only, she was dressed in professional attire, wearing rimless sses, looking both professional and confident. Her smile suggested confidence that if I underwent a psychiatric evaluation, there would definitely be issues...


    Because Phoebe Caldwell... was born with a mental illness.


    Shecked empathy, didn''t understand emotions, didn''t know sadness or joy.


    She believed I couldn''t possibly pass a psychiatric evaluation smoothly.


    I took a deep breath, my palms sweating slightly.


    Truth be told... I wasn''t confident in myself either.


    If these people insisted on taking me for a psychiatric evaluation.


    I feared... the result wouldn''t be good.


    "Phoebe..." Colin''s pressure suddenly dropped to its lowest, like a provoked beast raising all its spikes, protecting me from behind.


    He watched the woman who resembled me warily, his voice trembling. "Phoebe... I should hide you away, eliminate them all..."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 471

    ?


    The woman with sses had an air of maturity and stability about her, making her seem older than me, yet her skin was too smooth and delicate to urately guess her age.


    I watched her guardedly, feeling an odd sense of danger emanating from her presence.


    "Foebe''s act of injuring Olivia''s husband was in self-defense," Finn finally finished, his intelligence peaking through once again. "Olivia''s husband attacked her with a knife in an attempt to harm her, and Foebe managed to disarm him and fight back, causing only minor injuries."


    He disdainfully pushed past Bran, stepping closer to where Anthony and Henry stood. "So, you''re Foebe''s dad, and you''re here iming your daughter has always been emotionally unstable?"


    Anthony pointed at Foebe and bellowed, "Yes, that crazy girl has been trouble since she was a baby. I demand a psychiatric evaluation!"


    Finn snorted in derision.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    It was clear now; Anthony had been coached by someone smarter beforeing here, but s... Anthony''sck of intellect was his downfall. "Foebe was switched at birth by your family''s former nanny, who then raised her as her own. You''ve never been a part of her life, so how can you im she''s always been emotionally unstable? Seems to me like you''re the one in need of an evaluation."


    "No sane, rights-bearing individual should be forcibly confined or sent to a psychiatric facility against their will!" Finn dered sternly.


    The bespectacled woman smiled calmly, stepping past Anthony and pulling out her smartphone. "Here''s a video of Foebe inciting some street kids to retaliate against her bullies. Don''t you think a family has the right to be concerned about such violent tendencies?"


    Henry raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed with today''s unexpected ally.


    I frowned, watching the video on the woman''s phone.


    Foebe had always looked after the homeless kids, who in turn were fiercely loyal to her. So, when someone threatened Foebe, it was no surprise they''d rush to her defense.


    "All this shows is that those kids were simply protecting Foebe from harm," Finn stated firmly, his stance clear - he wasn''t going to let anyone take me away today.


    "Is that so?" The woman smiled knowingly at Henry.


    Henry nodded, signaling someone by his side.


    This woman was deliberately stalling, and it was obvious she was after me...


    Suddenly, one of Henry''s men turned and headed straight for me.


    He wasn''t armed, but the threat was palpable. Instinctively, I braced to fight back, only to be tightly held back by Colin.


    Colin shielded me, kicking the approaching man away.


    "Involuntary treatment is reserved for mentally ill individuals with violent tendencies, and without a court order, no one has the authority tomit a citizen to a psychiatric facility Finn said coolly, a smirk on his face. "Madam, you might try to provoke Foebe, but here in Sea City... you''ll need a court''s decision tomit her."


    The woman nodded with a smile. "You misunderstand."


    I gripped Colin''s wrist tightly, wary of this woman''s intentions...


    "Foebe, aren''t you curious about who I am?" The woman seemed confident she had myriad ways tomit me.


    I watched her cautiously, not the least bit curious.


    Colin instinctively moved to protect me, his gaze warning the woman.


    "And who might you be? Anthony is at least, Foebe''s father, and Henry is a member of the Langley family. But you? Finn blocked the woman from getting any closer to me.


    "Hello, I''m Naomi, a Ph.D. in psychiatry and also the mentor of Doctor Damian," the woman said with a confident smile, introducing herself as a mental health


    professional.


    I instinctively tensed up at her introduction. Damian''s mentor? Damian was nearly fifty-how old was this woman?


    "A Ph.D.? You look to be in your twenties," Finn remarked, eyeing Naomi skeptically.


    Naomi brushed her hair aside with augh. "Thank you for thepliment. I''m actually fifty-two."


    At Naomi''s revtion, all eyes shifted to her in disbelief.

 Chapter 472

    ?


    Fifty-two?


    She dressed so youthful, you''d believe she was twenty-five if she said so.


    With today''s medical advancements and the wonders of cosmetic procedures, it''s not unusual to see celebrities in their forties looking like they''re in their twenties. But aging is inevitable, and despite the best efforts, there are always telltale signs. Yet, looking at the woman in front of me, it was hard to ce her age. Her mature aura was undeniable, but her face and neck betrayed no secrets.


    "You''re fifty-two?" Robin was shocked. It really didn''t show.


    "With the advancements in cosmetic treatments and taking good care of oneself, plus a positive mindset," Naomi said with a smile, her gaze settling on me. "Foebe... don''t you want to have a chat with me? Biologically speaking, I am your mother."


    I let go of Colin''s hand abruptly, incredulous at the woman before me.


    Mother? Hah... She had some nerve.


    "So, I''m just some gic experiment from an organization? Do I even have a mother?" I scoffed, looking at Anthony''s wife. "Wasn''t I born to her after she carried me for nine months?"


    "Mrs. Larson and Mr. Larson were infertile, with no viable eggs or sperm. The IVF procedure used my egg and... the sperm from another distinguished gentleman."


    Naomi didn''t hide anything, openly discussing this matter even in front of the police.


    Clearly, after Damian''s death, the organization wanted her to monitor my life.


    "What does that have to do with me?" I challenged Naomi.


    Naomi just smiled. "Foebe, both you and Phoebe... are my daughters."


    "Pfft." Iughed. "You mean your experiments, right? Are you the leader of the Gene-Forge Collective? What, no longer hiding anding out in the open?"


    I was suddenly very curious about who my biological father was.


    Since the Gene-Forge Collective selected prime specimens for their experiments, they must have chosen high-quality candidates for gic material. Naomi, with a doctorate in psychiatry, was undoubtedly exceptional. Her egg...bined with the sperm from another outstanding man, created the experimental embryo ''Phoebe Caldwell''. This embryo was then gically edited and artificially manipted, and from the same embryo, cloning experiments produced multiple specimens.


    Phoebe Caldwell and Foebe Larson, that''s how we came to be.


    "Foebe, what are you talking about? I don''t understand," Naomi asked with a smile.


    "Don''t understand? Your people watch me every day, you might as well install a camera on my forehead... What don''t you understand?" I looked at her warily.


    She remained calm, skillfully


    navigating through the emotional


    ne


    and logical gaps in the conversation. "Foebe, you''re suffering from paranoid delusions, and it''s quite severe. Mrs. Larson, after all, is your mother by birth. She wants what''s best for you, you need toe with me for treatment." Content belongs


    She was trying to frame me, slowly driving me insane before taking me away.


    I had a feeling... the organization had been hit hard this time. Annora had torn off their veil, and they were in a rush to clean up.


    And I, was something they had to reim.


    Naomi''s appearance was to ''legitimately'' retrieve me.


    After all, the police were already onto me, and only a ''legitimate'' retrieval could silence them.


    "Foebe... you have a sister, about


    your age. Do you not want to meet her? Four years ago, Ethan and Phoebe''s parents were involved in a highway ident. My daughter was in Ethan''s car. She and Phoebe were identical twins, born from the same egg... looking almost exactly alike. She woke up with amnesia, but suddenly regained her memory recently, iming she is Phoebe..."


    And Phoebe, that''s me, woke up with amnesia too, as if I had be apletely different person.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    "I suspect, in the chaos of the


    ident scene, the Fitzgerald


    family''s Dexter took the wrong child. He took my daughter, while the real Phoebe, was treated as my daughter and returned to my side."


    I was tense, trembling as I listened to Naomi.


    Even knowing Naomi was deliberately provoking me, aware of the holes in her story, my body couldn''t help but shake.


    Naomi''s words were not just for me, but also for Colin.


    "Colin, don''t you want to meet the real Phoebe?" Naomi, as expected, turned her focus on Colin.

 Chapter 473

    ?


    My gaze instinctively found Colin.


    When Melody was pretending to be Phoebe, I wasn''t really panicking. Only a fool like Dexter would fall for that...


    But when even Dexter didn''t buy into Melody''s act, I knew her disguise game was weak.


    Damian, using Melody to impersonate a reborn Phoebe, aimed to deceive Dexter and Colin. But with Melody''sckluster acting and brainpower...


    Logically, with Damian''s smarts, he shouldn''t have made such a basic mistake. Yet, he let Melody go through with it.


    Hannah kept saying her dad was one of the good guys, siding with Phoebe''s parents, protecting Phoebe...


    Looking back, Damian seemed more like a whistleblower, deliberately using someone as clueless as Melody to catch our attention... Perhaps he was hinting at something bigger within the organization, that there wasn''t just one ''Phoebe Caldwell''.


    My gaze instinctively found Colin again, my hand clutching his nervously.


    If it was just Melody, that would be one thing, but what if there really was another Phoebe?


    Considering Phoebe was a subject of experimentation, the simrity between her and a hypothetical identical twin could be striking.


    "I want to meet her," Colin finally said, expressing his desire to meet this Phoebe.


    My fingers stiffened momentarily before slowly releasing Colin''s wrist.


    Naomi smiled and signaled for Colin to follow her. "Let''s go."


    Colin cast aforting nce my way.


    I grabbed his wrist again, looking at Naomi. ¡°I''ming too."


    Naomi didn''t object, as if she had anticipated this.


    Robin and Finn exchanged looks, frowning. "We''reing along."


    Naomi nced at Robin. "Sorry, Officer Robin, my car''s full."


    Robin, snuffing out his cigarette in Finn''s hand, spoke up firmly. "My SUV''s got space. Caleb and Foebe can ride with me; we''ll follow you."


    "I''m in!" Bran eximed, raising his hand like a schoolkid.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Naomi smiled without protest and got into her car.


    Anthony cursed under his breath, wanting to say more, but Henry held him back.


    Colin and I got into Robin''s SUV.


    Meanwhile, Finn, finally catching on, started cursing. "Robin! You''re crossing the line, I''m your superior, your direct boss!"


    Robin nced at Finn. "Sorry, boss, slipped my mind. Thought this was the trash can for a sec."


    After that, Robin hopped into his SUV.


    Finn, fuming, was grabbed by the cor by Bran. "Cut it out, get serious, get in."


    Finn, cor in Bran''s grasp, turned to see this high school kid talking to him like he was soothing a child. He felt utterly demeaned today.


    "Bran, let me ask you something..."


    Finn, softening his tone before


    getting into the car, seemed to be questioning himself too. "When I


    ???


    was investigating the organization''s base, stumbled upon experiments on soul rebirth and memory transfer... Do you think, souls can


    really be reborn?"


    Bran paused, looking at Finn. "Theoretically, souls might exist in another form after leaving the body."


    Finn shivered, sping his hands together. "Bless me."


    Then, he made a sign of the cross, moving his hand up, down, left, and right. "Amen..."


    "May I be spared from any vengeful spirits.¡± Finn muttered. "May my name, given by the guru, protect me from being haunted by Carter."


    Bran, looking at Finn as if he''s seen a ghost himself, shoved him into the passenger seat, then casually took his ce in the middle, between me and Colin.


    I blinked, ncing between Colin and Bran.


    Bran seemed oblivious to the awkwardness.


    Colin appeared distracted, gazing out the window.


    I had wanted to sit close to Colin, but his distraction made me uneasy.


    Was he having doubts?


    Or did he believe what Naomi said?


    "When Phoebe''s body was found, the medical examiner noticed the features Dexter mentioned..." Robin started cautiously, peeking at Colin through the rearview mirror, wary of upsetting him. ¡°A mole on her left chest, a birthmark near her groin."


    S


    Colin''s grip visibly tightened, the atmosphere in the car dropping to a chill.


    "Even if identical twins look alike, it''s impossible for them to share such exact birthmarks. You knew Phoebe since you were kids, did she have these birthmarks?" Robin prodded gently.


    Colin remained silent, not responding.


    I turned away, looking out the window.


    Colin cherished ''Phoebe Caldwell'' too much. Back then, he never crossed boundaries with Phoebe, how could he possibly know about private birthmarks?

 Chapter 474

    ?


    It seemed to be the perfect opportunity for Naomi, making her ims more credible.


    The Phoebe who had died was not the real Phoebe.


    The real Phoebe had lost her memory in a car ident four years ago and had been taken away by the organization.


    "Colin, do you believe what Naomi says?" Bran echoed the question swirling in my mind.


    Colin didn''t respond, just nced at me.


    I felt a sourness in my nose, a void of safety enveloping me.


    "Why are you sitting between me and my wife?" Colin finally spoke, his voice heavy with an unspoken threat.


    I instinctively looked up, my eyes slightly reddened.


    Just then, Colin kicked Bran lightly and grabbed my hand. "I want to sit next to Phoebe."


    The passenger side, Finn mockingly mimicked Colin, shaking his head, "I want to sit next to Phoebe..."


    Forced to switch seats, Colin ended up in the middle.


    "I was thinking, why did the organization suddenly release Naomi as this maternal figure and rece Phoebe with a new subject... Their goal must be to reim the ''Foebe Larson'' subject, release a new clone, and then... temporarily halt operations,ying low until the time is right to resume?" Colin whispered.


    Finn gave Colin a thumbs up. "That''s exactly what I was thinking."


    Colin squeezed my hand tighter. "That means... Phoebe could be in danger."


    They would definitely use every means to take me away.


    "I think... maybe Naomi is telling the truth. The Phoebe isn''t really Phoebe; what she holds is the real Phoebe." I stared out the car window, speaking again. "Colin, the Phoebe you love, maybe she never loved anyone else; she''s still Phoebe..."


    If this was the conclusion, it would be the best ending for Colin.


    "Phoebe..." Colin tightened his grip on my fingers.


    I nced at him, my heart in turmoil.


    ...


    Naomi''s car stopped in front of a vi in the outskirts of Sea City.


    It was on a hill, surrounded by serene beauty.


    Stepping out of the car, I saw her standing on the second floor.


    She wore a white dress, her hair billowing in the wind.


    My heart clenched, and my steps faltered.


    She wasn''t just simr to Phoebe; she was an exact replica.


    She also looked our way, her gaze finally settling on me.


    Our eyes met, my heartbeat racing.


    A clone and an identical twin...


    A terrifying experiment, indeed.


    Colin was also stunned, involuntarily drawn into the yard.


    Robin cursed in shock, turning to Finn. "Damn... If I hadn''t seen Phoebe''s body with my own eyes, I''d believe she was Phoebe herself."


    Finn frowned. "Don''t you find it terrifying? If Phoebe''s body hadn''t been discovered, finding her, with identical DNA, no one would believe the real Phoebe was dead..."


    If Dexter hadn''t seen Phoebe''s body and firmly believed she wasn''t dead, encountering this woman, he would have been the first to fully believe Phoebe was alive.


    The thought was chilling.


    Was this why Phoebe''s body was disyed in a ss showcase after her death, making her demise public?


    Did she not want to die anonymously, to be reced?


    "Did Phoebe ptan all this? Is it


    et


    possible that Phoebemitted suicide..." Finn whispered. "No... Could the real Phoebe have been the mastermind behind the serial


    ve


    killings? What we found in the ruins was enough..."


    "Shush!" Robin frowned, cutting Finn off.


    Finn paused, then fell silent.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Bran followed, his gaze fixed on the woman upstairs.


    et


    "She''s Caleb''s Phoebe... You''re already doubting yourself, aren''t you?" Naomi stood behind me, whispering again. "Caleb''s Phoebe should be pure, both in soul and body, not someone who fell in love with Dexter, who had Dexter''s child..."


    "Shut up!" I admit, her words enraged me, my emotions spiraling out of control.


    My whole body was trembling.


    Yet, I couldn''t refute her, feeling more like I wasshing out in frustration.


    "Defective, meant to be reimed, you should just quietly disappear, leaving the pure and whole Phoebe for Caleb. The organization will then retreat, going into hiding worldwide. Caleb and Phoebe can live out their band lives in peace. This is the chance the organization is offering you


    Sacrifice yourself,e with us, and the organization will spare Caleb, giving him a clean andplete Phoebe."


    Naomi spoke again, her offer temptingly cruel.

 Chapter 475

    ?


    I didn''t pay attention to Naomi and looked up at ''Phoebe Caldwell'' standing on the balcony.


    She appeared hollow, her eyes lifeless, like she wasn''t really there.


    Yet, her gaze was fixed on Colin.


    Colin stood below, probably captivated by the face of the woman he loved...


    "Colin..." After what seemed like an eternity, she finally spoke his name.


    I could see Colin stiffen, his fingers clenching tightly.


    Naomi seemed confident, after all, this was a perfect clone of Phoebe, an identical twin in essence.


    It was inevitable that Colin would be drawn to her.


    "Carter..." Phoebe''s'' gaze shifted to Bran, her voice hollow and numb as she called out Carter''s name.


    Bran frowned, standing still, his gaze locked on her.


    Finn, on the other hand, was freaked out, his body tense as he edged closer to Bran. "Who''s she calling? What''s going on? She gives me the creeps, calling out to Carter like that. Why''s it feel so chilly all of a sudden?"


    Finn was obviously scared of Carter, and it was pretty clear.


    Whatever he had done to Carter, even mentioning his name seemed like a way to keep Carter at bay.


    "She''s calling me," Bran said coolly.


    Finn looked at Bran, took a good look as if reassured. "Scared me there. You know, you and that madman Carter do look alike."N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Bran frowned, silent.


    "Our ss''s two nutjobs, idiots... other than pranking me... wouldn''t know danger if it killed them," Finn muttered, still seemingly annoyed. "If ghosts were real, they''d have their own scores to settle, going after those who wronged them..."


    "Weren''t all those people dead?" Bran said meaningfully, almost as if he was trying to spook Finn.


    But Finn froze, then suddenly looked up at Bran.


    Right... those who had hurt Carter, who had led to his death, were all dead... A serial killing spree took out everyone who had wronged Carter... Indeed, they were all gone, leaving only Melody, who had wronged Phoebe, and Ss, barely clinging to life.


    A deadly game in a ruined building had taken care of them all.


    "She''s almost an exact replica of Phoebe," Bran observed, looking at Colin again.. "But Phoebe''s body being disyed in a ss case was meant to tell everyone she was gone. No matter who appeared, it wouldn''t be her. She was unique... irreceable."


    Bran spected that Phoebe''s disy was to prove her death, perhaps knowing that the organization might attempt to rece her?


    My head was pounding, certain memories, especially about my death, werepletely nk.


    But fragments of memories would asionally surface, impossible to piece together.


    I even started to doubt myself, questioning if I really was Phoebe...


    "In a way, she is Phoebe, but also


    not," Colin said, looking up at the woman above. "Gics, appearance, maybe even


    memories... could all belong to


    Phoebe, but she''s just a prototype..."


    The ''Phoebe Caldwell'' upstairs suddenly smiled. "Everyone is a prototype. How can you be so sure the dead Phoebe Caldwell was indeed herself?"


    Her tone turned icy as she spoke, her gaze shifting from vacant to chilling.


    It was clear, shecked any emotion.


    Like the past me in my memories, numb to everything.


    Her look at Colin held no tenderness or affection, devoid of any emotion...


    Leaving this version of ''Phoebe Caldwell'' for Colin offered nothing but a clean shell.


    "She''s the real Phoebe, reced


    after the ident. If you keep


    .n¨§t


    digging, consider it a final warning from the organization, given


    because you''re Ethan''s son," Naomi stepped closer to Colin, speaking again. "I can assure you, she is Phoebe."


    Colin frowned, turning to Naomi.

 Chapter 476

    ?


    The one who died, she wasn''t the real Phoebe, not the Phoebe you grew up with. The so-called memory loss and confusion, that''s something we''ve seen with clones after death - a mixing and sharing of memories. It''s a phenomenon that our experiments haven''t quite figured out yet, or how to control," Naomi nced back at me as she exined.


    "So, Caleb, you have to make a choice between the Phoebe Caldwell upstairs and the Foebe Larson standing right here. You understand the kind of danger the organization represents... I''m not asking for your input; you''re not in a position to fight them."


    Naomi was forcing Colin to choose - either take away the Phoebe upstairs or take me with him.


    I met Colin''s gaze, neither of us said a word.


    After a moment, Colin pointed upstairs. "I''m taking Phoebe with me."


    His finger pointed at the woman upstairs, but his eyes lingered on me.


    Tears welled up in my eyes, and I stood rooted to the spot, unable to make a sound.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Naomi shot me a look, her confidence shining through - she had expected this oue. "As your biological mother, I have the right to have you undergo a psychological evaluation."


    I stared back at Naomi, finally speaking with a scoff.


    Finn and Robin exchanged puzzled nces. "What''s going on? Foebe, what did you agree to?"


    I stayed silent, offering no exnation.


    Naomi had made it clear: if I was the sacrifice, the organization would spare Colin...


    Selfishly, I wished for Colin to live a peaceful life.


    His choice of the woman upstairs wasn''t wrong.


    The organization wanted to reim its failed experiments, and I was the most valuable among those failures... So, they wanted to take me away.


    Following Naomi was the quickest way to reach the organization''s leaders.


    "One for one... He chose Phoebe," I said quietly, my voice breaking with emotion.


    Bran looked at Colin, finally speaking. "Are you sure?"


    Colin shrugged off Bran''s arm. "She is Phoebe..."


    Bran pointed at me. "And what about her?"


    "She''s just a Foebe with some of Phoebe''s memories," Colin''s voice was hoarse, his eyes avoiding mine.


    I looked away, a bitterugh escaping me. "So, all you ever wanted was the emotionless Phoebe..."


    Colin lowered his head, speaking again. "I''m sorry..."


    "You don''t have to apologize to me I shrugged nonchntly. "Even if you hadn''t made a choice, I would have


    made one myself. I just hopeve


    live well."


    you


    I just hope you live well... That was once Colin''s wish for Phoebe.


    Now, my heart echoed his sentiment.


    I only wished for him to live well, to live safely.


    The Phoebe from upstairs came down, her gaze cold as she looked at me, her sneer sharp as if sensing our shared gics. "Just a defective product..."


    As she passed by me, she whispered so only I could hear,beling me a defective product.


    "Once you develop feelings, you


    be vulnerable and wed. The organization keeps experimenting on us, convincing ourselves is the only way to deceive everyone else. So, Foebe... are your feelings real, or is it all just an act?" she whispered close to me.


    I didn''t answer her, just watched as she approached Colin to ask, "Can you bear it?"


    Colin took her hand. "I''m sorry... for not finding you sooner."


    "It doesn''t matter to me. As long as I''m hidden away, whether it''s by you or someone else, it doesn''t make a difference," ''Phoebe Caldwell''said indifferently.


    Colin''s fingers stiffened as he led her away.


    Bran frowned, wanting to say something but ultimately remained silent.


    Robin, confused, looked back at me. "Foebe,e back with me."


    I took a step forward, but Naomi blocked my path.


    She smiled at me briefly before letting go. "I''ll wait here for your message."


    She was confident I woulde back to her soon.


    Because Colin had taken ''Phoebe Caldwell'', he surely wouldn''t keep me by his side any longer.

 Chapter 477

    ?


    On the ride back, Colin and Phoebe were seated in the back, and I realized there was no ce for me as I attempted to get in.


    Phoebe had this resistant vibe, her aura heavy. She nced at Bran and, quite effortlessly, tilted her chin upwards, signaling him to close the door for her.


    Bran, almost reflexively, shut the door and then paused, as if surprised by his own action.


    I remained silent, standing still.


    "My driver will take you guys back," Naomi emerged and spoke.


    Bran nced at me, "I''ll stay with you."


    Finn took the passenger seat, and Robin drove off.


    I looked towards Colin, but he never looked back at me.


    Him and Phoebe, they really did seem like a match.


    But who really was Phoebe?


    "So, what do you think about this Phoebe situation?" Bran asked as we got into Naomi''s car.


    "Right now... I can''t really tell who the real Phoebe is," I said, ncing at the driver through the rearview mirror.


    Bran didn''t push further; after all, we were in someone else''s car, not exactly a safe ce for such discussions.


    "But Colin, he seems convinced she''s the real Phoebe. Naomi knows Colin well; she seems aware that anything to do with Phoebe will drive Colin to irrational choices, unconditionally siding with Phoebe," I whispered, fingers tapping lightly on my leg.


    Bran watched my fingers but said nothing.


    Naomi''s driver dropped Bran and me off at Colin''s mansion. Robin had already arrived with the others.


    Colin got out of the car, and Phoebe naturally reached out, expecting Colin to assist her.


    Colin lifted his hand, grasping her wrist, and helped her down.


    In the yard, Howler was barking restlessly, but quieted the moment he saw Phoebe, looking almost shocked, then nced at me as I stepped out of the car.


    "My Howler?" Phoebe asked Colin.


    Colin didn''t respond.


    "Descendant, or a clone?" Phoebe pressed on.


    "Clone," Colin finally replied.


    Phoebe wasn''t surprised, as if she had anticipated Colin would do such a thing.


    I, on the other hand, was taken aback for a long while.


    Howler, a clone?? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    "Are you sure you want her to stay here with me?" Phoebe questioned Colin, asking him to make a decision.


    Colin looked at me, his gaze intense.


    "Sorry, I have another ce


    ne


    downtown. You can stay there for


    now Give me some time, and we''ll sort out the divorce."


    He wanted a divorce.


    I stood frozen, clenching my hands.


    "No need... we can get the divorce done now," I said, my voice hoarse.


    "There''s no time today," Colin turned to look at Phoebe.


    I scoffed sarcastically, "Fine, I''ll wait.''


    I turned away, not letting my tears fall.


    In Naomi''s car, the driver had been watching everything.


    I pushed past Bran, getting into the driver''s car. "Please, take me to Haven Hotel."


    The driver nodded and drove off.


    Sitting in the car, watching Colin grow distant through the rearview mirror... the tears wouldn''t stop. "Miss, we''ve arrived,"


    The driver had taken me to Haven Hotel and spoke up to alert me.


    I snapped back to reality, quickly wiped away my tears, and hurried out of the car.


    The driver nced at me onest time before driving away.


    et


    I watched the car leave, turned around, and entered the hotel, my eyes red and face marked by sorrow. The receptionist cautiously checked me in.


    Holding the room card, I entered the elevator, trying hard to hold back more tears.


    Colin... and Phoebe, what a match they were.


    Once in the room, I sat numbly on the sofa, ordered a bottle of red wine, and downed it, letting the numbness spread.


    I started to lose it, dialing Colin, "Is it because... she seems more like Phoebe than I do?"


    I cried, demanding answers.


    He picked up but remained silent.


    I cried, questioning why he trusted that woman, yet he still said nothing.


    Faced with reality, rebirth seemed like a mere hypothesis. With aplete, genuine Phoebe present, who would care about a


    hypothetical like me?


    I cried as I hung up, then in a frenzy, smashed the wine sses and bottle, stepping on the broken ss, blood staining the floor.

 Chapter 478

    ?


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    I stumbled into the bathroom, letting the shower wash over me, feeling as if my senses were dialed up to eleven. That''s when the panic set in, the creeping suspicion that I was being watched from every corner.


    It wasn''t long before I started tearing the hotel room apart, my paranoia reaching a fever pitch. I shattered the mirror, convinced I was being spied on through some hidden camera, a cold sneer on my lips as I thought about how invasive they''d be.


    After wreaking havoc in the room for what felt like an eternity, I finally crashed, sleeping off the madness for a whole day and night. The next morning, I used Colin''s credit card to cover the damages and checked out.


    Colin was waiting for me outside the city hall, his face a storm cloud of emotions.


    He was there to tell me he wanted a divorce.


    "Are you sure?" I asked, exhausted, wondering if the woman he mentioned was indeed Phoebe.


    "I''m sorry... she is Phoebe," Colin said with a resolve that broke my heart.


    "You were just as sure when you told me I was Phoebe," I countered, looking deep into his eyes.


    He couldn''t hold my gaze. "I''m sorry... I was lying to myself."


    I scoffed, signing the divorce papers with a heavy heart. The clerk told us to wait a month for the finalization, a standard protocol.


    "Can''t we just skip the waiting period?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.


    "It''s thew," the clerk responded firmly.


    So, I left without another word, stepping out into a rain-soaked world that seemed to mirror my despair.


    Walking aimlessly, I found myself questioning the point of it all. Life felt like a constant surveince, a real-life, Truman Show without the humor or the happy ending. In


    a


    et


    moment of sheer impulse, I threw myself into theke, craving release from the relentless scrutiny.


    The cold water enveloped me in an icy embrace, my instincts screaming for air while my mind urged me to let go. Then, suddenly, there was Colin, pulling me close, offering me breath in a desperate underwater kiss.


    I resisted at first, but survival kicked in.


    Coughing and gasping, we surfaced, and Colin''s angry re told me I''d gone too far this time.


    Lying on the grass, I couldn''t help butugh at the absurdity of it all. To fool the world, we had to fool ourselves first.


    Colin had always said, "Believe you''re Phoebe, and you will be. Don''t let anyone tell you otherwise."


    As he walked away, I called out to him, "Caleb!" My voice was weak, but my resolve was stronger than ever We had to keep living, to prove we were more than pawns in their game -real people with rights, emotions, and unbreakable spirits.


    Lying there, as the rain washed over me, I realized how much Colin and I had grown to understand each other without words, our connection deepening through the trials we faced together.


    It waste when I finally reached Naomi''s ce, nestled in the hills. She seemed to have expected me.


    "I''lle with you... but I need to know the truth," I told her, a mess from the day''s events.


    "And you''re not waiting for the divorce to be final?" Naomi asked with a smirk.


    I returned her smirk with one of my own. "As long as I don''t sign those papers, the title of Caleb''s wife can only belong to me."


    "Alright," Naomi nodded, her smile turning serious. "Where would you like to start?"


    "The truth about my parents and Ethan''s death."

 Chapter 479

    ?


    "Huh..." Naomi chuckled. "Here I thought you''d start with your birth story, but you''re more interested in learning about your parents and Ethan''s demise..."


    Naomi eyed me curiously, inching closer. "The parents you''re talking about, are they Phoebe''s folks?"


    I frowned, offering no reply.


    "Seriously, you actually think you''re Phoebe?" Naomi pinched my chin, examining my face from side to side. "I bet, the organization will pull out all the stops to prove you''re the reincarnated Phoebe... because those nuts are too eager to prove that souls can be reborn."


    Suddenly, Naomi burst intoughter. "Once people get their hands on money and power, their desires just keep growing... All those tycoons, in their quest for immortality, have poured in tons of cash, employing the most advanced medical techniques and the costliest drugs, resorting to inhumane practices just to prolong life... because they can afford it."N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    "Sadly, nature''sws are immutable, and nature doesn''t cater to these folks..." Naomi''s voice grew somber. "When the timees, death is inevitable, and many a wealthy person''s greatest regret on their deathbed is not living to see the day when eternal life bes a reality..."


    I remained silent, my brow furrowed throughout.


    "Your existence, however, has turned heads among those already crazed billionaires... Now, you''re the most valuable among all test subjects." Naomi offered a wry smile. "As test subjects, you''re allmodities in the hands of the organization, disyed for the tycoons'' amusement and investment. Theymunicate their interests to the organization, which then selects candidates... for experiments."


    Like cloning, organ transnts, umbilical cord blood... and so on.


    "In recent years, with medical advancements hitting a teau, life expectancy has been capped by gics, environmental factors, and more, leaving the average lifespan of the wealthy peaking around ny to a hundred years before declining. Gene editing, while a feather in the organization''s cap, ultimately benefits future generations... The moguls, however, are more concerned with their own well-being."


    Naomi led me into the mansion, sharing that the tycoons were bing less inclined to fund the organization since gene editing had matured without any new, exciting developments to spur their investment.


    "And Phoebe... gave us quite the surprise." Naomi ced the ''Phoebe Caldwell'' file on the table. "Phoebe died, and our test subject, monitored closely from birth by our operatives, was killed right under our noses... Her body even disyed in a ss cab, a tant provocation from the Rebellion Syndicate against the organization."


    Naomi spoke again with a smile. "Moreover, the surprising element about ''Phoebe Caldwell'' is... she supposedly ''reincarnated'' into Foebe." This revtion set off a storm, electrifying the moguls backing the organization.


    They were aging and didn''t want to die.


    They were all eager to discover the secrets of reincarnation and eternal life.


    "Since the time of the emperors, the pursuit of immortality has be increasingly fervent with wealth and power in hand..." Naomi leaned back on the sofa. "Three years ago, Caleb entered the organization through the Langley family, proposing a viable n for soul reincarnation and memory transfer. Initially, his n didn''t catch much attention."


    Naomi was sharing with me how Colin got involved with the organization, not rushing into revealing the cause of Ethan''s and my parents'' deaths.


    "The moguls aren''t fools; they deemed it a pipe dream." Naomi pulled out several photos, each depicting Bran, from his childhood to him in high school uniform.


    I watched Naomi warily, realizing the organization had set its sights on Bran.


    "Calm down, Bran was Caleb''s


    tribute to the organization." Naomi smiled. "Caleb''s too clever, almost like a paranoid genius, putting all his intellect into this as if it''s foolproof. But every person has a weakness, and Phoebe was his..."

 Chapter 480

    ?


    Caleb was itching to get into the fold, and to do that, he needed the bigwigs'' nod - their interest, specifically. His pitch? The Rebirth Experiment, with a twist - he was using Carter''s clone, or as we now know him, Bran." Naomi shared, her tone as casual as if she were discussing the weather.


    It seemed she couldn''t care less about spilling these beans to me - after all, she had no ns of letting me walk free.


    I gasped at the revtion... Bran was Carter''s clone.


    The so-called secret of rebirth must be tied to cloning and gics, right?


    "Caleb was a gift to the Langley family from the organization years ago, a product of gic enhancements using Ethan''s DNA. They tweaked him to perfection - intelligence, strength, looks - making him a rare breed of man-made genius," Naomi said, her voice dripping with a hint of disdain.


    Obviously, she wasn''t too impressed with the idea of gically edited prodigies.


    "But Carter was different. He was a natural-born genius. The organization''s interest in him spiked because of Caleb - one, a carefully engineered marvel; the other, untouched by gic maniptions. Carter''s mere existence quickly caught the organization''s eye..."


    "They used a health check at the orphanage as a pretext to extract living cells from Carter when he first started showing signs of genius - just a seven or eight-year-old kid at the time."


    "Carter''s clone has been cooped up in the organization''sb ever since, never seeing the outside world, until three years ago when Caleb joined the ranks, iming he could prove the existence of soul rebirth. He used Carter, who had just passed away, and his clone, Bran, in a soul transmigration experiment."N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    "The experiment was a shocker for many moguls, though skeptics remained. After all, it was a singr case, and with the clone mimicking the original''s memories, it was hard for outsiders to spot the fake. It was like an unverifiable magic trick - no one knew if Bran was truly Carter reborn or just an actor with Carter''s memories..."


    Naomi looked at me, her gaze deep. "But your presence, Phoebe, shocked the moguls anew. They''re willing to pay top dor to ''acquire you, aiming to publicly study and test you to prove if you''re a true rebirth or just... a memory match."


    I couldn''t help but smile, understanding why... Matthew had said I was currently the most valuable test subject.


    "As for Ethan''s demise, being a leading mogul of Sea City and daring to oppose the organization, he had to be eliminated. If he had swayed the others, it would have spelled doom for the organization... Ethan''s death was inevitable."


    "And Phoebe''s parents, scientists


    groomed by the organization,


    foolishly grew attached to a test subject with no real blood ties to them, plotting to protect and escape with the subject. The organization couldn''t tolerate such treachery." Naomi''s voice grew somber, her gaze on me more intense. "Escaping the organization was nearly impossible for your parents, but they had an ally - Damian... Your parents always wanted you to live a normal life as part of their n to break away from the organization, and Damian, under the guise of conducting experiments, has been assisting you and your parents..."


    It''s ironic... Damian wasn''t harming me...


    "Unfortunately, their resistance against the organization was futile." Naomiughed mockingly, calling Ethan and the others fools, but within that mockery, I sensed a different kind of bitterness.


    Naomi... she must have had special feelings for someone among Ethan, Damian, or my parents.


    Being human means having emotions, and with emotionse vulnerabilities. The cloned ''Phoebe Caldwell'' was right - emotions are our Achilles'' heel.


    "I want to know... who''s really pulling the strings behind the organization," I asked Naomi, eager to unravel the mystery at the heart of it all.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 481

    ?


    Naomi looked at me, herughter filling the air. "The organization is a vastwork, spanning across every country with different individuals in charge of various projects and subjects."


    "The one at the top, it could be me, or it could be you. Without the proper credentials, you can''t even dream of contacting him directly. In the entirety of Harbor City... only a handful have ever met him. Ethan, once the most powerful tycoon in Harbor City, knew who he was... Unfortunately, Ethan is no longer with us."


    It was clear from Naomi''s words that Ethan was the only person in Harbor City who had ever met the organization''s leader. And now, Ethan was dead.


    Aside from Ethan, no one else was deemed worthy to meet the head honcho.


    "How powerful do you have to be... to sit down with him, to negotiate face to face?" I asked, driven by curiosity.


    "To be an asset, to dominate the Harbor City business scene, to have the power to turn the market on its head... that''s when he''lle to you," Naomi leaned back on the couch, a smirk ying on her lips once more. "Some suspect that the person behind the organization is none other than the enigmatic CEO of the All-Stars Consortium... Either the mastermind behind the organization or the one most likely to meet its leader..."


    Right, I had heard that too. The consortium wouldn''t let wealth and control fall into the hands of someone they couldn''t manage, so the organization''s leader must be one of their own.


    Colin and I spected about many people... but came up with nothing concrete.


    No wonder the organization''s leader was so elusive.


    Naomi was right; it could be you, it could be me, it could even be any seemingly insignificant person around us.


    "To y the dragon, you first have to be the dragon... Too bad, Foebe," Naomi''sughter wasced with implication, and just as she finished speaking, someone behind me plunged a syringe into my arm.


    The drug coursed through my body, blurring my consciousness.


    I knew... they were taking me away.


    The tycoons behind the organization couldn''t wait to verify the truths about rebirth from me...


    Leaving with them was my only chance to gradually uncover the organization''s secrets.


    "Search her thoroughly, don''t leave a single hair or tooth unchecked, no jewelry left on her," Naomimanded in a stern voice, instructing the driver to frisk me thoroughly, wary of any tracking devices I might have on me.


    "Should I do it?" The driver hesitated. "She''s a woman..."N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    "She''s merely a subject, treat her as you would ab rat, don''t sweat the details," Naomi replied disdainfully, her voice dripping with scorn and


    sarcasm.


    She didn''t see me as a person.


    In her eyes, I was nothing more than a clone that utilized her genes, an abomination that shouldn''t exist, a vile being that deserved to be eradicated.


    "Perhaps L should handle this..."


    suggested the driver, a middle-aged


    man who probably had a daughter of his own and couldn''t bring


    l.ne


    himself to do it, so he suggested the


    young maid from the mansion


    should do the search.


    Naomi snorted and left the living room.


    Lying dazed on the couch, it was that familiar feeling again - my body not under my control, yet my mind was still alert.


    This time, I had willingly chosen to infiltrate the organization; I couldn''t let Colin make all the sacrifices.


    By throwing myself into the fray... I could do it too.


    The reason Colin agreed to my reckless n was because he knew my current value to the organization, so falling into their hands was


    actually the safest option for me, at least my life wasn''t in immediate danger.


    "Ma''am, she doesn''t have any suspicious items on her anymore."


    As soon as the young maid finished speaking, someone came in and took me away.


    I had no idea how long it had been or how far we had traveled when I woke up, surrounded by nothing but whiteness.


    "Where am ..." My head was


    et


    pounding fiercely, waking up in an


    oversized patient gown, my legs


    With


    bare, the gown the only thing on me, nothing underneath.


    Frowning, I surveyed the room, the surgical bed... the sterile environment.


    It was eerily reminiscent of a hospital''s operating room.


    It felt like... the opening scene of a survival game set in a dpidated building, where we all woke up.


    So, the Rebellion Syndicate''s survival game was modeled after the organization''sb where they controlled their subjects?

 Chapter 482

    ?


    I stared at the wall, expecting to see my reflection, but the realization sunk in hard and fast: it wasn''t a mirror... it was ss. There were people on the other side, observing me, yet their faces were a blur.


    I swung my legs off the bed and slowly approached the ss, hoping to catch a glimpse of the other side, but all I saw was my own confusion staring back at me.


    The room felt too spacious, too void of any clues, leaving me to wonder about the intentions of the organization.


    Were they testing me? Observing me? They wanted to know if I was indeed Phoebe.


    ying right into their hands, I turned around, grabbed the IV stand with determination, and smashed it against the circuit breaker above, plunging the room into darkness. The power outage unlocked the door.


    I stepped out into the deserted corridor when suddenly, a dog charged at me.


    "Howler..."


    It resembled Howler more than Coly ever did, likely another clone of my faithfulpanion.


    The dog pounced, knocking me down with a look of sheer desperation in its eyes, as if it would tear anything to pieces to satiate its hunger.


    It snapped at me.


    "Howler!" I blurted out instinctively.


    Amidst its frenzied struggle, the dog calmed down, gazing into my eyes before letting out a whimper and copsing beside me.


    It was barely hanging on to life, having used itsst ounce of strength to pounce on me. All it had to do was bite my neck to survive.


    But it didn''t.


    Dogs have a way of understanding humans, a sense of spirit that sometimes makes them more humane than people themselves. The organization had deliberately starved Howler''s clone, wanting to see if it would attack its owner in a state of frenzy and madness. But the whole experiment was wed. Pets could be cloned, but memories couldn''t be copied and pasted.


    Is a cloned dog still the same dog?


    I stroked the dog''s head gently and pushed myself to stand.


    The corridor stretched out before me, with arrows pointing me forward.


    "Foebe Larson or Phoebe Caldwell?" At the end of the hallway, a man in ab coat, goggles, and gloves greeted me with a sinister smile.


    He was clearly part of the organization, a doctor, perhaps.


    "How many are watching me?" I asked, seeking to understand the extent of their surveince.


    "Many... Not just the elite of Sea City


    ne


    but international tycoons as well. Their eyes are all on you, waiting for the experiment to confirm your identity. You''re the organization''s most valuable and controversial asset," he replied, hisughter echoing the madness of his words.


    "And who in Sea City is watching?" I probed further, curious about the faces beyond the room.


    "Members of the globalmerce


    guild have the privilege. The


    president of the All-Stars


    Consortium, Matthew, Dextel


    all have eyes on you."


    They


    I was forced into a chair, my gaze fixed on the camera on the wall.


    They were all watching...N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Who exactly was the president of the All-Stars Consortium? The leader of the organization?


    Was Dexter joining the guild against Hailey''s wishes to uncover the leader?


    He must be watching me right now...


    Watching me, the test subject, to see if I truly was Phoebe.


    "This is a lie detector. You must answer truthfully to every question disyed on the screen. These inquiries from the tycoons," he


    exined as he connected the


    device with grave seriousness. "Who are you?"


    I looked up at the screen, remaining silent.


    My refusal to cooperate seemed to irritate him, prompting him to press the electric shock button.


    Electricity coursed through my body, causing agonizing spasms.


    "I am a test subject..."


    The lie detector screeched in rm.


    I had lied.


    The shock of electricity surged through me once more.


    I relented. "Phoebe, I am Phoebe Caldwell..."


    The lie detector remained silent.


    "Who do you love, Dexter or Caleb?" The screen scrolled with the next question.


    That question... It had Dexter written all over it.


    He was watching from behind the camera, seemingly at peace with his voyeurism.


    I didn''t respond for three seconds, and electricity once again wracked my body with pain. The screen went quiet, awaiting my answer.

 Chapter 483

    ?


    "The choice is yours," the doctor said with a teasing smile. "Sweetheart, do you know how much it costs to ask a question? Your answer, it''s worth a fortune."


    "To be in the position to watch you from behind the scenes, they must pass the organization''s financial threshold. But to ask a question, they must be ready to spend big... like bidding on a prized lot at an auction. A single question... can cost millions."N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    The throbbing pain in my body slowly subsided. I fixed my gaze on him, a sneer forming on my lips. "Who I like... After being around people for too long, I prefer dogs..."


    "Ah!" Pain surged through my body once again, not from the lie detector this time, but from the doctor in front of me.


    He was displeased with my response. "Don''t dodge the question. The tycoons want to hear what they''re paying millions for..."


    The doctor grabbed my hair, forcing me to look straight into the camera.


    My hands were firmly strapped to the chair, leaving me with no chance of escape.


    "Caleb or Dexter, who do you love?" the doctor demanded, pointing at the screen, clearly unhappy with myck of cooperation.


    "Caleb..." My fists clenched tightly, the taste of blood filling my mouth.


    If Dexter wanted an answer, I''d give it to him.


    "Caleb..."


    "Caleb!"


    "The one I love is Caleb!"


    "My Colin..."


    I articted each word, but the lie detector seemed to think I was lying, sending searing pain throughout my body, causing my muscles to spasm. "You''re lying..." the doctor said with a smile.


    "So... the real answer is the other one, Dexter," he taunted, trying to provoke me.


    I red at him, spitting out blood. "I love your mom..."


    In that moment, I truly wanted to curse out loud. The pain, the rage, and the tumult of emotions overwhelmed me.


    This damned lie detector was far


    ne


    from rational Affected by too many variables, it measured physiological changes like breathing, blood pressure, and pulse to determine deceit. But such tests are


    susceptible to enviroine


    and


    psychological factors, making them unreliable.


    "The hardest part is dealing with the specimens from the outside..." The


    net


    doctor stretched his neck, hisughter chilling, like that of a psychopath. "You know what I hate the most? Specimens like you, bred in the wild, picking up bad habits, disobedient, clueless... not sweet at all."


    He pressed the button again, sending a stronger electric current through my body than before.


    Blood trickled from the corner of my mouth, my jaws clenched so tightly that my entire mouth seemed to be bleeding.


    "Ding!" The room''s rm lit up, followed by a mechanical voice. "The Consortium members reject inhumane experimental data and condemn the use of violence against test subjects. This is a warning."


    The mechanical voice warned the doctor, forbidding him from using extrajudicial punishment on me.


    The doctor chuckled, squatting in front of me. It seems someone out there really cares about you... Filing aint against the tester costs a pretty penny. The money pouring in really is eye-opening... No wonder theb folks say you''re the most Valuable specimen."


    I was at myst breath, looking at him with a weak voice. "Do you want to know... why I''m so valuable?"


    I no longer had the strength to speak clearly. The doctor leaned in closer, and with thest of my energy, I headbutted him right in the eye. Screams filled the room as he fell to the ground, clutching his eyes in pain.


    Perhaps enraged by my action, he rose to punish me but was stopped by the mechanical voice again. "Violence against test subjects is not permitted."


    "Violence against test subjects is not permitted."

 Chapter 484

    ?


    The doctor chuckled, tossing aside the remote control and lowering his voice to whisper in my ear. "Today''s test is over... I''ll show you what real hell is like."


    "Here, all subjects must obey me without question. You''re no exception... Disobey, and I''ll show you what punishment means.


    He was threatening me.


    I scoffed, leaning back in the chair.


    The screen popped up with another question: In a world where memories can be imnted and hypnosis can fool even oneself, what''s the point of a lie detector?


    This time, someone was throwing big money at a question that was really about the organization.


    Clearly, whoever was asking this question was enjoying my predicament...


    They thought lie detectors were too lenient and wanted to bring in the big guns.


    The doctor''s lips curled into a smile as he picked up a syringe from a nearby rack. "Ensuring the purity of the drug, the truth serum is a gift from the questioner... Fully transparent, verified by the organization."


    I struggled to free my wrists from their restraints, a truth serum... Basically, a drug designed to disrupt judgment and cognitive function, essentially a sedative...


    I took a deep breath, staring at the screen.


    My fingers tapped on the armrest of the chair, unintentionally.


    I wasn''t sure if Colin and Bran could see this live test...


    "Alright..." Without warning, the doctor injected the drug into my system.


    Once the drug entered the bloodstream, one would lose consciousness in three seconds.


    The brain wouldn''t actively think.


    "Who told you to impersonate Phoebe, to mimic her?" On the screen, a question from a tycoon appeared.


    The doctor grabbed my hair, forcing me to answer.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    I knew... everyone was watching, the organization''s people more than anyone else hoped I truly was Phoebe.


    And I had to be Phoebe...


    If I wasn''t Phoebe, I''d lose my value, and losing value meant being recycled by the organization.


    So, I had to be Phoebe.


    The instinct to survive made me


    struggle,


    but my brain, out of r


    spat out an answer,


    Sweet


    et


    unaware of what I''d said.


    The mechanical buzzing sound was piercing, and my consciousness began to blur.


    When I woke up again, I was confined in a cubic cell that resembled an experimental chamber.


    Here, there were numerous transparentbs, each housing a subject.


    We were likeb rats, trapped for observation.


    I banged on the transparent walls, ring around in anger.


    I didn''t know how many questions they''d asked after the truth serum, nor how I''d answered...


    If I truly wasn''t Phoebe... had I been exposed by now?


    I was somewhat scared, biting my finger as I sat on the bed.


    Soon, I calmed down. If I really had lost my value, they wouldn''t bother confining me again.


    "Tick tock tick..." Suddenly, a bell rang throughout the cell.


    I looked around in confusion. Everyone in the transparent cells, dressed in white hospital gowns, stood up. They behaved like well-trained pet dogs, waiting food that would follow the bell.


    1


    I grimaced. Pavlovian conditioning... They didn''t treat subjects as humans at all.


    I counted in the cell, excluding myself, there were eight subjects, three men and five women.


    Two of the female subjects had bulging bellies, clearly, the fetuses were new subjects as well.


    The door opened, and the doctor


    who had tested me entered


    aet


    team Behind him, staffitive


    gear pushed a food cart.


    The staff ced meals at the entrance of each cell before leaving.


    When it came to my turn, a staff member was about to ce my meal when the doctor stopped him.


    Right in front of me, he threw all the food into a trash can.

 Chapter 485

    ?


    "Subject 77, seems like you''re not too fond of the rules around here." He was the kind that held grudges, alright.


    I stared at the doctor, my expression chilly, silent. In this ce, I wasn''t even deemed worthy of a name.


    "You should appreciate the order I''ve established here," the doctor said, lifting his hand to point towards a nearby istion unit. The staff unlocked it, releasing one of the subjects.


    She was strikingly beautiful.


    But she moved like she was empty inside, a shell of a person, walking up to the doctor.


    "Kneel," said the doctor, his voice deep, as if he was trying to assert his dominance in this confined world.


    Without hesitation, the subject knelt before him.


    He smirked at me, a mix of boastfulness and warning in his gesture, as if to say I''d betterply just as obediently, be his puppet...


    "You''re disgusting," Iughed. "People like you probably sit at the bottom of the barrel in the real world, huh? Can''t get your way outside, so you seek your thrills in ab. You know what that makes you? Trash."This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    My taunt angered him. His face turned cold as he pressed a button on the outside of the istion unit, his smirk twisting. "I''ll show you who''s in charge here."


    Suddenly, ice-cold water poured down from above, drenching mepletely.


    Then, he cranked up the air conditioning...


    I shivered uncontrobly, my anger pounding against the walls, but it was futile.


    One of the staff members looked nervous. "Dr. Emily, she''s... specially marked by our superiors for care. If anything happens to her, we''ll have a hard time exining..."


    My body temperature plummeted, my limbs stiffening as I copsed, skin burning with a sensation as if I was engulfed in mes.


    As hypothermia set in, the cold was reced by a burning heat, as though I was being consumed by fire.


    The devil outside just watched, smiling, waiting for me to beg for mercy.


    "Keep an eye on her temperature. As long as she doesn''t die, let her freeze. When she learns to beg... turn off the AC," Dr. Emily instructed, his voice grave.


    "Colin..." It must''ve been the delirium setting in, my mind reying the moments I yearned to see the most.


    Colin...


    I can''t die.


    I can''t leave him behind again. I just can''t!


    "Beep beep beep!" Suddenly, an rm red, signaling my heart rate going erratic.


    The heart monitor tlined.


    The staff outside panicked, frantically pressing controls, rushing to unlock the unit.


    Dr. Emily froze for a moment, seemingly not expecting my frailty. "Open the door, start CPR, get the sodium bicarbonate! Now!"


    As the rm continued to sound, the doctor pushed past the staff, starting CPR on me himself.


    His panic was oddlyforting. It seemed... my value hadn''t been diminished by their truth serum.


    He couldn''t afford to let me die.


    "Agh!" A scream echoed within the unit as I quickly flipped Dr. Emily beneath me, my fingers digging into his eyes, applying pressure.


    He struggled in agony, blood streaming.


    I red at the staff who rushed in.


    "Tell the head of theb... I want to


    see them!" My voice was low. I


    needed to see Naomi. I suspected


    Naomi was the one in charge here.


    UMS


    The doctor trapped in my hold attempted to struggle but dared not provoke me further.


    "If you move, I''ll gouge out your eyes. You know the organization wouldn''t kill a valuable subject like me over a doctor," I threatened, turning to the subject still kneeling outside. "You, get up!"


    She seemed not to listen at all.


    The doctorughed, a mad cackle. "They only listen to me."


    "Doctor, once you''re blinded, what use will you be to theb?" I asked with a smirk, my grip tightening.


    Fear crept into his eyes as the pain caused him to convulse.


    "Open all the units!" I demanded, my gaze fixed on the staff.


    Frightened and seeing the doctor at my mercy, sheplied, unlocking all the units.


    The other subjects slowly approached.


    The one on the floor finally stood up.


    "You said they only listen to you?" I questioned.


    The doctor''s fear was palpable now.


    et


    el.n


    I shoved him out, pushing him towards the subjects. "Theb''s security, passing through the decontamination corridor outside, will take five minutes to arrive."

 Chapter 486

    ?


    Standing at the forefront, the male subject shot me a nce before swiftly wrapping his hand around the doctor''s throat.


    With minimal effort, the doctor''s neck snapped, his breathing ceased... And just like that, as if squishing an ant, the subject''s expression remained unchanged, utterly unperturbed by the act.


    Havingmitted the deed, his gaze fixed back on me, intense and unyielding. It felt as though I was being sized up by a primal predator, seeking its mate for reproduction.


    Subjects like him, bred for specific purposes, possess an innate gic allure.


    They instinctively select partners with superior genes, aiming to produce stronger offspring, essentially nature''s way of ensuring evolution.


    The thought of gically modified beings producing healthy descendants was both fascinating and terrifying.


    "I''d advise you to keep your distance," I warned, retreating cautiously as the three male subjects appeared to be drawn to my genes.


    Their stares were intense, almost as if they wanted to devour me whole.


    I kept backing away, buying time.


    Just as I was cornered, the istion chamber door swung open, and mercenaries in hazmat suits rushed in, recapturing the subjects.


    Following themotion, Naomi, d in a sleek business suit, made her entrance.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Casting a brief nce at the lifeless doctor on the floor, she squinted. "Foebe, I underestimated you."


    I met her gaze with a wary sneer. "Just a doctor... Not as valuable as me, right?"


    Naomi chuckled softly. "Sure, they said you shouldn''t die, but that doesn''t mean you can''t be punished.¡±


    ¡°If ites to punishment, I can always choose death. Nobody can stop me,¡± I retorted, leveraging my life as a threat.


    Naomi''s eyes darkened, a sign of her


    relenting. "Ha. If it wasn''t for the CEO of All-Stars Consortium


    agreeing to invest billions in


    resurrection and gic researchet


    specifically requesting to sponsor you, Do you really think you''d still be alive?" she spat out bitterly. "You think just because you beat the lie detector and truth serum, you''re Phoebe now? The mercenaries out there, with enough resistance


    training, can do the same."


    I was taken aback. The enigmatic CEO of All-Stars Consortium had taken an interest in me, a mere subject... How intriguing. Now, if only I could get the CEO to meet with the organization''s leadership, I might be able to extract the information I sought.


    "You really hope I''m not a resurrected being," I teased Naomi. "What are you afraid of? Even if souls could be reborn... The people you care about returning wouldn''t love you? It must be sad, not being loved."


    I deliberately provoked Naomi.


    "Shut up!" she snapped, visibly agitated by my words. "Foebe, you''re the pitiable one... Do you really think the affection from gically optimized subjects is love? I''ll tell you... It''s nothing but natural


    selection at work! Whether it''s Caleb or those threeb subjects, their attraction to your genes is instinctive! You think Caleb loves you? The moment someone with better genes appears, he''ll abandon you without hesitation, gradually falling for someone else."


    Naomi looked at me, herughter resurfacing. "You thought you and Caleb could fool the organization with your little act? You came with me on purpose, but you''re not going anywhere now... And Caleb...


    already fallen for the De


    Caldwell'' with superior genes. He didn''t even show up for today''s polygraph test. As the heir to the Langley Group, even after selling his shares to All-Stars Consortium, he could''ve participated-if he was willing to pay the price..."


    "But he didn''te, Foebe. He''s given up on you."


    Naomi''sughter was wild, mocking me for being abandoned by Colin.


    "Oh, I almost forgot... Caleb and the ''Phoebe Caldwell'' I introduced him to spentst night together. The attraction between their genes is undeniable. He desires ''Phoebe Caldwell,'' and they will be together forever, while you... You''re destined to be forgotten."


    "However, Dexter... He spent millions just to spare you some suffering."

 Chapter 487

    ?


    "Really?" I let out a nonchnt ''oh'', leaning against the doorframe of the makeshift cabin. "You really think I''d buy that story?"


    Naomi was visibly irritated by my skepticism and let out a scornfulugh. "Looks like you won''t believe it until you see it with your own eyes..." With a slight smirk, she continued, "Forgot to mention, the Phoebe we sent over - both gically and biologically - she''s top-notch. Prime for pregnancy. Combining gene editing with a gically modified organism to create the perfect offspring was part of our experiment n..."


    She paused, looking straight at me before adding, "Oh, and did I mention? This whole experiment was actually Phoebe''s parents'' idea... Initially, the organization was against the idea of gene-editing prodigies mingling with gically modified subjects. Afraid of the unforeseen consequences." After all, bringing two highly intelligent individuals together could spell trouble if they decided to rebel against the organization. Hence, the organization made sure to prevent such interactions.


    "But Phoebe''s parents couldn''t bear to see them separated. They cunningly proposed the natural conception experiment, hoping to naturally conceive a child between the modified organism and the gene-editing prodigy, curious about the kind of child it would produce."


    It was an attempt to see what kind of evolution could result from the mixing of perfectly modified genes.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    "The moment this experiment was proposed, the leaders of the organization were intrigued and green-lit the project. However, as Phoebe grew, we discovered that her parents had hidden experimental data, concealing the fact that Phoebe had a physical deformity that prevented her from bearing healthy offspring..."


    I took a deep breath, realizing my parents had always kept this from the organization, fearing they''d separate me and Colin...


    Thus, our separation was inevitable. The organization must have found out eventually.


    And so, at eighteen, after a car ident and memory loss, with both parents gone, I found myself growing up in the Fitzgerald family, falling in love with Dexter...


    Every twist and turn of my life seemed orchestrated by the organization.


    "Creating these experimental bodies wasn''t without ws. Phoebe''s w was ack of emotion; inherently unable to feel or empathize, she couldn''t integrate into society or bear children."


    In other words, Phoebe was incapable of reproducing. A highly intelligent but emotionally detached subject, unfortunately, nature has a way of preventing such dangerous genes from proliferating.


    e


    "And you, Foebe... Your ws are suspicion, hyperactivity, dramatic reactions to stimuli, and a knack for disguise and imitation. While you may not possess Phoebe''s sheer intellect, you''re no slouch, plus you have the physical capacity to bear children." Naomi''s gaze was like someone appraising produce at a


    farmer''s market.


    "As for the Phoebe sent to Caleb... In a way, she truly is Phoebe, a clone, identical twins with the same genes."


    From any perspective, Phoebe No. 2 is more like Phoebe than me.


    "Caleb wouldn''t touch her..." My voice was low, fingers clenched in anger.


    "When Phoebe shows signs of pregnancy, be sure to bring you the good news." Naomi''sughter filled the air as mercenaries cleaned up the aftermath, disposing of bodies and experimental subjects before she turned to leave


    "Naomi, the doctors threw out her food... Should we...?" her assistant whispered, probably knowing my worth and fearing I''d starve.


    "Missing one meal won''t kill her."


    Naomi''s voice was stern. She took a


    few steps, then paused, a smile curling her lips. "Oh, and by the way, you''ve been adopted by the CEO of All-Stars Consortium. Your life and health are now in their hands. You''d better behave... Every move you make in this cabin is being monitored by your new guardian."


    Naomi pointed towards a camera mounted above us.

 Chapter 488

    ?


    I lifted my gaze, my lips sealed in silence.


    The organization treated us, the test subjects, like animals in a zoo, ppingbels on us to sell to the wealthy.


    Some of us were dispatched to satisfy the twisted cravings of the rich, others were sent for drug trials, and yet more were used as breeding machines or living organ banks.


    There were even wealthy individuals with rare blood types who would purchase test subjects sharing their blood type, using them as personal mobile blood reserves.


    Oh, the sins that flourish under the shadow of the organization''s dark web... There''s no wicked deed they haven''tmitted.


    The depths of human depravity, they''ve not only reached but exploited to their fullest advantage.


    It''s undeniable; those who built, structured, and expanded the reach of this organization over the years were geniuses in their own right.


    They say genius is a fine line away from madness. In truth, it can either lead to salvation or damnation.


    Some use their talents to heal and save lives, others to serve their country, while there are those who employ their gifts for the most horrific and inhumane deeds imaginable.


    Death, the great equalizer gifted by nature, is only a matter of time for us all.


    Yet, there are those who seek to defy nature, to break free from its cycle.


    They yearn for immortality, for eternal youth, for life evesting.


    And then there are those... who, upon finding no higher satisfaction or thrill in wealth and material luxury, begin to amplify their darkest desires and inner demons.


    Society evolves slowly but steadily. For many tycoons, money is just a number. They live in thep of luxury, surrounded byfort, yet even this opulent lifestyle bes mundane.


    So, they crave excitement, a spark to satisfy their desires.


    The pursuit of eternal life remains the ultimate, ageless ambition.


    Sitting on the cot in my cube, I stared at the camera overhead.


    The camera whirred, its red light blinking, signaling someone was watching me.


    Apparently, the CEO of All-Stars Consortium has spent a pretty penny to keep tabs on me daily.


    I gestured a ''thank you'' towards the camera.


    After all, this enigmatic CEO is now my patron, my lifeline. Winning his favor is my ticket to survival within the organization.


    Being his ward means the organization''s goons would think twice beforeying a finger on me. At the very least, my life was safe for now.


    The camera dipped three times, as if to say, "No need for thanks."


    But for some reason... I got the impression what they really meant was... "Don''t be afraid."


    Perhaps I was reading too much into it.


    The red light kept blinking. Knowing I


    was under constant surveince


    should have unsettled me, yet it brought a strange sense of cafm. My


    nerves, finally, began to rx


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Swnt


    I was utterly exhausted today, both physically and emotionally drained.


    So, I decided to just sleep, to rest as well as I could.


    The humming of the camera seemed almostforting, lulling me into a peaceful sleep.


    Maybe it was my instinct for


    self-preservation kicking in, causing me to overthink things. After all, the CEO of All-Stars Consortium, a


    I.ne


    leading figure among Sea City''s elite, couldn''t possibly be benevolent.


    These wealthy folks are masters of disguise, offering small kindnesses only to mercilessly exploit you for everyst drop of value you possess. "Phoebe... don''t be afraid, go to sleep. I''m here."


    In my half-awake state, Colin''s voice echoed in my mind.


    Indeed, only thoughts of Colin could soothe me into a peaceful slumber.


    Even after I fell asleep, the camera''s red light continued to blink.


    And when I awoke, it was still blinking.


    I wasn''t sure how long I''d slept; perhaps the doctor overseeing our cube had been dealt with, leaving us test subjects to our rare leisure.


    Looking up at the camera, I


    wondered, does the CEO of All-Stars


    Consortium not sleep? Watching


    over me all night... What''s so interesting about watching me sleep?


    It was all a bit... odd.

 Chapter 489

    ?


    "Ding."


    Theb''s door swooshed open, and an assistant dressed in a hazmat suit, pushing a cart, made his way inside. On the cart was a huge teddy bear and some fruits and snacks, all stamped with a quarantine seal.


    "These are from your sponsor, all cleared through quarantine," the assistant spoke gravely, sliding the items through the disinfection portal towards


    me.


    Stuffing the bulky teddy through was a bit of a hassle.


    I caught sight of the teddy bear and was momentarily stunned, then quickly hugged it tight. It was soft and smelled like sunshine. There was a tag on the teddy bear with Coly''s logo.


    It had to be Colin!


    A wave of excitement hit me, and I nced towards the camera.


    No wonder the CEO of All-Stars Consortium suddenly decided to sponsor me, even spending a fortune... It was Colin who had struck a deal with the CEO of All-Stars Consortium.


    Had he used shares of the Langley Group to finally secure a meeting with the CEO of All-Stars Consortium?


    I was happy for Colin and also relieved.


    Colin would never leave me behind... Never.


    Clutching the teddy bear, I sat on the floor to enjoy the fruits.


    I guess none of the other subjects had ever been treated like this; they all looked on enviously.


    I bit into an apple, and it was sweet.


    Looking up at the surveince camera, I pondered for a long while, tapping my knee lightly.


    Was I asking if that was Colin?


    Was Colin meeting with the CEO of All-Stars Consortium now?


    The camera moved, nodding up and down.


    I felt a surge of happiness but couldn''t show too much emotion, so I just looked down and ate another apple.


    It really was Colin! Naomi was lying all along; Colin wouldn''t sleep with someone else...


    But even with this reassurance, I still felt uneasy.


    The attraction of gics can be a collision of primal desires, hard to control.


    "Bang, bang, bang!" Next to mybMaterial ? N?velDrama.Org.


    pod, there was a subject who looked heavily pregnant and close tobor She was pounding on the door, suddenly looking like she was


    l.ne


    pain as if unable to stand, with a


    clear fluid trickling down her legs.


    Her water broke...


    She was going intobor.


    I stood up, frantically banging on the door, yelling, "Is anyone there?! She''s going intobor!"


    Damn it, that woman was about to give birth, and no one was doing anything about it.


    Even though the surveince system here wasprehensive, they surely saw what was happening, but theb staff simply didn''t regard us as human beings!


    After all, we were unregistered subjects, seemingly unprotected byw, unknown to the outside world, and could be disposed of at any moment. "Is anyone there?!" I shouted angrily, pounding on the door harder, my anger making me lose control.


    Subject 57 was inbor, her water had broken, and she was starting to bleed.


    If someone didn''t assist with the delivery or perform a C-section soon, it could be fatal for both mother and child.


    "Damn it!" I kicked the door hard, furiously ring at the surveince camera outside. They were watching but didn''t care at all.


    My uncontroble banging left bloody marks on the door.


    Perhaps sensing my rage, other subjects began to pound on their doors as well.


    "Boom!" Gradually, the male subjects'' actions became more and more aggressive.


    I jumped at the loud noise, turning to see three male subjects.


    They were pounding on the doors,municating without words yet understanding each other perfectly, a testament to being raised inbs without social interactions.


    No, the organization didn''t see us as human beings.


    The pounding grew louder, their strength seemingly immense, causing the transparent doors to wobble.


    Finally, theb door opened, and staff apanied by mercenaries entered, as if this was routine for them.


    "Save her! Please, she''s inbor!" I


    begged, pounding on the door, urging the staff to help Subject 57 but they seemed deaf to my pleas, merel ncing at Subject 57 before turning their attention to the male subjects.

 Chapter 490

    ?


    Ever since Subject 77 was transferred to theb pod, the agitation among the male subjects seemed to spike." The staff noted, continuing, "Administer a 50% nitrous oxide mix, that should calm them down."


    The staff moved to adjust the settings, but one of the subjects, in a frenzied attempt to break free, damaged the control panel, causing a short circuit that went unnoticed.


    In a fit of rage, I hammered at the pod door, trying to divert the staff''s attention to no avail. "Damn it! Save her!"


    Subject 57''s life was slipping away, a pool of blood forming beneath her; she was inbor, desperately trying to bring her child into the world on her


    own.


    She wanted her child to survive; that''s what mothers do...


    Even though she''d been raised in ab, ignorant of the world, her maternal instinct was to see her child live.


    Her breathing grew morebored, tears staining her cheeks as she looked at me.


    Pushing with all her might, she struggled through what seemed like aplicatedbor, the blood flowing more freely now.


    "Please... save her," I choked out, begging them to intervene for Subject 57.


    The staff, indifferent to 57''s plight, opened the pod door only after noticing three male subjects had copsed.


    A mercenary, attempting to sedate a subject, was instantly overpowered, his neck snapped by the unexpectedly strong subject. Their strength was truly formidable.


    "Please, save her..." I watched anxiously as the three subjects emerged.


    Leading them was Subject 63, who nced at me before quickly moving to 57''s pod door and forcing it open.


    He knelt beside 57, who seemed to have epted her fate, grasping thebat knife from the fallen mercenary.


    With a deep breath, her hands trembling, she made a desperate decision, her action leaving me unable to watch...


    57 had sealed her own fate.


    Shivering slightly, I leaned against the pod door, cornered by the horror of this ce.


    What kind of hell was this, and how many had died here before my arrival?


    This was a ce beyond the reach ofw, hidden from the world.


    Theb staff, like devils in the dark, crushing human dignity underfoot, treating people as mereb rats...


    A baby''s cry snapped me back to the grim reality, its sound making my spine tense. I couldn''t bear to look.


    The baby cried just once, likely


    indicating the issues the staff hadet


    anticipated, else they wouldn''t have been


    so neglectfuls


    After all, this child, too, was a product of their experiments.


    Subject 63, cradling the newborn, approached my pod.


    I watched him warily, his gaze meeting mine, emotionless yet pure.


    He signaled something in signnguage before walking away.


    I was stunned. His message was clear: ''We''ll wait for you outside. Survive.''


    I stood there, shocked. Did these subjects know me? Had Foebe


    visited theb, or did they r


    me as Phoebe? But I had no memory of this ce.


    The rm red, mercenaries flooding in.


    I doubted whether the three subjects and a


    issued born with congenital


    could escape. All I


    hope for their safety.


    belongs to


    do


    The camera behind me buzzed.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    I nced back; it was swiveling as if to warn me not to attempt escape, that it was futile...


    Their fates were seemingly sealed the moment they were born in theb.


    Escape was a pipe dream; outside theb, only death awaited...


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 491

    ?


    The chaos outside theb subsided as suddenly as it had erupted...


    Leaning against the door, my heart sank with the silence.


    They probably couldn''t make it out.


    Closing my eyes, I slumped against the wall in despair.


    So this is what it feels like... despair, anger, frustration, losing control. All these emotions mixed together in a strange cocktail.


    "Subject 71 shows no vital signs, Subject 69 executed a suicide attack and has been captured for immediate termination. Alert! Alert! Subjects 63 and 003 have escaped. Alert! Alert!"


    Suddenly, rms red outside.


    I snapped my eyes open, standing up in a rush of excitement.


    The leader of the subjects and the newborn made it out?


    "Alert, Rebellion Syndicate operatives have breached the facility to extract Subject 63. Alert! Alert!"


    I sped my hands together, peering outside with a surge of hope.


    They were saved...


    For some reason, I was breathless, my eyes moist with tears.


    They made it out!


    It was like a ray of light piercing through the darkness...


    They made it out!


    Two subjects had sacrificed themselves to hold off the mercenaries, allowing Subject 63 to escape with the infant.


    I turned to the remaining subjects in theb.


    They all stood at the door, as if seeing a glimmer of hope.


    Their once numb eyes now sparkled with life.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    The male subjects didn''t take the pregnant and non-pregnant females with them, knowing full well the


    perilous journey ahead. But they


    promised to tread through hell


    meant a sliver of hope toe back for them.


    "Subject 63 has escaped!"


    S


    Outside, Naomi burst in, frantic, scanning theb.


    Kicking the door in frustration, she gritted her teeth. "We cannot allow the subjects to leave the organization. They must be eliminated!"


    Naomi was the head of theb, and with such a significant breach, the leaders behind the scenes wouldn''t let this slide easily.


    The subjects, never socialized, were essentially nk tes to the outside world - no identity, no birth records, nothing...


    Such individuals, once in society, were untraceable.


    They weren''t even in the fingerprint database, and their DNA could potentially match that of socialized subjects.


    From a terrifying perspective, if ab subjectmitted murder, leaving behind fingerprints or blood, the police might end up arresting a socialized subject instead.


    For instance, if Phoebe No. 2mitted a crime, the DNA evidence might mistakenly point to Phoebe.


    "At any cost, eliminate Subject 63," Naomi ordered again, her voice trembling.


    This was a critical incident.


    I watched Naomi with a smug


    satisfaction, sneering. "Once the subjects are exposed, the


    Gene Forge Collective''s deification project will be unveiled, and hiding will no longer be an option.


    This was a disaster for the organization.


    Naomi''s anger hadn''t subsided as she turned to me. "Rebellion Syndicate couldn''t find thisb until you showed up... and suddenly, they know where we are, managing a well-timed rescue. Foebe... you''re quite the asset."


    Naomi suspected I had colluded with Rebellion Syndicate to facilitate Subject 63''s escape.


    "Theb''s security is tight, what could I possibly do to get someone out?" Iughed. She was giving me too much credit.


    Naomi approached my cell and suddenly pressed a button outside, releasing gas into my cell. I fell to the ground, struggling to breathe.


    "Search her, every inch, see if there''s a tracking device!" Naomi suspected me.

 Chapter 492

    ?


    Consciousness fading, I slipped into darkness.


    Deep down, I knew Naomi was taking her anger out on me. So, before the organization''s leaders could punish her, she''d definitely take it out on me. Sure enough... when I woke up, I found myself in an operating room.


    She deliberately didn''t let the anesthetist put me under, making me endure the agony of having my mr yanked out without any pain relief. Pain and the taste of blood filled my mouth. I clenched my fists, pounding the bed in agony.


    "Does it hurt?" Naomi snapped, holding the tooth with a pair of tweezers. "Foebe, hiding such a sophisticated tracking device in your tooth, just to expose theb''s location? I knew it... you''re a wild card. Your ''rebirth'' was a lie, a ploy to get the organization interested in bringing you back!"


    I froze for a moment, shocked by the tooth in Naomi''s hand.


    Why would there be a tracking device in it?


    After my rebirth... I had never touched my teeth.


    This could only mean one thing... Before my rebirth, Foebe had dental work done.


    A chill ran down my spine.


    Was Foebe part of the Rebellion Syndicate?


    "I''ve said it many times, soul transmigration technology can''t possibly exist! Yet, the organization insisted on bringing you back, thinking you could add value..." Naomi threw the tooth aside, grabbing my throat. "You''re not the reborn Phoebe; you''re Foebe... You''ve deceived yourself, and thus, managed to deceive us as well."


    Suddenly, Naomiughed, a realization dawning on her as she turned to the mercenaries beside her. "Did you find out what I asked you to?" "We''ve captured Damian''s daughter," one of them replied.


    Hannah? They brought Hannah here...


    I struggled, managing to spit out blood and speak with difficulty. "What do you want... I don''t know what you''re talking about!"


    "You''ll find out soon enough." Naomi yanked my hair, signaling to her people to take me to the interrogation room.


    Naomi was determined to uncover the truth before facing punishment from the organization.


    Unease gripped me... as I followed Naomi to the interrogation room.


    There, Hannah was tied to a chair, screaming and sobbing.


    They must have drugged Hannah...


    "My dad... knew Foebe..."


    Hannah revealed that Damian knew Foebe.


    Foebe was indeed no simple character.


    She was in cahoots with Damian.


    "After Phoebe''s death, my dad had Foebe impersonate her. It would draw the attention of the


    l


    organization and the tycoons, making them bring Foebe back as a valuable test subject... exposing theb''s location..."


    "My dad... was part of the Rebellion Syndicate, one of the designers behind the serial killings..."


    Hannah shook her head in agony, tears streaming down as she clenched her fists.


    Damian was one of the serial killers, infiltrating the ranks...


    And Melody, she was just a pawn in his game.


    What Damian truly sought to destroy was the organization itself.


    "Got news from the hospital today, Damian is dead," Naomi said coldly, grasping my hair again. "I have to admit, Damian was clever. As one of the leaders of the Rebellion


    swney


    jel


    Syndicate, he hid his tracks well..."


    Who would have thought, the trusted psychiatrist, was actually one of the leaders of the Rebellion Syndicate.


    "Sea City detectives have traced the mastermind behind the serial killings, discovering evidence in the basement of an abandoned asylum and deeds for a demolished building in Northern Myanmar, all nned by Damian years ago... Phoebe''s parents, Ethan, were among the founders of the RebellionN?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Syndicate..." Naomi showed me the day''s news on her phone.


    The serial killings were solved.


    The notorious psychiatrist, Damian, was behind it all.


    With that, the case of the serial killings was officially closed.


    But was it... really just Damian?


    Had the serial killings trulye to an end?

 Chapter 493

    ?


    "She''s not Phoebe Caldwell... she''s Foebe Larson..." Hannah''s body trembled uncontrobly, as if she couldn''t fight the effects of the drugs. "It''s Foebe, after being hypnotized..."


    ording to Hannah, Foebe was in cahoots with Damian, and I was definitely not the rebirth of Phoebe Caldwell.


    I am Foebe Larson.


    Phoebe Caldwell was dead.


    By the time the police discovered the body in the ss cab, Phoebe Caldwell was already dead.


    Damian''s hypnosis was so sessful, even I... was fooled.


    Naomi grabbed my hair, smashing my head against the wall, blood trickling down my forehead.


    Ha...


    Turns out, I''m really just a joke.


    "Foebe, you and Damian are in this together. Damian is a traitor," Naomi said, gripping my hair, forcing me to look at Hannah. "Did you hear that? You''re with Damian. Her dad hypnotized you, made you forget everything, then imnted new memories about Phoebe Caldwell, creating a false illusion of Phoebe Caldwell''s rebirth in you."


    "Before this, he fed you a lot of information about Phoebe Caldwell, her research records, her behaviors... Based on the organization''s surveince logs of Phoebe, you thought it''d be easy to impersonate her," Naomi chuckled. "So, you''re not Phoebe... you''re Foebe."


    "To make you more like Phoebe, Damian had to trick even you into believing you were Phoebe. Only if you believed it, others would too," Naomi said, looking at me with pity. "Just a pitiful creature who doesn''t even know who she is..."


    "His hypnosis made you firmly believe you were Phoebe. So, when you suddenly woke up one day, believing you were reborn in someone else''s body... That was a facy, a show put on by Damian and you. Your real goal was to expose the organization, to draw police attention to us, to expose us..."


    Naomi pushed me away, whispering, "Get rid of her, stage a suicide, throw her into the sea."


    Foebe had an ''identity,'' naturally, she couldn''t be disposed of like other test subjects, leaving nothing behind.


    Her minions hesitated. "What if the higher-ups me us? We haven''t received any orders yet, and besides, the All-Stars Consortium just took her in. Killing her now..."


    "p!" Naomi, seemingly losing it, pped a minion across the face, "I told you to kill her. If the higher ups me us, I''ll take full responsibility! But she must die!"


    As for the All-Stars Consortium, she just needed to lie, im the test subject died by her own hand.


    The minions looked at me nervously, worried about the me from higher-ups.


    "Why bother others... If you kill me, they''ll have to take responsibility. If you dare, do it yourself." I leaned against the wall, forcing the blood in


    my n


    mouth down.


    My heart ached terribly, even with the evidence before me, I refused to believe... I''m not Phoebe, I''m just Foebe.


    If I''m just Foebe, then it''s too unfair to Colin.


    Hypnosis, memory imntation, ha...


    Indeed, I''ve even fooled myself.


    "If you dare... then kill me!" I yelled at Naomi, under these circumstances... in Naomi''sb, my chances of survival were zero. Then let''s die together...


    For a moment, I truly believed Hannah and Naomi''s words, I wasn''t Phoebe... I was just Foebe, hypnotized to forget everything, even deceiving myself.


    If I really am Foebe, then let me die here, let it end this way, at least... stop deceiving Colin.


    He''s suffered enough from losing the real Phoebe. Now that there''s someone identical to Phoebe, let him... be with the current Phoebe, let them be happy together.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 494

    ?


    "Do you really think I wouldn''t dare?" Naomi sneered, spinning around to pull out a vial of potent drugs from the medicine cab. Just a push of its contents into the bloodstream, and death was certain.


    The assistant tried to intervene but was swiftly kicked aside by Naomi.


    Her face twisted in malice, she approached me with a syringe in hand. "Doesn''t matter if you''re Foebe Larson or Phoebe Caldwell, you''re both as good as dead! Phoebe deserves death... If it weren''t for her, Ethan would still be alive..."


    Suddenly, her expression cracked into a smile. "Better off dead... much better off."


    He never loved her in life; in death, perhaps he''d find peace.


    The realization hit me; Naomi''s heart belonged to Ethan.


    A love unreturned had driven her to madness.


    "Ethan... he never loved you..." I taunted her with a cold chuckle.


    "He didn''t love the bride the Langley family forced on him; he loved me!" Naomi, losing all semnce of sanity, grabbed my throat, attempting to jab the syringe into my vein.


    She was deluded, utterly convinced of Ethan''s love for her.


    Perhaps Ethan did love someone deeply, but it was certainly not the selfish creature before me.


    "To think I share your genes... how repulsive..." Whether as Phoebe Caldwell or Foebe Larson, carrying her gic legacy was utterly revolting. "Repulsed, are you? Well... even if Ethan didn''t love me, his son is still drawn to my gic allure!" Naomi''sugh bordered on hysteria, a twisted form of vindication.


    "His son, still a puppet to my gic dance... How smart can Caleb be? Phoebe is his Achilles'' heel! And now, I hold his fate in my hands." Naomi believed that controlling Phoebe No. 2 meant controlling Caleb.


    Inhaling too much of the toxic gas, my body waspletely drained of strength.


    Naomi''s syringe pierced my neck vein, slowly injecting its contents.


    A wave of warmth surged through me.


    I knew... my chances of survival were slim.


    This was a drug meant for euthanizing animals...


    "You... underestimate him." Gritting my teeth, I managed to grab Naomi''s wrist with all my remaining strength, flipping her beneath me and snatching the syringe, plunging it deep into her neck. "Let''s die together..."


    Only with Naomi gone, would Colin be safe.


    Blood uncontrobly trickled from the corners of my mouth.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    My eyes were bloodshot, as if bleeding.


    My body convulsed, my heart beginning to numb...


    Naomi watched in horror as I


    injected the remainder of the druge


    into


    to push


    , only then did she manage


    me away. Content belongs


    I couldn''t stop the pain wracking my body, curling up on the floor.


    My consciousness faded.


    Once again, I faced death...


    Damian''s hypnosis skills surprised me; if I truly were Foebe Larson and not Phoebe Caldwell, then he was incredibly adept. The memories he imnted made Phoebe''s death feel all too real to me.


    So, as death approached once more, I felt not fear, but a sense of peace.


    The drug reacted within Naomi too her body convulsing, her gaze filled with unwillingness as she


    me.


    at


    "You won''t... seed," Naomi''s voice was hoarse.


    Her ''us'' referred to the Rebellion Syndicate...


    My vision blurred.


    Curled in a corner, I slowly closed my eyes, tears mixed with blood streaming down. "Colin..."


    His name was myst thought.


    I truly... had fallen for him.


    So deeply, so dearly.


    It''s a shame I might not be Phoebe.


    My love, meaningless and valueless.


    "Survive... live well..."


    Colin, you must live well.


    "Phoebe!"


    "Phoebe!"


    "Wake up..."


    "

 Chapter 495

    ?


    Theb''s door was kicked open, and a flood of people barged in.


    "Phoebe!"


    "Phoebe..."


    Was it just my imagination? I could swear I heard Robin and Ste''s voices.


    "Phoebe..."


    And there were Colin and Dexter, too.


    "Back off! Don''t touch her!" Colin was frantic, clutching me tightly to his chest, forbidding anyone fromying a finger on me.


    The police had theb surrounded, and all the subjects from the experiment pods were being released. Subject 63 had escaped, the Rebellion Syndicate had found us, which meant the cops were on our trail. Maybe the police hadn''t wanted to tip off theb too soon. Was Colin worried Naomi might hurt me?


    Once exposed, the organization would cut ties with thisb, making it harder than ever to track them down.


    "Colin..." My consciousness was fading, my fingers weakly lifted in an attempt to touch him. "You shouldn''t... havee."


    We should''ve waited, let the police focus on Naomi, and they would''ve found the mastermind eventually.


    But now we''d startled the snake.


    "Nothing''s more important than you, no one''s more important..." Colin blurted out in panic, holding me even tighter. "Phoebe, you''re going to be okay. You have to be."


    "I... love you." My fingers finally grazed Colin''s cheek before falling, as Ipletely lost consciousness.


    I wasn''t sure if I''d made my feelings clear.


    I wondered... if Colin had heard me.


    It felt like a regret, not saying it out loud.


    "I should''ve taken her away from you from the start! Caleb, you''ve always been using her, using her to find this ce. You''re a jerk, it''s your fault she''s dead!" Dexter, seeing me breathless, lost control and punched Colin.


    I was stunned, watching everything unfold, reaching out to touch Colin but failing.


    It was that feeling again, like my soul had left my body.


    Before... when Phoebe was near death, I felt this way, my soul lingering outside my body.


    So, at the brink of death, consciousness does persist, souls can exist apart from their bodies.


    "Don''t touch her!" Colin fought back


    landing a punch on Dexter. If Robin and Finn hadn''t intervened, it


    would''ve turned into aevelin


    fight.


    UMS


    I felt somewhat helpless, watching quietly from the side, knowing I couldn''t stop them.


    "Phoebe''s not dead yet, stop


    fighting! Ste angrily said,


    checking my pulse. It was wear


    I was indeed still alive. en.kikistori


    "Quick! To the hospital!"


    Robin objected to Colin carrying me, given his current state.


    I followed Colin, trying to hold his hand.


    Even though I couldn''t touch him, I wanted to hold it.


    but


    Dexter anxiously followed Robin, concerned for my well-being.


    Suddenly, Colin stopped, ncing in my direction.


    My heart skipped a beat. Could he see me?N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    "I know you''re here..." he murmured softly, unable to see me, but somehow feeling my presence.


    Though a soul supposedly has no heartbeat, I felt an intense warmth spreading throughout my body.


    He said, he knew I was here.


    Tears threatened to fall, but they couldn''t.


    I leaned against Colin''s shoulder, wishing... we could stay like this forever.


    After living a peaceful and happy life for so long, one could growcent.


    I found myself wishing we could hide away somewhere, forget everything, and live out our days in peace.


    "Colin, the organization won''t let us


    be...


    caugeader behind it all is


    caught, we''ll never be safe," I


    swn yel


    whispered, staying close to him.


    "Once everything is over..." I murmured softly.


    He couldn''t hear me.


    "Once everything is over..." Colin suddenly spoke up.


    He echoed my thoughts.


    I was shocked, my gaze locked on him.


    "Let''s find a small ind..." he whispered softly.

 Chapter 496

    ?


    "No one knows about our secret little ind," Colin mumbled, his voice growing more hoarse by the minute.


    I stared at Colin for what felt like an eternity before whispering back, "Okay, I''ll trust you."


    ...


    Even if we can''t touch.


    Even if we''re only inches apart.


    We can still feel each other.


    I guess, scientifically or medically speaking, this might be considered some form of mental illness, but I believe... those who''ve passed on still exist around us in another form.


    Even if it''s just a wishful thinking, at least, itforts the lonely souls.


    "Phoebe, you''re here with me, right?" Colin asked softly.


    "Yeah, I''m here," I replied with a smile.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Even though I can''t touch him, even though he can''t see me, even though he can''t hear my words.


    I still wanted to respond to him.


    "Theb is hidden in the undeveloped woonds near Cloud City, bordering the wilderness, a ce most folks wouldn''t stumble upon by chance. Officially, it''s some kind of upscale retirement vige, with wealthy retired scientists living above ground. But underground, it spans three levels, all dedicated to theb," Robin said, his voice heavy with frustration.


    "Naomi''s the head of thisb. She calls the shots on everything. The Gene-Forge Collective operates manybs across the country, but this is the only one we''ve managed to uncover so far. We thought we could trace back from this one, unraveling the whole operation like pulling a thread, but... we underestimated the Gene-Forge Collective."


    Outside the emergency room, Robin rubbed his temples in distress.


    "Everyb in the Gene-Forge Collective operates independently, with no connections between them. Their subjects, researchers, medical staff¡ªall of it-they groom from scratch, taken by human traffickers who kidnap those with special talents for training and brainwashing before sending them off to thesebs. So, basically... there are only two ways to link all thebs together and pull them out of the shadows like uprooting weeds."


    Finn looked at Robin. "One, through Naomi, and two, by tracing the human traffickers and organ smuggling rings, unraveling thework bit by bit."


    Obviously, in their attempt to save me, they had alerted their enemies, severing this lead.


    "What''s the status on Naomi?" Robin asked.


    "She''s still in critical condition. Her physiology isn''t like Foebe''s; Phoebe had a resistance to the drugs. Thankfully, the dose wasn''t lethaf but the doctors are just hoping she won''t end up in a vegetative state," Finn shrugged.


    ?


    I stayed close to Colin, sitting down beside him as he slumped to the ground. I leaned my head on his shoulder.


    So, this is what it feels like to be in love, wanting to be by his side every moment.


    Feeling safe only when I''m near him.


    This is nothing like thepromise I had with Dexter...


    Thinking about this, my vision blurred again. Who am I really... am I not Phoebe?


    Is everything about Phoebe in my head just imnted memories?


    Am I really... just Foebe Larson, not Phoebe Caldwell?


    "We found this in theb..." Cory came running over, his eyes filled with urgency as he looked at Colin. "Can I speak?" Robin nodded.


    "The girl named Hannah woke up safely, no serious harm to her. She was given a truth serum. Everything she said about Damian and Foebe''s ns... all the evidence is here, Foebe i''s Foebe. Damian had her imitate Phoebe, learn everything about her, and then undergo hypnosis..."


    "Foebe Larson is not Phoebe Caldwell."


    Cory said softly.


    Colin didn''t move, didn''t even lift his head.


    But I panicked, lowering my head, afraid to meet Colin''s eyes.


    Meanwhile, Dexter turned around and briskly walked over, snatching the evidence from their hands, his fingers rigid. "What does this mean... memory imntation, hypnosis..."


    "It means, Phoebe is dead, Dexter. Your carelessness and arrogance killed Phoebe. Death is irreversible, The so-called resurrection was just a part of Damian''s n to expose the organization''sbs, nothing more," Robin said, his voice deep and each word stinging Dexter.

 Chapter 497

    ?


    Dexter stared at the scattered papers on the floor, evidence that had slipped through his fingers, and let out a mad chuckle that echoed in the empty


    room.


    "Are you out of your mind?" Finn cursed under his breath, bending down to gather the mess.


    "It can''t be!" Dexter raged at Finn, his voiceced with disbelief. "It can''t be... She''s Phoebe, she is Phoebe!"


    Finn dismissed him as if he had lost his senses, paying him no more attention.


    Dexter copsed to the ground, his eyes red and swollen with unshed tears.


    He couldn''te to terms with Phoebe''s death because he couldn''t ept that his own selfishness and arrogance had led to her demise.


    In a way, Dexter was a pitiable figure.


    I wasn''t sure if Phoebe had ever truly loved him...


    But it was tragic, indeed.


    His realization and his love hade toote.


    "Ding!"


    The ICU doors swung open, and the doctor emerged.


    Colin, frantic with worry, scrambled to his feet and rushed to the doctor. "Doctor... is she..."


    "She''s out of immediate danger for now, but it''s uncertain when she''ll wake up," the doctor sighed with a hint of relief, then continued, "Fortunately, the dose wasn''t lethal. I''ve seen the syringe Officer Robin brought in. It was meant for euthanizing newborns with deformities, not enough to kill an adult when shared between two. It''s dangerous, but all we can do now is keep observing."


    I nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. The lethal injection from theb was intended for newborns who didn''t meet the organization''s criteria, leading to their euthanization and cremation.


    The entire undergroundb was like a massive furnace, a purgatory.


    Those born there might never see the sunlight or the blue sky...


    It was a horrifying thought.


    "Once Naomi''s crimes are exposed, it''s going to shock the nation," Finn massaged his temples, weary. "Just how dark can the human soul be?"


    "Years ago, I worked on a case with my mentor... A thirteen-year-old leading a gang of peers, kidnapping young couples hiking in the mountains. Back then, surveince wasn''t-as advanced, and it was hard to find anyone in the wilderness. Three couples went missing in a year, and it was only when the fourth couple was abducted, and the man fought to let his partner escape to raise the rm, that the case was cracked."


    "When the police arrived at the scene, the man who reported the crime was already dead. They had killed him brutally, slicing open his belly to pull out his organs."


    "When we caught them, they were still frolicking in the mountains, unbothered. When asked why they did it, they simply said it was fun, curious about what''s inside a human stomach..."


    "Evil doesn''t have an age. Some things, it seems, are determined from birth," Robin said with a heavy tone.


    "Later, we found the other three couples in the mountains, some of them tortured horrifically, others buried alive... All the women had been vited." Who could imagine that a group of thirteen and fourteen-year-olds couldmit such vile acts?


    "After the incident, local policeText ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    provided leads. They had encountered these kids in the


    et


    mountains while searching for the first missing couple. They had asked the kids, who managed to lie without batting an eye."


    It seemed the nature of good and evil was ingrained in our genes from the start.


    "So, good and evil exist in our genes from birth, and some people are just born malevolent. It''s not about how you''re raised," I murmured, leaning against the wall.


    Colin and Dexter stood motionless at the ICU door, watching as the doctor pushed my pale form out.


    "Don''t touch her; you''re the reason she''s in this state..." Dexter med Colin.


    ming Colin for handing me over to Naomi.


    Colin stood defeated, silent.


    Dexter followed the doctor, apanying me to the ward.


    Standing beside Colin, I whispered infort, "Colin, don''t be sad... Don''t listen to him, he''s sick..."


    If he had cared for Phoebe that much, she might not have died.

 Chapter 498

    ?


    I approached Colin, my gaze softening as I saw the sorrow etched deeply into his features.


    His head was bowed, the rims of his eyes tinged with the unmistakable shade of red that spoke volumes of his inner turmoil. Was he crying in secret? There was something pitiful yet endearingly cute about his demeanor.


    "Colin..." My heart ached to embrace him, yet my arms fell limply to my sides in resignation.


    The evidence was undeniable. I was Foebe Larson, not the Phoebe Caldwell he yearned for.


    His love was meant for someone else.


    "Caleb, who''s that woman staying at your ce?" Ste emerged from the doctor''s office, relief washing over her face knowing I was out of danger, only to be reced by a pressing curiosity as she confronted Caleb.


    Caleb had brought Phoebe No. 2 home, and Ste must''ve caught wind of it.


    But it was unlikely Ste had met Phoebe No. 2 in person. Given her close bond with Phoebe, the truth would surely shake her.


    "Why won''t you speak? Phoebe gets taken away by Naomi, and you just coolly move in with that woman?" Ste''s anger was palpable as she questioned Colin.


    Colin remained silent.


    "Hey, hey, hey, I told you not to pry..." Robin rushed over, attempting to whisk Ste away with one arm.


    "Let go of me! What''s his deal? I thought Dexter was the worst, but he''s just as bad. If Phoebe doesn''t wake up, I swear I''ll hammer him!" Ste struggled vehemently. "Who is that woman exactly?"


    As Ste persisted in her quest for answers, her words were abruptly cut short.


    Her body stiffened, straightening up as her face registered shock and disbelief at the sight of the neer.


    It was Phoebe No. 2, making a bold appearance before the crowd.


    I had thought she''d prefer to remain hidden by Colin.


    Yet here she was, stepping forward, but under what guise?


    Ah, right... as Naomi''s daughter.


    "Phoebe..." Ste''s voice wasced with surprise as she took in Phoebe No. 2, then nced back at me lying unconscious in the hospital bed, lost in confusion.


    "Phoebe?" Pushing past Robin, Ste stood before Phoebe No. 2, her eyes wide with panic.


    Phoebe No. 2''s expression was one of cold indifference as she avoided Ste''s approach, her voice stern. "Who are you?"


    Ste was taken aback. This was Phoebe, no doubt about it...


    Why didn''t she recognize her?Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    e


    "She''s not Phoebe..." Robin quickly intervened. "Not the Phoebe you know, anyway. She''s Naomi''s daughter, Phoebe''s identical twin clone, sharing the same genes."


    Ste''s eyes dimmed with disillusionment. "I knew it... She couldn''t be Phoebe. No matter how simr they look."


    "I am indeed not Phoebe," she


    J


    admitted openly. "Phoebe and I aren''t twins in the traditional sense but gically identical clones. You can call me Mini One."


    Shecked a real name, another subject of experimentation.


    Subject 21.


    "Naomi''s not waking up, and the organization will eliminate any threat. She''s going to die," Mini One stated, looking at Robin. "The police can''t stop it."


    "Kill someone right under our noses? As if we''d let that happen," Finn scoffed.


    Mini One shook her head, then moved closer to Colin. "She isn''t Phoebe."


    She was emphasizing that I was only Foebe Larson, not Phoebe Caldwell. Colin didn''t budge.


    u


    "If you insist on having a Phoebe that''s exactly alike, I''m evidently more suitable than Foebe. I possess all of Phoebe''s memories; if you wish, can mimic Phoebe more calmly. Content belongs


    convincingly," Mini One vel


    She wanted Colin to stop deluding himself.


    Standing aside, I suddenly felt my confidence wane.


    Indeed... Mini One was much more like Phoebe.


    More like the woman he loved.


    "So...e home with me," Mini One extended her arms towards Colin, yearning for his embrace.


    I stood frozen, difort settling in my heart.


    Was this what jealousy felt like?


    I found Mini One unbearable, an eyesore from head to toe, even her resemnce to Phoebe.


    "Don''t embrace her..." My voice was a mere whisper,den with unspoken grievances.


    But what right did I have to influence Colin''s decision?


    If Phoebe was truly gone, in choosing a recement between me and Mini One, I was clearly at a disadvantage.

 Chapter 499

    ?


    "Go check on Foebe," Robin urged, pulling Ste away, fearing her emotional instability.


    Ste whispered, her voice barely audible. "You''re lying... Phoebe being reborn means she''s alive again..."


    Robin sighed deeply. "You''re a forensic scientist; you have to believe in science."


    Tears welled up in Ste''s eyes, spilling over. "Science didn''t tell me... how to cope with my best friend''s death! I believe in science, but I''d rather believe she''s still alive..."


    The word ''science'' felt too cold and impersonal.


    She believed in science, but science couldn''t soothe the pain of losing someone close.


    Finn nced at Colin, then turned to leave as well.


    Little One awaited Colin''s response.


    I was waiting too.


    "If she turned into a dog, I''d still recognize her," Colin dered, keeping Little One at bay with a voice calm yet distant.


    My tears seemed to dry up, and looking up at him, I felt a mix of wanting to cry andugh.


    How could he be so foolishly stubborn? "You''re the one turning into a dog..."


    My voice was raspy as I reached out to grab his shirt, but couldn''t.


    Little One suddenlyughed. "I''d love to see how far you can delude yourself..."


    "Theb''s been exposed; the organization will eliminate everything rted to it... including me. I want to survive, so I need someone''s protection, Caleb." Little One approached Caleb, speaking again. "I carry the same genes as Phoebe. You''d protect me out of affection for her, wouldn''t you?"


    I felt a hint of jealousy, standing protectively in front of Colin, urging them not to get too close.


    But there was little I could do...


    Looking down at my hands, I marveled at the sensation.


    Thest time my soul left my body, I experienced pain, unprecedented despair.


    This time... I felt jealousy, intense jealousy and possessiveness.


    I actually... harbored the illusion that no matter if I was Phoebe or not, as long as Colin cared, I would never let him go to anyone else.


    If everyone was just a substitute, why should I give him up?


    He was mine and mine alone.


    Anyone who tried to take him from me... would have to be dealt with.


    I stood there, stunned, looking up at Little One.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    I actually felt a murderous intent towards this clone.


    It was a terrifying impulse...


    Sending chills through my body.


    "Phoebe''s awake!" In the hospital room, Ste ran out, calling excitedly for the doctor.


    I was taken aback, everything spinning around me.


    "Phoebe?"


    When I opened my eyes again, I truly awoke.


    Indeed, I was awake.


    But my body was still weak.


    The doctor rushed in, checking my condition.


    "The patient is very weak right now; let her rest properly."


    After giving instructions, the doctor left with his team.


    Ste, with tears in her eyes, stood beside my bed, holding my hand. "Phoebe... it''s good you''re awake."


    Even with evidence to the contrary, she chose to believe I was Phoebe...


    his eyes colin rushed in, panic in


    forehead


    he cradled my face, his against mine, tears burning


    hot.


    He was truly afraid of losing me.


    That feeling was indescribably precious...


    swno


    As if I had found the reason and value of my existence in this world.


    Because I had found a reason to keep living.


    It felt like I had finally... found a reason to live.


    Before, I didn''t even know why I was alive.


    After surviving a deadly game in a ruined building and grappling with intense possessiveness... I probably wouldn''t engage in the ridiculous of


    cowardly, and childish games. self-harm or suicide anymore


    In the past thought death would


    bring pain to those who hurt meet


    serving as a protest and the strongest retaliation against the organization.

 Chapter 500

    ?


    Now, I realize how childish I''ve been.


    My death wouldn''t hurt any viins; it would only bring endless sorrow and despair to those I care about, breaking them over and over again.


    With all the strength I could muster, I lifted my hands to cup Colin''s face, managing a weak smile. "Colin... long time no see."


    Long time no see.


    My Colin.


    Colin''s body stiffened for a moment, and as he closed his eyes, hot tears fell on my eyshes.


    Why such a crybaby...


    You wouldn''t guess it from his brawling days.


    "I''ve prayed countless times, hoping nothing would happen to you..." Colin whispered, his voice trembling.


    "So, even geniuses believe in a higher power, huh?" I smiled weakly.


    He smiled back. "Not in a higher power... but when you''re feeling empty, you need something to hold onto, Phoebe."


    I stared at him, suddenly remembering a small incident buried deep in my memory.


    A seemingly trivial event, yet so vivid in my mind.


    I remembered a high school ssmate whose grandmother, despite knowing there were no gods, prayed fervently every day for her granddaughter''s health, battling cancer. She climbed the mountain, step by step, without rest, to pray for her granddaughter''s recovery.


    Our ssmates mocked the girl, calling her grandmother superstitious and foolish.


    Back then, I couldn''t understand it either.


    That girl, clearly on the brink of death, remained cheerful every day.


    I asked her: "Does your grandmother''s praying really help? There are no gods in this world."


    She answered with a smile: "My grandmother is my guardian angel."


    I was stunned, unable toprehend her words.


    But now, I understand.


    From the moment they started seeing me as Phoebe, I somehow became their ''guardian angel''.


    So, I have to stay alive.


    Stay alive until Colin doesn''t need me anymore.


    "You can''t be with her... don''t even


    look at her, just look at me.


    Whatever I look like, that''s what you


    should like..." I said possessively, insisting Colin couldn''t look at


    anyone else.


    I never thought I''d be jealous of my own face one day.


    "Okay..."


    He always indulged me so easily.


    ...


    After my little bout of jealousy, I passed out again.


    But this time, it felt more like falling asleep.


    No worries, no fears, just peaceful sleep.


    It felt wonderful.


    "Damn! Son of a bitch." I wasn''t sure how long I''d slept when I was roused by cursing.


    It was Finn.


    He had a way with words.


    "Watch yournguage, there''s a high schooler here," Bran reminded Finn.


    "Shouldn''t you be cramming for


    exams2Go back to your crib, k


    Finn snapped back, obvious ide


    fout mood.


    When I opened my eyes, I saw Bran, nearly six foot three, with a dark smile approaching Finn, grabbing


    him by the back of his shirt. "If you''re gonna lose it, do it somewhere else."


    UMS


    Then he tossed Finn out and mmed the door shut.


    Bran dusted off his hands and turned to Colin, who was sitting by the bed with a grim aura. "So noisy."


    Colin, his eyes still red, looked intimidating.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    He nced at Bran, his voice deep. "You, out too."


    Bran just said "Okay," and obediently left, carefully closing the door behind him.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!