I pushed the door open and walked in, spotting him slouched on the couch in the room, looking dispirited.Quietly, I approached him. "Dad."He lifted his head, and tears welled up in his eyes. "Chloe…”Seeing him like this tugged at my heartstrings. I understood the pain my adoptive parents had carried and the hardships they had gone through. I believed in their love for me.My nose tingled. I went over and bent down to him. "Don't be like this, Dad. You and Mom are my parents. If you hadn't risked your lives to bring me out, I wouldn't be here today. Without you, I might not have found Atlas. I might not even be alive."He grasped my hand and said, "Chloe, bringing you out into this world was the best decision I ever made.""I know how much you both love me. Throughout these twenty years, you've showered me with warmth and care, giving me a home," I said sincerely."Maybe forgetting those past memories is a form of happiness for me," I reassured him."I might have lost the mem
My dad's expression remained blank, but he didn't let go of my hand. "Chloe, do you think she'll remember us?"Honestly, his question felt a little selfish. It pierced into my heart like a knife.After a while, I managed to ease the pain in my heart and nodded. "Yes, I’m sure she’ll remember you both."Tears welled up in his eyes as he looked down at my face. "I'm sorry, Chloe. I’m really sorry.”I understood the meaning behind his words. He was sorry for my lost memories.After comforting him for a while, he gathered himself and ruffled my hair. "I never regretted saving you, Chloe. I only regret walking the wrong path and wasting precious time."Through gritted teeth, he said, "That's why I hate Navi. We need to bring Navi and his gang to justice, whether or not we find Gemma. I'm willing to face the consequences. I could testify against them!”"Don’t think about that right now, Dad. You should take care of your health first. Atlas and I don't have any more family, and you can
Downstairs, Hana had finished showering and was helping Ava with her hair while Jenny waited. The three girls chatted and laughed while doing their hair, creating a heartwarming scene.Meanwhile, Arnold kept teasing and bothering them, provoking protests from the girls. We heard high-pitched shouts and bursts of laughter from time to time.Grandma Rose sat there, watching Hana's every move as if appreciating a beautiful scene.It seemed that she had developed a liking for Hana.The atmosphere was peaceful, and I thought it would be wonderful if our lives could continue like this.I checked the time and realized it was almost 7 p.m.. The sky outside was getting dark, but Atlas still hadn't returned.He must have been very busy this afternoon."Let's have dinner," I said to everyone.My mom asked, "Chloe, did you call Atlas?""Oh. I'll do that now." I helplessly picked up the phone and dialed Atlas's number, only to find that it was turned off.His phone must have run out of ba
"Oh, really?" She seemed surprised, then looked at my mom without hesitation and said, "I didn’t know she was from Yare.”I smiled faintly. "Not this mother here, but my biological mother. Her name was Lucille Avila, and she was probably from a noble family in Yare.”"In that case, I wouldn't have known her. Our family is just middle-class. In Yare, we’re just an ordinary family." Hana's response was quick, and she was clearly distancing herself from any connection.If their family was really ordinary, how could they afford to send their daughter abroad for further studies, especially to Monora?I wasn't swayed by her words and said gently, "Some changes happened in my family. My father was framed, my mother was killed, and I lost all my childhood memories. Later, I found out that my current parents were not my biological parents. Back then, some people wanted to kill me, and they saved me, allowing me to live.”"Oh... is that so? You don't remember anything from before?" she aske
Just then, Arnold walked over from the main hall and noticed the two of us chatting. He came over with a playful smile, saying, "What secrets are you two girls talking about? Care to share them with me?”Hana smiled and answered with an excuse. "It’s getting late. I should go home.”After saying that, she stood up from the rocking chair. "Could you please take me back?""What if I say no?" Arnold smiled playfully, looking mischievous. "You can stay here.""No way!" Hana immediately retorted. Blushing, she said, "I have to go back even if it's late."I knew she was sharing a place with Joyce, and they got along well. "How’s Joyce’s relationship with Ryan?”Hana smiled. "They’re doing very well.""You have to give them some space, okay? If you stay here, I can show you a movie. We can watch movies all night if you want," Arnold suggested.Hana looked puzzled, "Here?"I smiled. "It's true. There's a home theater in the annex, and we have a lot of classic movies.At that moment,
I stood up abruptly.I would go find Anya. I needed her to guide me into Bermuda. After all, she was familiar with the environment there, and it would be much safer than attempting to navigate it alone.Besides, we were inconspicuous girls, so we could quietly go there without drawing much attention.With this in mind, I quickly went to the bottom drawer of the bookshelf, found the remote control for the secret passage that Atlas had told me about, and then left the study. Back in the bedroom, I changed into sportswear, grabbed my car keys, and took the elevator to the underground garage.Although I had accompanied Atlas through this secret passage to the storage area several times, this was the first time I went alone. I felt a bit nervous, despite knowing it was extremely safe here. But I was still getting goosebumps for some reason.Forcing myself to focus, I looked ahead, and the voice-activated lights illuminated as needed, casting light behind me.Suddenly, I thought of ano
Although her pronunciation was quite awkward, it was evident that she understood my words and responded accurately. I felt happy about that.I told her, "Tonight, you'll leave with me and stay at my house. We'll set off tomorrow."This time, she seemed a bit puzzled. Thinking she didn't understand, I gestured and repeated myself.She nodded, pointing to herself, "I’m going... to your house?"I nodded. "Yes, I came to pick you up."She looked somewhat excited. After contemplating, she said to me, "Then, let me get my original clothes. I want to wear them when we arrive there.” I agreed with a nod. However, I cautioned her, "Just tell them I'm here to take you with me. Don't tell them where we're going."The reason for this caution was to avoid her saying too much. The people here might inform Atlas, who could then hinder my journey. The individuals here were all elite soldiers, astute and sharp.She hesitated momentarily, and I quickly clarified, "I'll inform them myself."A
“I'll go anywhere you want me to go without hesitation. It's my duty," Arton's voice was resolute.Arton's unwavering sense of duty impressed me deeply. Loyal and faithful people like him were rare, and I appreciated his admirable qualities."Get some rest early. It might be a tiring trip ahead for us,” I advised him, "And make sure to let your family know.""Sure, I got it. You rest easy too." He politely hung up after saying so.With Arton taken care of, I let out a sigh of relief. Checking the time, I noticed it was almost dawn. I considered trying to call Atlas again, but I knew that his phone was still off.My prediction was becoming more certain. Atlas must have already set off for Bermuda.He should have arrived at Bermuda a while ago. I wondered why his phone was still switched off.I quickly showered, checked on Ava's room, and found the two little ones already fast asleep. I couldn't tell when they had gone to bed. Sitting at Ava's bedside, I admired her adorable sleep