"Thorn's life matters too. I need to save it!" Abby struggled to break free so she could run back to the suite. As she barged forward, she nearly shoved Sage to the ground. Thankfully, Ian was quick to respond and grabbed both women, saving Sage from falling and stopping Abby from running back into danger."The firefighters are here. They will save the cat," he reminded Abby sternly.Sage turned around, and as expected, the firefighters had arrived at the scene. Abby immediately begged them through tears, "My cat is in there. Please save it first!"After the firefighters promised to save Thorn, Abby was guided to the emergency exit with Ian and Sage's help.The other hotel guests, who were warned of the fire, flooded into the emergency exit and descended the stairs. The emergency exit was fully packed, and there was a risk of a stampede.Ian, worried for Sage, hugged her tightly. As a result, she could not grab onto Abby. However, Abby had calmed down by now. "Don't worry
Sage turned to Abby. "What's wrong?""I'm sorry for all the trouble." Abby sounded apologetic. "I heard Mr. Holcomb was injured. It might not be the best idea for him to sleep on the floor. We can totally share a suite if you don't mind."Sage examined Abby's traumatized behavior while carrying Thorn, who purred weakly in her arms. She nodded at Abby. "Of course." She had initially decided to give Abby her suite because she worried that Abby might feel uneasy sharing a room with an unfamiliar acquaintance. Besides, Ian had offered to sleep on the floor. But since Abby did not mind sharing a bed, Sage went along with it, happy that she didn't have to share a room with Ian.After texting Ian, she said to Abby, "Ms. Sutton, why don't you take a shower again before going to bed? You should rest early tonight."Abby nodded. "Sure. Please hold Thorn for me. It is badly shocked."Sage accepted the cat from Abby. Thorn was curled up in lingering fear, but it slowly calmed down as Sa
Dale's classiness was reflected in the courteous attitude of his staff. They held Abby's belongings for her, and they walked out of the hotel. As they did so, Abby spotted Ian. She greeted him politely."Mr. Holcomb, what a coincidence! Did you come back from grabbing some snacks?"He asked her flatly, "Ms. Sutton, where are you headed to?"Abby briefly summed up Dale's arrangements. She added, "Mr. Holcomb, I'm really sorry about today. I gave you and Ms. Joyner trouble. "Just now, I was a little scared of spending the night alone, and I invited Ms. Joyner to share the room with me. I'm sorry if that affected your recovery." She was being adorably forthright. Ian cast a glance at Sage without a word. "Well, I shall leave now. Goodbye!" Abby waved at them and hopped into the backseat of the shiny car that came to pick her up.After Abby left, Sage blurted out, "Is Ms. Sutton's father a powerful figure?"Ian replied, "Dale Sutton is a capable heir of a distinguished family. H
Noticing that something was amiss with Sage, Ian reached out to steady her. "What's wrong?"She shook him off with a wary look. "Did you lie to me? Was the beer strong?"He calmly refuted her accusation. "The store owner who sold it to me clearly said it was a light, smooth beer popular among girls. Just check the label if you don't believe me."She reached out to grab a bottle, but she missed and clawed at the air instead. Ian, however, did not laugh at her. He showed her an empty bottle.Pointing at the alcohol content on the label, he patiently said, "Look, it says here. 10 to 15 percent alcohol content. It's not that high. You must be feeling sick because you drank too fast."That would explain why she felt tipsy. She had been drinking light beers like they were water. Still conscious, she rubbed her temples and said to him, "Go back to your room. I'm going to take a shower and go to bed."He insisted, "You're tipsy. I'll head back after you're done showering in case anythi
Oh, right. Sage came to realize that her Iany would never treat her so tenderly. She must have been dreaming. That would explain her lack of joy and excitement when he held her hand. Was it because it was a dream?"Want some water, my Sage?" Ian pressed a hand on her forehead.Before she nodded, she suddenly had flashbacks of Ian's attorney sternly ordering her to sign the divorce papers. She thought, "Ah, no wonder he's so nice to me. He wants to coax me into signing the divorce papers!"Shoving him away without warning, she recoiled. "You're wrong to think you can talk me into signing the divorce papers by being nice to me. I do not agree to the divorce!"Shocked, he paused and took a seat on the bed. He questioned, "My Sage, are we divorced or not?"Tears streamed down her face upon hearing that. Emotions running high, she yelled, "I won't file for divorce! I won't! I want to meet with Grandma! She won't agree to that. You can't force me to sign the papers!'Ian studied her fl
Ian remained calm in the face of Sage's confrontation. He explained, "You had too much to drink, and you wouldn't stop calling me Iany. You also stopped me from leaving."Frowning, she realized she had fallen asleep from tiredness during the massage with no memory of returning to her room or the words she said."Of course, you can make up anything because I was too drunk to know!" She scoffed at him. "Ian Holcomb, you planned everything—from the fruit beer to the spa—to take advantage of me, didn't you?"Unfazed, he calmly explained, "That's not true. You were the one who insisted I stay last night. You kept saying you'd never get a divorce, and that I couldn't force you to sign the papers."Sage, you were the one who initiated the divorce. In fact, you pressured me into signing the papers. When have I ever done that to you?"Sage inwardly gasped. Had she forgotten about her rebirth last night and believed that she was confined in the mental institution from her past life?Ian's
"I pleaded with Grandma, asking for permission to accompany you abroad, hoping to salvage what was left of our relationship. "However, our first night overseas turned into a nightmare when Ivy fell victim to a robbery and arson. When the culprit was arrested, he accused me of being the mastermind."You refused to listen to my explanations and had me locked up at a mental institution for two years. You sent your attorney to make me sign the divorce papers, clearing the path for your marriage to Ivy."Tearing up, she continued, "I lived a hellish life in the mental institution. I even developed stomach cancer from malnourishment. I decided to visit Grandpa's grave one last time because I did not have much time left."I even offered up Grandma's bracelet for a chance to meet with you. No matter how much I begged you, you refused to release me from the mental institution, all because you were afraid I'd ruin your wedding with Ivy…"Her voice cracked as memories of Ian's callous attit
Ian always thought that Sage had jumped from the second floor and asked for a divorce out of anger because he had not spent their wedding anniversary with her. He assumed she was making a scene in different ways and would one day come to regret her decisions. However, her resolve only strengthened over time.All the excuses she made up did not make much sense to him until he learned about the dream. Her misery in the dream was gut-wrenching. Was he so horrid to her in the dream that she needed to break free from him in real life?…Ian was gone when Sage came out of the bathroom. She did not care about his whereabouts and packed her luggage. She made her final visit to see the cubs at Panda World before flying back to Haldon City in the afternoon.Right before she took off, she saw Ian running late to the airport. He took a seat beside her and handed her a jewelry box. "My Sage, this is for you."She received the box and opened it to find a gold bracelet with panda-shaped ch
Ian said calmly, "I just got back from a business trip and came by to check on Sage."Giselle didn't ask more questions. She explained to Sage, "I just saw Selena over there. I went to her and clarified that this was my idea. Selena said it was okay."Seeing Selena's calm and relaxed demeanor, Sage didn't have the energy to pretend to be friendly with her.She said to Giselle, "I'm going back to the ward," and then headed to the elevator.Ian was at her heels. "Sage, if you're too tired, just lean on me."Sage stayed silent and didn't respond to Ian, just staring blankly at the numbers on the elevator panel.In the hospital room, Tiana had been waiting for Sage for a while.Seeing Ian, Tiana was equally surprised and asked, "What are you doing at the hospital? Weren't you on a business trip away from town?"Ian succinctly said, "I came back once the task was done."Tiana looked at Sage. "How did it go?"Sage nodded numbly. "Pretty good."Tiana could tell from Sage's expressi
Sage paused slightly in her steps and turned to look at Shane. Her voice was slightly hoarse as she asked, "Is there anything else?"Shane felt an indescribable discomfort as he watched Sage's unsteady appearance.But he didn't know why he had to call out to Sage, especially since he didn't remember anything about her."Since you say we are good friends, and I got hurt because of you, why can't you visit me more often?" Shane questioned, finding a reason.“Sorry, she won't be available.”As soon as Shane finished speaking, the door to the hospital room was suddenly pushed open.Sage turned her head and saw Ian's tall, upright figure.He was wearing a custom-tailored black suit, looking like he had rushed over from somewhere, carrying an air of exhaustion.Ian had been on a business trip for the past two days. Why did he suddenly show up now?Sage glanced toward the doorway but didn't see any signs of Giselle.Sage had a faint guess about who was behind this. She gave a self-d
Shane's thought process was quite logical.Sage calmly replied, "You were worried that she was only momentarily taking a step back, so you couldn't fully trust her and wanted to observe for a while."Shane also mentioned that when Sage came to the hospital room two days ago, the way she spoke to him was very familiar. It wasn't like how typical business partners would interact.Sage admitted that they were not just business partners but had become good friends through their interactions."But I wouldn't take a good friend to my mother's grave," Shane suddenly said.Sage was taken aback upon hearing this. Had Giselle told Shane about this, too?Seeing Shane looking at her, Sage calmed herself. "You were deceiving Giselle."It's not just this, but also some of our daily interactions. You embellished the details and even went out of your way to act nice to me in front of her."Shane indeed did that before. Sage wasn't at all diffident to talk about it.Shane could see it, too. "S
Taking a deep breath, Sage knocked on the hospital room door.Giselle walked over, glanced down the hallway, and asked with a puzzled expression, "What took you so long? Where did you go?"Sage forced a smile. "There were a lot of people waiting for the elevator."Giselle saw how broken and fragile Sage looked. Thinking she was worried about meeting Shane alone, she couldn't help but gently pat her on the shoulder."It's okay. Take your time talking with Shane. If Selena returns, I'll tell her that everything was my idea."Sage didn't have the energy to explain further to Giselle. She simply said thank you and then walked into the hospital room.Shane sat upright at the head of his bed, dressed in a hospital gown, with bandages still on his head.His handsome face looked a bit thinner than before. Under the hospital room's lighting, he had the delicate appearance of a frail young nobleman.Shane was also quietly observing Sage as she walked over.She had a slender and delicate
Selena nodded. "It's understandable, Ms. Joyner. However, before you go to see Shane, could you take a moment to hear me out?"Sage was aware that Selena had been deliberately waiting for her.Sage sent a message to Giselle saying she would be a few minutes late, and then followed Selena to the stairwell beyond the emergency exit.The stairwell was brightly lit, with gleaming floors and an overall quietness that inexplicably added a sense of oppression.Sage asked, "Ms. Morrison, what do you want to talk to me about?"As soon as she finished speaking, Selena suddenly knelt down in front of her."Ms. Morrison, what are you doing?"Sage hurriedly went to help Selena, but the injuries on her back hadn’t fully healed yet. The movement caused her wounds to hurt, and she winced in pain, furrowing her brow."Ms. Joyner, please don't help me up. Let me finish speaking."Selena's face showed determination, and her almond-shaped eyes, similar to Shane's, had a hint of tears."I know Sh
Since Giselle already knew, Sage didn't deny it. She asked directly, "So what do you think? Are you planning to go abroad with Shane?""Do you even need to ask? Of course I'm not going!"Giselle was somewhat annoyed. "Nothing's going on between Shane and me! Why would they suddenly want me to go abroad with him?""But your brother thinks this is a good opportunity for Shane to develop feelings for you," Tiana said.Sage also shared Marcus' analysis with Giselle. "Your brother hopes that you and Shane will end up together in the end. If you still have some feelings for Shane, this could be a good opportunity.""I couldn't care less about such an opportunity!" Giselle said. "No matter how much I liked Shane, that's all in the past now."I'm not a martyr. I would never degrade myself just to win a man's affection. Besides, even if I gave him everything, what I might get in return could be resentment, not love.""Giselle, you are truly wise and perceptive!" Tiana couldn't help but s
"However, Elle has become more thoughtful and no longer acts willfully now. I believe that Shane will change his opinion of her."With them spending so much time together, there's a high chance that Shane will develop feelings for Elle."Sage fell silent. People were naturally fragile when they were alone and were easily moved by the care and warmth shown by others, especially considering they would be in a foreign country.Therefore, it seemed highly likely that what Marcus mentioned could happen."Even though my parents agreed to dissolve Elle's engagement, they are quite satisfied with Shane. They watched Shane grow up and know him well."If our two families could be united through marriage, it would be a joyous occasion for everyone."Ms. Joyner, I know that Shane likes you, but he has currently forgotten you. You also understand that it is very difficult for the two of you to be together."Even if Elle didn't accompany him for the treatment abroad, Mr. Morrison Senior would
Marcus put down the gift he was holding and said tactfully, "I've heard about your situation from Elle. I just visited Shane, and I thought I'd drop by to see you as well."Sage thanked Marcus and invited him to sit down. Then, unable to hold back, Sage asked, "How is Shane doing? Is he okay?"Because Shane didn't remember her, and the Morrison family wouldn't allow her to visit, Sage hadn't been able to see Shane in person for the past couple of days.Marcus said, "He's doing okay, more or less. He has multiple injuries, and his hand and leg are not very functional. On top of that, he frequently gets headaches, and his mood is quite unstable.""He probably remembered you, right?" Sage asked intentionally.She could definitely guess that Shane remembered Marcus. However, she wanted to know if Shane still harbored the same hostility toward Marcus.Instead of asking directly because it didn't seem appropriate, she decided to ask a different question instead.Marcus knew what Sage
George acknowledged her with a slight nod, while Simon asked bluntly, "What are you here for?""I heard Shane has woken up and came to check on him," Sage said honestly.Simon's tone was stern as he said, "Ms. Joyner, you should be aware of the current situation with Shane.""We won't hold what happened between you and Shane against you anymore, but we hope you'll stop bothering him in the future and completely cut ties with him."Before Sage could speak, Giselle's voice rang out. "Mr. George, Simon!"Seeing Giselle, Simon's attitude softened a bit.George also had a kind smile on his face. "Have you come to see Shane, Elle?"You see, even though Shane has forgotten so many things, he remembers everything about you very clearly. That shows he still cares about you," joked George.Giselle glanced at Sage and replied with a hint of playfulness, "Mr. George, you really shouldn't joke with me like this."Shane hasn't completely lost his memory, so it's perfectly normal for him to