"Never mind, let's tend to your wound first." I was still very worried about his injury."No, no need," Neil insisted, clutching his clothes tightly."Mr. Lucas Junior, perhaps you should take Neil to his room and help him with the medication. He might be feeling shy," whispered Rizo softly in my ear, just loud enough for me to hear but not Neil.I thought he had a point, so I gently led Neil to his room. As soon as I closed the door and turned around, I was taken aback by his reaction. He assumed I was going to force him and had backed into the corner of the bed, unable to retreat any further because of the wall behind him. Despite having no more room to move, he continued to press his feet against the mattress, gripping the sheets tightly with both hands.I wasn't angry at his misunderstanding. Instead, his behavior made me realize the deep trauma inflicted by the previous assault. Even a simple act of pulling him into a room and closing the door was enough to cause him great anxiet
I held Neil's hand, gently stroking the back of it."Neil, honestly, I'm very worried about leaving you alone here.""Mr. Lucas Junior, are you worried about my eyes? It's okay, I usually just sit until I feel sleepy and then go to bed. I wake up and see things again.""But your home isn't in a livable condition right now.""I'll be more careful. I heard a noise in the kitchen just now, so I ran over and ended up falling.""I can't let you take risks, and you can't guarantee those bad guys won't come back, can you?""I'll lock the door.""But what if they decide to break it down?""They haven't tried... yet.""They might next time, and that next time might be very soon.""Will they... do you think?" He hesitated, seeming to think my points made sense."They might. Come back with me to my place. Stay there while I check things out and make sure it's safe here. Then I'll bring you back, okay?""Uh... okay.""If you are worrying that I might do anything to you, I promise...""Mr. Lucas J
As we came downstairs in the morning, we were greeted by a table full of dishes prepared by Ethan. In that moment, I realized I had only told him about Neil's eye problem, completely forgetting to mention that Neil's appetite was quite small, nowhere near that of Neal Caster. Looking at all that food, I felt a wave of anxiety. I was torn between the possibility of upsetting Ethan or asking Neil to go through the trouble of eating more than he could handle.Ever since our last adventurous journey, Ethan had become accustomed to sitting beside Neil, slipping naturally back into his fatherly mode as soon as we took our seats. He had prepared numerous fish dishes that were beneficial for the eyes, along with meals based on traditional herbal recipes. I wanted to catch his eye and subtly hint that his efforts might be in vain, but the more he explained, the more excited he became.However, it turned out that I was the one worrying needlessly. Not only was Neil genuinely interested in Ethan
"I remember it very well. Visiting that old Chinese doctor isn't something I do often, so I had to make an appointment well in advance. I recall it was... Ryan, check your phone. I sent you the appointment details with the old doctor." I checked the date and time, confirming my dreadful suspicion. I needed to inform Ethan about this immediately."Alright, that's all for now. Neil and I have plans," I said, ready to end the call."Hey, hey, hey, you haven't told me about Neil's TCM plans.""Just make sure your wife and children don't harass Neil anymore. Don't worry about TCM; I'm hanging up," I insisted."Wait, I want to say one last thing to Neil.""Hurry up!""Uncle Lee, what's up?" Neil asked."Neil, stay close to Ryan. Ryan is a good kid; he'll protect you. If anything happens, you can call Uncle Lee, okay?""Okay, understand, Uncle Lee.""Goodbye."I hung up, finding Richard Lee quite verbose. But considering his final praise in front of Neil, I forgave him. I instructed Neil to
The Black family? Peter Black? The moment that name crossed my mind, I immediately glanced at Harry. He had just learned about Neil's background from me and understood Peter Black's obsession with Neil. He could indirectly guess the purpose of the Black family's visit to the hospital, especially since he was certain he had no dealings with any of the Blacks."Go notify the security team. Make sure to stop every single member of the Black family," Harry ordered."Yes, boss," the employee replied, quickly leaving to carry out the instructions."I'm going to meet him. You go find Neil," Harry said."Okay," I responded. "Be careful. That person is not to be underestimated.""How about this? If anything happens, you come and save me?"My phone rang—it was Harry's doing. I wanted to roll my eyes but I reconsidered. Being able to instantly know what the other was going through wasn't a bad thing. I answered his call, put on my headset, and opened the door to head out. Harry did the same, fol
"It's okay, say what you want to say to him," I whispered to Neil."That's not my home, I'm not going back," Neil gathered his courage to respond."I've told you before, it's better to be with me than staying at that company. Besides, haven't the Lee family deceived you enough?" Peter Black urged."How do you know..." Neil looked surprised, and Harry and I exchanged a glance. It seemed Peter Black knew more than we had anticipated."The way you ask confirms that you know too. It seems your brothers, Harry and Ryan, treat you better than the Lee family," Peter Black continued."Uncle Lee has been good to me.""Has he really? Just giving you a status is being good? It doesn't matter now; you have a new identity."Peter Black pushed a folder towards us on the table. As soon as I opened it, Harry leaned in to take a look. Astonishingly, Peter Black had completely obliterated Neil Lee's identity and had created a new identity for him as Neil Black."Now you're no longer Neil Lee, you're Ne
"Neil, are you alright?""Neil, are you feeling any discomfort?""Could you two please step aside so I can check on Neil?"Since this wasn't our home turf, we all moved aside. Harry immediately pressed the button by the bedside and started examining Neil. Shortly after, the attending physician arrived. After a brief exchange, the physician proceeded to check on Neil. Following the examination and a simple conversation with Neil, the doctor confirmed that Neil hadn't lost his memory. However, whether he had fully recovered his memory was something we, his acquaintances, would need to ascertain through further interaction.In truth, none of us three knew Neil before his memory loss. Even if we had questions, they would be quite limited, unless they pertained to Richard Lee. We had all agreed that we didn't want too many people to know about Neil's past. So, Harry asked the doctor and nurses to leave, and it was just the three of us and Neil left in the room. Harry was the most qualified
Harry was strict. Despite our shameless insistence on staying at his place, he didn't allow us near Neil's room outside of visitation hours. To ensure Neil's absolute rest, Neil didn't leave his room, not even for meals, which were brought to him. While Harry cared for Neil, I was left facing the annoying Peter Black, keeping a close watch on him to prevent any harm to Neil. Annoyingly, he adapted quickly, treating the place as if it were his own home."Neil told me he remembers most things now," Harry said as he sat down to eat the dinner prepared by Peter Black."You asked him?" I was eager to know about Neil's past as well."Yes," Harry began. "Neil said he used to live alone in the mountains. One day, an old Chinese doctor moved there to retire. The doctor liked Neil a lot and took him in as an apprentice. Their life was very peaceful. The old doctor enjoyed his retirement while Neil learned traditional Chinese medicine. When Neil was old enough, the doctor arranged for him to att
Harry stood in the shadows, a subtle smile playing on his lips, his eyes radiating calm confidence. “Of course,” he replied, raising an eyebrow with that trademark mix of humor and certainty, as though he had the situation effortlessly under control. Harry was always like this—composed, astute, unwavering—seemingly born with the spirit of a fighter who refused to bow to fate. I looked at him, filled with gratitude and relief. The bond between us had long surpassed life, death, and honor; no matter the crisis, he was always there.As he turned his gaze toward Ken Yimo, a ripple of relief ran through me. Yes, Ken Yimo had indeed gone to Harry rather than taking some darker course of action. Unable to contain myself, I asked, “Ken Yimo, I’ll admit, I’m glad you actually brought Harry. Now, what about Neil?” My voice betrayed a hint of urgency, a worry that was impossible to hide. Neil’s condition had been weighi
Ken Yimo simply gave a cold smile, completely dismissing my warnings. There was no trace of pity or warmth in his eyes as he turned and walked out of the cell. I stood there, helpless and furious, watching him leave, fully aware that I was trapped here and powerless to stop him. As the heavy door slowly closed behind him, a sense of helplessness overwhelmed me, and despair and anguish surged in my chest. I was locked in this cold, isolated cell, surrounded by thick stone walls that shut out even the faintest trace of light, leaving me in total darkness. There was no way to reach out, no phone, no tool to call for help. My thoughts began to be consumed by the shadows, yet Neil's face lingered in my mind, refusing to fade. Would he, once again, fall prey to Ken Yimo’s control and cruelty, triggering another episode of sleepwalking? The thought twisted my heart with an unshakable sense of dread and fear. As night fell, darkness engulfed
I stared at him, unwilling to waste words. Instead, I asked directly, “Where’s Neil?” The question was like a weight pressing on my chest, and this man before me was the only one who could answer it.Ken Yimo’s expression was one of indifference, as he replied coolly, “Neil? He’s resting. He’s very simple-minded. As long as I tell him to stay put, he won’t wander off. So, unlike with you, I don’t have to keep him chained up.” His words dripped with a detached cruelty, as though Neil were nothing more than a toy he could control at will. My fists clenched involuntarily, and a simmering anger began to burn within me.I knew then—Ken Yimo must have done something to manipulate Neil or force him into submission. I wanted to press him further, but Ken spoke first, a sly smile twisting across his face. “Ah, but it seems that when kids grow up, they’re not so easy to keep
“I’ve had enough.” Finally, my patience wore thin. Soft tactics weren’t working, so it was time to be firm. I stood up, bundled Neil up tightly in his blanket, ignoring his struggles or pleas. Before long, Neil was sitting at the small table, his head poking out from the blanket while the rest of his body was wrapped up snugly—held there by my bear hug, replacing any other form of restraint.I should have done it this way from the start. It saved time, kept the food warm, and, most importantly, even though he was wrapped in a blanket, I could still hold him close, care for him, protect him—letting him sit on my lap and lean against me.“Wow.” Seeing his eager expression, I couldn’t help but feel a bit proud. “I know you love these dishes, so I made them just for you. What do you want to eat?”"My favorite pasta.""My favorite pancakes."
I rambled on while watching the stars twinkle silently in the night sky. The breeze caressed the woods outside the tent, and the night was as gentle as a dream. Unconsciously, fatigue crept into my eyelids, and finally I fell into a deep sleep in the stillness of the night.I didn't know exactly how long I slept until a beam of morning light shone through the transparent tent roof and shone on my face, waking me up from my slumber. In a daze, I blinked, as if last night's worries and hesitations were still swirling in my mind. But the scene that came into my eyes next completely turned all my imaginations upside down.“Neil!!! what are you doing?!” I instantly came to my senses and sat up with a jolt. Right in front of me, Neil was kneeling beside me, head bowed, with a serious look on his face as he tried to help me with my natural morning reaction. He didn't look hesitant at all, as if it was a matter of course.
My heart sank, realizing that it wasn’t just innocent childish behavior—it was a desperate search for affection, a need to please, a struggle to win more care and love from Ken Yimo. In that moment, I suddenly understood that Harry's words might have been true—their relationship was far beyond a typical father-son bond.I struggled to steady the emotions stirring within me, and looked up at Neil’s innocent face. He probably didn’t recognize the true meaning behind those gestures—their intent was not simply familial love, but a deep, almost physical craving for attention, a kind of dependence on being favored. A quiet ache settled in my chest as I wished with all my heart that he would never be caught in that dark emotional whirlpool again.I smiled softly, gently steering the conversation back to where it had started. "So, to get back to the point, I am your one and only, aren't I?" On this quiet night, I
"Yes, every day." Neil nodded firmly, his tone pure, almost childlike."Then, is this kind of missing me something unique?" I pressed on, as though I were hoping to hear a one-of-a-kind answer from him."Unique?" He blinked, looking as though he didn’t quite understand the meaning of the word.I patiently explained, "What I mean is... is this something that only I experience? Like, the way you miss your dad—does it feel the same as the way I miss mine?"Neil shook his head slightly, his voice soft as he replied, "It's different. I miss Ryan more."A flicker of delight stirred within me, but I kept my expression neutral and asked, "What about compared to your elder brother and your little brother? Is it different with them too?"Neil thought for a moment before nodding with certainty. "Yeah, I miss Ryan the most.""So, only I,
As I processed Harry's bombshell, I turned to Ethan and asked, "Have you checked if Fred Yimo is really Ken Yimo's biological son?"Ethan's expression turned serious as he pulled out his phone. "I'll have someone look into it now."Peter furrowed his brow, clearly skeptical. "You suspect Fred Yimo might be adopted too?""I actually hope so," I replied firmly. "It's a lot less messy than the unethical theory.""Ken Yimo really isn't simple," Harry remarked on the phone, sounding almost impressed. "When I was around, Fred was a bit more relaxed. But the moment I left, he turned into a mouse—didn't even dare to breathe too loudly, but a little bit “sticky” though."I let out a cold laugh. "Doesn't that completely clash with the surveillance cameras he set up at home?"Peter nodded thoughtfully. "You’re right. Which of these sides is the r
As Peter and I sat off to the side, watching them laugh and chat, a tangle of emotions stirred within us. The scene was heartwarming, yet there was an undeniable sense of loss. Here we were, two grown men, holding our glasses, sitting on the fringes of this cozy gathering, as if the world had forgotten about us.Peter let out a heavy sigh. "Why does it feel like I'm drifting further away from my own precious one?" His gaze lingered on Nick and Neil, a hint of sadness in his eyes.I took a sip of my drink, my voice low. "It feels like everyone else is getting closer to Neil than I am." The words left a sting in my chest, as though something inside me had been pierced.Ethan, overhearing our conversation, smiled softly and leaned in to offer a quiet word of reassurance. "Don’t rush," he said gently. "You’ll grow closer in time." He set down his soup spoon, his demeanor calm and wise. "When the bond is strong, n