Andrine sprinted through the shadows, her heart pounding as she dodged between trees, her breath coming in short, ragged bursts. The night air was sharp and cool against her skin, but her focus was singular—getting back to Holland Villa undetected.In that military area, Charles’s villa was a bit far away from Holland Villa. There were Villa’s for every special rank officers in the military.She had taken a tremendous risk, one she knew she couldn’t afford to get caught in. But leaving Sisi with Charles and Alysha had been her only option. She’d seen how desperate Alysha’s situation was under the control of the Hollands. If Sisi, Alysha’s daughter, stayed within their reach, they’d only use her as leverage, tightening the cage around her mother.Just a little farther, she told herself, pushing her legs to move faster, her pulse racing with a mixture of fear and determination. She had to slip back into the villa as quietly as she’d left, unnoticed by any of the Hollands’ security or pr
Alysha sat quietly with Sisi curled up beside her, the little girl’s arms wrapped tightly around her, as if afraid Alysha might slip away. Sisi didn’t say much, her words limited to soft, affectionate whispers of “Mommy” followed by giggles, her tiny face lighting up with joy every time Alysha looked at her.Alysha felt an overwhelming warmth as she kissed Sisi’s head, feeling the softness of her daughter’s hair, the innocent trust in her touch. She wasn’t sure why, but holding Sisi felt right, as if this was a piece of her life she’d been missing all along, a missing part of herself she’d somehow found. The connection was instinctive, deeper than memory, and it tugged at her heartstrings, filling her with a fierce, protective love she couldn’t explain.Charles watched the two of them, his confusion barely concealed as he leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, a faint frown creasing his brow. He’d seen many things in his career, but this—Alysha, who barely remembered her own name,
Alysha took a deep breath and said, "I remember about my project."Charles’s head snapped up, his eyes narrowing as he absorbed Alysha’s words. She sat across from him, her gaze distant yet sharp, as if she were piecing together fragments of a puzzle she didn’t fully understand.“You… remember your project?” he asked slowly, a flicker of hope and confusion in his voice.Alysha nodded, her expression focused. “Yes. I remember the details of the research, the formulas, the processes… but when it comes to people, to names and faces, there’s a wall. I can’t remember who was with me or why I was working on it, but the knowledge is there. It’s like someone erased only the connections—the human parts.”Charles felt a chill settle over him, realizing the implications. “You’re saying someone tampered with your mind,” he said, his voice low.Alysha’s gaze turned intense, her voice steady but edged with frustration. “Do you think a simple head injury would do this? I don’t buy it. Whatever happe
Charles sat alone in the office room, his eyes fixed on the screen as the recovered footage played. The silence around him felt thick, heavy, amplifying each sound from the video. The lab was quiet, almost serene, as Alysha stood at her station, deeply immersed in her work, her face calm and focused. But the peace of the moment was shattered as Seraphina burst into the lab, her movements frantic, her face twisted with rage.Charles watched, his heart pounding as the footage unfolded. Seraphina dropped a stack of files, her expression shifting to one of shock and horror as she locked eyes on Alysha. For a moment, neither woman moved; Alysha looked at Seraphina with a faint curiosity, clearly trying to place her, but her face was a blank slate. She had no memory of this woman, no hint of recognition.Seraphina’s expression morphed from horror to fury, her voice echoing through the lab as she screamed, "Alysha Jarl! You bitch! You’re still alive?”Alysha recoiled slightly, confusion fli
Mark came inside the room with the project file. Charles nod and took it.Charles felt a surge of shock ripple through him as Mark laid the project file on the table. He scanned the pages, and his gaze stopped on a phrase that made his blood run cold: “New Neuron Medicine Formula.” This was advanced work, beyond what most labs could handle. But then came the detail that threw everything into chaos.“She’s recognized only by a code name, sir,” Mark continued, his tone steady. “They call her Sisi.”Charles’s jaw tightened as he processed this. Sisi. It wasn’t just the little girl’s name; it was a code, the name of a scientist—the key to Neil Holland’s billion-dollar project. Neil had chosen the same name for Alysha’s daughter, weaving her into his scheme in a way that was disturbingly deliberate. It was as if Sisi the child, Sisi the project, and Alysha herself were all bound together by some twisted plan Neil had set in motion.Charles took a slow, steadying breath, then turned to Mark
Alysha’s heart stopped. She turned to Sisi, frozen in shock, the word ringing in her ears. It was only the second word Sisi had ever spoken to her, and it hit her with the force of a revelation she hadn’t been prepared for.Sisi’s finger was pointed at a photograph in the article—a man with striking blond hair, intense blue eyes, and an impossibly handsome face. The caption read: Ivan Anderson Suegra, The business tycoon and CEO of Suegra Empire.Sisi tugged at Alysha’s sleeve insistently, her blue eyes wide with recognition. “Daddy!” she repeated, her voice filled with a joy Alysha had never seen in her before. Her small hand tapped the newspaper, her gaze locked on the picture as if nothing else in the world mattered.Alysha’s breath came in short, shallow gasps as she took in the image of Ivan. This man… Sisi’s father? She looked down at her daughter, who was gazing at the photo with the pure, innocent certainty of a child who recognized someone she loved.She knelt down, eye-level
As Neil held Sisi, Alysha felt upset because she knew he was hiding something important.Alysha’s gaze remained on Sisi, watching as her daughter nestled comfortably in Neil’s arms, relaxed and trusting.Even though she had a lot of memories and missing pieces in her mind, she couldn't deny that Sisi seemed at ease with Neil. He must have cared for her and treated her well. But Neil's words left her with new questions, questions that left her feeling as though she were falling through an endless void.Neil’s voice softened, calculated. “You had an accident three years ago. We found you badly injured. And you were already pregnant with Sisi.” He glanced down at the child in his arms, then back at Alysha, his face painted with a careful look of empathy. “In that accident, you lost your memory. You never could tell us who Sisi’s father was. But honestly?” He gave a faint, reassuring smile. “It didn’t matter. You and Sisi have always been our priority.”Alysha took a shaky breath, her min
Seraphina stormed into the villa, her eyes blazing with a barely controlled fury. Sisi, sensing the tension, immediately darted toward Alysha, clutching her mother’s leg with a trembling grip, her wide blue eyes filled with fear. Alysha instinctively placed a protective arm around Sisi, her gaze hardening as she looked at Seraphina. Neil cast his daughter a warning look, but Seraphina ignored him, forcing herself into a stiff, composed stance.“Doctor Arisha Holland,” Seraphina sneered, using the name with a hint of mockery. “May I have a moment with you?”Alysha glanced down at Sisi, who held her even tighter, her little body rigid with fear. Alysha ran a gentle hand over Sisi’s back, whispering softly, “It’s alright, sweetheart.” She looked back at Seraphina, her face impassive. “Yes, of course. Please, go on.”Seraphina’s expression sharpened, her voice cold as she continued, “You’ve already caused substantial damage to our project with your… unfortunate setbacks. Because of you, w