Her eyes fell on the child in my arms.

She frowned, her tone turning uncertain. "Why does this child look so much like..."

"Impossible. The doctor said Adrian cannot have children at all."

I looked sincere and was about to say, "That was a misdiagnosis."

Then steady footsteps came from behind her.

Adrian Blake stepped to Vanessa's side. "What is wrong?"

The moment I looked up, I met Adrian's dark, deep eyes.

For some reason, the back of my neck went cold.

A vicious flicker passed through Vanessa's eyes.

Before I could speak, she softened her voice and turned toward him. "Adrian, you forgot, but she is the one who used to bully me all the time.

"She even threatened me just now. She said she would not let me live peacefully."

She shrank into Adrian's arms, her fingers tugging lightly at the hem of his jacket. "I am scared. Teach her a lesson for me. Have her sent out of the country, okay?"

Adrian let go of Vanessa and lowered his eyes to look at her. His tone gave nothing away. "She bullied you?"

Then he released Vanessa's hand and walked toward me, step by step.

I backed away.

His gaze burned, and his voice carried a faint hoarseness.

"What is your name?"

My heart jumped under his stare. "Lily Parker."

It felt so familiar. Every time he came to catch me, he had that same fanatical look in his eyes.

After a while, he lifted his chin toward the nurse. "Let her see the doctor first. The child has a high fever."

Behind him, Vanessa nearly ground her teeth to pieces, glaring at me with hatred.

Fortunately, Owen was fine. After the IV drip, we could go home.

As I walked, I thought about everything that had happened today. I had to move to another city. I could not stay here anymore.

I was still wondering where I should go when an arm suddenly reached from behind and covered my mouth and nose.

I lost consciousness in an instant.

When I opened my eyes again, I was in a pitch-black little room.

Adrian's clear, cold voice scraped past my ear.

"Lily Parker, be good and become my woman.

"I can give you everything you want. You are not allowed to run."

I moved my hands and feet. In the faint clinking of metal, I looked down at the cuffs and shackles locked around me.

Familiar behavior, familiar lines, familiar Adrian.

People say you cannot step into the same river twice.

But Adrian could.

For a moment, I was in a daze. I almost thought I had gone back in time.

"Why did it take you so long to find me this time?"

I did not know which part of that sentence had struck him.

His pupils shrank violently. He raised a hand and pressed hard against his temple.

His whole body swayed. The next second, he collapsed straight toward me.

At that moment, the door was violently pushed open.

Vanessa stood at the very front. Behind her were Mr. and Mrs. Blake.

Vanessa's gaze passed over everything and landed on my shackled wrists and ankles. Her whole body swayed.

Mrs. Blake clutched the doorframe and almost fainted. "Lily Parker, why is it you again? How did the two of you end up together again?"

They rushed in, flustered, calling for a doctor while a group of people gathered around Adrian and helped him up from the side of the bed.

The doctor arrived quickly. After an examination, he looked up.

"This is good news. Mr. Blake's brain clot is clearing quickly. His memory should return soon."

Mrs. Blake forced a slight smile.

Mr. Blake frowned and said nothing. He sighed again and again, then finally waved his hand after a long while. "Take him away first and let him rest properly. Have the nurses take good care of him."

After Adrian was helped out of the room and the door closed, three pairs of eyes turned toward me at the same time.

Mr. Blake spoke, his tone tired. "Ms. Parker, we originally did not want to hurt you. But now there really is no other way."

"Who told you to let Adrian find you again?"

He picked up his phone and dialed a number.

Less than twenty minutes later, orderly footsteps sounded outside.

The door opened. Several uniformed officers stood at the entrance with serious expressions.

"Lily Parker, correct? We received a report that you broke into a private residence and stole commercial secrets involving a large sum of money. Please come with us."

I froze, then snapped my gaze to Mr. Blake, shaking my head again and again.

"No. I did not."

Mrs. Blake stood to the side and took a document from her pocket, handing it to the officer in front. "This is our report receipt and the evidence list. Thank you for your trouble."

Vanessa stepped forward then. She reached out and traced my face, jealousy flashing in her eyes.

"Mr. and Mrs. Blake, would it not be better to handle it cleanly?

"Slash her face, then send her to prison.

"Even if Adrian remembers her, once he sees this ugly face, he will only feel disgusted."

Mrs. Blake was silent for a moment before slowly nodding. "Vanessa is thinking further ahead."

I was tightly cuffed to the bed, my wrists and ankles locked in metal. I could not move at all.

"No. Please..."

Vanessa had already come forward with a small knife. She patted my face with the back of the blade.

"Do not worry. I will be quick.

"He has refused to get married all these years. Once his memory comes back and he sees that ugly face, he should finally let go."

I closed my eyes in despair.

Just then, the door was suddenly pushed open.

Owen used all the strength in his little body to push past the people blocking the way and rushed in without hesitation.

"Grandma, please let my mom go. Do not hurt her."

Owen cried as he ran straight into Mrs. Blake.

Mrs. Blake was caught off guard and stumbled.

She looked down, and the angry words she had been about to say froze in her throat.

"Oh my, whose careless child is..."

That face.

Mrs. Blake froze.

His eyes, his nose bridge. He looked exactly like Adrian as a child.

At the same time, Mr. Blake also stared down in a trance.

Looking at Owen's face, he picked him up in disbelief and asked excitedly, "Little one, whose child are you?"

Owen was frightened by the scene. Crying, he shouted, "Grandpa, please let my mom, Lily Parker, go.

"I do not have a dad. She has worked very hard raising me alone. Do not bully her."