Chapter 1998

Kristen was thrilled. "Do you think it's possible that I was the sister of this wealthy woman before I lost my memory? If that's true, we could live in luxury too, right?" She was hopeful, but Kai was worried. Since Kai could not read and did not understand the words in the newspaper, he pointed to the photo and asked, "Does it say her name?" "It does. Her name is Sheena Lawson." Kai's face went pale. Even though he had never heard of this name, he could not help but become wary. He quickly crumpled the newspaper and stuffed it into his pocket. "Don't look at newspapers like this anymore. They aren't good for you. Since we're here, let's focus on living our lives and not worrying about the past, okay?" Kristen could guess what was troubling him. "I know you're worried about me. If I really were the daughter of such a wealthy family, how could I end up on this island? It's been months, and no one has come looking for me. Plus, I have many old scars from knives and whips. My past must not have been pleasant." Kai admitted, "Yes, I'm afraid she might be a bad woman. What if she finds out you're here and comes with people to hurt you?" A person who could become the richest in Froania would be far from ordinary, wielding significant power. Kai feared that even the entire population of the small island would not be enough to defend against such a force. Kristen countered, "But have you considered why I look like her? Maybe I'm an illegitimate child of the Lawson family." "Does it matter whether you're an illegitimate child or not?" "This concerns my identity, who I am, and what I've been through. Of course it's important." Kai gently grasped her shoulders with his sun-kissed hands, comforting her, "You said yourself that trying to remember the past only gives you headaches. So, why torture yourself? Did you forget that you promised me not to dwell on the past and focus on the present and future instead?" Kristen fell silent. Kai softened his tone. "I'm not trying to be harsh or limit you. We're about to get married, and I'm just afraid for your safety." Kristen said nothing more and nodded obediently. "I understand. I won't bring up the past again. I'll treasure every day we have together." Kai was deeply moved and hugged her tightly. The sunset bathed the sea in a red hue, casting a warm halo over their embracing figures, creating a loving and beautiful scene. As the waves crashed, something was washed ashore. Kristen caught a glimpse of it and squinted, realizing it looked like… A person? She gasped, "Kai, look! Isn't that a body?" They hurried over to investigate. It was a woman, still alive with a pulse and breathing, but she had choked on water. Despite her unconscious state, she clutched a gun tightly in her hand. While Kai focused on performing first aid, Kristen's attention was drawn to the gun. She took it from the woman and examined it closely. It had bullets, but they weren't loaded. Kristen was startled to find that she seemed… very familiar with this weapon. It was as if it were embedded in her muscle memory. Her suspicions grew, and while Kai was busy helping the woman, Kristen quietly slipped the gun into her pocket. With a sputter, the woman coughed up a lot of water and regained consciousness. Both Kai and Kristen hovered around her, asking, "Hey, how are you?" The woman's blurry gaze settled on Kristen's face. As she slowly came into focus, her expression turned to one of sheer terror, as if she had seen a ghost. "K-Kristen Serano?"