"Do you think that if you continue living this way, burdened by guilt and sorrow, the next Neil would be happy? Would he be content?" Ethan's question made me pause and reflect. I realized that if I persisted in this state of endless self-reproach, my negative emotions could affect any future chance at renewal or happiness.I fell silent, unable to answer Ethan's question. The pain and tangled emotions in my heart intertwined, leaving me without a path to choose."I am someone just like you, who has spent time with three different Neils. I remember each of his innocent smiles, every sincere glance, and the kindness in his heart. I believe he wouldn’t want to be with someone who appears to treat him well on the surface but is filled with guilt inside. He deserves a partner who loves him wholeheartedly, one hundred percent, without any trace of negative emotions. Don’t you want to give the next, and the last, Neil the happiest and most joyful life?" Ethan's words were filled with deep e
Then Peter suddenly became serious, with a touch of playful mystery, and began sharing an interesting story from recent events. "You know," he said, "I recently had something quite amusing happen. A kid, probably around twenty, suddenly appeared in front of me, trying to assassinate me." His tone was light, as if he were recounting a joke.Harry was taken aback for a moment, then asked with curiosity, “And then? Did you just let him go? Is that even possible?”I shook my head with a smile and said, “Not a chance. Our Peter Black isn’t exactly a philanthropist.”Peter rolled his eyes and retorted, “I’m not a philanthropist, but I’m not the kind of person you’re imagining either, okay?” His expression was serious, though his tone carried a hint of resignation.I continued to play dumb, “What are we talking about?”Harry chimed in with a tease, “Yeah, someone must be feeling guilty and letting their imagination run wild.”Peter looked at us with exasperation, “You two can stop pretending
How could this happen? Was it possible that, just like last time, Peter had encountered my Neil even earlier? And had they, in fact, been intimate? A wave of indescribable anger and jealousy surged within me, a storm of emotions that seemed ready to tear me apart. I stared at the photo, my gaze fixed and intense, as if I could will Neil awake from his sleep to confront him and demand to know what had transpired.Desperately, I zoomed in on the photo, trying to scrutinize every detail, hoping to find evidence that this sleeping figure was not my Neil. I wanted to convince myself that I had made a mistake, that the face I recognized and the heartache it brought were illusions. But no matter how I tried to deny it, the familiar features and that heartbreaking familiarity were undeniable, leaving me in a state of raw anguish.Harry’s message interrupted my thoughts: “Peter, you’ve got good taste this time.” His tone was laced with mockery, like a sharp blade piercing my chest. I instincti
After spending several hours, I finally finished reviewing all the information Ethan had sent me. The background, experiences, behavior, and family details of the twins, Nicholas and Nelson, were laid out in front of me in meticulous detail. Ethan's analysis made perfect sense—there was nothing in their story that remotely resembled Neil's, not even their demeanor. Nicholas came across as overly composed and ruthless, while Nelson, though younger, was alarmingly volatile and combative. This starkly contrasted with Neil’s innocence and kindness. As I pondered these differences, a slight sense of relief washed over me, but deep down, my lingering doubts remained unresolved.In order to gather more information, I decided to have my assistant, Rizo, look into the Yimo family. After all, this situation involved the business realm, and Rizo's expertise in that area made him a far better fit than Ethan. Besides, Rizo was on my payroll, so I wouldn’t feel the slightest bit guilty about reachi
I held my breath, my gaze locked onto the boy. Just as Peter had described, he appeared somewhat fragile, his slender frame swallowed by oversized clothing that hinted at a delicate nature. But that face—oh my god, it was strikingly identical to Neil’s! The familiarity hit me like a bolt, flooding my mind with memories. The only difference lay in his eyes. Unlike Neil’s gentle and innocent gaze, this boy’s eyes radiated a fierce determination and defiance. Even under Peter’s control, there was no hint of submission in his look. That gaze told me that unless he had been subdued by some means, he wouldn’t easily reveal any secrets to us.A tense atmosphere hung in the air, my palms growing slightly sweaty as my heart raced. Harry noticed my reaction and quietly moved closer, whispering in my ear, “Is he really looked like that?” His tone carried a hint of disbelief, as if he, too, was struggling to comprehend the startling resemblance between the boy before us and Neil.I nodded softly,
I clenched my fists, my heart swirling with complex emotions. The identity of that boy was becoming increasingly clear; I was nearly certain he was the person I had been searching for. Yet even so, his pain and experiences weighed heavily on me, filling me with guilt and sorrow. The suffering he endured was far beyond anything I could have imagined.I looked at Nick and asked, “Do you have any idea who might have paid off your debts? Was it the Yimo family? If so, why would they help you?” My tone was tinged with urgency, eager to uncover any leads on the whereabouts of that boy.Nick frowned slightly, lowering his head as if lost in thought. “I didn’t know it was the Yimo family at first,” he said, his voice laced with weariness and resignation. “But later I heard that the boy was sold, and the money went to pay off our debts. Peter helped me investigate, and that’s when I found out it was the Yimo family.”“Sold?” Peter's voice suddenly rose, filled with shock and anger, disbelief e
Harry couldn't help but be surprised. “That fast? It hasn’t even been fifteen minutes!”Peter shrugged, a slight smile playing on his lips. “Just efficient.”Harry raised an eyebrow, a teasing tone creeping into his voice. “Is that true in other areas too?”Peter immediately jumped in, glancing over at Nick with a mischievous smile. “Well, you’ll have to ask him to find out just how fast I really am.” His words dripped with innuendo, clearly teasing Nick.At that, Nick’s previously resolute gaze faltered, his defenses crumbling in an instant as his face flushed bright red. He widened his eyes at Peter, a mix of embarrassment and anger flashing across his features. “You guys are shameless!” he exclaimed.Seeing Nick's flushed face, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy. I quickly reassured him, “It’s okay; I’ll help you teach them a lesson.” With that, I grabbed a pillow from the sofa and hurled it toward Peter with all my might. Peter reacted quickly, dodging my “attack” with ea
At that moment, a soft knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. To my surprise, the visitor was Ethan, and I felt a mix of shock and unease. As I opened the door, the man before me was no longer the precocious figure I remembered. Time had etched deep lines on his face, and the cost of the resurrection ritual had transformed him into a frail, elderly man of seventy. In that instant, my heart ached for him, filled with a profound sense of regret.Ethan gave a faint smile, as if he could read my feelings. “I knew you wouldn’t be asleep yet, so I came over without asking,” he said, his voice hoarse but still carrying that characteristic calmness. Though time had stripped him of his youthful appearance, his keen insight into others remained unchanged.“It's fine; you guessed correctly,” I replied, forcing a smile to suppress my unease. “I was just reviewing some documents and brainstorming our next steps.”“Why don’t you let me lend you hand?” Ethan suggested casually. But I knew that h