Chapter 5

I thought I'd messed up and rushed to comfort him.

Instead, he threw his arms around me, his voice thick with emotion and pure joy.

"Mommy, you remembered? You found me in a doghouse."

He raced upstairs.

When he came back, he was carrying a tiny pet bed from who knew where.

It had been carefully preserved, complete with a soft little blanket.

He held it out like treasure.

"Mommy, look. This is the bed. I've kept it safe all these years."

Then he clasped his hands and looked at me hopefully.

"Mommy, can you tell me the story again? The one about how you picked me out of all the little puppies?"

I stared into space.

Finley's excited voice faded into the background.

All I could see was the twenty years of pain he'd survived.

The Floyds were powerful—and ruled by brutal traditions.

His parents, Raphael and Evelyn, had run away together and had him.

Finley spent the happiest five years of his life in Southvale.

Later, while they were running from the people chasing them, Raphael died in a car crash.

To protect Finley, Evelyn left him outside an orphanage.

There, he was shunned and bullied.

The other kids circled him, calling him an unwanted stray.

When the Floyd family found him at seven, his relatives called him a filthy mutt.

Just to get food, he had to crawl around and bark like a dog to entertain his cousins.

He even fought stray dogs for scraps so he could beg a doctor to save his dying mother.

The smiling Finley in front of me slowly blurred into that bruised little boy.

He was smiling...

But deep in his eyes was the reflex to please.

My chest hurt so bad I could barely breathe.

I pulled him into my arms and cupped his face.

Sniffling, I blinked back my tears and looked him straight in the eyes.

"Finley, you're not a mutt. You're Mommy and Daddy's most precious treasure."

Finley stared at me, stunned.

The fear in his eyes slowly faded.

He rested his head on my shoulder.

"I know, Mommy. I'm your treasure."

***

The next morning, I got up early.

Fifi sat on my shoulder, rubbing its sleepy eyes.

[Host, why are you up so early?]

I smiled and pulled two theme park tickets from my pocket.

"Today's Children's Day. I'm taking Finley out!"

He hadn't been to a theme park since he was five.

I wanted to give him one more happy memory.

At the park, Finley grabbed my hand, practically bouncing.

"Mommy, I want to ride the roller coaster! And the carousel!"

I grinned.

"Deal. We're riding everything."

When we came out of the haunted house, I was still pale.

Finley got distracted by a mother and son nearby and wandered off.

Suddenly, a handkerchief appeared in front of me.

"Here. Wipe your face."

[Host, that's the male lead! Don't let Finley near him!]

I looked up.

So this was Tariel Wilder?

He was definitely handsome, but something about him made my skin crawl.

"Thanks, but I'm good."

Tariel started to step closer.

Before he could, Finley moved in front of me, glaring like a guard dog ready to bite.

I quickly pulled him behind me.

Tariel gave us a knowing smile, then walked away.

Finley huffed.

A second later, he turned back with a huge grin and pulled rainbow cotton candy from behind his back like magic.

"Mommy, this is for you."

I smiled and took it.

So that was why he'd been watching the mother and son.

The little boy beside us tugged on his mom's hand and pointed at my cotton candy.

"Mommy, that's so sweet. That guy bought his girlfriend cotton candy too."

Heat rushed to my cheeks.

Finley turned to the boy, dead serious.

"She's not my girlfriend. She's my mo—"

I slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Sorry about that."

The boy's mom gave me a knowing smile, like she totally got it, then led her son away.

On the drive home, Finley fell asleep on my shoulder.

I looked at his peaceful smile, and my chest tightened.

"Fifi, is there any way to get his memory back? I'm not really his mom. He can't stay trapped in this fantasy forever. Maybe... once he remembers, I can still stay by his side. Just differently."

Fifi tugged at its fluffy fur.

[Amelia, are you sure? There's an item in the points shop that can restore his memories. But his affection is already at 99%. Do you really want to use it?]

I nodded.

[He'll be back to normal tomorrow morning.]

I gently stroked Finley's cheek.

He hummed softly in his sleep.

'Tomorrow... will you hate me for lying to you?'

The next morning, Peter called.

"Madam Amelia, Mr. Floyd was in a car accident!"