Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
It was a cold, dark night.
Mary Hanks had been thrown into an abandoned chemical processing plant.
Sandra White stood in front of her with a sweet smile on her face.
“Mary, you can only blame yourself. You insisted on staying with the Gastons and clinging to him…”
Darkness surrounded them.
Sandra placed a hand on her wound and said innocently, “Max will happily welcome our child into this world after you die… Let me tell you a big secret. The people who killed your parents back then were…”
“No!”
…
“Mum, Mum, wake up!”
The worried voice of a child rang in Mary’s ears.
A small pair of hands were holding onto Mary’s, finally waking her up from the nightmare.
She had just opened her eyes and was still catching her breath.
Her beautiful face was pale. She could still feel a wave of pain engulfing her heart.
The dream had felt too real!
It was so realistic that every cell in her body was still rejecting the pain and hatred from the incident that had happened 5 year ago.
Sensing the odd gazes from the other passengers that were directed towards her, Mary took a few deep breaths to collect herself.
She then consoled the young child who was staring at her, “Jason, Mum’s fine. Don’t worry.”
“Mum, you had a nightmare.”
Jason Hanks felt sorry for his mother. The pity was clearly reflected in his large, beautiful eyes.
Despite being little, he hugged Mary with all his strength.
He said with determination, “Mum, I’m already four years old. I can protect you.”
Mary held back her tears. There was a tinge of warmth in her heart as she said, “Yes, I know. You are a good boy, Jason. Let’s sleep for a little longer.”
Jason nodded and gently stroked Mary, just like how she would comfort him.
“Mum, I’ll sleep for just a while,” he said as he laid on her lap, and soon fell asleep.
It was still deep into the night outside the cabin of the plane.
Mary did not dare to go back to sleep.
She was afraid that the nightmare she just had would continue.
She had always harbored a particular thought for the past five years:
Would she not have been in this much agony if she had not gone with the Gastons back then?
She was once the daughter of a rich family and was doted on by her parents.
However, it all changed when she was eight.
A car accident took her beloved father away from her.
Her mother killed herself in front of her father’s grave the very next night.
Just like that, she became an orphan – helpless and with no one to depend on.
Max Gaston, who had been 14, crouched down in front of her and asked her if she would like to follow him home.
She remembered what her mother told her…
She nodded.
Ten years passed.
Max became her closest kin.
However, something completely unexpected happened.
On her 18th birthday, Max, who had been the target of a plot, shouted her name in a daze and said that he was going to take responsibility for his actions toward her.
She did not know how to face Max back then. She took advantage of the fact that Max had passed out from losing too much blood and ran out of the hotel after calling for the ambulance.
She did not return home that night.
The next day, Mrs. Gaston called her and told her that Max was in the hospital.
She rushed to the ward.
She saw Sandra White there, where her very presence seemed to mock her foolishness.
Her blood ran cold. She felt as though she was the greatest laughing stock in the world.
Two months later.
As Mary was leaving to the hospital after her checkup, she bumped into Sandra, who was accompanied by Max.
Sandra had a wide smile on her face as she stood beside Max.
Mary took a deep breath.
She had been making preparations during the past five years for this day.
…
Half a day later.
At Sheares Airport.
Mary tugged Jason, who was sitting on their luggage, along and walked through the security check. Priscilla Johnson, who was standing amongst the crowd, immediately recognized the eye-catching combination of this beautiful lady and a young, adorable boy.
She ran over and hugged Mary tightly. Sounding a little choked, she said, “Mary, you’re finally back.”
Mary’s heart warmed. Tears welled up in her eyes. She said softly after they let go of each other, “I’ll go visit Paul in the afternoon.”
Priscilla wanted to say something but stopped herself. She simply nodded gratefully, “Alright.”
Two days ago.
Mary had received a message from Paul Johnson’s wife, Rebecca Yelton, that read, “Mary, Paul has been taken away by the police. He nearly killed Max Gaston… Paul told me not to tell you, but I cannot let my baby be fatherless from birth like Jason. Mary, I’ll tell Max the truth if you don’t come back!”
Paul and Priscilla were siblings. They had grown up with Mary and regarded her as their sister.
Their parents were once the capable assistants of Mary’s father.
The accident that killed Mary’s father back then had also killed their parents.
Mary would have come back immediately when she got the news even without Rebecca threatening her.
The Johnson siblings, just like her, were orphans.
In the car, four-year-old Jason looked out of the window throughout the journey. He was brimming with curiosity.
He exclaimed in shock when the car drove past a mall, “Aunt Priscilla, stop the car! Stop!”
“What happened, Jason?”
Priscilla slowed down and steered the car toward the side of the road.
Mary had not been paying attention.
She knitted her brows, having been pulled back to reality by Jason’s voice. She lowered her voice and said, “Jason, you can’t shout for the car to stop just because you want to. That’ll distract Aunt Priscilla. It’s very dangerous.”
“Mum, can we head back a little? To the mall.”
Jason’s face was scrunched up with concern. He continued, “I saw a man in a suit on the big screen just now. He has done plastic surgery, and looks exactly like me. Mum, is there a patent for my face?”
Mary’s heart thumped.
Her mind instantly blanked.
A person who looked exactly like Jason had appeared on the big screen. Who else could it be other than that man?
The coincidental encounter had come like a tornado, catching her off guard.
Mary pursed her lips and said with feigned anger, “I’ll really get angry if you continue to spout nonsense.”
“I wasn’t spouting nonsense. There was a woman in a wedding gown beside him. I saw it very clearly!”
Jason sulked, indignance written all over his childish face.
Mary had told him that his father was an orphan and had died young.
Thus, the person who looked exactly like him must have undergone plastic surgery.
That man had to pay him for using his face. His bank account could afford to be topped up, and that man seemed to be very rich. Jason had to find out who he was.
At the front of the car, Priscilla’s expression changed slightly.
She had suddenly remembered something.
Max and Sandra’s wedding was set for next month — on the ninth of September!
They had just announced the date of their wedding a few days ago and it had been trending on all major websites. Countless online comments said that their belief in true love rekindled when they saw the couple.
Their wedding photos had been broadcasting on screens throughout the city today.. It was no wonder that Jason would come across them.