Revenge After Death

“She’s not leaving with you…”

Wearing the hospital gown, Steven stood by the door and spoke in a hoarse voice. His chest heaved, and he stared intently at me. It was as if he was begging me not to leave with Michael.

Michael gazed warningly at Steven.

“Steven Lincoln, I’ll see how long you can keep up with this act!”

I pushed Michael away, then said firmly, “Mr. Ford, my well–being has nothing to do with you. It never did, and it will not now.

re won’t be

“I’m not Stephanie Carlson, and you don’t have to project your guilt onto me. I hope there anything between us in the future.”

My firm attitude had seemingly hurt Michael.

He looked at me with a conflicted gaze, then smiled bitterly.

“Is this how it feels to be not trusted? Stephie, you’re getting back at me, aren’t you?” Michael wondered if

I was doing this to make him experience everything that Stephanie had experienced before.

“You’re overthinking.“I frowned. Michael was being annoying.

Perhaps, it was only natural that humans would develop biases.

In the past, Michael refused to trust me regardless of what I had done. Now, no matter what Michael said

I would not trust him.

“Stephie…” Michael looked anxious. “When will you finally see his true colors? He’s a devil. He’s been pretending. What must I say for you to believe me?”

Michael gazed at me as if he would do anything if he could prove his sincerity.

“Do you think he’s been homeless all these years? Why would Ewan help him, and why did the Lincolns end up like this? If he was mentally disabled or homeless, the Lincolns wouldn’t be what they are today. He’s behind the deaths of James Lincoln and Ignatius Lincoln…”

Michael pointed at Steven, trying his best to make me believe that everything about Steven was a lie.

I looked at Steven, who seemed to panic a little as he lowered his head.

“Michael, I said you should mind your own business,” I warned Michael so that he’d stop staring at Steven.

ever

“Why do you trust him so much? Have you thought of why you’ve forgotten all about him? Have you never questioned that?

“Haven’t you questioned why you escaped and why you would fall in love with me… if you really loved him?

Michael’s voice was hoarse. He held my shoulders and tried to make me believe in him.

*Stephie… You shouldn’t think that I’m lying just because I’ve hurt you before. I was just feeling confused.

about my feelings.

“I never wanted to hurt you or to take advantage of you. I’ve always been… just running away. I was worried that you only fell in love with me because you had amnesia. I was afraid that you would find your

memories…”

Michael claimed that his past avoidance was a sign of respect for me.

“Stephie, I won’t harm you,” he explained.

I stood at the same place and stared at Michael.

I didn’t trust him, but I knew him very well.

He wasn’t lying, but that did not mean what he said was the truth. Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

It was as if even though one plus one equaled two, he believed strongly that it equaled three.

He wasn’t lying, but his answer was not the truth.

I glanced at Steven, who looked at me in a panic. Because he had run over anxiously, he stood there barefoot, looking like an abandoned doll.

He was afraid that I would abandon him.

But Martin was right about one thing–why did I completely forget about Steven?

Forgetting equaled abandonment.

Why did the past me choose to abandon Steven?

With reddened eyes, Steven shook his head at me.

He would not threaten me like how Martin did. He would support my decision, even if it made him sad and heartbroken.

“If I leave, will you stop me?” I asked Steven.

Steven lowered his head and tightened his fists. After some time, he shook his head.

He wouldn’t.

He would respect my decision.

How would somebody like this confine me, just as Michael had said?

I refused to believe that.

“You won’t stop me no matter what I do, right?” I asked softly.