Warning: This chapter contains content that may not be suitable for some readers

Ivy’s sudden irregularity in her heartbeat had caused her brothers and Peter to rush over to the hospital after receiving a phone call from Ivy’s doctor. Jeremy was also in the vicinity to check on Ivy’s latest development only to find her still in a coma but in a more stable condition.

James came to visit much later. He crossed paths with Jeremy on his way out.

“Can’t wait for your niece to be awake. Wishing her a speedy recovery.” Jeremy wished James before he walked passed him. On the surface, although sounded caring, in actual fact Jeremy’s wish harboured a hidden meaning.

James was not in the mood to retaliate but he knew he had to as Jeremy’s words were clearly a warning. “Watch over your allies more often. Don't mess around.”

Jeremy smirked before he left as James instructed his underlings to monitor their undercover underlings’ situation just to ensure in case Jeremy decided to do something out of expectation. As soon as he entered Ivy’s hospital room, James’ heart dampened at the sight of Peter’s haggard look.

Jin walked over to greet James and updated him on Ivy's temporary stabilise condition while he discreetly gesture to James about Peter’s worrying condition. James nodded in acknowledgment before he walked over to Peter and gently patted his shoulder.

“Brother, go home and rest. Let me watch over her till you’re back.” Peter didn't barge as he continued holding onto Ivy’s hand and staring at her. James gestured to Ray to take Peter home with the brothers.

“Dad, let’s go..” Ray gently said as he lifted Peter’s hand away from Ivy’s. Though reluctant, Peter still let the brothers help him up from his seat as he felt exhaustion was catching up with him. Before he left, he unexpectedly turned around and studied James. He looked exhausted and was very worried about Ivy and himself. Peter knew James must have been doing a lot of discreet monitoring of their enemies that he finally could feel at ease leaving his princess into his brother’s hands.

“Call me if she has any progress…” Peter pleaded to James as he held onto his hand tightly.

“I will brother. Trust me…” James was moved to tears at Peter’s plead. James held Peter’s gaze trying to assure Peter that he will uphold his responsibilities. Feeling convinced, Peter finally left the room with his sons.

James of all people wanted to keep the brothers and Peter from the potential danger Jeremy could impose. Hence, he wanted to watch over Ivy personally as he gestured for some of his men to escort the brothers and Peter home thereafter.

James was then left alone with Ivy as his remaining men stood outside of the room. “Ivy… It’s time to wake up soon… Your father needs you…” James said as he held onto Ivy’s hand with the hope that she would show some movements but instead the awful silence in the room was echoing back at him.

He sighed in disappointment as he placed her hand back on the bed. He stood and took a brief scan around her room instead. He had often kept her room in strict surveillance under his underlings. He would always double-check the surroundings to ensure her room wasn't tapped at least especially when anyone was walking in and out of the room freely. When he was sure it was cleared, he sat back next to Ivy.

James sighed again at the sight of Ivy’s body laying motionless in bed. “Ivy, you are one lucky girl you know that. You would lead a very successful life from now on. I can’t wait to watch you grow up in that life. Just don’t give up on it and hurry wake up to see your bright future, my dear.”

The constant beating of Ivy's heartbeat amplified across the room of silence. “Don’t let your dad suffer… You must fight Ivy.” James said as he held his head in his palm and sighed helplessly. What he missed was the sight of Ivy’s fingers beginning to move a little.

Back into Ivy’s paracosm, when Jason realised where her memories went, he look at the pouch he was keeping by his side while patting gently on Ivy in his arms. He tried opening the pouch and saw a red ember pendant in it. He couldn’t recall when Ivy passed him the pouch for his safe keep and now the red ember was glittering in front of him in the pouch. He wondered if Ivy had slipped it to him before this. Before he could think further, Ivy sat upright.

As Ivy was recovering from the piercing pain of losing her memories in Jason’s arms, her subconscious could hear James' words. When she tried to open her eyes, it felt like those words were in her dreams instead. She couldn’t figure out if they were real as she shook her head while Jason was fussing over her. She looked around to find herself in a strange place she couldn't recognise. She recalled their journey in their first three rooms and remembered about the tower of reflection but she couldn't remember the purpose they were in the tower.

“Are you alright?” Jason asked as Ivy nodded while she blinked many times trying to recall where were they.

“Where are we…” She tried questioning as though her sentence was halfway in the midst of thinking. Jason replied nonchalantly as though anticipated her to ask where they were heading next. Jason carefully thought of answers which would not trigger her to realise she had lost her memories.

“In the tower’s lobby. We would be heading to room 17 next,” Jason said as Ivy quickly stood to look around and spot the entrance to door 17.

“Oh no, my memory is starting to fail me… I must hide it from Jason.” Ivy told herself in the midst of scanning the rooms as she held her hands out to Jason and led him to stand up.

“It’s the fourth room and I am not sure what’s in it but we will definitely find the truth of our past and our parents.” Jason comforted her as though reading her mind. He gently combed her hair while she tried hard to not show something was amidst.

Knowing a part of her memory is in a mess, she was also questioning the voice she heard telling her to fight. In the midst of her confusion, she decided to push aside her messed-up memory and move on as she quickly led Jason down the aisle to room 17 instead.

Without hesitation, she turned the doorknob and pushed open the door. It was an entrance they find themselves diving into waves of water. The endless journey underwater made them both fight to swim upward and keep themselves afloat. They found themselves surrounded by jungle and were greeted by the sounds of crickets when they climbed out of the well. They didn't waste time trying to dry themselves as they instantly could feel the water disappearing off them while they explore further into the jungle ahead of them.

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A faint baby’s cry was heard from nearby as they rushed towards it. A familiar-looking cottage that looked identical to their grandma’s made them stop and steal glances before they entered it. At the cottage entrance, Jason instantly recognised Petunia who was in bed, giving birth to themselves.

One of the midwives was carrying little Ivy who was the one whom they heard crying while the other two midwives were encouraging Petunia to push her crowning baby boy who was little Jason. Jason was relieved to watch Petunia safely delivering both of them in that life.

However, he didn’t expect when the baby boy was carried away by one of the midwives to clean, she was shocked to learn that the baby boy was not responsive. She quickly consulted the other midwife who was cleaning up Petunia. Both women were gasping loudly as Petunia worrily asked about her twins' condition.

The midwife who was carrying little Ivy was quick witted to hand over her to Petunia to distract her. Petunia was overjoyed as she traced little Ivy’s facial features before she held out her hand to ask to carry her baby boy. When she saw the grimace and shocked faces of the other midwives, she knew something was wrong.

The midwives carefully send the baby boy to her arm and took little Ivy away. The midwife who delivered little Jason informed Petunia that the baby boy was caught on to the umbilical code and was suffocated to his death.

Petunia was devastated that he couldn’t see her as his mother before he died but she was happy at the same time as she knew his fate under the hands of her warrior husband would have resulted the same.

“Better earlier than later.” She thought as tears streamed down her face. She embraced him as she dawned on his motionless face. She wished he was alive to enjoy both of her twins’ presence but it was Jason’s fate in that life.

While Jason was in disbelief, Ivy noticed a white figure which looked like an angel telling little Jason’s spirit to leave as it would be a better life in the next one. However, there was jealousy and anguish in little Jason’s look at little Ivy. Ivy felt very bad as she listened to little Jason’s conversation with the angel, envying his little sister who could continue in that life. It resulted in little Jason leaving with a vengeance that he vowed to seek in the next life.

Right when little Jason left with the angel, came their father, the King who was happy to see them as he embraced Petunia first. “Thank you my love for the bundle of joy. We shall bless the Prince and Princess of seven swords as Prince Phoenix and Princess Ivy.” Petunia nodded as tears of sadness streamed down her cheeks. Ivy then realised her name was the same as now but not Jason’s as she held on to Jason’s hand to comfort him.

The King gently wiped Petunia’s cheek dry thinking it was tears of joy. Petunia knew the gentle loving gesture wouldn't last once he carried their son. Hence, she pushed little Ivy into his arm first as he kissed the tip of her nose while playing with her before returning her to their mother.

It was obvious that he wasn't keen on her as he instantly requested to hold little Jason. When he carried little Jason and tried playing with him but there was no response, he began to question the midwives.

“What is going on?! Why is he not responsive?!” The king bellowed as the midwives knelt in terror.

“Answer me now!” The king bellowed again which made little Ivy in Petunia’s arms cry out loud. The King began to roughly hold on to one of the midwives who were kneeling in front of him as she trembled and explained how little Jason had died.

The King was in a state of shock when he released the midwife who fell to the ground while Petunia was crying. He couldn't accept the fact as he wailed in agony watching little Ivy protected in Petunia’s arms.

Petunia was aware of the overwhelming anger in the King’s eyes which were turning red as she held little Ivy dearly to her chest worrying about her fate. Out of anger, the King went over and took little Ivy who was wailing in fear away from Petunia before he slammed her into the wall.

Petunia and the other midwives were gasping and screaming in disbelief. Instead of having a quiet room back, the King was frustrated at the chaos the ladies made that he drew a machete and slaughtered everyone in the room out of anger including himself.

Ivy and Jason were both trying to control their disbelief as Jason hurriedly covered Ivy’s eyes to prevent her from witnessing the brutal scene in front of them any further while Ivy lean into Jason’s arms. At first, they didn't notice the dead ones could see them.

It was when he saw Petunia’s spirit staring at them that he realised it. He instantly let Ivy stand on her own and went to embrace Petunia who was sobbing and waiting for his embrace.

“Mom, you will have a better life in the next one with better parents for sure… This time, make wise choices about who you love,” Jason said as Petunia wailed in agony in his arms.

“Thank you for bringing Ivy and me to life. It’s never your fault for our fate. Just continue on with your good deed to bring us to life and try to protect us. We will forever be grateful to you.” Jason comforted as Petunia continued to sob in his arms.

Ivy, on the other hand, was focused on the King where she could feel her anger raging. Witnessing the way he killed them all was feeding the hunger of her fuming rage and waking up another side of her. The angel returned and was trying to stop the King’s spirit from charging at any of them but the angel was losing its strength.

With the last bit of strength from the angel to stop the King before the angel gave way, the King slowly turned into a grim reaper instead. “Now that you know how I have killed all of you, I have also made both of you pay back repents for my sins. What are you going to do about it?” The King tried provoking Ivy.

Jason who was watching the transformation and provocation happening knew Ivy was losing her humanity even more as he watched the pixels of her memory flowing toward him. Jason instantly wanted to rush over to Ivy when they find themselves being drawn out of the scene and they were frantically catching their breaths with their wet head once again.

In front of them was the well of reflection where even if one is dead, they could linger in the memory compared to while living in that life. Ivy slides down and sat by the side of the well trying to recollect the memories of the scenes earlier as tears of anger fell from her eyes remembering how they were brutally killed. She then noticed Jason was sobbing by her side. She had not paid much attention to him all this while but it was definitely the first time she saw Jason in a devastating mode as she accompanied him for a moment.

When Ivy recalled the entire journey, she realised the King had said they were repenting the sins of the king and not Petunia but she couldn’t understand the reason Petunia she knew was evil instead. She was angry with the king this time as his violence was the root of all evil. She was more determined to figure out their past but her dizziness made her rest briefly on Jason’s head as her memory began to shift.

She decided a little break would be good before they continue to give Jason some time to recover his composure. She was a little shocked when the environment changed again but was glad they were returning back to the tower of reflection lobby as Jason continued to sob in her arms. As she tried to recall her other memories, she couldn’t remember anything other than continuing on to the next door to find her past. She was a little frightened but she was staying strong for Jason who needed a moment of comfort.

There and then, Jason learned the poor life they had, had led to more frustration for wealth and power. Death was the resolution to end their so-called catastrophe at that point in time. His fate was to succeed to the throne but in exchange for his death, everyone else perished together.

He never knew learning this truth was inflicting more agony on himself when all he wanted to do was to protect his sister. Jason pulled Ivy in for a tight hug as he stayed in that position with her for a long time; as though wanting to remember that moment forever if possible in return to lessen his guilt. Ivy was getting more confused instead but she let Jason do whatever he wanted till he settled down as she knew that way was the only refuge Jason could get out of someone who was losing her memories.