"Hey, you're awake...?"

Sophie winced at the pounding headache and cradled her head in her hands. This time, it was way more intense than the last one.

She almost threw up instantly but managed to pull herself together. "How long was I out?"

"Three hours."

"Just three hours?"

Sophie furrowed her brow.

Booker chimed in, "You looked pretty bad. I was worried you wouldn't come to, so I woke you up." "Thanks for that."

She shook her head, feeling that if she'd kept on dreaming, things could've gone really south. "So, what was the dream about?"

With Booker's question hanging in the air, Sophie gave a wry smile. "Would you believe me if I said I dreamed about a ton of stuff, but all I have are these little bits and pieces? It felt like I was back in school, saw Colby, and for some reason, I didn't like him. But the rest... it's just a blur."

This time around, her memory of the dream was all over the place, unlike before.

Sophie clutched her chest, feeling a sharp pang. "I think I've forgotten something really important, someone really important. At the start of the dream, I was myself, but then it felt like another version of me took over, like I was watching someone else control my body. Like there were two souls inside me, and she was calling the shots. Does that make any sense?"

Booker gave her a puzzled look, clearly trying to wrap his head around her abstract explanation. "And what about the answers you were looking for?"

"I thought the dream would help me figure out my past, my deeper self. But it was a bust."

Sophie turned to Booker and asked, "Am I too hung up on the past? Maybe my heart doesn't want me to dig up those childhood memories. Maybe... I'm not supposed to remember because deep down, I don't want to know."

"The body has its own way of protecting us Painful memories often get shut out because they're seen as a threat. If you can't recal

I there's no echo in your heart, maybe it's because... both your body and your heart are keeping it locked away."

"You know, in my dream, there was someone really important." Sophie pointed to her heart. "Feels like there's a piece missing here."

The evening shadows were starting to stretch and deepen.

Booker, at a loss for words, just nodded in silence.

"Don't mention today to anyone."

"I'll keep your secret."

"Good."

Sophie got up and walked out of the apartment.

Booker stayed put, watching her leave before his gaze drifted to the now-extinguished candle.

It hit him then back in the ruins of the valley, when he stumbled upon that candle, Rick had shown up. Gordon Kad given him a choice, with the fate of the entire Cloude family hanging in the balance-swap the candle or watch the family crumble.

Even though Gordon wasn't the head of the Aldridge family, he still had that kind of clout.

He had no choice but to switch the candle.noveldrama

But at that moment, one thing became crystal clear to him.

The person who held a special place in Sophie's heart was Gordon.

What kind of cold-hearted resolve does it take to push someone you love so far away? So far that you can make them forget you entirely cutting all the emotional ties

en

As if they were nothing more than strangers passing by.