"Who is there?" Alena asked, her brows lifting in surprise when she saw Jeff. "What are you doing here?" She asked, stepping back into the house. She glanced over her shoulder when Jeff remained silent. His piercing glare sent a chill down her spine, and she frowned in response.

"Why that look?" she asked, frowning.

Jeff moved closer, grabbing her shoulders and shoving her against the dining room pillar.

"Aren't you worried about what's going on? Are you happy?" he yelled, his voice trembling with anger.

"Am I happy?" Alena smirked despite the pain. "Why not?" she hissed as his grip tightened. "You're hurting me."

Jeff closed his eyes briefly and released her shoulders, taking a step back.

"What do you think I've wanted all these years? I wanted Berliny for myself. Why are you acting so obsessed with Alicia? I've told you there's nothing you can do to save her. She's been transferred. What will you do now when you can't even get into her ward?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

Jeff's sinister smile deepened as he leaned in close, their breaths almost touching. "Alicia is in danger, Alison is in danger—and what about you?" His voice lowered to a menacing whisper. "Do you think you're safe with the woman who put your sisters in harm's way? Do you believe she's doing all this for you?"

The question made Alena shudder. Her eyes widened briefly before she masked her fear with calm resolve.

Jeff noticed her fleeting reaction and pressed on. "Wilson has always been a threat to you. Why? Why is he so confident that you couldn't even touch a strand of his hair?"

"What are you trying to do? Turn me against my mother?" Alena sneered, her voice sharp. "And you think this will work? You're such a fool."

"You know something isn't right, Alena," Jeff said in a low, devilish tone. His words struck a nerve, causing Alena to look away, her expression darkening as her mind churned.

"Have you ever questioned everything she told you?" Jeff continued, watching her composure crumble. "Do you really believe she'll hand you Berliny Company once your sister and father are out of the picture?"

"Stop! You've crossed the line, Jeff," Alena warned, her voice steady but laced with venom as she stared him down.

"Kate once told me you were in danger," Jeff said, his tone softer but no less intense. "I thought she was lying. I ignored her. But now, let me share her message: if you want to save yourself, you have to save your sisters first."

Alena's brows furrowed as Kate's words echoed in her mind. Fragments of forgotten memories resurfaced—haunting, disjointed, and yet undeniably hers.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

"You're struggling with memories you can't understand, memories you don't think are yours," Kate's voice whispered in her thoughts. "But they are. They are your lost memories."

A gasp escaped Alena's lips as her head began to throb again. She stumbled backwards, gripping the dining chair for support. A tiny voice echoed in her mind—a child’s voice—and she saw fleeting images of a little girl running barefoot, throwing herself into a young woman's arms.

Who is she? Alena’s mind raced. What is this memory?

"Leave, Jeff," she managed to say, though her voice quivered with pain. "Just leave now."

Jeff shoved his hands into his pockets, pulled out several photographs, and tossed them onto the ground before her. "This is for you," he muttered, then stormed out of the house.

Alena hesitated before bending down to examine the photos. Her eyes widened as she recognized Olive standing beside Rose's black Bugatti, handing an envelope to Rose. Though the photos didn’t show Rose’s face, the familiar silver ring on her finger was unmistakable. Another image depicted them standing together in the dark, both clad in black. The final photograph showed Olive, Wilson, and Rose stepping out of separate cars parked near an unfamiliar villa.

Shaking her head, Alena clutched her throbbing temples. "This can't be," she whispered. Memories flooded back—fragments long buried now piecing themselves together.

She saw her younger self walking down a quiet hallway, clutching a teddy bear. The faint echo of her footsteps broke the silence. She stopped abruptly, peering into the sitting room where her father sat opposite the family doctor.

"Why are you here, doctor? How is my wife?" her father asked, his voice anxious.

The young Alena’s brows furrowed. What does he mean? she had wondered. Her mother was supposed to be visiting her sister in a nearby city.

"Mr White," the doctor began hesitantly. "I'm… I’m sorry, but your wife… she’s gone."

The words struck like a thunderclap. Alena watched her younger self stagger backwards, her small frame trembling as her father’s voice cracked, whispering, “She’s gone.” The teddy bear grew unbearably heavy in her tiny hands before slipping to the floor. Her father’s anguished cries echoed as he knelt beside her, cradling her limp, unconscious body.

Alena clutched the edge of the table as the memories surged. Her mother's warm smile flashed before her—her laughter, her dimples, her comforting embrace. Tears streamed down Alena's face as the weight of lost time and forgotten truths bore down on her.

"Mother," she whispered, her voice breaking. "This can't be..."

*************************************************************************************************************************************

"What the hell do you think you're doing? How many times have I told you not to act recklessly with my plans?" Rose yelled at Wilson, her eyes blazing with fury. Wilson stood before her, his expression solemn.

"I told you I don't want him involved in this plan," Olive said, clicking his tongue in disapproval. "He’s going to make Alena suspicious if you’re not careful enough."

Wilson smirked. "And that’s exactly why we’ve achieved nothing so far. You both think this can be done without spilling more blood. Your idea is to make the sisters despise each other enough to do the dirty work for us. When it’s time to point fingers, they’ll blame themselves for their stupidity."

He paused, his tone sharp and disdainful. "But this plan is too slow. If we’d eliminated them outright, everything would already be ours. If you keep dragging this out," Wilson shook his head, "I’m sorry to say, but we’ll never get what we want."

Rose slapped Wilson, the sharp sound reverberating through the room. Her muscles tightened as the fear of losing control over her meticulously crafted plans consumed her.

"You insolent brat!" she spat, her voice trembling with anger. "Bringing you here was my mistake."

She stormed over to a shelf beside Olive’s chair, grabbed a passport lying there, and hurled it onto the floor at Wilson’s feet.

"You’re leaving this country tomorrow. You’ll return when everything is settled. I won’t let you destroy the plans I’ve worked on for years, not when I’m this close to achieving my goals."

Her voice rose, trembling with both fury and desperation. "What do you think will happen if the police trace Kate’s death back to you? I’m trying to protect you—to keep your hands clean of blood—but it seems you’re too stubborn to understand. Now, get out!"

Wilson’s fists clenched as he stared at his mother. After a tense moment, he bent down, picked up the passport, and straightened up with a sly smile tugging at his lips.

"Fine. I’ll leave," he said coolly. "But let me warn you—don’t trust Alena anymore. She’s been acting strange lately. I’m afraid she might team up with Jeff against you."

With one last glance at Olive, who sat calmly in his chair, Wilson stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

"Such a jerk," Olive muttered, shaking his head.

Rose’s brows furrowed as she processed Wilson’s warning. His words reminded her of Alena’s unusual concern for Kate during their confrontation in the study.

"He might be right about Alena," Rose admitted thoughtfully, sinking into a chair. She turned to Olive, her gaze sharp. "I’ll need Kelvin to keep a close watch on her. Tell him to monitor her movements closely."

Olive nodded. "He’s busy right now, but I’ll make sure he’s informed tomorrow."