"Don’t force yourself too much," Anna said gently when she noticed the strain on Daniel’s face.
She knew how difficult this had been for him. Unlike her, Daniel struggled to recall fragnts of his past life, and every attempt seed to leave him more exhausted and frustrated. The last thing she wanted was for him to push himself so hard that it only caused him more pain.
Daniel remained silent for a mont before slowly nodding.
"You’re right," he said quietly.
After a brief pause, he let out a soft breath.
"How I wish all of this would end soon," he murmured. "So that we could finally live in peace."
Anna looked at him as their eyes t.
She understood that feeling all too well.
Both of them carried the sa silent wish in their hearts. They had been dragged into sothing far more complicated and dangerous than either of them had expected, and sotis the weight of it all felt overwhelming.
More than anything, they simply wanted it to be over.
"It will," Anna said softly, trying to reassure him.
Her voice carried quiet certainty, even though deep inside she knew the road ahead would not be easy.
Daniel studied her face for a mont before pulling her gently into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, as if drawing strength from her presence.
Anna rested against him, returning the embrace without hesitation.
For a few monts, neither of them spoke.
Despite everything that had happened, this quiet closeness between them gave them comfort.
Yet the shadow hanging over their lives refused to disappear.
They still had no idea who the person behind everything was.
The identity of the one responsible remained hidden in the darkness.
But one thing was painfully clear to both of them.
Whoever that person was, they sohow knew them.
Otherwise, how could soone hunt them down so ruthlessly in their previous life and kill every one of them in such a brutal way?
That thought alone sent a cold chill through the room.
Sowhere out there was soone who knew their past.
And that sa person might still be watching them now.
***
The next morning, Marcus was surprised when one of the maids inford him that Ethan had arrived.
For a mont, he simply stood there, trying to process what he had just heard.
Ethan rarely visited him, and when he did, their etings were usually brief and tense. Hearing that his son had co by without prior notice was unexpected.
Still, Marcus quickly composed himself. He adjusted his coat and made his way toward the living hall where Ethan was waiting.
As soon as he entered the room, his eyes fell on his son standing near the window.
"I thought you had finally decided to have nothing to do with , son," Marcus said as he approached him. There was a hint of delight in his voice at the sudden visit, even though his face remained mostly composed.
Ethan turned to look at him, his expression calm and unreadable.
"I might say that," Ethan replied evenly, "but do you really wish for that to happen?"
Marcus let out a short laugh.
For the first ti in a long while, a genuine smile appeared on his face.
Seeing that reaction left Ethan slightly amused.
Every ti Ethan had visited in the past, their conversations had been strained. There was always an invisible tension hanging in the air between them, making it difficult for either of them to speak freely.
By the end of those etings, Ethan would often regret even coming.
But today felt different.
There was no imdiate hostility in the room, no sharp words waiting to be exchanged.
Marcus studied him curiously before speaking again.
"So, what brings you here this early in the morning?" he asked.
Ethan did not hesitate.
"I wanted to have breakfast with you," he said simply. "So I decided to drop by."
Marcus blinked in surprise.
For a mont, he could not hide the change in his expression. The stiffness in his face softened, and the smile that appeared this ti carried a warmth he rarely showed.
"Great," Marcus said, clearly pleased.
He gestured toward the dining area.
"Co. Let’s eat."
Ethan gave a small nod, and the two of them walked toward the breakfast area together, an unusual sense of calm settling between father and son as they prepared to share a al.
"I heard you are working with Kathrine."
Marcus paused mid-movent and slowly lifted his gaze toward Ethan. His son continued eating calmly, as if the statent he had just made carried no weight at all.
"Is that why you are here?" Marcus asked after a mont. "To warn again like you did before?"
His tone was controlled, but there was a hint of caution beneath it.
Marcus knew very well that he had been reckless when it ca to his son’s emotions over the years. Their relationship had suffered because of his decisions, and repairing that damage was not sothing that could happen overnight. Lately, however, he had been trying to change his approach. Kathrine had told him that Ethan wanted nothing, but being truly understood.
Even so, Marcus often found himself unsure if he was doing it the right way.
Ethan placed his fork down briefly before looking at him.
"You could say that," he replied. "But that is not the only reason."
Marcus watched him carefully, waiting for him to continue.
"I also wanted to see you after what happened that day."
Marcus’s eyes stilled.
For a brief mont, he said nothing.
He knew exactly what Ethan was referring to.
Ethan had visited the hospital after the incident, the one where Kathrine had taken Marcus for treatnt. Marcus had already been inford about it later. To keep the matter quiet and avoid unnecessary attention, he had even asked the authorities to erase any official trace of his presence at the hospital.
He had not expected Ethan to bring it up so directly.
That sudden honesty made Marcus feel slightly uneasy.
For years, Ethan had kept his distance. Their conversations rarely reached this level of openness.
Yet now, the young man sitting across from him seed completely composed.
Ethan lifted his gaze again and t Marcus’s eyes.
"So... what happened to you, Dad?" he asked quietly.
The simple question carried a sincerity Marcus had not heard in a long ti.
And for the first ti since Ethan had arrived that morning, Marcus found himself unsure of what to say.
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