Chapter 15: The Dark Memories

The first rays of morning sunlight filtered through the gap in the curtains, warm and gentle, as if touching the faint, yet unawakened hope in Chen Shanyi's heart. However, she did not feel warmth from the sunlight; instead, a heavy sense of oppression settled on her shoulders. Last night, Siska's words had been like a deep-water bomb, sending ripples across her emotional lake, preventing her from sleeping peacefully.

She sat by the window, her gaze blankly fixed on the distant horizon, her mind a blur. The words, "You and I are destined to never part," felt like a sharp blade, cutting through her fragile defenses. She had once thought that the bond between her and Siska was a special connection, a vow of mutual protection. But now, she began to doubt whether all this warmth and beauty was merely an invisible shackle.

She rubbed her forehead, her eyes showing signs of exhaustion. Suddenly, her phone vibrated, breaking the silence in the room. She looked down and saw a message from Siska: "We need to talk. Are you ready?"

Chen Shanyi took a deep breath, her fingers trembling slightly. She knew the moment had finally come, and there was no more avoiding it. She looked up at the window, and a voice inside her whispered, "No matter what lies ahead, I must face it."

She typed a brief reply: "I'm ready."

A few minutes later, she donned her outerwear and hurried out of the house, her heart filled with complex emotions. She knew that this meeting with Siska was no longer just a simple conversation—it meant uncovering the truth of her past, and facing the memories she had once buried.

Siska was already waiting for her at the agreed-upon place. Unlike their last encounter, his expression today was unusually stern, as if some repressed emotion was surrounding him. When he saw Chen Shanyi approaching, he did not greet her with his usual warm smile but instead motioned for her to sit.

"You've arrived," his voice was low and serious, carrying an elusive emotion.

Chen Shanyi nodded and sat across from him. She could clearly feel that his gaze was filled with an inscrutable undercurrent, as though every glance was carefully studying her every reaction.

"What do you want to know?" Siska broke the silence, asking.

Chen Shanyi did not rush to respond. Instead, she gently set down her bag and fixed her gaze on him. "I want to know everything—about myself, about you, about our past."

Siska paused for a moment, his expression slightly more complex. "Are you really ready to face these fragments of memory?"

"I have no choice," Chen Shanyi replied softly. "If I continue to run from it, everything will only get more complicated, until it ultimately consumes me."

Siska sighed, appearing somewhat helpless. He lowered his head, his gaze drifting toward the window. "The memories you once had are not as simple as you think," he said, his tone slightly hesitant, as if he was debating whether to reveal the truth. Finally, he looked up and gazed deeply at Chen Shanyi. "Do you remember how you lost those memories?"

Chen Shanyi furrowed her brow, an inexplicable pain suddenly rising in her heart. "I... I don't know." Her voice caught in her throat. "Every time I try to recall, my mind goes blank."

"That's because you didn't want to remember," Siska's eyes grew even colder. "You erased those painful memories to protect yourself."

"Protect myself?" Chen Shanyi's heartbeat quickened, her mind a whirlwind. "I don't understand. Why would I erase my memories?"

"Because those memories once caused you unbearable pain," Siska's voice deepened. "You once knew the truth, but you chose to forget it. You forgot who you were, you forgot the bond between us."

Chen Shanyi's heartbeat accelerated sharply, and her breathing became shallow. She could not understand the meaning of these words. Fuzzy images flickered in her mind—fragments of moments that included her past smiles and tears. Her life, it seemed, had been forcibly torn apart by some invisible force, leaving nothing but an endless void.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice trembling, almost pleading. "Why did I forget those things? Why did I forget you?"

A flicker of pain crossed Siska's eyes. He sighed softly. "Because the relationship between you and me was never meant to be a simple one. The love between us has long surpassed ordinary understanding." He paused, his gaze fixed firmly on her. "You once promised me that you would never leave me, but that promise was once erased."

"Then... who am I?" Chen Shanyi's voice almost broke into sobs. "Who am I really? Why do I have no memory?"

Siska stood up and walked to the window, gazing far off at the horizon. "You are a part of my life, Shanyi. Whether you choose to acknowledge it or not, we are destined to never be apart."

Chen Shanyi's heart felt like it had been struck with a heavy blow. She stared at him in a daze, tears nearly spilling from her eyes. The truth of the past seemed to be getting closer, yet her heart was overwhelmed with a deep sense of fear. She was terrified of what she might have lost, terrified that the truth would cause her to shatter completely.

"You don't need to ask anymore," Siska slowly turned around and looked at her with eyes full of tenderness. "Because no matter how you struggle, the answer has already been decided."