Chapter 17: The Shadow of the Past

The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a warm and gentle glow on Chen Shanyi's bedside. Yet, despite the peaceful light, her heart remained unsettled. The conversation from last night echoed in her mind, each word from Siska like a sharp needle, deeply embedding itself into her soul. She knew she could no longer hide; the past she had once tried to forget was bound to confront her.

She walked over to the window and gazed outside, her mind filled with confusion. The hurried crowd on the street seemed like a world apart from hers. She had once yearned for the life of an ordinary person—simple, mundane, and painless—but this tranquility always seemed forever beyond her reach. She couldn't help but let out a quiet sigh, her heart overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated. She instinctively glanced down, and saw an unfamiliar number on the screen. After a moment's hesitation, she pressed the answer button.

"Shanyi," the familiar voice came through the speaker—Siska's voice. "I know you're confused, but it's time to understand the truth."

Chen Shanyi's heart tightened, her fingers trembling slightly. She didn't respond but quietly listened.

"Our story isn't as simple as you think. You've always believed you forgot the past, but you're wrong. The person you were in the past, and the person you are now, are the same," Siska's voice was low and magnetic. "Everything about you is intricately tied to me."

Those words landed like a bomb, shaking her core. Chen Shanyi felt a wave of dizziness wash over her, as though all the strength had drained from her body. She wanted to ask something, but no words came to her.

"Do you want to know why I've been so persistent?" Siska continued, a hint of mockery in his tone. "The connection between us is far more complex than you imagine. You need to face this fact, Shanyi, you can't escape."

She clutched the phone tightly, biting her lip as pain and confusion twisted together in her eyes. She had never felt so helpless, as though she were bound by an invisible force. Every thought of escape was deeply suppressed.

"I don't want to continue like this," Chen Shanyi finally spoke, her voice hoarse. "I don't want to be held captive by the past anymore. I don't want it to control my life."

"But you have no choice," Siska's tone grew more resolute. "Everything about you has already been arranged by fate. You're destined to be unable to escape."

Those words pierced her heart like a nail, pinning her inside, unable to break free.

Chen Shanyi hung up the phone and stood at the window, staring blankly into the distant horizon. She knew she could no longer continue to blindly run away. She had to face the past, to confront the undeniable truth. No matter how painful, the facts were the facts, and running away would change nothing.

She placed her phone on the table and turned to her wardrobe to change clothes. Today, she had to meet someone—the person who had once been deeply intertwined with her life, and perhaps he could offer some answers.

She had no idea how this day would change her life, nor could she predict how her entanglement with Siska would unfold. All she knew was that she could no longer remain trapped in the shadows of the past. She had to face new challenges and seek her own future.

At noon, Chen Shanyi stood in front of a familiar building, her heart racing. This place was where she and Siska had first met, and the starting point of the memories that still lingered deep in her heart. She took a deep breath, gripping her bag tightly, and pushed open the door.

She entered the hall, glancing around. The faint scent of wood and coffee lingered in the air. Her eyes scanned the crowd until, at a corner seat, she saw him.

Siska sat there, his gaze cool and steady as he watched her approach. He didn't stand or make any gesture of greeting, simply waiting for her to sit down.

"You've come," Siska's voice was soft, but carried a compelling strength. "Are you ready to face everything?"

Chen Shanyi's heart skipped a beat. She took a deep breath before sitting down. "I'm ready." Though she spoke the words, her heart remained turbulent, and she felt as if she was about to be consumed by him.

"Then let's begin," Siska smiled slightly, his eyes gleaming with a profound light.

He began to recount the story of their past, stories she had never known, of how she and he had once been entangled, unable to escape. Every word seemed to peel open wounds she had never dared to touch, deepening her pain and confusion.