Chapter 4

Only three years had passed.

I looked at these familiar faces, yet they felt incredibly strange to me.

The way they looked at me, it was as if they were seeing someone else through me.

My suspicion was correct. Suddenly, the door was forcefully pushed open.

Haisley burst in wearing the same canary yellow dress.

Everything about her - her clothes, her makeup, even her facial features - was extremely similar to mine.

Asher frowned and stepped forward, scolding in a low voice, "Who told you to come here? Get out."

Haisley's eyes welled up with tears, her eyes rimmed red, looking so pitiful that everyone present began to feel sorry for her.

"Mr. Blakely, how can you speak to Haisley like that?"

My mother-in-law was the first to chime in, "Don't yell at Haisley, she's in a delicate condition right now, if..."

She at least knew I was nearby and held back from saying more.

My father-in-law, however, wasn't having it.

"What's there to hide? Haisley is already carrying the Blakely family's grandchild. Aria has been lying here for so many years, it's time for her to step aside."

With him speaking up, others couldn't hold back either.

"That's right. If it weren't for Haisley, how could Mr. Blakely possibly have endured those days?"

There were even worse things.

My former best friend Jade, resentfully holding onto Haisley's arm, said, "If you ask me, Aria should never have woken up."

"She caused such chaos for everyone the moment she woke up. How could she have the nerve?"

I really don't understand.

Can three years really change so much?

I look at Haisley, and she looks back at me.

Her eyes are filled with smugness.

Asher pulls me aside, watching everyone crowd around Haisley, he also seems helpless.

"Aria, I never thought she would come. Don't worry, you're the only one I love. These friends, we don't need them anymore."

I quietly looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

He helplessly pulled me into his arms. "Aria, today's situation is special. Give me some time to handle it. Can you go home first?"

Even though I had mentally prepared myself, my heart still ached uncontrollably.

Since waking up, I had always been obedient. So now, I nodded my head compliantly.

Asher visibly breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll take you home."

He drove me himself, escorting me all the way home, making sure I was in my room before reluctantly leaving.

After he left, I sent him a message.

[Asher, I have a gift for you. I've left it in the drawer of the study. Remember to look at it when you come back.]

Without waiting for a reply, I thought, without me at the party, they must be having a great time, right?

After packing my suitcase, the car I had booked arrived.

Taking one last look at this home, I turned and left without hesitation.

When the lab fire happened, all the data was destroyed. Only I knew the exact details.

Since they only wanted Haisley, my departure surely wouldn't matter to them.