Chapter 157: Julian Fletcher Uses Me to Lure Out Asher

Chapter 157: Chapter 157: Julian Fletcher Uses Me to Lure Out Asher

"Cece?"

"Cece..."

My consciousness slowly returned, and I heard someone calling my name.

It was Julian Fletcher.

"Mr. Quinn, why does she seem... off?" Julian Fletcher asked Victor Quinn anxiously.

"The medicine I gave you, have you been making her take it on time?" Victor Quinn asked.

"I watch her take it on schedule every time. There’s no mistake."

"Erasing and reconstructing memories can’t be done all at once. She shouldn’t have amnesia right now. If she acts like she’s forgotten, you need to be careful; she’s faking. You must follow my instructions. Constantly give her psychological suggestions, stimulate her with her environment, and don’t stop the medication. Bring her to the hospital on schedule for hypnosis and electroshock therapy," Victor Quinn said grimly.

Julian Fletcher was silent for a moment before speaking. "Mr. Quinn... isn’t this unfair to her?"

"Her mother wanted her to live an ordinary life, like a normal child. She’s sick. She needs treatment," Victor Quinn said firmly.

But Julian Fletcher hesitated. "Is she really Cecilia Caldwell... Does something like soul transmigration truly exist in this world?"

Victor Quinn’s voice was cold. "That’s a question for you. Who do you want her to be?"

It was a long time before Julian Fletcher answered. "Cece... I want Cece back."

Victor Quinn grunted in acknowledgment. "Then do as I say."

...

When I opened my eyes, Victor Quinn was already gone.

Julian Fletcher was sitting by the bed. Seeing me awake, he was both thrilled and excited. "Cece..."

I looked at him and said, "Julian Fletcher, I want to eat some mango sago."

Julian Fletcher froze for a second, then nodded. "I’ll have someone buy it for you right away."

Soon, the housekeeper brought over the mango sago.

"Have some?" he coaxed, about to feed me.

"You eat first," I said, smiling at him. "I remember mango sago is your favorite."

’But the one who loves mango sago is Asher.’

Julian Fletcher’s fingers clearly stiffened. He spoke softly, "You eat."

I shook my head. "No, I want you to eat it."

Julian Fletcher looked at the mango in the bowl, frowned, and took a bite.

"Why did you lie to me..." I questioned him, my voice hoarse. "You’re clearly not the man I love, yet you deceived me, pretended to be him, and misled me into forming false memories. But then you didn’t trust me and subjected me to all kinds of humiliation and torment?"

Julian Fletcher froze, staring at me in astonishment. He then stood up, flustered. "Cece... You, you remember?"

I watched as red spots started to appear on his face after he ate the mango.

’Since Victor Quinn said I shouldn’t have amnesia, I can’t be bothered to pretend anymore.’

"If you don’t love me, why lie to me? If you don’t love me, why trap me here? Why not tell me the truth..."

’Why did you make me treat Asher like that?’

’Treat him like a total stranger.’

’I hate this so much!’

Julian Fletcher tried to explain in a panic. "Cece, it’s not like that... I admit I was being selfish for a moment. I... I didn’t want you to remember him. I wanted you to have eyes only for me..."

"You succeeded, so why were you still so full of suspicion? Why did you keep hurting me?" I asked him.

’He’d already achieved his goal, so why did he still need to hurt me?’

Julian Fletcher clenched his hands tightly. "I’m sorry... I was just suspicious, afraid you were pretending, because in the past, you..."

Julian Fletcher trailed off, not explaining further.

"Heh..." I sneered, looking at the pills on the table. "I remember starting from when I was eighteen, you and Mrs. Fletcher were always making me take medicine. It was from Victor Quinn, wasn’t it?"

Julian Fletcher gave me a complicated look. "Cece... you’re sick."

I laughed and asked him, "What sickness do I have?"

"You..." He seemed to find the words ’emotional disorder’ too difficult to say. "Cece... it’s time for your medicine."

He picked up the medicine on the table and told me to take it.

"And if I don’t?" I looked at him with disgust.

I still remembered it. The year I turned eighteen, I woke up one day having forgotten Asher. After that, I was constantly taking this medicine. It seemed to suppress my emotions, making me numb, like a wild beast trapped in a cage, its fangs forcibly pulled out.

"Cece... you will take it. I won’t let you remember him. You’ll be like any ordinary girl, staying by my side. I’ll protect you, we’ll get married, we’ll have our own children... I will have a beautiful future." He knelt by the bed, pleading softly. "Cece, you’re in pain too, aren’t you?"

He held the pills to my lips. "Cece, be good."

"You’re disgusting," I cursed at him in revulsion.

"Cece... Sebastian Lancaster isn’t dead, but he’s badly injured. My men found him before the Lancaster family did..." Julian Fletcher’s gaze darkened, and his voice turned icy.

He was threatening me again.

The same old threats.

My voice trembled. "Do you think I’ll believe you?"

’Asher... isn’t dead.’

"Look." He took out his phone and showed me a picture of Asher, covered in blood and on the verge of death. "He has a strong will to live."

Julian Fletcher continued to threaten me.

"I’ll take it." I took the pills from his hand, put them in my mouth, and swallowed.

Julian Fletcher didn’t trust me. He pinched my cheeks, checked my mouth, and only let go after confirming I had really swallowed.

"Cece... get a good night’s sleep. When you wake up, everything will be better." He was convinced that after taking these pills and sleeping, I would forget everything.

"Young Master... Young Master! Miss Whittaker is crying and threatening to kill herself!"

Outside the door, the housekeeper came running in a panic.

I stared at Julian Fletcher, saying nothing.

Julian Fletcher glanced at me, conflicted as always, but still chose to go see Erin Whittaker.

’A dog will always return to its vomit. He keeps saying he was wrong, that he loves me, but the moment his ’white moonlight’ calls, he can’t let her go.’

"BLECH." I ran to the bathroom and tried to make myself vomit, wanting to throw up the pills.

But it was too late this time. I couldn’t bring anything up.

The last few times, Julian Fletcher hadn’t been so vigilant. I’d only pretended to take the pills, hiding them under my tongue. This time... with him watching, I had no choice but to swallow.

The medicine must have contained a sleeping agent. I felt drowsy, collapsed onto the bed, and fell asleep.

I didn’t know what I would forget when I woke up.

I didn’t know if I would still remember Asher when I woke up tomorrow.

’Asher isn’t dead. He’s in Julian Fletcher’s hands.’

’He’s badly injured.’

’I can’t forget.’

’I have to find a way to tell Madeline Quinn and Zeke Shaw that Asher is in Julian Fletcher’s hands.’

...

"Cece?"

In a daze, I heard a hoarse voice calling my name.

The window must have been open; a cool breeze was blowing in.

He gently kissed my forehead. "Cece, I’m taking you home."

"Cece, let’s go home, okay?"

"Don’t forget me again... It’s too painful."

I struggled to open my eyes, gripping his hand tightly.

He seemed pleasantly surprised. "Cece... you still remember me, don’t you?"

"Asher..." I called his name hoarsely.

He pulled me into a fierce, emotional embrace, his voice choked. "Wife, let’s go home."

The door was suddenly thrown open, and the room’s light became blinding.

My heart leaped in panic as I tried to force my eyes open.

"Sebastian Lancaster. I’ve been waiting for you." It was Julian Fletcher’s voice.

’So Sebastian Lancaster was never in his hands. He was using me to lure him out.’

"I made a deal with Master Lancaster. I hand you over to him, and whether you live or die has nothing to do with me," Julian Fletcher said in a low voice.

(Later, I’ll post a Chapter about Asher from a third-person omniscient POV, mwah!)