Chapter 208 - 207: Erin Whittaker Says She is the Real Cecilia Caldwell

Chapter 208: Chapter 207: Erin Whittaker Says She is the Real Cecilia Caldwell

"Cece, this one’s good. It makes a lot of foam." Asher squeezed some body wash onto a loofah and lathered it up.

I was soaking in the tub, one leg draped over the side, my face flushed bright red. "Can you please get out? My hands aren’t injured."

He pretended not to hear me and started applying the soapy foam to my legs.

I lifted a hand to cover my face. ’It feels like he’s just meticulously cleaning a beloved toy.’ "Sebastian Lancaster, get out."

Asher continued to play deaf, lathering my entire body...

"Sebastian Lancaster!" I threatened, the tips of my ears burning.

He didn’t say anything, just leaned against my shoulder and used the showerhead to rinse my back.

"Cece... don’t listen to them. You’re not dumb. You’re fine just the way you are now, you’re perfect..." Asher murmured, as if comforting me. "They don’t understand. It’s them who don’t understand."

"Was the old me... not good?" I asked him softly.

Asher’s body stiffened for a moment before he shook his head. "It’s not that she wasn’t good..."

"Then what was it?" I looked at him.

He sat up straight, looking down to avoid my gaze. "You weren’t happy. I didn’t know how to make you happy."

The Cecilia Caldwell of the past had no emotions or desires. Her entire understanding of feelings was something she had figured out and imitated on her own.

If she thought a normal person should laugh in a certain situation, she would laugh. If she thought a normal person would cry, she would cry.

In short, she saw herself as a monster—a monster that didn’t fit in with society.

She didn’t even know pain, sorrow, or joy.

"But I’m not happy now, either..." ’I feel like such an idiot, not even knowing my own memories.’

"Cece... forgetting is for the best." Asher looked at me earnestly. "You chose to forget. This was your own choice."

I fell silent, an unbearable sense of discomfort washing over me.

’If I went back to being my old self, would Asher still like me?’

"Oh, right..." Something suddenly occurred to me. "Victor Quinn and Mrs. Fletcher..."

I was just about to say that Victor Quinn and Mrs. Fletcher wanted to have Erin Whittaker impersonate me, and I wondered if they’d succeeded yet.

"Sir, Erin Whittaker is here. She says she needs to see you." Before I could finish my sentence, Assistant Foster came knocking at the door to announce Erin’s arrival.

I froze, my heart tightening in my chest.

Erin Whittaker...

’Is she here for Asher? Deliberately impersonating me...’

’Julian Fletcher isn’t awake yet, so she’s come for Asher first, right?’

"I’m not seeing her," Asher said, his brow furrowed.

"Her behavior is very strange today. She told me to give this to you and said you’d see her once you saw it," Owen Foster spoke again.

Asher’s expression darkened. He looked at me reassuringly. "Cece, wait for me."

I nodded but still felt uneasy.

I quickly rinsed myself off with the showerhead, got out of the tub, wrapped a towel around myself, and walked to the door.

’I want to see what Erin gave Asher.’

Erin had given Asher a piece of paper with the symbol ’π’ written on it.

I frowned, not understanding what it meant.

But Asher’s fingers clearly stiffened, and he subconsciously glanced back at me.

In his eyes, I actually saw... hesitation, and suspicion...

’What is he suspicious about?’

My eyelid twitched violently. Asher didn’t say a word and headed downstairs.

Panic started to set in. I quickly changed and limped after him.

Outside the door, Erin Whittaker truly seemed like a different person. She stood there, exuding a cold aura, her eyes deep and profound—a complete departure from her former self.

Even I was startled by her gaze, and I nervously clenched my fists.

’Her... acting is pretty good.’

’It’s making me lose my confidence.’

Erin shot me a cold glance, her voice low. "You actually believe *she* could be Cecilia Caldwell."

Asher frowned. Erin’s current demeanor was very similar to the Cecilia Caldwell from before the amnesia.

"Victor Quinn created a ’Cecilia Caldwell,’ knowing you’d take the bait." Erin glanced at the time. "Sebastian Lancaster, I don’t have much time."

Asher watched Erin warily, his voice deep. "Your act isn’t very convincing."

"I never said who I was," Erin sneered, looking at Asher. "Or are you afraid of something? Afraid that I’m the real Cecilia Caldwell, and that you know everything you’ve told *her* is a lie?"

Asher clenched his fists tightly.

"Sebastian Lancaster, neither of us is the type to be tied down by emotions. We have no feelings or desires; our souls are like those of demons. We’ve been monsters since birth. The so-called feelings and love of the past were just us pretending, imitating the lives of normal people. You didn’t... actually take it seriously, did you?" Erin said in a low voice, stepping in front of Asher.

"To be honest, I hate this body. But I hate it even more when other people... imitate me." Her sharp gaze fell on me.

My heart skipped a beat. ’Could Erin’s acting really be this good?’

’She’s like a completely different person.’

"Don’t forget our plan," Erin reminded Asher.

"I forgot. Why don’t you tell me what it is?" Asher looked at Erin languidly, raising an arm to shield me behind him, preventing me from even meeting her gaze.

Hiding behind Asher, I felt an inexplicable panic.

"Heh..." Erin laughed. "Project Zero."

She only said two words: "Project Zero."

I clearly felt Asher’s body go rigid.

’This secret... it must be something only he and Cecilia knew.’

I stared at Erin in shock.

’How could she know a secret that was only between Asher and Cecilia...?’

Off to the side, Felix Foster, who had been leaning against the door, picked up a rock from the ground and threw it at Erin.

Erin spotted it alertly but didn’t manage to dodge it completely.

Felix Foster smiled. "If it were her, she would have caught that rock in her hand."

"Idiot..." Erin mocked Felix. "The body that was gene-enhanced was Cecilia’s. Do you think this current body of mine is anything special?"

Felix frowned and said nothing.

"Recite pi," Asher said calmly, looking into Erin’s eyes.

’Physical abilities might change, but if it’s a soul rebirth, she wouldn’t forget that.’

My jaw dropped in astonishment. ’That thing... if Asher asked me to recite it, I definitely couldn’t do it.’

"3.14159265358979323..." Erin’s expression was impassive as she rattled off the numbers with ease. After a moment, she said indifferently, "Is that enough? Or do you want me to keep going until tomorrow morning?"

’It seems she really has memorized it.’

’If this is an act, she must have put in a lot of work.’

"Your turn." Asher turned back to look at me.

I opened my mouth and pointed at myself.

’Is he kidding?’

’Me? Recite it?’

’I only know 3.14...’

Faced with Asher’s questioning gaze, I suddenly panicked. I was even starting to doubt myself.

’Am I really not me? This is getting ridiculous.’

"Asher... don’t believe her. I heard Victor Quinn and Mrs. Fletcher talking. They must have a way to make Erin seem convincing. I..." I explained anxiously.

"Then how can you prove you’re Cecilia Caldwell?" Asher asked me again.

My mouth fell open. I had no way to prove I was Cecilia Caldwell. I knew nothing about my memories of Asher or my past. I really did feel like an idiot.

"If you’re going to doubt me... then just assume I’m not her," I said in a low voice, turning to leave, dejected.

’I have to admit, Victor Quinn is pretty damn good to have made Erin’s impersonation so convincing.’

"The fact that I can mention ’Project Zero’ and the secret of soul rebirth should be enough to make you believe me. In the time I’ve been gone, it seems her stupidity has rubbed off on you," Erin said darkly, then added, "See you tomorrow at ten in the morning. The usual place."

With that, Erin left.

Felix Foster watched Erin go, then turned back to look at me. "That one’s more like her."

Clearly, he also thought that Erin’s current demeanor was more like the Cecilia Caldwell of the past.