Chapter 184 - 183: Asher Admits to Playing Dumb

Chapter 184: Chapter 183: Asher Admits to Playing Dumb

"She’s not going with you..."

At the door, Asher stood in a hospital gown, his voice low and raspy.

His chest rose and fell, his gaze burning into me as if begging me not to leave with Julian Fletcher.

Julian Fletcher looked at Asher with a warning. "Sebastian Lancaster, let’s see how long you can keep up this act!"

I pushed Julian Fletcher away and steadied myself. My voice was low and firm. "President Fletcher, my life and death have nothing to do with you. They didn’t before, and they don’t now. I’m not Cecilia Caldwell, and you don’t need to project your guilt onto me. I hope we have no further involvement with each other from now on."

My stance was so clear that Julian Fletcher looked as if he’d been grievously wounded.

He looked at me with a complicated expression and gave a bitter smile. "This is what it feels like to not be trusted, isn’t it? Cece, you’re getting back at me, aren’t you?"

Making him experience everything Cecilia Caldwell had once endured.

"You’re overthinking it." I frowned, finding Julian Fletcher a bit annoying.

I guess people are always guided by first impressions. In the past, no matter what I did, Julian Fletcher refused to trust me. Now, no matter what he says, my first instinct is not to believe him.

"Cece..." Julian Fletcher was getting anxious. "What will it take for you to see his true nature? He’s a monster! He’s been faking it this whole time. What do I have to say to make you believe me?"

Julian Fletcher looked at me as if he wanted to rip his heart out and show it to me. "Do you really think he’s been wandering the streets all these years? Why is Owen Foster helping him? Why is the Lancaster Family where it is today? If he were really a fool, a vagrant, the Lancaster Family wouldn’t have come this far! Dylan Lancaster, Master Lancaster—he killed them all..."

Julian Fletcher pointed at Asher, desperately trying to make me believe him.

Asher’s current state was all just a disguise.

I looked at Asher. He seemed a little flustered and lowered his head.

"Julian Fletcher, I told you, mind your own business." I warned him to stop targeting Asher.

"You trust him that much? Then have you ever thought about why you forgot him so completely? Haven’t you ever wondered? Never questioned why you were running away, why you fell in love with me... if you really loved him so much?"

Julian Fletcher’s voice was hoarse as he gripped my shoulders, trying to make me believe him. "Cece... you can’t just assume I’m lying to you because I hurt you in the past. I was just conflicted about my own feelings back then. I never meant to hurt you or use you. From beginning to end... I was just running away. I was afraid you only loved me because of your amnesia. I was afraid you’d remember everything one day..."

He believed his past avoidance was a sign of respect for me.

"Cece, I would never harm you," he explained desperately.

I stood rooted to the spot, watching Julian Fletcher.

I didn’t trust him, but I knew him to some extent. 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

He probably wasn’t lying. But not lying didn’t mean he was telling the truth.

It was like one plus one equals two, but he was convinced it equaled three. He wasn’t lying; his answer was just wrong.

I glanced over at Asher. He was looking at me, frantic and helpless. In his haste to get here, he had come barefoot, and he looked like a broken doll that had been thrown away.

He was so afraid I would abandon him.

Julian Fletcher had a point. Why did I forget him, and so completely?

’Forgetting was the same as abandoning.’

’Why did my past self abandon Asher?’

Asher’s eyes were red as he shook his head at me.

He wouldn’t threaten me like Julian Fletcher. If it was my decision, he wouldn’t object, but he would be heartbroken. He would shatter all by himself.

"If I decide to leave, will you stop me?" I asked Asher, my voice hoarse.

Asher looked down, clenching his fists tightly. After a long moment, he shook his head.

He wouldn’t.

He would respect all of my choices.

’How could someone like him imprison me, like Julian Fletcher claimed?’

’I don’t believe it...’

"Will you really not stop me, no matter what I want to do?" I asked in a low voice.

Asher looked at me and shook his head again. "Just... don’t die."

He wouldn’t stop me from doing anything, except trying to die.

"Will you be sad if I leave?" I asked.

He didn’t say a word, but he looked like he was about to fall apart.

"If you’ll be sad too, then ask me to stay," I said, choking back a sob as I held out my arms to Asher.

’Why is he always so insecure?’

’All he has to do is ask, and I’ll stay.’

Asher looked at me without saying a word. He just pulled me into his arms, held me tight, and then fixed an icy gaze on Julian Fletcher.

Julian Fletcher’s expression was just as ugly. "Sebastian Lancaster, let’s see how long you can keep up this act."

’Right now, Julian Fletcher could probably understand why Cecilia Caldwell had hated Erin Whittaker so much back then.’

’Because no matter what Cecilia did, Julian always chose to believe Erin first.’

’Now that the roles were reversed, he was the one who couldn’t take it?’

"Back then... didn’t Cece beg you too? Beg you to believe her?" Asher spoke, his words a clear warning to Julian Fletcher. "But you chose to believe Erin Whittaker and backed her into a corner, didn’t you?"

Asher pressed my head against his chest, possessive and domineering, not letting me look at Julian Fletcher.

His voice was raspy and low, thick with a suppressive aura. "You’re right... I’m not a fool. My past act was to survive in the cracks. If I hadn’t pretended to be an imbecile, I might not have lived to see twenty. This is my life, and it’s not for someone like you to judge..."

Julian Fletcher frowned, clearly intimidated by Sebastian Lancaster’s aura.

Zeke Shaw, Lucas Grant, and Madeline Quinn all stared at Asher in astonishment.

’So he really was faking it?’

"From now on, I will protect her in my own way. She is mine, and I won’t give her up again." Asher’s arms around me tightened as he staked his claim.

"Hah... you think you can?" Julian Fletcher sneered. "If Master Lancaster were that easy to deal with, you wouldn’t have spent so many years playing the fool. Think your wings have grown strong now? That child was just another part of your scheme against Master Lancaster. From the very beginning, you never intended for the child of ’Silvia Lynch’ to survive. This was all part of your plan."

Julian Fletcher took out his phone. "The Lancaster Family is fighting over the inheritance, and Shane Lancaster caused the death of your child. Now, public opinion has suddenly swung completely in your favor. You expect anyone to believe this wasn’t your scheme? Those reporters were arranged by you from the start! It was all to stop Master Lancaster from making a move against you in the public eye!"

Asher didn’t say anything. He offered no further explanation.

I looked up at Asher, my gaze flickering.

’So he really isn’t a fool...’

’Then... is what Julian Fletcher said true?’

’Was everything part of his calculations? Including me and this child?’

’He started scheming a long time ago to take everything from the Lancaster Family, right?’

My gaze felt scorching hot. I instinctively took a step back.

I felt lost. Death had left me feeling lost, rebirth had left me feeling lost, and now, even knowing who to trust left me feeling lost.

Because I’d lost so many of my memories, I couldn’t even trust myself.

"So he’s really not a fool! That’s so cool!" Madeline Quinn’s train of thought was different from everyone else’s; she actually seemed excited. "Does this mean you can protect Cece now...?"

But seeing the tense atmosphere between Asher and me, Madeline Quinn’s voice lost its confidence as she trailed off.

Zeke Shaw tugged on Madeline Quinn’s arm, signaling for her to talk less.

Seeing that I was growing suspicious of Asher, Julian Fletcher seemed to let out a sigh of relief. "I told you, I will never lie to you. I can let you act recklessly as long as I can guarantee your safety. When you realize something is wrong... just come back. I’ll always be waiting for you."

Julian Fletcher walked over to me and spoke again. "Your parents’ journals. Find some time to finish reading them."

Hearing the word "journals," Asher suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with terror, as if he were afraid of something.

"Cece..." he looked at me nervously. "Don’t read them. Don’t believe them."

Julian Fletcher stared at Sebastian Lancaster with cold eyes. "What’s wrong? Are you scared?"