Chapter 616


    Chapter 616


    Joshua had paid the price by saving her. Compared to settling old scores, Cynthia felt as if she still


    owed him. As Joshua felt her warm hand, his sobbing gradually subsided, yet his desire to possess


    Cynthia intensified.


    “However…” He raised his head from her embrace, looking at her with a self–ming expression


    “what is it?”


    “There’s another thing I lied to you about. This one’s about me,” Joshua admitted, his gaze falling


    He had thought it through. Rather than having Yoel and Matthew expose him, he figured it was better to


    tell another lie half- truthfully. That way, even if Cynthiater found out the truth from Matthew or Yoel,


    her reaction wouldn’t be too severe.


    Cynthia calmly epted this. “Go ahead.”


    “Once I reveal this, you’ll definitely be angry, and you might even ignore me. Can you promise me, no


    matter what i revealter, you won’t abandon me?” Joshua gauged his tone perfectly, and his acting


    was top–notch


    “Alright,” Cynthia agreed. Just like any other child, Joshua needed care and guidance. As long as he


    could acknowledge and correct his mistakes, that was a good thing.


    Joshua was somewhat uncertain. This matter was somewhat risky, after all. Matthew had said that


    Cynthia disliked being lied to. He was not sure that after revealing this, Cynthia would be angry with


    him or give him the silent treatment. He would be forced to choose a more extreme course of action if


    she ignored him.


    “Why aren’t you speaking?” Cynthia asked.


    “I’m afraid you’ll be angry and I’m scared you’ll abandon me, you won’t want me anymore.” Joshua


    acted out his internal struggle with believable skill


    “I always follow through on my promises. Since I promised I wouldn’t abandon you, I won’t.” Cynthia


    looked at him seriously


    without a hint of me.


    Joshua pretended to struggle. After a moment, he pressed his lips together, and after a careful pause,


    he slowly said, “I’m not really five years old.”


    The moment the words left his mouth, surprise flickered in Cynthia’s eyes. However, it dissipated


    almost as quickly as it appeared. It seemed her previous conjecture was right: Joshua’s mental age


    had indeed progressed.


    “Do you know by how much?” Cynthia probed further.


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    Seventeen. When I visited Sean’s medical base yesterday, he assessed me. He said my mental age is


    around seventeen,” Joshua blurted out, crafting a fib on the fly.


    “Really?” There was a slight rise in Cynthia’s voice, her surprise more pronounced.


    Joshua did not find any signs of disgust or distaste in Cynthia’s gaze. He hesitated before he asked,


    “Cynthia, aren’t you angry? 1 had recovered yet still deceived you.”


    “No, I am not angry.” A sense of relief washed over Cynthia. Although she had always trusted Sean’s


    decisions and judgments, looking at Joshua at the mental age of only five hadplicated her feelings.


    She had wondered whether Joshua could ever recover while being around her. Fortunately, he had


    recovered, at least partially.


    “What about your memory? How much of your memory has returned?” Cynthia asked, targeting the


    crux of the matter.


    Joshua hesitated for a moment before speaking the truth, “None.”


    “Not at all?”


    “Mmhmm.”


    “Did you learn about your mental growth at Sean’s, or did you low before you visited him?” Cynthia


    questioned again, alming to identify the key to Joshua’s recovery to aid him inplete restoration.