Izabe remembered the candy apples she had when she was seven or eight, while Casey remembered Cry Baby resting on his back, munching on the candy apple and saying,


    "They said on TV that when someone saves your life, you should promise to marry them. If I can''t find a husband, will you marry me?"


    He found it amusing. What kind of shows was this kid watching all the time?Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "You can''t even find your way home. Do you understand what it means to get married?"


    Izabe''s tiny hand gently circled his neck as she softly said, "You''re the first person to ever buy me candy. No one else has been so kind to me. They say on TV that you should marry someone who treats you well."


    "I''ll think about it."


    "Then it''s settled. When I grow up, I''ll find you and marry you!"


    He carried Izabe on his back that summer. It wasn''t too hot. The wind wasforting, a memory tost a lifetime.


    He didn''t verbally agree, but he had already epted it in his heart. He wanted to wait till Cry Baby grew up. If she still remembered him and didn''t despise him for being a servant''s son, he''d take care of her forever.


    But he forgot about her. Twice.


    How could he forget? She was the one who had been on his mind since they were children.


    During the sixteen years when he lost his memory, Izabe married Brett. She was abused, and finally died at the age of 27 on Christmas Day, burned alive.


    He knew how much Izabe feared pain and how easily she cried. A simple fall in a yground would make her cry silently for a long time. It took him a while to console her and stop her tears.


    The grown-up Izabe must have been in unbearable pain waiting for death in the fire, crying with no one to soothe her, her tears drying on her face in the heat.


    Her way of calling him was etched into his memory, regardless of how many times he lost his memory. Every time he saw her, he was attracted to her.


    Casey''s heart ached. He had vowed to protect her, but he forgot her and let her get hurt time and time again.


    Seeing her taken away by Brett, watching the tortures she went through, watching her copse and cough up blood, Casey buried his face in his hands, hiding his tears from everyone.


    He should have remembered


    sooner, from the time he went to the


    orphanage to verify who Ryker was, from the time he had a series of dreams after his car ident, from the moment he first saw Izabe.


    But he didn''t. Ironically, he became jealous of himself, seeing himself as a substitute and even pulled out one of his own canine teeth.


    Izabe said she couldn''t forget "Ryker". Ryker was him; the one Izabe had always remembered and loved was him.


    Casey suddenlyughed, both crying andughing, removing his cap to cover his face. His chin still wet with tears if one got closer.


    He was eager to see Izabe, to tell her that he was Ryker, the one who carried her home and gave her candy apples when they were kids, the one she wanted to marry when they were young.


    Lucas sat in the front row, feeling an


    inexplicable chill from behind. He didn''t dare to turn around, but he couldn''t stop wondering why Casey was Ryker? Why he wasn''t dead or mentally disabled? Why he had be a famous actor with an untraceable background2


    A series of questions flooded his mind, making him feel dizzy. Lucas pressed his lips together, wishing Izabe was alive.


    Several hours passed, enough for Casey to reflect on many things. He began to sort out his memories, checking if he had lost any.


    He was shot in the chest and fell unconscious, unaware of how he ended up with the Dempsey family.


    Looking at how the Dempsey family


    treated him, he figured he was their son. What exactly happened with them seemed useless to look into but he wondered why they hypnotized him to forget Izabe, and why they imnted false memories, causing him to


    misunderstand her. Contént


    And Izabe, would she be happy to know that he was Ryker? But what if.


    Casey nced at Lucas, what if she found out that he was the one who hurt her brother? Would she hate him? Resent him? Avoid seeing him? People always thought of the worst possible oues. Casey started to feel anxious. He couldn''t eat the meal prepared on the ne, timing the hours.


    He took out his phone, scrolling through his old conversations with Izabe, reading each message to pass the time.


    Because he wanted to surprise Izabe, Casey didn''t tell her about his flight.


    So Izabe thought he was still filming and sent him messages reminding him to rest and do well.


    His phone was in airne mode, so he couldn''t reply.


    He and Izabe texted each other every day, but he finished reading their chat history too quickly.