?Chapter 694:

    No one in the room could say for sure what was happening inside Cole’s mind. Ruben and Jarrett knew better than to rush or offer exnations without consulting Elliana first. The only thing they agreed on was that Cole seemed physically strong, which gave them some peace of mind.

    When Ruben and Jarrett’s mixed feelings showed, Cole shot them a puzzled look. “Grandpa, Dad, is something bothering you?”

    Jarrett hesitated, unsure if Cole still remembered Elliana, then gestured toward the unique diamond ring on Cole’s finger—a ring deeply connected to her.

    Curious, Cole nced down at his hand. The moment his eyesnded on the ring, his forehead creased. “When did I start wearing this kind of thing?”

    Without waiting for an answer, he slipped the ring off and tossed it into the trash. The priceless ring, loaded with meaning, was dismissed as if it meant nothing at all.

    An uneasy silence filled the room, leaving everyone speechless.

    Ruben and Jarrett stared at the ring in the trash can, searching for words but finding none. It was clear now—Cole had wiped every trace of Elliana from his mind.

    Nearby, the Fletcher siblings watched Cole with wide-eyed shock, unable to process what they were witnessing.

    Cole caught their reactions and frowned with annoyance. “Why are you all looking at me like that?”

    He spoke as if nothing unusual had happened, proving that he still recognized the Fletcher siblings.

    Everyone seemed lost for a moment, unsure how to respond. Strangely, Cole remembered everything and everyone except Elliana. Not long ago, Elliana had been the center of his world. Now, waking after that final injection, he seemed to have forgotten all about the love he once held so dearly. Somewhere along the way, something had gone terribly wrong.

    Cole suddenly straightened, urgency sharpening his voice. “Something just came back to me. There’s something important I need to handle right away.”

    Curiosity flickered in Jarrett’s eyes. “What is it?”

    Without hesitation, Cole answered, “When I was twelve, my mother passed away from illness. Before she died, she asked me to promise I would marry the Campbell family’s daughter.”

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    That memory—Sophie’sst words? Jarrett looked at Cole in surprise, unsure how to respond. It was clear Cole’s memory had gone off course. He believed his mother had died from illness when he was just twelve.

    As if sorting through a box of memories, Cole continued, “I can also remember something from when I was three. Mom got really sick then. Even then, she said her greatest hope was for me to marry the Campbell girl. I have to fulfill herst wish.”

    A hush settled over the room. No one dared interrupt. The truth was, when Cole was three, his mother hadn’t been critically ill. She’d suffered a psychotic episode that had put everyone in the family at risk. Yet now, any trace of that illness was wiped clean from Cole’s mind. He had invented a new purpose, convinced his mother’s dying wish was for him to marry into the Campbell family.

    The question lingered: if Cole went through with this marriage, what would be of Elliana?

    Suddenly, Ruben’s phone rang, jolting everyone from their thoughts. Seeing Elliana’s name on the screen, he quickly slipped out to answer.

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