Chapter 112

When she awoke again, it was already dusk. A ring of glowing orange-gold encircled the horizon, and the setting sun quietly draped the earth in splendid robes.

The girl on the bed opened a pair of violet eyes. After looking around the lavish bedroom, she rose.

This time, she was very calm. She did not go mad.

She quietly entered the bathroom and tidied herself up.

When she looked into the mirror and saw the emaciated face staring back at her, so thin that its features were nearly impossible to make out, the girl frowned.

Perhaps she should not force herself to remember what had happened in the past. Since she had forgotten, it was probably unimportant—or perhaps it had been something unpleasant. Either way, she ought to let it remain forgotten. Every time she forced her mind to recall anything, the result was unbearable pain. If that was the case, then forgetting was perfectly fine.

The girl tugged at the corners of her mouth in a smile. Yet on cheeks so gaunt they seemed to have nothing left but skin, the expression looked frightening. She immediately hid the ghostly smile.

Perhaps she ought to put on some weight first. She would look better when she smiled then.

At last, she had cleaned herself up. Just then, her stomach began to rumble uncontrollably. The girl rubbed her hollow belly and left the bathroom.

“Excuse me, is there anything to eat? I’m very hungry.”

She opened the bedroom door and called out to a passing maid, making her request.

The maid stood there in stunned amazement, staring at the girl without a word. When the girl frowned and asked again, “Excuse me, could you bring me something to eat?” the maid finally came to her senses.

“Ah…? Oh, yes, of course, Miss! I’ll go at once. Please wait a moment!”

As she ran off, she could not restrain herself from shouting, “Miss has awakened! Miss Eva has awakened! Hurry and call Miss Avril and Doctor Bentley!”

The entire house was soon thrown into inexplicable turmoil. At a loss, the girl returned to her bedroom and calmly waited for her dinner.

She had only just sat down when hurried footsteps approached. The door was pushed open, and a handsome man appeared in the doorway. His face held a trace of delight, though he had deliberately tried to conceal it. Rather than entering immediately, he stepped aside, bowed slightly, and made an inviting gesture.

A young woman then walked in.

In an instant, the room seemed to brighten, simply because of her presence.

The girl stared fixedly with her violet eyes as the young woman entered and walked toward her.

She was beautiful—so pure and holy that using any adjective to describe her seemed almost sacrilegious. She was like an angel who had descended into the mortal world by chance, her entire being radiating a soft, warm light that made it impossible to look away.

The girl watched without blinking as the young woman came to her side. Then the young woman gently drew the frail girl into her arms, handling her as tenderly as though she were a priceless treasure that might shatter at the slightest pressure.

A soft, sweet voice sounded beside the girl’s ear.

“My dear Eva, you’re finally awake.”

“E… Eva?” Having slept for so long, the girl’s voice was hoarse. Confusion colored her words. “Are you talking to me?”

“Yes, my dear child.” The angelic young woman loosened her embrace slightly. With delicate hands, she cupped the girl’s thin face, her sea-blue eyes glistening with sympathy as she gazed at her tenderly. “You are my younger sister, the second daughter of the Whitting family—Eva Whitting.”

The girl’s doubts did not disappear. “But we don’t look alike.”

It was a pointed question. The angelic young woman, however, did not seem to mind. She merely smiled.

“Hehe. That’s because you were adopted by Father.”

At those words, the girl’s eyes dimmed at once. A lonely expression crossed her face as she murmured, “So I really am an outsider.”

The young woman was about to speak, but the girl suddenly lifted her head and smiled.

“Then, my dear sister, what is your name?”

“My name is Avril. You can call me that directly.” Avril smiled gently, making herself seem very approachable.

“I think I’ll still call you Sister.”

“Actually, you ought to start learning to call me by my name.” Avril smiled mysteriously and blinked her sea-blue eyes.

“Why?” Eva asked, bewildered.

“Hehe, you don’t need to know that yet. You only need to know that we are family. Besides, you came to the Whitting household when you were very young. You used to be familiar with everything here, and you were never as formal with us as you are now!”

Eva’s eyes widened in disbelief. Could it be that she had once been a mischievous child?

But what had happened to her to make her this way?

“Then… Sister, what happened to me? Why can’t I remember anything from before?”

A flicker of sadness passed through Avril’s sea-blue eyes.

“Truthfully, Father and I are partly to blame. You loved traveling, so neither of us placed too many restrictions on you. But…” Avril paused, as though unwilling to recall that heart-wrenching scene. “Not long ago, you went to the Middle East without telling Father or me. Unfortunately, you encountered fighting there and were struck in the head by a stray bullet. You frightened us terribly. Fortunately, you were only unconscious for a few months before waking up.”

Eva frowned. “Is that all? In other words, I’ve lost my memory?”

“Yes. But don’t worry. It won’t affect you too greatly. You’ll gradually remember the people you know, and I’ll help you. So please don’t force yourself, all right? It would worry me.”

Although Eva still had some questions, she did not ask them. She merely smiled to show that she understood.

Avril smiled in satisfaction. Then she pointed toward the man who had entered with her.

“This is Doctor Bentley, your personal physician. If you feel unwell, you can always go to him.”

Eva looked at him. He was a refined and handsome man, though his beauty possessed a slightly delicate, almost feminine quality. At that moment, he smiled at her in a friendly manner and extended his right hand.

“Hello, Miss Eva. I’m Will Bentley. You may call me Will.”

Eva likewise extended her hand. “Hello. You may call me Eva.”

At that, Bentley smiled and nodded, a glimmer of light passing through his eyes.

While they were speaking, several maids entered one after another, carrying trays of food. Each tray held a different dish, though all of them were light and bland.

Eva frowned at the sight of the food and turned to Avril, complaining sweetly, “Sister, I don’t want to eat these. They don’t taste good.”

Avril could not help laughing as Eva pouted in protest. She fondly stroked the girl’s black hair.

“Be good. You’ve only just woken up, and your body is still weak. You can’t eat anything too greasy, or you’ll feel uncomfortable.”

“I don’t want to! I don’t want to!”

Unwilling to give in, Eva seized Avril’s arm and shook it vigorously.

Seeing Eva act so openly spoiled, her eyes filled with trust, something inside Avril softened and grew warm.

Perhaps having a little sister to dote on would not be such a bad feeling after all.

Doctor Bentley also noticed the sudden change in Avril’s emotions. He could not help feeling elated.

Strangely enough, ever since he had first seen Eva after she awakened, an inexplicable sensation had welled up within his chest. Every time he saw her, his heart began to beat faster. His chest grew warm, and his gaze seemed unable to leave her.

When she suffered, he suffered as well. When she was happy, he was happy too. That was why he had urged Avril to treat her kindly. After all, she was already so pitiful, wasn’t she?

Even if everything was false, Eva should still be allowed to feel the care of others and experience happiness.

Thus, Avril lifted both hands and stroked Eva’s face helplessly.

“All right. Be obedient for the next few days, okay? I’m doing this for your own good. Once you’re feeling better, I’ll personally make you something delicious.”

“Sister?” Eva stared at her in astonishment and disbelief. Her eyes dropped to Avril’s hands, lingering on those slender, fair, smooth fingers. No matter how she looked at them, they did not resemble the hands of someone who would wash dishes and cook. They seemed far more suited to holding a paintbrush or playing piano keys.

Eva’s gaze returned to Avril’s face, suspicion written all over it. Even her eyebrows rose and fell in disbelief.

Avril found her expression amusing. Pretending to be angry, she straightened her face and lightly tapped Eva on the head.

“What kind of expression is that?”

It was clearly an expression that said, “I don’t believe you, Sister!”

Eva did not admit it, but her face plainly revealed her disbelief.

Avril was speechless. For the first time, she felt that beauty could also become a burden and an inconvenience.

“You little imp. How dare you doubt me? Hmph! Just wait a few days. I’ll show you what I can do and teach you not to underestimate me!”

“Hehe.” Eva playfully stuck out her tongue and smiled brightly as she admitted defeat. “I know, Sister.”

Avril smiled helplessly and fondly.

Seeing this, Doctor Bentley was happy not only because Avril was sincerely treating Eva well, but also because Eva’s smile filled his heart to bursting. He gazed at her with undisguised fascination.

“All right, eat up. Weren’t you hungry?”

“Sister, feed me.” Eva glanced at the tray in the maid’s hands, then turned back to Avril and pleaded sweetly. “I’ve only just woken up. I don’t have any strength.”

Afraid Avril might refuse, she put on a pitiful expression, as though begging for mercy.

Avril’s heart warmed at the sight. She reached for the bowl of nourishing porridge on the tray, lifted the spoon gracefully, blew on it, and brought it to Eva’s lips.

Eva took the entire spoon into her mouth in one bite, then gave Avril a satisfied smile.

“Sister is the best.”

At that moment, Eva was frail and delicate, her expression innocent and childlike. If no one told them otherwise, no one would have believed she was not a child. It seemed only a child could display such naïve and untainted purity.

Avril gazed at her, and warmth softened her eyes.