Z stayed quiet, watching as she closed her eyes, clearly making an effort not to sneak a peek at him. He swallowed hard, twice.


    ra, worried that her words might have upset him, quickly added, "He rear- ended my car, and you know he''s loaded, right? He just handed me a check like it was nothing. Might as well take it; that''s how the rich roll, carefree. So, what do you want? Pick something!"


    After a few moments, Z took the phone from her and, without any hesitation, picked out a matching set of luxury watches, totaling a cool hundred grand.


    He gave the phone back to ra, who paid for them without missing a beat. She liked how direct Z was when asked to choose, he chose, and when he missed her, he showed up. Compared to Dn, who could barely string a sentence together, Z was refreshingly straightforward.


    She turned off the phone, tossed it aside, and settled back onto hisp. Being with him meant she didn''t have to pretend or put on a front.


    His fingers gently massaged her temples. ra heard him ask, "Are you nning to take care of me?"


    She smiled, "Sure, I''ll work hard to make that happen."


    "I don''t need much, just as long as you don''t leave me," he said softly, his fingers tenderly brushing her cheek.


    ra wasn''t sure why he felt insecure, but she quickly reassured him, "I won''t. Even if I get my memory back someday, I''ll still be here with you."


    With that, she sat up, kissed his cheek, andy back down, drifting into sleep. She was worn out from barely resting over the past few days. Tomorrow was going to be tough—securing more business for the Bradford family was no small feat. Now that she was in charge, many were waiting for her to slip up, and she knew they wouldn''t be kind in negotiations.


    In her dreams, she was a little girl in a boxing ring, practicing her stance and punches.


    A gentle voice nearby said, "ra, why not take a break?"


    "Brother, I''m not tired."


    "Okay, but I am. Will you rest with me?"


    Though she couldn''t see his face, his warmth was palpable.


    A hand gently wiped sweat from her forehead, and she smiled back at him.


    "Brother, can I join you on missions? I''m strong and won''t let anyone hurt you." The misty figureughed, and they were both so young as he lifted her into his


    arms.


    "Alright, remember your promise to protect me."


    "Of course! You''re the most important person in the world to me!"


    She vowed passionately, wanting to give him all her admiration.


    But the dream shifted to chaos-bodies everywhere, cries of despair.


    She couldn''t see but felt the deep sadness.


    In the dim living room, Z''s fingers brushed her cheek tenderly. But then he heard her murmur a word.


    "Brother..."


    He froze, as if he''d been struck still.


    His blood ran cold as he gentlyid her on the sofa, staring at her face, wanting to memorize every detail.


    Then he grabbed a nket, covered her, and stepped out.


    He called someone, "She''s starting to remember. I need that drug to stop it."


    The voice on the other end was calm, "Z, think this through. Come back first; there''s still a chance to fix this."


    "What chance?! If she remembers, I lose everything. You don''t get it. I need that drug, you said it''s ready!"


    His voice was desperate, and he punched a nearby tree in frustration. The tree shook, dropping a few leaves.


    The voice paused, "Yes, but there are side effects."


    Z went silent, his voice turning hoarse, "Then what do I do?"