Over the years, my mother received countless messages like that, so she wasn''t expecting much this time.


    But when she rushed over, she found that the man really was my father.


    She was stunned-overjoyed, even. There wasn''t time to question why he was alive, yet for three whole years, he''d never once tried to contact her.


    Neville seemed to catch on, his brow arching in realization.


    "Don''t tell me... he lost his memory?"


    Ste nodded, her smile tinged with helplessness.


    "As melodramatic as it sounds, that''s exactly what happened. He really had amnesia—ended up marrying the woman who''d saved his life, a fisherwoman he met by the sea.


    When he finally learned he had a wife and child waiting for him, he couldn''t ept it. To him, my mother and I wereplete strangers. But the fisherwoman-she was his anchor during those nk years, the one person who never left his side. To him, she was salvation."


    Neville said thoughtfully, "So, he was ready to give up the entire Williams Group- his family''s vast business empire-just to stay with the woman who''d rescued him?"


    Ste replied, "That''s right. He remembered nothing about my mother, or any of us. He felt no connection to the family at all.


    It was only after my grandfather put his foot down-and threatened the fisherwoman-that my father was finally forced toe home."


    Another thought struck Neville. "When your father disappeared at sea, I imagine the Williams family must haveunched a massive search?"


    “Exactly.” Ste nced at Neville, impressed by his perceptiveness.


    She went on, "But what enraged my mother most was that the fisherwoman knew who my father really was, but instead of contacting our family, she hid him away for herself."


    Neville nodded knowingly. "I''ve met Mr. Williams a few times. Even at his age, he''s still charming and distinguished. He must have been quite the heartthrob when he was young."


    Ste sighed. “The fisherwoman fell for him—despite knowing he already had a wife and child. She made up a whole story about his past and lied to him.


    She had saved his life, and for three years, they lived as husband and wife. Even after he discovered her deception, he couldn''t bring himself to me her."


    "After he returned to the Williams family, the fisherwoman followed not long after.”


    At this point, a bitter, almost mocking glint flickered in Ste''s eyes.


    "Maybe it''s true what they say—a single day as husband and wife creates a lifetime of debt. My father felt so guilty towards her that he arranged for her to be taken care of."


    "My father only lost those three years of memory because he was trying to save my mother, so out of gratitude, she tolerated the arrangement with the fisherwoman."


    "But the woman wasn''t content. She kept trying toe between my parents. With my father''s memory still gone, she almost seeded."


    "It was only a short time after my parents signed the divorce papers that my father''s memory finally returned."


    "He tore up the papers and refused to let the divorce go through. In the end, my mother remembered all the trouble he''d gotten into rescuing her, and she forgave him."


    "My father promised to send the fisherwoman away."


    "But a yearter, the woman returned this time holding a little girl. She gave my mother two choices: either take the child in and raise her as their own, or get a divorce and let her raise the girl herself."


    "No matter how patient my mother was, she couldn''t stand the idea of facing an illegitimate child every day. She decided on divorce, but my father wouldn''t agree."