In that instant, their eyes met. Neither spoke, simply gazing at one another in a silence that felt strangely heavy.


    After a half-minute, the corners of Celine''s eyes lifted into a slight curve, a smile spreading across her stiff features as her sweet voice broke the silence. “Juniper,e here to me."


    Juniper''s heart clenched, and her eyes reddened against her will. Celine


    remembered everything!


    “Okay.” Juniper''s legs felt like lead as she moved to Celine''s bedside.


    "It''s been a long time, Juniper." Celine reached out and gently pulled her younger sister into an embrace, tears streaming down her face. “I''m so sorry, Juniper. I failed to protect you."


    Juniper let herself be held, a lump in her throat making it impossible to speak. Her hands clutched at the hem of Celine''s clothes, her fingers trembling uncontrobly.


    "Have you been well all these years?" Celine asked.


    "Very well," Juniper managed, licking her dry lips to find her voice. "The others want to see you too."


    Hearing their conversation, Jimmie led the rest of the group forward. Another round of emotional greetings followed. Celine reminisced about their childhood, recalling numerous amusing stories in vivid detail.


    "Celine, besides us, do you remember anyone or anything else?" Ebony Fox asked.


    "Anyone else?" Celine looked at everyone present, her smile widening as she shook her head. "Is there anyone else?"


    Everyone fell silent.


    "I''m a little tired," Celine said after a while, letting out a yawn. "I think I''ll sleep a bit more."


    "Celine, don''t you remember..." Melvin couldn''t help but speak up, seeing that she remembered everyone but had failed to mention Warren.


    "What is it?" Celine blinked, a sweet smile on her face. “Melvin, what were you going to say?"


    "Nothing," Juniper interjected, tucking the nket around Celine. "Get some sleep," she soothed.


    "Okay,” Celine said, stroking her sister''s face. “Good girl, Juniper.”


    In the living room, four pairs of eyes-Jimmie''s, Harold''s, Melvin''s, and Ebony Fox''s -were fixed on Juniper.


    "So, this is the side effect?" Melvin tilted his head, his brow furrowed. "She asked about everyone but didn''t mention Warren once."


    Everyone knew that Warren had spent far more time with Celine than any of them. Their bond couldn''t have been shallow. To think she could just... forget him.


    Juniper leaned back in her chair,


    legs crossed, staring nkly at the ceiling. How could Celine not


    remember? She had been so careful


    during the procedure; ac careful


    memory wipe shouldn''t have happened. What went wrong?


    "Maybe her memory wille back slowly," Ebony Fox suggested with a frown. "By


    the way, where is Warren?"


    Juniper looked around as well but didn''t see him.


    "He was still at the door when his


    wife woke up, but now..." The institute''s director scratched his head, muttering under his breath "The wife he painstakingly cared for remembers everyone but him. Warren''s probably off licking his


    ''wounds'' in some corner


    Just then, Felton entered and


    announced respectfully, "Ms. Payne,


    Warren asked me to pass on a


    message. Something came up on


    Liberty Ind, so he had to go back."


    “Go back?” Juniper''s expression instantly turned icy with displeasure. He decided to


    run off to that godforsaken ind instead of making his presence known?


    Fine. When hees groveling to win Celine back, he''d better note crying to her for help.