Hidden Desires - Family Secrets-Chapter 217 Who are you? And who am I? Part1

I hurriedly flung open the door and dashed onto the balcony, only to see the living room, shrouded in darkness, now completely deserted.

Everything that had just happened seemed like a dream, but oh, how I wished it were just that.

I switched on the flashlight on my phone, the air still tinged with a faint scent of pheromones.

I directed the light towards the trash can beside the coffee table, where several crumpled, damp wipes still lay.

As I moved closer, the pheromone scent hit me full force, undeniable proof of what had transpired.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm myself.

I pulled out the ziplock bags and tweezers I had prepared earlier—journalistic habits for collecting and preserving evidence, though I had never anticipated actually using them tonight.

Carefully, I placed the wipes, stained with Betty and that man’s bodily fluids, into the ziplock bag.

Now, only one thing remained—I needed to confront Betty.

Why had she done it?

Who was that man?

She had said she was just seeing him out, implying she would return soon.

So, I decided to wait right there.

Had it not been for the need to gather evidence, I would have chased them down immediately, confronted them both then and there.

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Now, with the evidence secured, it was time to face the music and demand answers from Betty.

My heart felt heavy, the frustration building up inside with no outlet.

After a long wait, I glanced at the time—4 minutes and 43 seconds had passed, yet Betty had not returned.

Even if she was slow, she should have been back by now.

Could they still be downstairs...?

Was Betty not worried about being seen by the neighbors, disregarding her husband entirely?

I secured the ziplock bag with the wipes and stormed out of the apartment, no longer caring about facing them.

Reaching the ground floor, I burst through the lobby door but saw no sign of Betty or the man.

I ran around the complex, but they were nowhere in sight, only catching a glimpse of a black car speeding away.

I couldn’t make out the make or the license plate in the dark night.

Had Betty gone out to buy something, or had she left with that man?

I rushed back to my van, torn about whether to chase after them.

Where would I even start?

My vehicle wouldn’t be fast enough to catch up.

I remembered they had turned off the living room lights when they left.

If Betty was just seeing him out, why turn off the lights for just a few minutes?

And during their descent, wouldn’t that man have sweet-talked Betty?

It seemed she had enjoyed his flattery, likely indicating they had gone off together, perhaps to his place or to a hotel.

That’s it—the small courtyard!

I started the van and pushed it to its limits, driving like a madman towards the direction of the small courtyard...

Surrounded by a vast whiteness, I felt engulfed by waves in an ocean, battered aimlessly, like a bird soaring in the sky only to plummet.

I seemed to be in a place of chaos, bodiless, drifting like a ghost through darkness, sometimes through blinding light, yet seeing nothing.

I was tired, voices murmuring around me, but what were they saying?

Who were they?

I couldn’t see anyone, as if enclosed in a giant egg, struggling to break free from this chaos to find light and life.

Suddenly, the sky cracked open, a beam of sunlight piercing through, and I heard a voice, "Justin, did you know?

The doctor said your bodily functions are improving, your brain waves are normalizing.

You might wake up soon..."

I felt something cool and damp on my skin, a gentle woman’s voice continuously speaking into my ear.

"Mama, how long has Daddy been sleeping?

He sleeps more than a baby..." A child’s tender voice chimed in.

"Sweetheart, Daddy will wake up soon..." The woman’s voice responded gently.

"When Daddy wakes up, we’ll have candy..." the child said, eliciting a soft, playful laugh from the woman.

At that moment, my thoughts snapped back to reality.

My entire body felt exhausted and numb, as if my head was clamped in a vise and my limbs were weighed down with heavy bindings.

Why was I so drained?

I tried to move, but I felt utterly powerless.

Something damp had been wiping over me, but as I shifted slightly, it stopped and just rested on my abdomen.

The voices of the woman and child faded, and all fell silent.

I attempted to move again, feeling like a broken man, unable to even sit up.

Eventually, all I could muster the strength to move were my eyelids.

"Justin, Justin... ring, ring, ring..." A woman’s excited voice called out, followed by the sound of an alarm that was eerily familiar.

The woman’s voice, too, sounded known.

Soon, I heard hurried footsteps as several people approached.

Then, I felt hands bustling over me, and someone pried open my eyelids.

I finally saw a sliver of light and glimpsed a man in a white coat and mask shining a flashlight into my eyes.

"Alright, alright, Mr. Justin is finally coming around, thank God. We can finally report back to the boss... shh..." A deep-voiced man said excitedly, his relief palpable as if a massive weight had been lifted.

"However, it’s uncertain how long it will take for Mr. Justin’s brain to fully recover.

He’s definitely got amnesia, but to what extent?

Whether he’ll regain his memory, we can’t say, but we’ve done our utmost..." the man continued, his tone settling into calm.

"Regardless, it’s a miracle Justin is waking up.

We’ll take it slow from here, I’m already grateful..." The woman’s voice broke through, tinged with tears, as if she was crying while speaking.

Time passed, and my eyes slowly opened, the light painfully bright.

It took a while to adjust before I could fully open my eyes.

What I saw was a pristine white ceiling and IV bags hanging on either side.

An oxygen mask covered my mouth, and the room was filled with people, mostly in white coats, and a tearful woman in white, looking worn but beautiful.

Below her, a porcelain-like child clutched my hand, blinking up at me with large eyes.

"Justin, you’re finally awake... Look at me..." But I was so tired, my eyelids growing heavier, and I drifted off again, dreaming of the ocean and the sky, tumbling in the waves, floating in the air.

These images lingered in my mind, but I couldn’t recall anything else.

After what felt like an eternity, I opened my eyes again.

This time, the light wasn’t so harsh, and the room was dim and quiet.

My gaze swept the room, surrounded by medical equipment, but no one was in sight.

Just then, I felt something on my left arm.

Looking down, I saw a woman asleep at the bedside, her head resting near my arm, one hand draped over it.

Her breathing was even, though her brow occasionally furrowed.

Seeing her, I felt an unfamiliar pang.

The oxygen mask was already removed, and I could breathe freely.

I moved slightly, stirring the woman beside me.

With a soft moan, she suddenly sat up, startled, perhaps a light sleeper or just used to waking at the slightest sound.

"Justin, you’re awake again... Are you uncomfortable? I’ll call the doctor..." The woman stood up, ready to leave.

"Who are you? And who am I?" I managed to croak out, my voice hoarse, almost gone...