Reborn In a Murderer’s Embrace



I tossed and turned, sleep eluding me, haunted by the events of the day. The thought of nearly being taken advantage of by James, of nearly being trafficked, it was all too much to process. It left me wondering, what would the old Phoebe Caldwell have done in my place? Would she have coolly wielded a knife, neutralizing the threat and handing the culprits over to the authorities? But I wasn't her anymore.

Doubts gnawed at me. Was I still the Phoebe Caldwell that Colin loved? If he loved who I used to be, and I've changed so much since losing my memory, am I still his beloved?

Can a change in personality alter who you are at your core?

"Phoebe... I just want you to survive. That's all I ask," Colin's voice echoed in my mind.

"Colin... you can't keep me caged."

"Phoebe Caldwell, don't be so cruel."

"I'm heartless..."

In my nightmare, I was self-destructive, trying every possible way to end my suffering. Colin, in a desperate attempt to save me, chained me up, begging me to stop. But I was indifferent, watching him hurt himself in front of me without lifting a finger to stop him.

"If you want to die, I'll join you. If you want to hurt yourself, I'll do it too..." Colin pleaded.

I coldly watched him struggle, trying to break free from the chains. "Colin, it's useless. We can't escape. I'm a monster, incapable of truly loving you. Even if you died right in front of me, I wouldn't feel a thing."

Seeing the desperation in Colin's eyes, he asked softly, "Phoebe, are you hungry? I'll go get us some food."

And then he left, despair written all over him.

I struggled in my dream, the sound of the chains around my wrists making my heart ache.

I wanted to call out to Colin, to tell him not to hurt himself.

"Don't... Colin, please don't."

"Colin!"

Waking up from the nightmare, I was gasping for breath, sweat soaking my hair.

Colin wrapped his arms around me from behind, gently soothing, "Phoebe... did you have a bad dream?"

It took me a moment to catch my breath, snuggling closer to him. My feelings for Colin were tangled-was it dependency or something more? But with so many gaps in my memory, it couldn't be love.

"Please, stop hurting yourself," I whispered, lightly touching the scars on his wrist.

Colin stiffened slightly, whispering back, "Phoebe, does it hurt you to see this?"

I could tell he was hoping for a particular answer, longing for me to say I cared.

"Colin..." I held his wrist gently, admitting softly, "It does hurt me."

He seemed taken aback for a

moment before passionately kissing arrehead, then playfully r

d with me in his arment

"Stop

"I protested, ending up

lying on top of him, a position that was far too intimate for comfort.

t belongs to ent

Colin just gazed at me, his eyes so captivating, they always made me pause.

"Phoebe..." he murmured my name, his voice filled with joy, like an adult child.

"You believe in me, right?" I asked, seeking reassurance.

"I'll always recognize you, no matter what," Colin promised, kissing my forehead again.

stled into his chest, listening to his heartbeat, seeking comfort.

"Let's try to sleep a bit more. It's still early," he whispered.

But sleep was the last thing on my mind now.

Realizing I wasn't moving away, Colin shifted awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable.

At first, I didn't understand, until I felt the warmth radiating from him.

"Phoebe... don't torture me," he begged softly.

My cheeks flushed, and I quickly sat up, causing Colin to look even more distressed.

I hastily laid back down, turning away from him, and we fell into silence.