NovelOnlineFredric and Beverley arrived.
Spotting Raines, Fredric strode over and wrapped him in a bear hug, "Raines, it's a relief to have you back. You wouldn't believe it,
simposter tried to weasel his way into the Stirling family pretending to be you. Luckily, we saw right through his little charade,
otherwise we don't know what will happen.”
Raines shuddered at the revelation, "Someone impersonated me?"
Fredric clapped him on the back, "Focus on getting better for now. We'll fill you in on all that mess later."
"Raines, it must've been rough being cooped up for so long, huh?" Beverley chimed in.
Raines rubbed his forehead, "I've been in a fog, mostly out cold. When | was awake, it was just snippets. | can't remember a thing."
"They must've drugged you," Beverley said angrily, "lI heard these crooks are experts in poison. They almost did in Fredric and
Aurelia, too."
Fredric sighed, his greatest fear was that Raines’ memory issues were getting worse. The poison must have had an effect on the
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtbrain, and that was why he lost his memory.
After a bit more small talk, Fredric excused himself to find Leopold.
"Leo, did the doctor check Raines for poisoning?"
Leopold confirmed, "They found traces of shallucinogens in his system."
Fredric fumed, "They must have done it to make him delirious. Those bastards. We'll root them out, every last one of them."
Leopold was determined not to let them get away with it. Like roaches, they'd keep coming back unless he wiped them out for
good.
Meanwhile, the aunts and uncles were in the groom, engrossed in bridge and poker. They were still in the dark about Raines’
ordeal, thinking he'd just cback from the hospital.
The Stirling family's New Year's Eve dinner was a bustling affair, with relatives flocking from all corners.
After the feast, everyone headed to the island in the middle of the lake to ring in the New Year. When the clock struck midnight, the
sky would be ablaze with fireworks.
Skyler supervised the kids with the sparklers on the island.
"Be careful now, sparklers can be tricky," he cautioned.
"We know, Skyler, don't worry," the kids nodded obediently.
With sparklers lit, they twirled and danced, their bright lights casting a magical glow against the dark sky.
"It's so pretty," Mira laughed, her joy tinkling through the cold air like bells.
Raines watched from a distance, a silent observer of the merriment.
"It's lively around here, isn't it?"
Lisbeth approached, "Let's stay here from now on." She reached for his hand, but he withdrew, his face a mask of unfamiliar
coldness, "What | want most is to find Mom."
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
Her heart lurched at his aloofness.
"We'll find her," she whispered. But Raines had already turned away, leaving her alone with her tangled emotions.
Aurelia watched from afar and approached Lisbeth, "Give Raines stto adjust.”
Lisbeth's eyes dropped, her long lashes casting a sorrowful shadow, "He doesn't rememberat all. To him, I'm a stranger."
"Then let him get to know you again, fall for you all over again," Aurelia suggested.
"Will he, though?" Lisbeth doubted her worth, herself a deceiver, a bad woman who had led to his and Elfreda's capture.
"Have faith in yourself," Aurelia urged.
But faith was a luxury Lisbeth couldn't afford, her mind a whirlwind of worry.
"I just hope Elfreda's safe."
Aurelia didn't have the answers either. The search for Elfreda continued, her fate uncertain.
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