Noah’s I woke up to the sound of rain.
For a few seconds, I didn’t remember where I was.
Then I saw the unfamiliar curtains, the neatly arranged furniture, and the small bag I’d left beside the bed.
Adrian’s house.
I slowly sat up.
My head still felt heavy, but the worst of the discomfort had passed.
My cycle was still approaching, and I could feel the warning signs, but the supplements and scent blocker had helped.
The first thought that entered my mind was Ethan.
I immediately got out of bed.
When I opened the door, I found Adrian standing in the hallway.
He was holding a cup of tea.
“You should still be resting.” “I’m fine now.” His eyes narrowed.
“You said that yesterday.” I sighed.
“You’re never going to let that go, are you?” “No.” Despite myself, I smiled.
“Where’s Ethan?” “Asleep.” I blinked.
“Asleep?” “He woke up earlier and asked for you.” My heart softened.
“Why didn’t you wake me?” “You needed the rest.” I looked at Adrian for a moment.
“Thank you.” He handed me the cup.
“Drink this.” I took it.
The scent was mild and comforting.
“What is it?” “Something the doctor recommended.” I took a careful sip.
“It’s good.” Adrian nodded.
Then a tiny voice came from the bedroom.
“Daddy?” I immediately turned.
Ethan stood in the doorway, his hair messy from sleep and his stuffed fox tucked under one arm.
I crouched down.
“Come here.” He toddled toward me.
I caught him before he could stumble.
He wrapped his arms around my neck.
“Daddy.” “I’m here.” He rested his head against me.
“Home?” “Not yet.” He looked around.
“Here?” “Yes.
We’re at Uncle Adrian’s house.” He looked toward Adrian.
“Uncle.” Adrian crouched down.
“Good morning.” Ethan held out his fox.
“Fox.” Adrian touched the toy’s head.
“Good morning to your fox too.” Ethan smiled.
I couldn’t help laughing softly.
The scene felt strangely peaceful.
Too peaceful.
Because I knew this wasn’t our normal life.
And I couldn’t let myself forget that.
After breakfast, Adrian received a call.
His expression changed as he listened.
“Are you certain?” A pause.
“Send it to me.” He ended the call.
I immediately noticed.
“What happened?” “The security team found something.” My stomach tightened.
“What?” “They traced the person who was watching the daycare.” I looked at Ethan.
“Who was it?” “Someone using a false identity.” “Vincent?” “We don’t know yet.” He opened his phone and showed me a photograph.
The image was blurry, but the person looked familiar.
I stared at it.
“I’ve seen him before.” “Where?” I searched my memory.
“At the university.” Adrian’s expression turned serious.
“When?” “Near the research building.” “Did he ever speak to you?” “Once.” “What did he say?” I hesitated.
“He told me I was asking questions I shouldn’t be asking.” Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“Why didn’t you tell anyone?” “I thought he was just trying to scare me.” He looked at me.
“Do you remember his name?” “No.” Then another thought struck me.
“Wait.” I looked at the photograph again.
“He wasn’t alone.” Adrian’s eyes sharpened.
“What?” “There was another person with him.” “Who?” “I don’t know.” I closed my eyes, trying to remember.
A hallway.
Two men standing near the laboratory doors.
One of them was the man in the photograph.
The other…
I couldn’t see his face.
But I remembered something.
A university identification card.
And a symbol printed on it.
I opened my eyes.
“There was a silver emblem.” Adrian frowned.
“What kind?” “I don’t know.
It looked like a circle with a line through the middle.” He immediately picked up his phone.
“I’m going to check the university records.” “Adrian.” He looked at me.
“Be careful.” His expression softened.
“I will.” He started toward the door.
Then he stopped.
“Noah.” “Yes?” “If you remember anything else, tell me.” I nodded.
“I will.” He left.
I looked down at Ethan.
He was sitting on the floor, playing with his fox.
For a moment, everything seemed normal.
Then my phone vibrated.
I looked at the screen.
Unknown number.
One message.
You remembered the emblem.
My blood ran cold.
Another message appeared.
Good.
Now remember who gave you the mark.
I couldn’t breathe.
My hand instinctively moved toward my neck.
The mark felt warm beneath my collar.
And suddenly, a memory I’d buried for two years began to surface.
Not the whole night.
Not yet.
Just one thing.
Adrian’s voice.
And my own name.
“Noah…” I stared at the message.
Whoever was sending these knew exactly what I had forgotten.
And they were determined to make me remember everything.
I stared at the message until the words blurred.
Good.
Now remember who gave you the mark.
My hand remained against my neck.
I could still feel the faint warmth beneath the scent-blocking patch.
I quickly locked my phone.
I didn’t want Adrian to see it.
Not yet.
“Daddy?” Ethan’s little voice pulled me back.
I looked down.
He was sitting on the floor, holding his stuffed fox and staring at me.
I crouched beside him.
“What is it?” He pointed toward the door.
“Uncle gone?” “Yes.
Uncle Adrian went to work.” “Work?” I nodded.
“Yes.” Ethan looked disappointed.
“Come.” He reached for me.
I smiled and lifted him into my arms.
“Let’s go downstairs.” As I carried him down, my mind kept returning to the message.
Whoever was behind this had been watching me.
They knew about the research.
They knew about Ethan.
They knew about my mark.
And now they were trying to make me remember the night I had spent two years trying to forget.
I wasn’t ready.
But perhaps I didn’t have a choice anymore.
Adrian returned several hours later.
I was sitting in the living room with Ethan, who was playing with wooden blocks on the carpet.
The moment Adrian walked through the door, Ethan looked up.
“Uncle!” Adrian’s tired expression softened.
He walked over and crouched beside him.
“Did you build something?” Ethan pointed proudly.
“House.” Adrian looked at the small pile of blocks.
“That’s a very good house.” Ethan smiled.
“Big.” “Very big.” I watched them quietly.
Adrian picked up one of the blocks and placed it on top.
Ethan immediately shook his head.
“No.” Adrian paused.
“No?” Ethan took the block away.
“Mine.” A small smile appeared on Adrian’s face.
“Alright.
Your house.” Ethan nodded seriously.
I laughed softly.
Adrian looked at me.
“You seem better.” “I am.” “Good.” He sat across from me.
Then his expression turned serious.
“We found the emblem.” My smile disappeared.
“What is it?” “An old university research division.” I frowned.
“Which one?” “Genetic designation studies.” My stomach tightened.
“Project E-17?” “Partly.” He handed me his phone.
A photograph showed the silver emblem I’d remembered.
Underneath it was an old university department name.
Advanced Designation Genetics Division.
I stared at it.
“I remember this.” “What?” “This emblem was on the laboratory doors.” Adrian nodded.
“According to the university records, the division was shut down shortly after you left.” “Why?” “Funding problems, officially.” “And unofficially?” He looked at me.
“Someone accessed the facility after it was closed.” “When?” “Two years ago.” My heart sank.
“After I left?” “Yes.” I looked down.
“Then whoever took the research could have been working there.” “That’s what I think.” I handed his phone back.
“Did you find Vincent?” “Not yet.” “Then we need to.” Adrian’s eyes remained on me.
“Why?” “Because he might know what happened.” “You want to meet him?” “I want answers.” Adrian was silent.
Then he nodded.
“We’ll find him.” I looked at him.
“Together?” “Yes.” The word settled strangely in my chest.
Together.
I hadn’t heard that word connected to my life in a very long time.
Before I could respond, Ethan suddenly stood.
“Up.” Adrian looked at him.
“You want to be picked up?” Ethan nodded.
“Up.” Adrian glanced at me.
I smiled faintly.
“He’s asking you.” Adrian carefully lifted him.
Ethan rested against his shoulder.
I watched them.
There was something almost painfully familiar about it.
The way Adrian held him.
The way Ethan trusted him.
The way Adrian looked at my son without knowing the truth.
My chest tightened.
Then Adrian looked at me.
“What?” “Nothing.” He raised an eyebrow.
“You keep saying that.” I looked away.
“I know.” For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then Adrian quietly said, “Noah, whatever happened two years ago, you don’t have to face it alone.” I looked at him.
His words reached somewhere inside me that I had kept locked away.
I wanted to tell him.
I wanted to tell him about Ethan.
About the mark.
About the night I disappeared.
But fear stopped me.
“What if the truth changes everything?” Adrian’s expression softened.
“Then we’ll deal with what comes after.” I swallowed.
“And if you hate me?” “I won’t.” “You don’t know that.” “I know myself.” He paused.
“And I know you.” My eyes stung.
I looked down before he could notice.
Ethan reached toward me.
“Daddy.” I held out my arms.
“Come here.” Adrian gently handed him over.
Ethan immediately rested his head against my shoulder.
I kissed his hair.
For two years, I had believed keeping the truth hidden was protecting him.
But maybe the truth was already finding its way back to us.
And somewhere deep inside, I knew the next time someone asked me about that night…
I might finally have to remember.
Okay… that message was NOT innocent.
“Remember who gave you the mark.” Whoever is behind all of this knows about Noah and Adrian’s past, and they’re slowly forcing Noah to remember what happened two years ago.
And now Adrian knows about the mysterious emblem and the old research division.
The pieces are finally starting to connect.
Also, Ethan and Adrian together are honestly too cute.
What do you think Noah is going to remember next?
See you in Chapter 15!
— Ari1