The Bound Between Us

Chapter 814

Anastasia knew Herman was going to ask.

"She's my half-sister," she said, her voice wavering. Then she looked at him, uncertain. "So... these last few months, you've been with Sandy? Were you two...?"

She couldn't finish the sentence. She had her suspicions about Sandy's motives, but the thought of it made her heart ache.

"No," Herman said, his voice cool and clear. "Nothing happened between us. Nothing at all."

He left out the part about pretending to be a couple with Sandy these past months. He couldn't bring himself to tell Anastasia-he didn't want to hurt her more than she already was.

"Oh." Anastasia's eyes lost their light, but she let it go. "Have you been hanging around Blossom Lane Night Market lately? That cherry earring... you dropped it, didn't you?"

He nodded, his gaze deep and searching. "I don't remember much, but I just had this feeling that the earring mattered. That street, too—it felt like home. I didn't know what I was waiting for, or who, but after a while, I realized it was you."

Anastasia blinked back tears. "There's somewhere I want to take you. Maybe it'll help you remember."

gave her a small, hopeful

later, Anastasia led Herman to

looked exactly the same as it had years ago, every little thing untouched, like time

Sunlight poured through the windows, painting golden shapes on the floor. Dust danced in the

along the dining table where they'd

the shriveled succulent on the balcony seemed to perk up,

started to tell their story, her voice soft and steady. "Three

him your names sounded so alike. That same afternoon, we went

from the living

she spoke Anastasia's voice grew steadier, her memories grounding her. "We learned about each other, little by little. You told me you were just an ordinary guy, working odd jobs, no parents no place to live. Later, I found out this apartment was yours all along. And then I discovered you

had a baby. Our second one. But he

hurt, even after all this time. If their baby had lived,

spared him the worst of it, never