Con

CHAPTER 43

Julia’s POV

• 15 BONUS

I’ve always told Chris no, that I didn’t want that DNA test. I’m not interested in finding out what life I had before I went missing as a child. And I don’t care about going back to the Bakers.

This is my life now, and I’m happy and content where I am. I don’t want to complicate things.

I

Every time Chris had visited me in the past, he would always mention new things about their family. He revealed their wealth, but that wasn’t enough to allure me back. My parents had the same kind of wealth, and they had always given me what I wanted ever since I’d been adopted.

I’m lucky to have rich and good parents now. How can I be sure that the Bakers will treat me the same? It might not be good to open up the past again.

But these were my sentiments before I’d met Elijah Sinclair and found out that he was deeply connected to Sabrina Baker.

I remembered looking up into his eyes that first time at the restaurant and hearing his deep, velvety voice, feeling it roll across my skin and warm me inside. Immediately, I was besotted with his mysterious, handsome looks and the way he carried himself with such power and confidence.

I

Who knows if I’m really Sabrina? But whether it’s true or not, I have to be her. I need to be her. The can have Elijah fall for me. We can be together.

The day arrived for the DNA test schedule. I arrived at the clinic, a whirlwind of emotions swirling within me. Chris was already there, waving enthusiastically as I walked in. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment that Elijah wasn’t there as I had expected. Chris greeted me warmly, and we exchanged pleasantries before settling into the waiting room.

As we sat there, Chris began to reminisce about our childhood, sharing fond memories of our time together. “Do you remember how you used to doodle everywhere?” he asked, smiling at the memory. And Mom got so mad when you drew on the sofa, even though it was our family portrait!”

I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Chris seemed so certain that I was Sabrina, but these memories felt distant and unfamiliar to me. “Really?” I simply said. “So what happened then?”

“I told her it was me so you wouldn’t get in trouble, but she knew I wasn’t capable of drawing like that!” He laughed, and it made me laugh too. But I felt hollow inside because I couldn’t recall anything like it.

“And I remember how Elijah always came to your defense too! You two were so inseparable!” Chris quipped.

At the mention of Elijah’s name, my ears perked up “Yes, I think I recall something like that,” I said softly, though I was just making it up. “I mean, when I first met Elijah, I felt an instant connection to him.”

Chris nodded. “We always teased you guys, you’re like soulmates or something.”

I found myself giggling. “Tell me more about how we were when we were kids…”

+15 BONUS

Chris was quite talkative, eagerly telling me more stories and helping me develop that picture of Elijah and me and how we were before. Then suddenly, he mentioned how Elijah used to draw on Sabrina’s shoulder because she had a unique red mole there, and he would often turn it into a sun or a flower or

a heart.

I froze when I heard this. I didn’t have that mole! So that means I’m not Sabrina! I felt greatly disappointed because there was a part of me that had hoped I could really be her. Fortunately, the dress I was wearing had sleeves and covered up that part of my body.

“Don’t worry, Julia,” Chris said. “We’ll get you the best therapists and perhaps there’s still a chance for you to get your memory back. Honestly, I don’t think this DNA test is really necessary, but it’s just for formality.”

I could feel my heart pounding hard. He was truly convinced I was Sabrina. “Why? Don’t you want to be 100% sure?”

He pointed to the bracelet I was wearing. “Where did you get that?”

“Well, I believe I was wearing this when my parents first adopted me,” I told him truthfully.

“See? It’s because Elijah gave it to you before. He made it himself!”

Suddenly, as I stroked the bracelet, I had a faint memory of another child giving it to me. But I could remember it clearly.

“You remember it now, don’t you?” Chris asked excitedly.

“Uh, I think so. But it’s very faint.” In reality, I was more convinced that it was impossible for me to be Sabrina Baker. After all, I didn’t have that mole he talked about.

They’ve looked for her for so many years. Maybe she has disappeared for good.

I closed my eyes briefly, trying to focus on that faint memory that had been triggered by the bracelet. I tuned out Chris and the rest of the sounds around me.

My thoughts wandered to the girl I saw in the snow when I was a child. She was the one who gave me my bracelet and told me to get help. I remembered how the little girl had looked at me with sad eyes, telling me that her best friend would come to her.

It was a strange memory, almost like a dream, but felt so real. Could that girl have been Sabrina? And if she was, where was her friend? Was it Elijah, she was talking about?

“Hey, Julia,” Chris suddenly said, interrupting the memory.

I immediately snapped back to reality and realized that it was my turn for the test. I went through the process, thinking about the negative results that were bound to come out. What would happen then?

Elijah probably won’t give me the time of day after that, I thought anxiously.

“I want to see the results as soon as possible,” Chris sald to me after the test.

“But… I need to prepare myself for this,” I told him. “It’s a huge thing, a big leap and change in my life. Please give me more time to process it, then I’ll be the one to get the results here.”

+15 BONUS

“They said it’ll take about a week or so.”

“I’ll return in two weeks,” I promised him, and he agreed.

As soon as I got back home that day, I quickly dialed a number on my phone. “Hi. I’d like to make an appointment for a tattoo tomorrow… Yes, it’s just a simple design. A red dot that looks like a mole.”

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