Chapter 203
Chapter 203:
It was there, in those formative years, that their paths first crossed.
In a time of profound isolation and vulnerability, two young souls found refuge in each other’s company. Their affection blossomed subtly, much like yellow roses gently unfolding in the sunlight.
Then that dreadful event occurred.
Alden was aware of the fragile state of his relationship with Helena. If Chadwick continued to mislead her, it would only deepen her confusion. His frustration mounting, he shouted, “Don’t you dare bring that up in front of Helena p>
“Why shouldn’t I expose the truth p>
Chadwick’s motives extended beyond mere financial gain—he was intent on making Alden feel pain.
Chadwick’s taunting fed off Alden’s distress. “Are you scared Helena will find out your kindness stems from guilt, not genuine love p>
Alden’s kindness stemmed from guilt, not genuine love? Helena felt those words cut deep.
Chadwick caught her gaze at the perfect moment, his tone shifting to something more persuasive. “Helena, don’t you ever wonder about the destiny that binds you and Alden? Remember, there was a boy who used to hang out with you in the yellow rose field near the orphanage. Aren’t you curious to discover who he was and what he means to you now p>
The field of yellow roses… the boy…
Fragments of memory, sharp and raw, started to infiltrate Helena’s thoughts. She felt overwhelmed by a crippling pain. Her vision blurred as she clutched her head and curled into herself.
“Stop it! Shut up!” Alden’s voice roared over the phone, a fierce rebuke to Chadwick.
Yet, that voice acted as a catalyst, unlocking the sealed corners of Helena’s memory.
A sudden burst of recognition overwhelmed her—and in that moment, all the pieces of her past snapped into place.
The boy haunting Helena’s memories possessed a face with sharp features and eyes that were deep and dark.
𝓒𝓸𝓹𝓲𝒓𝒊𝓰𝒉𝓉 𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓬𝓴 at g𝓪𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝗅𝓈.𝒄0m
Helena remembered once glimpsing a childhood photograph of Alden in Frida’s home. The boy in that worn photo was unmistakably the same one from her recollections. It was indeed him.
That explained Alden’s intense involvement in the redevelopment of the area near the orphanage. It explained why he had repeatedly sent her yellow roses and why he had been so kind to her.
Finally, everything clicked into place. Helena’s fragmented memories had aligned, leaving her with a sense of emptiness she hadn’t felt before.
She had begun to recall these memories even before today. She remembered being seized by a group of men as the boy who used to run with her through the flower field released her hand, abandoning her to a terrifying fate.
The events that followed were either too harrowing, or she had lost consciousness because she could not recall them now.
This was the “guilt” Chadwick had alluded to.
When Helena first recovered this memory, she felt bitter toward the boy. She consoled herself by thinking that it was all in the past, that the boy had vanished from her life, and that it should no longer weigh on her heart.