Chapter 185

Bobby wasn't having it. Clicking his tongue, he said,"Oh, come on. You're Evelyn! If that doesn't count as impressive, then who else could possibly qualify?"

He leaned against the seat back, still grinning at her like a kid.

Shaking her head in amusement, Verena glanced at Isaac. "Has your brother always been this much of a handful?"

When they were together in the past, conversations about family had never been common between them.With an easy smile, Isaac replied, "He's been like that since he was little, always bursting with energy."

Their light banter carried them through the drive until they finally stopped at a restaurant to share a meal before parting ways.

Bobby went to meet up with his friends, while Verena accompanied Isaac back to Seraphina Villas.

Later that evening, inside the master bedroom,Verena carefully placed the roses into a glass vase on her desk. She adjusted the stems and admired the arrangement for a moment before she turned around and caught sight of Isaac sitting behind her without a sound.

Her lips curved into a gentle smile as she leaned against the desk, fingertips brushing the edge.

Tilting her head toward him, she asked, "What do you think? Good?"

Isaac's eyes didn't shift to the flowers at all. Instead,he studied her with unguarded sincerity. "Beautiful,"he said softly.

Her laughter spilled out as she teased him, "I was talking about the flowers."

Shaking his head, Isaac's voice deepened with quiet certainty."I wasn't."

The warmth in his gaze wrapped around her, filling the space between them until silence became its own language.

Verena made the first move, slipping onto Isaac's lap with ease. One arm curled around his neck while the other toyed playfully with the buttons of his shirt.

"I didn't know your charm had grown so much these past few days, Mr. Bennett," she teased, arching her brows as her finger slid a little lower,mock-jealous."Tell me,who did you practice on?"

The faint fragrance clinging to her skin pulled at him,tightening his throat. His reply came low and rough."I didn't practice on anyone. I only spoke the truth."

His need to explain himself so quickly carried the same hint of awkwardness he used to have before losing his memory.

Verena gave him a playful blink, her voice light with amusement. "Relax. I was only teasing.Why do you get so flustered?"

Isaac's lips pressed together as his hand moved slowly across her back.

Nervousness gnawed at him.

Whenever it came to her, he could never stay steady. The thought of her drifting away unsettled him more than anything else.

Verena broke the silence first. Her tone shifted,carrying a weight that made him tense. "Isaac,there's something I need to explain to you."

He lowered his gaze to her, his voice quiet but firm."Go on. I'm listening."

She drew in a breath before saying, "The reason l never told you l was Evelyn right from the start..."

Her words trailed off. A faint sigh slipped from her lips as she searched for the right place to begin."When I first came back to Akoitha, I stood in that operating room and watched my grandma die in front of me. I couldn't save her. From then on, every time l picked up a scalpel, my hands wouuldn't stop shaking.I was trapped by that fear."

The impact of her confession tightened something in Isaac's chest.

He had already believed her life in the Willis family had been harsh, but this was a pain he hadn't even imagined.

What kind of strength had it taken for her to carry that burden alone for so long?

His brows knitted together as his arms instinctively pulled her closer, as though holding her tighter might shield her from the memory.

Verena pressed her lips together and added,"|was afraid that if I revealed Evelyn's identity, you would place expectations on me that I couldn't live up to at the time. I worried that if I failed to cure you,all of your hope would vanish. That is why I chose not to reveal the truth-not because I didn't trust you, but because I was afraid. But you can be at ease now.l have worked tirelessly for a long time, and I have completely stepped out of that shadow. The fact that I was able to perform surgery on Maxton and treat him successfully is te strongest proof of that and also the beginning of something hopeful."

Verena's lips curved into a relieved smile as she finished. The pressure she had endured was brushed off lightly.

Isaac cradled her face with both hands, leaning forward until his forehead brushed hers, his breath unsteady.

"Verena, we're husband and wife. Whatever comes our way, we face it side by side. Promise me you won't keep things from me anymore."

The words came out soft, yet they carried the urgency of a plea.

So quiet was his voice that she might not have caught it if they hadn't been pressed so close.

Her nose brushed against his in a tender gesture,and she whispered back with a gentle laugh, "Alright.No more secrets. From now on, you'll know everything."