Chapter 101
“You know who the murderer is, don’t you?” | asked, gripping Colin's hand tighter, a wave of agitation rising in
my voice. “Tellwho he is.”
Panic flickered in Colin's eyes like a deer caught in headlights, and he turned away from me. “I don’t know.”
“You do know!” | pressed, my own frustration mounting. Why wouldn't he just say it?
Colin kept walking ahead, evasive, refusing to reveal the identity of the murderer.
| trailed behind him, firing question after question. But no matter how much | prodded, he wouldn't budo
| thought about calling the cops, about spilling everything to Robin and Stella, but as far as anyone was
concerned, | was Foebe now, not Phoebe. My words wouldn't carry any weight.
Besides, the little interaction | had with the murderer suggested skind of past dealings between him and
Foebe.
Without clarity, a hasty move on my part could spook the murderer, and Id find myself entangled in dangers
untold.
| rubbed my temples, feeling irritable.
Things were getting more convoluted by the minute.
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Too complex forto stay calm and think straight.
If | were just an outsider, it would be one thing, but with ‘Foebe’ tied to the murderer, diving in headfirst could
jeopardize the whole investigation.
“Phoebe... let's go home.” Colin suddenly cover to my side, taking my hand, his voice a soothing balm amid
my inner turmoil.
Instinctively, | jerked my hand away. “You're calling for Phoebe, aren't you? You're not even talking to me, I'm
Foebe, with an F.”
| couldn’t admit to being Phoebe. And | sure as hell didn’t believe Colin was delusional enough. to think a soul
could swap bodies.
“You are Phoebe! You have to be Phoebe!” His voice suddenly spiked, hands gripping my shoulders with a
desperate strength.
| winced in pain, a flicker of fear passing through me. It was as if... as if he was moldinginto Phoebe against
my will. It wasn’t that he recognizedas Phoebe; it was more like... deep down, he wanted to replace Foebe
with Phoebe.
He, like Dexter, was using Foebe as a puppet, a stand-in to avoid facing Phoebe’s death.
No wonder he had been so compliant, so relaxed recently. To him, the current Foebe wasn't a
Chapter 101
person but a persona he crafted.
Madman, he was definitely out of his mind.
“You have to be Phoebe; you can only be Phoebe... if you're not, I'll kill you.” He was still raving.
“Alright, calm down.” | soothed, my shoulder throbbing, trying to shift the focus. “When did you meet Phoebe?”
“So many years ago.” Colin's grip loosened, his voice turned bitter.
“Where?” | pressed on.
“At an orphanage,” he answered.
| was taken aback, staring at him in shock.
An orphanage?
What did he mean by that?
Which orphanage?
A headache suddenly gripped me, and | brought a hand to my temple, the pain makingcrouch on the
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The orphanage, those little girls in red dresses, the red dresses...
Why did they seem so familiar from the start?
| remembered, as a child, | had a red dress just like those. But when did Colin and | meet? Why couldn't |
remember anything?
Years ago, my dad was into philanthropy, supporting many orphanages and donating supplies, and |
accompanied him to charity events.
Was that when | met Colin?
Why was there no trace of that memory left?
“Phoebe...” Colin's tone was edged with panic as he knelt in front of me, his frenzy fading into confusion. “Let's
go home.”
| nodded, reaching out to touch his forehead, which had cooled down.
“Carryback.” | whispered, struggling to keep fear from seeping into my voice.
Colin's eyes lit up; he nodded and turned his back to me, gesturing forto climb on.
| hesitated for a moment but then got up and lay across his back.
He was strong and tall, and when he stood up, the sudden shift madecling tightly to him out of fear.