Chapter 745



Kallie had always felt a connection to Elma and never imagined Cara could be so cruel as to use growth-inhibiting drugs on her. The mere thought of such drugs made Kallie realize the extent of potential harm to Elma.

Kallie now grasped that Cara had crafted a tale. Jake hadn’t stopped loving her due to a change of heart but because of his memory loss, caused by Cara’s manipulation. He had never been romantically involved with Cara. He, too, was a victim of Cara’s merciless deceit. Cara’s cruelty knew no bounds.

Elma nestled into Kallie’s arms, feeling the warmth she had missed, her voice tinged with confusion. “Are you really my mom? But my mom has fallen, and so has my dad. I no longer have parents in this world.”

Tears streamed down Kallie’s face as she held Elma close. “I am your mom. I’m so sorry that I didn’t recognize you sooner to spare you all these sufferings.”

A slight frown donned Elma’s face as she felt Kallie’s tight embrace, a hint of pain underlying it.

Concerned for her children’s safety, Kallie asked Clayton to take them to the hospital immediately.

Clayton, with a complex look on his face, stood by Kallie. “Do you still plan to stay here?”

Kallie, wiping away her tears, looked up sharply, her gaze icy as she confronted Clayton. “We’ve had our misunderstandings, but I’ve always seen you as a friend. Clayton, how deeply were you involved in Cara’s schemes?”

Panic flickered in Clayton’s eyes. He tried to defend himself, but Kallie’s incisive stare seemed to penetrate his defenses.

Clayton clenched his jaw and said, “I’m sorry. I was aware of parts of it, but I had no idea Elma was your daughter. Cara, though under my watch, grew her own network of influence, which I became ensnared in without realizing the full extent. This wouldn’t have happened if not for that.”

Kallie found no words to counter his. Observing Clayton’s ragged state, she realized the extent of his ordeal.

Clayton managed a rueful smile. “Yes, I had feelings for you. That year, Cara found Jake and told me she fell for him. He wouldn’t let him go, even threatening me to keep the truth from you. I was unaware Chloe was also under Cara’s control. I believed she had died. Later, when Jake was unconscious, Cara had him given drugs that affected his memory and arranged for some hypnosis sessions at his most vulnerable.

Upon waking, Jake remembered nothing. Yet, his love for you was so profound that despite his memory loss, he kept his distance from Cara, never once being intimate with her. At that point, Cara feigned pregnancy, misleading Jake into thinking it occurred before his coma. A year later, Cara brought Elma back.”

Even though Clayton didn’t elaborate on what transpired next, Kallie instinctively understood. Her heart ached with remorse and regret. Why hadn’t she thought to dig deeper? Why did she place her faith in the fabrications of others and believe Jake had betrayed her?

At that moment, Kallie finally understood everything. She grasped why Jake had lost his memory yet persistently sought to get closer to her time and again. He was desperately trying to unlock a fragment of the past, but she had been oblivious to his struggles. She should have noticed his efforts.

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