Lost Me Gained Regret

Gregory grabbed my arm with the passion I had never seen in him. An Intensity and a barely contained excitement had overshadowed his usually disheveled appearance. His brown eyes locked onto mine, 

unblinking. 

I forgot to breathe. It was as if my response was of utmost importance to Gregory. “Yeah.” NôvelDrama.Org: text © owner.

I was perplexed. “What’s…” 

Before I knew it, he pulled me into his embrace. His whole body trembled with emotion! The hug was nothing like the measured, restrained ones I had received from him before. He held me like a long–lost treasure, his feelings overflowing. It was as if he had finally broken free from the chains bounding him. 

After a moment, he reluctantly let go, his face glowing with a joy I had never seen, reminiscent of the guy with an unexpected windfall, “I knew it was you. It had to be you.” 

He cupped my face. “See, I told you I’d recognize you.” 

“Who am I?” His actions had me baffled, “Lilliana?” 

“I’ll take you to meet Grandma.” Almost immediately after saying that, he leaned over to buckle my seatbelt, shifted gears, and stepped on the gas in one fluid motion. 

The engine roared to life. At the moment, his usual carefree demeanor was tenfold. 

I was still confused, “Why are you suddenly so sure I’m Lilliana?” 

He had always thought I might be her. But there was always a hint of uncertainty. After all, the Myers family already had a Lilliana, and the DNA reports were crystal clear. 

He paused at a red light, turning to me with a sparkle in his eyes, his Adam’s apple bobbing, “Lily has been allergic to peanuts since she was a child. Like you, she’d break out in rashes.” 

“But…” I hesitated to burst his bubble, saying, “A lot of people are allergic to peanuts. It can’t be that every one of them is Lilliana, right? Lilliana must have eaten the same thing at last night’s dinner…” 

As I spoke, I realized something was off. When I saw Lilliana at the hospital last night, she didn’t seem to have any allergic reactions. 

“She wasn’t allergic.” Gregory had pinpointed the crucial detail, his voice turning cold, “The butler had yesterday’s menu pre–approved, but two of the desserts had their ingredients accidentally spilled and were substituted with peanuts at the last minute.” 

I fell silent, not because I believed I was Lilliana, but because who would go through the trouble of setting up a fake Lilliana? 

They hadn’t anticipated a welcoming dinner would lead to such a slip–up. While it put Lilliana in the spotlight, it also exposed a flaw, I couldn’t guess. All I knew was that I might have made different choices if I could have foreseen how everything would unfold. 

We arrived at the Myers Mansion, where Ramona had just finished dinner. 

Seeing us, Ramona was surprised. “Greg, why did you bring Jane here? Isn’t she still sick?” 

Then, she examined me more closely with concern, “Still not fully recovered, huh? ITI call the doctor to have another look at you.” 

Gregory kept it under wraps because he didn’t want to freak anyone out, so he hadn’t told anyone at all. He hadn’t even given Ramona a heads–up. 

I smiled politely, “Ramona, I’m fine. It’ll clear up in a few days. There’s no need to trouble the doctor again. 

“Ramona,” Gregory helped Ramona to the couch, shedding his usual indifference for a rare seriousness, “There’s something I need to tell you, but please, try to stay calm for your health.” 

“What is it?” Ramona sensed something was amiss. “Just say it.” 

Gregory gestured for me to sit before he began, “About the desserts at last night’s dinner, two contained peanuts.”