"You lied because you knew that Yasmin dropped the charges. Your lies won't affect the investigation. If the charges hadn't been dropped, you wouldn't have lied. Instead, you would've confessed," Steven said

softly.

He indeed knew me too well.

"It's human nature to protect oneself. It seems only natural for humans to act selfishly," I muttered. "Honestly, before I realized it, I was already lying just now."

My breath became heavier, my gaze trembling as I turned to Steven, who was also staring at me intensely.

Steven was aware that the past Stephanie Carlson lacked emotions. She was incapable of understanding feelings such as happiness, pain, despair, or heartbreak... even devoid of self-preservation. However, I understood all these... which made me somehow emotional.

The moment I learned that Michael had informed the police about my involvement in Yasmin's injury, I couldn't help but wonder about Yasmin's true intentions. Was she trying to threaten me? And could this indirectly harm Steven? Consequently, I chose not to engage with the officer despite his inquiries.

However, when he mentioned Steven, my instinct for self-preservation kicked in almost immediately.

"Stephie... You're fine just the way you are, always have been, and always will be... Don't push yourself too hard," Steven said as he pulled me tightly into his arms, his voice trembling with emotion.

It was clear that he understood the extent of my efforts to fit in... to become a normal person.

However, while normal people experienced emotions, they were also inherently selfish and capable of lying. They had flaws, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities. Yet, it was these complexities and varied traits that made humans. They were a highly intelligent and adaptable species, surpassing all others on Earth.

So, when I found myself instinctively lying, I was taken aback in disbelief.

I looked at my hands, then shifted my gaze to Steven.

In my restored memory, the Stephanie Carlson before amnesia felt like an outsider in this world.

After amnesia, I became like a newcomer who had stumbled into a trial game by accident. I experienced pain and disappointment in what seemed like a normal life, forgetting the fact that I used to be an "abnormal person".

I had to admit, I felt somewhat grateful to Michael. Without his "episodic teaching", I wouldn't have become the current me.

I was like an old tree that had been withered for a long time, suddenly sprouting new shoots. I was now filled with vitality and growing branches.

However, this was a lengthy process as there were still many challenges awaiting me in this world...

Suddenly, my train of thought was disrupted by a knock at the door. Glancing over, I saw a tall man in a suit standing there.

The man was good-looking, with

some resemblance to Steven,

though not much. He had a

confident demeanor, reminding me of Michael. He gave off the air of a capable and seasoned senior executive in some company.

I surmised he was the heir Martin had carefully cultivated in secret, the man who had led Martin to treat his son, Dax, as expendable.

"Hey, Steven," the man greeted Steven with a smile, his expression genuinely friendly and non-threatening.

However, I could sense the danger emanating from this man's presence. Something told me that he was more than met the eye...

"You must be my brother's wife. Hi, I'm Jimmy Lincoln," the man said as he approached with a fruit basket, extending his hand to me in a friendly gesture.

I frowned at him. I had investigated Jimmy Lincoln beforehand because I was wary that Martin might harm Steven, and "genius" was just one of Jimmy's least conspicuous labels.

Jimmy grew up in Melovia, receiving only the top education along his journey. He was meticulously nurtured by Martin at great expense. Now, I suspected he might also be a genome-edited human. What worried me even more was that Jimmy had received a good education on top of his given gift. He was deeply influenced by Ulophia's aggressive capitalist ideology... Steven might not be his match.

"You're in the wrong place," Steven interjected before I could speak, his demeanor cold and commanding.

"Go out, turn right, go straight, take the stairs down, and you'll replace the morgue. If you still don't know the way, Lean take you to the

crematorium," he added, histone sharp and unwelcoming. Content

When Steven faced his "enemy" Michael, he often resorted to throwing tantrums and acting childishly because he never regarded Michael as a competitor of his level. Yet, Jimmy Lincoln was different.

He exuded an air of danger, with his

mere presence releasing pheromones that instantly set other high-level men on edge. It triggered a response akin to the rivalry observed among powerful animals.

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