710 Finally Freed
Nora raised her brow at her inquisitively, "When did you become so sticky?"
"I was always very sticky," retorted Xiu and Nora couldn't really argue with that. She shrugged her shoulders and hugged the sleeping Jackie before turning to leave.
However, she stopped and asked, "The truth of your father..."
"Go home, Nora," Xiu didn't let her continue. "I'll tell you everything. I told you I would never hide anything from you." 'Except for the fact that the soul in this body had long been swapped.' Xiu kept the last thought to herself. It wasn't that she didn't want to share this truth with Nora but she couldn't bring herself to do so.
Until this very day, it was inconceivable to Xiu that Darren had actually believed in her nonsense. A normal reaction she had expected was that she'd be sent to a mental health care facility. The reaction she received from Darren was completely not aligned with her expectations and yet she was happy. Because it made her realize how deeply she wanted someone to know that Chen Xiu was alive. One way or another, she was breathing.
Right when Nora left with Jackie, Cali had entered the room and looked at Xiu with a strange look in her eyes. Xiu smiled at her and beckoned her close. Before Cali could say anything, she said, "You don't have to feel guilty anymore." Cali's eyes widened as she continued, "I was never your cousin, so it's alright if you ended up neglecting me somehow."
Cali closed her eyes and when she opened it, the look in her eyes had changed, "You got your memory?" She had heard the conversation between Xin Zemin and Zhao Huan but she was still holding on to a little hope that Xiu was her cousin. But now with the way Xiu looked at her or spoke to her, really forced her to accept the truth.
Xiu nodded without hesitation, "Yes."
"What happened back then?" was all Cali wanted to ask her. She was referring to the time Xiu lost her memory. She always wanted to know why Xiu would lose her memory without any accident.
Xiu thought about it before saying, "Maybe the truth was too much for the young me. So, I chose to lock my memories to protect the life of a lie I had lived in."
"So you figured out the truth years ago?" questioned Cali even though she knew the answer in her heart.
"You're sure you're not Aunt Carina's daughter?" Cali knew she was being an idiot for repeating this question but she couldn't help it. She had looked for this cousin for a year and even after finding her, she wasn't able to get too close because of the latter's memory loss. However, she still didn't want to lose her. How was she supposed to accept that she was the only Novell left now? It made her feel really lonely.
Xiu again nodded, "It's a pity that you and I have no blood relationship. Although Carina Novell gave birth to me, she was never my mother. She just raised me like her daughter. I just don't know why she did such a bizarre thing. She was a part of a noble family, why choose to be a surrogate?"
"I think now I know what happened between my dad and aunt. Dad must have learned the truth and that's why they grew apart." Cali rubbed her forehead and added, "I never thought the truth would be something like this. Are you okay? It must be really difficult to accept this sudden change in your life."
Xiu shrugged her shoulders, "It was difficult that's why I had avoided it for years. Now, it's time I face it."
Cali nodded and held Xiu's hand, "Even though you're not my cousin, you'd still be very important to me."
Xiu smiled at her and said, "Thank you!" Seeing the hesitation in Cali's eyes, Xiu patted her hand, "It's alright! I'm not angry with Dylan."
"Really?"
Xiu gave a nod, "Really. I've worked with him. I know how much he hates taking sides. But I also know how much he hates getting in fights. He chose to stop me just because he didn't want anyone to get hurt. That I can understand very well."
Cali looked over at Darren and said, "I just don't want to see their friendship falling apart."
Xiu gave her a reassuring smile, "You don't have to worry. I'll never let that happen." Taking a pause, she added, "Now, you should stop wasting time here and go to see Dylan. He needs you right now. And you must know how his brain works, he must be beating himself over this." She looked into Cali's eyes and went on, "Although I know he'd be feeling guilty and won't want to show up here, you must drag him over to see my Regan when my Regan wakes up."
Cali suddenly hugged Xiu and said, "I really don't know how people can dislike someone like you."
Xiu chuckled, "Right? That's baffling to me as well!"
Cali shook her head at Xiu and turned to leave, "You take care of yourself and him as well."
It was strange but Xiu never had much to talk with Cali. She only realized now that to Destiny, Cali was just a cousin she knew for a brief period in her childhood. And it was such a distant memory that she couldn't even recall it properly. But it was good this way. Since they weren't as close, Xiu thought it'd be easier for Cali to accept that Destiny wasn't her cousin.
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