Chapter 344

Dawn was breaking as Adrian Roland stepped out of Dr. Emily Klein's clinic.

The pre-spring morning air still carried a biting chill. He tightened his coat, letting the golden sunlight spill over his shoulders.

Dr. Klein's diagnosis was clear—the only way to confirm the existence of his second personality was to recreate the actions of that alter ego.

He stood by the roadside, fingers absently tracing the screen of his phone.

Stella Valentine's name glowed in his contacts.

In the end, he locked the screen.

If this was all just an illusion, why burden her with it? But if it were real...

Adrian clenched his fist sharply, the wounds on his palm sending a sharp jolt of pain. The sensation brought him an odd sense of relief.

"Hello?" Julian Valois' groggy voice came through the phone. "Do you know what time it is—"

"Sorry."

Julian cleared his throat. "What's wrong?"

"I'm Mr. Alistair, aren't I?"

A violent coughing fit erupted on the other end.

"You...remember?"

"Just deduction." Adrian's voice was eerily calm. "It's the only possibility."

Half an hour later, they met at a modest breakfast diner.

Julian eyed the greasy table with distaste, his suit jacket pulled tightly around him.

"Did we have to meet here?"

Adrian slid a bowl of soy milk toward him. "Try it? Stella used to love the custard buns here."

Julian pushed it away with a frown. "So you're here to..."

"Find memories." Adrian took a bite of the bun. "Dr. Klein said recreating scenarios might trigger them."

With a sigh, Julian gave a concise account of events.

"...That's all I know. As for what happened between you two—"

"I'm allergic to dairy." Adrian interrupted suddenly.

Julian's eyes widened. "Then why are you eating that?!"

"Forgot." Adrian stared at the half-eaten bun, fingers trembling slightly. "Only remembered halfway through."

"You..." Julian shook his head with a disbelieving laugh. "The great Adrian Roland, sitting in a roadside stall."

Adrian's lips twitched. "Doesn't matter anymore."

"Had an epiphany?"

"Yeah." He suddenly frowned. "Just now...I saw something."

"What?"

"Stella telling Mr. Alistair..." Adrian's voice caught. "That she'd never leave."

Julian leaned forward. "And then?"

As the second bun disappeared, Adrian pressed a hand to his chest.

"Allergic reaction?" Julian stood abruptly.

"Too soon for that." Adrian gave a pained smile. "Just...remembered the next part."

"That's good!"

"She said..." Adrian's voice dropped to a whisper. "As long as I wasn't Adrian Roland."

The air between them froze.

Julian opened his mouth, then closed it silently.

"Now I understand." Adrian's gaze fixed on the empty bowl. "Why you kept this from us."

Julian smiled bitterly. "Watching you at the birthday banquet...I thought time would heal everything."

"For her, the name 'Adrian Roland'..."

"Is an insurmountable wall." Julian finished quietly. "She could accept anyone being Mr. Alistair—except you."

In the morning light, the shadows of the two men stretched long across the ground.