The banquet ended, but Phyllis's mind remained in turmoil. The handkerchief she'd slipped into John's pocket was like a pebble dropped into still water, creating endless ripples in her heart. She knew he wasn't completely unresponsive; that subtle stiffening, the slight tap of his thigh, all indicated something had been stirred within him. It left her feeling both tender and infuriated – tender for the pain he might be enduring, and infuriated that he could maintain such a complete facade. She stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the glittering city lights, her thoughts drifting back to the inferno from five years ago. She could feel the profound love that had been etched into her, and the dull ache of being forgotten. These two extreme emotions churned within her, leaving her tossing and turning in bed, her mind replaying a cinematic loop of past and present, making sleep impossible.
The next morning, Phyllis received a formal invitation from the Yarfi Group. The invitation was embossed with gold, bearing the distinctive Yarfi family crest, and personally delivered by Kevin with his usual meticulousness. It wasn't just an ordinary collaboration; it was a direct offer for her to become John's "private senior consultant." The title sounded prestigious, but Phyllis knew better. This was likely John's attempt to keep her close, to facilitate his "protection" plan. He wanted to turn her into a carefully guarded trophy, kept under his watchful eye.
She didn't hesitate; she accepted immediately. After all, wasn't her purpose here to get close to him and uncover the truth of five years ago? This direct access would save her considerable effort. She even felt that perhaps fate was guiding her, giving her the opportunity to confront the mystery and the man who was both familiar and a stranger.
Upon taking on her new role, Phyllis immediately felt the pervasive nature of John's domination. Her schedule was packed, following him from morning to night to various meetings and business events. She even suspected that her private phone and computer were under some form of advanced surveillance. Though there was no direct evidence, the "convenient" network delays and file access anomalies didn't escape her agent's intuition. Her private time was also far from peaceful. Kevin would always appear like a phantom, a step ahead of her, his face perpetually expressionless as he announced, "Miss Phyllis, Mr. Zhuo asked me to pick you up." Phyllis inwardly rolled her eyes. This wasn't a security consultant role; it was clearly a prize tightly watched by John!
However, she was no ordinary canary. Under John's nose, Phyllis quietly began her investigation. Her special agent skills weren't for show; seemingly casual observations and offhand questions all coalesced into a vast intelligence network in her mind. During lunch breaks, she'd pretend to chat with ordinary Yarfi Group employees, extracting fragmented information about John and the family. Late at night, she'd sneak into the group's old archives, reviewing project files related to John from five years ago. Although most were encrypted or destroyed, she always found subtle anomalies. She discovered that the Yarfi family's security system was indeed top-tier, with some settings clearly exceeding the needs of a typical corporation, such as biometric access systems in certain passages, restricted to only a select few. This set off alarm bells in her mind; a secret surely lay behind it.
One afternoon, John was training in his private gym when he accidentally scraped his arm on equipment. The wound was deep, and blood instantly stained his white athletic wear, a stark sight. Phyllis was nearby and her heart tightened when she saw the wound on his arm. She instinctively rushed over, grabbing the first-aid kit and carefully treating his injury. When her fingertips inadvertently brushed against the unique old scar on his wrist, a jolt of electric pain shot through John's body from his wrist.
He didn't pull away; instead, he instinctively grasped Phyllis's hand. His fingertips were cold, yet they held an inexplicable strength, as if to firmly hold her captive. A sudden, blurry image seemed to strike him, his eyes instantly becoming somewhat disoriented. It was as if a long-sealed corner of his mind had been gently pried open by Phyllis, and his body began to tremble slightly, cold sweat beading on his forehead, seemingly enduring immense pain.
"Are you... okay?" Phyllis whispered, though a storm raged within her. His reaction was identical to five years ago! That pained expression, that unconscious grip, brought back the rainy night five years ago when he clutched her hand in the firelight, also in pain but with unwavering resolve.
John didn't answer, merely holding her hand tightly before slowly releasing it. His face was pale, his brow furrowed, as if struggling to grasp something fleeting in his mind – fragmented images and sounds that left him feeling deeply irritated and confused. From that day on, Phyllis noticed that John's office contained many medical documents about "memory impairment" and "brain trauma." These documents piled high on his desk, and some even concerned psychology and hypnosis. He had started investigating himself! A strange mix of hope and dread twisted in her gut. Was he finally confronting the abyss of his forgotten past? She longed for him to remember, yet dreaded the pain those unearthed memories would surely bring.
Days turned into weeks, and Phyllis, by John's side, would often subtly hum their favorite song from five years ago – an old folk tune, simple yet powerful. Or she'd make small gestures only they understood, like her fingertips lightly brushing his hand when handing him documents, or in an empty corner, whispering a joke they often shared five years ago, at a volume only they could hear. Each time, John reacted. Sometimes his brow would furrow as if in splitting pain; sometimes his eyes would instantly fill with agony, even revealing a fleeting hint of vulnerability; sometimes he would even impatiently interrupt her, telling her not to do these "strange" things anymore. The stronger his reactions, the more certain Phyllis became that his memories were still there, merely suppressed by something, and that this suppression caused him immense suffering.
Just as Phyllis's covert investigation was starting to yield some clues, she received an anonymous warning letter. The envelope was plain brown paper, unstamped, as if slipped directly under her apartment door. The letter was on coarse recycled paper, with a single line handwritten in an unfamiliar but chilling script: "Stay away from Zhuo, or the accident from five years ago will repeat. This time, you won't be so lucky." The letter was direct, telling her to stay away from John or face danger. The content hinted at the deeper secrets of the accident five years ago and even mentioned a name – "Shadow." Phyllis's heart sank, a chill racing from her feet to her head. This organization was more powerful and secretive than she imagined, able to track her hidden identity and even directly threaten her, so brazenly!
Meanwhile, several of the Yarfi family's external investment projects suddenly suffered severe cyberattacks. The methods were highly sophisticated and concealed, clearly beyond the capabilities of ordinary hackers. Data was stolen, systems were paralyzed, and even several large sums of money were maliciously transferred, causing immense losses. John was furious, the sound of shattered glass emanating from his office, and the entire group was enveloped in a low-pressure atmosphere. He immediately summoned Lynn, the head of the family's technology department, ordering him to find the mastermind and fix all vulnerabilities within 24 hours. Lynn, a messy-haired tech genius with thick black-rimmed glasses, though not adept at socializing, displayed absolute obedience in front of John. Phyllis knew this was likely the "Shadow" organization trying to intimidate her and test John's limits, warning him not to interfere.
The family itself also began to stir. Uncle Osmond and the other elders, seeing John's preferential treatment of Phyllis, an "outsider," had long harbored resentment. They seized upon minor issues with the resort project – such as sudden reports of quality issues with the resort's building material suppliers, and even anonymous accusations of tax evasion – all secretly orchestrated by Uncle Osmond. They began to collectively pressure John during board meetings, aiming to weaken his power and even hoping to use this opportunity to remove him from the CEO position. Phyllis unexpectedly found herself caught in this family infighting. She witnessed firsthand how John, with an iron fist, ruthlessly countered those who opposed him. He exposed Uncle Osmond's private dealings with certain suppliers on the spot, using overwhelming evidence to silence those who sought to undermine his authority. His coldness and decisive nature sent a shiver down her spine, yet it also felt like the John she knew.
This gilded cage, though seemingly luxurious, was in fact full of hidden dangers. Phyllis knew she was at the center of a whirlpool, and John, this man who was both familiar and a stranger, was its source. She knew this path would be perilous, but she had no choice. For the vow made five years ago, for the love deeply buried in her heart, she had to fight with all her might, to the very end!