Chapter 113

Michael Stone froze at her sudden movement.

Her slender fingers lifted his chin, bringing her close enough for him to catch the faint scent of her perfume.

"Wife?" His Adam's apple bobbed, voice rough.

Ever since her memory loss, an invisible barrier had stood between them. Now, her proximity made his heart pound like thunder.

Emily Johnson stared into his deep eyes, filled with emotions she couldn't decipher. Suddenly breathless, she hastily withdrew her hand.

"I... am not the same Emily anymore." She turned away, her voice barely audible.

The lingering warmth on her fingertips unsettled her.

Michael longed to embrace her, but glanced down at his dust-covered work clothes. Instead, he gripped her hand tightly—so hard it made her wince slightly.

"I know," he said lowly. "But you're still my wife. Still David and Tommy's mother."

Emily's fingers trembled.

"What if... I never remember?"

Without warning, Michael bent down and pressed a soft kiss to the back of her hand. The warmth sent a shiver through her.

"Then we start over." His eyes burned with determination.

Yet Emily recalled the original story's fate for the female antagonist—stealing money and fleeing, nearly causing the children's deaths. A chill ran down her spine.

"Cold?" Michael tensed instantly.

She took a deep breath and met his gaze squarely. "What do you hate most?"

The air turned to ice.

Michael's expression darkened, his jaw tightening. "Betrayal."

The word stabbed Emily's heart like an icicle. Now she understood why the male lead in the original story had shown no mercy.

"Scared?" His voice softened as he noticed her shaking.

Emily forced composure. "Why... did we get married in the first place?"