Chapter 79: Memories.

Steven slowly fluttered his eyes open, the dim light of the living room wrapping around him like a soft blanket. "Thank goodness, I'm not dead yet," he sighed, relief flooding through him. As he took in his surroundings, his gaze fell upon Dua, who was leaning against the couch, already asleep. A rush of gratitude washed over him—she had stayed with him through it all.

Then it struck him—his head was resting on her thighs. Panic surged through him, and he quickly sat up, gently lifting her and laying her down on the couch with as much care as he could muster. Kneeling beside her, he couldn't help but stare at her peaceful face, his heart aching with a mix of emotions. His eyes drifted to her legs, and he exhaled softly, “Her legs are definitely going to hurt.”

Dua stirred awake, her eyes fluttering open to meet his concerned gaze. “Are you alright? How do you feel? Any pains anywhere?” she bombarded him with questions, her voice laced with worry.

Steven remained silent, lost in the depths of his own thoughts.

“Did something happen to you while I was asleep?” she pressed, her expression turning anxious.

“Gosh, why did I sleep off?” she scolded herself, pushing herself to stand. “I’ll call your doctor now,” she said, reaching for her phone. But before she could move further, Steven hugged her tightly, catching her off guard.

“This time, I'm hugging you for who you are— as Dua,” he murmured, and the warmth of his words wrapped around her like a protective shield.

“I didn’t ask for an explanation,” she chuckled softly.

“I thought maybe you needed one,” he replied, his lips curving into a smile.

In comfortable silence, they remained entwined until Steven finally spoke again, “Thank you... and I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing and thanking me?” she questioned, a puzzled glint in her eyes.

“Thank you for sticking with this cursed person who’s done nothing but bring you pain...and I’m sorry for that.” His gaze dropped, shame flooding his cheeks.

Dua tried to pull away to look him in the eye, but he held her firmly.

“Let me hold you a little longer,” he whispered, his arms tightening around her. She stayed still for a moment, absorbing the warmth and solace he offered.

“Yeah, you’ve hurt me a lot, but you’ve also sweetened my life in ways I never thought possible,” she confessed, a soft smile gracing her lips. “There are moments when you bring me unspeakable joy, and then there are times you inflict unbearable pain on me. But if I had to choose a man, I’d pick you a thousand times over… even in my next lives.”

“I wish I had met you sooner,” Steven said, pulling her impossibly closer, longing etched across his face. “I wish I had more time.”

“Whoa! I hope I'm not interrupting something,” Shane chimed in, stepping into the living room with a teasing grin.

“Well, obviously you are, so give us some space,” Steven retorted, irritation flaring in his voice.

“No, stay,” Dua interrupted, breaking the embrace to face Shane with sudden seriousness. “We need to talk… all three of us.”

“Oops, looks like your wife has other plans, little brother,” Shane quipped with a smirk, his eyes glinting with mischief as Steven shot him an icy glare.

“I’m all ears, Dua,” Shane said, sinking into a couch facing them, curious about what was coming next.

Steven settled beside Dua, his posture tense, watching her expectantly. Taking a deep breath, Dua finally spoke, “What special ritual do I need to break the curse?”

“Are you…?” Shane looked at her, skepticism etched on his brow.

“Yes! I want to break the curse,” Dua interjected, her determination shining through.

“NO WAY!!!” Steven objected firmly, his voice rising with worry.

“Knucklehead…” Dua began,  but Steven interrupted her again.

“I’m not going to watch you throw your life away for me,” he stated, his gaze intense.

“What’s wrong with throwing my life away for yours? And I’m not throwing my life away; I’m using it to save yours,” she shot back defiantly, her voice unwavering.

“I don’t want you to,” Steven asserted, desperation creeping into his tone.

"This is my life, my choice!" Dua declared defiantly, her voice echoing in the tense atmosphere.

Steven's expression hardened as he replied, "That was before you became my wife. Now your life and your choices belong to me, and you won’t pursue whatever you’re planning."

Shane stood silently, observing the unfolding drama, his eyes darting between the couple like a spectator at a volatile match.

"At least hear me out," Dua urged, her frustration evident.

"I don’t want to," he retorted, his tone unyielding.

"Whatever," she muttered dismissively, rolling her eyes before turning her gaze to Shane. "What if you don’t actually have to kill me to break the curse?"

"What do you mean?" Shane asked, raising a brow, intrigued.

"The remedy states a life for a life, but it doesn’t clarify the medium of exchange. We could use whatever we like instead," Dua explained, a glimmer of hope in her eyes, igniting a flicker of interest in both men.

"What in the human body represents life?" she posed, her voice laced with urgency.

The two men exchanged puzzled glances, their minds racing fruitlessly as uncertainty filled the air.

"Really? I didn’t expect you two to be this dumb," she said, exasperation creeping into her voice.

"Just make sure you don’t give us a dumb answer," Steven shot back, his sarcasm sharp.

Dua narrowed her eyes at him, a fire igniting within her. "Annoy me one more time, and I swear I’ll end your life before time," she threatened, her glare fierce.

"You two are quite the pair, you know that? Just a few minutes ago, you were whispering sweet nothings to each other, and now you're at each other’s throats," Shane interjected, shaking his head at the spectacle.

"Blood… blood signifies life," Dua suddenly stated, a realization dawning.

"Just as dumb as I expected," Steven quipped, but Dua brushed off his comment.

"She’s right, Steve," Shane chimed in, his voice steady.

"Yeah, but as long as it’s coming from her, it's dumb," Steven retorted, a smirk playing on his lips.

Dua scoffed, no longer able to ignore him. She retrieved her hairpin from her hair, brandishing it like a makeshift weapon, her eyes narrowed with defiance. But before she could act on her threat, a powerful wave crashed on her, pulling her into chaos. Images unfamiliar and fragmented flashed before her mind's eye—snapshots of lives she didn’t recognize yet felt inexplicably connected to. A sharp pain erupted in her skull, causing her to cry out in agony as she dropped the hairpin from her trembling fingers, cradling her head with both hands.

"Dua!" Steven exclaimed, instinctively reaching out to her. But Dua flinched away, her face contorted in pain.

The tumult within her subsided, and she gradually became still, the tension in her body easing. When she finally lowered her hands, a bright and unexpected smile spread across her lips. "Young Master Steven Levi," she said softly, her voice almost melodious.

"What?" Steven whispered, disbelief washing over him like a cold tide. The name stirred echoes of the past, memories of Crystal teasing him by using his full title, a mixture of annoyance and affection.

As Steven and Shane grappled with the bizarre turn of events, Dua was suddenly thrust back into the tempest of her recollections. She held her head again, her expression morphing into one of distress. “What's with all these images—people in ancient clothing... and a forest too...” Her voice trailed off as she screamed in anguish, the sound piercing through the air.

Without thinking, Steven enveloped her in his arms, holding her tightly despite her desperate struggle to break free. “Dua, please, stay with me,” he murmured, concern etched on his face.

“I can’t... I can’t control it!” she gasped, her breaths shallow as she fought against the visions swirling in her mind.

“I'm sorry,” Steven said softly, with an aching heart. In a quick yet gentle motion, he pressed his fingers against a vital point on her nape, knocking her out. She slumped against him, her body finally relaxing in the cocoon of his embrace.

"God, I hope it's not what I think it is," Shane voiced, his tone heavy with concern as he observed the scene.

"It is," Steven replied, nodding solemnly. "She’s beginning to get her memories back."