Sitting in the hospital dean's office, Holden waited anxiously for the results. The dean raised his glasses and began to leaf through the report. When he finished reviewing the report, he said to Holden, “Sir, your body and legs are in good condition. There are no traces of previous injuries. But your stomach is not that healthy. Be careful with your diet. Otherwise, you risk suffering from stomach pain in the future."

"My Legs were never injured?" Holden couldn't focus on anything else the doctor had uttered. He frowned. In an agitated tone that was uncharacteristic of his usual calm composure, he asked, "Are you absolutely certain? My legs should've sustained injuries similar to those resulting from a car crash so severe or a fall so serious that I would be left unable to walk and confined to a wheelchair.

Something must have happened."

Holden was eager to hear confirmation that he had indeed been left crippled before.

However, the dean returned his enthusiastic gaze with a calm assurance. With a slow shake of his head, the dean replied in a careful tone, "I'm completely confident that the car crash five years ago didn't leave any lasting damage on your legs in any way.”

The dean then retrieved from his desk a folder containing reports. He pointed out the data supporting his claim while meticulously analyzing Holden's expression. "Take a look here. If you experienced major leg damage in the past and allowed it to completely heal, then these test results would show abnormalities that are outside of a healthy individual's normal range. But based on the in-depth X-rays taken of your bones, there's no evidence of prior fractures that would necessitate the use of a wheelchair."

After listening to the dean's thorough explanation, the wave of agitation swelling within Holden slowly began to subside. However, his countenance remained deeply troubled.

After a lengthy silence, he simply uttered in a low tone, “I understand."

He then turned on his heel and left the office without another word.

As he gazed at Holden's retreating figure, the dean let out a weary sigh and a silent, heartfelt apology.

Years prior, Aldus had paid a personal visit to the hospital with an urgent request before he passed away. He had implored the staff to not divulge anything to Holden regarding his unknown history as Theodore under any circumstances.

Aldus had done so much for him throughout those years. Without his unwavering guidance and support, there would've been no future for him today. This was why he could never go against Aldus' dying wish despite his guilt gnawing at him from the inside.

The dean sighed once more before briefly sending Devin a message.

"Holden came to the hospital today requesting a comprehensive check-up. He instructed us to examine his legs specifically. He might have just uncovered something."

The reply from Devin was swift. "Understood."

Still reeling from the revelation, Holden sat smoking pensively in his car after leaving the hospital. The answers he had hoped would finally connect the fragments of his foggy memory had only led to even more dead ends. After believing that he was so close to unraveling the mysteries of his past, he was left frustrated that the truth continued eluding him.

In this moment of uncertainty, Holden found himself missing Ariana.

He desperately wanted to see her. He wanted to call her up this instant and Listen to her soothing voice. He longed to ask her what kind of man Theodore had truly been deep down. But as his finger hovered over her name in his phone's contacts, he began to hesitate as anxiety crept in.

He feared placing this call would only serve to confirm once and for all that he was not the man she had lost. And that their last fragile thread of connection, as delicate as glass, would be mercilessly shattered beyond repair.

After sitting in tortured indecision for several minutes that felt more like hours, Holden finally pocketed his phone and headed to the office. The questions still bounced around and plagued his troubled mind.