Matteo extended his hand, offering help to Mitchel up, but the latter rebuffed him.

A haze seemed to envelop Mitchel's once handsome face. Grasping the door for support, he managed to rise and settle back into the car in silence. He barely acknowledged the blood streaming from his wounds.

Disheartened by Raegan's seemingly indifference toward him, he was numb to physical pain.

His heart was burdened with a pain far greater than any physical injury could inflict. He had just begun to experience a profound bitterness.

After what seemed an eternity, Mitchel coughed up blood, which trickled down the corner of his mouth. He slumped against the seat, his eyes shut tight.

“Mitchel!" Matteo exclaimed, bringing the car to an abrupt halt.

Matteo rushed to assess Mitchel's condition, finding the latter's heartbeat weak and his breathing shallow. With hands trembling, he quickly returned to the driver's seat and sped toward the hospital.

Meanwhile, Raegan sat pale and withdrawn in the back seat.

After giving her a glass of warm water and gently coaxing her to drink, Erick asked with concern, “Are you still feeling unwell? Hold on. We'll be at the hospital soon."

The image of Mitchel, his upper body soaked in blood, remained vivid in Raegan's mind. A sharp pang of pain struck her heart. In a feeble voice, she murmured, “Erick, I think I'm starting to remember something..."

"Do you remember anything after falling into the river?" Erick asked, his eyes lighting up with hope.

At that time, Raegan had been taken to a hospital overseen by the Foster family, her body covered in injuries. An anonymous message had informed Erick of Raegan's identity. Filled with doubt, Erick arranged for a DNA test on Raegan. To his astonishment, the results confirmed she was his long-lost little sister.

Yet, the identity of the person who had brought Raegan to the hospital and how the other party knew her identity remained a mystery.

Most pressing was Erick's suspicion that the other party might be connected to his mother's disappearance or, at the very least, knew something about it. He was determined to uncover the truth.

Raegan massaged her temples, attempting to piece together her memories. She recalled the sound of shattering glass and the sensation of being pulled to safety after her fall into the river.

The rescuer's eyes seemed dark and familiar, but his face remained a blur.

The effort to recall caused Raegan intense discomfort. Her head throbbed violently, her breathing became labored, and her heart raced uncontrollably.

“Raegan! Raegan!" Erick called out in alarm, witnessing her struggle for air. Swiftly, he retrieved an oxygen bottle from the car's emergency kit and connected it to her.

As Raegan began to stabilize, her complexion remained deathly pale from the ordeal. With a voice tinged with regret, she confessed, “Erick, I'm sorry. I couldn't make out his face clearly..."

Despite her efforts, the fragments of her memory refused to coalesce further. Her mind felt as empty as a machine that had burned out.