I stepped out of the bathroom and found the healer waiting at the door. Our eyes locked, and I swallowed hard. I couldn't tell whether he truly believed I'd lost my memory—or if he knew I was lying and had simply chosen to go along with it.
"How are you feeling today?" he asked.
I swallowed again, slipping into my act even though something deep down told me there was no need. "I'm… fine," I whispered, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.
He nodded and glanced at Nora and Lolita. "Could your handmaids give us a moment?" he asked.
I blinked, confused. Why did he want them to leave?
"Is there a problem?"
The healer shook his head. "No… I just want a private session with you. That's the same thing I told the Alphas."
I still didn't think there was any reason for Nora and Lolita to leave, but I had to respect his request. I gave them a small nod, and they returned it before quietly stepping out.
The door clicked shut behind them, and an eerie silence settled between the healer and me. He didn't speak. Just stood there, watching me with eyes far wiser than I'd originally assumed. I sat motionless, my heart thudding too fast.
He finally stepped forward, setting his satchel on the bedside table, but not opening it. Instead, he turned to face me directly, his expression unreadable.
"I've been a healer for over thirty years, Luna Olivia," he said calmly, folding his hands in front of him. "Do you really think I wouldn't recognize when someone is acting?"
My heart dropped to my stomach.
"I… I don't know what you mean," I tried to whisper, but the words were dry, lifeless.
He smiled faintly, not unkindly. "You're good. Very good. Most wouldn't have noticed. But I've watched countless faces—real pain, real confusion, real trauma—and yours?" He paused, tilting his head. "It's practiced. Controlled. Too deliberate. I knew the moment I examined you… you hadn't lost your memory."
I couldn't breathe for a moment. My fingers curled into the bedsheets.
"Then why…" I finally managed to whisper. "Why did you go along with it? Why didn't you tell them?"
The healer's expression softened.
"Because I believe you have your reasons," he said simply. "And more than that… I saw everything, Olivia. Everything that happened to your family. Your father's arrest… you and your mother demoted to omegas."
I blinked, my vision going blurry. My throat closed up.
"I was there that night," he continued. "I saw the pain in your eyes when your father was sentenced to life imprisonment… I saw everything, and I knew he was innocent, just that I had no proof of it."
Tears stood in my eyes… it was really nice to know that someone apart from my mother and I believed my father was innocent.
He took a small step closer. "I wished I could help then, but I couldn't. So when you woke up pretending to remember nothing, I saw the eagerness in your eyes. That spark of someone with a plan. And I decided… if you were trying to survive again, the least I could do was not get in your way."
Tears slipped silently down my cheeks, and I didn't bother wiping them.
"You have no idea how much that means to me," I whispered.
He offered a slight smile. "I think I do. Just… be careful, Olivia. You're not surrounded by fools. The moment your act slips, the wrong one might see it—and that could end very badly."
"I know," I murmured.
He finally opened his satchel and pulled out a small brown bottle. He placed the small brown bottle carefully in my hand.
I stared at it, confused and curious. "What is this?"
"It's a memory-confusion potion," he said in a hushed voice, as if the walls had ears. "A very rare brew, nearly impossible to find these days without raising suspicion. I made this myself, specifically for you."
I looked up at him sharply. "What does it do?"
The healer sighed, lowering his voice even more. "If the Alphas ever begin to doubt me—if they call in another healer to examine you—take this a few minutes beforehand. It will affect your mind temporarily. Your responses will become sluggish, your attention will drift, and your emotions will seem detached. To any trained healer, it will look exactly like someone who has suffered trauma-induced memory loss."
I held the bottle tighter, as if it were my lifeline. "Will it hurt?"
He hesitated. "It won't cause you physical pain, but it may disorient you. For a few minutes, you might genuinely forget where you are, or who you're with. But it won't last long. Just long enough to fool the observer."
I nodded slowly. "Why are you doing this?" I asked again, more from emotion than curiosity.
He smiled faintly. "Because I couldn't help your father. But I can help you."
He looked away for a moment, his jaw clenched, as if still haunted by the memory.
More tears gathered in my eyes again.
"Hide the potion well," he warned gently. "Only use it if absolutely necessary. And if it ever runs out… tell your handmaid to call me. I'll make another."
I nodded again, carefully tucking the bottle beneath the mattress where no one would find it.
"Thank you," I whispered.
He gave a small bow of his head and moved to the door, pausing with his hand on the handle. "I'll still play my part. I'll tell them your headaches are worsening. That your emotional state is deteriorating. I'll do my part to make sure they see what you want them to see."
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Thank you… for trusting me. For helping."
He nodded, opened the door and left.
The moment the door shut again, I buried my face in my hands and let out a long, shaking breath.
"Thank you, Moon Goddess… things are falling into place," I whispered to myself.
The door pushed open. Lolita and Nora walked in and closed the door. They had concerned looks on their faces, but I assured them with a smile. "He knows, but he is helping me," I said.
They let out a sigh of relief and moved forward.
"That is good news, but we have bad news to share…" Nora said with a worried look on her face.
My brows furrowed. "What is it?" I asked, already panicking. Discover more novels at novel_fіre.net