“You’re a grown man with secrets. I suppose I’m curious about you now!” Yennefer smiled as she nagged James, trailing behind him to the study on the second floor. Roxanna and Lucian prepared themselves for the upcoming challenge while waiting outside the room.
If Yennefer couldn’t withstand the truth and her disease worsened, Roxanne would need to help out immediately.
Meanwhile, James had walked into the study. He smiled, initiating a casual conversation with Yennefer. The man couldn’t find it in him to turn the topic toward his concern.
“Mom, do you remember that I skipped to third grade when I was seven years old, and you were worried that my academic performance was going to suffer because of that?” “Of course. I remember it clearly. Your homeroom teacher thought you walked into the wrong classroom!”
“Mom, do you recall that when I was in sixth grade, there was an older girl who liked to visit our house? You were worried that she would be a bad influence on me.”
“Yes. She moved to some other places after that. If I’m not wrong, she even went overseas. I ran into her parents after that. They told me she got married abroad.”
James continued asking a series of questions while Yennefer replied honestly. These were all fragments of James’ memories before he turned thirteen years old, and Yennefer remembered every detail correctly.
“Wait, James. Why are you asking me these questions? I thought you were going to reveal your secret. Did you do something bad when you were a kid?” Yennefer grinned, her expression loving and caring without showing any signs of impatience.
Xendale was an impoverished place all those years ago, and the Lann family wished for Yennefer to give birth again. Yet, she refused adamantly for James’ sake. Yennefer poured all her love into James unreservedly.
James observed Yennefer’s reaction before determination flashed across his eyes. He said casually, “Mom, do you remember Aunt Sheba?”
Yennefer’s smile froze instantly, slowly vanishing into the air. Within two seconds, her gaze shifted. The calm, peaceful she originally had changed into a malicious glint. James was shocked. He shouted, “Mom! Mom! Can you hear me? Mom!”
In response, Yennefer furrowed her brows, wrapping her arms around her head, anguish written all over her face. “My head… hurts. James… it hurts!” Turmoil was evident in her eyes. One moment, Yennefer looked confused. The next moment, she looked fierce.
James was all too familiar with the scene before him. It was always the same old scene over and over again whenever Yennefer’s illness acted up. Yennefer’s personality would shift when everything was over, and she would become a different person. Mom is going to turn into an image of Aunt Sheba that she created.
“Oh no! I need to call for Lucian and Roxanne’s help!” James grew wary of the situation. He raised his voice, standing up, wanting to seek help.
Clatter! Yennefer swept the vase off the study table viciously. It smashed to the ground, shattering into pieces with a loud noise. As if engaged in an internal battle, Yennefer complained of a headache repeatedly, clenching her jaws.
“Sheba, Sheba. Who’s Sheba? You’re my nephew, James. I’m Aunt Sheba! How could you harm me? Hah. Ta-da. I’m not dead yet. You can’t kill me!”
At last, Yennefer’s illness acted up again. Her consciousness changed into those of her twin sister, Sheba. A malicious and frosty glint flashed across her eyes as she glared at James with a sinister smile.
Meanwhile, Lucian and Roxanne exchanged shocked glances after hearing the commotion. Jones panicked, wanting to charge in. He worried that Yennefer would hurt herself in the process.
