Chapter 155: True Confession And Acceptance
He quickly brushed the thought aside. Even if he didnât get all the memories, that wasnât the real concern right now.
"Lily..." Leo hesitated for a brief moment, then met her eyes despite the blindfold.
"Will you still love me if I disclose a hidden fact?"
His voice was steady, but his chest felt tight. He was done running. If he wanted her love, then she had to accept him whollyâevery part of him.
"What are you talking about, Leo?" Lily asked, her brows knitting together in confusion.
"Youâve been hiding something from me?"
"Yes." He inhaled slowly. "And that is... I am not the real Leo I used to be."
The words struck her like a thunderbolt. Lily stiffened, her breath catching, and before her thoughts could spiral out of control, Leo continued.
"You remember that day before my awakening ceremony... when I returned home beaten?"
"Y-yes, I do." Her voice trembled. "I will never forget that. I couldnât even find the people who did that to you." Her hands clenched unconsciously as she spoke, still trying to process his words.
"Yes. That day, I nearly died." He paused. "No... I died. But then I came back. And when that happened, I inherited memories from my previous lifeâone where I died on a battlefield."
Lilyâs mind descended into chaos. She wasnât focusing on past lives or memories anymore. One thing echoed endlessly in her head.
He died.
"You died...?" Her voice cracked. "N-no... then how are you here? This doesnât make sense." She clutched her head, breath coming unevenly.
"Listen to me!" Leo raised his voice just enough to pull her attention back to him.
"I came back, didnât I?" he said firmly. "And Iâm here with you. So donât worry, alright?"
His words seemed to anchor her. Slowly, her breathing steadied, her trembling easing as she focused on his voice.
"You see," Leo continued, his tone softening,
"I think I was hit over the head or something. I donât remember everything clearly of our past lives. But what I do remember is how hard you worked for my sake."
He swallowed.
"So now... will you not allow me to do the same for you, Lily?"
A heavy silence settled between them as Lily absorbed everything he had said. Then, hesitantly, she spoke.
"S-so... youâre saying youâre still my Leo," she said carefully, "but after hitting your head, you recovered memories from your previous life?"
"Yes," he replied without hesitation. "Thatâs right."
She blinked once. Then again.
"I see no problem in that..." she said slowly. "But why didnât you tell me this before?"
"I was scared," Leo admitted.
"That youâd reject me. Memories donât come aloneâthey bring new thoughts, new perspectives... even changes in personality."
"No!" Lily burst out, her voice sharp with emotion.
"Why would I do that, you idiot?"Her eyes glistened.
"I would love you even if you were a completely different person! But youâre not. Youâre the sameâjust better."
Her voice softened, growing earnest.
"And now you love me too. You donât ignore me anymore. Iâm happy with who you are now. So please..."
She clenched her fists.
"Donât hide secrets like this from me again... alright?"
Hearing her words, a massive weight finally lifted from Leoâs shouldersâa burden he had been carrying since the moment he transmigrated.
Yes, he had inherited the memories and had the personality of the original Leo. But that didnât mean he was the same person anymore. He had been alteredâtainted by another existence known as Leonel Draven or Leo, he wasnât sure since the memories got mixed so well, it was impossible to distinguish.
It felt as though two people resided within the same body now. And the person Lily loved was only one of them.
He had always comforted himself with logic: he was in the previous ownerâs body, carried his memories, so he had the right to live as him. And that much was true. They were now one person.
But that didnât mean Lily would automatically love the new person that had formed from the fusion of the two.
So when Lily said she loved himâthe person he had becomeârelief flooded his chest.
Now, Lily was one hundred percent his. And he would never allow anyone to touch her not that he did previously
But... what is she saying about me ignoring her?
Leo wondered. It seemed he still didnât have all his memories.
He remembered Lilyâs father adopting him. They had treated him like family. Lily had always been thereâgentle, supportive, the kindest person he had ever known in both his lives.
Then her parents died andâ
He froze.
What the hell...? What happened after that?
No matter how hard he tried, he couldnât recall anything beyond some important eventsâhis death, the desperate situations, scattered moments of significance.
Confusion swirled inside him.
What?
Why do I feel... strange emotions towards someone as pure and kind as Lily?
He felt itâanger, frustration, jealousy and even hatred towards her.
He tried to push deeper, but it was as if something blocked him completely.
His thoughts were abruptly interrupted when Lily spoke to him.
"D-did you... love s-someone else in your previous life?" Lily asked suddenly, her heart pounding loudly in her ears.
"No," Leo answered honestly. "I was single until I died at twenty-seven, fighting on a battlefield. I just... never met someone as sweet as you."
Her eyes lit up instantly.
"And your family?" she asked quickly. "What happened to them?"
Leo shook his head beneath the blindfold.
"I was an orphan there, too."
Hearing that, Lilyâs eyes burned with intense emotion. Twisted as it might have been, all she heard was that Leo had no oneâno one like herâin both of his lives.
"Oh..." she murmured softly. "My baby... donât worry. Iâm here for you now, right?" She moved closer, cupping his face before pulling him against her chest, burying his head there.
"Iâll always take care of you and be there when you need me."
"So," Leo said after a moment, his voice relaxed now, almost teasing,
"Are you planning to keep me tied like this forever?" He smiled faintly.
"You know... I want to roam this whole world. See breathtaking views. Grow stronger. Live longer. And do all of that with you by my side." He paused.
"What do you say? Will you accept?"