The Bond Between Us (Anastasia and Herman)

Sandy had everything figured out, leaving Sean completely taken aback by her planning.

Still, he went along with her plan. He headed to Nicholas's hometown to bring him back to Willowbrook, setting everything up for Sandy's next move.

In the hospital room, Herman looked around, bewildered by the unfamiliar setting. He glanced at the medical chart at the head of his bed.

It had Sean's name on it.

When Sandy walked in, Herman asked, "Why does it say Sean on my chart? Didn't you tell me my name was George?"

"That's my brother's name," Sandy explained with a smile. "Things were hectic, and my brother used his ID to admit you. The doctor said it's just temporary amnesia. You might start remembering soon. We should go back to Willowbrook to recover. Maybe being there will help jog your memory." Herman was eager to regain his memory. If what Sandy said was true that he was from Willowbrook and had lived there-then returning might help.

"Alright," Herman agreed, keen to uncover his past.

Sandy quickly sorted out his discharge, telling the hospital they were transferring Herman to Willowbrook.

That afternoon, Sandy checked Herman out, planning to stop by the hotel to pack before heading to Willowbrook.

She called for a taxi, staying close to Herman to make sure he didn't interact much with the outside world. If he started remembering anything, she wanted to be prepared.

As they drove through Springfield, the taxi radio announced: "In the recent landslide, three missing people have been found, all deceased. Elysian Technologies' CEO, Herman, remains unaccounted for..."

A peculiar feeling washed over Herman upon hearing this.

Sandy's expression tightened as she watched his reaction.

With no memory of his past, Herman found everything around him unfamiliar. He longed to know who he was but relied solely on Sandy.

When he woke up, Sandy was the first person he saw. She claimed to be his girlfriend, and even without memories, he began to trust and depend on her.

Since his awakening, Sandy had been kind and attentive, making her words easy to believe.

The broadcast was brief, moving quickly to the next segment.

Seeing Herman's lack of reaction, Sandy felt relieved.

At a red light, the taxi stopped at an intersection. As the light turned green, a black SUV brushed past them.

Inside the SUV was Anastasia, still searching relentlessly for Herman.

As the vehicles barely missed each other, Herman felt an unexpected pang of loss, like he was missing something essential, leaving him feeling empty.

Instinctively, he looked out the window, but the SUV had already passed, leaving him with no clue as to what triggered his reaction. Anastasia, in the SUV, felt a strong, inexplicable connection, as if Herman was nearby.

She turned to look out the window, but the busy traffic showed no sign of Herman.

Christen, her companion, said, "Ma'am, the rescue team found another missing person, about twenty miles downstream in a village." "Let's get over there. We can't miss any chance," Anastasia insisted.

Meanwhile, back at the hotel, Sandy and Herman returned to pack. Unbeknownst to Sandy, Herman had originally stayed there.

As they entered, Herman felt a wave of familiarity, like he had been there before.

While Sandy packed, Herman wheeled himself down the corridor, his head wrapped in bandages.

He saw a housekeeper tidying rooms, carrying clean linens.

When Sandy finished packing, she pushed Herman's wheelchair,

saying George, let's head onet

I've

ove

told Nicholas, and he's waiting for us in Willowbrook."

"Alright," Herman replied softly.

As Sandy wheeled Herman past the housekeeper, the older woman, who had seen Herman before while changing his linens, asked, "Sif, would you like your room cleaned?"

The housekeeper, a woman in her sixties who didn't use smartphones and was out of touch with the news, recognized Herman from his previous stay.