Chapter 1333

Joe watched Skylar, who still seemed dazed. He simply replied, "Just passing by."

"What a coincidence," she remarked, the irony thick in the air. Their meeting seemed too deliberate to be chance.

Joe leaned against his car, gazing at the lake. After a moment, he asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I visited an elder this morning. I'm on my way back," Skylar replied.

Though the road was relatively quiet, a few cars and people passed. It was surprising they'd both stopped there.

Skylar felt more confident. Joe would remember their past, she believed; they would fall in love again. A surge of optimism filled her.

Joe couldn't take his eyes off Skylar's face.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked, puzzled by his intense gaze. She felt he might be regaining memories.

Joe finally looked away, his tone serious. "Are you trying to seduce me with those photos?"

So, the pictures she'd sent were the reason for his stare.

Skylar smiled. "I didn't edit them. If you want to say I'm trying to seduce you, that's fine. Did they spark any memories?"

She'd forgotten when the photos were taken. Since reuniting, their intimacy had been perfectly synchronized. Sometimes, afterward, they'd chat if they had the energy. That day, they'd even taken a couple of pictures after. Looking back, they had been quite daring, though nothing inappropriate was revealed; it was simply flirtatious.

Joe looked down at Skylar. "Aren't you afraid I might want to sleep with you?"

Skylar froze, her heart racing. She hadn't expected such bluntness, even given his memory loss.

Before she could respond, he continued coolly, "Aren't you afraid that if we sleep together, you might find out I'm not Joe?"

The question had plagued him for days. He craved her, the desire undeniable. Yet, he also understood her attraction. The thought of being a mere substitute was abhorrent.

He questioned his own identity. Recent information suggested Joe was dead, while other findings indicated a drastic personality change. Medical explanations for such shifts after amnesia existed. Furthermore, his current identification belonged to Ned.

If he was Joe, the coincidences were staggering. It felt orchestrated, as if someone had deliberately made him into Ned Sowle. Or perhaps they wanted him to believe he was Joe.

Skylar spoke firmly, "You're not anyone else. You are Joe."

"Are you so sure?" Joe asked, a smirk playing on his lips, amusement in his eyes.

As their eyes met, he saw his reflection in hers. Without hesitation, he leaned in, capturing her lips in a kiss. They were cool and soft, igniting an irresistible urge within him.