"Luca, leaving the company to head to Los Angeles wasn't an accident, was it?"
Anson's words, though calm, carried a hint of certainty and suspicion in his measured tone.
Suddenly, it gripped Luca's heart.
In that brief moment, countless thoughts raced through his mind, but Luca remained composed, looking at Anson without revealing any emotion. "What makes you think that?"
Everything had to appear as normal as possible.
Anson glanced at Luca and chuckled softly, "Just a hunch."
Luca turned away, maintaining his composure. "If that's what you call a family instinct, then I have no objections. I'd only be concerned if it's a Hollywood star's intuition, always thinking the world revolves around them."
Anson wasn't in a hurry. He smiled as he continued, "Maybe. I can't clearly distinguish, but something just doesn't feel right."
"I know you all care about me, support me, and have always been understanding—that's what family does, right? But why does it always feel like something's off?"
"After this incident, everyone was on edge like startled cats. Dad and Mom rushed back, you just up and quit your job, and now you're even moving to Los Angeles."
"Remember the last time?"
"You were all worried about me, and rushed to Los Angeles, convincing me to move. There was buying property, remodeling, and a flurry of activity, while I, the person concerned, was just idle."
Luca remained expressionless, but he didn't turn to observe Anson's face, wary that his gaze or expression might give something away. He carefully hid himself in the cover of the night.
Then, Luca spoke, "Who can blame us? You're our favorite troublemaker."
"If something happened to us, I'm sure you'd be the first to rush over."
Anson shrugged lightly, "Maybe."
"One night in the hospital, I overheard Mom and Dad talking, thinking I was asleep."
"Mom said she couldn't bear to lose me again."
"So, did you all lose me once before?"
For a long time, Anson had sensed something wasn't quite right. The Wood family seemed to dote on him excessively, even to the point of indulgence. He had always assumed that this was just how family should be.
Yet, things didn't add up.
Deep down, Anson felt a pain and struggle, not just sorrow—it was a cold mixture of fear, anxiety, and despair, deeply rooted in the recesses of his memory, pulling him down.
It didn't make sense.
The grief, the pain, the darkness—they had no discernible origin.
Anson didn't understand. If his past had such a loving family, why did he always feel like he was struggling to breathe?
He hadn't forgotten how he ended up here:
The bathroom. White powder.
Of course, there were other possible explanations. Hollywood is known for its wild parties; perhaps his former self was just enjoying a little party, and things got out of hand. Such incidents happen all the time.
But the details kept piling up, revealing something unusual.
Even when he overheard the Woods' conversation at the hospital, he remained silent, partly because he doubted himself, thinking he might have misunderstood in his half-awake state; and partly because he had no concrete evidence, fearing he'd expose himself.
But Anson had no answers.
He thought maybe it was because his soul hadn't fully fused with the original host's, causing some memory loss. Yet, as time went on, those feelings grew stronger, and the gaps in his memory remained unfilled.
There was an unease, a confusion, lurking like an invisible bomb.
Until now.
Luca resigned and was preparing to head to Los Angeles.
That instinct had grown stronger, so strong it threatened to swallow his rationality.
Anson sensed the Wood family's protection, even overprotectiveness—no matter what happened, they were always the first to respond.
Remember?
Anson hadn't been answering calls, so Luca had reached out to Edgar, then sent Noah to stay by his side.
These little things, seemingly insignificant, had quietly planted a seed.
It took root and sprouted.
Finally, Anson spoke up, facing the issue head-on.
His voice flowed steadily in the darkness.
Luca didn't turn his head, but he could feel Anson's calm and focused gaze on him.
A bit of panic set in.
Luca swallowed hard, trying to keep himself steady. Although his fingertips had started to sweat, he managed to stay composed.
Then, he turned.
Luca met Anson's gaze. "I think you misheard."
Their eyes locked in the darkness.
Anson quietly observed Luca, then gently raised his chin. "Right, that must be it. I must have misheard. I was just worried something like that happened, and it's all in my head, so I didn't ask Mom."
Luca breathed a sigh of relief.
But Anson didn't stop speaking. "Luca, did I ever tell you? When I was auditioning for 'Friends,' I almost died."
"Suspected OD."
In an instant, Luca's breath was cut off. He tried to say something but found he couldn't make a sound, his heart exploding in his chest.
No!
Luca clenched his fists, every muscle in his body tensed to the extreme. All his rationality and self-control vanished without a trace in that moment.
Anson, however, remained calm, sipping his cocktail as he quietly gazed at the stars.
"Should I blame myself?"
"I don't know what happened or what's lurking in the darkness, but it feels like something is watching me, ready to strike. I don't know if it's just my imagination or if there's real danger."
"I've tried to shake it off, tried to run, tried to crawl into the rabbit hole, and hoped the world would fall silent so I could ignore the unease."
"But..."
To be honest, Anson wasn't sure how to express himself.
Then, he fell silent—
For the first time, since crossing over.
Anson had considered it: if he couldn't remember, if the Wood family never mentioned it, if those memories didn't seem to play any role, then he could continue pretending.
It was for his own protection, to avoid exposing himself; it was also for his mental well-being. Some scars didn't need reopening.
Some secrets were better left buried. The truth wouldn't help anyone.
So, Anson had always kept his mouth shut.
But it wasn't that simple.
As they spent more time together, growing closer, their bond deepened. Unknowingly, they had already broken the barriers of strangers and become an inseparable part of each other's lives. And those hidden feelings of unease, sadness, fear, and pain kept stirring beneath the surface.
Maybe, running away wasn't a solution after all.
Maybe, someday, they would all need to face the truth—Luca included—otherwise, the wounds would never heal.
So, Anson broke the silence, shattering the last barrier between them.