Chapter 20:

Mary Wickes hurriedly chased after him, the first time she had seen their hearts so distant, all seemingly because of that girl's appearance...

Demi Moore bought a lot of food, carrying big and small bags, but someone pushed it open from the inside before she could reach the doorknob. Then, a pair of hands replaced her and took everything from her.

"Ace..."

Her gaze lifted, and the weight on her hands completely vanished, a feeling of true comfort.

"You're very clever, aren't you?" Ace raised the food in his hands, his eyes flickering brightly.

Clever? Demi Moore didn't understand, looking at him.

"Demi, you silly girl!" Ace walked in, his beautiful lips curving up like a child's. "I heard Demi's footsteps, so I knew Demi had returned." He turned around, pointing at his face. "Demi, did you think I'm clever?"

Demi Moore chuckled softly. Clever, indeed, she was brilliant. She praised him silently, causing Ace to curve his lips with satisfaction. Of course, he was brilliant, to begin with.

Demi Moore put all the food in the new kitchen and sat beside Ace.

She reached out and handed it to him.

Ace was slightly stunned, looking at the clothes in her hand; a glimmer of surprise flashed through his eyes.

"Is this for me?" He asked with a hint of joy. Although she had bought all his clothes, this one was still special. He had seen someone wearing it on TV and told Demi that he liked it. He couldn't imagine Demi buying it for him.

Demi Moore nodded; of course, this house had only him; if not for him, then who?

"It's nice; let me try it on." Ace only asked a few questions, quickly taking the clothes and changing. It must be said; he truly was born to wear dresses; everything he wore looked beautiful. Any outfit he wore added a touch of nobility and charm that dazzled others.

"Does it look good?" Ace adjusted his clothes, his green eyes showing a gentle smile. He liked this outfit; it was soft and comfortable to wear, and most importantly, it was a gift from Demi to him.

Demi Moore nodded, "Beautiful, of course, it's beautiful. Ace could be a model."

Being praised by her, Ace felt like a child, stepping forward to hug her tightly. "Thank you, Demi; I like it."

Demi Moore gently patted his back, already familiar with this type of gratitude. But suddenly, her hand stopped, her fingers clenched tightly, her eyes flashing with a hint of bitterness.

After dinner, Demi Moore was washing dishes in the kitchen while Ace sat in front of the computer, starting to help her translate materials.

Demi Moore rinsed her hands, initially wanting to go outside, but in the end, she stopped. She leaned her head against the cold wall, and a silent tear rolled down from the corner of her eye, falling onto her pale cheek and dropping to the ground. She didn't dare to cry loudly, only able to suppress her emotions tightly. Why did even her tears have to be hidden?

It wasn't that it didn't hurt; it was excruciating. Painful to the point of unbearable.

Tom Hulce, I no longer want you; I won't love you again. That love died the day I lost our baby.

But why does forgetting someone hurt so much?

Because of loving too much, still because of being unable to forgive?

She placed her hand under her nose, continuing to cry silently.

"What are you doing in here for so long, Demi?" Ace suddenly walked into the kitchen, and upon seeing Demi Moore's somewhat peculiar movements, his body slightly froze.

"Demi..." He stuttered, his lips trembling. Demi Moore was still under the pressure of tears as if pouring salt onto all the wounds in her heart. 'Demi...' This was the first time he had seen her cry so painfully. Demi had never called before; in front of him, she always smiled, perhaps afraid of hurting someone she didn't understand, like him. She would always be patient with him, teach him many things, and give him a warmth he had never received.

He had never known that she could also be so vulnerable, and now his own eyes began to sting. He wasn't one to enjoy crying, so he couldn't shed tears; he had to be vital to protect Demi well.

"Demi, don't cry, don't cry..." Ace approached, tightly embracing Demi Moore's trembling body. She made him feel very uncomfortable as if someone cruelly tore open his heart.

"Who bullied you, Demi? Let me go beat them!" If he encountered anyone who made Demi cry, he would beat them and even kill them. His face suddenly turned cold as ice, his green eyes grew deep, and at this moment, it was no longer a calm lake but a turbulent ocean. The coldness emanated from his soul, devoid of any warmth. Emotions shouldn't appear in him, yet they seemed to belong to him.

But Demi Moore didn't notice Ace's change; she remained immersed in her thoughts, her fingers pulling at his clothes, trembling incessantly.

"Demi, if you're good, you won't cry, right?" Ace, feeling a bit foolish, patted her back. Demi kept crying like that, making his arms feel helpless.

It had been a long time, and now they no longer knew who needed the other more, even just a little bit.

"Be good, Demi Moore," she heard him say, causing her to force a bitter smile. Until now, she had always been good, but still, no one loved her, and no one had ever spoken to her like this.

'Ace.' Her lips moved slightly, silently remembering his name.

They lived leaning on each other, and now their hearts were even more intimate. A man without memories and a girl who had lost everything except for each other, what did they have?

The night wind blew in through the window, occasionally lifting a corner of the curtain, revealing a gentle touch.

On the not-so-large bed, two single blankets were spread, distinguishing their sleeping areas. Demi Moore woke up, reaching out to turn off the bedside lamp. The light shone on another person still sound asleep, their breathing rhythmically flowing.

She sat up, gently rubbing her slightly sore eyes, then turned to look at Ace.

The warm light stopped on his face, making him appear even gentler, and his hair seemed much paler. He had recovered quite well, unlike someone who had been wandering.

He tightly pursed his lips, but apart from the steady breaths that could be heard, everything was quiet. When Ace slept, he looked like an ordinary person. He didn't toss and turn, didn't mumble, and didn't quickly change his position. The entire night he has remained in the same posture.

Demi Moore pulled the blanket back for him. Initially, they had one person sleeping on the sofa and the other on the bed, but in the end, they both ended up sleeping on the bed because sleeping on the couch was uncomfortable, and Ace didn't want that either. Although his memory wasn't complete, he knew he occupied her bed and wouldn't let her sleep on the sofa. It made people feel warm, and their relationship remained pure. Ace was very childish, and she didn't pay much attention to it. In her mind, Ace wasn't a man but a child.

A child, so the thought was innocent.

Turning her head, she saw the neatly folded clothes that Ace had placed at the end of the bed. It was clear that he liked them. It was good that he wanted them. Demi Moore placed her hands on her thighs, feeling the pain of Tom Hulce's humiliation during the day fade away when Ace smiled.

If her surrender could exchange for Ace's smile, she felt delighted.

Since leaving that house, her life had been like a lifeless body, devoid of emotions, no pain, no tears, no laughter, no voice. But since Ace appeared, she felt alive, still breathing—her heart, which had felt shattered for a long time, slowly healed.

She believed that one day, everything would be fine.

"Thank you, Ace." In silence, her lips uttered no sound.

At that moment, Ace suddenly turned around, his face facing her, his perfect lips tightly sealed, as if he had seen something unpleasant, causing even the bridge of his nose to form a cross.

Demi Moore gently placed her hand on Ace's nose bridge, her finger smoothing out the wrinkles, wanting to make it relax. Ace was probably happy, simple, and not burdened by many worries; no matter what happened, she would shoulder it. Although not strong enough, she believed she could still protect Ace well.

Pulling the blanket over herself, she reached out to turn off the bedside lamp, and the inside instantly turned into darkness, with only a faint light seeping in from the moon outside the window, casting scattered spots on the floor, delicate and cold.

Demi Moore closed her eyes, the warmth from the blanket making her feel attached, not knowing if it was an attachment to zeal or devotion to him.

Tomorrow may be a beautiful day.

Ace turned again, seeming different from usual today, his hand tightly grasping the edge of the mattress. He exerted so much force that even his fingertips turned slightly pale, his eyebrows furrowed and then relaxed as if struggling with something.

In a dream, there was only a vague black color. In the haze, there seemed to be a neatly dressed person with a chilling smile, and that person's face was strikingly similar to his own! His hands were placed behind the steering wheel, his fingers gripping tightly, quickly driving the shiny car away from his sight.

Ace wanted to chase after him, wanted to ask why they looked so alike, forgetting everything, even forgetting himself.