{Chapter: 153 Memory Recovery}
The helicopter soared through the sky, slicing through the wind as it approached the coastline. The rhythmic hum of its blades filled the cabin, an ever-present reminder of the journey ahead.
"Can we really just ignore them?" Claire asked, her gaze lingering on the vast ocean below.
William responded with an amused chuckle. "Don't worry. Those meant to survive will find a way. It's simply nature's course." His lips curled into a knowing smile, his expression filled with an unsettling confidence.
Claire remained silent for a moment before nodding. "Yeah…"
"We're about to arrive in Arcadia," William continued, his eyes flashing with something sinister, something unreadable. "I hope this place helps you regain your memory." His voice was smooth, but beneath it lay a twisted excitement. If she remembers everything… How will she react? Will she still look at me the same way? I can't wait to find out.
Claire, oblivious to his inner thoughts, offered him a soft smile. "I hope so too. I want to remember everything about you." There was genuine anticipation in her voice, her eyes filled with longing. Surely, their past together must have been beautiful—filled with love, happiness, and warmth. She was eager to reclaim those lost memories, eager to find the missing pieces of her life.
As they continued their descent, the thick fog over the sea parted, revealing an enormous ship looming beneath them. It was massive, nearly the size of a floating city, yet eerily silent.
The helicopter gradually touched down on the deck with a smooth but firm landing. The moment the blades slowed, William, Claire, and the small figure of White Queen disembarked.
Claire looked around, frowning. "Why is there no one here? A ship this large should be bustling with activity."
William glanced toward the dimly lit corridors. "Maybe they're inside, keeping out of sight. We'll know once we start searching." Without hesitation, he strode forward, leading the way.
---
Inside the Captain's Room
"Did you find anything?" Claire asked, scanning the room with a wary gaze.
William shook his head. "Nothing. Not a single soul on board."
Claire furrowed her brows as she examined the ship's control panel. "Strange… The electricity and fuel levels are completely normal. This ship is fully operational, yet it's abandoned?" Her fingers moved over the screen, pulling up the log entries. "Wait… according to this, there were supposed to be 2,000 survivors on board." She turned to William, her expression tense. "So where are they?"
Before he could respond, White Queen, the little l*li, chimed in. "Come with me. I'll show you."
William and Claire exchanged a glance before following the l*li figure.
White Queen little l*li led them deep into the ship's lower levels. The air grew heavy, and darkness thickened around them. Claire switched on her flashlight, its beam cutting through the gloom.
"We're here," White Queen announced, stopping before a massive iron door.
Claire's flashlight illuminated the center of the door—where an unmistakable symbol was embossed.
The red and white emblem sent an immediate chill down Claire's spine.
Her hands trembled. "The Umbrella Corporation…" she whispered.
William smirked. "Wife, do you remember something?"
A sudden rush of fragmented images assaulted Claire's mind—flashes of memories long buried. She saw herself and Jill arriving in Alaska, only to be met by several kayaks approaching from the mist. At first, they had believed it was a rescue team. But instead… they were hunters. Captors. They had come to take them. She had barely escaped.
Her expression darkened. "This is a trap."
William chuckled, his voice dripping with amusement. "That's right. It's a trap set by the Umbrella Corporation."
Claire's gaze turned icy as she whipped around to face him. "William… I remember everything now." Her voice was laced with venom. "You lied to me. You stole my memories, my freedom. You took everything from me. I'll kill you for this."
William tilted his head slightly, still smirking. "Killing your husband? How ungrateful. Wife, how could you say such cruel things?"
"Don't call me that!" Claire shouted. "I trusted you. I believed you. I gave you everything, and you—" Her voice broke for a second, raw pain seeping through her words.
The truth was like a blade twisting in her chest. She had longed to recover her memories, hoping to recall a love-filled past with William. Instead, all she found was betrayal and hatred.
Claire felt very ironic. This was completely different from what she thought of restoring her memory. She was looking forward to restoring the happy memories of the past with William, but the restored memory was hatred.
Her fingers tightened around the gun at her waist. Without hesitation, she raised it and aimed directly at his chest.
"William, I'm going to kill you." Claire pointed a gun at William.
Little White Queen L*lita eyes sparkled with excitement. "Oh, this is the legendary battle! Husband versus Wife! How thrilling!"
William remained completely unfazed. "Wife, are you really willing to shoot me?"
"Stop calling me that," Claire growled.
William took a single step forward, pressing his chest against the barrel of the gun. "Go ahead. Pull the trigger."
Claire's grip on the gun tightened. "I swear, I'll do it."
"Then do it, wife" he whispered, his voice taunting.
"Don't call me wife, damn it, do you think I dare not kill you?" Claire shouted.
"Wife, of course you dare, then come on." William took a step forward and put his chest against the tip of the gun.
"I'll kill you right now, you're asking for it." Claire pulled the trigger, but couldn't pull it any further when she pulled it halfway. The hand holding the gun was shaking.
William smiled evilly and said, "Wife, what's wrong with you? Your hands are shaking. You can't kill me like this."
"Shut up." Claire took a deep breath.
"Can't bear to kill me?" William said with a smile.
Claire looked at William with a complicated look, mixed with all kinds of emotions, "You think too much, who do you think you are, what does your life or death have to do with me? Stop being a narcissistic piece of shit, I'll get rid of you right now."
"I'm waiting for you to shoot." William said with a smile.
"Damn it, don't think I don't dare." Claire's face turned fierce.
Her finger pulled the trigger—
Bang!
The gun was indeed fired, but it seemed to be in the wrong place. The gun fired, but the bullet embedded itself into the metal wall behind him.
White Queen stared blankly at the bullet holes on the iron plate, "What's going on? "O." "Huh? Your aim isn't usually that bad…"
Ding!
Claire's arms trembled. The gun slipped from her fingers and clattered to the floor. She sank to her knees, shaking her head in disbelief.
"Why?" she muttered. "Why couldn't I pull the trigger?"
William crouched before her, his smirk never fading. He reached out, gently cupping her cheek. "Because you can't bring yourself to kill me, wife. After all, I'm your husband."
Claire shuddered at his touch and smacked his hand away. "Don't touch me! You're not my husband!"
"Then how do you explain your little… hesitation?" William asked playfully.
Claire's eyes burned with rage and self-loathing. "It was just luck. Next time, I won't miss."
William leaned in closer. "You're so defiant, wife. It seems I need to discipline you." Before she could react, he scooped her up into his arms.
Claire struggled violently. "Let me go! I swear I'll kill you, you bastard!"
William ignored her protests and turned to White Queen. "Go find something to entertain yourself with. I need some private time with Claire."
The little l*li White Queen rolled her eyes. "Ugh, pervy old d@ddy. You just want to have sex again. Don't think I don't know!"
With Claire still struggling in his grasp, William walked through the dimly lit corridors until he found a lounge. He kicked the door open and tossed her onto the bed.
Claire sat up immediately, her glare sharp enough to cut through steel. "What are you planning to do?"
William loomed over her, his smirk widening. "Fuck you! What else? Punish a disobedient woman." He pounced like a predator, tearing at her clothes.
"You sick bastard!" Claire snarled, fighting back with all her strength. "Don't think you can break me!"
William's voice was filled with unshakable confidence. "Wife, you can resist all you want, but you already know… it's useless. Just accept your fate."
"Ah..."
Claire's screams of rage echoed through the empty ship, followed soon after by other sounds—various strange cries that carried through the metal walls, lingering in the silence of the vast, abandoned vessel.
And so, the ship drifted onward through the fog, carrying its secrets into the unknown.
*****
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