Reborn In a Murderer’s Embrace (Dexter) novel Chapter 446

My breathing deepened, my gaze trembling as I looked at Colin.

Colin's eyes met mine, burning with intensity.

He knew the old Phoebe was devoid of emotions. She didn't know happiness, pain, despair, or what a broken heart felt like...

She didn't even have the instinct to protect herself.

But now, I understood... I was starting to feel.

When I found out Dexter had spoken to the police about me hurting Melody, I wondered, what was Melody's end goal? Could she use this as leverage against me, or indirectly harm Colin? So no matter what the police said about me, I could remain silent. But the moment Colin was mentioned... I instinctively started to protect myself.

"Phoebe... you've always been wonderful, in every way... don't force yourself," Colin said, wrapping his arms around me tightly, his voice hoarse and shaking.

He knew how hard I had tried... tried to be normal.

But humans have emotions, selfishness is a nature, and lying is a possibility.

Everyone has flaws and weaknesses, nobody's invincible.

And it's these complex and varied elements that make up 'humanity', a group of high intelligence that stands above all other life forms on Earth.

So, when I found myself lying instinctively, I was shocked, and surprised.

I looked at my hands, then at Colin.

In my recovered memories, the me before amnesia felt like an outsider in this world.

But after losing my memory, it was like I stumbled into a role-playing game as a novice, blundering through life without remembering that I wasn't a 'normal person', experiencing pain and disappointment.

I had to admit, I was 'grateful' to Dexter. Without this episodic teaching, I wouldn’t be who I am now.

I was like an ancient tree that had been dead for ages, suddenly sprouting new buds, slowly clearing its channels, growing branches.