Ethan didn't sleep that night.He sat beside his bedroom window, watching the city slowly fall silent.The unknown message was still open on his phone.You have seventeen days.This time, don't trust the people you trusted before.He had read it more than twenty times.The message should have frightened him.Instead, it gave him a strange sense of certainty.Someone knew.Someone else remembered.But Ethan had no idea who.He opened the Future System.[Future System][Host: Ethan Carter][Age: 18][Timeline: September 12, 2016][Primary Future Event: September 29, 2016][Betrayal Probability: 100%]Ethan stared at the final line.“Who?”The System remained silent.“Show me the person.”[Information unavailable.]“Show me the possibilities.”[Information unavailable.]Ethan frowned.“So you're not going to tell me?”No response.He leaned back.“Fine.”He had spent his first life trusting people because they told him what he wanted to hear.This time, he would trust evidence.Not promi

Ethan couldn't stop thinking about the System's final message.[One possible betrayer has been removed from the timeline.]Someone who was supposed to betray him would no longer do it.But the next line disturbed him even more.[Timeline correction will occur.]Ethan looked at Amelia.She was still standing beside him, trying to understand why he had suddenly gone quiet.“What is it?” she asked.“Nothing.”“You've said that three times.”Ethan smiled.“I've had a strange day.”Amelia studied him.“You're not very good at explaining yourself.”“I'm learning.”She smiled faintly.“Then maybe you should start with something simple.”“Like what?”“Why did you know where I would be?”Ethan became silent.There was no safe answer.He couldn't tell her about the System.He couldn't tell her that he had already lived ten years beyond this moment.And he certainly couldn't tell her that, in another life, he had watched her disappear without ever understanding why.“I had a feeling.”Amelia sho

Ethan couldn't take his eyes off his father.“Amelia Rose.”Richard had reacted to that name as if Ethan had mentioned a ghost.“Dad,” Ethan said quietly, “what does Amelia have to do with the warehouse fire?”Richard looked toward the window.For several seconds, he said nothing.Then he walked to the curtains and closed them.“Before I answer that, tell me something.”“What?”“How do you know Amelia?”Ethan hesitated.“I met her at university.”Richard turned around sharply.“Where?”“Near the parking area.”“What happened?”“Two men tried to force her into a car. I stopped them.”Richard's expression changed.“You stopped them?”“Yes.”“Why?”“She needed help.”Richard stared at him.“You don't understand.”“Then explain it to me.”Richard rubbed his forehead.“Those men weren't random criminals.”Ethan's attention sharpened.“How do you know?”“Because I've seen that method before.”“Where?”Richard didn't answer immediately.Then he said, “In 1996.”Ethan's stomach tightened.“We

Victor's message remained on Ethan's screen.I know what happened to Elena Vale.And I know why someone wants Amelia Rose dead.Ethan read it again.Then he deleted the notification.Not the message.Just the notification.If someone was watching his phone, he didn't want them to know how seriously he was taking it.Richard was still standing across the room.“Don't meet him,” his father said.Ethan looked up.“Why?”“Because if Victor knows about Elena, then someone else knows he knows.”“That doesn't make sense.”“It will.”Richard walked toward the window and looked outside.The black car was still there.“You see that car?”“Yes.”“It has been there for twenty minutes.”Ethan's eyes narrowed.“You noticed it?”“I notice things now.”Richard pulled the curtains closed.“Ethan, listen to me carefully. Whatever you're planning, don't go anywhere alone tonight.”Ethan almost laughed.His father had spent years telling him to stay away from danger.Now, for the first time, Richard soun

Ethan stared at the final message.And neither are you.His fingers tightened around the phone.“What does that mean?” Victor asked.Ethan didn't answer.Across the street, the man in the dark coat was still standing beside the black SUV.He wasn't running.He wasn't hiding.He was waiting.As if he wanted Ethan to see him.Then the man turned and got back into the SUV.“Victor.”“Yeah?”“Can you drive?”Victor nodded.“Then move.”They rushed outside.The SUV was already disappearing into traffic.Victor unlocked his car.Ethan got inside.“Where?”“Rose residence.”Victor started the engine.“You're serious?”“Amelia is in danger.”“So is everyone who gets close to her.”“Then we don't have time to argue.”Victor accelerated.For several minutes, neither spoke.Ethan kept looking at his phone.Amelia still wasn't answering.Then—A message appeared.Not from an unknown number.From Amelia.**I'm safe.**Ethan immediately called.No answer.He called again.Nothing.“That's strange,”