picked me up from the airport, took one look at my face, a

at

ave with my medications, then poured it down the sink.

a monster. Yo

me. I read the letter I wrote. I knew I loved he

loosening his ti

forget I found her. To use my

ou shoul

t someone you loved and couldn't even rem

her. You can't remember loving her.

was right. But somethi

about those five missing years. I read through emails, meeting notes, journal e

ificed everything for success. He'd pushed away everyone who cared about him. He'd married

nore Elara's attempts at conversation, eat dinners she'd prepared while working on my laptop.

g a beautiful dress. I'd walked in, barely looked at it, told her I had a conference call and went into my

after watch

me in my office at three in the morning sur

to und

, the doctors said forcing these me

ry. I destroyed someone who l

you to take over, you changed. You worked yourself to the bone trying to prove you were good eno

not an

you pushed her away because you were terrified. Your parents had the worst marriage I've ever seen. Your father

marriage was a battlefield disg

hurt her the way your father hurt your mother. Instead, you hur

. I'd been avoiding her

ng me too. She knows you have amnesia and

red. "M

Victoria Cross's voice was saccharine

been b

t girl." The way she said 'that girl' made my j

Elara. She

e is final. You're free. Why on earth wou

to understand

simple." Her tone turned sharp. "Damien, I'm hosting a dinner party next week. Senator Morrison's

t inter

your future. About the family name. That Ben

er feel that way? When she lived here, d

rtain social realities. Someone had to.

e her mi

." Victoria's voice turned cold. "That girl was using y

e for anything. No

t. She played the long game. And look, s

ey, telling me about three years of pai

wrong ab

hirty-five years." She paused. "Damien, whatever romantic notions you h

don't want

were distracted, unfocused, weak. After the divorce, you became the man you were me

he? Mo

y don't you ask her? Oh wait, you did. And she to

hung

me carefully. "What

. And I'm thinking I need to find

ow

private investigator. Subject line

and my sto

ed over. "

k. I just showe

imes with Marcus Chen, owner of Chen Gallery. Relation

mie

ords felt like hollow in my thro