Monica knew exactly what Sabrina was thinking, but there was no way she was going to encourage it.

If a guy can be that cold to a woman, no matter what excuse he has, she's totally against chasing him back.

So, she didn't even continue the topic and just said, "Let me drive you home. Lynne's arriving first thing tomorrow-we'll pick her up together."

"Okay." Sabrina sighed in resignation, knowing Monica had seen right through her little plan.

The next morning.

After a solid night's sleep, Sabrina felt like her usual self again. She threw on a white tracksuit and hopped into Monica's car to head to the airport.

The terminal was packed and buzzing with noise.

Standing by the exit, it didn't take long before she spotted a graceful woman in a flowing white dress slowly wheeling a white suitcase out.

Sabrina's eyes lit up. "Mom!" she called out, waving.

Lynne Grant turned at the shout, her sharp gaze landing directly on the daughter who constantly stressed her out, and broke right into a scolding: "Wow, you're real bold now, huh? Ignoring my calls for a whole day? Next time I don't hear from you in five hours, just know you're asking for a beating!"

Sabrina froze for a second, then quickly realized-Monica must've helped cover up the whole kidnapping ordeal. So Lynne probably just thought she was being rebellious, not in any actual danger.

Sabrina shot Monica a grateful look. Given her mom's heart condition, she really couldn't afford any shocks.

Monica turned her gaze away, trying to keep it cool, but inside she was feeling heavy and bitter. This mother-daughter duo was seriously stressing her out.

"Mom, your room's all set. I'll bunk with you tonight," Sabrina said as she took her mom's arm, trying to sweet-talk her.

"Well, well, imagine that. You're actually volunteering to sleep with me? Aren't you usually all about clinging to Monica and pouring your little heart out about your girly problems?" Lynne raised an eyebrow, clearly teasing.

"Just one night, alright? I'll go back to Monica after," Sabrina grinned mischievously.

"Tch." Lynne scoffed.

The three of them grabbed a cab home.

Back before they moved abroad, the Lionharts lived here as a family of three. It was where Sabrina grew up-a standard two-bedroom apartment in a downtown neighborhood, just a short bus ride to the city's busiest spots. Quiet, yet convenient.

As soon as Lynne stepped in, she took a long look around. Waves of old memories rushed back.

Back when Sabrina's dad proposed to her here, waving that property deed around all full of promises about sharing a future together. Big talk. Didn't take long before he ran off to a fancier place with someone else.

Men. Not a decent one among them.

Noticing that classic expression of disdain on her mom's face, Sabrina knew instantly who was on her mind. With someone as easygoing as Lynne, there was only one person who could make her look so smug and bitter-her dad.

"Mom, go change-bet that dress isn't comfy," Sabrina quickly said, trying to snap her mom out of it.

"Tell me about it. It's tight as hell, but my friend insisted I wear it," Lynne muttered as she headed to the room.

Later, dressed more comfortably, Lynne headed out to eat with Monica and Sabrina.

They were usually happy to go along with whatever Sabrina wanted.

But tonight, because of how pancakes reminded her of Cedric, Sabrina wasn't in the mood for a proper meal.

She had a craving-for every snack she and Cedric ever shared. One by one.Fried potatoes, spicy noodles, calamari, egg waffles... you name it.

The food street was buzzing, but Lynne never cared for crowds-too noisy, too messy. It was always Sabrina diving straight into the chaos like a busy little bee, grabbing the snacks and bringing them back for the three of them to share.

On the sidewalk, Lynne leaned casually against the railing. She was nearly fifty, but you'd never guess it-great skincare, and with a beauty expert for a daughter, her skin looked radiant and her figure was well-kept. At a glance, she could easily pass for early thirties.

Monica mirrored her posture. She and Sabrina were the same age, but total opposites in vibe. Sabrina was bubbly and sweet, while Monica had that sultry, hard-to-resist charm. Honestly, if Monica wasn't a neurologist, she and Sabrina probably wouldn't cross paths much.

The two of them watched the crowd. From a distance, they could see Sabrina struggling to order food at one of the bustling stalls.

Lynne sighed, her eyes following Sabrina with a hint of warmth. "Just like when she was a kid-still loves the noise, never backs down from trouble, always full of energy."

Her voice softened and her eyes misted up. She quickly turned away so Sabrina wouldn't notice, placing both hands on the railing, back facing the street.

Monica noticed and shifted her posture slightly, leaning her slim waist against the railing. "Don't get emotional now," she said gently. "Sabrina's doing much better than expected. At her current pace, any serious signs probably won't show until she's around sixty."

Changing the subject, Lynne asked, "Has she caused you any trouble these past few days?"

"Nope," Monica replied, but she hesitated, picturing Sabrina's distracted look lately. "Although... I think she's really trying to get back with her ex. I suspect that's the whole reason she rushed back home. You okay with that idea?"

If Lynne was on board, Monica wouldn't mind passing on a few of her top-tier tricks-moves that would've any guy wrapped around Sabrina's finger.

Lynne's face changed fast, and her voice shook a little. "She... she went to see Cedric?"

Monica raised an eyebrow, a bit confused, but nodded. "Yeah, they met already. Sabrina had a little mishap, and Cedric's the one who helped her out."

She made the word "kidnapping" sound like nothing.

Lynne pressed on, eyes tense. "Did she say anything strange? Ask you anything out of the ordinary?"

"No," Monica shook her head, now frowning too. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"I..." Lynne opened her mouth, but stopped short.

Monica's tone got serious, her smile gone. "We're in this together. If we want to keep things stable for Sabrina, then no secrets. I need the full picture to gauge how her memory issues are progressing."

Lynne hesitated, lips slightly parted, still unsure how to start-when Sabrina bounced back, loaded with twenty freshly grilled skewers in hand.

Lynne clamped her mouth shut in an instant. Monica picked up the cue, dropped her serious face, and went back to looking effortlessly chill.

Sabrina's cheeks were flushed red from the steam, but her smile was bright as ever. She handed out the skewers, splitting them into three portions. "Come on, dig in! This one's beef. The guy said they taste best while they're hot."

"Oh please," Monica huffed playfully, "the things I do for you-only my undying love would get me to eat street food on the sidewalk." Still, she immediately bit into the beef skewer.

Mmm... damn, that was good.

"I got it, okay? I know you both love me the most!" Sabrina beamed.

She wasn't just lucky to have Lynne, who always supported her dreams and never tried to hold her back. She also had Monica, who felt more like a big sister than a friend - always there to listen to her ramblings about her so-called girly troubles and even help her fix them, no complaints.

With those two around, Sabrina felt genuinely blessed.

"Hmph~" Monica huffed softly, pretending to sulk while digging into her skewer.

After they finished eating, Sabrina darted right back into the snack street, eager to chase after her next food find.

But the earlier conversation didn't come back up.

Monica could tell-whatever that was about, it wasn't something light. Otherwise, Lynne wouldn't have brushed aside Sabrina's condition to hide it.

And as for Lynne...

Since Monica didn't press her, she just played dumb for now. She needed time to figure out how to talk about it - properly.

Sabrina ran back and forth a few times making sure everyone had eaten enough before finally heading off to wash her hands.

That's when Lynne quietly brought the topic back. "Monica, I'm sorry. Just... give me a little more time. And I also need a favor - if Sabrina ever brings up Cedric, can you try to pull her back? Keep her away from him."

Then Lynne headed off in the direction of the sinks.

Monica stared after her, pretty sure her suspicions were spot on. That thing Lynne was hiding? Definitely heavy stuff.

This was the first time she'd seen Lynne - who usually encouraged Sabrina to chase after everything she wanted - actually step in to stop her from loving someone.

Since coming back, Sabrina and Lynne had been wandering around like tourists, checking out all the popular spots, snapping pics, trying all the food. Monica could see all their updates on her feed every day - almost like they were in sync.

Soaking in the fun, Sabrina had kind of put everything else on pause. The past few years, she'd basically lived inside the lab. No matter how legendary people thought the "Beauty Master" was, tossing around words like genius and gifted, only Sabrina really knew - every single breakthrough came from relentless hours in the lab.

Her days used to just be lab, home, sleep, repeat. All those jars and samples had been her whole life. Now that she finally nailed a formula she felt proud of, she figured she earned a proper break before starting anything new.

While Sabrina relaxed and enjoyed life, Gracewell Skincare Group was pretty much in panic mode.

During lunch, Cedric slipped away from Maxon Group to drop by Gracewell. The moment he stepped out of the car, Orion-his assistant from the executive office-was already rushing over, face tense.

"Mr. Strickland, still no reply from the Master."

"Did they reach an agreement with Pama?" Cedric asked right away.

"From what I've heard, no go," Orion replied, brows scrunched. "Honestly, I'm starting to think maybe the Beauty Master got picked up by some other giant brand."

After all, the beauty market was swamped with new skincare lines, and Pama wasn't the only big player besides them.

"Until we hear something, just keep contacting them," Cedric ordered as they walked into his office. Seeing the massive pile of documents on the desk, he rubbed his temple. "Also, dig up every possible way to contact the Beauty Master. I'm calling them myself."

"Got it. I'll send whatever I find to your inbox ASAP." Orion bowed slightly and left the room, giving Cedric space to tackle the mountain of work.

Two days later.

After partying a bit too hard, Sabrina finally dragged herself out of vacation mode and tried to switch into work gear. But before diving into any new projects, she needed to handle one very important task first: handing over the Twinkle to Gracewell Skincare Group.

She had been having too much fun lately and totally forgot about it.

Staring at her inbox flooded with hundreds of unread emails, she skimmed through them. Gracewell had sent her at least ten follow-ups-it was obvious they were eager to meet.

Pama Conglomerate ran a close second, their emails were more polished and full of tempting offers. But just reading "Pama" made her stomach churn.

Sabrina sighed and lightly smacked her forehead. She had meant to respond to their first email ages ago, but then Lynne dragged her off to have fun and... it slipped her mind completely.

She clicked open one of Gracewell's emails and was about to type out a polite reply when her phone suddenly rang.

Unknown number.

She stared at the screen for a few seconds. No spam warning popping up. With a shrug, she picked it up and swiped to answer. Before she could even say hello, a steady, deep voice came through the speaker.

"Hello, madam, this is Cedric Strickland, Executive Director at Gracewell Skincare Group..."

Boom.

It was like a lightning storm exploded in her brain.

Cedric?!

How did he even get her number?!

Sabrina jumped up from the floor like she'd sat on a hot pan, bouncing and pacing nervously. But her mouth refused to form a single word.

"Hello? Can you hear me?" Cedric's voice sounded polite and calm on the other end.

Sabrina took two deep breaths. If air had shape, she was sure her nostrils were flaring like a angry bull's right now.

She opened her mouth, ready to say "Yes, I can hear you." But right before the words left her lips, a weird thought hit her-if she spoke in her real voice, Cedric might hang up on her on the spot.

Thinking back to that awkward, cold stand-off outside the restaurant... remembering how cold and distant he had been... Sabrina, just to be safe, grabbed a cushion from the sofa, pressed it to her face and replied in a small voice, "Hello."

"Hi. I was wondering if tomorrow works for you to meet? If not, we can reschedule. Totally up to you-I'll adjust to your timing."

Cedric's tone was calm, almost robotic.

But Sabrina knew how to read between the lines. A sentence like "I'll adjust to your timing" meant Gracewell was on the back foot. Otherwise, someone with Cedric's pride wouldn't say something that accommodating.

Sabrina actually felt a tiny twinge of pity for him. "Tomorrow's fine," she said.

"...Okay, see you then."

Cedric sounded like he wasn't sure he had just landed a meeting with the legendary beauty expert. He paused before confirming it.

Sabrina didn't say anything else and ended the call.

She collapsed back onto the couch, arms flopping out, and the cushion dropped to the floor. Staring blankly at the ceiling, the pity she'd briefly felt for Cedric quickly switched to feeling sorry for herself.

Seriously, it was his company asking for help-so why did she feel like she was the one begging to be helpful?

Groaning, she covered her face with her hands. Whatever, they were meeting tomorrow. Time to slap on a face mask and get herself looking perfect before she saw him again.

*****

Meanwhile...Gracewell Skincare Group CEO's office.

Even though the call had ended several seconds ago, Cedric was still holding his phone, staring at the screen like something was off and he couldn't put his finger on it.

His assistant Orion peeked at him cautiously, clearly freaking out inside. "Mr. Strickland? Did... did she agree to meet?" he asked carefully.

Right after asking, Orion gulped nervously, unsure whether to brace for disappointment or get excited. But judging by the way Cedric looked like his soul just left his body, it probably didn't go well. Maybe that famous beauty expert totally shut him down.

Orion sighed to himself, "Honestly, wouldn't be surprising if she turned you down. She's super mysterious. We barely know anything about her except that she's a woman. And she's so low-key! Every award she's ever won, no one's seen her show up to take it. Even with Twinkle-it's always someone else receiving on her behalf."

"Maybe Pama got to her already. I did hear they're offering her company shares to seal the deal. Makes sense, their best-selling product just got called out-turns out the ingredients are barely better than drugstore stuff, but they've been charging four grand a jar! Sales tanked, and now they need something solid to save the brand."

Orion spilled everything he knew in one breath.

Cedric processed his assistant's minor intel dump, and for the first time had a clearer picture of Pama's strategy. Business was tough across the board-it didn't matter the sector, competition was cutthroat everywhere.

Which only made him more determined not to let Pama win this round.

If he couldn't lead Gracewell to a breakthrough, he sure as hell wouldn't let someone else use him as a stepping stone to climb higher.

Standing beside him, Orion was visibly awestruck by the sudden intensity radiating off his boss. He looked up, eyes wide. "Wait, Mr. Strickland... you mean, she said yes?"

"She did. Tonight, prep the contract and all the relevant materials. And run an updated valuation on our shares. If it comes to it, we'll offer equity, too," Cedric said without hesitation.

He didn't completely get what made this Twinkle product so special, but if Pama was willing to give up shares over it, he wasn't about to play small.

Sometimes breaking into a new field isn't as hard as it seems. In business, what matters most... is profit.

Orion's eyes lit up, spine straightening. "Got it!"

*****

The next day.

Sabrina wore a simple white dress-less of her usual sass, more polish and poise. Her black leather handbag completed the look, borrowed from Monica. Word was, it cost a fortune and was oozing feminine charm.

The restaurant Cedric picked was no joke-Auburn Dining, an upscale spot with serious history. It's said even visiting officials dined there during field inspections.

Just before heading out, Sabrina felt a flicker of nerves. She had no clue how Cedric would react when he realized the beauty expert he'd been dying to meet was actually her. Judging by how warm and hopeful he'd seemed at first and how it shifted after they'd started interacting... yeah, the guy might hate her more than she thought.

Still, she figured he was a grown man now. Surely he wouldn't risk company interests just to hold a grudge... right? After all, they say when someone accepts your gift, they owe you a favor. And if he took what she brought him today, she doubted he'd still be able to act high and mighty around her later.

Thinking that, Sabrina smirked to herself, feeling confident again.

She didn't tell Monica or her mother-luckily, neither of them were home at that time. Sabrina quietly slipped out and arrived at the restaurant a solid thirty minutes before Cedric's set time.

She got the private room first-talking business always needed a bit of peace and quiet. Plus, if Cedric came alone, a guy and a girl chatting behind closed doors was a bit... well, dodgy. Just saying.

The room had this classy Eastern vibe going on-totally matched the restaurant's name. The huge, sweeping landscape paintings were seriously stunning. After settling in, Sabrina pulled out her phone and dropped Cedric a quick message with the room number.

He replied right away, said he'd just arrived downstairs, wanted to prep a bit early, but clearly, she beat him to it.

Sabrina kept it chill and texted back that she had the same idea.

Phone down, she took a deep breath, glanced at her long dress and smoothed it out one more time. Still not satisfied, she clicked over to the glass wall nearby and used the faint reflection to fix her hair. Once all that was sorted, she returned to her seat.

Fingers laced on the table, she took in every detail of the room's decor and couldn't help getting a bit emotional. Who would've thought she'd ever face Cedric like this, not fighting but possibly working together?

A few minutes later, a knock came at the door. Sabrina stood up instantly, eyes on the entrance.

Cedric came in, nodded politely to the server who opened the door. His assistant, Orion, was right behind, holding a sleek black binder under his arm-the kind filled with documents worth more than gold. If they managed to seal this deal, this skincare line would be Gracewell's crown jewel for years.

Cedric walked in steady and cool.

He wore a navy blue suit-less stiff than black, gave off a tidier, laid-back vibe. Sabrina once said when he wore black, he gave off serious "don't mess with me" energy. Since this was a first meeting, he probably didn't want to come on too strong.

But the moment he came around the divider and saw who was standing beside the table, he completely froze.

Orion didn't react fast enough and almost crashed into Cedric's back. He gasped inwardly, then quickly stepped back.

"You're here! Come on, have a seat." Sabrina put on her best host smile and brushed past Cedric's cold aura, pretending everything was fine.

Cedric stayed rooted where he was, eyes locked on Sabrina, scanning her like he was trying to figure out if it was really her-or maybe someone who just looked exactly the same. Was the legendary skincare expert... actually Sabrina?

Cedric didn't move, so of course Orion stood still too. The tension in the room was instantly off the charts.

The smile on Sabrina's face started to stiffen awkwardly. If Cedric kept standing there like that, she really had no idea how to play this.

It wouldn't be a big deal if it were just the two of them, but now that someone else was in the mix, she didn't want this blowing up into something dramatic.

Cedric finally broke eye contact, though his expression said it all. This was no mix-up. The skincare expert was indeed Sabrina.

And suddenly, it felt like someone had played a cruel joke on him.

Thinking back to all those emails Gracewell had sent begging for this partnership-emails that now felt like they'd slapped him square across the face-made his blood boil.

This brand was his grandma's lifework. And here he was, practically kowtowing to the one person he never wanted to bow to...

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got.

"Let's go," he said, then turned around and walked out. Just like that. No hesitation.

"Huh? Mr. Strickland?" Orion blinked, thinking he must've misheard.

People had been dying for a meeting with this skincare pro, and Cedric? One call, and she showed up? That alone was brag-worthy for a year. But now he'd leave before even saying a word?

"Cedric!" Sabrina panicked and bolted after him. He was walking, but she ran-and caught up in seconds. Grabbing the hem of his jacket on impulse, she shouted, "Why are you doing this?!"

Does he really hate her that much?

He'd rather ignore her requests and watch his own company suffer?

Sabrina knew the hole Pama Conglomerate was in right now. She knew how badly they needed Twinkle. If this deal went through, it'd be a major hit to Gracewell.

And yet Cedric would rather let Pama fall apart than even talk to her?

She didn't leave because of some huge scandal. She hadn't done anything close to criminal. Just walked away when she'd hit rock bottom.

Was that really unforgivable?

"Why would I bother?" Cedric let out a mocking scoff, like her question was a joke.

He turned sharply, and her hand brushed off the hem of his coat.

"Maybe the better question is-why did you come back?" His voice was low, clenched, heavy with restraint-like he was one second away from snapping.

"I..." Sabrina froze, stunned by how furious and on edge he looked.

Something about the whole thing felt wrong. Off in a way that made her skin crawl.

This wasn't how he was supposed to react. None of this was how she expected.

"I know Pama's been in touch. From a business point of view, it makes sense-so why didn't you work with them?" Cedric had been confused himself. Pama had prestige, better offers, everything. And yet the beauty expert turned them down.

Was it pride? Or...

In that moment, something clicked for him.

A horrible, ugly possibility flashed through his mind.

His hands clenched tightly by his sides. He leaned in, voice barely above a whisper, like it took everything in him just to keep it together.

"Or do you think a life is something you can pay off with a lucrative deal? Is that the trade, Miss Lionhart?"

He kept pushing, each word sharper than the last.

"I kill someone close to you, then turn around and offer you a deal worth millions-would you take it?"

With Maxon Group's power, they could totally swing something like that. The only question was-would Sabrina agree?

She stood there, pale, her mouth open, but no sound came out.

Because all she could see written all over Cedric's face... was hate.

A life. What life was he talking about?

She wanted to ask, but Cedric didn't give her the chance. He turned and stormed out.

The second he was gone, it was like the air dropped out of the room.

Sabrina crumpled to the floor.

Completely drained.

What just happened?

Why couldn't she figure out what he meant? Why did it feel like there was a gaping hole in her memory?

The thought hit her hard.

She grabbed at her head, panic overtaking her. The fear of forgetting something important-it clawed at her, making her chest feel tight, like she couldn't breathe.

This wasn't the first time either. The way Margaret talked to her-full of hatred and a kind of disgust-accusing her of being cold-blooded, calling her a murderer...

What had she done?

"Madam? Are you okay?" The waitress by the door had been watching the whole thing, and now hurried over, clearly worried. Sabrina still hadn't stood up.

"I..." Sabrina looked up, brow furrowed, pain flickering in her eyes.

Something was deeply wrong. She felt it.

But how could she explain it?

No head trauma, no accident-and yet the terrifying realization that she was missing pieces of her past slammed into her like a freight train.

She was fully conscious, totally aware.

And somehow, she couldn't remember.

She knew deep down that certain things had actually happened, yet her mind was a complete blank. In fact, she couldn't even tell what was real anymore-whether something had truly occurred or was just something she imagined.

At first, she thought maybe she was just forgetful. But when things got worse, she brought it up with her mom.

Lynne took her to the hospital, and they went to a bunch of departments. Everyone had their own opinion, and after getting referred around, she finally ended up at neurology. That's how she met Monica.

She didn't really get what "neurology" meant, but just hearing the word made her feel uneasy.

Monica explained that the brain's all about nerves and since it's part of the body, that falls under neurology. She told her not to stress-it was nothing major. Kind of like a fibroadenoma in the chest: sounds scary, but totally harmless.

"Madam, do you want me to call an ambulance for you?" the waiter asked kindly, noticing how pale she looked.

Sabrina shook her head and slowly stood up, unsteady on her feet. "No, it's fine... really, thank you."

"You're welcome, take care." The waiter couldn't help but remind her gently as she started to leave.

"Thanks." Sabrina leaned against the wall as she walked out of Auburn Dining. The chilly, dry wind hit her face the second she stepped outside, clearing her head just a little.

This wasn't right. Monica had told her-her emotional state mattered the most. She needed to stay in a good mood.

She lifted her hand and wiped at her eyes, forcing the tears back. Wiping tears was easy. Feeling happy-that was the hard part.

In a daze, she made her way to the curb and flagged down a cab, giving the address to Monica's clinic.

*****

At that moment, Monica was taking a short break from back-to-back patients, finally getting a sip of water and chatting gossip with the front desk nurse. She'd just set down her cup and was about to head back when she caught sight of someone stepping inside the clinic, looking totally out of it.

Monica froze. Everyone knew Sabrina avoided this place like the plague-said the clinic constantly reminded her she might have something wrong neurologically, and that made it hard to feel okay.

But now? She came here voluntarily?

"Sabrina!" Monica clicked across the floor in heels, quickly making her way over. She bent down a little to meet Sabrina's eyes and saw her pale, spiritless face-completely unlike her usual upbeat self. Monica's heart sank. Her voice softened instinctively, with a gentle warmth: "What's going on?"

"I..."

"Dr. Simpson, the patient in Room 3 is freaking out, says you've been gone too long," a nurse's voice cut in at the same moment.

Sabrina realized she was interfering with Monica's work and quickly said, "I'm fine, really. Go ahead and see your patient. I'll just wait here."

"Sabrina, I heard there's a new strawberry drink at the Starbucks downstairs. Go grab one while I finish up, okay? I'll be down in a minute." Monica kept her tone light and coaxing.

Apparently, the nurse didn't think Monica heard and stepped closer. "Dr. Simpson, the patient's really mad. They said you've been drinking water forever."

Monica's smile dropped like a stone. Without a beat, she turned around and snapped, "I'll do whatever the hell I want! If they're that impatient, they can go somewhere else. I told management a thousand times-I don't deal with people who've got explosive tempers. Tell him to leave!"

The nurse flinched, caught off guard by the outburst.

But the other nurses barely looked up. Honestly, anyone who'd worked here long enough knew-Sabrina was basically a VIP. Whenever she showed up, Monica, who usually carried herself like some beauty queen, would switch modes and turn into her biggest cheerleader-ready to do anything just to keep her in good spirits.

So naturally, the two of them ended up heading downstairs together for that strawberry drink at Starbucks.

"Are you sure this is gonna work?" Sabrina's attention quickly shifted thanks to Dr. Simpson's chill attitude-less sadness now, more curiosity.

"Why wouldn't it?" Monica casually flipped her hair, looking effortlessly stunning. "He was never my patient anyway. I already told him to transfer hospitals-he wouldn't listen, so I had to be a bit tough with him."

"So, what is your specialty then?" Sabrina asked cautiously, her tone probing but tentative.

"I specialize in..." Monica paused just long enough to tease, letting Sabrina think she'd finally gotten a straight answer-then playfully tapped her on the head. "People like you. Scatterbrained but surprisingly sensitive. Forget a few things and start thinking it's the end of the world."

Sabrina smiled quietly. "You saw through me again."

She'd tried to fish answers out of Monica many times over the years. Any decent doctor should be clear about their field, and if she could just figure that out, maybe she'd finally know what was really happening with her own health.

But Monica was just as much of a riddle-neither her online bios nor her private clinic listings ever mentioned a specific specialty. Even her business card was vague: just the clinic's name, 'Neurology,' and a tiny dot... then 'Monica Simpson.'

Monica liked to say she'd become successful by being herself-drawing in patients with her name, not flaunting some flashy title.

"So, Sabrina, did something happen?" Monica asked like she was just gossiping over lunch.

Sabrina's smile faded, the weight from earlier creeping back onto her face.

They were already downstairs at the café. Monica didn't press her-just let Sabrina pick a seat while she went to the counter and came back with two strawberry drinks. Seeing that Sabrina was still down, Monica threw in a slice of chocolate cake, hoping it might lift her mood a bit.

She set the tray down and sat across from Sabrina, who took a sip of the drink. The sweet and tangy taste cut through her sadness like a reset button. Holding the cup in both hands, Sabrina looked up and pleaded, "Monica, can we keep this between us? Please don't tell my mom I came here today."

Every time Lynne even heard about Sabrina's condition, she'd get super upset. She might try to hide it, but Sabrina could tell-it always got to her.

"Sure thing." Monica sipped her drink like it was no big deal.

There's this saying-if you don't want a moment to feel all heavy and serious, you have to be the first to act like it's no big deal. That's the vibe Monica always gave off-completely unfazed.

"Monica, be honest with me. Did I forget something... really, really important?" Sabrina asked softly, her gaze lowering to the table.

"Like what?" Monica remembered what Lynne had told her, straightened her back, and set down her drink, her tone more serious this time. "Before I answer, you need to tell me what made you come here and ask me that out of the blue."

"It's not a big deal," Sabrina mumbled, not mentioning Cedric or Margaret. "Just... two people said something that made me feel like I've forgotten something-something big. And when they looked at me, it wasn't just anger. It was more like... they were really hurt. And it made me think-maybe I did do something bad to them."

Her voice got quieter near the end. That feeling-it wasn't something she could easily shake off.

She meant every word of it too. Sure, Cedric and Margaret were angry when they talked to her-furious, even-but deep down in their eyes, buried under all that anger, was sorrow.

That... that's the part that haunted her most.