I had waited three years for him to look at me like this, and now that he was, I didn't know where to stand.

SELENE

Three years. Three long years of silence, cold shoulders, and feeling invisible. And now... he was looking at me. Speaking my name. Selene. It rolled off his lips like a spell, shattering the walls I had built around my heart.

But a question burned hotter than relief or joy: Does he remember everything... or just my face?

"How on earth does he remember her and not us?" Nora snapped, pointing at me.

Sebastian's eyes shifted from mine to his sister. "Who... are you?"

Nora scoffed, stepping back, her confidence faltering for the first time.

"Look at me, Sebastian." Mrs. Kingsley said gently, taking hold of his arms. "I'm your mother."

"My... mother?" He echoed, confusion clouding his features.

"Yes!" She exclaimed, a mix of hope and fear in her voice. "Don't you remember me?"

Sebastian furrowed his brows and shook his head slowly.

The doctor stepped forward. "Let's give him some time. He just woke up and needs rest. Why don't we all go to my office for now?"

We began to move toward the door, but then Sebastian's voice stopped me cold.

"Selene." He called again, slower this time, like he was tasting the name on his lips, memorizing it.

I pause, my heart hammering, stunned by the simple weight of my name from his mouth.

"She'll be back." Mr. Kingsley said gently, his hand resting on my shoulder. We followed the doctor out, but I couldn't take my eyes off Sebastian as he lay there, his gaze still searching for me.

When we reached the doctor's office, he gestured for us to sit and spread out a series of papers and charts on the desk.

"Here are the results of the tests we conducted on Mr. Kingsley." He began. "As you can see, he has suffered a form of memory loss called retrograde amnesia. He may not remember certain events leading up to the accident, or even people he knows intimately. This is not uncommon after severe head trauma."

Mrs. Kingsley's eyes flicked toward me, wide with concern. "But... how come he remembers her?" She asked, her voice trembling. I swallowed hard, feeling the same question churn in my chest. Why was it only me?

The doctor gave a small, reassuring smile. "Sometimes a patient only responds to one familiar presence." He explained. "For now, let that person interact with him. The others should step back to avoid causing confusion."

"We... we should step back?" Nora asked, incredulous.

The doctor nodded. "Yes. Too many people at once can overwhelm him. It's important he feels safe and calm."

Mr. Kingsley leaned forward, his hands clasped tightly. "So... what do we do to help him regain his memory?"

The doctor's eyes met ours, steady but grave. "Time, patience, and familiar routines. He needs consistency, not pressure. Memories will return gradually, if at all."

He leaned forward slightly. "One thing you must not do is try to force him to remember." He warned. "Pressure or frustration can make the confusion worse."

After a series of questions and explanations, we finally stepped out of the doctor's office, the hallway feeling suddenly quieter, almost too heavy with the weight of everything that had happened.

"I can't believe all this is happening." Mrs. Kingsley murmured, leaning against her husband for support.

Honestly... I could have said the same.

"Let's return home." Julian said, turning to his father.

"That's right." Mr. Kingsley nodded. "You heard the doctor. We need to step back and give him some alone time with his wife."

My eyes widened at the words alone time.

All of their gazes shifted toward me.

"I hate to say this," Nora said, folding her arms, her voice tinged with something between resignation and irritation, "but I'm trusting you to take care of my brother."

Julian smiled at me, reassuring yet expectant. "Of course she will. She's his wife, after all."

I forced a small, almost fake smile, feeling the tight knot of nerves in my stomach. Everything that had happened this morning-the accident, his confusion, the questions, the doctor's warnings-was strange and overwhelming. And now... being alone with Sebastian? I wasn't ready. Not yet.

"What are you still doing here?" Mrs. Kingsley said gently. "Go to your husband. He must be waiting for you."

"Ah... okay." I mumbled, forcing my feet to move toward Sebastian's ward.

Suddenly, everyone expected me to play the role of a devoted wife. If only they knew that just hours ago, I had been ready to ask for a divorce.

I stopped in front of his door, my hand hovering over the handle. Taking a deep breath, I finally pushed it open.

But Sebastian wasn't on the bed.

Instead, I found his secretary, Vincent, seated beside it. He immediately stood up and gave a polite bow.

"Where is he?" I asked, pointing at the empty bed.

"He's taking a shower." Vincent replied, adjusting his glasses.

"Is he even allowed to walk?" I muttered under my breath.

Vincent picked up his suitcase from the floor. "Since you're here, I'll take my leave."

"Wait." I said quickly. "Did he recognize you?"

Vincent shook his head. "No. He didn't even listen to anything I had to say. He kept asking about his wife."

"What?" The word slipped out before I could stop it.

He offered me a polite smile before slipping out of the room. I moved closer to the bed, smoothing out the wrinkled sheets with trembling fingers, trying to busy myself with something to calm my nerves.

The bathroom door creaked open.

I looked up just as Sebastian stepped out, shirtless, a thin veil of steam following him. His hair was still damp, dark strands falling over his forehead, droplets trailing down his temples and across his bare chest.

He stopped the moment his eyes met mine.

For a heartbeat, neither of us moved.

I swallowed hard.

I had never really seen him like this before, not like this, not when his gaze held mine so openly, so gently.

A small smile curved his lips.

"Oh... you're here."

Heat rushed to my cheeks. I quickly looked away, suddenly very interested in the bedsheet beneath my hands.

"I... I was told to come." I muttered, twisting the fabric between my fingers.

Silence followed.

I frowned, wondering why he hadn't replied, and just as I was about to turn around-

Warm breath brushed against my ear.

I froze.

My heart skipped violently as his presence settled behind me, close enough that I could feel the heat of his body.

"Are you always this shy, wife?"

His voice was low, teasing.

I sucked in a shaky breath.

When did he get this close?

SELENE

Even though my heart was pounding wildly, I turned slowly to face him. He stood so close that I could feel his warmth, and what unsettled me most wasn't just the distance between us, it was the way he was looking at me.

Softly. Tenderly.

So different from the cold, indifferent stares he used to give me.

This was not the Sebastian I knew.

This man, standing inches away, smiling like my presence actually mattered, calling me his wife as if the word carried weight felt like a stranger wearing my husband's face. And somehow, that hurt more than his cruelty ever did.

A quiet sigh escaped my lips as I looked away.

I did not dare wish he would stay like this. Hope had already betrayed me once.

"Excuse me." I whispered and tried to step past him.

But he moved, blocking my path with his broad frame.

My eyes dropped before I could stop them to his bare chest, firm and defined, my gaze trailing down to his abs. Heat rushed to my cheeks and I quickly looked away, cursing myself.

I tried to move again.

And again, he blocked me.

Trapping me there.

He took another step toward me, and instinctively I moved back until the edge of the bed pressed against me, leaving me with nowhere else to retreat.

"You are.. my wife, right?" He asked softly, his voice dropping as though we were sharing a secret meant for only the two of us.

My eyes widened, my lips parted, but no words came out. I just stared at him, frozen between disbelief and fear.

He seemed to take my silence as permission. "Then..." he continued gently, "I should be able to hold you... to talk to you."

There was a brief hesitation, like he was afraid I would disappear if he moved too fast. Slowly, carefully, he lifted his hand and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. My body betrayed me and I almost flinched at his touch. The contact felt too unfamiliar, yet too intimate.

"But you keep trying to escape me." He murmured, a small, almost playful smile tugging at his lips. "Am I really that scary?"

I shook my head quickly, my gaze dropping to the floor. "No... you're not."

He reached out and gently lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes. "Then stay." He said, his tone suddenly serious. "I like it when you're close."

Something inside me cracked.

I didn't know what made my eyes sting. Maybe it was the way he said it so sincerely, or maybe it was because those same lips had once told me to keep my distance. To stay away. To not mistake obligation for affection. And now, they were saying the opposite, like the past never existed.

His smile slowly faded as he studied my face. "Why do you look like you're about to cry?" He asked softly. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No... no." I hurried to say, wiping at my eyes before the tears could betray me. "I'm just..." My voice wavered. "I'm just happy you're back. Alive." I lied.

Sebastian watched me quietly for a moment, then sighed. "I'm sorry." He said suddenly.

I blinked. "For what?"

"For making you worry." He added, his voice softer. "They told me you've been here since last night. You must have been scared." His brows pulled together. "I don't like the thought of you crying because of me."

My heart stumbled at his words. This was the same man who once ignored my tears like they meant nothing.

"It's... it's fine." I whispered. "What matters is that you're okay."

He nodded, then closed the small distance between us. My breath hitched as he leaned down, his face only inches from mine. My heart slammed against my ribs. Is he about to-

I closed my eyes without meaning to, bracing myself.

But instead of his lips, I felt only air.

Confused, I opened my eyes to see him reaching past me, grabbing the shirt he'd left on the bed. My face burned as I turned away. How could I have thought he wanted to kiss me? I prayed he hadn't noticed me closing my eyes.

"Can you help me?" He asked instead. "My head still feels heavy."

"Oh." I hesitated, then stepped forward, helping him slide his arm into the sleeve. The closeness made my breathing uneven, my heart racing for reasons I couldn't explain.

I needed to get away from him, before I completely lost my senses.

He smiled like it was normal for us to be this close. "You always help me dress, don't you?" He said casually.

"Huh?" I blinked, quickly looking away. I never did. Not once. "Sebastian..."

"I remember," he continued, his voice thoughtful, almost dreamy. "You looked so beautiful in your wedding dress. And I was holding a ring box... smiling like I was genuinely happy."

A ring box?

Happy?

That memory didn't belong to us. Not to the truth I knew.

"We must have been so in love, right, Selene?" He asked softly.

I looked up at him, caught by the hope in his eyes. He was searching my face, waiting for me to confirm it, like he needed me to tell him he wasn't crazy, that what he felt wasn't just a broken memory playing tricks on him.

But he was wrong.

We were never a loving couple.

I should tell him.

I should be honest.

I should stop this before it goes any further-

Yet... my heart betrayed me.

After everything, after all the pain, a small part of me still clung to him. Maybe fate was giving me another chance. A chance I had prayed for in silence. A chance to finally be loved by him.

So I held onto it like a lifeline.

"Yes." I whispered, meeting his gaze. "We were so in love... and we still are."

The lie tasted bitter and sweet at the same time.

SELENE

I lied to him.

And the scariest part wasn't that I did, it was how easily the words slipped past my lips. How naturally they settled between us. Even as I looked into his eyes, even as my conscience screamed at me, I didn't take them back.

Sebastian smiled, then pulled me into a hug, his arms wrapping around my waist as though they belonged there.

"Thank you, Selene." He murmured.

His warmth seeped into me, and guilt followed right behind it. I told myself the truth would only confuse him, that it would overwhelm him in his fragile state. That I was protecting him.

But who was I really fooling?

This wasn't for him.

It was for me.

I tightened my fingers against the back of his shirt, closing my eyes. Just for today. Just this one day, I wanted to pretend. I wanted to have him, to feel what it was like to be held without being pushed away.

Tomorrow, I promised myself, I would tell him the truth.

I slowly eased out of his arms, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes. "You should take some rest." I said gently.

"But I just woke up." Sebastian protested, frowning slightly as I guided him toward the bed.

"Exactly." I replied, pressing him down until he lay back against the pillows. "The doctor said you need as much rest as possible."

He sighed but didn't resist as I adjusted the sheets around him.

When I turned toward the window, my chest tightened. Outside, a small crowd had already gathered. Journalists clustered together with their cameras poised, waiting. Even with all our efforts to keep the accident quiet, the news had still found its way out. It always did when it came to Sebastian Kingsley.

I drew a quiet breath and pulled the curtains shut, shutting out the flashing lenses and prying eyes.

"Can you pass me my phone?" He asked suddenly.

I paused. I was standing between him and the bedside cabinet where his phone rested. I reached for the phone and held it out to him, but the moment his fingers brushed against it, I suddenly remembered...

The messages!

Those angry words I had sent before I knew about the accident. If he saw them now... everything would unravel.

My breath hitched.

As he tried to take the phone from my hand, my grip tightened instinctively, refusing to let go. The phone trembled between us for a second before I pulled it back.

Sebastian frowned, confusion flickering across his face. "Selene?"

I didn't answer. I withdrew the phone completely and took a step back, clutching it to my chest as if it could protect me from the truth it carried.

"Wow." Sebastian snorted, leaning back against the bedrest with an exaggerated groan. "I survive an accident... and still can't get my own phone."

I fumbled for an excuse, holding the device tightly behind me. "Doctor's orders."

He tilted his head, playfully narrowing his eyes. "The doctor said I can't text?"

I swallowed hard. "He... implied it."

Sebastian's brow quirked, and suddenly he whirled, folding his arms like a general surveying a battlefield. "Or... maybe you implied it."

I rolled my eyes, though my cheeks betrayed me with a faint blush. "Either way, you're not allowed to touch it."

He smacked his lips as though tasting a joke. "Hmm... is there something on here I'm not supposed to see?"

My stomach flipped, betraying me, and my voice followed. "Ab... absolutely not." I stammered.

Sebastian snorted, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Oh, there's definitely something in there. What could it be?" He tapped his chin thoughtfully, as if trying to solve the world's greatest mystery.

There was no way he could guess it, right?

He scanned me from head to toe, a mischievous glint in his gaze. "Could it be...," he drawled slowly, "nude?"

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. Seriously? My heart had been in overdrive for nothing but his mind was stuck on this?

"Well, we're married and in love," he added with a sly grin, "so seeing each other nude is nothing. Just one little sneak peek, huh?"

Jesus. My instincts kicked in. I yanked a pillow off the couch and hurled it at him. "Why on earth would I send my nude to you?"

He caught it effortlessly, chuckling as his grin widened. "Oh... that's cute." he teased, holding it like a trophy.

I groaned, realizing that keeping him from the phone was going to be far more exhausting than I ever imagined.

Sebastian straightened, pushing himself off the bed with an easy grace that made my stomach twist. "Alright." He said, a teasing lilt in his voice. "Enough games. Give me my phone and show me what's on it."

I took a small step back, clutching the device like it was a lifeline. "I... um..." I stammered, searching for an excuse, and finally settled on the first thing that came to mind. "Oh my god! What's behind you?" I exclaimed, pointing wildly over his shoulder.

He didn't flinch. "You think I'll fall for that?"

"I'm serious! There's something there-look!" I insisted, my voice trembling just enough to sell it.

"If I find out you're lying..." His eyes narrowed as he finally turned to glance behind him. That was my cue. I bolted. My legs carried me to the door in one panicked dash, and I slid it open just as he spun back around.

"I knew you were lying!" He called, spotting me at the door. "Come back here!"

A wicked grin spread across my face. As he strode toward the door, I slammed it shut and sprinted down the hall to the women's bathroom.

"Selene!" I heard him shout after me. I didn't look back, only exhaled sharply and laughed as I locked the door behind me.

For a moment, I let myself breathe. The chase was over, for now.

I double-tapped the screen and swiped up, but his phone remained stubbornly locked. I hadn't even thought this far ahead.

What could his password be? I tried his birthday, but no luck.

"What on earth is his password?" I muttered to myself. Then an idea struck. I fished my phone out of my pocket and dialed his secretary's number. It rang once, twice, and was picked up immediately.

"Hello?" Vincent's calm voice answered.

"Tell me Sebastian's phone password." I blurted the moment he picked up.

There was a pause on the other end. "Pardon?" He asked, clearly taken aback.

"His phone! What's the password?" I urged. "Sebastian doesn't remember."

"But I told him earlier." Vincent replied.

"Earlier?" I frowned.

"Before I left the ward." He clarified. "He asked for his phone. I gave him the password, but... he didn't seem to retain it."

"Huh?" I blinked. "He forgot?" I added, muttering as if Sebastian could hear me. "How can you be so forgetful?"

"His password is 140924." Vincent said patiently.

"Hold on." I swiped Sebastian's phone and entered the numbers. The screen unlocked instantly. "Thank you." I cut the call before he could say anything else.

I stared at the glowing screen, the numbers echoing in my head.

140924

I repeated them slowly, and then my breath caught.

Fourteen. Zero nine. Twenty-four.

My eyes widened as the realization struck me all at once. It wasn't just a random set of numbers. It was a date.

14/09/24

Our wedding day.

My fingers tightened around the phone as my heart began to pound. Of all the dates he could have chosen, he decided to use the one day he had made me believe was a mistake.