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.

SELENE

I didn't realize how unprepared I was until Sebastian asked a question I couldn't outrun.

What could it have meant to him?

The question circled endlessly in my mind, refusing to settle. I wished desperately that I could ask Sebastian directly, but the man I could have questioned no longer existed. This version of him carried no memories of our past, only fragments that didn't belong to us and silences where answers should have been.

From the day we married to the day of his accident, he had made me believe he hated me. Hated my presence, my voice, even the air I shared with him. He recoiled from everything that had my name attached to it. Or so I had thought.

Now, knowing the date he had chosen for his phone password, I felt torn in two.

Had I been wrong all along?

Or was I simply clinging to meaning where there was none, desperate to rewrite a story that had already broken me?

Stop overthinking, Selene, my mind scolded quietly. It's just a phone password. Don't turn it into something it's not. Don't forget how he treated you before.

I nodded to myself, as if the reminder had been spoken aloud. I needed it. More than I cared to admit.

Sliding the door open, I stepped back into his ward, phone in hand. The room was empty.

"Where on earth did this man go?" I muttered. "Is he even allowed to be wandering around?"

With a tired sigh, I turned and headed back into the hallway, setting off in search of my husband who apparently couldn't keep himself in one place for more than five minutes.

I made my way to the hospital balcony, where Sebastian sat on a bench near the railing.

I let out a breath and started toward him, relief loosening my steps.

Then I stopped.

He wasn't alone.

A young girl in a wheelchair stared at the Rubik's cube in his hands, her eyes wide with wonders.

"Whoa! How did you do that?" She exclaimed, pointing at the cube just as his fingers moved with precised speed. In seconds, the colors aligned perfectly.

"This is very easy." Sebastian said lightly, smiling at her amazement.

I folded my arms, watching from a short distance.

"You're like a pro." The girl said in awe, then sighed dramatically. "This is so unfair. I can't believe you beat me."

Sebastian laughed softly. "I won fair."

"It's not fair." She whined, snatching the cube from him. "You're an adult and I'm still a kid. When I grow older like you, I'll be a pro too."

"Yeah," he replied, smiling at her, "but you'll never beat me."

She scrunched up her nose at him, and I felt a smile tug at my lips.

I had never seen Sebastian like this, so relaxed, so gentle. I had never seen him with children, never seen this easy, playful side of him.

"Anyway," the little girl asked, tilting her head curiously, "why are you here? Are you sick like me?"

Sebastian touched his head lightly and nodded. "I was in an accident. It... affected my head."

The girl frowned, squinting at him. "How?"

"I don't remember anyone," he admitted, his voice quiet, "except one person."

I froze, hidden behind a railing, listening.

Her eyes went wide. "You don't remember your family or friends?"

He shook his head.

"Then... who's the person you do remember?" She pressed.

Sebastian paused for a moment, and then a small, soft smile curved his lips. "My wife."

The girl let out a delighted laugh. "Wow. That's... interesting. So, how does it feel.. not having a single memory of the past?"

He exhaled slowly, looking out over the balcony for a moment. "I.. don't really know. I guess I'm supposed to be okay." He went silent, and the girl just waited patiently, as if she understood that some answers took time.

"I'm still figuring things out." He added finally, his smile faint but genuine.

The girl nodded sagely. "You're smart. I'm sure you'll figure it out."

He chuckled lightly, his eyes meeting hers. "You have an eye for good character."

I smiled, biting my lower lip.

"But..." The girl said, glancing past Sebastian in my direction. I turned to see who she was looking at, then I realized it was me.

"There's a lady who has been staring at you." She said, pointing, and Sebastian's head whipped toward me.

Too late to hide, I gave a small, awkward wave. "I was wondering where you went." I said, stepping closer.

"That's my wife." He told her.

The girl studied me for a moment. "She's beautiful."

"I know, right?" He said with a grin, his gaze softening as it met mine.

Lord. This was... so much.

Much to my relief, a nurse approached.

"Your break time is over, Stella." She said.

The girl sighed. "It was nice talking to you."

They high-fived before the nurse led her away, and Sebastian let out a small, wistful sigh.

"She's so cute." He murmured.

"I know, right." I replied, and the corner of his lips curved into a smile.

His gaze drifted to the children playing nearby. "The air feels nice out here." He murmured, exhaling slowly. Then he turned toward me, tapping the space beside him. "Come sit."

I hesitated, my fingers nervously tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. Being this close to him still felt strange.

When I glanced at him, he was already watching me, smiling. He seemed to smile so often now, it made my heart flutter.

"There's something I'm curious about." He began.

"What... is it?" I asked, leaning slightly forward.

"Vincent told me we've been married for three years." He said, and I couldn't shake the feeling that he was stalling, drawing this out on purpose.

"Yeah?" I prompted, my heartbeat picking up.

He looked ahead, quiet for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts.

I caught his side profile bathed in sunlight. It was unreal and I couldn't look away.

But the pause stretched, making me more nervous by the second.

Then he turned back to me, tilting his head slightly. "How come we don't have any kids? Does that make any sense?"

Right. It made no sense, just like his question.

SELENE

There are questions you prepare for, and then there are the ones that steal your breath.

"Is that what you're curious about?" I asked, forcing my voice to remain light.

"Yes." Sebastian nodded, his eyes never leaving my face, waiting patiently, expectantly for an answer.

He wasn't joking. That much was clear. The seriousness in his gaze made my chest tighten.

"Well..." I began, choosing my words carefully. "We both agreed not to rush things. Raising children isn't something you decide on in a day." It was the most believable excuse I could summon.

He fell silent, turning the thought over in his mind. Each second stretched, my nerves coiling tighter. I watched his face, searching for any sign that he didn't believe me.

Then he nodded. "That makes sense."

Only then did I realize I'd been holding my breath. I let it out slowly.

"Still," he added, a faint smile touching his lips, "it would be nice to have children around."

I squinted at him. I'd never imagined Sebastian as someone who liked children. Apparently, there were many things about him I'd never known, or never been allowed to see.

"Should we head back to your room?" I asked quickly, steering the conversation away before it could dig any deeper.

"Already sending me to bed?" He teased, pushing himself up from the bench as he glanced at me. "You're surprisingly bossy for someone who looks this gentle."

My eyes widened. "When have I ever been bossy?"

He arched a brow. "Saying we should head back to my room right after I bring up kids sounds a lot like you shutting down the conversation."

I snorted. "I offered it as a suggestion, not a command."

"And you also stole my phone," he added lightly, folding his arms. "While blaming it on the doctor."

"That- that was..." I faltered, scrambling for an excuse that refused to come.

He smiled, clearly amused. "Exactly. No excuse."

I looked away, my lips twitching despite myself. "Let's just go back to your room."

He chuckled, nodding easily. "Okay. Lead the way."

Then, softer, almost absentmindedly, he went on. "I feel better when you're around anyway."

The words struck straight through my chest. Not because of what he said, but because of how he said it. Like it had always been true. Like I had always been his comfort.

I stood and started forward, but before I could take a step, his hand closed around mine.

I stiffened, then looked up at him.

"So you don't disappear again." He murmured, threading his fingers through mine.

I'd lost count of how many times my heart had fluttered today. At this rate, I might develop a heart condition just trying to keep up with it.

Was it wrong to admit that I loved the feel of his hand in mine? The way his thumb brushed softly over my skin. Was this what I had been missing all along?

Maybe... just maybe... I owed amnesia a quiet thank-you for this moment.

Just before we reached the next block leading to his ward, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I paused, fished it out, and sighed when I saw the caller ID.

Ashley.

I answered while Sebastian watched me with quiet curiosity.

"Give me a second, we're almost there." I murmured into the phone, then ended the call.

"My assistant is here." I explained when his gaze lingered on me.

We turned the corner and found Ashley standing outside his ward, two takeaway boxes balanced carefully in her hands. She brightened the moment she spotted us.

"Hope I didn't keep you waiting?" I asked, gently slipping my hand free from Sebastian's as I walked toward her.

"No, I just arrived." She assured me, her eyes flicking briefly to him before returning to me.

I glanced back at Sebastian. "Can you wait inside for me?"

He nodded and stepped into the ward without question.

The moment he was gone, Ashley studied my face. "Are you okay?" She asked softly, passing the boxes to me.

I accepted them with a quiet sigh. "I don't know."

Ashley had been my classmate before she became my assistant, my constant, my safe place. She knew the history of my life, the parts I rarely let anyone see. But she didn't know about the divorce I had been planning. She didn't know about the amnesia either.

"You two look... close." She observed carefully, exactly as I'd expected.

I offered a small, guarded smile. "A lot happened."

She looped her arm through mine. "You'll tell me everything."

"I will." I promised gently. "Just not now."

She pressed her lips together, resigned. "Alright. Later." Then she exhaled. "Work's been hectic without you."

"I heard you've been doing great holding things together." I told her.

Her brow lifted. "Who told you that? They lied."

I laughed despite myself.

"Well," she said, stepping back, "take care of yourself."

"You too." I replied.

She waved as she walked away, and I watched her go, grateful for her presence, and dreading the explanations that would come later.

With the takeaway boxes clutched in my hands, I made my way back to Sebastian's ward. He was standing by the window when I stepped in, his attention fixed on the view outside, as though he was lost in thought.

He turned the moment he sensed me. "Are you done talking to your assistant?"

"Yeah." I murmured, setting the boxes down on the small table. "You must be hungry."

"Not really." His reply was flat, almost distracted. Then his gaze flicked to me. "Are you hungry?"

"Well..." I scratched the back of my neck, suddenly unsure of myself. "I haven't really eaten anything today."

"Then you should eat." He finally left the window and crossed the room. "I'll just take a bite." He added lightly, lowering himself onto the couch.

I let out a small laugh and sat beside him, lifting the lids off the takeaway boxes.

Inside the takeaway boxes were portions of pasta coated in a rich tomato sauce, slices of grilled chicken resting neatly on top. The warmth seeped through the containers, carrying a comforting aroma that made my stomach twist.

"Do you prefer pasta with cream sauce or tomato sauce?" I asked. We'd never really eaten together before, never shared something as simple as a meal, so I had no idea what he liked or didn't.

"I think I prefer tomato sauce."

I let out a small sigh of relief. "Me too."

I handed him a fork from the box, and we began eating in a quiet, companionable silence.

"This is really tasty." He said, taking another bite. Then another.

I'd thought he said he would only have a bite. Not that I minded, but the thought made a laugh slip out before I could stop it.

He turned toward me, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Why are you laughing?"

"You said you'd just take a bite." I murmured, keeping my eyes on my food. "You've taken more than six."

He snorted, wrinkling his nose at me. "It's not my fault the food tastes good." He dropped his fork and straightened slightly.

"Oh-no, I didn't mean for you to stop." I said quickly, panic fluttering in my chest. "You can keep eating."

But his attention had already shifted.

"I'm more curious about why you're barely eating." He said, his gaze steady on me.

I tightened my grip on the fork, as though it might anchor me. There was something about the way those honey-colored eyes looked at me that made my breath catch.

"I..." I swallowed. "I don't really have the appetite."

"But you said you were hungry."

"I know." I said softly, feeling a knot of nerves in my chest. How could I explain that sitting this close to him, sharing a meal like this, made my heart race and my stomach flutter all at once? "I'm hungry, but I don't have the appetite to eat. Does that make sense?"

A smoky glint passed through his eyes, sending warmth rushing to my cheeks.

"No." He said simply.

Yet he didn't look away.

I let out a breathless laugh, the hairs at the back of my neck prickling. "I figured it wouldn't."

Then he spoke again, his voice low and unexpected.

"Would you have an appetite if I feed you?"