Novels by Wendy Alexander

Claire’s POV“Jasmine.”The name fell from Victor’s lips, and my entire body went cold.For a moment, I couldn't move. I simply stared at him, my heart pounding so violently that I could hear it in my ears.No. No, this couldn't be happening.Why would he dream about Jasmine?How did her name find its way into Victor's dreams? What if it wasn't just a dream? What if his mind was beginning to piece together things he couldn't consciously remember?What if he was remembering her face? Her voice? What she meant to him?My stomach twisted.Had Jasmine gone to see him at the office? Was there something else happening behind my back that I didn't know about?And what if she came looking for him again?I had spent so long trying to keep the pieces of our life together from falling apart. Every lie, every carefully avoided question, every time I had watched him search my face for an answer I couldn't give him. I had convinced myself I could manage it, that I could protect him from the past un

Victor’s POV“I watched her for a moment, taking in the hopeful expression on her face and the little crease that appeared between her brows whenever she worried about something. I reached across the table, brushing my thumb over her knuckles before lifting her hand to my lips.I liked how easily she had become part of my everyday life. How even an ordinary dinner with her could make me feel like I had something worth coming home to.“And if I fail badly?”“Then you learn.”She rolled her eyes.“You're not helping.”I laughed.“Claire, I'm not going to promise you that everything will work out exactly the way you want. But I can promise you that one failed assessment will not make me think less of you.”Her smile faded into something more vulnerable.“Sometimes I worry that you'll wake up one day and realise you don't really know me anymore.”The words caught me off guard.I tightened my fingers around hers.“Is that what you're afraid of?”She looked down at our joined hands.“I know

Victor's POVI had heard other names since waking up with a past I couldn't access. Some had belonged to friends. Others to colleagues, former acquaintances, and people who insisted we had shared memories.Bonnie's name, for instance, had been mentioned before.I could not remember Bonnie either, but hearing her name had not affected me like this.Jasmine felt different.Strangely familiar.Almost intimate.It was as though some part of me recognised the name while the rest of my mind stood helplessly outside the locked room where the memory was kept.I pressed my fingers against my chest.Nothing made sense.I wondered whether Jasmine had been a woman I loved.The thought should have been simple enough to dismiss. I had a girlfriend now. Claire was the woman I wanted beside me, the woman whose presence had begun to make this unfamiliar version of my life feel less like a punishment and more like a second chance.I didn't want another woman.I didn't want to search for someone from a

Victor’s POV“Jasmine is…”Tyler stopped.I waited.He looked at me, then at the door, then back at me. The man had negotiated contracts worth hundreds of millions without breaking a sweat, yet one woman's name had turned him into a criminal trying to explain himself to the police.I leaned back in my chair.“Go on.”“Jasmine was someone you knew.”I stared at him.“That's your explanation?”“What would you like me to say?”“The truth would be a refreshing start.”Tyler sighed and placed his coffee on my desk. “Victor, you have lost years of memories. There are people you won't remember, places you won't recognise, and things you might never recall. Jasmine is one of those things.”“One of those things?” I repeated. “You just mentioned that I had a relationship with this person.”“Yes, and I am aware of that.”“Then why are you speaking about her as if she's an old business contract I forgot to renew?”He dragged a hand down his face.“Because I know where this conversation is going,

Victor's POVBefore the accident, you would have looked at her CV, noticed what she lacked, and rejected her application before it ever reached the kitchen manager. You know that.”I held his gaze.Perhaps he was right about the man I'd been.But that didn't mean I had to keep being him.“Then perhaps losing my memories has given me a chance to reconsider a few things.”Tyler went quiet.I could see him struggling with that answer, as though I'd spoken a language he understood but didn't want to hear.“Victor, I'm not saying Claire is incapable. I'm saying you're too emotionally involved to make an objective decision about her.”“Which is why I won't make the final hiring decision.”He frowned.“She'll attend the practical assessment like every other candidate. The kitchen team will evaluate her performance, and the restaurant manager and head chef will make the recommendation. If she doesn't meet the standard, she won't be hired. If she does, her lack of a prestigious culinary degree

VICTOR’S POVI slipped my arms around her waist from behind and drew her gently against me.Claire froze.It lasted barely a second, but I felt it. The sudden stiffness in her body. The way her breath caught before she could hide it.My arms loosened immediately."Hey," I murmured, resting my chin lightly against her head. "It's just me."She didn't turn around.I wasn't sure what had frightened her, but I didn't want to make it worse. I held her gently, giving her room to pull away if she wanted to."Whatever it is, Claire, we're going to be all right."She remained silent."We don't have to figure everything out tonight," I continued softly. "And you don't have to carry everything alone. Whatever is troubling you, we'll face it together. Okay?"For a moment, I thought she might turn around and tell me what was wrong.Instead, she nodded.Just once.She didn't say a word.I held her for another second before releasing her, unwilling to make her feel trapped in my arms."I'll join you