Chapter 3

The room went quiet for a beat.

His gaze landed on the unhealed blisters across my back.

Only then did he realize how unreasonable his request was.

But I forced myself to sit up anyway.

"Ask Rosa to make it."

Ten years earlier, Nathan had stepped in to save me.

Without him, a gang of thugs would have assaulted me just after I escaped the children's home.

Once I did this, the debt between us would finally be settled.

Seeing me frail but stubborn, Nathan paused.

"Just write down the recipe."

I didn't hesitate. "Will Vivian be eating it?"

Nathan had no answer. I'd known all along that Vivian was the one craving the stew.

Even with all my care, my wounds still seeped a little blood.

While rummaging for gauze, something in the drawer caught my eye.

It was almost funny: the drawer was packed.

Every item inside was a ceramic flower I'd made to mark one anniversary or another.

In four years, Nathan had accepted only two. The rest had ended up here.

And he had never once given me a gift.

When Nathan saw that I'd returned the shares, he gripped the papers until they crumpled.

Before lunch, he pushed the door open.

"Feeling better?"

I didn't feel like humoring him. "What do you want?"

He shook his head, his voice softening.

"You've been through a lot all these years."

"The shares are already in your name. Promise me you'll keep them this time."

Before I could refuse again, barking came from outside the door.

The keypad lock beeped, and Vivian walked in carrying the chicken and potato stew I'd made.

She turned and fed it to the little dog she'd brought.

Vivian's voice was sugary sweet.

"Your cooking is amazing, Serena. Not like me. After I burned myself last time, Nathan won't even let me near the kitchen anymore.

"My poor puppy hasn't eaten for days. I was worried sick."

The moment Vivian invited me along on their ski trip, Nathan was already draping his jacket over her shoulders.

"I heard you lost your memory. The Ashfords are worried about you. Let me take you to see them."

Vivian looked pitiful.

"They've spent years looking for their real daughter. Why would they worry about me?"

Nathan pressed a kiss to my forehead.

"Serena, get some rest.

"After Vivian’s brother died saving me, her parents threw themselves into the search for their missing daughter. She’s afraid they'll abandon her. That's why she’s acting like this.

"I'm sure you understand."

He turned and left with Vivian.

The door closed. The wounds on my back throbbed.

My eyes landed on the ceramic flowers in the drawer.

"Rosa, these are taking up space. Throw them out."

A while later, Nathan texted.

"Forgot my cufflinks. Bring them down to the parking garage."

Biting back the searing pain, I knocked on the car window. Vivian was curled up in my husband's arms.

When he saw it was me, his eyes filled with displeasure.

"Didn't I tell you to rest?"

I knew the message had been sent by Vivian.

But Nathan never let anyone touch his phone.

I'd come anyway.

Vivian blinked her wide eyes.

"It's my fault. I saw you forgot your cufflinks, so I asked Serena to bring them down.

"Go ahead and be mad at me, Nathan."

Vivian looked so wounded that Nathan couldn't stay angry.

His voice softened indulgently. "Don't do it again."

I remembered the last time I'd accidentally touched his phone. He'd wiped it down three times.

His attention was entirely on Vivian, so I pulled out the divorce papers.

"These are the share-transfer papers you gave me. The last page needs your signature."

Jealousy flickered in Vivian's eyes, and her voice turned even more aggrieved.

"Nathan, this amnesia is making my head hurt so badly."

Without even glancing at the papers, Nathan signed the divorce agreement while soothing her.