CHAPTER 3: THE MAN WHO DIDN'T REMEMBER HER

Cross Tower was glass and steel touching clouds.

Lena had walked past it hundred times old life, head down, feeling small. Today, walked in head high, blazer ironed, hair clean, makeup borrowed Maya, portfolio shaking in hands.

Security checked name. Elevator to floor 42. Every floor up, heart beat faster.

She remembered Ethan dead. Now about to see him alive. Could she handle without crying?

Doors opened. Floor 42 silent, expensive. White marble, black chairs, view entire Manhattan. Assistants typing quiet.

"Miss Carter? Design interview?" Blonde woman perfect suit smiled tight. "Mr. Cross running fifteen minutes late. Please wait."

Lena sat. Hands sweating. She breathed like learned in apocalypse hiding from infected. Inhale four, hold four, exhale four.

Minutes passed like hours.

Then private elevator dinged.

He stepped out.

Ethan Cross.

Lena stopped breathing.

He was alive. Real. Not ash. Not blood. Dark hair perfectly cut, black suit expensive, white shirt, top button open. Tall, broad shoulders, dominant presence that made floor look up. Cold grey eyes scanning like owned it.

He looked exactly like she remembered before they loved. Handsome way that hurt. Untouchable.

And he did not know her.

Assistant whispered, "Mr. Cross, your nine AM, Miss Carter, junior designer."

Ethan glanced Lena. Just glance. No recognition.

"Five minutes," he said, voice deep, cold. "Board at nine thirty."

He walked into corner office glass walls. Did not hold door.

Lena stood, legs shaking. She faced infected hordes. But this harder. Facing man who loved her enough to die with her, now stranger.

She walked into office.

He sat huge desk, not looking up, reading portfolio tablet.

"Sit."

She sat edge.

He scrolled.

"Lena Carter. Twenty-five. Freelance. Parsons. No big firm. Why hire you?"

Voice bored.

Lena stared his hands. Same hands held her dying. Now clean, expensive watch.

She planned speech. All forgotten.

"You should hire me because I know what is coming," she blurted.

Ethan looked up. Grey eyes sharp, frowning.

"Excuse me?"

Lena swallowed. Sounded crazy. But no time for normal.

"You have scar left shoulder. Car accident twelve. Mother died April 2019 cancer. Hate peanuts. Hate father. Hunting lodge Catskills grandfather built 1978, abandoned, stone walls near lake, two bedrooms, fireplace broken."

Face changed. Cold to ice. Leaned forward.

"How know that? Stalk me? Hack records? Who paid you to spy?"

"No," Lena said, tears starting. "You told me. Three years from now. At night. When world ended. When we lived bunker together. You told everything because we had nothing but stories to stay human."

Ethan stood. Tall, intimidating. "Leave before I call police. I don't know what game this is."

"I know you don't believe," Lena said quickly, desperate. "Sound insane. But fever starting now Queens, three cases isolated today. Will become pandemic. Will become apocalypse 2026 August. You will save me from raiders. We fall in love in bunker. And we die on bridge together May 2026. I came back. Reborn before apocalypse to save you this time."

Silence heavy. Office quiet, hear air conditioning, heart hammering loud.

Ethan stared hard. Jaw tight. Pressed button desk.

"Security to office immediately."

Lena felt world tilt. No. Not supposed to go like this.

"Ethan, please," whispered, using first name intimate like lover.

He flinched visibly.

"My name Mr. Cross to you," he said low dangerous.

Door opened. Guard entered large.

"Escort Miss Carter out. Flag application. Don't let back in building ever."

Guard took arm gently but firm.

Lena looked Ethan one last time. Tears falling.

"You said you would rather die with me than live one second without me," whispered broken voice. "On bridge, you said that."

Something flickered in his grey eyes. Just flicker. Confusion, deja vu, strange pain he didn't understand. Like memory not his but heart recognized her words deeply.

Then gone. Cold wall again.

She led out past staring assistants whispering.

Elevator closed on reflection. Blazer cheap, makeup running, portfolio useless at feet.

She made it street before collapsing sidewalk edge, sobbing shaking.

She failed. He thought crazy stalker. Lost only chance to warn billionaire who could save world with resources.

People walked past uncaring, typical Manhattan.

She sat Manhattan curb, crying for man who didn't remember her love, for world not knowing ending in three years.

Then phone buzzed blazer pocket suddenly loud.

Unknown number.

She wiped eyes sleeve, answered voice wrecked.

"Lena Carter?" Female voice older sharp efficient. "This is Margaret Chen, executive assistant to Mr. Cross. Mr. Cross wants you come back up now immediately. Alone. Use private elevator south. Code 1942. Hurry."

Lena froze, heart stopping then pounding.

He wanted her back? After calling security and banning her?

She stood slowly, legs shaking badly, portfolio left ground forgotten, and walked back into tower touching clouds, not knowing inside, Ethan was staring at shoulder scar in bathroom mirror, heart beating fast first time years, feeling like he just met someone he lost long ago and missed terribly every night without reason.

He kept hearing her voice saying his name Ethan like lover, like memory from dream he never had.

He pressed intercom, voice hoarse unlike usual cold.

"Margaret, get her back. Now. Before she leaves city. I need to see her again immediately. Don't let her disappear."

And outside tower, sirens kept wailing far Queens, fever spreading while two souls who died together once were about to meet again second time soon.

Lena entered private elevator, code shaking fingers typing 1942, doors closing, lifting her back to man who held her death before.

She wiped tears hard. Second chance was happening right now.

She would not waste it again this life ever.

She would make him remember love before apocalypse took everything away completely.

Clock ticking.

Three years left.

But now she had five minutes more with him.

She would use every second to save him and save them both from bridge.

She took deep breath. Elevator rose. Heart pounded. Fate gave them another chance to begin again together.

To be continued....