ログインClara retrieved the letter from under her pillow.She had read it a dozen times already. But she read it again. And again. And again.To my dear pookie.I know you don't remember me. I know you don't know who I am. But I remember you. I've never stopped remembering you.We were children together. We grew up together. We loved each other or at least, I loved you. I loved you more than I've ever loved anyone.But life took us in different directions. You moved away. You got married. You had children. And I... I stayed here, in the shadows, watching you from afar.I know about the accident. I know about the amnesia. I know about everything you've been through. And I've wanted to reach out so many times, to tell you who I am, to remind you of what we had but I was afraid.Afraid of hurting you. Afraid of disrupting your life. Afraid of what you might think of me.But now... now I can't stay silent anymore. Because I've seen you. I've seen you with your children. I've seen you with your hu
Dinner was a quiet affair.The family had gathered in the smaller dining room the one they used when it was just the four of them. The table was set with Elena's finest china, the candles flickering softly, the smell of roasted chicken and fresh bread filling the air.But Clara was not present.Not really.Her body was there seated at the table, her fork moving mechanically from plate to mouth but her mind was elsewhere. A thousand miles away. Lost in the words of a letter she had read a dozen times since returning from the cemetery.To my dear pookie.You were my first love, Clara. And you will always be my only love.J."Clara?"She blinked. Cassian was looking at her, his gray eyes filled with concern."I'm sorry. What did you say?""I asked if you wanted more potatoes.""Oh. No. Thank you."She looked down at her plate. She had barely touched her food a few bites of chicken, a single roasted potato, a piece of bread that she had torn apart but not eaten.Cassian set down his fork.
The morning routine had become a comfort.Clara woke to the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains, the distant sound of birdsong, and the warmth of Cassian's body beside her. He had taken to sleeping in the bed with her now not just in the armchair ever since the scare. She had protested at first, worried about disturbing his sleep, but he had insisted."I sleep better when I'm next to you," he had said. "Besides, what if something happens in the night? I need to be here."She had not argued after that.She ate breakfast in bed a tray of scrambled eggs, toast, fresh fruit, and a glass of orange juice. Cassian sat beside her, reading the news on his tablet, occasionally reaching over to steal a piece of fruit from her plate."Hey," she protested, when he took a strawberry. "That's mine.""Sharing is caring.""You have your own plate.""Yours tastes better."She laughed and let him have the strawberry.After breakfast, Cassian helped her to the bathroom she was allowed short
The days blurred together.Clara had never been good at doing nothing. She was a woman of action a problem solver, a leader, a doer. Bed rest was a form of torture she had never anticipated. But she had made a promise, and she intended to keep it.So she found ways to cope.She worked from home. Cassian had set up a small desk beside her bed, complete with a laptop, a tablet, and a phone. She held video conferences with her team, reviewed reports, approved designs. Adrian had been understanding, telling her to take all the time she needed, but Clara could not simply disappear. Work was part of who she was.She journaled. A small leather-bound notebook sat on her nightstand, and every day she wrote a letter to the baby. She told it about the world it was coming into the family that loved it, the siblings who were waiting for it, the father who was already wrapped around its tiny finger.She read. Cassian had brought her a stack of books novels, memoirs, poetry collections. She lost her
Adrian arrived shortly after.He had been at home when Imogen called him, and he had driven to the hospital without hesitation. He walked into the waiting room, his dark eyes filled with concern."How is she?""We don't know yet." Cassian looked up at him. "Thank you for coming.""Of course. She's family." Adrian sat down across from him. "What can I do?""Nothing. Just... be here.""I can do that."Maya arrived with coffee for everyone. She handed out cups, her presence calm and steady. "She's going to be okay," she said. "She's strong.""She is," Cassian agreed. But his voice was hollow, and his eyes kept drifting to the doors that separated him from his wife.Dr. Reyes finally emerged.Her face was serious but not grim. Cassian was on his feet immediately."How is she? How's the baby?""Let's talk in my office.""No. Tell me here. Is she okay?"Dr. Reyes sighed. "Your wife is stable. The baby is still alive. But there's been a complication.""What kind of complication?""The subcho
Clara sat in the garden, a blanket over her lap, the sun warm on her face.The roses were in full bloom, their fragrance heavy in the air. The fountain sparkled in the distance. A pair of butterflies danced among the flowers.She closed her eyes and breathed deeply.This is peace, she thought. This is what I've been fighting for.She thought about her mother and the life she had lived. She thought about the secrets that had been buried, the truths that had never been told. She thought about the baby growing inside her, and the future that stretched out before them."Mom," she whispered. "If you can hear me, if you're watching please give me strength. Please help me protect this baby. Please help me be the mother I want to be."The wind stirred the roses. The fountain bubbled. And for a moment, Clara felt a sense of peace she could not explain."Thank you," she whispered. "I love you."That evening, the family gathered for dinner.Clara was allowed to sit at the table, the doctor had s
The airport terminal gleamed under fluorescent lights as Cassian strode through the sliding glass doors, his pulse beating faster than it had in years. He hadn't slept. He hadn't eaten. He had barely registered the drive across the city, his hands gripping the steering wheel of his black Rolls-Royc
The morning of my fourth wedding anniversary, I woke before sunrise.This was not unusual. I had long ago learned that the early hours belonged to me alone quiet, unclaimed, untouched by the weight of being Mrs. Cassian Kingsley. By the time my husband stirred in his separate bedroom down the hall,
Cassian woke to a headache banging inside his skull.He groaned and pressed his palms against his eyes. His mouth was dry. His body felt foreign. Fragments of the previous night drifted through his mind Julian's fireplace, Vanessa's laughter, the burn of whiskey but they were broken, impossible to
The party at Julian's house had burned down to embers.Marcus was passed out on the couch, an empty glass dangling from his fingers. Derek had disappeared into a guest room. Priya was curled in an armchair, heels kicked off. The music had faded to a low hum.Vanessa slept on the chaise lounge by th







