Chapter 2

The second round wasn't about guilt. It was an audit of the past. A screen rose in the center of the underground hall, and the family accountant pulled up several sets of records from five years ago.

Medical bills. Training costs. Equipment.

Then came three straight months of unpaid hospital bills from when Damian was eighteen. Cecilia's expression changed the moment the numbers appeared. For five years, everyone had believed the same story.

Before the Moretti family found him, Damian had been too poor to buy medicine. Cecilia had secretly supported him without asking for anything or telling anyone.

Only after they got together did other people piece together what she'd done. The story earned her endless praise. It was also one of the main reasons Damian let her close after losing his memory.

But the accountant opened the transfers.

"Source account: Evelyn Vale."

The hall went silent. Then came the second transfer. My name again.

The third. The fourth. Every one of them was mine.

Someone frowned.

"That can't be right."

"Where did she get that kind of money?"

I leaned against the table and said nothing. The truth was, I'd had no money five years ago. That was why I'd taken the most dangerous escort jobs.

I delivered shipments at night, guarded convoys, and collected lockboxes from the edge of rival territory. Whenever I got paid, I covered whatever the old safe house needed first, then paid Damian's medical bills. What was left usually bought me the cheapest food I could find.

Damian hadn't known. I hadn't wanted him to. His pride was ridiculous.

If he'd found out, he would have thrown every cent back in my face. An old recording suddenly began to play on the screen. A man's voice came first, years younger.

"Evelyn, put money in my account one more time and I'll snap this card in half."

It was Damian. I froze. Then I heard my own carefree laugh from five years ago.

"Go ahead.

"Break one, and I'll order another."

"I don't need you supporting me."

"Who said I was supporting you? It's an investment.

"When you finally become somebody, you can pay me back with interest."

The recording ended there. No one in the hall spoke. I watched Damian slowly curl his hand into a fist.

Cecilia spoke first.

"That recording might not be real."

She turned to Damian.

"This is a trial. These scenes are designed to attack a candidate's weaknesses. I've been with you for five years. You know better than anyone whether I ever gave you money."

Damian didn't look at her.

"I know what happened after I lost my memory."

His voice was even.

"I don't know what happened before."

Cecilia went still. Since my arrival, this was the first time he hadn't backed her up. Someone nearby continued to question the records under his breath.

"Could Evelyn really have made that much from missions?"

"Didn't she spend all her time slacking off?"

I laughed.

"You're right.

"I was very good at slacking off."

I walked up to Damian, took the ring from my finger, and set it on the long table. The silver was old. There was no diamond and no fancy design.

Only two letters were carved inside the band, our initials. The moment Damian saw them, his eyes widened.

"What's that supposed to be?" Cecilia asked.

"Something cheap."

I told her.

"Damian bought it with half the first commission he ever earned for himself."

I looked at him.

"You said every ring in the store was ugly, then chose the plainest one.

"You said once you figured out who you really were, you'd take me back for a new one."

Damian said nothing. He reached for the ring. The second his thumb touched the engraving inside, he stopped cold.

I watched the color drain from his face. Something seemed to flash before his eyes. It was brief.

So brief that no one else had time to notice. But I knew, because I had the same memory.

The power had gone out at the old safe house that night, and a single candle burned in the kitchen. He slid the ring onto my finger with a stern look. "Wear this for now." I laughed at him. "This cheap thing?"

"Give it back if you don't want it."

I immediately hid my hand behind my back.

"You gave it to me. You don't get to take it back."

He laughed despite himself and pinched my cheek. Then, under his breath, he added one more thing.

"When I have a real name, I'll get you a better one."

Now Damian held that same ring, breathing harder than before. Cecilia reached for him.

"Damian."

He drew his hand away. It was a small movement, but hers froze in midair.

I didn't look at her. I watched Damian.

"Do you remember?"

He was silent for a long time.

"I saw a little of it."

"What did you see?"

He looked up. His voice was much lower now.

"Someone was standing in a kitchen.

"I was putting a ring on her finger."