Romans & histoires Bittersweet Memories Catharina Maura

"Colleen, how do you like my gift? Get out of my house right now. With you being as powerless and penniless as you are now, you don't stand a chance against me." I replied calmly, "You really surprised me. Since you gave me a gift, it'd be rude not to return the favor. Just wait for your big surprise." Rosalind panicked, demanding to know what I meant. But I hung up without another word. Before shutting down my laptop, I saw a statement released by the Johnson family. "To prevent anyone from falsely claiming the title of the Johnson family's daughter-in-law in the future, we hereby declare that Rosalind Muller is our only officially recognized daughter-in-law. All others are impostors."

**** ~ Flashback ~ Before heading to the library, Evelina and Rissa are on their way to the opposite end of the class to the library. Evelina walks and she stops from her path, she just remembers that there was something she forgot. Seeing Evelina's reaction stop, Rissa asks her. "Eve, what's wrong? Is there anything you left in the classroom?" "No, I forgot something. That actually, I wanted to return the book in the library," she replied.

I saw it with my own eyes but still, the reality of what happened to her made my stomach twist agonizingly. No matter how cruel she had been to me, she didn’t deserve what she had been through. “Thank you, Laura,” I said, swallowing the sadness and pity that enveloped my chest. Instead of turning to leave, Laura pulled her lower lip between her teeth. She was about five years younger than me, a fire brewing in her eyes as she inhaled deeply, meeting my gaze. “Can I give you unsolicited advice, Signora Martinelli?” I tipped my head to the side, urging her to continue.

“ Please , don’t cry ! Don’t apologise . You have done nothing wrong . It wasn’t you who gave up one me but the circumstances that separated us . “ said Antonio with a sad tone . Madam Laura felt the tightness in her heart loosen . “ Even thought my daughter left me , she made sure that I wasn’t left alone in this world . Your existence must be her will to tell me that I need to always be the strong woman I was and live happy . Antonia…….Thank you my dear daughter . Thank you for all the happiness that you have brought me with your existence . Thank you for not leaving me alone…… “ said madam Laura with her tears flowing . She raised her head and looked at Antonio . Her hand touched his lef

--- Later that night, Alessio locked up. Bianca stood on the patio barefoot, holding a wine glass, smiling to herself. He stepped behind her, placed his hand gently on her shoulder. She turned. And kissed him. Not in triumph. Not in grief. Just in peace. --- EPILOGUE Five years later, a teenage girl named Maia finds herself walking through a narrow bookstore in Lisbon. Dusty. Quiet. The kind of place that smells like old paper and hard truths. She finds a shelf marked “Memory Studies.” Between two thick history books, she sees a slim gray volume with no title on the spine. Inside, a single note handwritten on the first page:

“He’s back, isn’t he?” Lilith stepped closer. “Who?” Atheira’s lips trembled. “Maeron.” And suddenly the Hollow didn’t feel safe anymore. History Unveiled The next morning, beneath the Weeping Tree, Atheira told them the full story. “Maeron was once our greatest archivist. He believed memory was salvation.” “But then he started taking memories—stripping them from the dying, rewriting their final thoughts, controlling their legacy.” “He tried to bind the fire to himself.”

She gave me a bewildered look. “What do you remember?” Egor asked, moving closer to his wife. “A conversation in a café, when you told me to move into the pack. A few days of work. Ruslan confessing his feelings. And that’s all.” “Do you remember how you got what’s on your neck?” “Yes. Ruslan did that yesterday—after I found out about my memory.” Maura’s face flickered through emotions too quickly to read. “How do you know your memory was erased?” she asked.

“Mrs. Lea, I want a child. I want to give birth to your grandchild. But why does it feel like everyone in this world is punishing me for something I never wanted? I didn’t choose to miscarry.” “The whole world is against you? Or are you just being too sensitive, Jeanne?” “I am sensitive! I lost my son before I could even hold him! So stop talking about it! Stop treating me like I’m broken. I never asked for any of this! You and everyone else keep blaming me—Edgar won’t even talk to me when all I need is for someone to tell me I’ll be okay. I didn’t get to give birth to him, but he lived inside me. I felt his heartbeat. I have the right to grieve him the most! But you all stay away from me, a

Judging my his appearance, I was guessing he was one. Standing by the rare left, was a lady. A brunette. She was dressed in a long gown and gloves. She had on a beautiful smile. One of the purest I had ever seen but it seemed to be a facade. Behind her smile were her eyes which didn't seem to glow as her smile did. There was something about out her which nipped at me as odd. Something wasn't right about this picture. I was still trying to wrap my head around my weary discovery when a deep video bellowed.