I Lost the Memory of the Man I Love after an Accident - Chapter 12

He didn’t answer.

Instead, he threw a stack of money onto the floor.

Take this.

Leave the country.

If you come near her again, you die.

She tried to laugh, bitter and broken.

What makes you think I care anymore? The man didn’t flinch.

We’re not here to negotiate.

You’ve already lost everything.

And he was right.

That same week, she miscarried.

The stress, the abuse, the constant hiding, it broke her.

The child she carried.

The one thread she had left to Dylan was gone.

Just like him.

She tried to call him.

He didn’t answer.

And the realization hit her with all its cruelty.

He had left her, too.

She was alone, utterly and completely.

The money meant nothing.

Her dreams meant nothing.

Love, revenge, even her twisted obsession.

It all crumbled into ash.

One week later, her body was found at a coastal cliff.

One rainy morning, while curled up on the couch sipping warm tea, Alice entered with her usual concerned expression, holding out her phone.

“I thought you should know,” she said softly, sitting beside me.

“Katarina is gone.

My fingers froze around the mug.

She jumped off a cliff last week.

They found her body two days ago.

The room went silent except for the gentle tapping of rain against the window.

I didn’t cry.

I didn’t feel relief either.

Just a strange quiet kind of sadness for what could have been if she had chosen a different path.

I guess she finally gave up.

I whispered, setting the mug down.

She lost everything.

Alice looked at me gently, unsure what to say.

Later that day, I called a flower shop and sent a simple bouquet to the place where she was laid to rest.

No card, no signature.

I wasn’t asking for forgiveness.

I wasn’t offering any either.

It wasn’t my fault, but I still felt something.

Not for her, but for the girl she used to be before hatred consumed her.

That night, Vincent held me close as we lay under the covers.

“She’s gone,” I whispered into his chest.

“Does that make me a terrible person for not crying?” No, he murmured, pressing his lips to my forehead.

It makes you human.

In the days that followed, Alice updated me with another bit of news.

Dylan’s not doing well, she said.

I looked up for my packing, folding the last of my clothes into a suitcase.

Not my business anymore.

I replied calmly.

He made his choices.

Alice nodded, watching me for a moment.

You’ve changed.

You know I had to, I said.

I needed to survive.

And it was true.

Vincent was the reason I found strength.

Through every moment of fear through the endless nightmares, he was there holding me, feeding me, rubbing my back when I cried.

And never once did he treat me like a burden.

It wasn’t pity.

It was love, pure, patient, and unwavering.

One evening, while we were watching the sunset from the balcony, Vincent reached for my hand.

I was thinking, he began.

What if we leave this place? I turned to him.

I mean, really, leave, start over.

Somewhere new, somewhere warm, just you and me.

A soft smile formed on my lips.

I would love that, he grinned.

Then it settled.

We spent the following days preparing.

Boxes sealed, bags packed, memories stored, only where we chose to keep them.

No more shadows, no more ghosts, just us.

On the morning of our departure, a knock echoed from the front door.

I opened it to find a bouquet of white pianies, my favorite, and a cream colored envelope tucked beneath a ribbon.

I knew the handwriting before I even read the name Dylan.

I hesitated, staring at it for a moment.

I debated tossing it aside, but curiosity one.

I opened the letter and read.

I don’t know where to start.

I know I don’t deserve a second of your time, but I’m writing this because I need to say it, even if you never read it.

I’m sorry for everything.

for the way I treated you.

For the moments I made you feel like you didn’t matter.

For Katarina, for laughing at your pain, for not realizing what I had until it was gone.

You were the best thing that ever happened to me and I ruined it.

I’ll regret that for the rest of my life.

If you found peace, I hope you never lose it again.

If you found love, I hope he treats you the way I never did.

I love you from afar.

Always, Dylan.

I stared at the paper in my hand for a few long seconds.

Then I folded it, placed it in the trash, and didn’t look back.

That part of my life was over.

The airport was buzzing with activity, but in Vincent’s arms, it felt like the world was finally still.

As the plane ascended through the clouds, I glanced at him and smiled.

He kissed my knuckles gently, leaning closer.

Ready for forever? Only if it’s with you.

We settled in a coastal town, the kind with pastel houses and cobblestone streets.

The locals smiled when we passed.

The air smelled of salt and honey, and each day felt like we had been born a new.

Vincent and I grew even closer in that quiet place.

The intimacy came naturally, like every touch, every kiss, every breath was always meant for each other.

And then one morning, I felt different.

Tired, nauseous, a little dizzy.

I sat in the bathroom for 10 minutes, staring at the test in my hand.

Two pink lines, tears welled in my eyes, but this time from joy.

I walked out and Vincent was there shirtless, making coffee with a sleepy smile.

Morning, he said.

I walked to him, took his hand, and placed it over my stomach.

He blinked.

“What? I’m pregnant.” I whispered for a second.

He didn’t move.

Then his eyes widened, lips parting in shock.

Are you serious? I nodded, tears now streaming down my cheeks.

We’re going to be parents.

Vincent wrapped his arms around me so tightly I could hardly breathe, laughing and crying all at once.

I swear, he whispered into my hair.

I’ll protect you both.

I’ll love you both forever.

And I knew finally I was home.

THE END