I Lost the Memory of the Man I Love after an Accident - Chapter 3

A family friend, someone mom trusted, a connection meant to reset my life like a magic switch.

Honestly, I didn’t care as long as it wasn’t Dylan.

The boutique was still my favorite place in town, tucked between a quiet forest and a quaint cafe.

White lace draped over the glass window display, glowing under the golden afternoon light.

I walked in, stepping carefully, but rows of gowns greeted me like ghosts of fairy tales waiting to be worn.

I brushed my fingers along the delicate beadwork of a nearby dress, sighing quietly.

Maybe pretending would help.

Maybe wearing a beautiful dress and acting like I was okay would eventually make it true.

Then a voice cut through the serenity like a blade.

“Well, well, what are you doing here?” I turned slowly, already recognizing the venom in that tone.

Katarina, of course, tall, flawless, draped in a silky champagne gown that looked painted on her.

“Are you stalking me again?” she added, folding her arms, lips curled in disdain.

I blinked.

“Come on.”

“No, I’m here to try on wedding dresses.” Her eyes narrowed, trying to steal him again, seducing him like some pathetic, desperate thing.

“And now this copying me.”

I lied out of breath.

“I’m not here to start a fight, Katarina. I’m really getting married. This has nothing to do with you or Dylan.”

She laughed loud and cruel.

“You married? Please. No one in their right mind would want you after the show you made. If I had any doubt before, now I’m sure you’re doing all this to ruin my wedding.”

My fingers curled into fists in my sides.

But I didn’t raise my voice.

“I’m not. I don’t care about Dylan anymore. He’s all yours now.”

That should have been enough, but it wasn’t.

“Don’t act like you’re innocent.”

She spat, stepping closer.

“You begged him to love you, tried to sleep with him, cried for him like a dog, and now you’re parading around bridal boutiques like some tragic, forgotten princess. Pathetic.”

I turned to walk away, then heard the soft clatter of porcelain.

I turned just as she grabbed a decorative vase from a nearby shelf.

Her face twisted in rage.

Katarina cracked it against my head.

Paint splashed across me like lightning.

My knees buckled.

The world tilted and spun violently.

The last thing I saw before everything went dark was her face above me.

“I told you she’s high.”

I blinked slowly, my vision sharpening to the dull white ceiling above me.

I tried to move, but my body felt heavy, sluggish.

Something tugged at the side of my head.

Bandages.

Freeze.

I turned slightly, every muscle protesting, to see a familiar face leaning over me.

“Alice,” I croked.

Her voice was a lifeline in the chaos.

……………………..

She looked like she hadn’t slept all night, eyes puffy, rimmed with red, lips trembling.

“Just seeing you wake up, thank God,” she whispered, grabbing my hand.

“You scared the hell out of me. You’ve been unconscious, and they had to stitch you 50 times.”

Alice looked at the stitches on my forehead and winced.

“Katarina.” I nodded slowly. “She hit me with a vase. I think I blacked out instantly.”

Alice stood up, pacing, which really did it.

“I swear to God, I’ll make sure she pays.”

But as she spoke, something shifted inside me like a window opening.

I paused, holding my head as it throbbed with memories.

“Alice, I think I remember.”

Alice froze.

“What do you mean?”

Bits and pieces came rushing back.

Me in the shadows watching Dylan with Katarina following them because I couldn’t let go.

The day at the cliff pushing me away so coldly.

The look in his eyes.

The echo of my scream.

I remember now.

I whispered everything.

I used to follow him around.

How pathetic I was.

How I kept hoping he’d see me.

Alice’s expression shattered.

Freeze.

The doctor arrived soon after, eyes wide in surprise.

“Well, this is extraordinary,” her memory returning like this.

“It’s rare. A miracle, really. We’ve seen cases like this, but they’re not common.” Alice smiled with tears in her eyes.

“That’s good, right? It means she’s back.” But I wasn’t the same.

“I’m going to tell Dylan what Katarina did.” Alice said suddenly.

“She needs to know.”

“No,” I said firmly.

“It’s pointless.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I don’t care anymore,” I said, voice cold.

“Especially now that I remember everything before Alice could argue.” The door slammed open.

“Dylan,” his stormy eyes filled with fury.

“You just can’t stop, can you?” I blinked.

“Something happened with Katarina,” he growled.

“She’s hurt and her hand is bleeding. And she said, You started it.”

“Are you kidding me?” Alice snapped, stepping in front of me.

“It was Katarina who attacked Ree. She sent her to the hospital.”

Dylan turned his glare to Alice.

“Now you’re taking her side, too. Great. You’ve really learned from her manipulation, haven’t you?”

I tried to speak.

He cut me off.

“You’ve always done this. Always twisting stories. Just like when you said Katarina pushed you or burned you. I stayed quiet because you were my sister’s friend. But I’m done. Don’t come near me again. And don’t even mention marriage. What a delusional joke. You’re fitting guns just because you heard.”

Dylan spat.

“I’m going to marry Katarina and you think I will marry you? Never.”

He turned and walked out, slamming the door behind her, not even letting me explain.

Something inside me cracked.

Then I let out a scream, a guttural roar.

No more lies.

Only hatred remained.

I would never let him near me again, ever.

This was the last time.

The celebration was grand, just as expected of a family like Dylan’s.

The restaurant was draped in black and gold.

Guests mingled in elegant suits and dresses, laughter echoing through the air.

Champagne flowed freely, and at the center table, Dylan opened gifts from friends and family.

A cool smile rested on his lips until he opened the plain white box.

Inside was a neatly folded card, no name, just clean, sharp lettering.

He opened it and read, “You are cordially invited to the wedding of Reese Gray and Vincent Valon,”

His rival. The man whose presence always set Dylan’s teeth on edge.

Vincent Valon, a powerful, ruthless businessman with connections that rivaled Dylan’s own.

For a moment, Dylan couldn’t breathe.

Then rage slammed into him like a wave.

“She’s really getting on my nerves,” he muttered, crushing the card in his hand.

“This is just a stunt. She’s faking a marriage to get my attention.”

He yanked out his phone and called her.

No answer.

Instead, a message arrived.

“Congratulations on your wedding day. Don’t worry, you’re not the one I’ll marry after all. I finally remember what happened.”

Dylan stared at the message.

His eyes scanned it once, twice, a third time.

She remembered. Reeys remembered everything.

He stood frozen amidst the clinking glasses and cheerful greetings, but none of it registered anymore.

His chest rose and fell with uneven breaths as he reread the message.

She was marrying Vincent Valon of all people, someone she never trusted, someone who had flirted with Ree before, back when Dylan barely paid her any mind.

And now she was going to marry him.

Dylan muttered, “It’s not like I care.”

She was gone. That should have been good.

She’d been a problem, a shadow that lingered, always clinging, always bringing drama.

Now she was someone else’s problem.

Still, he couldn’t ignore the aching hollowness in his chest before he could even acknowledge the feeling.