Chapter 2

My words were like an ice pick, piercing through the fragile composure Lucas had been desperately holding onto.

He stumbled, grabbing the edge of the desk for support, his face draining of all color.

"Abuser? I'm...the abuser?" Lucas muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. His eyes were hollow as he looked at me, then at the ring on my finger, and finally at Derek's impassive face.

Derek spoke up, his tone flat and clinical, like he was just reading from a medical chart.

"The records show that you two officially broke up three months before the accident. The reason was that your actions in the relationship caused Dr. Cross ongoing psychological pressure. Should we pull up your chat history and ask mutual friends for their statements as evidence? Although this involves privacy, Dr. Cross has agreed to let us review some of the materials for the sake of treatment."

With every word Derek said, Lucas's face grew even paler.

Those forgotten, jagged fragments of memory seemed to be clawing their way back, bringing with them a pounding headache.

He clutched his forehead, his breathing growing ragged.

"That's enough," I said, stopping Derek before he could keep rubbing it in.

"That's all for today's follow-up. Mr. Carter, you need to rest. We'll check on your memory recovery next week at the same time. Meanwhile, I suggest you get some therapy to help with the emotional distress caused by the confusion in your memories."

I pressed the call button, signaling for a nurse to come in and help Lucas out.

Lucas leaned on the nurse for support as he made his way to the door, his steps shaky and uncertain.

Right before the door closed, he glanced back at me, his eyes so full of tangled emotions that my heart tightened.

There was confusion, pain, defiance, and a lingering affection he himself might not even fully understand.

The door closed, sealing off the outside world.

Now it was just Derek and me in the office, along with the thick awkwardness and subtle tension that lingered in the air and couldn't be dissolved.

I slumped back into my chair, pressing my fingers to my brow, exhausted.

Derek came over and leaned against my desk, towering over me as he watched.

He reached out, not to touch me, but his finger lightly traced the hand with the diamond ring, the cold metal grazing his skin.

"Nice performance, Dr. Cross," Derek snorted, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Emotional False Memory Syndrome? Never seen that in any textbook. Did you make that up on the spot?" he said.

"As long as it did the trick," I grumbled, yanking my hand back. "Who told you to barge in and talk about wanting to hit him? Were you trying to stir things up even more?"

"Just seeing him like that pisses me off," Derek said, straightening up and heading to the window, his back to me, his voice low and gruff.

"So he loses his memory and thinks he can just erase all the messed-up things he did? And now he dares to show up and act as if nothing happened, trying to rekindle things with you? Why should he get away with it?" Derek fumed.

I knew exactly why he was so pissed.

Derek was familiar with some of my history with Lucas.

Our relationship was young and naive back in college, but it unraveled amid the messiness of adult life, mostly because of Lucas's controlling streak and his habit of taking things for granted.

The breakup was anything but peaceful. It was a total disaster, leaving everything in shambles.

It took me ages to move on until I met Derek.

He was calm, professional, and always respected my boundaries. At work, we were evenly matched, and in life, he was that quiet, steady presence I could always rely on.

"He's just a patient, Derek," I sighed. "His memory is fractured, his perception skewed. Right now, he's just another case—a brain injury that needs treatment, nothing more."

"Is that so?" Derek turned around, his eyes sharp behind his glasses as he fixed his gaze on me.

"Then why didn't you just tell him the truth? That I bought this ring last month when I was at a conference in Seattla, and you weren't even there with me to choose it? Why didn't you mention we're getting married next month? You kept dodging the question, Serena. What are you hesitating about? Are you worried it'll hurt him? Or is it..."

He paused, his voice dropping lower. "...do you still have a bit of pity left for him?"

I froze.

When I caught that rare flicker of vulnerability and uncertainty in Derek's eyes, it stung somewhere deep inside me.

Yeah, I kept the wedding details vague. I used gentler words, even made up some medical jargon on the spot. And when Lucas gave me that look, I felt that old ache again, something I hadn't felt in forever.

It wasn't about still having feelings for him.

I knew that for sure.

It was just that weird, inevitable feeling you get when everything's changed, and the people you used to know are strangers now, especially when the person who messed everything up comes back acting all innocent, with that pure, almost childlike look in their eyes.

"Derek," I said, getting up and walking over to him. I reached for his hand, taking it in mine. He stiffened just a bit, but didn't pull away.