Chapter 3

"I'm your fiancée, and we're getting married next month. This is the path I chose, and I'm certain about it. Lucas is part of my past—a past that wasn't exactly pleasant. Now, he's just my patient. My job is to help him recover his sense of reality, not to take revenge or humiliate him. That's all," I said.

I tilted my head up, trying to convey my determination with my gaze. "Do you trust me?"

Derek stared at me for a long moment, the tension in his jaw slowly easing.

He gripped my hand a bit too tightly.

"I trust you," he said, his other hand gently brushing a stray lock of hair from my forehead.

"But I don't trust him. Serena, just because he's lost his memory doesn't mean he's changed. I'm afraid you'll...be too soft-hearted," Derek said.

I didn't respond, simply leaned into his embrace.

The clinic was silent, with only the sound of our breathing filling the space.

Outside the window, the city lights began to glow, neon colors swirling like a Ferris wheel, slowly turning and carrying the joys and sorrows of countless people.

I had no idea if the Ferris wheel rendezvous in Lucas's memory ever truly existed. Maybe it was just a dream pieced together from his broken recollections.

But I knew my future wasn't on that dreamlike Ferris wheel. It was right here, in the arms of the real, warm man beside me—the one who sometimes got jealous and a little uneasy.

However, it seemed that the gears of fate always quietly turned again when people thought the dust had settled.

The next week was quiet, almost too quiet.

Lucas showed up for his appointments right on schedule. With my guidance and some meds, he was finally starting to accept that we were over. His mood was often low, but he stopped obsessing over the Ferris wheel and the ring.

He would sometimes apologize to me for the hurt he might have caused.

His memories were slowly unfreezing, and some harsh truths started bubbling up. It hurt, but it had to happen.

Derek was still busy with surgeries and research, but he started showing up in my office a lot more, always pretending it was just about work.

Without saying a word, we both avoided bringing up Lucas, as if that chapter of our lives was already behind us.

The wedding preparations were moving forward as planned.

On the day I tried on wedding dresses, Derek had an emergency surgery and couldn't make it. So, my best friend, Mia Foster, came with me instead.

By the time we left the bridal shop, it was already late, so we headed to the Misty Lounge to unwind for a while.

"Seriously, Serena, aren't you even a little worried?" Mia stirred her cocktail, lowering her voice.

"I mean, it's Lucas we're talking about. You two were a thing back then..." she added.

"The past is the past," I cut her off, swirling my soda. "I love Derek now."

"Yeah, Dr. Hayes is really good. Solid guy," Mia nodded.

"But with Lucas like this—amnesia, only remembering all your good sides, always popping up around you—what if one day he gets all his memories back, or just decides to stick around and turns your life into one of those dramatic 'win her back' sagas?" she suppossed.

"Enough," I said, half laughing, half helpless. "You've read way too many web novels. I'm a doctor, I know where to draw the line."

Mia pursed her lips, about to say something, when her gaze suddenly froze. She looked past me, her face going a bit weird.

"...Well, speak of the devil," she muttered.

I felt my heart skip a beat as I turned around.

Lucas was standing in the dim light at the entrance of the Misty Lounge, looking kind of lost as he tried to find a place to sit.

He looked a bit thinner, dressed in a simple shirt and pants, his usual sharp edge nowhere to be seen. He had the vibe of a downcast college student.

He spotted me too, his eyes lit up for a moment, then he hesitated, looking unsure whether to come over.

Mia leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Here we go again..."

I took a deep breath, gave Lucas a slight nod, and was about to turn away.

Just a chance encounter—no need to get into anything deep.

But Lucas seemed to make up his mind and walked straight over to us.

"Serena," he said, standing by our table, sounding a little awkward. "What a coincidence."

"Mr. Carter, yeah, what a coincidence," I replied, keeping my tone polite but distant. "Just out with a friend."

Lucas glanced at Mia, who gave him a fake smile.

His eyes lingered on the non-alcoholic drink in front of me, then caught sight of my bare ring finger. The light in his eyes faded.

"I...just happened to be nearby, and remembered you mentioning you liked the vibe here, so I figured I'd check it out," he said quietly. "Didn't think I'd really bump into you."

I frowned slightly.

I'd never told him I liked the Misty Lounge.

Was this another one of his mixed-up memories?

"Mr. Carter, your memory might still be a bit off," I said calmly.

Lucas paused, then gave a wry smile. "Maybe...I just can't tell what's real and what's just a dream anymore."