Chapter 16
I had always wondered if the memories were real.
The children’s home where we’d promised to meet
once a year, the bond that had kept us steady when. everything else seemed to fall apart–were they as vivid for her as they were for me?
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Chapter 16
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Damian’s POV
I had always wondered if the memories were
real. The children’s home where we’d promised to
meet once a year, the bond that had kept us steady
when everything else seemed to fall apart–were
they as vivid for her as they were for me?
When I first saw Emily weeks ago, standing
amidst chaos at the scene of an accident, I knew it
was her. Her features had matured, but her gaze
held the same quiet intensity. Yet I said nothing.
Fear of her not remembering, or worse, not wanting
to, kept me silent. Seeing her again in the hospital
stairway, vulnerable and unraveling, had only
strengthened my resolve to help her.
But now, sitting across from me in my office,
she didn’t seem to recognize me at all. Emily had
walked in hesitantly, her eyes darting around the room like she was trying to find a reason to leave.
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She sat in the chair I gestured to, clasping her hands
tightly in her lap. To me this felt like a relief but the
conflict of knowing my patient personally, of
withholding that information, weighed heavier than
it had when I offered to see her professionally.
“This is… new for me,” she admitted.
“That’s completely normal,” I said, keeping my
tone soft. “Take your time. There’s no rush.”
She gave me a tight smile but didn’t speak right away. I could tell she was building up the courage to
start.
“Everything in my life feels like it’s crumbling,” she said finally, her voice breaking. “My marriage, my friendships, even my sense of self. I feel like I’ve
lost control of everything, and I don’t know how to fix it.”
I nodded, leaning forward slightly. “That sounds incredibly overwhelming. Would you like to talk
about what’s hoon hannanina?”
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about what’s been happening?”
She hesitated but began slowly. “Louis–my
husband–used to make me feel like I mattered. Like
I was important. But now… there is no trust. I
stopped trusting him when I found out he cheated
and he… well, he wanted to keep me, to try to make
me happy again. It’s impossible. And then there’s
Maya…” Her lips pressed into a thin line.
“Maya?” I prompted gently.
“She was supposed to be my best friend,” Emily
said, bitterness seeping into her tone. “But she’s
manipulated her way into every corner of my life,
driving away other friends over the years. I can’t
trust her anymore, but Louis… he went from hating
her to defending her overnight and all because she
tricked him into giving her a baby.”
Her words came out in a rush now, like a dam breaking. I let her speak, watching as years of pain and frustration spilled into the space between us.
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When she finally stopped, I gave her a moment
to collect herself before speaking. “It sounds like
you’ve been carrying a lot on your own, Emily. That’s
not something anyone should have to do.”
She let out a dry laugh. “Well, I don’t exactly have a lot of people lining up to help.”
I tilted my head slightly. “What about family? You truly have no other friends?”
Her expression darkened. “Friends? Maya’s made sure I don’t have any left. And my parents…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “They’re more invested in Louis than they are in me, even if my mother regrets the past. Even if she loves me…”
