Chapter 9
The river’s icy grip dragged Aria down into crushing darkness.
Water flooded her lungs as countless hands seemed to pull her toward the abyss. Her consciousness fragmented, broken images flashing behind her eyes…
Fifteen year old Adrian cleaning ink from her face in the library, his touch warm and gentle;
Eighteen–year–old Adrian secretly holding her hand at graduation, palm damp with nervous sweat;
Twenty–year–old Adrian kneeling in the snow, breathing warmth onto her frozen fingers as fog clouded his tender
gaze…
Adrian…
She called his name silently as water filled her mouth and nose, squeezing the last air from her lungs.
Darkness closed over her, and she let her eyes drift shut.
Finally, we can be together.
But in her fading awareness, someone grabbed her wrist.
When she open her eyes again, she saw a sterile hospital ceiling. The smell of disinfectant made her wrinkle her
nose.
‘You’re awake?” An unfamiliar nurse’s voice. “You’re incredibly lucky to survive a fall from that height.”
She turned her head confusedly to see a nurse adjusting her IV drip.
I…” she started to speak, then startled at her own voice–raw as sandpaper and painful.
More alarming, she couldn’t remember anything.
Who was she? Why was she here?
“Don’t try to talk yet,” the nurse said, seeing her pale, panicked expression. “You have temporary memory loss from oxygen deprivation. The doctor says it’s normal. Physically you’re fine–just need a few days‘ rest before discharge,”
Memory loss?
Aria let the nurse help her lie back down, staring blankly at the ceiling as she tried desperately to remember. Only scattered fragments came through.
Silhouettes embracing in snow. Trembling fingers at a gravestone. And… a pair of eyes so cold they could freeze her
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My Husband’s Guide to Losing a Perfectly Good Wife in Five Easy Steps
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Chapter 9
heart.
She didn’t know whose eyes they were, but thinking of them made her chest ache.
“Oh,” the nurse paused at the door, “the person who brought you in said you kept calling out ‘Adrian‘ while
unconscious. Someone you know?”
Adrian?
The name hit like a key unlocking floodgates.
Memories crashed over her in waves.
Adrian’s gentle smile, his cool fingertips when he tied her scarf, the car accident when he held her close as his blood tripped onto her face…
Aria, live…”
Ahh!”
earing pain shot through her skull. She curled into a ball as tears streamed down her face.
Doctor! Get the doctor!” The nurse ran out.
ria clutched the sheets, nails cutting into her palms.
The memories came and went like lightning, leaving only a blurry outline.
he remembered someone important named Adrian, but couldn’t picture his face or recall what had happened
etween them.
doctor rushed in, carefully examining Aria before writing notes in her chart.
It’s normal–just physical weakness causing the reaction,” the doctor sighed. “Tocus on recovering your strength. Don’t rush the memories.”
Aria nodded weakly, cold sweat still beading her forehead, her face pale as the hospital sheets.
After the door closed, she was alone.
She followed doctor’s orders and rarely left her room, so her body healed quickly. But those memories remained rustratingly vague.
‘You don’t need to worry too much. Maybe one day they’ll all come flooding back,” the doctor said, adjusting her glasses while inwardly sighing.
This pale woman had been here for days without a single visitor.
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My Husband‘ outd
Chapter 9
Thinking of this, she pulled out some cash and handed it to Aria.
“Just pay me back later.”
The doctor waved dismissively and walked away without looking back.
Few days later, Aria stood at the train station ticket window, hesitating.
“One ticket to Millbrook,” she said finally.
Millbrook. The name made her feel inexplicably safe, though she couldn’t say why.
She didn’t know why she wanted to go there, just felt an inner voice telling her:
Leave this place.
The clerk handed her the ticket. She thanked him and walked toward the platform.
Crowds surged around her, but she felt utterly alone.
She looked down at her ID card–the photo showed a woman with gentle eyes and a soft smile.
Aria Winters…” she whispered, trying to find familiarity in the three syllables.
at what answered her only the wind that rushing past.
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