Serena Yardley felt her mind was much clearer.
But she couldn’t shake the feeling that her heart was empty, as if she’d lost sothing important.
Seeing Mrs. Miller co in with food, she smiled and called out, "Mrs. Miller."
"Yes, dear."
Mrs. Miller responded kindly, busily taking the food out of the bag. As she set it out, she asked:
"Miss Serena, what happened to your head? How did it get so serious? Does it hurt?"
Serena Yardley pouted, looking pitiful. "I don’t know how I got hurt either. It hurts a lot."
"Oh, you poor thing. Here, eat sothing first."
Julian Thorne took the bowl. "I’ll feed her."
Mrs. Miller glanced at Julian Thorne and didn’t object.
Julian Thorne rembered the doctor saying she could only have soft foods, so he broke up the dumplings, scooped up a piece with so broth on a spoon, and fed it to Serena Yardley.
Serena Yardley gladly opened her mouth and ate.
She smiled at Julian Thorne as she ate.
"What’s with that silly smile again?"
"Because Julian is so handso," she said, her voice weak but happy.
"Hmm?" Julian Thorne frowned, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "You’re very beautiful too, Serena."
"Exactly! We’re both gorgeous, so we’re a match made in heaven. Julian, promise you won’t leave , okay?"
In Serena’s subconscious, Julian Thorne had saved her.
She even felt that she had once been very happy. Despite being an orphan, she had lived a life of privilege.
’And this life of privilege... it seed like Julian Thorne was the one who had given it to her.’
’The two of them must have been deeply in love before.’
’Yes, she felt they were deeply in love.’
Julian Thorne was taken aback for a mont.
As he fed Serena, he mulled over her words.
’Is she mistaking for Ethan Yardley again?’
’Is it possible she rembers everyone *except* Ethan Yardley?’
With this in mind, Julian Thorne decided to test his theory. "Serena, have you ever heard of a man nad Ethan Yardley?"
’Ethan Yardley?’
Serena Yardley’s face scrunched up in confusion. She shook her head. "I don’t know him. Who’s that? A friend of yours, Julian?"
Julian Thorne was speechless.
’Judging by Serena’s reaction, she really does rember everyone except Ethan Yardley.’
And Ethan Yardley, who was standing at the door, heard every single word Serena said with his own ears.
’He couldn’t accept it. Why? Why would she wake up this ti rembering everyone but him?’
’Of all people, why did she have to forget him?’
Ethan Yardley lowered his head, heartbroken, trying to suppress the crushing ache spreading through his chest.
Back in the room, Julian Thorne asked another question. "What about Sylvia Schuyler? Do you rember her, Serena?"
Serena Yardley frowned again, but her expression was otherwise nonchalant.
"Who’s Sylvia Schuyler? Julian, why do you keep asking about people I don’t know? Do you think I have amnesia or sothing? That I’ve forgotten things?"
Serena Yardley racked her brain.
’She rembered Mrs. Miller, Nina, Julian, and her college roommates.’
’She even rembered little Raina.’
’Those seed to be all the people she knew.’
’She really couldn’t think of anyone she might have forgotten.’
Julian Thorne forced a laugh. "No reason. I was just asking."
Afraid of upsetting Serena again, Julian Thorne didn’t dare press her further.
’Still, her reactions and mories this ti were just too strange.’
Once Serena had eaten most of her al, Julian Thorne stood up and told Mrs. Miller, "Stay with her. I need to step out."
"Alright."
Mrs. Miller agreed, taking Serena’s small hand in hers, her eyes filled with pity.
When Julian Thorne left the room, he saw Ethan Yardley sitting on a bench with his head in his hands. He figured Ethan must have heard what Serena had just said.
He sat down beside him. "The doctor said before that it might be intermittent amnesia. I didn’t think it was that serious."
"But this ti, she rembers everyone except you and Sylvia Schuyler."
"This isn’t intermittent amnesia; it’s selective. She’s instinctively blocking out any mory of you and Sylvia Schuyler."
Turning to look at Ethan, Julian asked, "So, you and Sylvia must have done sothing she found unbearable, right?"
Ethan kept his head down, silent.
’He rembered what had happened right before Serena’s suicide attempt.’
’It was because Sylvia had kissed him.’
’At the ti, she had acted completely unbothered, even saying he and Sylvia were a good match.’
’Turns out, she did care. A lot.’
’So much so that even now that she was recovering, her mind refused to even think about him and Sylvia.’
’This outco... he had brought it all on himself.’
’Since Ethan wasn’t talking, it must be just as he’d thought.’
Julian Thorne added, "I can take care of her for now, but whatever happens in the future, I hope you won’t bla ."
Ethan knew that right now, besides Julian, there was no one else who could take care of Serena.
He didn’t fully understand what Julian ant by "whatever happens in the future," but he replied in a low voice:
"I won’t bla you."
"I hope you’re a man of your word."
Julian Thorne stood up and went back into the room.
’Truth be told, he couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t fall in love with the girl after spending so much ti with her.’
’In any case, he would do his best to control himself.’
Ethan got up and went to see the doctor.
He asked a few questions.
The doctor explained patiently, "If she rembers everyone except you, it proves two things: you were incredibly important to her, but you also caused her imnse pain."
"That pain was likely so profound that she never wants to rember it for the rest of her life."
"This isn’t the ti to blindly force your presence on her. You need to give her more ti."
"Alternatively, you could find another way to slowly get close to her and let her get to know you all over again."
Ethan Yardley understood the doctor’s words.
’Slowly approach her... let her get to know him all over again.’
...
After waking up this ti, Serena Yardley’s spirits were much improved.
The nas "Ethan Yardley" and "Uncle" never passed her lips again.
She was in high spirits, even borrowing Julian Thorne’s phone to call Nina Thorne.
As soon as Nina Thorne found out which hospital she was in, she hurried over.
At the door to the room, however, she ran into Ethan Yardley, who was sitting there looking gaunt, haggard, and utterly exhausted.
Nina asked, "What are you doing sitting here? Julian told you haven’t slept in days."
’All their friends had seen how he’d been ever since Serena’s accident. Ethan truly cared about his young wife.’
’He hadn’t eaten or slept for days.’
’And before she ca, her brother had told her that Serena rembered everyone—everyone except Ethan.’
’How devastating that must be.’
"Could you say I’m a friend of yours and take inside?"
Ethan pleaded.
’He rembered the doctor’s words: approach her slowly, let her get to know him all over again.’
Nina Thorne smiled. "I get it. Let’s go."
Ethan got up and followed Nina Thorne.
Serena Yardley was sitting up in bed with Mrs. Miller, watching an idol drama that Julian Thorne starred in.
When she heard soone enter, she looked up.
Seeing it was Nina Thorne, she smiled, her voice sweet as she called out, "Nina, you’re here!"
"Yes. Are you feeling better, Serena?"
"Much better. My head doesn’t hurt as much today."
After she spoke, she noticed soone else standing behind Nina. Serena looked over and asked bluntly:
"Nina, is that your husband?"
’She rembered Nina telling her she was married.’
’But she’d forgotten what Nina’s husband looked like.’
’The man standing across from her was quite handso, aside from looking like he hadn’t slept in days.’
’He was tall, too.’
Nina Thorne nearly choked. "Ahem, he’s not my husband. His na is... Ethan Yardley. He’s a friend of mine."
Reviews
All reviews (0)