“Hayes, I need to talk to him alone. If I don’t, he’s never going to stop.”
Hayes started to protest, but I leaned in and kissed his cheek. That instantly softened the deep crease between his brows.
“Kaia..” he said, still hesitant, “I won’t go far. I’ll be right outside the door. If anything happens, call me.“}
Hayes stepped out, dragging his feet like he hated leaving me alone with Brian.“]
Meanwhile, Brian was already falling apart. He stood there, stiff as stone, jaw clenched so tight I saw a thin line of blood on his lip.
Seriously? Now it’s too much for him? I watched him climb into bed with Addison.§
If anyone has a right to break down here, it’s me.§
After everyone left, Brian stared at me intensely, as if I would disappear if he blinked. Unable to resist, he took my hand and knelt, presenting me with a single pill.s
“Kaia, please take it. Once you do, you’ll remember how much you loved me,” he urged.“>
I didn’t move.
His eyes welled up, and without warning, he grabbed a bottle of liquor off the table and smashed it over his head.
“Kaia, please,” he choked out, voice cracking.
Still, I didn’t budge.
Desperate now, he pulled out a knife and dragged it across his arm once, then again, deeper each time. Blood spilled fast, and he dropped to one knee, barely staying upright.
“Kaia,” he gasped, “please…”
I finally bent down. He stared up at me, hope flaring in his eyes as I reached toward the pill.
Then I crushed it under my heel.
He didn’t move, just blinked as tears spilled down his cheeks.
I slapped him across the face, hard enough to snap his head sideways.
“You’re a damn fool, Brian,” I said, my voice shaking with rage. “You think I forgot? I remember everything. I remember you causing my car accident because of Addison. I remember you telling the doctor not to let me recover. I remember you disappearing on every important day in my life, only to spend it with her. And I remember all the things you did with her that you never had the decency to explain.” He stared at me, completely stunned, but I didn’t back down.
“You know why I remember?” I said, my voice low but steady. “Because while you were busy building your legacy, I became your company’s guinea pig. I took your stupid amnesia pill ninety–nine times. While you were off with Addison, I was forgetting you again and again and every single time, I fought to remember you.“}
I paused, letting it sink in.
Shaking my head, I finally said, “So no, Brian. I didn’t forget.”
The moment he realized I hadn’t lost my memory, he collapsed, breath heavy, trembling like the weight of it all finally crushed him. Panic was written all over his face.”
He tried to tell himself I was lying. But deep down, as I spoke, he knew every word was true.
I looked down at his broken face one last time. “Don’t come looking for me again. Not now. Not ever. I will never love you again in this life.”
Then I turned toward the door. Someone was waiting for me on the other side.
Behind me, I heard a loud thud, his knees hitting the floor again.”
His voice was hoarse, pleading. “Kaia, I know I messed up. It’s my fault, all of it. Please… don’t go. If I lose you, I’ll lose my mind.“%
I didn’t stop walking.
He screamed after me, desperate now, almost unhinged. “Kaia, if you walk out that door, I’ll die right here!”
Then came the sickening sound of a blade cutting into skin.
But I didn’t turn around. I walked faster.
And when I stumbled into Hayes’s arms, the world finally stopped spinning.
His arms wrapped around me, steady and warm. He didn’t say anything right away. Just held me, gently stroking my hair until I stopped shaking.
Then his soft voice broke through. “Congrats, Kaia… on your new life. Your husband would like to invite you to dinner. Sound good?“&
I looked up at him, still shaken but grounded now, and let the question that had haunted me for years finally escape.”
“Hayes… back when we were kids, we promised we’d go to the same college. Why’d you break that promise? Do you know I waited for you all night?”
Hayes didn’t answer right away. His jaw tightened, and then a single tear dropped on my hand.
Before I could meet his eyes, he pulled me close, wrapping me in his arms so I couldn’t see the redness in them.
Before I could meet his eyes, he pulled me close, wrapping me in his arms so I couldn’t see the redness in them.
“Kaia… my grandpa passed away the day we were supposed to meet. I had to handle everything. After it was done, I sent you a message.” He paused. His voice was rough now as he continued explaining, “But you replied with just ‘got it,‘ then blocked me everywhere. By the time I made it back to town, Brian was already by your side.”
He didn’t finish, but I already understood.
Because that night, I never saw those messages. I’d been heartbroken, drunk, and out of my mind. The one who brought me home that night was Brian. He was also the one who had my phone.
And just like that, the truth hit me like a wave.
I buried my face in Hayes’s chest, tears spilling freely.§
“Hayes… how could you be so silly?” 1 sobbed.
He held me tighter, his voice soft and soothing. “Hey, don’t cry, baby. It’s alright. I waited for you, and in the end, I found you.”>
Yeah, life threw everything it had at us.
But somehow, we found our way back to each other.
And this time, it’s forever.
