Chapter 8: The Man Who Was Erased
I didn’t speak.
I couldn’t.
The name had come out of my mouth before my brain could stop it.
Ethan.
A name that belonged to a stranger.
A stranger who somehow knew me.
A stranger who claimed to be part of my life.
“I know you don’t remember,” he said.
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“What did you do?””
“What?””
“What did you do to me?””
His voice softened.
“Nothing.””
“Then why don’t I remember you?””
Silence.
Then:
“Because Mark made sure you wouldn’t.””
My chest tightened.
I looked at Zoe.
She was already searching my face for answers.
“Where are you?””
“I’ve been waiting five years for you to ask that.””
“Where are you?””
“I’ll send you the address.””
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Emma looked afraid.
“You believe him?””
“I don’t know.””
Zoe stepped closer.
“But you believe something happened.””
Yes.
I did.
Because too many impossible things had become true in the last twenty-four hours.
I spent my entire life trusting my memories.
Now I wasn’t even sure those belonged to me.
An hour later, Zoe drove me to a small house outside the city.
I almost turned around three times.
Not because I was scared of Ethan.
Because I was scared of what I would remember.
The house was old.
Simple.
A small porch.
A broken flowerpot near the door.
The kind of place that felt familiar for reasons I couldn’t explain.
Zoe parked.
“You want me to come?””
I looked at her.
“Yes.””
She nodded.
“Okay.””
We walked to the door.
Before we knocked, it opened.
And I saw him.
A man in his early thirties.
Dark hair.
Tired eyes.
A face that made something inside my chest ache.
I didn’t know him.
But some part of me did.
His eyes filled immediately.
“Chloe.””
I stepped back.
“Don’t.””
He stopped.
“I know.””
“Don’t act like you know me.””
Pain crossed his face.
“Okay.””
That hurt more than if he had argued.
He moved aside.
“Come in.””
The house smelled like coffee and old books.
And then I saw the wall.
Photographs.
Hundreds of them.
My heart started racing.
Because they weren’t random photos.
They were mine.
Me laughing.
Me standing beside a lake.
Me holding a newborn baby.
Lily.
I walked closer.
My hand trembled.
“What is this?””
Ethan swallowed.
“Our life.””
“No.””
“Yes.””
“No.””
I turned around.
“You’re lying.””
“I wish I was.””
Zoe picked up one of the photos.
“When were these taken?””
Ethan looked at her.
“Before Mark.””
I stared.
“Before Mark?””
“Yes.””
My head started spinning.
“That’s impossible.””
Ethan looked at me sadly.
“Chloe, you and I were married for three years.””
The room became silent.
I touched the photo again.
There was a wedding picture.
A woman in a white dress.
Me.
Standing beside Ethan.
Smiling.
Happy.
“How?””
Ethan sat down.
“After the accident, you lost your memory.””
I frowned.
“What accident?””
“The car accident.””
I shook my head.
“I’ve never been in a car accident.””
Ethan looked at me.
“You don’t remember.””
I felt tears burning my eyes.
“Stop saying that.””
“I’m sorry.””
“No.””
I stepped away.
“Everyone keeps telling me I don’t remember things.””
My voice broke.
“But nobody tells me why.””
Ethan nodded.
“Because they wanted you to forget.””
“Who?””
He looked at me.
“Mark.””
The answer hurt even though I expected it.
“What did he do?””
Ethan was quiet.
Then he said:
“He became your doctor’s emergency contact.””
My stomach turned.
“He wasn’t my husband?””
“No.””
“Then why did everyone think he was?””
“Because after your accident, you were vulnerable.””
I covered my mouth.
“No.””
“He convinced you that your old life was gone.””
“That’s insane.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Ethan looked toward the photos.
“Because he wanted you.””
I felt sick.
“And Lily?””
His face changed.
“Lily is your daughter.””
“I know.””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“You don’t understand.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
He whispered:
“Lily was born before your accident.””
I froze.
“What?””
Ethan looked at me.
“She wasn’t born five years ago.””
I stared.
“Yes, she was.””
“No.””
My hands started shaking.
“Ethan…”
“She was born six years ago.””
I felt dizzy.
“No.””
“Mark changed the dates.””
“Why?””
Ethan looked toward the floor.
“Because the truth would expose everything.””
My phone suddenly buzzed.
A message.
From Mark.
*I know where you are.*
My blood ran cold.
Another message appeared.
*Don’t listen to Ethan. He’s the reason you lost everything.*
Then a third.
*Come home, Chloe. Before you remember too much.*
I stared at the screen.
Because for the first time…
May you like
Mark wasn’t asking me to forgive him.
He was afraid.
