Chapter 5: The Memory I Was Forced to Forget
Adrian felt like the floor beneath him had disappeared.
For seven years, he had searched for someone to blame.
Nathan.
Richard.
The people who blocked calls.
The people who hid letters.
The people who built a wall between him and Olivia.
But now Richard Whitmore stood in his office and said the one thing Adrian never expected to hear.
You were the reason.
"Explain," Adrian said.
His voice was quiet.
Too quiet.
Richard looked at Lucas.
"Not in front of him.""
Lucas immediately stepped forward.
"No.""
Everyone looked at him.
"I've spent my whole life hearing adults say that.""
His eyes hardened.
"Not in front of him. Not now. Not yet.""
The room went silent.
Adrian looked at his son.
A child who had been forced to grow up around secrets.
Richard looked away.
Then sighed.
"You're right.""
He sat down slowly.
"I owe both of you the truth.""
Adrian remained standing.
"Start talking.""
Richard took a moment.
Then he said:
"Seven years ago, you were not yourself.""
The words made Adrian frown.
"What does that mean?""
"You don't remember everything from that night.""
Adrian shook his head.
"I remember.""
Richard looked at him.
"Do you?""
The question irritated him.
"I remember Olivia leaving.""
"No.""
Richard leaned forward.
"You remember waking up after.""
Adrian stopped.
A strange feeling moved through him.
Because there was a gap.
A small one.
A detail he had always ignored.
The morning after Lucas was born.
He remembered the empty hospital room.
He remembered the note.
He remembered calling Olivia.
But before that...
There was something missing.
Something between the celebration and the loss.
"What happened that night?"" Adrian asked.
Richard looked down.
"Nathan gave you something.""
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"What?""
"I don't know exactly.""
"You don't know?""
Richard's jaw tightened.
"Nathan handled it.""
Adrian felt anger rising.
"Then why did you say I was involved?""
"Because you were.""
The answer stunned him.
Richard continued.
"Not because you chose it.""
"Then why?""
"Because Nathan made sure you looked guilty.""
Seven years earlier.
The night Lucas was born.
Adrian remembered the hospital lights.
The sound of Olivia laughing through exhaustion.
The way she held their baby like the entire world had become smaller.
He remembered promising her.
But there was another memory.
A darker one.
One he had buried.
Nathan walking into the hospital room.
A smile on his face.
"Congratulations, brother.""
Adrian remembered being surprised.
"Nathan? What are you doing here?""
His brother had hugged him.
Too tightly.
"You finally did something bigger than business.""
Adrian had laughed.
"I can't believe you're here.""
Nathan looked toward Olivia.
"She looks tired.""
"She just gave birth.""
"Of course.""
Then Nathan handed him a bottle of water.
"You should drink something.""
Adrian remembered taking it.
Remembered the strange taste.
Then...
Nothing.
The memory disappeared.
Adrian looked at Richard.
"You knew.""
Richard nodded.
"I suspected.""
"You let this happen.""
Richard looked ashamed.
"I was trying to protect Olivia.""
Adrian laughed bitterly.
"By letting me believe she abandoned me?""
"No.""
Richard's voice became sharper.
"By keeping Nathan from destroying all of you.""
"That didn't work.""
"No.""
Richard looked at Lucas.
"It didn't.""
Adrian returned to the apartment that evening with a storm inside his head.
Olivia immediately knew something was wrong.
"What happened?""
He looked at her.
"Your father told me something.""
Her expression changed.
"Richard found you?""
"Yes.""
She closed her eyes.
"Adrian...""
"I need to know.""
She sat down.
"Know what?""
"What happened after Lucas was born.""
Silence.
Olivia looked terrified.
"Why?""
"Because I don't remember everything.""
The words affected her.
She looked down.
"You really don't.""
Adrian stepped closer.
"What happened?""
She took a deep breath.
"After Lucas was born, you changed.""
The sentence hurt.
"I changed?""
"You became distant.""
"No.""
"Yes.""
Adrian wanted to argue.
But he stopped.
Because he had heard similar words before.
From Olivia.
From Nathan.
From himself.
"I thought you were tired," she continued.
"But then you started saying things.""
"What things?""
"That you made a mistake.""
Adrian froze.
"I would never say that.""
"I know.""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"That's why I knew something was wrong.""
She looked at the floor.
"You looked at Lucas and cried.""
Adrian's breath caught.
"What did I say?""
Olivia whispered:
"I said I was scared.""
The room became silent.
"Scared of what?""
"That I wasn't ready.""
Adrian looked away.
A memory flashed.
Holding the baby.
Feeling overwhelmed.
Feeling afraid.
But not because he didn't love them.
Because he loved them so much.
He remembered thinking:
What if I fail them?
What if I become my father?
What if I can't protect them?
Fear.
Not rejection.
Fear.
"Then what?""
Olivia wiped her eyes.
"Then Nathan came.""
Adrian clenched his fist.
"What did he tell you?""
"He told me you wanted to leave.""
"Why would you believe him?""
"Because you said it.""
Adrian went still.
"I said what?""
She looked at him.
"You told me you needed time.""
"No.""
"You packed a bag.""
His heart stopped.
"I packed?""
She nodded.
"You told me you were going to your brother's place.""
Adrian stared.
"I don't remember.""
"I know.""
The sadness in her voice was unbearable.
"I waited for you to come back.""
A tear rolled down her cheek.
"You never did.""
Adrian felt sick.
Because this was the part he couldn't explain.
He had no memory.
No reason.
No answer.
"What happened after I left?""
Olivia looked toward Lucas.
"I called you.""
"And?""
"Someone answered.""
"Who?""
She whispered:
"Nathan.""
That night, Adrian couldn't sleep.
He sat alone in the dark living room.
Lucas was asleep in the other room.
Olivia was resting.
But Adrian's mind kept returning to one question.
What happened to me?
At 2:13 a.m., his phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
He almost ignored it.
Then he saw the message.
*You finally remembered.*
His blood ran cold.
A second message appeared.
*But you still don't know the worst part.*
Adrian stared at the screen.
Then a video file appeared.
No explanation.
No name.
Just one word.
*PLAY.*
His finger hovered over it.
Then he pressed.
The screen showed a hospital hallway.
Seven years earlier.
The camera angle was poor.
Security footage.
A younger Adrian walked into view.
He was carrying a bag.
Behind him was Nathan.
And Olivia.
Adrian watched himself stop.
Turn around.
And say something.
The audio was broken.
Static covered the first few seconds.
Then the sound became clear.
Adrian heard his own voice.
"I can't do this.""
His heart dropped.
Olivia's younger voice answered:
"Please don't leave us.""
Then Nathan stepped closer.
And said something that made Adrian freeze.
Something impossible.
Something he had never remembered hearing.
"Adrian, if you don't walk away now...""
The video glitched.
Then the final words came through.
"...I'll make sure everyone knows what you did.""
The screen went black.
Adrian sat motionless.
Because he finally understood.
Nathan had not just created a lie.
He had used a secret.
A secret Adrian himself had forgotten.
And then his phone rang.
This time, the caller ID appeared.
Nathan Hale.
Adrian answered.
No greeting.
No hesitation.
Only one question.
"What did I do?""
For several seconds, there was silence.
Then Nathan replied:
"That's the problem, Adrian.""
May you like
His voice was almost a whisper.
"You still don't remember.""
