The Billionaire Who Forgot His Marriage

Chapter Four

Noah’s POV

For a second, I think I misheard him.

“No one touches him.”

Adrian said it like a command, calm and cold, the same way he used to talk to board members when they crossed him. But the difference now was the look in his eyes, fear and confusion tangled together, like he was protecting something he didn’t yet understand.

Victoria freezes. For once, her perfect control cracks, just a little. “Adrian, you don’t know what you’re saying.”

He steps forward, standing between me and her guards. “I said no one touches him.”

The two men exchange glances, unsure what to do. No one ever defies Victoria Wolfe, not even her own sons.

Her voice sharpens. “Adrian…..”

“I’m tired,” he interrupts. “Take them out.”

For a moment, I think she’ll fight him. Then she exhales slowly, the mask sliding back into place. “Very well. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

She turns on her heel, the guards following her back through the door.

Silence floods the garden again.

I stare at Adrian, my heart pounding. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Yes, I did,” he says, not meeting my eyes. “You shouldn’t be here. But if she touched you… I don’t know why, but I couldn’t let her.”

My chest tightens. “Because you remember.”

He shakes his head. “No. But something in me, reacted. Like muscle memory.”

“That’s how love works,” I whisper.

He looks away. “Stop saying that.”

“I can’t. Because it’s the truth.”

He lets out a shaky breath, rubbing a hand over his face. “You don’t understand. Every time I look at you, I feel something, but it doesn’t make sense. It’s like… standing in a room I know I’ve been in before but can’t find the light switch.”

I step closer, slowly. “Then let me help you find it.”

He doesn’t move when I reach out. My fingers brush his sleeve. The warmth of his skin through the thin fabric sends a jolt straight through me.

For a second, his eyes close. Then he steps back.

“Noah, if my mother finds you here again, she’ll destroy you. You know what she’s capable of.”

I let out a humorless laugh. “She already tried.”

He frowns. “What do you mean?”

“She called my lawyer. She’s trying to prove our marriage is fake. If she succeeds, I could lose everything, including my license.”

His eyes darken. “She wouldn’t…..”

“She would. You know she would.”

He doesn’t argue. That says enough.

I exhale, trying to steady my voice. “Adrian, you married me because you wanted to be free from her control. You said we’d build a life where no one could reach us. Don’t let her take that away now.”

He looks at me, pain flickering behind his calm. “I don’t remember saying that.”

“But it’s still true,” I say softly. “Even if you’ve forgotten.”

The wind blows between us, carrying the smell of rain and hospital disinfectant. He’s so close, yet feels miles away.

Finally, he says, “You need to leave for now. Before they come back.”

“I can’t keep running, Adrian.”

“Then let me handle this,” he says. “I’ll figure out what’s real.”

“And what if she convinces you it’s not me?”

He hesitates. “Then I’ll still find the truth.”

It’s not the promise I want, but it’s something. I nod slowly. “Okay.”

He walks me to the edge of the garden, stopping by the gate. His hand brushes mine, brief, almost unintentional, but it’s enough to make my heart ache.

“Be careful,” he says quietly.

“You too.”

I leave before the guards come back, slipping into the shadows.

By morning, my phone won’t stop buzzing. Messages, missed calls, and one unknown number again.

> You should have listened.

No name, but I know it’s Victoria.

I ignore it and head to the office of the small firm I used to work for. My boss, Mark, greets me with a tight smile. “Noah. I heard about the accident. How’s Adrian?”

I hesitate. “Recovering.”

“Good. Listen, I need to talk to you.”

He shuts the office door. “We got an email this morning. From Wolfe Industries’ legal department. They’re questioning your credentials, implying you falsified your degree“You’re firing me?”

He looks genuinely sorry. “You’re talented, Noah. But until this blows over…”

I nod numbly. “I get it.”

Outside, the world feels heavier. They’re not just erasing our marriage, they’re erasing me.

By the time I get home, I can’t even unlock the door without shaking. Inside, everything reminds me of him, the coffee mug he always stole from me, the sketchbook he once doodled in when he thought I wasn’t watching.

I pull out that sketchbook now, flipping through the pages until I find the one that matters.

A drawing of a small house by the sea. Underneath, his handwriting: “Our place someday.”

I trace the words, remembering how serious he looked when he said, “If the world ever turns against us, we’ll disappear there.”

Maybe it’s time to find it.

I pack a bag, shove the drawing into my pocket, and head out. But before I can leave the city, my phone rings again.

It’s Teresa.

“Noah,” she whispers urgently. “Something’s wrong.”

My heart skips. “What happened?”

“They moved Mr. Wolfe out of his room this morning. Private facility, they said. But it wasn’t scheduled. And when I asked where, no one answered.”

“What do you mean, moved?”

“I mean he’s gone.”

The phone almost slips from my hand. “Gone?”

“Yes. Mrs. Wolfe came in early. She signed the transfer herself.”

I feel the blood drain from my face. “Do you know where they took him?”

“I tried to check the system. The file’s been locked. I’m sorry, Noah.”

I close my eyes. “Thank you for telling me.”

When I hang up, I just stand there in the street, the noise of cars and voices fading into nothing.

He’s gone. Again.

Victoria didn’t waste time. She must’ve realized he was starting to remember.

I head straight to the Wolfe building downtown. It’s late evening, the lobby empty except for the security guard, who recognizes me instantly.

“Mr. Reyes,” he says awkwardly. “You can’t be here.”

“I need to see Mrs. Wolfe.”

“She’s not in.”

“Then I’ll wait.”

He shifts uneasily. “You can’t wait here.”

Before he can stop me, I walk toward the elevator. He calls after me, but I don’t care. The doors close, and the world feels smaller, tighter.

When I reach the top floor, the lights are dim, the offices empty. Her door is half-open.

I step inside.

Victoria is sitting behind her desk, calm as ever, sipping tea. She doesn’t look surprised to see me.

“Noah,” she says smoothly. “Persistent, aren’t you?”

“Where is he?”

She sets her cup down. “Safe.”

“Tell me where.”

Her eyes glint. “Why would I? You’re not part of his life anymore.”

“I am his husband.”

She smiles faintly. “You were his mistake.”

Anger flares inside me. “You can forge papers, threaten my job, and hide him from me, but you can’t erase the truth.”

“The truth,” she says slowly, “is whatever I decide it to be.”

I take a step forward. “You’re scared. Because he’s remembering.”

Her expression hardens, but she stays seated. “He’s confused. You’re exploiting that.”

“He’s my husband!”

The words echo off the glass walls. For a second, even she seems startled by the force in my voice.

Then she leans back. “You want him so badly, Mr. Reyes? Fine. Let’s see how far you’ll go to find him.”

“What does that mean?”

She stands, walking toward the window. The city lights glow behind her like fire.

“It means,” she says softly, “your love is about to be tested.”

I narrow my eyes. “What did you do to him?”

She turns, that same icy smile curving her lips.

“Let’s just say… by the time you see him again, he might not love you anymore.”.”

My blood runs cold. “That’s not true.”

“I know. But they’re powerful. And I can’t risk a lawsuit.”