ANAMNEX. Book 2: Forbidden Memory/Together

Chapter 7: The Cost of Two Worlds.

Things got worse before they got better.

The week after I told Selene I loved her, everything in my regular life started falling apart.

Wednesday morning I overslept. Missed an important conference call with clients in Singapore. They weren't happy. Rachel had to reschedule and make excuses.

Thursday I forgot about a deadline. A big one. Contract that needed my signature by end of day. My lawyer called me at seven pm panicking because the other party was threatening to walk.

I had to leave Kestrel House early. Leave Selene mid-conversation to rush to my lawyer's office and sign papers. She understood but I could see the hurt in her eyes.

Friday Marcus showed up at my office again.

"We need to talk. Again."

I was too tired to argue. "Fine. Talk."

He closed the door. "Your assistant called me. Said she's worried about you. Said you've been making mistakes. Missing things. Not sleeping."

"Rachel called you?"

"Yeah. Because apparently I'm the only friend you have and she didn't know who else to contact." He sat down. "What's going on, Lyric? And don't say nothing. Don't say you're fine. I can see you're not fine."

"I'm just tired."

"Tired. Right. Because you're spending every night with mystery woman Selene who I still haven't met. Who nobody's met. Who might not even exist."

"She exists."

"Then prove it. Introduce us. Let me meet her."

"I told you she's not ready for that."

"It's been three weeks. How much time does she need?" Marcus leaned forward. "Or is the real issue that she can't meet me? That there's something you're hiding?"

"I'm not hiding anything."

"Bullshit. You're lying to me and you're lying to yourself." He stood up. "I've known you for five years, Lyric. I've watched you build this company from nothing. Watched you work harder than anyone I know. And now you're throwing it all away for a woman you won't even talk about."

"I'm not throwing anything away."

"Really? Because your clients are complaining. Your employees are worried. Your business is suffering. All because you can't focus on anything except her."

He was right. I knew he was right. But I didn't know how to fix it.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked.

"Take a break. From her. Just for a week. Focus on work. Get your head straight. Then figure out if this relationship is actually healthy or if it's destroying you."

"I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"Because I love her. And she needs me."

"Needs you how? What does that even mean?"

I couldn't explain. Couldn't tell him that Selene was getting stronger because of my attention. That my presence made her more real. That if I stopped coming she might start fading again.

"It's complicated."

"Stop saying that!" Marcus's voice got loud. "Stop hiding behind 'it's complicated' and just tell me the truth. What's really going on?"

"I can't."

"Can't or won't?"

"Both."

Marcus stared at me for a long moment. Then he shook his head. "Fine. Keep your secrets. But when this all falls apart, when you lose your company and your reputation and everything you've worked for, don't say I didn't warn you."

He left. Slammed the door behind him.

I sat at my desk feeling like garbage. Marcus was my best friend. My only friend. And I was pushing him away because I couldn't tell him the truth.

But what choice did I have?

My phone rang. Unknown number. I almost didn't answer.

"Hello?"

"Mr. Moreno? This is David Park from Park Investments. We met two months ago to discuss potential funding."

Right. The big investor. The one who could take my company to the next level.

"Yes, Mr. Park. How can I help you?"

"I wanted to follow up on our conversation. See if you're still interested in moving forward with the investment."

"Absolutely. Very interested."

"Good. Because I'd like to schedule a meeting. Next week if possible. Bring your financial projections. Your growth strategy. Everything we discussed."

This was huge. This was the opportunity I'd been working toward for months.

"Next week works. What day?"

"Tuesday. Two pm. My office."

Tuesday. That was the day Marcus and I usually met for coffee. The day I'd been blowing off for weeks.

"Tuesday's perfect. I'll be there."

"Excellent. Looking forward to it."

He hung up. I sat there staring at my phone.

This was what I'd wanted. What I'd worked for. A real chance to grow my company. To prove I could build something that mattered.

But all I could think about was seeing Selene tonight. About the courtyard and her smile and the way she felt in my arms.

I was losing my mind. Marcus was right about that.

Rachel knocked on my door. "Mr. Moreno? You have a visitor."

"I'm not expecting anyone."

"I know. But she says it's important. Her name is Elena Reyes."

I didn't recognize the name. "Did she say what it's about?"

"Something about Kestrel House. She says she used to work there. Years ago."

That got my attention. "Send her in."

A woman in her sixties walked into my office. Gray hair pulled back in a neat bun. Glasses. Conservative dress. She looked nervous.

"Mr. Moreno. Thank you for seeing me. I know I don't have an appointment."

"It's fine. Please sit. You said this is about Kestrel House?"

"Yes. I worked there in the eighties. When it was still the Hartley Grand Hotel. I was a housekeeper."

My pulse jumped. The eighties. When Selene was there.

"What can I do for you, Ms. Reyes?"

"I heard you own the building now. And I wanted to ask you something. It might sound strange."

"Try me."

She took a breath. "Have you noticed anything unusual? Anything that doesn't make sense?"

I kept my face neutral. "Unusual how?"

"Hallways that seem longer than they should be. Doors that appear and disappear. Shadows that move on their own." She looked embarrassed. "I know how that sounds. But when I worked there, especially near the end before the renovation, strange things happened. And I always wondered if they still did."

I didn't know what to say. Part of me wanted to deny everything. The other part wanted to know what she knew.

"Why are you asking me this?"

"Because I saw something. The night before they closed the hotel for renovation. August fourteenth, 1987." She leaned forward. "There was a young woman. A photographer. She'd been there for months taking pictures. Sweet girl. Always polite. Her name was Selene."

My chest got tight. "Selene."

"Yes. The last night I saw her she was heading to the ballroom. Said she wanted to take final pictures before they tore it down. I told her to be careful. The building felt strange that night. Different."

"Different how?"

"Like it was alive. Aware. I'd worked there for fifteen years and I'd never felt anything like it." She paused. "I left around midnight. Selene was still there. The next morning when I came back to collect my things, she was gone. Just vanished. Nobody ever saw her again."

"Did you report it? To the police?"

"We tried. But her apartment was empty. Her camera equipment was gone. It looked like she'd moved out. The police said she probably just left town. Started over somewhere else." Ms. Reyes looked at me. "But I never believed that. Selene loved that building. She wouldn't have just left. Not without saying goodbye."

"What do you think happened to her?"

"I think the building took her. I know that sounds crazy. But that place was special. It had memory. History. And when they tried to erase all that, something had to give."

I sat back in my chair. This woman knew. Not everything. But enough.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I've carried guilt for thirty-nine years. I should've checked on her that night. Should've made sure she got home safe. And I didn't." She pulled out a small photo from her purse. "I found this in one of the rooms a few days after she disappeared. I kept it."

She handed me the photo. Black and white. A young woman with dark hair standing in the ballroom. Smiling at the camera.

Selene.

My hands started shaking.

"That's her," Ms. Reyes said. "That's Selene. I thought you should have it. Since you own the building now. Maybe you can keep her memory alive. Even if nobody knows what really happened to her."

I couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe. I was holding a photograph of Selene from before. When she was fully human. When she was alive in the normal way.

"Mr. Moreno? Are you alright?"

"Yeah. Sorry. This is just... unexpected."

"I understand. It's a sad story." She stood up. "Thank you for listening. I know it sounds like the ramblings of an old woman. But I needed to tell someone. Needed to make sure Selene wasn't completely forgotten."

"She's not forgotten," I said quietly. "I promise you that."

Ms. Reyes smiled. "Good. That makes me feel better. Thank you."

After she left I sat staring at the photograph. Selene looked so young. So alive. So happy.

And I realized something. Elena Reyes was real. The fourth character Stary wanted. Someone from Selene's past who remembered her. Who could confirm her story.

I needed to talk to Selene. Needed to tell her about this.

But it was only three in the afternoon. The Anamnex wouldn't be accessible for hours.

I couldn't wait that long.

I left my office. Drove to Kestrel House. Went straight to the eighth floor.

The hallway was normal. Regular length. Right number of doors.

"Selene!" I called out. "I need to talk to you. It's important."

Nothing happened.

"Please. I know it's early but I really need to see you."

The lights flickered. Once. Twice.

Then the hallway started changing. Stretching. The walls shifted. Doors multiplied.

The Anamnex was answering.

I found her in the courtyard. She looked surprised to see me.

"Lyric? What are you doing here? It's the middle of the day."

"I needed to see you." I pulled out the photograph. "Look at this."

She took it from me. Stared at it. Her hands started shaking.

"Where did you get this?"

"A woman came to my office. Elena Reyes. She said she worked at the hotel with you. She remembered you. She's been carrying guilt for thirty-nine years because she thinks something happened to you that night."

Selene's eyes filled with tears. "Elena. I remember her. She was kind to me. Always asked how my photography was going."

"She thinks you disappeared. That the building took you."

"She's not wrong." Selene touched the photograph gently. "This was me. Before. When I was just a person with a camera and dreams about capturing beautiful moments."

"She wants to remember you. To make sure you're not forgotten."

"But I am forgotten. Everyone forgot me. My family. My friends. The world moved on without me."

"Not everyone forgot. Elena remembered. And now I know about you. Your story isn't gone."

Selene looked up at me. "This is what I mean about your two worlds colliding. Elena is part of your real life now. She brought proof that I existed. That I was real. How are you supposed to keep this secret?"

"I don't know. But I'll figure it out."

"Will you though? Or will this just make everything harder?" She handed the photo back. "You should keep this. It's proof. For when you need to remember I was real before I became this."

"You're still real."

"Am I? Or am I just memory pretending to be a person?"

"Don't do that. Don't doubt yourself."

"How can I not? My whole existence is impossible, Lyric. And now you have proof of what I used to be. What I lost. How can that not change things?"

I pulled her into my arms. Held her tight. "It doesn't change anything. I love you. The you that exists right now. Not some version from a photograph."

She buried her face in my shoulder. "Your friend is right. This is destroying you. Your work. Your life. Everything."

"I don't care."

"You should care. You've worked so hard to build something. And I'm watching you lose it all because of me."

"It's not because of you. It's my choice."

"A choice you'll regret eventually."

"No I won't."

We stood there holding each other. The courtyard quiet around us.

"I have a big investor meeting Tuesday," I said. "It could change everything for my company."

"That's good. You should focus on that."

"But it's at two. Which means I won't be able to see you until late."

"That's fine. Your work is important."

"You're more important."

"Lyric." She pulled back to look at me. "You have to stop saying things like that. You have to start choosing your real life sometimes. Not just me."

"But I want to choose you."

"I know. And I love you for it. But it's not sustainable. Eventually something has to give."

She was right. I knew she was right. But I didn't want to accept it.

"What if I could find a way to balance both?" I asked. "What if I could make this work?"

"How? I'm trapped here. I can't leave Kestrel House. Can't be part of your real life. We'll always be separate. Always be this secret you have to hide."

"Then I'll live with that. I'll make it work somehow."

"For how long? Until your company fails? Until your friends give up on you? Until you're so exhausted you can't function?"

"As long as it takes."

She touched my face gently. "You're stubborn."

"Yeah. I am."

"It's one of the things I love about you. But it's also going to break my heart when you finally realize this can't work."

"It can work. I'll prove it."

She kissed me. Soft and sad. "I hope you're right. I really do."

I stayed with her until the sun started setting. Then I had to go. Had work to finish. Preparations for the investor meeting.

When I left she walked me to the door like always.

"Tuesday," she said. "Focus on your meeting. Don't worry about me. I'll be here when you're done."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

I kissed her goodbye and stepped back into the regular world.

I had four days to get my life together. To prove I could balance both worlds.

To prove that loving Selene and building my company weren't mutually exclusive.

I didn't know if it was possible.

But I had to try.

Because losing either one felt impossible.

And I wasn't ready to choose.

Not yet.