The Billionaire's Forgotten Bride

Chapter 3: The Marriage Certificate

The elevator ride to the top floor felt endless.

Ava stood beside Ethan in complete silence.

Neither of them spoke.

Neither of them looked at each other.

Yet she could feel his presence.

Three years ago, being this close to him had felt natural.

Now it felt like standing beside a stranger wearing Ethan's face.

The elevator doors opened.

The executive floor was quiet.

Luxurious.

Powerful.

Everything screamed wealth.

Employees immediately lowered their heads as Ethan walked past.

Ava followed behind him.

Sophia followed as well.

Her high heels clicked sharply against the marble floor.

The woman looked furious.

Ethan entered his office.

The room was massive.

Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city skyline.

A long conference table occupied one side of the room.

The other side contained a sleek black desk.

Power and authority filled every corner.

Ethan removed his jacket and sat behind the desk.

His expression remained unreadable.

Ava stood before him.

Sophia crossed her arms.

"Well?" Sophia said coldly.

"Let's hear this ridiculous story."

Ava ignored her.

Her eyes remained on Ethan.

He looked different.

Not physically.

Emotionally.

The warmth she once knew seemed buried beneath layers of ice.

Ethan folded his hands.

"Start talking."

Ava swallowed.

"Three years ago, we got married."

Sophia laughed immediately.

"Oh, please."

Ethan raised a hand.

Sophia fell silent.

He wanted to hear everything.

Ava slowly opened her purse.

Inside was a sealed envelope.

One she had protected for years.

Her hands trembled as she removed the document.

The marriage certificate.

The paper had become worn with age.

But it remained intact.

Ava placed it on the desk.

The room fell silent.

Ethan picked it up.

His eyes scanned every line.

His name.

Her name.

The signatures.

The official seal.

Everything appeared genuine.

Sophia leaned forward.

"This proves nothing."

"It proves we were married."

"It proves someone forged paperwork."

Ava's patience began wearing thin.

"You can verify it."

Sophia rolled her eyes.

"Anyone can create fake documents."

Ethan continued studying the certificate.

His gaze paused on his signature.

Something strange happened.

A sharp pain exploded inside his head.

A flash.

A memory.

A woman's laughter.

Sunlight.

A beach.

A wedding ring.

The image vanished instantly.

Ethan grabbed the edge of his desk.

His breathing became uneven.

Sophia immediately rushed forward.

"Ethan!"

"I'm fine."

But he wasn't.

Something about that paper disturbed him.

Something deep inside his mind was reacting.

His eyes returned to Ava.

"Tell me something."

Ava nodded.

"Anything."

"If we were married..."

He paused.

"What was I like?"

The question caught her off guard.

For a moment, she simply stared.

Then sadness filled her eyes.

"You hated coffee."

Sophia blinked.

"What?"

Ava smiled weakly.

"You owned half the coffee companies in the city, but you hated coffee."

Ethan frowned.

That sounded absurd.

"I drank tea every morning."

Ava nodded.

"Earl Grey."

Sophia scoffed.

"Lucky guess."

Ava continued.

"You always read financial reports before breakfast."

Ethan remained silent.

"You never wore watches because they annoyed you."

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"And every time you were nervous, you tapped your fingers against your thigh."

The room grew quiet.

Because Ethan was doing exactly that.

Right now.

His hand froze.

Sophia's confidence wavered.

Ava continued.

"You pretended to hate romantic movies."

Another memory flashed.

A sofa.

A woman laughing beside him.

Popcorn.

Warmth.

The image disappeared.

Ethan clenched his jaw.

His headache intensified.

"Enough."

The room immediately fell silent.

Sophia looked worried.

Ava looked heartbroken.

Ethan stood.

He walked toward the window.

The city stretched endlessly below.

For years he had lived with missing memories.

Missing pieces.

Doctors told him some memories might never return.

But today...

For the first time...

Something felt real.

He turned around.

His gaze landed on Ava.

"If you're lying..."

"I'm not."

"If this is some kind of scheme..."

"It isn't."

Their eyes locked.

Neither looked away.

Sophia stepped forward.

"Ethan, she's manipulating you."

"Stop."

Sophia froze.

The command in his voice was absolute.

For the first time that day, Ethan looked irritated.

Not at Ava.

At Sophia.

The realization made Sophia's stomach twist.

Ethan walked back toward his desk.

Then sat down.

The room remained tense.

Finally, he spoke.

His voice was calm.

Controlled.

Dangerously serious.

"Let's assume you're telling the truth."

Ava's heart skipped.

Sophia's face paled.

Ethan continued.

"If we were married..."

His eyes met Ava's.

"Then prove it."

Ava stared at him.

"What?"

"Prove you're my wife."

The challenge hung in the air.

Heavy.

Dangerous.

Personal.

Because Ethan wasn't asking for documents anymore.

He wasn't asking for signatures.

Or paperwork.

He wanted something harder.

Something impossible.

He wanted proof from the heart.

And Ava suddenly realized she had no idea how to make a man remember a love he had completely forgotten.

A slow smile appeared on Ethan's face.

Not warm.

Not kind.

Challenging.

"Can you do it, Ava?"

For the first time since seeing him again...

Ava felt fear.

Because she wasn't sure she could.

And if she failed...

She might lose Ethan forever. :::