Episode 2: A Love Forgotten
1028 Words
A World That Shouldn’t Exist
Ethan stood frozen, his entire body numb.
Claire was still looking at him, her head tilted in polite curiosity, completely unaware of who he was.
How was this happening?
He opened his mouth, then closed it again, his throat dry.
“Uh… do I know you?” Claire asked, adjusting the strap of her bag.
The words hit like a slap.
She didn’t recognize him. Not even a little.
It wasn’t just forgetting a detail or a lost memory—it was as if their entire love, their entire life together, had never happened.
His Claire—the woman he had fought with, cried with, built a life with—was gone.
Ethan’s heart pounded violently, his mind screaming at him to say something, anything that would make her remember.
But what the hell was he supposed to say?
"Hey, we were married in another world. You just don’t remember it yet."
Right. Because that wouldn’t sound crazy at all.
He forced a smile, masking the complete terror and heartbreak clawing at his insides.
“No, sorry. You just… remind me of someone.”
Claire blinked, then gave him a small, polite smile. “Oh, okay. No worries.”
And then—she turned and walked away.
As if he was nothing. As if he had never held her in his arms, never kissed her, never whispered promises into her skin.
Ethan felt something inside him break.
This wasn’t just a dream.
It was a nightmare.
The Horrifying Truth
Ethan staggered into an empty bench near the university courtyard, gripping his head. His breathing was ragged. This wasn’t possible.
But no matter how many times he pinched himself, the world around him didn’t dissolve.
It was real.
Everything in this world was off—but at the same time, terrifyingly familiar.
He still had the same name. His younger body felt like his own. The people around him recognized him as a fellow student.
But his life as a police officer? Gone.
His marriage? Erased.
His children—Jamie and Nate.
A cold shudder ran down his spine.
Did they even exist in this world?
His breath hitched. Would Claire even remember them if they did?
The thought made his stomach twist violently.
His children, his marriage, his entire life—all of it had been wiped away.
And no one even realized it except him.
He clenched his fists. I have to fix this.
But how?
Where the hell was he supposed to start?
The First Test—Meeting Claire Again
Ethan spent the next few days watching Claire from a distance.
He had to be sure.
Every time he saw her, his heart twisted.
She was still her—the same determined, passionate woman he had loved for years.
But at the same time… she wasn’t.
This Claire was unburdened—untouched by heartbreak, by the struggles of a failing marriage. She wasn’t carrying the weight of two children, of missed conversations, of a love that had slowly cracked under the pressures of life.
She was free.
And she had no idea he had ever existed in her life.
It took Ethan three full days before he worked up the courage to approach her again.
He spotted her sitting in the university café, flipping through her notes. The soft glow of the afternoon sun framed her face, making her look even more breathtaking.
Ethan’s throat tightened.
In another world, this woman was his wife.
In this world, she was just a stranger.
He forced himself to move.
"Hey," he said, forcing his voice to sound casual.
Claire glanced up, surprised. Then her lips quirked up in recognition. "Oh. Ethan, right?"
His stomach twisted painfully.
The way she said his name—it was like she was saying it for the first time.
He swallowed the ache in his chest and nodded. “Yeah. Mind if I sit?”
She hesitated for a moment, then gestured to the seat across from her. “Sure.”
Ethan exhaled in relief.
Step one: Get close to her.
Step two: Make her fall for me all over again.
Because if there was even the slightest chance that she could remember—he was going to take it.
A Spark That Shouldn’t Exist
Over the next few days, Ethan found ways to insert himself into Claire’s life.
Little things.
A casual study session here. A coffee break there. A joke that made her laugh, the way she used to when they were young.
And slowly… it started working.
Claire seemed drawn to him.
She would seek him out between classes. She laughed at his jokes, leaned closer when they talked. She started looking at him differently.
Familiar. Curious. Like she was trying to remember something just out of reach.
Ethan’s heart pounded with hope. Maybe, just maybe, she could feel it too.
But then—his entire world shattered all over again.
The Man Who Wasn't Him
One evening, Ethan spotted Claire standing in the library courtyard, talking to someone.
His blood turned ice cold.
Ryan.
Tall. Confident. Charming. The kind of guy who could steal someone’s heart before they even realized it was gone.
And Claire?
She was smiling at him.
Laughing at something he said. Leaning into his space.
And then—Ryan reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
Ethan’s entire body went rigid.
That was his Claire.
His wife.
His life.
And here she was, falling for another man.
Something in his chest twisted violently.
He clenched his fists.
No.
Not this time.
Not in this world.
A Dangerous Promise
Ethan watched as Claire walked away with Ryan, her laughter still echoing in the night air.
Something dark settled in his gut.
This wasn’t fair.
She was his.
She just… didn’t remember yet.
His heart pounded in his chest as he made a silent vow to himself.
He didn’t care if it took weeks, months, or years.
He didn’t care if it meant rewriting fate itself.
He would make Claire his again.
Even if it meant breaking every rule of time and reality to do it.
(To Be Continued…)
- Writer
