He Buried Me, Then Begged Me to Return

Silas Has Lost His Memory

The supervisor grabbed Elena with a bright smile and dragged her toward the meeting room.

“You’re the one who saved Mr. Crowe. How could I take your place? You’re way too timid. This is a good thing. Why would you give it away?”

A good thing?

Elena almost laughed.

If Silas wanted to see her, there was only one possibility. He had recognized her and wanted to “catch up.”

Was he going to warn her to stay away from him and Sabrina?

Or had he already discovered Aiden?

Her thoughts spiraled into chaos.

At the entrance to the meeting room, the sharp-eyed, handsome man leaned against the wall, casually smoking. When he saw her, he smiled.

“Elena.”

She pressed her lips together, glancing at Lucian without replying.

Her reluctance to see Silas extended to everyone around him.

Lucian, used to admiration from women, found her indifference amusing. He studied her for a moment.

She wasn’t breathtakingly beautiful, but her skin was fair, her features delicate, the kind of face that grew on you the longer you looked.

A quiet, gentle type.

So this was Silas’s preference.

Though… beneath that soft appearance, she seemed stubborn. Not easy to handle.

Lucian smirked slightly and pushed the door open for her.

“Mr. Crowe is inside. He wants to speak with you. Go on.”

Elena looked into the brightly lit room. The thought of facing Silas made a chill creep through her chest.

If he tried to take Aiden…

Then she would fight him.

No matter the cost.

Like a cornered animal, she braced herself to protect her child.

The meeting room was spotless.

The man she hadn’t seen in four years sat inside.

He wore a crisp white shirt, sleeves slightly rolled. A stack of documents lay before him, a cup of coffee steaming quietly at his side.

Compared to four years ago, he had grown more composed. More refined. Every movement carried the effortless authority of someone raised at the top.

And she…

She stood there in a cheap hotel uniform, dust still clinging to her from work. Tired. Plain. Out of place.

They had never belonged to the same world.

Fate had only forced their paths to cross once.

If she had understood that sooner, perhaps her life wouldn’t have turned out like this.

Hearing her footsteps, Silas set aside his documents and looked up. He gave a small nod.

“Elena. Please, sit.”

She walked forward but remained standing.

Her hands clenched tightly as she forced down the fear rising inside her. She met his gaze directly, her tone sharp.

“Why did you call me here?”

Had he already found out about Aiden?

Silas didn’t expect that reaction. He paused for a moment, then quickly understood.

Lucian had been right.

She really thought he had improper intentions.

The thought almost amused him.

Looking at the wary woman before him, tense like a frightened rabbit, Silas felt no interest at all. He wasn’t so desperate as to be drawn to a divorced woman with a child.

He had already reviewed her file.

Twenty-three years old. High school education. Single mother, raising a four-year-old son alone in Los Angeles.

So young, yet already divorced with a child.

Probably deceived by some man.

Girls like her, with a bit of beauty and no background, were easy targets.

Silas wasn’t particularly kind-hearted. But she had saved his life.

Compensating her was only fair.

He pushed a bank card across the table.

“There’s one million in here. The password is 123456.”

Elena frowned at the card.

What was he playing at?

“You’re… giving me money?”

Silas raised a brow at her hesitation.

“Not enough?”

He pulled out a checkbook and wrote quickly before sliding it over.

“Then fill in whatever amount you think is appropriate. Within reason, I’ll honor it.”

…

Elena stared at him in silence.

Outwardly calm.

Inside, a storm surged.

The way he looked at her—

cold, distant, completely unfamiliar.

If she wasn’t mistaken…

Silas didn’t recognize her.

Not pretending. A man like him had no reason to pretend in front of her.

Had he lost his memory?

Or something else?

Her fingers trembled slightly.

Relief flooded through her.

Whatever the reason—

he didn’t remember her.

That meant he wouldn’t try to take Aiden.

Once she left here, she would resign immediately and take Aiden out of Los Angeles.

Her lashes lowered, hiding the turmoil in her eyes. She took a slow breath, stepped forward, and picked up the check.

“Thank you, Mr. Crowe,” she said with a faint, controlled smile.

“Saving you was nothing.”