Before He Forgot Me Again

CHAPTER SIX

The Family He Forgot

The next morning, Elena woke before sunrise.

She immediately noticed that Adrian wasn't beside her.

She sat up.

"Adrian?" No answer.

She hurried into the living room.

Adrian was standing by the window, staring at the street.

He hadn't slept.

"Adrian?"

He turned around. His face was pale.

"You should go back to sleep," he said.

"What's wrong?"

He looked at her for a moment before answering.

"I remembered something."

Elena's heart began to beat faster.

"What?"

"A name."

"What name?"

He swallowed.

"Vale."

Elena frowned.

"Vale?"

"Adrian Vale."

The name sounded strangely important.

"Do you remember anything else?"

He closed his eyes.

"A house. A large house. People call me by that name. A man..."

"Who?"

"My father."

Elena slowly approached him.

"Maybe this is good." "Is it?"

He looked at her.

"What if the life I forgot is better than this one?"

Elena's heart sank.

"Do you want to leave?"

Adrian immediately shook his head. "No."

He took her hand.

"I don't care who I was before."

Then he looked toward the bedroom where their children were sleeping.

"This is my life."

Elena smiled.

But before she could answer—

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Someone was at the door.

Adrian frowned.

"Who could that be?"

Another knock came.

This time, much harder.

Elena instinctively moved closer to him.

Adrian opened the door.

A tall man in a black suit stood outside.

Two bodyguards stood behind him.

The man stared at Adrian.

His eyes widened.

"Young Master..."

Adrian froze.

"Who are you?"

The man's lips trembled.

"My name is Marcus Reed. I've been searching for you for almost two years."

Elena stared at him.

"Searching for him?"

Marcus nodded. "Yes."

He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a photograph

He handed it to Adrian.

Adrian looked down.

The photograph showed a younger version of himself standing beside an older man.

The resemblance was obvious.

Adrian's fingers began to shake.

"I know him."

Marcus nodded.

"That's your father."

Adrian's breathing became uneven.

A sudden pain shot through his head.

He stumbled backward.

"Adrian!"

Elena caught him.

Images flashed through his mind.

A huge mansion. A dining table. A man's angry voice.

"You are my son, Adrian. One day, everything will belong to you."

Another image.

A young Adrian walking through a grand hallway.

A woman calling his name.

Then— Nothing.

Adrian opened his eyes.

"He's my father."

Marcus looked relieved. "Yes."

"Who is he?"

"Richard Vale." Marcus paused.

"The chairman of Vale International."

Elena's eyes widened.

She had heard that name before. Everyone had.

Vale International was one of the largest corporations in the country.

And its heir had disappeared two years ago.

The missing billionaire. The newspapers had reported about him for months.

Elena looked at Adrian.

"You..."

Adrian stared at her.

"I'm a billionaire?"

Marcus gave a small nod.

"You are the only heir to the Vale empire."

Before they could say anything else, several cars stopped outside.

Marcus looked toward the door.

"Your father is here."

An older man entered.

The moment he saw Adrian, his eyes filled with tears.

"My son."

Richard pulled Adrian into a tight embrace.

Adrian stood frozen.

"I remember you," he whispered.

Richard pulled away, overwhelmed with emotion.

Then he noticed Elena.

His expression immediately changed.

"And who is she?"

"I'm Elena," she answered nervously.

Adrian took her hand.

"She's my wife."

Richard stared at him.

"Your wife?"

"Yes."

Richard's eyes moved toward the bedroom.

"And those children?"

"Our children."

Richard looked stunned.

"You have children?"

Adrian nodded.

"Leo and Lily."

Richard looked at Elena again.

"When did you marry my son?"

Adrian's expression darkened.

"I don't remember."

Richard's suspicion deepened.

"You don't remember your own wife?"

Adrian tightened his grip on Elena's hand.

"I may not remember our past, but I know that I love her."

Richard said nothing.

After a moment, he looked at Marcus.

"Investigate her."

Adrian immediately stepped forward.

"Don't."

"I'm only protecting you."

"She's my family."

Richard's gaze hardened.

"Until you remember everything, I don't know what to believe."

He turned and walked away.

Elena watched him leave.

For the first time, she understood how dangerous Adrian's world could be.

That evening, Adrian stood beside the balcony.

"I don't know who I was before you," he said quietly.

Elena took his hand.

"You don't have to remember everything today."

He looked at her.

"What if I remember and everything changes?"

"Then we'll face it together."

Adrian pulled her into his arms.

Neither noticed the black car parked across the street.

Inside sat Victoria Laurent.

She had just learned that Adrian was alive.

But what hurt most was hearing one sentence:

He had a wife.

Victoria stared at Elena's apartment.

"I waited two years for you, Adrian."

Her expression turned cold.

"I'm not going to lose you now."

She picked up her phone.

"Find everything about Elena Carter."

She paused.

"And if there's nothing bad enough..."

A cruel smile appeared.

"Create something."