The Billionaire's Abused Bride

THE GIRL WHO REMEMBERED MUCH

CHAPTER 13:

Darkness came slower this time. It was not like before. Not sudden. Not empty. This time it was crowded. I heard voices. Fragments. Memories fighting their way back.

"You are getting too close."

"If they find out you are dead."

"We don't have time Amara. Go!"

My chest felt tight. I tried to move. My body felt heavy. Trapped. Again. No. Not again. A sharp pain shot through my head.. Then suddenly there was light. Blinding. Cold. My eyes flew open. I gasped, sucking in air like I had been drowning. My vision was blurry. Then slowly it focused.

I saw a ceiling. Bright lights. The faint hum of machines. My heart pounded violently. No. This wasn't the hospital. I knew that instantly. This place didn't feel safe. It felt... Controlled. Sterile. Like a cage that pretended to be clean.

I tried to sit up. Pain shot through my wrists. I froze. I looked down. Straps. Tight around both wrists. Holding me down. My breath caught. "No..." I whispered. My legs were strapped too. Panic surged through me. I pulled against them instinctively. They didn't budge.

"Let me go!" I shouted. My voice echoed slightly. Too loud in the room.. What I thought was empty. A soft sound behind me made my body go rigid. Footsteps. Calm. Measured. Deliberate. I turned my head slowly. My heart dropped.

A man stood near the doorway. He was dressed in black. Not like the others. Not just muscle. He had authority. Power. Danger. He watched me with interest. Like I was something.... Not human. Not a person. An object.

"Well " he said smoothly. His voice was calm. Controlled. Almost pleasant.. It sent chills down my spine. "You are awake sooner than expected." My pulse spiked. "Who are you?" I demanded.

He smiled slightly. It didn't reach his eyes. "You don't remember me?" he asked. The way he said it. Like I should. Like I used to. "I don't remember anything, " I snapped. His smile widened a little. "That's unfortunate."

Something about him felt wrong. Deeply wrong. "Where am I?" I asked. "A place designed to help you " he replied. "By strapping me down?" I shot back. "Precautions " he said simply. "For what?" His gaze sharpened. "For you."

My stomach twisted. "What does that mean?" He stepped closer. Slow. Unhurried. Like he had all the time in the world. "You are... Unique, Amara " he said. The way he said my name made my skin crawl. "Don't call me that " I snapped. "It's your name " he replied calmly. "Not to you."

A flicker of something passed through his eyes. Amusement. "You always had spirit, " he murmured. The words hit something inside me. A faint echo. A memory trying to surface. "You know me, " I said slowly. "I know enough, " he replied.

Fear crawled up my spine. "Blackwood, " I whispered. His expression didn't change. The silence confirmed it. "Yes, " he said finally. My heart pounded harder. "What do you want from me?" He tilted his head slightly. "What we always wanted."

My breath hitched. ". What is that?" He smiled. Cold. Controlled. "Everything you took." Confusion flashed through me. "I didn't take anything." "Oh you did " he said softly. "You just don't remember where you put it."

A chill ran through me. "What are you talking about?" His eyes locked onto mine. Sharp. Piercing. "Your mind " he said. My chest tightened. "What about it?" "You hid something, " he continued.

Something clicked. A memory. Faint.. Real. A flash of me typing. Uploading. Encrypting. My breath caught. "No..." I whispered. "Yes " he said. "You were very clever." My heart started racing. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"That's the problem, " he replied. "You should." His gaze darkened slightly. ". We are going to fix that." Fear slammed into me. "What does that mean?" He didn't answer immediately. Instead he turned slightly. Gestured toward the door.

Two people walked in. Dressed in white. Medical. Cold. My pulse spiked. "No " I said, shaking my head. "No you are not touching me again." He watched me carefully. "You don't have a choice."

"I do!" I shouted, pulling against the restraints. They held firm. Unmoving. Unbreakable. Panic surged. "You are making a mistake, " I said quickly. "If you let me go I won't -"

"Won't what?" he interrupted calmly. "Expose you?" he added. Silence. He smiled slightly. "That ship has sailed." My chest tightened painfully.

"You tried, " he continued. "You got closer than anyone ever has." A strange mix of fear and something else filled me. Something almost... Proud. "You should have succeeded, " he added quietly.

That surprised me. "What?" "But you didn't, " he said. ". Now... We are here." The two people in white moved closer. My heart slammed violently against my chest. "No. Stay away from me!"

One of them reached for my arm. I jerked back much as the restraints allowed. "Don't touch me!" The man in black watched. Calm. Unbothered. Like this was routine. Like I was another step in a process.

"You've done this before, " he said. My breath caught. "What?" "You fought, " he continued. "Just like this." A flash hit me. Strong. Clear. Me screaming. Struggling. The same room. The same lights. "No..." I whispered.

"Yes " he said softly. ". Eventually... You always break." Rage flared through me. "I won't." His eyes darkened slightly. "We'll see." The person in white grabbed my arm. Firm. Cold. I struggled. Fought.. It was useless.

The second one prepared something. A syringe. My blood ran cold. "No, " I whispered. "No, no -"

"This will help you remember, " the man said. "I don't want to remember like this!" "You don't get to choose, " he replied. The needle came closer. My heart pounded wildly. "Ethan!" I shouted.

Desperate. Instinctive. The name tore out of me before I could stop it. The man paused. Just slightly. Interesting. "Still clinging to him " he murmured. Hope flickered. Tiny. Fragile.

"He's coming for me " I said. My voice shook.. I meant it. I had to believe it. The man smiled. Slow. Knowing. "That's what we want." My heart dropped. "What?" His eyes gleamed.

"Do you really think we didn't plan for that?" Cold fear flooded my veins. "No..." "Yes " he said. "He's already, on his way." My chest tightened painfully. "Then why are you doing this?" I demanded.

"Because " he said calmly... "We need you ready when he arrives." The words didn't make sense. Not fully.. They felt wrong. Very wrong. "What are you going to do to him?" I whispered.

His smile widened. "We're not going to do anything, " he said. My stomach twisted. "Not directly." The needle hovered above my skin. My heart raced. "No. Please "

He leaned closer.

And his voice dropped to a really scary whisper

“We’re going to let you do it.”

Everything just stopped.

My breathing.

My thoughts.

My fear.

I whispered, "What…?”

Before I could even react

The needle went into my skin.

It hurt a lot.

It was sharp.

It was burning.

I gasped.

Everything got blurry away.

“No!”

The world started spinning.

It tilted.

It faded.

The last thing I heard

Before everything went away

Was his voice.

It was calm.

It was certain.

It was really terrifying.

“Let’s see what you remember when it really matters.”

Darknes

s took over.

This time

I knew.

Whatever I was about to remember…

Wouldn’t just change me.

It would ruin everything.