📖 Episode 13: The Memory That Doesn’t Fade
545 Words
That night, sleep refused to come again.
But this time, it wasn’t confusion that kept her awake.
It was his voice.
“Me.”
One word.
Simple.
Yet it refused to leave her thoughts.
She turned on her bed several times, frustrated with herself. She should not be thinking about him like this. She should not be replaying his words. She should not be feeling anything at all.
But her mind wasn’t listening.
Finally, she got up.
The mansion was quiet, as always. Only the faint sound of the wind outside filled the halls. She walked slowly, not sure where she was going.
Until she reached the hallway near the study.
Light was coming from inside.
She stopped.
He was still awake.
That surprised her.
She hesitated, then moved closer quietly.
Through the slightly open door, she saw him.
He wasn’t the cold, controlled man she was used to seeing.
He looked… different.
Tired.
Still powerful, still composed—but something in his posture was heavier tonight.
He stood in front of the desk, holding a photograph.
Her curiosity pulled her closer without permission.
She stepped just enough to see inside.
And froze.
It was an old photo.
A family photo.
A smiling man she didn’t recognize.
A younger version of him standing beside someone who looked like his father.
And then she saw it.
A burned document beside the frame.
Her chest tightened.
What kind of memory was this?
Suddenly, the photo slipped slightly in his hand.
And he spoke.
“I told you not to wander at night.”
Her heart dropped.
She hadn’t realized he had noticed her.
Slowly, she stepped into the room fully.
“I wasn’t wandering,” she said softly. “I just saw the light.”
He didn’t turn immediately.
When he did, his expression was unreadable again—but not as cold as before.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he said.
“I know,” she replied quietly. “But I am.”
Silence.
Her eyes flicked back to the photo on the desk.
“Who is he?” she asked.
A pause.
A longer one than usual.
Then he answered.
“My father.”
Something shifted in the air immediately.
She stepped closer slightly. “What happened to him?”
His jaw tightened.
For a moment, it looked like he wouldn’t answer.
But then he placed the photo down slowly.
And said,
“He died… after your father’s company deal collapsed.”
The words hit her like a wave.
Her breath caught.
“That’s not possible,” she whispered.
But he didn’t respond.
Instead, he looked at her—really looked at her.
And for the first time…
There was something vulnerable in his eyes.
Something he never allowed anyone to see.
“You keep asking for truth,” he said quietly. “But truth doesn’t always bring peace.”
Her voice shook slightly. “Then what does it bring?”
A long silence.
Then he said,
“War.”
The room fell still.
And for the first time since she entered his world…
She understood something terrifying.
This wasn’t just a contract.
It was a history of pain neither of them had chosen.
And somehow… she was standing right in the middle of it.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD