THE WIFE WHO FORGOT

CHAPTER 1 - THE FOUR OF US The house on Willow Lane had always been full - and loud. But it was never dull. Not when there were four of them. Jason - the natural leader. Born to stand tall. Strong, dominant, unshakable - the kind of boy who walked into a room and everyone turned to him without knowing why. He didn't need to shout to be heard. He was certain, solid, the one everyone turned to when things got hard. Quietly powerful, fiercely protective - especially of Katie and Rose, even if he'd never quite said it out loud. David, her older brother - bright, loud, full of life. The heart of their little group. Where Jason was the anchor, David was the fire - quick to laugh, quick to move, the one who made everything fun. He was warm and easy, and he was Jason's best friend - closer than brothers, inseparable. Katie - Jason's twin. Bright, quick, her laugh like sunlight spilling through trees. She was Rose's best friend - the sister she'd never had. Where Jason was steady, Katie was spark - and together, they made the world feel bright. And Rose - the youngest. Three years behind the others. The one they waited for, the one they looked out for, the one everyone saw as David's little sister. She didn't mind - not really. Not when she got to be part of their world. They were four. Always. No one else. Their parents - Eliza and Robert, Rose and David's mum and dad - opened their home to the twins. Katie and Jason were there so often they might as well have been theirs too. Eliza fussed over them all equally. Robert treated them like sons and daughters. And Thomas - Jason and Katie's father - quiet, gentle, a kind and firm man. He'd been left heartbroken when his wife walked out on them when the twins were only ten, after a messy, bitter divorce. That was why the twins had practically grown up at Rose's house - Thomas had never been able to give them the warmth and family life they so deserved on his own. He was grateful every single day that they had this family to belong to as well. So when they said family, it meant all of them. Nothing more, nothing less. Rose wasn’t sure how or when it had happened — maybe it had always been there — but somewhere along the way, she’d fallen hopelessly, head-over-heels in love with Jason. It was a secret she’d never spoken aloud — not even to herself, not really. Only Katie knew. She’d figured it out, quiet and observant as she was, but Rose had never once admitted it. Never said the words. Never let anyone see. But it was there — quiet, constant, waiting — in every glance, every stolen moment, every time he looked at her and her world tilted. Years passed. High school turned to college. Jason, David, and Katie — all three years older — moved through the world together, confident and sure. Jason led the way — steady, capable, always the one making the decisions, always the one looking out for everyone. Rose was still the little one — the one they waited for, the one they checked in on — but she was growing up, too. Quietly, steadily, she was becoming someone. And somewhere along the way — without her even noticing at first — she’d stopped just looking up to Jason. She’d started seeing him differently. It wasn’t something sudden. It was just… him. The way he listened when she spoke, like what she said mattered. The way he was always there. Then came the day she packed her bags. Fashion design school. In New York. Hundreds of miles away. Katie hugged her so tight Rose could barely breathe. “You’re going to be brilliant. And I’ll come visit. Every break. Every chance I get.” David clapped her on the shoulder, grinning through the sadness. “Don’t forget us when you’re famous. And if anyone gives you trouble — call me. Or better yet, call Jason. He’ll sort them out.” Jason stood by the car, hands in his pockets. Tall, broad, unwavering. He looked at her — really looked at her — and for a second, something softened in his face, that strong exterior cracking just for her. “Work hard. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re too young. Or too small.” His voice was deep, steady, certain. “And Rose? Be careful. Look after yourself.” He paused, like he wanted to say more. “We’ll miss you.” We. Rose’s heart ached. How she wished he’d said I. But she held onto the way he’d looked at her anyway — that soft, unguarded moment — and carried it with her. So she went. New York was everything she’d dreamed of — and more. She studied hard, found her voice, and met Samantha — Sam — her roommate, her partner, the sister fate had saved for her. Together they built something: a label, a studio, a dream. And all the while, she came home — for holidays, for birthdays, for summer weekends. The distance grew — days into weeks, weeks into months. She was building a life of her own. And somewhere in those years, new people came into their lives — including Liam, who Katie fell in love with, who looked at her like she hung the moon, who loved her so openly it made everyone smile. He wasn’t one of the original four — but he was family now, too. And Katie was still Rose’s person. Phone calls at midnight, texts across time zones. I miss you. Come home. I need you. And then — the call that changed everything. CHAPTER 1 — THE FOUR OF US - PART 2 Rose wasn’t sure how or when it had happened — maybe it had always been there — but somewhere along the way, she’d fallen hopelessly, head-over-heels in love with Jason. It was a secret she’d never spoken aloud — not even to herself, not really. Only Katie knew. She’d figured it out, quiet and observant as she was, but Rose had never once admitted it. Never said the words. Never let anyone see. But it was there — quiet, constant, waiting — in every glance, every stolen moment, every time he looked at her and her world tilted. Years passed. High school turned to college. Jason, David, and Katie — all three years older — moved through the world together, confident and sure. Jason led the way — steady, capable, always the one making the decisions, always the one looking out for everyone. Rose was still the little one — the one they waited for, the one they checked in on — but she was growing up, too. Quietly, steadily, she was becoming someone. And somewhere along the way — without her even noticing at first — she’d stopped just looking up to Jason. She’d started seeing him differently. It wasn’t something sudden. It was just… him. The way he listened when she spoke, like what she said mattered. The way he was always there. Then came the day she packed her bags. Fashion design school. In New York. Hundreds of miles away. Katie hugged her so tight Rose could barely breathe. “You’re going to be brilliant. And I’ll come visit. Every break. Every chance I get.” David clapped her on the shoulder, grinning through the sadness. “Don’t forget us when you’re famous. And if anyone gives you trouble — call me. Or better yet, call Jason. He’ll sort them out.” Jason stood by the car, hands in his pockets. Tall, broad, unwavering. He looked at her — really looked at her — and for a second, something softened in his face, that strong exterior cracking just for her. “Work hard. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re too young. Or too small.” His voice was deep, steady, certain. “And Rose? Be careful. Look after yourself.” He paused, like he wanted to say more. “We’ll miss you.” We. Rose’s heart ached. How she wished he’d said I. But she held onto the way he’d looked at her anyway — that soft, unguarded moment — and carried it with her. So she went. New York was everything she’d dreamed of — and more. She studied hard, found her voice, and met Samantha — Sam — her roommate, her partner, the sister fate had saved for her. Together they built something: a label, a studio, a dream. And all the while, she came home — for holidays, for birthdays, for summer weekends. The distance grew — days into weeks, weeks into months. She was building a life of her own. And somewhere in those years, new people came into their lives — including Liam, who Katie fell in love with, who looked at her like she hung the moon, who loved her so openly it made everyone smile. He wasn’t one of the original four — but he was family now, too. And Katie was still Rose’s person. Phone calls at midnight, texts across time zones. I miss you. Come home. I need you. And then — the call that changed everything. It was early morning in New York. Rose was just leaving her apartment, rushing to JFK — Katie had messaged her days before, saying she thought the baby was coming early, asking her to come home. her father sent the family plain which she boarded immediately. But as she the plain came to a stop and the door open, her phone rang. It was David. Breathless, urgent. “Rose — where are you at? has the plain landed get in the car! it’s happening come now, Katie’s in labour. we are all at the hospital fast. the doctors are saying there is some complications so they may need to do a C-section. katie keeps asking for you, Get here as soon as you can.