Chapter 8: The Memory I Wasn't Supposed to Have
Daniel's words hit me harder than the photograph ever could.
"What you remembered before you met your husband.""
I looked at him standing beneath the warehouse lights, alive, calm, and holding a folder that seemed to contain the answer to everything.
My mother was beside him.
She was pale.
Her wrists were red where the restraints had been.
But she was standing.
Alive.
"Mom.""
I moved toward her.
Daniel lifted one hand.
"Slowly.""
James stepped in front of me.
"You've got five seconds to explain why she's here.""
Daniel's eyes stayed on him.
"Still giving orders.""
"Answer me.""
My mother touched Daniel's arm.
"James, wait.""
He looked at her.
"Mrs. Miller, step away from him.""
She shook her head.
"You don't understand.""
"Then explain.""
My mother looked at me.
"I didn't know how.""
My chest tightened.
"How to tell me what?""
She swallowed.
"About you.""
I stared at her.
"What about me?""
Daniel set the folder on the hood of an old forklift.
"She doesn't remember.""
James went very still.
"Remember what?""
"That part is your fault.""
James' expression hardened.
"Be careful.""
Daniel smiled without humor.
"I've spent six months being careful.""
I looked between them.
"Stop.""
Neither moved.
"Everyone keeps saying I don't understand," I said.
"Then someone finally tell me the truth.""
Daniel nodded.
"That's why you're here.""
He opened the folder.
Inside were photocopies.
Old records.
Medical forms.
Photographs.
A birth certificate.
I reached for the top page.
It wasn't mine.
It was a hospital intake form from eleven years ago.
A girl's name was written across the top.
*Anna Miller.*
My hands began to shake.
"What's this?""
Daniel pointed at the date.
"Your first memory loss.""
I looked at James.
"What?""
He didn't answer.
Daniel continued.
"You were seventeen.""
I shook my head.
"No.""
My mother whispered, "Yes.""
I looked at her.
"I was seventeen.""
"You were in a car accident.""
The warehouse seemed to blur.
I remembered rain.
Headlights.
A loud crash.
Then nothing.
I'd always thought my childhood memory simply skipped that night.
Daniel watched my face.
"You weren't driving.""
I frowned.
"Then who was?""
He slid another photograph toward me.
It showed a teenage girl sitting in the passenger seat of a car.
Her face was bruised.
Her eyes were swollen.
But I knew her.
Me.
And beside me was a younger man.
James.
I stopped breathing.
"No.""
James closed his eyes.
"Anna.""
I looked at him.
"You were there?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"I was eighteen.""
"You knew me?""
"Not the way you think.""
My pulse hammered.
I stared at the photograph again.
The date was printed underneath.
Eight years before our wedding.
I looked at Daniel.
"Why have I never seen this?""
"Because your medical records were sealed.""
"By whom?""
Daniel looked at James.
My stomach dropped.
"James?""
He said nothing.
I stepped backward.
"Did you know me before we met?""
"Yes.""
The word was barely audible.
Everything inside me went cold.
"You told me we met at the charity event.""
"I did.""
"You told me you'd never seen me before that night.""
"I lied.""
I felt as though someone had punched the air out of me.
"How many lies?""
"Too many.""
My mother started crying.
"Anna, please.""
I turned toward her.
"You knew?""
She covered her mouth.
"I knew enough.""
My voice rose.
"And you let me marry him without telling me?""
My mother shook her head.
"It wasn't like that.""
"Then tell me what it was like!""
Daniel spoke quietly.
"James was assigned to your family.""
I stared at him.
"Assigned?""
"After the accident.""
James finally spoke.
"You were being watched.""
"By whom?""
"People connected to your father's work.""
"My father?""
I looked toward my mother.
She wouldn't meet my eyes.
Daniel picked up another photograph.
This one showed my father much younger, standing beside men in suits.
One of them was Marcus Vale.
My stomach twisted.
"What was Dad doing with Marcus?""
Daniel said, "That's the part everyone got wrong.""
James looked at him sharply.
"What do you mean?""
"Marcus wasn't your father's partner.""
"Then what was he?""
Daniel looked at me.
"His client.""
The word hung there.
I looked at my mother.
She slowly nodded.
"Your father worked for a private logistics company," she said.
"He thought they handled secure government contracts.""
"And they didn't?""
"They moved things they weren't supposed to move.""
"Money?""
"Money. Equipment. Information.""
I looked at the records in front of me.
"And the accident?""
Daniel answered.
"Wasn't an accident.""
The warehouse went silent.
I stared at him.
"What?""
"Your father's car was tampered with.""
My knees weakened.
"Why?""
"Because he was trying to leave.""
My mother's eyes filled with tears.
"He had discovered what they were doing.""
James looked at Daniel.
"And Anna?""
Daniel's expression changed.
"Anna saw something.""
I shook my head.
"No.""
"You were in the passenger seat when it happened.""
"What did I see?""
"Your father handing someone a case.""
"Who?""
"Marcus.""
My mother's voice broke.
"You kept asking me where Dad was.""
I looked at her.
"You told me he died in the crash.""
"He did.""
"Then what did I see?""
"A meeting.""
Daniel pushed another photograph toward me.
It showed a black case on the ground.
Then another photograph.
Marcus Vale opening it.
Then another.
My father standing over him.
And finally—
James.
Standing several feet away.
"Why was he there?"" I whispered.
James stared at the photograph.
"Because I was assigned to protect you.""
I looked at him.
"Before we met.""
"Yes.""
"Then why did you marry me?""
His expression broke.
"Because somewhere along the way, protecting you stopped being an assignment.""
That should have comforted me.
It didn't.
"Did you know I was going to forget?""
James lowered his eyes.
"Yes.""
I felt something inside me crack.
"You knew.""
"After the accident, doctors warned us your memory might not recover.""
"Us?""
"You and your mother.""
I turned to my mother.
She nodded.
"James stayed close because he was trying to find out who caused it.""
"Did you love me then?""
James looked directly at me.
"Not then.""
My breath caught.
"Later.""
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"Much later.""
Daniel interrupted.
"That's the version he wants you to believe.""
James glared at him.
"You don't know what happened between us.""
"I know what happened before it.""
"Daniel.""
I turned.
"What aren't you telling me?""
He reached into the folder and removed a small cassette tape.
He held it between two fingers.
"You recorded this.""
I stared at it.
"I did?""
"Before the accident.""
James stepped forward.
"Don't.""
I looked at him.
"Why?""
"Because she doesn't need it.""
Daniel laughed.
"That's not your choice anymore.""
He held up the tape.
"Anna left herself a message.""
I couldn't move.
"Where's the player?""
Daniel nodded toward a table.
I walked over.
There was an old tape recorder waiting.
My hands shook as I inserted the cassette.
James stood behind me.
My mother covered her face.
I pressed play.
Static.
Then a girl's voice.
My voice.
Younger.
Afraid.
"If you're hearing this, something happened.""
I stopped breathing.
The recording continued.
"Mom said I should forget.""
A pause.
"But I don't want to.""
I closed my eyes.
"I know who took the case.""
James whispered, "Anna...""
The recording went on.
"It wasn't Dad.""
A crackle of static.
"It wasn't Marcus.""
My eyes opened.
The next words came slowly through the speaker.
"It was someone Dad trusted.""
James looked at Daniel.
Daniel didn't move.
The recording continued.
"Someone named James.""
I stopped breathing.
My mother gasped.
James closed his eyes.
"No.""
The younger version of my voice continued.
"I don't know if James is helping them or trying to save me.""
A pause.
Then the words that made the blood drain from my face.
"But if I forget, he promised he'd make sure I never found out.""
The tape clicked.
Silence.
I turned slowly.
James was staring at the floor.
"Is that true?""
He didn't answer.
"James.""
Nothing.
I stepped closer.
"Did you make me forget?""
He finally looked at me.
"No.""
My voice shook.
"Then why does that recording say your name?""
Before he could answer, Daniel's phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His face changed.
"That's Marcus.""
James reached for his weapon.
"Where is he?""
Daniel answered the call.
No greeting.
Just silence.
Then Marcus' voice came through the warehouse speaker.
"You finally found the truth.""
Daniel looked at me.
Marcus continued.
"Anna, your husband didn't erase your memory.""
I swallowed.
"Then who did?""
A pause.
"Your mother.""
I turned.
My mother began crying.
Marcus' voice became almost gentle.
"And she didn't do it to protect you.""
James stepped toward the phone.
"Marcus, stop.""
"No, Captain.""
His voice hardened.
"She's spent eleven years protecting the wrong man.""
Then the warehouse doors slammed shut.
Metal locks dropped into place.
Every light went out.
And somewhere in the darkness, I heard my mother's terrified voice.
"Anna...""
A gunshot cracked through the warehouse.
May you like
Then another.
And James shoved me to the floor.
