Chapter 1

The call came at 7:05 PM, just as the city lights began to blur through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my office. I was Sarah Miller, an architect, and my world was built on straight lines and solid foundations. Tonight was supposed to be perfect. It was our tenth wedding anniversary.

"Sarah? It's Dr. Chen from University Hospital."

The blueprints on my desk suddenly seemed meaningless. "Is it David? Is he okay?"

"There's been an accident," the doctor's voice was calm, but it didn't soothe the fear that shot through me. "A collision on the interstate. He's stable, Sarah. He's awake. But you should come down."

I didn't remember grabbing my coat or my keys. The next thing I knew, I was in my car, driving through a torrential downpour that matched the storm inside my chest. David Thompson, my David. The boy I'd loved since we were kids, the charismatic tech entrepreneur who was the vibrant color in my monochrome world. We had everything: a thriving career for each of us, a beautiful home we had designed together, a love story that was the envy of our friends.

The drive to the hospital was a blur of slick roads and my own frantic thoughts. Ten years. We were supposed to be at a candlelit dinner right now, not this. I gripped the steering wheel, my knuckles white, my mind replaying the last time I saw him this morning. He kissed me, his hand gentle on my neck, and promised to be home early. "Big surprise for you tonight, Sarah," he'd said with that charming grin.

I parked the car and ran through the rain, not caring that I was getting soaked. The hospital's automatic doors hissed open, and I was hit with the sterile smell of antiseptic and anxiety. I found the front desk, my voice trembling as I asked for David's room.

"Third floor, room 312," the nurse said, giving me a sympathetic look. "Dr. Chen is waiting for you."

I found Dr. Chen outside the room. He was a kind, middle-aged man who had been our family doctor for years. His face was grim.

"Sarah," he said, putting a hand on my arm. "I'm so glad you're here. He's physically lucky, just some bruises and a mild concussion. But..."

"But what?" I asked, my heart pounding.

"He has some memory loss. Selective amnesia, we think. It's not uncommon with head trauma." He paused, looking hesitant. "The situation is a little... complex."

My stomach twisted. "What do you mean, complex?"

He just sighed and pushed the door open for me. "See for yourself."

The scene inside the room stopped my breath. David was sitting up in bed, looking pale but otherwise unharmed. But he wasn't alone. A young woman was sitting on the edge of his bed, holding his hand. Chloe Davis. His executive assistant. Her face was a mask of concern as she dabbed his forehead with a damp cloth.

David looked up as I walked in. His eyes, the warm, familiar eyes I had looked into a million times, were completely blank. There was no recognition, no love, just a cold, detached curiosity.

"David?" My voice was barely a whisper.

He flinched, pulling his hand from Chloe's to grip her arm tighter. "Who are you?"

The words hit me like a physical blow. I took a step forward, my hand outstretched. "David, it's me. It's Sarah. Your wife."

"My wife?" He laughed, a short, ugly sound. "I'm not married. Chloe, who is this woman?"

Chloe looked at me, her eyes wide and innocent, but I saw a flicker of something else in them. Triumph. "I... I don't know, David. Maybe she's a nurse."

"No," I said, my voice shaking with a mix of fear and anger. "I'm his wife. We've been married for ten years." I turned to him, my gaze desperate. "We live on Oak Street. We have a golden retriever named Max. Your favorite movie is 'The Godfather'. Please, David. It's me."

He just stared at me, his expression hardening. "I don't know you. You're upsetting me. And you're upsetting Chloe." He turned to his assistant, his voice softening. "Don't worry, Chloe. I'll have security remove her." He looked back at me, his face a cold mask. "Get out."

Dr. Chen pulled me gently out of the room as I started to sob. He tried to explain the science, the way trauma can erase specific people or periods of time. He said David only remembered Chloe because she was in the car with him during the accident.

I didn't hear most of it. All I could feel was the gaping hole that had just been torn in my life. The man I loved had looked at me like I was a stranger.

But even through the fog of my pain, a small, resilient part of me refused to give up. It was amnesia. It was temporary. I would be patient. I would wait. I would do whatever it took to bring my husband back. I had to believe he was still in there somewhere, just waiting for me to find him.