ery

oment. I could practically hear the gears turning in his b

o sharply alert. "This is a radical, irreversible procedure. It' s designed for soldier

To speak it aloud would be to make it even more re

rn. He knew our story. He knew Brendan had been my rock, my biggest supporter,

the words tasting like

ilient people I know. You built a life, an empire, fr

rk window-a hollow-eyed stranger. "Not this. Some thi

de effects could be. Wiping a specific traumatic event is one thing, but what you' re implying... erasing a

"That' s the point. I don' t

a clean slate?" I asked, remembering a detail from our dinner conversation. He had mentioned a component, a serum

s, almost stern. "Eller

s from down the hall had stopped, and a new, more terrifying silence had taken their place. Soon, he

to be made at two in t

ans, please. You' re the only one who can hel

istory, my deep-seated fear of abandonment, the fierce loyalty I placed in the family I had built fo

y, his voice laced with grave resignation. "We' ll talk

e. The most drastic thing

door. I lay perfectly still, my body rigid, my eyes wide open in the dark

the bedroom doo

n' t

warmth of his body as he moved closer, the familiar scent of his cologne

t had been on her just moments ago, pressed against the back of my neck. A wave of nausea

arm away, a purely insti

voice thick with fake sle

, my voice muffled by the pill

atisfied sound that made my skin crawl. He wrapped his arm around me aga

to my hair. "Dreamed you left

it was a physical

une Bennett. A simple, unassuming name. A name with no history, no ghosts. I was picturing the new ID, the new passport. I

filled the room. He was exhausted,

for his morning run, and I went straight to the bathroom, brushing my teeth until

ing at our breakfast bar, sipping orange juice, her bare legs tucked under her on the stool. She was wearing one of Brendan' s over

" she chirped. "Y

a broad, handsome smile on his face, a smile that had on

th. "I saved you some batter." He pointed with h

her chin on her hand. "Brendan is the most atten

y coffee mug. The challenge was

erously calm. "He gives everyo

the people I care about. My wife, obviously, comes

s wife and his mistress, sitting at the sa

lick. "Brendan," I asked, my vo

ness of the question. Kiya froze

furrowing in confusion. "You' re the onl

mooth and practiced. But last night,

ntouched coffee. "Do you think it' s possible

. Love isn' t something you can divide. When you truly love s

own expression unr

ge questions, El?" he asked, a

pothetical. If you ever did fall in love with someone else,

s on my shoulders, leaning in to kiss my f

ce a low, sincere promise. "But if it did,

f that day ever came, I wouldn' t fight. I would just le