Page 104 of Unapologetic Obsession
“Can you at least tell me what happened to me?”
Her eyes glazed over as she grimaced. “Oh, babe. You fell from the second floor of a building and suffered a major head injury.” She swallowed hard, voice dropping to a whisper. “The doctors had to put you in a medically induced coma to control the brain swelling.”
An invisible icicle pricked my chest. “Did someone push me?”
Her body stiffened, face paling. “Of course not. We were at a party at your cousin’s house?—”
“Poppy?” I asked because she was the only family member I remembered.
Amelie nodded. “You got really drunk and stumbled. It was an accident. An awful one.” Her hand instinctively reached for mine before pulling back.
“So, I lost my memories because of the head injury?”
She tilted her head unsurely. “Not quite. The memory loss thing has happened to you before. You experienced something traumatic in your childhood but had little recollection of it. You didn’t just forget the incident, but many things that happened around that time, too. The doctors said forgetting was your brain’s defense mechanism, a subconscious choice to erase the memories so you could survive it.” Her gaze fleeted to my abdomen.
The scars.
“When Dr. Maxwell realized you couldn’t remember anything, he guessed that it had happened again. Your mind decided to block out your most recent trauma. But this time, it seems to have erased anything you found unpleasant, including habits, experiences, people, or anything that was keeping you from living your best life.”
“Is that why I can’t remember anyone from my family other than Poppy?”
Amelie’s eyes moved over my face. I didn’t see any maliciousness in them, only loving concern. “I honestly don’t know. You and Poppy were very close. You had a complicated relationship with the rest of your family. They had never been supportive, and it caused you a lot of stress. Perhaps forgetting them was just another coping mechanism.”
She was right. The fact that I couldn’t remember my last name, yet I remembered our friendship, was a telltale sign of something bigger.
“Er. Speaking of Poppy.” Amelie twisted the bracelet around her wrist. “I should probably tell you something now that you’re remembering things.”
I stared at her warily. “What?”
“Um. After finding you on the boat, Dr. Maxwell called his twin about taking you away and distancing you from anything familiar that could trigger your trauma. He needed his brother to cover for him and deal with your family. But—” She swallowed. “They didn’t even realize you were missing. Dr. Maxwell was listed as your emergency contact, and no one visited you at the hospital other than Poppy.”
“Of course they didn’t.” The words tasted bitter. I felt bad for Rose A and was glad to have erased her family from my memories, just like they had wiped away her existence despite being perfectly sound in body and mind.
Amelie gave me a sympathetic smile. “Poppy’s not like the rest of your family. She went ballistic after finding out you were missing and flew to the Bahamas. She called me earlier, demanding to see you. I texted Dr. Maxwell about it right before the gala.”
Ah. The text my loving partner had received that made him all but drag me here. It only confirmed my suspicions. He wanted to seal the deal and announce our engagement before anyone could ruin his plans. He thought Poppy would try to intercept if she showed up. I wouldn’t be surprised if the security were under strict orders to keep her off this boat.
I huffed. “He kind of left that part out.”
She laced her fingers together, gaze darting to the floor. “I’ll take you to her hotel if you want. But Poppy’s arrival wasn’t the only thing I wanted to tell you about.” She paused andswallowed again before meeting my eyes. “There’s something else you should know.”
I narrowed my eyes. “What now?”
“You see—” She bit her lip, eyes darting away. Her shoulders tensed visibly. “The reason Poppy found out your whereabouts was because she had confronted her husband, and he told her the truth.”
“Poppy’s married?”
Amelie studied me quietly, seemingly nervous about the next piece of information. “Yes. And she’s here with her husband, Damon.”
How come I couldn’t remember Poppy dating anyone, let alone a husband?
Amelie’s eyes searched mine, her gaze unwavering. “I can’t imagine how you must be feeling,” she said quietly, fidgeting with her bracelet. “If there’s anything you want to know about them, just ask. I’m done keeping secrets. I’ll tell you everything I know.”
“I do have a question.”
Amelie’s eyebrows lifted, her head tilting slightly.
“Who’s Damon?”
