My eyes opened slowly.
The world above me was white. The ceiling, the walls, the sheets… all white. A strong smell of medicine filled the air. My head felt heavy, like I had been asleep for years.
I tried to sit up, but my arms were weak. Pain shot through my body like fire. I winced.
Where am I?
My heart raced. I looked around. A beeping sound came from beside me. I saw a monitor. Tubes were connected to my hand. My legs were covered in bruises. My lips felt dry.
A nurse rushed in.
"You're awake!" she gasped, her eyes wide. "Don't move too much. You're in the hospital."
"Hospital?" My voice came out hoarse, dry. "What… happened?"
She looked at me with kind eyes. "You were found at the bottom of a cliff. A hiker called for help. You've been unconscious for three days."
My eyes widened. "A cliff?"
She nodded. "You had some injuries. But nothing too serious. You're lucky to be alive."
I tried to remember. The word "cliff" echoed in my mind, but nothing came. No images. No sounds. Nothing.
I frowned. "I don't remember… anything."
The nurse froze. "You don't remember the fall?"
"I don't remember anything," I whispered, my voice shaking. "My name… my face… my past… it's all blank."
Her face grew serious. She gently touched my arm. "Don't panic. Sometimes, trauma can cause memory loss. The doctor will explain more when he sees you."
I looked down at my hands. Pale. Shaky. Broken.
"Can you tell me my name?" I asked.
Before she could answer, the door opened again.
A tall man walked in.
My breath caught.
He was dressed in a black suit. Sharp jawline. Cold gray eyes. Dark hair, brushed back neatly. He looked powerful. Dangerous.
And somehow… familiar.
The nurse smiled. "Mr. Kensington. She's awake."
He walked slowly toward me. His eyes never left mine.
I stared at him. My heart beat fast. Who was he?
He sat beside me, his eyes filled with something I couldn't read—pain? Anger? Love?
"Zara," he said quietly, his voice deep. "You're awake."
Zara.
Was that me?
I blinked. "That's… my name?"
He nodded slowly. "Zara Kensington. You're my wife."
Wife?
I stared at him in shock. "I'm… married?"
"Yes."
I touched my ring finger. There was a band there. Gold. Simple. It looked expensive.
"But I don't remember you," I said honestly. "I don't remember anything."
His eyes darkened for a second, then softened. "You hit your head. It's normal. The doctors said your memory might come back slowly."
I looked at him again. So handsome. So calm. But something about him made me shiver.
"You're Noah?" I asked.
He nodded. "Noah Kensington."
Even his name sounded cold.
"Why was I at the bottom of a cliff?"
His jaw tightened. "You… went missing. We were looking for you for hours. No one knew where you went. Then someone found you. It was a miracle."
I looked away. "I feel like I'm trapped in someone else's life."
"You're not," he said firmly. "You're safe now. With me."
The nurse cleared her throat. "She needs rest."
Noah stood up. "I'll be back later."
He walked out without another word.
I watched the door close behind him.
Something about him felt strange. He was gentle… too gentle. Like he was pretending.
But why?
The nurse checked my drip. "He's been here every day. He didn't leave your side. You're lucky to have a husband like him."
I gave a weak smile.
But inside, I felt uneasy.
Later that evening, another doctor came. He explained my injuries. My memory loss. He said it could take weeks—or months—for my memory to return.
I lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling.
Who am I?
Who was I before the fall?
And why did Noah look at me like he knew a secret?
The next day, I was moved to a private room. Flowers filled the table. Expensive ones. The sheets smelled like lavender. Soft music played in the background.
Noah returned, dressed in another black suit.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Like I don't belong in my own skin," I said quietly.
He walked closer. "I brought something for you."
He handed me a photo album.
I opened it slowly.
Pictures of a woman. Me. In different clothes, places… smiling beside Noah.
I didn't remember taking a single one.
In every picture, I looked happy. He looked cold.
"You don't smile in any of them," I said.
He paused. "That's just how I am."
"What kind of husband doesn't smile next to his wife?" I asked.
For a moment, his mask slipped. I saw something dark in his eyes.
Then he smiled. "You always said I smiled with my eyes."
I closed the album. "Noah… do you really love me?"
He didn't answer right away.
Then he leaned in and touched my face gently.
"You're my wife, Zara. I chose you. That should tell you everything."
My heart skipped a beat. His touch was soft… but cold.
Later, when the nurse helped me change, she paused.
"You should know something," she whispered. "You're pregnant."
My heart stopped.
"Pregnant?"
She nodded. "Just a few weeks. We saw it in your scans. I thought you already knew."
I held my belly, shaking. A baby?
I looked out the window.
I was carrying Noah Kensington's child…
But I didn't even remember marrying him.
And the more I stayed around him, the more I felt like I was in danger.