Adam walked back home in distress and anger, his steps heavy, his mind louder than everything around him. Ava and Daphne were already waiting. The moment they saw his face, they rushed to him, asking questions all at once. He walked past them without a word and dropped on the couch.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Adam asked, staring at the floor. "Why did you hide it from me?"
"What are you talking about, Adam?" Ava asked, clearly confused.
"Why didn't you tell me Dawn was my wife?" Adam said bitterly. "I couldn't even remember my own wife."
Both women froze.
"You… you remember?" Ava asked, her voice shaking.
"Of course I remember," Adam snapped. "And I would have remembered sooner if you had told me the truth."
"It's not anyone's fault," Daphne said quickly. "The doctor warned us not to trigger your memory. He said it could make things worse."
She was happy—she couldn't even hide it—but Ava felt the opposite.
"You went to see her," Ava said, her voice tight.
"Yes," Adam replied, still not looking at her.
"I didn't tell you because of the doctor," Ava said, her eyes burning, "but also because I didn't want to. Do you know how it felt having you with me again? Without Dawn around? It felt like old times."
"Ava, you have to understand...."
"Yes, I understand perfectly," Ava cut in. "I understand that Dawn is your wife too, and you love her. Probably more than you ever loved me."
She walked out before Adam could say another word.
"Ava… Ava—" but she was already gone.
Daphne hugged Adam tightly, patting his back.
"I'll go see Dawn," she said softly. "Try and talk to Ava when she cools down."
She left, and Adam stayed there, broken.
* * * * * *
Leslie walked across the school compound toward the boys' dorm, phone in hand, smiling. She stopped at Jason's door and knocked. Someone else opened it.
"What do you want?" Ethan asked, eyeing her.
"Where's Jason?" Leslie replied, staring back.
Ethan stepped inside, called Jason, then came back.
"Can I get your number?" he asked, grinning.
"No," Leslie said calmly.
"What a shame. You're really beautiful," Ethan added.
"I know," Leslie replied, rolling her eyes.
Jason walked in. "Hey, what's up?"
"Dawn called," Leslie said. "Adam got his memory back."
Jason gasped. "What? That's amazing. Why didn't she call me?"
"Where's your phone?" Leslie asked.
Jason turned and went inside, searching everywhere. He came back minutes later with it.
"Boys are so disorganised," Leslie said, walking off.
Ethan chased her. "Wait, I'm not like your brother. I'm different."
"No one on this earth is like my brother," Leslie replied. "Now get lost, clingy jerk."
She walked away, leaving Ethan standing there, defeated.
* * * * * *
Dawn and Amy were in the kitchen, laughing, cooking, singing into a spatula like it was a mic. Flour was everywhere. The doorbell rang. They exchanged looks before Amy went to open it.
"Daphne!" Amy shouted and hugged her.
"Knock knock," Daphne laughed. "Who's there? Puberty."
They laughed. Amy stepped aside and invited her in. Daphne walked inside and hugged Dawn tightly, holding her longer than usual.
"I'm sorry I haven't been around much," Daphne said. "Leaving Adam alone like that was hard."
"I understand, mom," Dawn said softly. "How is he?"
"He's not okay. Ava isn't either."
"What happened?" Dawn asked, worried.
"She's angry. Adam is confused."
"That's rough," Dawn sighed. "Can I talk to her?"
"I don't think she wants to see you right now," Daphne said. "It's okay, you know Ava."
"Alright. Oh, i'm making lunch. Stay," Dawn offered.
Daphne smiled. "Alright."
* * * * * *
Adam paced the sitting room like a trapped animal. Finally, he rushed upstairs and opened Ava's door. She was packing.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"What does it look like?" Ava replied angrily.
"Why are you packing?"
"I don't belong here anymore," she said, shoving clothes into her bag. "The moment you married Dawn, I stopped existing."
"That's not true," Adam said.
She ignored him.
"Ava, we can talk. Please."
"There's nothing to talk about," she said coldly. "I'm handing you back to Dawn."
She walked past him. Adam watched her leave, then sat on the bed, head in his hands.
* * * * * *
Tracy rummaged through Leslie's room, searching for something—anything—to destroy her. She didn't hear Leslie enter.
"What the hell are you doing in my room?" Leslie asked.
"I came to check how you're doing," Tracy smirked. "Do you sleep with both eyes closed?"
"I sleep like a baby," Leslie replied. "Peacefully."
"You crossed the line," Tracy hissed. "You'll pay for cutting my hair."
"You asked for trouble," Leslie said calmly. "And you got it."
"I hope you're not attached to your notes," Tracy smiled. "Too bad."
She walked out. Leslie rushed to her bag but it was empty. Her notes were gone.
Her jaw tightened. This wasn't over.
* * * * * *
Dawn arrived at the Manchester house and found it too quiet. Adam wasn't downstairs. She went up and found him sitting in Ava's room, broken.
"What's wrong, Adam? Dawn asked concerned.
"Ava's gone," he whispered.
Dawn didn't need to ask the reason Ava left because she knew why. She tried calling Ava, but it went straight to voicemail. Again. Nothing.
"Adam, rest," Dawn said gently. "Mom and I will find her."
* * * * * *
Ava drove without a clear destination, the road stretching endlessly before her while her thoughts tangled behind her eyes. Adam's words replayed over and over, each one pressing deeper into her chest. He had remembered Dawn. Not her. Dawn. The realization hollowed her out, leaving her hands trembling against the steering wheel.
Her phone buzzed once beside her. Hope flared instantly. She glanced at the screen, hoping for one last call from Adam but nothing. Just silence. Her grip tightened, her vision blurring as unshed tears burned her eyes. She kept driving, faster than she realized, her mind far from the road and trapped in the fear that she had already been replaced.
The headlights of an oncoming truck appeared suddenly, too close, too bright. Ava gasped, jerking the wheel instinctively. The tires screeched in protest, the car swerved violently, and for a split second, everything felt weightless—like time itself had paused.
Then the impact came.
Metal crushed against metal. Glass shattered. The world exploded into noise and pain before collapsing into an eerie stillness.
Ava's body lay trapped, her breathing shallow, her strength slipping away with every second. The cold crept in slowly. Her thoughts drifted, no longer sharp, no longer angry—just tired. Adam's face surfaced in her fading mind, not in blame, but in longing. A quiet tear slipped from the corner of her eye as darkness closed in, gentle and final.
She never heard the sirens coming.