Sam went to the hospital only to discover that Sarah had been discharged. He hadn't visited in a while because he was busy with work, having to travel abroad after one of his company branches had issues. When he returned, he went straight to the hospital, but as soon as he arrived, he found out she was gone. Dr. Miller informed him she had been gone for over a month. He wasn't entirely surprised, but he felt a pang of sadness that she had left without a word.
He reviewed her discharge procedures and noticed the hospital fees had been paid by Dr. Vance. Sam knew Vance was Damien Sterling's best friend, which meant Damien must have covered her costs. How exactly Sarah and Damien met and when remained a total mystery. He realized he missed her and wanted to see her again, but he had a new number—his phone had been stolen at the entrance to the airport in London, and he'd lost her contact.
He realized the only way to find her was to ask Damien, but he wasn't the type to lower himself in front of Damien Sterling by asking favours. Someday, Damien might demand something crazy in return, and Sam would be put in an awkward position. He shook his head. Plus, he wasn't sure what the relationship was between Damien and Sarah; that part was still dangerously unclear.
Healing and Loss
A month had passed since Sarah had moved into the charming house Damien purchased for her. He occasionally resided there with her, in a separate wing, wanting to be close to her, offering his support and protection as she navigated this new chapter in her life. Their relationship had deepened, evolving into a comfortable intimacy. They shared meals, conversations, laughter, and a quiet understanding that transcended words. Every once in a while, they would kiss and hold each other, but every time they tried to make love, they were interrupted by external forces.
Sarah had made remarkable progress, both physically and emotionally. Her leg had healed; her steps were now confident and strong. The fragments of her memory, though still incomplete, were coalescing, forming a clearer picture of her past.
One day, she remembered her adoptive father, William Walker's smile—it was kind and full of love. "When I leave, you better take good care of yourself, my sweet child... Being your father was the best thing that has ever happened to me." He was laying in a hospital bed, with tubes inside his nose... He was dying. Sarah woke up, unsure if it was a dream or a memory. She sat down on her bed and started crying. "Dad, I miss you..."
A few days later, pieces of her memories with Ethan returned. It was the sweet, pure, and loving relationship she had with him. He smiled at her, wearing his school uniform, carrying her school bag in his hand. They were joking and teasing each other. She felt like she had betrayed him by forgetting him, and a sense of deep sadness tugged at her heart. She hadn't told Damien about any of it. He was mostly away, busy with his work or his grandfather.
The Confession
She woke up one morning, covered in sweat, from a dream about the accident and Ethan. Later that day, she decided to visit Matilda. Johnny took her there. When she knocked on the door, Matilda opened it, looking at least ten years older and extremely tired. Ever since Ethan died, the old woman hadn't been able to sleep or eat properly. Upon seeing Sarah, Matilda started crying. Sarah came closer and hugged the frail, weak woman.
Matilda invited Sarah into her small living room, and they sat on the couch. "I've waited for you to come," Matilda said, her face breaking into a fragile smile. "Did you remember anything?"
"I remembered some things, while others are still blurry," Sarah replied. "I have remembered Ethan, our last conversation..."
Matilda started crying again. "He loved you so much. I tried to persuade him to leave you back then; you were always in some kind of trouble with that family, but Ethan refused every time."
"I'm sorry," Sarah said, a tear rolling down her cheek. "He was so good to me. He was the only person that actually loved me. I have also loved him..."
They took a short walk together to Ethan's grave. At the grave, Sarah took the ring out of her coat and kissed it. "Ethan, I'm sorry we didn't get our happy ever after... It's all my fault. I'm also sorry it took me so long to remember you... It's all my fault." She started crying.
But Matilda stopped her, saying, "He would be happy to see you recovered now."
Sarah fought the uncontrollable tears, remembering their last moments together before the accident. "He rescued me, but he died. If he didn't save me, he would still be alive..."
Matilda comforted her. "What's meant to be will be. One can run away from destiny for so long, but she will eventually catch up." Matilda then turned to Sarah, all serious. "I know my son better than anyone. Ethan would want you to smile, to be happy, and find someone who will love you the way you deserve to be loved... My dear, you will always have a home with us. My doors are always open to you, and if you ever wish to run away from your troubles, come find me. I don't have anyone else to worry about now but you. You were important to my son, and now that he's gone, you're important to me too." Sarah called her "auntie" and fell into her embrace.
A New Design
Sarah's days started to drag on. She was bored at home, so she went through her resume. She was a designer. After college, she worked at the small design company called "Lullu Design," but before the accident, she had quit that job. Now she planned to submit her resume to several companies, hoping to land a job in one of them.
One sunny afternoon, as they sat on the porch sipping iced tea, Sarah turned to Mrs. Blue, her eyes filled with gratitude when she spoke about Damien and how much he meant to her. Mrs. Blue had a smile from ear to ear listening to her story about meeting him, him saving her, and how he protected her from her adoptive family. Mrs. Blue exclaimed, "They didn't!" Sarah nodded.
Damien, looking at them from the distance, smiled happily. This kitten is warming up the old lady's heart... Can't remember seeing Mrs. Blue being so interested in my stories.
Sarah: "So I have decided to get a job. I have already sent my resume out, hopefully someone hires me. First, I want to repay Damien. Second, I want to buy you and Johnny something nice. And third, I want to donate money to the orphanage."
Mrs. Blue nodded, her heart melting.
Damien came behind Sarah's chair. He ducked down, placed his hands on the chair, and whispered in her ear, "How exactly are you planning to repay me?"
"Damien!" she exclaimed. "You scared me!"
Damien: "You didn't answer my question." His voice was teasing.
She began, her voice soft but firm, "First of all, I… I want to thank you. For everything. For saving me, for believing in me, for… loving me, for giving me a new life."
Damien smiled, his heart warmed by her words. "You don't have to thank me, Sarah," he said gently. "You would have done the same for me."
Sarah shook her head. "No, no, no... This is not about what I would or wouldn't do, this is about you," she insisted. "I want to repay you."
Damien chuckled. "Alright, repay me... how exactly?"
"I want to work," she said, her eyes sparkling with determination. "I want to earn my own way. I want to be useful to you and I want to buy you gifts."
Damien's eyes lit up. He knew about her background in design, her passion for creativity.
"That's a wonderful idea, kitten. But I don't need any other gifts except for you. You, Sarah Walker, you are my biggest gift," he said enthusiastically. She frowned a little, and he laughed.
Mrs. Blue was looking at these two feeling happy...
"I have already applied for work at Sunnyside Designs," Sarah then spoke. "It's a small company with a big reputation. Hopefully, they'll have me."
"I know of them, but I have a better idea," Damien said. "In fact, I have just the thing. Sterling Designs is always looking for talented designers. How would you like to join the team?"
Sarah's face lit up with joy. "Really? But that's the biggest design company in the country. I don't think I'm on that level just yet," she sadly spoke.
"I've seen your work. You certainly have what it takes. Plus, I can get you inside in a heartbeat," Damien said.
"I don't want to go through the back door," she replied, frowning.
"You have a gift, Sarah," Damien said, his voice filled with sincerity. "I believe you'll be a valuable asset to the company, to me. I wouldn't have offered you a job if I didn't think so."
"Will you be my boss?" she asked amusingly.
"I'll be at the Sterling Company headquarters, the newest company under it that's developing new AI Technology software. I'll come twice a week to see how the design company is operating. But you'll have a good boss; the CEO is one of our shareholders that knows fashion better than I do, so if you need anything, you can go to him."
And so, Sarah happily accepted and embarked on a new career, a new beginning.
Sarah thrived in the creative environment, her talent blossoming under Damien's support and encouragement. She found joy in designing, in creating, in expressing herself through art. Her boss was a good man, and her colleagues loved her. Every day of work was exciting. It was as if she was rediscovering a part of herself that had been lost, a part that was now stronger, more vibrant than ever before. She would often stay at the company longer than her colleagues; she would get carried away by her design, or she'd make a lot of corrections because, when it came to her design, she thought there was always room for improvement.