The weekend came quickly. Elara stopped by a flower shop on her way to Rowen's house, choosing a soft bouquet of lilies and baby's breath. She wasn't sure what one brought to a baby's 100 days celebration, but flowers felt safe.
When she arrived, laughter and music filled the cozy home. Emi greeted her first, glowing with joy and exhaustion.
"Elara! It's been ages!" Emi said, beaming as she hurried over, her baby cradled carefully in her arms.
Elara smiled, her heart softening at the sight of her. "Emi! You look wonderful."
"I barely slept for the first few weeks," Emi said with a laugh. "But it's worth it, isn't it, Rowen?"
Rowen grinned proudly beside her. "Totally worth it."
Elara reached out to touch the baby's tiny hand. "She's beautiful," she said softly. "I'm so happy for you both."
While they laughed and chatted, Elara didn't notice the pair of eyes following her from across the room.
Adrian stood near the window, half-turned toward them, his drink untouched in his hand. The sound of her voice carried faintly across the room. It was gentle, familiar, threading through his thoughts like an echo he couldn't quite place.
He watched the way she smiled, the natural grace in how she held the baby, her laughter blending with Emi's. Something inside him stirred.
And then, suddenly, a fragment of memory surfaced:
A sterile room. The faint scent of antiseptic.
A woman's voice whispering softly by his bedside.
"Elara," someone had called out.
His fingers tightened around the glass, the edges of the memory slipping away as quickly as it came.
Rowen came up behind the girls, grinning ear to ear. "You made it! Emi, didn't I tell you Elara wouldn't miss it?"
Elara laughed. "You didn't give me much choice. I couldn't say no to meeting your daughter."
"Good," Rowen said. "Come in, make yourself at home. There's food, drinks, cake, you name it. Most of our friends are from work, so you'll know a few faces."
Elara followed him inside, greeting familiar colleagues here and there. Everything felt warm and comfortable until she saw him.
Adrian was standing near the window. He looked relaxed, dressed casually in a light sweater and slacks, a drink in hand. The sight of him outside the office, away from the polished distance of his CEO self, stole her breath.
He turned slightly, as though sensing her gaze, and their eyes met.
Elara froze. Her first instinct was to look away, but she couldn't. For a brief, unguarded second, there was something in his expression, a flicker of recognition, faint but real.
Then someone called his name, and the moment slipped away.
****
When Elara went upstairs to the restroom, she thought she could finally breathe. The evening had already been too intense with Adrian's lingering gaze downstairs had unsettled her more than she cared to admit.
But as she stepped out, she nearly jumped. He was standing by the door, waiting.
"Mr. Vale," she said quickly, her voice steady though her pulse raced.
"Adrian is fine," he said, his voice steady but softer than she expected. "We're not in the office."
"Oh… right," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Are you waiting for your turn? I'm done using the restroom."
He didn't answer right away. He took a slow step toward her, his expression unreadable. She instinctively backed away until her shoulders met the wall.
"Why are you avoiding me?" His tone was quiet but firm.
"I wasn't," she said, forcing a light smile.
Adrian moved closer. His hand came up, resting lightly on the wall beside her, close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from him.
"I remember now," he said in a low voice. "When I woke up after the accident, you were there. In the hospital."
Her breath caught. The faint scent of his cologne filled the narrow hallway. It was the same scent that had once lingered on her skin after every night together. Memories flashed too vividly, too painfully.
"Oh— that. Yes, I was there," she said quickly, trying to keep her voice even. "I went there with Rowen and Emi. You woke up that day, it was a coincidence."
"I know all of Rowen and Emi's friends," he said, studying her closely. "I've never seen you before."
Her lips curved into a faint, nervous smile. "Well, it's not too late to know me now."
Before she could overthink it, she lifted her hand and placed her palm lightly against his chest.
Her eyes lifted to meet his, a hesitant attempt at flirtation she knew he would instinctively recoil from.
For a moment, Adrian froze and then he stepped back.
Inside, Elara's heart ached. She hated herself for using this small trick but it was the only way to keep him from remembering, from digging deeper into the past she'd chosen to bury.
"Enjoy the rest of the evening, Adrian," she said softly, lowering her gaze. Then she slipped past him and walked away, her smile fading the moment her back was turned.
The rest of the night, Adrian kept to himself, sitting with a drink in hand. He refilled it more often than usual, his expression unreadable. Conversations flowed around him, laughter rose and fell, but none of it reached him. He sat slightly apart from the group, swirling the liquid in his glass as though it might answer questions he could not name.
His gaze drifted now and then toward Elara, then away just as quickly, as if frustrated by something he didn't understand.
He kept drinking.
Elara watched him from across the room, her chest tightening.
A little later, Rowen came to her side, lowering his voice. "Elara, could you do me a favor? Would you take Adrian home? He doesn't look well tonight."
"Of course," she said softly.
With Rowen's help, they guided Adrian outside and into his car. He was quiet, distant, his head resting against the seat.
Elara slid into the driver's seat, gripping the wheel to steady herself. For a long moment, she just sat there, the memories closing in. She remembered the first time she had ever driven him, the laughter, the silence that had once felt safe between them.
She then started the engine.
"Let's get you home," she whispered.
When they arrived, Elara helped Adrian out of the car. He leaned slightly against her shoulder as they walked to the front door. Her heart pounded with each step. It had been more than a year since she last set foot here.
She hesitated before pressing the keypad. The familiar beeps filled the quiet night. To her shock, the lock clicked open.
Her breath caught. The password remained the same.
Adrian frowned faintly. "How do you know my passcode?" His voice was low, slightly slurred, the faint edge of whiskey still in his tone.
"Rowen told me," she said quickly. It wasn't a lie. Rowen had told her, back when she first became Adrian's caregiver.
He didn't question it further. She guided him upstairs, one arm steadying him as they moved through the dim hallway.
When they reached his bedroom, she helped him sit on the edge of the bed. He ran a hand over his face, breathing heavily. Elara glanced around and nothing had changed. The same furniture, the same arrangement, as though time had frozen in this room.
"Rest, Mr. Vale," she said softly, turning to leave.
But before she could take a step, his hand shot out and caught her wrist. The sudden pull made her lose her balance, and she stumbled forward, landing against him.
He looked up at her, eyes searching, unfocused from drink yet filled with confusion, pain, and longing.
"Who are you really?" he asked quietly. "Why do you feel so familiar?"
Elara froze, her throat tight. She wanted to speak to tell him everything but the words refused to come. Tears welled in her eyes before she could stop them.
"I…" she started, but her voice broke.
Adrian's hand moved instinctively, brushing a tear from her cheek. His touch was gentle but uncertain. He didn't understand why her tears affected him so deeply.
Without another word, he drew her closer and kissed her.
Elara gasped, stunned. His lips were warm and familiar. For a heartbeat, she forgot everything. The year apart, the silence and the pain. It all melted away at that moment.
Her hands trembled as she found herself responding, kissing him back, lost in the pull of something she'd buried for too long.
Adrian deepened the kiss, his hand moving to the back of her neck, guiding her down as if muscle memory had taken over.
Then, reality crashed back.
Elara broke away, breathless. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice shaking. "This is my fault."
She stood quickly, tears spilling again, and rushed out before he could stop her.
Adrian sat there, motionless. His fingers brushed his lips as though trying to hold onto the feeling that was already fading.
A single tear slid down his cheek as he lay back on the bed, the ache in his chest deep and unexplainable.
Long after she was gone, her scent lingered in the air. It was soft and familiar, like a memory just out of reach.
Only then did sleep finally claim him.
*****
That night Elara unlocked the door to her small apartment. It was already almost midnight. The train and bus ride took nearly two hours. She had chosen to live far away to keep herself from being drawn back to the past.
She slipped off her shoes and sank onto the couch, exhaustion weighing heavy on her.
The kiss replayed again and again in her mind. The way his hand had found her wrist, the way his voice had softened when he said, Who are you really? She pressed her palms over her face, mortified.
She should have controlled herself. He was her employer now, not the man who had once reached for her in the dark with tenderness and trust.
What if he remembered?
Her chest tightened. If he did, would he see her as the woman who had cared for him, or the one who had walked away without goodbye?
And if he didn't remember at all… what would that make her now?
She let out a shaky sigh and leaned back against the couch. Sleep wouldn't come easily that night. Not with his kiss still haunting her.