After that, I had a proper check-up, a full health assessment with Doctor Evelyn, and finally, the daily medications I'd been taking were no longer necessary. I felt lighter, freer, like a weight I didn't know I was carrying had been lifted. Remembering everything was both a relief and a burden. That cursed trip, that horrifying experience-it was so traumatic, so unbearable, that my mind had instinctively tried to erase it, along with all the memories surrounding it.
Everything had become foggy, cloudy, as if locked behind a thick veil. Yet, somehow, my subconscious had held onto fragments, and that sudden push-the therapy, Radrien's patience, Doctor Evelyn's guidance-had finally unlocked it all. I didn't want to dwell on that darkness anymore. I wanted to move forward, for myself, and for Radrien, who had endured so much more silently than I ever realized. All I focused on now were the memories that brought warmth-the laughter, the small touches, the stolen glances between us over the years.
They reminded me of us, and that love made the past pain fade, even if only a little.
And yet, I couldn't stop the guilt and sorrow for Radrien. I could never fully imagine how it must have felt for him: watching me think of him as an enemy, seeing me refuse the marriage at first, holding himself back from hugging me, kissing me, giving me all the love he'd been craving for so long. All while I, oblivious, acted normal, kept my distance, lived my life as if everything was fine-while behind closed doors, he was broken, hurting, and silently suffering.
Now that I remembered, that ache in my chest wasn't just mine. It belonged to both of us, and I was determined to make it right. To heal. For us. My nightmares has also began to gradually get well, and i also want that to heal proerlyand fast.
Sitting on the couch at our house, I hugged the plushies-the same ones Radrien had bought, the entire collection now filling every corner of our home. I couldn't help but smile at the thought of it all.
After everything, after the treatment, after the nightmares and the hospital visits, we were finally back to some sense of normalcy.
My parents were overjoyed, relieved to finally know the full truth. They had always tried to protect me, handling everything while I struggled in silence, haunted by nights I barely remembered. But Radrien, he had never left my side.
Every night, he would come, hold me through the nightmares, and quietly leave before I even woke up. He had even arranged the marriage early just to stay closer to me, to make sure I was safe, comforted, loved. Thinking about all of it, I felt a mix of gratitude and guilt. He had done everything, given everything, and here I was, a total jerk. My mind wandered to that silly fight over ice cream, and I laughed softly to myself. I swore, right then and there, that I'd never whine for ice cream again.
Because after all he'd done, I could never be that selfish again.
My thoughts stopped as Radrien returned, holding a bowl of cut fruits. He sat beside me and began feeding me gently.
"Who did you call?" I asked, curiosity slipping in. "A friend," he replied simply. I frowned. "What friend is this, huh? Also, why didn't you invite any friends to the wedding?"
"I didn't want you to have any shocking memories or anything," he said softly, his tone serious. "There's a chance someone could trigger you, asking unnecessary questions. I just, I don't trust anyone with that." He wiped my lips gently with a napkin and kissed me softly, the gesture calming yet intense.
"And about this friend I called, he's a special one," Radrien continued, a faint shadow in his smile. "I asked him to take care of something for me. And now I've just, given him further instructions."
I hesitated, knowing it might anger him, but I couldn't help asking. "Uhm, don't get mad, I just wanted to know, what happened with, him?"
Radrien's smile was calm but perfectly unreadable. "Don't worry. He's in a good place."
"Good place?" I asked, confused.
"Yes. A place he deserves," Radrien replied, quickly changing the topic. "Anyway, do you remember how we planned for our honeymoon?"
I blushed, nodding eagerly. "Yes! Let's go to Japan first!"
"Sure, whenever you want," he said, gently pressing a kiss to my forehead.
"Good! Let's find places to go, wait, let me grab my phone!" I exclaimed, running toward the bedroom to fetch it.
Radrien's soft, loving smile vanished as he held his phone. His fingers moved with a precision that made the air around him feel tense.
Dialing quickly, his voice dropped into a cold, sharp edge-calculated, dangerous. "Listen, I'll be out for a while, so he's yours to handle. Make sure he suffers-more than yesterday-but don't let him die. Not yet. I want him breathing for at least another month."
A brief pause, then an almost approving acknowledgment came from the other side.
Radrien added, voice chillingly calm, "And while you're at it, take out two more teeth. And a finger."
He ended the call, deleted the number, and locked the phone immediately. The calculated efficiency of his actions made him seem almost untouchable, predatory. Yet as he set it down, his face softened-smiling-just as I rushed toward him, completely unaware.
"First I need to watch Sakura Season, then eat everything ever made, oh! And we need to go to manga stores too," I rambled, getting comfortable between his legs, my back resting against his chest as I scrolled through my phone.
Radrien held me tightly around the waist, nuzzling my neck, humming softly as he indulged my every demand.
Beneath that calm, cozy exterior, a dangerous edge lingered-one I would never fully see unless I looked too closely.
I smiled softly, feeling his fingers tracing my skin under my shirt, and teased quietly, "I still don't get it... I had forgotten-you could just find someone new for yourself."
Silence fell over us.
Shit.
Did I just get myself into trouble?
*Ah, sorry, I was just joking." I gulped, my heart hammering as I stared at how terrifyingly intense Radrien looked. But then, as if sensing my fear, he softened instantly. Leaning down, he kissed my lips gently. "No matter how many times you forget, or whether you even remember or not, you'll belong to me, every piece of you, every thought of you. I'll always have it all to myself. I'll make you fall for me again, and again."
He smiled, eyes dark with love, adoration, and something dangerously obsessive, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. His words made my chest ache with warmth, and I wrapped my arms around his neck tightly.
"I love you, hubby, I love you so much. Thank you for never leaving me," I murmured, hiding my face in the crook of his neck.
"Me too, I love you. More than you could ever imagine," he whispered back, holding me close, his voice soft yet deep, dark with unspoken promises.
A silent vow that he would never let me go. And I wouldn't want to go either. We were bound to one another. Memories weren't needed.
What mattered was us. He was mine, and I was his—forever.