Inside the private room of the resto-bar that Nyx had rented for a small gathering, the atmosphere was thick with unspoken tension. Mia sat beside Ashley, clutching her glass tightly. Without a word, she downed its contents in one go and slammed it onto the table.

Ashley blinked, startled by the abruptness. "What are you looking at?" Mia snapped, glaring at her.

Ashley gulped, shaking her head, and took an awkward sip from her own glass.

Across the table, Vera chuckled, crossing her arms as she observed the two. Clearing her throat, she turned to Ashley. "So, Ash," she began, catching Ashley's attention. "When's the wedding?"

Mia's grip on her empty glass tightened, her knuckles white. Around the table, Riley, Sienna, Harriet, and Zoey fell silent, their gazes fixed on Ashley.

Ashley hesitated, then chuckled awkwardly. "The day after tomorrow," she mumbled, her voice low.

Vera nodded, taking a sip of her wine. Her gaze flickered between Mia and Ashley before settling on the latter. "Are you sure you want to marry Vika? Not someone else?" she asked, her tone deliberately pointed.

Ashley shrugged, letting out a soft laugh. "Am I supposed to marry someone else? I mean, Vika said we were engaged, that we've been planning this wedding for ages," she said, frowning slightly as she swirled the liquid in her glass. "But..." She paused, leaning back in her chair. Her arm brushed against Mia's, sending a faint ripple of tension through the air. "I don't know why, but... I'm hesitant."

Mia poured herself another shot of whiskey, her hand trembling slightly. She tossed it back in one swift motion, her cheeks already flushed.

Frowning, Ashley reached out, placing her hand firmly on Mia's wrist before she could pour another. "What are you doing?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

Mia glanced at Ashley's hand, then at her face. "What does it look like I'm doing?" she replied coldly.

"You're treating that liquor like water," Ashley said, her tone soft as she gently released Mia's wrist.

Vera smirked, her gaze sharp. "Ashley," she began, leaning forward slightly. "Do you like Mia?"

Ashley choked on her drink, coughing violently. "What? I'm engaged, Vera!" she protested, her cheeks turning red.

Vera shrugged nonchalantly, a sly smile playing on her lips. "That doesn't answer my question," she pressed. "So... do you?"

Ashley's gaze shifted to Mia, her lips parting as if to speak. "I..." She hesitated, swallowing hard. "Honestly, I don't know why, but I feel like I've known Mia before the accident. It's this weird, nagging feeling, but I can't pinpoint where or how." She frowned, rubbing her temples. "And now I'm getting a headache."

"Don't force it," Harriet chimed in, her voice calm but firm. "Memories come back on their own time."

Ashley sighed, leaning back as if Harriet's words had lifted a weight off her shoulders. Before she could reply, there was a soft knock at the door. A waitress entered, carrying a tray laden with food. She placed their orders on the table near Nyx and Ashley.

"Do you need anything else?" the waitress asked, leaning forward slightly.

Both Nyx and Ashley glanced up—and then down—at the waitress's chest, which was unfortunately at their eye level. Realizing what they were doing, they immediately looked away, their movements stiff and overly obvious.

"No, we're good," Nyx said quickly, clearing her throat.

Ashley, flustered, grabbed her glass and drained the last of her drink in one go.

Across the table, Vera and Mia noticed the exchange. Vera smacked Nyx on the back of her head, her expression exasperated. At the same time, Mia smacked Ashley on the head, her annoyance clear.

"Hey!" Ashley yelped, rubbing her head. "Did you just smack me?"

"Me?" Mia tilted her head, her expression feigning innocence. "Of course not. My hand just... slipped," she said, clicking her tongue with mock irritation.

Nyx burst into laughter, rubbing the back of her head where Vera had hit her. "Guess we both deserved that," she muttered, trying to appease Vera with a sheepish grin.

Ashley stared at Mia, her confusion growing. Something about the fiery look in Mia's eyes stirred an ache in her chest. But before she could say anything, Mia turned away, her lips pressed into a tight line.



Leaning both hands on the edge of the sink, Mia shut her eyes tightly, a bitter chuckle escaping her lips. Ashley had been getting physically closer to her—touches here, lingering glances there—but Mia knew it meant nothing. Not to Ashley, at least.

What the hell...! she hissed inwardly, frustration bubbling up. A part of her wanted to yank Ashley close, to kiss her senseless, hoping that maybe—just maybe—it would trigger her memory. But the rational side of her knew better, and it hurt.

The sound of the washroom door creaking open pulled her from her spiraling thoughts, but she didn't look up. Instead, she clung to the fragile facade she'd built. Don't cry. Please, don't cry, she begged herself, but a sniffle betrayed her resolve.

"Mia..."

The familiar voice made her freeze. She stood up straight, swallowing hard before glancing in the direction of the voice. Her heart faltered when she saw Ashley standing there, her expression laced with concern.

Mia cleared her throat quickly, masking her vulnerability. "What do you want?" she asked, her tone sharper than she intended.

Ashley tilted her head slightly, her gaze softening. "Wait... are you crying?" She hesitated before raising a hand as if to wipe Mia's tears but stopped midway, her fingers curling into a fist. Letting out a self-deprecating laugh, she shook her head. "I... I don't know what's happening to me," she mumbled, her voice trembling. "I don't know why I feel this way around you... I haven't even known you that long." Her words sounded more like a confession to herself than to Mia.

Mia chuckled bitterly, shaking her head. "And what's that supposed to mean?" she asked, her voice heavy with sarcasm. Clicking her tongue, she averted her gaze, focusing on the ring Ashley had given her before everything fell apart. "If you can't remember anything, maybe just leave it at that. Forget it ever happened."

Ashley took a step closer. "Mia..." she started hesitantly. "Did you know me? Before the accident?" Her tone turned urgent, almost pleading. She reached for Mia's hand. "Do you know who I was? What I was like? What happened before I lost my memories?"

Mia glanced down at Ashley's hand on hers and shut her eyes, scoffing as she pulled her hand away. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked up at Ashley, her voice cracking. "Ash... out of everyone you've ever known, why did you forget about me?" Her shoulders trembled, her breathing uneven. "Why me?"

Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Why would you forget about me...?" She covered her face with trembling hands, her sobs shaking her small frame.

"Mia..." Ashley's voice was soft, hesitant, as she stepped forward and pulled Mia into a gentle embrace. It felt instinctual, as though her body knew what her mind didn't. And as Mia buried her face in Ashley's chest, Ashley's thoughts spiraled. I'm engaged to Vika. That's the truth. So why does this feel more right?

Ashley rubbed Mia's back in slow, comforting circles, but her mind was a storm. Why can't I remember her? Why does she feel so important to me?

"Ash..." Mia's voice broke through her thoughts. She clung to Ashley's shirt like a lifeline, her voice trembling. "Please... please come back to me. Please try to remember me."

Ashley shut her eyes tightly, her brows furrowing in concentration as she tried to piece together the fragments of her broken memory. Images flickered—unfamiliar yet hauntingly familiar figures—but no clarity came. A sharp pain stabbed through her skull, making her wince.

Steadying herself, she looked down at Mia, who had buried her face deeper against her chest. "Mia..." she whispered, her voice thick with conflicted emotions. Gently, she pushed Mia back, her hands resting on Mia's shoulders.

Lifting Mia's chin, Ashley used her thumb to wipe away her tears. Her expression was a mix of tenderness and confusion. "What are you saying?" she asked softly. "Why would I come back to you? What do you mean by that?"

Mia's lips parted, but no words came out. The room felt suffocating, the weight of unspoken truths pressing down on them both.