Chapter - 1
The Crash of Memory
The rain had been falling for hours, turning the city into a blur of glistening streets and trembling lights.
Liam Davis gripped the steering wheel of his Aston Martin, fighting the fatigue that came after a fourteen-hour workday.
The wipers moved back and forth in a steady rhythm, and for a moment, the quiet hum of the car almost felt comforting.
He glanced at the dashboard clock — 8:47 p.m.
Late. Again.
A faint smile tugged at his lips as he thought about the man waiting for him at home — Ethan.
His husband. His partner in both life and chaos.
He could almost see the soft glare Ethan would give him for missing dinner… again.
That thought made him reach for the digital display, just to send a quick text:
> "On my way. Don't be mad."
It was just one second.
A blinding light cut across the intersection.
Liam barely had time to register the oncoming car before it slammed through the red light.
Tires screeched. Metal screamed.
The impact was violent—sharp—and then everything shattered into silence.
The world dissolved into the smell of burnt oil and rain-soaked asphalt.
Then—darkness.
---
At home, the faint scent of saffron and butter filled the air.
Ethan M. Chen stirred the risotto one last time, smiling faintly at how perfectly it had turned out.
Their third anniversary dinner was supposed to be quiet and simple — just the two of them.
He checked the time. 8:50 p.m.
No message. No call.
Ethan sighed, shaking his head.
"Typical Liam. Probably still yelling at someone in a boardroom."
Still, he couldn't help but smile. Even after all these years, Liam's passion was one of the things he loved most—and hated most—about him.
He reached for the wine glasses just as his phone buzzed across the counter.
Without looking, he said softly, "Finally decided to call me?"
But when he picked it up, it wasn't Liam's name on the screen.
It was an unknown number.
> "Hello?" he answered, still smiling.
"This is Ethan."
The voice on the other end was calm, steady… too steady.
> "Mr. Chen? This is Officer Grant from the City Police Department. I need you to remain calm."
The smile faded.
> "What… what happened?"
> "There's been an accident. The driver's ID listed you as the emergency contact. Liam Davis. He's been taken to Saint Andrew's Hospital."
For a moment, Ethan couldn't speak. His mind went blank — the words echoing like distant thunder.
> "Is he alive?" he whispered.
> "He's unconscious, but breathing. Please come quickly, sir."
The call ended.
The spoon slipped from Ethan's hand and hit the marble floor.The soft clatter sounded impossibly loud in the silence that followed.
The golden risotto on the stove kept simmering — beautiful, useless, forgotten.
He didn't remember locking the door. He didn't even remember grabbing his keys.
The next thing he knew, he was behind the wheel, the city flashing by through the rain.
Every red light, every delay — unbearable.
> "Please," he whispered, his voice shaking. "Please be okay, Liam."
---
When he finally reached Saint Andrew's, he barely felt the cold rain soaking his clothes.
He ran through the glass doors, past the reception, until a nurse stopped him.
> "Sir, you can't go in yet," she said gently, blocking the emergency ward.
Ethan's voice broke.
> "He's my husband."
The nurse hesitated, then nodded.
> "Please wait here. The doctors are still stabilizing him."
Ethan sank into one of the metal chairs in the hallway, staring at the closed door.
The white hospital light was harsh and cold, but all he could see was Liam's smile — the one that had promised him forever.
Now, forever felt like it was slipping away.
---
The hospital room smelled faintly of antiseptic, and the slow beeping of the monitor filled the silence.
Outside, the rain had stopped — but inside, the air still felt heavy, restless.
Ethan Chen stood by the door, still wearing his drenched blue coat.
His eyes were fixed on the man lying on the bed —
Pale face, bandaged forehead…
But it was the same face he used to wake up next to every morning.
Liam.
Ethan's steps were hesitant as he approached.
He reached out, gently holding Liam's fingers —
Cold… but alive.
> "Liam…"
His voice was barely a whisper.
"I'm here. Everything's going to be fine."
For a while, there was no sound except the machines.
Then, Liam's eyelids fluttered weakly.
Ethan's breath hitched.
> "Yes… open your eyes, baby…"
Slowly, Liam's eyes opened — brown, hazy, searching — as if he didn't know where he was.
He looked around the room, confused, until his gaze finally landed on Ethan.
Ethan smiled through trembling lips, tears glimmering in his eyes.
> "Hey… you're awake."
But Liam's face stayed blank.
He didn't say anything.
Then—he flinched, instinctively pulling his hand back.
> "What—what are you doing here?"
Ethan hesitated, voice low.
> "You had an accident. I've been here since last night."
Liam frowned. His head throbbed.
> "Why would you even care?"
Ethan's eyes flickered—just once.
> "Because I'm your husband, Liam."
The words hung in the air, heavy and unreal.
Liam stared.
> "My what?"
Before Ethan could explain, Liam pushed himself up too quickly.
Pain shot through his head and the monitor beeped rapidly.
> "That's not funny," he said, breath ragged. "Why would I ever—marry you?"
> "Liam, please—" Ethan tried, stepping closer.
> "Get away from me!"
The shout cracked through the sterile air.
A nurse hurried in, alarmed.
> "Sir, calm down—"
Liam's gaze darted wildly around.
> "Where's my family? I want my parents!"
Ethan's voice trembled, barely a whisper.
> "Liam… I'm right here."
But Liam turned away, eyes burning with anger and fear._And for the first time in years, Ethan realized
the man he loved no longer knew him.
Chapter 2
The Fractured Memory
Hours later, Ethan sat in silence beside Liam's family.
The sterile scent of antiseptic hung in the hospital air, and the rhythmic beeping of monitors felt louder than his heartbeat.
The doctor sighed, flipping through the report before finally looking up.
"The injury wasn't too severe physically," he began, his tone heavy with caution, "but… Liam is suffering from retrograde amnesia. He's lost memories from the past few years."
The words hung in the air like thunder.
Ethan's hands clenched tightly in his lap. A few years…
He swallowed hard and asked, voice low, "What exactly do you mean, Doctor?"
The doctor removed his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose before answering.
"Mr. Liam's mental state is fragile. He believes he's still in college. Everything that happened after that—gone. This type of memory loss isn't rare after trauma. Physically, he's stable, but recovery will depend entirely on his own mind. It could take months… or years."
He paused, meeting Ethan's eyes with quiet sympathy.
"I suggest keeping him surrounded by familiar people and places. Help him feel safe in what he remembers. Sometimes, the heart remembers before the mind does."
Ethan nodded faintly, but his chest felt hollow—like someone had stolen not just Liam's memories, but their years together.
---
Some time later—
Liam sat on the hospital bed, stiff and guarded, arms crossed tightly over his chest. The afternoon light filtered through the blinds, striping his pale face in gold and shadow.
His mother reached out, her fingers trembling as she placed a hand over his. "Sweetheart, listen to us. Things changed after college. You and Ethan… you both found your way to each other."
Liam let out a dry, bitter laugh. "You mean Ethan Chen? The guy I used to fight every day? No chance."
Ethan stood near the door, his hand gripping the edge of the frame, knuckles pale. He wanted to speak—but the words tangled in his throat.
When the room fell silent, he finally found his voice.
"Liam," he said softly, "you once told me… that loving someone you used to hate felt like finding light in the darkest corner."
His voice trembled. "Do you really not remember saying that?"
Liam turned to him.
For a brief moment, confusion flickered behind those deep brown eyes—like the faintest spark of something half-forgotten.
Something about Ethan's tone stirred a shadow inside him, warm and distant.
"I… don't know what you're talking about," he whispered.
Ethan's lips curved into a fragile smile, pain glinting behind it.
"That's okay," he said quietly, tak useing a step closer. "Then I'll just have to make you fall in love with me again."
Outside, the night deepened beyond the window.
Rain whispered against the glass, blurring the line between shadow and starlight—
and their story began once more.