Weeks turned into months.
Slowly, I started to adapt. I couldn't leave the house easily; the estate was huge and surrounded by gates. Rhydian said it was for security, but I knew it was to keep me in.
But I couldn't stay angry forever. Not with Wynne and Maven around.
They were my anchors. Every time they climbed onto my lap, every time they kissed my cheek, a little piece of the ice around my heart melted.
"Mama, tell us a story," Maven would ask.
"I don't know any stories," I would say sadly.
"Tell us the story of how you met Papa!" Wynne would chirp.
I would look at them, helpless. "I… I don't remember."
One night, I had a dream. Or was it a memory?
I was in a car. It was raining hard.
I was arguing with someone. "I love you, Rhydian! But I'm scared!"
"Don't be scared, Aureliana. Trust me."
And then… the bright lights. The screech of tires. The impact.
I woke up screaming.
"Aureliana! Aureliana!"
Strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me into a warm chest. It was dark, but I knew who it was.
"I'm here. I'm here," Rhydian whispered, stroking my hair. "It was just a dream. You're safe."
I was crying, shaking uncontrollably. "The car… I remember the car…"
Rhydian held me tighter. "I know. I know. It's over now. It's over."
For the first time, I didn't push him away. I buried my face in his chest, soaking his shirt with my tears. He smelled safe. He felt safe.
"Why can't I remember you?" I sobbed. "Why do I feel like I'm losing my mind?"
" You're not losing anything," he whispered into my hair, his voice breaking. "You're finding your way back. Take all the time you need. I'll wait. I waited three years, I can wait forever."
We stayed like that for a long time. In the darkness, with his arms around me, the line between stranger and husband started to blur.
But then, morning came. And the doubt returned.
I looked at him sleeping beside me. He looked so peaceful.
Is he telling the truth? I wondered. Did Damian really leave? Or is Rhydian hiding something?
I needed to know the truth. Not just what he told me, but the real truth.
And I was going to find it. Even if I had to break down the walls of this golden cage to do it.