The Amnesia Glitch
My mind reset to three years ago, stuck in the middle of the silent treatment with my ex-boyfriend.
So, with Caleb watching my every move, I dialed my ex's number.
“Baby, don’t be mad anymore,” I cooed into the phone. “I’ll wear that new dress for you, okay?”
The next second, the ever-arrogant Caleb Sterling crushed his glass in his bare hand.
“Chloe,” he snarled through gritted teeth, “I dare you to say that again.”
“What the hell am I to you, then? A ghost?”
1
"Chloe, how long are you going to keep this up?"
"I already told you, there's nothing between us."
"We grew up together. We haven't seen each other in years. What's the big deal about a little kiss?"
I woke up in a hospital bed to the sight of a stranger in a tailored suit raking a hand through his perfectly styled hair. He was handsome, but his frustration was a storm cloud in the sterile room.
When I didn't respond, he pulled a watch from his wrist—a heavy, platinum thing glittering with diamonds—and tossed it onto the bedside table.
"Take this. And I'll throw in a condo downtown. Is that enough for you?"
My head throbbed. I picked up the watch, the weight of it cool and solid in my palm, and struggled to focus on the ridiculously ornate face.
He let out a short, humorless laugh, sinking into the chair beside my bed. He reached out and stroked my hair like I was a stray cat he’d decided to humor. "That's more like it," he murmured. "Running out into traffic, getting yourself hurt… was it really worth all this drama?" He tilted his head. "Pack your things. I'll take you home."
I’ll admit, with his sharp jawline and intense, dark eyes, he was movie-star handsome in a reckless, arrogant way. Unfortunately for him, he was also an asshole, which was a total deal-breaker.
I pulled away from his touch and held the watch out to him.
"It's five-thirty," I said, my voice raspy. "My boyfriend gets off work soon. Thanks, but I don't need a ride."
I thought I’d made myself clear, but the man’s face instantly darkened. He narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint in their depths.
"Chloe. What the hell did you just say?" His voice was low, menacing. "Which boyfriend gets off work soon?"
Which boyfriend? I’d been with Leo for three years. There was no one else.
Before I could form a response, the man shoved a phone into my hand, his grip tight.
"Call him," he seethed. "Call him right now. I want to see exactly who's coming to pick you up."
Tears of frustration pricked my eyes. A car accident and a concussion were bad enough without having to deal with a certified lunatic. He sprawled on the sofa opposite me, legs spread, watching my every move. Under his burning gaze, I found Leo’s name in my contacts and took a deep breath, moving him out of my blocked list.
Thinking back, Leo and I rarely fought. He could be a little old-fashioned, that was all. The last time we’d been on the outs was because he thought the dress I’d bought was a little too short, and he’d lectured me about it for days. It was silly, but it was our brand of silly.
The phone rang twice in the quiet room before he picked up. His voice, warm and familiar, was laced with hesitation.
"Chloe? Is that you?"
"Yeah," I breathed out. It was all I could manage.
On the other end, it was like a dam had broken. "They said you were in an accident. Are you okay? Is it serious?" he asked in a rush. "Which hospital are you at? I'm on my way."
With every frantic question he asked, the man across from me grew visibly angrier, his jaw clenching.
I quickly gave Leo the address, my voice softening as I added, "Baby, I'll wear that new dress for you tomorrow, okay? The one you like."
The words were barely out of my mouth when a violent crash echoed through the room.
I whipped my head around. The stranger had crushed the water glass he was holding in his bare hand.
Blood mingled with shards of glass, dripping onto the pristine floor at his feet. He didn't seem to feel it. His teeth were gritted, his voice a guttural growl.
"Chloe, I dare you to say that again."
"What the hell am I to you, then? A ghost?"
A nurse, drawn by the noise, burst in and froze, her eyes wide with shock. "Mr. Sterling, please! The patient needs to rest."
His hand was a mess. It took the nurse a while to get him settled on the sofa and bandage the wound. In the middle of it, his phone rang. He took a deep breath, his eyelids twitching with suppressed rage. His tone was clipped. "I told you, I'm busy."
A lazy, carefree voice drifted from the speakerphone. "Isabelle is waiting for you, man. What could possibly be more important?"
Caleb Sterling’s eyes were locked on me, cold and unblinking.
"I'm dealing with a cheater," he said slowly, enunciating every word. "You tell me. Is that important?"
2
The nurse’s ears practically perked up like an antenna; she wanted to listen but was too scared to be obvious. I felt pinned by his stare and let my gaze wander up to the ceiling. You know, for a hospital, this ceiling was really top-notch. A solid ten out of ten.
"Don't get the wound wet," the nurse instructed, finishing the bandage. "Come back in three days to have it changed."
The man—Caleb—waved a dismissive hand, clearly not listening.
Before the nurse could even shut the door behind her, a figure rushed into the room. He was still shrugging on his coat, the belt of his black trench coat hanging askew at his waist.
Leo.
Leo was five years older than me, with a quiet, steady presence that had always been my anchor. When we lived together, I’d wake up every morning to find toothpaste already squeezed onto my toothbrush and a hand towel folded neatly by the sink, right where I’d reach for it.
I had never seen him look so disheveled, so undone.
I looked up at him, my heart aching, and wrapped my arms around his waist, burying my face in his coat. "Take me home, Leo. They said I can go."
He froze for a second. I saw his throat work as he swallowed, and his cool hand hovered over my head, not quite touching me.
"Chloe, I…"
Before he could finish, a slow, deliberate clap echoed from across the room.
Caleb was leaning forward, his face half-shrouded in shadow, his eyes burning with contempt. "How touching. Truly a scene for the ages." He sneered. "After three years of following me around like a goddamn puppy, this is the guy you call your boyfriend?"
The words were so bizarre, so completely nonsensical, that I didn't even know how to react. But before I could stand up, Leo disentangled himself from my arms and strode across the room. He swung, and his fist connected with Caleb's jaw with a sickening crack.
"Caleb Sterling," Leo snarled, his voice dangerously low. "Keep your goddamn mouth shut."
I was stunned. So was Caleb. Leo, my gentle, bookish Leo who never even raised his voice, had just thrown a punch.
I scrambled off the bed and threw my arms around Leo's waist, pulling him back before Caleb could retaliate. I dragged him out of the room, ignoring the furious roar that erupted behind us.
Caleb kicked the heavy metal door, the sound booming down the hallway.
"Chloe! You're choosing him?"
"Goddammit, Chloe, you get your ass back here!"
His voice faded as we reached the elevator. In the passenger seat of Leo's car, I gently took his hand, turning it over in my own. "Does it hurt? Why were you so impulsive? What if you'd broken it?"
In the dim light of the car, Leo didn't answer. He just looked at me for a long moment before leaning in and crushing his lips to mine.
It wasn't like his usual kisses. This was urgent, almost frantic. And underneath it all, there was a profound, aching vulnerability. It was less like a welcome and more like a claim.
I was breathless when he finally pulled back, my face flushed. He looked just as wrecked as I felt. He gently cradled the back of my neck, shifting me into a more comfortable position against the seat.
"Get some sleep," he murmured, his voice thick. "We're almost home."
I was exhausted. The chaos of the hospital, the fight, the raw emotion of seeing Leo again… it had all taken its toll. I didn't even have the energy to question his uncharacteristic behavior. I leaned my head back and let the motion of the car lull me into a daze. My thoughts felt like scrambled eggs.
Just as we were pulling into our neighborhood, a strange sound echoed in my mind—a cascade of chimes, like a slot machine paying out.
【Host! Host! You're finally awake!】
【Progress on the Caleb Sterling objective is at 60%!】
【Victory is within your grasp!】
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