His Betrayal, My Erased Memory

f grief. My husband, Eli Stark, the tech mogul, was the public'

ate, a clerk' s casual comment shattered my world

or years. I found them, a perfect family, Eli laughing, a happiness I hadn't seen in years. Then, I ove

Leo' s death was a tragic accident, comforting Eli who blamed himsel

me, was living a happy life with another family. He had watche

wing his actions led to our son' s death? The injus

rimental memory erasure research was my only hope. "I want to for

pte

r y

Leo, drowned. Four years of a thick

c. The tech mogul who stood by his grieving wif

ng. Something to feel like I w

ecords office to finalize

oodbye. Maybe it would

aited in line, my hands cold. When it wa

, her face neutral. Then sh

our husband's file," she said,

hat does t

pendent's record, the system notes any others. For insurance and estate purpo

. My breath caug

my voice barely a whisper.

dation in his name. He gave speeches with tears in his eyes. He held me e

e, ma'am." The clerk turn

s. In black

nt: Cod

Kasey

y Sh

ke a physical blow

n who had stalk

ty events, her eyes fixated o

screaming that she loved him, that I didn't

just like mine, trying to force her way into the church. Sh

ear from our lives, or so I thought. He' d wanted to ruin her completely, but I stoppe

al document, next to my husband's.

It was a mistake. A h

into my car, my mind a blank. M

be home early tonight. Let' s hav

pursued me with a relentless, gentle passion. He was the most brilliant

he would bring me food and wrap me in a blanket, whisperin

se they wanted him to move overseas, and he refused

s. It h

on the document I' d photographed with my phone. I had to

ate, gated community not far from our

the street. An

l

maybe three or four years old, was chasing him with a water gun. Eli scooped t

e on her face. She walked right up to Eli and kissed him. Not a pe

a smile of pure, unadulterated happiness. A ha

gs seized. A tear rolled do

de. The perfec

lked toward the house, my movements robotic. I crept aroun

patient, his voice soft. He was a different man. The man I had fallen in l

ing them, her hand resting p

r and smiled. "He'

you," she said, her

eo, had looke

t, and his smile faded. He got up

id to Kasey. "I' ll t

ootsteps, peering through a small basement window. It

ay?" His voice was the one I knew.

wn voice on the other

office. A last-minute meeting..

ollowed him down. She wrapped her

Kasey asked, her voic

ertificate today," Eli said, his ba

hard day for her. It's been four years, Eli. When

ey,

r think about it? If you hadn't been with me that afternoon, you

rld st

ide me went co

ay Le

take a work call. A crucial, life-or-death call for his company. He' d come out to find L

It was a tragic accident. I' d carried the guilt with him, fe

hat guilt had bee

was all

. He was with her. His a

he window frame to stay upright. I presse

rp, but there was no denial. "Harper

se fault is that? You love seeing her broken, don't you? Helpless a

just stood there, l

misses Leo so much, maybe we should let her meet Cody. H

t be ridiculous. Cody is my son. My heir. He's not a replacement." H

back to my car. I drove, not knowing where I w

biting into my knees. The tears I' d held back finally came,

zzed again.

ow, my love. Can'

touch was a lie. He had watched me grieve for our son, know

had built, while he lived another li

curdled into somethin

rk, another call came in. Not Eli.

g. My for

But some instinct made m

been a long time. I heard about a new research grant, and it made me

y system. A single drop of cl

ispered, my v

you okay? Y

I remembered his research. His controversial, brilliant, experimental work on memory

f the line. "Harper, it's experimental. I

te resolve hardening inside me. "

what's

st want to forget. I need to forget everything." I