“But here we have medical professionals to make sure you’re okay if anything should happen.”

She grabbed Kyle’s hand and smiled. “We have Kyle. He’s a doctor. He’ll take excellent care of me.”

She ignored the tensing of Grant’s jaw at the words, too investing in her desperate plea to not spend another night in the hospital.

Dr. Gray studied her for a moment before he flicked his gaze to Kyle. “Twenty-four-hour observation. Any signs of confusion, any blackouts…”

“She’s right back here,” Kyle answered.

“You win, Julia,” Dr. Gray said with a smile. “I’ll have them get your discharge papers ready.”

“Thank you,” she said with a relieved sigh.

“Umm, do we have to take Kyle with us?” Sierra asked after the doctor left. “We have eyes, and we can clearly see if you’re confused or blacked out.” She offered Julia a protective glance. “We won’t let anything happen to you.”

“There are other things to monitor, Sierra,” he shot back.

“Right, sure there are.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I missed the part where you got your medical degree.”

“Well, I didn’t miss the part where you use any opportunity you can to–“

“Okay, that’s enough out of both of you,” Grant said. “I’m not taking any chances with Julia’s health. Kyle is nonnegotiable.”

Kyle offered his sister a haughty glance as she scoffed.

“Ugh, fine. Crazy Kyle moves back in.” She wagged a finger at him. “Don’t get too comfortable.”

“Lydia is still there,” he said. “And she’s weirder than I am.”

“Don’t remind me,” Sierra said.

The mention of Lydia cast a pall over Julia’s brightening mood. The reminder of unresolved tensions lurking at Harrington House hung like a dark cloud on the horizon of her newly regained clarity.

The memory of her last conversation with Lydia popped into her mind. Grant’s losing interest in you. She slid her eyes sideways to her husband, wondering if any part of those words were true. With all her memories back, she recalled her strong feelings for Grant. But what she also recalled was his past. Was Lydia right?

Lydia’s insinuations about Grant echoed in her mind, intertwining with her own doubts. Did Grant’s past hold truths she hadn’t faced? The memories, complex, but sweet, painted a picture of a growing connection, but Lydia’s words cast a long, dark shadow over it all.

She chewed her lower lip as she tried to parse through everything that had happened since her accident.

“Julia? You feeling okay?” Grant asked, pulling her mind away.

“Yes, just anxious to go home.” Her hand instinctively went to her neck, feeling the absence of the familiar compass necklace. “Oh, my necklace.”

“Oh, the compass thingy?” Sierra said. “I put it in your jewelry box at home.”

“Thanks,” she said as the nurse entered with her discharge instructions.

Within fifteen minutes, she was in the car with Grant heading back to Harrington House. She smiled at James in the front, pleased to remember him. As the familiar streets flashed by, each one weaving into the tapestry of her rediscovered memories, the car's interior retained its tranquil aura. It served as a peaceful sanctuary, guiding them from the sterile clinical world back to the intricate complexities of Harrington House.

She couldn’t stop the smile from spreading over her face as the rambling, strategically lit facade of her current home came into view as they wound down the driveway.

Worthington awaited them as they entered the expansive foyer. The grandeur enveloped her, its familiar elegance a reminder of the life she’d stepped into.

Julia smiled at him. “Worthington, this time I remember you.”

Worthington grinned at her. “I am so pleased, Mrs. Harrington. We are so pleased to have you home again.”