Page 131 of Modern Romance Collection December 2024 Books 5-8

‘With me, they’ll be no more empty fridges,’ he declared, and his promise resonated with the little girl, the teenager, and the young woman who hadneverbeen promised an endless supply of food.

Her mum had worked endlessly to fill the fridge, but it had never been full for long enough. And when she’d got older, the cycle had repeated itself. Bigger bellies to fill, larger bills to pay, bills that were always overdue even when there were two pay cheques. And here he was, promising these things as if they were nothing.

‘Here, with me,’ he said, ‘you will have time, as the doctor recommended, to heal.’ And his words were seductive.Tempting. ‘Let me be clear—you are not a hostage. I’m not holding you against your will,’ he said, his voice deep and warm. ‘You can leave whenever you wish. But what better way to reclaim your memory than with me.’

The doctor had said her memory could return, or it might not. All she could do was wait and resume normal life.

Under the doctor’s instruction, Dante had summarised her life for her. Five years delivered to her in a heartbeat. Impersonal and without detail. Only simple information. Milestones.

A move to London when she’d been twenty-two. They’d met when she was twenty-six, and their wedding had been the same year. The death of her mother was a little over three months ago, from a heart attack. And then she’d returned to Birmingham to pack up her mother’s things, to attend her funeral, and then three months later, she’d fallen and hit her head.

And now she couldn’t remember any of that.

She had the facts, sure. But what came between those facts? Why had she taken her wedding ring off when she’d gone back to Birmingham? Why had she stayed there? If her mother was dead, nothing was there for her.

She couldn’t connect the dots. She and Dante were married and yet, he was in Mayfair, and she’d been there.

Alone.

She twisted the ring that was back on her finger. ‘Why did you have my ring?’

His face remained neutral. ‘You left it behind when you returned to Birmingham.’

‘Why?’

‘Because you didn’t want to wear it anymore.’

‘What did I want?’

‘To leave.’

‘London?’

‘No.’ His jaw hardened. ‘You wanted to leave me.’

‘I wanted to leave you?’ Her eyes grew wide. ‘Why?’ she asked again, becausewhywas the word standing before every thought, and it flashed in neon green in her head.

‘I don’t know.’

‘How can younotknow?’ she asked.

His lips thinned. ‘You never told me.’

‘I must have said something.’

‘“I want out.”That’s all your note said.’

‘I left a note?’ she repeated.

Dante nodded.

‘And you didn’t ask for further clarification?’

‘No.’

None of this made sense.Theydidn’t make any sense. Not their marriage. Not their relationship. ‘Your wife leaves her ring behind, tells you she wants out and you never thought to ask the reasonwhy?’

‘Why would I ask?’ He shrugged. A nonchalant dip of his broad shoulder. ‘You left. The action required no further explanation.’

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