Faking Amnesia to Replace Me? Keep Her, I’m Gone. Chapter 08

Faking Amnesia to Replace Me? Keep Her, I’m Gone. Chapter 08

The day Nessa appeared at my cabin door, the first snow of winter was falling over Northpine.

She had lost a great deal of weight and wasn’t wearing any makeup. Standing in the hallway, she

looked as if one strong gust could carry her away.

“You won.”

Her voice was hoarse, and her eyes were empty and exhausted.

“Since you left, Kieran looks at me like I’m his enemy. Elsie cries and hides every time she sees

me.”

I’ve been throwing myself at a brick wall every damn day, making a pathetic joke of myself.

She gave a small laugh, her eyes filled with self-mockery.

“I admit everything I did to frame you when we were kids.”

The needle in the doll, the mango fruit strips, the cat… Back then, your parents treated me well but didn’t believe a word you said, and I was proud of myself for realizing that taking away what someone cared about most was the easiest thing in the world.

But this time was different. Kieran and Elsie brought me down hard.

She took a deep breath and gathered her scarf around her neck. “But I don’t want to keep

humiliating myself.”

“I’m going to live a life that’s truly mine.”

I leaned against the doorframe with a cup of coffee and didn’t say a word.

When I gave her no reaction, she waited a few seconds, then tugged at the corner of her mouth.

As she turned to leave, she looked back at me once.

The calculating look that had always been in her eyes was gone. All that remained was a thin layer of something I couldn’t decide whether to call relief or resentment.

My gaze moved from her retreating back to the phone screen, where the call was still connected.

“Did you hear that?”

“Your precious daughter Nessa wasn’t taken by me, and she wasn’t missing.”

“She just got bored of being around you and left on her own. I had nothing to do with it. Don’t come

looking for me again.”

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds, then Mom’s voice rose sharply.

“Impossible! How could Nessa have done those things? She’s so kind and innocent…”

Dad sighed, his voice full of mixed emotions.

“Seren… I’m sorry. We wronged you about all of it. Can you… come home?”

I lowered my eyes to the half-built block castle Tobin had left on the coffee table and said calmly,

“No.”

“I have a home here now, a home where I want to stay.”

“I’m doing well here. I’m happy. I won’t ever go back.”

I hung up before they could answer.

I looked down at Tobin, who was lying on the carpet, completely focused on building a castle from his blocks.

He was fitting the last arched bridge into place.

“Tobin,” I said, crouching down and lightly touching the back of his hand. “Do you want to go out to dinner with me tonight?”

He looked up at me, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes.

Seeing my chance, I softened my voice.

“Your dad keeps asking me to dinner and to the movies, and I can’t seem to turn him down.”

“Why don’t you come with me? We’re good friends, remember? You have to come.”

Tobin was silent for a few seconds. Then he let go of the blocks and took my hand.

When we stepped outside the cabin, Alden was already waiting in the snow.

When he saw Tobin and me walking out hand in hand, he hurried over and passed me an insulated

bag.

“Fresh-baked meat pies.”

I took it from him.

That was how Alden had treated me all this time.

He knew I didn’t like people standing too close, so he never touched me without a reason.

He knew my wolf still hadn’t gotten used to a new Alpha scent, so he never released his dominance.

He hadn’t even mentioned the Luna position he’d once offered me, not a single time.

As if that promise had only been a door he’d left open for me.

Whether I walked through it was entirely my

decision.

“Alden, are you going to let me be Mommy forever without a name or a place beside you?”

Alden’s hand trembled slightly. “If you’re only doing this to get revenge on Kieran…”

“I’m not.” I cut him off.

“I don’t need to use anyone to get revenge on Kieran. I just want to start over.”

“If you’re still willing-”

“I am!” Alden pulled me into his arms.

I leaned against him and listened to our heartbeats until they settled into the same rhythm.

Tobin stood to one side with his head tilted, his eyes full of laughter.

Then he suddenly took my hand. “Mommy, are we still going to dinner?”

Alden and I froze.

The next second, I couldn’t help laughing.

“Yes. Of course we are.”

After dinner, as we walked back toward the Pack Lodge, Tobin suddenly stepped into a thick patch

of snow.

He looked down at his shoes, then crouched and scooped up a handful.

An idea popped into my head.

“Do you want to have a snowball fight?”

I was surprised by my own words.

One winter in Blackridge Pack, heavy snow fell, and I eagerly suggested a snowball fight for the three of us.

Elsie had hugged her tablet and refused to look up. “That’s so childish. It’s not even as fun as my

cartoons.”

Kieran had called from his study, “I’m busy. Play by yourself.”

I’d stood downstairs alone for ten minutes, snow piling on my shoulders, before finally going back

upstairs by myself.

Alden froze for a second, then curved his lips. “Okay.”

He bent down, packed a snowball, and threw it at me.

His aim was terrible. It sailed past my shoulder.

Before I could throw one back, Tobin’s voice came from beside me.

“Mommy… I’ll help you!”

“Good. Let’s get him together.”

Snowballs flew back and forth while Alden dodged awkwardly.

Tobin finally hit him once. Alden threw himself backward dramatically and landed in the snow.

Tobin actually laughed out loud.

That was when I caught sight of two people standing at the bottom of the steps.

One tall and one small, bundled in thick down jackets as if they’d traveled a long way.

Kieran and Elsie.

Elsie stared at the hand I had clasped around Tobin’s. Her eyes slowly reddened, and her lips began to tremble.

The next second, she broke free of Kieran’s hand and ran toward me over the snow.

“Mommy! Don’t you want me anymore?