Guiding Light to Rebirth Chapter 11

Guiding Light to Rebirth Chapter 11

“A betrayer. An unforgivable betrayer.” Ethan couldn’t bear the thought of me refusing to forgive him.

He had treasured me and sworn to marry me. He used to ache at my slightest frown.

Now he had hurt me so deeply.

…

At the Hayes Mansion entrance, he begged his parents, “Please, tell me where Debbie is. I’ll make it right and bring her back.”

“Enough!” Gloria cut him off, fed up.

Her eyes were filled with a grief he couldn’t read. “Debbie called off the engagement when you lost your memory. Even if you win her over, what then? She won’t come back!”

Her voice dropped, weary. “She didn’t want to hold you back, so she convinced us to drop the memory recovery. Then she went abroad.”

“Hold me back?” Ethan echoed numbly.

Gloria closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “She didn’t want us to tell you, but you deserve to know her sacrifice. Right after we found you, she got diagnosed with ALS. She came with the report to break off the engagement. Said your heart was only with Hanna. Since you didn’t remember her, she’d bow out gracefully instead of dragging you down.”

A buzz exploded in his head, like thunder. Ethan froze, his eyes vacant.

“ALS? Bow out?” The words stabbed like ice needles, ripping his heart raw.

A burning char seemed to seep through his veins, flooding his limbs.

His heart tore in two. The pain nearly curled him up.

“How could that be? She promised me forever,” he muttered, incredulous.

The world spun. His vision blackened, and he tumbled straight down the steps.

In his last conscious moment, he stared at the lotus pond in the courtyard. It should’ve been planted with wisteria arbor.

…

I saw Ethan again when I went to the hospital for meds.

He’d lost a ton of weight. Stubble shadowed his jaw. Bags under his eyes hinted at sleepless nights.

“What brings you to Dororholt?” I glanced behind him. “Aren’t you with Hanna? Where is she?”

His pupils widened sharply, like he’d heard something excruciating. “Debbie, I’m here to apologize.”

I gazed at him for a moment before realizing that he had gotten his memory back.

But I didn’t get why he needed to apologize. By all rights, he should be living his happy life with Hanna.

I paused, then shook my head gently. “You don’t need to apologize to me. I know Hanna means a lot to you, so when I decided to step aside, I never planned on holding a grudge.”

Ethan’s mouth hung open, and he reached instinctively for my wrist.

“You’re saying this to tick me off, right?” he said. “You hate how I chose Hanna when I lost my memory. You’re mad that I scolded and hurt you for her. So, you’re throwing these words at me to watch me squirm, aren’t you?”

All his prepared apologies flew out the window. Only overwhelming panic remained.

But before his hand touched my sleeve, a force from behind knocked it away.