Chapter 14
At first, Hans just looked surprised, but then his expression darkened as he watched Gabrielle’s reaction.
“Why? Who sent it?”
“…”
“Was it sent by some man you don’t know? Should we report it to the police?”
“No… It’s someone I know.”
Gabrielle shook her head and crumpled the card. The palm-sized card was written in elegant cursive.
[How about dinner this Saturday?]
Below that was the name and address of the restaurant.
She’d agreed to meet ten times, so she had no reason to refuse. Maybe it was better to get it over with quickly.
Still, she wondered why he was approaching her again now, why he was so obsessed.
There had been nothing real between them—not the name, not the feelings, not the relationship.
As Gabrielle tossed the card into the trash with a complicated expression, Hans, who’d been silently watching her, suddenly asked,
“Gabby… Is this person related to that past you said was all blank?”
“What?”
“You said before that there were gaps in your memory. Like someone erased things here and there.”
“…”
Gabrielle just blinked at the unexpected question. What Hans said was true.
For example, there was that ballet performance she’d gone to before. She remembered watching until the first act, but for some reason, she couldn’t recall anything after that. Something shocking had happened…
The point where her memory disappeared was after she’d been in a car accident.
On the day her engagement to Dominic Moore was broken off, she’d been hit by a car.
She survived, but was unconscious for a while.
When she finally woke up, she found gaps in her memory.
She felt as if something important was missing, stabbing at her heart.
‘Since there’s no sign of brain damage, the patient’s partial memory loss may be a kind of defense mechanism.
If your subconscious decided you shouldn’t remember something, it could have erased those memories as a protective measure.’
Recalling the psychiatrist’s words, Gabrielle looked up at the hand on her shoulder.
“Are you really okay…?”
“Yes.”
Gabrielle nodded, pretending to be calm.
“I’m fine, really. It’s someone unrelated to those memories.”
She wished the memories of Dominic Moore had been erased.
She was too tired to dig into or obsess over whatever those memories might have been.
“Right… If it was someone from those forgotten memories, you’d have remembered by now.”
“Exactly.”
She forced a smile and nodded.
Whatever happened, there were only nine meetings left.
Just nine more times and she’d never be involved with that man again.
Time passed mercilessly, and in the blink of an eye, the promised day arrived.
“This should be… enough.”
Gabrielle stood before the full-length mirror, checking her outfit.
She wanted to go out bare-faced and dressed down, but the venue was a formal restaurant.
“I can’t stand out by myself.”
The woman reflected in the mirror was definitely not dressed for a date.
A stiff, tailored jacket and a skirt that covered her knees—she looked like an office worker visiting a client, all in black business attire.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Having steeled herself, Gabrielle grabbed her bag and stepped outside, where a familiar car awaited her.
“Gabrielle.”
Julian, standing by the driver’s seat, stubbed out his cigarette as she approached.
As soon as their eyes met, his bright yellow eyes sparkled with admiration and affection.
“Today… you look truly beautiful.”
“…Were you smoking?”
Such compliments didn’t suit her.
Brushing off his flattery, Gabrielle glanced at the cigar lying on the ground.
“I don’t really smoke anymore. I’m quitting.”
Julian quickly picked it up and threw it in the trash, as if making excuses.
“That’s not what I’m curious about. It’s just surprising.”
He used to be so perfectly disciplined, almost inhuman in his self-control.
Even after countless late nights, he’d never shown a single sign of weakness to her, his secretary.
It was the same after they became lovers.
Julian gave an awkward smile at her cold reply, then walked around the car to open the passenger door for her.
Gabrielle got in silently, and he started the engine smoothly.
When they arrived at the restaurant, they were immediately guided to their reserved table.
The outdoor terrace was quiet, unlike the noisy interior.
Julian called the waiter with the bell on the table and ordered food, then began the conversation.
“How have you been?”
“So-so.”
Gabrielle answered absently, tearing her bread without really eating.
“For someone who’s ‘so-so’, the circles under your eyes look pretty dark.”
“I didn’t know you cared so much about my face.”
She smiled coldly at his concerned words.
“If you just want a pretty woman, we can end these nine remaining meetings right now. Let’s make this the last.”
“That’s not what I mean. And you’re already more than enough…”
Julian started to answer urgently, but then clamped his mouth shut.
Gabrielle found his awkwardness amusing and gave a faint chuckle.
“This reminds me of old times. You used to take me to places like this often.”
“…I did.”
“Back then, I was the one who kept talking, asking questions, and chattering. Now it’s the opposite. I guess you really never know how things will turn out.”
She murmured, driving the point home, and Julian’s face turned pale as he seemed to search for words.
“Excuse me.”
Just then, a waiter arrived with a cart and began serving their dishes.
Lobster, steamed prawns, sea bass risotto—all foods Gabrielle liked.
“I hope you enjoy your meal.”
After pouring white wine into their glasses and bowing politely, the waiter left, and a tense silence returned.
Gabrielle wanted to keep the chilly atmosphere going until the end of the meal, but somehow she started feeling like the bad guy and finally spoke up.
“I didn’t know you remembered my tastes.”
“I remember everything about you.”
“Even how you broke up with me?”
The question slipped out before she knew it.
Before the silence returned, Gabrielle changed the subject.
“You said you’re from Keria. Did you end up getting adopted from the institution?”
It didn’t seem like a typical orphanage.
Julian hesitated briefly, then answered calmly.
“My adoptive parents were soldiers. Instructors at the institution.”
“Instructors…”
Julian said that when he was young, war broke out.
From the time he could remember, Keria and Verti were in a cold war.
They didn’t openly slander each other, but after the ceasefire, there was a constant, invisible tension between the two countries.
Only recently, under the mediation of a third country, had the war ended and a peace treaty been signed—barely a year ago.
“You were chosen out of all those children.”
“Chosen, huh.”
Julian smiled bitterly and drank his wine.
Gabrielle watched him quietly, sensing his sorrow.
“What happened?”
Instead of answering, Julian looked straight at her.
His bright yellow eyes, like those of a wild beast in darkness, sent chills down her spine yet made her heart flutter.
“Tell me. What happened the day you left me?”
“I can’t tell you.”
Julian was the first to look away.
Frustration surged through Gabrielle. She scoffed and declared,
“Then our story ends here.”
“You already know the answer. Unless you remember it yourself, I can’t say.”
Gabrielle couldn’t understand what the man before her was saying and frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
Julian, calm as if he’d expected it, pointed to his temple.
“Right here, in the center, there are things you don’t remember, aren’t there?”
“How do you know that?”
She’d talked about this with Hans earlier that day.
Gabrielle stared at Julian in shock as he slowly reached out his hand.
“When you’ve remembered everything, whatever you choose is up to you.”
Julian gently took Gabrielle’s hand, placing his palm over hers.
She wanted to pull away immediately, but it wasn’t a rude or s*xual gesture, so she stayed still.
His careful touch held affection, as if handling something sacred.
“Once you remember everything, I hope you’ll choose me.”
Julian withdrew his hand, sounding regretful.
The car drove Gabrielle home, and the two spoke little on the way.
“Gabrielle. I had a good time today.”
Julian got out first and opened her door, escorting her out.
He took her hand and tried to kiss her fingertips, but Gabrielle quickly pulled away.
“I really don’t understand anything you’re saying.”
“…”
“It’s true my memories are confused. But are you really involved in that?”
Her eyes were sharp as she glared at him, demanding answers.
Julian’s face turned pale, as if stabbed in the heart.
“Then why didn’t you show up until now? Why did you come back and still not say anything?”