Chapter 4

When the invitation was pushed back into his hand, Cole's face went blank for a moment.

By the time he came back to himself, Lindsay was already far away.

His mind was full of the smile she'd given him as she left.

Faint, and touched with relief.

Had she figured something out, or had she truly decided to let go?

Panic came over him like a wave, drowning him in an instant.

For one moment, he wanted to throw everything aside and go after her.

But two steps in, he stopped where he stood.

And say what? That he'd done it on purpose, that he'd never lost his memory at all.

That all of it had been carefully staged, just to keep Nellie's tenderness for himself.

No. The moment he chased after her, there would be nothing left between them.

Cole forced himself calm and watched Lindsay walk away without once looking back.

"Cole, what's wrong?"

Nellie clung to him in fear, her voice thick with tears.

"You regret it, don't you? You regret the amnesia, regret lying to Lindsay. I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have let myself dream of staying by your side, but I couldn't help it."

"Every single moment, I keep thinking, if only I were your girlfriend, how wonderful that would be."

"If only I were the Swanson daughter, then we could be together out in the open, couldn't we?"

Hearing the catch in Nellie's voice, the crease in Cole's brow slowly eased.

His arms tightened around her on their own, and he sighed.

"Don't dwell on it. I don't regret the things I've done."

"Nellie, I'll keep my promise. I'll give you a perfect wedding."

In the days that followed, Cole threw himself into arranging the venue,

and never looked at a single piece of news about Lindsay again.

He'd promised Nellie a wedding she would never forget.

So every detail of it was finished under his own supervision.

The venue was an old castle, draped all around in pure white gauze.

The roses were flown in from France, still fresh with the morning.

Cluster after cluster of them bloomed along the red carpet of the aisle.

The gown was made entirely by hand by a top designer, elegant and graceful, and cut to show off every curve.

On the wedding day, Cole invited all of his friends to come and witness their love.

Yet when the music started, everyone's eyes were on the phones in their hands.

Every face wore a strange, unreadable smile.

Cole frowned, an old flicker of irritation rising in him.

What were they looking at? Wasn't their wedding the thing worth waiting for?

Then the officiant lifted the microphone on the platform.

"Mr. Harding, do you take Miss Nellie Henson to be your wife, for richer or for poorer?"

Cole had just opened his mouth when he saw Lambert rush up, phone in hand.

"Cole, Lindsay's getting married."

"Right now, at the Carrington Hotel. Cole, if you go now, there's still time."

Who was getting married?!

A ringing filled his ears, a roar that drowned out everything.

It was a long moment before he pulled himself out of the daze.

He snatched the phone from Lambert.

The screen had barely opened when someone dropped a video into the group chat.

In it, Lindsay was in a wedding gown, walking forward step by step on Mr. Swanson's arm.

The chat kept scrolling, all giggles and chatter.

"She really got married, isn't this too sudden?"

"Who's the groom? Anyone know him?"

"Congratulations, congratulations."

The messages popped up one after another, but he couldn't take in any of it.

She really was getting married.

Then... what about him?

Lindsay, how dared she—

Cole gripped the phone and bolted out.