---
The house had grown quiet by late evening. Ethan had finally drifted off to sleep after insisting Sophia stay with him until he did.
Now, it was just her and Adrian in the dimly lit living room.
Sophia stood by the window, arms wrapped around herself. Outside, the streetlight flickered. "This place… It should feel like home. But it doesn't."
Adrian walked over, holding a soft gray cardigan. "You used to wear this every time you felt cold. Said it felt like a hug."
She took it slowly and slid it over her shoulders. "Thank you."
A beat of silence.
"I don't know who I am," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But when I looked into Ethan's eyes… I felt something. Not a memory, but a connection."
Adrian's throat tightened. "He's your whole world, Sophia. You were always his safe place."
Sophia turned to face him. "And you?"
Adrian looked at her, surprised.
"Were we happy?" she asked softly.
Adrian gave a bittersweet smile. "We were complicated… but yes, we were happy. We fought, we made up, we danced in the kitchen, we cried together. We weren't perfect, but we were real."
Something shifted in her eyes.
"I had a dream last night," she whispered. "You were holding my hand… and I think we were in a hospital. You looked worried. Then you smiled. I felt safe."
Adrian nodded slowly. "That happened. You had fainted during a shift, and I rushed to you. When you woke up, you teased me for panicking like an idiot."
She chuckled faintly, then looked down. "I wish I could remember it all."
"You will," Adrian said gently. "Even if you don't… I'll be here to remind you."
A soft silence fell between them.
Then—without thinking—Sophia reached out and touched his hand.
Not because she remembered.
But because it felt right.