Chapter 19
786words
"You really don't feel anything?" he asked as he gripped Ember's wrist tightly, refusing to let go. "Do none of our memories mean anything to you anymore?"
His force startled Ember, and she instinctively shook her head.
Atlas' eyes grew darker, filled with anguish and a growing madness.
"What about the avalanche?" he pressed, his voice trembling as he dredged up the painful memories. "The time Kaylee pushed you off the mountain, causing you to almost lose your legs—do you not remember that either?"
"What?" Ember frowned as she pulled against his grasp with confusion etched across her face.
"Kaylee framed you and pushed you down the snowy cliffs. You were trapped in the mountains for seven whole days!"
The more he said, the more her expression clouded.
"Your legs were so severely frostbitten, and after that, she and her brother concealed your injuries, mistreated you, and even schemed to send you abroad. Do you remember any of it?"
Ember's face twisted in a mixture of confusion and sorrow. "Then… How did I end up here?"
Atlas fell silent for a moment, his voice breaking as he spoke. "You… You jumped.
"You jumped from the fifth floor. You were in a coma and then… You disappeared."
Ember's expression shifted from distant, to shocked, and finally to furious.
She wrenched her hand free from Atlas' grip. "And what did you do?
"If what you're saying is true, then why didn't you protect me as my fiancé?"
Her gaze brimmed with disappointment as she stared at him. "Every single one of these things wasn't minor, and yet you never truly cared—did you?
"I understand now," she continued as her voice grew cold. "I must have been so utterly disillusioned with you that I chose to jump and lose my memories.
"Leave, Mr. Ferguson. I won't go back with you. I have a new love now, and we're very happy together."
As she spoke, she grabbed her bag and turned to leave. "Let's not see each other again. Please don't disrupt my life anymore."
"I forbid it!"
Atlas' eyes darkened with madness as he waved his hand, and a team of bodyguards immediately surrounded Ember.
"Come back with me, Ember," he demanded as his bloodshot eyes fixed on her. He reached out to touch her face, but Ember angrily turned away.
"I know I made mistakes before," he said, his voice trembling with desperation. "I'll change. I promise.
"It's okay if you don't want to now. Just come back with me, and you'll see.
"Let's go, we—"
Before he could finish, a figure charged forward and landed a fierce punch on his face. "How dare you try to abduct someone on my turf?"
Forrest stood protectively in front of Ember, his gaze as cold as ice. "Atlas Ferguson, go ahead and try me."
Forrest's men quickly surrounded the entire café, leaving no room for escape.
"And who do you think you are?"
Blood trickled from the corner of Atlas' mouth as he got back on his feet and glared at Forrest. He threw a punch of his own without hesitation.
The two men immediately began to brawl, and their movements caused the café's patrons to flee in panic.
Atlas' injured leg left him at a disadvantage, and he soon began to falter. Despite this, he fought back fiercely with unyielding determination. He simply would not leave without Ember.
Watching the fight, Ember grew increasingly distressed. Instinctively, she reached out to pull Forrest away.
"Stop it! If you don't stop, I'll call the police!"
Hearing her words, Forrest immediately withdrew, but not before delivering one final punch to Atlas.
"This is just a small lesson, Atlas," he sneered while towering over him. "If you dare to disrupt Ember's life again, I can't promise you'll make it back to your precious city in one piece."
Atlas, now bruised and battered, struggled to rise from the ground. "I won't give up, Ember. I—"
Before he could finish, his head bodyguard approached with a stern expression.
"Sir, your father has ordered us to bring you back immediately."
"What?" Atlas' face twisted in anger. "No! Tell him I'm not going back!"
But the bodyguards didn't wait for his permission. They seized him and carried him out to the waiting car.
"Ember!" Atlas cried, twisting his head to shout as he was dragged away. "Ember, please look at me! Give me another chance, won't you?
"Ember! Ember!"
Ember turned her back to him, responding only with icy silence.
There was no way she would ever go back after all she had endured.
