"No, no."
M repeated it twice, biting her lower lip as she pulled her mother into her arms, holding her tightly, helpless and powerless all at once. "Can we not go to Florence? Please, Mom, let''s not go. I don''t want to."
The woman in her arms finally let out a sigh of relief, though her face was still etched with confusion and resignation. "Alright, alright, we won''t go if you don''t want to. Don''t cry, sweetheart. I''ll do as you say."
But M didn''t feel any better.
She could stop Felicity now, but the past was out of her reach. She couldn''t go back and stop that eighteen-year-old girl. Back then, Felicity had definitely gone.
Outside the studio, in the shadowy corridor, Conrad leaned against the wall, listening to the voices inside. He covered his eyes with his arm, silent for a long, long time.
...
It took M until well past midnight to coax Felicity-who was still wired from the medication-into bed. But now Felicity insisted on sharing a bed with M, refusing point-nk to let Conrad sleep with her.
Wrapped up tightly in the covers, Felicity eyed Conrad with grave determination. "We''re engaged, not married yet! I don''t know how you convinced my parents to let you lock me up in your house, but I''m really angry with you! I''m not sleeping with you! Go away!"
She''dpletely forgotten she was married.
Forgotten she had a husband.
Even forgotten she had a child.
To show just how angry she was, Felicity hurled a pillow at Conrad. He just stood there with a resigned look, not even trying to dodge, and let her throw as many as she liked.
M paused in the doorway, watching with undisguised fascination.
Thinking about it, it all made sense.
Even without considering the Montgomerys, Felicity''s own family was prominent. She''d been the pampered little sister growing up, with only one doting older brother and a childhood spent in thepany of Conrad. They''d gotten engaged as soon as she turned eighteen, and up until then, she''d never faced a real setback.
No wonder she was spoiled. But she was sweet-natured, and her spirited ways were more endearing than anything else. Who would''ve expected that she''d hit such a devastating lowter in life? That she''d end up like this.
The more M thought about it, the angrier she felt.
Cossio truly was despicable.
Inside the room, after taking a couple more pillows and stuffed animals to the face, Conrad finally moved. He grabbed Felicity-nket and all-and pulled her into his arms, messing up her hair in protest. When she tried to hit him, he caught her fists and showered her with kisses and yful bites.
"Hey!" Felicity shouted, furious.
M, lost in thought, heard Felicity''s shriek and instinctively started to rush in to help-then caught sight of the scene and beat a hasty, blushing retreat.
For heaven''s sake, give your elders some privacy!
She''d already been mortified after seeing those paintings at Cossio''s ce. Thest thing she needed was to witness this. Some boundaries were necessary.
"I''m relying on you to keep an eye on her tonight Conrad said a few minutester. He emerged from the room, hair and clothes disheveled, a few scratch marks on his face but looking entirely unbothered-no trace of embarrassment at being caught by the younger generation. M could only marvel inwardly: This must be some sort of Montgomery family tradition-their legendary thick skin.
"Don''t worry, I will," she replied.
Conrad didn''t seem the least bit concerned.
He didn''t understand why Felicity had forgotten so much-so many people and so many memories-yet she still remembered M, whom she''d met muchter. Right now, M was her closest friend, the person she trusted most. From the very start, M had always been special to her.
And she still was.
Thankfully, M had never let her down.
It waste. The only light in the bedroom came from a small nightmp. My beside Felicity, exhausted but aware that Felicity was still wide awake. She decided to strike up a conversation, hoping it would help lull her to sleep.
"Do you not like your fiancé?" M asked softly.
Felicity turned over, face clouded with displeasure. "It''s not that. I''m just angry. He keeps me locked up, won''t let me go anywhere, always saying this is dangerous, that''s dangerous. Honestly, what era does he think we live in? I''m an adult!"
"He''s just worried about you."
"I know! That''s why I didn''t sneak out or anything m fine with waiting for him to have time before we go abroad together, but not being allowed out at all? That''s just ridiculous." Felicity fumed,
"Tomorrow, I''m telling el
I''m
want to call off the engagement. done with Conrad!"
M was speechless.
She''d only meant to keep Felicitypany through her insomnia, not get roped into the middle of this... crisis. And to think, as her ex-father-inw, she was now stuck in the most bizarre marital drama she''d ever seen.
It was over before it even started.
M was about to step in and try to smooth things over when Felicity suddenly snuggled into her arms, yawning. "Let''s not talk about that jerk anymore. M, what about you? Your fiancé-have you heard from himtely?"
M froze. Her fiancé? What fiancé? Wasn''t this just memory loss? How had Felicity gotten so mixed up... Did she ever even have a fiancé?
Had she?
The thought sent a fresh wave of anxiety through her. Maybe she should have the doctore in again tomorrow. If Felicity''s memory got any more jumbled, she could end up with a full-blown personality split. That would be a disaster.
As M was worrying, Felicity finally began to drift off, her voice growing softer and sleepier. "You know, that guy with the fox-like eyes? Didn''t you say he hasn''t contacted you in ages? Unbelievable. He even camedooking for Conrad yesterday. Still hasn''t reached out to you? Next time, I''ll have Conrad tie him up and-"
Her words trailed off as sleep imed her, her breathing growing slow and even.
But in the darkness, M''s eyes flew wide open, a flicker of fear crossing her face. What... What did she mean by that?