“Mr. Wolfe, hold on!”
I stop, turning to see Dr. Ramirez closing the distance. “What’s the matter, doctor?” I ask.
She motions for me to follow her. A cold weight of unease settles in my chest as I match her stride.
We halt a bit down the hallway.
“Lucy’s condition has changed since this morning,” she informs me.
My throat tightens. “I know. She’s awake.”
“That’s not all.”
I brace myself, dread pooling in my stomach. “What else?”
She takes a deep breath, looking me straight in the eyes. “Lucy’s been diagnosed with retrograde amnesia. It’s a memory disorder as a result of her head injury.”
I recoil, doubting my hearing for a second. “Amnesia? Lucy has amnesia?”
Dr. Ramirez nods. “Yes, her accident impacted her memory.”
“All right,” I say slowly, crossing my arms as I scrutinize her. “What’s the plan to rectify this?”
“Her condition isn’t simple or quick to treat. We’re developing a customized recovery plan for her.”
“So she’s got a fuzzy memory because of the fall? Isn’t that expected?” I try to reason, desperate for some semblance of control.
She clears her throat, seeming to grope for the right words. “I’m afraid it’s more serious than that.”
Jesus Christ. Lucy’s got brain damage.
Stay fucking calm.
I fight to keep my voice steady. “Spell it out,” I say, my tone low. “Tell me exactly what we’re dealing with. What can’t she remember?”
Dr. Ramirez meets my gaze steadily. “Based on our initial evaluations, Lucy has lost all memories from this past year.”
Everything goes quiet as I process the bombshell she’s dropped on me.
“You cannot be fucking serious.”
She recoils slightly. “I assure you, Mr. Wolfe, this isn’t a matter I would joke about.”
Incredulous, I struggle to understand. “A year? Just like that, it’s gone? When will she remember?”
“Unfortunately, we can’t make promises,” she says carefully. “We’re initiating a rehabilitation plan, but we cannot guarantee the return of her memories.”
Her words slam into me, leaving me leaning against the wall for support. This can’t be happening.
“After I’ve invested a small fortune into this clinic, you’re telling me you have no goddamn clue if she’ll recover?” My voice echoes down the hospital hallway.
I’ve garnered an audience in the hallway, but I couldn’t care less.
Dr. Ramirez blinks in surprise, her composed mask slipping. “Mr. Wolfe, please understand. Our top neurologists are working on Lucy’s case. We’re doing everything possible, but there are no surefire guarantees when it comes to the human brain. It’s a slow process. Your money can’t speed up her recovery.”
Her platitudes only incense me further. “No, this is unacceptable. There has to be a plan, a procedure to fix this now.”
Her smile is tight. “We can’t fix this kind of damage overnight, Mr. Wolfe.”
Cursing under my breath, I push my fury down. “Sorry,” I grit out. “This is… I’m not handling this well. I need to see her.”
“She’s confused and disoriented. We’re reintroducing familiar faces slowly, with her consent,” she explains.
Frustrated, I run a hand through my hair. “Then tell her I’m here.”
“I’ll let her know. She’s with her mom now. Please, wait here,” she says, heading toward Lucy’s room.
What are a few more minutes in the grand scheme of things? This week’s been hell anyway.
I watch as she disappears behind the hospital room door. I stand by it, stuffing my hands in my pockets to hide my clenched fists.
I’ve never been so nervous in my life. If Lucy hated me before the accident, it’ll be tenfold now.
I hear Dr. Ramirez from within the room. “Lucy,” she says.
“Hi, doc,” comes Lucy’s tired reply.
A sharp pain pierces my chest.
“JP is here,” Dr. Ramirez says.
An eerie silence follows. Thick and suffocating.
“Who?”
I want to throw open the door but I’m frozen, stunned. What the fuck?
Another pause.
“JP… Wolfe?” Dr. Ramirez questions, uncertainty creeping into her voice.
“JP Wolfe?” Lucy’s words come out slurred and sluggish. My hand itches to open the door, but Lucy’s words stop me cold. “Mr. Wooooolfe? Wha… Why’s he here?”
Her words hit me harder than any punch. My hand freezes mid-air. What the hell is happening?
“Would you like me to ask him to come back another time?” Dr. Ramirez asks.
“No!” Panic and confusion fill Lucy’s foggy voice. “Why’s he here? Am I in some kind of trouble?”
Leaning heavily against the cold wall outside her room, I struggle to draw in full breaths. The harsh reality slams into me. To her, I’m back to being Mr. Wolfe.
It took forever to make her see me not just as a corporate shark but as a man who bled when cut, who hurt when wounded, who had vulnerabilities like anyone else. To allow her past my defenses? That was even tougher. But I did it.
She might have mistaken her love for hatred in the heat of recent events, but at least there was passion, there was sentiment.
Now? We’re back to square fucking one.
“Who is he, darling?” another female voice, presumably her mother, pipes up.
“He owns the freaking company! The woooolf! But it can’t be… can it? Not him.”
“It’s okay,” Dr. Ramirez says soothingly. “I’ll let him know now isn’t a good time.”
“Oh my God, what if he’s here to fire me?” Lucy’s panic returns. “I’ve met him before… sometimes, I think… or was it just once? I don’t remember…” She trails off, her voice full of despair. “My head feels funny. All floaty and dopey…”
I clench my fists against the cold wall, my heart hammering like I’ve been injected with enough adrenaline to take me down.
A feeling of helplessness washes over me, stronger and more powerful than anything I’ve ever felt. I was ready for anger, for hatred, for resentment. But this… I wasn’t prepared for this.
A growl seethes in my chest, a primal sound that echoes in the hushed corridor. Maybe loud enough for them to hear in the hospital room.