Chapter 271 They Meet, Yet Do Not Recognize Each Other
Henry showed up, but Grace was already gone.
A sleek black limo pulled up, and the door swung open. Henry, looking sharp and worried, stood on the street, scanning for any sign of Grace.
"Grace, where are you?" he muttered under his breath.
Through the store's big glass window, Grace watched him. He was ridiculously handsome, and everything he wore screamed money.
Henry's eyes suddenly locked onto hers, his face a mix of emotions. Grace's heart skipped a beat. She glanced down at her beat-up sneakers, then back at Henry's polished look. She pressed her lips together, thinking there was no way someone like him would know her. They were worlds apart.
But Henry's intense gaze didn't waver, like he could see right through her.
Grace wanted to bolt, but Henry was too quick. He grabbed her wrist, his voice low and rough, "Grace!"
How did he know her name?
Grace tried to pull away, but Henry's grip was like iron. She couldn't break free.
She looked up at him, ready to beg for her freedom, but his sorrowful blue eyes made her heart race. It felt like something inside her was about to break free, but every time she tried to focus, a sharp pain shot through her head.
Henry had been searching for her for a year. Now that they were face to face, she didn't recognize him.
Grace's eyes were wary and confused. She didn't remember Henry. She forgot she had loved him, hated him, and that they had two kids together. To her, Henry was just a stranger.
Henry held her tighter, his warm hand pressing against the faded scars on her wrist. Grace's plain face and trembling lips showed her deep anxiety.
Suddenly, she felt dizzy and collapsed into Henry's arms.
When Grace woke up, she was in a hospital. She slowly opened her eyes.
The pale pink walls, soft lighting, and faint smell of medicine told her she was in a hospital, but it felt too nice to be one.
She gently sat up and turned her head, seeing Henry.
He was still in his suit, looking sharp. He stood by the window, staring out. Hearing her move, he turned around slowly.
The light hit his face, making his features even more striking. But his eyes were deep, and right now, they were locked on her.
Grace instinctively looked down to check her clothes. Thankfully, they were still on. She glanced back at Henry, her eyes filled with wariness and a bit of unease.
She figured a guy like him wouldn't need to be rude to women. He had enough going for him to have women lining up.
Henry's gaze was deep and calm. He could see her wariness and knew what she was thinking.
Grace didn't remember him! He had seen her wallet earlier. Besides her ID, there was just a little over a hundred bucks in scattered bills, not enough to get by. Her plain clothes probably didn't cost more than fifty bucks altogether.
Just looking at her made Henry's heart ache.
A nurse walked over and gently said, "Ms. Windsor, when you're discharged, be sure to improve your diet. You're a bit underfed."
Grace felt a bit embarrassed and softly replied, "Okay."
The nurse smiled and left.
Grace got out of bed, packed up her things, and was about to leave. She thanked Henry for his help and hesitated before asking, "Do we know each other?"
Henry didn't answer right away. After a moment, he said, "We just met by chance."
Grace felt relieved but also a strange sense of loss she couldn't quite explain.
Before leaving, she went to the restroom. In front of the mirror, she lifted her shirt to reveal her flat abdomen. The skin was delicate, but faint stretch marks hinted that she had once had children.
Grace stared quietly for a long time before putting her shirt down, shouldering her small backpack, and leaving the room. She didn't dare look at Henry as she left. They were from different worlds.
Grace and Henry passed each other without saying goodbye or exchanging contact info. Their encounter was like a first meeting between strangers, just as he had said.
But she didn't know that after she left, Henry's expression was dazed. He had searched for her for so long, waited for her for so long, but he had to let her go.
At the door, the sound of high heels echoed.
Celeste hurried over. She pushed the door open and saw the empty bed. She urgently asked Henry, "Why did you let her go? Why didn't you tell her the truth?"
Henry walked to the window, watching Grace walk slowly below, his heart aching to the point of numbness.
After a while, he answered Celeste's question. "Because Grace's body can't handle it. The damage to her nerves is almost irreversible. She doesn't remember me. If we force her to recall her memories now, it would be very painful for her, even worse than death."
Celeste was stunned. She wanted to say something but ultimately didn't. She just softly asked, "What are you planning to do? You can't just let her live outside forever."
Henry's voice was slightly hoarse as he stated, "Celeste, I want to create a world just for her."
Celeste was once again stunned. Creating a world for Grace seemed too crazy.
Henry guessed her thoughts and gave a bitter smile. "Love is inherently crazy."
He thought, 'if she can't remember, then let her be free from it! Those memories held both too much joy and sorrow, a heavy burden for her to bear.'
As long as they were still here, as long as he still had the determination to love her, no matter how much time or cost it took, what did it matter if he made her fall in love with him again?
While Celeste was left speechless, Henry said calmly, "I want to bring her back to my side as quickly as possible, no matter what identity she has. I want her to live with me. Celeste, you don't understand how I feel."
As Henry talked, he reached out his hand. Grace had been right next to him, but he couldn't bring himself to touch her. He had to act like they were strangers, even though they were clearly lovers.