Chapter 90 The Missing Memories
Chapter 90 The Missing Memories
He looked like Alex. Exactly like him. But his mannerisms… his politeness… his tone… nothing aligned with the man she loved. It was as if someone had copied his face and erased everything else.
How could that be possible?
“Ma’am, are you alright?” a voice spoke near her. One of her bodyguards had approached cautiously. “I just informed Mr. Andrew. He said he’d be here as soon as possible.”
She barely registered the words. Without replying, Rainee walked toward the entrance Justin and Alex had disappeared through.
The moment she stepped inside, she froze again.
Half the seats were filled with teenage girls, every single one of them facing the same direction. Their attention was fixed on a small stage near the back. Her gaze followed theirs,
And there he was.
Alex stood before a microphone, now wearing sunglasses. He cleared his throat, composed and confident, and the crowd quieted instantly.
Then he began to sing.
“Feelin’ like I’m floatin’
Something’s in the air tonight…”
The sound of his voice stunned her to the core. She had never heard him sing before. His tone was magnetic, smooth, rich, and so full of quiet power that it tugged at the edges of her soul.
For one terrifying and beautiful moment, she wondered if she had unknowingly married a celebrity.
He continued,
Every note pulled her deeper under. The longer he sang, the harder it became to breathe. Her heartbeat quickened, not just with recognition, but with awe.
“Love me at my lowest
I’ll love you when you're barely holdin’ on
Lightin’ up the darkness
I can be a shoulder when you’re not strong.”
Her chest tightened. The lyrics slid beneath her skin, sharp and tender all at once. It sounded like a confession. Like a memory. Like him.
He didn’t pause.
“Closer to you
Take you like my last breath
Took me, that’s the first step…”
Her pulse hammered as the room dissolved around her. The other girls were enthralled, enraptured, some nearly in tears, but they didn’t understand him. They couldn’t. Not like she did.
He was still singing,
“Closer, with the silk dress
Feelin’ your warm embrace
Devil always tempting
But who gon’ end the sentence?
We’re not meant to blend in…”
Rainee’s mind flooded with memories, arguments, laughter, quiet moments in the dark, unspoken promises, the softness of his voice when no one else was listening.
She gripped the back of a nearby chair to steady herself.
“Push and pull to get closer, closer…”
The song continued, each word slicing into the fragile parts of her heart.
“We tried again
Said wouldn’t lie
But I lied again…”
Why did it hurt so much? Why did it feel as though he was singing fragments of their past?
Tears burned behind her eyes.
“This ain’t right
Who’s wrong again?
We been tired
Restart again…”
Every line felt deliberate. Every breath he took sounded like a ghost of their story.
“Negative and positive
Bringin’ us closer…”
When the song ended, the restaurant erupted into applause and cheers. He smiled shyly and bowed before stepping off the stage.
Rainee moved to an empty table nearby, her feet guiding her without thought. She sat down, eyes still fixed on the stage he had just walked away from.
Her gaze drifted to the small message on the table,
PLEASE DON’T MOVE YOUR TABLE OR CHAIR FROM ITS ORIGINAL PLACE.
She didn’t understand the meaning at first, until he stepped back into view and began taking orders.
He didn’t look at the customers. He didn’t glance at the tables. Instead, he walked with practiced steps, notebook in hand, as though every inch of the place lived in his memory.
The notice made sense now. He wasn’t lost. He navigated the room with certainty.
When he reached her table, he paused, unaware of who sat there.
“May I take your order?” he asked politely.
Her throat tightened. She forced her voice steady. “One coffee, please.”
His smile slowly faded. The slight change in his expression told her he’d recognized her voice, even if he pretended not to.
“I’m sorry,” he said flatly. “We don’t serve coffee.”
He had already turned to leave when she spoke again, trying to hold herself together.
“Then bring me whatever your favorite is.”
He hesitated. She could practically feel the argument forming in his mind, but then, unexpectedly…
“Alright,” he said quietly. “Your order will be ready soon.”
He walked toward the kitchen without another word.
A few minutes later, Justin stepped out instead. His eyes swept over the tables until they landed on her. This time, he gave her a sincere smile.
He approached her with a dish in his hand.
She didn’t look at the food. “Where is he?”
“J-Star doesn’t serve,” Justin replied, studying her carefully. “He only takes orders.”
“When will he be free?”
Justin narrowed his eyes in open suspicion. “Why are you so interested in him?”
Rainee’s shoulders slumped. Fighting back frustration, she let out a long breath.
“He’s my husband,” she said quietly.
Justin blinked, confused, and clearly unconvinced.
“I’m not lying,” she added quickly. She reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. “Look. Here.”
She showed him several photos, one on Alex’s island, their wedding picture, and more from their engagement and ceremonies. Sam’s eyes widened. He sat down beside her, scrolling through each photo as though afraid to blink.
“His name is Alex Fraser,” Rainee continued, her voice shaking with both fear and relief. “He went missing seven months ago. I was going through too much at the time, and in a moment of anger, I told him to leave me alone. I never thought he’d actually disappear. When did you first meet him?”
Justin stared ahead, expression frozen. Then something seemed to click.
“Seven months ago,” he murmured, the memory resurfacing. “I was fishing near the shore and found him lying there unconscious. I took him to the hospital. When I asked his name, he said he couldn’t remember anything. He had nowhere to go, so I gave him a job here. Since he couldn’t recall his name, I called him J-Star.”
Her breath hitched.
She knew it. She had known from the moment she saw him.
Tears welled in her eyes as the reality sunk in. She grabbed Justin's hands instinctively, startling him.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you so much for helping him--”
He flushed with embarrassment and gently pulled his hands away.
“It’s nothing,” he mumbled. “He’s helped me a lot too. My business has been booming because of him. After I hired him, girls started coming in bec--”
Justin stopped mid-sentence, catching himself before finishing the thought. He chuckled awkwardly.
“But he’s never dated anyone,” he added quickly. “He doesn’t give attention to any girl. I promise.”
Her heart fluttered in relief. For the first time in months, hope didn’t feel like a betrayal.
“Thank you so much, Justin,” she said softly. “I just… I need to ask, how did he become blind? When I last met him, he was perfectly fine.”
To be continued