The Ex I Forgot: A Lover Turned Enemy

mith Rock was shar

the next hold,

ot sl

dark

in a hos

e throbbed

brown hair pulled back in

d, a worr

You're

sked. My voi

me. How are

ts. What

climbing. Gave

elieved but

a concussion, some memor

d to s

loe said, gently

than?" she asked,

"Ethan? W

eyes w

me, her mouth

on't remember

y head. "

kay, Amy. Ethan is... was... your

ing. No flicker of recognition,

ember him at

Wow. Okay. Selective amnesia, m

ve with Ethan for years. Since coll

ll a face, a fe

"Even when you were together, it felt

pression t

u, Amy. He was always

ked, a strange cu

s hung up on her, even when he was with you. It

felt cold, even wit

why you went climbing that difficult route. You were tryi

in, a dull counterpo

here's a box. Under your bed. You

What wa

l Portland apartment,

simple

th dark hair, a charming

ooked at him with an expression of pure a

bs, dried flowers, a

account I'd forgotten. More pho

oicemails on

night. Something came up with Bell

ing so much. I'm busy."

ng: "Ethan, please, just talk

oed inside me, a pain that wasn't mine

not with my tear

felt like a heavy,

alized, was a gif

e. "I don't want

understandin

delete every

the cloud to the trash

cts. Ethan Cole. I pressed de

small, supportive

for yo

phone

he screen. "Cole's Provisions. My br

other.

, looking apologetic. "A

it. This void where Ethan was

I sat alone in t

ents. David and Sarah

trying to

alled us about the accident." My

erious." I decided not to tell them about the amne

id. "That Ethan... he was never

e picture anymo

nge. Why don't you come home to Phoenix for a while? Get away from Portland. We

from the emotional wreckage Chloe had descri

ng myself. "Maybe a chang

And the thought of leaving Portland, le

old my mom. "Tired of

ole truth, but i

d a new

lack thereof, had