She doesn't know who I am.

Uncas stared at Alice – an Alice who did not know who he was. His blood pounded in his brain, his heart seized, his stomach ran cold.

Alice had lost her memory somewhere in the nine years they had not seen each other. But when? How?

Uncas grappled with the fact – and truth – that the woman in front of him had no idea who he was.

It was unsettling. It was devastating.

"I see you have met my lovely sister-in-law," Nathaniel's cheerful voice cut through the tension. He drew up beside them, with his arm around a pretty, dark-haired woman whom Uncas assumed was his wife.

"Alice, meet Uncas. He is the brilliant architect who designed this place. Uncas, meet Alice. My darling sister-in-law who just moved to Hong Kong. Alice is a book editor, "Nathaniel rattled on, oblivious to his friend who remained as frozen as a statue. "And this is Cora, love of my life,"

Uncas blinked once and regained his composure, "Nice to meet you, Cora." Cora shook his outstretched hand with an infectious smile, "I've heard so much about you. Glad to finally meet you in person, Uncas."

Uncas shifted his gaze to Alice and extended his hand, "Hello, Alice."

Alice shook the man's hand gingerly, flinching as his warm, callused palm enclosed hers. Her eyes searched his warily as she replied, "Lovely to meet you, Uncas." He was gorgeous, Alice realised. Jet-black hair fell straight to a pair of broad shoulders. Deep-set, dark brown eyes was framed by fierce dark brows and high, sculpted cheekbones. His chin was strong and stubborn, his lips full and uncompromising. The black pants and dark grey shirt he wore did nothing to conceal his tall, athletic build, and his skin was the colour of rich maple syrup with a glimmer of amber.

She was as hauntingly beautiful as ever, Uncas noted detachedly. His heart, which had been racing earlier, had slowed to a dull, thudding rhythm. She no longer wore her dark blond hair to her waist but it was now cut to her a couple of inches past her shoulders. Her face was thinner, which made her grey eyes appear larger than he remembered. Her slim figure was clad in a simple, navy silk dress that bared her shoulders and legs below the knee. Diamond studs glittered at her ears, and a matching cuff adorned one wrist.

Alice commented politely, "You did a superb job with this place. It looks wonderful." He nodded briefly, "Thank you." Uncas suddenly felt suffocated. He murmured, "Excuse me for a second. I'm going to get some air." With that, he spun on his heel and headed for the glass doors that lead to the wraparound balcony.

Alice watched Uncas weave through the crowd, his towering, fit physique and striking handsomeness earning admiring looks from many women as he passed them. "I must say he is quite handsome in a brooding kind of way," Cora quipped, "Didn't you say he had a girlfriend?" Nathaniel shrugged, "Well, he was seeing someone. But it wasn't serious." He then winked at Alice, "You should ask him to show you around Hong Kong. Have dinner and drinks together,"

Alice groaned, "Nathaniel, please." "He is a great guy though he's real quiet. He reminds me of you, Alice," Nathaniel mused thoughtfully. Alice was about to answer him when her mobile phone vibrated in her clutch. She extracted the phone and when she saw who was calling, she said easily, "I'm going to take the call. I'll find you guys later."

Uncas took a deep breath and discovered that it physically hurt for him to do so. He fixed his gaze unseeingly at the glittery cityscape ahead, his mind working furiously. When did Alice lose her memory? The sight of her dredged up so much pain and rage that Uncas was amazed that he had not passed out there and then when she shook his hand, like he was a stranger.

Nine years ago, she never sought him out that night in London as promised. She never contacted him after that last, curt phone call. Not one word. Not one email. Not one text message. Nine years ago, she kicked him out of her life and married another man shortly after.

Nine years earlier

Uncas sat on the couch and stared at the bed that he and Alice spent hours cuddling, chatting and making love. He was back in the U.S. He had not seen or heard from Alice for a month. Uncas had stayed in London for almost two weeks, waiting for Alice to call or seek him out at his hotel.

He had called tried calling her family home but all he got was a weary housekeeper on the receiving end who tersely informed each time Miss Alice was not taking any callers. He managed to get the address but had hung in the shadows for one day, watching the front gate. But no one except the housekeeper seemed to be in residence. Her mobile phone seemed to be permanently switched off. With no other way of getting to her, Uncas decided to return to the States.

A quick check with the university administration revealed Alice had not contacted them either. Was she going to return for the next school term? Uncas had visited Alice's apartment and while he had refused to search the place because he thought it a violation of privacy, he packed up whatever meagre belongings he had there.

Because they had dated under the radar, literally no one knew they had been together. On hindsight, Uncas wondered bitterly whether Alice had suggested that because she intended to cast him off eventually. He did not exist to her family and friends, and they had not taken many pictures. He only had a couple stored in his mobile phone.

Uncas ran his fingers along the couch, imagining Alice's slim length sprawled across it, her head in his lap, her hands reaching up to gently cup his cheeks with a smile. She had loved doing that. Uncas' head drooped against the wall behind him. How could she give up what they had together just like that? Had Alice genuinely chosen fortune over him? Had she ever loved Uncas at all?

Two months later, Alice did not return to campus and Uncas found out a request was made to transfer her credits. Three months after that on Christmas Day, Uncas thumbed through a London-based daily and read that his former English lover had married her "childhood sweetheart" on Christmas Eve at a fancy cathedral, dressed in a custom-made designer wedding gown with a train longer than a bus. A coloured picture of the smiling, blissful couple took centre stage of the society pages.

Present

Uncas' ears pricked as he heard the soft click of heels on the granite floor. The balcony snaked around the entire perimeter of the lower floor of the duplex. He sensed it was Alice even before he heard her voice.

"Hello, Ash," he heard her greet warmly into her mobile phone. Uncas' interest was reluctantly piqued. Nathaniel had mentioned in passing before that his sister-in-law was divorced from her banking heir of a husband but remained on very friendly terms with him. Apparently, the couple still met frequently even after their separation two years earlier.

The business merger had not suffered too much either since both families decided not to tread down the acrimonious path, thus retaining the confidence of their elite clientele. Now that Uncas knew that Alice was the sister-in-law in question, he was more than curious as to the reason for the divorce. At least he knew the reason of his own failed marriage and divorce.

Uncas refused to eavesdrop so he padded further down the length of the balcony until Alice's voice was little more than a muffled hum. He peered into the distance, where ships slowly ambled by the harbour. It was Saturday the next day. Uncas wondered whether he should take a morning hike on one of the numerous mountainous ranges or take it easy with a lazy brunch at one of the myriad fashionable cafes that dotted the city. Or maybe he could indulge in Dim Sum at one his favourite restaurants and hop on a bus after to one of the beaches to idle his time away in the sun.

"A penny for your thoughts?"

Uncas jerked his head to the side. Alice was looking at him, her expression bemused. Uncas straightened his body, "Haven't heard that term used in a long time." Alice let out a low chuckle and Uncas' heart squeezed. She still laughed the same way. Then he mentally kicked himself – Alice had lost her memory, not her personality. "There is probably some acronym for it now. I don't understand half the terms my nephews use in their daily speech," she admitted with a rueful smile as she came over to him, her fingers trailing on the railing.

"People don't talk much nowadays. They text everything." Uncas replied dismissively as she glided to a stop next to him. They both turned to face the city lights in unison, and silence lapsed between them. After a good five minutes, Alice finally asked, "Which part of the U.S are you from?" "New York," Uncas answered, his voice steady though his gut clenched in anticipation of her reply. But all Alice did was nod, "Ah. I spent part of my growing years there."

You spent months of your college years in bed with me, Uncas wanted to snap but he bit his lip viciously and instead responded cordially, "When was the last time you were there?" Something akin to uncertainty flitted across her eyes. Uncas would make missed it if he had not been observing her like a hawk. She schooled her features back into her previous cool façade in the next moment, "A few months ago." She did not offer further information and Uncas did not press her.

"What about you? Nathaniel mentioned you have lived all over the world. When was the last time you visited New York?" Alice queried lightly. Uncas could feel her eyes roving over his profile so he obligingly angled his face towards her and snagged her gaze, "Nine years ago. I haven't been home in nine years."

There was something about the man in front of her that unnerved Alice. Those dark eyes were guarded yet they seem to pierce into her soul whenever his eyes met hers. His voice was deep and husky, but his tone was strangely flat though he was courteous. For some reason, Alice sensed Uncas did not like her much at all and was perturbed. She figured she should try to make more conversation since he was Nathaniel's good friend.

She wracked her brain for the bits of information Nathaniel had fed her over the last couple of months about the ingenious architect. She vaguely recalled he supposedly was part Native American and had a Ph.D in architecture. Plus, he was widely known as one of the rising stars of the design world, renowned for his minimalist, sophisticated style. There was only one other partner in his architectural firm – a German interior designer who was as revered as he was. Alice latched onto that piece of intel gratefully.

"I heard you and your partner are a force to be reckoned with. Clients usually commission both of you together to work on a project because the outcome is reportedly amazing when that happens," Alice blurted out and flushed with embarrassment. She sounded so gauche, which was unlike her. So much for being the ex-daughter-in-law of an aristocratic family. Uncas arched a dark brow cynically, "We should work better together than most since we were once married."

Alice's mouth fell open in shock. That Nathaniel did not tell her. Was he even privy to that fact?

Before Alice could think of an answer, Uncas dipped his head brusquely, "I should go in. Preston is going to make a speech soon." He pushed off the railing and started for the glass doors. "You should ask him to show you around Hong Kong." Nathaniel's suggestion reverberated in Alice's head. Why should she? Why would she?

She did not even know this man and he sure was not interested in knowing her. But as she watched his tall, powerful figure stride away, she was overcome with a sense of unwarranted urgency. If she let him walk away now… Alice did not want to think why she cared about the consequences. She just knew she could not the enigmatic man walk away just like that.

Swallowing her pride, Alice called out, her voice soft but clear, "I... we… can you show me around Hong Kong? I haven't really explored…" Her voice died off nervously when he stilled, his back and shoulders pulled taut. He did not turn around. He did not answer her. Alice was stunned how dejected she felt. She saw him take a step forward and her eyes lowered to the floor in acute shame. He was not even going to dignify her request with a reply.

Uncas could not believe what he was hearing and damnest to hell, he was utterly disoriented. Alice asking him out when he was a stranger to her? Why? Were there residual feelings lost somewhere in her? Or was she attracted to him all over again?

Uncas did not know whether to laugh or cry. Either way, he felt so bloody cheated by the woman standing behind him. How could she not remember anything when he never could forget a single thing despite trying so hard over the past nine years? When did she lose her memory? The timing was so important to him he had to physically restrain himself from spinning around and shaking the answer out of her.

Maybe he should just walk up to her and demand, "When did you lose your memory?" It would create the most bizarre, awkward situation since she would immediately know they had knew each other before but had no clue of their relationship unless he sought to disclose that detail to her. Uncas was caught between a rock and a hard place.

It was simply a ridiculous scenario he was facing and the woman who was the cause of it all was blissfully ignorant. Hell, she had just blithely attempted to pick him up at a party. Alice Munro. Shy, sweet Alice Munro picking up a man she had known for 15 minutes. Technically, she had known him for nine years… or at least the months they had been together but she did not know that.

Uncas was so angry and frustrated he wanted to punch something. A wall, a table… anything to diffuse the hollow pain eating at him. If he spilled the beans they had been previously involved… she may feel obligated to spend time with him. The very notion of Alice being obligated to spend time with him left a rancid taste in his mouth.

That would be lower than low, and Uncas would rather they never met again. Though he wished at the very moment they had not met again. He had been better off hating her for heartlessly dumping and duping him than his current messed up state of helplessness and bewildered confusion.

Uncas' gut instinct told him Alice was presently physically drawn to him but he felt no pleasure. Instead, he felt only disgust and resignation that he had managed to catch her eye again even though she had no memory of him. Physical attraction… was that all she had felt for him those years ago too? Did he just happen to be her "type"? A stud worthy only of a roll in the hay? He did not know and Alice sure as hell did not know either in her current state.

Would he be able to jolt her memory if he spent time with her? Uncas realised that he did not wish to force her memory on her by doing and showing her things that they had experienced as a couple. No, he wanted her to remember him on her own accord. He wanted her to remember… and give him the explanation she had owed him for the past nine years.

He slowly rotated to face her. Alice's eyes were downcast – she was expecting Uncas to reject her. "I would like that, "he bit out through gritted teeth. He felt like he was tumbling back in time to the cursed morning he woke up in his hotel in London and found out Alice was marrying another man.

Her head sprung up in astonishment and she stuttered, "You would?"

Uncas whispered tonelessly, "I would like that very much."

Nine years earlier

"Shall we spend Christmas in Switzerland?" Alice wondered aloud, a coffee mug in one hand, a glossy travel magazine balanced in the other. She sat cross-legged on the couch in her apartment, with Uncas half-sprawled in her lap, his eyes closed. It was almost noon on a Saturday and they had decided to sleep in.

"Mmmmmm…" he murmured, burrowing his head deeper into her warm, pliant body. He heard her laugh softly above him as she stroked his hair affectionately.

"I'm wasting my breath, am I? You are not listening at all," she scolded teasingly. Her fingers skated down and she started drawing circles on his nape. "We'll rent a remote cabin and ski all day. We'll cook piping hot stews every evening, watch our favourite films, camp in front of the fire…" she went on, her fingers now kneading the tight muscles at the base of his neck and shoulders.

Uncas cracked open one bleary eye, "I would like that." Without warning, he rolled off the couch, yanking Alice with him down on the floor. She landed under him, her nightgown hiked up mid-thigh. Uncas' hand languidly roved upwards from her knee and he growled, "We would camp in front of the fire and do this…"

Alice shivered as his hand slid higher and she slid her arms around his neck, "You would like that, would you?"

He smiled down at her, his eyes burning with so much unbridled tender desire that Alice's breath caught.

Uncas whispered hoarsely, "I would like that very much."

Present

They did not spend Christmas cuddled up in front of the fire in Switzerland in the end.

Alice had probably spent her Christmas cuddled up in some century-old manor with her aristocratic husband.

Uncas had spent Christmas packing up his New York apartment and had taken the last flight out to Munich. That was the last time he was in New York.

In the present, Uncas stared hardly at Alice, all the forgotten pain and memories from nine years ago came flooding back.

When she shot him a tentative smile, looking relieved that he had agreed, his jaw locked in response.

If this was what he had to do to make her remember him... he was all willing till she did.

Even if it killed him.

Author's note

I added to the last part because I felt it sounded incomplete where I previously left it. I have been trying to imagine what it would beto be in Uncas' shoes... and I concluded it would be simply horrible. To realise someone you loved so much to not know of your existence... devastating. I hoped I managed to convey Uncas' feelings and turmoil to some extent. And hope everyone is enjoying the story :)