Nine years ago

"How is she?"

Ashleigh blurted out the second Cora exited Alice's hospital room, which was housed in the hushed private wing of the hospital that she had been rushed to two nights earlier Alice had undergone an emergency surgery to remove a blood clot in her brain, and the procedure had been successful. Miraculously, the only other injury she suffered was a fractured arm. The doctors expected her to recover fully but had placed her in an induced coma to prevent further swelling of the brain.

Ashleigh had seen Alice been sideswiped by another car in front of his eyes. He was the one who called the ambulance, and fortunately, it came quickly enough and managed to extract Alice from her wrecked car without too much hindrance. Ashleigh had just enough time to call his and Alice's families before heading to the hospital.

When Ashleigh's father found out which hospital Alice was going to be sent, he made an urgent call to the hospital's director, who happened to be one of his golf cronies. The duke requested a private room for Alice to recuperate after whatever emergency treatment she was going to receive. Both families reached the hospital together and Ashleigh was pulled aside by his father, "Where in heavens was she rushing to in this weather?"

Ashleigh stared blankly at the closed doors of the operating room that Alice was in, "Her lover. She was going to see her lover to tell him the news of our engagement." The duke was stunned, but managed to croak out incredulously, "Lover? Alice? Is he in London?" Ashleigh shook his head dazedly, "I don't think so. I think he is in New York. She was upset and rattling that she was going to find him. I assume she meant she wanted to take the next flight to New York." His father pinched the bridge of his nose, "He is in London or she would not have been so frantic. She knows the engagement would be published in the newspapers tomorrow and she wanted to warn him."

Ashleigh muttered incoherently, "We have to call the reporters and tell them we are calling off the engagement until we find out how Alice is…" His father murmured, "We are not calling off the engagement. What would the Munros think of us? Let me call my contacts at all the papers. If they had not caught whiff of the accident, we shan't tell them of it. If they suspect something, I'll make sure they do not report it."

Ashleigh snapped, "I am not calling off the engagement because I fear Alice may turn out too damaged to be my bride. I am calling it off because it is ridiculous to announce such merry news when Alice's life is hanging in the balance at this very moment!"

"We cannot just call off the engagement one day after celebrating it. The reporters would smell a rat and may dig deeper. I cannot believe Alice has a lover," the duke retorted. He eyed his son shrewdly, "Do not tell me both of you had planned to go through the party and then call the whole thing off a few months later." When Ashleigh jerked his gaze away guiltily, the duke growled, "Have you lost your mind? Are you not aware this is more than a mere marriage?" "I refuse to force Alice's hand. I only insisted we go through the whole announcement because it was too late for us to do anything with the reporters all present. What were you thinking to spring this surprise on us?" Ashleigh railed, pacing the corridor. His father crossed his arms, "Why did the two of you not express your unwillingness earlier? Both families have discussed it numerous times over the years and we assumed silence meant agreement."

When his son stubbornly glared at the floor, the truth struck the Duke, "You do want to marry her. You do really want to marry her."

Ashleigh blinked and returned to the present where Cora stood in front of him, looking drained and exhausted. She managed a wan smile, "She woke up about two hours ago. The doctors said she is fine and the surgery went well. But…" Ashleigh seized Cora's wrist urgently, "But?" "She is suffering from temporary memory loss. She can't remember why she was in the accident, what happened before it. I questioned her for a few minutes earlier. She can't remember anything that happened in past two years or so, "Cora related tiredly. Then her gaze sharpened imperceptibly and she added, "She can't remember him."

Present

Uncas clapped politely and raised his glass respectfully when Preston thanked him for designing the place. As the guests reverted to their party mode, he turned to Nathaniel who was beside him. Cora and Alice had gone off to join a group of ladies on the second level. "Funny that you never mentioned your wife belonged to the famous family of financiers, "Uncas quipped. Nathaniel shrugged, "Cora doesn't like to highlight the family connection so I don't. I was a little surprised she mentioned that fact to you earlier. I guess she figures we are close enough friends." If Nathaniel had dropped the Munro name earlier, Uncas would have known immediately he was the brother-in-law to Alice. Uncas vaguely recalled Alice comment in passing that her sister married an American all those years ago. It was strange how fate worked since here they were congregated in Hong Kong, with Uncas being the only person aware of their intertwined past.

"I bumped into Alice on the terrace. She said she used to live in New York," Uncas continued, his tone deceptively light. Nathaniel stiffened noticeably at that before flashing a forced grin, "Yeah, the family lived there for a few years when the girls were growing up." A taboo topic in the family, obviously, Uncas concluded grimly. Alice had been equally uncomfortable talking about New York. He was certain that Nathaniel was privy to Alice's memory loss, though he suspected his friend did not know much about how that loss was linked to Alice's time in New York. Did anyone know except himself, Uncas pondered as he swirled his glass of champagne. His phone vibrated with an incoming text message and he pulled it out of his pocket. It was his business partner and ex-wife, Steffi, who helmed their main office in Germany when she was not off somewhere around the globe plying her craft. Uncas decided to call her instead of texting his reply. She was currently in Shanghai for meetings so there was no time difference.

Alice made her way back to the corner where Uncas lurked, nursing his champagne with an ambivalent air. As she got closer, she saw that he was on his mobile phone. He was conversing in rapid-fire German, she realised when she reached his side. He spoke for another minute or so before clicking off, "Sorry. A work call." Alice teased, "Not much of a party person, are you?" Uncas cocked his head at her, "Neither are you." It sounded more like a statement than guess work on his part. His calm, confident tone rattled Alice and she gave herself a mental shake. Throwing him a bright smile to hide her inner turmoil, she asked, "So when are we going to start my guided tour of Hong Kong?" There was a slight pause before he returned mildly, "Tomorrow. We can start with brunch." He proceeded to name a meeting place and time, and Alice nodded in agreement. To be honest, she was puzzled by Uncas' behaviour. She sensed he was reluctant inwardly yet outwardly, he was actively making plans for the next day. Why was he doing it?

Uncas glanced at his watch. He just had enough time to shower before heading out to meet Alice. Steffi had called him in the morning with a last-minute request from one of their regular clients and he had been working on it ever since. He let out a growl of relief and hit the 'send' button, emailing the amended design to Steffi. He grabbed his phone and dialled his ex-wife, "Just sent it over. I'll be out the whole day so if there is anything else, it gotta wait till tomorrow." Steffi laughed warmly, "Don't worry. I'll handle it from here. Enjoy your Saturday, Cas Cas." Uncas smiled at the childhood nickname coined by Steffi when they had met at precocious six-year-olds in Munich almost three decades ago. Steffi had been the only child of the couple that had lived next door to Uncas' maternal grandparents. The two children had gone on like a house on fire since Steffi was as athletic as Uncas. They had learnt how to climb trees, swim, trek mountains, ride horses, ski, cycle and much more together. She could not pronounce his name then so she strangely settled for 'Cas Cas' and it had stuck all these years.

Steffi. Uncas' gaze landed on the framed picture at the corner of his desk, which featured himself, a tawny blond woman and a handsome teenage boy with the exact same colouring as her. It had been taken the previous summer when they had vacationed in Italy.

Steffi and Uncas had gotten married eight years ago. It was a year after Uncas left New York for Munich. Steffi had been in a long-term relationship with her high school sweetheart and had a son with him, marriage seemingly never on the cards. But her boyfriend had taken off with another woman and left Steffi to bring up the child by herself. Steffi, being Steffi, simply moved on with her then four-year-old son, Tristan. She had a successful career and belonged to old money so she was financially secure. It was also the time Uncas had arrived, bags packed, from New York, to hole himself up in Munich.

It had taken awhile for Uncas to get back on his feet after Alice's bizarre disappearance. He had stayed with his grandparents in Munich, working to complete his thesis. By then, Steffi had moved back to stay with her parents and Uncas spent many afternoons playing with Tristan while Steffi went to work in the day. The boy was as sharp as a whip, with an astounding intellect beyond his four years.

One night, he had gotten drunk in the yard and Steffi returned late from the office after working overnight. She had joined him and in a moment of weakness, he had blurted out the entire story to her. She brought it up the next morning and Uncas had been mortified. That was the last time he had gotten drunk. They had discussed their respective careers and Steffi suddenly suggested the idea of starting a design firm together. She was a trained interior designer and he, an architect. They trusted each other implicitly and would be perfect as business partners.

When Uncas hesitantly mentioned the capital required, Steffi had shot him a wry grin, "Cas Cas, I haven't touched my trust fund at all. Get clients, get work, and pay me back if that's what you want to do." Uncas had taken a leap of faith and had done just that. As for their marriage, it had been somewhat a practical, natural progression as they worked around the clock together to get the business off the ground. Uncas was not unaware that Steffi was an attractive woman and besides, he adored Tristan, and vice versa. Tristan needed a father and Uncas was willing to be that paternal figure. Steffi knew him as well as his own family and well, in a way, he loved her like family. So he had proposed and she had collapsed in laughter. When she finally composed herself, she asked bluntly, "What about your English lover?" "She is no longer relevant," he had answered truthfully. Steffi studied him for a long moment, considered Tristan, their lifelong friendship and budding business, and gracefully accepted his proposal with a peck on his cheek. They registered their marriage the following week and started formal proceedings for Uncas to adopt Tristan soon after.

They genuinely enjoyed a happy marriage, though it felt more like an extension of their business partnership as they moved from city to city, wherever work called them, lugging Tristan all over the globe. Chingachcook, Uncas' father, had finally put his foot down and insisted Tristan settle down permanently for his education, at least for his middle and high school years. After much thought and research, Uncas and Steffi decided to enrol Tristan into a boarding school in Connecticut. Uncas' parents were high school teachers there and could keep an eye on him on weekends. Furthermore, Tristan had been attending the American School in the numerous cities they had lived in and was more accustomed to the US scholastic system than the German system. His parents bought a house there so that Uncas' grandparents and Steffi's parents had a place to stay when they visited. And they visited very often. Uncas' mother had complained that her parents never visited the US that much before Tristan started schooling there. The boy was the apple of everyone's eye.

Alice.

Uncas shaded his eyes against the sun as he observed Alice from his seat on the elevated terrace above their designated meeting place. She stood there patiently, bouncing on the balls of feet lightly. He decided he would head down earlier to grab a coffee before his "date" with Alice. A quick glance at her watch showed that she was ten minutes early – her penchant for punctuality had not changed. She was dressed in dark skinny jeans cropped at the ankles, a white shirt and a pair of red ballet flats. Her hair was swept into a loose ponytail at the nape, with a pair of sunglasses propped above her forehead. Seeing Alice in front of him still felt surreal to Uncas. She didn't feel real.

Alice sipped her iced coffee with a murmur of genuine appreciation, "This is good." Uncas flicked a brief smile in response as he dug into his pasta. On all fronts, they were having an amicable time. Uncas was a good conversationalist and had impeccable manners. He had brought her to a chic café known for its coffee and brunch, and Alice was enjoying her meal. And the company… but was he?

While Uncas chatted easily, providing insights about the city, Alice sensed something was amiss. There was something in his eyes that intrigued and troubled her at the same time. She decided to bite the bullet, "Uncas?" He halted in mid-sentence of describing his favourite hiking trail and raised one dark brow inquiringly. "Did Nathaniel put you up to this before I asked you to show me around?" she quipped lightly, staring into his enigmatic gaze with a mock frown, "You look as if you rather be having tea with your accountant."

"No." he refuted shortly, and did not elaborate. The rest of the meal passed in stilted silence as both of them turned their attention to the meal before them. Another half an hour passed before they settled the bill and left the café. Slapping a fixed smile on her face, she said coldly, "Thank you for the delicious meal. Have a lovely afternoon." She had decided during the meal that it was simply not done to continue the date with him. He was obviously having a terrible time and she had no idea why. Was she awful company, Alice wondered tremulously. Alice knew she was socially bereft in many ways since she had always been shy and intimidated by crowds. But over the years, she had learnt to be more initiative and forthcoming in groups where required.

Ashleigh had been her first lover… but not her last since their divorce. She had gone out with several pleasant men but never thought of pursuing a more serious relationship with any of them. Alice was well aware she suffered a psychological block somewhere when it came to developing romantic feelings. She had loved Ashleigh but she had not been in love with him. Trust and familiarity were probably the reasons why she had dated him – though she honestly could not recall the process altogether.

After waking up from her coma, she was told she had gotten into an accident right after getting engaged to Ashleigh. She had seen the news of their engagement in the papers. When Alice asked where she had been heading to after the party, Cora had explained she had rushed off without an explanation, thus everyone figured she had gotten a call from a friend. Her mobile phone had been smashed to pieces because of the crash and could not be salvaged. Who had called her? Who had she been planning to meet?

Her mind flashed to her journal that contained dribs and drabs of her lost memories. "I like waiting for you." Alice was sure someone… that someone she had forgotten… had said that to her. Something had made that someone utter that to her. It was not a common phrase. Though Alice could not remember the person's voice, she strangely remembered the melting warmth of the moment that it was being said. She blinked as her thoughts returned to her current situation, which unfortunately was far from exuding melting warmth.

Alice shot Uncas a stiff smile, "Till the next party." She spun on her heel and took off at a brisk pace. Uncas felt his throat close in on him as he watched Alice trot quickly down the slope. Away from him, her back to him. This was the scene that was missing from his memory of Alice. The sight of her leaving him. Even at the airport nine years ago, she had skipped backward, waving at him with a huge smile on her face until they could no longer see each other. It was that last glowing smile that had gripped his heart occasionally over the years, squeezing it so tightly that it was excruciating to take a breath. Alice leaving him…

Uncas did not even realise his feet was moving forward until he broke into a jog to catch up with her. He caught her wrist and she yelped in shock. "No. Don't." he uttered sharply. "I beg your pardon?" Alice stammered, her head tilting back automatically to meet his eyes. They were not coolly polite now but were glinting brightly.

"Don't." He repeated fiercely, his fingers wrapped loosely but firmly around her wrist. Alice felt her cool skin rapidly heat under them. Warm. He was so warm. She shivered involuntarily as the unexpected hotness of his touch. "Don't… what?" Alice whispered dazedly.

"Don't go."

Author's Note

Hi guys! Sorry for the long wait. Work and life have been absolute crazy and eventful, and only started to slow down recently. Many thanks to those who left messages while I was MIA. I'll definitely be finishing all my stories… so don't worry too much. I thought I would explain Uncas' side of things a little more in this chapter. Hope you'll enjoy this as much as the previous chapters! XXOO