Before she had the chance to even process, talk less respond to the text she has received, a sudden hand on her shoulder startled her. "Sony I'm late." The voice apologized.

Her body suddenly became alert and she nearly snapped her head around to view the owner of the hand who stepped beside her. "Damn you Riley!" She hissed.

The man chuckled at her reaction, removing his hand from her shoulder.

"My, my, you really are mad, aren't you?" He joked and pulled the chair opposite her and seated down.

"You think? Anastasia asked sarcastically and shook her head, hastily burying her phone inside her purse. "What took you so long?"

"I was stuck in traffic, had a meeting and all that jazz, Lloyd waved his hand dismissively. "Now, how about we order?

Anastasia so wanted to take him up on his words, traffic and all, but today, no recently, she wasn't really in the mood to play cat and mouse, mote so after seeing the text message she had just gotten. Remembering it for a moment was enough to have her fingers curlying around the table cloth.

In down, it might just be a prank. She told herself while Lloyd raised his hand and beckoned the waitress over.

"Two glasses of lemonade and uh," He paused to glance at Anastasia, who was still looking somewhat distracted. "Anastasia, you hungry?"

"Huh?"

"Food, are you hungry? Lloyd questionedquestioned, watching as she blinkes a handful of times as if too think deeply about his simple question before shaking her head. "Oh, uh, no.

Lloyd nodded his head and ordered two plates of pasta, handing the waitress the menu and sending her off.

"Are you okay?" He asked once they were alone.

"Yes, of course." Anastasia said.

Lloyd didn't believe her, but saw no reason to push on. He had simple asked out of courtesy, so, whether she really was okay or not, wasn't really any of his business. "Okay then, shall we get started?" He asked, clapping his hands together and smiling.

"Yeah, we should." Anastasia replied. "So, you have a plan or not?"

At her question, Lloyd brought out his phone and placed it on the table, sliding it to her. "Here, is operation memory recovery."

Anastasia took the phone and glanced at the screen. The moment she did, she couldn't help but frown.

"This is just a list of random activities."

*Exactly." Lloyd smiled, clearly proud. "The best way to help one recover their memory is to do activities they're familiar with. Says medical research."

"Medical research?" Anastasia repeated, her frown growing deeper.

"Yup." Lloyd said, popping the 'P. "I looked it up."

Anastasia shook her head and handed the phone back to him. "Look, I don't know what the hell you're thinking, but, there is no way Gabriel's memory can be treated with a bunch of random activities. You need a professional and a plan. A good one." Lloyd grumbled underneath his breath, annoyed by the fact that Anastasia was shooting down his plan.

"Alright then," He said, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the chair. "How do you propose we handle this?"

"How do I propose? This is your idea, you brought me out here because you had an idea to help my best friend and her son, my godson, but well, from the looks of it, you've got nothing"

Lloyd didn't seem too pleased with her answer and his frown deepened.

"Well, if you've got a better plan, speak up."

At his words, Anastasia opened her mouth, ready to speak. Only, she paused and closed it.

She had a plan, well, kind of,

She wasn't sure it her idea would work, or if it was a good idea, but, it was better than nothing

"I do "She spoke

"Really?" Lloyd asked, raising a brow. "Care to share it?"

"Gladly." Anastasia said, leaning forward and flashing a smirk.

"Alright, let's hear it."

"The key to regaining lost memories is to make the person relive their old days. So, if Gabriel is going to regain his memories, he needs to relive his old life."

Lloyd seemed to have been thinking over her words, nodding his head a few times.

"Okay," He said. "So what's the plan?"

Gabriel needs to live with Leonica," She painfully admitted, cringing at the thought and the thought of her friend's face if she were to suggest something like this to her. ay, I'm all for that."

Walt," Anastasia raised her hand. "You are?

Lloyd nodded his head. "Why wouldn't I? If living with his ex wife would help him, why wouldn't I be for it."

"Wow, didn't think you'd actually agree"

"And why's that?" Lloyd asked with a slight pout as he leaned forward on the table.

Anastasia stared at him for a few seconds, seemingly caught in the look in his eyes but after a few seconds, she shook her head and waved her hand dismissively.

"Never mind," She said and glanced away, watching as the waitress approached.

Lloyd on the other hand, watched her, something about the way she has been acting, now avoiding his gaze and all, pricked him. Perhaps it was because no woman, at least the ones he had scored, never did something like this. Maybe it was a sign that she was different. In a good way?

Lloyd couldn't help but scoff at the thought, shaking his head and chuckling, not knowing what else to do.

"Maybe I'm just imagining things.'

With a deep breath, Lloyd sighed.

"Yeah, I probably am."

Two days later, Gabriel was discharged from the hospital, given a few drugs to help with the recovery of small scratches and the stab wound and some to help with his memory, Simply vitamins, nothing too much. Once that was taken care of, his papers of discharge were handed over and after a short conversation Bill left his office

However, on their way out, Gabriel spotted two familiar faces standing outside the hospital, "Hey," He called out.

with Doctor Baile

Bailey, he along with

The two, whom had been conversing turned their heads and the younger one's lips instantly curved into a smile when he saw his father. "Daddy!" Ashley called out and rushed towards him. Gabriel caught him with a grunt, wincing slightly when he felt a sharp pain on his right shoulder.

"How are you champ?" He asked.

"Fine." Ashley answered while his mother's presence looked behind him and soon she placed her hand on his head, ruttling his hair "Hey, you need to be careful. Your dad still needs to recover." She scolded him gently Ashley nodded his head. "I will, mominy.'

H

"Good." She said and glanced at Gabriel Hey." Her greeting was so quiet that not only did Gabriel nearly miss it because of the volume, but also because he had not expected her to great first

corner of his lips unconsciously stretching. "How

to leave?" She asked, changing the subject,

He pointed back to the assistant who bowed once his

the word. "Can we follow daddy home?"

No!" Leonica shook her

He whined, a

this. Your

with you guys coming around."

the same time, the

Ertel nodded.

said while nodding. "I'm sure

I with

Gabriel grinned. "So, are you guys coming or

house she and Gabriel had shared

watched as her son cheered loudly, jumping

""Yay!" He exclaimed.

help but chuckde, but that soon disappeared when he noticed

He couldn't understand why. Hadn't it

she had

felt uncomfortable being there, even though it was

let's go. He told her, watching as she looked at him in the eye and nodded her

towards the car, Bill holding

quickly walked around the car, got in and started

and the older man listened, smiling at his son's excitement. Leonica on the other hand, remained silent, occasionally stealing glances at the man sitting next

A part o

suddenly wondered if he was going to be different

to expect, those words concluded her thoughts as they pulled into the familiar drive way of

in. The

place of good and bad memories, both which she couldn't decide if she wanted

She had decided to help him, so, there was

chosen to accept the fact that she would

out of the car, followed by her son and soon,

one long, silent breath before gingerly putting her hand in his and

thought however, would

Ex Wife Is

years, felt foreign to Leonica. Her eyes wandered the familiar interior while she looked around like a child who had been lost in a wave of busy Monday

she quickly recognized as Will, the very same butler whom Lila had transferred from underneath her to look atter she and Gabriel during their first year of

only force a smile under his disbelieving gaze, however, it soon turned genuine as memories, find ones at that,

back of her

She said, tipping her head

missing the way Leonica shifted as he had addressed her by her old title, as he

words came off as

curtly at him, but none the less, his greeting was returned. "Hello

of speaking, Will turned to face his employer, about to question how he was feeling after waking up from

gaze? He thought, briefly trying to wrap his head around what seemed so different in his employer. Or perhaps was

aura?

definitely was it, because the once threatening and serious aura that had surrounded Gabriel had visibly reduced, making him seen

who noticed his staring, didn't hesitate to question. "Is

1

fine, but..." He hesitated. Leonica seemed to have noticed when he was

him a few steps from where her ex husband

"Will asked, not wanting to do right off the bat and think that Gabriel has suddenly decided to change

fast,

to be precise, before she opened her mouth

injuries during

from Lloyd and

safe to say he had helped raise Gabriel. He knew the sweet and kind boy Gabriel has been despite his parents harsh treatment and

hear that someone who he saw as a son had been put in danger, by the person he loved, the very same woman he had tried

of ranting in his head, and best believe it, making a mental note to chase Angelina with a stick broom if he ever

come back?"

was, only to find them missing Soon, however, she located them on the couch, Ashley happily seated in his father's lap. "The doctor says he lost ten years of

information, something clicking in the back of his mind. "Does

he's aware of

in the next couple of minutes. When she

when he felt

duo. Gabriel looked up from the tablet Ashley was holding on his lap w

wasn't just her presence he felt. He smelt the familiar smell of

Bryce, welcome home

a more

Leonica, almost missing the look she gave him while engrossed in

she had given him said; I explained it

Nothing more, nothing less..

you, Will. I

older male's lips

to him when it

"Yes, Madam?"

title, she asked. "Would you happen to

the photos in the last room by your left down the hall. He informed. Nodding her head, Leonica smiled.

anything else?" The question was directed towards all three of

their heads, Ashley piped

""Most certainly"

Will answered with

opportunity, Leonica suggested. "Uh, Ash, why don't you go along with Will so that he can give you

H

the land of ice cream, he turned towards his parents one last time and asked. "Should 1 save any for you?" Neither Gabriel Nor Leonica knew how best to interpret that

enjoy yourself." Gabriel

Leonica who was trying to process a new question in her

cream in his house? Booze and wine, sure

are you thinking about?" The sound of his voice snapped her

"Nothing" She denied.

Or were you surprised by the fact that I have Ice cream in my house?" He questioned, rising a brow at her as she became speechless. "Well, you've got to enjoy life no matter how

wondering how different he had grown to become from the version of himself be lonew "That's aside," He said, pushing the subject aside before his thoughts could spiral further

words, earning a nod of agreement from her as she walked towards and soon, up the

dark, windows clothed by curtains of deep dark colors and lights switched off. She fiddled around for the switch and turned on the light as soon as she

eliminating the darkness and stunning Leonica with what she

where Will had said pictures wasn't just filled with pictures,

of familiar looking shoe brands, to her travelling bags, outing bags and clothes that she spotted from

wardrobe.

sounding breathless with disbelief as she scanned her surroundings, seeing more and

sound of Gabriel's footsteps stopping by the threshold of the open

get rid of

question before settling on who he suspected was the

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