The white envelope lay on the floor, Ava stared at it without moving. She hadn't heard footsteps, and she hadn't heard anyone stop outside her room, yet somehow, someone had slipped the message beneath her door.

She crouched and picked it up carefully, avoiding the urge to open the door. The handwriting was neat, deliberate, confident:

Mrs. Kingston... we would like our envelope back.

Ava let out a slow breath. "So... They finally know." Not that she had the envelope, only that the one they stole had been a fake. That meant they were guessing... Probably still good. Well, let them guess.

She struck a match from the complimentary box on the bedside table and held it beneath the paper. The corner blackened, then curled. Within seconds, the message had turned to ash inside the metal waste bin.

"You'll get nothing from me." She picked up her phone and removed the SIM card, then she snapped it cleanly in half. If someone was tracking her communications, they had just lost their easiest route.

Next, she packed the letter, the photograph and the brass key into a slim document pouch strapped beneath her blouse. If anyone searched her bag again... they would find nothing, there are no more envelopes to steal, they didn't know the content anyway.

........

At Kingston Group Headquarters, Alexander strode through the executive floor with his usual commanding presence, employees straightened the moment they saw him.

"Good morning, Mr. Kingston."

He acknowledged them with a brief nod, his expression remained unreadable.

"Daniel."

His assistant appeared almost instantly. "Yes, sir."

"I want every file concerning Ava."

Daniel blinked. "Mrs. Kingston?"

"My wife."

The correction came so naturally that even Alexander paused. Daniel noticed it too. "I'll have everything brought to your office."

"Not the company file," Alexander continued walking. "I want everything: education, employment, medical history, travel records... who she knew before we met."

Daniel frowned. "Sir... those records are private."

Alexander stopped walking. His gaze settled calmly on his assistant. "I know." A long silence followed, then Alexander spoke again. "Daniel... I've built one of the largest companies in the country because I don't ignore inconsistencies." He turned towards the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. "Everyone keeps telling me she married me for money."

"Yes, sir." Daniel nodded.

"But no one can tell me where the money went."

Daniel remained silent.

"If she wanted my fortune..." Alexander's voice grew quieter. "...why did she leave with two suitcases instead of fighting for half of everything I own?"

The question lingered between them. Daniel finally answered, "I've wondered the same thing."

Alexander looked back at him. "Find her."

Daniel's eyes widened. "Sir?"

Alexander's jaw tightened. "I don't care where she is, I don't care how long it takes... I want to speak to my wife."

.........

Kingston Manor.

Sophia stood outside Alexander's office, the door wasn't completely closed, she hadn't intended to eavesdrop... until she heard Ava's name.

"...Find her."

Her smile disappeared, she stepped away before anyone noticed her. Minutes later, she entered the private garden and dialled a number from memory, the call connected almost immediately. "He has started looking for her."

The man on the other end remained silent.

"I thought you said the memory loss was permanent." A cold voice finally replied,

"I said it was incomplete." Sophia's face paled.

"What does that mean?" The voice asked, still cold.

"It means instinct survives where memory fails." Sophia replied.

...........

Late that evening, Ava quietly left the motel through the rear exit. She wore a baseball cap borrowed from the receptionist and an oversized jacket that concealed her figure.

She had paid cash, used a false surname and changed hotels twice in one day. Still... she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was following her.

She crossed the street. A pair of headlights suddenly flared to life, a black SUV accelerated directly towards her. It was too fast... far too fast. Ava's eyes widened, it's obvious the vehicle wasn't trying to pass, it was aiming for her.

Tyres screamed against the road as she threw herself backwards, the SUV swerved sharply, and another black vehicle exploded into the intersection from the opposite direction. Its engine roared, and with terrifying precision, it slammed broadside into the attacking SUV. Metal crumpled, glass shattered across the asphalt. The attacking vehicle spun wildly before crashing into a concrete barrier. Silence followed as steam rose from both engines.

Ava stared in shock. The driver's door of the second SUV opened and a tall man stepped out. His tailored charcoal suit was dusty from the collision, but he didn't seem to notice. He looked only at Ava, but for one suspended moment, neither of them spoke.

Alexander crossed the road with long, purposeful strides, his expression was hard, controlled, and his eyes swept over her from head to toe, checking for injuries before meeting her gaze.

His voice was low, almost angry. "Are you hurt?"

Ava could only stare. "What... are you doing here?"

Alexander held her eyes. "I've been asking myself the same question." He glanced at the wrecked SUV behind them, then back at her. "I don't remember loving you." His jaw tightened. "But the thought of losing you..." He took one more step closer. "...was enough to make me drive through another car."

In the distance, the driver of the attacking SUV crawled from the wreckage. Alexander noticed him first and his eyes immediately turned ice-cold. Without taking his gaze off the man, he quietly moved in front of Ava, shielding her with his body.

For reasons he still couldn't explain, protecting her felt as natural as breathing.