Startled, I shrank instinctively into Sebastian's arms.

Xavier saw the tiny movement. His usually gentle face darkened, and veins rose on the hand gripping the door handle.

The air seemed to freeze.

He strode to the bed, seized Sebastian's arm, and pulled him away.

“She's just had brain surgery. How can you take advantage of her now?”

Sebastian was forced half a step back, his open collar slightly disheveled.

He showed no embarrassment at being caught.

He straightened his cuffs with deliberate care and looked at Xavier.

“Do I need your permission to look after my girlfriend?”

“Your girlfriend?”

Xavier laughed in furious disbelief.

“Have you no shame?”

I looked between them, bewildered.

“Uncle Xavier...”

Hearing that, he forced down his anger and leaned toward me.

“How are you? Any headaches? Nausea? Anything else hurting?”

“I'm all right.” I looked at him uncertainly. “How did you know I was here?”

“I've been looking for you for three days.”

His voice was a little rough. As his gaze moved over the bandages on my head, fear flashed through his eyes.

“You never boarded your flight. I couldn't get through to your phone. If I hadn't found the expressway accident and checked the hospitals one by one, I still wouldn't know you'd been hurt.”

Sebastian's expression turned cold.

“She's recovering from surgery and needs rest. You've seen her. You can leave now.”

Xavier straightened, placing himself between Sebastian and the bed.

“You're the one who should leave.”

The men faced each other from less than two feet apart.

One had lost every trace of his gentle exterior. The other's cool features radiated pressure.

Neither gave ground.

Sebastian pressed his lips together, his tone almost arrogantly calm.

“On what authority are you asking me to leave, Mr. Sutton?”

“She called me her uncle. Didn't you hear?”

“An uncle who isn't related to her.” Sebastian enunciated every word. “Does that really make you family?”

The last trace of warmth left Xavier's eyes.

“At least I wouldn't exploit her memory loss to deceive her.”

I went still.

“Deceive me?”

Sebastian's eyes shifted.

“Xavier.”

It was a warning.

Xavier ignored it. He took out his phone and showed me a screenshot.

“Sophie, these are the messages you sent me before the accident.”

The date on the screen was the day of the crash.

[Uncle Xavier, I'm all packed.]

[See you at Logan Airport.]

Beneath them was a flight confirmation. Paris was clearly listed as the destination.

I stared, growing more confused.

“Why was I going to Paris?”

“You'd been accepted into the advanced perfumery program.”

Xavier slowed his voice.

“You decided to close your studio in Boston, break up with Sebastian, and go to Paris to continue your training.”

Break up.

The words struck like an explosion inside my head.

The bright, orderly room disappeared beneath a jumble of images.

An empty gray-and-white apartment.

An open suitcase.

A thick document envelope I pushed back against a man's chest.

Sebastian standing in the cold wind, cool and composed, saying:

“Compensation.”

A sharp pain tore through my skull.

I cried out.

My face went white, and the phone fell onto the bed. I clutched my head and curled in on myself.

The numbers on the monitor fluctuated, setting off a rapid alarm.