Chapter 323

Ryan’s POV

The moment I arrived back in the States, all they showed me was a damaged surveillance video from the police.

In the grainy footage, Serena’s car gets violently rear-ended, slamming straight into a concrete wall. My chest tightened as I watched, my eyes burning with unshed tears. Blood roared in my ears as the video cut to black right after the impact—conveniently right when you’d be able to see who approached her car.

"Mr. Blackwood, the investigation is still ongoing," the detective said, his voice carefully neutral.

My body trembled slightly. I couldn’t process this. Serena, missing. The very thought made my stomach drop to my feet. The police station’s fluorescent lights suddenly seemed too bright, the air too thin.

"There must be other leads," I said, my voice rough. "Traffic cameras? Witnesses? Anything?"

"I’m very sorry, sir." The detective’s face showed nothing but professional regret. No real answers, just empty sympathies.

When I stepped outside the station, the Quinns were waiting, their faces tense with hope that I’d have news they didn’t. Maya rushed forward, grabbing my arm with desperate fingers.

"What did they say? Do they know where Serena is?" Her eyes searched mine frantically.

I couldn’t even form words. My face must have told her everything because Maya’s eyes suddenly rolled back, her body going limp as she fainted. Ethan barely caught her before she hit the ground.

"I’m taking her to the hospital," he muttered, lifting his wife. The worry in his eyes mirrored my own.

I took a deep breath, forcing steel into my spine. No matter who had taken Serena, I would find them. No matter where on this goddamn planet they’d hidden her, I would bring my wife home. This wasn’t over. It was just beginning.

Author’s POV

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Serena slowly regained consciousness in a private medical facility in Inverness, one owned by the Lancaster family. The location was deliberately chosen - hundreds of miles from London and completely off Ryan’s radar. Information was locked down tight, ensuring no word would reach the Blackwood empire.

The steady beeping of monitors welcomed her back to consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open to see stark white ceiling tiles above her, the sharp scent of antiseptic filling her nostrils through the oxygen mask covering her face. Every inch of her body pulsed with pain.

Cedric Lancaster had been pacing the hallway anxiously. When he glimpsed Serena stirring through the doorway, he hurried to summon the doctor. After a thorough examination, the physician delivered his assessment to Cedric in low, measured tones.

"She’s stable now, but has suffered significant trauma. She’ll need complete rest - no movement if possible," the doctor explained. "However, there’s blood pooling in her brain from the impact. Left untreated, it could cause complications."

He paused before adding, "The good news is we managed to save the pregnancy."

Cedric’s smile tightened almost imperceptibly. During the rescue, he’d seriously considered whether to terminate the pregnancy without Serena’s knowledge. It would have been simple enough to arrange, given her unconscious state. But the medical risks were too great - a miscarriage would likely cause hemorrhaging, potentially fatal in her weakened condition.

After considerable internal debate, he’d chosen to preserve the child’s life.

With a nod of acknowledgment, he entered the hospital room, eager to speak with Serena. As he approached, she looked up at him with clear confusion in her eyes.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Her voice was weak but insistent. "Everything hurts... what happened to me?"

The barrage of questions caught Cedric off guard. "You... don’t remember anything?"

Pain flashed across Serena’s face as she tried to access memories that simply weren’t there. No matter how hard she tried to recall her past, she encountered nothing but frightening emptiness.

Alarmed by her obvious distress, Cedric immediately summoned the doctor back.

"What’s happening to her?" he demanded.

The doctor’s expression grew somber. "Mr. Lancaster, it appears the patient has amnesia. The blood accumulation in her brain is affecting her memory centers."

"Amnesia? Serena has lost her memory?" Cedric couldn’t hide his shock as his gaze returned to the bed where Serena lay, her eyes filled with confusion and fear.

"Yes. We’ll explore treatment options, but her body is too weak for cranial surgery right now. Unfortunately, we’ve missed the optimal window for addressing the memory loss directly."

Cedric’s eyes lit up with sudden interest. "So you’re saying that without immediate intervention, she might never recover her memories?"

"That’s essentially correct," the doctor confirmed with a small nod. "Recovery is still possible, but the probability decreases significantly with time."

Cedric fell silent, processing this unexpected development. "I understand," he finally said.

After the doctor departed, he returned to Serena’s bedside. Her gaze followed him with an inexplicable trust that surprised even her - some deep instinct telling her this man meant her no harm.

"Serena, how are you feeling?" he asked gently.

She frowned slightly. "Is that my name? Serena? Are you my friend?"

Cedric smiled, shaking his head. "I’m your husband. Your name is Serena Lancaster."

The name felt vaguely familiar to her, and she didn’t question it. Yet something about his claim to be her husband stirred uncertainty within her.

"I’m married?" she asked hesitantly.

Cedric’s smile turned tender. "Not only married, but you’re carrying our child."

Serena’s eyes widened in shock. Her hand moved instinctively to her still-flat abdomen. Though there was no visible evidence yet, the idea that a life was growing inside her was overwhelming.

"What happened to me? Why am I hurt like this?" The question had been burning in her mind since waking. Her entire body ached, and she could see bandages and bruises marking her arms.

"I’m so sorry, Serena. I failed to protect you," Cedric said, his voice thick with apparent remorse. "Someone was after your design work. They sent people to harm you. I arrived too late, but thank God you and the baby are safe."

Serena frowned again, trying to recall any designs or work that might have made her a target. Nothing came to mind. But this man was currently her only lifeline, her only connection to a past she couldn’t remember. What choice did she have but to believe him?

"What about my family?" she asked suddenly. "They must be worried sick about me."

Cedric’s lips thinned. He knew keeping Serena in the country was impossible - the Quinns and Ryan would eventually track her down. Their only escape was to leave the country entirely.

"Serena, I’m so sorry," he said, his expression grave. "I couldn’t protect your parents. They... they were killed in the attack."

The color drained from Serena’s face as emotion overwhelmed her.

"What? That can’t be true! Who did this?" Her voice rose with each word. "I need to find whoever’s responsible!"

Cedric pulled the distraught Serena into his arms, hesitating briefly before deciding against mentioning Ryan’s name. Introducing that connection might eventually lead her back to her husband.

"That’s all in the past now," he soothed. "Serena, we’re in danger here. We need to leave the country immediately. Otherwise, both of us could be at risk."

Serena studied his face, uncertainty warring with her limited options. After a moment’s hesitation, she nodded her agreement.

The following morning, Serena was carefully transported onto a private plane, whisked away from everything and everyone she’d ever known - including the husband desperately searching for her.