Cherry stared at the ring in Lena's hand, the weight of everything crashing down on her like a tidal wave.
Would he even remember her?
Did he have any idea of the chaos he'd unleashed?
Her stomach twisted, a tight knot of anxiety forming within her.
Lena let out a sharp breath, running a hand through her hair before collapsing onto the couch. The fire in her eyes hadn't dimmed, but now it was mixed with something else—**uncertainty.**
"This doesn't sit right with me, Cherry," she said, her voice low and tense.
Cherry felt that unease deep in her bones. **It didn't sit right with her either.**
Even if he had been under the influence, even if he hadn't been in control, the truth was brutal: **she was the one left to pick up the pieces.**
She was the one who woke up alone.
The one who had to stitch herself back together.
The one who had to carry this heavy memory, while he… **he simply walked away.**
Lena sighed, rubbing her temples as if trying to massage away the tension. "So what now? Are we just going to let it slide? Pretend it never happened?"
Cherry opened her mouth, then shut it again, grappling with the enormity of the question.
Could she really do that?
Could she **live with that?**
Her hands gripped the fabric of her sweater, her heart pounding like a drum. "I don't know," she finally admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lena's jaw tightened, determination hardening her features.
"Fine," she muttered, her tone fierce. "But I'm not letting this go."
Cherry's head snapped up. "Lena—"
"No." Lena's voice was resolute, **unyielding.** "You might be ready to let it fade away, but I'm not. I love you, Cherry. I won't just sit back and watch you suffer while the man who did this to you doesn't even remember your name."
Cherry flinched, the truth of Lena's words cutting deep.
Because **she knew** Lena was right.
He probably didn't even remember her.
And yet…
Her gaze flickered back to the ring.
**Why had he left it behind?**
If he truly had no memory of what had happened, wouldn't he have just vanished?
But he hadn't.
Instead, he had left behind something of **immense significance.**
As if, in some twisted way, he understood he had to take responsibility.
Cherry swallowed hard, hesitating. Then, before she could second-guess herself, she whispered, "We need to find out who he is."
Lena's eyes lit up, darkening with determination. "Now you're talking."
###
The next morning, Cherry sat at the small kitchen table, her fingers tracing the cool metal of the ring.
It was stunning.
A deep sapphire stone set in a platinum band, with intricate carvings along the edges—**a family crest.**
Whoever he was, he wasn't just wealthy.
**He was powerful.**
Lena stood beside her, scrolling through her phone. "I've been hunting for this emblem," she muttered. "It's got to be tied to a family."
Cherry nodded absentmindedly, her eyes glued to the ring.
**This was her only link to him.**
And for some reason, that terrified her.
Because once she knew his name—**once he had a face**—this would all become **real.**
She wouldn't be able to pretend anymore.
Lena suddenly let out a breath, her fingers tightening around the phone. "Got it."
Cherry's heart raced. "What?"
Lena turned the screen toward her.
Cherry's blood ran cold.
There, in bold letters, was a name.
**Evans Wood.**
CEO. Business mogul. **The man who controlled the financial market.**
The man who had left her **broken and alone.**
Her vision blurred, the room spinning as the weight of the revelation settled over her.
Lena placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Cherry."
Cherry swallowed hard, struggling to catch her breath.
She had wanted answers.
And now she had one.
Evans Wood.
A name that would haunt her every step, a shadow looming over her future.