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The notebook was like a personal diary, filled with handwritten notes, photos, and mementos. There were pictures of her deceased parents, memories of teachers and classmates from her school years, and colleagues she had met in her professional life. But there was no mention of Elias
“I was afraid that, after the surgery, I might forget who I am,” Mira explained quietly. “So I made this notebook. Please keep it for me and give it back once I’m out of the operation.”
Frederick casually flipped through the pages and came across a group photo from a welcome event held by the astronomy club during high school. It was a large group shot.
Underneath the photo, Mira had written: Entering high school life, I joined the astronomy club and met senior Frederick (left 1), president Theo Harrington (night 2), senior Phoebe Caldwell (right 3)
There were also many anecdotes and reflections, capturing the joy and excitement of those days.
Frederick paused for a moment, his eyes unexpectedly growing warm as he read her words. He couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of sorrow for Mira
After a failed marriage, here she was, alone in a foreign country, preparing for surgery, facing the looming uncertainty of post–surgery amnesia. Yet in this notebook, all he saw was the courage and resilience of a woman who refused to be defeated by life or illness
“Mira, don’t be afraid,” Frederick said gently, his gaze sincere. “After the surgery, I’ll be here to help you recover your memories, one step at a time”
“Thank you, Fred Mira smiled slightly, a playful glint in her eyes. “But as for Elias, you don’t need to help me
remember him”
Frederick chuckled, his gaze lingering on the group photo “By the way, after I graduated from high school, I gave you an astronomical telescope as a gift. I never got the chance to ask… did you like it?”
Mira froze for a moment, her mind drifting back to that memory. “Wait was it wrapped in Hello Kitty paper?” “Yes,” Frederick replied, his tone light, though there was an underlying hint of nostalgia.
Mira’s lips curved into a wry, almost sarcastic smile “So, it was you.
That day had been her birthday
When she got home, she found a pink gift box waiting at the door Excited, she had asked Elias if it was his
birthday gift to her
His response had been telling–he looked momentarily stunned, then nodded stiffly.
Mira unwrapped the gift and found an astronomical telescope inside. She was taken aback, unsure why Elias would give her something related to her passion for astronomy when he had always shown little interest in it
After a brief hesitation, Elias finally spoke, his voice tinged with uncertainty. “The gift it’s meant to please you
13 PM
At the time, Mira had been genuinely happy.
But later, as she and Elias moved twice for college, the telescope was lost in the shuffle. She never found it
again.
Looking back now, it all felt so ironic–her relationship with Elias had been tainted from the very beginning. The betrayal… the cheating.
Frederick seemed to sense the direction her thoughts were taking and wisely chose not to continue the topic
The car came to a stop outside the hotel. Mira thanked Frederick and stepped out, heading into the lobby
The next day, she changed into her hospital clothes and checked into Philex Hospital’s ward.
Lying on the bed, Mira deleted Elias and Vera’s contact information from her phone, then set it aside.
When she woke up, she was washed up and escorted to the operating room.
The bright lights above her were blinding, and she instinctively squeezed her eyes shut, only to reopen them
moments later.
Frederick stood beside her, now in a surgical gown. The mask covering the lower half of his face couldn’t hide the concern in his eyes as he spoke softly. “Mira, don’t be afraid. Leave everything to us. Just think of it as a sleep.
Mira nodded, her heart beating a little faster.
The anesthetic began to flow into her veins, cold and steady.
As her consciousness slipped away, she whispered silently to herself. Embrace the new life. Forget the past.
Seven hours later, the lights in the operating room finally dimmed.
Frederick’s body, once taut with tension, slowly relaxed. He looked down at Mira, still unconscious, and his eyes softened with a tenderness he could no longer hide.
