A FORGOTTEN MEMORY RETURNS

Jason's recollections of the brief encounter returned, intense and persistent. The night had been forgotten for months, hidden deep within his memories. However, it fought its way back, tormenting him as if it were a spirit.

It all began innocently—or so he convinced himself. He had been at the bar, trying to cope with the disappointments of yet another unsuccessful business transaction, another day where he felt overwhelmed by the pressures of life. His typical assurance wavered, traded for a dull pain gnawing at his chest. That’s when he saw her—Kendall. Only, he hadn’t known her name then.

She had been sitting alone, her posture stiff and her eyes distant, swirling the amber liquid in her glass like it could somehow solve her problems. Jason, though he had gone by *Damien* that night, had been drawn to her immediately. Something about the sadness in her gaze called to him, an emotion he recognized in himself.

“Easy, damsel,” Damien had smirked as he approached her, his voice l