Chapter 2

In the middle of the night, Bethany was tossing and turning in bed, out of respect, Ciro left the master bedroom for her alone, while he moved into a guest room. The woman was attacked by what seemed to be nightmares. A pair of black orbs that looked at her in a solemn darkness and hands that squeezed her thin neck. She struggled to survive, although she was slowly losing consciousness. Finally, she woke up startled when in her nightmares she fell to the floor.

She sat up, breathing heavily, looking around. She turned on the lamp on the side table, recognizing the room she was in. Her memory was still ineffective, and it was disturbing. She stepped onto the floor, barefoot, and approached the door, opened it, and poked her head out; everything seemed to be in order: it was quiet and dark, normal considering the late hour of the night. She went back into the room and locked the door, also the one to the balcony. She went back to bed and fell asleep more peacefully.

As dawn came, the sun's rays caressed her face, warning her that it was time to get up. She got into the shower and was in no hurry to get out. She slowly slid the soap over her entire body, impregnating her skin with its exquisite floral fragrance. When she reached her abdominal area, she couldn't ignore a scar that stretched almost from one end to the other. Dr. Vitto had told her that the surgical interventions had only been performed on her skull, and the rest of her body had been healed with stitches and bandages, and it didn't seem to be recent. She shook her head to clear away bad thoughts, and continued showering without giving it any further thought.

On her way out, she searched the wardrobe and sifted through the men's clothes until she found the ones that were supposed to be hers. She opted for a pair of royal blue ankle-hugging jeans and a white tank top and let her reddish locks blow in the wind to dry. She walked down the ivory stairs without touching the glass railing, which she thought looked very fragile.

-Miss Carter. - A woman from the domestic service asked her. When she had her attention, she continued: -Come with me, please. Mr. Tonali is waiting for you. - And she led her through the house to the back garden that had a pool and jacuzzi. She saw Ciro sitting in a wooden chair, in front of a small matching table, reading the newspaper and enjoying a coffee. He greeted her with a radiant smile that filled Bethany with embarrassment, causing her to bow her head.

-Good morning, my dear. - Said Ciro, watching her sit in front of him.

-Hi. -Bethany said briefly, avoiding the call with her eyes closed. Her fiancé could see her justified shyness; he was still a stranger to her.

An employee dressed as a waiter brought them each a plate of waffles and a cold lemonade to counteract the heat.

-Bon appetit. -Ciro wished as he began to cut up his food.

-Breakfast outdoors. Is that what we usually do? - Bethany said, emulating him. Ciro shook his head as he finished chewing.

-I can promise you that this is new for me too. -He said after swallowing. -We didn't usually share many meals together. I admit that it's my fault. I put myself into work too much, leaving aside what really matters to me.

-You're a man dedicated to your profession. -Bethany deduced, getting an idea of who she was engaged to.

-Crime doesn't rest, neither does justice. -Ciro snapped, taking another bite of food. He didn't finish swallowing it when he added: -But I promised myself I would change that if you ever recovered. Now I will spend more time on us and less on the criminals.

As she listened, Bethany detailed the ring on her left ring finger. A white gold band lined with diamonds.

-Is this our engagement ring? -she said in a low voice. The man glanced briefly at the accessory on her finger.

-Yeah.

-Where's mine? -Ciro stopped to look at it.

-I don't know. You weren't wearing it the day of your accident. -He replied, distorting the confidence in his voice and frowning as if he had some suspicion. Bethany shifted uncomfortably under his accusatory gaze. Ciro forced himself to calm down, and with a less rigid demeanor, said: -Maybe the paramedics kept it. Its value was close to twelve million Euros. Don't worry, I'll order one just like the one you had.

They finished breakfast and were pampered with a little ice cream dessert that the cooks had prepared as a surprise. The high temperatures consumed the ice cream faster than Ciro and Bethany could taste it, and in a while they would have to finish it without a spoon and in sips.

-How long have we been together?

-We met ten years ago in the lobby of a hotel in Rome. I was sitting at the bar and you suddenly approached me and offered me a drink. Three years later we decided to change our friendship into a relationship, and six months ago we got engaged. -Ciro explained patiently.

There was much more to tell. During those ten years there had been betrayal, lies, deceit, and even infidelity, all on both sides. But naturally, Ciro was in no hurry to reveal everything in one conversation. He had taken his accident as a second chance to make their relationship work in the best way, and he would take it one step at a time.

-Mr. Tonali, Ms. Caitlin and Mr. Red have arrived. - One of the employees reported, leaving immediately.

-That's true, I had forgotten. -Ciro said, reproaching himself for his lack of memory. -My dear, I called your parents, they were anxious to come and see you. You can't imagine how upset they were when I told them that you had been discharged yesterday and I didn't notify them right away.

-My parents? -She repeated, not so cheerful.

-If you don't think you're ready to see them, I can tell them to come back another day. They'll have to understand. -Ciro suggested, thinking only of her well-being.

-It's okay, I can do it. - Bethany said, encouraging herself, hoping that her parents would revive memories that her fiancé couldn't. It had to be better, she thought, after all she had literally known them all her life, while she had only known Ciro for ten years.

They went into the parlor. The gentlemen who had been waiting there stood up to greet them. And the woman rushed to Bethany and hugged her in her arms, overwhelmed with happiness.

-Honey, we were so worried. -Caitlin said, without letting go of her.

-When your boyfriend told us what had happened, we took the first flight from Washington to Italy. - Her father replied, more distant. Bethany's back straightened as she felt her fiancé's strong hand rest on hers.

-I'll give you privacy. -Ciro said, leaving the place and closing the sliding doors.

Bethany was immediately disappointed when she did not recognize the gentlemen in front of her, who seemed to appreciate her greatly.

-How have you been feeling? -His father's arid voice echoed again.

- Fine, although a little confused and scared. Not knowing who I am is so strange. - She said, leaning on a bookshelf full of Dante Alighieri's literature.

-You don't remember anything at all? Not even your childhood or adolescence? -This time it was her mother who spoke.

If she tried hard enough, she could visualize little fragments of her life. Running barefoot on the green grass chasing a red ball with three other children, or a pink room decorated with butterflies and flowers. It had a bunk bed and a single bed.

-Do I have siblings? -Bethany asked. She watched her parents exchange knowing glances.

-You had one, but he passed away twenty years ago. -Red said. -The thought of losing you horrified us too.

-What have you found about your life so far? Has your boyfriend treated you well? - Caitlin inquired.

-Ciro seems like a good man. -Bethany acknowledged.

The morning passed between platitudes and anecdotes, some of which made Bethany laugh. There was nothing in them that made her remember any detail of her life, but she had no doubt that she had had a good childhood. From what she knew, she had been very close to Simon, her brother. She would have loved to meet him. When it was time to say goodbye, Mr. and Mrs. Carter showered their daughter with kisses and cuddles, even Red, whose first impression was that of a cold and rigid man.

            Red and Caitlin left the visiting room where they left their daughter, they didn't need a guide, they knew the house like the back of their hand.

-Are you leaving so soon? -Ciro asked when he saw his in-laws walking past his office. The Italian was sitting behind his desk typing on a laptop.

-Yes, sir. -Red said, turning around and stepping just inches into the room. Caitlin was at his side.

-Please call me Ciro. It's time to smooth things over between us. The occasion calls for it, don't you think?

-Of course. -Red said again, unconvinced.

-Don't go too far away, I'll need you in the next few days. -He asked lastly without keeping them any longer.

He continued with his work, taking notes and sending emails to his employees. Cursing Brahim via text message when he noticed a mistake. He, being the firstborn, was responsible for the company inherited from his father, the intimidating Sandro Tonali, however, the goods produced in said company were profitable for both brothers, so Ciro handed over some responsibilities to Brahim, who clumsily took charge. He knew him and knew that he would not commit himself one hundred percent to the company.

He was thrilled to see his fiancée walking into his office, it was the kind of confidence he expected from her. Bethany sat on the other end of the room from her fiancé.

-How did everything turn out with your parents?

- Pretty good. - It was brief. - I noticed that they mentioned you as my boyfriend. Don't they know about the engagement?

-I guess not. You hadn't talked much to them before the accident and I remember hearing you say that you would wait to travel to the United States to tell them in person. -Ciro explained.

-I should have made that clear to him. -He blamed himself.

-Calm down, there will be time to tell them. -There was a pause.

It was Bethany's first time entering her fiancé's office, so she scanned her surroundings carefully, noticing several photos of the Tonali brothers together. At first glance, they seemed like a strong sisterly bond.

On the desk was a small silver frame that protected a photo of the brothers standing next to each other, posing for the camera. Bethany focused more on Brahim than on Ciro, remembering the feeling that had come over her when she met him yesterday, which was the same feeling she had felt in her nightmare.

-I was thinking about going out to dinner tonight. What do you think? - He said, freeing Bethany from the trance she had been in when she noticed the photograph.

-That would be fine. Yes, I would like to. - She accepted, a smile spreading across the man's face.

Unwilling to continue tormenting herself with Brahim's photo, she got up and left the office. Ciro took advantage and booked a table at Barrafina, the most elegant restaurant in Florence. He had to pay a little more than the stipulated price to ensure the best view. It would be like when they were going through the dating stage, where he had to surprise her and of course he would.

Back at his laptop, he opened a file folder using a four-digit code, entering the database of Anne Johnson, a woman of singular beauty, very similar to Bethany, but there were certain traits that set them apart and that was when his fiancée took advantage. Anne had been a very calculating woman who knew how to get to his weak point and break him down. On the other hand, Bethany (his Bethany) was not like that. She was a more cheerful woman, as in love with him as he was with her.

By pressing a single key he removed from his laptop any trace of Anne Johnson who, luckily for him, was already dead.