Breaking Free, Loving Again -The Flash Marriage with Mr. CEO - Chapter 789

Chapter 789: Last bit of grace.

Arwen didn’t know how long she had been sleeping, but something didn’t feel right to her. There was an intense headache as though she had hit her head on some hard surface and was now suffering the aftereffects of it.

‘Wait!’ she mumbled to herself, realizing something that she seemed to be right. ‘Wasn’t I at the flower garden earlier? Where am I now?’ Trying to think, she tried to remember it, but she couldn’t remember it at all.

It was as though her memories of that time frame were removed.

And the thought of how easy it had been once to erase her memories; she felt panic creeping into her heart again. Just the possibility that she might forget it all, all over again, filled her with dread.

Her fingers clenched around whatever was there as she tried to wake up., but it all simply felt difficult. There was darkness around, and she knew it was because she had her eyes closed. But no matter how she tried to open them, she couldn’t, as though she was under the effect of some sedative.

Arwen fought with her system and, after a while, was finally able to open her eyes. Her lashes fluttered a little before her eyes opened.

And the moment it did, she froze, slightly taken aback.

“You are finally awake, Arwen?” Selene asked, her face too close to be comfortable. “I almost thought I would miss the chance of having this talk with you.”

Arwen frowned at her words. “Selene?” she called her name as if confirming her presence there. “What are you doing here?”

Selene raised a finger and shook it in front of her. “Wrong question,” she said before adding, “You should rather question yourself, what are you doing here? I am sure this place must be familiar yet very unfamiliar to you.”

Arwen didn’t understand her words. Her brows furrowed a little in confusion before she darted her eyes to look around, only to find herself in some kind of old, deserted laboratory. Her frown deepened, and she tried to move, to get up … but then she realized she was tied up.

She yanked her arms and legs, but they were secured with a rope. “You … why have you kept me tied up here? What are you planning to do?”

Selene raised her hands in surrender before she defended herself. “You got me wrong. I am not the one planning to do anything here. It’s someone else.”

Arwen stared, his brows forming the crease of clear confusion.

“What? You don’t trust me on that?” Selene asked, quirking her brow at her. “Wait, look around once again? And try to remember. This place isn’t very unfamiliar to you. You have just forgotten along with your memories. Once you remember it, you will be able to guess who is actually behind it.”

Arwen didn’t want to lose her calm, her composure, but the way her instincts were warning her —she could keep herself calm. Not when her inner fears felt like taking over her rational brain.

“Still not able to recognize?” Selene asked, slightly sounding surprised. “Too bad. It seems Oblivion –X really does wonders when it erases one’s memories. It doesn’t leave any trace behind, not even a vague memory.”

The mention of Oblivion —X struck Arwen like a slap. Her face drained of color.

Selene merely pouted. “Since you can’t remember, let me help you.” She gestured dramatically at the room around them. “This is the same laboratory where you were first injected with the drug. The one that made you forget everything. And today … once again, this very place will witness you forget it all over again.”

Arwen’s heart stopped for a moment.

Selene grinned widely, clasping her hands together as if announcing a surprise party. “Congratulations,” she whispered gleefully. “Your life is about to be reset. You will get it all anew.”

“Selene, you have gone insane,” Arwen hissed, thrashing against the ropes. “Untie me right now! You know the consequences of this won’t be simple. If Aiden finds out, he won’t spare you this time. Don’t throw your life away over some twisted obsession.”

At Aiden’s name, Selene flinched. The torture that she suffered just a few weeks back replayed in her mind, and she couldn’t help but feel the terror creeping up her spine. But then she clenched her fists, steeling herself,

“Oh, Arwen, trust me,” she said with a brittle smile. “None of this is my plan. I am just here to watch you walk out of my path on your own. Though seeing you tied up like this … at my mercy … it does give me wicked ideas about returning the favour for what Aiden did to me. But honestly? Knowing you are about to lose everything again —your memories, your place, him —I almost feel sorry for you.”

Her eyes gleamed with vicious delight as she leaned closer once again, whispering in Arwen’s ear, “Almost.”

Then, with a theatrical twirl, she stepped away, distancing herself.

Dread made it hard for Arwen to think. But keeping herself together, she tried to focus. Staring at Selene, she asked, “You said it’s not you but someone else. Who are you talking about? Who is behind it all?”

Selene looked at her as though she didn’t know what she was asking about. But just when Arwen would have repeated her question, she spoke, “Really, you haven’t yet realized it? Seeing you see through my previous ploy, I thought you were sharp enough to find it through small but obvious clues. But now, it seems like you aren’t as sharp as I thought you were.”

“Selene, you —”

Arwen’s words were interrupted when she heard the rusted double doors of the lab opening. Her gaze darted to look, and she paused as though not believing she was seeing the right person there.

“Arwen, you are awake?” Catrin asked, clearly looking stunned, seeing Arwen looking her way. “How are you feeling now? Is it better? The doctor said that once the sedative wears off, you will not feel much pain.” She explained, walking closer, her gaze soft.

If Arwen hadn’t known better, she would have mistaken it for her motherly love and care.

But how could she now mistake it when she could clearly see what’s next planned for her?

“Did you bring me here?” Arwen asked, her voice cold and her tone indifferent. She was no longer feeling the dread she had been feeling moments ago. Rather now, she felt numb. Numb to everything that was happening and was about to happen to her.

Catrin flinched at her tone. She took a step forward to explain. “Arwen, don’t see this as wrong. I don’t mean any harm. You are my daughter. I love you. How could I think of even harming you? It’s just that you have left me with no choice. I have to do this. I have to bring you like this. But don’t worry …” She quickly reached to cup her face. “I am not letting anyone harm you. You will be fine with me here.”

“With you here?” Arwen almost scoffed at that. “How could I be better with you here when you are the one going to do the harm to me?”

“Arwen, how could you say that?” Catrin hissed. “I am your mother. How could I harm you?”

“It’s not new for you,” Arwen shrugged subtly. “You have done that before, and you again brought me here for the same. Did you not?”

Catrin flinched. She wanted to defend herself. But she couldn’t. Avoiding her eyes, she said, “Trust your mom for the last time, sweetheart. Mom knows that what she did back then was wrong. She has realized her mistake and is willing to do everything to make up for all the wrongs and ignorance you ever suffered. All she needs is a chance. Give me that and I will —”

“Why?” Arwen cut her off, her eyes cold and tone sharp. “Why should I give you a chance? Do I owe you?”

Before Catrin could say anything, Arwen shook her head and said, “No, I don’t. I don’t owe you anything. Then why should I give you the chance to make amends?”

“Arwen!”

“You suddenly realized that you were wrong —very good.” Arwen interrupted her once again. “But how are you reacting to your realization. Like this.” She showed her tied hands. “By tying me here again just to give me another doze of the drug. Do you even know what will happen if I get injected with another shot of it? Do you even know —”

She paused suddenly when she saw Catrin shamefully avoiding her gaze. And realization dawned upon her. “You … you know,” she said, “And you still want it to happen?”

“Arwen, you will be fine. I am here with you. Your mom is here —”

“Why am I not even surprised?” Arwen chuckled bitterly. “Of course, you would know. You would always know what your actions might cause, yet you would do it, because you simply don’t care. You have never cared.”

“No, Arwen,” Catrin shook her head. “That’s not it. You are my daughter. I do care for you. I care for you a lot, and you will know it soon. I will —”

“If you care for me, then untie me and let me go,” Arwen offered the last bit of grace she had in her remaining for the woman who carried her for ten months and then brought her to this world with great pain. “Let me go, and I will trust that even though you were never a good mother, you did care for me. Can you do that?”