Chapter 6

Allison Woodward POV:

The world outside Dr. Vance's clinic felt sharper, crisper, as if a filter had been lifted from my eyes. The city air, once just a scent, now carried the distinct notes of exhaust, roasted nuts from a street vendor, and the faint, salty tang of the Hudson River. My mind, once a desolate landscape, now buzzed with a vibrant, overwhelming torrent of memories. I was Allison Woodward. Heiress to the Woodward banking dynasty. Five years lost.

"Remarkable," Dr. Vance murmured, walking beside me, his voice still tinged with wonder. "The procedure... it didn't just erase. It seems to have unlocked a deeper layer of your neural network. It's truly unprecedented."

He gestured vaguely at a newsstand. "Funny, too. There's been a renewed interest in that old missing persons case. Allison Woodward. Daughter of the banking magnate. Disappeared five years ago in the Hamptons. They never found a body, you know. Your parents, the Woodwards, never gave up hope."

My heart hammered against my ribs. The words echoed in my ears, intertwining with the flood of images in my mind. The yacht, the storm, the sudden impact, the cold, dark water. My father's booming laugh, my mother's elegant smile. Everett. Kind, steady Everett, my childhood sweetheart.

"A long shot, I know," Dr. Vance continued, oblivious to the earthquake shaking my internal world. "But you mentioned amnesia, found on a beach. And your name, Allison Day... it's a common enough alias for those seeking a fresh start." He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "Almost as if the universe wanted to give you a nudge."

The universe. Or perhaps, the radical therapy had simply cleared the debris left by the amnesia, allowing my true self to resurface. The memories were vivid now, detailed, brimming with emotion. The warmth of my family' s embrace, the intricate dance of New York' s elite society, the thrill of my own burgeoning artistic talent, long suppressed as Allison Day.

"Dr. Vance," I said, my voice steady, imbued with a confidence that felt both new and eternally familiar. "Do you have a phone I can use? I need to make a call."

He blinked, surprised by the sudden shift in my demeanor. "Of course, Mrs.- I mean, Allison. Right this way."

He led me back inside, handing me a sleek, modern device. My fingers, accustomed to the old, battered phone Erik had given me, felt elegant and capable as they dialed a number that had been etched into my soul since birth. A number I hadn't consciously remembered for five years, yet it flowed effortlessly from my fingertips.

The line rang once, twice. My heart pounded. What would they say? Would they even believe it? Five years. Five agonizing years of not knowing.

"Hello?" A woman's voice, hesitant, guarded. My mother.

"Mom?" I whispered, the word thick with emotion, a dam breaking inside me. Tears, real, cleansing tears, streamed down my face. "It's me. Allison."

A beat of stunned silence. Then, a choked sob. "Allison? My God, Allison? Is that really you? Where... where are you? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Mom," I managed, a watery laugh bubbling up. "I'm coming home."

The next few hours were a blur of frantic phone calls, tearful reunions, and overwhelming relief. My parents, Charles and Eleanor Woodward, arrived at the clinic in a blur of expensive cars and concerned security. They had aged, lines of worry etched around their eyes, but their embrace was as fierce and protective as I remembered.

"My little girl," my father murmured, his voice hoarse with emotion, clutching me to his chest. "We never gave up hope. Never."

"You're home, darling," my mother sobbed, stroking my hair, her touch impossibly gentle. "You're finally home."

It was a homecoming I had once thought impossible. They told me of the endless search, the private investigators, the media frenzy that had eventually faded, leaving behind only their quiet, enduring hope. They had been certain I was gone, lost at sea, a victim of the storm and the political unrest that had briefly destabilized the family. But they had never closed the case. They had never stopped waiting.

"We just felt it, sweetheart," my mother explained, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "A mother knows. I just knew you were out there somewhere."

I felt a pang of guilt, a sharp stab of remorse for the years I had unwittingly caused them pain. Five years. Five years of their unwavering hope, while I lived a forgotten life, devoted to a man who didn't deserve an ounce of my loyalty.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "I should have remembered. I should have come home."

My father held my face in his hands, his gaze stern yet loving. "Don't you dare apologize, Allison. You were a victim. You survived. That's all that matters."

Later, curled on the plush sofa in my childhood penthouse, sipping herbal tea, my parents bombarded me with questions, their joy palpable. Then, my mother' s voice grew soft.

"Allison, darling," she began carefully, "do you remember Everett? Everett England?"

My heart gave a strange flutter. Everett. The name had been one of the first to surface, clear and distinct, in the torrent of restored memories. My childhood sweetheart, the one I had always imagined a future with. The steady, brilliant boy who had grown into an equally formidable man.

My cheeks flushed. "Everett?" I asked, my voice a little breathless.

My mother chuckled, a rare, light sound. "Yes, Everett. He never stopped looking for you, you know. Refused to marry anyone else. Said he'd wait for you forever." She winked playfully. "He's been running England Tech, built it into an empire. But every spare moment, every contact, every resource was dedicated to finding you."

My heart swelled, a warmth blooming in my chest that had nothing to do with the tea. Everett. He had waited. He had believed.

"Is he... is he still single?" I asked, a shy smile playing on my lips.

My father, usually so stoic, let out a booming laugh. "Of course, he is! He's practically a monk, that boy. Swore off all women after you disappeared." He exchanged a knowing glance with my mother. "In fact, I just called him. He should be here any moment."

My eyes widened. "Dad! You didn't!"

My mother patted my hand. "Darling, he deserves to know. He deserves to see you."

A mixture of anticipation and nervous excitement bubbled within me. Everett. After all these years. After all the pain, the betrayal, the lost memories. He was still there. A beacon of unwavering loyalty.

The doorbell chimed, a discreet, melodious sound. My heart leaped into my throat. This was it. The real beginning.

My father rose, a determined glint in his eye. "Now, Allison, about your... recent past." He cleared his throat. "This 'Erik Alford' fellow. And that 'Barbie Campos' character." His voice dropped, becoming steel-edged. "It seems we have a few scores to settle."

My mother, equally formidable, added, "And that 'Allison Day' identity? We're having it legally expunged. You are Allison Woodward. And no one will ever forget that again."

A thrill, cold and invigorating, shot through me. Allison Woodward. The name felt like armor, like home. I looked towards the door, ready for whatever came next. I was no longer the meek, forgotten "Allison Day." I was a Woodward. And a Woodward always fought back.