CEO’s Regret After I Divorced (Serena and Ryan) novel Chapter 216

Chapter 216: Chapter 216 Fragments of the Past

Serena’s POV

I woke up the next morning to find Ryan already gone. The empty space beside me felt colder than usual, my mind still swimming with fragments from yesterday’s conversation. Find my family? After all these years of emptiness, could it really be possible?

After finishing my breakfast, the housekeeper approached me with that perfectly practiced professional smile.

"Mrs.Quinn, Mr. Blackwood has sent a car for you," he announced with a slight bow.

"Thank you. I’ll just change into something more comfortable first," I replied, already feeling a flutter of nervousness in my stomach.

"Please take your time, Mrs.Quinn. There’s no rush."

I nodded, making my way back to our bedroom. My fingers trembled slightly as I chose a loose-fitting sweater and comfortable pants. What would I discover today? Would I finally learn who I really was before the accident?

The car first took me to Blackwood Tower to pick up Ryan before heading toward the suburbs. During the ride, Ryan held my hand tightly, his thumb brushing over my knuckles in that reassuring way I’d grown to depend on.

"We’re going to see a leading specialist in memory recovery," he explained, his voice gentle but firm. "If anyone can help you remember your past, it’s him."

I nodded, not trusting my voice. Part of me desperately wanted to remember everything—my childhood, my parents, who I truly was. But another part was terrified. What if my past was filled with pain? What if there was a reason I’d forgotten everything?

The car pulled up to an elegant old house that looked more like someone’s home than a medical facility. Ryan guided me inside, his hand steady against the small of my back.

An elderly man with kind eyes and silver hair rose to greet us in the entrance hall. Ryan’s assistant handed over some beautifully wrapped gifts, which Ryan acknowledged with practiced courtesy.

"Dr. Shaw, these are just a small token of our appreciation for seeing us today."

The doctor smiled warmly. "No need to be so formal. And you must be Mrs. Blackwood. Your husband already filled me in on everything—I’ll do my best to take care of you."

I didn’t correct him. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Selfishly, I let the title sit.

The doctor motioned toward the hallway with a nod. "Come on back. Let’s see how we can help today."

The room he led me to was filled with medical equipment, transformed into a private clinic. Dr. Shaw motioned for me to sit in a comfortable chair while Ryan reluctantly stayed behind in the waiting area.

"Try to relax," Dr. Shaw said, his voice soothing as he prepared his equipment. "Your amnesia was likely caused by severe head trauma. Recovering memories often requires triggers—specific stimuli connected to your past."

I swallowed hard, nodding as he began to work.

The session felt like hours, with Dr. Shaw guiding me through various memory retrieval techniques. Images flashed through my mind—water, panic, darkness—bringing physical reactions I couldn’t control. My heart pounded against my ribs, my breathing becoming shallow and rapid as fragments of memories assaulted me.

When we finally finished, I stumbled out of the room feeling like I’d been hit by a truck. My face must have been white as a sheet, because Ryan immediately rushed to my side, his arm wrapping protectively around my waist.

"Serena, are you alright?" The concern in his voice was palpable.

Dr. Shaw followed behind me, sighing softly. "Mrs. Blackwood’s condition is quite severe. Given how much time has passed, she’s only able to recall fragmentary images at this point. And considering her pregnancy, we shouldn’t push too hard with emotional stimuli. Mr. Blackwood, I suggest you take her home to rest."

Ryan thanked him quietly before guiding me back to the car. I felt numb, disconnected from my body, lost in the shattered pieces of memories that had surfaced.

"Ryan, I know my last name is Quinn. That’s the one thing I’ve always remembered." I looked up at him, searching his face. "Do you think... could Ethan Quinn possibly be connected to me? Is that why he’s been hanging around Dreamland?"

Something flashed in Ryan’s eyes.

"Ethan Quinn is still in New York," he said carefully. "If you’re ready, perhaps you should meet with him."

I hesitated. Would it be too forward to approach someone like Ethan with such personal questions? But this was about my identity—my entire life before Ryan.

Ryan must have sensed my internal debate. "You’ve already mentally prepared yourself to face your past, Serena. Meeting him could either confirm your connection or eliminate that possibility altogether."

His reasoning made sense, and I felt my resolve strengthen. "I’ll go to the studio this afternoon. Maya said his car has been parked nearby. I might as well confront him directly."

Ryan didn’t try to stop me, but his concern was evident in the way his brow furrowed slightly.

"Serena," he said softly, "no matter what you discover, remember that I’m your family now. If you learn something about your past that you’d rather not face, don’t force yourself."

"Ryan, I’ll be fine," I assured him, squeezing his hand. "You should get back to work. I might be home late—there’s a mountain of work waiting at Dreamland that Maya needs help with."

He nodded reluctantly, finally letting go of my hand. "Call me if anything happens. Anything at all."

I gave him a reassuring smile as I gathered my things. "Don’t worry so much."

The mystery of my past needed to be solved—today, if possible. Whatever I discovered, I’d deal with it. After all, I’d survived everything else life had thrown at me so far.