Chapter 2 — The Marriage She Forgot
The private dining room erupted into chaos.
"What did he say?"
"Did he just call the waitress his wife?"
"Someone call the manager!"
"Is this some kind of joke?"
The whispers spread faster than wildfire.
Guests abandoned their meals.
Several senators quietly stood.
Business executives exchanged stunned glances.
Even Roman Volkov's own security team looked momentarily confused.
Only Roman himself remained perfectly still.
One hand rested lightly on Savannah Ward's shoulder.
The gesture wasn't romantic.
It was protective.
Deliberate.
Final.
Savannah stared at him as if the world had stopped making sense.
"Wife?"
Her voice barely rose above a whisper.
"I've never met you."
Roman looked directly into her eyes.
"You have."
"No."
She shook her head repeatedly.
"I would remember."
"You don't."
The certainty in his voice frightened her more than the guns had.
She took one cautious step backward.
"Who are you?"
Instead of answering...
Roman slowly reached inside his suit jacket.
Instantly, several guests tensed again.
This time he removed a slim leather wallet.
From it, he carefully unfolded a photograph.
He handed it to Savannah.
She looked down.
Her heart skipped.
The woman in the picture...
Was unmistakably her.
Standing beside Roman.
Both dressed in simple clothes.
Neither smiling.
Yet both wearing wedding bands.
On the back...
A handwritten date.
Three years earlier.
Savannah's fingers began trembling.
"This..."
She looked up.
"...this has to be fake."
Roman answered calmly.
"It isn't."
Bianca's voice shattered the silence.
"Enough!"
She marched toward them despite her injured wrist.
"This woman is lying."
Savannah looked at her in disbelief.
"I'm not the one saying we're married."
Bianca ignored her.
She pointed at Roman.
"Tell them this is some ridiculous misunderstanding."
Roman remained silent.
"Roman!"
She grabbed his arm.
"You proposed to me."
"You gave me this ring."
"You announced our engagement."
Still...
Silence.
The entire room watched.
Finally Roman spoke.
"I announced an engagement."
Bianca blinked.
"Yes."
"I never announced a marriage."
The words struck like a hammer.
Bianca stepped backward.
"What..."
Her voice cracked.
"...what does that even mean?"
The restaurant manager hurried forward.
"Mr. Volkov..."
His forehead glistened with sweat.
"Perhaps we should continue this conversation privately."
Roman nodded once.
"Clear the room."
Within seconds, security escorted every guest from the dining hall.
No arguments.
No hesitation.
Everyone understood that whatever was about to happen...
They were not supposed to witness it.
Within minutes, only seven people remained.
Roman.
Savannah.
Bianca.
Marco Rossi—Roman's longtime chief of security.
Two bodyguards.
And the restaurant manager.
The massive oak doors closed.
The room fell silent.
Savannah still clutched the old photograph.
"It can't be real."
Roman finally sat down.
"Sit."
She didn't move.
"I'd rather stand."
"As you wish."
He folded his hands on the table.
"Three years ago..."
"You were involved in a car accident."
Savannah frowned.
"I know."
"You survived."
"I know."
"You spent twelve days unconscious."
She nodded slowly.
"The doctors said I had a concussion."
Roman's expression remained unreadable.
"They told you more than that."
She stared.
"They said I suffered memory loss."
A strange chill traveled through her body.
She had indeed lost fragments of that year.
Small things.
Conversations.
A vacation she barely remembered.
Several weeks that felt strangely blurred.
The doctors had called it normal.
Nothing serious.
She had accepted that explanation.
Until now.
Roman continued.
"You remembered your childhood."
"Your education."
"Your work."
"Your friends."
She swallowed.
"Yes."
"But you forgot one month."
Savannah frowned.
"Only pieces."
Roman looked directly at her.
"You forgot all of it."
Marco quietly placed a thick envelope on the table.
Roman slid it toward Savannah.
"Open it."
Inside...
She found copies of legal documents.
Medical reports.
Hospital records.
A marriage certificate.
Her hands shook as she read.
Roman Aleksandr Volkov
Savannah Elise Ward
Married in Alexandria, Virginia
Three years earlier.
Official county seal.
Judge's signature.
Witness signatures.
Everything appeared authentic.
Her breathing became uneven.
"No..."
She whispered.
"This..."
"...this isn't possible."
Bianca suddenly laughed.
A desperate laugh.
"Oh, please."
She pointed at the papers.
"Money can buy fake documents."
Roman slowly turned toward her.
"These records are filed with the Commonwealth of Virginia."
"You are welcome to verify them."
She opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
Nothing came out.
Savannah lowered herself into a chair.
Her legs no longer trusted her.
"If this is true..."
She struggled to breathe.
"...why don't I remember?"
Roman remained quiet for several seconds.
Then he answered.
"Because I ordered the doctors not to tell you."
The room froze.
Savannah looked at him in horror.
"You..."
"You what?"
"I told them not to force your memories."
"You had severe trauma."
"The neurologists warned that sudden emotional stress could worsen the damage."
She stared at him.
"You made that decision?"
"Yes."
"Who gave you that right?"
Roman answered honestly.
"You did."
He removed another document.
This one bore Savannah's own signature.
It was dated one day before the accident.
A legal authorization.
Temporary medical power of attorney.
Her eyes widened.
"I signed this?"
"You insisted."
"Why?"
Roman looked away for the first time.
"Because someone wanted us both dead."
The room became perfectly still.
Bianca laughed again.
This time the sound bordered on hysteria.
"This is insane."
"No."
Marco finally spoke.
"This is why we spent three years protecting Mr. Volkov."
Bianca turned sharply.
"You knew?"
Marco nodded once.
"Yes."
"You all knew?"
"Yes."
"And nobody told me?"
"No."
Bianca's face twisted with betrayal.
"I was engaged to him."
Marco answered quietly.
"Exactly."
Savannah rubbed her temples.
None of it made sense.
"Why would anyone want us dead?"
Roman's jaw tightened.
"Because of your father."
The words landed like another explosion.
"My father?"
"He was an investigative journalist."
Savannah nodded cautiously.
"He died when I was twenty."
Roman shook his head.
"No."
She frowned.
"He disappeared."
"He was declared legally dead."
"Those are different things."
Savannah's heartbeat accelerated.
"What are you saying?"
Roman leaned slightly forward.
"Your father uncovered financial records connecting several powerful political families..."
"...to organized crime."
"He brought the evidence to me."
She blinked.
"You knew my father?"
"He saved my life."
Silence.
"So I promised him something."
"What?"
"If anything happened to him..."
"...I would protect his daughter."
Tears gathered in Savannah's eyes.
"My father..."
"...trusted you?"
Roman nodded.
"He trusted very few people."
"And you married me?"
"To keep that promise."
Savannah looked utterly overwhelmed.
"This feels like someone else's life."
Roman spoke softly.
"I know."
Before anyone could speak again...
The restaurant doors burst open.
A man in his sixties stormed inside surrounded by armed security.
Anthony Caruso.
Bianca's father.
Construction billionaire.
Political donor.
One of the most influential businessmen in Washington.
His eyes immediately found his daughter.
"Bianca!"
He rushed toward her.
"What happened?"
She pointed toward Savannah.
"Her."
Then toward Roman.
"And him."
Anthony looked at Roman.
"What is going on?"
Roman answered calmly.
"My wife has been assaulted."
Anthony frowned.
"Your what?"
"My wife."
Anthony stared at Savannah.
Recognition slowly replaced confusion.
His expression changed.
Almost imperceptibly.
But Roman noticed.
Marco noticed.
And so did Savannah.
For a split second...
Anthony Caruso looked frightened.
Not surprised.
Frightened.
Roman saw it immediately.
"You know who she is."
Anthony recovered quickly.
"I've never seen her before."
Roman stood.
"No."
His voice was colder than before.
"You recognized her."
Anthony smiled tightly.
"I think this evening has become emotional."
Roman took one step forward.
"You looked at her..."
"...the same way a man looks at a ghost."
The room fell silent again.
Anthony's confident smile faded.
Only slightly.
But enough.
Roman turned toward Marco.
"Find out why."
Marco nodded immediately.
"It'll be done tonight."
Anthony's eyes narrowed.
"Is that a threat?"
Roman answered without raising his voice.
"No."
"It's a promise."
Outside, thunder rolled across Washington.
Rain began striking the restaurant windows.
Inside, Savannah clutched the marriage certificate with trembling hands.
She still couldn't remember marrying Roman Volkov.
But one thing had become painfully clear.
Her forgotten past wasn't an accident.
Someone had wanted it buried.
May you like
And judging by the fear that flashed across Anthony Caruso's face...
That secret was dangerous enough to start a war.
