He Lost His Memory In A Crash, Then A Small-Town American Woman’s Kindness Changed His Life
Chapter 4
Ethan stared at Clara.
“I paid your mother’s medical bills?”
Clara nodded.
“Three years ago.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
She looked uncomfortable.
“My mother needed surgery. Insurance wouldn’t cover everything.”
“How did I find out?”
“You didn’t.”
“Then who?”
“Your foundation.”
Ethan leaned forward.
“Tell me.”
Clara explained.
Her mother had been diagnosed with a serious heart condition.
The surgery cost more than Clara could afford.
She had applied for assistance through several charities.
One of them was funded by Cole Meridian.
The foundation paid the full amount.
“No publicity?”
“No.”
“No interview?”
“No.”
“No conditions?”
“None.”
Ethan looked relieved.
“Then maybe I wasn’t completely terrible.”
Clara smiled.
“Maybe.”
He looked at her.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you didn’t need another reason to feel responsible for me.”
She stood.
“I helped you because you needed help.”
He followed her.
“You helped me without knowing who I was.”
“Exactly.”
“Would you have done the same if you knew?”
She thought about it.
“Probably.”
“Why?”
“Because money doesn’t change whether someone is bleeding.”
The words stayed with him.
That night, Ethan couldn’t sleep.
He walked through his rented house.
There were no expensive paintings.
No marble floors.
No staff.
Just a small kitchen and a secondhand couch.
He liked it.
At 2:13 a.m., his phone rang.
Nathan.
“Ethan?”
“Yeah.”
“We found something.”
“What?”
“The police recovered your phone from the crash.”
Ethan sat down.
“Can you access it?”
“Most of it.”
“Anything important?”
Nathan hesitated.
“Your last messages.”
“To whom?”
“A woman.”
“Who?”
“Her name is Victoria Lane.”
Ethan frowned.
“Who is she?”
“We don’t know yet.”
“Read me the message.”
Nathan paused.
Then:
If you tell the truth, they will come after you.
Ethan’s stomach tightened.
“When was that?”
“Twenty minutes before the crash.”
He stood.
“Anything else?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“The next message was never sent.”
“What did it say?”
Nathan read it.
I have proof. Meet me in Mercy Creek.
Ethan stared at the wall.
Mercy Creek.
The town where he had crashed.
The town where he had met Clara.
The town where someone had apparently wanted him to come.
“Do you know who Victoria Lane is?”
“No.”
“Find her.”
Nathan agreed.
The call ended.
The next morning, Ethan went to the diner.
Clara immediately noticed his expression.
“What happened?”
“I think I came to Mercy Creek on purpose.”
She frowned.
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“Who were you meeting?”
“A woman named Victoria Lane.”
Clara’s face changed.
Ethan noticed.
“You know her?”
“No.”
“Clara.”
She hesitated.
Then whispered:
“I’ve heard that name.”
“Where?”
“My mother.”
