Blindly, I stare at the ceiling and ponder Jenny's words. I still can't believe she threatened to kill my father. I have never felt more hopeless in my life.

I can't bear to watch Beau marry someone else and not do anything to stop it, but I also can't risk my father's life. There is no debate, I won't risk my dad, but the price to keep him safe is a hefty one. I will have to live the rest of my days without Beau. My life is incomplete without him. I don't even know how I'm going to function.

Fresh tears escape my eyes and stain the pillow. I just wish there was a way I could be with Beau without losing my father in the process.

My head turns when I hear the door opening. I was too shaken to move after speaking to Jenny, so I'm still in the room where Hannah's wedding dress is. I wipe my cheeks and sit up to see who's coming inside.

"Yennefer," I say, surprised. How did she know I was here?

"Found you at last." She smiles and closes the door behind her.

"You were looking for me?" I ask.

"Yes, you told Nana you were coming to see her, but then you never showed up. You weren't answering your phone and the guards at the gate said they didn't see you leave. We were close to calling the cops, dear. We were worried that my father or Jenny might have done something to you again."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to worry either of you. Something happened, and I lost track of time."

"It's okay. You look like you've been crying. What's wrong?" she asks, taking a seat beside me by the edge of the bed.

"Nothing is wrong." Yennefer supports Beau and me being together, but I don't want to burden her with my troubles.

"You know you can tell me anything," she says, taking my hand and giving it a warm squeeze.

As I stare into her kind eyes, tears well up in my own, and before I know it, they're flowing down my face. I drop my head into her lap and cry my heart out. I've never felt more hopeless or clueless about what to do. I'm so heartbroken and frustrated with the whole situation. Yennefer rubs soothing patterns down my back.

Once I'm able to stop crying, I tell Yennefer about her sister's threat. She's heartbroken that Jenny would go to such lengths to keep Beau and I apart. She can't believe that even after Jenny's last plan took an innocent life, she still won't stop.

Yennefer suggests we walk around the estate to clear our heads, so we can think productively about the situation. She says I shouldn't give up, and that, hopefully, an idea will come to us about how I can be with Beau without risking my father's life.

We're strolling around the estate, close to the stables, when one of the stable boys asks to speak to Yennefer. I stay outside while she walks in.

While I'm waiting, a commotion breaks out. A new horse has gotten loose and is running towards me. I stand frozen, eyes wide and heart beating fast as the black stallion approaches me. I'm too afraid to even move an inch. Horses scare me, and I think I'm about to get killed by one. Someone screams for me to move, but I'm too scared. Closing my eyes, I wait for the animal to hit me, but it doesn't; something else happens instead. My feet leave the dirt as I'm lifted off the ground. I slowly open my eyes and find a pair of gray orbs staring at me with great concern.

"What the hell are you doing here? Have you forgotten you're scared of horses?" Beau scolds, still holding me in his arms.

I can't believe he remembers I have a phobia of horses. I was right. Beau's memories are coming back. Tears fill my eyes, and my heart pounds as I continue to stare and I'm able see genuine concern for me in his gaze. But I can't even bathe in the joy that Beau's memory is returning, because Jenny might accuse me of triggering it. Which would put my father in danger. God! What have I done to deserve this kind of punishment?

"I forgot; please put me down," I answer softly.

"You forgot? You forgot. How does someone forget they're scared of something?" he barks, holding me tighter in his arms. The warmth from his body passes into mine, and his scent wraps around me like a cozy blanket. Beau is killing me right now. Doesn't he know having him this close reminds me of what I can't have? My heart has suffered enough; I can't take anymore.

"You forgot me." The words leave my mouth before I can stop them. He doesn't say anything for a good minute, only stares.

"Maybe it's a good thing I did," Beau whispers after what feels like an eternity. He places me on the ground and walks away before I can utter another word. I watch him as the tears in my eyes begin to flow down my face. I'm starting to believe our love will never see the daylight again. I can't believe it's over before it even truly began.

***

Later that night, I pull out my suitcase and start throwing my things in. I can't continue to stay here and watch Beau get married to someone else. The pain is too much for me to bear.

Suddenly, my phone starts ringing. Checking the caller ID, I see it's Camila. My brows furrow. Why is she calling me so late? I pause from gathering my stuff and answer.

"Hello?"

"Lilah?" Camila says hoarsely, her voice low. Why does it sound like she's being crying?

"What's wrong? Are you crying?"

"He left," she says before breaking down into tears.

"Who left?"

"A—Ax—Axel, " she stammers as she begins to hyperventilate.

"Axel? Why?" I ask, confused.

"He—he..." She can barely get a word out with all the crying she's doing.

"Camila, calm down. Do you hear me?" I try to sound firm, even though I'm worried. "Calm down, so you can speak to me." God! I hate that I can't be there for her right now. What happened? I pray it's nothing serious.

"Okay, I'll try," she says, sniffling.

"Take some deep breaths," I instruct and wait as she does.

"Axel left," she eventually says, sounding better. I'm happy about that, though now I'm concerned by her words.

"Why?"

"Because of Danny."

"Danny?" I growl, a scowl forming on my face. Even the mention of his name has my blood boiling.

"Yes."

"Explain."

"So, Danny was injured while he was in New York. And apparently, I'm still his emergency contact, so I was called."

"Okay..." I don't understand how this made Axel leave, but I'm sure she'll explain soon.

"I got the call late last night and quickly started preparing to fly to New York. Axel didn't want me to go. I tried reasoning with him and explaining that Danny needs someone there with him right now, but Axel wasn't having it." She takes another deep breath. "Before I knew what was happening, he was accusing me of wanting to go, because me being Danny's emergency contact means he still has feelings for me, and I've just been waiting for the opportunity to go back to him. And he also said it was the real reason why I didn't want to move to Chicago. I tried telling him that it wasn't true, but he said the only way I could prove it was by not going to New York."

"Did you go?"

"No, but he left an hour ago. He told me I could go to New York and be with Danny."

"He really said that and then just left?" I don't know why, but I have a feeling this isn't the first time they're having this kind of fight. Axel's behavior makes me think he may have been having doubts for a while. I'll have to speak to him about it.

"Yes, and I've been calling his cell, but he's not picking up. Lilah, I really fear this might be the end for us. He seems to really believe I want to be with Danny, and so he left me before I could leave him."

"Don't worry, I don't think it's the end for you guys. He's just angry right now, and that's why he left. I'll call and talk to him. Everything will be fine, don't worry."

"Thank you, Lilah."

"You're welcome. I'll call you once I've spoken to him. Goodbye."

"Bye," Camila says and hangs up.

Releasing a sigh, I run a hand through my hair. It's bad enough that I have no future with Beau, but then this happens to Camila, too? I just hope I'll be able to talk some sense into Axel.

I scroll through my contacts for Axel's number. I'm about to dial but stop when I realize he probably won't answer, because he'll know why I'm calling. Maybe I'll just fly up to Chicago before going home, that way he won't be able to avoid me.

After I finish getting my stuff together, I walk out of my room and text Tamara that I'm leaving as I take the elevator down to the lobby. I don't want to disturb her sleep by going to her room or calling. By the time she wakes up, I'll already be in Chicago, helping fix Camila and Axel's relationship and attempting to take my mind off Beau and the fact that we no longer have a future together.