CHAPTER 234: CHAPTER 234 FRAGMENTS OF THE PAST

Serena’s POV

I woke up feeling like I’d been hit by a freight train, my head throbbing with the remnants of fragmented memories. The same bedroom I’d fallen asleep in earlier now felt somehow different—more familiar yet still strange.

Rubbing my eyes, I made my way downstairs, my stomach growling loudly enough to override the lingering headache. I hadn’t meant to sleep so long, but exhaustion had claimed me completely.

"Serena, you’re awake!" Eleanor rushed toward me, immediately gesturing to the housekeeper. "Please prepare lunch for my sister."

I smiled sheepishly. "Have you all eaten already? I guess I really overslept."

"Don’t worry about it," Eleanor said, taking my arm. "I didn’t eat much earlier—I’ll join you."

She guided me to the dining table where Zoe was already sitting, sipping freshly squeezed juice instead of having another meal. I noticed her watching my every movement, studying me like I was some fascinating specimen.

"You’ve always hated cilantro," she remarked suddenly. "That’s why our chef never uses it in anything."

My chopsticks paused midair as I scanned the dishes, realizing she was right—not a speck of green herb in sight.

"Was I always this picky?" I asked, feeling strange about discovering these quirks about myself.

Eleanor laughed lightly. "Not just cilantro. You never liked fresh juice either—that’s strictly Zoe’s thing."

"Your habits haven’t changed at all, Serena," Zoe added, her eyes softening. "You’ve been through so much these past few years."

I shook my head dismissively. "What’s done is done."

Eleanor’s expression suddenly turned serious. "You know, the accident where you fell overboard happened during a celebration party I organized."

The shift in her tone made me look up, and I saw genuine remorse in her eyes.

"I still regret having that party on a yacht," she continued, her voice dropping. "If we’d stayed on land, none of this would have happened."

Something flickered in my mind—a flash of bright lights, the clink of champagne glasses, voices congratulating me on a successful business deal. My head began to throb painfully.

"It was your first major business success on your own," Eleanor continued, not noticing my discomfort. "I wanted to celebrate in style, and you were so happy that night. You drank more champagne than usual."

She put down her chopsticks, looking directly at me. "It’s all my fault, Serena. Can you ever forgive me?"

More images flooded my mind—a lavish party on a yacht, people in formal wear, my own reflection in a mirror showing flushed cheeks as I accepted another glass of champagne. The pain in my head intensified, becoming unbearable.

"Serena? Serena, what’s wrong?" Both sisters leaned forward in alarm.

My chopsticks clattered onto the table as I clutched my head. The fragments of memory kept coming faster, sharper, each one like a knife stabbing into my brain.

"What’s happening? Someone call Dr. Shawn immediately!" Eleanor’s voice sounded distant, as though coming from underwater.

The last thing I remember was the room spinning violently before everything went black.

Author’s POV

Serena collapsed at the dining table, her face contorted in pain before she lost consciousness completely. Eleanor and Zoe sprung into action, panic evident on both their faces.

"How could you bring up the accident so suddenly?" Zoe snapped at Eleanor while helping to support Serena’s limp form. "You’ve obviously triggered something!"

Eleanor’s face crumpled. "I didn’t think it would affect her like this! What if something serious happens to her? This is all my fault—my stupid mouth!"

"Let’s get her back to her room first," Zoe said more practically, already signaling for the household staff to help.

Dr. Shawn arrived quickly, examining Serena with a grave expression before shaking his head.

"What does that mean?" Zoe demanded, her usually composed demeanor slipping. "Why are you shaking your head?"

"Let’s discuss outside," the doctor replied quietly. "Ms. Quinn needs rest."

Once in the hallway, Dr. Shawn explained that physically, Serena wasn’t in danger. "She’s experienced a strong memory trigger that overwhelmed her system."

"Will this affect her previous amnesia? Can she recover her memories from this?" Eleanor asked anxiously.

The doctor hesitated. "It’s impossible to say for certain. We’ll have to wait until she regains consciousness."

Zoe nodded, partially relieved. "And the baby? Is the baby okay?"

"Ms. Quinn is pregnant, which complicates matters," Dr. Shawn said carefully. "I strongly advise against further emotional shocks. They could potentially affect both her and the child."

"We understand. Thank you, Dr. Shawn," Zoe said firmly. "And please, don’t mention this to our parents yet. They’ll only worry unnecessarily."

After the doctor left, Eleanor leaned against the wall, devastated. "This is entirely my fault. I shouldn’t have rushed things."

"What’s done is done," Zoe sighed. "Just be more careful going forward."

"I was just so worried," Eleanor confessed. "Serena’s back home but treats us all like strangers. I thought if she remembered more quickly, it would be easier on our parents."

Zoe understood her sister’s intentions but shook her head. "Now isn’t the time."

Eleanor nodded reluctantly. "I’ll be more careful with what I say from now on." She paused, then added, "What about our plan to test Ryan? Should we continue?"

Zoe considered this carefully. Despite being the middle child of the Quinn siblings, she was always the one they turned to for critical decisions.

"We absolutely continue testing him," she said after a moment. "But Serena can’t know about it."

"How do we proceed?"

"Ethan seems to have developed a decent relationship with Ryan. Have him arrange a meeting—let’s see how this man handles his liquor first, then we’ll move to the next phase."

Eleanor’s eyes brightened at the suggestion. "Perfect. I’ll tell Ethan to handle it discreetly."

Both sisters shared a determined look. They might have accepted Serena’s return, but Ryan Blackwood would need to prove himself worthy of their sister before earning their trust.