Yours, Always....

Chapter 10:-The Search Begins

Emily sat in her small living room, the quiet humming of the city outside barely registering in her mind. Daniel had given her a name—just one small piece of the puzzle. He didn't remember much, but a woman's name had surfaced in his memories, and it was enough to break Emily's heart. Still, she couldn't allow herself to wallow in self-pity. Daniel needed to know the truth, and she couldn't let her feelings stand in the way of finding this woman. She took a deep breath, opened her laptop, and began typing. Her search started with basic details. She didn't know much, just fragments of Daniel's past, but with each clue she gathered, Emily felt a mixture of dread and determination. Daniel had mentioned an isolated place, a small town far away from London. Emily tried narrowing it down based on the bits and pieces he'd remembered. The task felt daunting, and her heart sank as she combed through endless pages of information. But giving up wasn't an option. Not for him.
The next day, after seeing Daniel at the clinic, Emily slipped out early, her mind already racing with the possibilities of her search. Daniel didn't ask where she was going, and she didn't offer the truth. There was a part of her that wanted to keep this investigation private until she was certain. By midday, she found herself in a public records office. It was a long shot, but she had to try. She flipped through papers, her hands shaking slightly with every new lead she came across. Hours passed, and she began piecing together more about the mysterious woman from Daniel's past. There were small traces—old addresses, perhaps a family member, but nothing concrete. Emily's frustration grew as the pieces refused to come together. Her phone buzzed, and she saw Daniel's name pop up on the screen. He was asking how her day was going. She stared at the message for a moment, the weight of what she was doing pressing down on her. She could easily lie, but she couldn't help the guilt creeping in. Emily: Just some errands today. I'll see you later. She stuffed the phone back into her bag, shaking her head as if to clear the fog of emotion clouding her thoughts.
Back home that evening, Emily spread out the documents she had gathered across her dining table. The faint glow of the lamp overhead cast shadows on the papers, making everything feel even more mysterious. She had a few leads now, a couple of names, and a few addresses of where this woman could have gone after the accident. But every time she stared at them, she felt a stab of pain. This woman was real. And she was somewhere out there, waiting to be found. Emily paced around the room, her heart racing. How could she bring herself to finish this? How could she reunite Daniel with the woman he once loved, knowing that it would mean losing him for good? She shook her head, forcing herself to focus. This wasn't about her. This was about Daniel's happiness, his past. She couldn't be selfish, no matter how much it hurt. With that thought, she sat down again and continued searching.