~ Rewritten Fates ~

Chapter 15 - A Twist of Fate

"He told me about you." Ellen says, sitting on a chair next to Henry. Her gaze is fixed on Alex, who lies unconscious but stable. "I never imagined we'd meet like this, in a hospital, with Alex in this condition..." Her voice falters, and she breaks down, unable to contain her emotions any longer.

Henry presses his eyes shut, the weight of guilt settling heavily on his shoulders. He feels responsible for what happened, convinced that his presence and actions somehow put Alex in harm's way.

"Tell me Henry, why did you come back into his life after all these years? Why?" Ellen insists, her voice thick with emotion. Henry feels numb, struggling to find words, haunted by the image of Alex in pain. "Mom, please don't blame him." June interjects, stepping forward. "We all know what happened to Alex, and Henry has nothing to do with it. Please, I beg you, don't accuse him of anything."

"I'm not accusing or blaming anyone, June!" Ellen's voice cracks as she wipes away her tears. "But can you understand what it's like to see your son like this? I'm not blaming anyone, I just..." she breaks down, sobbing uncontrollably.

Henry stares at Ellen, taken aback by her words. "Wh-what happened to him? What is it you're hiding?" he asks, his voice tense. June looks away, her silence speaking volumes. "Please, tell me." Henry pleads, his frustration growing. "The only thing I remember is that he was excited to meet you all for Christmas. That was the last time I spoke to him, and he seemed so happy. What happened after that?"

His voice cracks as he continues, "God knows how many times I tried to reach out, but I could never get through. I thought... I thought he left me." His anguish spills over, as his unanswered questions fill the room. "No, he never left you. He loved you so much, Henry." Ellen says softly, her eyes filled with sadness.

"Then what happened? Why is he behaving like this?" Henry pleads, his desperation evident as he tries to make sense of everything. June, unable to handle the tension and emotion in the room, quietly leaves, her departure adding to the heavy silence that lingers between Ellen and Henry.

Ellen sighs, holding Henry's hand tightly. "The day he came back from London, he had a major road accident!" she reveals, her voice trembling. Henry gasps, struggling to process the gravity of her words.

"The doctors said he wouldn't survive, but he did, luckily. He was in coma for two years." Ellen continues, her eyes welling with tears. Henry looks over at Alex, his heart aching as he grapples with the weight of this new reality.

Ellen wipes her tears away. "After he woke up from the coma, we found out that he lost his memories! It wasn't easy for me to make him believe that he's my son, my only son. Oscar, me, June and Nora, we all prayed every day for him." she reveals, her voice thick with emotion. Henry feels a lump in his throat but manages to hold back his tears.

"After months of struggling, he finally remembered us, but not everything." Ellen continues, her gaze dropping to the floor. Henry's heart sinks as he realizes why Alex failed to recognize him the day they met at the office.

"Later, he was diagnosed with severe migraines." Ellen explains, her voice trembling. "The doctors warned us not to trigger anything, not to force him to remember his past or talk about it, because it might be dangerous for his life!" Henry clenches his fists, tears streaming down his cheeks as the weight of her words sinks in. The realization hits him hard: he triggered Alex unknowingly, putting his life in jeopardy.

Ellen grips Henry's hands tightly. "But you know what? The first time he woke up from his coma, the only name that came out of his mouth was 'Henry,' " she reveals. Henry's heart swells as he glances at Alex, aching to embrace him, but he knows he can't.