It had been eight years since my fiancé Daniel suddenly disappeared on the day of our wedding. He was a poor man living on the streets of New York, so I never thought I’d see him again.
On a trip to the city to remember the good times, I ran into Daniel, who was now dirty and begging. When our eyes met, I felt a wave of shock.
I decided to talk to him because I was interested. Daniel’s story shocked me: two men, who he said were sent by my dad, had taken him away and beaten him so badly that he lost all memory.
Daniel told the scary story of how he lost his memory, ended up in the hospital, and struggled to rebuild his life over coffee. His words made me feel sad and skeptical at the same time.
Was this true, or was it made up? I couldn’t get rid of the feeling that the man I used to love had become this way because of things he couldn’t control.
As we went our separate ways, I couldn’t decide what to believe. I had more questions than answers after the meeting.
Later, I told my friend Eric what happened, and he was shocked and didn’t believe Daniel’s story. His words made me think of my own worries.
I called my dad because I was determined to find out the truth. His defensive tone and admission that he was meddling in our relationship made me even more suspicious.
“Did you have Daniel kidnapped?” I pressed.
“Absurd,” he said, but his belief was beginning to weaken.
I was scared after the talk. Had what my dad did ruined my chance at being happy?
I was shocked to find that my purse was gone—the same purse I had left on the bench next to Daniel. Had he taken it?
I felt hurt and angry all at once. Did Daniel lie about everything he said?
Someone else’s worry broke my dream. “Are you okay, miss?”
I took a deep breath and stood up, ready to face what might happen. Even though the past was hard, I refused to let it define who I am.
Main Points:
A chance meeting with a long-lost fiancé brings up old memories and thoughts about the present.
Daniel’s story of forgetfulness and hardship makes people feel both sorry for him and skeptical.
Nina finds out her father’s lies when she looks for the truth.
Betrayal and doubt follow Nina as she works her way through this complicated web.
It’s clear that Nina will find out the truth and do what’s right as she goes forward.
