Chapter 333
"Harrison, we've met before!" Nathaniel froze at the declaration.
Had they?
His mind raced through every memory, but nothing came to mind. When could he have possibly crossed paths with her?
Yet, there was something about Harrison that tugged at him—an inexplicable pull that drew him closer without reason.
"We actually—"
Harrison reached for her neck, fingers brushing bare skin where the crystal pendant should have been.
It wasn't there.
She'd left it in her room.
"Wait here," she said, already stepping back. "I need to show you something."
Before he could respond, she was gone, leaving Nathaniel standing in the snow, questions swirling.
What could she possibly bring that would explain this strange familiarity?
Harrison sprinted back to the Silver Pines Hotel, heart pounding. The pendant lay on the dresser, its delicate chain coiled like a sleeping serpent.
She snatched it up, pressing the cool crystal into her palm.
Would he recognize it?
Would it spark a memory?
Would he finally remember her?
She had to try.
The return trip felt endless. When the ski resort came into view, she spotted Nathaniel still waiting—just as she'd left him.
Her steps faltered.
Isabella stood beside him.
She'd flown in from Willowbrook, her presence slicing through the winter air like a blade.
Harrison stopped dead.
The warmth in her chest snuffed out.
How foolish she'd been.
He didn't remember. The pendant wouldn't change that.
If she'd mattered, he wouldn't have forgotten.
Isabella was the one he loved. The proof stood right there, wrapped in designer wool and possessive proximity.
Harrison's fingers tightened around the pendant. A bitter laugh rose in her throat.
Forget it.
She turned to leave.
A shadow moved behind her.
She whirled, pulse spiking.
Sebastian.
He'd followed her.
At the Global Scholars Forum, he'd discovered the woman he'd idolized—the one he'd been pursuing with roses and grand gestures—was Harrison. The same Harrison he'd dismissed for years.
Even now, his expression twisted with disbelief.
The girl he'd scorned was not only Westfield University's prodigy but also the object of his obsession.
Harrison arched a brow. "Sebastian. Are you stalking me now?"
His jaw clenched. "Tell me the truth. Are you really her?"
A smirk curled her lips as she stepped closer. "I already told you—your dream girl hates red roses."
Amusement glittered in her eyes, sharp enough to cut.
Sebastian's face darkened.
"Enjoy the snow," she tossed over her shoulder, walking away.
He didn't follow.
Ahead, Nathaniel hadn't expected Isabella's sudden appearance. "Why are you here?"
"Do I need permission?" Her voice turned brittle. "You ignored my calls. Dominic said this was a business trip, but Harrison came to Wintervale with friends. Quite the coincidence, don't you think?"
Nathaniel's lips pressed into a line. "There's something I need to ask her."
"What?"
"I think... I've met Harrison before."
Isabella's breath hitched.
Had he figured it out?