Whispers Carved Into the Wind 7

Chapter 7 

When Callum fell off that cliff, they rushed him to the hospital. 

He survived. Barely. 

But the doctors were confused. All his signs said he should be awake. His brain activity was normal. But he stayed unconscious. Almost like he didn’t want to wake up. 

When Mr. and Mrs. Reid got the call, they rushed to the hospital. The second they saw him lying there, they turned on Riley; 

“I told you were bad news! But Callum wouldn’t listen!” 

“We should’ve just brought him home, got his memory back-none of this would’ve happened!” 

Mrs. Reid sank into the chair, voice cracking. “He was fine with Vivian. We never should’ve listened to her…” 

Vivian… 

The name echoed in Callum’s head. Familiar. Painful. 

Suddenly, a memory surfaced- 

A girl standing in a garden full of white flowers, smiling at him. “Callum, the orchids in the greenhouse are blooming. Let’s go 

look.” 

He saw himself walk toward her. But the second he touched her, she shattered into a thousand butterflies and flew away. 

Her voice drifted through the air, sad and distant. “Callum… we’re done.” 

‘Vivian!” 

in the hospital room, Callum’s eyes shot open. He screamed her name. 

‘Callum! Oh my God, you’re awake!” 

Riley grabbed his hand, then started crying. “You’re finally awake… I didn’t know what to do. Your parents hate me now. I feel so guilty…” 

‘I shouldn’t have made you climb that cliff for me. This is all my fault…” 

Callum stared at her. This girl he’d thought he loved when he had no memory. His voice came out rough: 

“Where’s Vivian?” 

Riley froze. Then she bit her lip and started talking fast: 

“You’re seriously asking about HER? You’ve been in the hospital for weeks-she hasn’t shown up once. Girls like that? They’re all over you when things are good, ghost you the second things go south. Why even bother?” 

“I’m just saying-” 

She’s not like that. Callum cut her off, frowning hard. His voice was firm. “Vivian’s not that kind of person. 

He knew exactly who Vivian was. 

“She didn’t come because she’s angry.” 

Thinking about everything he’d done to Vivian while he couldn’t remember made him feel like someone was squeezing his heart. He couldn’t breathe. 

He threw off the blanket and headed for the door. 

Riley grabbed him from behind. 

Even she could tell. He remembered everything now. 

It’s always like this. 

The second Vivian shows up, I disappear. 

She couldn’t accept it. Her voice shook. “Callum, I’m sorry. I was wrong about Vivian.” 

‘Maybe she had a reason for throwing my ring. And the kidnapping at the engagement party-maybe it wasn’t her fault…” 

‘Just don’t go yet, okay? You’re still hurt. When you’re better, I’ll come with you to apologize to her. Please?” 

Callum knew exactly what she was doing. 

He pulled her hands off him, one finger at a time. His voice was ice cold. “The people who kidnapped you at the party weren’t sent by Vivian.” 

‘If she wanted to hurt you, she wouldn’t have saved you when you both got thrown in the ocean. She almost drowned trying to get you out.” 

He closed his eyes. His tone got sharper. “Riley, I’m not gonna dig into how you ‘found’ me when I lost my memory.” 

Riley’s face crumbled. “What are you saying?” 

Callum looked at her one last time. Then he pulled away and walked out. 

‘If you go to her, what about me?!” Riley screamed after him. 

He heard it. But he didn’t turn around. 

All he felt was panic clawing at his chest. 

He used to ask himself the same thing. Back when he couldn’t remember. 

If Vivian really was the one I loved, what does falling for Riley make me? 

A betrayer. 

An unforgivable betrayer. 

He couldn’t imagine Vivian refusing to forgive him. 

Chapter 7 

She was the girl he’d raised, protected, promised to marry. 

He used to hate seeing her frown. But now he’d hurt her worse than anyone. 

At the Reid estate, Callum dropped to his knees in front of his parents. 

“Mom, Dad, just tell me where Vivian is. I’ll fix this, I swear-” 

“Stop it!” 

Mrs. Reid grabbed his arm. Her eyes looked devastated. “Vivian broke off the engagement the second you lost your memory! Even if you fix things, she’s not coming back!” 

Her voice dropped, exhausted. “She didn’t want to be a burden. That’s why she told us not to bring back your memories. That’s vhy she left the country.” 

Burden?” 

Callum repeated the word like it burned him. 

Mrs. Reid closed her eyes, took a shaky breath. “Vivian made us promise not to tell you. But you need to know what she gave p for you. Right when we found you, she got diagnosed with ALS.” 

She came to us with that diagnosis and said you only had eyes for Riley. She said the best thing she could do was disappear while you didn’t remember her. Didn’t want you stuck taking care of someone dying.” 

1. Disappear. Burden. 

he words hit him like a truck. 

lis brain felt like it was short-circuiting. His heart literally hurt, like someone was ripping it in half. 

That’s not… that can’t be right…” 

ivian promised they’d be together forever. 

verything started spinning. His vision went black and he collapsed, falling hard down the front steps.