Enchoes of us

About the Author

Apsara is an aspiring novelist with a passion for creating emotional stories that blend romance, mystery, suspense, and unforgettable characters.

Echoes of Us is her debut novel, inspired by the idea that memories can fade, but love, hope, and courage can endure even through life's darkest moments.

Through her writing, Apsara hopes to take readers on emotional journeys filled with unexpected twists, heartfelt relationships, and stories that stay with them long after the final page.

She believes every story has the power to inspire, heal, and remind us that even after the greatest storms, a new beginning is always possible.

Thank you for reading Echoes of Us. Your support means more than words can express.

With love,

Apsara

Chapter 1 – Who Am I?

"Who am I?"

That's the question that haunts me every single day.

My name is Ella... or at least, that's what everyone calls me.

But if you ask me who I really am...

I don't know.

Sometimes I stare into the mirror, hoping my reflection will remember what I can't.

Nothing.

Just an empty face... and a heart filled with questions.

Everyone around me smiles.

Everyone tells me I'm safe.

Yet... why does it feel like they're hiding something from me?

Especially Eddie.

Whenever I look into his eyes...

I see pain.

I see love.

I see guilt.

But why?

Who is he to me?

Why does my heart race whenever he comes close?

Why do I feel like he's protecting me from a truth that could destroy me?

Everyone calls me the mafia's sister.

But if they are really my family...

Why don't I feel like I belong?

Was my past so terrible...

That everyone decided it should stay buried forever?

No matter what they say...

I will remember.

Even if the truth breaks me.

Even if the people I love become my enemies.

Because somewhere...

Hidden beneath these forgotten memories...

Someone is waiting for me.

And I have a feeling...

That someone...

Is Eddie.

Chapter 2 – A Stranger I Couldn't Forget

My story began the day I woke up from a coma after two long years.

When I opened my eyes, nothing felt familiar. I couldn't recognize anyone—not even the faces of the people who claimed to be my family. Every memory of my past had vanished, leaving behind only an unbearable emptiness.

But there was one thing I couldn't explain.

For some reason, whenever I looked at Eddie, my heart told me that I knew him... that he had once been someone incredibly important to me.

One day, unable to ignore the feeling any longer, I finally asked him.

"Have we... met before?"

For a moment, he simply stared at me. Then a faint, bittersweet smile appeared on his face.

"I wish you remembered," he whispered. "If you did... everything would be different."

His words left me confused. It felt as if he wanted to tell me something... something he had been hiding all this time.

Two months passed, and life continued like that.

Then, one night...

Everything changed.

Gunshots suddenly echoed through our mansion.

Panic spread everywhere.

The people inside the house pulled out their guns and returned fire. I had no idea what was happening. Terrified, I ran downstairs and hid in the basement, covering my ears as the sound of bullets shook the entire house.

After what felt like forever, the gunfire finally stopped.

Thinking it was over, I slowly walked upstairs.

The moment I reached the hall, my blood froze.

My brothers were being held at gunpoint by a group of armed men.

I didn't know who they were.

But one man stood in front of them with an infuriatingly confident smile. The moment he saw me, his eyes sparkled as if I were the only reason he had come.

"Please... let my brothers go!" I cried.

He chuckled and stepped closer.

"I'll let them go..." he said lazily. "But only if you marry me."

He smiled shamelessly.

"After all... I came here only for you, darling."

He kept walking toward me.

I instinctively stepped back.

One step.

Then another.

Until suddenly...

My foot slipped.

I lost my balance and started falling.

The stranger reached out his hand to catch me—

But someone else got there first.

Eddie.

He pulled me safely into his arms before I could hit the ground.

For a brief moment, the world around me disappeared.

His touch made my heartbeat race so fast that I could hear it echoing in my ears.

I didn't understand why...

But somehow...

Being in his arms felt strangely familiar..

Chapter 3– The Mafia's Unexpected Proposal

"Well... whatever the truth was..."

The mafia boss still refused to release my brothers, and fear slowly tightened its grip around my heart.

Then he looked straight at me and smiled.

"Hey, Ella..." he said softly. "You probably don't remember me... but I remember you perfectly."

He took another step closer.

"These people have kept you like a prisoner."

His lips curved into a playful grin.

"But once you marry me..."

He spread his arms dramatically.

"...you'll become the Queen of my state, darling."

My eyes widened.

"W-What...?" I stammered. "Marriage?!"

I quickly shook my head.

"I... I'm already married."

The smile on his face instantly disappeared.

"What?" he asked. "To whom? When? And how?"

Before I could answer, Eddie stepped forward.

"To me, sir," he said firmly. "She's my wife."

He lowered his head respectfully.

"So... please don't hurt my wife."

The mafia boss stared at us in silence.

Then he laughed.

"You expect me to believe that?"

He folded his arms.

"If you're really married..."

"Where are your wedding pictures?"

"Where's the marriage certificate?"

I nervously glanced at Eddie before answering.

"Our wedding happened in a hurry..."

"There wasn't enough time for any photographs."

For a few seconds, he simply looked at us.

Then, to everyone's surprise...

He burst into laughter.

"Oh, I see!"

"If that's the case..."

"I'll arrange your wedding properly."

"A grand wedding."

"The kind everyone dreams of."

He smiled, but this time there was sadness hidden behind it.

"I'll be happy because you'll get the man you love..."

He paused for a moment.

"...and heartbroken because that woman isn't mine."

His words caught me completely off guard.

Nothing about him made sense.

He had attacked our house...

Kidnapped my brothers...

Proposed to me...

And now...

He wanted to celebrate my wedding?

Completely confused, I looked at him.

"Wait..."

"If you like me so much..."

"Why are you letting me go so easily?"

"What are you really planning?"

He smiled mysteriously.

Then he gently tapped my forehead with one finger.

"Silly girl..."

"You wouldn't understand."

"Not yet.”

Chapter 4- confusion

Every servant in the mansion kept calling Eddie, "Sir."

I could only stand there in complete disbelief.

A normal bodyguard... this rich?

It didn't make any sense.

A maid happened to walk past me, so I quickly stopped her.

"Excuse me... why is everyone calling Eddie 'Sir'?"

She looked at me as if the answer was obvious.

"You really don't know?"

I shook my head.

"He isn't just anyone."

"He is the most powerful mafia boss in this city."

"Our Big Boss."

My heart nearly stopped.

A... mafia boss?

For a moment, I couldn't even breathe.

Without wasting another second, I stormed toward Eddie.

"What is all this?" I demanded.

He looked at me calmly.

"What do you mean?"

"Is everything alright?"

His expression was so normal that I almost doubted what I'd just heard.

I forced a smile.

"Y-Yeah... everything's fine."

But inside...

Nothing was fine anymore.

As evening approached, the entire mansion transformed.

Servants rushed from one corner to another, decorating every hall with sparkling lights and beautiful flowers.

It looked as if someone was preparing for a royal celebration.

I had no idea what was going on.

But one thing was certain...

No matter who Eddie really was...

He always cared about me.

And somewhere along the way...

I had fallen for him.

Of course...

I'd never have the courage to tell him.

I was far too shy.

A little while later, one of the maids handed me a gorgeous baby-pink gown.

"It is for tonight's party, ma'am."

I smiled and got ready.

The moment I walked downstairs...

The entire hall fell silent.

Every guest turned to look at me.

For a second, I felt embarrassed.

Then I noticed Eddie.

He was standing across the room...

And his eyes never left me.

Not even once.

My cheeks turned warm.

The party was wonderful.

We laughed...

We danced...

And for the first time in a long while...

I felt genuinely happy.

After the party ended, I returned to my room to change.

The moment I entered...

I froze.

Eddie was sitting on the edge of the bed, quietly watching me.

I wanted to ask him why he had hidden such a huge secret from me.

Why hadn't he told me he was the city's most feared mafia boss?

But...

The look in his eyes made me nervous.

I tried to walk toward the bathroom.

Then his voice stopped me.

"So..."

"You seemed to be having a lot of fun tonight."

I blinked.

"Huh?"

"What do you mean?"

He slowly stood up.

"You were talking to that guy..."

"And then you even danced with him."

He stepped closer.

"Don't forget..."

"You're my wife."

"My darling."

I could only stare at him.

W-What is he even saying...?

My heart was racing so fast that I couldn't think straight.

Trying to hide my embarrassment, I hurried into the bathroom to change.

After changing, I was so exhausted that I practically collapsed onto the bed.

Eddie looked at me and smirked.

"In such a hurry?"

"Can't wait for our wedding night?"

My eyes flew open in shock.

"W-What?!"

He burst into laughter.

"I'm joking."

"Relax."

"Now go to sleep."

Still blushing, I quietly lay down beside him.

Within minutes...

I had fallen asleep.

The next morning...

I slowly opened my eyes.

Before I could move...

I realized I was wrapped safely in Eddie's arms.

My heartbeat instantly sped up.

Embarrassed, I quickly pretended to be asleep.

A few moments later, Eddie gently loosened his embrace.

He brushed a few strands of hair away from my face...

Leaned down...

And softly kissed my forehead.

I stayed perfectly still...

Trying to hide the smile that was slowly appearing on my lips.

  Chapter -5 : his silent confession

A few days passed peacefully.

That morning, I decided to wear a saree for the first time since waking up from my coma.

As I stood in front of the mirror, trying to fix the pleats, I suddenly felt someone gently pull me backward.

Before I could react, Eddie's hand found mine.

He intertwined our fingers and softly held my wrist, making it impossible for me to look away.

Our eyes met.

The room fell completely silent.

Without saying a word, he slowly leaned closer.

His forehead rested against mine for a brief moment before he placed a gentle, lingering kiss on my lips.

My heart skipped a beat.

Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I lowered my eyes in embarrassment.

I tried to step away, but he gently caught my hand again.

With a tender smile, he wrapped one arm around my waist and pulled me just a little closer.

There was nothing forceful in his touch...

Only affection.

Only longing.

His voice was barely above a whisper.

"You're mine..."

He smiled as if he had been waiting years to say those words.

"You always have been..."

"And you always will be."

My heartbeat became so loud that I was sure he could hear it.

Unable to gather the courage to look into his eyes, I gently pushed him away.

Without saying another word, I hurried out of the room, trying to hide the blush spreading across my face.

Behind me...

I could hear Eddie chuckling softly.

He knew exactly how flustered I was.

   Chapter 6 - the locked room

The next morning, Eddie left for work as usual.

The mansion suddenly felt quiet.

With nothing to do, I decided to explore the house. It was so huge that I was sure I hadn't seen every corner yet.

As I walked down a long hallway, something caught my attention.

At the very end of the corridor stood a large wooden door.

It was locked.

I don't know why... but I felt strangely drawn to it.

Just then, one of the maids walked past me.

"What's inside this room?" I asked curiously.

The maid immediately looked nervous.

"I'm sorry, ma'am... but no one is allowed to enter this room."

"Not even me?"

She hesitated before answering.

"Those are Big Sir's orders."

The moment she left, my curiosity only grew stronger.

Later that afternoon, I noticed the door had been left slightly open.

I quietly stepped inside.

The room was covered in dust, as if no one had entered it for years.

As I looked around, my eyes landed on a photo frame.

I picked it up.

My heart skipped a beat.

It was me...

Standing beside Eddie.

Both of us were smiling so brightly.

I grabbed another frame.

Then another.

Every single picture showed the two of us together.

Laughing...

Traveling...

Celebrating birthdays...

One photo made me freeze completely.

I was wearing a beautiful bridal dress.

Eddie stood beside me, dressed in a black suit, looking at me with nothing but love in his eyes.

I touched the picture with trembling fingers.

"Why... can't I remember any of this?"

At that very moment...

The door slammed shut.

I turned around in fear.

Eddie was standing there.

His expression had completely changed.

He walked toward me, took the photo album from my hands, and closed it.

"I told everyone..."

"...this room was never supposed to be opened."

His voice was calm...

But his eyes were filled with emotions I couldn't understand.

"What are you hiding from me, Eddie?" I whispered.

He looked at me for a long moment...

But didn't answer.

Instead, he simply walked away.

As soon as he left, something on the floor caught my attention.

A small, old diary.

I picked it up and slowly opened the first page.

Only one sentence was written there.

"If you're reading this... it means you've forgotten me once again.”

Chapter 7

- hidden door

I was just about to turn the second page of the diary...

When suddenly—

"Ella!"

Eddie's voice echoed through the room.

I flinched.

He walked toward me, his face filled with anger.

"Who told you to come in here?"

His voice wasn't loud...

But the disappointment in his eyes hurt far more than his words.

Without saying anything, I closed the diary and walked away.

I didn't want to argue with him.

I climbed up to the rooftop garden.

It was peaceful.

Beautiful flowers bloomed in every corner, and the cool breeze gently brushed against my face.

I sat on a wooden bench, completely lost in my thoughts.

Who was the girl in those photographs?

Was it really me... or someone else?

How could I possibly be wearing a wedding dress if I couldn't remember getting married?

The questions refused to leave my mind.

Suddenly...

A sharp pain shot through my head.

Images flashed before my eyes.

I saw myself laughing.

Running through the rain.

Singing.

Smiling.

And beside me...

Was Eddie.

But he was different.

He wasn't cold.

He wasn't distant.

He smiled freely...

As if I was the happiest part of his life.

The memories vanished as quickly as they had appeared.

I opened my eyes, breathing heavily.

"Was that... my past?"

Just then, I heard footsteps.

Eddie was coming upstairs.

The moment I saw him, I stood up and started walking toward the stairs.

Before I could leave...

He gently caught my wrist.

I tried to pull away.

Instead...

He held both of his ears with an embarrassed smile.

"I'm sorry."

"I shouldn't have shouted at you."

It was such a childish way of apologizing that I almost smiled.

Almost.

But I simply looked away...

Ignored him...

And quietly walked downstairs.

---

Later that night, I opened the diary once again.

This time...

No one stopped me.

I slowly turned the next page.

A single sentence was written in shaky handwriting.

"You forgot... again."

Below it were more words.

"How many times will this happen?"

"Why do you never try to find out why your memories disappear?"

The rest of the page had been torn away.

Only empty dots remained...

As if someone had intentionally hidden the truth.

I stared at the page in silence.

My heartbeat grew faster.

Again?

Did that mean...

This wasn't the first time I had forgotten everything?

A strange curiosity took over my heart.

I needed answers.

The next morning, without telling anyone, I took my car and drove to my family's mansion.

There was one room I had never entered before.

Ever since I woke up from the coma...

That room had always remained dark.

Slowly...

I pushed the door open.

I reached for the switch.

Click.

The lights came on.

For the first time...

I saw the room clearly.

Then...

My eyes stopped on something I had never noticed before.

A hidden door.

Built into the wall.

Waiting for someone...

To finally open it.

Chapter 8

- the truth

Just as I reached for the hidden door...

The sound of footsteps echoed behind me.

I turned around.

My brother was standing at the entrance, staring at me with a strange smile.

"So..."

"You finally came, Ella."

His smile grew wider.

"You took longer than I expected."

I frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you saying that?"

Instead of answering...

He burst into laughter.

"Oh, Ella..."

"You really forgot everything again, didn't you?"

A chill ran down my spine.

"What are you talking about?"

His expression changed instantly.

The warmth disappeared from his face.

"You know why we kept you locked away?"

"Because I want your property."

He pulled a file from the table and threw it in front of me.

"Sign these papers."

"And I'll set you free."

I looked at the documents.

Then pushed them away.

"I'm not signing anything."

His eyes turned cold.

"You'll sign."

"No."

He leaned closer until his face was only inches from mine.

"If you don't..."

"You'll lose your memories again."

My heart skipped a beat.

"W-What...?"

He laughed.

"Just one pill."

"That's all it takes."

"One tiny medicine..."

"And your entire life turns upside down."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"So..."

"It was you?"

"You've been taking away my memories?"

He only smiled.

I clenched my fists.

"Even if you kill me..."

"I'll never sign."

His face darkened.

"Oh?"

"You think someone will save you?"

"Eddie will come," I said confidently.

The moment I spoke Eddie's name...

He laughed louder than before.

"Eddie?"

"That bodyguard?"

"Have you gone crazy?"

"He used to beg people for a job."

"And you're relying on him?"

I looked straight into his eyes.

"You know nothing about Eddie."

Nothing.

The smile on his face disappeared.

Without another word, he grabbed my arm, dragged me into another room, and slammed the door shut.

The lock clicked from outside.

I rushed to the door.

It wouldn't open.

There were no windows.

No second exit.

I was trapped.

I leaned against the wall, trying to calm myself.

Then...

Something caught my eye.

Another small wooden door.

Hidden in the corner of the room.

With trembling hands, I opened it.

The moment the door creaked open...

My breath caught in my throat.

The room was filled with photographs.

Hundreds of them.

Every picture was of me.

And Eddie.

Some showed us laughing together.

Some captured us dancing under fairy lights.

Others showed us celebrating birthdays, teasing each other, and smiling without a care in the world.

Then...

I saw it.

A wedding photograph.

I was dressed in a beautiful white bridal gown.

Eddie stood beside me in a black suit, his eyes filled with nothing but love.

Everyone around us was smiling.

My family...

Our friends...

The entire wedding hall was overflowing with happiness.

Suddenly...

A wave of memories crashed into my mind.

Laughter.

Music.

Our wedding vows.

Eddie slipping the ring onto my finger.

Our first dance.

His smile.

His voice.

Everything flashed before my eyes.

"Ahhh..."

I grabbed my head as unbearable pain spread through it.

The memories disappeared as quickly as they had come.

I fell to