Valentine With The Amnesia Alpha

Daniella POV

I took another slow sip of whiskey, savoring its warmth as it slid down my throat, filling the quiet emptiness of my luxurious apartment. The city lights spread before me, each window in each towering building a tiny, twinkling reminder of just how many people were out there, ready to celebrate the holidays with their families, their lovers, their friends. But from up here, it all felt distant, almost unreal. I liked it that way. From a distance, the city's glow was easier to face.

 In a week, I'd be far away from this glittering city and all its Christmas decorations, retreating to the peace of my secluded beach house. No Christmas trees on every corner. No cheerful carols echoing in every store. No gifts, no holiday wishes, no reminders of anything to do with Christmas or New Year's. Just solitude. My own escape. My little house by the beach was a safe place where I wouldn't have to feel the pangs of memory that always seemed to come with this season.

The holidays had never brought me much peace. They'd taken too much from me. It was bad enough that December always reminded me of my parents and the way one icy Christmas Eve had ripped them from my life. But the betrayals that seemed to follow every holiday season? Those were what had soured me for good. A holiday that most people welcomed with love and laughter had only brought me memories I wanted to escape. I'd been building walls around my heart every December since, and each year they grew a little taller, a little stronger.

Just as I was sinking into the quiet, my phone rang. The name on the screen made me smirk: Lucas.

After Alana's betrayal, I'd been in no rush to trust another female assistant. Alana had once been my best friend, someone I'd trusted completely, only to find her tangled in bed with my fiancé. That betrayal had changed things; I wasn't about to make that mistake again. Lucas was the perfect solution—my endlessly sharp, loyal, and unapologetically gay assistant who was so good at reading my moods that sometimes he seemed to know them before I did.

"Hello, Lucas," I answered, letting a touch of warmth slip into my voice despite myself. "What's up? Got a case for me?"

"Daniella," he laughed, his voice a familiar, comforting sound. "It's a week before Christmas! Who would be filing cases now? Even the criminals are laying low. Judges, lawyers, everyone's off. Even the cases have the decency to wait until after Christmas."

So why are you calling? Aren't you on holiday too?" I teased, rolling my eyes, though I was glad for the distraction.

"I'm calling because Mr. Lewis sent you an invitation to his Christmas party. It's a private, very exclusive invite, Daniella. You know, the kind where he's practically begging you to attend. He's still over the moon about that patent case you won for him, and I think he might have a bit of a soft spot for you. He's even sending a limo, so you can't refuse that easily…"

"Decline it," I cut him off, my tone sharper than intended. "And send him a bottle of champagne—the best. You know I'm not going to any Christmas parties, no matter who's hosting."

Lucas sighed deeply on the other end. "Dani, come on. How long are you going to keep dodging every Christmas, every New Year's, every single holiday?"

"Forever," I replied, my voice like steel. It was a vow I'd made to myself long ago, and it wasn't one I intended to break.

"You know, you could just move to China," he said, half-joking, half-serious. "There's no Christmas celebration there. Problem solved."

I chuckled, feigning consideration. "Now, that is a tempting option. Maybe I'll start applying to law firms in countries without holiday madness."

"Please, Daniella, don't go giving me a heart attack," he laughed. "Mr. Lawson would probably kill me if his top attorney suddenly packed her bags and moved to China."

"Or," I countered, leaning into the banter, "I could convince Mr. Lawson to open a branch there. Maybe even offer to head it up myself."

Lucas laughed, but I knew there was a hint of truth in his words when he replied, "Honestly, he'd probably do it if you asked. You know he's got a soft spot for you. When you wanted to quit after…everything with Brandon, he practically bent over backward to keep you here. He promoted you to partner on the spot, gave you the best office, and sent Brandon and Alana to the Boston branch just so you wouldn't have to see them. He chose you over his own son."

I shook my head, a rueful smile tugging at my lips. "You're right. I guess I'm actually lucky that jerk cheated on me, huh? If it weren't for him and Alana, I wouldn't be a partner right now."

"Exactly," Lucas replied, chuckling. "You should send them flowers or something—a thank-you bouquet to celebrate your success."

I snorted. "Back to the real issue, Lucas. About Mr. Lewis's invitation. Decline it, okay? I'll be on my way to the beach house soon, following my annual tradition."

"Alright, alright," he relented, the smile still evident in his tone. "I'll make sure Mr. Lewis gets the champagne instead of you. As you wish, boss. Bye, then. And… happy holi—"

"Don't even say it," I warned, laughing despite myself.

He laughed too. "So what am I supposed to say to you?"

"Happy me time," I said with a smirk, cutting the call before he could reply.

I looked out over the city one more time, feeling the whiskey settle warmly in my chest. In a week, all of this would be behind me. I'd be alone with the waves, the sand, and the sea—no expectations, no holiday pressure, and no reminders of everything that had fallen apart in my life. Just me, alone.

And that, I thought, was exactly how it should be.