Chapter TwelveThe banquet ended in a storm of whispers and speculation. People left in groups, their voices buzzing with Adrian’s name, his mysterious backing, and Isabella Reyes’s shocking defense of him. To many, the night had been turned upside down; to Adrian, it was just another weight pressing against the shadows of his fractured memory.As the guests spilled into the night, Adrian walked alongside Isabella Reyes. Her heels clicked against the polished floor, her poise unshaken, but she cast him a glance that softened when their eyes met.For a while, silence stretched between them, filled only by the hushed murmurs trailing from the departing crowd. Finally, Adrian broke it, his voice low, almost hesitant.“I don’t want them to know who I am,” he confessed. His gaze remained ahead, sharp but troubled. “Not yet. Not until I can remember everything for myself.”Isabella studied him, her brows lifting slightly. The calm assurance in his tone reminded her of the man she’d once kno