In New York on March 17, 2014, Addie wakes to Henry Strauss kissing her, a tenderness that contrasts with the “darkness” in her mind warning her that without it she will always be alone. Henry says he is free because The Last Word is closed on Mondays, and Addie notices the inconsistency but chooses not to correct him.

They get dressed and go to a corner shop for breakfast. While Henry buys egg-and-cheese rolls, Addie looks for juice and hears the bell over the door as Robbie stumbles in. Addie immediately wants to hide, but cannot avoid being seen with Henry.

Robbie looks at Addie with open hostility and asks Henry who she is, insisting he has never seen her before and claiming he would remember. Henry, offended and confused, assumes Robbie is still drunk and steps toward him as the situation escalates. Addie intervenes, grabbing Henry’s hand to stop him from lashing out, and urges Henry to leave with her.

Outside on the street, Henry shakes with anger and tries to apologize for Robbie’s behavior. Addie points out that it is not Robbie’s fault and admits the core problem: Robbie did not remember her. When Henry presses how that is possible, Addie hesitates, realizing that with Henry, her words will finally have consequences because he can truly retain them.

Choosing honesty, Addie explains that people forget her the moment she is out of sight, comparing it to an inverted kind of face blindness, and then names the cause plainly: she is cursed. She tells Henry her real name—Addie LaRue—and begins recounting her origins, starting with her birth in Villon in 1691 to Jean and Marthe.