diff --git a/src/After/DbContext.cs b/src/After/DbContext.cs
index 3651c04..ff0e53b 100644
--- a/src/After/DbContext.cs
+++ b/src/After/DbContext.cs
@@ -115,6 +115,46 @@ public class DbContext
         _byRef[order] = fresh;
     }
 
+    // ── loading: reassemble domain objects from the stored rows ──────
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Materialize the <see cref="Client"/> stored under <paramref name="id"/>,
+    /// including all of its orders (navigation fix-up wires
+    /// <see cref="Order.Client"/> back). Null when nothing is stored under it.
+    /// </summary>
+    public Client? LoadClient(Guid id)
+    {
+        var row = Find<ClientData>(r => r.Id == id);
+        if (row is null) return null;
+        var client = Mappers.FromClientData(row);
+        foreach (var orderRow in _orders.Where(o => o.ClientId == id))
+            client.Orders.Add(Mappers.FromOrderData(orderRow));   // fix-up wires Order.Client
+        return client;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Materialize the <see cref="Order"/> stored under <paramref name="id"/>,
+    /// including its client (holding just this one order), or null when
+    /// nothing is stored under it. Use <see cref="LoadClient"/> to load a
+    /// client with all of its orders.
+    /// </summary>
+    public Order? LoadOrder(Guid id)
+    {
+        var row = Find<OrderData>(r => r.Id == id);
+        if (row is null) return null;
+        var order = Mappers.FromOrderData(row);
+        if (row.ClientId != Guid.Empty)
+        {
+            var clientRow = Find<ClientData>(c => c.Id == row.ClientId);
+            if (clientRow is not null)
+            {
+                var client = Mappers.FromClientData(clientRow);
+                client.Orders.Add(order);                          // fix-up wires Order.Client
+            }
+        }
+        return order;
+    }
+
     // ── query helpers ───────────────────────────────────────────────
 
     /// <summary>Search the per-type table for a record whose predicate matches.</summary>
diff --git a/src/After/Mappers.cs b/src/After/Mappers.cs
index 520ec01..c9f016b 100644
--- a/src/After/Mappers.cs
+++ b/src/After/Mappers.cs
@@ -138,4 +138,29 @@ public static class Mappers
             ClientId = order.Client?.Id ?? Guid.Empty,
         };
     }
+
+    // ------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Persistence -> domain (read-back). A plain field copy for now; when
+    // the domain grows OrderLines, FromOrderData becomes the one-line
+    // reconstruction (row description + total become a single line) —
+    // see EXERCISE2.md.
+    // ------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    /// <summary>Map a <see cref="ClientData"/> record back to a <see cref="Client"/>.</summary>
+    public static Client FromClientData(ClientData row)
+    {
+        ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(row);
+        return new Client { Id = row.Id, Name = row.Name };
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Map an <see cref="OrderData"/> record back to an <see cref="Order"/>.
+    /// Reassembling the graph (wiring <see cref="Order.Client"/>) is the
+    /// context's job, not the mapper's.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static Order FromOrderData(OrderData row)
+    {
+        ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(row);
+        return new Order { Id = row.Id, Description = row.Description, TotalInCents = row.TotalInCents };
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/BeforeAfter.Tests/AfterPersistenceTests.cs b/tests/BeforeAfter.Tests/AfterPersistenceTests.cs
index 08d1478..eb859a3 100644
--- a/tests/BeforeAfter.Tests/AfterPersistenceTests.cs
+++ b/tests/BeforeAfter.Tests/AfterPersistenceTests.cs
@@ -88,4 +88,61 @@ public class AfterPersistenceTests
         Assert.Equal(order.Id, found!.Id);
         Assert.Null(db.Find<OrderData>(row => row.Description == "no such order"));
     }
+
+    // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+    // Read-back: LoadOrder / LoadClient reassemble domain objects from the
+    // stored rows (identity round-trip for now — OrderLines come later).
+    // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Loading_an_order_restores_its_state_and_its_client()
+    {
+        var db = new DbContext();
+        var client = new Client { Name = "Acme" };
+        var order = new Order { Description = "one", TotalInCents = 150_00 };
+        client.Orders.Add(order);
+        db.Save(client);
+        db.Save(order);
+
+        var loaded = db.LoadOrder(order.Id);
+
+        Assert.NotNull(loaded);
+        Assert.Equal(order.Id, loaded!.Id);
+        Assert.Equal("one", loaded.Description);
+        Assert.Equal(150_00, loaded.TotalInCents);
+
+        // The graph is reassembled: the loaded order knows its client again,
+        // and the client's collection holds the loaded order.
+        Assert.NotNull(loaded.Client);
+        Assert.Equal("Acme", loaded.Client!.Name);
+        Assert.Same(loaded, Assert.Single(loaded.Client.Orders));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Loading_a_client_restores_it_with_all_of_its_orders()
+    {
+        var db = new DbContext();
+        var client = new Client { Name = "Acme" };
+        client.Orders.Add(new Order { Description = "one", TotalInCents = 150_00 });
+        client.Orders.Add(new Order { Description = "two", TotalInCents = 250_00 });
+        db.Save(client);
+        db.Save(client.Orders[0]);
+        db.Save(client.Orders[1]);
+
+        var loaded = db.LoadClient(client.Id);
+
+        Assert.NotNull(loaded);
+        Assert.Equal("Acme", loaded!.Name);
+        Assert.Equal(2, loaded.Orders.Count);
+        Assert.All(loaded.Orders, o => Assert.Same(loaded, o.Client));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Loading_an_unknown_id_returns_null()
+    {
+        var db = new DbContext();
+
+        Assert.Null(db.LoadOrder(Guid.NewGuid()));
+        Assert.Null(db.LoadClient(Guid.NewGuid()));
+    }
 }