Thea’s Point of view

My body turned frozen in a few seconds before I decided to run. But before I could get away, I accidentally hit the vase with my foot, causing a loud thud on the ground.

When I saw that he had discontinued the phone call, I disregarded the shattered vase and dashed inside the house.

Nevertheless, before I could finally enter, I could not continue my walk when someone spoke behind me.

“Why are you outside?”

My pulse gets faster. I attempted a smile, but it seemed tense. I’m certain he would detect my anxiousness.

“I took a stroll around the neighborhood. I want to get comfortable with it since I’ll be living here from now on,” I laughed, but it was clearly uneasy.

He scrutinized my face in close detail. His eyes narrowed, which terrified me, since he may have discovered what I witnessed.

“Why are you pale? Are you alright? Do you continue to get a headache?” He wiped the sweat from my eyes and caressed my forehead.

I stared intently at him because I was uncomfortable with this treatment.

He took his hands away from my face while I averted his eyes. As soon as he saw I was hesitant, he hastily removed his hands.

“Oh.”

I gave him an apologetic look, but all he did in response was grin and tousle my hair. Did he like playing with my hair prior to my memory loss?

“Our dinner is now ready. Eat before it gets cold,” he grabbed my waist and assisted me one more. I would have removed his hand from me, but he spoke up.

“You are pale; you may fall. Please, this one alone, let me.”

Russian Pork Chops with Potatoes in Sour Cream Sauce were presented as the main course. Craig discreetly chopped his pork, following which he switched our plates.

“Why?” I asked. He doesn’t need to do this.

He didn’t say anything and just carried on with what he was doing. No one talked to us. I watched him and thought about what I had heard earlier.

“Thank you,” I couldn’t help but express my gratitude.

He came to a complete halt, and he was about to turn to look at me when his cell phone rang loudly on the dinner table.

Until the phone stopped, he looked at it in silence for a long time. He was just about to start putting the food on his plate when the phone went on again.

I took a deep breath before speaking.

“Why aren’t you answering that? I’m guessing you didn’t try to cheat, did you?” I triggered.

He clenched his teeth before picking up the phone and answering the call. I had a smile on my face. That demonstrates how powerful the term wife is.

“What?” he said on the phone, his voice firm.

A long, deep sigh came from him as he tightly closed his eyes. He rose to his feet and placed his hand over the phone’s speaker.

When he was about to come out of the kitchen, I asked. But my eyes still looked straight at where he was sitting earlier, “How important is that and why do you still need to get out?”

I proceeded to chew my meal as a means of showing that it didn’t disturb me.

“I’m sorry, but it’s a really important matter. Let’s talk after I answer this. Eat your dinner.”

He strolled out the door without a word.

I finished eating, but he still did not come back, so I went upstairs and entered the bedroom. I had fallen asleep while waiting for him, completely unaware of it.

When I felt someone kiss my forehead and caress my face, I cautiously opened my eyes.

“You’re back, what did you talk about and did it take you so long?” My question faded. Well, perhaps because I got tired easily and drowsy.

“It was only an old classmate and we chatted about business,” he said as he caressed my hair and cheeks, “did you wait for me?”

“Uh-hmm.”

My attention was drawn to him by his little chuckle, yet there was a tinge of melancholy in the air till I was fully asleep.

When the sun’s rays reached my face, I sprang out of bed. Craig was having coffee on the balcony of the room and reading a newspaper when I got up. It seems to me like I am quite familiar with him when I look at him from a distance.

When he placed the newspaper down, our gazes locked on one another.

He waved at me and motioned with his hands for me to come closer to him. I walked through the glass door and took a seat in front of him.

“Good morning, honey,” he said as he welcomed me with a mischievous grin.

“H-Honey? A-aren’t you getting chills from what you’re saying?” I stroked the sides of my two arms, as though the skin hair on my arms were rising. My back, neck, and head were all scorching from the heat, and he simply broke into laughing.

“Anyway, we need to go to the store so you can pick out a nightgown for later,” he said with a serious expression on his face once he stopped laughing.

“For what?”

“ A Corporate Appreciation Event will be held later in the year. They extended an invitation to all company owners to attend. If you don’t want to and you still aren’t able to, we can put them on notice.” He clasped my hand as he took it in his.

I spaced out for a long time and it occurred to me that perhaps someone could help me recover my memory.

It was precisely eight o’clock in the evening when we arrived at the event.

“Does it stand to reason that the disagreement over Mason and who would succeed the Paragon Corporation was the root cause of your accident, Miss Thea?”

As soon as we got out of the vehicle, a swarm of paparazzi swarmed around us and snapped shots of us. There were other reporters there who wanted to know what had happened to me. Craig threw his arm around my waist as I turned my attention back to the reporter who had piqued my interest in the first place.

Paragon Corporation is my company and why is he connecting it to my accident? And why is my brother’s name involved with that issue?

Thea’s Point of view

The hue of the light inside was purple, and we were surrounded by black drapes and spotlights in addition to the magenta lighting. Because of the presence of entrepreneurs and investors who are discussing their firms, the event seems to be beautiful.

What I was wearing at the time was a cocktail-length puffy dress with a cut on the legs, which I coupled with a black heel and a feathery white purse with a little silver hand hold. Craig was dressed formally in a cocktail-length black suit with a matching black bow tie.

With each passing minute, more and more people approached Craig and shook his hand, until they asked him to the other table so that he could introduce himself to other corporate executives.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t leave my wife,” he reminded them.

I shook my head because I didn’t want to be a burden to him taking advantage of the chances that were presented to him at the time. “No! Go there and come back; just make a beeline for me where the food is in the queue.” I pushed him towards them so that he would be unable to say no any longer.

Because he had already departed, I proceeded to the area where the meal was.

While I was eating sushi, a woman tapped me on the shoulder.

When I turned around to see who it was, someone was excitedly hugging me. I let her stay with me and waited for her enthusiasm to subside before gradually separating her from me.

“Sorry?” I looked at her with a puzzled face.

She smacked herself on the back of the head before declaring, “Of course! You’ve forgotten everything that happened to you.”

She smiled again. “I’m Megan Thompson! Your best friend, without a doubt! You! You’ve made me feel alone! You didn’t even tell me you had a boyfriend, which I thought was odd. If you hadn’t been involved in an accident, I wouldn’t know! It had been a long time since we had seen one other!” she whimpered at me.

“Pardon?”

“Haa! You kept the fact that the Rach Group’s CEO is your lover a secret. Shortly after your accident, your demonic aunt Joana and your pretentious angel stepbrother reveal that you are intending to be married and that everything is set for you. Unfortunately, it has been postponed for a few weeks due to the fact that you have been in a coma.”

How could she have been uninformed? Aunt Joana informed me that I had known Craig for a long time and that I had been in a relationship with him.

When I peered at Craig, I saw that he was also staring blankly directly at me.

“What exactly is going on?” I muttered under my breath.

When we returned home, I worked on closing the gap between Craig and myself. He’s not saying anything and is just staring at the mirror that was still in place in the middle of the cabinet. I walked up behind him and glanced in the mirror in the same way. We are in the room now; he is unbuttoning his polo.

“What were we like as boyfriends and girlfriends, Craig?”

“What do you mean?” His eyebrows met as he returned my question.

Even after all this time, I still remember what Megan said. After all, she was the one I trusted. How could she have been ignorant that Craig was my lover? I mean… she said we are best friends…

“I-I mean, what was it that we used to do all the time back then? Wouldn’t it be better if I knew, so that I could help my memory restore as rapidly as possible?” I used my fingertips to ease the strain on my shoulders.

“We were happy then,” he replied, staring at me in the mirror as if he had memorized every aspect of my body and face before responding, “For us, if we care for each other, it is enough because we were miserable back then and we felt that no one would listen. Having one another’s shoulders and ears to lean on can alleviate the agony of life for us both. That’s the feeling we have.”

He glanced down at the floor, then lifted his face again before turning to face me. “It’s time to sleep. It’s already beyond midnight. Staying up into the wee hours of the morning is detrimental to your health.”

He grabbed my arm and took me towards the mattress. He was ready to put me down on the bed, but I held his hand and pulled him back.

“In that case, please answer one of my concerns…. Were you introduced by one to one of my friends while we were still together?”

“No,” he said emphatically, without hesitating.

“Why?”

“You said that you would ask just one question. According to the doctor, you cannot push information into your brain at an early stage.” As he lectured, he sat me down on the bed, “ and he told me that anything that activates your memory might cause you to collapse.”

He was about to leave, but I pulled out the white T-shirt he had just worn.

“Where are you going to sleep?” He is my spouse and the one who is responsible for me.

“In the other room, don’t worry, it’s just next to this room.”

“W-why? I read on the internet that the pair is required to sleep in the same bed together.” Because I didn’t want him to see my response or feel the discomfort, I turned my gaze away from his.

“I was under the notion that you didn't want to stay next to me because you couldn't remember who I was. Are you sure? Is it alright for me to sleep here?"

I shrugged my shoulders to indicate that there was no case. Who knows what will happen? Perhaps this was not the only thing we did before. I was instantly wrapped in bodily shame as soon as the thought of such a thing entered my consciousness.

He lay down next to me, wrapped a blanket around me, and hugged my stomach. At such moments, I didn't feel alone in my thoughts. With each sand slide in the hourglass, I get more and more comfortable with him, and I feel protected. As I closed my eyes, the thought that ran through my head was that the woman I had seen earlier at the gathering may have been only a guest of honor.

Yeah. Let's not think about it.

Thea's Point of View

I tossed my body to one side since, even though I promised myself that I would forget about it completely, the thought still won't leave my head.

It's impossible for Aunt Joana to tell me a lie, right? Because of the accident that happened to me, she and Mason are the one who are currently running the company.

To be honest, I was hesitant to entrust it to them because it caused an issue. People gossip that Aunt Joana was daddy's mistress, and Mason was the consequence of their illicit relationship.

There are also rumors about her that she worked at the firm as a secretary of my dad in the past to have her way to be the mistress. I have heard many more but I want to trust them because I don't know where I should go to get the real answer or the reality about what happened before my memories have gone.

After my car accident, when I came to my senses in the hospital, I assumed that aunt Joana was either my mother or my father's sister.

After briefly briefing me on the history of the company, they then proceeded to introduce me to Mason. They said that I had known them in the past, and I was aware that Mason was my half-brother at the time. In addition to this, they tell me that I am acquainted with my aunt Joana due to the fact that she was with me after both of my parents passed away. As a result, it came as a surprise to me when they indicated that I had intended to be married but had put those plans on hold because of the accident.

They also said that I had been seeing Craig for a long time and that they had known him for a long while, even while my parents were still living. So, they had no objections to the plans for my wedding since they were acquainted with Craig. Consequently, I do not know who to trust; I get the impression that there is something fundamentally wrong with this marriage.

My brain hurt as one dubious occurrence after another rushed into my mind, and I began to question whether or not I was still sane.

And a reporter questioned the same thing earlier: if the reason for my accident was because of who the next successor was.

There are too many holes that became puzzling that I don't know how to solve Including the lady whose name was Megan.

How the hell did she not know that Craig was my boyfriend before he became my husband? She claimed she was my best friend, doesn't that mean that our secrets should be shared to each other?

Not only that! Plus the call that Craig made to an unknown person on the phone the other day.

'No need to fret; I’ll keep it a secret from her.'

What's the secret behind those words?

Because the concept was giving me such a severe headache, I decided to disregard everything initially. In addition to that, I recalled that the supply of my prescription was getting out of stock.

I moved my body again so that I could look across at Craig as he was sleeping peacefully.

I slid my finger over the tip of his pointed nose. His appearance was so endearingly innocent, like that of a little kid.

'So beautiful...'

My attention then turned to the light pink color of his lips. After staring at them for a long time, without a second thought, my head deliberately moved and then gave his lips a quick, yet tender kiss.

It seems like a familiar feeling. I lay my head to his chest and the warmth of his body suddenly dragged me to sleepiness.

The chirping of the birds, the ray of the sun that comes through the window hits my eyes.

As I woke up, I found that Craig was no longer at my side.

"So... he left." I sighed.

*Knock* Knock*

I was startled when someone suddenly knocked on the door.

"I thought he already left?" I questioned myself, rose up and was ready to step towards it when it immediately opened.

"Leah." An enthusiastic voice called me and I couldn't believe it when I saw Aunt Joana standing there.

She gave me a kind grin before entering the room, which I hadn't yet extended an invitation to, and sitting down on our bed.

I felt a little annoyed but I didn't complain. I just stared blankly at her while she looked around.

"Why did you suddenly come here?" I asked.

"Don't you like me here?"

Aunt Joana smiles, pats the side of bed where she was sitting, and motions for me to come and sit down.

I gave her a poker face.

When she realized I don't plan on sitting down, she rummaged through her purse.

After that, she raised out a clear container containing red pills.

"Here."

She is presenting it to me, but I merely look at it with question marks all over my face.

She grabbed my hand and opened my palm when she saw that I had no intention of accepting it.

She spoke with a smile in the corner of her lips but I could see that the smiles were not genuine, "I found out that your medicine is running out of stock, so I asked Dr. Santos about what kind of pills you're taking."

"You really shouldn't be concerned about it any more. I'm fine because Craig could assist me in going to the doctor."

Her demeanor changed to one of agitation and restlessness.

"Uhm... Thea. Can I ask you something?"

"What?" I inquired uncomfortably, as if something were troubling me.

"I really wish I could handle your medication for you. I want to make amends for the wrongs I've done to you and your family in the past. Could you just refrain from telling Craig about it?"

Even though more and more ideas were going through my head, I didn't bother to think about how they related to my aunt Joana.

I smiled at her because I'm not convinced with everything that spilling out of her mouth, "Sure! But, Aunt, I wish I could have known how Craig and I met."

I watched her eyes widen, and despite the fact that the air conditioner was on, there were a few beads of perspiration on her forehead.

“W-why?”

I rose up and placed the medication that she had given me in the cupboard, "I want to know our past in case my memories take too long to come back."

I take my time putting the medicines, so that she won't see any signs of mistrust on my part.

I was able to see in the mirror how her eyes moved with anxiety but still have the energy to respond, "Sure! When we get together again, let's go out and have some coffee. Let's speak about this at a later time."

"M-Mason and I still have a lot of work to do with the business right now because of the impending merger between your firm and Craig's company."

Almost immediately, she sprang to her feet and planted a kiss on my cheek. I haven't had the opportunity to say my goodbyes just yet since she has already departed.

When she was hurrying to lock the door, she came dangerously close to falling down.

"What's your secret.... Joana Gordon. And what's going on between you and Craig..."