Chapter 14: Chapter 14

One of the most painful things ever is sacrificing so much without making a difference; a waste of sacrifice.

- Grace Chanbee

[Amber's POV]

"We're finally here," My dad announced, tapping my arm.

I looked up and yawned tiredly as I was woken from my nap, looking confusedly at my surroundings, not knowing where exactly I was.

"Where are we?" I asked, rubbing my eyes and staring at him.

"Home," He responded.

A bodyguard opened the door and my father nudged at me to get down from the vehicle which I did immediately, taking in the elegance of the mansion we had arrived at.

"You're saying... You're saying this is your house?" I asked as he also alighted from the car.

"Yes, it's your house as well. Don't you remember it?" He asked.

I shook my head. "Not at all," I replied.

He smiled at me. "That's okay, you'll remember soon enough."

The mansion was covered in sparkling lights and was white in colour, a ten-storeyed building and it was surrounded with guards here and there. There were also flowers in every area I looked at.

"Baby, you're back finally!" A woman I suspected was my mum because of our semblance screamed as she skipped out of the house like a child, leaving the door ajar.

She took me in her arms and patted my hair, filling my cheeks and neck with kisses.

She then sized me up with her eyes, smiled so broadly till tears of joy began to trickle down her eyes, then she hugged me again really tightly.

"I'm happy to have you back, my baby girl," She said, touching my cheeks after finally letting me go from her really tight hug.

I liked the woman instantly and I just smiled back at her, not knowing the exact words to say.

"Forgive my manners. I heard you don't remember anything anymore. Let me introduce myself to you, I'm Eunice Sanders, I'm your mother and I love you so very much," She said, wiping her tears with her palms.

"I thought as much. Since we're into the introductory stuff, I guess I'll introduce myself as well. I'm Amber and it's nice to meet you," I said, with a smile.

"I know who you are, my love," She said.

"Yeah, of course."

I saw a guy come outside as well with an older man by his side. He was tall, quite handsome with freckles and had black hair with grey eyes and smiled like he had been forced to, while the man beside him was a stout man with chestnut hair.

He walked closer to me and my mum threw him a half smile which felt quite unusual.

"Hey Amber, I'm your boyfriend, Richard," He said.

I was stunned. "I... I have a boyfriend?" I asked.

"Yeah. Don't worry, you'll be fine, I promise you that," Richard said.

I just nodded, unsure of what to say and not feeling any sort of attraction towards him.

The older man gave me a peck on the forehead and smiled. "It's good to have you back. I'm Dennis Orlando, the CEO of Ainzek Electronics international company and Richard's father," He said.

I forced a smile and as Richard draped his hands over my shoulders, I flinched, feeling really uncomfortable with his touch.

My mum seemed like she understood and removed his hands politely from my shoulders.

"I think she needs some time to adjust," She explained.

He nodded and placed his hands in his pockets as I mentally thanked my mum for saving me from his touch.

"Why's the mood here so tense? Let's just go inside, there are guests waiting," My dad announced. I had even forgotten about his presence till he had spoken.

"Guests?" I asked aloud, bewildered.

"Yeah, guests. They're all waiting to welcome you," He said, smiling at me.

"Here she comes," My mum muttered.

I looked up to see a girl slightly taller than I was with brown hair, bulgy brown eyes but a beautiful face.

I instantly disliked her for reasons I couldn't quite put my fingers on as she walked towards me, all smiles that seemed totally fake and forced.

She drew me into a hug but I didn't hug her back because coupled with the fact that I knew a fake smile when I saw one, the hug also felt void of emotions.

She let me go and pushed away a strand of hair that was in my face.

"Why are you staring at me in that manner? Don't you recognise me?" She asked.

"We already informed everyone she's suffering from Amnesia but you still deemed it fit to ask her if she recognises you. What are you playing at? Huh?" My mother chided.

"Calm down, ma. I was only asking her that because we saw her at that eatery even after she lost her memory, have you forgotten?" The girl asked.

It suddenly clicked.

"Yeah. I saw you that day with him," I said, pointing at Richard.

"Exactly! And we saw you hugging a boy, he even kissed you on the forehead, didn't he? You guys were wearing matching couple t-shirts as well and the guy was bragging about being a fighter. I never knew you had such low taste," She said, wearing a smirk.

I wanted to say something in Justin's defense but I felt it was pointless and he had also told me to act like I didn't care about him, I'm sure he had a good reason for telling me that and I couldn't possibly ruin his freedom status.

"Who is this guy you're talking about?" Dennis Orlando, Richard's father asked.

"He's just someone I used to know," I responded.

"Hey, it's fine, okay? You don't need to explain anything to us. Whatever you did is all in the past. It's not your fault because you didn't know what you were doing or who you were," Richard said.

"Exactly. Can we all go inside now?" My dad asked.

Daisy eyed me and turned around, heading to go inside.

"I have a question for you," I said in a loud voice.

She turned around and I faced her squarely.

"Who are you to me?" I asked.

"My name is Daisy and I'm your cousin, but we've always taken each other as sisters. I'm so glad to have you back," She said, still with the forced smile.

I felt really unsettled about the whole thing. If she was my cousin, why had she just tried to paint me black? And that day we had seen each other at the posh eatery, why hadn't she called my name and screamed that she had finally seen me since it appeared they were all searching for me?

The guy as well was suspicious to me. Why hadn't he hugged me tightly since he was my boyfriend? And he had been holding Daisy's waist that day and laughing with her. What was really going on?

I saw a hazy image flash in my mind's eye. It appeared as though my brain was trying to tell me something as it tried hard to recollect a past event but failed woefully.

My head banged as I was suddenly masked with a throbbing ache and I felt myself move slowly forwards and backwards.

"Baby, are you fine?" I heard my mum ask.

I couldn't answer as I saw a splitting image of myself as I tried to remember, touch the handle of a door and came in contact with two people who I couldn't see quite clearly as the entire image was blurry.

Someone held my arms and rubbed my back gently.

"Are you fine?" I heard my mum's voice ask again.

I blinked my eyes rapidly and managed to see my present environment clearly but vaguely at the same time.

I turned to my mum who I could barely see very well and nodded my head, a way of expressing that I was in fact okay.

My mum smiled at me. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I just need to rest a little," I managed to say.

"Helios!" She called.

I saw a tall man who I couldn't quite remember run along to meet my mum signifying that Helios was his name.

"Help me take her up to her room," She said.

I shook my head gently as I felt pretty much uncomfortable around all of them except my mother whom I had instantly taken to.

"What is it? You and I used to be friends, come here," Helios said.

I leaned closer to my mum, preventing his touch.

My mum heaved a deep sigh. "My daughter wants only me around her. Even without memory, she recognises I'm probably the only person who cares about her genuinely. All of you can go ahead to the party, I'll be with Amber in her room," She said, and held my hands, leading me on.

"Always a baby," I heard Daisy mutter as I proceeded inside with my mother.

"It's after you came in contact with her that she became weak, your days are numbered in my house, Daisy. Watch how you talk to my daughter," My mum reprimanded her, obviously hearing what she had said about me.

"Eunice!" I heard my dad's harsh tone call.

My mum didn't say a word again and just led me inside the house.

It was apparent that Daisy didn't like me and by having an unclear flashback just after she had said something to me, it was clear that there was something hidden that I should have known.

I was determined to find out what it was and why she hated me so much.

*******

[Justin's POV]

I sat in my cell with a bunch of mean-looking criminals whose voice were hoarse, harsh and who had an angry countenance.

I had been in prison for the past two days since Amber had left with her father and I hadn't even been allowed to make a call to Grams to know how she was faring.

I hadn't seen Detective Shawn since two days ago when I had agreed to convince Amber to go home on the condition that I was free to live as a free man.

However, to my surprise, he hadn't fulfilled the end of the bargain and I hadn't even so much as set my eyes on him since I was locked up in jail with hoodlums, awaiting for my case to be fixed in court and tried.

I heard a knock on the metal bars and I looked up to see the muscular warden of the prison cell.

"Justin Al-Hassan?" He called.

"That's my name," I said.

He unlocked the prison and motioned for me to come out of the cell which I did full of high hopes and expectations even though he handcuffed my hands.

He led me to the interrogation room I had been in the previous time and I saw Detective Shawn there. He wasn't looking cheerful this time around, he looked really annoyed.

"Hello, detective. I haven't seen you since you betrayed me," I said in a sardonic tone.

He rolled his eyes and gestured at the seat opposite him, a clear act that told me to sit there.

"What do you want from me this time around? Wanna ask more questions?" I taunted.

"Who are you working with?" He asked.

"What do you mean by 'who am I working with?'" I retorted.

"Listen, boy. Don't act smart with me," He said in a thick voice.

I scoffed. "Smart? I won't even dare. With the way you lied and made me believe my freedom was sure, you're the smartest man alive, no one will even dare fool you. Oh! I forgot. The act of manipulating people doesn't make you smart, does it? You're just cunning," I said, hardly pausing for breath.

He banged his fist on the table, showing that I was indeed getting on his nerves.

I snickered then grimaced, making sure he got all the more offended. I had nothing to lose now anyway.

"There was an attack made on Amber yesterday," He said.

"An attack? What attack?" I asked, suddenly getting serious.

"One of the chandeliers in her room fell...."

"And?"

"She's lucky she was in the bathroom when that happened. It fell directly on top of her bed and if it had hit her, she'd have died," He said.

"Thank goodness she's still alive, but how's this any of my business?" I asked.

"Do you know anyone that could be after Amber's life?" He asked.

"Why? Do you think the chandelier losing its hold and falling wasn't a coincidence? You suspect there's a foul play?" I asked.

He nodded, affirming my statement.

"Why? Isn't she supposed to be safe with her family?" I asked.

"Justin, listen, I know you weren't the mastermind behind the attack that caused Amber to lose her memory, but I'm sure you assisted in the attack because it's impossible for you to just find a girl in your vehicle without your knowledge...."

"I've told you times without number that I don't have a hand in what happened to Amber. Please, leave me alone!" I thundered.

"Listen, there's a way for you to get out of this," He said.

I gave a long hysterical laugh.

"Do you think I'm a fool? You're trying to sugarcoat again, aren't you?"

"I'm not. I believe the person who tried to kill Amber still wants to do that," He said.

"What do you want from me?" I asked.

"If you know who staged the attack on Amber's life, tell me now. I'll try my best to get you out of here and the other people will rot in jail instead," He said.

I shrugged. "I don't know who wants to kill Amber, I swear. I found her in the trunk of my van and helped her out, that's it. Why don't you ask her family members? If there was an attack made against her in her own house, it means there's an insider plotting against her," I said.

"The only relative that stays with them is her cousin, Daisy and I doubt she's responsible for this," He said.

I scoffed. "You're sure you're a detective? I didn't say it has to be a relative, I said it's definitely an insider. Don't they have servants at home? Do you think all of them are happy with Gilbert Sanders? Interrogate them one after another," I said to him.

He looked thoughtful for a moment then smiled, seeming impressed with me.

"You have a point," He admitted.

"Of course, I do," I said with a smirk.

"I also remember vividly that someone tried to kill her the day you both came to the police station and you saved her life," He said.

"Yes, I did. But some numbskulls like you still choose to believe that I'm to be blamed for everything that has happened to Amber," I said.

"Mind your language, boy," He said.

"I do believe though that the attempt to murder her at the police station was staged though," He said, staring intently at me.

"You think I staged it to prove to Mr Sanders that I'm a good person, don't you?" I asked as realisation hit me.

"Wow! You're the smart one here after all," He said.

"I didn't stage anything and I don't know anything about all of these. I'm just a poor guy trying to make a living, I didn't do anything wrong. Everything that happened was a mere coincidence," I said.

"I want to believe you so bad, but I just can't because the most innocent-looking criminals are the ones who have a skeleton in their cupboards," He said.

"For the last time, I don't know who was or who is trying to kill Amber. Please, do your work and just protect her. It'll be a shame if she was safer at my place than in her own father's house where I'm sure there are tons of guards and officers," I said.

He nodded his head and began to pack his stuff.

"Detective Shawn?" I called

"Yeah?"

"Please, let me speak to Grams," I begged.

He stared at his wristwatch. "You can't make a call by this time," He said.

"Everytime I ask them, they also tell me the same thing. When will I ever be able to talk to her or Nelly? I need to speak with them," I said, mildly raising my voice.

"I had no idea they weren't letting you speak to your family. I'll talk to them and enable you speak with your family by tomorrow, okay?"

"Whatever," I shrugged.

"You may not know it, Justin, but I'm actually on your side and I'm not the bad person you think I am," He said, grabbing his briefcase.

I snickered. "You pretend you're good and the funniest thing is you actually think you're good," I said.

"Has anyone ever told you you're rude?" He asked, eyeing me fiercely.

"At least, I don't pretend. You kept on promising me that once I succeeded in convincing Amber to go home, you'll set me free. It's been two days and I'm still locked up like a criminal," I said with so much anger I never thought was in me.

He smirked. "Contrary to your opinion of being a superhero cause you think you actually saved Miss Amber and was the brain box behind her finally leaving with her dad, I planned it all. If you had refused to help, I could have simply convinced her that you'll be free if she went home. Either way, it'd have been a win-win situation," He said, shrugging his shoulders.

"I heard you couldn't catch up with the person who tried to kill Amber in the police department, right under your nose in Arroyo Grande. Channel that energy you use in loathing into finding the person who attempted and may still be trying to murder Amber for only God knows what," I said through clenched teeth.

"You think I don't know my job?"

I grimaced. "I know you don't know your job."

He eyed me viciously like he could rip me apart any moment from then, if it wasn't against the law.

"Pray you ever set eyes on your precious Grams again," He threatened and walked out of the room, looking really pained.

I scoffed as I watched him leave, feeling played like a fool that I was. I had thought I had made a sacrifice for Amber, meanwhile, it had all been futile because either way, she was going to leave anyway.

One thought brought satisfaction to me though and that was the fact that Amber would have gone home just because of me.

Even her grumpy old father knew that as well.

She still loved me and that was forever going to bring a soothing assurance to me.