Chapter 41: Chapter 41

Myra sat silently watching her father in his paralysed state while a middle-aged maid patiently fed him his lunch. Hours had passed since Jake had spoken to her, but she was still unable to accept the fact that it was three years past.

Her father had aged quickly, but at least, his face looked a lot more peaceful than before. She wondered what had happened during this time. Had he suffered? Was she a dutiful daughter?

The more she tried to rack her brains, the more her mind appeared a total blank.

“Myra?” Jake’s deep voice surprised her, waking her from her thoughts. The maid greeted him before resuming feeding the aged man.

“Uh…”

“Let’s go for a walk,” he gestured towards her. She peered down at the ring on her finger and then at Jake’s charming face. Was this man really her husband? Even after how she had denied him, she had eventually gone back to him and said her vows to him?

It was truly confusing. But the fact that she would never have a child with him would bug her for a very long time, she sighed inside her mind.

Jake helped her get into what appeared to be a two-seater sports car. She didn’t care about its model, specifications nor its striking colours. What caught her attention upon entering the vehicle was the presence of a tiny glossy photograph taped to the dashboard. It was a beautiful selfie of her laughing happily as she hugged Jake from behind. They appeared to be sitting on a motorbike enjoying themselves.

This reminded her particularly of their old days as children. Jake and Myra had cycled together on a bicycle through the streets of a village when their fathers had brought them on vacation together. If only, life was that simple like how it was when they were children.

Myra looked towards Jake as he maneuvered the car through the busy streets of the city. She scrutinised his visage carefully, from his dark eyes to his kind smile. It made her think of Jake who once broke her heart and then the same man who conquered her easily with the warmth of his kisses. A man who would drive her to err, even when she was in a committed healthy relationship.

This man, however, was her husband now, although she had no recollection of their marriage at all. She was curious about the bond between them and what their married life was like. She shouldn’t have to doubt him, since they were married? She thought deeply.

But the look on his face was more of a mystery than anything else. What had changed over the years that made Jake turn from that seductive male CEO to the sweet husband he was now? She could witness it all from his face, his care and concern, along with all those kindness to her. Had he truly fallen in love with her?

Yet, the question of how Hart had just disappeared from her life just like that pestered her. She needed to know everything, from beginning to end, what had happened.

But first, from that fall down the stairs in her father’s mansion.

………………………………………………..

“We’re here,” Jake’s gentle touch awakened her from her slumber.

Myra opened her eyes, feeling weary after the two-hour journey. Her mind relaxed to realise she was back in their university grounds. Three years was a long time. Much about the buildings had changed, starting from the colours of the paint on its walls. Probably, the dean of her faculty would have retired as well, and it wasn’t surprising to see some new faces in the professors lecturing there.

“Mr and Mrs Yu, welcome,” a young woman in a dark suit greeted them cheerfully. She didn’t recognise the woman, presuming her to have joined the university recently.

Myra stared at Jake with an appalled look on her face. Of course, the woman had greeted her as Mrs Yu because of their relationship, but what was her role in the university?

“It’s a long story,” he explained with a smile. “But the university has a great working relationship with YX now. Ah, YX is now called YXY.”

“YXY?”

“To honour your father Alfred, so we had the initial of his surname added to YX’s name.”

“Thanks, Jake. I appreciate it.”

She could have said more, but she didn’t feel very comfortable in this ‘new’ identity of hers. They strolled slowly, side by side through the walkways. She remembered clearly her days as a second-year student, but still, nothing appeared in her mind about graduation or even her supposed internship.

“Does anything here seem familiar to you? Or perhaps, those names on the wall ring a bell?”

They were now in the Grand Hall, standing at a spot that commemorated the highest achievers of the university. But Lionel’s name wasn’t among the top achievers. Not that it mattered, though. She just watched him curiously as he led her about the campus.

“Jake, I really don’t remember anything.”

They had walked past all the prominent areas of the university, including the hottest spots of the huge library. Myra didn’t know what happened way back then, only that she remembered Jake having negotiated a deal with the dean and then, he had appeared in her university a few times. Everything was still vivid up to the moment she fell down the stairs.

“I still can’t remember, Jake.”

He led her slowly and they walked for a few more metres, until they eventually reached a corner where they found themselves alone. All of a sudden, he lifted her up in his arms and placed her on top of one of the study tables.

She trembled as he whispered into her left ear, kissing it gently.

“I won’t push you more, if you can’t remember, Myra. Maybe it’s all for a good reason.”

Myra could only think of Jake’s name as he stroked her hair with such tenderness. Her heart was soaring at how gentle he had been.

A good reason for her partial amnesia? What could he mean? How could this even be good when she didn’t remember?

“Myra, you’re blushing.”

“Oh.” She pulled away from him and covered the redness of her cheeks embarrassedly. Why was she feeling this way with him all of a sudden?

On the other hand, weren’t they married? Wouldn’t she have to undergo this almost every day in her life?

She remembered their naughty moments where she failed to resist his kisses in a public bathroom, and that made her blush even redder. Fortunately, he couldn’t read her mind, so she pretended she was hot.

“It’s a bit hot here, Jake. Should we return to the car?”

“Why? Are you afraid someone will see us?”

“Jake!” She protested, with her hands still around her cheeks.

“Okay, okay.” He helped her to her feet. She hopped up and straightened her dress.

As they walked, she heard him say loud and clear, “But it isn’t over, Myra. We’ll resume this conversation later.”

Ah, it turned out that married couple talk was just so embarrassing!

The car booted in a jiffy, and they were on their way once more.

“Tonight, we will have dinner with my father,” Jake said as he turned at a corner, just before the traffic light turned red. “ Before that, I hope I can spend some quality time with you.”

His words made her nervous. Was he always this way with her? Sometimes, she felt she missed the old Jake more. The part that made her ache for him and want him so much. This Jake was such a gentleman, sweeter than he was arousing. In other words, he was a family man.

Marriage could change a person in the books, but it was rather unexpected that this man would be Jake. She thought getting married would change a man for the worst, like turn him into a Casanova or give him reasons not to go home at night. However, what she perceived in Jake turned out to be the opposite.

As the car moved across the road, she saw a couple in the opposite car. A young boy of about three years old sat in the child seat at the back of the car, playing happily with his toys.

Jake and her would never have a child together, she told herself, remembering what Jake had told her. Hart was barren, something she knew Jake would not joke about. But because of their incompatibilities, she had lost the probably only child she would ever have with Jake.

Would she be able to beat the odds in a married relationship with a man that she couldn’t have a child with? This question plagued her suddenly. They were both so young, and she didn’t have the answer in her mind.

“Myra…” Jake stopped the car at the side of the road, focusing on her.

“I’m fine. I’m just tired,” she lied.

He took her hand and pressed it to his lips.

“There’s a place we can dive into. At least, even if you don’t regain any memories from it, I’m sure it will be entertaining to you.”

She shrugged. Falling for her own husband all over again seemed an impossible feat right now. So much had changed, and she wasn’t sure how to cope with it. But for the sake of regaining her lost memories, she would go with his attempts.

“Let’s go, Jake.”

He kissed her hand.

“I’m glad you agreed to, Myra. I love you.”

What?