Arabel's POV
Right now, I wonder what it would feel like to have him remember me. To have him come hug me. Kiss me. Tell me how much he still loves me.
Tell me that he remembers everything and that this is all just a silly prank to scare the hell out of me.
I can't lose him to Eve again. Not again.
Losing his memory is not as frightening as imagining how he would feel if he could only recall half of his memories, where Eve held a significant place in his life.
What if he doesn't remember me? What if he never recalls our marriage or his mistake in divorcing me? What if he doesn't remember Daisy being his?
With his gaze sweeping over me again, my heart picks up, and my breath grows deeper.
Eve moves to his bedside and sits in, preventing me from seeing his face to determine if he recognizes me now or not.
“Babe, I am Eve, and she is Arabella, your ex-wife. Can you believe she even pretended to be someone else? She lied to you by telling you she is Bella Portillo and not Arabel Cooper, so you can fall in love with her without knowing she is your ex-wife. She wants to ruin our marriage,” she says, breaking down into fake tears.
My heart freezes.
How did she know? How did she know that I was Bella Portillo? How did she come to know all these details?
Has she been trailing me for a while?
“You are Eve,” Richard mutters slowly. “And she is Arabella?”
Eve nods. “Your ex-wife.”
“Is that true?” He demands, looking at me with a face devoid of emotion, but I know my reply will bring back the emotion on his face.
Right now, he doesn't know anything. Whatever we tell him will stick.
“I have a child for you,” I announce quickly, not wanting to give Eve all the joy. “Her name is Daisy, do you remember her?”
Indifferently, he shakes his head.
I gulp loudly. “She is four years old, and she was here a few days ago to check on you. She prayed so hard that her dad could come back to her. I guess her prayers worked.” I let out a short chuckle, forcing my tears back.
“He asked you a question, Arabel. Stop with the pretense already. We know it is fake. Are you not tired of this fake life?”
Richard seems to agree with her. He is just silently watching, his eyes filled with curiosity.
“Yes, we are truly divorced, but I never cheated on you…”
“You see?” Eve's loud voice takes over the rest of my words. “She is nothing but a cheat. She wants to ruin our marriage, Richard. Please send her out of here and out of our lives. Now that you are awake, we can make things right and make our marriage work out again, don't you think?” She caresses his face, making pain shoot through my body.
When he closes his eyes, I assume he is enjoying her caresses. As I turn to leave, a tear slides down my eyelid, but his voice stops me.
“Stay!”
“What?!” Eve exclaims loudly.
My heart is pounding. I want to turn back to see if he remembers me now, but my legs won't budge. My legs stay frozen, and my body trembles with panic.
“Stay until I remember everything. When I remember what happened and I find out it is true, then you leave. For now, I am not going to take whatever comes out of your mouth or Eve's. Allow me to figure things out on my own.”
Despite his slow words, he seems confident in what he is saying, and it makes a thrill shoot up my spine.
I can no longer hide my emotions as I break down into tears.
Tears of mixed feelings.
Sadness that we have to face another obstacle of his memory loss.
Joy that he is finally back. He has been given a second chance at life, just like I wanted.
“Oh, cut the crap. Stop crying and f***ing tell him the bad things you have done to him!” Eve's voice booms into my ears, making me turn back to see her right behind me.
Rage fills her pupils.
“Tell him what you did, Arabel.”
“What…”
“Stop with the crocodile tears and tell him. You devil!”
What she wants me to say is something I have no idea about. Before I can say anything else, she cries out.
“Richard, she poisoned you!”
“What?!” Her lies are getting too much, so I raise my hand and strike her cheeks.
“Did you just slap me? For wanting to protect my husband from someone like you.” She runs back to Richard, tears trailing down her face. “Richard, you have to believe me. She can't stay here. If she stays here, I won't feel secure. What if she tries to hurt you again or poison you?”
“Why was she the only one here when I woke up?” Richard's sudden questions shock me.
Eve suddenly goes silent.
Perhaps she didn't see that coming and wasn't prepared with an answer.
“I went to get you food,” she says, pointing to the tray of food she gave me. It is exactly where she left it.
Richard's brows furrow.
“I do that every single day in hope of seeing you come back to me.”
When he opens his mouth to say something again, a sudden knock comes to the door, almost making me jump up in fright.
There is absolutely nothing to be scared about. This situation will leave me with two options; either he remembers and we get rid of Eve, or he believes Eve, making him send me out of his life. To begin life afresh again.
Isn't this what I've always wanted? For him to leave me the hell alone so I can continue living my life, pretending what happened between us and the divorce never happened?
Didn't I wish so much for Richard to go back to New York and never come back to cross paths with me in London? Didn't I wish to cancel my contract just to avoid seeing him?
Then why does it hurt so much?
Why does it hurt to know what I have always wanted is about to come true?
“Richard!” Eve shouts again. “Send her out this instant, or I will leave.”
The doorknob turns, and Mother comes in, her gaze moving from me to Richard and then Eve.
Earlier, when we left the room to allow the doctor to attend to Richard, I called her. She was over the moon, screaming with happiness and relief.
“The one who is going out is you, Eve,” mother thunders with implacable authority before rushing past me to hug Richard. “My boy.”
“Who are you?” Richard demands, making mother turn back to me in extreme shock.