Chapter 74

RICHARD POV

“Richard, guess what the good news is!” my mother’s cheerful voice rang out through the phone, her excitement practically vibrating through the line.

I sighed, keeping one hand firmly on the steering wheel while balancing the phone in the other. “Argh…Mom, you know I’m terrible at guessing. Can’t you just tell me?”

My mother has been telling me for the past few minutes to guess…what exactly does she want me to guess on.

I already told her that I wasn't good at guessing and she knows that even without telling her.

“No, no,” she said insistently. “This is too exciting. You have to guess.”

Now I was so eager to hear whatever good news she wanted to share but she was making it hard for me.

I groaned, glancing at the woman sitting silently in the passenger seat. Her face was turned toward the window, her expression unreadable.

She hadn’t said much since we left the hospital, and her silence only added to the oddness of the situation.

“Mom, I really don’t have time for this,” I said, my patience wearing thin. “Just tell me already.”

“Oh, Richard,” she replied with exaggerated disappointment.

“You’re no fun. Fine, I’ll tell you. It’s about Mr. Johnson.”

Okay I accept that I'm no fun and I don't have the time to talk to her or gist with her, which sometimes she always wishes to have a girl child even at her old age which makes me laugh most of the time.

“Mr. Johnson?” I repeated, the name pulling my focus back to the conversation. “What about him?”

My mother paused dramatically before exclaiming, “He’s stable now! The doctors say he can hear, open his eyes, and even walk again!”

The news hit me like a wave. “Wait, he’s awake? He can walk?”

“Yes!” she said, her voice brimming with excitement. “The doctors say he’s made a miraculous recovery. Isn’t that incredible?”

I gripped the steering wheel tighter, a mix of emotions swirling inside me. Relief was the first.

Tammie’s father had been in a coma for months after his stroke, and his condition had left everyone in limbo. But then came the sudden happiness and joy.

“That’s… amazing news,” I said finally, my voice quieter now.

“It is!” my mother continued, oblivious to my conflicted tone. “ His wife and daughter must be overjoyed. And you too, of course. I know how worried you’ve been.”

I didn’t respond immediately. My relationship with Tammie was far from what my mother imagined.

We were engaged, yes, but it wasn’t love. It was a calculated move…one to solidify family ties and business connections. Tammie didn’t love me, and I knew it.

But at first Tammy and I loved each other not until after the incident that happened to her, she just couldn't remember that we were once lovers.

She even told me to my face that she doesn't love me but agrees to marry me because of family ties, business connections and most importantly to get back at her ex husband.

But I didn’t mind. Or at least, I told myself I didn’t.

“Richard?” my mother’s voice snapped me back to the present.

“I’m here,” I said quickly. “Sorry, just processing. That really is good news.”

“It’s the best news!” she said. “Now we can finally focus on moving forward. Isn’t this just perfect timing?”

“Yeah, perfect timing,” I echoed, though the words felt hollow. “Listen, Mom, I’m driving. I’ll call you back later, okay?”

“Alright, darling. But don’t forget—this is wonderful news!”

“I won’t forget,” I promised. “Talk soon.”

I ended the call and let out a deep breath, leaning back against the seat for a moment. The relief was real, but so was the weight of everything else. Mr. Johnson’s recovery changed a lot of things.

Turning to the woman beside me, I asked, “What’s your name again?”

She turned her head to face me, her eyes soft but filled with uncertainty. “I think it’s Alisha,” she said quietly. “That’s the only name I can remember.”

“Alisha,” I repeated, letting the name roll off my tongue. “Alright. Alisha, bear with me for a bit. I have to stop by my company before I figure out what to do next.”

She nodded, her expression calm. “I don’t mind where you take me, Richard, as long as you’re with me.”

Her words caught me off guard. They were so simple, so genuine, and yet they carried a weight I wasn’t prepared for. I glanced at her, trying to gauge her expression, but she was already looking out the window again.

She doesn’t know what she’s saying, I told myself. She’s lost her memory and is clinging to whatever feels familiar. She needs care, not overthinking.

Pushing the thought aside, I focused on the road. “Alright,” I said, keeping my tone neutral. “Let’s get going.”

The rest of the drive passed in silence, save for the soft hum of the car engine. My thoughts kept drifting back to my mother’s news. Mr. Johnson’s recovery was nothing short of miraculous, but it brought the reality of my engagement to Tammie into sharper focus.

Tammie. She was beautiful, intelligent, and poised…the perfect partner on paper. But beneath the surface, there was no warmth between us. We were two people fulfilling a duty, nothing more.

Shaking off the thoughts, I pulled into the private parking lot of Garrison Enterprises.

My company was a towering glass structure that dominated the skyline, a symbol of the empire I’d built. I parked in my reserved spot, cutting the engine.

As I stepped out of the car, I moved to open Alisha’s door. She looked up at me, her expression a mix of curiosity and calm.

“Let’s go,” I said simply.

She nodded, stepping out of the car carefully, her movements slow and deliberate.

As I straightened, my eyes caught sight of a figure standing near the entrance to the building.

It was Nadia.

Her sharp eyes locked onto mine, and a slow, knowing smile spread across her face.