AMELIA
I watched with a blank expression as a nervous-looking man with a doctor's briefcase walked into the bedroom.
Getting into the bedroom wasn’t an easy feat, it took Trenton convincing Roman he didn’t have to throw me over his shoulder…the fucking psycho. For a man who claimed to be my husband, he sure acted like I was his lifelong nemesis. I was seated at the edge of the bed while being questioned. “What is the last thing you remember?” The nervous man said, Dr. Britton, he called himself and I wondered if I was supposed to remember him too. “I got expelled, I ran away from home, now I’m here,” I said, leaving out the part where I eagerly wanted a truck to hit me intentionally. Roman's brooding expression darkened even further as I spoke and Trenton’s was filled with worry. Dr. Britton nodded with an understanding gaze, checked my eyes, my mobility, asked about my headache and stomach ache, what I ate last—which I didn’t remember—shocker. After what seemed to be hours but only minutes, he heaved a sigh and took a few steps away from the bed, turning around to face Roman and Trenton. “We can’t be certain but it seems Mrs. Wellington is having an adverse reaction to food poisoning,” He began, clearing his throat when he muttered the last word. My eyes widened, I looked at Roman and then back at the doctor. “Are you saying I’ve been poisoned?” I couldn’t help the dread that seeped into my tone. Dr. Britton coughed and looked away, “For now I can not be certain of that until we run proper tests tomorrow, what I am certain of is that your pain seems to have triggered your memory loss,” Britton said, unable to meet my eyes like he feared me. “How can food poisoning cause amnesia?” Roman asked gruffly, looking more displeased by the situation as the seconds passed. “I can’t know for certain until I bring the proper tools and run the tests…Mr. Wellington and her memories might as well return by morning,” Britton tried to reassure the brooding man in front of him. Roman's lips twisted and then parted like he intended to ask another question. “Thank you for coming on such short notice, Britton,” Trenton quickly said, his kind eyes meeting mine for a moment before he ushered the doctor out of the bedroom. And we were left alone. “Uh…so how does this work?” His brows furrowed and he finally met my eyes, that compelling blue gaze making me momentarily forget my thoughts. “How does what work?” he practically growled out, seeming irritated by the fact that was speaking to him. Rude. “Our sleeping arrangements,” I gestured at the bedroom, “I don’t know about you but it’s been a long night, I got expelled and married on the same day,” I muttered while scratching my chin. I was still finding it quite hard to wrap my head around. He seemed dazed like he couldn’t find the words to say. Then his lips thinned and his frown deepened. “This is our bedroom,” he said with an obvious look. His discontent was obvious. “Not anymore,” I interjected with a nervous chuckle. “Excuse me?” Roman said darkly, his eyes narrowed into slits. “You’re excused,” I grinned, “Thanks for understanding, I can’t sleep on a bed with a man I do not know, so…” I trailed off when I noticed the anger that seemed to be brewing in his blue depths. Did I read him wrong? “I will not be leaving my bedroom for you!” Roman declared. “Our bedroom,” I corrected with a cough, “Please?” I added with a small smile, hoping I could soften the iceberg a bit. He didn’t budge, I heard his teeth gritting as he worked his jaw, seemingly considering my words. There’s no way in hell I’m sharing a bed with a man I just met, no matter how hot he is! He mumbled something under his breath. Another Russian curse, I realized. Is he Russian or something? Then he stomped forward, walking into what seemed to be a closet and coming out with a heap of clothing in his hands. “This doesn’t change anything, Amelia, you will be attending my father’s 60th birthday party tomorrow, so you better remember everything by morning!” he said in a cold voice that left no room for argument and sent chills down my spine. I swallowed thickly. The hatred in his eyes made me squirm. Still, I found myself forcing a grin. “I'll try my best!” I joked, trying to hide the tremor in my voice. I will not show just how afraid I am to a stranger! My words only seemed to infuriate him further as he opened the bedroom door and slammed it close so hard that I felt the wind in my face and pressure in my ears. My head began to ache again. I slowly sank into the soft mattress and my lids became heavy. Maybe. If I sleep… The more I thought about it, the easier I let the comfort of slumber embrace me. Everything else is forgotten. Until the sound of a shrill alarm had my eyes snapping open and had me lurching off the bed. It was a rather confusing morning, I had to find the bathroom while trying to accept my situation. I didn’t remember a thing. My hair was waist-length, my skin was paler. There was no sensible outfit in the closet and a few times I contemplated wearing some of Roman’s but quickly decided against it. The man hated me, I had no clue why but I won’t it bother me. I picked the only shorts I could find and threw on a camisole after my bath. Then I left the bedroom and headed downstairs. I could still remember the way to the living room. The magnificent mansion was unlike anywhere I’d ever been in. There was a busy sound around the house, I ran into two young women in maid uniforms who showed me the way to the kitchen. They called me Mrs. Wellington. When I entered the dining room that was right next to the kitchen, Roman sat at the head of the table, eating his food with that permanent, angry expression on his face. He was looking down at his laptop sternly, some papers beside him, and then his food on the other side. I swallowed, suddenly feeling too nervous to approach. Then he noticed my presence and his shoulders visibly stiffened as he raised his head to meet my gaze. I forced a smile and that dampened his mood. “You still don’t remember,” he said, annoyed by the fact. He pushed the papers closer to the seat next to him. “That doesn’t matter, you have to sign them,” The divorce papers, I realized. “Was I such a terrible wife?” I teased, “You’re so eager to divorce me,” I raised a brow as I sat down and held the papers, reading through them. With a low growl, he slammed his laptop shut making me flinch from the sudden sound. When I turned, his eyes blazed with fury. “You think this is a fucking joke, Amelia?!” I gasped, not expecting the harshness in his tone to cut so deeply. “You dragged me into this fucking lifeless marriage that I want no part of, you ruined my life! My future!” he slammed a fist down on the table, his voice getting louder, “ You forced your stupid hollow affections on me and I hate the fucking sight of you, I hate every word that leaves those ugly lips so yes, you were a fucking bad wife, you are!” he yelled angrily, looking almost overwhelmed by the intense hate he felt. Is he…going to hit me? My breath caught in my throat. I couldn’t move or breathe. “I don’t give a fuck if you don’t remember anything, you will sign those fucking papers and free me from this torture!” Was I such a bad person? Did I truly drag him into this marriage? Did I force my affections on this man? I let out a shaky breath, watching him breathe heavily as his crazed eyes met mine. I had no words. None. “Tonight, we will meet mine and your family,” he said, each word said through gritted teeth, “You better behave your fucking self in front of everyone, Amelia or God help me…” He leaned down and gripped my wrist so tight that I yelped out in pain, the burning sensation caused my eyes to water. “…your amnesia will be the least of your worries!” He finished with a snarl. Right there and then I knew, his threat wasn’t empty. He would destroy me if I crossed him. The rude bastard! How…how did I get myself into this mess?AMELIAI spent the rest of the day in the bedroom I’d slept in.Roman’s warning was enough to keep me livid for the better half of the day, rethinking my life choices, including the ones I couldn’t remember.Now I had a birthday party to attend…my supposed father-in-law who I knew nothing about. The more time passed, the more worried I became.I found a phone I was sure belonged to me, seeing as the wedding portrait was on the lock screen. There was no way it would belong to Roman who hated me.I didn’t know the password. I tossed it aside with a frustrated sigh, my eyes landed on the clock by the bed and I realized I had to get ready.Roman had said 6:30, it was 6 pm.Begrudgingly I walked into the rather spacious walk-in closet and ruffled through my side.Again, I found nothing sensible enough to wear out, just long, loose dresses that looked more like maternity gowns. Then suits…why the hell did I buy so many suits?I ended up settling for a dress I remembered, one I bought a few
AMELIABreathe, Amelia. I reminded myself, my feet rooted to the spot as my sister's familiar eyes met mine. The deadly glare, the venom with no hint of shame or guilt that I had just found her kissing the man who called himself my husband. Though it seemed to me like I had only just seen her two days ago, when she reminded me I was the daughter of a dead whore, looking at her now invited a strange feeling. Like I had not seen her in a long time. Still, that anger and hatred at the immediate sight of her grew even more now that I saw her in Roman's arms. My head began to throb incessantly. “Um…” I was unsure of what to say, unsure of what I had just walked into. Roman visibly tensed up at the sight of me, taking an immediate step back and holding Bertha at arm's length. He cleared his throat, his expression cloudy as he looked at me. “Is this…” My throat felt dry, “Why you were so eager to divorce me? Because you’re…with my sister?” I hated how my voice shook when I
ROMANI made my way down the stairs with confusing emotions. Amelia just agreed to divorce me. The same Amelia who spent the past three years of our marriage trying to dissuade the topic as much as she could. The same Amelia who had threatened me that she would take her own life if I left her. The last time she walked into Bertha and I kissing, she cried for days, she ended up hospitalized, not that I ever bothered to check her, I never cared. Today she looked on like it was a joke. She seemed irritated, not hurt. My fingers unconsciously reached up to my chest, unable to fathom why my heart felt so tight, why the reality of her acceptance didn’t sink in. Probably because I spent too long thinking she’d never free me, now she has. Once we get back home, she’ll really sign the papers. “Roman!” my father called out, laughing heartily as he held a hand out for me. His aged eyes crinkled at the sides with false fatherly affection as he urged me closer, pulling me out fro
AMELIAI spent the first fifteen years of my life, as a naïve, only child with a strict father and a mother who loved me fervently. She was an only child, an orphan, so once she died all I had left was my father…and then Bertha and Monica came into the picture or rather, they’ve been in the picture longer than I’d lived. Bertha was born a year before I was. When my mother was still married to him. After my mother died, Hector Grayson's strictness morphed into hatred…he never gave a reason, he just switched overnight after her death. Since then, I’ve lived with my family like one without a family. I’ve vied for his love and attention, for his trust, his pride and all I’ve ever gotten was beatings. And the constant reminder that I am below Bertha. Why did I stay? Why did I live that way? My eyes snapped open and I was instantly aware of my surroundings. The smell of disinfectant and bleached floors flooded my senses, rousing me from what seemed to be the deepest sleep I’
AMELIAOur walk back to the car was rather awkward for me. After signing my discharge papers and footing the necessary bills, Roman never let go of my hand, despite the shocked looks on everyone’s faces. We bade them goodbye and then he let go once we were in at the parking lot and out of sight. I opened the front door and sat right next to the driver seat, surprisingly he didn’t call a driver but instead brought out the key and started the vehicle. He was so quiet that it unnerved me and I began to wonder what I could say to start a conversation. His expression was dark, most of the emotions in his eyes were indecipherable and I felt too sick to even try and understand the man. But still. The memory of the warmth of his strong, callused fingers still lingered. And I found my gaze drifting in his direction a few times. “I…” I cleared my throat, looking away and watched the passing city lights, “I am sorry about kissing you,” I apologized, my cheeks heated up from say
AMELIAPoisoned? I wasn’t sure how long I stood by the phone, even after the call had ended. Jessica had told me to be cautious, those were her parting words that only served to make me feel worse. The phone was still in my grasp, though the call had ended and I could feel my hands trembling. Poisoned? Does that mean…I have someone who hates me so much they want me dead? Who would do something so cruel? And…will it happen again? “Mrs. Wellington?” I heard Trenton call out from behind me, startling ne back to the present. To say I was shaken would be an understatement. I knew I wasn’t loved by anyone…but this…someone intentionally caused my amnesia or rather, they wanted to kill me. “Trenton…” I looked up at his aged face with watery eyes, “How did I end up here?” How did he end up here with me? His tired expression softened and he held my shoulder, “You need rest, it has been an eventful day,” he said. The words weighed heavily on my tongue, I contemplated
AMELIAI stared long and hard at the divorce papers, even after they brought up my breakfast. It might’ve been an excuse on my end to leave the food untouched. Though Roman had reassured me that it would be tasted and that nothing would happen, all that was just because he wanted my signature. How sure am I that he isn’t the one who poisoned me. That idea scared me more than an unknown person doing it. “No, Amelia…soon you’ll be far away, none of this will matter!” I muttered to myself. I will leave everything behind as soon as I have my feet planted properly. I will live the life I choose for myself. With a resigned sigh, I picked up the papers and made my way down stairs. I wasn’t aware of how much time had passed until I looked out the window and saw the moon was almost up. I reached the living room with the papers in hand but there was no sign of Roman. Does he have a study somewhere? Just then, Trenton and a maid walked out of the kitchen, Trenton gave her or
ROMANI couldn’t understand why my moon soured the longer I watched them speak to each other. They’d completely forgotten about my existence, engrossed in a conversation I couldn’t keep up with. Amelia kept smiling at every he said and Pierce, the bastard kept talking. “We should definitely exchange numbers,” She said in a light hearted voice, a tone she’s never used with me. “I would love for us to meet up and talk more about your gallery” Amelia added with a grin. Her entire face lit up and I couldn’t look away. Her green orbs looked brighter and I wasn’t aware of the little dimple under her eye when she smiled this wide. All because of him. Vincent Pierce has been my neighbor since I’ve been a resident here, he also owns a gallery and restaurant in the heart of the city. The man and I have only spoken once to each other but to think he knew Amelia. “Thank you for coming,” I said coldly, cutting short their unending conversation. His eyes narrowed, his lips parted l
The Carlton merger meeting had dragged on longer than expected, but we'd finally reached an agreement that satisfied all parties involved. As the board members gathered their papers and began filing out of the conference room, my phone buzzed against the polished mahogany table. Roman's name flashed across the screen, right on time as promised. A smile tugged at my lips as I reached for it, already imagining his impatient tone asking where I was.It was time to leave, I realized. We were supposed to have dinner. I'd been too lost in my thoughts and constant feeling of dread along with the meeting to remember our plans. But he did. I felt sort of bad. I could feel the weight of scrutinizing gazes from the remaining board members. They'd always viewed me with a mix of skepticism and barely concealed disdain, after all I had stopped letting my father control all of my decisions and I took charge of my position, dismissing Bertha when it was proven she could barely handle her role pr
The moment we stepped through our front door, the tension from the disastrous lunch seemed to melt away. Roman's hands found my waist, and before I could even set my purse down, he pulled me into a kiss that made my knees weak. His fingers traced delicate patterns on my face, thumbs brushing my cheeks with such tenderness that I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes. The familiar scent of his cologne mixed with the underlying warmth that was uniquely him enveloped me, making me feel safe, and warm all over. His tongue traced my bottom lip before slowly entangling with mine and reached for his hair instinctively, burying my fingers in his silky locks and deepening our kiss. He pulled away slowly, his breathing was steady and his eyes were so intense I'd almost looked away. "I can't believe you kept this from me," he murmured against my lips. His blue eyes, still rimmed with residual emotion from our earlier confrontation with his parents, now held a different kind of intensity
“What?” Roman's eyes narrowed as he looked at his parents. Victoria seemed to be more shaken than she was surprised which meant that she knew about this decision. Roman, on the other hand, looked lost. His fists that rested on the dining table clenched tightly and I noticed how his breathing had slowed. Of all the things I expected Yaakov to say, this was not it. “I understand it came as a shock but…your mother and I have come to this decision after much deliberation,” Yaakov explained firmly, looking unfazed by his mind shattering announcement. Victoria scoffed, her lips twisting into a disdainful frown, “Did we both come to the decision or did you and your new cock sucker decide on it?”I'd never heard such vulgarity from Victoria before. She looked so pissed, face red with anger like she was about to explode. Yaakov's expression darkened when he heard her words and he turned abruptly to face her. For a moment I thought he was going to hit her but instead he slammed his fist do
I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, running my fingers over my still-flat stomach. A part of me still had doubts but the three pregnancy tests hidden in my makeup bag, all positive said otherwise, and I still couldn't quite believe it. What I now realized was morning sickness among other things, had started weeks ago and I was constantly thinking I had a big or something My hand trembled slightly as I applied my mascara. Today would be perfect to tell him, after the meeting with his parents of course. I would tell him everything and we would figure it out together. Right? But something held me back, a nagging uncertainty that made my stomach clench with more than just morning sickness. Roman appeared in the doorway, looking unfairly handsome in his tailored black suit. His hair was still slightly damp from his shower, and he smelled of that expensive cologne I loved so much. But there was tension in his shoulders, a tightness around his eyes that made me hesit
AMELIAAt first, the words were at the top of my tongue. He felt so warm, so perfect holding me and in that moment that was all that mattered and I was going to tell him, I really was. But then I remembered how we parted and I went still in his arms, unable to look him in the eyes. “Did you manage to do everything you wanted to?” I responded with a question of my own, taking a few steps away from him, my tone more distant than I'd intended. I noticed the change in his expression, the confusion of my sudden mood change and then realization darkened his features. “Are you still mad at me, Amy?”“That depends,” I crossed my arms over my chest, “Are you going to tell me why you went to Russia and barely communicated with me for two whole weeks?”There it was. The chill in his expression I had now grown used to. What exactly was I to him? His wife? Or just another obligation to add to his list of responsibilities? A heavy silence descended between us and Roman let out a frustrated s
AMELIAI looked down at the test results with shaky hands. At that moment, I was emotionally and physically a mess. I hadn't eaten breakfast and the strong scent of the hospital seemed to upset my stomach, making me throw up a few times which of course added to the throbbing pain in my head that hasn't gone away for the past week. “I'm…pregnant?”And now these test results were saying the reason I've been feeling like shit for the past two weeks isn't because my brain damage had worsened but because–“Oh God, I'm going to be sick,”Jessica immediately reached for the trash can in the corner and handed it over to me as I emptied the contents of my stomach into it. Over and over again until there was nothing left but liquid and a bitter taste on my tongue. “Oh God…” I gasped, my knees trembling and my stomach feeling like it had done a backflip a few times. Everywhere was spinning and my ears were ringing so loudly that I could barely hear my panicked thoughts. Pregnant. Me? “Ta
JESSICA What do you do when faced with a man who has plagued your dreams for months, a man whose face has consumed your waking moments and even your attempts to sleep. I let him in. I knew I shouldn't have, but he looked so goddamn pitiful! He looked…vulnerable. But then again, every drunk man looks like a child that needs their parent. He on the other hand. I watched as his chest rose and fell steadily, he was sprawled on my couch which I once considered big but seeing how his large frame struggled to find comfort in it I began to think otherwise. Why is he here? Why is he drunk? That's were the questions I would've asked if he didn't just walk in and lay on my couch like he was only here for it. I let out a low, even breath, watching him with countless conflicting emotions swirling in my chest. I wanted to move closer, see every detail of his face because I feared after this time a few more months would pass again before I can get a glimpse. But I opted to stand
JESSICA“Will you be attending the funeral?”Amelia stared down at her feet with a conflicted expression, looking like she couldn't decide. Her skin had become quite pale, she was sick. I noticed she's been from the past few days but she claims it's something she ate. I think otherwise. “I really don't know,” She finally managed, leaning back on the sofa in my apartment with a heavy sigh. “I had thought that I wouldn't feel anything if he died you know…” She sighed, “I guess I was wrong,”I shrugged, “He was your grandfather, no matter how complicated the situation was, it'll definitely bother you,”“Ugh…” She groaned for the nth time in the hour, reaching for the glass of water in front of her and emptying it. Again. “My head hurts…Alexander has been pestering the hell out of me,”Right. Alexander. Hearing his name alone was enough to make me tense up. For some reason, he had that effect on me, even without being here. “You should go to the hospital and get some tests done, Am
JESSICA“Time of death, 11: 58 pm, November 12th,” Dr Morrison declares with a grim expression as the nurse beside moved to King Guerrero’s bedside and pulled up the sheets to cover his deathly pale face. His eyes were closed shut and his lips slack. For the first time since I'd met the man, he looked exactly like what he was. An old frail man. And now, he is dead. “Jessica?”I blinked, dragging my gaze away from King's lifeless figure and meeting Dr Morrison's eyes. “Did you hear what I just said?”I shook my head, I was still shaken by what had just happened. I knew it was coming. In the past month since King Guerrero assigned me to be his doctor, I knew this moment would come just…not this soon. My heart ached. Strangely, I had grown fond of the old man, considering him a friend. He had so many experiences, he's lived so many lives and he didn't hesitate to share the details with me…the first person from their world who treated me as I wanted to be treated. And now… “Dr Ti