Apart from her own name, Elisa had forgotten everything about Hamish, about those sixteen years, those painful four years. She couldn’t remember marrying Hamish, let alone the pain she had endured.
She opened her eyes in the hospital, only to be bombarded with a flurry of kisses from Hamish, nearly causing her to faint again.
Awakening with amnesia, she was filled with unease, panic-stricken like a kitten with every hair standing on end, ready to strike anyone who came near.
Hamish received a slap from her, barely feeling a thing. Elisa’s touch was no longer as tender as before; it didn’t hurt at all.
Worried about her, Hamish called Tobias, an agile thinker, to concoct a story unrelated to their past.
Elisa’s amnesia was the most satisfactory outcome for Hamish. As long as she didn’t remember anything, he could pretend that nothing had ever happened, and they could start anew.
To ensure Elisa never remembered, aside from her medication, nothing regarding the past could be brought up in her presence. Her parents, loved ones, the pain she had suffered, the places she had lived, and even her battle with stomach cancer… all these things would trigger her mind.
Hamish decided to keep everything hidden. Sitting on a bench outside the ward, listening to Tobias’s fabricated tales, his heart ached. How wonderful it would have been if they were true?
Unfortunately, beautiful lies only deceived Elisa. They could never deceive him. From now on, they both lived in a world of false truths.
In the ward, Tobias blabbered, “Mrs. Burns, don’t use memory loss as an excuse to avoid your responsibilities. During your hundred-plus days in a coma from the car accident, Mr. Burns nearly followed you into the emergency room several times.”
“If you want to leave him, he’ll go crazy!”
“Take care of yourself. If you have any questions, you can ask your husband.”
Sensing the intense gaze outside the door, Elisa looked up. The shadow that had just been there disappeared in an instant. Elisa moistened her dry lips and murmured, “I understand… I will gradually adapt.”
“Shall I call Mr. Burns in?” Tobias asked.
After hesitating for a moment, Elisa nodded in agreement.
Tobias left, and Hamish entered, seemingly afraid that she might fear him, standing at a safe distance and watching her.
Feeling uncomfortable under his intense scrutiny, Elisa pointed to the chair by the bed, saying, “There’s a chair, please sit. There’s water if you’re thirsty, help yourself.”
A glint appeared in Hamish’s eyes, as if a shooting star had suddenly illuminated the previously dark sky for a moment.
“Do you want some water?” Hamish asked, his voice hoarse, clearly showing his recent fatigue.
Elisa nodded.
Hurriedly, Hamish fetched a glass of water for Elisa, ensuring it wasn’t too hot before offering it to her.
Elisa reached out, but Hamish said, “Your hand is injured, let me help you.”
Hearing the man offer to feed her water personally, Elisa felt somewhat uncomfortable. To her, the current Hamish was a stranger. However, recalling Tobias’s words, she opened her mouth. Her mouth felt dry, and she drank half the glass in one go.
“I’m done,” she said.
Hamish put the glass down and then sat in the nearest chair.
Elisa still held the marriage certificate. She looked at the handsome man in the clean and neat photo on the certificate, then at Hamish. They were the same person, but the current Hamish had a stubble on his chin, disheveled hair, and bloodshot eyes.
She now believed around eighty percent of what Tobias had said. Although she felt estranged from Hamish, it was evident that he genuinely cared for her and loved her.
For example, his cautious approach with the water and the way he fed it to her.
Their gazes met, and Elisa’s heart skipped a beat. She averted her eyes fearfully.
“Are you still feeling unwell?” Hamish asked.
Elisa shook her head. “I’m okay, just a bit foggy in the head.”
The hypnotist had mentioned there might be some adverse reactions when Elisa woke up, so it was normal.
Taking her hand, Hamish said, “You’ll be fine in a couple of days. Is there anything specific you’d like to eat? I’ll have it brought over later.”
Watching their hands entwined, Elisa’s expression turned awkward. “Can I have something spicy? My mouth feels so bitter.”
“No, you have a stomach condition. You shouldn’t eat spicy food, especially since you’ve just woken up and your body hasn’t fully recovered. You should eat something light,” Hamish replied.
Elisa withdrew her hand. “Then why did you ask me?”
Hamish’s lips curved slightly, the first smile in many days, as he finally caught a glimpse of the lively Elisa he remembered.
“I know your taste. I’ll have something light prepared. Once you’re discharged, I’ll take you to eat something delicious.”
“How long until I can leave the hospital?” Elisa inquired.
“About half a month,” Hamish estimated. He was worried about Elisa and, considering what the hypnotist had said about not taking her to familiar places to prevent her from recalling, he decided it was best for her to stay in the hospital.
“Another two weeks,” Elisa sighed. “I really want to go outside.”
“Don’t worry, once you’re better, I’ll take you out,” Hamish reassured her.
“But your assistant said you haven’t been to work in a long time,” Elisa pointed out, looking at Hamish cautiously. “I don’t have any issues. Why don’t you go to work?”
While she acknowledged him as her husband, her heart still resisted.
“Work is far less important than you. Don’t worry about that,” Hamish replied, smiling.
Elisa opened her mouth, but her voice suddenly failed her. It wasn’t just discomfort; it was also troublesome to interact with him. “Elisa, we’re married. I am your husband.”
Elisa’s eyelashes trembled, and some color returned to her pale face. “I know. I’m sorry. I forgot about you.”
Seeing her in such distress, so cold, and distant, devoid of any emotion, tore at Hamish’s heart. Both versions of her, whether indifferent or distressed, made him feel as if his soul were being torn in two, gasping for air. Hamish told himself he would make Elisa fall in love with him again.
“Elisa, may I kiss you?” As he spoke, Hamish gently leaned over and placed a fleeting kiss on her forehead.
Elisa, feeling uneasy like a startled fledgling, raised her hand to her forehead. She was uncomfortable, but considering that this man had been her husband, she suppressed her feelings. After all, apart from kissing, there were more intimate actions between a husband and wife, especially after five years of marriage.
Five years of marriage. Elisa calculated the time. Did she marry Hamish at the age of nineteen? Had she graduated from university? According to Tobias, she had pursued Hamish for five years.
In her mind, Elisa cried out in frustration: “How absurd!”