Elisa suppressed her discomfort and watched Lila change her shoes, asking, “Have you had lunch?”
Lila, with a beaming smile, replied, “Not yet.”
“Perfect, stay and have lunch with me,” Elisa suggested.
Lila accepted the invitation.
Mrs. Protich prepared two glasses of fruit juice. Lila took one, inserted a straw, and sipped slowly. Her lips curved upward, and she raised an eyebrow while sipping her juice, all the while sizing up Elisa.
From head to toe, Lila’s gaze lingered, finally resting on Elisa’s hand, and she let out a light laugh.
Elisa suddenly felt as if she were stripped naked and being scrutinized. It felt terrible, and she didn’t know what to say to stop this behavior.
Subconsciously, Elisa didn’t like Hamish’s younger sister. She was certain that she knew her before losing her memory, and whatever happened between them was probably not so simple.
One must be cautious, especially when not remembering whether the past was good or bad.
“Were we very close before?” Elisa inquired.
Setting down her glass of juice, Lila casually wiped her mouth. She exuded a gentle temperament, yet there was an air of artificiality about her.
“Not really, but we’ve met and been introduced a few times,” Lila paused, her expression shifting, “Sister-in-law, do you really have no recollection of me at all?”
Elisa locked eyes with her, then shook her head after a moment.
She genuinely couldn’t remember. The more she tried to recall, the more her head throbbed. A sense of fear rose within her, her heart becoming a tangled mess. A voice in her mind kept telling her not to dwell on it.
Mrs. Rugger quickly prepared lunch, making a little extra because of the “guest.” There were four dishes and a soup, both meat and vegetarian dishes.
As they sat down to eat, Lila adopted the air of a hostess. She glanced at the dishes on the table and pursed her lips. “Sister-in-law, you probably don’t know about Hamish’s likes and dislikes due to your amnesia, right?”
“I indeed forgot,” Elisa replied.
Scooping some soup, Lila, with a fork, fished out the floating scallions. “Just like me, Hamish dislikes eating scallions. Also, he doesn’t eat ginger, garlic, he prefers mild flavors, doesn’t eat offal, legumes…”
As Lila spoke, it was undoubtedly a declaration of dominance over Elisa.
Elisa listened quietly, not saying a word.
“If you need it, I can write it down for you,” Lila paused, casting a seemingly casual glance at Elisa’s hands, feigning surprise, “I forgot that your hands can’t cook anymore.”
Elisa’s fingertips trembled slightly, her eyes narrowed. “It’s unnecessary because Hamish usually remembers my likes and dislikes.”
Lila’s expression shifted, and she quietly ate her meal, without further mischief this time.
Elisa had only eaten half a bowl of rice when she set down her fork, about to check the time when her phone suddenly vibrated.
It was a text from Hamish, asking if she had eaten.
Seeing Lila’s gaze shifting towards her, Elisa boldly raised her phone. “Your brother sent me a text. I told him you’re here. Do you want to finish your meal and stay a little longer?”
“No need. He doesn’t want to see me; I’ll leave in a while.”
Lila didn’t like to lay everything out clearly, leaving half the space for Elisa’s imagination, which often proved more torturous than direct words.
After finishing her lunch, Lila prepared to leave. Elisa got up to see her off. At the door, Lila raised her eyes to glance at the surveillance cameras around.
She lowered her head, turned away from the cameras, and said to Elisa, “Elisa, it’s better if you never remember. Amnesia is the best outcome for you.”
Lila’s expression momentarily turned fierce, then shifted to one of dissatisfaction.
Elisa felt a pang. What did she mean by that?
Faced with Lila’s inscrutable smile, Elisa almost blurted out her inner thoughts.
One moment addressing her as “sister-in-law,” and the next addressing her by name. After watching Lila leave, Elisa glanced at the slippers on the floor.
Why did Lila come today? And why did she say those things? What was the purpose behind her confident demeanor when leaving?
Elisa began to feel a chill, as if a draft had found a way in through a crack. She didn’t want to dwell on other people’s words, but the more she tried to restrain herself from thinking, the more she couldn’t helpbut think about it. Elisa sat stiffly on the sofa, looking at the text from Hamish. After a while, she finally set her phone aside.
Thirty minutes after lunch, the housekeeper reminded Elisa to take her medication, insisting on watching her take it before leaving.
After swallowing the pills, Elisa took a walk in the yard to aid digestion, then returned to her room for a nap. Initially planning for a short rest, she ended up sleeping for two hours. When she woke, she felt dizzy, parched, and disoriented.
…
Upon his return, Hamish noticed that the slippers on the floor had been moved from where he left them in the morning. He immediately asked the housekeeper, “Who touched my slippers today?”
“Miss Morris wore your slippers when she came today,” the housekeeper replied.
Hamish furrowed his brow. He never liked others touching his things, even if it was just his slippers.
“Just throw them away.”
The housekeeper hesitated.
“In the future, no one is allowed to touch mine or Elisa’s belongings, no matter who comes.”
“Understood.”
After inquiring about Elisa’s well-being and learning that everything was normal, he nodded.
Hamish hadn’t anticipated Lila’s sudden visit. When the housekeeper informed him of Lila’s arrival at the villa, he felt a chill down his spine and wished to return immediately to drive her away. But he feared that such a drastic action might raise suspicions with Elisa, so he instructed the housekeeper to warn Lila about what to say and what not to say.
Despite this, he remained worried. During his break at the office, he reviewed the surveillance footage. He was somewhat satisfied; Lila hadn’t said much. But he couldn’t be sure whether Elisa would become suspicious; she was always astute.
As soon as Elisa descended the stairs, she noticed the slippers in the trash can, placed there as if deliberately for her to see.
Elisa’s mood was not as stifling as it had been at noon after her nap. Looking at the slippers in the trash, she asked, “Do you have a problem with your younger sister?”
Anticipating a more tactful response from Hamish, she was surprised when he simply grunted, “She’s not a likable person. You should avoid her in the future, and don’t pay attention to anything she says.”
It seemed that his dislike ran deep. Elisa’s mood suddenly brightened.
“During lunch today, she mentioned a lot about your likes and dislikes. It seems like you have a good relationship,” Elisa remarked.
“What dislikes?” Hamish inquired.
“Dislike of scallions, ginger, garlic, and offal, among others,” Elisa said lightly, casting him a glance.
Hamish broke into a cold sweat. He wagered that if he didn’t respond appropriately, Elisa might not let him into bed that night.
“I eat them.”
Licking her lips, Elisa, with a smile, nodded. “That’s good.”
Thus, when Mrs. Rugger brought the dishes to the table, not only was there scallion in the soup, but also cilantro. Two of the dishes contained offal, and there was also a dish of garlic mashed cucumber.
Hamish: “…”
He tearfully finished two bowls of rice.