Elisa thought of herself as particularly easy to coax. Just the day before, she had given Hamish a chance to pursue her, and tonight, he had coaxed her into bed, leaving her defenseless and defeated.
Even though she suffered from amnesia and had become somewhat foolish, the feelings buried deep within her heart were not easily forgotten. Hamish, like a seed sown in her heart, had taken firm root over time, growing into a towering tree.
Elisa clung to his sturdy shoulders, repeatedly murmuring the name “Hamish” under her breath. Her sweet voice calling his name held a powerful enchantment.
Hamish’s movements were gentle, as if handling delicate crystal, every action cautious and even his breath trembling with care.
Perhaps it was the sudden appearance of Lila that had startled him today, leading to his urgent possession of Elisa tonight, as if only by doing so could he feel her presence, ensuring she wouldn’t leave him.
Hamish liked to kiss Elisa’s forehead, then trail along her nose to her soft lips, murmuring in a low, husky voice, “Elisa, Elisa…”
Elisa breathed gently, reaching up to stroke Hamish’s cheek. Though Hamish was being gentle, Elisa still felt a strange ache-not a physical pain, but a hollow, throbbing sensation from within.
She wanted to hold Hamish tightly to fill the void in her heart, but her hands felt weak. Seeing her bare fingertips, Hamish’s heart twitched. He took her hands, kissed them lightly, and whispered, “I won’t let you feel pain ever again.”
Hamish was quite the deceiver. It turned out, men’s words in bed were hardly reliable.
Hamish’s words were like a deceitful ghost, tormenting her until the early hours before finally releasing her. Elisa felt as though her bones might fall apart, and she fell into a deep slumber as soon as her eyes closed.
…
When Elisa awoke once more, it was already 7 a. m. Hamish had already risen, looking impeccably sharp in a designer suit, exuding an exceptional air of confidence.
Still groggy from just waking up, Elisa stared blankly at the bed. Seeing her in this silly state, Hamish couldn’t help but feel fond of her.
He spoke, “I’m still here. You can sleep a little longer.”
Shaking her head and yawning, Elisa sat up, a tear glistening in the corner of her eye. “Are you heading to work?”
“Yeah, I might be busy today and might return late. Don’t wait for me for dinner,” Hamish replied, tousling Elisa’s hair. Glancing at his wristwatch, he added, “I have to go.”
As Hamish turned to leave, Elisa suddenly called out, “Hamish.”
He paused, turning back. “What did you call me?”
“Can I call you Hamish from now on?” Elisa rose and walked slowly to Hamish, smoothing his tie with her hand.
Hamish, in action, revealed his fondness for this new title. He held Elisa’s slender waist, lowered his head, and kissed her. Half a minute later, Elisa’s cheeks flushed, and she struggled to catch her breath. Patting his shoulder, she said, “If you don’t leave for work now, you’ll be late!”
Having broken through the last barrier with Hamish, Elisa no longer felt any distance from him. She longed to be close to him and to call out his name.
After seeing Hamish off downstairs, Elisa returned to her room. She pulled back the curtains to watch Hamish drive away. Sensing her gaze, Hamish opened the car window and glanced up at her.
Elisa quickly waved, unable to see Hamish’s expression clearly from the distance, but she could feel that he was smiling.
Covering her face with her hands, Elisa returned to bed, thinking about the events of the previous night, hugging her pillow and wriggling under the covers, much like a silkworm.
After the quiet, Elisa fell into contemplation. Lost in thought, her mind wandered, much like a man puffing on a cigarette after the fact. Anxious shadows clouded her thoughts. Did Hamish truly like her? How long could his affection last? Were there others in his heart besides her, perhaps Lila?
The idea seemed absurd, but considering Lila’s subtle display the day before, Elisa felt that things were not as simple as she had hoped.
Elisa suddenly longed to recover her memory quickly. At the very least, she needed to understand the nature of her past with Hamish in order to live comfortably in his indulgence. Otherwise, she would always feel a sense of loss and unease.
Elisa had been steadfast in taking her medication, but she realized that hermemory was becoming increasingly hazy. Previously, she could at least recall some fragmented familiar scenes, but now, she couldn’t remember anything at all.
What Elisa didn’t know was that the medication she had been taking was a neurologically disruptive drug. The more she took, the worse it was for her mental state, making it nearly impossible for her to recollect the past.
Having had his fill of the advantages of Elisa’s amnesia, Hamish didn’t want her to regain her memory. On the surface, he appeared concerned about her memory, but in reality, he needed to see her take the medication every night before he could relax.
He admitted his selfishness, but he couldn’t stop himself from acting this way. He wanted Elisa to call him “Hamish” for the rest of her life, to love him just as she did now, with him encompassing her eyes and her heart entirely.