37

Tomas.
All the way until we reached le chateau, I kept my eyes averted from Jennifer. I wasn’t sure why I felt compelled to do so, but this time felt different-profoundly different. My heart and mind were sending conflicting signals, but they weren’t directed toward Jennifer. No, this time all my attention was focused on Amanda… Cercus’s assistant. Her presence stirred something within me that I couldn’t ignore.
After we arrived at le chateau, I paid no heed to the crowd around me. People shouted my name, demanding explanations, wanting to know the reasons for my abrupt behavior. But I walked past them, resolute, with a determined expression. I signaled for Carl to follow me. It was clear from my serious demeanor that the old Tomas was back. The heartless man had returned, and I relished the feelings of reclaiming that identity.
I ordered my men to stay back and led Carl to a private spot, away from prying eyes. I needed a secluded area behind the trees, far from the chaos and noise of the gathering crowd. I didn’t want anyone to overhear our conversation.
“Carl?” I called out, stopping in my tracks and turning my back to him, facing the towering tree before me.
“Yes, Tomas?” Carl replied, his voice tinged with concern.
“Please turn your head and look around. See if anyone is following us or hiding nearby,” I commanded, my tone firm and unwavering.
“No one, sir. It’s all clear,” Carl assured me, stepping closer and placing a hand on my shoulder. “What’s wrong, my son?” he asked, his voice filled with worry.
I couldn’t help but smirk, a dark grin creeping onto my face. “What’s wrong?! I don’t know, Carl, what’s wrong! You tell me!” I shot back, spinning around to face him fully.
“What do you mean, Tomas?” Carl raised his eyebrows, clearly puzzled by my sudden outburst.
“I’m a little confused, you know me better than I know myself! So you tell me, Carl!” I yelled, frustration boiling over.
“Well, son, I guess you feel like you don’t love any of the girls here!” Carl suggested, his voice steady and calm.
I sighed deeply, nodding slowly. “Yes, Carl, I feel that way. I don’t know why; maybe it’s because I’m heartless, like they keep calling me.” I closed my eyes, exhaling slowly, trying to release the tension that had built up inside me.
“A heartless man? At work, yes, I would agree with you for sure!” Carl chuckled lightly, trying to lighten the mood.
“In my personal life, Carl!” I insisted, my voice firm and resolute.
“In your personal life, I have to disagree, Tomas. If you think about every girl here, you might figure out why you feel this way! What about Jennifer?! I thought you loved her!” Carl said, searching my eyes for answers.
I smirked slightly. “Yes, I thought so too! But maybe I feel this way because she keeps hiding secrets from me. She’s a very mysterious girl, perhaps that’s what has created barriers between us… and this Amanda too…!” I exclaimed, my frustration bubbling over.
“What about her, Tomas?! I was actually shocked when you asked her to work for you!” Carl said, his curiosity piqued.
“Yes, me too, Carl. I don’t know! There’s something about her! I can’t explain it! I tried to keep my eyes away from her, but I failed! She’s just… different!” I informed Carl, my voice laced with confusion.
“Oh, you mean you like her! Or is it just because she’s attractive, so you want to sleep with her?” Carl asked, a knowing grin spreading across his face.
I laughed heartily. “Surely not! Do I need more women in my life? Man, I’m living in a disaster! I already have Maya, Selena, and Jennifer! Do I really need one more? For God’s sake, you’re killing me!” I chuckled again, trying to ease the tension in the air.
“Son, I don’t know, but all I care about is you! And our work, so don’t dwell on it and let everything unfold later,” Carl advised wisely.
Then we walked back to le chateau, continuing our conversation about work and laughing, easing the tension that had built up. As I headed to my room, I suddenly remembered that Jennifer and I were sharing the same room. I shouted for Maya, hoping to find her among the gathering crowd. Everyone was seated in the entrance, chatting and laughing, and Jennifer was there too, keeping silent.
It was so clear that she was waiting for me to speak first. Once I entered, she raised her face to look at me expectantly. But before she could open her mouth, I repeatedly shouted Maya’s name.
Maya stood up, her face brightening with a smile. “Yes, Tomas?!” Maya asked, her tone light and cheerful.
“I will use another room… I want to be alone for a while, so I don’t want anyone to disturb me! Is that clear?!” I yelled, casting a stern look at everyone present.
Maya cleared her throat, “Um, yes, Mr. Tomas.” Her voice was compliant, but there was an edge of concern in her eyes.
Everyone was staring at me, and I saw Jack move closer to Jennifer, sitting next to her. She was just beginning to speak, but I turned my body and walked upstairs, needing to escape the situation.
“Mr. Tomas?!” Amanda shouted my name loudly, breaking through my thoughts.
I turned my head toward her, frustration evident on my face.
“What about Mr. Tomas?” Amanda asked, her tone inquisitive.
“Carl will tell you everything, Amanda. I’m not in the mood for explanations right now,” I said curtly, continuing my walk to my room.
**Jennifer:**
Since we returned to le chateau, Tomas had been completely ignoring me. He hadn’t even sat next to me in the limo, and he didn’t look at me at all. This time, something felt fundamentally different about him. I thought I was the one who needed to treat him this way, especially after discovering his real identity and the fact that he had been hiding such a significant matter about himself.
He deceived me! So how and why does he treat me so poorly now?! All these questions were slowly eating away at me inside. I felt desperate and confused, unable to think clearly. I kept asking myself: Is it my fault that I neglected his words and left with Mr. Cercus?! Is Tomas blaming me now for everything that has happened lately?! I pondered these thoughts endlessly, feeling a weight on my chest.
After Tomas left for his room, Jack tried to strike up a conversation with me. He sat next to me and placed his hands on my shoulders, trying to comfort me.
“Jennifer, I was so worried about you. Are you okay?!” Jack asked, concern etched across his features, his voice barely above a whisper.
I spun my head to him, looking deeply into his eyes. “Why do you care?” I smirked, a sarcastic edge to my tone. Overwhelmed, I sprinted to my room, needing to escape the painful situation.
I stayed in my room, lost in thought for hours. Finally, I decided I had to talk to Tomas; I needed to understand what was happening and required explanations for everything.
Leaving my room, I headed toward his door. But as I approached, I heard Maya’s voice talking with him, and my heart sank.
I opened the door, and to my horror, I found Maya and Tomas on my bed, embracing, and she was kissing him passionately.
“What the hell are you doing here with my fiance?!” I shouted at Maya, disbelief and anger flooding my voice.
Tomas jumped from the bed, staring at me in shock. “What the hell are you doing here without knocking?!” Tomas shouted back, confusion evident in his tone.
I stood frozen, my mind racing, staring at him, unable to comprehend the scene before me. I cleared my throat, trying to regain my composure. “What?! I’m your fiance, Tomas!” I said in a low, trembling voice.
“So?! That doesn’t give you the right to burst in like this?!” Tomas smirked, his expression infuriating me further.
Maya smiled at me with a fake, condescending grin, as if to say, “I told you so, Jennifer.”
I didn’t know what to do after that shocking moment. I felt my legs go weak, and I stumbled downstairs in a daze, but I lost my footing and fell down the stairs, hitting my head hard. Everything went dark, and I lost consciousness for what felt like an eternity.
When I finally woke up, I found myself in my room, surrounded by concerned faces. Everyone stood around me, and Jack sat close by on the bed, worry etched across his features.
At that moment, I struggled to remember what had happened… But when I opened my eyes fully, I decided to forget everything, especially Tomas. So I acted as if I didn’t care.
“Jennifer? Are you okay, sweetheart?” Carl said to me gently, concern lacing his voice.
“Um, I have a strong headache…” I replied, trying to mask my confusion.
“Yes, you fell down and hit your head, silly girl!” Tomas smirked from the corner, a hint of amusement in his voice.
“Who are you?” I asked Tomas, narrowing my eyes at him, feeling lost.
“What?!” Tomas widened his eyes in disbelief. “I’m Tomas, Jennifer.”
“I don’t know you!” I declared defiantly, my voice filled with resolve.
“What are you talking about, Jennifer?” Tomas asked, bewildered, and I noticed a doctor standing close to my bed on the right side. He came nearer, checking my pupils with a small light, looking deep into my eyes.
Tomas was staring intently at the doctor, his expression shifting from concern to urgency. “What’s going on?!” he demanded, his voice taut with worry.
“Mr. Tomas, I’m afraid to say that Jennifer may need some rest at a hospital; perhaps she has lost her memory! She requires a thorough checkup immediately,” the doctor informed Tomas, his tone serious.
“What?!” Jack yelled at the doctor, startled by the news.
“Jack, are you here?” I started to call out, my voice strained and weak.
Jack took a long breath when he heard me calling his name. “Yes, Jennifer, I’m here. I was worried; I was afraid that you would forget me too!” Jack said, relief flooding his features.
“How could I forget about you, Jack?! What happened, and who are these people?! I don’t know them! Where am I?!” I started to ask, confusion swirling in my mind.
Tomas took the doctor and Carl outside, and I could hear his voice yelling in frustration. “What’s going on, doctor? Why does she forget all of us but remembers just Jack?!” Tomas asked, his anger palpable.
“Maybe it’s something called amnesia; it’s temporary but may last indefinitely. It could happen due to partial damage in the brain, possibly because she wants to forget something bad from a specific time in her life, so her mind refuses to remember those days…” The doctor explained to Tomas with clinical detachment.
“What? Do you mean she forgets about me on purpose?! How am I supposed to treat her like my fiance now?! What can I do to make her remember me?!” Tomas asked the doctor, desperation creeping into his voice.
“She needs some rest, Mr. Tomas! And take this advice from me; you have two options. You can either deal with this and start fresh with her, making her fall for you all over again, or you have the other option: to forget about her completely…” the doctor informed Tomas, his tone serious and matter-of-fact.
“What?! I can pay you anything you want, but make her regain her lost memory!” Tomas shouted at the doctor, frustration boiling over.
“I can’t, Mr. Tomas! There’s no medicine for this condition. You are the key to her recovery. Or you have another option, Mr. Tomas!” the doctor said, his gaze steady and unwavering.
“Try to remember why she wants to forget you and change that! Maybe then she will regain her memory,” the doctor advised, his expression sympathetic.
“Okay, doctor, thank you for your help. Let me walk you to the door…” Mr. Carl said to the doctor, and I was left in a whirlwind of confusion and emotions, feeling lost in a world that no longer made sense.