As usual, I went out for a walk the next morning. I bumped into Ashton and Gregory, who were getting ready to leave their house.
Gregory seemed exceptionally excited to see me. “Ms. Stovall!”
“Good morning Greg!” I smiled at him brightly before glancing towards Ashton. I was surprised to see him staring intently at me.
I regained my composure before I greeted him. “Good morning, Mr. Fuller.”
“Morning,” Ashton replied coldly, bundling Gregory into a black SUV.
As the vehicle disappeared around the street corner, I sighed in frustration.
When I ordered the food delivery last night, I checked Ashton’s background before placing an order that might suit his tastes. His frosty attitude made me question if he really ate the food I had ordered.
I snapped back to reality as I pondered about the situation I was in. Why am I so obsessed with them? Is it just because Gregory is adorable? Or is it because they’ve been appearing in my life far more frequently than Marcus has these days? Argh, it’s confusing!
Emery called me just as I got home.
“Letty, there are some things I need to talk to you about.” Emery sounded much more serious compared to the last two conversations we had.
“When and where?” I was traumatized by my previous experience with the paparazzi, and I wanted to take every available precaution.
After I was discharged from the hospital, I had been watching the news at home. There was no shortage of dating scandals broken by dogged tabloid reporters. Next time, I may not be so lucky.
“I’ll pick you up in a bit.” She hung up before I could say anything else.
Half an hour later, I got into Emery’s car. I could tell she was in a weird mood. “Are you ok? You don’t look so good.”
Though we hadn’t spent much time together, I could sense that Emery wasn’t a natural introvert.
She seemed to fidget uneasily in her seat.
With a somber expression on her face, she nodded. “I’m a bit nervous.”
After a pause, she continued, “I’m about to tell you something very important. You need to know about it today. Actually, you- ah, never mind. This isn’t the time or place for it. I’ll tell you later.”
I didn’t probe her since she seemed so cautious.
She drove us to The Jade.
“This is my shop; do you remember it? You can order whatever you like. Drinks are on me for life.”
I shook my head. Though I wasn’t feeling particularly thirsty, I still ordered a latte since Emery seemed so excited to bring me here.
Emery appraised me carefully before asking, “Letty, it’s been so long. Do you really not remember anything?”
“No,” I replied quietly as I looked around the shop.
The private room in this restaurant was decorated in the same style as the one Gregory had invited me to. Beyond that memory, I had no further recollection of this place.
When I visited the hospital two days ago, the doctor had given me a clean bill of health. When I would recover my memories, however, was entirely up to fate.
Living without the memories of my past felt a little like treading on thin ice. While everything seemed like such a wonderful dream, it also felt like it could collapse at any moment.
When I woke up every morning, even the air felt suffocating.
Emery let out a deep sigh. She unlocked her phone and pushed it toward me. “Do you remember who he is?”
There was a photo of a man displayed on her phone. Of course I knew who he was; this was Ashton.
“I remember him. He’s Ashton.” Confused, I asked, “Why are you showing me his photo?”
Evidently, Emery had a more important motive for showing me his photo. “You remember? Then why didn’t you say so earlier?”
“He’s the richest man in this country. His face is in the news all the time. Why are you surprised that I remember who he is?” I was perplexed at Emery’s anxious demeanor.
Emery’s expression fell. “That’s what you meant by you remember?”
“Yeah. Why?” After some thought, I added, “Though it’s funny that you mention him. He’s my neighbor now. His son is pretty cute too.”
