As the vehicle disappeared around the street corner, I sighed in frustration.
When I ordered the food delivery last night, I checked Anthony’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 Anthony.
“I remember him. He’s Anthony.” 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.”
“Neighbor?” This seemed to catch Emery’s attention. She asked hurriedly, “When was this?”
“Just yesterday.” I didn’t think she would be so surprised at the news. “He moved into that villa opposite my house.”
“Oh my god,” Emery gasped, placing her hand on her chest in apparent shock.
A moment later, she seemed to recover herself. “So you’ve met each other already? And I’m guessing several times?”
“Yes. We had dinner together last night too. Why? Is something wrong?” Now I was the worried one. I recalled yesterday night’s dinner situation. I mumbled to myself, “Marcus doesn’t seem to like Anthony very much.”
“Hmph, shoot me dead if he does,” Emery spat.
“What did you say?” I didn’t know if I had heard her correctly.
“Nothing,” Emery said before changing the topic. “What do you think of Anthony’s son?”
“He’s a very interesting kid.” I couldn’t help but smile when I thought of Gregory. “You know, a while back he used to call me Mommy.”
Emery’s expression turned serious at my words. Staring intently at me, she blurted, “You are his mom.”
The private room fell into silence so intense you could hear the sound of a pin drop.
Sometime later, I managed to collect myself. Testing the waters, I asked, “Emery, you’re not pulling my leg about something this serious, right?”
I didn’t think Emery was really telling the truth.
As if she had long expected my reaction, she rearranged her features into a serious mask and answered, “I swear on my heart that everything I’ve told you is nothing but the truth.”
My certainty began to waver at her bold statement.
Though Emery seemed like a jokester, I knew she wouldn’t mess around when she dealt with serious issues. Her revelation was just too inconceivable to me.
Anthony has never publicly revealed the identity of Gregory’s biological mom. How can it be me?
Anthony and I were a thing? If that’s the truth, why am I engaged to Marcus? Is Emery telling me that Marcus has been lying to me all along?
“Gregory Hall is my son?” I hugged myself, trying to calm my nerves. “Does this mean Anthony and I were-”
Emery cut in and confirmed my suspicions, “It’s not just a thing of the past. The two of you were never separated. Even if you did, it was to protect each other. You were always in love with each other.”
Clink!
As I lost focus, the cup in my hand knocked against an ashtray on the table. Coffee spilled from the cup, staining the tablecloth a dirty brown.
I scrambled to clean up the mess with a bunch of napkins. I eventually calmed myself down before addressing Emery, “I know you have nothing to gain from lying to me. But you must understand, there’s a lot to process from what you just told-”
Before I could finish my sentence, I heard a piercing scream.
“Sienna?”
The loud click-clacks of high heels approached me. I turned around and saw a beautiful woman stomping furiously toward me.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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