AMNESIA

CHAPTER FIVE

Julian came in with Lila as usual. They were bickering like a young couple in love when they walked in.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” Julian asked.

She replied, “I’m trying to figure out why you stole my fries.”

He frowned. “Your fries? You ordered extra. That’s relationship fries.”

“Relationship fries are supposed to be offered, not kidnapped,” Lila said, smiling sheepishly.

“I was protecting you. Too many fries aren't healthy,” he teased.

“Oh really? Then why did you eat all of them?”—she stopped and halted when she saw me, Julian following suit.

I was seated on the couch, twirling the wine in my glass and taking a slow sip.

Lila smiled at me first. “Hi, Tessa. You're home already.”

Yes, I am. Must be so disappointing. Now you and my husband can't do a quick fuck before I arrive.

I didn't say what was in my mind; I just stared blankly until she took the hint and scurried to the room.

Julian walked up to me next. “Hi, love. How are you?”

I got up, and before I could stop myself, my hand flew across his face, my palm connecting sharply with his cheek.

“What was that for?” he asked, terribly calm.

“You knew about my illness, didn't you?” I asked in a calm tone.

He frowned, genuinely looking confused.

“Was that why you signed my insurance payout?”

“What are you talking about, Tessa? Speak in a language I understand!” he snapped.

“I saw the paper. You signed the insurance payout.”

“Yes, I did,” he admitted in a hard tone.

I scoffed. “You really have no shame. You are even admitting it.”

“I signed it because you said it yourself. You wouldn't want your family to taste a dime from all your hard work, including your insurance payout.”

I paused. Wait, I did say that.

“Do you remember? That night you registered your hotel? So I signed it early so you don't have to deal with disputes.”

I stepped back, memory hitting me sharply.

On the night I registered Tessa Crown Hotel, I had said it during our romantic dinner to celebrate the beginning of the Tessa Crown journey, although the business had crashed when I took all the money that I saved to invest in it and gave it to Julian to grow his father's logistics company.

“So now that it's all cleared up, what the hell did you mean by illness? What on earth are you talking about?”

I bit down on my lips, realizing that my tongue slipped.

He grabbed both sides of my shoulders and shook me violently. “Answer me, Tessa!”

“I-I have brain cancer.”

He froze, his hands dropping from my shoulders, dangling by his sides uselessly.

“Stage four. I have three weeks to live, Julian.” Tears slid down my face.

“H-h-how is that possible? I thought—”

“Yes. The doctor said it was my weak immune system, but he lied.”

“That's not possible, Tessa. You need to go for another check. It was probably a wrong diagnosis.”

“I already went for tests in different hospitals four times, Julian. It's true. I'm dying.” A sob escaped my throat.

Julian fell to his knees, and he was already crying.

“I didn't know how to tell you. I felt so terrible.”

He looked at me. “Tes-Tessa? No. No, please, no. It's not true, right? Please, please tell me it's not true. Please.” His voice broke, and a broken sob escaped him. “Please, Tessa. Please, please. Please!”

I glared down at him.

“No, no, no. Please! Please, Tessa. Don't do this to me. Please, don't leave me. Please, Tessa. Please.”

“When you are done with the act, you will get back up and tell me why the brief I got you was in Lila’s bedroom the day after I heard her having sex.”

He froze and threw his head up; his face was a mess, catarrh rolling down his nose. It was red.

“What-what do you mean?”

“Are you sleeping with your cousin, Julian?”

“Have you lost your mind?! Why would I sleep with—?”

“No, I think you're the one that has lost his mind. You think you can fool me. I know you are cheating with Lila!”

He got on his feet and grabbed my shoulders. “Tessa, this is about you! You are dying. Why are you bringing up Lila?”

“I'm bringing her up because—”

I froze, my head went blank instantly, my gaze blurry.

He frowned at me. “Tessa?”

“I'm bringing her up because…” I tried again, my lips trembled, unable to release the next word.

This is weird. Why can't I remember why I brought up Lila? Why can't I remember why I am arguing with Julian?

I looked around us and down at my glass of wine.

“Why-why am I standing here? What happened?”

“Tessa, are you okay?”

No, I'm not. Because I can't suddenly remember anything. I can't remember why I'm standing before Julian, nor why I was about to say why I'm bringing Lila up, nor do I remember what the argument was about.

My vision went even more blurry, my bones weakened, and before I knew it, I fell into Julian’s arms, unconsciousness wrapping around me.

When I woke up the next morning, Julian was gone.

I got down the stairs and met Lila putting her bedsheets inside the washing machine. A part of it was wet.

“What’s that?” I asked, curious.

She looked at me and I thought I saw a snide smirk, but I assumed I was hallucinating as I had just gotten up.

“Oh this? It's my bedsheets. It stinks of sex.”

I frowned. “Lila, I really do think you should get an apartment because when I'm gone, you can't keep disturbing Julian with your occasional sex, okay?”

I was hoping she wouldn't ask what I meant when I said “when I'm gone,” and thankfully she didn't.

She just smiled. “Tessa, he is the one who wouldn't let me breathe. He sneaked into my room this morning, saying he was exhausted from what happened between him and his wife last night and he needed my pussy to charge up—”

My frown tightened. “H-his wife?”

“Yes,” Lila said matter-of-factly as if it were no big deal.

“Lila, you are sleeping with a married man?”

“Hmm mm.”

“Wait, is he the father of that child?”

“Kinda.”

“Lila!” I scolded. “That's wrong! You shouldn't be sleeping with a married man. What if the wife finds out?”

She leaned into the washing machine as it started working. “She won't. She is naive and stupid. Besides, I'm helping the poor man since his wife won't satisfy him. He likes doggy and a good ride. I offer him exactly that, so it's a win for both of us.” She smirked and excused herself.

I rolled my eyes and picked up my phone to call Julian.

He picked up on the third ring.

“Hey, baby. I was attending to a patient. Are you good?”

“Julian, we need to get Lila an apartment before she gets us both in trouble. You can't believe she brought a married man home.”

He paused. “She did?”

“Yes. And she doesn't even feel remorse about it.”

“Tessa, leave Lila to me. I'll handle her.”

I nodded. “Sure. Also, do you recall what happened last night? I don't remember a thing.”

He paused, this time for a longer time. “Uhm. Nothing. I came home to you drinking wine and joined you. Then we went to bed.”

“Really?” Then I said to myself, “Then why does it feel like something happened?”

A long pause. “Anyway, don't keep your patients waiting. Have fun, baby.”

“Alright, take care, my love. I love you, Tessa.”

“I love you more, Julian.”