3. You Will be Destroyed

The man who helped me called someone who knew about what happened to me and about the grave near the lake. He asked the man to come and explain everything to me. "He's our grandson and lives in a big city quite far from here. Maybe he'll arrive in the evening, you'd better rest or watch television with us."

"Thank you," I said and chose to rest in the room. My mind still couldn't calm down, and pieces of memory little by little appeared in my mind. It's not very clear, it makes my head hurt like it's being stabbed by dozens of needles.

Then Maria, the old woman's name, came into the room and brought me a piece of cake. She told me a little story to cheer me up. "Don't worry dear, we will help you recover your memory," her words were an encouragement to me.

She was someone I had just met but was friendly and warm to me. It didn't feel like there were only a few moments left to wait, because the sky had already darkened and night would soon arrive.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door and then the door opened, revealing Maria's figure peeking at me from behind the door. "Let's have dinner," She said.

I enthusiastically left the room and walked towards the dining table where I was served food that looked complete and delicious. "Sorry, I didn't help you prepare all this."

"No problem, you are our guest and we are happy to have served you well."

I am grateful to have met someone good to me. We ate together while telling stories and I started responding little by little. Not long after, the sound of a car was heard roaring in the front yard of the house, interrupting our exciting conversation.

"It must be him, my grandson." This old man immediately stood up and walked quickly towards the door to welcome his grandson. When the door opens,

"Hey Grandpa -- I missed you." A man's baritone voice was heard greeting the old man.

“Naughty grandson, if I hadn't called you – you wouldn't have come here, right?”

"Hahaha, it's not like that Grandpa, I—" The young man came in with his arms around the old man and stopped when he saw me... he looked at me a little dumbfounded. Does he know me?

"Madam Leah, are you-are you still alive?"

It wasn't just him who was stunned, the elderly couple was also shocked to hear that Maria even dropped her spoon, making a loud clink on the plate. He called me Madam, we knew each other and I was indeed a rich person.

After their surprise and dinner finished quickly, the four of us sat in the living room discussing me. I listened to Steve's story, this person's name.

"Can you help me find my lost memories, at least I have to go back to where I live so that the memories come together again."

He nodded his head, "I will help you because your death was very unnatural and it was a public lie that gave you bad assumptions so that the woman could replace you, which is not suicide but murder."

"Okay, I ask for your help--Can you take me there and find out what happened to my family."

***

In the morning, Steve and I were ready to hit the town. His grandparents prayed that we would arrive safely at our destination. Steve was so polite to me, he quickly opened the door for me and as soon as I entered. Steve is a good man, apart from being polite he is also friendly and always formal with me like I am his boss.

"Where are you going, ma'am?"

"I'm not your boss now, act like a normal friend."

"Oh, sorry... but—" I rolled my eyes lazily at him and he gave up, maybe he felt uncomfortable with me because of my age. I asked him to take me to his place of work so I could see my husband, what he looked like, could I remember.

Tall buildings greeted my sight, as heavy traffic, and crowds of people walked in formal clothes carrying their briefcases. Very different from the situation in which I was found. It's too quiet, but the view is beautiful and the air is clean and in this busy city.

I feel like the heat is a little intense, I don't know... maybe I'm not used to it. The car continued to drive and my eyes looked here and there until it fell at one point, a cafe that was familiar to my eyes. My memory is starting to grow, the cafe —

I've been there, sat with some girls, (You want to marry Anthony Kicker, seriously?)

"Anthony Kicker," I muttered and Steve quickly turned to me.

"Yes, Anthony Kicker is your husband's name."

My head felt heavy when I said that name many times in my heart. This conversation came to mind again.

(Congratulations on your marriage, may it last forever) In my memory, everyone dressed all in white on my wedding day. Congratulate me. A grand and lively party with fireworks exploding in the sky. The man beside me hugged me tightly and kissed my lips, I was a little lulled to feel the touch again like it was real, but suddenly my memory changed to,

(I love you, be patient we will be together)

A tight feeling hit my heart when I remembered seeing my husband making love with another woman somewhere and she ... that woman was the girl in the cafe with me, she was ... Natalie.

"Natalie, she—" I stuttered and Steve answered,

"She is Mr. Anthony's wife."

When the pain continued to press in my heart because my husband betrayed my best friend. Other memory shards come in continuously. I held my head and grabbed my hair tightly. The pain, my tears of disappointment, the slander, the deception, the pressure I felt.

This all hurts so much, the man hurt me and lied to me. He teamed up with Natalie to eliminate me.

"You're okay, Madam." Steve shook me and I realized I probably looked like a mess. I cried and tears rolled down my cheeks and my face probably looked ugly.

"No Steve... these memories are killing me slowly, this heartache, He ... they tricked me too much."

Steve watched me and stroked my arm to calm me down, then he said, "Are you ready to meet him?" I nodded without answering and Steve said back,

"In front of you... look... there they are."

A pair of couple who are no longer young walk hand in hand and get into the car together, he is my husband and Natalie, is that woman still together now and happy?

"They've been happy for years?" I asked.

"Not really, it's just for public consumption."

I saw another young man get into their car.

"That's Mr. Anthony's first child, El Salvador, we usually call him Young Master El." My eyes stared ahead, I didn't know what to do in this life.

"Who old is he? "

"23-years old, Madam"

"Fine, now take me to my house, Steve."

"Sorry, your house—"

I guided Steve to find my home address I forgot because the city is very different from 25 years ago, but I was surprised the cafe was still there. Steve didn't say anything the whole way, maybe he understood how I felt.

I still hope that my parents are still alive and that the news is wrong. When I entered my current housing area, the road was very wide, no longer a narrow road that could only fit one car. It used to be a simple residential area with a large yard, a minimalist model at that time, but now everything has changed. There are no longer simple and minimalist houses with large yards but tall buildings that look majestic.

"Where is your house?" Steve asked, interrupting my thoughts. I looked here and there until he stopped in front of a large empty lot. The rest of the unkempt building is just a skeleton building, covered with vines and moss, this is my home, my childhood memories.

I got out of the car, walked into the yard, and was greeted by tall, unkempt green grass. Nothing has changed in this place, the frame is still the same.

I walked in picking up pieces of old and worn frames, broken photo frames, even my family photos were faded, all our memories were gone. My body was weak as if it had no bones, I fell to my knees inside the frame of my house.

"Do you know when this happened or have you seen the graves, what date they died?" I asked while sobbing when I knew Steve was beside me.

"2 days since your death."

"So, is this a coincidence. What rumors were in the news at that time." I stood up straight, wiped my tears, stopped my sobs, and faced Steve.

My emotions overflowing when I heard the distance between their deaths since coincidence is impossible, there must be something.

"I don't know, my father just said that your family didn't accept it and sued Mr. Anthony's family for slandering you, and the next day the house burned down and no one saved them because the incident happened at 3 in the morning."

I don't believe it was an accident, it must have been murder! This must be your doing, Anthony. wait for my revenge you will be destroyed in my hands