Chapter 3: Resentment

Day and night passed swiftly. Little by little, Aeliana was learning to adapt to the modern world around her. Silvanus could see it—he could feel it. For reasons he could not explain, he too began to sense a change within himself.

Aeliana, his wife—though stricken with amnesia—moved and spoke differently than before. Her manner was unusual, even peculiar. Bob and Lindy, the couple who had known her from the very beginning, also noticed this on the first day they saw her again.

Silvanus was troubled. He could not bear the thought of Aeliana suffering further. Thus, he decided that the only way to shield her from more pain was to remain silent, to keep certain truths locked within himself.

Not long ago, Silvanus had received a phone call from his parents, Hannah and Dave, inviting him to return home to where they lived.

Hannah and Dave harbored resentment toward Aeliana. Once, they had been kind and welcoming in the days when he and Aeliana were still lovers. But one mistake—one tragic event—had shattered everything into pieces. Still, Silvanus refused to abandon his wife.

The mansion where Silvanus had brought Aeliana stood on Adriatico Street in Malate, Philippines. Years ago, when they first dreamed of starting their own family, it was Aeliana who suggested that place, and Silvanus had wholeheartedly agreed. He loved his wife more than anything in the world. No matter what others might say, he chose to disregard their opinions, thinking only of her well-being.

Even Yve—his long-time acquaintance and loyal secretary—could sense the same change in the people surrounding them.

Why had he accepted Aeliana back? Why had he brought her once again into their old home? Silvanus did not bother with such questions. He cared for nothing else. Aeliana was all that mattered. Because he loved her.

But until when would such love endure?

Silvanus could not fully grasp everything that was happening, especially with Aeliana’s amnesia at that moment. Should he blame himself for being careless with his wife? For failing to fulfill his duties and responsibilities as a husband?

He did not know. The only thing he could do now was to make sure Aeliana lived in comfort, just as she wished.

Time passed quickly. Silvanus carefully observed the changes he saw in Aeliana. Although she remembered nothing, it puzzled him how she showed no hesitation in cleaning her own room.

Aeliana held a broomstick in her hands. Her back was turned toward the door when Silvanus entered, and his brows furrowed at the sight of what she was doing.

Could this be part of some pretense? Silvanus shook his head and quickly spoke.

“Stop what you’re doing, Aeliana. Aunt Lindy is in charge of cleaning the entire household.”

Startled by his voice, Aeliana turned to face him. She froze in place, staring at Silvanus who now stood before her.

There he saw it—something he couldn’t name.

Silvanus sighed, stepping forward to close the gap between them. He gently reached for the broom in Aeliana’s hands and set it aside against the wall near where he stood.

“Rest, Aeliana…”

“B-but…I want to clean,” she replied softly.

The tenderness in her tone and words only irritated Silvanus. How could she suddenly be like this? Aeliana was often a hard-talker, as if the world itself was her enemy. And now, in an instant, she had changed? Was this truly what amnesia could do to a person?

Silvanus restrained himself, refusing to fall for the trap of his wife’s charm. He had endured enough, and he would not let it all repeat. He never hated Aeliana—he only hated himself for loving her too much, a love so strong it could one day cost him his own life.

Perhaps he was losing his mind.

But that was the vow he had made to Aeliana when they married in Sydney—that he would never allow her to be unhappy or hurt, especially if he was the reason for it.

“Just quit acting strange, Aeliana. It won’t work on me. Rest.” His tone was firm as he glanced at the broom once more, picked it up, and prepared to leave.

Before stepping out of the room, Silvanus caught the look of confusion on Aeliana’s face—the way her brows knitted together, as if trying to analyze every word he had spoken.

As much as he could, Silvanus swore to himself that he would never again fall prey to the toxic charm of his wife.

Outside, he crossed paths with Aunt Lindy. Her face brightened upon seeing him, and he greeted her with a faint smile.

“How’s your troublesome wife, sir Silvanus?”

Silvanus froze, his gaze sharpening at Aunt Lindy. He disliked the way the old woman threw such names at his wife. Aunt Lindy quickly apologized, averting her eyes toward Aeliana’s door.

“I don’t understand why you let her come back here, Silvanus. Haven’t you pitied yourself enough?” she said, concern etched across her wrinkled face.

Silvanus couldn’t blame her for saying such things about Aeliana. Everyone around them had witnessed what his wife was truly like… He cut off his own thoughts.

The sound of a door opening pulled his attention. Aeliana stood in the doorway, glancing shyly at the two of them. Embarrassed, she quickly retreated and shut the door behind her.

Aunt Lindy blinked in disbelief, then turned her gaze back to Silvanus, who remained fixed on the door of Aeliana’s room.

Because Aeliana remembered nothing, Silvanus had decided they would sleep in separate rooms, hoping not to overwhelm her with the life she had once lived.

Silvanus would never trouble her. He would never force her.

“Your wife is something I’ll never understand,” Aunt Lindy muttered at his side. “Now that she’s lost her memory, it’s as if she’s changed into someone else. She isn’t Aeliana Monroe—the woman you married. She feels like a completely different person!”

“She’s still the same Aeliana I married, Aunt Lindy. She’s only trying to adjust to everything around her.”

Aunt Lindy shook her head. “I don’t know how you endure all this, Silvanus. I only hope you’ll be strong enough.”

“I will endure, Aunt Lindy. Just… please, take it easy on Aeliana. She doesn’t remember anything.”

Aunt Lindy sighed in protest. “I can’t promise you that, Silvanus. But I will try.”

“Thank you, Aunt Lindy…”

With that, Aunt Lindy fell silent and excused herself to enter Aeliana’s room for the weekly inspection of cleanliness.

As Aunt Lindy pushed the door open, Aeliana flinched in surprise.

The old woman’s posture radiated disdain at Aeliana’s presence in that room. She said nothing. Neither did Aeliana, though she clearly felt the bitterness and rudeness in the way Aunt Lindy treated her.

But Aeliana chose not to comment. She could not remember a single thing. Perhaps silence was enough—though deep inside, she longed to understand what was truly happening.

And why everyone around her seemed to resent her very presence.

“How are you feeling? Are you comfortable here?” Aunt Lindy asked while tidying the other side of the room where Aeliana stood.

Then she turned and paused, her voice laced with bitterness as she spoke. “I hope you’ll be happy.”

Her words filled Aeliana with uncertainty, making her restless with overthinking.

“Please… tell me what’s going on. Maybe it will help me—”

“Remember?” Aunt Lindy cut her off sharply, her expression just as cold.

“It’s not my place to tell you anything. And I know Silvanus wouldn’t want you to know the truth either.” She shook her head. “Poor Silvanus. He suffers so much, all because of his ungrateful wife.”

“A-Aunt Lindy…” Aeliana whispered, her heart pierced by the resentment in the woman’s tone.

“You’re lucky, Aeliana. Lucky that Sir Silvanus is your husband. Any other man would have left you long ago.”

Aunt Lindy turned away, continuing her work.

Aeliana tried to ask again, but it was as though Aunt Lindy could no longer hear her. No matter what she said, there was no reply.

To Aunt Lindy, she was nothing but air—even though they stood in the same room together.