PMS1: President's Forgotten Wife

CHAPTER 8 [III]

CHAPTER 8, part III: THE K.I.S.S. MEDICINE

A WIDE smile didn't leave Eisen's face as he continued to open the photo album where all the photos of his family have since he was born. It will be his nth time to scan the photo album without even saying anything at all. Even though his head hurt because of the sudden flow of his memory, Eisen ignored his feelings and just kept opening the album. He was so amazed because he could not get rid of the things he only remembered from them.

There are still gaps in his memory lane that Eisen needs to fill, but what he remembered earlier is enough for the day. He still needs to relax his mind before it explodes.

Eisen looked at his bedside table and observed how the hour hand moved before reading what time is it already. It was already 11:19 AM, and he also felt thirsty and hungry, so he decided to close the photo album and planned to put it back in the vintage box when something fell from it.

"That's weird. Why did something suddenly come off?" Eisen asked himself in astonishment before sliding the photo album back into the box and focused on the fallen photo on his lap. And surprisingly, there was something written on it that kept him curious for a while.

"Je hebt Mijn hart gevangen, en ik beloof je, ik zal je komen zoeken, zelfs als je ver weg bent. What does that mean?" he was confused by those words. He can't understand the language written there, even though the language felt familiar, but it was as if someone touched his heart when he read it. He was about to flip the picture to see what was in front of it when he smelled something burning outside.

Could it be something wrong happened to Jade?

"Jade?! Is there something burning outside?!" he shouted, hoping that Jade could hear him from inside. He didn't hear any reply from the woman, but when he heard her cursed the word,

"s**t!" Eisen immediately knew that something happened outside. Eisen was about to reach for his wheelchair so that he could go out and check up on Jade when he heard Jade's voice shouting back at him.

"I AM FINE! YOUR LUNCH WILL BE THERE IN A MINUTE." Eisen laughed at Jade when he heard a commotion outside. He then placed everything back inside the box before deciding to nap while waiting for Jade to bring him his lunch.

__________

A COUPLE of minutes have passed, and consecutive light knocks broke the silence inside the room. Eisen immediately sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard. Jade was already peeking through the slightly opened door, and Eisen gestured her to come inside.

"Come in." The girl entered with a simple smile on her lips.

"I thought you already fell asleep. I'm sorry it took me so long to prepare your lunch." Even though he wondered why Jade wasn't carrying any food tray, he decided not to ask. Because he's afraid that the moment he opens his lips, hurtful words will only come out.

The woman then grabbed his wheelchair and placed it just beside the bed. "Get out of your bed. Let's eat outside."

"I don't want to eat outside." the young man said while frowning as he stared at the girl.

"Come on. I found a perfect spot for you to relax." why isn't she affected by what happened earlier?

"And what if I don't feel relaxed outside?" his tone was cold towards her as he examined the emotion Jade was showing. Her steel grey, pensive eyes say it all. But it was hard for him to understand the hidden words deep within.

"Then I'll let you eat here for as long as you like. I won't force you next time," Jade replied, eyes speaking. It's like begging him to agree.

"Okay, fine. I'll go and get your—"

"Help me get out of bed. I also don't want to eat here in the bedroom." a broad smile reached Jade's eyes as he agreed to her terms because what Eisen saw in Jade's eyes was pure sincerity. And for some unknown reason, he was happy to see her lovely smile.

Jade helped Eisen get up from the bed and sit in the wheelchair before pushing the wheelchair out of his room. Jade just moved straight from behind him until they got out of the house.

Eisen raised his hand to block the sunlight. He waited for a couple of seconds before his gaze adjusted to the brightness of the surroundings. And what he saw was beyond his expectations—a perfect brown cottage-like, round table and two brown chairs, facing each other.

The view was breathtaking! It was so serene to eat and relax in this spot as you stare at the sparkling blue ocean as the sun was high up above them. The warm breeze that soothes his system was enough to make him smile—a perfect life to have.

The food was already on the table, and Eisen could not help but feel comfortable. The scenery is so beautiful, and the surrounding is so calm. And it was already in front of him, the scene he wanted to see.

Jade removed a chair and pushed the wheelchair where Eisen was sitting in and replaced the chair in it. The maiden immediately placed food on his plate, and Eisen did not complain.

"Eat while the food is still warm. Don't mind me, and focus on your food." Jade smiled and sat on the vacant chair, facing the ocean. Eisen then devoured the food on his plate as he stared at the woman for a moment as he chewed on his food. The woman is smiling towards the vast sparkling ocean as she tightly hugged her knees. He then took another spoonful of the mouthwatering dish. After a few more bites, Eisen almost choked up on his food, so Jade immediately handed him a glass of cold water.

"Here." Jade reached for the water, and Eisen chugged the water like a blood-thirsty vampire. "You're not hungry, are you?" he turned his gaze towards Jade, who was currently cleaning the table. He just stared at the woman as she took out various medicines that would help her recover quickly. Jade frowned when their eyes met.

"Why are you staring at me? Did I make a mistake or did something wrong?" for a moment, Jade stopped what she was doing and looked into the young man's eyes.

"Why do you look so familiar?" he asked, but only then did he realized that he has no intention to ask Jade that. And Eisen is too stupid for letting that question keeps on bugging him. But what can Eisen do? He had long wanted to ask this Jade. Eisen is constantly troubled by various problems that he cannot answer because of his condition.

But now, Eisen hoped to get the answer he needed. Because if not, he will find it out by himself.

"Simple. It's because I'm your wife." A low chuckle rose on his throat because of her response. It is not the answer Eisen wanted to hear because Eisen already expected that response.

"No." Jade's face is filled with amusement because of Eisen's words. For a moment, she let go of the pills she was holding and leaned in front of Eisen.

"No? Why would you say that?"

"You're familiar in a way I'm not sure about." Eisen could not remember everything clearly, but he was sure there was something strange about the woman, and he needed to find out.

"Really? Do you remember anything?" Eisen noticed a sudden change in Jade's tone as he uttered those words. Eisen tilted his head as he stares at Jade, trying to study her expression. Why does she seem so nervous?

"Not because I forgot everything in the past doesn't mean the emotions I felt would ever change." Eisen's tone was cold when he said that. But it didn't seem to affect the woman, and she even smiled at him before she reached for the medicine he needed to take.

"Take some medicine." Eisen did not reach for it but just watched it.

"Oh, come on. Take some medicine." the girl states, a little annoyed as she looked at him sharply.

"Now that I think about it, what if the medicines you're giving me won't help me recover? What if it only makes my situation worse? Or those pills are intended to cause me hallucination or kill me?" he sure is mocking her. But he can't trust her. Not now.

Because what if Jade's a killer hired by his family to kill him on this island without him realizing it? What if all along, Eisen has been deceived? And Jade is not his real wife, and she's not a caregiver but a psychopath?

"Now you're overthinking it. I'm a caregiver, not some serial killer on the loose!" the woman could not help but suddenly raise her voice. Jade was starting to get bored, and that did not escape the young man's eyes. A slight grin formed on Eisen's lips as satisfaction aroused inside him. He wanted to anger Jade to force her to tell him something, and he's finally getting it.

"I don't know you. You tell me."

"God. Aren't you going to take medicine?"

"No." silence prevailed between the two of them as their eyes stared intently at each other. But Eisen immediately frowned as Jade took the drugs she had handed to the young man earlier and counted them in her palms.

"Then you're leaving me no choice. I won't tolerate this kind of behavior." the young man's eyes widened when he saw Jade suddenly took all the pills and brought them to her lips.

"What the f**k are you doing?!" shock was evident on Eisen's face as he can't believe what he just saw. What was the girl planning, and she suddenly took medicine from him and put it on her lips?! And everything started to move in slow motion when Jade took a few steps forward, stopping just a few inches away from him. She lowered her face until their faces were almost touching.

"What—" he stopped in midsentence when Jade touched his nape, and her movements quickly interrupted his breathing. She crashed her lips onto him, making him unable to prevent it from happening.

He didn't see that coming.

__________

JADE pinched her scattered hair and clipped it behind her ear while waiting for her mother to answer on the other line. She is currently standing on the house's terrace, not far from where he left the young man earlier.

Speaking of Eisen, she can't stop thinking about the bullshit she did to the young man recently so that he could take medicine. Because right now, at that very moment, Jade can still feel his soft lips caressed onto hers.

The so-called 'butterfly in the stomach' takes effect on her whenever she recalled her stupid move. Whatever was happening to her, she wanted it to stop. Like right now.

After their lips grazed into each other, Jade immediately moved the drugs to the young man's lips; she did not expect it to last longer than 5 seconds.

"Ja? Are you still there?" Jade came to her senses when she heard her mother's voice on the other line. Thinking about what happened earlier, he did not even realize that his mother had answered the call. She took a deep breath and calmed her breathing before replying,

"I'm still here."

"I thought you hanged up on me already. Thank God you're able to make a call. I was so happy when they told me you were calling, so I immediately grabbed the phone and left my garden. Oh, how I miss you so much, honey." Jade misses her mom so much. She is very busy at work, and clearing up her schedule is impossible. Her job took her every chance to talk to her mom and brothers. It was as if Jade's mom is a happy pill that could enlighten up her day and help her shook off every negativity coming her way.

"How are you, mom? Is your condition okay? Are you taking medicine?" Jade is a caregiver, but she cannot even take care of her mother.

"Don't worry about me, Ja. Remember your condition, especially when you are working. What if you got infected by some virus and you become sick? how am I suppose to bring you soup or check up on you?"

"You know that it is inevitable to worry about you. And this is the reason why I don't usually tell you what my condition is because you overthink so much." Jade heard her mother's weak laugh on the other line. Jade is happy to listen to her voice again. A mother's voice is comforting.

And her eyes starter burning, followed by a tear that began to caress her cheeks.