PMS1: President's Forgotten Wife

CHAPTER 10 [II]

CHAPTER 10, part II: GIVE ME A REASON

JADE LOOKED at herself before plastering her sweetest fake smile after lowering the cleaning tools she was holding and faced Eisen, who suddenly spoke from the living room. And in just a flash, Jade approached him.

Without saying a word, she obediently pushed the wheelchair towards the door, welcoming the wild wind created by the helicopter's blades as it slowly descends from the sky.

It was noticeable from the glass door that the speed of its rotor blades had slowed down, and she saw Eisen's brother, Lewis, came out of there followed by three maids carrying some kinds of stuff needed for a week.

Jade then pushed the wheelchair outside the house and towards Lewis, ready to welcome Mr. St. Clair's arrival.

"Frère (Brother)!" Lewis shouted with tears of joy as they stopped halfway through. His voice's excitement was noticeable as Lewis greeted him, while Eisen didn't bother to show any gratefulness or affection.

As soon as they were facing each other, Lewis bent and immediately gave his brother a short warm hug before sending his attention towards Jade, who absentmindedly stared at the surrounding.

"Miss Guevara, you look stunning as ever," Jade was caught off-guard as soon as she heard Lewis's remarks, with a hand extended in her direction. Eisen turned his attention towards her, but Jade just smiled and bowed slightly at Lewis.

It was tiring to act tough and brave in front of everyone, which what Jade was feeling at that moment. She just wanted to punch Lewis in the face instead of plastering a sardonic smile for him to realize how stupid he looked for addressing her as they've never been friends for long before.

"Mr. Lewis, I am not delighted to see you today! Why did you decide to visit all of a sudden?" Jade asked as soon as she accepted his hand and shook it in front of Lewis. His grip tightened around hers, and she did the same, giving back the same intensity he was giving her.

Jade wanted to be happy to see her old best friend, but being happy won't do her any good now that they're not actually on good terms. Anger rose on Jade's chest as she stared at Lewis, not happy to see him at all.

Jade let go of his hand, which Lewis instantly sheltered his hands inside his pants' pocket.

When she looked at Eisen, a glint of frustration is written on his face while his eyes burned with anger. "I can't help but visit here since I am hoping to enjoy a great time with my brother, even just for a while. And one more thing, I also want to see you since I wanted to know how have you been, ami," he answered casually, making Eisen looked worst.

THIS IS NO GOOD! She screamed to herself as she eyed Lewis, wanting him to do something so that Eisen would stop glaring at her. Lewis noticed it but didn't bother doing anything, making Jade wish to strangle the man to death.

WHAT? Does his brother want to see Jade? His wife, but what is his reason for wanting to see Jade?

Questions started to fill his head again as he stared at his brother. There is something strange about his looks that he only shows to the woman, and he is disgusted because of it. They can't be fooling behind his back!

Eisen's greedy side was immediately disturbed when his brother looked in his direction. Lewis's words made Eisen smile at him. "So, tell me, brother. How have you been?"

It was Lewis who volunteered to push his wheelchair as they returned home. Simultaneously, Jade is walking on his side, seemed unbothered by her surroundings, "I'm doing great, I guess," he answered as they were a few steps away from the house.

"But, can we talk, Lewis?"

"Sure. But let's talk when we're inside; I'll be able to sit down," Lewis replied as he continued to push him.

"I need to talk to you alone." Lewis stopped pushing the wheelchair.

"Can't your wife listen? I mean, we don't need to be secretive? And besides, your wife should also know all the details," Lewis answered. But even so, Eisen needs to talk to his brother because he knows that his brother can help him. He looked in his wife's direction, and her gorgeous eyes were curious. Her steel grey, pensive eyes say it all.

"No. It's okay. There are times that my presence is not needed. So, just go on, and I'll continue my unfinished job inside, and so I can also prepare a snack. Just call me when you need my help." he said and waved at the two of them before he walked towards the door of the house. As soon as she closed the door, that's the only time that he spoke.

"Let's talk somewhere else," he said and pointed the way to the cottage-like area where he ate a week ago.

"So, what are we going to talk about?" Lewis began while he was still pushing the wheelchair.

"When will I be able to walk fine again? Sitting on this wheelchair feels like a lifetime. I want to get out of here already," he informed his brother after throwing a sudden tantrum that he can't show when Jade's around...

"After four weeks. Or less, I guess. Why? Is this what you want us to talk about?" he asked and stopped pushing the wheelchair right to where Jade brought him to eat. They have finally reached their destination.

"No, but I want to throw a tantrum. That's all," Eisen's brother sat in the empty seat, and they both stared at the very clean ocean.

"But, I need you to be honest with me this time, Lewis." he remained staring at the ocean as he felt his brother's gaze turn to him. "Is Jade my wife?"

"What makes you doubt her as your wife, Eisen?" he casually asked his brother, even though he already noticed that something is different from Lewis. His brother may not look tense, but just like Jade, his eyes say it all.

"Because I was able to remember my childhood memories the moment I opened the photo album that Jade gave me. Things happened in just a snap of a finger when memories of you, mom, and dad came rushing into my head, filling almost half of my being." He explained as his hand sway, making his explanation more expressive, more convincing.

"It was easy for me to remember it all, but hard for me to remember the memories she and I shared. The days that have passed, I wasn't sure if these memories are a fragment of what happened before. Sometimes, I asked myself, 'Why can't I remember her? Is it because I keep on thinking about it to the point that I was forcing myself to remember her, or was it because I was forcing myself to think that it was Jade I am with?' We were always together, given the fact that we live on the same roof. But the hell?! Why can't I remember her? Why can't she make me recall her? She always does things that I am not familiar with at all. Everything I feel is new. There's no hint that she's connected to my past."

Eisen is confused. Is it natural to feel this way? That everything his heart screams and beats reciprocate what his mind has been whispering in his ears. That every time he closes his eyes and sees Jade's face, he can't help but compare her to the woman that keeps on popping out on his head even though he can't recognize the woman from his memories?

But Eisen's hoping that a day will come where her face is not the only evidence to remind him that he knew Jade.

"You're just overthinking it, brother. You'll remember her soon. I promise you that. Maybe you just need a little more time?" Lewis answered with an assurance that he could remember. But the real question is, when?

"I don't have all the time in the world Lewis. She showed me a divorce paper, telling me that it's all her fault. And can you believe that she hid all our things inside the door separating our rooms?" he can't help but answer with a cracked voice. It may sound weird, but he's hurt again, with the same reason, same pain. He looked at Lewis, and their eyes met. He saw the sadness in his brother's eyes.

"And?"

"I just want to remember her. I know I was hurt before I even had amnesia. But I know that I love her, Lewis, because she wouldn't break me this bad if I didn't love her that much. I just want to remember her so I could fix every-"Eisen was immediately cut off when Lewis slammed his hand on the table, causing a loud thud. The sadness that grew in his eyes changed burning anger. At the sight of it, Eisen knew that something was different.

"What the f**k, brother! You can't-" he wiped his palm on his face while seriously looking at his brother.

"You can't possibly-" Lewis could not continue what he wanted to say because of his suppressed anger.

Lucky enough, Eisen was not angry at all. But there's this question that clouded his mind: if his brother was mad because he said he wanted to fix what they had, why bring him and Jade on the island? Isn't this his brother's way to make them reconcile?

His brother returned to his seat, but this time Lewis reached for the young man's hand and held his hand tightly.

"Do you still love the same woman from the past? Or the woman you're with, now?"

"What? You're making me confused here," Eisen was confused by the brother's question as he looked at him thoughtfully. If before there was anger in his eyes, now it seems to be pitying him.

"Just tell me. Is it the woman from the past that you're trying to remember, the one you wanted? Or the woman who is living with you and taking good care of you, the one you cared most?" his forehead furrowed, and he felt his brother's grip on his hand.

"What can there be any possible differences presented to the woman I love from the past and the woman I am with now? Are you indicating that they are different persons?" Eisen asked as he stared at his brother's eyes.

"What if what you and your wife had before can never be fixed again?" it wasn't a good idea to answer someone's question with another question, but the way Lewis said those words is making him uneasy. 

Lewis seems to be indicating something, but Eisen can't put his finger on it.

However, before Eisen could even answer his brother, Lewis raised another question, or more like an answer to his own question, that entirely made the conversation fall into the depths of silence.

"And all you need to do is to let her go?"

Eisen raked his fingers on his hair as he looked away from his brother. And as the silence enveloped the surrounding, Eisen started to wonder, what does he need? What does he need to know?

__________

JADE had just finished preparing snacks when she heard the door of the house open. She turned in its direction and saw Lewis coming in, along with Eisen. Jade turned to them with a smile, but her happy smile changed when he noticed the two's strange aura. It seems like they both left and need in-depth counseling to move on faster from a severe heartbreak.

Even if she wanted to ask, she decided to keep quiet because Jade would rather not know what the two talked about than understand it and get involved in the problem again.

"Have a snack first. It looks like life has escaped the both of you," she offered after laying down the bread stuffed peanut butter with apple juice.

Jade was planning on leaving the siblings behind because that was what she was planning to do when suddenly someone held her hand tightly to prevent her from going. She turned to see who it was and frowned when she realized it was Lewis.

"Why?" she asked.

"We need to talk." he stared at the young man for a moment before finally moving her eyes to Eisen, who was also staring at Lewis's hand, tightly holding her wrist. Jade knew Eisen was angry and had no intention of fighting with him, but before he could yank her hand, Lewis pulled her hard outside the house.

"Lewis," Jade called for his attention, but Lewis didn't bother looking at her. "But Eisen-" the young man did not budge, and he just continued to pull her out of the house and into the place where Eisen probably could not hear if they'll talk about something he doesn't need to know.

"Wait!" Jade tugged her hand hard from Lewis as they walked away. "What's the matter with you, and all of a sudden, you just pulled me away?"

The young man walked in front of her back and forth while deep in thought. And since Jade did not plan to stay outside the house for that long because she was afraid something terrible would happen to Eisen, she grabbed both of the young man's shoulders and forced him to stop and look at her.

"What the f**k is going on, Lewis?" She was starting to get nervous just by the sight of Lewis walking back and forth in front of her, and it's beginning to cause her anxiety attack. Lewis looked at his sides, making sure that nobody's around to eavesdrop, before opening his mouth.

"Didn't Eisen mention anything to you? If he already remembers something?" He asked as they remain eye contact.

"Nothing. Eisen always finds a chance to dodge the bullet. And I have no other choice but to let him be. I can't always just force him to do the things he doesn't want." She simply answered. But deep inside, she's getting a bit nervous about what is happening. She knew it had something to do with their brotherly conversation.

"He told me about the box I ordered you to give him with the photo album inside it," she remembered it and realized that what the young man was referring to was the box she had given to Eisen then.

His forehead furrowed even more because of what Lewis said. Is it obvious? She could not understand what this meant. "What do you mean?"

"He notices something strange about you. He doubts that you're his wife. But I need you to still hang on to him for a while we're continuing the investigation." he reminded. Of course, the investigation into the accident is still ongoing. Until now, she has not heard of its progress.

"Why can't we just tell him the truth? Show him pictures of him and Alicia? That might be the way for him to remember more—" that was easier for Jade. He thinks that when they admit the truth that he is not his real wife and show Alicia's picture, the real wife, he can remember everything faster.

"Because that's not the plan!" she was surprised when Lewis's voice suddenly rose. His tone changes with anger, and he did not like what he said.

"Then, what is the plan?!" she answered back. Why is Lewis angry at her? As far as she knows, there is also a possibility that telling Eisen the truth is the option to solve the problem.

"To make him remember about what happened in the bar before the accident happened because you were the one who's present in the scene!" she just remained standing while her friend shouted at him. "To make him forget about Alicia, the woman who shattered his soul, his heart, his whole being!"

"And you think that my face is going to make him forget about her? Are you this dumb? Gosh!" she wiped her face using her own hands to wipe out all the frustration she's feeling right now. And talking to Lewis is making her mood worst. "The only reason why I agreed to this setup because I had no choice after you failed to keep him and Alicia's marriage photos in a more secure place, Lewis! I wouldn't be stuck in this situation if I hadn't agreed to your proposal."

Lewis massaged the bridge of his nose before speaking. "I have my reasons, but this is not the right time to tell you about it."

"Then when is the right time, Lewis? When will be the right moment to tell me your reasons so I could understand? You are driving me mad! Ever since we were in high school, you never changed. And you will never be better." she turned away from Lewis and was about to take a step when he heard him speak.

"Fine! Do you want to know the truth? Then here is the truth! I'm doing this because I want him to fall in love with someone else..."