Unluckily Fated With the Billionaire

Encounter 9: Rekindle

“There was an accident… where I felt that I was the reason why someone died from it. The guilt from it kept on eating me up, and every night, I’d dream of that person.”

Silence.

I went silent not only to give him time to gather courage and speak up, but also because of what he said. I felt my heart beat really fast as my hunch grew stronger, and as I felt something bad incoming.

“That’s there to it, really. Well, in others’ view or perhaps yours, that’s how it may look, but the suffering and grief I went through for years and years wasn’t enough to be bottled into such words ‘that’s it.’” He explained, distrust very evident in his voice. It’s the same as those days when we were talking on the hotline. Dubious. Misgiving.

“You seem to have a very great distrust towards me, Mr. Mirren. And no. I will never belittle what you went through because it’s your own struggle, it’s your own experience, you have your own mindset and coping mechanism. You’re the only one with the right to judge it. But, as a psychiatrist, it’s my job to help you with it and give you advice.” Liam went silent after what I said, and he seemed to be reflecting on it. I saw him shut his eyes very tight, and when he opened them and went to look at me, I felt his resolve.

“It’s not only you that I don’t trust or believe in. That applies to everyone when it comes to my issues, including many of those in the same profession as you.” He said, never breaking eye contact with me. Earlier, his body language seemed quite hostile, but now, his movements mirror conviction.

“I assume you already went through many psychologists before me, am I right?” He nodded. “Then why do you seem confident with me? Earlier and based on your past actions, you seemed to hate us, but why does your body language say the opposite now?” I said. It wasn’t that I was trying to brag or fish for compliments, but he seemed to have a much more deep reason for doing so and I was trying to know that.

“Because you’re the only one with direct involvement in that accident.”

Silence. Again.

If only I hadn't been able to try to stop myself, I would’ve laughed right in front of his face. Is he trying to make fun of me again, right when I thought we were already getting serious?

“H-ha! What are you talking about, Liam? This isn’t the time for any of your mischievousness. Stop it.” I tried to laugh it off, but when his expression and body language didn’t even falter a little, I furrowed my eyebrows.

“Tell me. Did you get involved in a very bad accident back then?” I flinched at his question.

Shit. Does he know anything about what happened to me back then?

“I-I don’t know what your question has to do with our session, nor would I answer you as that is personal—“

“Ligaya Drive. Five years ago. A 2015 Subaru Impreza.” He said, his gaze never faltering before he stood up and went straight for the door. I just watched him as I was speechless, but he came to a halt.

The position he’s in right now… halting right at the doorway, why do I feel that it’s too familiar?

“That’s all. I’ll book an appointment soon.”

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Since there were no appointments left that day, I left early and immediately went home. My head began throbbing too much after that conversation with Liam and I felt nauseated. It was already 8:30 in the evening when Lucas showed up in front of my door.

Upon seeing him, I felt myself flinch a little and unconsciously distanced myself from him. He seemed to have noticed it as his eyebrows furrowed.

“Are you alright? I came to fetch you from the clinic earlier but your secretary told me you left early.” He asked while scanning me from head to toe. He tried to close the distance between us, but once again, my feet moved on their own and stepped back. I panicked because I didn’t know why my body was reacting like that and tried my hardest to make an excuse.

“S-sorry… I’m feeling really nauseous and might vomit anytime right now, you m-might need to keep your distance from me to save your clothes.” I said, then sheepishly smiled. There was immediate relief on his face after I spoke. Poor Lucas, he must’ve thought I was angry at him or something when it’s really my body’s fault.

I was just about to go to the kitchen to make him coffee, but he told me to just sit down and he'd make it himself. He then took off his coat and shoes, went to wear the personal slippers he bought to be used in my house and went straight to the kitchen after guiding me to the sofa.

The scene looked very domestic, as if my husband had just got home from work. But, it somehow felt weird… and wrong?

My condition must’ve been very bad that my mind’s making up things. Just a few minutes when I got seated, I felt the urge to vomit again and tried to silently go to the bathroom to not alert Lucas, since he’s very reactive when it comes to things like these.

After I finished spilling everything, I looked at myself in the mirror in front of me. I definitely looked like a mess, my hand tightly clutching the basin, my clothes still the same as what I wore to work earlier. Until everything started spinning again and Liam’s words came repeating like a broken disc again and again in my head.

“Ligaya Drive. 5 years ago. A 2015 Subaru Impreza. Ligaya Drive. 5 years ago. A 2015 Subaru Impreza. Ligaya Drive. 5 years ago. A 2015 Subaru Impreza.” And so on. It was all too much that I wasn’t able to stop myself from screaming. Just a few seconds later, Lucas came running to the bathroom, and everything went dark.

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“Hi there! You’re my new roommate, right?” I asked and helped the girl carry her luggage. My previous roommate moved out with her boyfriend last week, so I was alone in the apartment. And now, my new roommate has come.

“My name’s Zairiel Celeste Mendez, but you can call me Zairiel or Zai. I’m majoring in BA Psychology.” I introduced myself then went to offer my hand to her. She seemed very shy, but she accepted it later on.

“My name’s ---------------------------, y-you can call me however you want. I’m majoring in BS Business Administration.” She shyly said. I heard that she came from a very influential family, so maybe she’s gonna have a very high position in their company someday, thus the course.

“Nice to meet you! Would you like me to help you with your things?” I offered. “Ah, it’s alright! I could manage them. How about you just give me a tour later on?”

“Sounds great. Have you eaten? Shall I cook something for you as a welcome gift? You know, my former roommate had a hard time deciding to leave and told me she’s gonna miss my cooking.” I said in a light tone, trying to lift the mood for her, and it seemed to work since I saw her smile. Well, it wasn’t a joke at all, but anyway.

“Please do, thank you.” She said and gave me a wide smile.

After an hour, I finally finished cooking, and she seemed to have just finished fixing her things and bedroom. I called for her to eat and she presented to set the table while I brought out the food.

“Wow, that looks good!” She exclaimed when she saw it, which delighted me. Always a sucker for compliments.

“Tada! One of my specialties, Baked Potato Casserole as a welcome gift for my new roommate!” I loudly said while making a ‘surprise!’ hand gesture. She laughed once again and went to thank me, then told me she'd buy me a gift to repay the favor and to give me as her new roommate as well. At first, I declined, but she was persistent, so I lost in the end.

“Your roommate must’ve been regretting leaving you now, your cooking’s really good.” She said, and I tried to cover my blushing by laughing at it coyly.

We were talking about things about ourselves as we ate, not until I saw rashes starting to show on her face and arms. She also seemed to have difficulty breathing and when she does, a wheeze comes out of her throat. I immediately gave her water and went beside her.

“Ohmygod, are you alright? Okay, inhale, exhale,” I instructed as I guided her to breathe slowly. “It seems to be an allergic reaction. Do you have any allergies, particularly to potatoes?” I asked-shouted while I ran to get my phone to call the clinic.

“N-no, I don’t remember having allergies to anything. I just ate potato wedges l-last week, I think?” She said while trying to clutch her chest. This time, her mouth seemed to be swelling up a little.

“Oh God, what if it’s my cooking—“

“N-no! It was a really great meal, maybe it really is an allergy and it has only developed now.” She immediately cut me off. It took me a few seconds to believe her.

“We’ll talk about it later. Right now, we need to run to the clinic. You could manage, right?”I said and immediately gave her a handkerchief. She just nodded and I guided her outside.

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“Zai? Hey, wake up babe!”

“Zai?”

“ZAIRIEL!” I heard someone shout while shaking me, making me get startled. Turns out, it was Lucas. There was a deep hint of concern in his eyes, and I think I knew the reason.

Currently, I was sweating so much as if I had just run a whole marathon, and my hair probably looks like a nest from all the tangling I unconsciously did when I was dreaming earlier.

Speaking of it, it was really weird. The setting of the dream totally felt real. It was my dormitory back at the university, but I don’t remember welcoming someone and cooking a Baked Potato Casserole for them. But the really odd thing was I could still remember everything clearly, but not the girl’s face. It just becomes blurry every time I try to remember it. And why would I be thrashing around in my sleep if that wasn’t such a bad dream at all?

But, the thing is, it didn’t feel like a dream at all. It’s like a flashback of a memory I never remembered having.