Realistic or Modern When I Still Remembered You

[mon]

Leianna has no recollection of the man she calls 'husband.'

It is a foreign word on her lips. And it weighs as cold as the ring on her finger: one which she regards as a bind. A restriction.

There is no love when she sees him. No warmth which surges in her heart and spreads to ones cheeks, the kind of love one sees in movies. It puzzles her, leaves her perplexed.

She must have loved him, she reasons with herself. Or else why would she have wed?

Her mother tuts under her breath when she visits Leianna at the hospital on the day of her discharge. She looks disappointed, perhaps even disgusted; and Leianna retains just enough memories to know that this woman did not care for her wellbeing. She was only relieved their connection with the Argent family, in forced matrimony, still holds.

"Your fiance will send you home. Don't make any more stupid mistakes," were the only words her mother imparts.

Leianna blinks once in confusion. Her eyes falling back down to the ring on her hand and oddly, she feels relieved. So they aren't married yet, whoever this stranger is.

She nods obediently and watches her mother strut out of the room, her red heels clacking loudly against the white tiled floors. Once she's gone, she sighs.

"So," she looks up at the man standing at her bedside, "You're my... fiance." It comes out more of a question than a statement.

 

[Strawberry]

Blake was pretty quiet while Leianna's mother and her stuffy presence filled the room. Once the older woman left, things were different.

How careless Mrs. Romans... You had a perfectly good opportunity and you wasted it.

He watched his fiancee carefully. While he might not know very much about Leianna, he did know she wouldn't go through such lengths in order to avoid him.

What he was about to start could ultimately be his undoing in the end. Did he care at that moment? No. Was he going to do it anyway? Yes.

Leianna, this is your fault for rejecting me in the first place...

Once the echoes of Mrs. Romans' footsteps dissipated, Blake let out a small smile as he eyed the doorway. "I'm sorry you have to deal with your mom. You're still recovering from that bad accident and she's still treating you like that? That wasn't very nice of her."

"So, you're my... fiance."

Doubt was starting to build up from within him. He took a step closer to her. Would she react like he expected?

Is she really faking it? Well, two can play that game.

He lowered his head, offering her a pained smile. "Oh... so it's true. You really don't remember... do you?" His gaze drifted off to the side and down at the floor. The thing he had to remember was to make it believable. His eyebrows furrowed and twitched, as if trying to suppress how hurt he was. "I'm sorry... I know I wasn't there when you needed me. You have no idea how much I regret what happened that day," he paused.

"Besides the whole amnesia thing, I really am glad you're okay," one of the few truths he spared her.

"I understand I must be a stranger to you, but if you'll allow me, I can help take care of you... Maybe even... help you remember things? How things were between us? I mean, we're engaged. I'd like to think I have a good idea of what kind of person you are," he forced out a light laugh, as if trying to brighten the mood. "But I get it if you'd rather have your mom take care of you. She's your family after all."

Time to push his little test a little further. As if being cautious, he slowly sat on the edge of the bed, reaching his hand toward her and gently held a strand of her long, black hair in between the side of his index finger and his thumb. For a moment, he eyed the hair in his hand, then back to Leianna's face, then back to the hair, and once more at her face. Within a few seconds, he carefully loosened his grip and let the hairs slip from his fingers.

Regardless of her reaction, Blake turned his attention to the doorway. "I heard from the doctor that you're okay to go now. My driver has the car ready out front. Just let me know when to call in a nurse to bring over a wheelchair for you." He stood up and took a few steps towards the window. "They still think it's unsafe for you to walk out on your own after being in bed for so long, so after I take you home, be sure to take it easy and get lots of rest. You should be able to walk around like usual tomorrow."

 

[mon]

The way he responded perked her interest. The 'still' did not go unnoticed. Quick deduction had her under the impression that he knows of her past, knows of the restrictions in her family and the burdens of which laid upon her; but skepticism kept her wary. She was unsure of how much she has revealed to him, albeit logical reasoning prodded her to open up. Surely she must have relied on him in the past.

His fabricated smile was taken as genuine and the pain in light colored eyes twinged her with guilt. She lowered her gaze and nodded in shame, although it is not her fault that she cannot remember.

"It is neither our fault," she offered in comfort. It was an empty consolation. For all she knew, the fault could very well lie in one or the other---a thought which she wisely did not consider.

"You're here now," She smiled in gentle appreciation, silvery blues meeting gold. Her eyes did not stray from him. They were as clear and earnest as the day they met, unflinching even when he caresses a lock of her hair. "That's all that matters."

The smile dimmed at the mention of her mother. Despite her memory loss, she still retained enough to know that she did not wish to return home. It was just so convenient that whatever she has forgotten so happened to be everything prior to her meeting with her fiance. Blake? That was his name right?

She shook her head in response, "I'll go home with you. I want to remember what I've forgotten." There was certainty in her voice. It's clear she did not wish to go back home to the Romans, and perhaps, spending time with this man will jog the return of her memory.

"We are... staying together right?" She implied that they were, given what her mother said and how Blake had referred to home. Leianna had never moved out before. The thought of staying with another, a stranger nonetheless, had her fiddling in nervousness.

His judgement seemed sound and it wasn't long until Leianna was escorted towards the limousine waiting outside the private hospital ward. The wheelchair she was in was pushed by her fiance. Despite the kind gesture, it unsettled her to allow him this act.

"So Blake," The name was tested between her teeth and settled with unfamiliarity in her chest. They're seated besides each other in the backseat of the car. The distance between them is strangely cold. "Can you tell me how we met?" Her question is shy. She's unsure of how much she was allowed to prod, afraid to open any fresh wounds. There was much she wished to know.

 

[Strawberry]

Looks like things were going well so far. Better than well. There was no sense of malice or disgust when her eyes looked into his. Even though she was unaware of their true relationship, seeing this side of Leianna was something Blake had been desperate for.

He almost felt bad for tricking her. Almost.

Leianna's questions were harmless, but full of so much potential to spin things his way. His doubts soon faded. If she was unfazed by his actions, then she really has no idea what their previous relationship was like. That brought much relief to the male.

"We are... staying together right?"

"Yes," his answer came almost a little too eagerly. "I mean," he quickly tried to make this work. "You have your own private rooms at my family's estate. You live with your mom but uh... you do have your own room for those days you come to visit me. It's practically your second home by now!"

Damn that was sloppy.

The loss of memory doesn't mean a change in personality, only a change in perspective. He knew things would get messy the more he'd lie, so he had to be careful when weaving the story he was going to create. It would be simpler to stick to the truth but twist it in his favor so she views him in a better light.

While settling himself into the limousine, he fought the urge to put his arm around her, touch her hand, or anything that would compromise him. Just being this close to her was enough for now.

"We met at a charity banquet a few years back. You didn't like me when we first met," he put it bluntly. It was the truth after all. Considering how their personalities clashed, he knew she wouldn't believe him if he had said otherwise. "It was my fault. I was... pushy. I guess... since it was such a huge event, with all the people and the music and," he sighed exasperatedly.

"I got too caught up in the moment and I came on to you a little too strong and didn't respect your wishes."

Because you were being so difficult. One date wouldn't have killed you!

"So, I got the message and backed off. Gave you your space."

And distracted myself with other women in the meantime.

"It was... I don't know, a couple months after that. Your mother was hosting an event for..." He looked off to the side and squinted his eyes. It took him a few seconds before he shook his head. "Damn, I don't remember. I know it was something important for your family. Anyway, my parents were invited and I tagged along. I remember how much I wanted to see you and apologize to you for what I did before."

A grin inched its way to the corners of his lips. "You accepted my apology and gave me another chance. You found out I was a fun guy to be around. You liked me and wanted to see me again."

God dammit. That might have been too much.

He laughed. "I mean, I hope you did!" He placed one of his on top of the other, letting his thumb glide across the back of his hand. "We did have fun. I know that much!"

A low beep resounded within the limousine's sound system. After a few seconds, a deep voice came through it. "Mr. Argent, where shall I be taking you and Miss Romans today?"

Blake eyed the communication button for a short second then looked back at his fiancee.

"So... did you want me to take you back to your mom or did you want to stay with me?" he was hoping she'd want the latter.

 

[mon]

Uncomfortable.

Something about this story twinged her with the slightest of discomfort---one which she could not put her finger on, but was evidently there. Fortunately, she did not allow it to show through, smiling politely as Blake told his story. The first part made sense to her. Perhaps in the past, she also felt like this. Something about the male put her on edge, but if she had liked him enough to marry him, then certainly he can't be all bad?

"I'll stay with you," she answered, wanting to get rid of the estranged feelings she had towards him. "We're going to get married soon right? Because of my amnesia... there's a lot of things I might have to get used to again." Her head ducked low in her confession, embarrassed to say the least.