Beautiful
Marcus Pierre stared at his fiancee who was watching her brother and Catherine Sage with a smile on her face. Though he had some questions, he refrained from asking as it was obvious that Emery's attention wasn't on him.
Why did she keep on staring at her brother as if she had never seen him before?
Letting out a sigh, Marcus finally broke his silence.
"What is this about? Didn't you tell me that you had dinner with your family last night to celebrate your discharge? Why -"
"Hush!" Emery put her index finger on her lips, stopping Marcus from whatever he was trying to say. "Keep your voice low. What if Miss Sage hears that?"
"I don't know a reason why she shouldn't hear it," Marcus Pierre sighed.
His fiancee was acting strange today as well!
"Just play along for now," Emery Hayes shrugged and looked at him with an exciting smile. "I will explain later."
"Whatever," Marcus Pierre blabbered and took a can of beer that was placed on the table before him. Right now, he was on the outdoor lounge, sitting with Emery while Jason Hayes was busy cooking with Catherine Sage helping him.
Just when Marcus tried to open the beer, Emery took it away from him.
"Didn't you say that you're driving your motorbike here? Then you shouldn't drink." There was a hint of displeasure on Emery's expression and Marcus ended up staring at her for a while without saying anything. After what seemed to be forever, he flashed a small smile, making Emery blink.
What was he smiling for?
"You sound like my mother just now," Marcus muttered as he narrowed his eyes.
"And you sound like a momma's boy just now," Emery teased and Marcus promptly lifted his gaze to look at her.
Nevertheless, he let a few seconds pass before he responded, "Maybe I am. I love my mother the most in this world."
Emery didn't really expect to hear such a response and she ended up raising her brows.
At 22, Marcus was at the perfect age where young adult men wished to be independent and lead a life the way they wanted without caring about family and all. But... he already told Emery that he respected his father and now, he said that he loved his mother the most.
He was always so different from what she imagined and it made Emery curious.
If she didn't lose her memory, would she know his every past, including the reason why he was this kind of strange yet unique person?
"I think Dr. Lucia is one lucky woman," Emery Hayes remarked before she even realize. Then she continued, "She has a son like you."
For a while, she waited for Marcus's reaction and she saw him shaking his head, helplessly.
"I never know you know how to say that," he commented and added, "But I think you're wrong. I'm the lucky one for having a mother like her."
Emery didn't think much and flashed a bright smile instead. "I will tell her that you say that. She will be so happy to hear it."
Marcus Pierre's attention was on the smile rather than the words. The old Emery Hayes never bothered to talk to him, so far from looking at him with that bright smile.
Was it because she never showed him that smile, that he found her so beautiful when she did?
No matter what, seeing her smile was better than being at the receiving end of her cold treatment! However, he still found it strange.
Can one change to this extent just because of losing one's memory?
It's really strange.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere between Jason Hayes and Catherine Sage was much more pleasant than the former expected.
When Jason started working on preparing dinner a while ago, Catherine Sage insisted to help him. Though Jason refused, saying that she was a guest, the National Champion was quite persistent and Jason Hayes ended up giving in.
"When you heard that I used to cook, you said that it's unexpected of me while you're great at it too, Miss Sage," the Vice-Chairman pointed out while he busied himself with cooking.
Hearing Jason, Catherine Sage flashed a little smile. "I'm not great as you think, Mr. Hayes. Just like you claimed, I'm also good at making just a few dishes."
"Do you cook often?" Jason promptly asked. However, he regretted it right away as he realized how curious he just sounded. He inwardly reminded himself to sound casual and normal so that Catherine Sage won't be able to guess his feelings.
He didn't plan to get rejected so soon!
Jason Hayes looked at Catherine and wondered how she would react. He inwardly sighed in relief when she flashed a calm smile.
"Not that often," she replied. "I'm too busy to do that."
"Oh! I momentarily forget that you don't deal with just business like me," Jason Hayes said with a smile on his face. "It must be challenging to balance life for you, Miss Sage."
"But I'm still happy," Catherine Sage remarked. "I get to do the thing I love while working. That's more than enough for me." One thing crossed her mind and she turned to Jason Hayes. "By the way, Mr. Hayes, I wonder why someone like you were in the Convex Arena today. Do you love judo?"
Despite his attempt to hide the pressure he felt, Jason Hayes realized that he was appearing quite troubled. He rarely felt this tight-lipped and somehow, the unfamiliarity even scared him.
What had gotten into him?!
When he realized that Catherine was observing his every expression, waiting for his response, he decided to be honest. Even if he didn't plan to confess his feelings that soon, he should at least not lie to her.
"I come to watch you," he finally told Catherine. "I'm a huge fan of yours, Miss Sage."
Catherine Sage was taken aback and her expression proved that. Feeling flustered, she even struggled for words to say.
The Vice-Chairman and heir of Hayes Group came all the way there just to watch her match? That didn't even cross her mind!
"I think you underestimate your skill, Miss Sage," Jason Hayes pointed out when he noticed Catherine struggling. "Anyone who sees your match will surely find themselves rooting for you. I mean, you're that good."