Over My Dead Body

Stevenson stood frozen in his spot. A bucket of invisible ice must have dropped from the heavens, he thought. His eyes scanned the colors in the room, trying to figure out the right color of each furniture but his gaze landed back to Cielo subconsciously. 

Right now, her coffee-colored eyes pleaded for the truth and her full brown lips that he hasn't kissed yet, quivered. She looked like she's close to losing control of her emotions. He nodded his head in defeat and affirmed her suspicions, "No, you are not." 

After those words reluctantly left his mouth, he found that he had a hard time swallowing, as if a lump was stuck in his throat. What is this uneasy feeling? I've never felt this way in my entire life, he thought to himself.

"Then who am I?" she quickly followed up, her hand pounding at her chest to relieve its walls from tightening; however, a knock from the door distracted them. 

"Are you guys ready? We can do the consultation here if you want. It's going to be quick anyway." Dr. Aila Zhang dropped all the pleasantries. Of course, she overheard their conversation. And it's not like she doesn't know it anyway. The important matter at hand was to get that pass and if it meant giving Stevenson a way out of this hideous blunder, she won't mind saving his ass, this one time.

Exasperated yet thankful at the same time, Stevenson exhaled and replied, "We're coming. Leave us first." Dr. Aila Zhang deeply inhaled and raised an eyebrow at the drama king before softly huffing and turning her back to leave. Meanwhile, Stevenson extended his hand towards Cielo but the girl dodged. "Please, Cielo," he begged, his eyes closed as he looked up to the ceiling and blew out another steam. Everything felt foreign and everything confused her. 

She wanted to be mad. She wanted to lash out. But why does her heart ache to see him that powerless? And why does it felt like this was her first time feeling accepted? She eyed the person before her, remembering her oath to trust him no matter what so she laced her fingers with his, bringing him back to his confident self.

"Is that even my name?"

"No. I changed it."

"Why?"

"It's not safe for you."

"Does Lucas know?" 

Stevenson cocked an eyebrow before answering, "I will answer all of your questions later. For now, let's go to the doctor first."

They were seated on the same sofa that Yiu Lala and Jenny sat on a while ago, right in the middle of Dr. Aila Zhang's office. The doctor opened a clear folder with pages of document inside then started with her pseudo-consultation, "So, your file says you lost your memory. Unfortunately, we can't recover those back. We have to turn you into a lab rat and honestly, the chance of a full recovery is low." 

Silence.

Dr. Aila Zhang eyed Stevenson who sat on the other side of the couch, away from his beauty. She did not want to feel as if she swindled him; that's why she gave them a friendly doctor's advice. The silence started to make white noise in the background that was piercing through the doctor's ears, irritating her greatly. If these two intend to have a lover's quarrel, why do it in front of her?

She shot Stevenson a glance and snorted in derision. Who would have thought that a day would come for a Yiu descendant to step down from their high horse, ready to give up his life for what? A damsel in distress? She snapped her fingers, zapping the two from their reverie. Stevenson stood up and handed a piece of paper to Dr. Aila Zhang. He was already at the door when he turned on his heel and strode towards Cielo, holding her hand as they left the office. 

Feeling thankful, Dr. Aila Zhang walked her guests up to the elevator doors. She took a crisp white calling card from the pocket of her lab coat. "Before I forget, here's my card. You can call me anytime you need… professional help, of course." 

But Steveson was quick to refuse, Cielo's hand was mid-air when she heard his voice. Cielo looked at the man beside her, his right hand was in his pocket while his left clasped hers. "Thanks, but no thanks. We won't be seeing you again." The elevator dinged just in time when the doctor opened her mouth to say something.

When the elevator doors closed, Dr. Aila Zhang crumpled the crisp white calling card in her hand, and uttered under her bitter breath, "I saved you twice today, and yet you have the audacity to act high and mighty? Not even thankful? Let's see what Yiu Lala would do to your little bride when she finds out her identity." She threw the crumbled crisp white calling card, tossing it in the stainless steel bin beside a potted Birds of Paradise plant. She inhaled the light notes of lavender, frankincense, and sweet orange oil to calm her boiling anger before sauntering back to her office.

...

Yiu Seaside Villa

Cielo turned around to face Stevenson, who locked the master bedroom door behind him. Her voice was soft with a hint of dismay when she asked him what her true name was. Stevenson took a deep breath that was followed by an exasperated sigh. "Your name is Chinshih Dong. You are a cadet in the Capital Military Academy that went missing and… a witness for a crime."

"What crime?"

"It's better that you don't know. And don't remember."

She looked at him one more time and felt his sincerity. She slumped on the bed, her elbows propped on her thigh, her hands covered her face.

"Cielo," he reached out for her sorry figure. She shot him a glare when she heard him call a different name even though they both knew what her true name was, "No, that's not my name."

"I can't call you by your real name," he knelt on the ivory white sheepskin rug, his hands fastened with hers before continuing, "It would put you in danger. That's the last thing that I want to happen. Hey, look at me. Show me your eyes." 

Cielo puffed out. She forced herself to oblige the stranger she promised to trust no matter what, and when their eyes met, she felt so much compassion that it overpowered all other negative emotions. No matter how she told herself to hate him and to run away from him, her heart would waver and ache for his salvation. So she smiled faintly, naturally, straight from the chambers of her heart.

Cielo rubbed his furrowed brows, soothing it from all the anxiety he has been enduring the entire time. He closed his eyes, savoring her feathery touch. Her finger traced his pointed nose down to his thin lips. She tipped his chin to get his attention, to which he finally opened his eyes. "Promise me one thing," Cielo spoke, "If one day, I get into danger because of what I was supposed to know, don't let yourself get hurt. Okay?" She cupped his face. She wanted him to look her in the eyes to make sure he would reply her truthfully. Stevenson held her hand that was cupping his face and looked at her, just like what his beauty bid him to. 

In a low, raspy voice, he inched his face closer to her and softly kissed her full brown lips that must be red, as if he knew how red looked like. "That's never gonna happen, angel. They have to go through my dead body first."

Edited by Swaning