Chapter Nineteen: Not over you yet

Wow!" Thera's eyes widened as the waiter started placing her food on top of her table. She waited for about fifteen minutes before her order was served. She chose to sit down at the double table inside the dining area.

After she left Sean and Tan's Teacaf, Thera let her feet decide where it would take her. She just stopped walking when she smelled roasted garlic in one of the local restaurants by the road.

The waiter served her with a buttered shrimp bathed on its natural gravy, roasted crabs, and two cups of fried rice. She chose a strawberry shake for her drink and requested a glass of mineral water.

The enticing smell and the food presentation made her mouth water, and her stomach growled in anticipation.

Thera has a lot of questions running through her mind. She was getting tired of thinking, so she had to counter that by eating. It was getting dark, but she still didn't want to go back to the Villa. Sean wasn't there anyway. The Villa surprisingly looked and felt empty without him in there.

Thera sipped her strawberry shake before she focused on the food. She ate as much and as fast as she could. She'd call Sean when she gets home. She would ask her when he would return so they can talk. She needs to convince Sean to help her remember – using her way. Thera was almost halfway to finishing her food when the restaurant door opened. A tall man wearing dark sunglasses entered and walked over to her table. He took off his sunglasses.

"I was right; it was you…"

A deep furrow ran across Thera's forehead; she tried to remember the guy's name.

"Top, right?"

The man's face lit up. "I must've left a pretty good impression; you remember my name."

Thera smiled as she picked up a shrimp from her plate. How could she forget it? Apart from the housemaids and Sean, she did not meet anyone else since she left the hospital.

"I must have swept you off your feet that you came all the way here just to see me."

The man laughed. "I'm a frequenter here."

Thera glanced at the man then shook her head in disbelief. "If I would judge you by your clothes, this is your first time here."

"You can never judge a person by what he wears. Look at yourself, plain blouse and jeans, but you were one of the biggest shareholders of a multimillion company."

Thera did not answer. How will she answer him anyway? She did not even remember how she became that successful.

"So, shall I join you? It was sad eating alone—"

"Sit down."

The man laughed again and quickly sat in front of her. Thera saw the excitement in his eyes when he called the waiter. The latter promptly walked towards them with a piece of paper and pen in his hand.

While Top was talking to the waiter, Thera carefully examined him. He had nice and soft features, the flower boy next door type as they call it. He was Sean's exact opposite. Sean was very manly and red-blooded in every angle. It was easy for Top to smile; why couldn't Sean?

Thera shook her head. She got herself one cold and insensitive husband, but why does she have this feeling that it was a plus point for Sean?

"You can keep staring, but if this wears out, you have nothing else to stare at," he jokingly said, pointing his finger to his face.

"My husband, I want to keep looking at him too."

Thera was surprised by her words, but she did not bother to take them back. She smiled widely to pretend she was joking even if she wasn't.

Top nodded, chuckling. "Don't you really have a sister? I'm dying to get married if I got to hear my wife saying that to one of her friends."

"Remain single. You'd only end up annulling her."

Thera smiled thoughtfully. Then she tried to change the topic when she realized her answer was bitter-sweet. "Did you and I really became a couple before?"

"You really are straightforward. Asking me that makes me believe you hadn't regained your memories yet."

"I can remember a few, but I want to know how much you know about me."

"I liked you then. Sadly, you were uninterested in me."

Thera smiled happily. Why she's happy, she could not figure out just yet. Or was it perhaps because Sean might be right after all if Jerry Yan was crossed out from the list, her cold husband was indeed her first love.

"So, when did we first meet? Before I get married? Or after I married Sean? Was it the time I was still kind or the time when I was already difficult and overbearing?"

"That… I can't tell you yet. Your husband's here."

Thera went still; her heart throbbed. Did she hear him right?

"Huh?"

Thera's eyes traveled to the spot Top was pointing his finger at. She dropped the shrimp she had just peeled and stood up. Thera was in awe, her whole attention fixed upon the gorgeous man walking in long strides towards their table.

"How did you-?"

"Finish your food. I'll wait for you outside," Sean said, his eyes roved over her face before he transferred his gaze to Top. Then he clenched his jaw and walked out of the restaurant just like that.

Thera took big steps toward Sean, who was waiting beside his parked car on the side of the road. Her footsteps were lighter; it even felt like she was floating. She was not expecting Sean to come home.

He even found her, how, she had no idea.

The only thing she was sure of was the fact that she was happy to see him. Her steps slowed down a bit. She wanted to gaze at him while she was still allowed to stare. His hands were both tucked inside the pocket of his two-button single-breasted suit jacket. He looked undoubtedly stylish in his business outfit. It looked like he rushed and went straight to Baguio after his business meeting in Manila.

When she stopped less than a meter away from him, Sean raised his eyes to her. Thera smiled when their eyes met. She saw him flinched again – as if he was not used to seeing her smiling at him.

"Hi." She greeted.

"Why did you left the house without Fely? I drove around the whole city to find you. It is past eight o'clock, and you don't remember anything."

He was worried Thera could not help it; her smile widened.

"What's so funny?" he growled, faking his irritation.

"You are funny," she answered.

Sean's eyebrow furrowed.

"I did not know you are capable of worrying," She added.

Sean pressed his lips. "I'm tired from the long drive. Get in, and let's go home."

"Sean…"

"What?"

Thera hesitated. He looked weary. But it was the right time and right timing she had been waiting for. Thera cleared her throat and gazed at him.

"Don't you have even the slightest feelings left for me?" she blurted suddenly. Thera took a deep breath when Sean flinched and stared back at her. Her heart went suddenly racing. "Because I think I am not over you yet."

"Thera…"

"'The annulment papers, don't you think I refused to sign it because I'm still in love with you?"

Confused, Sean opened his mouth to speak, but he could not find the right words to say to her." I can remember a few things…" she admitted.

"Does that include the reason why we can no longer be together again?" he asked quietly.

"Does that matter? What matters to me was the feeling I have here in my heart every time I am with you."

Sean shrugged. "You don't know what you're talking about. Get in the car." Sean opened the door of his car for her, but Thera did not move an inch.

"Hey…"

He was turning her down. Did she misunderstand him? Did he fall out of love with her already?

"Thera.."

Thera's gaze never left Sean's face. He was holding the door for her. But she was willing to convince him come what may.

"While you were walking towards our table earlier, all the disappointments I felt for myself disappear. When I heard your voice, it was as if I was never hurt nor sad. My heart raced; its beatings sounded very familiar. I like how my heart throbbed against my chest – it was as if it was chained, ordered for so long not to beat again." Then she smiled poignantly. "You were right. I was horrible and rude and bad. I did not just hear it from you. Somebody told me you were not lying."

"It was…" Sean stared at him as if he wanted to tell her suddenly it was not all real. But Thera started talking again.

"I can't remember how I met you, why I liked you. Why after ten years of marriage — when we should be stronger, you were leaving me. I am still searching for a lot of answers, but I want to take the risk.." She took a deep breath, smiled though she was drawing some courage. "Even for a short time, can you treat me as your wife again, Sean?"

Sean swallowed the lump in his throat. She saw something in his eyes – something akin to remorse…

"You're not making any sense. I told you I want to proceed with the annulment. You said I ruined you and I admit it, I was the reason why your heart turned cold."

"Perhaps you were right. That's why I thought of this deal. Until I regain my memories, treat me as your wife again."

Sean sucked in his breath. "Give it a rest, Thera. Get in the car."

October 30, 2019

Baguio City, Philippines

Thera opened her eyes. She stared at the white ceiling for a moment, feeling the pain in her belly. When the pain got worse, he grabbed her stomach and groaned aloud. She bent down, laid on the couch, and tightly closed her eyes. It was the first time she felt that excruciating pain, as far as she could remember.

Last night she tried to avoid thinking about what she found out about the trouble she had with Sean and Tan's employee years ago. But Girlie's words kept coming back to her when she was left alone in that spacious room.

She did not want to think anymore. But as if teasing her, a vivid memory struggled to escape from her mind's confinement…