Chapter 171: The First Meeting After The Tragedy
"Are you sure you don’t want to meet him?" Aurora asked again, her hands busy folding and stacking Daisy’s clothes into the suitcase. "Both of you were hurt because of misunderstandings before... I just hope you think wisely this time."
Daisy’s hands stilled mid-fold, the soft fabric slipping from her fingers. "You know it’s different this time..." Her voice faltered as she glanced at Aurora. "And I’m not running away, Aurora. I just... I feel uncomfortable living in someone’s house when that ’someone’ thinks I’m a stranger."
Aurora’s hands froze, her eyes flicking up. "He’s not ’someone,’ Daisy. He’s your husband."
Aurora’s hands froze, her eyes flicking up. "He’s not ’someone,’ Daisy. He’s your husband."
Daisy let out a dry laugh, though her eyes didn’t hold any humor. "That word ’husband’ doesn’t mean anything if he doesn’t even remember his wife." She exhaled slowly, forcing her hands to keep folding the clothes. "But don’t misunderstand me, Aurora. I’m not running away. I just... need to think of a way that might help him recover his memory. And in the meantime, I need to calm myself too. If I face him like this, broken and desperate, it won’t help either of us."
Aurora set the folded blouse aside and leaned closer, her voice gentle but insistent. "Then isn’t it better for you to stay? He’ll be discharged in a few days, I heard... so facing him would be the better option. Who knows... maybe the moment he sees your face, his brain will short-circuit and reconnect?"
Daisy’s hands stilled, the corner of her lips twitching, though it wasn’t quite a smile. Her chest tightened at the thought, torn between hope and fear.
Daisy lowered the half-folded dress in her hands, her voice barely above a whisper. "What if... what if this version of Theo is in love with someone else? If you were me... what would you do?"
Aurora blinked, taken aback. "What do you mean?" she asked, her brows furrowing.
Daisy’s frown deepened, her eyes clouded with the weight of the question she dreaded answering herself.
"I learned that he had his first love at nineteen..." Her voice faltered, as if saying it out loud made the thought sharper, more real.
Aurora tilted her head, confused knitting her brows. "And? Everyone has a first love, Daisy."
Daisy pressed her lips together, the corner of her eyes tightened. "But what if... in this broken memory of his, that love is still alive inside him? What if, to him, she’s the only one that matters and I’m just..." She trailed off, the word stranger caught bitterly on her tongue. "Someone who blocks his way back to the life he wants."
Aurora reached over, stilling Daisy’s restless hands. "Or maybe you’re the person he needs to remind him who he really is. Memories can get lost, Daisy, but love like yours doesn’t just vanish."
Daisy bit her lip, her chest rising and falling unevenly. "What should I do Aurora... I want to go and meet him right away... but I am scared..." she pouted, holding onto the sadness inside her heart.
Aurora squeezed her hand, her voice steady but kind. "Then be scared. It’s normal. But don’t let that fear stop you from standing where you belong. Even if he doesn’t remember you now, he deserves the chance to know the woman who’s loved him all this time."
Daisy blinked rapidly, her throat tightening. "And if he pushes me away?"
"Then at least you’ll know you tried," Aurora said softly. "But what if... what if the moment he sees you, something sparks? Wouldn’t it be worth the risk?"
Daisy nodded weakly. "Thanks, Aurora... thanks for always knocking some sense into me when I can’t think properly. My emotions are all over the place because of this Elly!" She stomped her feet cutely.
Aurora arched her brow. "Who’s Elly?"
"His first love’s name."
Aurora’s brows lifted higher, surprise flickering across her face. "So that’s the ghost you’ve been fighting in your head?"
Daisy pressed her lips together, her shoulders slumping. "It feels like she’s everywhere... even though I’ve never met her. And the worst part? I can’t compete with someone who’s already perfect in his memories."
Aurora tilted her head, voice calm but firm. "You don’t need to compete. You’re his wife, Daisy. You’re here. Real. That’s more powerful than any shadow from his past."
She pouted harder, "Waaaa...Aurora..." she hugged Aurora immediately, "I love you so much!"
Aurora chuckled, patting her back. "Aigoo, you’re such a baby sometimes."
Daisy tightened the hug, burying her face into Aurora’s shoulder. "So what? You’re stuck with me anyway. Don’t get married, okay? I don’t want to share even half of your love."
Aurora tilted her head slightly, clicking her tongue. "Tch... that doesn’t sound fair. How can you get married and I can’t?"
Daisy pulled back, eyes widening with mock seriousness. "Don’t tell me..." She leaned in, eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Do you have a boyfriend?!"
Aurora blinked, then burst out laughing at Daisy’s dramatic tone. "Aish... who wants me? I’m not that pretty and not even cute..."
"Wait..." Daisy crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes further. "You’re trying to make me praise you, right?"
Aurora tilted her head innocently, lips twitching with a hidden smile. "And if I am?"
"Hah! Knew it!" Daisy jabbed a finger at her triumphantly. "You can fool everyone else but not me. Fine, I’ll say it... you’re pretty, cute, smart, and the best. But don’t get used to me saying it!"
Aurora chuckled, patting her arm. "You sound like a tsundere in a drama."
Daisy huffed, cheeks puffing out. "Better a tsundere than a liar. Next time, just admit you want me to flatter you."
Aurora laughed, shaking her head. "So... what now? Should I unpack this?"
Daisy’s gaze drifted to the neatly folded clothes sitting in the suitcase. Her fingers brushed over the fabric absentmindedly before she let out a small sigh. "You know what... I suddenly got a flashback of the first time I came here with that heavy suitcase..."
Aurora looked at her with a dramatic pout. "And I still remember how guilty I was at that time, selling my friend to my boss... waaa..." She fake-cried, wiping imaginary tears, though deep down, there was a trace of real regret in her tone.
"All thanks to you, I managed to fall in love..." Daisy’s smile softened, glowing warmly as she turned to Aurora.
Aurora sniffled, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "Are you thanking me or blaming me? Because it sounds like both."
Daisy chuckled and leaned closer. "A little bit of both. But mostly... thanking."
Both of them burst into laughter, the sound light and echoing through the room. But the sudden creak of the door swinging open made their laughter cut short. Instinctively, they turned their heads toward the doorway.
"What are you doing here?"
Theo’s face appeared behind the door, and both of them froze as if caught red-handed.
"A—Ah..." Aurora quickly wiped her hands on her dress, then rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. "We were just... packing." Her gaze flicked toward Daisy, who sat frozen, head bowed so low her hair shadowed her face.
Theo’s eyes skimmed over the room, catching Aurora’s awkward stance but never lingering long enough to notice Daisy’s features. To him, she was just another figure bent over luggage, perhaps a maid or helper.
"If you’re done cleaning," his voice carried the casual firmness of dismissal, "could you please go out? I need to rest."
Daisy’s hands tightened on the edge of the suitcase, knuckles white. Her throat burned with words unsaid, but she pressed her lips together, shifting further so her face stayed hidden. She wasn’t ready... couldn’t risk seeing only confusion in his eyes.
Daisy quickly flipped the last pile of clothes into the suitcase, zipped it shut in one swift motion, and pushed it toward the dressing room without daring to look up.
Aurora, sensing the thick air, slowly shuffled toward the door, her hand already on the knob as if to retreat before the silence grew heavier.
Inside the dressing room, Daisy pressed her back against the wall, chest heaving. She sucked in a shaky breath, whispering under her breath as though the words might anchor her trembling heart.
"What the hell is he doing here? Is he supposed to be discharged this fast?" Daisy muttered, another frustrated huff escaping her lips. She turned, squaring her shoulders as if bracing herself. "Let’s leave for now..."
Stepping out of the dressing room, she tried her best to move naturally, to look calm, though her pulse was thrumming in her ears. Her gaze stayed low, fixed on the floor, each step carefully measured.
But before she could reach the door, his voice cut through the air.
"Wait."
Her feet stopped cold. The word wasn’t loud, but it carried enough weight to pin her in place. Slowly, she turned her head just enough to glance at him, heart lodged in her throat.