I STIFFENED. "Why did you ask?" I asked, trying to avoid his gaze. My eyes fell on the maroon tie I was putting on his collar.
"I remembered what he told me when we had dinner. You two were friends even before we met. So how long have you been friends? Did he introduce us to each other?"
"No." I refrained myself from taking a sharp breath. Damn. I wanted to slap the truth in his face right now.
"But we've been friends for a couple of months before we met."
"When did you meet?"
"In the New York Public Library." I noticed my hand was a little trembling as I continued to fix his tie.
"Why are you asking, Gideon?" Why was he suddenly asking me things?
I tilted my head. I was welcomed by his blue eyes.
"You're my wife. I wanted to know more about you," he smiled.
I raised my brow and didn't comment. "You're done." I dismissed him instead. I straightened my back and stepped away from him. "Just fix your hair and you're ready to go."
I went behind him and pushed his wheelchair in front of his dresser. "I'll leave you now."
He turned his head at me and smiled. “Thank you, Bianca,” he said softly.
I frowned. "Like you said, you're my responsibility," I said before leaving him.
I went back to the living room. I picked up my sketch pad. Since I married Gideon, I went back to my hobby of sketching.
"Bianca…"
I looked up... and saw Gideon in front of me. I stilled. I felt like he was back to the old Gideon before he had lost his memories. Powerful. Cruel. Domineering. But then a soft smile curled up on his lips.
And that changed everything.
"How do I look?"
I blinked. "You look okay." Damn. He was a different person. The old Gideon would never doubt himself.
"Really?"
I scoffed. "You know how good-looking you are. Are you fishing for compliments?"
He pursed his lips. "From my wife? Yes."
Gideon… I couldn't deny how good-looking he was. He might be a monster. But a beautiful one. Every angle of his face was cut to perfection. I knew he was handsome before. But he was even more good-looking now after losing his memory. I knew it was because of the fact that he now had a brighter expression on his face.
Those deep blue eyes were the same shade as a calm sea.
I rolled my eyes at him. "You won't get any from me. I'll go get the door."
Darwin's secretary slash driver was already waiting at the door. An Aston Martin car was parked on the driveway.
When I went back to Gideon, I noticed how he took a deep breath.
"Are you sure you don't want to come with me?" he asked, looking at my face.
I raised my brow. "Why would I come with you? I don't work in your company."
"Because you're my wife... and I needed moral support."
Moral support? "Why would you need my moral… Oh." My eyes slanted. "You're nervous, aren't you?"
He pursed his lips. "I'm not."
I smirked. He was. "Oh, you are."
This time, I couldn't help but laugh. I saw how his cheeks turned red. He was like a kid getting caught red-handed.
Damn. I wanted to get my camera and snapped a photo of him. Nervous Gideon was a fucking delight to me.
He stared at me. Then he smiled. "I'm happy I made you laugh."
My smile faltered.
"HASN'T he remembered anything yet?" Helen asked me from the other screen.
She was having fish tacos in her Texas mansion while I was here in the kitchen, eating the Waldorf salad I made this morning.
Hanna was out. I was left alone in this house since Gideon was in the office. The woman wasn't staying with us twenty-four seven.
"Nothing." I sighed as I put a sliced apple in my mouth.
Aside from occasional headaches, nothing has come back.
"But then... he's still being kind to you?"
I nodded. "Yeah. He's completely turned into a different person."
I hadn't told him everything that Gideon had told me. That he wanted our marriage to work.
Helen raised her brow. "Well, don't you think it's a good thing? I mean, losing memory made him a better person."
My face hardened.
"I... I really don't care, Helen. What I just want right now is for this to be over so I can get away with him."
"What if... he no longer recovers his memories? What if he completely turns into a different person like what you said he's been acting right now? Do you think there's a chance you'll forgive him?"
I scoffed. "He might act like a fucking saint right now, but that won't erase the fact that he ruined my life and I won't be able to forgive him for that."
I was forced to end the call when I heard a car honk. I glanced at my watch. It was still four in the afternoon. I sighed disappointedly.
I thought he'd be home much later. I opened the door… and saw the familiar Aston Martin. I stood at the doorway as I watched Darwin's secretary assist Gideon out of the car.
My forehead formed a frown when I saw a bunch of beautiful tulips on Gideon's lap.
I snickered. Seriously? Someone gave him flowers in the office?
"Hi." Gideon greeted me. His blue eyes met mine.
"So, what happened?" I asked, arching my brow in curiosity. "Did you finally remember something when you saw your office?" The doctor had told us that putting Gideon in familiar places would help him remember things.
He let out a small smile. "Still nothing. But I enjoyed being in the office. Everyone was so nice and patient."
He placed his coat on the sofa and started folding his dress shirt up to his elbows. I glanced at his arms.
I couldn't help but smirk. "Of course, everyone was nice because you're their boss. They feared you. You're a scary boss, Gideon. I bet they gave you that flower because they're all scared of getting fired."
His thick eyebrows were slightly knitted in a frown. "You're wrong…"
"That you're a scary boss?" I rolled my eyes. "Oh, believe me, you are."
"No. These flowers didn't come from my employee. This is for you."
I frowned. My eyes turned into slits.
"I bought it in the flower shop on my way home. They're beautiful. I have a feeling you'd like them."
He handed the bouquet to me… and I accidentally accepted it.
"Why are you giving me these?"
"Because they're beautiful and they remind me of you." He looked me straight in the eye. Then he smiled. Softly.
I didn't know but there was a foreign feeling building up inside my chest. I… I couldn't explain it.
"I'm serious, Bianca. I wanted to make us work. I know I've been an asshole. I know I've never been a good husband to you. I know I've hurt you in the past. But I was serious when I said that I wanted to make it up to you. I wanted to make up for every wrong thing I'd done. For every damn pain I'd caused you. I want you in my life, Bianca."
I shook my head. "Wait 'till your memory comes back. You're only saying that because you've lost your memories."
His face turned serious. "No. Try me, Bianca. I want you. And I'll make you fall in love with me."
"Stop it, Gideon. I'm telling you, you'll only fail. I won't fall in love with you."
"Let's see, Bianca."
He said before going to our room, leaving me there speechless. And with my cheeks heating up in anger…
My lips parted as I stared down at the flowers in my hand. Well… this was the first time someone gave me tulips. My favorite flower. Even Charlie didn't give me flowers.
Wait. Why am I comparing him to Charlie?
"Damn you, Gideon."
I marched to the kitchen and mercilessly tossed the bouquet into the bin.
"No amount of flowers would make me change my mind about you, remember that."