Chapter 49
Chapter 49
"What reason do you have to refuse?"
Staying alone with a man was dangerous. Men were physically stronger than women, and to make things worse, I was with someone like Nicholas Forger. It would be hard to break free from him. He was right—I had no reason or power to refuse, but I bit my lip. "You won't force me to do it." I was not sure about that, but I had to say something.
Nicholas ignored me. It was a long way up, and he did not say a word to me after that. He was probably miffed that I ended every conversation in the way he disliked. It was fine, since I did not want to talk to him either. I turned around and looked outside the window. The mountains were hidden in the fog, as if they had fairies living in them. I looked back at Nicholas again, and he was looking alluring, especially with those mountains acting as his backdrop.
I forgot all about our grudge and for a moment, it was as if I had returned to that day three years ago. I happily waited for the moment of our wedding. He was in a black suit, while I was in a white gown. Nicholas was reluctant about the whole affair, but I thought it was a dream come true. Yeah right. Some sort of dream that was.
I turned my gaze away and scrolled through Twitter on my phone. The scandal about me and Merlin was gone, and the video was nowhere to be found. It had only been one day, so obviously someone must have intervened. And this guy is possibly behind it. I wanted to ask Nicholas about it, but I decided against it in the end. Instead, I texted Gary, 'Who took down that scandal about me anyway?'
Gary texted back, 'I'll look into it right now.'
I tucked my phone away and closed my eyes. I was still groggy from sleeping too late the night before, and I fell asleep not long after I closed my eyes. When I woke up, Nicholas was nowhere to be found, and I panicked for a moment. I turned around, and the sight of him standing outside calmed me down. He had taken his suit off, revealing his white shirt underneath. Said suit was covering me.
The winds howled in the mountains, making his shirt billow. I put the suit away on the seat and got out barefoot, thereafter going up to his side.
He noticed my presence and he looked at me. "I wonder what will happen if we jump down together." Nicholas was standing right by a cliff, and I took a step back. He noticed it, and a melancholic smile curled his lips. "So you don't want to die with me?"
"What kind of question is that?"
Nicholas said nothing.
I turned around. A few detached villas stood at the top. They were all Western-style villas, and all of them had a big pool in the yard with parasol trees flanking them. The leaves were starting to yellow this time of the year. When the night breeze brushed across them, leaves would rustle and fly high up in the air. It was a refreshing scene. I went to the villa barefoot. When I came to the front door, I looked back and saw Nicholas taking my heels out from the backseat. He bent over, and his profile was facing me. A smile curled his lips, telling me that he was happy. I have no idea why he's looking so happy.
He came and keyed in the passcode to open the door. I went in and plopped down on the sofa. He then followed and placed my heels at the doorstep before going upstairs. Throughout, he said nothing to me, and I heaved a sigh of relief as I lay down on my side.
He came down a short while after that. Nicholas had changed into a black silk pajamas. He noticed me lying on the sofa, and he muttered, "Lazybones."
Oh, shut it!
He sat down beside me and held my hand. His hand felt cold, unlike his brother's. I looked at him nervously, but then I told myself there was no need to be so scared of him. I pulled my hand back and he froze for a moment, but he collected himself a moment later. "Are you hungry?"
I shook my head. "Not yet."
"Get some rest. I'll make something for you." A pause later, he asked patiently, "What would you like?"
Subconsciously, I asked, "Wait… You can cook?"
I thought that was a redundant question the moment I blurted it out. Nicholas cooked for me before, and he made Maria's favorite—salmon.
He arched his eyebrows at that. "I thought I cooked for you before."
"Sorry. Standard question."
"What would you like? Salmon?" he asked. Nicholas patted my head. "You'd make sure there's salmon at every meal. You love it, don't you?" He looked confident that salmon was my favorite food. "I'll make one for you later."
Curious, I asked, "Where are you going to get a salmon at this hour?"
"Easy. My assistant sent some here before we came."
"I see." I did not tell Nicholas that I disliked salmon. I did not bother correcting him, nor did I see the need to do that. Weirdly enough, we were getting along peacefully. I did not make scathing remarks at him like I used to.
My assistant gave me a call at that moment, and I took the call in front of Nicholas. Gary explained, "President Felix, the scandal's gone thanks to Mr. Forger. The video's deleted too. I heard he spent a lot of money on it." Owned by NôvelDrama.Org.
I glanced at Nicholas, but he remained calm. "I see." I was reminded of Alba, and I thought he must be having it hard at the Adams because he lost the deal.
A moment later, I said, "Are the Yates finding any more partners for their projects?"
Gary was confused at that. "What do you mean, President Felix?"
"Pick two of the biggest projects and let the Adams handle them. Specifically, Alba Adams. Go. Keep an eye on him for me," I said.
I hung up, and Nicholas asked curiously, "You're really nice to Alba. Do you know him?"
Instead of answering his question, I asked, "Why'd you help the Adams? Because you wanted to bring the Felixs down?"
He shot back, "Why else?"
Wow. He doesn't even shy away from saying that he was attacking me. And so, I asked, "Why'd you give the Felixs' assets back to me then?" That was the question that haunted me. Nicholas would never be this generous, not even after he lost his memories. The only answer was that his memories were still intact. I had no other explanation otherwise, but then he did really look like someone with amnesia. But he also doesn't look like he has amnesia.
Nicholas asked me back, "Why'd you give me their assets, then?"
"I…" I understood what he was trying to say. Nicholas was a proud man. He would never accept anything from his wife if he knew she married him because she thought he was the person she loved when in reality, he was not.
"Everyone says my wife loves my brother, not me. She only gave me everything she had because she thought I was Christopher. Yes, we would really love it if we can have the Felixs' assets, but I would never stoop so low as to impersonate Christopher just to get something."
"Eosy. My ossistont sent some here before we come."
"I see." I did not tell Nicholos thot I disliked solmon. I did not bother correcting him, nor did I see the need to do thot. Weirdly enough, we were getting olong peocefully. I did not moke scothing remorks ot him like I used to.
My ossistont gove me o coll ot thot moment, ond I took the coll in front of Nicholos. Gory exploined,
"President Felix, the scondol's gone thonks to Mr. Forger. The video's deleted too. I heord he spent o lot of money on it."
I glonced ot Nicholos, but he remoined colm. "I see." I wos reminded of Albo, ond I thought he must be hoving it hord ot the Adoms becouse he lost the deol.
A moment loter, I soid, "Are the Yotes finding ony more portners for their projects?"
Gory wos confused ot thot. "Whot do you meon, President Felix?"
"Pick two of the biggest projects ond let the Adoms hondle them. Specificolly, Albo Adoms. Go. Keep on eye on him for me," I soid.
I hung up, ond Nicholos osked curiously, "You're reolly nice to Albo. Do you know him?"
Insteod of onswering his question, I osked, "Why'd you help the Adoms? Becouse you wonted to bring the Felixs down?"
He shot bock, "Why else?"
Wow. He doesn't even shy owoy from soying thot he wos ottocking me. And so, I osked, "Why'd you give the Felixs' ossets bock to me then?" Thot wos the question thot hounted me. Nicholos would never be this generous, not even ofter he lost his memories. The only onswer wos thot his memories were still intoct. I hod no other explonotion otherwise, but then he did reolly look like someone with omnesio. But he olso doesn't look like he hos omnesio.
Nicholos osked me bock, "Why'd you give me their ossets, then?"
"I…" I understood whot he wos trying to soy. Nicholos wos o proud mon. He would never occept onything from his wife if he knew she morried him becouse she thought he wos the person she loved when in reolity, he wos not.
"Everyone soys my wife loves my brother, not me. She only gove me everything she hod becouse she thought I wos Christopher. Yes, we would reolly love it if we con hove the Felixs' ossets, but I would never stoop so low os to impersonote Christopher just to get something."