Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Three Years Ago Natalia’s POV “What? Where did this come from?”

I almost laugh out loud.

That is the most ridiculous I’ve ever heard. I’m literally shaking with laughter.

Before I moved to Miami for good, Jenna flied here once and stayed with me for a week to help me pack. She met Eason a few times that summer. 1 But it was such a long time ago! And they didn’t even speak to each other. So something is definitely wrong with her memory.

“You got it wrong. We were friends, but nothing more. In fact, I saw him dated at least 4 girls that summer. I even had dinners with his girlfriend! Do you still think he had a crush on me?”

Jenna frown, shaking her head in perplexity. “No, I’m pretty sure about it. He used to stare at you in a funny way, like he was ready to take you as his personal prisoner any minute.”

“Ewww, gross!” I shiver in disgust. “You are totally fantasizing things. He was probably just sick of me following him around.”

“No! I know it for sure because-”

“Because?”

“One day you were out with your dad and I was waiting for you in your room. He came knocking on your door, with a bouquet and a letter in his hands. When I told him that you weren’t here, he asked me to give the flower and the letter to you. He didn’t seem like his usual self that day. He was shy and stuttered a lot. It was kind of cute though. But he seems like a total asshole now.”

I’m stunned.

I have absolutely no memory of this.

“Wait. Wait, wait, wait. Back up,” I hold up my hand and stop her. “When was this exactly? And where did you leave the flower and letter?”

“On your desk! I didn’t stay till you get back, so I just put them on your desk. Oh, and that was like a week before we left for Miami.”

I think hard for a moment and suddenly remember that day.

I went to school with my dad to get my paperwork done. When we got home, we even bumped into Mr.

Ramirez, Ms. Griswold and Eason on the doorstep. They were heading out for a charity event. Mom was upset about Mr. Ramirez going out with his ex-wife, so I ordered pizza and stayed with her.

Me and mom talked for a long time that night, about her marriage and her new life. So I remember that day vividly.

But I have zero memory of the flower and letter.

“Wait…” Jenna gasps. “Don’t tell me you never get his flower and letter.”

“Well, I didn’t! Are you sure you left it on my desk?”

“Of course! Where else would I put it? It was sitting on your desk when I left your room. I swear.”

But I didn’t get it. For sure.

If both of us are telling the truth and none of us suffer from memory loss, then there’s only one explanation “Someone took it before you came back,” Jenna murmurs.

A shiver travels down my spine immediately.

So Eason did give me a flower and letter three years ago. But hat’s the letter about? What was he trying to tell me?

And most importantly, who came into my room and took those things without me knowing?

“So who was in your home that day?” Jenna asks.

“Well…” I try hard to think back. “There was me and my mom of course. Mr. Ramirez and Ms. Griswold was also there before I got home. And there were a few maids. So I guess 5-6 people?”

I don’t think any of the maids would take my stuff away without my permission.

That left me with three people, Mr. Ramirez, Ms. Griswold and my mom.

And Eason, if he came back and retrieved those things himself.

“I bet it’s that old hag!” Jenna cries, waving her fists furiously in the air. “How could she”

Yet before she finishes, the door suddenly opens. We snap our head back and find Eason standing by the door with a tray of food.

His eyes light up immediately when he sees me.

“Thank god you are awake,” he strides over and kisses me on my forehead. “Your mom would skin me alive if anything happened to you. She is venting it all on my dad right now.”

Jenna suddenly cried out in surprise, pointing a finger at us and yells, “What the hell? You-are you guys —”

“Shh. No one knows about it yet!” I shush her. “I’ll tell you in a minute.”

She pouts and mutters some complaints. When Eason turns around to fix my food, she mouths me:

Ask him!

I gulp, suddenly feeling a little nervous.

“So Eason...?”

“Yeah.”

“Three years ago, and you’ve probably already forgotten about it…but before I left, you went into my room and gave me some flowers? And a letter? Do you remember?”

A silence fills the room.

I hold my breath waiting anxiously for his reply, and so does Jenna. Yet Eason doesn’t say anything for a long time. He slowly pours a carton of milk into the glass and turns at me, his lips curving up a little.

“Did I?” he asks in a light tone. “I forgot.”

Jenna is such a hot temper, and she cries out immediately, “No way! How could you forget? It’s a week before she left and—”

“No. Doesn’t ring a bell. Sorry,” he shrugs and hands me the milk.

Jenna wants to say something, but I stop her with a look.

It’s odd. Something happened but Eason doesn’t want to talk about it. If he decides to keep his mouth shut, there’s nothing we can do to force out the truth. Plus, I have some trust issues with him. I’d rather find out the truth myself than ask for his side of the story.

He watches me drink the milk and says, “I’ll go see if they are done talking with the lawyer. Your mom will interrogate you later. Don’t let it slip.”

Oh shoot! I almost forgot. There’s still that business with Zack! So did he die? Did they know I was kidnapped? What should I say to mom!

I want to ask him to stay so we can work on our story together. But Eason has already turned around and left, like running away from a crime scene.

Jenna stares at his back and snorts, “That dude just gets weirder and weirder. You know what? I’ll help you find it out. Maybe he’s planning on something super evil and wicked and you didn’t know about it.

We’ll unmask the villain’s veil together.”

I sign, “Eason got a tight mouth. If he doesn’t want to tell, you can’t get it out of him.”

“From him, probably not. But he has friends, right? Maybe we can poke around and see if his friends know anything?”

That’s not a very bad idea actually.

“He does have a very close friend James,” I say thoughtfully. “I’ll introduce you guys later.”

Eason’s POV I let them know that Nat is awake and head out myself. I need some air.

I’m a little fidgety, probably because too much has happened in the past two days. So I sit on the bench outside for a long time before taking out my phone and call James.

He picks up on the first ring. “Hey man! Everything OK? You all disappeared right after the dance. What happened?! All guests are still talking about it. Rumors are flying everywhere! And what about your revenge plan on Nata”

I interrupt his ranting, “We’ll forget about the plan and put it behind us now.”

“…What?” he sounds shocked.

I take in a deep breath and clear my mind. Her face appears in my head again, which suddenly makes me feel more determined about my decision.

“She was kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend Zack. And I went to save her,” I say in a low voice.

“What?!! Fuck why did he—”

“And I realized that I would do anything for her just to keep her safe. So no one can hurt her, and that includes me.”

I prepare myself before continuing.

“… I think I’m in love with her.”

The moment I say that, all the frustration and anxiousness in my heart vanish like magic.

Yes, I love her.

I have been loving her for a very long, long time. Can’t lie to myself anymore.

I set a huge trap for her but it’s me who end up fallen.

James is too shocked to say anything for a long time. But he eventually sighs, “I’d be lying if I said I never thought of this. So…abort the plan?”

“Yeah. And keep your mouth shut about everything. She even mentioned three years ago today. I don’t know why, probably to test me or something. But I swept it under the rug. So just don’t go near that subject,” I warn him.

“OK, OK, chill. I won’t say anything if you don’t. So what now? Just happily ever after?”

I can’t help but smile, picturing my future with her.

“Yeah, I guess so. We’ll still have to face my dad and her mom, and my mom of course. But basically…

happily ever after. Yes.”

We’ll be the happiest couple on earth if she doesn’t know what I planned.

So she can never find out about it. Absolutely not.