Chapter 22: Who Is She?
Lacey Lee welcomed her second child, Jay with a hug inside the mansion. She misses Jay so much but the problem is, she can't help but to feel nervous if Jay could remember her now that he has amnesia.
The time Lacey found out that Jay was in an accident, Lacey lost consciousness about that news. When she finally woke up and Jay was in the ICU, Lacey decided to move him to a better hospital. In Toronto, Canada. She sent him there so he could have better treatment.
She felt relieved when she heard that Jay's operation went well but consequences happened. When he wakes up, he cannot remember the people who's close to him. His personal doctor who's with him while he's healing and his uncle, Lacey's brother who was always there with him in Toronto, cannot remember them either.
Lacey even lied to Ethan, Jake and Hoon about Jay. She said he's somewhere safe and he's busy. That's why the three didn't bother asking her anymore.
But a year later, the three went furious while entering the mansion to talk with her. That's when Lacey knew that they found out that she's lying. Thanks to Jake who's very good at hacking every database of different companies, hospitals and many more.
"Thank you for staying with him for three years, Luke."
Her brother nodded and patted Jay's shoulder. "No worries. What's important is that Jay can finally remember me now."
Lacey looked at his son. Jay felt her vision so he glanced at her. No emotion on his face.
She slowly touched his cheek. "Jay… c-can you remember me?" He remained silent. "It's me, your mother. Don't you remember me, my son?"
She waited for him to answer but seconds passed, he didn't speak. She hopelessly sighed and motioned him to sit down on the couch.
"I'm going to make some tea." She said and about to go to the kitchen when she heard him speak.
"Mom."
Without blinking, she turned to him and hugged him tight while sobbing. "Thank God you remember me."
"M-Mom, I can't b-breathe."
She gasped and immediately let him free from her tight hug. "Oh, sorry, my son. I just missed you so much."
"Bro!"
"Hyung!"
"You're back, jackass!"
As if on cue, Ethan, Jake and Hoon suddenly appeared at the mansion. It's now midnight and based on Jay's expectation, they just came to a bar because he smelled alcohol when they entered.
But before they could even hug Jay, their mother stopped them.
"Hold right there, my sons. You know that your brother is sick, right?" She looks back to Jay with an apologetic look then brings back her gaze to the three. "Give him some time and let him rest. Maybe someday… he will remember you--"
"It's okay." Jay interfered. "I can clearly remember these fuckers."
The three gentlemen laugh and rush to him and they did a group hug.
"H-Hey! Get off me!" Jay shouted.
They didn't let him go. Not until when their mother spoke.
"Oh hey, Riley. Come in. How's school?"
RILEY BITED her lower lip and looks down on her stiletto. She feels awkward at the atmosphere when Jay looks at her. The same look as he looked at her at the Amusement Park.
"Bro, since you remembered us, I guess you can also remember her? She became part of the household here in the mansion." Jake pointed at her.
She stared back into his eyes. Hoping that he also remembers her.
His eyebrows furrowed. "Sorry but, who is she?"
Her world was torn apart when she heard that line. He looks at her like she's a complete stranger to him. Like they didn't have memories together three years ago.
The fact that she's the last person he saw before he went into an accident.
But it's somehow a good thing, right? I mean, if he remembers me, he will surely hate me.
And even though I'm being insensitive, I don't want him to hate me.
Riley sighed when she remembered what the three said to her earlier after she confessed that it's her fault why Jay has amnesia.
"It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself." Hoon said and patted her head softly.
"Yeah." Jake agreed. "It's his fate and hey, it already happened. He arrived safe and sound here in Seattle so let's just move on to that."
Ethan takes a shot of glass before he speaks. "They're right. Don't stress yourself thinking about that. Just focus on your studies. You said that your second semester is next week so relax and prepare yourself for the last semester." He smiled and winked at her.
They were so kindhearted towards her. Maybe they have known her for years. She just can't believe that they actually move forward about what happened to their brother and let it pass like a wind that fast.
"Uhm, Riley you promised that we're going to bake cupcakes, right?" Hoon broke the silence.
She felt relieved when Jay's stares at her cut off.
"Uh, yeah." She smiled. A forced one.
"Let's go?"
She nodded and followed Hoon to the kitchen.
Hoon is really a God saver. He saved her ass back there.
"Sorry about that. Jay hyung needs some time to rest and when he's fully recovered, he will now remember you." Hoon cheered her up.
She shrugged. "It doesn't matter. I'm just a nobody. What's more important is, he remembers you and your family."
Hoon readied the equipment and recipes that they will use on baking cupcakes.
"But I believe that someday, time will come that he will remember you. Anyways, how about continuing our unplanned script earlier?"
She chuckled and helped him.
"But what kind of cupcake are we going to bake anyway?" Hoon asked.
Riley smiled ear to ear in excitement. "Super moist chocolate cupcakes!"
Hoon frowned. "Wow, let's make many!"
They started to bake cupcakes in the middle of the night. To avoid Jay also.
Riley dictates to Hoon what to do or to get. In other words, Hoon became her assistant. He does whatever she tells and watches her mixing the bowl with buttermilk, cocoa powder, dutched cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and other ingredients.
"Make sure that the cupcakes taste good, alright?"
She rolled her eyes. "Yes, Master."
Hoon just laughed and watched her bake.
Baking was exhausting but with the help of Hoon, they only took two hours of baking. Now they just needed to put the cupcakes inside the oven and wait for fifteen minutes for it to complete.
In the middle of chit-chatting with Hoon while waiting for the cupcakes inside the oven, Jay entered the kitchen and opened the fridge to get some cold water.
He seems finding something because he still hasn't closed the fridge's door.
Riley approached him. "Do you need something?"
"Food."
"Uhm, what kind of food exactly?"
She jump a bit when he closes the door hard and faces her.
"I thought you knew me? I heard you've been a maid in this mansion for three years and counting so why the hell you still didn't know what my favorite food is?"
Riley was taken aback. The way he stares at her, it's very intimidating. His jaw was even clenching. Sign that he's angry.
She avoids his gaze. She couldn't bear his intimidating eyes. It scares her.
"Uhm, my apologies, Master Jay. I'll get your corn right away." She turned her back on him to ready his corn immediately so she ran towards the island counter.
"Wait."
She halted.
"Don't run."
She faced him. Then he pointed to her feet.
"You're still on your stiletto. You might slip if you let your stupidity."
She looked down on her feet and almost forgot that she stills on her stiletto for hours! How can she forget that her feet are already sore?!
"Go change. I'll just get my corn."
Riley cursed herself inside her head for so much embarrassment.
She's about to insist when Hoon speaks.
"Go on, I'll be guarding your cupcakes. Don't worry."
She nodded and changed into her slippers in an instant. And when she came back to the kitchen, she caught Jay biting a small amount of her cupcakes.
"Hey! Why are you eating my cupcakes?!"
Jay glared at her. "Why? Can't I have one?"
She pouted and looked at Hoon. Hoping that he helps her arguing with Jay.
The tip of his lips tugged up. Looks like he got her look.
He tapped Jay's shoulder. "Bro, I'm afraid that before you could even fully eat that cupcake, I suggest that…"
She couldn't hear what he was saying next because Hoon whispered something in his ear making Jay let go of his cupcake instantly like he burned his hands.
"What is it?" She asked in disbelief.
Hoon smirked. "Nothing. I just told him to beware."
"Beware of what?"
The two just laughed and Hoon didn't answer her question. Leaving her in the kitchen, dumbfounded.
I think he said something awful to Jay about my cupcakes.
Oh well, that's better. My cupcakes are gonna be all mine.
~amph1trite~