Chapter 97

César
The days were strange and monotonous, to the point where staying locked up had become unbearable. Work had been my daily routine, and now that all I could do was rest, I felt like I would lose my mind at any moment. My wounds weren’t physical like those of the other survivors, but my mind was clouded. Sometimes, I found myself staring at a fixed point, mesmerized, as if trying to remember something vital. It felt like I was missing a fundamental piece, and just when I was about to answer myself, the response slipped away, elusive.
—“César, are you okay?”
Belladona’s voice pulled me out of my daze. Seeing her, an inexplicable feeling of disappointment washed over me. Why? Our relationship had never been perfect. Deep down, I sensed that she had deceived me, and yet, I was about to marry her. After all, I only needed a woman who wouldn’t give me trouble and would look good by my side. But then... why did I feel so uneasy?
—“How are my tests going? I want to get out of this damn hospital.”
My aunt, Ester Montenegro, looked at me with concern while peeling an apple for me. Belladona, maintaining her composure, replied with a fake smile:
—“Your cousin has already taken charge of your case, so don’t worry, darling.”
—“How many days was I missing?”
—“Two weeks. The search party wanted to call off the search, but I decided it was best to look for you myself.”
My aunt frowned, angry. I could feel her displeasure and couldn’t help but ask:
—“What’s wrong? Do you have something to say to me?”
—“César, Belladona wasn’t the only one keeping track of your search.” —Her eyes fixed on the woman beside me with intensity—. “Or have you forgotten the days you went to the beach and stayed at the hotel while they were still looking for César?”
—“M-my health is delicate, Aunt. My skin suffers from the sun, but I was always very worried about him.”
—“Don’t call me Aunt. You’re not part of the family yet, and that decision is up to César.”
I sighed in frustration and changed the subject:
—“I need to talk to Joffre. Why hasn’t he come to see me?”
—“I stopped him. I don’t want you to be overwhelmed with too much information. In the meantime, I ordered him to take care of the company in your absence.”
—“I only have some memory loss. From what I’ve heard, I haven’t forgotten anything important. I want to get out of this hellish hospital.”
—“I agree,” Belladona interjected. “He already knows what’s most important. His health is as strong as a bull’s, Aunt.”
—“I am Ester Montenegro. I don’t want you to call me Aunt. I’ll find your cousin so he can talk to you about your discharge.”
She left the plate with the apple on the table and walked out with firm steps.
—“What’s her problem with you?” I asked Belladona.
—“She’s upset because I want to take care of you, but in the future, she’ll thank me for it.”
Suddenly, the door opened, and Keylef walked in. His cold gaze landed on Belladona.
—“Please leave.”
She scowled in irritation but grabbed her things and left without a word.
—“So, you finally decided to visit me,” I said sarcastically. “Why aren’t you looking after the company while I’m here?”
—“You know that’s not for me. But I didn’t come to argue, I just wanted to see how you’re doing.”
—“How do you think I’m doing? Without memories and locked up.”
—“So it’s true that you forgot her...”
—“What? Who?”
He fell silent, shook his head, and murmured:
—“Nothing important.”
—“Your girlfriend, right? The blonde girl I saw with the search party.”
—“My girlfriend?”
—“Yeah, Belladona told me about her. I don’t care what you do with her, but make sure she doesn’t become a problem for the family.”
Keylef looked at me coldly.
—“You don’t care about people or their feelings. You think they’re just furniture that moves at your whim.”
—“I don’t care what you think. I’m trying to protect the family name, something you’ve never done.”
—“Fine, you brought this on yourself. I’ll stay with her... and I won’t let you take her from me this time.”
I put a hand to my head. A sharp pain settled in my temple. Something wasn’t right.
—“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Just leave and do whatever you want, as always.”
Without looking back, Keylef left the room. I stayed there, silent, feeling an inexplicable emptiness in my chest. Something inside me screamed that there was something I needed to remember... something that was about to change everything.