CHAPTER 3

ALLEN

"Oh, this is great. The patient is awake," She said, smiling at me.

I couldn't believe my eyes. Was I dreaming or was I dead?

I stared at Juleka, who came before me, placing her back hand on my forehead, and asking, "How do you feel?"

This was no dream! I could feel Juleka's touch!

She drew her hand from me, looking a bit puzzled.

"I hope he's not broken," She directed the question to the nurse, touching me on my cheek.

I could feel her smooth hand caressing my face.

"Get Doctor Verman please, " She requested from the nurse, who left us to attend the errand.

"You'll be alright, Mr Cadell," She assured me, giving a curve to the side of her lip.

My entire body came triggering at her touch. I buried myself in her caress, wanting to feel more of her.

"Mr Cadell, I hope you're okay?" She asked.

"Juleka," I called her name, as she gazed back at me in astonishment.

"How did you know my name?" She asked, acting weird.

Juleka chuckled, talking about her role as a Doctor and how so many patients knew her.

"You must have heard my name from..."

Before she could complete her statement, I pulled Juleka down, locking my lips with hers.

She moaned amidst the kiss, driving my desperation and desire to a high peek.

Juleka broke the kiss, drifting back with speed away from me.

Shock written all over her face, as she drew closer to the door, panting out like one who was facing death.

This took my mind to the past, reminding me that Juleka left because of my behavior towards her.

And I don't want her leaving me again.

"I need to make peace with her, " I decided.

"Juleka, hear me out," I said, trying to get out of bed.

"Mommy!" The voice of a child came in, followed by a little boy rushing into the room, and hugging Juleka.

He kept calling her his mother, leaving me confused.

"What's going on?" I uttered, staring at a petrified Juleka, who lifted the little one into her arms.

But the moment is ruined when a familiar face came in, pecking Juleka on the cheek.

"Ben?" I recognized him.

He's an inspector in the police force. An annoying man that despises me for being famous.

I've never liked or wished to be around Ben, and now he's here pecking my wife?

"How's work going?" He asked, drawing nearer to Juleka.

His closeness to her sparked rage in me, sending me off my bed and directly at Ben.

I grabbed him by the collar, throwing a punch at his face, as I warned him to stay off Juleka.

"Ben!" Juleka screamed in fear, while the little boy in her hold cried out.

My action got two other doctors and a security, rushing in and grabbing me off Ben, while Juleka ran away with the boy.

"Juleka! Juleka!!" I yelled, calling out to her, but she didn't listen. The doctors managed to put me down.

"Why you bastard!" Ben charged at me, almost throwing a punch at my face.

Luckily for me, the security had pulled him back quickly.

"How dare you attack me?!"

"How dare you touch my wife?!" I roared back.

"Your wife?" Ben looked confused, glancing at the doctors then at me.

I repeated my words, claiming Juleka as my wife. But Ben called me a liar, saying he's Juleka's husband.

"Husband? You bloody fool! She's not your wife!" I struggled to attack him, but the doctors forced me down once again.

"Mr Cadell, pull yourself together!" They yelled.

Ben demanded for a proof, and I was so glad that I had a picture of my contract with Juleka in my phone, showing it to Ben and the doctors.

They looked astonished to see that Allen Cadell was indeed married.

"I don't believe you. You must have cooked this up just to get closer to her. I won't allow you to near my Juleka," Ben threatened, leaving the room.

I was so mad that I tried to go after him and put him in his place, but the doctors wouldn't let me, saying that I can't be Juleka's husband.

"Why? Didn't you see the proof? We signed this eight years ago before she went missing five years back. She's my wife."

"That's the problem, Mr Cadell. Juleka only recognizes Inspector Ben as her husband."

"How?"

"Because she lost her memory."

I was stunned to hear this from them.

They went on to reveal how she was found by Ben, who took her in after she recovered but couldn't remember anything from three years ago from the day she was found.

Meaning she doesn't remember signing a contract with me, nor does she remember what occurred before she attempted suicide.

"We're sorry, " They apologized, leaving me alone in my room.

"No, she can't forget me. Juleka can't forget."

I wasn't ready to accept that from the doctors. After searching for Juleka for so long and finally seeing her again, they're telling me she lost her memories?

"Pedro. I have to call him."

I contacted my friend and business partner, who was stunned to hear about my accident, rushing down to see me.

"What happened bro? How did you get into an accident?" He asked when he arrived.

But I didn't call him for that.

I told Pedro about Juleka and how she was alive. He was stunned and requested to know where she was.

I told him the problem on ground, about her loss of memories and Ben being her husband.

He was stunned.

"Inspector Ben? That grumpy man is her husband?"

"That's what he said, but he can't have. Juleka is my wife," I stamped.

Concerning Juleka's memory loss, Pedro suggested that we speak to the doctors to know what can be done.

"If she remembers her past, you can fully claim your right over her, " He said.

I agreed with him, following him to one of the Doctor's office.

We asked for a solution to Juleka's case, in which he shared.

"If you want Juleka to remember the past, you'll have to relive old memories with her. All the things you know that would spark her feelings for you, you have to carry that out. But mind you, this is a risky task," He warned.

"We prefer the patient to regain their memories with time, than trying to force them. If they are forced, it might lead to a damage in the brain. So, what's it going to be? " He asked me.

I just stared in confusion, not sure of what I wanted.