CHAPTER FIVE: MY ALL TO SAVE.

JAELLE

Anyone who heard my tale would raise their nose at me and scoff, thinking I was being ridiculous. How could my soul migrate into the body of a wealthy woman? Was it even possible?

“Mrs Montrose?” An unfamiliar voice called from the other side of the door. I stopped looking at myself in the mirror and turned to the door.

When my eyes had fluttered that morning, I was still stuck in the Montrose mansion. Bastina, my husband was nowhere to be found, and I wasn't even sure if he had slept in the room with me.

I was trying to memorise my face so it stayed with me; I needed to find out more about this woman's habits and life. Even if she lost her memory, there would be a few things that were supposed to be reflexes for her. If I didn't learn now, everyone was going to find out in no time that another soul was living in her.

“Mrs Montrose?” The voice called again, this time clearer and more similar to the maid from last night; it had urgency and fear. I walked over and pulled the door open. She jumped in her step and pulled a special glare.

“You could have just told me to come in, my lady; you didn’t need to come get the door,” she said.

‘Noted, Mrs Montrose didnt get the doors, and I shouldn’t either.’

“I was already close, so I…” I stopped myself from throwing a flimsy excuse around and took a step back.

“Mr Montrose asked me to get you for breakfast.”

‘What kind of wealth did they have to act like this was some kind of palace? ’

“Do you want me to help you get ready?” She went on as if it were a normal thing; my head began to shake slowly but stopped when I saw the seriousness on her face. “Or would you like to wait until after breakfast?”

I decided in that moment that this maid was the only person I wanted to trust now; she seemed to be close with the real Jaelle, and I needed someone close who was going to help me.

“You know I don’t remember anything, right?”

Her face morphed to confusion as she shifted from leg to leg. Okay, that means Bastina had managed to keep it under wraps. No one knew that my mind was gone, aside from everyone else in the room.

“I can’t remember anything or anyone, and I need your help.” She looked at me as if I were crazy to suggest that she help me with something.

“Let’s start simple. What is your name?”

“Nora,” she gave in. I sighed and nodded, trying to keep a memory of her name. “And in this situation, what would Jaelle do?”

“She always liked getting dressed before breakfast, but today Mr. Montrose is already at the table.”

“So I should go right?”

“Yes”

I went back to the front of the mirror and stared at myself; even though I was already living in it, I couldn't believe that it was real.

“By the way, Nora,” she looked at me through the mirror. “You can't tell anyone about our deal.”

“Deal?” Her voice squeaked with fear. Was Jaelle a tyrant? The kind that made you fearful? It didn't seem like that was the case at all.

Yesterday, her body seemed to tremble with fear when Lady Elenaor and Clarisse came. Why was Nora so terrified?

“You’re helping me.” I turned and gestured between us to suggest some kind of alliance.

She gulped hard and nodded. I stared at the dress I had been wearing since I walked in here and stepped out of the room. Nora followed behind, closely, as if she were afraid I was going to disappear.

“My love.” Bastina got up to greet me. He stretched his hand to me and pulled me down into the chair; I felt electricity travel from that hand down my entire body.

Did this man and Jaelle love each other? Were they a perfect couple? I looked at him, taking in all of the features on his face. He looked absolutely stunning; it was kind of uncanny.

“Do you feel better this morning?”

“I do,” I murmured as I slid into the chair he pulled out for me. At least after flying in the air from an accident under the rain, I had woken up married to a billionaire who seemed to love me.

“I am sorry I didn’t come get you for breakfast; I had something urgent to take care of.”

“It’s no problem.” He slid into his chair slowly.

He sat at the head of the table while I sat by his right. His hand slipped onto mine, and then he turned to the staff standing at the corner, signalling for them to serve the meal.

“I had the staff make your favourite meal.”

My favourite meal was a big bowl of beef bone soup, but they put a bowl of oats mixed in with strawberry milk and thinly cut strawberry slices.

“Just the way you like it,” he murmured.

Our eyes met, and I was not sure if he was teasing me or trying to figure out if I was the one in there. Oats had never been something I'd eat for the sake of it.

“Do I like oats?” I murmured, the words slipping out, his hand on mine squeezing tightly, followed by a sigh.

“Do you not even remember that? Does that mean you don’t remember your family either?”

“Family?” The word sounded strange to me. I had never had anyone to call family, growing up in an orphanage, and after I outgrew the system, I learnt to fend for myself. This woman had a family, one I had to know.

“It seems like you don’t,” he made a disappointed sound from the back of his throat. “Jaelle, none of that matters. I am by your side, and I’d never let you go.”

For a minute, I almost believed his words. Marcus had said those same words, but at the slightest chance he got, he tumbled into bed with my best friend and caused me to end up here. I couldn't fall for the words of a man, not now or in the future.

Yet this body I was in reacted to hearing those words, like she wanted them to be true, like they were her life motto, or like she had been waiting to hear him say it to her.

“Sure,” I said with a nod.

“About the party, if you think it would be too much, then you don't have to…”

“It’s fine.”

I had to find out about Jaelle and her life, who was around her, and what really happened. Why did she fall into a coma for such a long time? Everything was a bit confusing now, but I had to pull one thread after the other.

“Are you sure? Because I can cancel it. I was just so excited that you had woken up that I planned the party without considering you.”

“It really is okay,” I said, and silence fell between us, the steam of the oat making my face hotter than it should be.

“Is my family going to be there?” I suddenly asked.

He stayed shocked for a moment before he realized that his new normal was going to be answering obvious questions to his wife, who had lost her memory.

“You cut them off.”

“Oh.”

It didn't seem like Jaelle had a simple life either. Was this a real second chance, or was this a chance for me to feel real suffering?

“If you want me to bring them so it could jog your memory, then…” He trailed off as his second hand pressed on mine. “...I don’t mind.”

Had she cut them off for his sake? I nodded because I needed all the help I could get. Jaelle’s memories were somewhere in this body; I just needed the right tools to dig them out, and maybe a core memory from childhood was going to do the trick.

“If you’d allow it,” my voice came out weak and small.

“Now let’s eat.” He gestured to the food. I swallowed and picked up the spoon. The oats stayed in the mouth, the unfamiliar, oddly familiar taste lingering. Like I had eaten this a thousand times and would still agree to eat it a thousand more.

“Do you like it?”

I nodded in response, and a smile grew on his face. We sat in silence, the only noise the ticking of the old clock in the background. I made up my mind to explore the mansion after breakfast, hoping Jaelle was the kind of woman who wrote a diary or journal so I could get a peek into her life.

“Anya’s going to be here later at noon.”

“Anya?” My head whipped to him. He nodded slowly, the napkin wiping the corners of his mouth as my spoon dropped.

I knew I was taking it overboard, but I couldn’t shake off Sofia’s betrayal. What if Anya were exactly like her? Smiley faces with me while secretly betraying me because she couldn't stand to watch me have any good things.

“Do you not want her to come?”

“It’s okay.” Even if she was the enemy, I needed her close.

“I wanted to stay the entire day with you, but there are a few things I have to get to in the office.” He paused as if assessing my face. “Or I could cancel if you…”

“No,” my hand raised in the air as I waved it. He looked taken aback and relieved at the same time. “I can just look around and try to find something to help me remember.”

“You don’t have to force yourself,” he said, almost as if he was begging me not to try and push myself to remember. “Your health comes first,” he added.

He stretched his hand to me again, and I took it. He pulled me against him, and my chest collided with his. He was hard and firm, like he worked out just enough to make him desirable to the senses. I gasped and tried to ignore the swirling in my stomach.

“I don’t want to leave.” Did he mean it, or was he just saying it to get me to lower my guard? “Call me if anything happens; I will be home immediately.”

He leaned in and pressed one kiss on my forehead and another on my cheek. “Take care,” he said and was out of the room, leaving me alone.

“Mrs Montrose, would you like to have your bath now?” Nora came in almost immediately.

“Before then,” I said, a plan forming in my mind. “I’d like a tour of the house.”

“A tour of the…” She trailed off as if she was just realising what I had told her. “Of course.”

Jaelle, I might not have been able to save myself, but I am going to give it my all and save you.