Elara's POV

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I want to know now. Who is this man?”

They all exchanged a glance again. That same silent conversation they kept having with their eyes. But something was off this time. Their faces didn’t look annoyed or cautious. They looked… shocked."

“Ma’am,” Mrs. Chen said slowly, each word sounding like it weighed more than the last, “did you… forget your boyfriend?”

My breath hitched.

“My what?”

“Your boyfriend,” Lily said, stepping closer like I might break. “The young master. He’s… "well, he’s your boyfriend.”

I blinked. Once. Twice. I looked at all three of them. “You’re kidding.”

But none of them were laughing.

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” I said, flat and certain.

Mrs. Chen’s face was drained of colour. “But you and the young master… you’ve been living here, together. You’re very close. You’ve been…”

“No,” I cut in. “I was married. Past tense. And I got divorced. A month ago. It was….” I paused, counting backwards. “Yes. Right before the accident.”

Their eyes widened like I’d just spoken another language.

“That’s not right,” the man said, his voice tight with confusion. “He brought you here. Himself. You’re his…” he hesitated.

“I’m his nothing,” I snapped. “I’ve never met him. I don’t know who he is. I’ve never seen his face. I do not have a boyfriend.”

Silence fell. It was hard and thick.

“Maybe the accident… maybe it affected your memory,” Mrs. Chen offered, soft but serious. “Head trauma can sometimes cause—”

“My memory is fine,” I said, sharper than I meant to. “I remember everything I need to. I remember my husband looking me in the face and telling me I wasn’t enough. I remember him tossing papers at me like trash. I remember walking out, crying. And I remember a car. That’s it. That’s how I got here.”

Lily’s eyes shimmered. “But you and the young master—”

“There is no me and anyone,” I said. “I don’t care what you’ve been told. This isn’t a fairy tale.”

They exchanged another look. This one wasn’t confusion, it was more like concern.

“Ma’am,” Mrs. Chen said again, quieter this time, like she was afraid I might shatter, “maybe you should lie down. When he returns, he’ll explain. You’ll understand then.”

“I don’t want to understand,” I said. I turned toward the door. “I want to leave. That’s all.”

The man moved in front of me. Not aggressively… but like a wall that wasn’t going to move.

“You can’t leave,” he said.

I narrowed my eyes. “Watch me.”

“Please,” Mrs. Chen reached out and gently held my arm. “You’re still healing. You shouldn’t push yourself.”

“I’m fine.” I pulled away. I wasn’t fine. My body felt like it was made of glass, and my head was throbbing. But I wasn’t about to admit that.

“You’ve been unconscious for a month,” Lily said. “Just… let your body recover a little longer.”

“I’ll recover elsewhere,” I said. “I don’t want to stay here.”

“We understand,” Mrs. Chen said softly. “But… he left instructions. Until he returns, you’re not supposed to leave.”

I stared at her. “Instructions? Am I a guest or a prisoner?”

“You’re not a prisoner,” she said quickly. “It’s just… he was very clear. He said you’d be disoriented. That you might… say strange things.”

“I’m not saying strange things,” I said. “I’m saying my things. My truth. And in my truth, I don’t know that man, and I didn’t agree to this.”

“But the medical bills…” Lily started.

“I’ll repay every cent,” I said. “Just give me his number. I’ll call. I’ll explain. But I won’t stay here waiting for someone I don’t even remember.”

"It's not the money," Mrs. Chen said.

"Then what is it?" I was tired. Tired of their looks. Their whispers.

They glanced at each other again. Of course.

"It’s… your safety," the man finally said.

I blinked. "My safety?" I laughed. Not a happy laugh. "You think I’m safer here? In a stranger’s house?"

"He’s not a stranger," Mrs. Chen tried.

I shook my head. "To me, he is. I don’t know him. I don’t care how much he’s done. I don’t know him."

"Ma’am…"

"No," I said, cutting her off. "How long am I supposed to stay here? Huh? A day? A month? What?"

Silence. Again.

"Soon," Mrs. Chen said.

"What does that even mean?" I snapped. "Is that a day? An hour? Next year?"

"He’s away," Lily said, voice low. "Business trip."

I stared at her. "And?"

"A week. Maybe less," the man said. Barely.

I just stared at him. A week? "So I’m just supposed to sit here? Wait? For someone I don’t even remember?"

"Please keep your voice down," Mrs. Chen said.

"No!" I shouted. "This is messed up! You can’t just keep me here."

"We’re not keeping you," the man said. "We’re trying to protect you."

I let out a sharp breath. "From what?"

"From... yourself," Mrs. Chen murmured.

I paused. Then scoffed. "Right. Because I’m such a threat."

"You’re not okay," Lily whispered. "You’re not ready."

"Not ready? I’ve been alone most of my life, and I think I know how to be on my own."

They looked uncomfortable again. Good.

"You think this is helping?" I continued. "I was hit by a car, yeah. I got divorced. Everything I had just... gone. And now I wake up here and I’m someone’s girlfriend?"

They didn’t speak.

I laughed again, but it didn’t sound right. "I’ve been through worse. Trust me. I’ll live."

"Just…" please stay until he’s back," Mrs. Chen said.

"I want to leave. Now."

"You knew him," Lily said suddenly. Her voice cracked. "You did. You had to. He wouldn’t have done all this if you didn’t."

"Then... then he made a mistake," I muttered. "I'm not his girlfriend. I'm not his anything."

Nobody spoke. Again.

"One week," I said, louder. "That's it. If he’s not back, I’m gone. I don’t care who he is or what you say."

"He’ll come back," Mrs. Chen said quickly. Too quickly.

"He better," I said under my breath. "Because I’m not... I’m not doing this long term."

I turned back toward the bed and sat down. Legs shaking. Pretended they weren’t.

"Fine. I’ll wait." I looked away. "But not because I want to. Just... I don’t have anywhere else right now."

That's not totally true. If I really wanted to, I’d find a way out. But my brain felt like mush. Everything hurts. And I was scared. Not of them, maybe. Not exactly. But scared all the same. Of the silence. The confusion. That someone out there thought I was theirs.

"Thank you," Mrs. Chen said, exhaling like she’d been holding her breath.

"Don’t," I said. "Don’t thank me. This isn't... this isn’t a favour."

"Would you like something to eat?" Lily asked, voice quiet. Careful.

I wanted to say no. But my stomach said otherwise.

"Maybe," I said.

"I’ll get something," she said and slipped out.

"I’ll call the doctor too," Mrs. Chen added. "To check on you."

"I don’t need a doctor," I said.

"You do," she said, not budging. "You were unconscious for a month. That’s not nothing."

I opened my mouth to push back, but... no energy left. Just air.

"Whatever."

I sank into the bed.

They were almost at the door when I said, "Wait."

They turned.

"If you’re lying….if this is some scam or trap or... whatever. I’ll figure it out. I will. And if you’ve done anything to me..." My throat closed up. "You’ll regret it."

Mrs. Chen stepped forward slightly. "We’re not lying. I swear to you. No one here would ever hurt you."

"You better not," I said. "Because I swear, if you do, I’ll make your lives hell."

They left.

I was alone again.

I stared at the ceiling. It's not my ceiling. Not my bed. Not my life.

A week.

I could do it for a week.

Right?

They didn’t hurt me when I was unconscious. So they probably wouldn’t now.

Probably.

I closed my eyes.

And tried not to cry.