In Place of Losing My Memory, I Remembered That I Was the Fiancée of the Capture Target - Chapter 1.6
Patrick visited again three days later.
My fever had finally subsided, but I was still unable to get out of bed because my legs were weak.
As I sat up in bed, Patrick held out a small box in front of me.
“Here, something for you.”
“Thank you.”
I took the box and opened it to find a pendant with a large, drop-shaped green stone inside.
“Beautiful…”
“Emeralds are said to be effective in warding off evil spirits and curing illnesses. But well, it’s just a comforting charm.”
The color of the beautiful sparkle was similar to the color of Patrick’s eyes.
“Let’s put it on.”
Patrick took the pendant from the box.
“Can you move your hair away?”
“Uh…yes.”
I ran my hands through my hair as he urged me to do so, and he placed the hand holding the pendant around my neck.
The touch of his fingertips on my neck makes me shiver.
The fever should have gone down, but my body temperature rises again.
Patrick fastened the clasp of the pendant as he looked at me.
“Ah, it looks good on you.”
He took his hand away and looked at me, nodding with a satisfied smile.
“Thank you….”
I replied…too embarrassed to look at his face.
As I looked down, he suddenly took my hand in his.
“I see you don’t have a fever anymore.”
His large hand wraps around mine and grasps it.
“You still can’t get up?”
“Well…yes…I still can’t get my legs strong enough…”
At first it was as if I was paralyzed.
I could not feel it when I touched it, and it didn’t even seem like it’s my own leg.
As the fever subsided, the feeling returned, but I still couldn’t stand up.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I hope it gets better soon.”
I couldn’t help but look up at Patrick’s words.
The look on his face as he stares at me shows genuine concern…Is he really as dangerous as Theodore had said?
“Are you in pain?”
“…No.”
“Feeling uncomfortable anywhere?
“I’m fine…”
Holding my hand in his, his other hand touched my cheek.
The way he gently caressed my cheek, the way he looked at me…it was so gentle.
”Um…. Patrick-sama.”
I called as I stared back at him, unable to look away from his emerald eyes that were staring at me.
“I heard from my family that we don’t get along.”
The hand holding my hand trembled.
“Is it true?”
At first, I thought it would be impolite to ask him.
I had asked my parents about it, but their answers were a bit vague.
Theodore gets in a bad mood when he talks about Patrick.
It’s something I don’t understand even if I had tried, and since I’m concerned about it, I have no choice but to ask the person in question.
“———I would say we don’t get along well…”
Patrick answered, stammering.
“I was hated by you.”
“…huh…”
I opened my eyes.
“Why…?”
“That’s what I want to hear. Ever since we met for our engagement, you haven’t even tried to make eye contact with me. Even when I talked to you, you didn’t respond…we were fiancées in name only.”
Did I…do that…?
My heart tightens when I see those green eyes that are clouded with sadness.
“…I…I…I’m sorry.”
I looked down.
“I…did such a terrible thing…”
“But you probably don’t remember anything right now.”
The hand that had been touching my cheek tightened and made me look up.
“Do you hate me?”
“No…no…”
I’ve only met him twice so far, so I think I don’t dislike him.
Besides…maybe I know him.
In someone else’s memory, not Alexia’s.
I don’t think I disliked Patrick in that memory…maybe I didn’t.
“Then it’s fine. I hope you don’t hate me from now on.”
Patrick narrowed his eyes.
“Xia, may I call you Xia?”
“Y-yes…”
“Call me Rick.”
“Rick… sama.”
“I don’t want a ‘sama’. It’s a sign of trust to let someone call you by your nickname.”
The hand on her cheek was moved to her shoulder and pulling her closer to the other person.
“– I’ve always wanted to touch Xia like this.”
With that, Patrick’s strong arms embraced me gently.