Chapter 21

“WHAT DID you say?” Alexander looked at Casey questioningly, “Monthly salary?”

Casey pressed her lips together. “Huh?” She clutched on the hemline of her blouse. “A scene inside a restaurant flashed in my memory, so I thought I worked in a restaurant before…” She avoided his eyes. “Am I? Do I have a career before the accident? Before I lost all my memories?”

Alexander’s brows furrowed. “Maybe what you remembered is when we’re having dinner in a restaurant,” he said. “You never had a job or have worked somewhere. You were the unica hija of one of the investors back then.”

“Where are my parents? Why am I not seeing them since I woke up from a coma?” Casey asked, trying to divert the topic from what slipped in her mouth. “They’re supposed to be here, right? It’s been months since I gained consciousness—”

“Amara,” Alexander cut off. “They’re both dead,” he said and poured wine on a champagne glass. “You want to try our new label?”

“My parents are dead?” Casey asked. She’s not Amara, but why she felt hurt about it? “Since when?” She walked towards the bar and occupied a stool in front of Alexander.

“Since you’re a kid.” He offered her the glass. “You don’t want to talk about it. I know…”

Casey held the glass and looked at it. Why this woman doesn’t want to talk about her parents? She drank on the glass and savored the sweet and sour taste of the wine. “It’s good,” she commented and looked at the bottle in Alexander’s hand. “What’s the name?”

“It doesn’t have a name yet,” Alexander replied and looked closely at the bottle contents. “Do you have a suggestion?”

I need the phone… Casey wanted to say, but she controlled herself. If she kept on mentioning the phone, Alexander would suspect her. “I don’t have any in mind. I’m not really good on names.”

Alexander laughed. “You’re right about that,” he said. “Even our daughter’s name didn’t come from you. When the nurse asked you what’s the name of your baby girl, you told them to ask me because you didn’t prepare any—”

“Enough,” Casey cut off. She couldn’t bear to hear the bad things that Amara did to Billie. Tears stung her eyes. That little angel doesn’t deserve those things. “I told you, I don’t want to hear anything about my past… It kills me.”

Alexander cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. I thought you wanted to regain at least some of your memories—”

“I wanted to remember it all spontaneously,” she said. “And, not by hearing it from the people that surround me. I feel as if I’m such a bad mother and a wife before the accident… I feel as if I don’t deserve this second life that I have now…”

You really don’t deserve it, bitch. Casey said in her mind, that’s why I am here now, but saving your ass is not part of my plans. I will destroy you and whoever you’re with.

“Maybe the reason why you survived the accident is to make it up with Billie…” Alexander leaned on the counter and looked straight into her eyes. “And to me…”

Casey swallowed hard. Why did the heavens give you this wonderful man as your husband? Casey felt envious of Amara. Because despite the things she did to him in the past, he’s still willing to accept her and give her a second chance.

“Maybe…” Casey murmured, gazing at his handsome face. “Or maybe not?” 

Alexander’s brows slightly furrowed. His eyes showed confusion for what she said.

“Maybe I survived the accident for some reasons…” She looked at him. “Perhaps, revealing what’s meant to be exposed?”

“What do you mean?” Alexander asked him. “Can you remember now?”

Casey shook her head. “I don’t remember anything. I just felt it…”

___________________

“AMARA, here you are, I’ve been looking for you around,” Esperanza hooked to her arm and pulled her away from the corner that she’s in. “I thought you’ve already left the event.”

Casey forced a smile on her face. “How will I do that? Alexander’s not with me—”

“That’s good news,” the woman said and smiled at her wickedly. “It means you have all the time to our pending plans.”

“Plans?” Casey knotted her forehead. She looked at where they’re heading, and she found a group of men having a conversation. They all looked rich and powerful. “What are we going to do?”

Esperanza squeezed her arm. “I know you’ll act natural because it’s your nature. I’ll introduce you to some of the businessmen here, then you’ll have a conversation with them.”

“About what?” she asked, confused about what this woman is telling her to do.

“About the things that will make them crave for you…” She said and dragged her towards them. “You’re a pro for this, Amara.”

Casey’s chest hammered. She didn’t insist on Alexander bringing her to this charity event despite their argument earlier about the phone just to flirt with other men. She looked at the men and flinched. They all looked like they left their wives at home to take care of their children while they’re having a single life here. Casey rolled her eyes when one of the men shifted his gaze at her.

“Madam Montefort,” the man greeted Esperanza. “Is she your daughter?”

“Yes. She’s Amara,” Esperanza introduced her. “Amara, this is David Carvajal, the owner of the largest Basi Winery here in Ilocos.”

The man offered his hand to her. “It’s nice to meet you, Amara.”

Casey smiled sweetly at the man. This David Carvajal looked in his late thirties. He’s handsome and hot, but there’s something in his eyes that’s telling Casey to keep a distance from him.

“The pleasure is mine, David,” she said, faking a smile as he brought her knuckles to his lips. “And, by the way, I am the wife of Alexander Montefort.”

The man smiled knowingly. “I know,” he said, not letting go of her hand. “I know, Amara.”

Casey pressed her lips together. Why she’s having a bad feeling while talking to him? “Really?” she asked. “Then, you should let go of my hand.”

Esperanza touched her arm. “Alexander is not around. You can have a small talk with him on his table.”

Casey’s brows slightly furrowed. She pulled her hand from David, but the man wouldn’t let go. She looked at Esperanza questioningly. But the woman just nodded at her. She looked around for Alexander, but the man was out of her sight.

“Shall we, Amara?” Alejandro asked and pulled her hand. “I have a lot of things to discuss with you—”

“What are the things that you wanted to discuss with my wife, Mr. Carvajal?” Alexander appeared behind the man and grabbed his arm. “Let go of her hand.”

Casey pulled free her hand from the man and stood behind Alexander. When she looked for Esperanza, she can’t find her. She just disappeared when Alexander came to them.

“I thought Amara wanted to talk about the basi wines that I make,” the man replied and looked at her. “Right, Amara?”

Casey scooted closer to Alexander. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said and clung to Alexander’s arm.

“Who gave you permission to call my wife in her first name?” Alexander’s voice was stern and dangerous. “Do you know each other?”

“I don’t know him,” Casey replied quickly. “Esperanza brought me here—”

“Not here, Amara,” Alexander said and looked at her. “Not here.”

***