CHAPTER 30

Sebastian's POV

It has been two weeks, and Emily still hasn't woken up. I was in the private room with her. I had been there all night long. I was exhausted, hungry, and my eyes hurt from lack of sleep, but I wanted to be right by her side for when she woke up, so she could look at me, and tell me how much she loves me, and say she wants to get married to me.

A knock came on the door. I looked up and saw her mother walking into the room with a large bouquet of roses.

"Hi," she greeted me.

"Good morning, Mrs. Hollen."

"Just call me Emma. You've been here all night, haven't you?"

I nodded yes.

"Sebastian, you look extremely drained. You can't carry on like this. Emily wouldn't want this for you. Why don't you head on home, freshen up, have a decent meal, and rest?"

"But what if she wakes up, and I'm not here?"

"I promise I'll call you, even if she only moves her fingers for a few seconds."

I was hesitant about leaving Emily's side, but I trusted that her mother would call me if anything changed. I slowly peeled myself off the chair and walked out of the room.

______

Back at the palace, I was in comfort. Naomi had gone back to her country, and our forced marriage had officially been canceled by the Queen herself before she went back to England the following morning.

All I needed was Emily.

I sat down on my bed when my phone started vibrating on the nightstand.

"Hello," I answered.

"It's Emma. Emily is waking up. Her fingers are moving. I've already gotten the doctors. Can you get my husband so the both of you can come right away?"

"Of course. I'm already heading to his room."

____

After getting Ethan, Emily's father, we drove to the hospital. I rushed to her room as fast as my legs could carry me. The doctors were already present, and Emily was wide awake now.

Tears of joy rolled from my eyes. Finally, she was awake.

"Emily, we've missed you so much," I began as I moved closer to her side.

"Who are you?" she asked, and I was baffled by her question.

"Sebastian."

"I don't know who you are, and who are these other people with you? Where am I? What happened to me?"

"Doctor, what's going on?" Emma asked, "She doesn't know who we are, nor does she know her own boyfriend!"

"This could be a result of neurological amnesia. Her brain suffered a major injury in her accident. There was trauma to the areas that control memory," the doctor explained.

"I can't believe this. Is it permanent or temporary?" Ethan asked.

"Her brain scan shows that it isn't going to be permanent. However, you'll need to enact practices to help her recover faster. Like taking her to her favorite places, or bringing her friends around, anything along those lines."

"Thank you again, doctor, but when can she come home?"

"We need to run a few more tests and keep her for further observation now that she's awake, but I believe she should be cleared within two days."

And he was correct. Two days later, Emily was home, and I was going to try everything to jog her memory.

______

In the next few days, I took Emily to my mother's special pool. I remembered how she loved the way the petals from the roses floated on the water.

"Do you remember this pool?" I asked her.

"No," she answered. "But I like it, it's so pretty."

"Do you remember your name?"

"Yes. Yesterday you told me that my name is Emily Hollen, right?"

"You're correct." I gave her a quick hug before taking her hand and guiding her to my private vehicle.

______

"Sebastian, stop!" I heard my father's voice right as I got behind the wheel. I peered through the windshield and saw him with Emily's parents, walking towards my range rover.

I got out with Emily.

"Ethan, Emma, and I have been talking about Emily's condition, and we think that it's best for Emily to return home. Back to America. Where the rest of her friends and family are."

"No!" I spat. "No, you're just going to take her away from me?"

"Sebastian, this isn't about you. It's about Emily and what's best for her. I need you to stop being selfish and do what's best for her. And what's best for her is to let her go back with her parents."

I looked over to Emily. She was just standing there, looking lost and confused.

"Fine, but can I please have this moment with her? I was going to take her to my restaurant. It's where we had a first date," I explained.

"Okay," Emma answered. 

"Thank you," I responded, and Emily and I got back into my van and pulled away.

________

After thirty minutes of driving, we reached our destination. I helped Emily out and led her into the restaurant, to the same table we shared.

"This is so lovely. Why have you never taken me here before?" she asked. 

"I did. This is where we had our first date. You don't remember being here with me?"

She shook her head no, and I knew I was worn out. I had tried everything. I was frustrated and angry, but I didn't take it out on her. It wasn't her fault.

"We'll have something to eat, then I'll take you home. You'll soon be leaving with your parents."

"Where are they taking me?"

"Back home to America."

"What's America?"

"It's a country. It's where you were born and raised. You're an American."

"American. I like that word."

I chuckled, and we continued to eat in silence.

_____

We got back into the vehicle, and in the rearview mirror, I saw my favorite place, the place I loved visiting when I needed to get away or was feeling down. I heaved a sigh as I helped Emily with her seat belt.

"Where are we going now?" she asked.

"I'm taking you home."

"No. I don't wanna go home. I wanna go somewhere...somewhere where I can feel free."

"Okay." I made a U-turn and drove to the cliff that overlooked the vast ocean. I found a rock, and I sat down while Emily watched the ocean a few feet away.

I found myself crying again. The tears were just falling out. It was as if a nightmare had become a reality. Emily would be taken away from me. What if her memory never came back? What if she never came back to me?

I felt her palm resting on my cheek. I looked up at her.

"Why are you crying?"

"My heart is broken," I answered.

"Did I do something to hurt you?"

"It's not your fault," I answered and rose. I pulled her in for a hug, her head resting on my chest as I looked at the ocean.

After a minute, her head shifted, her eyes widened, and she looked up at me.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

"Sebastian?"

"Yeah."

"Oh my god, what? How? When? Oh my god, I missed you so much!" She threw her arms around me and kissed me hungrily.

"Emily?"

"Yes."

"Emily, are your memories back?"

"Were they lost? What happened to me?"

"You had an accident. You fell down the stairs."

"No. It was no accident. I was pushed down the stairs, Sebastian."

My blood came to a raging boil.