Chapter 93 Amnesia
When James stepped into the disinfectant-filled hospital room, Gloria was feeding Vivienne oatmeal porridge.
"Grandma." James called out softly, his voice hoarse.
Gloria glanced at him. He was neatly dressed, but his face looked thinner, still pale with a slightly sickly appearance.
In just one short month, former lovers had become strangers.
Vivienne looked at James, as if thinking. Her once clear eyes had become cloudy, even unfocused.
James bent down, "Grandma, it's me, James. Have you forgotten me?"
Vivienne repeated his words: "James."
"Yes, it's me."
"Don't remember."
James had learned from John about her neurological disorder. Forget recognizing people—sometimes she wasn't even aware when she needed to use the bathroom.
Gloria put down the bowl and carefully wiped the corners of her mouth with a tissue.
"Are you full?"
"Full, Gloria, he bad man." She looked at James with a wary expression, clutching Gloria's hand.
She had forgotten everyone except Gloria.
James felt uncomfortable facing Vivienne like this. "Grandma, you don't even recognize me anymore?"
"You go!"
Vivienne's language function was impaired; she couldn't speak in long sentences like before.
She expressed her opinion briefly and clearly, telling James to leave Gloria alone.
"James, you heard her. Grandma doesn't want to see you."
Now that Vivienne no longer remembered all those grudges, Gloria didn't need to put on an act in front of her anymore. She was being direct.
"Gloria, I just wanted to see her."
"Now you've seen her, so you should leave, right? Grandma can't handle any stress. You being here affects her."
James's hand at his side clenched. He opened his mouth, but in the end could only respond quietly: "Okay, then take good care of Grandma."
Gloria didn't respond, didn't even look at him again.
As he was leaving, Caspian came in, carrying a bouquet of flowers.
Caspian greeted him politely: "Mr. Williams."
His every gesture showed elegance and refinement, leaving no room for criticism.
Even though James knew Caspian had designs on Gloria, he had been completely aboveboard from start to finish. James felt like he was punching cotton—completely powerless.
Vivienne's eyes lit up when she saw him. "Caspian."
Caspian bent down to place the flowers on the bedside table. Only then did James notice there were already two other bouquets in the room.
This meant he brought flowers to visit Vivienne every day. Vivienne treated Caspian completely differently from how she treated him.
He had become the one who was in the way, the extra person.
Caspian arranged the flowers while casually asking, "Is Vivienne feeling better today?"
"Her appetite's pretty good, and she has more energy." Gloria replied.
James clearly felt that the dynamic between him and Gloria had changed!
Gloria had gotten used to Caspian's care and now considered him one of her own.
Three years ago, Gloria had only treated him as a colleague. After filming wrapped, she'd leave without any personal feelings.
But now, everything had changed.
James walked out of the hospital room, his heart feeling heavy.
If even Vivienne sided with Caspian, he would have no chance at all.
James lit a cigarette. The cold wind scattered the smoke but couldn't dispel the unease in his eyes.
He looked at John. "Is everything ready?"
"Yes, this time it's foolproof. But Mr. Williams, if you announce it without discussing it with Mrs. Williams first, I'm afraid it might backfire on Mrs. Williams's end."
Their relationship was getting worse and worse now, and what Gloria disliked most was him acting on his own.
"Three days from now is my birthday. We'll announce it that evening."
"Okay."
James took a long look at the nursing home. The cold wind was biting, and every bone in his body ached.
He was in such pain—how much better could Gloria be?
In the end, he deserved to be trapped in a cocoon of his own making.
Shortly after James left, Gloria received a message from him.
James: [Three days from now, I'll be waiting for you at Azure Palace Hotel.]
Gloria looked at those words. How could she forget?
Ten years ago, they had promised each other that no matter what happened, they would celebrate each other's birthdays.
For ten years, they had never missed one.
Thinking about how she would be leaving soon, Gloria replied with one word: [Okay.]
One last dinner—she'd consider it their divorce farewell banquet.
After replying, Gloria looked at Caspian. "Three days from now, could I borrow a few bodyguards to accompany me to a dinner?"
Caspian guessed it was related to James. His voice was low: "Okay."
Gloria looked at Vivienne on the bed. Her hands were trembling uncontrollably. Caspian handed her a carnation, and she played with the flower like a curious child.
She plucked off the bloom and shakily tried to put it in Gloria's hair.
Her hands shook so badly that she couldn't get it in place.
A hand with defined knuckles reached over, hooked the flower, and tucked it into Gloria's hair at her temple.
His finger bones inadvertently brushed past Gloria's ear, causing a tingling sensation.
Gloria looked up, and their eyes met.
Caspian's lowered eyes had lost some of their cold sharpness but gained a complex emotion she couldn't quite describe.
That look made Gloria's heart flutter. She quickly looked away and turned to Vivienne instead, asking: "Does it look good?"
When she was little and her family was poor, she couldn't afford hair clips, so she'd pick seasonal flowers to wear in her hair.
Vivienne's smile overlapped with those memories. She smiled and said: "Beautiful."
Gloria's gloomy mood disappeared, and she and Vivienne smiled at each other.
"Grandma, after two more weeks of rest, we'll leave this place, okay? You love flowers, so we'll find a quiet place and plant lots of flowers."
Vivienne's wrinkled hand grasped hers. "With Gloria, everything good."
Although her plan had been disrupted, after Vivienne had survived two brushes with death, she just wanted to spend Vivienne's remaining time with her properly.
In the last ten days, she still had many things to do.
She would entrust a lawyer to handle the property transfers she hadn't completed yet. She had promised Alphonse she'd participate in the first episode of the variety show livestream as a special guest for one day.
And she would put a final period on things with James.
Three days later, heavy snow.
Gloria chose a beautiful dress. She didn't wear makeup, just pulled her hair back and secured it with a hair clip.
She had lost a lot of weight these past days, and the dress made her look even more elegant and attractive.
She took the business car Caspian provided to the agreed location, holding an exquisite box in her hands.
This was a gift she had prepared long ago.
One last time—she would bring this to an end.
Joseph opened the car door for her and held up a black umbrella, shielding her from the wind and snow.
Although Caspian hadn't come, Joseph represented him, and James wouldn't be able to lay a finger on Gloria.
James had reserved the entire restaurant. Gloria followed the server to the private room.
The door opened.
The huge room was carpeted with roses, extending all the way to the terrace.
What a stunning scene—the red of the roses染 by the white of frost and snow.
In the swirling snow, James sat at the piano in a suit, playing "Por una Cabeza."
Just like their current distance—one step away from farewell.
In the melancholy melody, James slowly looked toward Gloria.