Chapter 131 - Missing Parts

Two whole months full of new experiences, fresh relationsh.i.p.s, shared moments, cherished feelings, and crucial discoveries - all gone in the blink of an eye.

Adrian ended up with retrograde amnesia after the car crash. He lost his memories from the past two months - starting from the time he spied on Maruschca and followed her to the orphanage up until the unfortunate conclusion of the previous pursuit. With Grisham handling the aftermath, things had even gotten worse than that.

"We went abroad two months ago, my dear grandson. That's why we're not in our home country right now. I took you with me so that you could start training to be the next head of our family business. You are the successor of the Millicent." 

That was the excuse that his grandfather used to tell him after he recovered and found himself in a whole different place. He lied to him and proceeded to manipulate him from that point on. 

What Adrian did not know was that Grisham took him abroad only a week ago. He even lied to his parents and siblings, saying that he must be treated at another country. Doctors were bribed, hospital records were surreptitiously altered, and everything else was perfectly handled using power, wealth and influence. 

"What about my elder brother? I thought he was going to succeed Father? I'm just going to have a lower position, right?" was what naive little Adrian asked him back then.

"I trust my judgement. You possess impressive leadership skills and abilities - that's what you proved to me during those whole two months. If it wasn't only for that car accident, your studies would have gone by smoothly," was what the ever cunning and devious Grisham answered.

"Will I continue to live here with you, then? What about my family? Will we not go back?"

"Don't worry. We will after you completed your training. You can still visit them, but only for a brief while. You have to focus on your goals."

Someone as meticulous and intelligent as this grandson of his should never hold this kind of power - he knows that. He can learn about his crimes once again, and with this authority, he is capable of doing much more than what he could have done before. In other words, he is too dangerous, and this decision is too risky.

However, it was exactly because of those things that Grisham had to keep an eye on him all the time. The seat of CEO would keep Adrian under his watch and supervision - he would not be on the loose like last time. By training him himself, he would make him see through his eyes. He would make him adapt his values and ways of thinking, which would consequently get him on his side.

Besides, he was not lying when he praised him. The power to stay anonymous while conducting his research on their corporation was something not anyone could do. They need that kind of ability in this industry.

If only Adrian hadn't lost his memories, Grisham would have also discovered the identities of his accomplices. Yet as he expected, he protected them until the very end. Only he got caught - at least, for now.

At any rate, Grisham would use the one and only person who discovered his dark, corrupted side in order to keep it hidden. 

With that, Adrian ended up getting brainwashed by his grandfather. They lived together from then on. The feeling of being secluded from his family, his busyness with studies and work, the solitariness from being too goal-oriented, and his strong sense of independence have practically desensitized him.

In each passing day, he was starting to resemble his grandfather more and more.

Cold, distant, steely and iron-willed - that was how Adrian became.

---

After eight years of living with Grisham in another country, Adrian went back to inherit their family business and meet the woman whom Maruschca chose for him to marry.

By that point, though, his grandmother was under heavy treatment at the hospital. Everyone could barely visit her, which was why nobody could properly disclose the reason why she chose this complete stranger out of all women to be his future wife. Even his grandfather himself was not aware of her background.

But because this was the only wish that Maruschca asked from Adrian, he decided to fulfill it. He had to make up for all those years he could not be by her side. Besides, he trusts that she has seen at least something special about this person. She really won't choose just anyone, of course.

"I'm very happy to see you again, Adrian."

During their first meeting, his future wife smiled at him so brightly that he thought that she might not be suited for the kind of environment they had in this family.

The two of them met at his mansion. He remembered her wearing a simple, plain white dress - a fresh breath of air, he couldn't deny. She was the very first woman who attempted to approach him with an ordinary apparel. Even then, her bright personality was quite extraordinary -

Yet it did nothing to pique his interest.

Aside from the fact that Adrian was just not really interested in women, he did not want to give her an impression that he wanted this arrangement. He did agree to it, but that was all there was to it.

"Do you remember me? We met eight years ago. My name is Cassidy."

Again, not interested.

He could not even remember what he responded that time. All he thought about was what he had to do after that meeting. He still had work, so he really wanted to finish it already. With that, he just let her ramble on, smile at him so fondly, and act like any other woman out there who wanted his attention.

The only difference was that she rarely talked about herself. She didn't brag about any past achievements or noteworthy details about her. It could be that she was dead set on not revealing her background or she was just a commoner after all - which he didn't know were both true at that time.

Adrian recalled being so bored by that whole conversation that he forgot half of what Cassidy did and said.

He had no idea that the woman before him was the same eleven-year-old who fell from a tree and kicked him in the face years ago. She was that kind-hearted, friendly orphan who loved ice cream and had a goal of becoming a gang member. He failed to remember that she was the girl he made promises to before. 

Yet as for Cassidy, she clearly remembers everything.

"You've changed so much, Adrian."

Adrian recalled seeing some sort of unfathomable pain in her eyes even though she only kept smiling at him that entire time. He thought that she was only hurt because he was not giving her the reaction she wanted. What he did not know was that she felt like crying after realizing that he could not really recall her.

Then again, compared to two months, eight years had been a very long time.

He had turned cold-blooded, close-minded and unwilling to share an intimate relationship with anyone. His grandfather had really influenced him to a great degree. That was why he remained in the dark about who this woman truly was and what kind of man he was when he met her. 

But perhaps, everything was not lost.

After all, Adrian could feel something strange towards Cassidy sometimes. He had thought that he would not be bothered if she suddenly disappeared, but when he did imagine that scenario, he felt like he could not take it. Some sort of possessiveness kept surfacing from his subconscious for an unknown reason. He also became protective every once in a while, but that always ended up with him looking like he was bossing her around.

Adrian did not want Cassidy there, and at the same time, he unknowingly did want her.

---

Not even a while after arranging their marriage, Maruschca died from a heart attack.

Adrian was the last person who was able to talk with her before that day - or at least, that was what everyone knew. Back then, he thought that she was finally going to tell her why she chose Cassidy as his spouse, but instead, she only made him promise her something regarding her again. 

"Adrian, my grandson... Take good care of your wife. You may not be able to see it now, but that young woman possesses an imperceptible, special kind of fire within her - one that can melt a cold heart. She's strong-willed and relentless, never backing down... But even then, she's just as alone as you are in this world. That's why you two have to stay by each other's side no matter what," was what Maruschca said to Adrian back when she was still bedridden at the hospital.

However, it was another promise that he failed to keep.

Adrian did not get to take care of Cassidy properly. He had put a roof above her head, provided her needs, and paid attention to her. However, he never cared enough - much like how everyone in his family did not care enough. It had become one recurring cycle that heavily affected each of their lives.

'I'm sorry... I'm so sorry...' the present Adrian thought as he tried to stir awake from his deep slumber at long last. 

'Please, forgive me. Don't leave me. I'm so sorry, Cassidy.'