Hearing the door open behind her, Carla turned around excitedly.
A tall, slim figure strolled through the door. She wasn't sure if he would remember her after his hypnotherapy. She look at him in the eyes desperately and called out tentatively, "Terence?"
Terence returned her gaze with a smile and seemed his usual self. He held out his hand to Carla. "Let's go home, beautiful wife of mine."
Carla started at him up and down suspiciously and asked, "Are you feeling all right?"
"I feel fine. Doctor Allen said my tendency to feel resentment towards you will recur fleetingly. It's not as bad as you think," Terence explained. Then, he took her hand in his and together they headed downstairs.
Terence's words reassured her, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath of relief.
She had prepared herself for the worst. She'd thought Terence would not recognize or remember her after his hypnotherapy.
"Don't worry. I grilled Doctor Allen about it. It's because the hypnosis I underwent two years ago blocked all of my memories about you. So it's not so easy for me to think back to those times. I'd suppressed all memories of you," Terence said after climbing into the driver's seat.
He made himself comfortable in the seat and added, "And now, Doctor Allen is trying to construct a bridge in my brain between my suppressed memories of you and now. Only when there are a lot of memories appearing at the same time, will my brain instinctively protect itself. And only then, my hate might resurface momentarily."
Carla also slid into the passenger seat and fastened the seat belt. "Really? I feel a little relieved. I've been tearing myself to bits about this with worry. I was so afraid you wouldn't remember me at all when you came out. I thought you'd look at me blankly as though I was a stranger, and all your memories of us together would have been wiped clear from your mind. I was thinking of many different ways to introduce myself to you, to explain the years we've spent by each other's sides. Nothing seemed quite right."
"Even if I hate you, at least I'll still remember you, so you needn't worry about that," Terence said with a smile. Then, he turned the key in the ignition and started the car.
"It's getting late, we should get some food," Terence said.
The truth was it was already late and way past dinner time. Terence didn't want to trouble the maid by asking her to cook something for them when they got back.
"Okay! Seafood seems nice!" Carla said mischievously.
Her stomach was rumbling and had been for a few hours. She was so nervous about whether Terence would remember her or not that she had forgotten to eat.
She looked around the car, searching for something to eat. And finally, she found one lonely old lollipop.
"Well, seafood it is," Terence said in an indulgent tone, looking at Carla who was sitting on the passenger seat rolling the lollipop over her tongue and around her mouth.
"By the way, we've almost decided on the participants for the ancestor worship ceremony. It's taking place next month, remember? The elders said they wanted Sally to lead the procession of grandchildren. But I have this niggling feeling that she's too young to do that. I'm not convinced that she could manage it," said Ca
n't think it's wise to let the public think you are a calculated woman for a lifetime."
Clara listened attentively. It dawned on her that this might indeed be the opportunity she was looking for to clear her name.
But she also wasn't sure if she could tolerate being thrust into the limelight again. To put herself in that vulnerable position, open to criticism, scared her somewhat.
"We need to take a set of photos of you for our exclusive interview. Are you okay with that?" Kaylee said to Carla with a smile.
Then, Kaylee gave a glance at Terence who was about to speak. Before Terence could open his mouth, she immediately said, "Terence, have an open mind! I know that Carla is your wife. And I also know what you are worried about. But don't worry. I'll do my utmost best to make sure she's represented fairly and accurately."
Terence, catching Carla's eyes, raised his eyebrows, pleading with her not to commit to anything Kaylee might suggest.
"I think it will be a good opportunity for me,"
Carla replied with a smile, ignoring Terence's eyes.
But as soon as Carla finished her answer, Terence frowned and cleared his throat.
Terence looked cool and composed but he was struggling to contain his anger, 'Jesus. This woman really doesn't know what she's got herself in for!'
Truth be told, Kaylee's magazine was not small or local. It was the top magazine in the fashion field. They only interviewed the most famous celebrities and their pages were full of salacious and scandalous gossip. It's what made the magazine so popular with its readers.
But that wasn't all. The interviews were graced with the sexiest and raunchiest photos in the industry. Its subjects would pose in racy underwear and in risque positions. These photos were also part of the reason the magazine sold so well.
Terence remembered a copy he'd seen of this magazine and thought back to those sensuous photos. There was no way he'd let Carla be photographed in that way. He didn't want his wife's sensual, half-naked body to be greedily looked at by other men.
Just the thought of it sent Terence's heart racing. His palms became clammy and he broke out into a cold sweat.