I sat on a couch on the patio of a villa, where the dark witch's driver dumped me.
The place I called home sat in the middle of a serene green landscape with a small fountain ringed with lavender bushes. It wasn't big, but the structure clearly screamed money.
But looking at it now... even though the air feels familiar, the place was eerily quiet and empty.
The reality was so different from the warm image I had imagined, I wanted to crawl into a hole and scream.
Still somehow, I managed to drag myself into this haunted house before faceplanting first. When I came to, I was on a bed, and a small guy was quietly arranging flowers in a vase beside me.
Honestly, he scared the crap out of me.
Sam was the housekeeper of this place. He didn't speak much and kept his distance, which made things easier for me. No need to be the Actress-Rysa here.
After being bedridden for two days, I finally hauled myself down to the patio.
Today's the day my "friend" is supposed to show up.
Drake most probably knew nobody's gonna show up—that's why he didn't put up much of a fight.
I stared down the gate as frustration and tension built up inside me, setting up a bonfire inside my chest.
If nobody shows up today, I'll have to move to Drake's place. And there's no way I'd go there without a fight.
"Miss, there's a call for you."
Sam stood behind me, holding out a smartphone.
My hand trembled as I took the phone, dreading the worst.
"H—Hello?"
Silence. Then a smooth voice answered,
"You forgot to give me the gate key, Airhead. I've been going back and forth with your butler for the past ten minutes. Tell him to ease the stick up his ass and open the gates,"
My grip tightened around the phone.
"Wha—what ar—"
"Was it not today?" chirped a girly voice, rushing over him. "You said we could come and stay with you from today onwards, since his place is getting trashed. Don't tell me you forgot... like always," she chided.
Who are these people? Was there really someone supposed to come and stay with me?
My mind whispered that anyone was better than Drake, but my heart thumped hard, and my brain was in full-on war with itself.
Uncertainty's basically my middle name now, so whatever.
"Ah, um... yeah, sorry, I forgot. I'll send Sam to get you guys." I replied, handing the phone back to Sam.
Tick—tock—tick—tock—tick...
As seconds dragged on, anticipation and dread warred in me.
I tried to look presentable in my flimsy white dress—the only thing I could put on by myself.
I was a fool to think that seeing myself would jog my memory.
The stranger looking back at me in the closet mirror was bone-white thin. Piercing red eyes and a sharp nose in a gaunt face with long black hair. She looked like a scrawny teenager who had been starved for weeks.
The bandage around my head and my leg plaster looked worn out and dirty.
I fixed up as much as I could before my next puzzle arrived.
The patio door opened, and the first thing I saw was wide shoulders framing a broad chest. I looked up to see the owner and—
A low whistle escaped me.
The guy before me had trimmed blond hair and a set jawline. The white shirt and beige pants he wore made him look like a runway model, aiming for the whole effortlessly gorgeous look.
His short, scruffy stubble somehow made him look even more attractive.
Brown eyes searched mine, looking for something. Then he flexed his jaw and raised an eyebrow at me, clearly judging my shabby look with his slitted eyes.
I expected as much.
Then suddenly, a tiny girl popped her head through the door.
When she saw me, something flickered across her face too fast for me to catch. A second later, her face split into a wide smile. It was like a flower blooming right before me.
Arms wide, she launched herself at me. Her crash-landing made my ribs protest in pain.
Small, chubby fingers grabbed me in a death-grip, unwilling to let go.
Something gripped my insides. She looked so frail and small in my arms that I hugged her back involuntarily, like it was the most natural thing to do.
She buried her face in my dress, cuddling into me.
The little girl was as pale as I with her chestnut hair and beautiful golden eyes, which made her look like a tiny god.
My dress felt wet. I couldn't tell if she was crying or drooling in her sleep because there was not a single sound. I tightened my grip around her and looked at the male model before me.
He looked tense. When we locked eyes, his eyes went wide.
"Um... I'm still not recovered quite yet, so..."
I looked at him with pleading eyes because I had most certainly reached my pain threshold. Even though the kid was small, like she was three or four years old, she had a healthy weight to her.
Blondie's eyes were suddenly glinting with mirth as if he was having a private joke.
"That's enough, Lora," he said, smirking. "Keep your hands to yourself for now. Rissie will play with you when she becomes strong like you."
I couldn't say if he was making fun of me or if that's what she really calls me.
Lora slowly looks up at me with watery eyes, which shattered my heart to pieces. She has to be the cutest and most adorable baby I've ever seen, with or without memory.
She looked at me expectantly, silently wanting me to answer.
"Of course, Lora. It's a promise. And I never break a promise." I said, slowly loosening my arms around her and setting her beside me on the couch.
"I know," Lora whispered without missing a beat. I felt a sharp pang inside my chest.
I felt bad for this little soul, who was looking for something in this husk of myself. Her eyes looked so lively with excitement that I couldn't look at her.
That's when it occurred to me, the girly sound that I heard through the call was not Lora's but someone else's.
Where was the third one?