NOVEL NEXT Chapter 745: A promise she meant to keep.
Aiden stretched his legs, taking longer strides, his heart thundering inside his chest. He wasn't afraid of losing anything —not even his life. But when it came to her, he couldn't bear even the thought of losing her.
The mere possibility that she might forget him all over again … it filled him with dread. A dread of not just losing her, but of losing the very world he had again built around her —the meaning of his existence.
No. She can't forget him all over again. He wouldn't let that happen.
He swung the doors of the emergency room open, only to find Arwen lying on the bed. His brows knitted when his eyes caught the bandage wrapped around her head. He stepped inside, his fingers clenching so tightly that his knuckles turned white, resisting the maddening urge to destroy the world that had dared to hurt her.
Arwen had her eyes closed when she heard the desperate click of the door opening. She stirred faintly, then opened her eyes, her brows furrowing in confusion.
"You —"
"Moon, don't tell me you have forgotten me," Aiden said, already at her side, almost hovering over her with desperation —with a desperate need that only she could fulfil, could complete. "I am your husband. We have already signed the certificates and —"
"Husband?" Arwen interrupted, her brows pulling deeper together as if the very word felt foreign. Her lips trembled with a little hesitation, one that was deep to understand. "You mean … we are married together? But I don't remember anything." She shook her head weakly. "Nothing at all."
Aiden's face darkened. The fear that he had tried so hard to suppress clawed back to the surface, vicious and cold. "It's … fine," he said at last, his tone deceptively calm, though the grit in his teeth betrayed him. "You will remember it once you get better. There is no need to stress over it now."
He took a step closer and reached out, intending to smooth her hair, to reassure her with his touch. But before he could even graze a strand of her hair, she instinctively pulled back, her eyes flinching away from him.
Aiden froze, his hand halted mid-air. His eyes darkened —not with anger, but with fear. Fear sharper than any wound.
"I am sorry," Arwen whispered, her voice frail, her hand shaking. "But I don't remember you. Can we … just keep a little distance until I do? I am not comfortable and —"
"Not happening," Aiden's voice cut through, firm and unwavering. His tone wasn't a plea but a vow. "If you aren't comfortable, then I will do everything in my power to make you comfortable. But distance?" His gaze locked on hers, unwavering and burning. "That's something I will never allow between us. We are together. And we will always be together."
Arwen's lips parted as if to argue, but just then the door opened and both of them turned to look at the same time.
The doctor entered and was taken by a little surprise. His gaze darted to look at Aiden before returning to look at Arwen. "Mrs. Winlsow, I hope you are finally feeling better now."
Aiden's brows furrowed as he stared at the doctor. His cold eyes pierced him like a sword.
The doctor didn't understand. Looking troubled, he turned to look at Arwen. "M-Mrs. Winslow, am I interrupting something? Should I come later?"
Aiden turned to look at Arwen, only to find her looking at him. He tilted his head slightly with a quiet, questioning gaze. And Arwen pressed her lips before turning to look at the doctor to respond.
"It's fine, doctor," she replied softly, her eyes turning to give a small look to Aiden. "He is my husband. He just freaked out thinking I suffered badly and almost forgot him."
"Oh," the doctor nodded in understanding before smiling at Aiden. "It wasn't that bad of an accident. You just got a minor head injury, which will heal in … in —"
The rest of his words stuck in his throat the moment Aiden's eyes snapped to look at him threateningly.
*ahem* "I think I left something important in my office. I will return in a moment." And with that, he took his steps back, closing the door after him.
"Stop glaring at him," Arwen said softly but deliberately. "He was just telling you that I am fine. You don't have to scare him like that."
Aiden turned his head back and sternly looked at her. "And do you think you have to scare me like that?"
Arwen paused and stared at him. "You were scared?"
"Moon!" There was a threat in his tone. "You don't get to test me on that."
She didn't mean to, but she couldn't resist it when it came. His words from the night when he was in New York still haunt her. Scares her.
"I wasn't testing you," she shook her head, spreading her hand in casualness. "I was just testing your words."
Aiden frowned.
Arwen looked at him and smiled, reminding him. "There is no use in remembering something that's already forgotten. The past, if forgotten, should remain forgotten. One should always live in the present so that one can shape the future better. That's what you said when I asked you: What will you do if I forget you someday?"
She had remembered his exact words because even if she tried to forget them, she couldn't.
"You had answered, saying that you would let me go." Arwen shrugged a little. "But seems like you didn't actually mean what you said that night. You were just to panicky right now."
Aiden's brows furrowed deeper. "Moon!" his growl also came deep. He still hadn't forgiven himself for that night. And knowing that she also hasn't forgotten it only doubled his blame.
"Fine." Arwen reached out to hold his hand, tugging it gently. "I am alright. Why are you still looking like you have lost me? I am just —"
Before she could say more, his arms wrapped around her, embracing her close to himself. "Don't try the same again. Just forget what I said that night. I can't even bear the idea of losing you. How could I let you go? I can't."
Arwen smiled. She might not have known this before, but she has realized it very well now. He wouldn't let her go even if the world ended. Like he had never let her go … not even when she had forgotten him.
The panic in his eyes earlier —she had seen it clearly.
She never wanted to scare him like that, but she couldn't help it.
"You will never lose me," she said, wrapping her arms around his waist to assure him of her presence. "I will always be there with you. Trust me on that." I will never forget you like I did before.
She didn't speak the last part aloud, but that was a promise she meant to keep. For forever.
She wouldn't let him suffer the same pain and betrayal he suffered once.
Taking in a deep breath, she pulled away from his embrace, tilting her head up at him. "Look at me," she said softly. "I am fine. It was just a minor accident." She touched her forehead and pressed her lips. "I got only a small scratch. Nothing big. Alfred was able to avoid the impact before the worst would have happened."
Aiden gazed down at her, his eyes softening.
Arwen smiled, taking his hand to cup the side of her face. "See, you can still feel me warm and here. With you."
"Fine," he said, finally easing a little. "I see you. Now just stay here. Let me go and ask the doctor more in detail."
She pursed her lips and looked at him like she couldn't believe that he was serious. "You just scared him away. Do you think he would be able to tell you now if you go and ask him?"
Rubbing the pad of his thumb gently on her face, he smiled back at her taunt. "Don't worry. I have ways of finding everything. I will be back soon. Rest until then. Will you?"
Arwen pursed her lips but nodded. "Go ahead," she jutted her chin towards the door. "I already troubled you enough today. The rest I will save for another day."
Aiden nodded and then turned and slowly left the room. And the moment he closed the door after him, his expression changed. The darkness that had dissipated before returned like it never left.
His eyes turned cold, and his jaw clenched tight.
Emyr, who had been waiting outside all this while, carefully approached him. "Sir, —"
"Who was it?" Aiden's voice was low, but the underlying threat beneath was unmistakable.
Emyr's expression was equally tight, which only meant he had found out the person behind the staged accident. "Sir, we have checked in detail and confirmed it," he finally replied. "It's Bryn Winslow. He hired people to do the job."