She hasn't said a word since the car accident.
Eli waits outside the room in the hospital. Nell didn't want him to check her body. He wonders why she's being like this suddenly. It's not the first time when she mistook him for Baek Joon-Woo. Then, why she's different today? Moreover, how did she get hurt?
He turns around when he hears the footsteps. Doctor Anderson steps out. She closes the door first. She gestures him to walk with her.
"What happened to her?" He asks her when they get closer to her office. Her silence is making him nervous.
"Dr Sanguine, how did she get those wounds?" Doctor Anderson looks at him with doubts. She has known him for two years.
"She and I were in a car accident." He creases his forehead. "Is something wrong? Has she been hurt badly?"
"Those wounds don't seem like they are from an accident." She tells him awkwardly, "It looks like someone had beaten her up. She has wounds on her back and arms. It's not serious. She will be fine after a few days of rest."
Beaten up? Eli knits his brows. "How did she get beaten up?"
It seems like he doesn't have any clue either. She pats his arm. "Maybe I am overthinking. Your wife told us that she got them from the accident."
That's not possible. His shadows protected her body at that time. Still, she wouldn't get swollen fingers in a minor car accident. "Thank you, Dr Anderson. Can I see her?"
"Sure." She smiles at him. "Take care of her."
She walks away in a hurry, ignoring the restless feelings. It's foolish to have feelings for a man who is already married.
Eli walks back to the room. He hesitates for a moment. He is fine if she becomes confused whether he's Baek Joon-Woo or Eli, but she seems distant after the accident. Did he do something wrong?
When he walks into the room, he sees her sitting on the bed and staring at her hand with longing and grief. "Nell."
She raises her head and looks at him, showing a forced smile to him. "I am sorry for troubling you. I keep coming to the hospital."
"You don't have to apologize for that." Don't speak to him formally. He wants to tell her. He notices that she inserts her hand in her coat's pocket with guilty in her eyes. He wants to ask her why she's doing this, but he's afraid to hear the answer. "How did you get hurt?"
"The car accident," She replies to him, not meeting his eyes. "I am fine. Let's go back."
"You are not being honest." He stares hard at her. If he lets this go because of fear, she will lie again. Even if it is something that he doesn't want to hear, he must hear it. Otherwise, the distance between them would grow again. "Tell me how did you get hurt."
The cat could tell him, but that spirit is sleeping like a log. Even an accident couldn't wake up the cat. He left the cat in his office. It should take a few more hours before the cat digests it all. It's not good for him to rely on that cat a lot. It's between him and Nell. He wants to hear it from her.
The clock is ticking. Even a minute feels like an hour. She breaks the silence. "That man in the black robe… I don't remember who he is, but I know him."
Is she remembering? Eli pinches his lips together. He holds himself back from speaking. The Fae is going to come back after thirteen days. Either he finds that Fae before he comes here or he must have preparations to face that Fae. He must hide Nell in a safe place.
"I had a dream." She lowers her head. "It was a memory. My mother had beaten me up that day. I don't know how, but these wounds on my body are from that day.
He curves his brows and widens his eyes. Why are wounds from that time are reappearing with the memory? Is this what that cat meant? What kind of sick spell is this? It's making her relive those memories.
If her other memories come back, then she would go through that incident in her mind again.
There must be some way to stop this. He can't let her go through the same torture again.
"Evie was telling the truth." She's mumbling softly, "Baek Joon-Woo didn't kill himself. Baek Joon-Woo also knew that I had magic. What could have happened back then? I have to remember."
"No!" Eli grabs her and tells her sternly, "Forget about him. I won't let you remember. Do you hear me? You don't have to go through that again. Nell, be with me. Let's go to my world. We will get married right away and then, I will take you somewhere far from this world where nobody can hurt you."
"Eli, I don't know." She shakes her head slightly. "I tried to run away for a long time, but I am still remembering. I think that I should face it head-on."
She's been telling him that she didn't want to remember at any cost. Now, she's changing her mind. What else did she see? Eli recalls her expression when she woke up. She must have seen Baek Joon-Woo. If the wounds from that time can return, then the feelings would return too. Feelings of the girl who fell in love with Baek Joon-Woo might come back to the woman he loves. If that happens, what would she do?
"Nell, past isn't important." He pulls her in his embrace, trying to hide the fear in his heart. Even after nine years, she is still having a hard time moving on. She told him that she couldn't unlove Baek Joon-Woo. He can accept that. Having a little portion in her heart is enough. But if those feelings return to her, she won't have any place in her heart for him.
"You are with me." He can't tell whether he's saying those words to himself or her. She's not with Baek Joon-Woo right now. He can't hate someone who used to love his woman once. However, the dead should remain dead.
He will destroy that Fae who is causing her pain this way.
"Nell, don't remember." The memories, the feelings, Or anything else that might drive her away from him. "Whenever you are confused, look into my eyes. Stay beside me. You promised that you won't leave me."
"Have some shame." She gives him a light push. "You are acting clingy right now."
"Are you coming to leave with me tonight?" He asks her. He could sense the hesitation in her eyes. He's being selfish again. But a moment can decide someone's entire life. If he doesn't push her now, she will become the girl who was in love with Baek Joon-Woo. Then, she might never be with him again.
"Yeah." She climbs off the bed. She smiles at him. "We can leave now if you want."
"We are leaving then." He grabs her hand and walks toward the door. The gate to his world is not in this city. Benny should have a teleport device. He also needs to have a talk with Benny. He won't let her remember. He will do everything he must do to stop it.