————
"Get your hands off me. Do not touch me. Who are you people?" Tara struggled to prevent herself from being restrained by the bodyguards who by now had gotten close enough.
"You are embarrassing your father and me, put yourself together and quit being pathetic." The elderly woman said to her.
Tara looked at her confusedly, she felt insulted. This was a lady in her early fifties for sure, she looked exotic. Brown hair, about 5 ft, Nice skin and was wearing really expensive jewellery. Her body-fit knee-level gown looked like it was worth a fortune. Her partner was right beside her, his eyes were furious. Her supposed Dad.
"You all are out of your minds," Tara said assertively,
"Really? Look around you. You're the only one acting mad."
The woman replied to her. Tara was moved to respond to her words but Liz quickly came in between the two.
" You must be confused, totally understandable but this show you're putting on, it's bad for business. Brace yourself and everything will be fine. I promise." Liz told her.
———
Soon they arrived at the gate of a mansion. It was like a paradise even from the outside. As the gates opened and the SUVs drove in, Tara couldn't help but stare through the window. There was a water fountain right in the middle of the compound, with beautiful flowers that had butterflies on their petals. The compound was large and had no dirt on the floor. Everything seemed to be in white even the images of the two angels that stood holding onto their swords opposite one another on the path that led to the main entrance of the apartment.
The cars halted, and they all got out except the drivers. She watched them drive into the garage whose gate seemed to detect the presence of the vehicles. As it opened up, she could see the range of exotic cars that rested there. She blinked her eyes.
'OMG, I must be dead.' She thought.
Everyone else headed for the entrance and a bodyguard directed her attention from the garage. She looked up at him and then rolled her eyes while she followed behind her supposed family.
"Can't believe you would be so selfish. Running away like some twelve-year-old." The woman said immediately they got into the house.
Tara was too busy engrossed in the beauty and magnificence to be attentive to whatever she was going on about.
" Ensure she's clean and presentable." The woman said to Liz and then headed up the stairs.
"Yes, Mrs Peterson," Liz replied.
Tara turned her head slowly towards Liz, she wondered why she would take orders from such a person and then she figured – The money.
Her husband followed behind her but then he stopped, turning toward one of the bodyguards.
"And burn the rag she's wearing." He ordered in his stern voice.
His statement infuriated Tara but Liz pulled her back by the arm.
———
Still confused, she fell in love with her room the moment she stepped in it.
'Hell yeah.' She thought.
It was massive, not the regular suite one would get in any five-star hotel. The furniture, the design, the choice of colours, everything was divine. And then her bed. Like the one made for a queen— golden. She sniffed her nose and then raised her arms to smell herself.
"Yuck. " She expressed and began the search for the bathroom. She took a turn.
"Wow." She voiced, having pushed a door open, it was like a mini beach in there with its ocean. Also on the right was a shower cubicle, then somewhere in the middle, a large jacuzzi. She saw the water closet, the wash bowl, the window view, everything was perfect and new to her senses. She smiled to herself.
"I'm definitely in the right place." She said,
———
Finally, she came out of the bathroom in a purple bathrobe. A towel was wrapped about her head and her feet hidden in comfy slippers. She walked towards the dressing area, sat on the stool and beheld herself in the mirror. She looked down to see the table was empty. She observed and found drawers underneath. She pulled out one, it had all shades of brow pencils, templates, and lashes carefully arranged. Her eyes twinkled. She hurriedly drew out the other drawers beneath the first and found every other make-up tool neatly placed in them. All quality products, she was dancing in her mind. She pulled the knobs of the mini cupboards on the sides of the table and it was all beauty products ranging from face to body. She held onto her head.
She got up, looked around and then allowed herself to fall on the bed. She spread her arms and legs on it but soon got up as her eyes caught a glance of the wardrobe. She dashed for it. Once she was close, she took a deep breath and then pulled the knobs open.
Her eyes glowed like one who had successfully gotten away from a bank heist.
"F*ck me." She voiced, sweeping both her hands to the back of her head. This caused the towel to loosen and fall off behind her. She didn't even realize it.
The shoes, bags, clothes, wigs, and glasses that were hoarded in there were top designers. She remained standing in amazement, she felt her mind blow.
———
She had heard a knock on her door and dropped her blush brush.
"Yes?" She answered the petite lady dressed in her maid's uniform.
"You have a visitor ma'am, he's in the living room." The maid informed her.
"He?" She inquired confusedly.
———
She climbed down the stairs carefully and as she got close to the living room, the visitor who was standing with his hands buried in his pockets as he stared out the window, turned towards her.
Her eyes met his and there was silence. For a minute it was as though time stopped and in the dark, he was the shining light.
'Who is this man? Why do I get this strange feeling? How can a man be so perfect?'. She asked herself.
"Alicia.." He called out softly. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? Liz called me, ``I know you do not wish to see me but I had to come to see you." He rushed his words like a worried father.
He had gotten close to her yet he was trying hard not to use the hands he had freed from his pockets. She could only stare at his deep blue eyes.
"Oh, Stark, thank goodness you're here."
Mrs Peterson said as she descended the stairs.
The young man lifted his head towards her and Tara seemed to have regained herself. She looked away as Mrs Peterson approached them.
" Good day ma'am. I must admit, it wasn't easy getting inside, the journalists at the gate are like a swan of bees." He said with a faint smile.
"Oh yes, it is irreversible the shame we would have to endure for a while because of her thoughtless actions."
Mrs Peterson said, fixing her eyes on Tara. "Anyways, it's good to see you. I hope you talk some sense into her head." She added.
"I'd try." He said,
She smiled at him and then exited the living room.
"We should go for a drive." He turned to Tara.
" I don't know you." She said,
"Liz told me you seemed to have woken up without your memories even after the doctor cleared you," He told her. "I could help you." He added.
" I don't need help." She told him.
"And I do not wish to believe that you are playing games." He told her.
"Games?" She asked as she became uneasy.
" Am I so bad?" He asked her.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." She told him.
" We should leave. Now." He said,
"You don't get to order me around." She told him sternly.
"You get in the car or your secret gets out." He told her.
Her conscience pricked her. Her eyes blinked non-stop. She had a lot going through her mind but knew she had to play cool. She looked away and then slowly began walking towards the door. He followed behind her.
———
They had successfully gotten outside the gate. The journalists kept banging on the window glass with so many questions. It frightened her. She almost buried herself in the front seat while he kept on driving. Once they had gotten far away. His eyes caught a glimpse of her hands. They were shaking. He slowly pulled over.
She looked at him wondering why. He still had his hands on the wheel and his eyes looked straight ahead.
" Where is your ring?." He asked her as his eyes blinked uncontrollably.
"My what–" She was puzzled.
"– your ring! You aren't wearing it!" He yelled, hitting his hands on the wheel.
"What the f*ck?" She said,
"I let you in, open my heart to you, I show you love the best that I can. I propose to you, you cheat on me with some other woman! I forgave and you promised, you promised it would never happen again and then you wouldn't take my calls, or reply to my messages, and then you disappear! Only to be back without my ring! You went back to her?!"
He kept yelling.
"What– who the f*ck are you!" She answered back in fright.
"Your fiance! Stark Jones! The one you are supposed to spend the rest of your life with. The one you are supposed to love! Does that revive your memory now? Or you are ready to start talking!" He replied to her very upset.