Zena waited for Molly to shut the door behind her before she spoke.
"Why did you lie?"
Molly looked up at her. "What?"
"You're not a nurse, Susan told me, but she did not tell me who you really are. What is your relationship with Xian?"
"With Xian? You are Xian."
"Am I?" Zena asked and Molly chuckled softly.
"So you really believe you are someone else?" She asked, and Zena nodded.
"I have memories of my childhood, my parents and a life that I lived, and it does not correspond with the one I am living right now."
"You have memories of a non-existent life," said Molly.
"Why do you think that?" She asked, sitting up.
"Because I checked!"
Zena's brow rose in scepticism. "You what? Why would you do that?"
"Because this sounds baffling. There is no such thing as an Africa. What you claim does not exist. Plus, people don't have dark skin, there are darker tones but not dark skin."
Zena's eyes widened. "Seriously?"
"Seriously."
'That means I was right. This world doesn't really exist.'
"So you chose to believe a world you created in your head as opposed to the one you can touch and see is fake?" Molly asked and Zena let out a heavy sigh. Why does she keep voicing out her thoughts?
"You think I don't know that? Do think I like to believe such crazy things myself? Who are you to even do these things? To tell me I am crazy?" She asked.
"I am your personal assistant, manager?"
"Manager?" Zena repeated. "Then why would you say you are my nurse? Why would you lie to me?"
Molly shook her head and sighed. "To be honest, I wanted to walk away when I heard you were brain-dead or whatever, but I just couldn't walk away."
"Let me guess, I am blackmailing you as well?"
"That's exactly right." Molly agreed, and Zena chuckled.
"What do I have on you?"
"Like hell, I am telling you that," she said, and Zena sighed.
"Fair enough. So if you hate me so much, why did you stay then? Why did you pretend?"
Molly shook her head and walked to the seat opposite Zena on the bed. "Look, I will explain it to you, but you have to promise that you will not do anything to me or anyone I love."
Zena's lips parted, and she sighed heavily. Just what kind of gangster was she? "I promise not to do anything, I swear. I can even sign a document if you have one. Susan made me sign a contract to leave her family alone."
"Oh... you have to understand that we all just trying to survive."
"Yeah, survive me."
"Look, I have heard of cases when people experience a life and death situation and they suddenly change, but becoming a different person? This isn't fantasy, its real life." Molly said.
"So you think that's what happened to me?" Zena asked, and Molly nodded. "But it was a c-section. How is that a life and death situation?"
Molly took a deep breath and fell to her knees, placing her hands on her thighs and looking down. Zena stood up immediately and grabbed her. "What are you doing?"
"It was my fault. It was my fault that you became like this."
"What the hell are you saying?!"
"Look, you were a terror! You were such a horrible person, and I was the most pitiful victim. It was too much for me to bear, and then when you threatened my mother's life, I lost it. I took a vital piece of information from your file. I'm sorry!"
Zena's mouth was opened in shock, and she did not know what to say. "What information?"
"That you are allergic to general anaesthetic," Molly replied. "It scared me when you woke up and found out what I did before your surgery."
"You pretended to be a nurse so you could make sure I really did not remember anything?" Zena asked, her voice little more than a whisper.
"I was not supposed to even meet you, but I heard you scream when you woke up and I had to-" she trailed off.
"I don't know what I am supposed to think," Zena said.
"I am so sorry, Xian. I am... I lost my mind. I promise that this will never happen again. I was-"
"Enough! Do you know what I woke up to?" Zena asked. "People discussing over my unconscious body how they should quickly inject poison into me because the Zhens ordered it."
"What? The Zhens?"
"Yes," she confirmed. "Before I even opened my eyes, I was already at the end of an assassination attempt, and now you are telling me I wasn't even supposed to make it then?"
"Xian I am sorry-"
"No! You don't understand! All I have heard since I woke up is how much of a horrible person I am, how everyone hates me and thinks I am so bad I shouldn't even be allowed to raise my children! I don't remember any of this! I am not a bad person. I did not do any of those horrible things, for crying out loud, I am innocent. I am an innocent person!" Zena yelled. She was pacing the room, struggling to calm her thumping heart.
"I have one question for you, though, Molly. Of the two people that tried to kill me, they caught the woman. You entered the room when I screamed. Did you let him escape?" She asked, but not only did Molly not answer, she refused to meet her eyes.
"Wow!"
"So, are you the one that paid them as well? To kill me?" Zena asked, and Molly gave her a look of disbelief.
"No! You know, for a fact, that was not me."
"Then why did you let him escape?" Zena asked. "If they don't work for you, why did you let him escape?"
"You already know the person that ordered that hit on you. What was the point of capturing him? When he won't even confess. Do you think a family like the one you have married into will let a failed assassin live?"
"So, you were concerned for him?" Zena scoffed.
"No, but of what use would it have been? Did you even hear anything from the woman? Has anyone told you anything about her?" Molly asked, and Zena let out a heavy sigh.
"So not only one, but two people are after my life? And worse, I don't even know who I hurt and who would want to kill me. Except for my husband and manager. How nice."
"Xian-"
"The people that are supposed to be the closest to me hate me so much that they want me dead. I really don't remember anything, Molly. How the hell am I supposed to survive?"
"You should divorce Xerxes Zhen and get away from him and his family. Go as far as you can."
"And my sons?"
"You can't care about anyone but yourself right now."
Zena let out a heavy sigh as she bit her lower lips in frustration. "I can't abandon them. I don't know why, but I can't abandon them."
'Xian won't let me,' She thought ruefully. All this was so complicated. Trying to stay by their side might cost Zena her life. But that unhelpful bitch wouldn't help her. How hard was it for Xian to just let her see her memories?
"Do you think you can survive otherwise? Do you think you could protect yourself without remembering anything?"
"No, but that's why you would tell me everything I need to know about Xian, every single thing."