Veronica sat on her bed while Liam remained standing. "Why does it feel like my mother didn't want me to wake up? Family fights but not to the point of wanting each other to never wake up."
"Since I have known you, you and your mother have never gotten along. You were on your own in college, working tirelessly to pay off what wasn't covered by your scholarship. You lived in a small apartment which took me so long to convince you to leave. I know you went back to buy it," said Liam.
Liam didn't mind she wanted to keep the apartment though she didn't use it. It was the first place she thought of as home and she had worked hard to stay there to never return to her mother.
Liam continued, "When it comes to why your mother doesn't like you, you have more of the answer than I do. You told me that you weren't meant to be part of that family and couldn't understand why your mother didn't leave you with your father. I have other opinions."
"I didn't see your mother come around you until it got out that we were together. All of a sudden, there were investments your stepfather needed help with. A loan you benefitted from that needed to be paid. At first, you helped them but then stopped. My opinion of her went lower then," Liam said, angry once again just thinking of the past.
"Your mother would put up a front when I was near but insult you when she thought I wasn't around. Your family has never been here."
Veronica didn't think it would be so bad. This was her mother after all. She could understand if her stepfather didn't love her but not her mother. "What about Beth and my stepfather? What are they like?"
"Your mother comes to you for money to help with her husband's failing ideas. He doesn't reach out to you. He doesn't talk much like your mother but you never spoke highly of him. As for Beth, you weren't close to her. My mother set up a date for Beth and I but we were already dating. Beth thinks you stole me," said Liam, the conclusion still a joke to him.
If Veronica were not in his life, Beth still wouldn't have a chance.
"That explains why she took the ring and said it belonged to her," Veronica realised.
Veronica thought back to her time in the hospital with her family. She was not mistaken with the hostility she noticed.
'So Beth mentioned an affair just to hurt me,' Veronica thought.
It was low for Beth to do because Liam didn't seem to have been stolen.
Veronica thought herself to be petty or miserable to steal the man Beth liked.
"So, not speaking of friends, were you all I had? What about your family? Was I close to them?" Veronica asked, hoping that she was. She crossed her fingers awaiting good news.
Right now, it felt like she was standing on an island with only her husband.
"My father likes you but my mother does not and because of it, you haven't gotten close to most of my relatives from my mother's side. She had a list of women she thought would be good enough for business. She had my life planned out so in her eyes, your showing up ruined it. She was only welcomed here once," Liam said, adamant that it would stay that way.
This was their safe space where only a few could enter if they wouldn't disrupt the peace.
Veronica frowned. "Why do so many people around me dislike me? What kind of person was I?"
Liam smiled as he thought of the woman he married. "You are kind and quiet but not once could they push you over and do as they liked. That alone grew their hate towards you since they couldn't control you. I know your mother was upset when you cut her off and the very next day, a story was out about your past. I dealt with it."
"Right now, you are not the Veronica we are used to so they will try to use you for as long as they can. Your family had been trying to get you to give them money for a building but you didn't respond so they reached out to me. They went as far as to contact your lawyer to know about your will," Liam revealed.
Veronica put up her hand to stop Liam from speaking. "Please stop."
Veronica looked down at the palm of her hand and traced the lines.
Liam noticed the action and thought of how she still had her old habits. He was certain her memories would return then they would have the answers on who needed to pay for her almost dying.
"I sort of understand why you didn't want to tell me all of this right away. Who wants to find out that their family tries to use them? Still, I needed to know what kind of people they were. Are they the ones you suspect tried to kill me?" Veronica asked, needing to know who was on his list.
"Yes, but they are all sticking to the story that they had been together. There was a yacht found drifting with some of your belongings on it except for your phone. The yacht belongs to your stepfather. You are scared of going on boats so the story is you panicked and fell off. I don't believe it," said Liam.
What would convince Veronica to go on a boat alone unless there was something important she needed from there? How important was it that she faced her fear?
"Don't meet with them-"
"I know," Veronica interjected, not foolish to go to her family. "I can't see them while I am like this. First, I need to get used to being your wife. Your face was all over the news and some people in the hospital tried to take pictures as we left. I'm the wife of some bigshot."
It was unbelievable just to say it.
From the home and from the employees Veronica saw when she looked out the window, they lived a comfortable life but they were also in the spotlight.
The small glimpse of the reporters trying to find out about her state was already scary.
Was she ready to go back out as his wife? To be crowded and questioned about an incident she could not remember?
Again, his choice to bring her here was right. It dawned on her even more how wealthy and important her husband had to be for so many to be interested in what happened to her.
"I need to get my memories back. I will do any and everything which has the success of helping someone in my position. No more withholding things from me because I will not trust you. I will decide what is too much for me to hear. Deal?" Veronica asked, holding out her hand for Liam to shake.
Right now there was nothing to lead her to believe she shouldn't trust him. He messed up and they both acknowledge it. Beth seemed sneaky so Veronica would make her judgement of Liam.
Liam approached Veronica and shook her hand. "Deal," he agreed.
Just like her old habits were present, Liam believed her love was still there.
Veronica looked at their hands which Liam didn't let go of. She cleared her throat as a way to snap him out of whatever daydream he was having.
"Right," Liam released her hand. "I need to fulfil my promise. Give me the laptop so I can put in the internet password."
Veronica picked up the laptop she had closed and handed it to Liam. She gave him one chance to start over. For the sake of their marriage, Veronica wished he would not ruin it.
If their marriage was fine, Veronica didn't want what she didn't know how to ruin what was good before. She wanted to avoid one day getting her memories back and her marriage was ruined because she didn't trust Liam.