The Heiress Lives Again

5 - THE EYES

THE EYES

“I got you a full month’s vacation so you can recuperate just like the doctor advised,” Shane said while helping me clean up the dining table. I nodded absentmindedly. “By February, whether we like it or not, you have to get back in the game, Ally. Your work is waiting for you… You’re not planning on quitting, are you?”

I would if I could. But this isn’t really my life so I couldn’t simply decide on it. And even if I did, what could I possibly do after quitting? It’s not really easy to find a job. I’m not even sure what degree Ally has and if she could even get a job at a company. Even though I have experience managing a company, it’s all useless in this body. 

“I don’t really have a fallback so who am I to just quit being an actress?”  I said.

“You actually made quite a lot recently but yeah, you’re not fully settled yet so quitting now would be unwise.” She told me while nodding slightly. “Well, unless you get married to Sebastian Sandejas…”

I almost forgot about it.

“By any chance… is he related to the Sandejas clan of the SJ Foods?”

Shane’s eyes widened a bit when I asked her the question. “Y- yes. You remember now, Ally?”

I was taken aback by her sudden question. I was so caught up with the thought of Basty being related to the Sandejas clan that I was familiar with that I didn’t even realize I asked her a question I supposedly didn’t know. “H- huh? N- no… I- I just read about them when I was browsing the internet… T- they’re a known family, right? I- I just got curious cause he has the same family name...”

“Oh… I thought you finally remembered something.” She said. “But yes, he’s from that family. He’s very rich so if you decide to get married to him, you can just quit being a celebrity.”

“We already broke up, why would I marry him?”

“Don’t you feel anything for him anymore?”

I couldn’t help but sigh. “I don’t even remember him so how could I still feel anything for him?”

“That’s weird...” She looked at me with a knotted forehead. My forehead automatically knotted too in confusion. “Usually, people with amnesia only forget about memories, but not the feelings...”

I blinked. That was a spot-on observation. I swallowed with difficulty. I wish I could just tell her that the problem isn’t really amnesia but the weird soul-swap or whatever. But she’ll just think I’m crazy so that is out of the question. I can never tell anyone about it.

I don’t want people to think I am crazy. Even if it’s not my body and they all think I am Ally, I can’t have people thinking I’ve gone nuts.

I couldn’t respond to Shane's words at all. I am completely at loss for words. How was I supposed to respond to that?

“But maybe it’s because you’re completely over him so you can’t remember what you felt for him then...” She uttered more to herself than to me. I was going to agree with what she said when she cut me off with more of her words. “But you really loved him though… they say the mind can forget but definitely not the heart...”

“T- the brain controls the heart though… So if the brain forgets, the heart can forget too...” I responded stupidly. I know it’s not convincing at all but I just hope she falls for it.

“When you say it like that, I can’t help but agree… there’s scientific basis after all...”

I heaved a sigh of relief internally. “It’s not like I wanted to forget about him… I really don’t know why I forgot about him completely...” I said, acting now.

When Shane flashed me a worried expression, I knew then that my acting was convincing enough. “I’m sorry, Ally… That was just a thought… Don’t feel too pressured because of it… Don’t push yourself and just take it slow...”

“What if I don’t get my memories back? What if I end up losing all of it completely?”

“Don’t say that, Ally… You will get them back… Maybe not now, but you will later on...”

That’s impossible because I am not Ally. “But what if I don’t?”

“Then it’s still okay. You just continue living as you did, I’ll help you. I’m sure Mr. Sandejas will help you too.”

Basty… Sebastian Sandejas…

If he’s indeed a Sandejas that only means that he’s that person.

He’s my best friend’s big brother. The big brother Andraa used to tell me about. The one who was studying abroad and only came home a few years ago.

If he’s her brother then maybe I can get close to Andraa again…

Andraa is the only person I can trust. She’s also the only person who can help me. It would be hard to convince her about my identity and what happened to me but if I try hard, I know I can make her believe me… She was my best friend, she’ll eventually realize I am Thali.

“Until I get all my memories back, I’m in your care, Shane...”

She smiled reassuringly at me. “I got you, Ally. Don’t worry about your career or anything else, I’m quite capable as a manager and assistant. I’ll be with you every step of the way. If you have questions about anything, don’t hesitate to ask me to.”

I smiled and nodded. “Thanks a lot...”

“As for your memories, I still highly suggest asking Mr. Sandejas for help. He did not lie to you to harm you. Let’s just say he’s too in love with you that he was desperate enough to lie about still being your boyfriend.”

“He makes me uncomfortable though...” I muttered without thinking.

She chuckled all of a sudden. “That’s understandable. You’ve always been very reserved after all. And Sebastian Sandejas is pretty clingy when it comes to you.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “I couldn’t understand why you were so reserved then when you two looked so good as a couple. But then the little acts of intimacy were really cute too. Honestly, if people found out you were a couple, you’ll seriously have more fans than haters. You two were so adorable.”

“Why did we keep our relationship a secret then?”

I mean from the way I see it, Ally wasn’t really the type of person to care about other people’s opinions. And a boyfriend cannot be considered a scandal. So, I wonder why she wanted to keep it. Or was she really the one who decided to keep it?

“Figures. I don’t really know your reason too.”

So it was Ally’s decision…

“Maybe I don’t really like him?”

Shane laughed out loud.

“You may not be as expressive as Sebastian Sandejas but the eyes never lie, Ally. Even without saying it, anyone could see that you were so in love with him.”