Chapter 6

Gabriella was curled up in Vincent's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Drinking had emboldened her. "Come on, have a drink…" she mumbled. Her cheeks were flushed, and her gaze was dazed. Vincent looked visibly distracted. That moment of clarity and peace he had earlier had vanished again for reasons he couldn't explain. Right now, all he could see was Diana's familiar, yet faintly unfamiliar smile. It was gentle, but somehow distant. "Vincent, do you hate me?" Gabriella's voice trembled with a choked sob. "No. Don't talk nonsense." Vincent snapped out of his daze and patted her back. "Stop crying and get some rest. I have something else to handle now, so I'm heading back." "No!" Gabriella broke down again and cried harder. "I don't have anyone in Heyton, and you're all I have. Now, you won't even stay with me. "Am I that unbearable? Maybe I should just die!" Vincent had no choice but to sit back down and pull her into his arms, murmuring soft reassurances. But his mind had drifted far away. Diana was still waiting for him at home. He had promised her that he would return. He would bring her a gift tomorrow to make it up to her. After all, she had always been soft and easy to please. Right now, Gabriella was his priority. Gabriella had a kind heart. Having been accused like this for no reason, she would probably blame herself. "It's fine. It's all okay now. I promise I won't let anyone hurt you again," Vincent whispered, holding her close and gently patting her back. Gabriella continued to sob, and her dripping tears soaked through his white shirt. The assistant standing by the door of the ward was stunned by the scene. Vincent had always been a clean freak. Sometimes, even Diana wasn't allowed to cross certain boundaries. Yet, he didn't seem to mind Gabriella's tears on him. "Vincent, will you stay with me tonight? I don't want you to leave… I'm scared." Gabriella looked up at him with tearful eyes. She was beautiful. When she pretended to be weak, she looked even more pitiful, and her looks would stir an innate desire in men. As Vincent met her gaze, memories from those two years back flooded his mind. His eyes darkened, but in the end, reason prevailed. "Okay, I'll stay with you. I'm your older brother, right?" He emphasized the words "older brother" as if to remind himself of something. With his head lowered, he didn't notice the flicker of displeasure on Gabriella's face. The assistant quietly closed the door to the ward and immediately made a call to the Hendrix residence. Half an hour later, Diana received a call from Jason. "Grandpa," she softly called out. "Diana, sweetheart. Are you free these days? I've missed you. Could you do the honor of visiting this grumpy old man?" Jason requested. Diana had grown up under Jason's care. In his younger days, he had been a fierce and commanding figure in the business world and had been known for his ruthless tactics. One could say that the Hendrix family owed much of its current power and status to him. But no matter how hard-edged he was in the office, he was a different man entirely in front of Diana. He was kind and gentle. In her memory, Jason had always loved to ruffle her hair with a wide grin and shower her with endless praise. He had never had a daughter or a granddaughter. To him, Diana was the most adorable and wonderful person ever. One could say that she was doted on by the formidable figure since childhood. The marriage alliance between the Hendrix and Gyleon families had drawn countless objections in the beginning. Socialites across Heyton would give anything to get close to Vincent, and the position as his wife was highly coveted. But no matter how many tried, Jason, who held the reins of the Hendrix family, only had eyes for Diana. Now that Jason wished to see her, how could she say no? Diana agreed almost immediately, "Of course, Grandpa. I'll come to you right now. Is that okay?" Jason's hearty laugh came through the phone. "Mrs. Hendrix, are you heading out?" Maria walked over, drying her hands on her apron. Diana nodded with a gentle smile. "Thank you for everything today. I'm visiting Grandpa at the Hendrix residence, and he'll probably keep me for dinner. As for Vi… he likely won't be coming back tonight, so why don't you rest for the evening?" Maria beamed at her words. After all, anyone would be delighted to get the rest of the day off while still getting paid. Diana had always been kind-hearted and often gave the staff days off like this. There probably wouldn't be another wealthy family in Heyton with such an easygoing matriarch. Nonetheless, Maria sighed at the thought. Diana was beautiful, gentle, and warm. Everyone adored her, but Vincent was always at odds with her. He wasn't like this before the memory loss. Back when they first married, he had been full of love and affection for her. He had been over the moon to have won the heart of the woman he had loved for so long. Even when the Hendrix family's investments had taken a hit and the stock market had crashed, his mood had barely faltered. It was as if marrying Diana had cured all of life's sorrows, and she was his only weakness. He had never missed her birthday. No matter how busy or where he had been, he had always come back for her. Diana used to be terrified of thunderstorms ever since getting lost as a child during a violent storm. It was a traumatic experience. On stormy days, Vincent would rush home just to be with her. He would delay meetings just to sit by her side so that she wouldn't be afraid. Diana would always berate him when she found out and thought he was acting ridiculous, but he would just smile, and his eyes had been filled with warmth and love. Maria had curiously asked Vincent once if Diana was more important than anything else. Vincent had said that Diana was more important than his life. He had seen her as more important than anything in the world. So, this was what it meant to love someone deeply and hold them dearer than one's own life. That day, Vincent told Maria a story that every wish he had ever made in the first half of his life was tied to Diana. At six, his birthday wish had been to stay with his best friend, Diana, forever. At 16, his wish had been to grow up faster so he could hold her hand and never let go. At 20, he had been overjoyed that his wish had come true. He was finally getting engaged to the love of his life. At 22, he had been so excited that he could barely sleep the night before their wedding. The next morning, he had shown up at the ceremony with dark circles under his eyes. But later… Maria could only sigh. The once-loving couple now either fought or gave each other the cold shoulder. Was it destiny for lovers to come to despise seeing one another?