Emma Johnson stared at Amelia White lying motionless on the hospital bed, her heart a tangled mess.
She could still vividly recall the blood smeared across Amelia's face when Liam had carried her in. Glancing down at her own hands, Emma couldn't stop them from trembling.
"I'm sorry. I was only trying to protect myself. I never meant to push her. I'll take full responsibility for this. Once Xiaoyue wakes up, I'll go to the police station and turn myself in immediately."
Emma spoke to the men around her, but she couldn't bring herself to look at Amelia.
"You didn't do it."
Liam's voice was firm and unwavering.
"What?"
Emma looked up at him, startled.
"There's a security camera covering that area. I already had Christopher pull the footage. He confirmed that Xiaoyue fell on her own."
He watched the woman before him, her lips already pale as paper, the color draining from her face. She was clearly terrified.
"It wasn't me. It wasn't me."
Emma felt the crushing weight on her shoulders finally lift, but seeing Amelia lying unconscious in the bed still made her feel terrible.
"But it's still my fault. If I hadn't come to the company to see you, she never would have fallen down those stairs."
Liam remained silent. No one could have predicted this. When he had stepped out that afternoon to meet a client for lunch, he never imagined things would end up like this.
"Xiaoyue."
The ward door swung open, and Benjamin Williams rushed in. His handsome face was etched with worry as he hurried to the bedside, staring at his sister.
"What happened? Why isn't she waking up?"
Benjamin's eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Liam and Emma. It was the first time Emma had ever seen Benjamin look so terrifying. She instinctively stepped back, but Liam caught her from behind. His large palm felt reassuring, giving her the strength to stand her ground.
"She was careless and fell down the stairs. It was an accident."
Liam explained to Benjamin. But Benjamin had already noticed Emma's strange reaction. His gaze locked onto her, not missing a single expression on her face.
"Sister-in-law, why don't you tell me exactly how this accident happened?"
He didn't believe Liam's words at all. Instead, he turned to question Emma directly.
Emma knew she couldn't escape this. The security footage was evidence. It was true that she and Amelia had argued. So she gathered her courage and recounted the fight that had erupted from their conflict.
But she carefully omitted the part about her own disinterest in Liam.
"It wasn't my fault. I didn't push her down the stairs. She fell on her own. If you don't believe me, check the security footage."
Emma looked at Benjamin, who seemed ready to tear her apart, and spoke quickly.
"Benjamin, I already had Christopher review the tape. Your sister-in-law was almost pushed down the stairs by Xiaoyue. It was a mistake."
Liam's voice was cold as he saw the veins bulging on his brother's forehead.
"A mistake? If it was a mistake, why isn't the woman standing next to you the one lying in that bed? Why is it Xiaoyue?"
"Benjamin, watch your tongue. Don't forget that Yunwei is your sister-in-law."
Liam warned his brother in a low voice.
Just as the tension in the ward was about to explode, a weak voice came from the bed. Benjamin spun around and saw Amelia slowly opening her eyes.
"Big brother, second brother. What are you both doing here?"
Amelia blinked her confused, beautiful eyes, not understanding her surroundings.
"Xiaoyue, you're finally awake. Where do you feel pain? I'll call the doctor right away."
Benjamin moved closer, looking at her with concern.
"Doctor? Why would I need a doctor? Ah, my head hurts."
Amelia had barely spoken when she winced in pain, clutching her head and pressing her hands against the back of her skull.
Her strange behavior puzzled the three people in the room. Why was Amelia acting like this after just waking up? Especially when she looked up and saw Emma, her eyes widened in surprise.
"Brother, who is that woman next to you? Is she your girlfriend?"
Emma was confused, but Liam and Benjamin fell silent. At that moment, the same thought flashed through all three of their minds.
It wasn't until Dr. Owen Jones arrived and personally examined Amelia that they got a real answer.
"I'm afraid Miss White is suffering from selective amnesia due to the impact to her head."
"What? Xiaoyue lost her memory? But she still remembers me."
Benjamin asked in disbelief.
"She remembers you because she hasn't completely lost her memory. What she's likely lost are memories from recent years. That's why she can't remember who Liam's wife is. Because Emma only entered Miss White's life a few months ago."
Dr. Jones explained patiently to Benjamin.
"Doctor, will her amnesia ever recover?"
Emma asked.
"I can't say for sure. Some patients recover in a few days, some in a few months, and others may take years or even a lifetime."
Dr. Jones admitted he wasn't entirely certain.
Emma looked at Amelia, who had just been sedated after losing control of her emotions, and was now sleeping peacefully. Her heart was filled with mixed emotions. She never imagined Amelia would develop selective amnesia.
It seemed she really was that annoying to Amelia, so much so that she chose to forget her entirely.
"Actually, if you can cooperate with her on some memory exercises, she might recover her memories sooner. But remember not to rush. Once the patient feels pressured, it can trigger resistance. In that case, all your efforts might be wasted, and the results won't be worth the cost."
Dr. Jones explained that Amelia's condition was stable enough for discharge after a few days of observation, since her physical injuries weren't serious. But he carefully reiterated the details about her amnesia.
Benjamin asked very detailed questions before finally letting Dr. Jones leave. He looked at Amelia sleeping in the bed, his heart aching. If he could, he would rather be the one lying in that bed than see her suffer like this.
Now she was dealing with selective amnesia. It didn't seem to affect her daily life too much, but it had made her forget the people she'd met in recent years. But who could predict if the condition would worsen?
Even though Emma hated Amelia, she never wished for something like this to happen. If she could help Amelia recover her memories, she would gladly do her part.