I didn't even get to say, "You're awake."
Liam already knew—he was going to fulfill the promise he made to Amelia this morning. He'd be back early in the afternoon. Compared to his contractual wife, his precious sister clearly mattered more.
But I wasn't going to get angry like I used to. The situation was different now.
When I reached the door, I saw Amelia flying into Liam's arms like a joyful sparrow. She nuzzled her head against his chest, a sweet smile spreading across her face.
A strange thought suddenly crossed my mind—I felt like I was Liam's maid, and Amelia, cradled in his arms, was his lover.
I was startled by my own imagination, but it made a twisted kind of sense. So much so that when we returned to the bedroom, I was still lost in that terrible fantasy and forgot to take the coat Liam was holding out to me.
"What are you thinking about?"
Liam's voice carried a hint of displeasure, snapping me back to reality. Seeing him standing there with his coat still in hand, I quickly stepped forward, took it, and hung it in the closet for him.
After I finished, I suddenly realized something was wrong.
I was Liam's assistant, sure, but that didn't make me his maid.
So when Liam changed his shirt and handed it to me again, I ignored him completely and walked straight into the dressing room to change.
Coming out, I fixed my gaze on him.
"Liam, I'm your assistant at the company, so you can ask me to do anything there. But at home, I'm not obligated to be your maid."
With that, I gave a cold snort and walked past him without a second glance. Liam watched my retreating back and let out a low laugh.
Maid?
If she really saw herself as his wife, doing these things would be perfectly normal. It seemed she still hadn't fully embraced the role.
Maybe he needed to do something to make her remember more clearly.
"Amelia, what are you looking at?"
I planned to check on Amelia in her bedroom, to see how she was recovering. But I found her sitting on the balcony floor, holding a wooden box. Inside was a red scarf, stained with what looked like dark crimson marks.
"Oh, nothing!"
Amelia looked like she'd been caught red-handed. A panicked expression flashed across her face as she hurriedly closed the box. But in her rush, she pressed too hard on the lid and caught her finger.
"Ah, it hurts!"
The box fell to the ground, and the red scarf tumbled out, landing at her feet.
Before I could step forward, Liam had already rushed over. He crouched beside Amelia, scooped her up, and placed her on the bed.
"Don't sit on the balcony anymore. It's almost winter now. You need to take care of yourself."
I could hear the concern beneath Liam's scolding tone. And that princess carry—it wasn't something exclusive to me.
I doubted he'd ever held Amelia like that when they were younger.
"I know, big brother. Don't be mad, okay?"
Amelia tugged at Liam's sleeve, a coquettish smile on her face as she acted spoiled. She wasn't afraid of his scolding at all.
Liam's expression was helpless. He walked back to the balcony, picked up the box and scarf, and examined the red fabric in his hands.
"This is my brother's scarf. Do you remember? During the summer camp, I got hurt. My brother bandaged me with this scarf. I've kept it all this time so I'd never forget his kindness."
Amelia explained to Liam.
"It's just a scarf. Even if I hadn't cared back then, I wouldn't have just stood by and watched."
Liam wanted to throw the scarf away, but Amelia refused.
In the end, he had no choice but to let her keep it.
I overheard their story from their youth. I always thought Liam was cold and distant. Usually, his attitude toward Amelia was light, almost indifferent. But now I knew he did care about her—it just wasn't obvious.
Twenty years of friendship couldn't be erased so easily.
"Brother, I'm going to rest now. You can go keep your wife company."
When Amelia saw me, she noticed a trace of loneliness in my eyes. She tried to cheer up and spoke to Liam.
"I said I'd come back early to be with you, and now you're trying to drive me away?"
Amelia's eyes lit up at his words.
"Brother, will you take a walk with me in the garden?"
"Alright."
As Amelia happily linked her arm with Liam's, she glanced at me again. There was obvious hesitation and struggle in her eyes. Finally, she spoke.
"Come along, sister-in-law. Want to join us?"
Faced with Amelia's kind invitation, I was momentarily at a loss. I was used to the old Amelia—spoiled, domineering, always picking fights with me and causing trouble.
Now, I couldn't quite adapt. But I had to admit, this version of Amelia was much more pleasant to look at.
"No, I have a show to watch. Go with Liam."
I knew Amelia was still a stranger to me. Now that she and Liam were together, maybe he could say something to help her remember some things.
If I were there, the effect might not be as good.
So Amelia and Liam went for a walk in the garden. Just as the old man was about to leave, Amelia took their father and son along.
I sat on the living room sofa, bored, watching TV. But aside from fashion shows, I couldn't get into any of the dramas.
I'd lost my position as a fashion editor, and it was hard to adjust.
"Why are you alone? Where's Amelia?"
Benjamin came back and saw me sitting in the living room. He guessed that Liam must have returned with Amelia, and that she probably wasn't in her room.
"She went for a walk in the garden with your father and your brother."
I turned to look at Benjamin and answered.
He ignored me and was about to leave to find Amelia.
"Benjamin."
I suddenly stopped him. He looked at me impatiently, his eyes cold.
"I know you've always blamed me for what happened to Amelia. I won't deny that I bear some responsibility. But I also want you to know—I didn't push her down the stairs. As for her amnesia, I feel just as terrible as you do."