I opened my eyes in alarm and saw that it was the same man who was trying to harass me.I got myself abruptly from the bed and said "You...."
"Yes me.. so now you remember me" He said smiling.
"Of course you are the person who was harassing me in the hotel yesterday. But what are you doing in my bedroom" She said and looked around and said "This is not my bedroom".
After 2 years
Ryan's POV
I was sleeping when my hands went to search for Rose and when I found her side empty, I jolted awake. I woke up to look for her and checked bathroom and all the rooms. Thinking that she will be in Kitchen I shouted her name but no answer. I panicked and called her cell phone which was not reachable.
I called Mia my personal secretary to know whether she has any idea where my wife was, but even her phone was unreachable. Now this was getting more and more serious. I called for security who came rushing and when I asked him about my wife.
"Sir, Madam Rose and Madam Mia left together early morning. All I saw was them going together and Madam Rose with a small luggage bag" He said.
"What?? I pay you to secure my wife and you let my wife go without any bodyguard and even failed to inform me" I shouted at him.
"But sir, Madam said she has already told you and you allowed her to go" He replied.
"Go away before I do something I regret" I yelled.
Shit this woman is going to be death of me. I don't know what's going on in her mind to leave without a bodyguard. I don't trust her to be alone.
I asked the security guard to leave and was pacing up and down when I got a call.
When I saw the caller I sighed in relief seeing it was my loving wife.
"Oh god Rose.. where are you? Are you alright? Why didn't you tell me you are going with Mia" I blabbered and stop when all I heard was her chuckling from other end, it was music to my ears.
"Rose I am dying being worried for you and you are laughing" I said bit annoyed.
"Ok Mr. Possessive I am sorry" She said when I cut her off.
"Darling tell me where are you? I will come right away to pick you" I said.
"No Ryan you will not" She answered and I knew she was biting her lips.
"And why is that Rose?" I asked again.
"Look Ryan I knew you will be worried and if I tell you you would have come with me. But I don't want you babysitting me all the time. I wanted to do the job I hold position for in your company so I came to NYC to strike this deal" She said.
My heart stopped when she said NYC. She was back at the place I took her from. She was again in the radar of Nicholas, she was again where painful memories are.
"Please Rose just come back right away" I said bit harsh.
"Ryan I know you are angry and I know you love me more than anything. But I promise I will just have a meet and I will be back by evening flight" she pleaded.
I could not deny her anything, so I said "Fine Rose, but you have to make sure you will call me every hour".
"Sure I will and Ryan I love you and wait for your wife to come victorious in your arms" She said smiling.
"I love you more Rose more than my life" I replied and then she hung up.
I was sure that chances of Nicholas crossing path with her are one in million, but I still called my NYC PI to get information about Nicholas. Within 2 hours, I had information about Nicholas, my cousin businessman more successful in last 2 years. I was happy that he was doing good in business but I could not keep the worry that he will find my Rose and take her away.
I got his itinerary and I was happy that he's mainly stick to his route of going to office by 7 AM and returning by 12 AM in the night. This time was enough for Rose to complete the meeting and be back. But I asked him to keep tabs on my wife and him.
I was in meeting till 2 PM and when I got call from Rose. I lifted and was glad to hear her voice.
"Hello Darling how is it going?" I asked smiling.
"It's good and I think he is convinced Ryan" She replied and I could feel her happiness.
"Love I am not happy that you went to NY without informing me" I said this again to stress that I don't want her going alone.
"I know Ryan but we need investors and I could not sit and watch you doing all the work and not see the results" she said.
She knew we were about to launch new products and investors were sceptical and to convince them I was jumping flights back and forth but no one was convinced, but seems like my wife has outdone me.
"I am missing you love please come back soon. Have you booked your tickets for tonight" I asked confirming every time she called.
"Oh love.. I know you are missing me and yes I have booked the flight for Canada and I will be there tonight" she replied.
"I love you Rose" I said wishing to hear her say that to me.
"I love you too" she said before hanging up.
I smiled that she will be back soon and I will make sure she never pulls this stunt again and if she has to go to NYC then it will be with me.
The past still bothers me, I still remember that day when tragedy strike us, to Rose much more. After I was shot and Rose confessed her feelings for me, we were happy and Mrs. Harrison has recovered and joined us in our mansion in LA. We were a happy family but soon it was destroyed when one day I was about to go for a meeting when Rose said she needs my car so she and Mom can visit our farmhouse. Always happy to give her anything I gave her my car keys and I regret it because when I didn't hear from her till 4 hours panicking and running here and there to get any information, only to come to know that she and Mrs. Harrison were in Road accident.
I rushed to the hospital to see them when I was notified that Mrs. Harrison was dead on spot. I didn't know what to do or how I was going to tell Rose that but when I saw her body hooked on wires I fell because I saw my life slipping away.
Doctor looked at me in sympathy and said "Mr. Smith I want to talk to you".
We went to his cabin and he told me "Mr. Smith I am sorry to say that Mrs. Smith is in very critical condition and if we want to save her then we have to do the surgery immediately. But there are chances for surgery to not be successful".
"If surgery is not done she will die and if it's done, chances are she might live. Then doctor do the surgery because I will take my chances to see my wife alive and I know she will make it" I said.
Though bravely I told him to do surgery but I was dying every moment she was in operation theatre because I had no idea what I will do if she didn't make it.
I waited and after 6 hours doctors came and he patted my shoulder and said "Congratulations Mr. Ryan surgery was successful but next 48 hours are crucial, we will keep her in observation in ICU".
I had my breathe stuck because still danger lied and the next 48 hours were like 48 million years for me because I stood outside her ward waiting for her to be conscious and come back to me.
At last she opened her eyes and Doctor checked her vitals and then
"Mr. Smith you can meet you wife but ensure no shock or no surprises till she recovers" Doctor said and I nodded.
I rushed inside with happy tears in my eyes and she smiled slightly in her weak state and wanted to talk but seemed like her throat was parched and gestured for water. I helped her to drink and when she was settled, I took her hand in mine and said "Rose you don't know how I survived these past hours".
She kept her hand on mine and whispered weakly"Ryan I am fine" and then she asked "Ryan how is my Mom". Is she ok? I saw the worried look in her eyes, so in order to save her from unnecessary shock I lied.
"She is safe Rose" Thinking now Mom is safe because she is in heaven with god. I knew I was lying but after loosing Mrs. Harrison who became like a mother figure for me in last 2 months I could not loose Rose too."Don't worry" I said and saw her sigh in relief at that.
It was difficult to answer her every time she asked about Mom so I told her she has been discharged but it will take sometime for her to visit her but there was no need because she will be discharged soon. It was even difficult when she said she want to talk to her Mom so I told her she is sleeping due to her medicines. Daily she would ask about her Mom and daily I lied to her.
After 2 weeks she was discharged and when she came home she rushed to her Mom's room to find it empty. I told her since she had pain in her back so I sent her for treatment which was 4 hours away in a speciality hospital and again after a week she asked to visit her Mom.
I knew I could not lie anymore it was time to tell her truth. Had I known it would break her so much I would have kept my lies but needless to say I did.
I took her to graveyard and she kept asking me why we were there. But she stopped when she looked at the tombstone.
She looked at me for explanation when I didn't say anything she fell down infront of it and whispered "Oh Mom I am so sorry. It's all my fault". She kept crying and after 2 hours I pulled her out of the graveyard and brought her back.
She didn't utter a single word and it was like she was like some lifeless body. She came out of car and went to her room and though I followed her all she did was lie on bed staring at ceiling. I watched her but when it was time for dinner and I called for her and she didn't respond. I pulled her to me but there was no response. I jerked and did whatever but it seemed like she had no life left. I pulled her to me and laid next to her holding her in my arms.
She was laid like dead corpse but I made effort to push food in her mouth no response. It seemed like she ceased to exist. I let her be though I forced liquid juice in her mouth from time to time. Seeing her like that was killing me so when there was no response till 4 days I forced her to bath and fed her which she denied but then gave up. She ate and then she threw up. I watched her drifting away, but I had no idea how to take away her pain. Day by Day she was getting depressed and one day I came home to find her complete naked on the bed and when she realised I was there, she pulled me to her and said "Ryan let's fuck".
I jerked myself from her and said "Rose you are not in your senses. I will leave you for now and by the time I freshen up I want you decent".
When I came out of bathroom she was there and she held me from back and said "Ryan come on. I know you want it" she whispered.
"Rose for god sake put on the damn clothes" I jerked her away and moved away.
"Ryan... are you leaving me like her... You too don't want me" She said crying and fell down. I squat near her and pulled her to me and then scooped her up and made her sit on the bed. I took one of my shirt and covered her. That night we laid like old times, I hoped things will be better tomorrow.
Morning came and she cooked breakfast like other days and she even smiled. It was relief to see her not acting like a zombie. I thought she was recovering, healing, but what I failed to notice was she found a new way of coping pain by self harming. Like this a week passed only for me to come one day to find her in bathtub with blood flowing from her wrists. I bonded her wrist with handkerchief and rushed her to hospital and when she was conscious I asked her "Why Rose? Why? why are you hurting me by hurting yourself".
She looked at me and tears welled up in her eyes "Ryan... I am sorry I can't live like this. I know you love me and seeing me like this hurts you. Ryan I tried to live, live for you but this pain I have I could not control. So I found cutting myself as way to relieve me. Today I might have cut deeper and I know it pains you to see me. Ryan Leave me. Do not stop living your life for me. Because Ryan I don't have anything to offer you.Leave me. Please find someone who will love you like you deserve. Someone who will fulfil your life with love and happiness, one who is not having any baggage".
"So easily you asked me to find someone and leave you. Was it so easy to forget someone we love Rose. If that's so can you forget your love for your Mom Rose" I asked her with tears filling my eyes.
I went out of her ward to the doctor who told me that my wife needs to undergo counselling and she must see a psychiatrist. I convinced Rose to see the psychiatrist, but what I heard was she was not making any progress, she would keep quiet with a blank expression. There was nothing that would stimulate a response from her. She would even ignore me, it was like she was there physically but not mentally.
I took her to session alternate days and one day I heard her crying and when I went inside I saw her state she was total mess and when I tried to go to console her, her psychiatrist Laura stopped me with her hand and said "Tell me Rose how do feel about Ryan loosing his business, his reputation and his happiness. You know you are his world and seeing you like this each and everyday is darkening his world too. Rose will you feel happy that your Ryan is not breathing anymore tell me" She provoked her.
"No.. No... I don't want Ryan to stop living because of me. I love him so much that I want him to move on from me" She said sobbing.
Hearing that was like a stab to my heart. My Rose still thought that I will move on with someone else in my life without her.
"Do you really believe he will be able to move on? What if the woman he marries is a gold digger or she takes away all his property and leaves him in streets where Ryan would be begging for alms or may be he will sitting at the pedestrian sick and no one to even care. Would you like that for him. Tell me will you like that Rose" Laura said again.
This time Rose threw away whatever was on the table and pulled Laura by her coat's collar and said "If anyone harms my Ryan I will kill them. I will make sure they will experience hell".
I rushed to Rose and pulled her and she was sobbing and a nurse came and sedated her and she soon lost conscious. I wiped her tears and made her lie on the bed.
"Laura what was that? You were hurting her so bad. I brought her here to cure not to make her worse" I yelled at Laura. When she cut me off and said "Ryan all I wanted was a reaction from her. You wife doesn't speak whenever I try to ask her something, she sits here in every therapy session with a blank expression. Only way to help her was when she shows any kind of stimuli, any response so we cannot treat her. Your wife keeps her emotions bolted inside. She loves you despite her condition which is a good sign that she has something that can be her hope to live. She is not entirely lost in the dark world. As of now she will be unconscious for 2 hours but I would like you to talk to her and see if she still behaves as if she doesn't care".
I took my wife home and when she woke up , I saw emotions on her face, she looked at me as if feeling sorry for me and she said."Ryan.. I... please I am sorry.. I behaved like that I didn't care about you" She cried in my arms. I consoled her.
Once she was composed she wiped her tears and said "Ryan I love you. I love you so much that I can't let you live like this. I don't want to live like this with you" I looked at her to see there was some determination in her eyes, I frowned at what she was about to say and then she said "Ryan let's wipe my memories and create some other so that I don't live with this pain. I heard from the doctors that there is a way to wipe the memories. I don't want to live with the burden of my past where I was forcefully married and raped. I don't want to live with the burden that I caused the accident which led me to loose me my Mom. Please Ryan help me, help me unload this burden".
"sh... Rose please don't say that I don't want you lose anything Rose. I can't have you not knowing me, not knowing the part where we spend time together, created memories Rose. I will do anything you ask Rose but not this. Please don't make me do this" I begged her.
"Ryan if you love me and want to see me alive then you have to do this" She said more determined.
"I can't Rose" I repeated crying for ourselves.
"You have to . Wipe away my memories of past Ryan" I shook my head in denial and then she cupped my face and said"Ryan you know I will again try to kill myself when you are not there. I don't want you worrying about me and go office worrying about me and come home worried whether today your wife will be alive or not. I want you to be happy Ryan. I know you kidnapped me and forced me to marry you but Ryan you are also same person who showed me love is real. You freed me from him and I got the opportunity to experience love. I can't see you like this. Please wipe my memories for me, for you, for us and our future".
I denied but then she pulled my hands and said "Promise me you will do that Ryan if not then there is no point saving me because you know the pain is endless and this madness will make me take my life and leave you one day. I don't want you shattered because I know that's what you will be. Please do it . Take away this pain".
I shushed her and said "I promise Rose. I will wipe away the pain by taking your memories of past".
Then her treatment started, it took a lot for me to see her undergo shock treatment and all those and after 6 months she knew me as her husband and herself as an orphan I created proofs to make her believe, we had love marriage and Now I have Rose my wife with a new life, life that is promising, life that is free from nightmares of her time from her first marriage, pain of her parents death.
I know it was not an easy decision for her or me but if this what was going to keep her alive and safe then there was nothing that would have stopped me from not keeping my promise to her.