Unima Grand Hotel, Malé
Once more, Daniel let the stream of hot water run over his body before he stepped out of the shower and reached for a towel that was lying on a chair. Quickly, he wrapped it around his hips and stepped to the mirror, which was completely fogged by the hot water vapor. He wiped it thoughtfully, remembering his first meeting with Emily at the hospital. Had it been three days since then? Since his hasty departure, he hadn't dared to face her. And he also didn't expect Emily to want to see him again after kissing her without her consent.
He ran a hand through his wet hair, sighing. What have I been thinking? Well, he knew that he hadn't thought at all, but had simply reacted impulsively. As she had looked at him with wide, tear-filled eyes, like a timid fawn, she had awakened something in him that he could no longer control. The need to touch and kiss her had become so powerful that he simply had to give in to it. And now he deeply regretted that he had lost control. He had wanted to proceed cautiously, to make her relearning as easy as possible after he had heard of her amnesia. Instead he had only made things more complicated!
Sighing, he turned away from the mirror and reached for his clothes. He couldn't stay away from her forever. It wouldn't be long before they would release her from the hospital. And then she would fly back to the Hamptons. At least that was the plan. But what if she didn't want to go back with him? He was so engrossed in his own thoughts that he needed a moment to realize that someone was standing outside the door and knocking. "Just a minute!" he shouted, quickly slipping on his shirt and trousers before he went to the door.
"Mom ... Dad!" He exclaimed in surprise as he recognized the visitors. "What are you doing here? How do you know ...?"
"Don't you want to let us in first?" Victoria interrupted her son. She pushed the door open even before she received a reply and entered.
Daniel took a step back and raised his eyebrows in confusion. "I repeat, what are you doing here?"
"What a nice welcome!" Victoria said snappish. "What do you think we're doing here?" She pushed her husband into the side. "It's your turn to say something, Conrad!"
"Your mother and I are here because we are worried about you," Conrad said, after he had cleared his throat. "At first we didn't know where you were. But after some research, we learned that you flew to the Maldives with the business jet."
"You've made Charlotte to tell us a lie!" Victoria said accusative. "But in the end she told us that Emily is alive. I realized that you would do something stupid." She shook her head. "How could you, Daniel? After all I've told you, how can you put yourself in danger? For whom? For Emily, who is just waiting to destroy you and our whole family?!"
Her voice almost cracked, and Conrad put his hand on her shoulder, gently. "Calm down, Victoria!" He said quietly. "It won't do any good to heap reproaches on him." He looked at his son, who was still shocked by their sudden appearance. "Perhaps we should let Daniel speak first."
Victoria crossed her arms in front of her chest and began to pace nervously back and forth. "So please ... go on!" She ordered her son.
"I didn't tell you because I wanted to fly first to see how Emily is doing," he began hesitantly. "You would have stopped me."
Victoria nodded. "You bet!"
He took a deep breath before he continued. "I was at the hospital and saw her ..."
"And then she immediately called for the police and had you arrested?" Victoria interrupted her son.
"What a stupid question!" Conrad shook his head. "He's right here, standing in front of us. So obviously he was not arrested."
"She couldn't because ... she can't remember that I shot her," Daniel said reluctantly.
"What does that mean?" Victoria snapped, narrowing her eyes to slits.
"She suffers from amnesia." Irritated, he looked up as he heard his mother's laughter. "What's so funny?"
"I laugh at how naive and trusting you are. It's obvious that she's only playing one of her games again. She hasn't lost her memory no more than she had claimed to expect a child from you!"
"No ..." He suddenly felt the need to defend Emily. He hadn't thought for a second that she had only faked the amnesia. The Emily, whom he had met at the hospital a few days ago, was different from the one he had married. He couldn't really explain it, but he knew she'd told the truth.
"Don't be stupid, Daniel!" Victoria rolled her eyes annoyed. "You're just blind when it comes to her! Even back then she had mastered the manipulation of human beings for her own purposes perfectly. Look at you! Once more you are falling for her scheme. And when she has achieved what she wants, she throws you away, like a piece of stale gum!"
"That's enough, Victoria!" Conrad interposed. "We came here to help him and not to make his life a living hell!"
"I think he can do it himself," she said, turning to go. "I'll tell you one thing, Daniel. She is lying! I said it before and I'll say it again. Emily is a notorious liar and deceiver. She's like a black widow. And once again you went into her net!"
"Come on now!" Conrad grasped her arm and gave his son a last apologizing look before he led her outside.
Powerless, Daniel sank into the chair and buried his head in his hands. He didn't want to believe that Emily had lied. Not this time. But what if his mother was right and everything was just a fraud? He had to convince himself. Determined, he jumped up, grabbed the hotel key card and left the suite.