Chapter 22
Chapter 22:
Alden explained, his tone steady, “Grandma, Helena lost her memories twenty years ago p>
Surprise flickered across Frida’s face before settling into a resigned sigh. “That explains a lot… It might be for the best, given her struggles. Make sure you take good care of her. Once you have kids, things will pick up p>
She bent down to tend to a sagging flower at her feet.
Changing the topic, she inquired, “Has Helena been introduced to the rest of the family p>
A fleeting shadow crossed Alden’s expression. “She hasn’t, and it isn’t necessary p>
Frida exhaled deeply once more. “I’m aware of your resentment towards your father. He definitely overstepped, which is why I never fully passed on the reins of the Wilson Group to him. But despite everything, you’re still family. Do it for me—let’s all have dinner together tomorrow night p>
A subtle movement of Alden’s lips betrayed his thoughts. He suspected this request was influenced by others, relayed through Frida. The true holder of power at Wilson Group remained Frida, while the ambitious contenders had long since lost patience.
Alden, intrigued by what they might be plotting, responded quietly, “Alright p>
Shelley led Helena to a bedroom on the third floor. It was the room that had once belonged to Alden, still echoing with remnants of his past. On the wall, there was a photograph of Alden with Frida. In it, Alden was a teenager, already sporting a cochlear implant and the grave expression he had today, his youthful features foreshadowing the handsome man he would become.
Helena peered closely at the photo, struck by an unexplained sense of familiarity with the young Alden.
Lost in her thoughts, she suddenly recalled a memory: a boy gripping her hand, both of them running together. Trying hard to keep pace, she couldn’t make out his face clearly…
“Mrs. Wilson, are you alright?” Shelley’s voice jolted Helena from her reverie.
“I’m fine,” Helena responded, feeling a bit perplexed, wondering why she associated that vague memory with Alden.
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Shelley, always considerate, asked, “Do you need anything else p>
As Helena surveyed the bedroom, she made an important observation. There was only one bed in the room. She would have to stay here with Alden, which meant… Tonight, they would share the bed.
Dusk settled early over the suburban landscape. Without the city’s constant buzz and glaring lights, the evening’s whispers of insects and the rustle of leaves felt soothingly prominent. After dinner, Helena made her way back to the bedroom on the third floor.
Alden had not yet ascended, giving her a moment alone to take a shower. Her nerves tingled with apprehension. Despite sharing a home with Alden for three months, they had maintained separate rooms. Tonight would be the first time they shared a bed, a closeness she wasn’t prepared for. Being near any man in such a way was beyond her comfort zone.
Emerging from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel and lost in thought, Helena was jolted by Alden suddenly appearing in the room. Subconsciously, she hugged herself tight.
Her voice faltered. “Alden, you’re here p>
Alden’s eyes briefly met hers, then he swiftly looked away. Yet, he had already glimpsed more than intended. He had noticed Helena’s beauty on their wedding day, but seeing her so closely now only magnified it.
For the first time, he felt the shift—from seeing her merely as the little girl he once guarded to recognizing her as the woman she had become. Alden set aside his cochlear implant, overwhelmed by a surge of unfamiliar emotions.
“I’m going to shower as well,” he said.
With those words, he hastened into the bathroom, turned on the cold water, and stood under the chilling flow, hoping it would soothe the unexpected warmth surging through him.
Outside the bathroom, Helena was mortified, wishing she could disappear into the floor. Sharing the same space for just ten minutes had already felt overwhelming. She considered distracting herself somehow, maybe even knocking herself out, by the time Alden returned. But in the midst of her internal turmoil, the lights in the room suddenly went off.
She was startled. Did the power just go out?
From beyond the door, Shelley’s voice confirmed her suspicion. “It seems we’ve lost power in the villa. I’ll have someone look into it p>
Helena acknowledged with a simple, “I see p>
She was about to inform Alden when she remembered he had removed his cochlear implant before his shower. This meant, at that moment, he was enveloped in darkness, cut off not only from sight but from sound as well.