Until the moment she decided to confine Aiden and set the plan in motion, Erin had no idea that his memory had returned.
That’s why it required a great resolution.
She was also prepared for the worst-case scenario—Aiden’s change of heart.
This was no trivial matter. At least a week.
For that duration, Aiden should not leave this place.
While the elders were haphazardly wielding their influence, Erin calculated a week as the time needed for the people of the Lienster family, including Felix, to find evidence.
It was the best way to protect Aiden with his missing memories and to safeguard the Lienster house. ‘And…’
Erin gazed intently at Aiden.
She hadn’t been able to spend time alone with Aiden since he’d lost his memory.
But especially now, it was essential to talk with Aiden without the interference of others.
To avoid any discomfort on Aiden’s part, Erin cautiously began to speak.
“Suddenly… I’m sorry.”
It was a sincere expression of sympathy towards Aiden, who must have been perplexed by the sudden predicament.
But at the same time, Erin’s gaze turned sharp. She had the intensity of a hunter who had found her prey.
“But you’ll have to cooperate.”
No matter how gentle and kind her voice was, a threat was still a threat.
Aiden’s face had become rigid.
“Is this a confinement situation right now?”
Aiden glanced briefly at the door that was firmly shut.
“You can try to open it all you want. No matter what you do, it will never open.”
Erin spoke calmly.
It was a room that had been considered a last resort, and Aiden had told her before that it had not been used for a long time.
“I keep promises. You remember what I promised back then.”
“…?”
It would be futile to speak of it since his memory was lost.
Yet Erin said it anyway.
“If the day comes when Aiden’s mind changes, he may do whatever he pleases.”
‘If my mind changes, you may kill me.’
Aiden vividly remembered the extreme words he had said with an expectant look.
So, he wanted to argue that this was a somewhat justified action.
“…….”
Aiden said nothing.
He simply gazed intently at Erin.
“Of course, you wouldn’t remember.”
Erin showed a moment of hesitation.
But in an instant, she looked squarely at Aiden and continued to speak.
“I remember it, don’t I? So that promise is still valid.”
Now Erin needed Aiden’s response. So she waited.
“……I can’t stay here forever, can I?”
Aiden spoke calmly after listening to what seemed to him an almost coercive argument that he couldn’t possibly remember.
Eventually, he had to leave.
Remaining here and just leaving would solve nothing. Erin knew this as well.
It was when Aiden was about to say something else.
“Of course, I’ll need to leave.”
Erin spoke calmly, simultaneously curling her lips into a meaningful smile.
“But who says it has to be the same when you leave?”
“……?”
“A week from now.”
Aiden’s expression became complex as Erin seemed to make a declaration.
“A lot of things will change after a week.”
‘Erin hoped for some progress in her relationship with Aiden during that time.’
That was Erin’s wish she didn’t dare say out loud.
Before putting the plan of confining Aiden into action, a memory she had long forgotten came back to her.
Over the years with Aiden, Erin had built up a lot of strength in order to protect herself and Aiden.
So Erin knew that if she resolved to do so, she could keep Aiden by her side by any means necessary.
But she also knew.
That would mean tormenting Aiden.
Hence, at one point, the more she believed that Aiden would come to love Julia, the more determined she was to divorce him, to let him go.
And perhaps, this moment might be similar to the situation that Erin once feared.
Aiden’s confinement had been possible because of the strength Erin had built up over time.
Utilizing her power, she had organized the servants to prepare this situation and confine Aiden.
‘But, the most important thing is different.’
This confinement situation was to protect Aiden.
Therefore, Erin did not waver.
Even if Aiden showed any reaction or even revealed hostility towards her, she was determined not to back down.
…But Aiden’s reaction was a bit different than expected.
“What about food?”
“Uh…?”
Erin momentarily responded in confusion.
“You’re not planning to starve me for a week, are you?”
Erin blinked.
Then, a beat later, she regained her composure and hastily replied.
“No, that’s not it. I’ve prepared everything in advance.”
Inside the spacious room, everything needed for living over the course of a week was ready.
Erin brought out the emergency food she had prepared.
Most of it consisted of items that could be left out for a week without spoiling and still be edible.
Aiden scanned the food supplies.
“There are fruits too.”
Erin proudly stated, holding up a banana, as if to win Aiden’s favor.
A low chuckle from Aiden could be heard.
“With food, a bed… even chess. I suppose a week here wouldn’t be too bad.”
Aiden casually remarked, quickly composing his face.
Erin inwardly breathed a sigh of relief at this display.
She had unilaterally confined Aiden, who supposedly had no memory.
She had expected him to vigorously resist and attempt to leave in any way possible, but to her surprise, Aiden had accepted the situation quite willingly.
That’s why, even more so, she didn’t want to waste any single moment of the time they could spend together alone, without any other’s interference.
Erin’s serious gaze turned towards Aiden.
The current situation was complex. There were, of course, many things that needed her attention.
Nevertheless, Erin couldn’t help but feel anticipation for the time she would spend with Aiden.
The next week.
Erin was determined to make it a time without regrets.
At that moment, a quiet smile spread across her lips.
It had been three days since Erin began spending time in the room with Aiden.
No matter how well she prepared the food, the bread had become stale and the meat dried out. The fruits were also starting to wilt.
However, unexpectedly, she was adapting well to the time spent here.
Being alone in the room, with everything else put aside, they had more time to talk to each other.
These days of full conversations with Aiden were enjoyable for Erin, apart from the current situation.
They were playing chess and chatting about this and that. Aiden had been thoughtful for a while, and then he looked at Erin and opened his lips.
“Do you believe my memory will return within a week?”
“No. Of course not.”
Memory was an issue that could not be asserted recklessly. One could not think as they wished on such an issue.
“Maybe… my memory won’t come back, right?”
There was a carefulness in Aiden’s voice.
“Then there’s nothing we can do.”
Erin replied, taking her eyes off the chessboard.
“Nothing we can do? Do you mean you’ll give up then?”
“No.”
Erin spoke firmly.
“I’ll keep the past times to myself. Instead…”
Erin’s eyes hardened with determination.
“Try to fall in love with me again from now on. I’m sure you will come to like me again.”
Erin showed a confident smile.
“It’s okay. Even if the memory doesn’t return, we can build it up again.”
These were words of consideration towards Aiden and a promise Erin made to herself not to be disappointed.
It was when Erin had lifted the corners of her mouth as much as she could.
“It’s not okay.”
Aiden spoke in a low voice.
Somehow, his eyes seemed to waver.
“Huh?”
Erin asked back, surprised at the unexpected response.
Then she met Aiden’s firm, yet warm gaze.
“We shouldn’t think that even a single moment is meaningless, right?”
“…”
“The 10 years we’ve built up give strength to our future together. Even if we start new, what we have doesn’t disappear.”
Aiden was looking at Erin intently. Erin blinked slowly and stared at Aiden blankly. Her lips quivered, as if about to speak, and then slowly parted.
“Come to think of it, why didn’t you ask?”
Upon reflection, there were odd things she had not questioned.
Things she had passed over without much thought when she had no suspicions now came back to her, all with significant meaning.
“The promise I first made. You can’t be sure whether what I said was true or just something I made up.”
At that time, Aiden certainly seemed perplexed, but he did not challenge the promise. He should have asked when she had made such a promise.
Since he had no memory, it was possible that she was just making up lies.
But Aiden had said nothing about it.
At that time, she thought it was because he didn’t remember that he didn’t ask. But now, it took on the opposite meaning.
Erin waited, with a heart fluttering with a mix of anxiety and anticipation, trying to calm herself down.
And then Aiden’s lips slowly opened.
“…Because there’s no need to ask.”
Erin’s eyes widened in disbelief. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again as a surge of emotion swelled from deep within her chest, rendering her unable to speak.
After several attempts, Erin finally managed to speak. “…You know, right?” Silence followed. “Aiden. You remember, don’t you?” Again, silence.
Erin looked intently into Aiden’s eyes as if trying to see right through him.
“Yes. I remember everything,” Aiden said in a calm but serious tone, his voice carrying weight.
Erin took a deep breath, slowly closed her eyes, and then opened them. “So you do remember.”
Tears had already started to dampen the corners of Erin’s eyes.
