Chapter 4 Lost Memories

Chapter Four

Lost Memories

/-Jade-/

I had to look behind me, in case there was someone else there. But there was no one.

Which meant, he was talking to me!

But I wasn't Annabelle. I was Jade. A stripper, not some Lycan princess. My mother was no queen, I knew that much. So why were they rushing to me with open arms, eyes lighting up in joy like I was the person they had been searching for?

I glanced behind me again.

Before I could process it all, their arms wrapped around me.

"You finally came home!" The Queen sobbed. "We have been searching everywhere for you. Where have you been?"

My lips parted awkwardly. What was I supposed to do now?

"Why did it take you so long to come home? Didn't you think about us? Your fiancée?"

"She's not Annabelle," the white haired man cut in. I shuddered at the harshness in his tone. "She's a criminal. A worthless..."

"Shut it!" The King barked and I flinched. "The only one worthless here is you! Were you not instructed to stay out of sight, away from my people!"

To say I was shocked would be an understatement. The Queen was still hugging me while the King faced the white haired man. Looking at them now, they looked just like father and son.

"I didn't plan to..."

"How dare you defy me?!" The King growled and I shuddered.

"You were the one who threw her over, weren't you?" the Queen started. "You knew who she was so you tried to kill her, you cursed bastard!"

A gasp fell off my lips. Why were they speaking to him like that?

She was off me now, storming to him with unfathomable hate and rage. She slapped him across the face and the sound reverberated throughout the room. "How dare you try to kill my daughter-in-law? Isn't it bad enough that you put my son in a vegetative state? Now you are trying to crush our only hope of bringing him back to normal?"

I was stunned. So he wasn't the Lycan Prince. Who was he then? The fact that he didn't even react and continued to speak calmly made him even scarier.

"I am not responsible for what happened to..." Another slap met him across the face before he could complete the words.

Anyone else would have been angry or at least hurt, but his expression remained just the same as the first time I saw him.

Blank.

"Don't you dare speak while I am talking! Know your place, you dirty swine!" She spat. Those dead eyes fixated on her and I could see her fingers tremble slightly as her body went stiff.

She, too, was afraid of him?

"Lower your gaze, this minute!" She ordered and his eyes dropped. Seeing him get treated like this made my chest feel tight. I felt guilty but my courage was failing me. I couldn't speak up.

"Now get on your knees and apologise to her," she instructed. My heart pounded hard against my chest. I had to stop this.

Without hesitation, he turned to me and began to lower himself.

"No!" I blurted, snapping out of my shock.

Every instinct in my body screamed to keep lying, to play along, nod, say yes, survive. But the truth clawed at my throat like a feral beast. And somehow, lying to them... felt even more dangerous.

"Please don't..." I pleaded, shutting my eyes tightly as I gathered the last of my courage. "I... I am not who you think I am. I am not Annabelle!

There was pin-drop silence. I gulped hard as sweat poured down my face.

"M-My name is J-Jade... not Annabelle. I... I don't know who you are... or anything about a Prince..." I stuttered out. "The truth is that... I... I..."

"Oh dear!" The Queen exclaimed, eyes wide with panic. "What are you saying? You are Annabelle! Princess Annabelle of Moonspire. I am your mother-in-law. Don't you remember me?"

"I'm not Annabelle...."

"Goodness! No wonder it took you so long to come home!" She went on. "You've lost your memories, haven't you? You don't remember anything!"

I blinked, surprised at how quickly she jumped to that conclusion. Was she so desperate to have her daughter-in-law back that she refused to see the truth that was right in front of her?

Oh boy! This was going to be a lot harder than I expected.