Chapter 58:

The old woman spread her arms wide and wailed like a lost child. Jayden turned to Elyse, who looked stricken. “It seems she only remembers you,” he said. “She called your name before she fainted the other day, remember?”

Elyse did remember, but what then? Hesitating, she slowly approached the old woman. When the patient continued crying, Elyse crouched and put her arms around her.

The old woman leaned into the embrace as if finding solace. She wept, her tears soaking Elyse’s shirt collar.

They remained embraced for a while. When the old woman finally calmed, Elyse asked, “Is there something you wanted to tell me, ma'am?”

The old woman slowly raised her head, her face etched with misery. “Are you Elyse Lloyd?”

“Yes, that’s my name.”

“You’re all grown up now. When I first saw you, you were just a baby.”

Elyse was shocked. This woman had met her as a baby?

The old woman folded her arms as if cradling an infant, then looked at Elyse, her brow furrowed in confusion, as if wondering how the baby had become a young woman. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-two.”

“Twenty-two. So it has been twenty-two years.” The old woman muttered to herself, then her face lit up. She grabbed Elyse’s arms and cried, “Don’t forget Rickey Owen and find Janet Lawrence!”

“What?”

“Don’t forget Rickey Owen and find Janet Lawrence!” she repeated, her tone increasingly frantic and paranoid.

Elyse stiffened, frightened, and could only stare.

“What are you waiting for?” Jayden said to the doctors. “Do something; restrain her.”

A nurse quickly administered a sedative. The old woman slumped unconscious.

Elyse pulled away, glancing at her arms; red marks showed where the old woman had gripped her.

“Are you all right?” Jayden asked, walking beside her.

“I’m fine. The nurses will take over. Let’s go home.”

Elyse nodded, dazed. She followed him out of the ward. They strolled slowly, but Elyse’s mind was elsewhere. Jayden knew she was still thinking about the ward.

“Concerned about what the old woman said?” he asked.

“Very much so. She knew my name, claimed to know me as a baby. She must know about my past, but… how did she become like this?” Elyse sighed. “And those names—Rickey Owen and Janet Lawrence—I’ve never heard them.”

Jayden murmured, “If you want to know who they are, I’ll have my people investigate.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, honey,” Jayden said casually.

Elyse stopped, her cheeks flushing pink. “Why are you calling me that?”

“What’s wrong? You did it first at your parents’ house.”

“I know, but that was…” Elyse’s lips tightened, her face burning.

“I think it’s good for us to use pet names in public,” Jayden said unconcernedly. “No one will doubt our relationship.”

Elyse sighed, thinking of her father’s orders. “Do I really have to meet Theo?”

“You don’t want to?”

“Why would I? I’m married.”

Jayden cocked his head, seeing her struggle to remain composed. “It’s fine. Go if you need to. I won’t stop you.”

Elyse’s jaw dropped. Driscoll had warned her Jayden could be petty. She’d experienced it before and vowed never again.

“Won’t you come with me?”

“And why would I?” Jayden countered lightly.

“Because you’re my husband,” Elyse tried a different tactic. “Theo was scary. He tried to kiss me. I’ll feel safer if you’re with me.”

Jayden raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, I’ll accompany you.”

Elyse chuckled. Jayden looked pleased, but she knew she’d had to flatter him; otherwise, there would be hell to pay.