Estranged Husband
I
“Do you want something to eat? Just tell me, okay? I’ll cook it for you, “ Alice smiled at her husband but Shane was like a little hesitant to respond.
“Anything will do. Thank you.”
“I’ll be in the kitchen. Just tell me if you need something.”
This time, Shane responded with a nod and didn’t even smile at her. She was a little disappointed but still managed to remain smiling before she left him in their room. The moment she went out, she took a deep breath to calm herself. But no matter how much she tried, her tears still fell on her cheeks.
It has been three weeks since Shane left home when he thought she was sleeping. It wasn’t actually the first time he did that but she was afraid to confront him. He’s afraid to know that her husband is having an affair that’s why she chose to keep it to herself. But then, of all times that he left, that was the first time he never came home the next morning. She tried to call him but his phone just keeps on ringing until she can no longer reach him.
She doesn’t know anyone from Shane’s family. All she knows was that his parents died from an accident when he was still young and grew up in an orphanage. She technically has no one to call to ask where could he be. She tried to ask a few friends but no one really knows where he is. He didn’t came to the office too.
The moment it reached twenty four hours since her husband was gone, she asked help from police but there was still no lead where he could be or what happened to him. It’s just like he suddenly disappeared and left no trace. She went home and told her parents that Shane suddenly disappeared. But instead of suspecting him of having an affair, her family was so worried of him and even helped to find him. It’s because Shane has been a good son and brother to her family and definitely a great husband to her.
She felt like dying, crying and still got no clue where her husband could be which caused her to get admitted to the hospital. That’s when she found her husband, lying on the hospital bed next to hers. According to the doctor looking after him, he’s been admitted to the hospital almost two weeks ago, the same time her husband got missing. He’s got into a car accident and none of his belongings were found that’s why it has been hard for them to inform his family members.
Though he wasn’t severely injured physically, he had a head injury that have caused him to have memory loss. She knows it’s normal for Shane to feel awkward even if she’s his wife since he can’t remember. But she never thought that it would be this hard. It has been three days since she brought Shane home and it feels like she’s living with a different person.
The doctor said it’s not good to force Shane to remember anything that’s why as much as possible, she shouldn’t make him feel uncomfortable being with her. She’s a clingy wife but now, she can’t even hug and kiss her own husband.
While walking towards the kitchen she keeps on wiping her tears that keeps on falling.
“Stop crying, Alice. What’s important is your husband is alive and with you. Just be patient. In time, everything will go back to how it used to be.”
“I REALLY don’t think this is a good idea, Leon. I can’t do this anymore,” Shun complains while searching on his brother’s belongings.
“It’s not like you’re searching the whole country. For sure you’ll find it soon. You can only leave that place once you find the files, Shun.”
He hissed. “Yeah, yeah, I know.”
“What’s making your stay in there hard by the way? Are you starting to fall in love with your brother’s wife? Well, I can’t blame you. She’s really beautiful.”
“Do you want to die, Leon?”
Leon chuckles on the other line. “I’m just stating a fact. Even you can’t resist her beauty.”
“That’s not the reason why I want to leave this place as soon as possible. I just feel guilty that I have to act as my brother in front of my sister-in-law.”
Three weeks ago, his twin brother, Shane got ambushed and killed on his way to their headquarters. Shane was supposed to bring them the files that can send Arturo Arnaiz to jail, the country’s number one voted senator. He is a good man in front of everybody but has been keeping a dark secret in his closet. They finally found a proof to his illegal doings from human trafficking, selling illegal firearms to being a drug lord. What they don’t understand is how they found out about it and even attacked Shane to get the files. But knowing his brother, for sure he’s keeping another copy somewhere.
It wasn’t really intentional that he’d pose as his brother. It just happened that Alice got admitted to the hospital owned by Leon and found him. He pass out after drinking a lot the other night and just fell asleep in there. When he woke up, he got surprised that he suddenly become a man with amnesia. That crazy Leon made his own story about him being Shane and having an amnesia so they can easily penetrate Shane’s house.
He feels guilty that he has to lie and make Alice believe that her husband was still alive. He can tell how hard it already is for her just having her husband loss her memories. How much more if she finds out that he’s already gone.
He honestly wanted to tell her the truth but then, he can’t just tell her that he’s not Shane but his twin brother. Aside from the members of Merciless, no one must know about his existence. In the eyes of everyone else, he will always be Shane Vergara, his twin brother.