My eyes brightened. "You totally get me!"
I'd actually been thinking about all this before, but I couldn't figure out how to even get started. Everything felt so chaotic—just way too overwhelming.
I sighed. "It's a shame I haven't found anyone I can trust yet."
I'd originally planned to spend the weekend getting to know all the employees and seeing if there was anyone I could take under my wing. But after running into Mathias, all my time went to the hospital, and work completely fell off my radar.
Mathias suggested, "Do we have employee files? Let's go through them together."
His idea hit the nail on the head, so I decided to drop my earlier vow not to lean on his help. Grabbing my laptop, I sat down beside him.
"I'll hold it while you look."
We sat shoulder to shoulder, and I started explaining the company setup with real enthusiasm.
"Here's how the company is structured. Before I got here, it was run by Howard Blake, a local who fought every change tooth and nail. Most of the department heads he appointed are locals too. Uprooting them is next to impossible, so finding an ally among the higher-ups isn't going to work."
Mathias listened closely, his expression turning serious. "It doesn't matter. Sometimes even the smallest player can make a huge impact."
I nodded, just as serious. "But I still don't know them well enough. I haven't found the right person."
Mathias went through all the employee profiles, eventually pointing to someone named Zoe Carter.
"She's from New York. What made her stick around this small town for three years?"
I recognized Zoe Carter. "She moved here for her boyfriend, but two months ago he cheated on her and married some local girl."
Mathias thought for a moment. "Do you think she'd want to go back to New York?"
The lightbulb went off in my head. "She definitely would!"
Mathias gave a small smile. "She's in finance, so she probably has a good grasp of the company. Try winning her over."
That breakthrough lifted my spirits. "You're fantastic, darling!"
I was so deep in character that calling him "darling" felt completely natural—and kind of sweet.
Mathias just sighed.
I reached out and gently pinched his cheek like he was a cute kid, my eyes shining with affection. "How did I manage to snag such a clever husband?"
Remembering the rumors that Mathias was cold and ruthless, dancing on thin ice with him gave me a serious thrill.
Amnesiac Mathias was unexpectedly good-natured. He let me pinch his face for a while before finally catching my hand. "Okay, let's keep going."
Even if this was only for show, his warm, affectionate tone almost melted my heart.
I sighed happily and rested my head on his shoulder. "All right."
I felt him tense up when I first leaned against him, but he relaxed quickly.
It seemed physical closeness really could close the gap between two people fast.
What was supposed to be a quick ten-minute discussion turned into a two-hour deep dive without us even realizing it.
Yawning, I finally noticed how late it had gotten.
Reluctantly, I shut the laptop and lifted my head off Mathias's shoulder. "It's time to sleep."
I decided to stay overnight.
Not wanting to sleep too deeply and miss any of Mathias's needs, I pulled the hospital cot close to his bed so they were side by side.
"If you need anything, wake me up."
Since the night before, I'd only managed bits and pieces of sleep. Exhausted, I fell asleep almost immediately, holding Mathias's pinky. Even though he was awake, Mathias patiently listened to my snores.
The day's events had left me physically and mentally drained, and I drifted into a string of disturbing dreams.
In one, Mathias regained his memory and discovered that not only had I hired him for one night, but I'd also faked a marriage certificate to claim we were married!
I found myself tied up and trembling at the top of a skyscraper, facing a menacing Mathias.
"Yara, how dare you trick me? Prepare to meet your end!"
He shoved me off the rooftop, and I felt myself falling.
Then I dreamed about my mother not getting her medication in time, suffering beyond recognition before dying right in front of me.
My grip on Mathias's hand tightened painfully, waking him.
He heard me crying "Don't kill me" and pleading about "Mom," and he knew nightmares had me in their grip.
My exhaustion kept me from truly waking up.
Checking the time—just past five in the morning—Mathias frowned and watched me for a while. He shifted closer, wrapping one arm gently around me and patting my back soothingly with the other.
"It's all right. Everything's all right."
Eventually, my tense body relaxed and settled, and my sleep-talk faded away.
Mathias grabbed a tissue and wiped my sweaty forehead.
Since he'd slept most of yesterday, he wasn't tired now. He tried to piece together the past while continuing to comfort me until dawn.
A nurse came in to start the IV, speaking loudly. "Room 26..."
Mathias frowned and pressed a finger to his lips. "Shh."
The nurse noticed me holding his hand in my sleep and, smirking, moved more quietly.
"Three bags in the morning."
Despite the small disturbance, I woke up.
Peeking through sleepy eyes, I saw Mathias, and my mind snapped awake.
Taking advantage of my still-groggy state, I murmured, "Darling~" in a slow, loving tone.
I mentally congratulated myself on my flawless acting.
The nurse smiled broadly while adjusting the IV tube. "He didn't want to wake you and insisted I be quiet. He really cares about you."
I felt unexpectedly pleased by the quick feedback and smirked at Mathias. "Really? You care that much?"
The seemingly unattainable prince didn't feel so unreachable after all.
Mathias looked a little proud but refused to admit it. "Stop flattering yourself."
I laughed. "You'll be totally smitten with me eventually."
I freshened up and headed downstairs to grab breakfast.
Just then, Avianna called again.
"Yara, I'm sorry I still haven't been able to get in touch with Mathias Thomas. But I heard his grandfather is pressuring him to get married and setting him up on dates. You've got a great profile, so I'll do my best to get you on the shortlist."
I paused, about to speak, but Avianna cut in. "I know you hate blind dates, but this is about getting close to Mathias to ask about the medication—not actually marrying him."
I didn't want to lie to a friend who had always had my back. I wanted to come clean, but remembering how Mathias insisted on keeping his whereabouts secret, I hesitated and stayed quiet.
"Avianna, I'll handle this myself. Stop stressing about me so much."
Avianna sighed. "If I don't worry, who will? I heard your sneaky stepmother is also trying to set her daughter up with Mathias. If they pull it off, she'll wrap him around her finger, and he won't lift a finger to help you. There's no time to waste."
I wasn't too concerned about my stepsister's attempts, especially since Mathias was with me. She couldn't possibly meet him!
I asked, "Mathias wouldn't be interested in her. Anything about the Thomas family that stands out?"
Considering Mathias had disappeared, the Thomas family had to be in turmoil.
Avianna sounded unsure. "There's always news, but anything especially juicy... Does him meeting five different dates in one day count?"
"Five dates?!" I was genuinely shocked.
Mathias was right here. How the hell was he dating?
Avianna went on. "Yep, that prince is really efficient, but he's rejecting plenty of them too. Apparently, he still hasn't found anyone he likes. His granddad's getting pretty frustrated."
Casually, I remarked, "Mathias isn't even that old. Why the rush?"
Avianna, well-connected and always up on the latest gossip, explained, "The old man is desperate for great-grandkids. Old-money families like theirs can get obsessive about carrying on the family line. I heard he promised ten million dollars in rewards for a great-grandchild!"
"How... much?!"
The amount was jaw-dropping.
Being this close to Mathias, I was tempted to claim the prize myself!
