âIâve forgotten many things.
I donât recall how this ring came to be on my finger, but it seems Iâve worn it for a long time, and I canât remove it.
Perhaps⦠I have a husband, and he must be very kind to me.
He never allowed me to do any household chores, which is why my hands remain so pristine.
I think I love him deeply; thatâs why I always keep this ring on.â
Kyson listened in silence, his expression growing somber.
Nathanâs long eyelashes quivered intensely as tears gathered in his eyes, blurring his vision.
He fought fiercely to keep those tears from spilling over.
His lips quivered faintly, and his face was etched with remorse and self-reproach.
His shoulders shook slightly, signaling a profound sense of loss and helplessness.
âHeâs not a good husband at all.
He failed to protect you and let you endure so much pain.â
Lucinda retorted, âItâs not his fault.
My husband has to be the best husband in the world! Besides, I didnât suffer at all.
Hilda is very kind to me.â
She couldnât recall a thing.
Why then, did she still believe her husband was the best?
For a moment, Nathan wasnât sure whether to feel fortunate or sorrowful.
His hands shook, and he instinctively reached out to rest them on her knees, longing to touch her, perhaps even embrace her.
Yet, he feared she might view him as just another reckless flirt, tarnishing his image in her heart.
Nathan pulled back his hands timidly and swallowed hard.
Not ready to let go, he introduced himself with caution, âLucinda, Iâm Nathan Payne, your husband.
Weâve been married for five years, seven months, and eleven days.
We have two children, both five years old.
Canât you remember anything at all?â
Kyson frowned and observed them intently.
Catching Kysonâs glance, Lucinda giggled.
âWhatâs been going on these days? Why does everyone claim to be my husband? Why do I have so many husbands?â
Nathanâs expression turned grave.
Taken aback, Sonny shot Kyson a fierce look.
Feeling awkward, Kyson stood up, grabbed the basket of peas in front of her, and mumbled, âIâll assist Hilda in the kitchen.
You guys carry on with your conversation.â
The chill in Nathanâs gaze dissolved.
He had no time to hold Kyson responsible.
Raising his eyes to Lucinda, he inquired, âWhat has he been telling you?â
Lucindaâs face lit up with a smile as she recounted Kysonâs actions over the last few days.
âWhat else could he say? Four days ago, he appeared out of nowhere, eyes red and demeanor earnest, much like yours.
Claiming to be my husband, he implored me to return with him.
I declined.
When I demanded to see our marriage certificate and he couldnât produce it, I had Hilda escort him out.
Yet, he wouldnât leave.
He spent the entire night standing in the yard.
Hilda, seeing no malice in him, permitted him a few daysâ stay.â
Sonny, unable to contain his frustration, burst out vehemently, âBad guys are good at pretending to be harmless.
Heâs nothing but trouble, exploiting people when theyâre most vulnerable!â
In his anger, Sonny rose abruptly and rolled up his sleeves, declaring, âIâm off to help in the kitchen!â
His tone, however, implied he was gearing up for a brawl.
Lucinda made no move to restrain him.