Chapter 91

"Three or four?" Isaac repeated,a hint of disbelief making his voice climb.

His reaction gave away just how startled he felt.

Verena,quick to read between the lines, caught on to his question before he even finished asking about her dating history.

Jealousy had always been Isaac's trademark.

Choosing mischief over honesty, Verena decided to play with him, curious about what emotions she might stir up.

She watched as his brow knitted in disbelief, fighting back a smile while she kept the game going.

With a breezy nod, she replied, "That's right." She tossed in, almost carelessly, "But none of them lasted long. They were just temporary flings."

Isaac was shocked. Temporary flings! Did that mean those past relationships never mattered to her? And was he, in her eyes, just another fleeting chapter?

The thought left Isaac torn-on one hand, he was relieved there hadn't been real feelings before him; on the other, he wondered if she'd ever allow herself to care deeply for anyone at all.

And given his condition, he was unlike any of her former boyfriends.

He felt his eyes sting, turning his face away so she wouldn't see the emotion.

For a few moments, neither of them spoke. Verena looked up just in time to notice him angled away, hair falling over his eyes and hiding what he felt.

Knowing how possessive he could be, she could guess he was sulking.

Even so, she acted as if nothing was wrong, biting her lip and leaning gently into his arms. "Does it bother you that I've dated around?"

Her words came out fragile, as if she'd just been wounded.

A tight line formed across Isaac's mouth as he held back whatever he wanted to say.

Though he was the one hurting, all it took was that soft hint of pain in her voice for his heart to melt.

Something about it only drew him in closer.

Isaac wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight, and his slightly trembling hands gave away the storm he tried to hide.

He rushed to reassure her before she could misunderstand. "No, that's not it. It's all about jealousy, and I'm jealous because I care about you-that's all."

For the first tie since his memory loss, Verena heard him put his feelings into words, jealousy and all.

His love ran deeper than she'd ever guessed.

Warmth flooded her chest, and her lips curled up in a tender smile."I get it," she whispered.

After a quiet pause, Isaac rested his chin on her shoulder and, unable to hold back, asked in a stubborn whisper, "So, none of those men ever truly mattered to you?"

Hearing the caution in his voice made Verena laugh. "I was only messing with you. There weren't three or four relationships at all."

The admission caught Isaac off guard. He'd braced himself for the worst, but as her words sank in, his tense expression softened, and relief washed over him.

A quiet joy spread through him, deeper than he expected-he couldn't keep from feeling pleased inside.

That was when it hit Isaac just how much he wanted Verena all to himself.

But the happiness was short-lived.

Meeting his gaze with a secretive smile, Verena continued, "Actually, it was just one." She let the words hang, the look in her eyes loaded with meaning. Isaac, caught up in the revelation, missed the nuance completely.

Stunned, he could only process the reality-one relationship, not several. That single truth struck him harder than any number ever could.

Having one person who mattered most changed everything.

His mood dropped, and his reply barely carried above a whisper. "Was that your first love?"

She let her fingers wander gently across his brow, tracing down to his temple, answering softly,"You could say that."

A flicker of memory crossed her features. Teasing, she added, "We never made it official, but the feelings were always there."

Those words-feelings always there-stuck with him.

Sadness clouded Isaac's eyes. Bitterness burned at the back of his throat, a tightness settling in his chest.

He couldn't help but wonder: if fate had brought them together sooner, would she have ever belonged to someone else?

Maybe, if they had met earlier, they would have been each other's only love.

But he knew there was no changing the past.

An ache flared in his chest, spreading like wildfire, and his limbs turned heavy.

He tried to play it off, muttering, "Alright, I get it," before falling silent and convincing himself he'd let it go.

Sharing abed with a woman, a light still burning, was a first for him-and surprisingly, it brought comfort.

He expected unease, but sleep came easily. For once in a long time, nightmares left him alone.

Verena woke with the sun, freshened up, and noticed Isaac stirring. She crossed the room to offer him a hand out of bed. Catching her by the wist, Isaac gently stopped her. "Don't trouble yourself, Verena. I'll have Jacob help me instead."

He couldn't stand letting her see any sign of weakness.

Typically,Jacob arrived a good thirty minutes before Isaac woke, always sanding by to help him out of bed and handle the morning routine.

"You might have to adjust today," Verena said with a gentle smile. "Jacob's waiting downstairs. I asked him to giveus some space this morning."

A flicker of surprise crossed Isaac's face. Before he could speak, she added in a soft, reassuring tone,"We're married now, Isaac. Let me take care of you."

Her kindness made his heart flutter.

Suddenly, the shadows of her past didn't matter so much. Whatever love she'd known before didn't change the fact that he was the one sharing every sunrise with her now.

She helped him into his wheelchair, waited while he got ready, and then guided him toward the elevator so they could head downstairs together for breakfast.

Midway through their morning, Isaac's phone started ringing-Cayden's name lit up on the screen.

Isaac didn't bother stepping away and took the call with Verena nearby. "Morning, Cayden. What's going on?"

On the other end, Cayden's enthusiasm was hard to miss. "Isaac, you won't believe what I just learned. After Slater made that post, I contacted the Lyons family. Turns out, Verena really did fix Barrie's leg! Who knew she had it in her? She really did graduate from Pine Hill University after all."

Cayden let out a happy laugh. "Looks like everyone who doubted your choice owes you an apology.Your wife is a real gem."

The pride in Cayden's voice was unmistakable.

Isaac found himself grinning at the mention of "wife," a new lightness filling his chest. His mood visibly brightened.

Across the table, Verena spread jam over her toast. Isaac couldn't stop looking at her, lost in thought until she noticed and glanced his way, confused.

He shot her a warm smile and answered Cayden, "Told you, she never needed to pretend."

Verena, seeing he was on a call, simply took a slow bite, her curiosity unspoken.

Sensing Isaac's protectiveness, Cayden admitted, "Alright, I take back what I said before. If Verena can heal Barrie's leg, she's more capable than any of us gave her credit for. Makes me hopeful about your own recovery."

Isaac's reply was soft and noncommittal."Mm."

A beat later, Cayden's excitement bubbled up again. "By the way, Stevie's back from Clokron this afternoon.He wants to take us out to dinner tonight to celebrate his return. Leonardo will join us, too."