Marry You Again

I had a dream where I confessed to my childhood lover, and he said yes. When I woke up, he was standing right in front of me. I blurted out with excitement, "Honey."

The next moment, a little boy on my right suddenly jumped into my arms. He was shocked and stared at me with his big eyes.

"Mom, he's not Dad!"

What?

"I am." Another voice was heard.

I turned my head slightly and saw my former rival, Grayson Phillips, standing there in a white coat. He was holding the needle he had just removed from the back of my hand.

A shiver ran down my spine for no reason.

1

I had just dreamed about confessing to my childhood lover. But after I woke up, I found myself getting married and already having a son.

I slowly opened my eyes. The stark white ceiling above me made my head throb.

"Thalia, are you awake?"

Hearing the voice, I turned my head slightly and saw Samuel Barnett sitting by my bedside and looking at me with concern. He was my childhood lover.

I stared at him and felt like he was somehow different from the one in my dream. He seemed more mature.

But it didn't stop me from loving him.

I gave him a reassuring smile and said softly, "Honey."

Samuel's hand had been resting on the edge of my bed. It suddenly froze. He frowned, and his eyes turned deeper. He seemed to want to say something to me.

But before he could, a childish voice interrupted him suddenly.

"Mom, he's not Dad!"

The next moment, a little boy who had been sitting on my right suddenly leapt into my arms. His eyes widened as he glared at me angrily.

I stared at him in disbelief, my eyes wide.

So... Samuel wasn't my husband? Then who was my husband?

While I was in shock, I heard a slow, chilling voice from beside me. It sent a shiver down my spine.

"It's me."

He seemed to have read my mind.

Following the voice, I turned my head slightly and saw Grayson standing at my bedside in a white coat.

He was holding the needle he had just removed from the back of my hand.

Grayson's gaze was fixed steadily on my face. Only then did I notice that his eyes were bloodshot, he had dark shadows below his eyes, and his face was covered with stubble.

He looked utterly disheveled and exhausted.

Could he really be the same guy I knew? Grayson was always meticulous and polished in my eyes.

I shivered for no reason.

The little boy, however, immediately climbed off the bed and stood in front of Grayson. He put one hand on his hip and pointed at Samuel angrily with the other.

"Dad, Mom just called that man Honey!"

D-Dad?

A flood of information crashed into my mind all at once. On one hand, I couldn't tell if what happened after my confession to Samuel was real or not.

On the other hand, I couldn't understand the fact that I had married my rival, Grayson, and even had a child with him.

My mind was blank.

Could everything just be a dream? If I closed my eyes and went back to sleep, would everything return to normal after I woke up?

The more I thought about it, the more my head ached. I lay back down on the bed and silently prayed.

Grayson's cold, detached voice broke through my thoughts.

"The patient has just woken up and needs rest. If you have nothing important to say, please leave."

"I just want to stay with her for a while..." Samuel instinctively retorted.

But Grayson sneered, "Do you want to stay with her or stimulate her?"

"I..."

"My dad's a doctor. He's smarter and better than you. Shouldn't you listen to the doctor?" the little boy chimed in with his childish voice.

As the door closed, silence reigned in the room as before.

The sound of leather shoes against the floor could be clearly heard as Grayson walked over. Even with my eyes closed, I could clearly hear his footsteps drawing nearer.

On the surface, I appeared calm. But in fact, I was panicking.

"If you think everything is a dream, self-hypnosis won't help. Don't sleep. You'd better stimulate yourself now. I suggest a more direct method to wake yourself up, like a needle. Of course, if you can't bring yourself to do it, I'd be happy to help as a doctor."

"Don't!"

I bolted upright in fear, only to see Grayson standing there with his hands in his pockets. He was looking at me with his deep eyes.

The needle in his hand made me have goose bumps.

I have always been terrified of being injected.

"Are you indeed my husband? Why do you try to inject me?"

I muttered in dissatisfaction.

Grayson snorted coldly and sat in a chair near the bed.

He took out a pear from a bag nearby and began peeling it carefully. His movements were elegant and slow.

"So now do you remember I'm your husband?"

His words left me speechless. I had to turn my gaze to the little boy.

I reached out and pinched his chubby cheek. It was so soft and young.

Most importantly, he was incredibly handsome. He was a miniature version of Grayson.

"Baby, can you tell Mom your name?"

The boy was so good-looking as to be liked wherever he was.

The little boy frowned in disdain and replied haughtily, "I'm not a baby anymore. My name is Brennen Phillips."

Brennen?

I could confirm by the name that the boy's parents were definitely Grayson and me.

I took my hand from his cheek. I still couldn't believe that I had actually married Grayson and given birth to a son for him.

Brennen, however, clung to Grayson's leg and looked up at him.

"Dad, do you think Mom really forgot about us?"

Grayson handed the peeled pear to Brennen and ruffled his hair.

"That's why you need to do things like a grown-up now. Before Mom regains her memory, you have to protect her from being bullied by bad people."

Brennen nodded and seemed to understand Grayson's words while he was munching on the pear.

"Let me protect Mom now. You go outside and think about how you will introduce yourself to Mom later. Okay?"

Brennen meekly nodded and walked outside. But before he went out of the door, he suddenly turned back and threw himself into Grayson's arms.

"Dad, don't tell Mom about the fact that I snuck ice cream back then."

Did Brennen think I was not there?

Grayson pinched his cheek.

"Okay."

After Brennen left the ward, it became silent again. Even the atmosphere grew awkward.

I remembered Grayson looked like such a good father, so I began to be unsure of everything.

Could he really be the same man who was arrogant and self-centered in my memory?

"I know you must have a lot of questions right now. You cannot understand what is going on here." Grayson said.

He looked at me, and a hint of pity actually flicked in his eyes.

"Ask me anything if you want. I'll tell you everything you want to know."

I pulled my knees up to my chest and hugged them tightly as I glanced nervously at the door.

"Brennen looks very much like you. He is handsome, too. So he's definitely your son. But..."

I glanced at Grayson nervously, and his expression was a bit unsightly.

I still clenched my fists and forced myself to say what was on my mind.

"But he doesn't seem to resemble me at all. So... Grayson, are we really married? Legally?"

Grayson's face turned completely livid, and I instantly gripped the blanket tightly.

"Wait... am I his stepmom or something?"

Grayson didn't want to see me. He closed his eyes and focused himself on his breath.

Then, he took the needle on the bedside table and seemed to jab me with it at any time.

"Hey, hey, Grayson, let's talk about it calmly," I hurriedly said.

"You don't have to be so angry just because I spoke my mind," I thought.

2

"If you'd thought hard during your academic learning, you wouldn't have lost your first place in chemistry."

Grayson rolled his eyes at me, stood up, and tidied the IV bottle and needle in his hands.

"What did you just say? Wasn't I the top scorer in chemistry during the college entrance exam?"

I stared at Grayson's profile and couldn't believe I had made such a mistake.

After Grayson put away the IV bottle to the side, he disinfected his hands. Then he turned around and leaned down toward me. His arms rested on either side of me and effectively trapped me in his arms.

His familiar scent overwhelmed me, and I was almost breathless.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at me. Then he said, "So are you thinking about the day Samuel accepted your confession?"

His voice was low, and his tone was steady but tinged with a subtle tension.

I shrank my neck back instinctively.

"How... how do you know?"

"You called him 'honey' the moment you opened your eyes. Do you think I'm stupid?"

The moment he said those words, I felt the tension in the air grow thick with jealousy.

"Then... can you tell me what happened between Samuel and me?"

Grayson was right. I was indeed curious about many things right now.

But what I wanted to know the most was what had happened among Samuel, Grayson, and me.

How did I get married to Grayson and give birth to a son with him?

Grayson seemed ready to say the words that had been lingering in his mouth for a moment.

Then, he reached out and ruffled my hair.

"Figure it out yourself."

His response only fueled my curiosity further.

"Grayson, didn't you tell me that I could ask you anything? Aren't you my husband? How can you treat your wife like this? I'm giving you a bad review."

Grayson raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, really? Then let me ask you who ignored her husband but called another man 'honey' right in front of me just now? You even smiled like someone head over heels?"

I clenched my fists angrily.

"Grayson! You're just bullying me..."

"No, Daddy! Don't quarrel with Mommy!"

The door creaked open, and Brennen's adorable little face appeared. He was frowning tightly.

He stomped up to Grayson. He looked utterly indignant as he planted his hands on his hips and questioned Grayson, saying, "Daddy, that's not fair. Didn't you say you were introducing yourself to Mommy? How can you quarrel with her?"

Grayson turned to get down and gently patted Brennen's head. He said gently, "We were not fighting. We just got a little excited when we thought about you, our precious boy. If you don't believe me, you can ask Mommy."

Then Grayson stood up again, leaned close to my ear, and said intimately, "I know it's hard for you to accept everything soon. If you have issues with me, let's talk about it privately when no one else is around. But don't upset Brennen now."

I glanced at Brennen, whose wide eyes darted between Grayson and me. He looked so curious.

I knew all too well how important a harmonious family was for a young boy.

"Brennen, Daddy and I were just debating whether you could have ice cream or not. We weren't fighting at all."

"Really? Mommy, can I have ice cream?"

The boy's defiance instantly melted away, replaced by a hopeful look.

"Of course you can," I said, nodding firmly.

"Hooray for ice cream! Hooray for Mommy! Mommy, to reward you for letting me have ice cream, Daddy must give you a kiss!"

I was speechless.

What did he say? What logic was that? Why did Brennen getting ice cream mean I needed to be rewarded?

And how could he let Grayson kiss me?

I turned stiffly to look at Grayson, who stood beside me with a mischievous grin. He seemed to be waiting for me to kiss him first.

"Ever since Mommy woke up in the hospital, you haven't kissed Daddy. Mommy, do you not like Daddy anymore?"

Before I figured out what was going on, Brennen felt aggrieved.

Brennen's voice was tinged with sadness. His head bowed as he fiddled with his chubby fingers.

"Do you not like me either? Are you going to leave me?"

My heart clenched painfully at his words. And then an image flashed through my mind that had haunted me on countless sleepless nights.

I had once said the same sentence. I was heartbroken when I said that, and I almost tore my heart out to show it to her. But she had still walked away without hesitation. Her silhouette shrank into the distance until it disappeared entirely.

"No. No. How could I not like Daddy? I will never leave Brennen."

With that, I closed my eyes tightly and leaned forward to Grayson's cheek.

Just as my lips were about to touch his skin, Grayson turned his head to face me.

My eyes flew open as his face loomed large in front of me. His lips were warm and soft and made my cheeks burning.

I shoved him away and glared at him.

But Brennen was already giggling uncontrollably. His hands covered his face. But he looked obviously happy.

The phone on the bedside table suddenly rang. Brennen grabbed it quickly and answered the call.

"Hello, my favorite godmother... Yes, Mommy's awake now... Are you already at the hospital? Okay, I'll come get you right away. Wait for me... Daddy? Daddy's busy right now. He was just kissing Mommy..."

Brennen ran out of the room, pretending to be shy as he spoke.

"It's your best friend, Ella Robertson. She's now a director at the Knight Group. She is also Brennen's godmother."

Grayson explained, surprisingly straightforward this time.

"Don't change the subject."

I grabbed an apple from the bedside table and hurled it at him.

To my surprise, he caught it effortlessly. He looked like he was used to doing so.

"Did you just take advantage of me on purpose?" I asked.

Grayson flipped the apple lightly in his hand, and his expression softened.

"What a coincidence. That's exactly what you said to me the day we had our first kiss. And your face was just as red as now."

He leaned down to murmur in my ear. His deep voice made my ears and even my head tingle.

I pushed him away forcefully.

"I may have lost my memory, but I'm not stupid. Don't think I can't tell what's going on."

But as I spoke, my hand instinctively touched my burning cheeks. They were so hot.

"Where's my phone?" I asked.

According to Grayson, Ella was my best friend. I could just ask her directly about everything.

Her answers might even be more reliable.

"In the drawer," Grayson replied.

Then he took out the phone from the drawer and handed it to me.

I took it and hid in the corner of the bed as I eyed him warily.

"Stay back. Don't even think about snooping on my private stuff."

Grayson shook his head and burst into laughter. He seemed to have just heard the funniest joke in the world.

"What's so hilarious?" I thought and couldn't help but roll my eyes internally.

I lowered my head and focused on unlocking my phone. But after several failed attempts, I had to turn to Grayson, who was sitting on the couch.

"Grayson, when is Brennen's birthday?"

He seemed to have anticipated my question. He put down the newspaper in his hands and slowly lifted his eyes to meet my gaze.

"April 15th."

Just as I was about to input the numbers, he said again, "If you don't want to wait for the phone to lock itself, I'd suggest you try 120314.

I pursed my lips and was unwilling to trust him. But my hands betrayed me. The next second, the phone unlocked.

The moment the home screen lit up, I nearly tossed the phone at his face.

The wallpaper of my phone was Grayson. It was actually a photo of him after he took a shower. He was just wearing a bathrobe with the collar slightly open. He looked so seductive.

How could I be so... shameless?

My ears burned as I tried to maintain calmness. I glanced at Grayson with feigned indifference. But the image on the wallpaper seemed to come alive in my mind.

I quickly averted my gaze and pretended to be engrossed in my phone.

"Why is the password 120314?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

"March 14th, 2012. The day I first met you. The day I first fell for you."

3

I was about to open the social App and chat with Ella.

But a slew of notifications from my browser caught my eye. They were all about me. What was going on?

I doubtfully clicked them with uncertainty.

"Thalia and Grayson."

"Thalia becomes the new CEO of the Knight Group, a bold and decisive businesswoman."

"The secret video about Thalia and her husband, Grayson."

The first two titles of the notifications were fine. There was nothing out of the ordinary.

But who posted the last one?

I hovered my finger over the link and hesitated before I finally clicked on it.

The article's opening line read, "A video of Thalia and her husband Grayson having lunch together in the office."

This summary was so misleading. I felt an overwhelming urge to teach the writer a lesson in basic journalism.

I quickly saved the article to my favorites. I would ask the PR department to handle that news.

Just as I finished, Grayson appeared in my sight.

I caught the familiar scent as his hair lightly grazed my cheek.

The face, which was exactly the same as that on my phone screen, was now inches away from mine. It was wearing a roguish smirk.

He had undoubtedly seen everything I'd just done. His teasing tone confirmed it.

"So you were so eager to get your phone for this? You know, the real one is right in front of you. You can just ask your dear husband about it. I'd be more than happy to help you."

I glared at him and jabbed him hard with my elbow, and he easily dodged it.

"As the CEO of the Knight Group, maintaining a professional image is crucial. This news is clearly a publicity stunt to grab attention. We can't let it slide."

Grayson's eyes flickered with surprise at my words. But he quickly returned to normal. The amusement in his gaze, however, lingered.

He stared at me intently, making my heart race. I shoved the phone to him.

"Look. The article says we were just having lunch in the office. But the title twisted it into something scandalous to mislead the public."

"Oh, is that so-"

Grayson's voice stretched out deliberately.

"Then again, aren't you part of the public? Did it mislead you too?"

"Grayson!"

I was about to argue with him when the door swung open. A beautiful face was revealed.

Ella had rushed over the moment she heard I was awake.

I was sure that our bond remained unchanged, no matter how much time had passed.

But when we talked about Samuel, she became quiet. Then she said something eerily similar to what Grayson had told me earlier.

"Thalia, you and Grayson got married because you truly love each other."

She took my right hand in hers and gently rubbed the back of it.

She looked very calm, and I knew she was preparing some words.

Following her gaze, I noticed a jagged scar about four inches long.

I distinctly remembered my hands being smooth and unblemished before.

"You got the scar on your first wedding anniversary with Grayson. You wanted to cook him a special meal but accidentally cut your hand while chopping vegetables. Grayson ended up spending the entire day with you at the hospital."

Ella looked up at me, but my mind was blank. I didn't know how to respond.

"After that incident, Grayson made it his mission to keep you out of the kitchen. He took over all the household chores. Even when he was busy or had to work overtime, he'd always make sure you had your meals before attending to his tasks. "Thalia, you're always the most important to him."

Tears welled up in Ella's eyes as she spoke.

"You used to brag about this to me all the time. And Samuel is no longer an important part of your life. It's okay if you don't remember him, because you're happy now."

Ella's unwavering gaze made me not refute her. Grayson had been a stranger in my memories.

But he held my hand when he passed by me and refused to let go of me.

I told Ella about my fragmented memories.

On a snowy night, the world was blanketed in white. He had stood before me, bathed in light. The tenderness in his eyes trembled in the cold winter air.

I saw his lips part slightly, and my heart raced with anticipation. I was eager to hear his answer.

But in the next moment, he vanished before my eyes like snowflakes.

I ran desperately after him, searching for him frantically.

In the distance, I finally spotted a man's silhouette. But when I got closer, I realized it was Grayson.

4

A week later, I began to recover.

During that period, Grayson's visits to my room clearly decreased.

Ella explained that he had asked his colleagues to cover for his work while he took care of me and that he was swamped with work at the hospital now.

I didn't wish to see him. But with Brennen around, it was nearly impossible.

Brennen made it his mission to drag Grayson over for lunch and dinner every day.

Brennen said that it would help me regain my memory that our family had meals together.

And after every meal, Brennen insisted that Grayson give me a kiss, just like he used to.

...

That was exactly what Grayson wanted. He took every opportunity to steal kisses from me.

When I couldn't take it anymore, I'd secretly pinch his waist in retaliation.

That lighthearted month flew by quickly. But since that day, Samuel hadn't visited me again.

When I was discharged, Grayson brought me to a cozy, picturesque neighborhood.

The moment we walked in, I instinctively sat on the bench by the shoe cabinet, bent down, and took out a pair of slippers to change into.

As I stood up, I noticed Grayson and Brennen were staring at me.

Their surprised expressions made me feel nervous.