Chapter 469 Why Go to the Bureau of Civil Affairs
“Will he ever wake up?”
Josephine might be a young child, and even though she was wise for her age, she didn’t fully understand life and death.
Tina’s eyes began to turn red as she listened from the side. “That won’t happen. Daddy will definitely wake up.”
“I told him that I don’t like him that morning,” Josephine confessed abruptly.
Upon hearing that, Tina froze before turning her head to cast an odd look at her sister.
The younger of the two continued, “He wouldn’t have left if I didn’t say that I don’t like him. There was heavy rain that morning.”
Josephine blamed herself. Even though her words were always blunt when she spoke, and she would often make her older sisters angry, she had a kind heart. She could not accept the thought that her words had caused damage.
Tina was caught off-guard and didn’t know how to comfort Josephine at that moment because she was clueless about what had happened that morning.
“It is not your fault,” a clear voice spoke from behind.
Turning her little head, she saw that it was her older brother who spoke. “Jordan,” she softly called him.
Jordan nodded and caressed her on the head before calming her down, “It is not your fault. It is hard for us to change an adult’s mind no matter what we say. This is between the adults. The accident had nothing to do with you.”
“Really?” The girl seemed surprised to hear that.
“Relationships are complicated. You are too young to understand it.” Jordan looked into the ward, the worry in his eyes seemed to disappear at that moment. “I will be here no matter what happens.”
That night, more than 30 hours after the operation, Courtney received news from the ICU that Alexander had regained consciousness.
She rushed over and clumsily stood by the door of the ward as she watched a few doctors going in. It was only until Linda told her that Alexander’s transfer to the normal ward had been arranged that she could finally be at ease.
“But I have to tell you something,” Linda added. “I need you to be mentally prepared for it.”
“What is it?” Courtney urged.
“He has brain damage, and he is showing signs of amnesia.”
Courtney’s face immediately dropped when she heard that. She repeated, “Amnesia?”
The doctors in the ICU had just finished doing the checkup while Alexander lay in bed the whole time. He only blankly stared at the ceiling as he lay there.
Under Linda’s scrutinizing eyes, Courtney took hesitant steps to him.
“Alexander…” she softly called out.
The patient in the bed showed some reaction when he slightly looked at her. However, his dazed gaze seemed to be asking who she was.
The tip of her nose burned at that moment, and she was about to start with the waterworks.
“Do you not remember me?” she asked.
Unexpectedly, Alexander’s lips moved, and albeit with great difficulty, he rasped, “Courtney…”
The doctors in the ward were all so surprised that their heads whipped in her direction.
“You remember me?” She hurried over before leaning close to him to hear his words. “Alexander, do you remember me?”
He seemed confused after hearing her words as he asked, “Who is Alexander?”
“…”
“Selective amnesia,” Vice President Zayn gave his diagnosis as he pointed at a CT scan image of Alexander’s brain when the doctors had gathered in the meeting room.
“We had similar cases before. The blood clot in the patient’s brain hasn’t completely been removed yet. The pressing on the nerves of the brain makes it hard for the brain to function properly, and that is why the patient has forgotten certain things. But it is the body’s conditioned reflex, and not the brain’s functions which causes him to only remember certain important things or people. It is also what we call ‘selective amnesia’ in medical terms.”
“Is there a way we can speed up the healing process?” Courtney worriedly asked.
Vice President Zach only shook his head at that. “We can only wait for the patient to remember it himself in usual cases. Medical treatments can only help to relieve their condition.”
Linda, who was beside her, started to reassure her as well. “Don’t worry too much,” she said. “We have to be grateful that this isn’t irreversible amnesia.”
The frown on Courtney’s face didn’t disappear even after she heard Linda’s words. She couldn’t believe how Alexander, who should have been dead, had come back to life as an amnesiac.
Oliver and Tessa came to visit Alexander 3 days later.
Even though he still had the bandage on his head, he looked much more alive than he did before as he leaned to the bedside and drank water.
With worry written all over his face, Oliver headed straight to his older brother as soon as he came into the ward. “Alex.”
A frown appeared on Alexander’s face then. “Who are you?” he suspiciously asked.
Oliver immediately stopped in his tracks when he heard those words. He then turned to look at Courtney and asked, “Does he really not remember us?”
Without saying a word, she nodded and walked toward Alexander.
“He is your younger brother,” she eventually introduced Oliver to Alexander.
The man furrowed his brows and held his head as he tried to remember, but when nothing came to mind, he shook his head at Courtney and told her honestly, “I don’t remember.”
“Alex, stop playing with me.” Oliver forced himself to say jokingly. “I have faked amnesia before, and no, it doesn’t run in the blood. You can’t fool us.”
“You’re too chatty,” Alexander complained as he coldly glanced at him. He then turned to look at Courtney and said, “Tell them to go back. I would like to rest now.”
Oliver immediately fell silent at that.
Courtney’ eyes were helpless as they glanced at Oliver. The only thing she could do was have them leave the ward for now. She started explaining his condition to them when they were at the door.
“There is nothing wrong with his body now. We can get rid of the bandage in a week’s time. The only problem is the blood clot in his brain. We don’t know when he will get better, but he will eventually get back his memories.”
“Does he really have amnesia? Why does this feel so unbelievable for me?” Oliver had a doubtful look on his face as he asked one question after another. “Could Alex be lying?”
Tessa swiftly jabbed him after he said that. “Stop talking nonsense. Who in the world would lie about something like this?”
“You can’t say that for sure. Just look at how he forgot about us but not Courtney. Isn’t this too much of a coincidence? I don’t believe it. I am going in to prove I am right.”
“That is enough.” Courtney stopped him. “It doesn’t matter if it is true or not. If he is going as far as to fake it, I will accept it and stay with him.”
Hearing that, Oliver’s face seemed to stiffen. “Courtney, you… Have you forgiven Alex?”
“I thought it through,” she replied, her expression conflicted.
Oliver’s joy then could be seen written all over his face, and he confidently said, “I guarantee that Alex will recover his memory if I were to tell him this!”
“How is that possible? Can you not have such wicked thoughts in your head?” Tessa asked in disbelief.
“Try it! There is nothing wrong with giving it a go.”
Courtney had no choice but return to the room after being pressured by Oliver.
Alexander had just lay down when he heard footsteps approaching. Turning to look at Courtney, he asked, “Did they leave?”
Guilt began to consume her when she saw the 2 figures hiding behind the door from the corner of her eyes. “Yup,” she replied.
“Good. I don’t even know them. Don’t bring these strangers to me next time. I don’t want to see them.”
She then hesitantly approached him. “Do you really not remember? That was your younger brother and his fiancée.”
“I don’t remember,” he casually said with his eyes closed. “I get a headache everytime I try to think. I am going to sleep now. I feel a little sleepy.”
“Wait.” Courtney took a deep breath to gather her courage. “Let’s go to the Civil Affairs Bureau after your discharge.”
“What for?” he asked.
“To get our marriage certificate.”
Her tone was slow and steady as she carefully observed Alexander’s expression.
