Burning Passion

CHAPTER 266: HE FINALLY REMEMBERED ME

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PRESENT TIME

Nina rolled on her other side, she bent her body, hugging her knee. She was in a trance to sleep again, but her nose caught a familiar scent. Slowly, she opens her eyes and remembers that she was still in Harry's penthouse. 

She sat up, Nina saw the quilt covering her. She mused if it was Harry who placed the cover; with this, a warm sensation crept in her chest. 

Lately, she has been noticing that there are changes in Harry's behavior. 

'He acts like the Harry I know.' Nina murmured to herself. Glancing at her wristwatch, it shocked her to see the time. 'Oh, my gosh! It's way past lunchtime!' 

Nina hastily gets down from the bed and rushes outside. "Harry?" She called out when she didn't find him in the living room, and the kitchen was empty.

Not long, the bathroom door opens. She noticed his wet hair. Then he took a shower. Nina mused. 

"Ah, you finally woke up. You must be hungry," said Harry.

"I'm sorry. I fell asleep. I hope you have eaten already." Nina apologizes, then queried her husband. 

"It's alright. I'm glad you could take a long nap," with a smile, Harry uttered lovingly. 

His voice was full of understanding that surprised Nina. It creates a crazy pounds in her chest and her heart skipping a beat seeing that smile on Harry's face.

She couldn't help get emotional when the man in front of her is acting like the Harry she knew from a very long time ago; the one whom she loves all her life. Threatened by her tears, Nina lowered her head, pretending it embarrassed her for making Harry wait and starve.

"Haven't you eaten then?" Nina felt weird. It feels like she wants to cry as it touched her how Harry waited for her. 'This old man.' 

"Well, I'm waiting for you to wake up, yes." Harry seemed shy to admit this. Suddenly, he was like a teenage boy being shy to confess to the girl he had a crush on, which Nina felt the same way. 

Not to mention, Harry has been showing his thoughtful side. Just like the old times. Concealing her emotion from distant memories, Nina pushes a timid smile and says, "Then we better eat now. You must be hungry." 

"Okay. Let me heat up the soup. But the noodles, it's not that firm anymore. I wonder if you would like the taste." 

"Don't worry! I know it tastes just fine." 

Pushing a thin smile, Harry walked toward the kitchen and prepared the food. Nina left in a trance. Harry has been smiling a lot lately. In her eyes, Harry seems to have become younger a few years back. Probably because all the time, Harry remains expressionless and never smiles at anyone… This is now a mystery to her.

Tilted her head to the side, Nina mused. But her stomach is now growling with hunger. It exhausts her thinking further, Nina helps Harry.

While she is setting the table. It surprised her when Harry placed a platter of honeyed spicy chicken on the table. It was her favorite dish! 

Did Harry prepare this for her? 'What is this old man doing?' 

Nina couldn't help to muse. Harry acted a lot like the old him. 'Harry, what's going on with you? Stop making me miss the "YOU" from the past.' Her heart couldn't stop aching upon recalling the past.

At the moment, it floods her chest with so many emotions she has been concealing for almost thirty-seven years.

Nina remains standing near the table, she didn't notice that Harry already placed everything on the table, and he was calling her name. 

"Are you okay, Nina?" asked Harry, his voice is full of concern. 

Fighting the urge to cry, she nodded. "I'm fine. Don't worry. I'm just thinking about the things we need to get done for the celebration," her lame excuse, which she was already old to act this way. Nina chuckled to herself. 

Worried about her, Harry walked around the table and pulled a chair. He then asks Nina to sit down. "Come, please take a seat. Just set aside about the celebration. Let us eat first, then let's talk about it later." 

Concurring, she nodded and sat down. But deep inside, her emotion has gone worse. Everything that Harry shows to her is like distant memories that almost forgotten but not her heart.

The moment the spoon touched her lips, Nina couldn't stop stuffing her mouth. She was starving. She forgot to talk or open a topic that was a little interesting for Harry. Until they finished eating. She just realizes how she eats more than usual.

Could it be because Harry prepared the dishes as the reason for her good appetite? 

Embarrassed, Nina avoids meeting Harry's gaze. She picks up the glass of water and draws close to her mouth, slowly gulping the liquid. When she's done, she volunteers to do the dishes. 

Harry didn't give her a chance, so then she offered to prepare tea. 

While she gracefully did the steps of brewing tea, Harry quickened to wash the dishes to join Nina in the living room. Exactly, as the tea gets done; Nina carefully pours the hot liquid into Harry's waiting teacup. 

She glanced at Harry. Nina almost burst out laughing. Harry's face was like a little boy full of excitement, waiting for his favorite food to serve. She pretends she notices nothing. Nina observes Harry while he carefully draws the teacup onto his lips. 

It astounded her seeing him having that reaction on his face. He was glowering. And after he noticed she was peering at him, Harry flushes like a teenager. 

'What is happening to her husband?' It confounded her. 

It embarrassed him that Nina caught him acting like a child, Harry cough, clearing his throat. "Thanks for the tea. Still the best in the world." 

Nina felt like a lightning struck her. It feels like her world was in slow motion, gaping at Harry with surprise. "Harry…" 

Words lost her tongue. All the questions left unsaid and stuck inside her head. Meanwhile, Harry didn't notice the emotion lingering all over her face. 

"Um, Nina… About the wedding invitation from the Tan family. I figure out why they suddenly want to associate with us." 

Gathering her thoughts in one place, Nina hurls a long breath. Once her senses came back, she casually met Harry's gaze as she asked. "What is it?" 

She tried to conceal her emotion, but it overwhelms her heart along with a prayer that the Harry seated in front of her is the Harry she has been praying to come back to her. 

Remain no idea of what happens to Nina, Harry continues. "Nikki's great-grandfather is the original heir as the next Head of the Family. But as he elopes with the woman he wants to marry. He was cast out and cut ties. Then Lucy's case, as the granddaughter... They want to reconcile, but they want to take Lucy with them. The reason she hated them, right? Lucy refused to reconcile with them and live like she doesn't know any of them. It was also the reason she was hiding in the US to avoid being taken by them and live here in China." Harry paused and sipped his tea before he continued. 

"I figure out they want to use the Shang as a bridge to reconcile with the true heir of the Tan Household." 

Nina, who sought to listen carefully. She now remembered about that matter. It astounded her. So many distant memories that now are linking together that they were actually once related to them. 

Theo and Nikki's love story takes them back to everything that happens in the past. 

"So then, they wanted to persuade Nikki to accept them? Is that what you were thinking?" Nina mused.

"Yes. I think they will try to win Nikki's sympathy. After all, Nikki is the original descendant of Tan household." 

"Hm… But I doubt Nikki will accept them immediately." Nina already has this impression of her daughter-in-law.

"Nikki doesn't know about them yet. She has no idea her great-grandparents came from a prominent family. Theo and I talked while you were napping," Harry informed Nina, which makes the latter surprised.

"Oh. I see. If Nikki knows about this... I think she will ask for their resources to help Lucy's medication instead of struggling where to get the medical support and blood donors," Nina concluded.

Harry concurred, "Yes. Possible Theo and Jeremy won't come up with such a thing as surrogacy." Harry beamed. His sons acted like their uncles. He mused.

"But if that's not the case. We should not expect a grandchild now." Nina also felt delighted with the thought of having a grandchild.

Harry concurred with what Nina spoke about. Thinking about it, it thrilled him to imagine having a small version from his flesh and blood. 

"Ouch!" 

While having his own thoughts, Harry heard Nina moan in pain. Immediately, he rushed to her side to examine her hand. 

"What happened?" he asked worriedly. 

"I was careless. But nothing to worry about." She was about to refill her teacup but her thoughts were a mess.

"Okay. But you have to take care of your hand," said Harry.

It dumbfounded Nina. She was now like a fool, staring at Harry's handsome face. 'Despite his age he really still handsome.' Nina shook her head. She rendered speechless, watching Harry grab a wet tissue and gently damp into her hand. 

"Harry…" 

He was carefully tending the scalded part of Nina's hand, he uttered, "I better get an ointment."

Harry was about to sit up when Nina grabbed his hand. Her eyes now flooded with tears. 

"Nina… is that really painful? Did I press it hard?" 

Nina shook her head. 'Again, he was giving me that face he used to show me from before.'

"Harry… tell me… Have you regained your memory? Have you..." Her emotion is choking her, making her difficult to continue spilling out the words she wanted him to hear... She was trying hard to hold her emotion, but this is her breakdown. 

However, instead, to receive an answer. Harry held her face with both of his palms and shut her up with his ardent kiss. 

'Harry!' 

Tears flowing down from their eyes between the kisses...

'My Harry finally came back! He finally remembered me!'