"Ryan, what about this summer?! Let's pick a date this summer and get married!" Seeing that Ryan wasn't very responsive, Katie suggested with a grin.

"Err..." Ryan smiled awkwardly and didn't know what to say, "but..."

​​

"But he's married!" Nathalia said aloud, startling everyone as well as herself.

Shocked and puzzled, they all turned to look at the woman in a navy blue dress.

Jeff and Katie gasped, then quickly hid their surprise and fear; however, both Nathalia and Wendy noticed it.

Nathalia took a brief yet questioning look at Jeff and Katie, then fixed her eyes on Ryan, who was gazing at her intensely. He couldn't keep his eyes off her. There were many questions in his head.

Do I know this woman? Her face, her eyes. I feel like I have seen them before. Was it in my dreams? In my memories? She's stunning looking, mature, determined, fiery, passionate, yet at the same time, very innocent. He was charmed by her beauty as well as the incomprehensible feeling, one could even call it belief rather than just feeling, that he knew her, that they knew each other and knew each other intimately.

"Hey, Nathalia! What a surprise to see you here! How have you been? How did you know I'm getting married today? Thanks for coming to my party." Jeff said cheerfully as he came over to Nathalia, with his arms open to welcome her with an embrace. However, Nathalia moved aside slightly, rejecting his welcome, yet kept her gaze at Spencer. The tears in her eyes sparkled. He saw her tears, and she knew that he did.

Then Nathalia turned to look at Jeff coldly. "Tell me the truth." She said sternly. It wasn't a question, nor a simple statement, but a demand, an order, one that was not to be ignored or denied.

The truth? Ryan wondered curiously. She and Jeff know each other.

Jeff acted as if he was confused. "What's the matter? What do you mean?"

Nathalia didn't reply but fixed her eyes on Ryan again. Katie looked at Ryan, then Nathalia, and so did everyone else. They all noticed the intense eye contact between the two and wondered curiously. Did she say Ryan is married?! Do they know each other?! This is weird and awkward.

"Ryan!" Katie exclaimed and held his hand instantly to remind him of her presence. "Ryan, you haven't answered my question." Ryan then turned to look at Katie, bewildered, "Question? What question?"

"Spencer," Nathalia spoke, but again it was only a whisper that even Wendy could barely hear. However, Ryan turned to look at her as if he had heard.

"Spencer." Nathalia tried again. It was the name of so much weight, the weight that was made of love, affection, desire, and sweet pain; that had accumulated in a time period of four years.

"Spencer?" Ryan repeated and knitted his brows slightly.

"Spencer!" Nathalia screamed out his name this time, and she ran towards him and threw her arms around his waist, burying her head in his chest. She hugged her tight, with all her might, and sobbed hard.

Ryan stood frozen, one of his hands held by Katie, and the other hung on the side. Strangely, he felt the impulse to hug her, and he was aware of it. He wondered why. His heart ached for the girl sobbing on him. He felt her body trembling, her tears on his shirt, her heart beating fast. But he couldn't comprehend.

Katie tried to pull Ryan towards him instantly and pushed Nathalia away at the same time. To his own surprise, Ryan stopped Katie and embraced Nathalia in his arms protectively.

Katie was shocked. She stared at Ryan and couldn't find her tongue. Ryan took a look at her and didn't know how to react anymore. He was shocked by his own reaction.

People started murmuring, questioning quietly. Wendy stood behind Nathalia, watching her cry, and grew teary herself.

"Ah, Nathalia, I see. I'm terribly sorry. I should have explained. Why didn't I think about it?! Of course." Jeff exclaimed. "You see, this is Ryan, my best friend, and my sister's fiance. He's not Spencer, though I have to say, he does look very much like Spencer. That's why. You must have mistaken Ryan for Spencer."

"Ryan is my husband to be." Katie finally found her tongue and shouted angrily, glaring at both Nathalia and Ryan.

"And, I'm sorry for your loss. I was devastated when I heard the news about Spencer." Jeff added. "I can't imagine how hard it must have been for you."

Ryan's mind was very confused. He saw flashes of memories of the woman in his head, and he felt like he was now in one of his dreams where he had seen the woman many a time.

Nathalia whispered in between her sobbing, "Spencer, where have you been? I've been waiting for you for four years. I prayed every day for your return. I told our babies about you every day. I told them their daddy would come home. Mum, dad and I, we are all waiting for you to come home... "

Ryan's eyes grew wild open as he listened, and all of a sudden, he reacted rationally and pushed Nathalia off him slowly. "I'm sorry for your loss. He must be very dear to you. But, I'm not Spencer. I'm Ryan." He spoke calmly and slowly. "Please..."

Nathalia looked up at him with her teary eyes. She opened her mouth slightly, but no words came out. However, the look on her face was speaking aloud to him. He saw her confusion, her despair, her love, her desire, her begging, and he went quiet.

Noticing the scar on his forehead, Nathalia knitted her brows slightly. "What happened?" She asked gently, and as she was about to touch it, Katie suddenly and frantically dashed at her and slapped her hand away.

Ryan had asked about the scar himself and was simply told that it was from the incident that caused him in a coma.

"Stay away from my Ryan!" Katie yelled at her furiously. She seemed afraid. Nathalia could sense her fear. They are hiding something from me. She thought.

Katie grabbed Ryan's hand and pulled him towards her, "Ryan, don't listen to this madwoman. She's ridiculous, mistaking you as her husband!"

"Is it really a mistake, though?" Nathalia looked at Katie into her eyes and questioned. Her voice is steady and challenging.