Chapter 29 – The Girl From Two Years Ago

The marquis seemed to be very pleased with his discovery. “She is actually who she was two years ago before what happened. What I’m trying to say is… she’s just back to her normal self after all these years.”

The revelation sent chills in Edwin’s spine that his body flinched involuntarily. The marquis who was watching his reaction keenly, just continued.

“Her bright smile always reaches her frisky eyes then… just like today. The regal way she carries herself is fascinating as she exudes so much confidence. At that time, the duchess was alive and well and the accident hadn’t happened.” The marquis recalled the past as if he was exactly standing in the time and space that the events transpired.

“Well, maybe the part of her that forgets the past two years is what the accident brought forward. If someone loses their memory, doesn’t that mean they lose all of the bad, hurtful, and horrible ones?”

“Yes, you’re right.”

“Usually, they can’t remember everything, good or bad, but after seeing her now and who she used to be two years ago, could it be that she lost only the bad memories and made a full recovery? What do you make of that, Duke?”

Edwin managed to calm himself as he met the marquis’ inquisitive eyes. Indeed, a distinct character for the marquis to make him see through his insights the details of her daughter’s traits that he has not paid much attention to before. Such an amazing and admirable perception. Everything he said made sense to him.

When Tiana woke up with no memory of what had happened, he was lost in despair at the beginning. Time went on and as their conversations deepened, Edwin felt a sense of deja vu, a familiar sweet tasting warmth in his soul that he couldn’t fathom.

Now, in between visiting the grand duke’s residence and listening to the Marquis enlightening discernment, he was convinced.

The girl from two years ago has returned.

Tiana, her daughter, was a pretty child with a bright smile and contagious sparkle in her eyes. Her lips were always filled with silent laughter even when she’s trying to hide her childish mischief with a straight face.

She has Diana’s silver-gray eyes that seemed to dance in the glow of the morning light and make the rest of the day special in so many ways.

People just couldn’t take their eyes off the mother and daughter tandem. They couldn’t help but to gravitate towards that joy the two emanate.

“Edwin.”

“Father.”

There was never a happier moment for him than when he listens to his two angels singing together. Their identical voices always leave an echo that vibrates with the beating of his happy heart. He has never loved anyone in the world more than his wife and child.

‘Maybe, she wanted to forget everything in order to get back from who she was…If that’s so…’

To grasp the level of pain and shock that Tiana went through in dealing with her mother’s death, is beyond comprehension. When she denied everything after the wagon capsizing accident… it was her inner struggle trying to find solace and refuge within herself.

As her body slowly healed and recovered, her mind did the same by ignoring the past, that’s what she did in order to survive.

“If she could come back… If she came back… I sure wish she could.”

After all, there seemed to be a silver lining after the accident. Tiana’s tortured mind became at peace somehow after enduring for two years. It is a much welcome favor for him to see his child in her normal self again.

If she truly forgot everything, those awful memories of two years of her life were not a great loss and are best left forgotten. To not recover them permanently gave Edwin a wishful thinking that his failure as a father also drowned in oblivion of Tiana’s bad thoughts forever.

“Okay. Well, it’s good for you or me anyway, now that she’s back in her true self again. Two years have gone and passed, the moment has come for everybody to forget them and start over.

“…Yes.”

“I think she has made a rather fine recovery. I’m relieved to see your daughter’s confident side which is befitting for her as the grand duchess. I can’t wait to see it happening soon.”

“If it’s her, she’ll do well.”

Edwin’s greed got the best of him for he intended to seize this new opportunity to rebuild his relationship with his daughter. He can fulfill his true responsibilities to her as her father and finally account for his shortcomings. It may be unjust and wrong for him to take advantage of her daughters unfortunate condition but he is determined to make things right this time. A second chance—that is all he wished and hoped for.