Hidden Flash Marriage: Love Me Back, Mr CEO

Mia realized that over the last three years, she had unknowingly been tending to her husband’s mother-her mother-in-law. The realization left her incredulous.

Despite processing the information over and over again, it felt like an enduring, surreal dream.

Suddenly, Shawn’s arms enveloped her shoulders from behind, causing her to freeze.

‘What’s going on?’

“Thank you,” he whispered in his husky voice, his minty breath sending a shiver down her spine as the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

Each time Mia hurried to the hospital, even on every weekend, it was all for his mother. Shawn couldn’t help but feel gratitude.

“Thank you,” he whispered once more.

___________

The couple stayed in the ward until the next morning. Mia dozed off after a few hours of tending to her mother-in-law, while Shawn remained awake throughout the night until daybreak.

Doctor Alfred and his colleagues came to check on the patient five times throughout the night before dawn, ensuring she was perfectly fine. Shawn Mandez’s presence in the ward indicated a strong connection to the patient.

They had to perform their duties diligently; otherwise, they would become jobless.

With the sunrise painting the horizon, the patient on the hospital cot gradually stirred awake.

Blinking repeatedly to adjust to the brightness, Jennifer’s confused gaze wandered around, trying to discern her surroundings.

Suddenly, her eyes landed on a man sitting at the edge of the hospital bed, his height looming over her.

Inhaling sharply, her body tensed instantly.

The mother and son duo locked eyes for several seconds before one of them finally averted their gaze. The mother.

Clearing her throat, Jennifer glanced at the man once more, “Wh-who are you?” she asked in a weak, small voice.

Shawn’s heart twisted, but he murmured a response, “I’m your son.”

“I don’t have a son! I don’t have any son! I don’t know who you are, so leave! I only have a daughter.”

Shawn was caught off guard by the woman’s outburst.

“I’m truly your son,” his voice wavered.

“I only have a daughter! Leave!” Jennifer yelled with all her might, turning to face the other side.

Shawn gazed at her for a moment, then pressed his lips into a thin line. “Well, I can’t leave.”

“What?” She snapped her head back to face him, helping herself sit upright.

Releasing a heavy sigh, he shrugged, “I’m your son-in-law, so I can’t leave either way.”

Upon hearing this, Jennifer’s eyes welled up with hot tears. “Why are you doing this? Please leave, please-e-e” she sobbed.

Shawn, along with Mia, who had been observing from near the door, were both taken aback by this.

Shawn resisted the tears welling up as he observed his mother. Did she truly want him gone so desperately? Couldn’t she let him stay? It had been three long years since he last saw her…

Before reconsidering and deciding to stay, he forcefully shifted his gaze away and turned. Swiftly grabbing his overcoat, he left the private ward.

However, as he approached the door, his strides faltered.

Brows furrowed, he turned back to look at his mother. Taking measured steps back to her bedside, he gazed down at her tear-streaked face.

“Your memories are intact, aren’t they?” He inquired softly. “You didn’t lose them, did you?”

Jennifer’s sobs intensified upon hearing his words, confirming Shawn’s suspicions.

His mother wasn’t suffering from amnesia; her memories were intact.

“N-nn-no,” Jennifer stuttered amid sobs.

Mia’s jaw dropped in shock. “Ho-how come? I thought…” Her voice trailed off, speechless.

Shawn breathed a sigh of relief, gently settling on the edge of the hospital bed and cupping a side of his mother’s face in his hand.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

“It’s been three long, dreadful years. I missed you every single day. I still can’t forgive myself for forcing you to come here. Is that why you don’t want to see me? Do you resent me for the accident?” His voice broke as tears welled in his eyes.

Jennifer gazed at her son as tears streamed down her face. Seeing him up close after all these years…

“How can I resent my own child?” She raised her hands to his face, stroking it tenderly.

“What mother resents her only child? The accident was not your fault. I didn’t even inform you I was coming…”

“Then why? Why are you chasing me away? Why didn’t you come home after you were discharged? Why were you pretending to be ill?” By now, the tears that he was trying to hold back started pouring.

From where she stood, Mia observed the mother and son in silence, tears streaming down her own face too.

Heaving a long, weary sigh, Jennifer murmured, “It’s to protect you, my Sunshine.”

Her son’s brows furrowed instantly. “Protect me from what?”

“I’m clueless also. I intended to uncover the truth before reaching out to you, avoiding any risk to your safety. Your father’s demise has already left a void; I can’t bear to lose you too, Sunshine. That night,”

She hesitated, shutting her eyes against the painful memory, “it was deliberate. The large vehicle-deliberately…” She added, lowering her voice as it trailed off.

Shawn’s lashes fluttered quickly as he pieced his mother’s words together. His thoughts raced back to the anonymous message he had received weeks ago, “She will die the same way your mother did.”

“The driver… He wasn’t responsible?”

“What driver?” Jennifer’s tears slowly subsided. “I witnessed it with my own eyes. A large vehicle, perhaps a truck or trailer, crashed into us. Not once. Not twice. Thrice.” She sniffled.

Shawn’s mouth slightly parted. It was evident that it was intentional, and someone had concealed the truth.

Grandpa Mandez had told his grandson that the driver was drunk at the time and…

“I fear that if they discover I’m alive, they’ll come after me again… I don’t want to involve you in this chaos,” Jennifer confessed, tears streaming down her face.

Shortly after, her tears dried, and she gazed at her son intently, “So, you’ll leave now. We’ll pretend we never met. Alright? Leave now, please, Sunshine.”

Shawn vehemently shook his head. “That won’t happen, and you know it, Mom. I’d be damned to be separated from you again.”

He vowed it over his dead body.

“I’ll protect you, Mom, right by my side.”

“You think it’s myself I’m worried about?” Jennifer chuckled dryly.

“I’ll ensure the safety of you, Grandfather, and myself. I promise. And the one responsible for that-I’ll catch him with my bare hands and feed his flesh to the dogs.”

Jennifer locked eyes with his grey gaze. She had no alternative, knowing he would have his way. He always had his way.

“Oh, how I’ve missed you!” She embraced him, tightly holding him as tears of joy streamed down.

“Me too.” Shawn hugged his mother, his throat hoarse.