Devoted Love, Mr. Hayes’ Darling Wife

It was not until nightfall that Estrella Berrocal returned to The Villas at Repulse Bay.

Felipa was terrified: “Third Young Grandmother, you’re back at last! I tried to call you several times but I couldn’t, I thought you were … good that you came back, good that you came back”.

Felipa embraced her and Estrella Berrocal leaned into Felipa’s arms, tears falling from her eyes, choking back tears, “Felipa …. Adán doesn’t recognize me … he doesn’t remember who I am at all…”

The one he saw today looked exactly like Adam Rouco, but the man said he was Jerold Rouco, not an Adam Rouco.

The way he treated her, strange, indifferent.

Felipa just assumed Estrella Berrocal was talking nonsense and helped her to the chalet, “Third Young Grandmother, you have been running around all day, you must be hungry, right? I have prepared your favorite porridge and sandwiches, eat some, have a hot bath and then get a good night’s sleep without any more nonsense.”

Estrella Berrocal didn’t have much of an appetite and, after a few bites, went up to the room.

There was a message from Dulcina Calvo on her phone’s WeChat.

“Estrella, tomorrow I’m leaving, I’ll come to see you at your house.”

His eyes fluttered, yes, Dulcina’s mentor, Esteban Zaragosa, was a doctor and had been good friends with Adán Rouco for many years, would Dr. Esteban know about Adán Rouco’s dual personality status?

Estrella Berrocal assumed that Jerold Rouco was probably the other personality of Adán Rouco.

She called Dulcina Calvo directly, and when the call was answered, Estrella Berrocal asked: “Dulcina, do you have Dr. Esteban’s phone number?

“Huh? Are you looking for my mentor? He’s right next to me.”

Dulcina Calvo handed the phone directly to Esteban Zaragosa, who picked it up.

“Doctor Esteban, I’m Estrella Berrocal, Adán is alive, only now he doesn’t know me and says his name is Jerold Rouco, I don’t know what the hell is going on.”

Esteban Zaragosa was surprised by the news, but being a good friend, he was glad to hear it.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“I don’t know if Adam has ever told you that he has multiple personality splits and perhaps, this Jerold Rouco that now appears before you, is another of Adam’s personalities.”

Estrella Berrocal’s watery eyes were trembling: “Doctor Esteban, now that Adán doesn’t know me and doesn’t want to come home with me, what should I do?

Esteban Zaragosa pursed his lips and said, “I’ll tell you what, do you know where Adam lives now?”

“Yes, but I’m afraid you’ll be leaving that hotel soon.”

“Send me the address and I’ll be on my way.”

“Okay, I’m on my way there now too and I’ll meet you under the hotel then.”

…

When they arrived below the hotel where Adán Rouco was staying, Esteban Zaragosa and Dulcina Calvo got out of the car and caught a glimpse of Estrella Berrocal, standing alone in the cold night.

When the three arrived at the door of Jerold Rouco’s room, Estrella Berrocal plucked up her courage and knocked on the door.

The door opened and Jerold Rouco’s brow furrowed at the sight of Estrella Berrocal.

“Didn’t I tell you not to come back to me?”.

She bit her lip, “I didn’t come to see you, I came to see Adam.”

“What’s the difference?”

Dulcina Calvo said angrily: “Adán Rouco, you heartless man, how could you disown Estrella when she was pregnant with your child?

Esteban Zaragosa looked at Jerold Rouco, picked up a picture of Adán Rouco, handed it to him and said, “You look exactly like Adán Rouco, I’m a good friend of Adán Rouco and I’m pretty sure Adán Rouco doesn’t have any twin brothers. ”

Jerold Rouco snorted, “Just because I look like the Adam Rouco you speak of, you conclude that I am him?”

Esteban Zaragosa spoke calmly: “Whether you are or not, you will find out by coming with us to the hospital, and if your DNA is the same as Adán Rouco’s, then you will have to go home to your wife.”

Dulcina Calvo replied, “Yes, you will come with us to the hospital!”.

Jerold Rouco had a somber look on his face and was about to close the door behind him when Esteban Zaragosa suddenly pulled out a handkerchief and put it directly on Jerold Rouco’s nose, who struggled for a few seconds and simply fainted.

Dulcina Calvo’s eyes widened: “Demon Esteban, how cruel you are! You, you have really poisoned Estrella’s husband!”.

“Cut the crap and come help.”

When they reached the car, Adán Rouco was unconscious, his head resting on Estrella Berrocal’s lap.

Estrella Berrocal looked down at the unconscious man and worriedly asked Esteban Zaragosa, who was driving, “Doctor Esteban, is Adán going to be all right?”.

“Don’t worry, it’s normal ecstasy, it will put you to sleep for a few hours for the time being, there will be no side effects.”

Estrella Berrocal gently caressed the man’s handsome profile, a face she had longed for, but never expected to see again, looking at her like a stranger.

Dulcina Calvo, sitting in the passenger seat, turned her head to look uneasily at Estrella Berrocal in the back seat and said reassuringly, “Estrella, don’t worry, Esteban Zaragosa is here to cure Adán Rouco. More importantly, you should be happy that Adán Rouco is still alive and well.”

Estrella Berrocal nodded, “Yes, he’s alive, that’s enough.”

…

When they arrived at the hospital, Esteban Zaragosa performed a series of sophisticated tests on Adán Rouco.

An hour later, Esteban Zaragosa left the room.

Estrella Berrocal asked: “Dr. Esteban, how is Adán?

“He is in good health, the accident has not left any after-effects on his body, it is almost all healed.”

“But … why don’t you remember me?”.

Esteban Zaragosa copied the pockets of his white robe with both hands, his eyes dropping a point as he said, “The car accident caused a strong impact on both his body and his consciousness, and after his master personality was injured, the other personalities took advantage of the situation, so now, the one who dominates his consciousness is the one called Jerold Rouco.”

Estrella Berrocal took a deep breath and pursed her lips, not knowing whether to be happy or saddened. “So Adam hasn’t forgotten me, much less lost his memory?”

“Yes.”

“But … but when will Adam return?” Estrella Berrocal looked at Esteban Zaragosa with a blank stare.

Esteban Zaragosa pursed his thin lips, did not speak for a long time and finally, with slightly downcast eyes, said, “I’m sorry, I don’t know.”

Estrella Berrocal’s eyes blushed, she sniffled and said with a forced smile, “It’s okay, he’ll be back, Dr. Esteban, he’ll be back soon if we treat him, won’t he?”.

Esteban Zaragosa remained silent.

Dulcina Calvo was quick to respond, “Of course, Estrella, don’t worry, Esteban Zaragosa has saved so many lives, he must have something!”.

Esteban Zaragosa gave Dulcina Calvo a cold look before re-entering the office.

Dulcina Calvo froze and said: “Estrella, stay here with Adán Rouco while I ask Esteban Zaragosa what else he can do”.

Estrella Berrocal dropped into the chair behind her.

His blurred vision, through the glass, looked at the man lying in the hospital bed.

–Your Adam, is he not coming back?

…

Dulcina Calvo rushed into Esteban Zaragosa’s office.

“Mentor, can’t anything really be done? What is Estrella going to do if Adán Rouco can’t come back, now that the bastard who dominates Adán Rouco has absolutely no feelings for Estrella, and if Adán Rouco can’t come back, won’t Estrella be a widow just the same?”

Dulcina Calvo’s incessant chatter caused Esteban Zaragosa to frown slightly.

Esteban Zaragosa stared at her and said casually, “Dulcina Calvo, you’re prettier when you don’t talk.”

“…”

Dulcina Calvo bit her small mouth.

Esteban Zaragosa gave an inaudible sigh and said: “I am not a god, I am not sure I can cure Adam, so I can’t promise anything to Estrella Berrocal. And … the cure will not be so easy that Estrella Berrocal cannot accept it”.

Dulcina Calvo did not respond and said, “As long as Adán Rouco’s body can withstand the treatment!”

“Do you think Estrella Berrocal would be willing to subject Adán Rouco to intense electric shocks?”

“Electric shocks?” wondered Dulcina Calvo.

“By subjecting him to intense electric shocks, he could awaken his consciousness. But this method, however, has a certain danger and, besides, it may not awaken Adam Rouco’s consciousness, and even if it does, it is not known if this Jerold Rouco will ever come out again.”

Dulcina Calvo said Q: “But it was Jerold Rouco who received the electric shocks? Estrella won’t mind.”

“…”

“Do you think Estrella Berrocal is as nervous as you are? It’s Jerold Rouco who is in charge of his conscience, but it’s the body of Adán Rouco, and if something happens, I can’t explain it to either La familia Rouco or Estrella Berrocal.”

…

Estrella Berrocal sat in the doorway of the room for who knows how long.

Dulcina Calvo also sat next to her and said, “Estrella, do you want to go home and get some sleep? Here … I’ll take turns with Esteban Zaragosa to keep an eye on you.”

Estrella Berrocal shook her head stubbornly, “I can’t sleep at home either.”

Esteban Zaragosa looked toward the infirmary and said, “When he wakes up, we’ll start psychotherapy, but I don’t think this method will work too well with this Jerold Rouco now.”

Estrella Berrocal solemnly asked, “Doctor Esteban, if psychotherapy doesn’t work, is there anything else that can be done?”

“Yes, but it’s dangerous.”

“What … what can be done?”

“Electric shocks with high intensity electricity”.

Estrella Berrocal’s face turned white and her fingers clenched into a fist.

Esteban Zaragosa continued: “This method may be able to awaken the conscience of Adán Rouco, but I am not sure, his illness is difficult to cure”.

“Mentor, don’t make it sound so serious, look you’re afraid of Estrella, can’t you say something nice?”

Estrella Berrocal raised her face, her watery eyes fixed on Esteban Zaragosa, and asked, word for word: “Dr. Esteban, will Adam never come back? And the man lying there, perhaps for the rest of his life, is Jerold Rouco?”

After a long moment, Esteban Zaragosa replied, “Maybe.”

Estrella Berrocal felt as if she were in an ice cellar, chilled to the bone.

Estrella Berrocal got up, stood outside the bed, touched her hand to the thick glass and looked at the unconscious man inside.

Esteban Zaragosa said, “Do the people of La familia Rouco know that Adán is alive?”.

She shook her head, “They don’t believe it, but it’s a good thing they don’t know, I want to take Adam to The Rouco Family to see them when he’s better, they would be horrified if they took Jerold Rouco to see them right now.”

Esteban Zaragosa nodded: “There has been a lot of infighting in the Rouco Group lately, and although Adán has returned safe and sound, if he returns now, his illness will not be hidden for long, and then some malicious people will be able to justify his resignation, after all, such a large group is not going to allow a man with a split personality disorder to lead it.”

“So, Dr. Esteban, please do something for Adam.”

“Don’t worry, Adam is a good friend of mine and I will do my best. But … if it comes to the last resort, I will take some more extreme treatment options, I hope you can understand that.”