"Are you in love with him?"
"I love him. I love his daughter. They are important to me."
"That's not what I asked. Are you in love with him?"
"What does that matter? It's just semantics."
"It's not just semantics. It matters because I'm in love with you, and I wanna know if I still have a chance with you."
"Jake..."
"Do you understand that I'm not gonna give up on you? As long as you tell me that you don't love Nick in that way, I'm never gonna stop trying with you. I hope you realize that," he stated with finality.
He helped her up off her seat and held her hands. He looked her in the eyes, pleading with his eyes.
"So I'm asking you again, are you in love with him?"
He saw hesitation flash in her eyes, opening and closing her mouth, not finding the right words to say. He took that as a no, cupping each cheek in both of his hands, smiling widely at her.
"Love, you may not remember me here," he pointed to her forehead, "but I know you remember me here," he pointed to her heart.
She held the hand that was still cupping her cheek, leaning her cheek further into his hand.
"What if I never remember?"
"Then we will make new memories! As long as we stay together."
"I'm married."
"But you're not in love with him."
"Oo na, nandyan na tayo, sabihin na natin na marriage of convenience ang meron kami ni Nick, pero malaki ang utang na loob ko sa kanya. Wala ako dito kung wala sya."
"And I'm eternally grateful that he saved your life! But babe, you have the right to know who you are; To learn about your past. You deserve to remember your life, the good and the bad."
"Jake, I don't want to hurt anyone."
"So you'd rather keep yourself in the dark? Babe, just think of it this way. You're doing this for you. If at the end you remember it all, but you still want to stay with Nick, at least you won't have any regrets."
"But Lizzie...she's expecting me to be her mom...that I legally adopt her," she whispered sadly.
"I appreciate that you love her, that you have stood as her mother all this time, but just because you do not become her legal mom doesn't mean you love her any less. Babe, this is a sticky situation all around, but just prepare for the worst and hope for the best, okay?"
"Okay."
He kissed her forehead before moving in to embrace her. He smiled into her hair, enthralled that he has made so much progress with her. Beth felt it too, that she was able to trust Jake so quickly because deep in her heart, she remembers him; the heart does not lie.
"Your mom and brothers are going to be ecstatic! You need to visit them soon."
"I'll plan it, but please, can we take it one day at a time? This is all so overwhelming for me."
"Anything you want, love. I should let you get some rest. I better get going."
"Jake, can I ask you for a favor?"
"Yes, babe?"
"Can you please lay off on calling me babe and love? It doesn't sound right since I am a married woman, and I don't want Lizzie to hear you and get the wrong idea," she asked him as he walked him to the front door.
