Ravi entered Tesni's room to find her on her feet, folding things into her suitcase.
"Where are you going?"
"I have been discharged," she said without looking up.
"Will you not see her again before you leave? I believe she will remember you, Tesni. Give her time."
Tesni stopped. She straightened and looked at him, and what was in her face was clarity.
"As I already said, she does not remember me. If I go in there I will only put pressure on her and it will affect her recovery." She held his gaze. "Luckily you are the one she still has a little memory of. So you can protect her. You can be what she needs right now." She paused. "Please do not tell her she has a sister. If she knows, she will try to find me. I do not want her looking for me right now."
She picked up her suitcase.
"I will take my leave."
And she walked out.
Outside the hospital entrance Mendoza was waiting. The moment he saw her he crossed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms without a word.
"I rushed here the moment I heard you had been in an accident," he said against her hair.
Tesni held on for a moment. Then she pulled back. "Dad. I met Aine."
His face changed immediately. "Is she well?"
"Absolutely." She kept her voice steady. "They are the ones who brought me to the hospital. It is just unfortunate that they are not here right now."
Mendoza nodded slowly. "Then let us wait a while. Until I can resolve matters with her properly."
"No, Dad." Tesni took his hand. "Let us go home." She looked at him with tired, certain eyes. "I told you, Aine is doing well. She is happy. She is enjoying her marriage." She squeezed his hand. "Promise me that when I am better we will come back here together. Both of us. Promise me that."
Mendoza looked at his daughter for a long moment.
Then he nodded.
"I promise."
Flashback
"I have to send Aine to Paris. I have already made my plans," Ravi said.
"Do you know the hospital will not allow you to take her if her father comes?" Tesni asked.
"I have to send Aine to Paris. I have already made my plans," Ravi said.
"Do you know the hospital will not allow you to take her if her father comes?" Tesni asked.
"I know. We made plans before the incident and we were supposed to leave tomorrow. I believe she will feel safer with me because she has some memory of me. More than she would have going with you," Ravi said.
Tesni looked at him for a long moment. "I will allow you to take her. But I will come to France the moment I complete high school. And I will take my sister back."
At the Airport
"You should perform the duty I am giving you," Ravi said.
"Boss you need me at the company you are about to start in Paris. Why leave me here to protect things? She can hire bodyguards," Hayland replied.
"You know how these people operate. The moment I leave they will go after everything I have ever touched. Even though we have already shipped the most important things, I need the mafias to know I am still present. I will handle things myself. When I need you I will reach out," Ravi said and walked toward where Aine was seated.
She had grown pale. She had lost weight. The gauze was still wrapped around her head. She sat quietly, looking at nothing in particular, smaller than she used to be.
"Do you want to eat something before we board?" he asked.
"I… am… fine," she said.
Ravi looked at her for a moment. "Good. We will land in Paris soon."
They landed in Paris and walked through the arrivals hall where a small group was already waiting. The moment Ravi appeared they bowed.
"Ravi, it is such an honour to have you here," Maxin said stepping forward.
"I appreciate it. I hope everything is set," Ravi said.
"Exactly as you wanted. Most of the pharmaceutical companies have already agreed to the terms," Maxin replied.
"How many contracts are yet to be signed?"
"Twelve contracts have been submitted. We also have approximately one hundred and fifty workers already at their desks," Maxin said.
A woman stepped in beside Maxin and looked at Ravi with quiet authority. "Ravi you can discuss work when we get home. Right now let us leave. The sun is too hot and your wife is clearly uncomfortable," Elora said.
They drove to the house prepared for them. Elora moved through it ahead of them. "This is what we prepared. Quiet and isolated, exactly as requested."
She turned to Aine and picked up her bags. "I will help you with these. I hope you will love your room."
She showed her through and set the bags down. "We are done here. Have a nice stay." She turned to leave.
"Th… an… k y… ou." Aine paused, gathering herself. "I… I d… on't kn… ow y… ou."
Elora turned back with a warm smile. "I apologise for not introducing myself. I am the wife of Maxin. We are close friends with Ravi."
Aine looked around the room slowly. "I… w… oul… d li… ke to t… ake my sh… ow… er."
"Of course. I will excuse you. If you need anything at all just call for me. I will be downstairs," Elora said and left, pulling the door gently behind her.
Aine stood alone in the middle of the room. The Paris light came through the window, soft and unfamiliar, falling across a face that was learning everything for the first time.
Elora set the dishes on the table and looked at Aine with the warmth of someone who has decided to make feeding people her particular form of love.
"I prepared South Korean dishes for you, Aine. It will take time for you to adjust to the food here so I did not want to rush that. Yours is made with cow feet. Good for calcium. It will help with the paleness too." She settled into her chair and looked at her with complete sincerity. "As long as I am here, food will be your best friend."
Ravi placed Aine's bowl in front of her. "Eat now. If you do not like it I will have something else prepared for you."
Aine looked down at the bowl. She picked up her spoon carefully and tasted it.
Her face changed.
"I… lo… ve… th… is," she said.
Elora's face broke into a full smile.
Ravi looked at Aine for a moment, something settling quietly behind his eyes, then turned toward the balcony where Maxin was waiting.