ETERNITY (COMPLETE)

Who Are You?

    Zee had been having the same dream or you can call it nightmare for the past few months. Zee would wake up in the dream with Saint's face hovering inches from his. His sensual lips were always smiling. He would whisper good morning husband before raining kisses all over his face. Saint loved to do that if he were to wake up earlier than him, which was rare because Zee was an early riser. Saint then would continue to tease him by nipping his earlobes and neck. The dream would turn into nightmare when Saint would suddenly disappear into thin air leaving him in his dark desolate bedroom.

That morning was the same. Zee had the same nightmare. After Saint left him 6 months before, he could count how many nights that he could sleep soundly. Saint haunted him. He still remembered the day Saint disappeared. He was at his office when Derek, his head security officer informed him that they could not locate Saint's whereabouts. They discovered that Saint and one of his cars were missing. He vividly feeling rage and at the same time, anguish. He instructed the security team to locate his husband. He was shocked when they informed him about the CCTV footage of Saint driving into his building and going up to the 55th floor.

His heart was torn to shred when he saw Saint standing merely meters away from when he made the phone call to Derek that morning. Saint was crying. He promised Saint that he would protect him from the world and there he stood as if the world was gone for his beloved. Yet, he could not deny the evidence in front of his eyes. Saint received the money from his competitor and he laptop had Zee Industry's top secret contracts. Why would he do such a thing? If he were innocent, why couldn't he explain how those contracts were on his laptop?

Father Jonathan was not helping him at all. He knew he wouldn't. Zee came to realise how protective the old man was since the first time Saint brought him to meet the priest. He was Saint's parent and he raised Saint since Saint was a baby. He threatened the old man. He even tried bribing him. He would not budge. Zee knew that Father Jonathan are in cahoots with Saint. He even had the gall to kick him out of the orphanage every time he went there. He also called him a few choice names for the ways he treated Saint.

    The alarm on his cellphone shrilled telling him that it was 4.30 am. Zee rubbed his face and groaned. He had a morning flight to Peru and he had to get ready. Maybe he could sleep on the plane. He left his bed and walked into his closet. His heart tugged when he saw Saint's clothes still hanging there next to his. He missed him so much but still, he could not deny that Saint could have betrayed him. He walked towards Saint's side of the closet and touched one of his favourite pyjamas. Saint had an obsession with pyjamas and if he could wear them to work he would. That brought a faint smile on Zee's face.

"Where are you Saint?" He mumbled to himself.

It was close to 7 in the morning when Zee left in his Koenigsegg One. It was one of his favourite cars. Saint hated the car saying it was too expensive and the 2 million dollars Zee had used for the car should be used for something else. He was driving on the freeway when he received a call. He could not identify the number and usually he would ignore those calls. That morning he made an exemption. He hit the brake and nearly caused an accident on the freeway. Drivers honked and cursed at him but he could not believe what he just heard. It was a police officer from Wisconsin and he wanted to know whether he was Saint Suppapong's husband. They found an unconscious Saint in an abandoned building. He was now in a hospital and they found their marriage license in his wallet where they found him.

Zee drove his 2 million dollar car like a mad man to the airport. He instructed Maya to send one of his chief operating officers to Peru to replace him. He then boarded his private jet and yelled at his pilot to head to the nearest airport to Fish Creek, Wisconsin. He made some calls to his security team and to Maya. The 1 hour and 40 minutes flight felt like hours to Zee. When his plane landed and he was glad that Maya had a car for him and a security team ready. The drive to Bay Area Medical Center made Zee nervous. How would Saint react seeing him there? Have they informed him about him coming from New York? How about him? How would he react seeing his husband after 6 months? Could he be the same Zee as before the incident? Could he forgive Saint? Zee closed his eyes and took calming breaths.

"Sir, we are here." Informed the chauffeur.
"Thank you." Zee replied and without waiting for the chauffeur to open his door he left his car.

Zee then made a phone call to the police officer who contacted him a few hours before. He was instructed to head to the reception area and to wait there. Zee waited anxiously at the reception area for Officer Suarez. His palms were clammy from his nervousness. He was also apprehensive about Saint's condition. A tall lanky middle aged police officer approached and introduced himself as Officer Suarez. He asked Zee to follow him to the cafeteria. Zee was quite impatient and asked why couldn't he see his husband as soon as possible. Officer Suarez explained that he needed to talk to him about something. Fear crept Zee's heart.

"Mr Panich, you and Mr Suppapong reside in New York?" Officer Suarez questioned.
"Yes."
"Can you please tell me why your husband is here in Fish Creek Wisconsin?"
"Actually... we have been separated for 6 months. And I didn't know where he has been all this while." Zee explained.
"I see." Officer Suarez nodded.
"Why was Saint at the abandoned building?" Zee asked.
"This is the tricky part Mr Panich... A building inspector was at the abandoned building because the city council is planning to demolish the buildings in that area. He found Mr Suppapong locked in a room there. He was all tied up and the doctors surmised from his injuries that he was beaten up pretty badly." Officer Suarez asserted.
"What? Is he alright? Oh my God!" Zee paled.
"Can I see him?" Zee abruptly stood up.
"Please sit down Mr Panich. He's still unconscious and the doctors are working to help him." Officer Suarez coaxed Zee.
"Please... I understand that you are worried.  We are doing everything we can to help him." The police officer politely said.
"Do you know why is he here in Wisconsin?" The police officer asked again. The police officer noticed Zee's dejected face.
"He and I had an argument about 6 months ago and he left me. We haven't talked for 6 months. I didn't even know he was here." Zee responded while the police officer nodded.
"Do you know anybody who would harm him or whether he has enemies?" He continued.
"Saint?" Zee smiled.
"Saint just like his name is loved by everyone he knows and I can't think of anyone who would want to harm him Officer Suarez." Zee explained.
"Unfortunately, someone had taken him to that building. Tied him up. Locked him up and beat him up. Mr Panich, I would not be surprised if the people responsible were hoping the city council is going to demolished that building soon." Officer Suarez's clarification made Zee's blood ran cold.
"Here's Doctor Nguyen." Officer Suarez waved his hand and a petite female doctor made her way to their table.
"I'm Doctor Anne Nguyen." Zee stood up and shook her hand.
"So... you are Mr Suppapong's husband?" She asked and Zee nodded.
"How is he now Doctor?" Zee asked.
"His forearm is broken. He has a few broken ribs. He has bruises all over his body but we are most concerned about his head injuries. Mr Panich... I'm sorry to tell you this but he has amnesia." Doctor Nguyen responded.
"What?!" Zee was shocked.
"Initially he did not even remember his name or where he was. As in right now our doctors are gauging how bad his condition is. Don't worry Mr Panich, we will work with him. Rest assured, we are all working to help him." Doctor Nguyen reassured Zee.
"Can I see him?" Zee asked anxiously.
"Sure. I'll bring you to his room."
"Mr Panich, my detectives may have other questions for you. We will contact you." Officer Suarez informed before shaking Zee's hand and left.
"Follow me Mr Panich." Doctor Nguyen said.
"Don't ask him big difficult questions just yet. You can try by not looking... Too... worried and upset?" The doctor gave him a motherly smile.
"Here we are Mr Panich." She said and entered a room.

    Zee stood at the doorway looking inside the room and what he saw made his blood boiled. Saint's beautiful face was badly bruised. His lips were swollen and bleeding. One of his eyes was swollen shut. His right forearm was in a cast. There were bruises on his neck as well. Zee would kill the person who did this to Saint. He was talking to a male doctor at the moment. His beautiful Saint looked haggard and it seemed he had also lost a lot of weight.

    Saint turned his head towards the door and smiled when he saw Doctor Nguyen. He liked her because she's nice and patient towards him. He had so many questions swirling in his confused mind and she had been utterly understanding of him. Then, his eyes rested on a very handsome man who was dressed so impeccably in his three piece suit that he looked out of place in the hospital room. He couldn't take his eyes off the man.  His eyes were on him too. He wondered whom he was.

"Who are you?" Saint croaked.
"Mr Suppapong... This is your husband." Doctor Nguyen explained to Saint.
Saints delicate forehead creased.
"He can't be." Saint whispered.
"Why not?" Doctor Nguyen asked.
"He's too perfect, too handsome and too rich to be my husband." Saint gave a weak smile before succumbing into slumber.