VERA IS MY RESPONSIBILITY

'' Saying she acknowledges Aunty Grace as your mum but her loyalty is to you. To protect and guide you. Do I look like I am here to cause you harm Jack? She pouted her lips, acting like a baby with tears rolling down her cheeks, but Jack could now understand what Victoria was up to

'' Your Majesty,'' Selena was about to speak but Jack gestured to her to remain silent. 

Selena, Uncle Richard, and Victoria you may come in. Vera is awake and I just finished feeding her. Jack turned around but not without glancing at his Grandma who waved that she was going home. Thomas turned and took Grace away, leaving all the drama behind.

Inside the ward, Victoria was at the forefront, in a hurry to see who the girl was. She acted so shamelessly.

When Vera saw the crowd walking into the ward, she felt scared and uncomfortable. All the faces were strange, and she wasn't able to recognize any of them, but she sure noticed the way Victoria looked at her.

As Richard stepped closer to Vera's bed, he smiled warmly, his demeanor calm and empathetic. "How are you feeling, Vera? I'm Richard, Jack's elder brother, and his friend."

He gestured toward Victoria. "This is Victoria, our younger sister, and this is Selena, a friend. Selena and Jack brought you to the hospital after they found you floating in the water. I know you don't know us, but we're here to help you recover. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

Victoria's expression darkened as soon as she heard Richard refer to her as Jack's sister. For crying out loud, we're not related! She couldn't let it slide.

"Yes, well," Victoria chimed in, forcing a smile, "we're just relatives, but not by blood."

The room went silent as everyone turned to look at her.

"What?" she said defensively, glancing at Selena but avoiding Richard's gaze. She quickly turned to Jack, sliding her arm around his hand and leaning in closer to him.

Jack sighed inwardly at Victoria's possessiveness. He wasn't dating Vera, but he wasn't dating Victoria either. To him, she was like a younger sister—nothing more. He removed her hand from his arm gently but firmly, walked to Vera's bedside, and poured water into a glass. Raising it to Vera's lips, he spoke calmly, hoping to diffuse the tension.

"Yes, Vera, we're not related by blood. But Richard is like an elder brother to me, and Victoria is... a younger sister, just a few days apart in age."

Vera sipped the water gratefully, too weak to respond, but her tired eyes flickered with awareness. Jack's quiet attentiveness didn't go unnoticed by Victoria, who crossed her arms, her frustration growing.

Victoria's voice was sharp. "What is this? Sounding so irritated. Can't she drink on her own? What's wrong with her hands?"

Selena raised an eyebrow, clearly amused, ready to watch the show but stayed silent.

Ignoring the comment, Jack calmly continued to hold the glass for Vera.

"Let me help you, Jack," Victoria said, stepping forward. "I'm a woman. I'll understand her better."

Jack shook his head, polite but firm. "It's okay. I can handle this."

"But..."

"Victoria," he interrupted gently. "Her condition isn't good. She can't help herself, and right now, she's more comfortable with me and Grandma Grace."

Selena suddenly burst into laughter, unable to hold it in any longer. The way Jack managed to deflect Victoria's attempts without a hint of rudeness was masterful.

Victoria glared at Selena but turned back to Jack, her frustration bubbling over. "What condition? She looks fine to me. I don't see any injuries."

Jack sighed, his patience thinning.

Vera, watching the interaction, felt equally frustrated. She could see through Victoria's charade, the jealousy, the need to assert herself around Jack. Though she couldn't recall much due to her memory loss, she was certain of one thing, she didn't want to be dragged into this drama.

"Jack," Vera whispered weakly. "I feel... exhausted."

Jack looked at her and nodded, understanding immediately. He set the glass down and turned to the others. "Visiting hours are over. Let's go."

Victoria opened her mouth to protest, but the look on Jack's face silenced her. Selena smirked as she and Richard followed Jack out, leaving Victoria standing by the bed, fuming in silence.

She looked at Vera, short of words, she turned and followed behind, leaving Vera wondering what all the drama was all about

'' Uncle Richard, Jack called out, please keep your sister in check. She cannot continue to behave so unruly as when and how she likes

Jack stopped in the corridor, his arms crossed, gazing out at the dim lights of the hospital parking lot.

Jack, It's all my fault, I will speak with her. Have a good night's rest. Selena will bring a new set of clothes for you later, be safe!

Victoria's voice broke the silence, her tone sharper than usual.  She just overheard Jack and Richard's conversation "Jack, why are you staying here tonight? Vera's fine. Why not come home?"

Jack didn't turn around, his voice calm but firm: "I'm staying because I want to, Victoria. That's all there is to it."

 Stepping closer, Victoria's frustration bubbled "You want to? Jack, this doesn't make sense. You've done enough. She's being taken care of. What are you trying to prove by staying?"

Jack finally turned to face her, his eyes steady and unwavering: "I'm not trying to prove anything. I just want to make sure she's okay. Is that a problem for you? What's your definition of doing enough?"

Hesitating, then crossing her arms "I just... don't get why you're going out of your way for her. You barely know her."

Jack sighed, his patience wearing thin but keeping his tone steady: "She has no one else right now, Victoria. No family. No friends here, Loss of memory, What kind of person would I be if I walked away knowing that?"

Softening slightly Victoria continued pushing " But you could've left her in the care of the staff. That's what they're here for."

Shaking his head "That's not how I do things. If I can help, I do. That's who I am. You know that."

Victoria looked at him, biting her lip, unsure of how to respond. Jack walked past her, entered the ward, grabbed a chair, and dragged it toward Vera's bedside. He sat down, leaning back with a quiet sigh.

Without looking at Victoria "You should go home. It's late.

"frowning "Jack..." Victoria called out

Cutting her off, his tone final "Victoria, go home. I'll see you tomorrow."

Realizing she wouldn't win this argument, Victoria reluctantly left. Jack stayed where he was, his focus already back on Vera, watching her steady breathing as the night deepened.

Never would Jack have believed a time would come when Victoria would make him decide to stay away from home.

Throughout the night, Jack slept for a few hours when he suddenly heard Vera crying and screaming in her sleep. The nurse Grace left behind to watch over Vera was also startled by the screaming.

'' Please, I will leave everything for you, don't hurt me, I don't need the wealth, I can always leave the house... Vera kept screaming.

Jack jumped from his sleeping couch and rushed to her side while the nurse had to use warm water and a towel to wipe her face so she could wake up.

'' Vera wake up!

''Vera wake up!

Jack shook her a few more times before she opened her eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks. When she saw Jack she hugged him and kept crying.

 ''They want me dead,'' she pointed toward the door.

Jack and the nurse looked but saw nothing at the door. ''Jack let's leave here, they said they will come for me.''

''Vera, it's only a dream, you just had a nightmare.''

Jack held her close so she could relax, she looked back at Jack, unsure of what she just experienced, she couldn't tell the difference between reality and dream, her mind playing games on her, or was she hallucinating?

''Jack, are you sure? Was that a dream, it felt so real Jack. Vera struggled within her, she understood her memory loss but why the hallucination?

For the first time, Jack found himself short of words, he had never been in a position to convince someone about a dream from reality.

He held her palms

''Hey look at me Vera, touch my face he said.

Vera quickly touched his face, her palm felt so soft on his face, it's been a long time since he held a woman's hand so close and soft like that of Vera. He was still thinking of the softness of the palm, Vera's voice disrupted his thought.

Jack, I'm touching your face she said.

Good, you can feel it, right? Vera nodded. Now can you touch what you just saw that made you cry?

Vera shook her head '' No'' I couldn't.

Simple. It shows it wasn't real. So that was a dream, it wasn't real. As for me and the nurse, he pointed to the nurse, you can touch us. Jack brought his hand so Vera could touch him again, he enjoyed the feel of her palms on his skin, but the nurse was faster, she put her hand instead and Vera's hand fell on the nurse's hand.

Nurse; '' You see, you can touch me also, smiling at Vera. Jack turned and glared at the nurse, feeling she interrupted his plans of getting touched. '' Sorry Young Master the nurse quickly removed her hand.

Jack continued '' So now you understand right? Vera nodded, she understood but it all seemed so confusing to her.

'' Alright try and get some sleep, Vera, Jack patted her shoulder, you need to recover fast so you can resume lectures.

School? Lectures? Vera asked with shock on her face. I'm a student?

Jack was so tired, he wanted to sleep but now Vera was in the mood for questions and answers. He slowly stood up straight tired of leaning toward Vera on the orthopedic bed, his body felt sore all over.

'' Let me get something to see if we can revive your memory.

He sluggishly walked to the couch he had fallen asleep on, there was a laptop on the small couch table, he had been through her details on the system when he fell asleep.

Jack picked up the laptop and walked back to Vera's bed. She sat there like a mannequin on the bed looking frozen. He placed the laptop on the bed in her front.

'' Here you can go through the details on the system that is all the information I could collect about you, I need to sleep. Let's talk later.

He turned around walking straight to the couch but he had a strange feeling, he had been stared at or followed. Immediately he decided to sit on the couch, he felt a light pull on his shirt and thought it was the nurse.

'' What is it now? he turned around, to see Vera holding his shirt tightly with her soft long slender fingers

Vera, what is it?

Can I...I stay with you on the couch, please? She stuttered as she asked, worried Jack might refuse

'' Huh! Like sleep here on the couch with me? That isn't appropriate Vera'' Jack was too shocked at the thought.

'' Okay let the nurse sleep with you on the couch while I sleep on the bed '' he suggested.

'' No she cannot protect me inside my dream, she is a woman like me, she has no strength to fight, Vera pouted with innocence as she spoke pointing at the nurse.

'' Can you protect me?'' She asked the nurse who shook her head afraid of fighting demons or what she had no idea about in Vera's dream.

'' Are you both serious right now?

Jack yelled pretending to be furious. '' Talking about fighting in dreams and having no strength? Jack raised his hand and pointed lazily at his lean muscles '' Look at my muscle, who says I can fight? Can you compare her muscles to mine?'' He pointed at the nurse, whose arms were like a big tree trunk compared to Jack's own

Vera took a look at Jack's arm and covered her mouth with her right palm, she was scared to laugh because his arm looked thin compared to that of the nurse. However, she insisted.

'' Jack I promise to not have a dream but can I stay with you, the people in my dream know where my bed is, she pointed at the orthopedic bed, maybe if I stay on the couch with you they will be scared to approach me. Hmm!

Jack was too tired to continue arguing but reluctantly agreed

'' Hey,''

He pointed at the nurse, '' Make sure those arms of yours are ready when the people in her dream come, so don't sleep! ''

The nurse smiled shyly,

'' ''

 …

While Vera giggled a little. Jack saw her giggling and felt relaxed it only meant she was getting better.

Jack was about to lie down first, but Vera pinched his shirt again.

'' Stop beating around what is it again?

'' Can I go in first?

'' sure, Vera crawled onto the couch, and Jack slept beside her. It was a long night for Jack as Vera kept kicking and punching Jack in her sleep. 

Nurse Sheila had left early to freshen up, confident that Jack and Vera were safe with the bodyguards outside the door. Jack and Vera had fallen asleep on the small couch, the exhaustion of the day catching up with them.

The peace was broken by a loud, angry voice. "Jack! What are you and Vera doing?!" Victoria yelled

Jack's eyes snapped open, startled by the voice. It took him a moment to adjust to the light and process what was happening. When he realized it was Victoria, he was irritated.

Jack sitting up, his tone low and firm, "Victoria, what are you doing here?"

He glanced around, noticing Nurse Sheila was gone, and then checked on Vera, who was still sound asleep. He turned back to Victoria, his expression cold.

She ignored his question, "Why are you sleeping with her? Is this how you're taking care of her?"

Jack stood up slowly, his movements controlled but tense. He gave Victoria a cold smile.  "Are you sure you want an answer to that?"

He didn't wait for a response. Jack walked to the door, opened it, and called for the bodyguards.

Jack pointing at Victoria, "Take her out. Don't let her back ever in, unless I say so."

Victoria's eyes widened in disbelief. "Jack! You can't be serious! You're having me thrown out?"

The bodyguards stepped in, their faces unreadable as they moved toward her.

Victoria raised her voice, struggling as they took her arms "Jack, you dare let these guards touch me?"

Jack didn't respond. He simply stood by the door, watching as the guards escorted her out.

Jack you know how I feel about you, Lucy left you but I am not Lucy, Why can't you give me a chance? Who is this strange girl you are allowing into our lives Jack?

Vera is my responsibility. Keep Lucy out of this also. If I want Love, I know where and how to get it, Jack retorted. 

As the door closed behind her, her voice rang out from the hallway.

Victoria kept yelling "Jack! Don't forget who I am! I'm the one who helped you! Without me, you'd still be lost! Then whose responsibility am I? Don't think you can treat me like this just because you're royalty!"

Jack stood silently by the door for a moment, his jaw tightening.

''Richard's, he whispered!''

He wasn't angry, he was disappointed. He only just realized Victoria's feelings for him from her behavior the previous day, and he didn't return them. But her actions this morning, made him realize something had to change. This couldn't continue.

Jack turned away from the door and walked back to Vera's side. He sat down, resting his head against the back of the couch. Victoria's shouting echoed faintly through the hallway, but Jack let it fade into the background. For now, he just wanted to focus on keeping the peace in the room.

'' Your girlfriend or should I say your sister is back? Vera's voice cut into his thoughts.

You are awake already? Was it the noise? Jack asked, sitting up, and feeling embarrassed that he had to explain Victoria's actions.

Not the noise, I... I was awake when she yelled but was scared to open my eyes, I am not ready for a drama she whispered seemingly afraid of Victoria, her big watery eyes looking at the door like Victoria might rush back in.

 It's nothing you should worry about Vera, I and Victoria aren't related but are just friends. It's a long but straight story, nothing complicated.

Standing up from the couch he walked to the bed to get the Laptop, recalling that Vera was supposed to go through her collected data and pictures to see if she could remember anything.

'' I didn't realize you can punch so hard'' Jack said pretending to frown

Huh? Did I hurt you, Vera asked, looking at Jack surprisingly.

Jack touched his chest and arms, '' It hurt so badly, I will need treatment, you punched me so hard all through the night. With this type of energy, you need not be afraid of Victoria,'' he sneered looking at Vera jokingly.

Vera sat and curled up her legs on the couch, collecting the laptop from Jack '' I am so sorry Jack, I'm sure I had a nightmare again.

Giving her a serious look, Jack dragged a chair and sat opposite Vera, listen tell me about these dreams, maybe we can figure out what's going on.