The driver gently pressed the gas pedal, navigating the Lincoln Town Car through the garden paths at Hampton Court.
Ms. Clarkson had recently won an award and was in high spirits. She was seeing beauty in everything around her. She looked out the window and pointed to the manicured hedges and flower beds they drove by, remarking, "These are absolutely stunning."
Callum, however, didn't share her appreciation for the gardens. He poured two glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon, and handed one to Ms. Clarkson. "These geometric gardens are best seen from the sky. I'll take you up next time," he promised.
She accepted the wine and nodded in thanks. "Thank you, Callum, but I feel like I'm imposing on you."
"What are you talking about, Buttercup?" Callum objected. "You're my fiancée, there's no such thing as imposing. Anything I do for you, I do willingly."
Indeed, the woman sharing a drink with Callum was Natalia, who had supposedly drowned in a boating accident.
Five years prior, Natalia had driven her car off a cliff into the ocean, coincidentally when Callum was visiting Melfort. His yacht crew spotted her floating body in the water. They rescued her, but she was unconscious and barely alive.
Callum immediately flew back to England with Natalia, enlisting the best doctors to save her. This explained why Magnus' search parties never found any trace of her after the accident.
After six months in a coma, Natalia slowly woke up. Those six months were agonizing for Callum, who feared every day that the doctors would tell him Natalia was beyond saving.
Fortunately, Natalia survived, although it took over half a year. The doctors said her memory loss was a result of her traumatic accident. Callum was relieved - he hoped Natalia would forget about Magnus, her former lover.
Natalia sipped her wine, looking uncertain. "Callum, am I really your fiancée? Why do I keep dreaming of another man?"
Over the years, Natalia had noticed Callum's dedication. He supported her in everything she wanted to do. Whether it was designing or painting, he was always the first to encourage her.
With his support, Natalia had grown from a novice to an internationally recognized designer. She knew Callum loved her deeply. However, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was a man from her past that she couldn't remember.
This was exactly how he felt about Natalia. To him, she was the view, the dream, and the beauty in his life. Her spirit, her resilience, and her courage were like a fragrant flower, attracting him and keeping him close.
The car grew quiet and warm. Even the driver didn't want to disrupt this peaceful moment, as he drove them silently back to Callum's castle - the ancestral home of the family.
The car came to a gentle stop, as Callum, always the gentleman, opened the door to welcome Natalia out.
Natalia lived on the third floor of this castle, and her room was boasting an exceptionally large balcony that offered panoramic views of the entire estate.
In her spare time, Natalia would lean by the window, soaking in the scenery, and sketching. The endless greenery always managed to bring her a sense of peace and tranquility. Moreover, she always found this scene oddly familiar, as if she, in some distant past, had also leaned against the door frame, gazing aimlessly into the distance out of sheer boredom.
Only, what she used to gaze at back then was not the pleasing greenery, but the deep blue tranquility of the sea.
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