The Reason Behind My Fiancé’s Disappearance: Eight Years Later, I Discovered Him to Be a Beggar
It had been eight years since my fiancé, Daniel, disappeared on our wedding day. I never thought I’d see him again, much less as a destitute man living on the streets. I felt a rush of incredulity hit me when our eyes met. I was left doubting my understanding of my past and the individuals I had once trusted after his sudden visit and startling explanation.
“Hey, Nina, would you please have one more slice of pizza before you leave?” my old friend Eric asked with a cheeky smile.
I laughed and said, “No way. I have to get to my flight.” Do you still have plans to stroll through Central Park?
Eric rolled his eyes and waved me off. “Alright, but when you’re back in boring old St. Louis, you’ll regret not getting to try another slice of real New York pizza,” he joked.
I hugged him, laughed quietly, and started walking toward Central Park, relishing the remaining bits of this wonderful journey. New York usually gave me a boost of energy, but it also brought back memories, mostly of Daniel. I felt strange and uneasy as memories of him remained in the recesses of my memory.
The weekend had flown by quickly. I lost hours browsing the SoHo boutiques, splurging on opulent clothing and unusual accessories. I could still smell the luxurious leather of the expensive purses. The highlight of the day was an amazing avocado toast I had at a fashionable café.
Eating supper with Eric at a chic rooftop bar while taking in the city’s spectacular skyline was the ideal way to round off the day. I was totally engrossed in the sights, sounds, and tastes of New York, capturing its bright vitality.
I believed that eight years ago, on that tragic day, I had moved on. But then I noticed him.
There he was, looking disheveled and sitting on a seat, pleading like a ghost from the past. My heart broke. My long-lost fiancé Jacob, is he really there? I have to be conscious of this.
“Jacob.” I proceeded with caution.
He looked up, his eyes widening with realization. “Nina? Whoa, it’s you once more.
“Yes, it’s me,” I said, trying not to lose my cool. “What took place with you?”
His face showed shame as his eyes dropped. “The story is somewhat long. Is it feasible for us to communicate?
I hesitated for a second before giving in to my curiosity and nodding. “All right. Let’s get something to eat.
As we moved closer to a neighborhood café, our uncomfortable quiet got louder. I ordered two coffees and two burgers after glancing at Jacob, who seemed to be deep in thought.
As I handed him his cup, I felt a wave of memories pass through me and our fingers made short contact. Returning to the park, we found a bench under a huge oak tree and sat down, watching the city explode all around us.
“Start from the beginning,” I said as I sipped my coffee.
Jacob took a big breath. Two hours prior to our marriage, two men came into my chamber. They said that your father had sent them.
“My dad?” Startled, I said it again.
He continued, “Yes, they took me away and beat me until I lost all memory. But now this is happening to me. I eventually started traveling.”
I gazed at him, feeling a mixture of dismay and shock. “You mean my dad carried out this action?”
With eyes that begged me to listen to him seriously, Jacob added, “That’s what I’m saying.”
I shook my head, trying to process everything. “What happened after they beat you up?”
They beat me till I lost my memory. When I woke up in the hospital, I was hurt and disoriented. “Doctors say I had amnesia,” Jacob said, shaking his head.I had no idea what my own name meant. I spent some time in the hospital before being allowed to leave when my condition improved. There wasn’t anywhere I could go. No job, no life, and no memories.
I could see the agony in his eyes as he continued. “Without my past, I could not continue. I walked the streets of the city, trying to piece together who I was. The fear and uncertainty led to depression. I was unable to pay my rent and obtain work. I took a dreadful step that led to another, and now I find myself living day by day here.
He took a long breath to steady himself. It feels hard to understand smoke, yet certain memories have been surfacing lately. My recollection of our shared life and our goals is so disjointed.
Hearing this broke my heart. The person I once loved had been reduced to this by uncontrollable forces. “Jacob, I don’t know what to say. This whole thing is really intimidating.
Senseing my discomfort, he nodded. “I comprehend, Nina. There is plenty to consider. But I’m happy that I could tell you about this now so you can understand what happened.
We sat in silence for a long time, giving his comments time to fully register. The man who had told me we would live together forever was a shell of the man he had once been, and I stared at him.
Finally, I said, “I’m not sure what to believe.”
“I get it,” Jacob replied quietly, “but I needed you to know.”
We ate our meal in quiet, each lost in his own thoughts. I looked at Jacob, who was still sitting on the bench, as I got up to leave.
“Take care, Jacob,” I murmured.
Without glancing at me, he continued, “You too, Nina.”
My heart was heavy with unresolved emotions as I departed. I realized I had left my luggage on the bench next to Jacob as I was reviewing our conversation.
Panicked, I ran back and found it right where I had left it. My weekend in New York had taken a turn I had not expected, and I was at a loss for what to do.
I spent the rest of the evening seeing the city in an attempt to put the incident behind me. The lights of Times Square, the crowds, and the noise all seemed far away. I couldn’t stop thinking about Jacob’s story.
“Hey, Nina, are you okay?” I heard his voice and instantly found myself back in Eric’s place.
“Yes, I have a lot on my mind,” I said with a false smile. “I’ve made the decision not to board that plane yet.”
He said, “You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” with fear.
“In a way, I did,” I replied. “I met Jacob.”
Eric’s eyes widened. “Jacob? Jacob, which one is yours?
He really is a mess. He told me a strange story about being kidnapped by my dad.
Eric shook his head. That seems nonsensical. Do you approve of him?
“I have no idea,” I groaned. “It’s too much to process.”
“Hey, how about spending an additional day here? “Clean your mind before you go off again,” Eric said.
I said, “I can’t,” even though the offer was quite alluring. “I must go home and take care of this.”
Eric gave me a hug and said, “Alright.” However, let me know if you need anything.
The next morning, instead of heading straight to the airport, I found myself back at Central Park. I couldn’t stop replaying the conversation I was having with Jacob. Before I could leave town, I needed to find out more. It could have been curiosity or a need to find an answer.
I walked through the park hoping to see Jacob again. When I passed the bench where we had been sitting, I had a wave of emotion. I sat down and started attempting to piece things together.
I couldn’t shake the unease I was experiencing as I sat there on the seat. The story of Jacob broke my heart. It was too wild to be true, but too accurate to be a lie. I needed an explanation.
“Hey, Dad?” I contacted my father to get some explanation.
“Nina, what’s wrong? You appear disturbed,” he replied.
“I ran into Jacob,” I replied, hearing the person on the other end of the line give a startled gasp.
“That man is brave enough to reveal his face?” Dad’s voice was cold.
“He told me you had him kidnapped on our wedding day,” I yelled.
“That’s absurd,” he remarked, his voice faltering a little.
Is it? He said that because you hired goons to beat him up, he suffered from amnesia. He is currently homeless and adrift in New York City.
Inane. I paid him to leave here, Nina. In a critical and protective tone, my father said, “He took the money and ran.”
“So, you did interfere,” I said to myself as my fury grew.
In your best interest, of course. “He wasn’t the right man for you,” he remarked.
My eyes began to well up with tears as I responded, “I can’t believe you.” “Everything was ruined by you.”
He pleaded, “Nina, please, I did it to protect you,” but by the time he got done talking, I had already placed my phone in my backpack.
I sat for a long time considering my options. Then it occurred to me to phone Eric and inquire about being able to spend some time in the city. My heart began to race as I rummaged through my backpack in search of my phone.
My handbag had been gingerly tucked within, yet it was gone. Then it hit me, yesterday as we were talking on the bench, the bag was between Jacob and me. I felt like I had taken a hit to the stomach. Was that when he took my purse? My trust, which was already fragile, had completely crumbled.
I muttered, “Damn it,” as fear overcame me. I immediately looked through my handbag, thinking maybe I had misplaced it, but I was unable to locate it. I experienced a cold realization. I guess Jacob took it after I had left it on the bench.
How could he accomplish this? Was everything he stated a lie? I felt a fresh sense of betrayal, from Jacob as much as from my father.
“Pardon me, miss. Is everything okay?” A passerby asked, concern in his eyes.
With a sigh, I replied, “Not really, but I’ll manage.”
I stood up, ready for whatever was next. Even though the ugly head of the past had surfaced, I wasn’t going to allow it to control my destiny. It was time to move forward and make a move.
