**Chapter 1** The night before our wedding, my fiancée suddenly lost her memory. She remembered everyone else, but I was a complete blank. That day, I finally got my hands on a new medication that could potentially bring back lost memories. My heart pounding with hope, I rushed to find her. My hand had just touched the doorknob when several familiar voices echoed from inside the private room. “Vivian, how did you even come up with pretending amnesia? It was perfectly executed, absolutely brilliant! Asher Reed would never suspect a thing. So, how long are you planning to play this game before telling him the truth?” Their gleeful laughter stopped me dead in my tracks, my face frozen in disbelief. Vivian Thorne… was *faking* her amnesia?! What about all those nights I’d cried myself to sleep, agonizing over her condition? What was all that pain for? A chilling cold started from my feet, slowly spreading through my body, leaving me utterly cold. I clenched my jaw so hard it ached, listening to Vivian’s nonchalant tone. “Maybe another month. Then I’ll go back to Asher, resume my role as his devoted and faithful girlfriend.” Her friends looked at her, clearly astonished. “A month? Is that even enough time for you to ‘play’? How many guys have you been with in the past few weeks? Why don’t you just break up with him already? You’ve been dating the same boyfriend for seven years—nobody in our circle sticks with one guy that long!” “Sneaking around with guys, then having to fake amnesia just to keep Asher from getting mad—aren’t you tired of it?” Facing their teasing, the smile on Vivian’s face slowly faded. “I would never break up with Asher. He’s the only one I love. It’s just been so long, and I got a little bored. In bed, he’s too reserved, and I miss the thrill. This time, it’s just a pause button, a wild escape. After a month, I’ll go back to him and be his one and only.” “That’s easy to say, but Asher, with his unforgiving nature… if he ever found out the truth, he wouldn’t just swallow his anger. Aren’t you afraid he’d break up with you and leave?” “Yeah, remember that guy from a prominent family? He played around too much, his girlfriend left the country, and he’s still chasing after her like a madman.” Though they all spoke with serious faces, Vivian didn’t seem to care. She swirled the wine in her glass, letting out a soft chuckle. “He’ll always be mine, no matter what. As long as his name is Asher Reed, whether he leaves the country or marries someone else, I’ll drag him back and keep him by my side for life.” Hearing her confident declaration, everyone in the room cheered, “Vivian, you’re amazing!” and popped a bottle of champagne. Numb, I dragged my heavy feet, stumbling out of the bar. Outside, a heavy rain was falling. But I felt nothing of the weather, walking listlessly into the downpour. Cold raindrops pelted my body. My trembling hands couldn’t hold on any longer, and the small bottle of medicine plummeted to the ground. Watching the hard-won pills, meant to cure amnesia, wash away, long-dormant memories were suddenly reawakened. My first encounter with Vivian was at a freshman Christmas party. I made a grand entrance, playing a soulful piece on the piano that captivated everyone. Vivian fell for me at first sight. A young girl, she blocked me backstage with a huge bouquet of roses, declaring she wanted to pursue me. I’d already heard rumors about her—the campus beauty queen who’d supposedly dated over twenty boyfriends in just a month since school started, a girl full of irresistible allure. I didn’t like “players” like Vivian. And because my parents’ affair had shattered our family, I was extremely strict about relationships. I ignored her advances, keeping my distance. But she pursued me obsessively, refusing to let go no matter how many times I rejected her. She caused a school-wide blackout so I could get some rest when I was sick, she boldly declared her feelings for me in front of the entire school on the sports field, she rejected every guy who confessed to her… Day after day, she persisted for three years, but I still didn’t give in. It wasn’t until the summer after senior year that I was cornered in an alley by a group of troublemakers. Vivian fought off four or five people who were with them, taking several wounds herself, almost losing her life for me. I cried hysterically by her hospital bed, unable to comprehend how someone could risk their life for another person. In that moment, I thought, *she’s the one*. We were together for seven years, from high school sweethearts to navigating our careers. Vivian always treated me the same. Everyone said I’d found true love and finally settled down. I believed it too. Until three months before our wedding, when she was in a car accident during a business trip and diagnosed with amnesia. She remembered everyone, except me. The devastating news nearly broke me, but I held on. I tried everything, traveling far and wide for doctors and remedies, staying up late reading medical journals, all to help her recover her memory as soon as possible. But I never imagined this amnesia was nothing but a complete and utter deception. All the courage and determination that had sustained me were now washed away by the heavy rain. In a daze, I returned home, pulled out all my documents, and headed to the police station. Meeting the inquiring gaze of the officer, I spoke in a hoarse voice. “Hello, I’d like to change my name.” After reviewing the papers, the officer handed me a pen. My hand trembling, I signed both my old and new names. Looking at the new name, one no one would recognize, I managed a bitter, ugly smile. From now on, no matter where I went, or what I was doing… Vivian Thorne would never find me. **Chapter 2** By the time I finished the paperwork, it was already dark. I hailed a cab and pulled out my phone to search for plane tickets. The name change application had been submitted, but it would take a month to process. So I booked a flight to Melbourne for the first of next month and accepted the offer from the study abroad agency. Ever since graduation, I’d been preparing to study overseas for my master’s. But Vivian said she couldn’t live without me, that she didn’t want a long-distance relationship, so my plans had been put off for three years. Now that I’d decided to cancel the wedding and end this relationship, everything from the past needed to be left behind. It was time for me to think about myself and start a new life. Back home, I changed out of my wet clothes, showered, and went to bed. That night, I slept more peacefully than I had in the past month. The next morning, I woke up, ate breakfast, then gathered everything related to Vivian. Gifts she’d given me, matching couple’s clothes we’d bought, love letters from our school days… They filled five boxes. I dragged them out of the villa, one by one, and tossed them all into the dumpster. As I was busy, a limited-edition sports car suddenly pulled up to the curb. I turned at the sound and saw Vivian. She got out of the car, arm in arm with a man, walking boldly. Even when she saw me, she didn’t flinch. I knew she wasn’t avoiding me because she was sure I wouldn’t expose her actions during her “amnesia.” From the beginning, Vivian had refused to acknowledge me as her boyfriend, even having someone throw my things out of the villa. I thought I’d be homeless, but then the owner of the house next door suddenly contacted me, saying he was going abroad and offered to rent it to me at the lowest price. At the time, I thought I was lucky. Now, it was clear it was all her own orchestrated play. She was afraid I’d really leave, so she used this method to keep me close. Recalling the past month of deception, I could only feel a bitter amusement. I didn’t care what act she was putting on today. I turned, lifted the last box, and dumped it into the trash. Vivian, who happened to be walking by, glanced over. Seeing the items I was discarding, her face turned cold. “Why are you throwing all these things away?” I shot her a sidelong glance, my voice flat. “Didn’t you lose your memory? How do you remember any of this stuff?” Vivian realized she’d let something slip. She quickly adjusted her expression, feigning indifference. “Just asking, that’s all. How could I possibly remember? The past is the past, and now is now. I only like Julian Hayes now. After all, when I had my car accident in South Bay, he was the only one who came to take care of me.” Car accident? If her amnesia was faked, where was this car accident coming from? I curled my lips slightly, glancing at the man on her arm. He wore a blue and white windbreaker, broad-shouldered and slender-waisted, his eyes full of smugness. A new face. He was probably the most satisfying lover Vivian had found during this period, which was why she brought him back so openly. I didn’t want to waste any more words on her. I simply hummed in response, then turned and went inside the villa. Watching my retreating back, Vivian’s eyelid twitched. She’d brought someone back; shouldn’t Asher be crying and jealous? Why was he so calm? Vivian sensed something was off but didn’t chase after me to explain. She simply watched me disappear behind the door. At eight o’clock, the doorbell suddenly rang. I put down my takeout bag and went to open the door. It was the man Vivian had brought back earlier. He raised a hand and waved, a smile on his face that didn’t reach his eyes. “Hi, I’m Julian Hayes. I’ll be staying at my girlfriend’s place for a while. Since we’re neighbors, would it be convenient to exchange SnapChat IDs?” “No need.” I rejected him without a second thought, turning to leave. Julian snatched my phone, quickly opened SnapChat, and added himself. Seeing my face darken, he grinned as he handed the phone back, his tone flippant. “Just making friends, you know? We’ll be seeing a lot of each other from now on. Oh, by the way, do you have any condoms? I used up the whole box I bought today. Mind lending me a few?” A pallor flashed across my face, and the hand I used to take back my phone trembled slightly. “No.” Julian, however, wouldn’t give up, his mockery undisguised. “Right, my mistake. Why would you have any? Vivian doesn’t want you anymore, does she?” **Chapter 3** I knew he was deliberately provoking me. I didn’t want to engage, so I pulled the front door shut. Julian grabbed the doorknob, then dramatically collapsed to the ground, tears instantly streaming down his face. “Brother, I know you don’t want to see me, but I just came to borrow some seasoning to make dinner for Vivian. If you don’t want to lend it, fine, but why hit me?” Seeing Julian’s sudden act, my heart lurched. Before I could react, Vivian, who had entered the house without my noticing, rushed up the steps and pulled him to his feet. She looked at me coldly, her voice laced with suppressed anger. “Julian has done nothing to you, why are you making such a scene? He’s my boyfriend now, so please be more polite to him!” After spitting out those words, she didn’t even glance at my expression, turning and leaving with him. Each word echoed in my ears, making me clench my fists involuntarily. I stared fixedly at their retreating backs until they disappeared into the dusk, then expressionlessly raised my hand. *Bang!* The door slammed shut. In the dead of night, my phone on the bedside table vibrated. Waking with a start, I rubbed my eyes and instinctively pressed the answer button. The next second, the screen changed, revealing a vast expanse of pale skin covered in hickeys. Ambiguous moans filled the air, interspersed with heavy, relentless breathing. Watching the shaky camera capture those indecent images, I sobered up completely. Realizing what the person on the other end of the line was doing, I froze like a statue. A few seconds later, Vivian’s voice, thick with desire, came from the speakerphone. “From now on, you’re not allowed to bother Asher next door.” “You’ve seen right through my little tricks, so why are you still on my side? Is it because you really like my body, so you don’t want to be honest with him and want to enjoy yourself a little more, huh?” Hearing his rare burst of playful whining, Vivian groaned softly and patted his abs. “If you already know, why ask?” After a flurry of movement, the camera focused on Vivian’s face. Watching her revel in the moment, my heart turned to ice. I bit down hard on my lower lip, the taste of blood spreading in my mouth. The breathing grew more rapid. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore and pressed the disconnect button. My sleep-hazy eyes were now completely filled with tears. I tilted my head back, trying to keep the tears from falling, countless images flashing through my mind. In the past, during our intimate moments, she would always be mindful of my feelings, afraid I might be uncomfortable. Too much consideration, I suppose she was never truly satisfied? Now she wouldn’t have to worry anymore, nor would she have to scheme for fleeting moments of pleasure. From now on, I would grant her freedom. For the next few days, I stayed holed up at home. It wasn’t until Liam’s wedding day that I finally pulled myself together and went out. Upon arriving at the hotel, I gave him the gift I’d prepared in advance, before the ceremony started. We chatted for a bit, and Liam, his eyes crinkled in a smile, gripped my hand. “Asher, I sent an invitation to Vivian, and she said she’d come. Go pick her up later, and talk to her a lot. Maybe she’ll remember our proposal and get her memory back.” I paused, then shook my head. Seeing the smile slowly vanish from my face, a flicker of worry crossed Liam’s eyes. “What’s wrong? Giving up already?” I was about to answer when I saw Vivian and Julian appear at the entrance, arm in arm. Liam followed my gaze. Seeing them so chummy, his face turned red with anger. He swore he was going over there to teach them a lesson. I quickly held him back, my voice weary. “Forget it. It’ll all be over soon.” Liam didn’t understand what I meant. He was about to ask for clarification when a groomsman came over. “The wedding is about to start, Liam.” After much persuasion, I finally got Liam onto the stage. Listening to the wedding march beginning in the hall, I took a deep breath and returned to the main reception area. The guests were already seated; only the spot next to Vivian remained empty. After a moment of hesitation, I walked over and sat down. Throughout the wedding, Julian constantly clung to Vivian, asking her to serve him food. She responded to his every request, pouring him drinks and blowing on his soup, utterly attentive. She even ate the dessert he’d already taken a bite of without hesitation. Seeing how intimate they were, I looked away, towards the center of the stage. I had no appetite and hadn’t touched my food. Liam’s mother, seated nearby, served me some dishes, urging me to eat more. Not wanting to refuse Mrs. Smith’s kindness, I picked up a dumpling. Vivian, who was beside me, saw this and immediately reached out and took the dumpling away. “Are you crazy? This is seafood filling, you’re allergic to it.” **Chapter 4** Watching the dumpling roll several times on the floor, I looked up and met her gaze intently. Vivian then seemed to realize what she’d done. Her expression grew unnatural as she quickly offered an explanation. “The housekeeper never buys seafood. I’ve told her many times. That’s what she told me.” After saying that, she dared not look at my face again, turning to peel a shrimp. Julian leaned close to her ear and whispered something. Whatever he said, Vivian’s eyes deepened. She put down what she was doing and pulled me out of the venue. I didn’t care where we were going. It wasn’t until the bouquet toss ceremony ended that I finally got up to use the restroom. As I approached the door, I heard continuous slapping sounds coming from inside. I stopped, holding my breath. After a few minutes of quiet, a woman’s seductive voice came from the innermost stall. “Why are you so horny? Coming to a wedding, and you wear *these* clothes, hmm?” “Don’t you like it?” A gasp, followed by a soft chuckle. “Of course, I like it.” I looked up at the sign above, my fingernails digging deeply into my palms. Footsteps echoed down the hallway, and the restroom fell silent again. I took one last look at the tightly closed stall door, my eyes red, then turned and left. At three in the afternoon, the wedding concluded. After saying goodbye to Liam, I went downstairs. Stepping out of the elevator, I saw a familiar sports car parked on the road. I pretended not to notice, about to hail a taxi, when Julian, appearing from nowhere, grabbed my arm. “Vivian had some company business, so she left her car with me. We live close by, want a ride?” I rejected him without a second thought. Julian, however, paid no mind, practically shoved me into the passenger seat, locked the doors, and sped off. He drove so fast that I could only fasten my seatbelt. All the way, Julian, under the guise of casual conversation, constantly boasted and provoked me. “You’ve known Vivian was faking amnesia all along, haven’t you? Why didn’t you call her out?” My eyes froze for a moment, my face cold. “None of your business.” “How is it none of my business? I really want to stand openly by Vivian’s side and become her fiancé. Even though she doesn’t have that in mind right now, you know she really likes my body. She’ll fall for me eventually, don’t you believe it?” I completely ignored him, turning my head to look out the window. Seeing that I wasn’t taking the bait, Julian grew exasperated and uttered a few more taunts. I simply closed my eyes, pretending he didn’t exist. This dismissive attitude infuriated Julian. He glanced at the upcoming turn, then, hardening his heart, sharply swerved the steering wheel, crashing the car. *“CRASH!”* Under the violent impact, my body lurched forward uncontrollably. I opened my eyes to a shower of glass shards, instinctively raising my arms to shield myself. Crimson blood dripped from my arm. I slammed against the side door, a searing pain shot through my head, and my vision went black. I passed out. I don’t know how much time passed. Falling endlessly in darkness, I finally regained some consciousness. Perhaps it was the anesthetic, but I couldn’t open my eyes. I could only hear some sounds around me. It was two people talking, their voices eerily familiar. “Vivian, you’ve blown this whole thing so wide open, how are you going to fix it? Asher values his hands more than his life, and you chose to save Julian first? Do you want to kill him?” “How could I want to kill Asher? He just happened to wake up. If I had agreed to save him first, wouldn’t my fake amnesia have been exposed? There are still twenty-something days left. I just wanted to play around a bit more, I won’t let anything happen to Asher.” “Nothing happened? Didn’t you hear the doctor? One more minute before he got into surgery, and Asher’s hand would have been permanently ruined! If he wakes up and finds out the truth, you and he will never have a chance again.” The person holding my hand seemed very nervous at these words, their palm growing sweaty. A few minutes later, she pressed a kiss to my forehead, her voice full of certainty. “He won’t know. I’ve made arrangements. In twenty-three days, the doctors will announce that my memory has returned, and everything will go back to how it was.” After a long sigh, someone left the room. The other person remained by my bedside, murmuring softly. “Asher, our wedding is so soon. I’ve already ordered the rings. You’ll see them the day my memory returns.” “After we get our marriage license, how about I take you to see the Northern Lights? Do you remember the wish you made under the shooting stars on our third anniversary?” “When you said you wanted to be with me forever, I was so happy. I want to grow old with you too.” The effects of the anesthetic slowly wore off. I remembered who this chattering person was. It was my fiancée, Vivian Thorne. She seemed very concerned about me, calling the doctor every half hour to check on my condition. She would also considerately feed me water, tuck me in, and stay by my side without leaving. Until I fully woke up. All the tenderness she’d showered on me receded like a tide. Watching her elusive figure leave the hospital room, a hint of sarcasm flashed in my eyes. A few minutes later, a nurse came in to check on me. I noticed the nurse carefully hiding the medical chart and spoke in a hoarse voice. “Who was taking care of me these past few days?” The nurse’s gaze darted around a few times, and she stammered in response. “I… I’m not really sure. It was probably… a nursing aide.” I just felt tired. I picked up my phone and checked the time. December 8th. I had been unconscious for three days. My inbox still only contained advertisements and phone bill notifications. I closed my eyes, silently praying that the name change process would be completed soon. For a long time after that, Vivian didn’t appear. Julian, however, sent me many messages every day. Half of them were various provocations and photos of him showing off his relationship. The other half were SnapChat videos of him and Vivian in bed, from various locations. I didn’t open a single one, immediately setting my phone to Do Not Disturb. On December 15th, I completed the discharge procedures. I threw away everything else, leaving the hospital with only my medication. As I reached the entrance, I coincidentally ran into Sarah Jenkins, a senior from university who had pursued me once. We exchanged a few pleasantries, and I was chatting happily when Vivian, who seemed to appear from nowhere, grabbed my arm. Her face was so dark it could drip water, her eyes full of gloomy resentment as she looked at me, her voice dripping with jealousy. “Who allowed you to get so close to her?” I glanced at her, used some force to pull my reddened wrist from her grasp, and spoke with sarcasm. “Didn’t you lose your memory and refuse to acknowledge me as your boyfriend? I’ll chat with whoever I want; I don’t think it’s your place to control me.” With that, I didn’t wait for her reaction, hailed a cab, and left. Vivian, speechless and choked with anger, could only watch me drive away. **Chapter 5** I don’t know how long it was, but falling endlessly in darkness, I finally regained some consciousness. Perhaps it was the anesthetic, but I couldn’t open my eyes. I could only hear some sounds around me.
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299078”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #玄幻Fantasy #重生Reborn
Leave a Reply