My girlfriend was in a coma after an accident. I stayed by her side day and night, praying for her to wake up. When she finally regained consciousness, she was diagnosed with “post-traumatic stress disorder.” She had amnesia and forgot who I was. One day, I overheard her talking to a friend: “Amnesia? I’m faking it. I’m just bored and want a new boyfriend.” With no lingering attachments, I decided to have surgery to remove a brain tumor. The procedure would likely damage my memory, making me forget her completely. When we met again, she angrily confronted me: “Liam! Are you pretending not to see me?” I looked at her blankly: “Miss, do I know you?” After the breakup, I went home to pack my things. The person who opened the door wasn’t Sophia, but a young man I didn’t recognize. He seemed to know me but feigned confusion, asking, “Sir, who are you looking for? Can I help you?” “This is my home,” I said, immediately regretting my words. At least, it used to be my home. The apartment Sophia and I had shared for so long. I never imagined that right after our breakup, she’d bring another man home, acting like he owned the place. “Didn’t Sophia tell you I’d be coming to collect my things today?” I asked. The man put on an act of sudden realization. “Oh, so you must be Mr.Brown – I mean, Liam?” He smiled, his words laden with hidden meaning: “You know, since Sophia woke up, her memory hasn’t been great. It’s normal for her to forget some… unimportant things.” I nodded silently and walked past him into the apartment. Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice: “Maybe it used to be your home, but it’s not anymore.” I turned to see Sophia standing with her arms crossed. “Mr.Brown, even though I’ve forgotten many things, please have some self-awareness.” “When you’re packing, don’t try to take anything that doesn’t belong to you.” Her attitude was completely indifferent, as if she really had lost her memory. But I knew this was all an act. Why bother? If she no longer had feelings for me, she could have just asked for a breakup. I would have left on my own, without any fuss. Why put on this amnesia charade, making everything between us seem so disgraceful? This wasn’t just humiliating me; it was trampling on all the beautiful memories we once shared… I hid the pain in my heart and replied briefly, “I don’t have a habit of stealing.” With that, I walked into the bedroom and started packing. Sophia and her new boyfriend watched me like hawks. They flirted and joked around, just like Sophia and I used to do. She used to cling to me, acting cute, as if she couldn’t bear to be apart from me for a second. Now she was doing the same with someone else. I didn’t have many things – just a few clothes and some daily necessities. Amidst the heavy, sour emotions, I finished packing quickly. I stood up and asked Sophia, “Miss.Garcia, do you need to check my things?” She didn’t say anything, just waved her hand dismissively, as if shooing me away. I picked up my suitcase and walked straight out the door. The cold door closed behind me. I took a deep breath, my eyes burning. If I didn’t have those memories, would it be easier for me? I took out my phone, hesitated for a moment, and finally dialed the doctor’s number. “I’ve made up my mind. I’ll come to the hospital soon to discuss the surgery plan…”
Due to the tumor in my brain, I often had headaches. Not wanting to worry anyone, I didn’t tell a soul. The doctor said the tumor was currently benign but risked becoming malignant. It was best to remove it as soon as possible. However, the tumor was pressing on my nerves, making the surgery risky. There was a high chance of partial memory loss after the operation, and the doctor couldn’t be sure if I’d recover those memories. In the past, I valued my memories above all else, afraid of forgetting important people and events. But after breaking up with Sophia, I no longer had such concerns. Because it seemed I had nothing left worth being afraid to lose. I went to the hospital and confirmed the surgery plan with the doctor. Next, I needed to gather the money for the operation. I was an art major in college, specializing in fine arts, and later got into photography after graduation. With my skills in life drawing and portrait photography, I made a decent living, but the high cost of living in New York meant I hadn’t saved much in two years. Just as I was walking out of the hospital, worrying about money, I suddenly heard someone call my name, “Liam?” I turned to see Sophia and her new boyfriend, Chase, not far away. I nodded slightly in acknowledgment and was about to leave. But Sophia pressed on, “Are you sick?” I frowned and brushed it off, “No, just a routine check-up.” Sophia stared at me intently, her eyes showing concern and suspicion. Huh… Wasn’t she pretending to have amnesia? What act was she putting on now? Chase, sensing something was off, chimed in, “Sophia, I told you, it’s just a minor cold. You didn’t have to take half a day off work.” His words seemed apologetic but were actually boasting to me. See? She takes time off work even for my little cold. What about you? All alone and pitiful! I found it childish and didn’t bother to say anything. My head started to throb, and not wanting to show any weakness in front of Sophia, I turned to leave. Unexpectedly, Chase walked over and asked, “Mr.Brown, you don’t look well.” “Sophia’s planning to make some health supplements for me. Why don’t you come over to our place for dinner?” I was a bit surprised and couldn’t help glancing at Sophia. Of course, I knew she could cook, but I had never tasted her cooking. So I wasn’t worthy of it even during our most passionate times? “No, thanks,” I said and started to walk away. “Don’t be so distant,” Chase persisted, grabbing my arm. “Where are you headed? I can have Sophia drive you.” The pain in my head made me irritable. I jerked my arm away forcefully, “I said, I don’t need it.” I hadn’t used much strength, but somehow Chase stumbled and fell to the ground. He frowned, looking annoyed, “Mr.Brown, I kindly invited you for dinner and offered you a ride. You refused, which is fine, but why did you push me?” He had been showing off and clearly had no good intentions. Did he really think I couldn’t see through it? I couldn’t believe a grown man could be so shameless! “What are you doing?!” Sophia approached, her face cold as she questioned me. “I didn’t push him at all!” I retorted, refusing to back down. Hearing this, Sophia’s expression grew even colder. “Are you saying Chase threw himself down?” Even if that was the truth, who would believe it? I could see a glimmer of sly satisfaction in Chase’s eyes. “Apologize!” Sophia commanded me. “You know what will happen if you offend me…”
As the heiress of the Garcia family, Sophia had enough connections and power to make my life in New York impossible. Around us, several passersby stopped to watch. “This guy seems pretty ungrateful, doesn’t he? They kindly invited him, and he not only has a bad attitude but even pushes people?” “What a jerk! So disgusting!” “Hmph… I bet this guy doesn’t have many friends. Is he jealous of the happy couple?” Faced with the crowd’s condemnation, I clenched my fists helplessly. Chase got up from the ground, holding Sophia’s hand, and said, “It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m fine.” “I just didn’t expect Mr.Brown to have such a bad temper. It’s a good thing you broke up with him early, Sophia. I can’t imagine what might have happened otherwise.” Hearing this, the onlookers’ criticism grew even more intense, immediately labeling me as an “abusive boyfriend.” Sophia just looked on coldly, making no attempt to defend me. Instead, she sternly said to me, “Apologize!” Forced by the circumstances, I had to lower my head, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have pushed you…” I reversed black and white, trampling on my own character and dignity. “Is that enough?” I asked Sophia lifelessly, but noticed her brow furrowing almost imperceptibly. As I turned to leave, feeling dejected, she called out somewhat uncertainly, “Liam!” I heard her footsteps, but Chase held her back, “Sophia, I’m feeling a bit dizzy. Let’s go home.” Go ahead. You go to your home, and I’ll go to my rented room. It’s best if we never cross paths again. I was truly exhausted and didn’t want to have any more entanglements with Sophia. That day, my boss assigned me a big job. It required not only photography but also hand-drawing a portrait. In the entire studio, I was the only one capable of completing such a commission. According to my boss, this client was extremely generous. With the prospect of affording my surgery, I accepted without hesitation. But later, I discovered that it was Chase who had specifically sought out our studio and placed this order. I was to photograph them as a couple and draw a loving portrait of them…
Time flew by, and I arrived at the designated beach with my equipment. Out of habit, I knew exactly which angles would best capture Sophia’s beauty. No matter who she was posing with, I could take the most perfect shots. With this as a foundation, poses like gazing into each other’s eyes, embracing, and kissing became the icing on the cake. The entire photoshoot went very smoothly, with one sweet scene after another frozen in time as I pressed the shutter. Throughout the process, my heart remained as calm as a dried-up well, without a ripple or splash. As we neared the end, I needed to discuss with them which photo they wanted to use as the reference for the hand-drawn portrait. Chase took the camera and flipped through the photos. “Mr.Brown’s photography skills are really good, and your attitude is impressive too. You don’t seem affected at all.” I could hear the mockery in his words, but what did it matter? This was just work. “I’m glad you like them,” I replied neutrally. Soon, Sophia and Chase picked out a photo. “Let’s use this one for the oil painting,” they decided. In the image, they were facing away from the sunset, holding hands and smiling sweetly. The brilliant twilight painted everything in a beautiful glow. I couldn’t help but glance at Sophia. Back then, our first photo together also had a sunset as the backdrop. We were both so shy then, our awkwardness tinged with innocence and purity. I wondered if she still kept that photo. Never mind, whether she kept it or threw it away, it had nothing to do with me anymore. I packed my equipment into my bag and took a taxi home alone. Once I completed this commission and got paid, I could have the surgery. What would I forget then? I hoped it would be Sophia. I didn’t want to hurt anymore. It would be best if I never remembered her again for the rest of my life.
Chase had set a very tight deadline, frequently calling to rush me. On the phone, he deliberately used speakerphone so I could hear Sophia’s voice. Sophia played along with her new boyfriend’s showing off, speaking to him in sweet nothings, like an obedient kitten. As I worked on the portrait, uncontrollable images of her floated through my mind, down to the tiniest details like her slightly curled eyelashes and the wisps of hair moved by the breeze. The clearer the memories, the more my head hurt. I had to rely on painkillers to resist the urge to bang my head against the wall. The sunset was particularly challenging to capture. Mixing colors, applying ink, blending – the entire process was extremely tedious. For five days, I barely slept or rested. Meals were simple toast and milk. I was in a very poor state. When I put down the final brush stroke, I gazed at the completed work. In the oil painting, Sophia’s smile wasn’t exactly like the photo. It incorporated more of the beauty I remembered. Every stroke, every dot of paint was perfectly placed. I let out a long sigh, leaned back in my chair, and slowly closed my eyes, preparing to rest for a moment. On the table, my phone suddenly vibrated with an urgent ringtone. Ring ring!! As expected, it was a call from Chase. As soon as I answered, he pressed, “Mr.Brown, is our painting finished?” “Tomorrow is the deadline. If you can’t deliver on time, I’ll have to deduct from your fee according to our agreement.” My voice was hoarse from not speaking for so long. I had to cough a couple of times to clear my throat. “Ahem… Mr.Smith, the oil painting is complete. When would be convenient for you? I can deliver it to you.” Chase seemed surprised, pausing for a moment before saying, “Well then, how about now? Bring it to our home.” After agreeing, I hung up the phone. Since the painting had just been completed and the paint wasn’t completely dry, I had to take extra care in packaging it properly. When I stood up, my head suddenly spun. My legs weakened, and I nearly fell to the ground. I steadied myself against the table, shaking my head weakly, and muttered, “After I deliver the painting, I really need to get some good rest.” Carrying the canvas, I went downstairs, hailed a taxi, and gave the driver the all-too-familiar address. Leaning my head against the window, I unknowingly dozed off. The taxi stopped and started according to traffic lights, finally pulling over at the edge of a suburban area. “Sir? Wake up, we’ve arrived!” the driver called out. The brief rest didn’t make me feel any better; if anything, I felt even more lethargic. I groggily paid the fare and got out of the car, my steps unsteady. I forced myself to walk to the front door of the villa and raised my hand to press the doorbell. Ding dong— Ding dong— Whether intentionally or not, the doorbell rang for a long time with no one coming to answer. I could feel my breathing becoming rapid and my heart palpitating irregularly. My body was sending out warning signals. After an agonizing wait, the door finally opened. Chase was wearing a bathrobe, his hair wet as if he had just showered. “Sorry about that, Mr.Brown. I was just making love to my girlfriend,” he apologized, though his words were clearly meant to show off. I was completely indifferent now, my tone flat and emotionless. “It’s fine. I didn’t wait too long.” As I handed the painting over to him, I saw Sophia inside, wearing a thin nightgown.
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