My ex-boyfriend lost his memory. He remembered everyone except me.

The night before my wedding, my fiancé, Jax, suddenly claimed he had amnesia. He remembered everyone but me. That day, I finally got my hands on a drug that could restore memories, and I eagerly rushed to find him. My hand was just touching the doorknob when I heard familiar voices spilling out from inside the room. “Jax, how did you even come up with this fake amnesia stunt? It’s so messed up, it’s brilliant! Skylar will never see it coming! How long are you planning to string her along before you spill the beans?” Their cheerful laughter froze me in place, the smile on my face solidifying into a grimace. Jax was faking his amnesia?! What did all those nights of crying myself to sleep, agonizing over his supposed illness, even mean then?! A chilling dread spread through me. ### I clenched my jaw so hard it hurt, listening to Jax’s relaxed tone. “Just one more month of fun, then I’ll go back to Skylar and continue being her loving, devoted boyfriend.” His friends looked at him in disbelief. “One month? You’ve been doing this for months already! Why don’t you just break up with her? Nobody in our crowd stays with one girl for seven years! That’s unheard of for someone like you!” “Sneaking around with another woman, then putting on this whole amnesia charade just to avoid her anger? Aren’t you exhausted?” Jax’s smile slowly faded as he listened to their relentless teasing. “I will never break up with Skylar. She’s the only woman I truly love. It’s just… we’ve been together for so long, and honestly, things feel a bit stale. She’s just too reserved in bed, and I don’t want to pressure her. So this is like hitting the pause button, a little escape to let loose. After a month, I’ll go back to her, be her one and only.” “That’s easy for you to say, but she’s not the type to tolerate any nonsense. If she ever found out the truth, she wouldn’t just take it lying down. Aren’t you worried she’d break up with you and leave?” “Yeah, Brandon’s game totally backfired on him, his girlfriend ran off abroad, and now he’s chasing after her like a madman.” They spoke with such conviction, but Jax simply brushed it off. He swirled the drink in his hand, letting out a soft chuckle. “She’ll always be my woman, for life. As long as she’s called Skylar, even if she moves abroad or marries someone else, I’ll drag her back and keep her by my side forever.” At his arrogant certainty, everyone in the room cheered, “You’re the man, Jax!” and popped open a bottle of champagne. Numb and heavy-hearted, I dragged myself out of the bar, stumbling through the pouring rain. I didn’t even register the weather, just walked numbly into the downpour. The icy raindrops pelted my skin. My trembling hands could no longer hold it, and the small bottle of medicine suddenly slipped and crashed to the ground. Watching the painstakingly acquired memory-restoring pills wash away, long-dormant memories were violently reawakened. I first met Jax during my freshman year at the Winter Gala. I was the headliner, performing ‘Liebestraum,’ and I absolutely blew everyone away. Jax fell for me instantly. He showed up backstage with a huge bouquet of roses, declaring he wanted to pursue me. I’d already heard all about the school’s notorious heartthrob – the guy who’d already gone through countless girlfriends within the first month of school, his scandalous dating history legendary. I didn’t like playboys like Jax. My parents had both cheated, shattering our family, so I had extremely high standards for relationships, an intense aversion to any kind of infidelity. I ignored his advances, keeping my distance. But he clung to me like a madman, refusing to let go no matter how many times I rejected him. He even orchestrated a school-wide blackout so I could rest during my period, openly confessed his feelings in front of the entire school on the sports field, defiantly rejected every other girl’s confession… Day after day, for three years, he persisted, but I never gave in. It wasn’t until the summer after high school graduation, when a few thugs cornered me in an alley. Jax, to protect me, fought four or five of them, getting stabbed multiple times, almost losing his life for me. I cried hysterically at his hospital bedside, unable to comprehend how anyone could risk their life for another. In that moment, I thought, he’s the one. We were together for seven years, from our carefree school days to the grind of adulting. Jax always treated me with the same devotion. Everyone said he’d found true love and finally turned over a new leaf. I believed it too. Until three months before our wedding, he got into a car accident during a business trip and was diagnosed with amnesia. He remembered everyone, except me. The devastating news nearly broke me, but I held on. I scoured every possible lead, consulted countless doctors, and stayed up all night poring over every medical journal I could find, all to help him regain his memory sooner. But I never imagined this amnesia was nothing more than a carefully crafted deception. All the courage and determination that had sustained me were washed away by the downpour. Dazed and numb, I stumbled home, pulled out all my documents, and headed to the county clerk’s office. Facing the clerk’s questioning gaze, I spoke, my voice hoarse. “Hello, I’d like to change my name.” After reviewing my documents, the clerk handed me a pen. My hand trembling, I signed both my old and new names. Looking at the new name, a name no one knew, a terrible smile twisted my lips. From now on, no matter where I went, or what I did. Jax would never find me. ###

By the time I finished the paperwork, it was already dark. I hailed a cab and searched for flights on my phone. The name change application was submitted, but it would take another month for approval. 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 abroad for my postgraduate degree. But because Jax said he couldn’t live without me and didn’t want a long-distance relationship, my study plans had been delayed 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. I had to start thinking about myself, about a new life. Back home, I changed out of my wet clothes, washed up, and went to bed. That night, I slept more soundly than I had in the entire past month. The next morning, I woke up, had breakfast, and then cleared out everything related to Jax. Gifts he’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 dumped them all into the trash. As I was busy, a limited edition supercar suddenly pulled up by the curb. I heard it and turned, seeing Jax. He swaggered out of the car, an arm draped around a woman. Even when he saw me, he didn’t flinch. I knew he wasn’t avoiding me because he was banking on me being considerate, on me keeping my distance because I believed he was truly ill. From the very beginning, Jax had refused to acknowledge me as his girlfriend, even having my things thrown out of the villa. I thought I’d be out on the street, but then the owner of the house next door contacted me, saying they were moving abroad and offered to rent it to me for a ridiculously low price. I thought I’d gotten lucky then. Now, it was clear it was all just a show he’d orchestrated himself. He was afraid I’d really leave, so he used that trick to keep me close. Recalling the month I’d spent in the dark, I could only laugh at my foolishness. I didn’t care what charade he was putting on today. I turned, lifted the last box, and emptied it into the trash. Jax, walking by, glanced at the pile of things I’d discarded, and his face darkened. “Why are you throwing all this stuff away?” I shot him a sidelong glance, my voice flat. “Aren’t you supposed to have amnesia? How do you remember these things?” Jax suddenly realized he’d slipped up. He quickly recomposed his expression, feigning nonchalance. “Just asking. How could I remember? The past is the past, and now is now. Now, I only like Chloe. After all, she was the only one who came to take care of me after my car accident in South Bay.” Car accident? If the amnesia was an act, where was the car accident? I curved my lips slightly, eyeing the woman he had his arm around. Heavy makeup, a figure that screamed ‘look at me,’ and barely-there clothing. Her foxy eyes glittered with smug triumph. A new face. She was probably the most satisfying bedmate Jax had found during this ‘break,’ which was why he was parading her around so openly. I didn’t want to waste any more words on him. I just hummed in response and walked back into the villa. Watching my retreating figure disappear without a backward glance, Jax’s eyelid twitched. He’d brought someone else home. Shouldn’t Skylar be throwing a fit, getting jealous? Why was she so calm? Jax sensed something was off, but he didn’t chase after me to explain. He just watched me disappear behind the door. At eight o’clock, the doorbell rang. I put down the take-out bag I was holding and went to open the door. It was the woman Jax had brought home earlier. I lifted my hand and waved, a smile on my face that didn’t reach my eyes. “Hi, I’m Chloe. I’ll be staying at my boyfriend’s place for a while. Since we’re neighbors, would you mind adding me on SnapChat?” “No need.” I refused without a second thought, turning to leave. Chloe snatched my phone, rapidly tapping through SnapChat to add herself as a friend. Watching my face fall, she grinned like the Cheshire Cat, handed my phone back, her tone annoyingly flippant. “Come on, let’s be friends. We’ll be seeing a lot of each other! Oh, by the way, do you have any condoms? I used up the whole box I bought today. Could I borrow a few?” A flicker of pallor crossed my face, and my hand trembled slightly as I took back my phone. “No.” Chloe wouldn’t let it go, her mockery undisguised. “Right, silly me for asking. Jax doesn’t want you anymore, so why would you?” ###

I knew she was deliberately provoking me. I didn’t want to engage, so I reached for the front door to close it. Chloe grabbed the doorknob, then dramatically collapsed to the floor, tears instantly streaming down her face. “Sister, I know you don’t want to see me, but I just came to borrow some seasoning to make dinner for Jax. If you don’t want to lend it, that’s fine, but why would you hit me?” Watching Chloe suddenly put on such a show, my heart leaped. Before I could react, Jax, who must have entered the house at some point, rushed up the steps and swept her into his arms. He looked up, his eyes cold, his voice laced with suppressed anger. “Chloe has no quarrel with you. Why are you being so unreasonable? She’s my girlfriend now. Please be more respectful towards her!” After saying that, he didn’t even glance at my expression, just carried her away. Every word struck me, making my fists clench involuntarily. I stood there, watching their figures disappear into the twilight, then slowly raised my hand. Bang! The front door slammed shut. In the dead of night, my phone vibrated on the bedside table. Waking with a start, I rubbed my eyes and instinctively answered. The next second, the screen jumped, revealing a vast expanse of pale skin covered in hickeys. Intimate moans filled the air, punctuated by heavy, ragged breathing. Watching the shaky camera capture explicit, nauseating scenes, I was instantly wide awake. Realizing what the person on the other end of the line was doing, I froze like a statue. A few seconds later, Jax’s low, lust-thickened voice came through the speaker. “From now on, you’re not allowed to provoke Skylar next door.” “You’ve seen right through my little games, so why are you still on my side? Is it because you just love my body so much you don’t want to come clean to her? You want to keep enjoying this, huh?” At her seductive whine, Jax grunted, then spanked her pale ass. “Since you already know, why ask? Come on, get on top.” After some rustling, the camera focused on Jax’s face. Watching his unabashedly satisfied expression, my heart turned to ice. I bit down hard on my lower lip, the metallic taste of blood spreading through my mouth. The gasping grew more frantic. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore and pressed the hang-up button. My drowsy eyes were now swimming in tears. I tilted my head back, desperate not to let them fall, as countless images flashed through my mind. During our intimate moments, he was always so careful, so afraid I’d be uncomfortable. He probably overthought everything, and was never truly satisfied, was he? Now he wouldn’t have to hold back. He wouldn’t have to scheme just to steal a moment of pleasure. From now on, I would give him his freedom. For the next few days, I stayed holed up in the house. Not until my best friend’s wedding day did I manage to compose myself enough to leave. At the hotel, before the ceremony began, I gave her the gift I’d prepared. We chatted for a while, and Maya held my hand, her eyes sparkling. “Skylar, I sent Jax an invitation, and he promised to come. When he gets here, go talk to him. Maybe he’ll remember proposing to you and his memory will come back.” I paused for a moment, then shook my head. Seeing the smile slowly vanish from my face, a flicker of worry crossed Maya’s eyes. “What’s wrong? Are you giving up?” I was about to answer when I saw Jax, with Chloe by his side, appear at the entrance. Maya followed my gaze, and seeing them arm in arm, her face flushed with anger. She was about to march over in her high heels to confront them. I quickly pulled her back, my voice heavy with exhaustion. “Forget it. Soon, it’ll all be over.” Maya didn’t understand what I meant. She was about to ask when a bridesmaid came over. “The wedding’s about to start, Maya.” After much persuasion, I finally got my best friend to go up to the stage. Listening to the wedding march begin in the ballroom, I took a deep breath and returned to the main hall. The guests had all taken their seats; only the spot beside Jax remained empty. After a moment of hesitation, I went and sat down. Throughout the wedding, Chloe clung to Jax, asking him to serve her food. He responded to her every request, pouring her wine, blowing on her soup, utterly doting. Even when I fed him a piece of dessert I’d already bitten into, he ate it without a second thought. Watching their intimate display, I looked away, towards the center of the stage. I hadn’t eaten and hadn’t touched my forks, so Maya’s mom forked some food onto my plate, urging me to eat more. I didn’t want to be rude, so I picked up a dumpling. Jax, sitting beside me, saw it and immediately reached out and took the dumpling away. “Are you crazy? That’s seafood. You’re allergic, you can’t eat that.” ###

Watching the dumpling roll several times on the floor, I looked up, giving him a long, hard stare. Jax then belatedly realized what he’d done, and his expression grew awkward as he quickly offered an explanation. “The housekeeper at home never buys seafood. I’ve told her several times. She must have mentioned it.” After that, he didn’t dare look at my face again, turning instead to peel shrimp. Chloe leaned in close to his ear, whispering something I couldn’t quite catch. Whatever she said, Jax’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He put down the shrimp and, grabbing my arm, led me out of the ceremony. I didn’t care where they went. Not until the bouquet toss was over did I get up to use the restroom. As I reached the door, I heard loud, rhythmic slapping sounds coming from inside. I stopped, holding my breath. After a few minutes of silence, a low male voice came from the innermost stall. “God, you’re so wild. You wear clothes like that to a wedding, huh?” “Don’t you like it?” A soft gasp, followed by a light chuckle. “Of course, I like it.” I looked up at the sign above the door, 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, my eyes red, then turned and left. At three o’clock that afternoon, the wedding ended. After saying goodbye to Maya, I went downstairs. Stepping out of the elevator, I saw a familiar sports car parked on the street. I pretended not to notice, about to hail a cab, when Chloe, appearing out of nowhere, grabbed my arm. “Jax had company business and left, leaving his car for me. We live close by, want a ride?” I refused without a second thought. But Chloe ignored me, forcefully pushing me into the passenger seat, locking the doors, and stepping on the gas. She drove fast, so I quickly fastened my seatbelt. All the way, Chloe, under the guise of casual conversation, constantly boasted and provoked me. “You knew Jax was faking his amnesia all along, didn’t you? Why didn’t you call him out?” My eyes narrowed for a brief moment, my face impassive. “None of your business.” “How is it none of my business? I want to stand openly by Jax’s side and be his fiancée too. Even if he doesn’t feel that way now, you know how much he loves my body. He’ll fall for me eventually, don’t you think?” I didn’t bother responding, just looked out the window. Seeing I wouldn’t take the bait, Chloe got angry and threw out a few more taunts. I simply closed my eyes, pretending she wasn’t even there. This blatant disregard infuriated Chloe. Looking at the upcoming turn, I hardened my resolve, jerked the steering wheel hard, and crashed straight into the barrier. “Bang—” Under the violent impact, I lunged forward uncontrollably. I opened my eyes to a shower of glass shards, instinctively raising my arms to shield myself. Crimson blood streamed down my arm. My head hit the side door with a violent thud, and my vision went black. I passed out. I don’t know how much time passed, but a cacophony of voices slowly reached my ears. “Both patients’ hands require immediate surgery, but the hospital only has one surgeon available. The patient who doesn’t receive timely treatment might suffer permanent disability. Mr. Sterling, who do you want us to save?” Hearing those words, I forced myself to consciousness, squeezing out a few words from my throat. “Jax, I… I still need to… to do photography. My hands… they can’t… they can’t have any problems.” The warm hand that had been holding my left hand suddenly released me when it heard my voice. I managed to open my eyes just in time to catch a fleeting look of panic on Jax’s face. He placed his hand on Chloe’s shoulder, his voice firm. “Save Chloe first.” ###

I don’t know how long I kept falling in the darkness, but finally, some consciousness returned. Perhaps it was the anesthesia, but I couldn’t open my eyes yet. All I could hear were sounds around me. It was a conversation between two people, their voices strangely familiar. “Jax, you’ve made such a huge mess. How are you going to clean it up? Skylar’s hands are more important than her life, and you chose to save Chloe first? Are you trying to kill her?” “How could I want to kill Skylar? It’s just that she happened to wake up. If I had agreed to save her first, wouldn’t the fake amnesia have been exposed? There are only twenty-something days left. I just wanted to play a little longer, Skylar won’t be hurt.” “Won’t be hurt? Didn’t you hear the doctor? Another minute late into surgery, and her hand would have been completely ruined. What if she wakes up and finds out the truth? Then you and her will have no chance left at all.” The person holding my hand seemed very nervous; their palm was sweating. A few minutes later, he pressed a kiss to my forehead, his voice filled with certainty. “She won’t know. I’ve made arrangements. In twenty-three days, the doctor will announce that my memory has returned. Then everything will be just like before.” After a long sigh, someone left the room. The other person remained by my bedside, murmuring softly. “Skylar, our wedding is coming 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 on a shooting star for 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 anesthesia was slowly wearing off. I remembered who this rambling person was. My fiancé, Jax. He seemed to care for me deeply, calling the doctor every half hour to check on me. He would thoughtfully offer me water, tuck me into bed, and stayed by my side constantly. Until I fully woke up. All the tenderness he’d poured over me receded like a tide. Watching his evasive figure leave the room, a hint of sarcasm flickered in my eyes. A few minutes later, the nurse came in to check on me. I watched as she carefully tried to conceal my medical chart, then spoke in a hoarse voice. “Who has been taking care of me here these past few days?” The nurse’s gaze darted around a few times, and she stammered in response. “I… I’m not entirely sure. It should be… a nursing aide, I guess.” I just felt tired. I picked up my phone and checked the time. December 8th. I had been unconscious for three days. My texts still only contained ads and billing notifications. I closed my eyes, silently praying for my name change paperwork to be processed quickly. For a long time after that, Jax didn’t appear. Chloe, however, sent me many messages every day. Half were various provocations and photos of her flaunting her relationship. The other half were SnapChat videos of her and Jax in bed, in various locations. I didn’t open a single one, setting her to ‘Do Not Disturb’ immediately. On December 15th, I completed the discharge procedures. I discarded everything else, carrying only my medication as I left the hospital. Just as I reached the entrance, I happened to run into Liam, a senior from college who had once pursued me. We exchanged pleasantries, and as I was chatting happily, Jax, appearing out of nowhere, grabbed my arm and pulled me away. His face was dark enough to drip ink, his eyes shadowed with anger, his voice laced with bitterness. “Who gave you permission to be so close to him?” I glanced at him, then forcefully pulled my wrist, which was already red from his grip, away. My voice dripped with sarcasm. “Aren’t you supposed to have amnesia? Aren’t you supposed to not acknowledge me as your girlfriend? I’ll chat with whoever I want. I don’t think it’s any of your business, is it?” With that, I didn’t wait for his reaction, hailed a cab, and left. Jax, speechless and cornered, could only watch me drive away. ###

After a period of rest, I slowly recovered. In my spare time, I did a rough calculation of my overseas expenses and realized the sum was quite substantial. Luckily, a loyal client referred me to a big gig, and having nothing else to do, I took it. When I arrived at the venue, I realized it was a birthday party. Seeing Jax appear with Chloe, I froze, a bad premonition gripping me. But the deposit had already been collected. I could only suppress my uneasy feelings and take out my camera. Seeing me, Chloe immediately hiked up her dress and came sauntering over, a saccharine smile plastered on her face. “So glad you’re here. For the photos, try to shoot from a low angle, upward, and dim the brightness a bit. When I get on stage, zoom in closer…” Following her long list of demands, I took hundreds of photos. But Chloe still wasn’t satisfied and insisted I reshoot them. I patiently reshot three or four versions, my injured wrist throbbing with pain. Chloe glanced at it, a mocking expression on her face. “How did they turn out like this? Skylar, the great photographer, it seems you’re not as amazing as the rumors say, huh? Let’s just use the first batch, at least a few of those are presentable.” Everyone around us stifled their laughter. I rubbed my knees, numb from squatting, and slowly stood up, letting out a soft “hmm.” Chloe grew even more smug, walking over to Jax and throwing herself affectionately into his arms. Then she turned back to me, waving her hand imperiously. “Come take some photos of my boyfriend and me.” My eyes narrowed, then quickly reverted to their usual coldness. I raised my camera, aimed the lens at them, and pressed the shutter. Chloe struck a million poses, then finally, she stood on tiptoe and kissed Jax. Instantly, the entire room erupted in cheers. “Total power couple! Watching them is just eye candy, seriously!” “Throwing such a huge party without a second thought, and Jax agrees to everything the birthday queen wants. He spoils her rotten!” At the sound of the cheers, Jax’s body stiffened for a moment. He released his arm from Chloe’s waist, looking at me with a hint of nervousness. But I showed no reaction, simply looking down at the photos on my camera. As if completely unfazed by what had just happened. At eleven o’clock, the four-hour party finally concluded. I put my camera back in its bag, pulling out tissues to wipe away the cake Chloe had ‘accidentally’ spilled on my dress. In the now-empty hall, footsteps suddenly echoed. I looked up to see Chloe, grinning, walking straight towards me. “You worked hard tonight. Are you really short on cash? I have another set of photos I’d like you to take. I can double the price. Are you interested?” Double the price? I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Chloe led me directly to the hotel upstairs, setting up the shooting angles and content first. I had just set up my camera in the corner when someone knocked on the door. Chloe didn’t rush to open it. Instead, she gave me a knowing smile. “It’s about to begin. Make sure you get everything, okay?” With that, she pulled the curtains, covering the corner, leaving only a small slit for the camera lens. I curled up in the cramped space, listening to the approaching footsteps, and hunched forward. Under the warm yellow light, Chloe, pulling a man’s tie, slowly walked into the room. Their bodies were pressed tightly together, clothes falling to the floor intermittently. Ambiguous gasps filled the air. Watching Jax, utterly lost in his passionate kiss with Chloe through the lens, my hand gripping the tripod tightened into a fist. He didn’t know I was in the room, roughly exploring Chloe’s body, eliciting a string of soft moans. “What tricks do you have planned for tonight?” “Everything you love, honey. I even have several outfits waiting for you to tear off.” “You’re so wild, you’ll be the death of me.” The surging passion in the room grew more intense. Listening to the relentless sounds, I was numb. It felt as though something was lodged in my chest, a crushing pressure that made it difficult to breathe. Time stretched, agonizingly slow. Every second felt like an eternity. ###

At three in the morning, the sounds from the room ceased. The shower turned on in the bathroom. I pulled back the curtain, dragging my numb legs out of the corner. Stepping over the scattered clothes, I placed the memory card on the table and opened the door. A soft click. From the bathroom, a low voice called out, “What was that sound? Is someone there?” “How could there be anyone at this hour? Forget it, let’s go again.” The bathroom door, which had been slightly ajar, closed tightly once more. I looked back at my reflection in the glass, then turned and closed the door behind me. The streets were empty in the early morning, not a single car in sight. I wandered aimlessly, my ears ringing, my mind blank. I don’t know how long I walked, but by the time dawn broke, I realized I had unconsciously returned to my high school alma mater. The campus was quiet at seven. I walked alone down the path, a little dazed as I looked around. Some long-buried memories slowly stirred. The track where Jax pulled me to run an 800-meter race, the small auditorium filled with roses for my birthday, the flagpole where he confessed his love in front of the whole school… Everything was just as it had been, yet my heart, standing there, was vastly different. I reached the teaching building and ran into Dean Miller, who was just coming to work. Because Jax had so openly pursued me, almost all the teachers knew me. The Dean smiled and greeted me. “Skylar? What brings you back to school so suddenly? Where’s Jax? I heard you two got engaged a while ago. Are you here to give out wedding invitations?” I forced a faint smile, changing the subject. “It’s been so long since I’ve been back. I was just passing by and thought I’d come see the teachers.” We walked and chatted, reminiscing about many old stories, filled with emotion. Before we parted, the Dean seemed to remember something. He went to his office cabinet and pulled out a yellowed diary, handing it to me. “I confiscated this from Jax during study hall back then when I was checking on discipline. Since your wedding is coming up, I figured I’d return it to you.” I paused, then took it, bowing to the teacher. On the way back, I opened the diary and saw Jax’s wild, flowing handwriting. “March 12th, Skylar didn’t say yes, but she smiled at me today. I think I have a chance.” “July 1st, summer vacation is too long. I waited four hours outside Skylar’s house just to catch a glimpse of her.” “November 23rd, someone confessed to Skylar today. It infuriated me. I beat him up and got a disciplinary warning.” “December 21st, today is my seventeenth birthday. Seventeen-year-old Jax’s only wish is to be with sixteen-year-old her, forever and always.” … Every page held the same name, chronicling a boy’s heart. As I read, my nose stung, and tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. Drop by drop, they were both a remembrance of the past. And a farewell. By the time the cab pulled up to the villa, I had composed my tumultuous emotions. I closed the diary, opened the car door, and found myself face-to-face with Jax, who had just returned. Seeing the crimson hickeys on his neck, and recalling what had happened last night, I averted my gaze. Jax noticed my red eyes and frowned, wondering how to subtly ask about it. Chloe, nestled in his arms, also saw my red eyes and chuckled softly. “You worked hard yesterday. I already transferred the money. I’m very satisfied with the photos you took. You should be satisfied too, shouldn’t you?” Hearing her veiled remark, Jax’s heart skipped a beat. “Satisfied with what?” “The birthday photos from the first half of the night, what else? As for the second half of the night…” Seeing her blabbering mouth, Jax’s heart sank. He quickly covered her mouth with his hand. But she just gave him a coquettish wink and gently sucked on his finger. Watching their public display of affection, I was immune. I turned and walked towards my house. As I passed the trash can, I casually tossed the diary into it. Those youthful years, filled with love and sincerity, were now completely buried. ###

Before leaving, I sent a message to my landlord, informing them I wouldn’t be renewing the lease. The landlord kept asking why I was moving, and I just gave a casual excuse. They said they could extend the grace period, letting me stay until mid-next month. I knew Jax was behind it. He wanted me to stay a few more days, then he would pretend to regain his memory and bring me home. I didn’t expose their scheme and agreed. Three days before my departure, I received an unfamiliar call. “Ms. Skylar? Hello, I’m the manager of the Hilton Hotel, where you held your engagement party. Your fiancé previously booked our main hall, saying he planned to hold your wedding reception here the day after tomorrow, but we haven’t been able to reach him recently. There are some details we need to verify and finalize. Would you be free to come by and chat?” I was about to refuse, but when I heard the date “the day after tomorrow,” my eyelashes fluttered. January 1st. It was the day Jax planned to “regain his memory,” and also the day I planned to leave. I agreed and took a cab to the hotel. The moment I stepped into the hall and saw the decorations, I fell silent. From the flowers to the ornaments, everything was exactly the same as when Jax proposed to me. Standing there, I momentarily lost track of time. The manager, who had accompanied me in, was about to explain when he received a call and temporarily left. I walked alone to the second floor, looking down, and couldn’t help but recall Jax on one knee, holding flowers and a ring, promising to love only me for the rest of his life. Back then, I had eagerly anticipated our married life. Who would have thought that just three months later, everything would vanish into thin air? As I was lost in thought, the door suddenly opened. Jax, in a suit, walked in holding a bouquet of flowers. Chloe, following behind him, gasped at the dreamy scene before her, a flicker of anticipation in her eyes. “Jax, why did you bring me here?” Jax snapped his fingers, a smug, triumphant smile on his face. “This is where I proposed to Skylar and held our engagement party. The day after tomorrow, I plan to have a few of my buddies bring Skylar here. Then I can pretend that seeing the place ‘triggers’ my memories, and I’ll naturally recall everything.” “I brought you here today because I wanted to do a rehearsal. You’ll play Skylar, and we’ll see if there are any glitches.” With that, he pushed Chloe onto the center stage and began to act. A massive pillar completely hid me from view. I quietly watched their fervent performance, my eyes subtly shifting. I had to admit, Jax truly had a talent for acting. If I hadn’t known any of this, and came here in three days, I might actually have fallen for his trick. Fortunately, I wasn’t that unlucky. Downstairs, the ‘reconciliation’ part of the rehearsal had begun. Chloe stood on tiptoe and kissed Jax. The deeply romantic atmosphere slowly took a turn from that moment on. His pristine white suit was smeared with lipstick, and her pink long dress, along with his clothes, lay scattered on the floor. Jax gripped her soft waist, his voice light and languid. “Anyone could walk in here at any moment. You just can’t resist tempting me, can you?” “Only three days left. Don’t you know ‘a night of passion is worth a thousand pieces of gold’? Besides, doing it in the most important venue of your life, isn’t that exciting?” Seeing her alluring, passionate expression, Jax narrowed his eyes and chuckled softly. “So many tricks up your sleeve, huh?” “How else am I supposed to make sure you remember me, honey? If you go back to her and don’t feel satisfied, you can always hit me up.” Hearing that, Jax raised his hand, cupping her chin, a clear light in his eyes. His voice was filled with absolute certainty. “There won’t be a ‘next time.’ In three days, everything will be over. I will belong only to Skylar.” Really? I lowered my eyes, hiding the mockery within them, and answered him in my heart. Too bad, Jax. I don’t want you anymore. ### Two days before my departure, I received news that my name change application had been approved. I went out and collected my new ID card and passport.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298962”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn