For three years of marriage, my husband, Alex Thorne, didn’t even know my face. He could remember everything in the world, but not mine. I’d change my hairstyle, and he’d ask, “Miss, who are you looking for?” I’d wear a different outfit, and he’d assume I was the new housekeeper. On our anniversary, I got trapped in a collapsed mine shaft with some of his company employees. In the dark, I fumbled my way to him and told him I was Scarlett Hayes. He shoved me away. “Stop pretending. My wife isn’t even here.” It took the rescue team three days and three nights to dig me out. That night, Alex raised a toast at the celebration banquet. “Thank you, everyone. No casualties.” He completely forgot about me, lying in the hospital. From then on, I only wore clothes of one color, kept the same hairstyle, and used the same perfume, all just so Alex might recognize me. But every time he saw me, Alex still looked at me like a stranger. I thought this was God’s punishment for me. But on the day I flew abroad to celebrate Alex’s birthday, I saw him part the crowded airport, walk straight to a girl, and pull her into a tight hug. Turns out, he didn’t remember my face because I wasn’t the one he loved. If that’s the case, then I’ll just leave him.
The moment I turned, I was surrounded by several foreign police officers. They mistook me for some wanted criminal. My clumsy French only seemed to harden their faces. They pressed me down, forcing me onto my knees. In a panic, I instinctively looked at Alex, who wasn’t far away. “Alex! Help me! They’ve got the wrong person!” I screamed with all my might. He heard me and looked over, his gaze sweeping across my face. Then, like he was looking at a complete stranger, he calmly shifted his eyes away. “I don’t know her.” That was the coldest sentence I’d ever heard in my life. Fifteen days. In the dark interrogation rooms and cold cells, I counted the hours, enduring three hundred and sixty of them. It wasn’t until a DNA match report finally cleared my name. Dragging my exhausted body out of the police station, I wasn’t met by Alex, but by his secretary, Mr. Davies. Mr. Davies adjusted his glasses, his voice dripping with reproach. “Miss Hayes, what exactly are you doing? Do you know Mr. Thorne waited for you at the airport for two whole hours?” The last flicker of warmth in my heart turned to ice in the cold foreign wind. The day I returned home, as soon as I walked through the arrivals gate, I was surrounded by countless flashes and microphones. My imprisonment abroad had become a widely known scandal. After finally fighting my way through the crowd and getting home, Alex’s first words were a reprimand. “How many times have I told you to wear a white coat when you’re out? Why don’t you listen?” He frowned, his tone like he was scolding an unruly child. “You know I have face blindness; I can’t tell women’s faces apart.” I clenched my hands into fists. He turned a page in his document, giving his next instruction without looking up. “The PR department has already drafted the statement. We’ll have a press conference tomorrow.” “You need to clarify things and apologize to the public.” Apologize? Apologize for whom? For Alex Thorne’s cold indifference, or for his so-called “face blindness”? I looked at his impassive face and quietly asked, “At the airport, the girl you hugged – who was she?” His hand, turning the document, paused. A rare stiffness appeared on his face. After a few seconds, he finally spoke. “There were too many people then. I thought it was you.” I almost laughed, bitterly. That day, the girl wore a bright, eye-catching red dress and had a cascade of wavy hair, a style I’d never once worn.
And me? I didn’t even own a single red item in my wardrobe. “Alex Thorne, I called out to you that day, you know.” The injustice churning inside me forced the words out. “And then?” Alex lifted an eyebrow. “Do you want me to apologize for my psychological condition?” “Scarlett, you knew I had this issue before we even got married.” Looking at his unconcerned face, I suddenly felt so tired. Yes, it was all my own doing. “Fine. I’ll go to the press conference.” But Alex’s mind had drifted. His gaze was fixed on my bag. Half an airline magazine was peeking out. Following his gaze, I looked down, realizing the open page featured a group photo of an orchestra. Dozens of people were packed together, and in the most unassuming corner of the photo, sat a girl playing the cello. It was the same girl Alex had hugged at the airport. The photo was so blurry her features were almost indistinguishable. Yet Alex, with just one glance, had seen her. So, it wasn’t that he couldn’t recognize women’s faces. He just couldn’t recognize the face of someone he didn’t love. My heart felt like it was being squeezed tight, every breath ached. But I still managed a strained smile, pulled the magazine out, and handed it to Alex. “Here. I don’t want it anymore.” This title of Mrs. Thorne. And these three years of being ignored. I didn’t want any of it anymore. The next day, I arrived at the press conference on time. The spotlights felt like countless sharp knives, all aimed at me. I wore a rose-colored gown, directly contradicting Alex’s demand for white. Taking the microphone from the host, I began to speak calmly. “I was mistakenly arrested because my husband, Mr. Alexander Thorne, told the police he didn’t know me, right to their faces.” The entire room erupted in gasps. I paused, looking directly into one of the cameras, as if looking through it straight at Alex. “I imagine being trapped in a marriage where your spouse of three years can’t even recognize you must be incredibly painful.” “So, I’ve decided to grant him his freedom.” “Mr. Thorne and I will be getting a divorce.” As I got into the car, I noticed my hands were trembling. Not from fear, but from a rush of liberation, finally breaking free from shackles. My phone vibrated madly. “Alex Thorne” flashed across the screen. I simply switched it off. My car hadn’t gone far when Alex’s vehicle blocked it. Alex got out of his car, his face was thunderous, dark enough to curdle milk. “Scarlett, are you insane?!” He yanked me out of the car, his grip so strong it felt like he might crush my wrist. “Who gave you the guts to spout such nonsense at a press conference?!” I stared coldly at his furious face. “Which part of what I said wasn’t the truth?” My question choked him, fueling his rage even more. “Do you have any idea how much harm this will cause others?” “What if they dig up the airport surveillance footage? What if Sera gets dragged into this? She just barely got into the Vienna Orchestra!” He *could* distinguish her. A fresh wave of pain spread through my chest, almost driving me mad. “Alex Thorne, you recognized *her*.” Alex’s face was etched with undisguised irritation. “So what? She means something different to me, but I still married *you*.” “Don’t forget, you were the one who pushed for this marriage.” Yes, it was all my own obsession. Alex couldn’t even remember my face, so how could he remember a promise made twenty years ago? I wiped the tears from my face. “Alex Thorne, I regret it. Let’s get a divorce.”
Alex was silent, but his face didn’t show the relief I expected. After a long moment, he spoke, as if making a momentous decision. “Don’t be silly. Just wear white like before, and I won’t fail to recognize you.” “I’m not divorcing you.” “Oh really?” I managed a mocking smile and looked up at him. He probably forgot what document he signed from me this morning. I’d only worn a wig and a different dress. Alex had simply assumed I was the new secretary. He’d signed the divorce papers without even looking. He’d even asked me to organize his study’s safe. Alex had carefully cut out Sera Dubois’s photo from yesterday’s magazine. I pulled open the safe; it was filled to the brim with news clippings about Sera. Photos of her in red, in blue, in black. No matter how Sera dressed, Alex could always recognize her. And in the oldest photo, Sera was still in high school. Wearing a white dress, with long, straight black hair. Exactly the look I had painstakingly maintained for the past three years. Lost in thought, Alex took my hand. “Scarlett, I won’t lose you again.” I pulled a sarcastic smirk, about to open my mouth and clear everything up. But Alex suddenly pushed me away and ran off in one direction. I followed his gaze as Sera’s back disappeared into the crowd. Halfway there, Alex seemed to remember something. He turned back and yelled, “Scarlett, wait for me! I’ll be right back!” But the direction he shouted in was towards another woman beside him. She was also wearing a rose-pink dress, just like mine. I turned and walked away without a second thought. Alex was furious about me leaving without permission. But that day, I was sitting in a coffee shop nearby, sorting out some paperwork for my new identity. The entire afternoon, until it got dark, Alex never returned. I ignored Alex. Anyway, if I just changed my clothes, I’d be invisible to him. With all the paperwork for moving abroad completed, the first thing I did was go shopping for new clothes. For years, trying to get Alex to notice me, my wardrobe had been a monotonous sea of white, draining my soul. Now, even looking at it made me sick. A sales assistant enthusiastically presented a fiery red dress. Just as I was about to swipe my card, a cool, clear voice cut in. “I’ll take that one too.” I turned my head and saw Sera Dubois’s arrogant face. She scrutinized me from head to toe. “Miss Hayes, what are you still clinging to? Didn’t that airport incident make it clear enough?” “Alex doesn’t love you. You can buy the most expensive clothes, but he’ll still see you as air.” I couldn’t be bothered with her nonsense, so I pulled out my black card from my wallet and handed it to the sales assistant. “Wrap up this one she touched, and every single item in this collection for me.” “And please, escort her out.” The sales assistant immediately began to clear her out, but just then, Alex appeared. He walked directly to Sera, not even glancing at me. “Wrap up the dress for Miss Dubois.” The sales assistant was stunned and whispered a reminder: “Mr. Thorne, but this is your…” I was wearing smoky eye makeup and bright orange curly hair. Alex, predictably, didn’t recognize me. “Who does she think she is?” Alex’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was clear enough for everyone in the boutique to hear. “Just some woman who popped out of nowhere. Does she really think she can compete with Sera for anything?”
He turned to the now-astonished sales assistant, his voice carrying an unyielding command. “Starting today, I want you to remember Miss Dubois’s face. From now on, all Thorne Corporation properties will prioritize her service, no questions asked.” With a condescending smirk, Sera dropped the dress. “No thanks, I don’t need this. “Let the poor, unloved ones have it.” Alex didn’t press the issue. “Whatever makes you happy.” I stood there, watching Alex’s gaze, which never left Sera, and the last shred of warmth in my heart completely froze. Returning to the villa where I had lived for three years, the key card access system failed to verify. I was about to call the housekeeper when the main door opened from the inside. Sera Dubois stood there, wearing my slippers and wrapped in Alex’s bathrobe. She frowned, as if seeing something disgusting. “I thought you were a decent person. You should know your place.” “Clinging to Alex, is it really worth it? Wearing white clothes to copy me, is that really fun?” I stood outside the door, feeling the night wind chill me. Yes, it really wasn’t worth it. What was I even fantasizing about? I looked down and took off the diamond ring Alex had personally designed for me. The black card, the car keys. And my marriage certificate with Alex. I placed all these symbols of “Mrs. Thorne” identity, one by one, neatly arranged. Then, I turned and never looked back. I pulled out a brand new phone and dialed a number. “Hello, it’s me.” “From now on, there is no more Mrs. Thorne in this world.” Alex didn’t contact me again, probably assuming I was just throwing a childish tantrum. It didn’t matter. I was too busy to bother with him. The gossip headlines, however, were diligently updated. In the photos, he and Sera were seen together everywhere. His usually stern face held a tenderness I had never seen directed at me. Regarding Sera, Alex neither confirmed nor denied anything. I scrolled past the news, turned off my phone, and continued to list all my assets. All the wealth I had accumulated to reach Alex was now converted into cash, flowing into the account of a charity fighting human trafficking. The director was so emotional she was incoherent, thanking me profusely. But I was lost in thought, looking at the photos of the rescued children. Alex and I escaped from the bad guys. But we got lost in the mountains. Little Alex gave me the last wild fruit he’d picked, while he gnawed on mud to fill his stomach. But we were caught again. A rusty iron rod smashed into my body, and I screamed in terror. Alex, however, shielded me with his body, grunting as he endured all the blows. The smell of blood filled the air, and he lay there, barely conscious. While the bad guys drank themselves senseless, I finally found a chance to crawl through a small hole, barely big enough for a dog, and called the police. Later, Alex was picked up by his family, and I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye. His promise to marry me, whispered before he passed out, became my sole obsession for many years. I used all my strength to slowly make my way to him, becoming his wife. But it was nothing more than a one-woman show. Alex had long forgotten. Back at my short-term rental, Sera Dubois was casually sitting inside. She even looked up and smiled. “You’re back?” The next second, police sirens blared outside. The door was kicked open with immense force, and a group of black-suited bodyguards burst in, pinning me to the ground without a word. “Don’t move!” Then, Alex rushed in, pulling Sera into his arms, his voice laced with a raw, uncontained relief. “Sera, it’s alright. I was careless and let them snatch you.”
He held her like a precious treasure he had lost and found again. “I promised you, I wouldn’t let anything happen to you again.” His words sounded eerily familiar to me. But the bodyguard captain holding me down recognized me. “Mr. Thorne, this is…” Alex finally bothered to look back at me. But his eyes held the look of someone staring at an enemy. *Slap!* My head snapped to the side, and a metallic taste instantly filled my mouth. I didn’t cry. Instead, I almost wanted to laugh. “Who cares who she is?” Alex’s voice was colder than ice. “Anyone who harms Sera, even if she’s the daughter of the richest man alive, will pay the price!” “Give her a proper welcome. Make sure she knows what happens when you kidnap Sera!” The bodyguard captain tried to say something else, but Alex’s fierce glare silenced him. I was dragged into an empty room, and punches and kicks rained down on me. My body was in agony, but my mind couldn’t help but wonder how much it must have hurt when Alex took those blows for me back then. The smell of blood filled my nose, yet I felt no fear of death. My life, after all, was given to me by Alex. Now, I was simply paying him back. After an unknown amount of time, the door opened. Sera leaned against Alex, saying, “Alex, she’s learned her lesson. Just send her away.” “Make sure I never see her again for the rest of my life.” Alex didn’t hesitate. “Alright.” He personally escorted me to a private airport. As I was pushed up the boarding ramp, the necklace around my neck snapped. The rose pendant fell to the ground. It was a rose pendant Alex had personally picked for me – the only birthday gift he’d ever remembered to get, and even then, only after his secretary reminded him. I hadn’t brought myself to throw it away back at the villa. Alex frowned, picking it up. “This… why does this look familiar?” My heart, at that moment, gave an inappropriate lurch. But Sera simply coughed softly a couple of times and tugged on his sleeve. “Alex, it’s windy, I’m cold.” Alex’s hesitation vanished instantly. He casually tossed the pendant onto the ground, lifted his foot, and crushed it. “Drag her onto the plane. Don’t ever let her step foot back in this country again!” The plane engines roared, and the immense thrust pushed me back into my seat. Good. He personally sent me away, personally severed our past. From now on, we would never meet again.
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