I offered an awkward smile. "Oh, I see. If my brother comes around, I’ll tell him how kind you’ve been to me. I’ll make sure he treats you to a great meal." Then I paused, realizing that someone like Miles probably wouldn’t care for a casual dinner invite. I quickly corrected myself. "No, I’ll have him give you one of his best projects to handle instead. I won’t compete with you for it." Miles’s gaze deepened. "Is that how you plan to thank me?" I froze for a moment. He chuckled lightly and casually patted my head, a gesture more fitting for comforting a child. "That’s unnecessary. Even if it wasn’t for your brother, I’d still help you if it were your issue." "Why?" I asked, still baffled. Miles winked at me. "Have you forgotten? I’m your Woody." I was completely lost. Miles didn’t seem inclined to explain further. After a few more pleasantries, he left the room. Lying back on the bed, I stared at the IV drip bottle, letting my mind wander aimlessly. The more I tho
I nodded. The memories in this body seemed frozen at eighteen. Back then, my brother had just begun taking over my father’s company. The brother who used to spend all his time playing and laughing with me suddenly became someone I could hardly see. I tugged on Miles’ sleeve and asked, "Did my brother say when he’s coming back to the country?" Miles’ expression turned complicated. "You’re really eager to see him, aren’t you?" I nodded immediately. He looked at me for a moment before glancing away. "Your brother said it’ll be about a month before he can return. The new company he’s setting up overseas just started operations, and he’s also negotiating a major acquisition." He added, "Mergers and acquisitions abroad are complicated and take a lot of time. You should be prepared for that." I grew anxious. "Then where is he? Once I’m better, I can go see him!" Miles smiled gently, the kind of smile anyone would use to placate a child. "Alright. Once you’re fully recovere
After I finished eating, Miles asked, "Want to go for a walk?" "Huh?" I blinked at him, feeling like an idiot. He gestured to my wrist, still wrapped with the IV port. "The doctor said you can move around a little. Just nothing too strenuous or tiring." That was when it clicked. Miles came home specifically to keep an eye on me. He wasn’t avoiding work or choosing not to check his emails upstairs—he was quietly staying by my side to help me recover. I nodded quickly. Miles motioned for someone to bring out a pair of lightweight sneakers prepared for me. "Let’s go for a walk." Just as we were about to head out, loud voices came from the front door. I heard someone say, "Miss Smith, Mr. Wynn is busy." Kira’s fiery tone followed. "I don’t care how busy he is, he has to see me! How long does he plan to keep me dumped in a hotel? I’m not staying there another night!" "Miss Smith, please..." Instinctively, I shrank back. The last thing I wanted was another confronta
Miles turned and walked back through the gate, leaving the distraught Kira to be half-dragged, half-pushed into a car, luggage and all, before being driven away. I hurried back to the living room, doing my best to act as though I hadn’t seen or heard a thing. When Miles entered and saw me sitting quietly, he smiled. "Let’s go. It’s nice outside now, but the dew will get heavier if we wait too long." I cheerfully walked beside him as we headed out for a stroll. …The walk was pleasant. The night breeze was gentle, and his presence was reassuring. I found myself talking more than usual, while Miles said little, simply listening to my rambling with quiet attentiveness. I didn’t ask why he was willing to go so far as to send Kira away just to stand by me. Some things are better left unknown. I realized happiness often lied in not questioning too much. …The next day, I went to the hospital for a check-up and to have my ointments reapplied. Dolly came to visit me. Seein
I remained speechless. It was becoming painfully clear just how unhinged I must have been before losing my memory. I actually had Dolly create a fake account to go undercover just to catch Julian cheating. Honestly, with that kind of behavior, it wasn’t hard to see why Julian and everyone else around him disliked me. I frowned, incredulous. "I even had you create a fake account? But wait, if I had her screenshots, why didn’t Julian believe me before?" Dolly rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might stay that way. "Because you didn’t dare show them to him. You sent him one once, and Chloe turned it around on you, claiming you photoshopped it to slander her. Julian believed her, not you." I was stunned. "I lost to Chloe just like that? Is Julian an idiot?" Dolly sighed. "He’s not an idiot. He just doesn’t love you."That’s why it wouldn’t matter what you said. He still wouldn’t believe you. And I think, deep down, you always knew that. That’s why you didn’t try to use thes
As soon as I finished speaking, dizziness hit me like a wave. My vision sparkled with flashes of gold, and I knew the pressure in my head was spiking again. Gripping Dolly’s arm for support, I whispered, "Get rid of her. I don’t want to see her." My body trembled as I spoke. I could feel this body’s reflex—anger. It was disheartening to realize that I wasn’t capable of ignoring them. I still got mad, furious even, to the point where I wanted to lose control. I couldn’t tell if it was fragments of lost memories surfacing or simply the aftermath of the concussion. All I knew was that my body felt off. Whenever anything involved Julian or Chloe, an overwhelming discomfort took over. It felt pathological, something deeply rooted in my mind. Dolly noticed immediately that something was wrong. She turned to Chloe and snapped, "Chloe, Evelyn has nothing to say to you. Whether you’re here to apologize or to flaunt something, we don’t care anymore." Her tone sharpened. "Yo
Julian raised his voice. "You don’t mind? Now you’re suddenly acting generous."His smile was sharp, laced with sarcasm. "Evelyn, you’ve won. She’s gone. She won’t be bothering us anymore. So, can you come home with me now?"I clutched my chest as a familiar dull ache washed over me.I really was a fool.For a brief moment, I actually thought Julian had finally come to his senses.I thought that, in the end, he would choose to believe me over Chloe. I actually thought that, for once, the version of me before the accident would finally win.I let out a soft laugh. "Did I win?"I met his gaze and asked again, "Did I really win?"A faint smile tugged at my lips. "You only told her to leave because you thought I was throwing a tantrum. You don’t respect me, and you certainly don’t believe a word I say."Julian’s expression shifted slightly.I had hit the mark.I laughed bitterly. "I lost a long time ago. I’m the one who should have left among the three of us."Julian opened his mouth to s
The smooth, rich tone of his voice sent a calming sensation through me, like every nerve in my body had just relaxed. It was a crisp yet soothing sound.I looked up in surprise—Miles was here.Julian’s expression darkened the moment he saw him.He strode forward, stopping right in front of Miles, his gaze sharp. "Mr. Wynn, was it you who arranged for my wife’s medical exam?"Miles gave a slight nod. "Yes. Is there a problem?"Julian let out a cold, mocking laugh. "How kind of you, Mr. Wynn. Should I be thanking you?"Miles remained unfazed. "No need."With that, he turned toward the hospital room. "Everything is set. Let’s go."I quickly gathered my things, eager to leave this place with him.But Julian blocked the way again.His stance was firm, making it clear he wasn’t backing down.His voice was cold and resolute. "Mr. Wynn, this ends here. Evelyn is my wife, and I’m her husband. I’m taking her home."He fixed his eyes on Miles, his tone carrying a clear warning. "If you overstep
My phone buzzed twice.I quickly unlocked it and found a flood of photos and videos.A quick glance was all I needed before I grimaced and looked away."Here, there’s more where that came from," Trey said, watching me with an amused smirk. "So, tell me, do you really want to take down Julian? What happened? You finally got your head on straight? Or did you take the wrong meds recently?"Of course, someone as well-connected as him would have heard all about my black history.I hesitated. "I… I just don’t want to keep embarrassing myself."Trey chuckled, unconvinced. "Liar."His eyes narrowed, studying me with unsettling sharpness. "Tell me the truth, and I’ll give you something even juicier."I hesitated, James’ warning from earlier still fresh in my mind.Seeing my internal struggle, Trey’s smirk deepened. "No truth? Hmm?"I had no choice but to admit, "I… I lost my memory. And I don’t love Julian anymore."Trey blinked.Then, after a brief pause—he burst into laughter.Loud, unabashe
The three of us walked out together.Waiting outside were three flashy Ferraris, belonging to Trey’s poker buddies.They strolled over, grinning. “Trey, Evelyn, where to?”Trey casually rattled off a location, and the guys whooped as they jumped into their cars—each one, of course, with a stunning young woman already waiting in the passenger seat.Dolly tugged at my sleeve, whispering, “This is a full-blown rich boys’ club.”I nodded. “I just need to stick around long enough to get the evidence.”My gaze drifted to the bag she was clutching tightly—stuffed to the brim with cash.“And, well… there’s a lot of money involved, too.”At the mention of money, Dolly’s entire attitude shifted. Her back straightened, her legs no longer ached, and suddenly, she had zero complaints about hanging out with a group of spoiled playboys.Instead of taking one of the Ferraris, Trey ditched the idea and grabbed a convertible that could fit all three of us.And so, we sped off.Four cars tore through th
Trey smirked, his tone dripping with mockery. "Oh? Is that so? I thought it was your beloved Chloe who started spilling the tea. I’m just helping the public see the truth, nothing more."Laughter rippled through the room again.I watched as Trey danced all over Julian’s last nerve, and yet, Julian had no way of shutting him down.I couldn’t help it and laughed.Julian’s eyes darkened the moment he saw me smile. "Evelyn, you—"I cut him off. "What does this have to do with me? Chloe accused you of deceiving her. Maybe you should go explain things to her instead of embarrassing yourself here."His expression grew even more menacing. "You... what are you doing with him?"I let out a cold, dismissive laugh. "Julian, I’m divorcing you. We have nothing to do with each other anymore. If I want to hang out with friends, I will. If I want to go out and have fun, I will. What right do you have to control me?"His face darkened with rage. He stepped forward like he was about to drag me away.Bu
Something stirred inside me, and for a moment, I forgot to push him away.“Hurry up, play your hand!”The guys who had just lost were already urging me to make a move.I hesitantly placed a card down—the Queen of Spades.Trey smirked. “Not bad. Playing the Queen—might just turn things in your favor.”With a cigarette between his lips, he leaned over again, casually adjusting the cards in my hand.The truth was, I did know how to play poker—at least in theory. I had spent enough time as a child watching my mother and her socialite friends play at fancy cocktail parties.But watching and playing were two very different things.At first, I was stiff, unsure of the strategy. Then, as the game went on, I started picking up the rhythm.And then… I won.I stared down at my hand in disbelief, double-checking my cards. I glanced at Trey for confirmation.Just then, he flicked away his cigarette and leaned back with a lazy grin.“Straight flush. Damn, you actually won. Alright, pay up, boys!”
A strange shiver ran through me, and I quickly averted my gaze.Trey seemed to catch onto my thoughts. He smirked, deliberately exhaling a puff of smoke in my direction before turning to the others. “Alright, let’s play a few rounds.”I shot Dolly a pleading look, but she only shrugged helplessly.The game began. Trey’s long fingers toyed with the custom poker cards, his every movement exuding an effortless sense of wealth and refinement.“Three rounds.”He casually discarded a card, then leaned back, eyes half-lidded as he took a slow drag from his cigarette.“Hah! Gotcha! I win!” one of the guys across the table cheered, rubbing his hands together excitedly.Trey rolled his eyes, laughing. “That’s all it takes to get you excited? Fine, take it.”The game moved on—counting cards, reshuffling the deck. I watched as Trey casually tossed a thick stack of cash onto the table.My brows furrowed and thought, “They’re playing for that much?”He glanced at me. “Starting to get it?”I shook
I took in the massive VIP suite, realizing just how absurdly large it was.Scattered around the plush sofas were more young men—clearly heirs to wealthy families, each accompanied by stunning women.And these weren’t just any women. Every single one of them had the kind of looks that could make them instant social media influencers. They knew how to dress, and they weren’t shy about showing off.That was when it clicked—so this was why the server gave Dolly and me such a weird look earlier.I was in a simple, modest white cotton dress. Dolly was in a tracksuit and sneakers.Our attires were high-quality from designer brands, but compared to these women, we might as well have walked in from an entirely different world.Dolly tugged at my sleeve, frowning. “Who is this? Do you recognize him?”I pointed to the man sitting in the very center—the most striking, effortlessly handsome one in the room. “He’s Trey Wynn. So, it’s him.”Right on cue, Trey spotted us. He lifted his glass and s
I said, “He did buy me a lot of jewelry, designer bags, clothes, and other things. Those are worth quite a bit.”James adjusted his glasses. “Those are considered gifts. The court won’t allow you to reclaim them. “But Chloe Clarke, on the other hand, is in trouble. The transfer records and expensive gifts she herself exposed can all be compiled as assets to recover.”I was momentarily stunned.Dolly burst out laughing. “Amazing! This scheming, gold-digging snake clearly never bothered to read the latest civil laws! Everything she got falls under marital assets.”Realization hit me. “So not only can I get back the money I invested in Moore Group, but I can also claim a significant portion of Julian’s wealth and leave Chloe with nothing?”Dolly grinned. “Ding ding ding! You got it.”Then she turned to James. “Mr. Howe, make sure you collect every piece of evidence. Let’s ruin Julian Moore.”James smiled knowingly. “Bankrupting him might be a stretch—Julian has built a strong foundation
He pulled an A4 sheet from his briefcase, a photocopy of an official document.I immediately spotted my signature, along with the statement detailing the purpose of the transferred funds. In my own handwriting, I had written: Investment as a partner in Moore Group’s Expansion project.A long breath of relief escaped me.James smiled. “It’s all clearly stated, and there’s also a record of your transfer into Moore Group’s corporate account. There’s no way they can deny this.”“Thank you, Mr. Howe,” I said sincerely.He waved it off with ease. “No need to thank me. You should be thanking the financial regulations in place. “If you had transferred the money directly to Julian’s personal account instead, it could’ve been classified as a gift.”At that, the entire legal team seemed to relax considerably.Then James turned to me with a serious expression. “Miss White, have you truly lost your memory?”I nodded.He grew even more solemn. “You cannot let Julian know about this. If he finds ou
She stared at me for a long moment before urging, “Hurry up! He’s probably online right now.”“How do I contact him?” I asked.Dolly rolled her eyes. “Go to your account and message him.”I hesitated. “I forgot my login credentials.”With an exasperated sigh, Dolly helped me set up a new account.After what felt like forever, I finally managed to log in.I sent a message: "Hello, I’m Evelyn White, Julian Moore’s wife. Can I have your contact information? I need to ask you about something."A few minutes later, I got a reply: "Sure."I waited a moment before another message appeared.It was a username notification.I quickly added the contact.His profile picture was an anime-style illustration of a smirking, devilish-looking man. Something about the eyes looked oddly familiar.I typed, "Hello, may I ask where you got the photos you posted?"The chat showed he was typing.After a long pause, his response finally came through, "Someone sent them to me."I followed up immediately, "Would