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, let me go! It hurts!” “Would you regret it if I died?!” “Julian, don’t leave with Chloe. I love you…” I jolted awake, gasping for air like a fish stranded on dry land. My chest heaved uncontrollably, and my throat felt like it was being torn apart. Opening my eyes with great effort, I was met with the blinding glare of fluorescent lights overhead. The rhythmic beeping of machines nearby further confirmed my suspicion that I was in a hospital room. “She is awake. The doctor said it’s just a head injury and emotional shock. Nothing serious.” A low voice spoke on the phone beside my bed. I slowly pieced together the situation. So, I was sick? A cold, clear voice came through the phone speaker. “As long as it’s nothing serious. I have a video conference to attend, so I won’t be coming over.” The person holding the phone sighed, turned around, and was startled to see me awake. “Mrs. Moore, you’re awake?” I opened my mouth, about to ask a question, but the woman in
After two days of rest in the hospital, Dolly drove me home. I wanted to leave with her, but she quickly locked the car door behind me, letting out a huff. "You’d better stay here. If your memory comes back and you end up crying your heart out and running back to Julian, I don’t want to be the bad guy who stopped you." It was clear from her wary expression that my love-obsessed antics over the years had traumatized her more than a little, leaving her with a massive mental scar. I stood in the driveway, watching her car disappear into the distance. Then, I frowned and stepped into the massive villa. The house was enormous, empty, and unfamiliar. But when I saw the wall covered in rows of wedding photos, I knew I was in the right place. An older woman who looked like a housekeeper approached and took my luggage. “Miss White, Mr. Moore is away on a business trip today and won’t be coming home. You don’t need to wait for him to have dinner.” I nodded and headed upstairs witho
The sound of water from the shower came in spurts as I hurried to change into my clothes. To avoid any "inappropriate" accidents, I chose the most conservative tracksuit I could find. Julian walked out of the bathroom. My face betrayed me, heating up again. He was shirtless, a loose white towel hanging low around his hips. His damp hair clung to his forehead, and droplets of water trickled down his sharply defined jawline, sliding over his chest before disappearing into the chiseled lines of his abs. I stared, mesmerized, until his derisive chuckle snapped me out of it. Embarrassed, I turned my head away. A wave of warmth brushed against my back as he leaned in close, his breath grazing my ear. "Now that you’re back, stop making a fuss. Be good." His tone was almost patronizing, like soothing a child. My chest tightened painfully. Despite everything, this body had the nerve to react, fluttering with that unmistakable feeling of attraction. I stepped away from him, deter
I turned and started upstairs. Seeing Julian act so subservient was almost painful to watch. “Miss White, are you feeling better?” The woman’s soft, gentle voice floated up from below. I stopped, glancing back reluctantly. “Much better.” Before she could say more, Julian cut in. “She’s fine. Just a bump.” I let out a cold laugh. “Julian, you didn’t even bother visiting me in the hospital. How exactly do you know I’m fine?” His expression darkened. “Evelyn, stop making a fuss.” “Making a fuss?” I laughed again, the bitterness seeping through. “I’m simply stating facts. Since when does that count as making a fuss? Or is it that in your eyes, any time I speak up for myself, it’s just me being dramatic?” Disgust swelled in my chest, peaking at that moment. I was certain now that over the past seven lost years, I must have been driven to rage countless times by Julian’s complete indifference and dismissive comments like “fussing,” “acting up,” or “being childish.” No wonde
Upstairs, I heard the sound of the car starting. Unable to resist, I leaned out slightly and caught sight of Julian wrapping his arm protectively around Chloe, guiding her into the car. As if sensing my gaze, Julian suddenly looked up at the second-floor window. Our eyes met. For a moment, he frowned, his lips parting slightly as if he wanted to say something. I stared back at him coldly, unmoved. Julian seemed taken aback, likely not expecting me to remain so quiet. “Julian?” Chloe’s gentle voice called from beside him. Following Julian’s line of sight, she glanced up and noticed my shadow behind the window. “Julian…” Chloe’s voice softened further, laced with a delicate sense of grievance. “If you’d like to stay and be with Miss White, it’s alright. I can manage on my own.” Julian snapped out of his thoughts, quickly masking whatever emotion flickered in his eyes. “It’s nothing. Let’s go.”Chloe tilted her head slightly, casting a glance up toward the window. I s
The next morning, I woke up to find it was already nine o’clock. Stretching my stiff neck, I got up, freshened up, and headed downstairs. The living room was empty, but someone was sitting in the dining room having breakfast. As I approached, I saw that it was Pierse. The moment Pierse noticed me, he let out a disdainful snort and turned his head away, refusing to look at me. My gaze dimmed slightly, but I ignored him and went to the kitchen to find something to eat. The kitchen offered slim pickings—some cold oatmeal and a few stale slices of toast. Frowning, I opened the fridge, grabbed some milk to heat up, and fried two eggs for myself. When I carried my simple breakfast out of the kitchen, Pierse looked at me as though he’d just seen a ghost in broad daylight. I frowned. “Why are you looking at me like that? Did I forget to wash my face?” Pierse pointed at the food in my hands, his tone incredulous. “You can cook?” His questioning tone rubbed me the wrong way.
Dolly finally believed me. She looked at me with concern etched into her face. "Eve, you… never mind. It’s good that you’ve woken up. You’ve suffered too much for Julian these past seven years." I fell silent. Unrequited love represented one of the most profound and cruel forms of emotional pain.That pain unbalanced me, and the imbalance drove me to madness. The once-proud Evelyn White had never known failure, except for that catastrophic defeat at eighteen. I didn’t know what the version of me from eighteen to twenty-five had gone through, but it didn’t take much imagination to guess it hadn’t been good. I slowly said, "Dolly, help me. I want to return to the White family." Dolly sighed and shook her head. "That won’t be easy… You haven’t contacted them in five years." She hesitated, and I caught the flash of pity in her eyes. I lowered my gaze, my chest aching with a dull, sour heaviness. This body was grieving. And why wouldn’t it be? That was my family—my close
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
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
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
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
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
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
The silence stretched so long that I wondered if Julian had muted the call. Just as I was about to hang up, his voice returned. "Evelyn, it’s a misunderstanding. Today was Chloe’s birthday. I only had dinner with her to celebrate and gave her a gift I promised her a long time ago. I really…" I smiled faintly. I was sure my voice carried a light, almost casual tone when I replied, "Mr. Moore, thank you for making it abundantly clear that in this marriage, I’ve been nothing more than a complete fool. That excuse of yours—sounds like you’ve perfected it by now, haven’t you?" "It’s all a misunderstanding. It’s nothing. You’re overthinking. Don’t make a scene. Don’t act crazy. Ha... ha..."My voice dropped to a softer, colder tone. "Mr. Moore, I sincerely wish you and Miss Clarke a wonderful dinner tonight. And I hope you’ll be there to celebrate her birthday every year from now on." I ended the call and promptly blocked his number, feeling the peace settle over me once more. Pi
How could I not be angry? Even if there was no love left between Julian and me, the fact remained that he was still my husband. Yet here he was, dating another woman, showering her with flowers and a diamond ring before our divorce was even finalized. Any woman would be furious. I could vividly imagine how, before losing my memory, Chloe’s petty games had beaten me down time and time again, leaving me utterly defeated. I told Dolly, "Of course I’m angry. But getting angry only plays right into her hands. Don’t let it get to you either. Let’s just sit back and watch them dig their own grave." Dolly was silent for a while before finally saying, "Eve, my heart aches for you." Her voice quivered. "You’re so good, so kind—why can’t Julian love you? It just makes me so mad. And I’m even angrier that everyone seems blind to Chloe’s manipulative schemes." I didn’t respond, sinking into silence. Dolly kept ranting on the other end, but I felt an unusual sense of calm wash over me.
I said, "I want a divorce. Julian, if you’re truly a man, let’s end this amicably."Looking directly into his eyes, I continued, "I was young and naive before. I made mistakes. Julian, let’s set each other free."With that, I turned and left the hospital with Joseph by my side.As the elevator doors slowly closed, I caught one last glimpse of Julian’s tall, solitary figure standing in the hallway.Lowering my gaze, I refused to look at him again.I couldn’t quite describe how I felt. Relief, perhaps?At eighteen, Evelyn White had been proud and radiant, but she had loved the wrong person, clipping her own brilliant wings.At twenty-five, she was still young enough to start over.But this time, she wouldn’t fall so easily into the trap of love.I returned to the Wynn estate.Joseph continued administering the IV drip and making sure I took my medication.I complied obediently. Before leaving, he turned to me and said earnestly, "Miss White, everything will be okay."A bit surprised, I a