Chapter 1

In the third year after Liam Hayes lost his memory, I finally agreed to a divorce.

After his memory loss, he was forever trapped in the suffocating humidity of that particular spring when he was seventeen. Back then, his heart belonged to Chloe Miller, the good girl.

And I? I was his sworn enemy, the one who always made him frown.

Until the three-year survival period for my heart failure ran out. I stood before the ruins of that old house, damaged in the earthquake all those years ago, and it hit me.

My Liam, the one I truly loved, might have died in that earthquake years ago.

I had loved the wrong person.

“Mr. Hayes, happy divorce!”

“If you don’t agree to the amicable divorce, there’s nothing more to discuss. We’ll just have to meet in court!”

His face remained stiff, as usual. He reached out, trying to snatch the divorce papers off the table.

I smiled, doing something totally out of character, and pushed the papers back to him.

“Already signed.”

Liam froze.

He looked at me with a disbelief that was almost comical.

“What?”

“I said, the divorce agreement is already signed. This is the property division statement. Take a look, any objections?”

Liam took the divorce papers, half-believing, half-doubting. My delicate handwriting was indeed inked at the bottom. He flipped through the property division statement, then looked up at me.

“You only want that old villa?”

“That house was practically condemned after the big earthquake three years ago. It’s unlivable, doesn’t even have a property deed!”

Maybe, in the past, if Liam had said that, I would have been furious, stomping my feet.

I would have stubbornly argued with him.

*That’s not condemned. That’s our wedding home, the one we bought together. You just don’t remember.*

But now, I just smiled peacefully at him.

“Is that so? Doesn’t matter. Just leave it to me.”

“If you have no objections, sign it, and we can head to the County Clerk’s Office.”

Liam across from me fell silent for a moment, then abruptly stood up and walked out. He moved fast, not even pausing to listen to me speak, as if he were running away.

“I have an urgent matter. Let’s talk later.”

I watched his retreating back, feeling a strange sense of detachment.

I shook my head with a bitter smile. Still the same as always, couldn't even tell a convincing lie. His phone screen didn't even light up, and he couldn't even look me in the eye before claiming he had something urgent.

Outside, the sky was draped in endless dreary clouds. It looked like another typical downpour of the rainy season.

Still, I wanted to go out. I had my driver take me to the mall.

I needed to pick up my wedding dress.

“Miss Blackwood, your wedding dress has been fully restored. Would you like to try it on?”

I ran my hand over the soft fabric. The stitching was perfect. You couldn’t see a single trace of the damage it had sustained when the house collapsed.

This was the dress Liam had picked out himself, right before the earthquake.

*“I had it custom-made. Do you like it?”*

*“I knew you’d love this style. You’ve always loved wearing spaghetti straps since college.”*

*“That’s why back then, I hated it when you’d bug me to tutor you in advanced math. The humid spring was hot and stuffy, and you’d always be walking around in front of me in those little tank tops. Your skin was so fair it practically glowed, and it drove me crazy.”*

…

Suddenly, a tear splashed onto the back of my hand. Then, tears flowed like an unending rain.

I choked back a sob.

“I won’t be needing it.”

“Please pack it up for me and mail it to this address.”

As I was about to leave, I didn't expect to run into Liam and Chloe.

Chloe was trying on a wedding dress.

Liam looked distracted, sitting on a nearby sofa, frowning at his phone screen. But whenever Chloe turned to speak, he would always respond gently with a word or two.

I had no intention of disturbing their happiness. I lifted my foot, ready to leave.

But Chloe suddenly called out to me.

She clutched the wedding dress, looking a little nervous.

“Riley!”