Chapter 2

Back home,

I ripped open the liquor cabinet and, not caring what it was, just tilted the bottle back and chugged.

In a daze, I thought I saw Hugh’s silhouette.

I looked at him, my eyes welling with tears, and reached out, wrapping my arms around him.

It wasn't a dream.

Hugh was truly in my embrace.

He froze, not pushing me away immediately.

As if a subconscious whisper, he softly called my name.

“Chloe…”

I stiffened, snapping my head up to look at him.

But before I could even process it, a powerful shove sent me sprawling to the floor.

Seraphina sashayed in front of Hugh, hip-first, shielding him, her voice laced with mockery.

“Chloe, have you no shame? Mr. Thorne is my boyfriend now.”

Her words nailed me to the spot.

I stared at Hugh, disbelief twisting my gut.

The fleeting warmth was gone, replaced by a cold, hard glare. He ordered,

“Why are you in my house?! Pack your things and get out, now!”

His bodyguards grabbed me the moment he finished speaking.

Then, they ransacked the home I’d lovingly decorated for us, utterly destroying our marital haven.

Vases shattered.

Desserts were flung across the room.

Our matching couple’s items were all tossed into the trash bin.

I bit down hard on my lip, refusing to let the tears fall.

“Hugh, you can do whatever you want to me once your memory returns. But right now, you can’t do this.”

He sneered at my words.

“The fact that I forgot you proves you were never important to me. What else is there to explain?”

That one sentence sealed my fate.

I was thrown out, luggage and all.

My stomach throbbed with a dull ache. I curled up on the ground, drenched in a cold sweat.

Hugh never used to let me drink.

Because my stomach was sensitive.

He’d taken such good care of me that I’d forgotten I even had this issue.

But I really didn’t want to be sober!

Unbeknownst to me, a heavy rain began to fall.

I lay on the ground, dizzy and disoriented, when I felt something licking my hand.

I struggled to open my eyes.

It was Buddy, my little golden retriever.

He was soaking wet, his eyes filled with worry.

I managed a weak smile.

I lifted my hand, intending to pet him.

Just then, a van screeched to a halt nearby.

Several men rushed out, carrying nets and ropes.

Without a word, they tied Buddy up and dragged him towards the vehicle.

Buddy growled, a low, threatening sound, but he was no match for several grown men.

Ignoring the searing pain in my body, I scrambled to my feet to stop them.

But I was kicked aside.

I lay on the ground, watching Hugh observe everything from a distance, cold and unmoving. I didn't care about anything else.

I crawled desperately over to him, grabbing his pant leg, pleading.

“No… Please, help me get Buddy back, please…”

But his eyes merely flickered.

A fleeting hint of compassion, gone in an instant.

He remained utterly indifferent.

I lay on the ground.

Watching Buddy being loaded into the van.

The man in charge, grinning, pulled out a twenty-dollar bill and handed it to Seraphina, who stood under an umbrella.

Then, the van sped away.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I lunged at Seraphina, screaming,

“How dare you sell my dog?! Give me back Buddy! Give him back!”

I was sobbing uncontrollably, gasping for air.

Seraphina looked down at me, triumphant. She leaned closer, her voice a low whisper meant only for us.

“You always said I copied you, didn't you? Well, now I’ve replaced you. How does that feel?”

She finished, ignoring my pale, devastated face, and wrapped her arms around Hugh’s arm, pouting sweetly.

“It’s raining so hard, let’s go home.”

Hugh affectionately brushed her nose, scooped her up into his arms, and walked away without a backward glance.

I was left alone, helpless and broken, kneeling in the pouring rain. The sound of the rain swallowed my cries.

Eventually, exhausted from crying, I lost consciousness and collapsed in the downpour.