Chapter 1

It was the fourth year of my marriage to Brandon Hayes when a car accident stole his memory.

Three years later, swayed by Chloe Davis's lies, Brandon personally forced me to terminate our child.

"Riley Maxwell, if you're so determined not to have my children, then none of them will stay!"

Watching the cold, resolute gaze in Brandon's eyes, I finally gave up on our marriage.

But just as I turned to walk away, another accident jolted all his memories back.

It was the seventh year of our marriage when Brandon finally forced me to terminate our child.

All because three years prior, I had miscarried our first child.

"Brandon Hayes, is this what you wanted?"

Pale and weak, I lay on the hospital bed, my eyes vacant as I stared at the ceiling.

"No, Riley Maxwell, this is what *you* wanted."

"Back then, wasn't this the decision *you* made?"

As he spoke, Brandon's eyes began to redden at the corners, but his gaze remained chillingly cold.

He reached out, his fingers brutally clenching my jaw.

"Riley Maxwell, if you're so determined not to have my children, then none of them will stay!"

Brandon's eyes blazed with fury, yet tears welled in their depths.

Staring into his enraged eyes, I parted my lips, but in the end, I uttered not a single word.

What was there to say?

Should I tell him that our first child was lost due to *his* mistake?

But what was done was done. Even if I said it now, what would it change?

I’d hidden the truth back then only because I didn't want him to be too heartbroken. Now, it seemed there was no need for him to know the truth at all.

At this thought, my hand, which had been resting on my lower abdomen, clenched into a tight fist.

Brandon and I were classmates, always swapping between first and second place in our grades.

Through studying together, our connection deepened, and we naturally fell in love.

Not long after graduation, Brandon proposed to me.

For four years, our relationship was solid, our only regret being the absence of a child.

We tried many methods, even three rounds of IVF, but still, I couldn't conceive.

Then, three years ago, I became pregnant by accident!

Brandon was so thrilled, he immediately decided to take me on a trip.

But who knew? On the way, Brandon mistakenly pressed the accelerator instead of the brake.

A car accident. We lost the baby, and Brandon lost his memory.

When he woke up, however, Brandon believed the lies of Chloe Davis, who had always secretly loved him.

She told him I had terminated our child for a dead ex-boyfriend, and that his accident happened because he was too eager to drive me to the clinic.

So he hated me. Hated me so much he wouldn't let me go.

I had wanted to explain, but the words would just get stuck in my throat.

I loved him; how could I bear to hurt him with the truth?

But then, Brandon hurt me, again and again.

I wasn't without thoughts of divorce, but ten years of history – how could it just vanish?

Still, I never imagined Brandon's hatred would drive him to terminate our second child.

The moment I touched my lower abdomen, the last flicker of love I held for Brandon vanished completely.

"Brandon, what's wrong?"

Just then, the hospital room door burst open again, and Chloe rushed in, her face etched with anxiety.

Hearing Chloe's voice, Brandon released my jaw.

He turned to look at Chloe, his eyes softened with tenderness.

"Nothing's wrong, just missed you a little!"

With that, Brandon walked over to Chloe, wrapped his arm around her waist, and playfully tapped her nose.

"Haven't seen you in days, did you miss me too?"

"Brandon..."

Leaning into Brandon's embrace, Chloe's cheeks flushed.

"Oh, right, that necklace I promised you the other day? I’ve already picked it out.

Let's go see if you like it!"

"Okay, thank you, Brandon!"

Chloe then lightly pecked Brandon's lips. But her gaze flickered to me, still lying on the hospital bed, a smirk she couldn't quite hide curving her lips.

Brandon held Chloe tighter, his icy stare meeting my empty eyes.

Without another word, he turned and left the room with Chloe.

Watching Brandon and Chloe walk away, clinging to each other, my tears finally fell.

Perhaps, it was truly time for me to let go.

I pulled out my phone, sent a text to Liam Henderson, then booked a flight to Europe for two weeks later.