10
3 Feb
<
For a long moment, Liam wrapped his arms around my waist, his large hand gently resting on my lower abdomen. He let out a soft sigh.
“Did it hurt?”
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He was asking about the miscarriage.
My eyes reddened. “Yes, it hurt.”
Liam rested his chin on top of my head, his movements slow and comforting.
“Then we won’t have kids,” he said softly.
That was… quite the leap.
The air suddenly felt stifling, and I pushed him away.
But Liam caught my hand and pressed it against his chest, his heartbeat steady beneath my fingertips. He looked straight into my eyes, his voice serious.
“That’s all in the past. I don’t care about any of it. All I care about is you… and how much I want to protect you.”
I opened my mouth, wanting to say something, but my phone rang, breaking the moment.
It was my brother.
As soon as I answered, his exasperated, angry voice practically exploded from the other end.
“Annie, you need to get back here right now. That bastard Ethan showed up, and I swear I’m about to beat him to death. But he still won’t leave–he’s demanding to see you.”
I looked up and met Liam’s icy gaze.
He squeezed my hand reassuringly.
“I’ll go with you.”
When we arrived, Ethan was kneeling
brother’s leg like his life depended on it. Blood dripped down his forehead.
My brother, meanwhile, had one hand gripping Ethan’s collar and the other raised, ready to throw another punch.
I rushed forward, stepping between them.
“Ben, stop! You’re going to kill him!”
The moment Ethan saw me, his face lit up with relief. He scrambled to his feet and grabbed my hand.
“Annie! I remember now!” he exclaimed, his voice shaking.
“I remember everything about us, all those years we were together! The truth is, I’ve always loved you. I just… I just mixed you up with Natalie. That’s the only reason I-”
Slap!
I cut him off with a hard slap across the face.
Even now, he was still lying.
“Stop pretending! Do you really think I don’t know you faked your amnesia? Ethan, I used to like you because I thought you were kind and honorable.”
“But now I see you for what you really are–a manipulative coward who tramples on other people’s feelings. You disgust me.”
Ethan’s face went pale, and he shook his head frantically.
“No, Annie, it’s not like that! I really did lose my memory! The doctor said it happened because I loved you so much that after the car accident, I-”
“Oh, shut up.”
I pulled out my phone and opened a saved recording.
<
10:00 Mon, 3 Feb M
Ethan’s voice and his friends‘ mocking laughter filled the air.
“Man, Ethan, that fake amnesia trick was genius. You dodged all responsibility for Annie
and got to be with your first love.”
“Seriously, though, her brother’s sister? She’s so clingy–she basically waited on you hand and foot after the accident. She didn’t even realize you were faking it!”
“Ha! I was sure she’d give up eventually, but nope. That girl just doesn’t know when to quit. She’s been stuck to you like glue since you were kids.”
Ethan’s face turned bright red. His lips moved, but no sound came out.
“You son of a b****!” My brother couldn’t hold back any longer and slammed his fist into
Ethan’s face.
The impact was so strong that Ethan spat out a tooth, blood dripping from his mouth.
“What did our family ever do to deserve this?!” Ben shouted, his voice strained with
anger. “We treated you like family! Annie lived in your house, and we sent your company
millions in contracts, and this is how you repay her?!”
Ethan stumbled but still lunged forward, clutching my leg like a drowning man grabbing
onto a lifeline.
“It’s all my fault, Annie. I was so stupid back then–I thought I loved Natalie, but I was wrong. I didn’t realize it until you left. You’re the only one I’ve ever loved!”
“Ever since you left, I haven’t slept or eaten. Every time I close my eyes, all I see is you. I
can’t imagine my life without you in it.”
“Please, Annie, just give me another chance! I was blind, I was an idiot, and I didn’t even
realize you were pregnant. It’s my fault–I’m the one who hurt you and our baby!”
I shook with rage, my entire body trembling. I raised my hand and slapped him again,
harder this time.
“How dare you bring up the baby?!”
10:00 on 3 Feb M
<
12
“What baby?!”
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Ben whipped his head around to look at me, his face full of disbelief.
Then, as realization dawned, he cursed loudly and kicked Ethan square in the chest.
“You bastard! I’m gonna kill you today! We raised Annie like a princess, and this is how
you treat her?!”
Punch after punch landed on Ethan’s face, each one harder than the last.
I tried to step in and stop it, but before I could, Liam gently held me back by the arm.
“Don’t worry,” he whispered softly in my ear. “Your brother knows his limits.”
How could I not worry?!
At this rate, Ethan wouldn’t have any teeth left!
Seeing the determination in my eyes, Liam sighed and reluctantly walked over to intervene, half–heartedly pulling Ben back.
“All right, that’s enough… Let’s not make a scene and scare Annie.”
Hearing that, Ben finally let go and stood up, positioning himself protectively in front of
- me.
“Annie’s getting married. Get lost, Ethan. If you dare show up here again, I’ll have someone break your legs!”
Ethan struggled to get up, swaying unsteadily as he tried to stand.
“That’s impossible. Annie loves me. There’s no way she’s marrying someone else!”
Liam slid his arm around my waist and pulled me closer.
As if to drive the point home, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to my cheek.
<
10:00 Mon, 3 Feb
“Who said she loves you?” he said with a smirk. “It’s obvious she loves me.”
“Isn’t that right, sweetheart?”
I didn’t answer, but the way I intertwined my fingers with Liam’s said everything Ethan
needed to know.
Blood dripped from the corner of Ethan’s mouth as he stared at me, his eyes filled with a mix of disbelief and desperation.
“Annie,” he rasped, “I know this is just your way of punishing me. But that’s okay. I’ll wait for you to break off this engagement.”
I let out a cold laugh.
“Punish you? Ethan, you’re delusional. I stopped loving you a long time ago. There’s nothing left to punish.”
“Liam and I are getting married soon. You’re welcome to come to the wedding.”
“And if you’re feeling generous, you could even be the best man. You could hand us the rings.”
Of course, I didn’t mean a word of it. I only said it to humiliate him.
With that, I hooked my arm through Liam’s and walked back toward the house.
Ethan tried to follow, but Ben kicked his leg out from under him, sending him sprawling to the ground.
All he could do was lie there, crying out my name over and over until someone finally came to drag him away.
Back inside, Ben’s eyes were red as he stared at me for a long moment.
Then he pulled me into a hug and let out a heavy sigh.
“I’m so sorry, Annie. I had no idea you’d been through so much.”
10:00 Kon, 3 Feb M
<
He turned to Liam, his expression hardening.
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“You saw what just happened. If you ever hurt her, I’ll go after you even harder than I did
him.”
Liam shook his head, looking down at our clasped hands with a small, resigned smile.
Ben followed his gaze, his brow furrowing.
“How are you two moving so fast?”
Liam grinned, his tone teasing. “When love strikes, there’s no stopping it.”
“Get out of here,” Ben muttered, punching Liam lightly on the shoulder.
Liam immediately turned to me, feigning hurt. “Babe, your brother hit me.”
Fed up with their childish antics, I turned and headed for the stairs.
“Don’t go upstairs,” Liam called after me, grabbing my hand. “Come with me to try on your wedding dress.”
“Wedding dress? I’ve only been back a day!”
It wasn’t until we arrived that I realized just how long Liam had been preparing for this moment.
The bridal shop was completely empty–reserved just for me.
Every single dress in the store had been custom–made, designed specifically for me.
“Mr. White has been designing a new dress every couple of months,” the shop assistant explained as she helped me into one of the gowns. “Each one is handmade, tailored to your measurements. The gemstones on this dress were bought at auction and hand–set by Mr. White himself.”
I looked up and met Liam’s gaze, his eyes soft and brimming with affection.
1
10:00 Kn 3 Feb ON
“Annie, you look stunning,” he said, his voice full of warmth.
Some people need years to fall in love.
And some only need a single moment.
I think, for the first time, I had found someone whose entire world revolved around me.
13
Liam and I had the most extravagant wedding imaginable.
Because I’m allergic to pollen, every single flower at the venue was crafted from gold and gemstones, dazzling under the lights.
We exchanged rings and vowed to stay by each other’s side for the rest of our lives.
As the lights flickered and the music played, my eyes drifted to a comer of the room.
There he was—Ethan.
He sat in a wheelchair, tears streaming down his face, his expression a mixture of regret and bitterness. Surrounding him were Liam’s men, stationed there to keep him in check
I’d heard rumors. After Ethan returned home, Natalie, unable to cope with the loss of the baby, had tried to run him over in her car. She failed to kill him but left him paralyzed from
the waist down.
Leaning toward Liam, I whispered, “What bad luck. I was joking when I said he should
come—I didn’t actually mean it!”
Liam smirked, his grin full of mischief. “I wanted him to see how happy you are with me. He doesn’t deserve you, and now he’s lost the best woman in the world.”
After the ceremony, Liam and I made our way around the room, toesting the guests.
But every time someone handed me a glass of wine, Liam would switch it out for juice.
* “Just a little sip won’t hurt,” I protested quietly.
10:00 on 3 Feb M
<
༥ ཛཱ་ 36%–
He leaned in close, his hand resting on my waist as he murmured, “We’re trying for a baby. No alcohol.”
My cheeks flushed red.
This shameless man! Who said I’d agreed to have a baby this soon?
As we passed by Ethan, he called out to me, his voice hoarse.
“Annie… Are you really happy with him?”
I stopped in my tracks, staring at him as if he were a stranger.
“Who are you? I think I’ve lost my memory.”
Turning to Liam, I asked innocently, “Honey, do you know who this is? I don’t recognize him. What’s he doing at our wedding?”
Liam played along, his lips curling into an amused smile.
“I have no idea. Should we have him thrown out?”
I nodded, watching as Ethan, wheelchair and all, was dragged out of the venue and dumped on the street.
I never saw him again after that.
Rumor had it that Ethan fell into complete ruin. He stopped managing his company and spent his days drowning in alcohol. With the heir of the Dawson Group neglecting his
duties, rival companies quickly joined forces to crush them. Within months, the Dawson
Group’s stock plummeted, and the company declared bankruptcy.
I sent money to Ethan’s mother–enough to thank her for the genuine care she’d shown
me during my years at their home. Beyond that, I cut all ties with their family.
Another spring arrived.
I leaned against the window, a book of poetry in my hands.
“Honey,” I called, “what do you think we should name the baby?”
Liam came over, wrapping his arms around me and resting his hands on my growing belly.
“If it’s a boy, let’s name him Mason. If it’s a girl, how about Grace?”
I couldn’t help but laugh. Reaching up, I pinched his cheek playfully.
“Okay,” I said with a smile.
