Chapter 3

No.

I couldn't just sit around and wait for my fate.

The comments said I'd use the baby to make a scene and cling to him desperately.

Then I simply wouldn't.

I needed to find a way to survive.

And I needed to protect this child.

However, once Landon regained his memories, would he still be kind to the woman who had lied to him?

I sat on the edge of the bed, lost in thought, and suddenly remembered the things I'd said to him before.

"You're useless."

"I must've been blind to end up with you."

"You'll never be able to afford a house in your life."

Back then, he'd only fallen silent.

Then he'd worked even harder—taking on more construction jobs and making delivery runs whenever he could.

I pressed a hand against my chest.

It hurt.

That afternoon, I forced myself out to buy groceries and tried learning how to cook.

Landon had always been the one who cooked when he got home from work.

I'd barely set foot in the kitchen.

After two hours of trial and error, I ended up with a tray of burnt roasted vegetables and a soup so oversalted it was practically inedible.

In the end, I gave up and made grilled cheese sandwiches with fried eggs, which barely qualified as dinner.

When Landon came home that evening, he noticed the apartment had been cleaned.

Then his gaze landed on the table—the simple dinner I'd managed to throw together, alongside my two disastrous attempts at cooking.

He froze.

"You made all this?" His voice tightened.

I lowered my head.

"Yeah. Try it."

He picked up his fork and took a bite of the blackened vegetables.

Without changing expression, he swallowed.

"It's good."

My nose stung.

I nearly burst into tears.

He set down his fork and frowned as he looked at my hands.

"Don't do this again. Just wait for me to get home and cook."

I shook my head hard.

"You can't do everything yourself... You're already exhausted from work."

Landon was silent for a few seconds.

Then he suddenly took my hand.

"What happened to you?"

[Landon, don't touch her!]

[Did this woman suddenly gain self-awareness or something? What's with the act?]

[None of this changes the fact that she lied to Landon. Once he gets his memories back, he'll definitely settle the score with her!]

Startled, I yanked my hand away.

"N-Nothing's wrong."

He looked at me.

There was concern in his eyes, along with confusion, and another emotion I couldn't quite name.

I sat there feeling increasingly uneasy, terrified that he'd see through me.

…

Over the next few days, I seemed like a completely different person.

I stopped sleeping until noon and started getting up early to have breakfast with Landon.

After he left for work, I did the laundry. I ruined one of his work shirts, but at least I tried.

I also attempted to learn how to cook, though the results were still questionable at best.

Every time Landon came home, he would silently take whatever I was doing out of my hands and guide me to the couch.

"Sit down. I've got it."

[Who is she trying to fool with this sweet-and-devoted act? Where was all this kindness when she was yelling at and hitting Landon?]

[This is hilarious. Doesn't matter how hard she tries to win him over—Selena is already here.]

[This women's ending is brutal. Just wait and see.]

Every time I saw those comments, it felt like a hand was squeezing my heart.

But every bit better I treated him, the better my chances of surviving.

Even if he didn't want me anymore after getting his memories back, surely he'd remember that I'd been good to him these past few days.

Landon had been acting strange lately, too.

He kept receiving calls from unknown numbers at night.

Every time, he'd step onto the balcony or go outside to answer them, speaking in a voice so low I could barely hear it.

Whenever he came back, his expression was unusually serious.

When I asked who called, he always said it was someone from the construction site.

I didn't believe him.

According to the comments, Selena had already found him.

One night, he went out to the balcony to answer another call.

I quietly followed and listened through the narrow gap in the door.

"...I don't remember anything from before. I have a girlfriend now. Stop contacting me."

Then he hung up.

Afterward, he remained standing on the balcony for a long time.