Chapter 3

I shouted Jesse’s name again, louder this time.

But the washroom was quieter than it had ever been before.

My blood ran cold.

I instinctively grabbed the handle and rushed inside.

Jesse was standing perfectly fine by the sink. He was drying his hands.

He was startled by my sudden entrance! His eyes went wide.

I drew in a sharp breath and complained, “Why’d you turn off the light to dry your hands? You know that scares me—”

Before I could finish, he asked, “Who are you? How did you get into my girlfriend’s house?”

When I noticed that he was looking at me as if I were a stranger, my heart dropped.

“This is my house! I’m your girlfriend!”

As I was still trying to figure out how to explain, Jesse’s expression darkened.

He grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the door.

“I don’t know who you are, but you need to get out now, or else I’m calling the police!”

I shook my head frantically, but he was already pulling out his phone to dial 911.

As we struggled, the sound of a key turning in the lock suddenly came from outside the door.

The next second, my parents and Stella walked in. They were carrying several shopping bags.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I got emotional.

Without hesitation, I shouted, “Where have you been? Why didn’t you tell me?”

They stopped in their tracks and exchanged bewildered glances.

Just like Jesse, they looked at me with utter unfamiliarity.

“Jesse, who is this? How did she get into our house?”

Jesse scrambled to explain himself.

“Mr. and Mrs. Larson, I swear I don’t know her!

“She just showed up after I got out of the washroom. Is she a burglar?”

When they heard his words, everyone’s faces twisted with disgust.

“On New Year, of all days! What terrible luck!

“Get out of here right now, or you’ll regret it!” my mother scolded me.

My father was already on the phone, yelling at the building security.

“Some random person just broke into my house. Are you even doing your jobs?!

“Get over here and throw her out!”

I completely fell apart when I saw my family yelling at me with disgust in their tone.

I tried to defend myself by pointing at my bedroom and saying, “If this isn’t my house, then why is my room here?”

My father just screamed back at me.

“You’re insane! What do you mean, your room? That’s our storage room!”

He flung the door open. Inside, it was completely bare except for some scattered clutter.

Refusing to believe it, I pointed to the family portrait on the wall.

At that moment, I noticed that it only showed my parents and Stella!

I was utterly dumbfounded.

I could not help but doubt my own memory.

How could this not be my home?

Then, I suddenly remembered the photos on Jesse’s phone.

“He has our engagement photo on his phone! Check it yourself if you don’t believe me!”

Jesse opened his phone hesitantly.

The moment he saw the photos, he became enraged.

He slapped me across the face and yelled, “How’d you hack into my phone?

“This photo is definitely photoshopped. You don’t look anything like my girlfriend!”

Stella’s expression turned cold as well.

“Why are you impersonating my sister? What do you want?”

I slumped to the floor in despair.

Just then, one of the staff from the management office arrived.

I latched onto him like he was my lifeline.

I had just paid my maintenance fees last week.

He even gave me a bag of potato chips.

“Liam, do you remember me?”

He frowned and pondered for a moment.

“I’m on patrol here every single day. I’ve never seen you before.”

I was utterly devastated.

Jesse’s face darkened.

“Well? What’s your excuse now?”

With that, he and Liam began shoving me and tried to force me out.

In a moment of desperation, I remembered the necklace my grandmother had left me.

I pointed to the necklace around my neck and said to my mother, “Mom, please! I’m Luna. Your daughter!

“If you don’t recognize me, at least you must recognize this necklace!”

My mother’s expression shifted instantly.

She stepped forward, blocking Liam.

“Let her go!”