All Chapters of The Night Before I Knew Him: Chapter 171 - Chapter 176

JuneMy fist tightens at my side as I watch Hermes’s eyelids flutter open, slow, uncertain. My chest tightens. This is it. Game time.I glance at Ted. He gives me a subtle nod, then stands beside me, his hands hovering over my waist like a protective shield—or maybe a calming pill. I swallow hard, trying not to betray the storm of panic inside me."Huh—" Hermes mutters, his voice rough and disoriented. "Where am I?"My stomach knots. His brain has clearly done a full reset. All the memories I worked so hard to tease back… gone. And somehow, it feels like it’s my fault.Ted steps forward, firm but gentle. "Hey, buddy," he says, leaving my side and moving toward Hermes’s bed. His voice is calm, reassuring."Ted… what happened?" Hermes struggles to sit up, confusion and exhaustion written on his face.I feel a tear slip, unbidden, and quickly swipe it away before he can see. My chest aches. How did it get this bad? He’s worse than I feared. Completely reset. I should have paced myself. I

JuneSong recommendation: Heaven- GalleuxA line of tears slips down my cheek as I slowly shut my eyes.A tear of relief—something I never thought I’d feel. He remembers me.Not as everything I once was to him, but as this version. His office secret affair.At least he remembers."Can I kiss you again?" he asks, voice trembling with something both familiar and foreign.I can’t answer. I just stand there—frozen—until his lips brush mine.His lips touch mine like a memory breaking through water—soft at first, almost hesitant, as if he’s afraid one wrong move will make me disappear again.My breath catches.Because this isn’t the kiss of a stranger.It’s the kiss of a man who once knew exactly how I tasted.Hermes leans in slowly, his fingers brushing the side of my jaw, and even that tiny touch sends a shiver racing down my spine. His hand feels warm… and my body has been waiting for it, even while my mind kept screaming at me to keep my act up. The distance between us dissolves.His n

June My eyes widen the moment I hear Hermes speak.The words echo inside me like a bell struck too hard.After our one-night stand.The one-night stand.He remembers the beginning.He remembers how we met.Excitedly, I shoot to my feet, ignoring the ache in my wrist—the same wrist I bruised when I accidentally slammed it against Hermes’s room window earlier."Hermes, what did you just say?" I ask, chest heaving. It’s too good to be true. It’s working. Our plan is actually working. He’s remembering.Hermes inhales sharply. "What? He doesn’t know about our one-night stand? I’m pretty sure he knows. I must have told him." He shrugs, looking almost guilty.I grin, eyes creasing as I grab his hands. "What do you remember again? Tell me more," I urge, nodding eagerly.Hermes looks taken aback, shifting away slightly. "Uh—I found out you were my secretary and—and… I acted like I didn’t know you. That’s why you’re with him, right? Is this revenge?"My smile slowly drops.He doesn’t remember