Chapter 11

Even on the eighth and ninth days, the reports remained the same.It was not until the very moment Yarden was about to leave for the country house that the servants came rushing to him in a panic.“Mrs. Stone has run away!”All the little details that he had ignored before suddenly came together. A terrifying possibility took shape in his mind.There was no way Lily would lie about the date of her death in her farewell letter. She had no reason to do that.Why had those servants dared to lie to him? Why had they come up with such a ridiculous excuse about her escape?Yarden shot to his feet. His eyes were bloodshot and dark.“Get the car ready. We’re going to the country house. Don’t alert anyone.”He gripped the beaded bracelet and the letter so tightly that his knuckles turned white.“I want to see her alive. If she’s dead, I want to see her body.”Yarden’s car came to a quiet stop outside the country house.He stumbled out of the car. Before he could steady himself, he he

Chapter 12

On the way to the cemetery, a heavy rain came down and soaked Yarden through.He did not bother with an umbrella and let the rainwater run down his pale face.He could not tell whether the water on his lips was rain or blood from his mouth.All he could taste was the bitter, metallic taste of blood.He walked too fast, and the muddy ground was slippery. He slipped and fell hard into the mud in front of the grave.His suit was covered in dirt. He looked utterly miserable, but none of the bodyguards behind him dared to laugh.Yarden hunched over. His face was pale and hollow. He looked like an empty shell of himself.Suddenly, he remembered the first time he met Lily many years ago. It had also been a rainy night.His leg was broken, and he had been dumped at the entrance of an alley like a stray dog.His fingernails were split, and blood and mud covered his hands.He had thought his whole world had collapsed. There was no way his life could ever turn around.When he finally c

Chapter 13

During the days Yarden was unconscious, he was trapped in a long, endless dream.He dreamed of early spring. Lily thought the sandalwood-scented candle in his study was too strong, so she secretly replaced it with a citrus scent she had made herself.When he pretended to be angry and went after her, she laughed and dodged him. The hem of her dress brushed against the desk and knocked over half a cup of tea.The tea spilled across the papers. She dipped her finger into it and drew a crooked butterfly on the back of his hand. She looked up at him with a bright, happy smile.“That way, you’ll take me with you wherever you go.”He dreamed of a winter night. She hated the cold, so she tucked her feet into his arms.He had frowned and scolded her, but he held her cold feet against his chest and rubbed each of her red toes.She was half asleep in his arms. Her voice was soft and drowsy.“Yarden, your heartbeat is so loud.”He lowered his head and kissed her damp forehead. He let out

Chapter 14

(Lily‘s POV)I took a sip of the fruit wine that was left in my glass. The warmth from the alcohol made my cheeks feel slightly flushed.My coworkers sat around the table, and the mood was lively.“Lily, cheers! Our team landed its biggest deal of the year because of you. We’ll be counting on you to keep leading the way next year!”“That’s our Ms. Watson! No one can match her when it comes to business!”Everyone laughed and clinked their glasses. Warmth shone in my eyes.I had a good year.After I woke up from the long coma, the doctors said I had made a miraculous recovery. The only thing I had lost was several years of my memory.I did not feel sad about it. Instead, I felt like I had finally put down a heavy burden.When I woke up, I was covered in sweat, and tears ran down my face.Even today, I shuddered when I thought about the crushing pain in my chest.Back then, a system appeared in my mind. It asked if I wanted to erase all the memories connected to those missing y

Chapter 15

Before I could say anything, a calm, cold voice cut in.“Let her go.”Yale Harrison stepped in front of me. His suit was immaculate, and his expression was as calm as ever.With ease, he pried Yarden’s fingers off my wrist.He showed no emotion, but he shielded me from Yarden.“Sir, my wife’s already made it clear that she doesn’t know you. Your behavior may constitute harassment and disorderly conduct. If you continue to bother her, I’ll have no problem seeking a restraining order and pursuing legal action against you.”Every word was clear and firm. He had the quiet authority of a lawyer. “Stay away from her.”I stood close behind his broad back. The faint, cool scent of his cologne reached me, and I felt safe.I suddenly recalled how I had first met Yale. It happened a long time ago.It was so long ago that I had no idea he was there, not even during those five years when I was in a coma.After the car accident, I lay in a hospital bed.Everyone said I might never wake up

Chapter 16

Yale took my hand.We turned to leave, but Yarden seemed to lose all the strength in his body. He stumbled toward us.“Lily, I won’t believe it! I don’t believe you’ve forgotten about me completely! After everything we went through, how could you possibly—”I stopped, but I did not turn around. “If something can be forgotten easily, then it was never important to begin with.”With that, I tightened my grip on Yale’s hand and walked away without looking back.Behind us, I heard hurried footsteps and a security guard’s harsh voice.“Sir, you need to leave!”Then, there was a dull thud as Yarden stumbled and fell to the floor when the guards restrained him.I never looked back.But Yarden did not give up.For a long time afterward, he kept appearing in my life.Sometimes, he would wait outside my office with a raspberry cake. His eyes would be teary as he said, “Lily, this is your favorite. I stood in line for three hours to get it.”I looked at the beautifully decorated cake