I was the youngest in my family, but I might as well have been invisible. Ever since I was born, I lived under the crushing shadows of my older siblings. Inferiority, isolation, and mediocrity—those were the words that defined me. The wildest thing I ever did was leverage my family’s power to force Ben Harper, a broke, struggling guy, into an exclusive relationship contract when he was at his absolute lowest. For the next four years, subject to his daily cold shoulder and silent treatment, I finally had to face the facts: he didn't love me. He never would. But I was stubborn just that one time. Even though it was agony, I refused to let go. Until one day, a disease began to eat away at my memories. I started to forget. I forgot the day I first met Ben. Instead, I found myself remembering a young man wearing a hearing aid, looking at me with intense, obsessive eyes, saying, "You have to promise to love me forever. Promise me." Chapter 1 "You’re not wearing your ring today." Ben was at the dining table. He was cold, elegant, and those were the first words he’d spoken all morning. I froze, then glanced down at my own hand. There was a faint, pale mark at the base of my finger from years of wearing that band without fail. But today, the ring was gone. "I must have taken it off to wash the vegetables and forgot to put it back on." I subconsciously tried to twist the ring, but my thumb only met warm, soft skin. I paused, then continued, "I’ll go get it." I started to push my chair back, intending to go to the kitchen. "Forget it. It’s not like it matters." Ben spoke indifferently, keeping his eyes lowered as he continued to eat. I stopped dead in my tracks. His words triggered a rush of memories. I had spent forty-three days designing that matching set myself. And now, it didn't matter? My eyes drifted to his hand. He was wearing a ring, all right. But it was a completely different one. "I’ve fulfilled our arrangement for this month," Ben said suddenly. "Five days, as agreed. I won't be back for the rest of the month. He’ll get angry if I do." I turned my head away, recoiling from his words. "I need to find my ring first," I said stubbornly. He didn't argue. He just sat there, face devoid of emotion, watching me like I was putting on a pathetic, low-rent play. His eyes seemed to say: Are you done yet? I suddenly remembered his reaction years ago, when I had practically done a magic trick to pull these two rings out in front of him. He hadn't been this cold back then. He had tried to act calm, but the tips of his ears were burning red. When I slid the band onto his finger, I could feel his fingertips trembling slightly. Back then, I really believed he loved me too. I thought that was why, out of everyone in high society, he had chosen me—the girl hiding in the shadows. But I found out later it was all a terrible misunderstanding. His love was never meant for me. My shoulders slumped. Suddenly, the whole charade felt utterly meaningless. So, I sat back down in silence and lowered my head to eat my own breakfast. "I’m done." He wolfed down a few more bites, set his fork down with a frustrated clatter, and stood up. "I'm leaving now." "Today isn't over yet," I said softly. "What?" I sighed. "Just keep me company for a little while this afternoon. I have to go to the hospital." Chapter 2 Ever since I threatened him into signing that relationship contract, things between us had gone downhill fast. In the beginning, he would still speak a few sentences to me. But later, he only ever looked at me with exhaustion. Our communication dwindled to almost nothing under his deliberate avoidance. I was the one holding on for dear life, forcing this tiny bit of fate to keep us connected. For a long time now, the thorns of this relationship had grown so deep into my flesh that I couldn't distinguish between my own physical sensations and the emotional pain he inflicted on me. But either way, it proved I was still alive. It had been a long time since I had asked him to stay. He looked genuinely stunned. "What's wrong with you?" he asked. He sat back down at the table, eyeing me with suspicion. "I've been getting these sharp, splitting headaches lately," I said offhandedly. Honestly, that wasn't the worst of it. I was becoming terribly forgetful. I would lose track of things constantly, only for the memory to slam back into me hours later. Sometimes, I forgot what I could and couldn't eat. I’d eat something, then immediately throw it up. It was getting bad enough that I really had to get it checked out. Ben was silent for a moment. Then, he said, "Fine. I’ll go with you this afternoon." "Thank you." I offered him a calm smile. My voice was steady. There was no trace of the hysterical person I used to be. He lowered his eyes and turned his face away. A muffled "Okay" escaped him. The sunlight hit his face just right. He was still agonizingly handsome. "Did you... tell your family about this?" he asked. I shook my head. "There’s nothing to tell." "You know, they actually care about you. Families should be able to get past things." He was using that earnest, lecturing tone again. A small, genuine smile touched his lips. I knew who he was thinking about. When someone thinks about the person they truly love, their eyes light up, and their whole expression softens. He was thinking of Liam, my older brother. Liam was adopted, yet my mother had showered him with all the love she had strictly withheld from me. I watched Ben quietly. For the first time, I didn't argue back. Chapter 3 He drove me to the hospital. I pulled open the passenger door and was about to get in, but Ben stopped me. "Sit in the back." Short and to the point. There was a tiny sticky note on the passenger side dashboard. Written on it was: Liam’s exclusive seat. Ovo. I understood completely. But my face still burned with shame. I was the one Ben was in an arrangement with. But in moments like this, I felt like the "other woman." The intense wave of emotion made my head feel like it was splitting open. It felt as though something was stirring inside my brain, peeling layers away. A cold sweat broke out on my forehead. The world spun violently, and I couldn't keep my balance. Subconsciously, I reached out to grab the edge of the car seat to steady myself. Ben’s expression changed instantly. He slapped my hand away and snapped, "I told you to sit in the back! Are you deaf?!" Without support, I stumbled and nearly fell to the ground. It was only then that Ben realized something was really wrong with me. Instinctively, he stepped forward to help, but he forced himself to stop after two paces. He stood there, keeping his hands to himself. "Are you okay?" he asked coldly. He knew the answer, yet he asked anyway. Back when we were younger, if I so much as scraped my knee, this same man would get terrified and fuss over bandaging me up. Now, he just stood there like a stranger. Time really does change people. I fought through the excruciating pain and shook my head. "I'm fine." I climbed into the back seat, all on my own. I felt something slipping away. I tried desperately to grab hold of that thought, to remember what it was. But I couldn't. Chapter 4 He drove smoothly. He glanced at me in the rearview mirror a few times, mouth opening as if to say something, but he never did. I didn't speak either. I just stared out the window. Suddenly. He pulled the car over halfway to the hospital. "Hey, Liam." Ben’s voice became instantly tender, loud and clear in my ears. "What! Is it serious? How were you that careless?" His voice spiked with panic. "I’m coming right now. Stay right there, don't move—" His eyes landed on me in the mirror, and the words died in his throat. Hesitation and guilt flashed in his eyes. I remained silent. After a moment, I let out a soft sigh. If I’d known, I would have just taken an Uber. Even as I thought that, I didn't move. I just looked at him. I wanted to see if he would actually kick me out of the car. Was it resentment? Bitterness? I honestly couldn't tell anymore. "I’m sorry, Chloe," he said finally. "Something happened with Liam. I have to go to him. You... you need to call a cab. After your checkup, I’ll come pick you up." He must have assumed I would cause a scene because his expression was tense as he turned around. He used a very serious, almost pleading tone to reason with me. I nodded. I didn't say another word. I just got out of the car in silence. He looked stunned. It seemed my easy compliance shocked him. Ben opened his mouth, his eyes shifting nervously, before finally saying, "I promise I’ll pick you up after your appointment." He was giving me his word. My head hurt worse. I couldn't be bothered to deal with him. I lowered my head and opened an app to hail a ride. There wasn't much traffic around here; it might take a while to get a driver. Seeing that I wouldn't speak to him, Ben wanted to say something else, but ultimately decided to remain silent. He started the car and drove away. Chapter 5 A tearing pain woke me up. My eyes snapped open. The chaotic dream I was having was terrifying. I gasped for air, wiping cold sweat from my forehead. "It shouldn't be too serious... try to keep emotions stable..." I heard a doctor speaking nearby. I squinted my eyes toward the doorway. A tall, lean young man was leaning in slightly, listening intently to the doctor’s instructions. He had messy black hair and beautiful dark eyes. He looked very young, like a high school kid. There was a hearing aid behind his ear, so it seemed he had some auditory issues. His clothes were faded from too many washes, but they were spotlessly clean. He looked like someone from a poor background who nonetheless faced life with dignity. And his face... I really liked it. "I understand. Thank you, Doctor." The young man turned his head and locked eyes with me as I studied him. Joy sparked in his eyes, and he quickly walked over to me. "You’re awake!" Oh, right. I remembered now. I had fainted in the middle of the street for some reason. I tried hard to remember why. Nothing came to mind, so I gave up. My last memory before waking up was this young man’s face. It looked like he was the one who had brought me to the hospital. "My hero!" I grabbed his hand in gratitude. He jumped, startled. His pale skin instantly blushed a deep pink in a matter of seconds. Because he was nervous, his cadence changed slightly. "I... was just passing by. Don't be scared. Your bill is paid." "Thank you. My name is Chloe. Let me add you on social media so I can Venmo you back." I said. The guy pursed his lips awkwardly. He tried to gently pull his hand back, but I didn't let go. When he lifted his eyes and saw me staring at him intensely, he immediately lowered his head again. His body was stiff, and his long eyelashes trembled like butterflies. He looked incredibly embarrassed. "Pl-please speak a little slower. I can't quite hear..." He pointed to the hearing aid behind his ear and mumbled, "I’m sorry." He was apologizing to me. That caught me off guard. "It's fine, it's fine." I couldn't help but laugh softly. I shook my head, slowed down my speech significantly, pointed to my phone, and repeated everything I had just said. "Chloe." He repeated my name, pronouncing the syllables carefully. Then he smiled, his eyes crinkling. His voice was cool and pleasant. "My name is Noah Sterling. Don't worry about the money. You... you looked so sad when I found you. I just want you to be happy." Noah was speaking to a total stranger with absolute sincerity. For reasons I didn't understand, a lump formed in my throat. Tears rolled down my face. While Noah panicked, I just sat there, expressionless, crying my eyes out. "It's okay," I whispered. "I’ll be fine in a minute." He didn't speak. He just handed me a tissue. Then, he stayed by my side in silence. Chapter 6 The doctors said it was a physical manifestation of psychological trauma. Because I had suffered a severe emotional shock, my body had activated a defense mechanism. They couldn't say if I would recover my memories, or when. I rested my chin on my hand, listening to them with absolute boredom. I felt perfectly fine. I ran through my memories—aside from a few specific, clear blanks, most of it seemed normal. It was obvious that the missing pieces wouldn't affect my ability to speak or function. I glanced at Noah. He was listening intensely to the doctor, even taking notes on a small pad he carried. "I’ve got to say, son," the doctor teased with a smile, "your boyfriend cares more about your body than you do." I lowered my head, feeling guilty. Noah said embarrassedly, "She... Chloe is... precious. Cute. I’ll remember for her." Me: "..." Even though my memory was a bit spotty. My actual height was hardwired into my DNA. I was 6'0". I wasn't a bodybuilder by any means, and I was shorter than Noah, sure. But "cute"? I don't think I quite fit that description. The doctor understood and dropped the subject. ... They prescribed some meds, and once they confirmed my vitals were fine, I was discharged. "Are... are you going home?" Noah and I walked out of the hospital together. I nodded, then pulled out my phone to search for hotels nearby. "Yeah, eventually. I don't remember where I live." I didn't want to go to my parents' house. My subconscious told me that if I went back there, I’d face constant triggers. Spending a week there would probably result in my brain rebooting to a toddler’s level. "Let me add your contact info so I can pay you back," I said. It was about sixty bucks. I wasn't about to stiff a nice guy like him. Noah pursed his lips stubbornly and started walking ahead with his head down. "I have to pay you back," I insisted. He was tall with long legs, and within a few steps, he had left me behind. I quickly hurried forward and grabbed the edge of his jacket. "Noah!" He stopped. When Noah looked down at me, his eyelashes were lowered pitifully, making him look exactly like a large dog getting scolded. I rubbed my temples in frustration. "First things first, I'm paying you back." He pointed to his ear, looking utterly blank. I looked at his ear. Well, look at that. He wasn't wearing his hearing aid. He had manually turned off his receivers. "I can't hear you," Noah said righteously. Me: "..." "Chloe." A voice that was both familiar and strange sounded right next to me. I frowned and looked over. It was two men. I recognized one, but not the other. The one I recognized was my "brother" by marriage, Liam. It was because of him that I had suffered quite a bit at home. Though, now that I really thought about it, most of those memories were hazy around the edges, not quite sharp. The pain associated with them seemed distant. The other guy was a handsome fellow with a furious expression whom I didn't know at all. But the second I looked at him, my heart twisted with a tangible, physical ache. So strange. Why did seeing them make me so unhappy? Seeing that they had spotted me. I used my very poor acting skills to pretend I hadn't noticed them. I turned around, grabbed Noah’s hand, and tried to make a quick escape from this trouble spot. "Chloe! Where do you think you're going?!" I didn't expect the angry, handsome stranger to pursue us so relentlessly. He cut us off, blocking our path. Noah realized something was wrong. He put his hearing aid back in and stepped in front of me to shield me. "Who is this? You let this—" The man scrutinized Noah with a look that made me furious. He grit his teeth and spat, "You let a deaf kid be your companion at the hospital? Did the doctor have to learn sign language to talk to him?"
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