My fiancé claimed he had forgotten me. He said he had fallen in love with another woman. He refused to try and remember our past. Like a madman, he fought to break our engagement so he could marry his new love. He even wanted to elope with her, abandoning his parents and the family business. Fighting back tears, I asked him, "This engagement happened after you got down on one knee. You spent three years planning your proposal to me. Later, when you remember, will you regret this?" The response I got was his cold, disgusted: "Never." In that moment, I swallowed my tears and gave him his freedom. 1 Everyone in our circle said Arthur Sterling was truly in love with that woman. He brought her into his social circle, bought her cars and a house, treating her with extreme favoritism and romance. That woman even added me on Instagram, flaunting every moment of their lives together on her story every day. Occasionally, in the dead of night, she would send me long, dramatic texts. "Sloane, Arthur and I are truly in love. I beg you, give him back to me." "He doesn't even love you. Why must you keep harassing him?!" "Seeing him in so much pain every day because of you... it really breaks my heart! If you truly loved him, you should let him go, not stubbornly hold onto a wedding contract!" "He's at the bar drinking again. His parents still won't allow you two to break the engagement. Sloane, can a marriage bound by a family alliance really bring happiness?" A marriage bound by a family alliance? She probably didn't know that my engagement with Arthur Sterling was something he had plotted for a very long time. Our families were close friends. We were childhood sweethearts who secretly harbored feelings for each other. It was beautiful, wasn't it? I used to think Arthur and I would walk down the path of a happy, perfect life together. Just like his vows—loving each other until our hair turned white. Perhaps this life was too happy, so God decided to play a huge joke on us. Three months ago, on his way to pick up my dress for a gala, Arthur got into a car accident. He hit his head and lost his memory. He forgot everything, including the fact that he loved me. 2 At 11:00 PM, Arthur still wasn't home. I picked up my phone and dialed his number. I had to call three times before he impatiently picked up on the other end. "Sloane Vance, aren't you annoying?" The deafening music in the background wasn't as piercing as his cold reprimand. I gripped the phone tighter, only softly reminding him: "It's almost midnight. Don't forget our agreement." Yes, Arthur and I were living together. Actually, we had been living together ever since we got engaged. But later, he forgot me and fell in love with someone else, refusing to move back in here no matter what. Eventually, I signed an agreement with him. I said, give me three months. For these three months, we live together just like before. After three months, if he still hadn't remembered the past, or hadn't fallen back in love with me, then I was willing to break the engagement. Breaking the engagement was highly tempting to Arthur. So, suppressing his disgust, he reluctantly agreed. Our agreement had two rules. He couldn't break them; if he did, the agreement was void, and the engagement would proceed as planned. First: He must be home by midnight every night. Second: During this period, he was not allowed to have any intimate physical contact with the opposite sex. "Sloane, you're not my wife, and I don't acknowledge you as my fiancée. What right do you have to control me?" Arthur sneered on the other end. "Besides, isn't there still an hour until midnight?" "I don't want to go home that early, facing your bland, boring face makes me sick." Vile words poured from his mouth relentlessly. I tried hard to keep my facial muscles rigid so I wouldn't lose my composure. I heard a woman's playful voice on the other end, acting coy. "Arthur, if you get distracted by her call again, I'm going to be mad. If you don't finish these three shots, I won't forgive you!" It was Mia Hayes, the woman he was keeping. Immediately after, Arthur's doting laughter came through the receiver: "You little troublemaker." Saying that, he was about to hang up the phone directly. I spoke up again: "Arthur Sterling, I'll give you two choices. Either come home right now, or give me the address and I'll come pick you up." "Otherwise, the engagement stands." After a long pause, Arthur cursed: "Sloane Vance, are you asking for it?" 3 Half an hour later, I arrived at a nightclub called 'Eclipse' and found Arthur. Young trust-fund kids were gathered together, all well-known playboys. Previously, Arthur never associated with this crowd. After losing his memory, he actually hung out with them more. "Well, well, if it isn't Young Master Sterling's fiancée?" Someone sharp-eyed spotted me and joked, "What, Miss Vance, are you afraid Arthur won't come home tonight, so you specifically came to pick him up?" A group of people burst into unrestrained laughter. Only Mia Hayes, beside Arthur, wasn't laughing. Naturally, given my relationship with her, neither of us could laugh. The way she looked at me was always filled with contempt and guardedness. Arthur sat in the dim light, set down the drink in his hand, tugged at his lower lip, and spat out one word. "Buzzkill." I tried hard to ignore the disgust in his eyes and said softly: "Arthur, let's go home." "Arthur..." Mia immediately pouted her red lips and acted cute, unwilling to let him leave. She was a pretty, young woman, full of youthful vibrancy, her bright eyes filled with reluctance and attachment. Arthur's heart ached for her, and he coaxed her gently. The two of them tangled together, reluctant to part. And I was the villain trying to break them apart. The trust-fund kids around them couldn't bear to watch anymore. Someone spoke up: "Miss Vance, I put this group together tonight. If you want to take Arthur away, fine. Drink this bottle of liquor, and I'll let you take him." He was holding a bottle of high-proof vodka. I frowned, then looked at Arthur. However, Arthur only raised an eyebrow, looking amused: "My family does business with his family. I'm here tonight to negotiate a partnership. If he won't let me go, I really can't go." He shrugged, maliciously tossing the problem to me. My relationship with him was at a stalemate now, but Arthur's parents treated me extremely well. Naturally, I couldn't do anything detrimental to their company. Moreover, the situation was clear now. That person wanted me to drink this bottle of vodka before he would continue doing business with the Sterling family. Deliberate sabotage. I almost subconsciously raised my hand to press against my stomach. I had a bad stomach. I had ended up in the hospital several times because of the pain. Back then, Arthur was heartbroken. Not only did he personally cook nutritious meals for me every day, but he also insisted on watching me finish eating before he was satisfied. Once, he even solemnly promised me, saying that since he was taking such delicate care of me, if I ever let my stomach act up and feel bad again, I should punish him by not letting him eat for three days. I laughed at him back then, saying who makes promises like that. He, however, looked incredibly serious and distressed, saying if it were possible, he wished he could suffer in my place. With so many memories flooding back, for a moment, I couldn't distinguish whether the Arthur in front of me was the person in my memory or the cold, ruthless man he was now. I smiled bitterly. Under the mocking gazes of the crowd, I spoke up: "Fine, I'll drink." 4 Downing a whole bottle of vodka was no joke. I had only drunk half the bottle when I broke out in a cold sweat, my face as pale as paper. Seeing this, the group was afraid of causing real trouble and waved their hands, telling me to stop drinking. Arthur stood up, looking bored: "In that case, I'll be leaving first today. Chad, we'll discuss the partnership tomorrow." Mia was still pulling at him, refusing to let him go, almost crying. Fighting through the dizziness, I walked over, grabbed Arthur's sleeve, and dragged him out of the club. As soon as I hit the cold air outside, I couldn't hold it in anymore. I ran to a trash can and started vomiting profusely. My stomach was burning with pain. The fiery alcohol was tearing through my body, making my internal organs ache terribly. Unable to bear it, I slumped onto the ground, looking utterly pathetic. Arthur just stood aside, watching coldly, like a stranger. I didn't know if it was because of the alcohol or if the night was just too cold. Meeting his icy gaze, I suddenly felt wronged and tears fell. I said, "Arthur, my stomach hurts..." But by my side, there was no longer anyone to gently and nervously hold me. ... 5 Perhaps I had the friendship between the Sterling and Vance families to thank for Arthur not just abandoning me at the club and leaving. I barely managed to get home, grabbed my medication, and swallowed it. I also handed Arthur two hangover pills. He always got headaches the day after drinking. Every time he came home from a dinner party, I would prepare them for him in advance. Tonight, he seemed to have drunk quite a bit. The designated driver had asked him the route several times before he rubbed his temples and gave a brief response. Seeing me hand him the pills, Arthur instinctively reached out to take them, but then frowned fiercely, standing frozen in disbelief. It was as if he was shocked by his own subconscious action. "What is this?" He asked me, a silent frustration surging in his eyes. Fighting the churning in my stomach, I forced myself to explain to him: "Hangover pills. If you don't take them, your head will hurt tomorrow." He pursed his lower lip upon hearing this, unwilling to accept my medication. Finally, I just placed the pills on the table and went back to my room first. I couldn't hold on much longer. My stomach ache hadn't flared up like this in years. Stimulated by the vodka, the pain made me break out in cold sweats. I originally thought that having just taken my medicine, I would feel better after resting for a bit, but I still underestimated the pain. I curled up on the bed, trembling all over from the pain. I didn't have the energy to go to the hospital, and my phone was dead, so I couldn't contact anyone. In the huge penthouse apartment, there was only Arthur next door. I figured I could only bother him to call a car for me, and I would go to the hospital myself. But before I could even get up, the bedroom door was kicked open from the outside. "Sloane, what the hell kind of medicine was that!" Outside the door stood Arthur, his breathing erratic, his eyes bloodshot with anger. 6 Arthur seemed to have ingested something he shouldn't have. He couldn't control himself, pinning me viciously to the bed. Tearing at my clothes. He said there was a problem with the hangover pills I just gave him. He called me a slut for using such dirty, underhanded tactics. Through my tears, I said I didn't, but he wouldn't listen. His movements were rough and ruthless. "Sloane, since you dared to do something like this, then bear the consequences!" Ignoring my pale face, he bit down hard on my shoulder. The intense pain sent shivers through my body. Arthur didn't hold back. I could even feel the moment my skin was pierced. It hurt. There was blood everywhere. That night, I cried for a long time. I pushed him like a madwoman. I said I didn't do it. I said it hurt, it really hurt. I cried until my voice went hoarse, heart-wrenching, but it didn't awaken any pity in the man. The moonlight outside the window was shattered. For the first time, I felt that the person in front of me was a complete stranger. "Don't..." "It hurts... Arthur, it really hurts..." "Arthur... when are you finally coming back..." Arthur, I really... can't hold on much longer... 7 I had a dream about the past. A few years ago, right after Arthur and I officially started dating, I loved watching those cheesy soap operas. Whenever there was a plot about a mistress or amnesia, I would always complain about it to him. And after complaining, I'd worry unnecessarily, afraid those dramatic tropes would happen to us. At those times, the way Arthur looked at me was both exasperated and tender. He said, "Sloane, I promise, in this life, I won't fall in love with anyone else." "So there will never be a mistress." Hearing this made me feel sweet, but I was still relentless: "Then, what if we both lose our memories? What if one side forgets the other?" Maybe I asked too earnestly, because he actually thought about it seriously for a moment. Then he said, "If you lose your memory, I will do everything in my power to win you back." "What if you're the one who loses your memory...?" "Sloane, don't give up on me. Give me three months to find the version of myself who loves you the most." 8 When I woke up the next day, Arthur was already gone. I endured the pain that felt like I had been crushed all over to sit up. Looking at the bruises and marks covering my body, I couldn't help but smile bitterly. His attitude last night was truly like he was treating an enemy. He choked me, over and over, calling me a slut, calling me dirty. Memories flooded my mind, bringing a sense of suffocation. I closed my eyes, unwilling to think about it anymore. While washing my body, I thought over and over again, My Arthur, when are you finally coming back? Mia Hayes ran downstairs to my company that afternoon. I had just gotten ready to go across the street to buy coffee when she rushed out. Staring at the marks on my neck, her jealousy was intense: "You two did it last night, didn't you?" "So, Arthur acted like that last night because of something you did?" I answered with a question, waiting for her reply. But Mia was very smart. She didn't answer directly. Instead, she stared at me with dissatisfaction and resentment. Then she sneered: "Miss Vance, I know the Vance family has been going downhill lately. So you're clinging to Mr. Sterling, trying to grasp this lifeline to turn your family's fortunes around. But it's a pity, he only loves me now. He completely despises you, do you understand?" Ah, so Mia came to show off today. What happened between Arthur and me last night made her feel uncomfortable, like a fishbone stuck in her throat. So, she came to make me uncomfortable. I didn't want to listen to this nonsense anymore. I lifted my foot to leave, but she suddenly acted out of character, tears falling abruptly. Her former arrogance and jealousy turned into a pitiful stubbornness. "Sloane, I know you don't like me. But there was no need to invite me here just to show off your... marks..." She said, tears rolling down, looking heartbroken. Then, as if compromising, she took a step back: "Fine. Since you two are together, and you can't stand seeing me, I'll just leave..." My heart skipped a beat, and I turned to look. Sure enough, Arthur was standing behind us at some point. And Mia's words just now were deliberately said for him to hear. At this moment, Mia looked as if she had just noticed him. Her face froze, and she softly called out, "Arthur." Then, she turned and ran away in absolute agony. Arthur immediately chased after her with a dark expression: "Sloane Vance, you really are something. Were you that desperate to drive Mia away?" He misunderstood. He thought I deliberately showed off last night's marks to Mia to break her down and drive a wedge between them. My relationship with Arthur was already deteriorating. I didn't want to create these misunderstandings out of nowhere for him to misjudge me. So I quickly followed: "Arthur, that's not what happened. She came to find me..." I grabbed his sleeve, wanting to explain to him as quickly as possible. But as the three of us tangled together, Mia feigned grievance and suddenly pushed me and Arthur away while crying. Arthur was a large, muscular man. Mia couldn't move him at all. But wearing high heels, I was caught off guard and lost control, falling backward toward the street. Almost immediately, the ear-piercing sound of screeching brakes accompanied Mia's scream simultaneously. In the next instant, I suddenly lurched forward, and everything in my vision flipped, becoming blurry. The only thing clearly visible was Arthur's suddenly pale face... 9 I got into a car accident. But luckily, the car behind me braked in time, so it didn't cause me any massive physical harm. The only harm... Was that the three-month-old baby in my womb miscarried. When I heard this news, I felt completely numb and empty. Staring at the snow-white ceiling, tears rolled down, and I didn't say a word. Outside the hospital room, there were the sounds of my parents scolding Arthur. Arthur's parents had also arrived, looking angry and helpless. After my mom finished scolding him, she wiped her tears and came in. Seeing me awake, she hurriedly came over, holding my hand and asking if I felt unwell anywhere. The people outside also heard the commotion, and one by one, they all rushed in. "My sweet girl, do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? Dad will call the doctor for you!" "Sloane, it's our Sterling family that has let you down!" "Don't worry, I promise you, that brat Arthur Sterling will absolutely not let you down! Even if he doesn't remember you, I'll make him marry you and make you the young madam of the Sterling family!" Everyone was talking over each other. Only Arthur's voice apologizing sounded at the very end, so soft it was almost inaudible. With my mom's help, I slowly sat up. My gaze passed over the crowd and looked directly into Arthur's obscure eyes. After a long moment, I spoke: "I want to talk to him alone." The parents looked at each other. My parents had always respected my opinions. Even if they were worried, they could only leave for the time being. Before Arthur's parents left, they kicked him hard, warning him that if he dared to bully me again, they would make him pay. Arthur took the hit without dodging. Soon, the room fell silent, leaving only him and me. The quiet air, the atmosphere of unbridled silence, was suffocating. He looked up at me, his expression dim and apologetic: "I'm sorry, Mia didn't mean to..." His very first sentence was actually defending Mia. I suddenly felt like laughing, and I did laugh out loud. I said: "What if I said, she did it on purpose?" Arthur immediately furrowed his brow. Clearly, he actually thought I was framing Mia. Regarding this point, I didn't want to argue with him. The police would naturally pull the surveillance footage to verify the truth. I stared at him closely and suddenly changed the subject. "Arthur, the baby was conceived three months ago. I knew early on. Unfortunately, before I had time to share this good news with you, you got into a car accident." He lowered his head, half of his face hidden in the darkness, making it impossible to read his expression. "I've been waiting for you. Waiting for you to recover your memory, become the real you again, and then tell you about the baby. I thought, the you at that time would have been very happy." "Sloane Vance..." Arthur suddenly interrupted me. I said: "Go ahead." "This baby... it's good that it's gone." Perhaps out of guilt, he didn't dare look me in the eye. His jaw was clenched tight. My hand gripping the quilt tightened until my knuckles turned white. Suddenly, I closed my eyes, and tears slid down. "Arthur, leave." 10 That day, Arthur left without hesitation. Only before leaving, he cast a complicated look at me and said "Sorry" once more. Then, he left without hesitation. His Mia was living in fear. She needed him, so he had to rush back to her side immediately. But... My Arthur, when will you finally return to my side? 11 Mia was detained. Intentional assault. I pressed charges. The police pulled the surveillance footage. Although it was from a distance, it was clear that she pushed me into the street. This alone was enough to get her a few years in prison. When I saw Arthur again, he was furious, practically kicking the door of my hospital room open. "Sloane Vance, what exactly are you trying to do!" He brought a chilling aura with him. Regardless of the fact that I was still receiving an IV drip, he yanked me up from the hospital bed. The IV needle on the back of my hand shifted from the force, causing blood to flow backward. I frowned in pain. "Miss Vance!" The nurse standing by gasped in shock and wanted to rush forward to help me, but she was intimidated by Arthur's demeanor, hesitating anxiously. I furrowed my brow, pulled the needle out myself, and signaled the nurse to relax and wait outside the door for a bit. The smell of disinfectant in the room was strong, but it still couldn't mask the sweet perfume on Arthur. He must have been by Mia's side when the police took her away. "Drop the case!" Arthur commanded coldly. I paused, arguing fiercely with him: "Arthur, if the driver hadn't hit the brakes in time that day, what you'd be looking at today might have been a gravestone." Mia's actions definitely constituted attempted murder. As for whether she did it intentionally or unintentionally, probably only she knew in her heart. But it didn't matter. The power to decide how this incident developed lay with me. Arthur frowned in disgust: "Sloane, I didn't think you were so vicious! I told you, Mia's action was an unintentional mistake! If you're still angry, just tell me what you want, and I'll compensate you!" "Compensate?" Hearing this word, I was stunned for a long time. I clearly didn't want to, but tears still welled up in my eyes. When I found out Arthur lost his memory, I didn't break down. When I found out he fell in love with another woman, I could still endure it. But in this moment, these two words were like a sharp knife, piercing through all my forbearance and effort. I suddenly raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face. "Sloane..." Arthur looked incredibly shocked, looking as if he was going to explode in anger the next second. But upon meeting my eyes, he suddenly stopped. I thought, in that moment, I must have looked like a madwoman. Hysterical. "Then how will you compensate me for the child I had with him?!" "Arthur, you lost your memory. You're not him. You're not sad. But do you think everyone is indifferent to the loss of this child?!" "You say 'compensate' so casually. Can you give him back to me? Can you give our child back to me?!" Like a madwoman, I grabbed whatever I could reach and threw it all at him. Arthur had never seen me like this. His cold face revealed a hint of confusion and helplessness. He frowned, opened his mouth as if to say something, but was left speechless. After a long while, he turned to leave: "Calm down first. I'll come back tomorrow to negotiate with you." But I suddenly spoke up, calling him back. "Arthur." "The case against Mia is impossible to drop. Even if you have sky-high capabilities, the witnesses and physical evidence are all there. You can't change it." Hearing the hidden meaning in my words, he pursed his lower lip, his eyes extremely cold. "What do you want?" I wiped a tear, forced a very ugly smile, and said: "Early next month, let's get married." I admit, I was being despicable. 12 The day Arthur left, his expression was extremely cold and ugly. He repeatedly called me a slut, his eyes tinged with a bloody red. If possible, he seemed to want to rush over and strangle me. But the nurse had promptly notified my parents to rush over, so Arthur didn't get the chance. My dad almost got into a physical fight with him. My mom cried and wiped the tear tracks from my face, asking me why I bothered. I understood what my parents meant. Arthur was no longer the Arthur of the past. He disliked me, even hated me. My parents didn't understand why I was still holding on. But Mom... We used to be so in love. I didn't want my Arthur to come back only to find out we had drifted apart...
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