On the third day of dating, my boyfriend lost his memory. My reaction: ... This was the man I had chased for three grueling years. I'm exhausted. Let's just burn it all down. I honestly didn't have the energy to try and win him over again. So, when he looked at me, his eyes blank, and asked who I was, I simply replied, under the silent, tense gazes of his family, "I'm your assistant." As soon as the words left my mouth, I felt a collective sigh of relief. Including me. And, perhaps, even him. 1 Alexander stared at me, as if trying to discern a lie on my face. But I met his gaze calmly. Are you kidding? He was such a pain to chase. If I had to do it all over again, it would literally kill me. I weighed the pros and cons for all of three seconds. Then, I decided: I was out. There are plenty of handsome men in the world. I wasn't going to waste another three years on him. When I first started pursuing him, it was purely because of his face. So, I interviewed at his company and landed a job as his assistant. After chasing him for a year, I actually fell in love with him. He had this quiet gravitas, a self-possession I lacked. Two years in, I almost gave up. He was so emotionally distant. But I felt like I'd invested too much to quit then. It would be a waste. By the third year, I was completely drained. I was ready to throw in the towel. But right when I was about to walk away, he finally agreed to be with me. I basked in three blissful days of happiness. And then, poof, amnesia. I let out a bitter laugh. Amnesia. How perfect. His younger brother, Cody, stayed by his bedside, his eyes glued to me. I placed a folder of documents in front of Alex. "Mr. Alexander, please review this contract. If everything looks good, it's ready for your signature." Cody frowned. "My brother just woke up." I handed Alex a pen. "And? Are we abandoning the company? Giving up on profits? Should the employees starve?" Alex picked up the contract, read it for a good fifteen minutes, and then signed. He handed it back to me. "Thank you for your hard work." I shook my head. "It's nothing." I checked my watch. "Mr. Alexander, Mr. Harrison, the Vice President, will handle all other matters that don't require your direct approval. So, I won't need to disturb you during your recovery. Get well soon. I'll return to the office now." I gave a polite bow, then turned and walked away without a single backward glance. "Ms. Joanna." I paused, turning to face him. "Is there anything else, Mr. Alexander?" Alex stared at me. "You are just my assistant, right?" I froze for a split second, then plastered a wide, toothy grin on my face. "Yes, Mr. Alexander." He nodded. I said nothing more, turning to leave. It wasn't until I reached the parking garage and settled into my driver's seat that the smile finally fell from my face. Damn it. If he wanted to break up, why the hell did he have to fake amnesia? It's not like I haven't seen what real amnesia looks like. His acting was terrible. Plus, that whole memory loss act felt straight out of a cheesy soap opera. It was so fake. I grabbed the tin of candies from the passenger seat, popped one into my mouth. Life was too bitter. I needed some sweetness. The first thing I did when I got back to the office was write a letter of resignation. I was done playing his games. Even if I lived to be ninety, I'd wasted a thirtieth of my life on him. Not only did I not make any money, I couldn't even recoup my investment. This deal was a complete loss. Forget it. I submitted my resignation request through the internal system. With Alex in the hospital, I had transferred my approval authority to Mr. Harrison. Alex would never even see my resignation. Mr. Harrison burst into my office the moment he saw it. "Ms. Joanna, what's going on?" I took a sip of my coffee and spun a ridiculous lie. "Well, Alex is in the hospital, right? He needs constant care. I've decided to dedicate myself to looking after him. And after he's discharged, I'll still need to be home, taking care of him. His health is paramount." Mr. Harrison was one of the few people who knew about our relationship. So, he completely bought my story. "Is Mr. Alexander's condition serious?" I waved a hand dismissively. "Not serious at all. Physically, he's fine. Just a little memory loss. When you visit him, don't mention my resignation. I wouldn't want him to get agitated, thinking I quit just to take care of him." Mr. Harrison nodded vigorously. "I understand, I understand." "So, I'm counting on you to hold down the fort. I'll spend the next month transitioning my responsibilities. I'll still go to the hospital to brief Alex on critical matters. This month, I'll gently prepare him for my eventual departure. By the end of it, he should be ready for me to officially leave." As Mr. Harrison left, I gave him one last reminder. "Oh, and Mr. Harrison, please make sure to approve my resignation on the system, okay?" "No problem." I breathed a sigh of relief as he walked away. Actually, when I was contemplating giving up on Alex before, I had already delegated most of my work. Then he suddenly told me he wanted to be together, and I put the brakes on the transition. Looking back, I was incredibly farsighted. My replacements were already trained. Handing over the remaining tasks should be a breeze. 2 When I got home that evening, I felt utterly drained. Just as I was about to eat dinner, a text popped up from my friend. Jake: [Wanna come out?] Me: [For what?] Jake: [? I'm just asking. You always say no when I ask.] Me: [Then why bother asking?] Jake: [Just in case, you know? It's been three years since you set foot in my club. Someone asked about you recently, so I figured I'd try again.] Me: [Where?] Anyway, I didn't have to stay up late organizing documents for Alex anymore. My evenings were wide open. Jake: [My club, of course. We have a new dancer. He's incredibly hot. Reminds a lot of people of you back in the day. Come check him out.] I grabbed my car keys. [Half an hour.] Jake: [Alright, perfect. I'll get your usual drink ready.] Five years ago, Jake and I opened that club together. Back then, all I wanted was a carefree life. Jake managed it, and I collected my dividends. I made a decent living. To get the party started, I used to hit the dance floor myself. Those were the days. Life was amazing. I had suitors lining up around the block. Then I ran into Alex at the club. One look, and I was smitten. The next thing I knew, I was interviewing to be his assistant. Now that I'd quit, I could go back to my old life of just chilling and enjoying myself. The moment I stepped into the club, Jake enveloped me in a bear hug. "Waaah, I missed you so much! You were slaving away at that godforsaken company every day. It was impossible to even see you." I patted his back. "It's fine now. I quit. I'm with you from now on." Jake's sobs abruptly stopped. "Quit? What do you mean?" I laughed. "We broke up." Jake: "But it's only been three days?" "He had a change of heart." Jake: "What the f***, that son of a b****! He's a complete a******! You poured your heart out for a dog! That piece of s***! I'm gonna find someone to break his damn legs!" I clamped my arm around his neck. "Still so volatile, man. It's fine. In a month, I'll be officially gone. He'll be out of my life for good. I'm just a little bummed. Never even got a proper kiss. You have no idea what a hellhole the last three years have been. I've been starved for action." Jake: "You? There are a hundred hot people in this club. If you want, you could kiss every single one of them tonight." I burst out laughing. "Alright, alright, enough about that. So, who's this dancer you mentioned? Let's see if he's got anything on my old moves." 3 The moment I saw Dylan, I was captivated. "Wow, someone actually hotter than me." Jake looked exasperated. "Dude, you've gotten more narcissistic over the last twenty years." I laughed, patting his shoulder. "Where did you find him? He looks pretty young." "He's got a sad story. Graduated high school, no money for college, so he came out to work. Started as a server. I noticed his good looks and moves, so I paid for him to take dance lessons. Six months later, he was incredible. So, I gave him a raise, hehehe." I frowned. He hadn't gone to college after high school? "Tell him to come to my private booth after his set." Jake's eyes widened. "What are you planning? Are you going to take advantage of him?" I kicked him. "Get lost." When Dylan entered the booth, I was sipping my drink. Seeing him, I raised a hand, motioning for him to sit on the sofa opposite me. "Boss." I choked on my drink. "Just call me Jo. I don't actually run anything here. No need for 'boss'." Dylan looked wary, sitting precariously on the edge of the sofa as if ready to bolt. His caution amused me. "What are you scared of? I'm not going to eat you." Dylan's lips curved into a small smile, but he didn't speak. "Jake told me you couldn't afford college after high school. What's your situation now?" Dylan bit his lip. "I started freshman year, but I couldn't afford to continue, so I took a leave of absence. My family also needs money, so I've been working ever since." "How long have you been on leave?" "Two years." I leaned back against the cushions. "How much money does your family need?" "About six thousand. My younger brother is still in the hospital. The doctors said he needs surgery that costs twelve thousand. I've saved six thousand, so I still need another six thousand." I nodded. "I'll cover the six thousand. I'll also pay for your four years of college tuition. You go back to school." He looked up abruptly, his eyes wide. "Jo, I..." "Just tell me if you want to go back to school." He nodded again. "More than anything, Jo." "Then go back." "I'll consider it a loan from you. I can work part-time while studying to pay you back." I stood up, adjusting my shirt. "Alright. But you only start paying me back after you graduate. While you're in school, if you want to work part-time, fine, but don't pay me back yet. You'll likely need money for other things." "Thank you, Jo. Thank you." "Add me on social media. Send me your bank account details, and I'll transfer the money." Dylan pulled out his phone and handed it to me. After transferring the funds, I drained my glass, then left the booth amidst his heartfelt thanks. It had been a while since I'd truly let loose. I motioned for the DJ to crank up the music. Then, I shucked off my blazer and tossed it into Dylan's arms. Back in college, I was president of the dance club for two years. Over a decade of practice wasn't for nothing. The moment the beat dropped, I sprang onto the stage. I tore off my tie, then unbuttoned the top two buttons of my shirt. The dark red silk shimmered under the lights, like spilled wine staining my skin. My movements were broad and fluid. The hem of my shirt pulled free from my waistband. I tilted my head, grinning at Dylan. Kid, let me show you how to really seduce an audience. I let out a low chuckle, my fingertips tracing a path from my Adam's apple, down my collarbone, across my chest, finally resting at the edge of my jeans... The roar from the crowd threatened to blow the roof off the club. When the song ended, I leaped off the stage. It had been far too long since I'd danced with such uninhibited passion. I took my blazer back from Dylan and draped it over my shoulders. "So, what do you think?" Dylan's face was flushed, his voice trembling with excitement. "You're even better than my dance instructor, Jo." Jake clapped enthusiastically from the side. "The Dance God returns! You've still got it, man. Not a day over twenty." "Screw you, I'm twenty-six. I'm in my prime, alright?" As we bantered, my phone rang. I picked it up and saw the caller ID. Alex? I frowned. What did he want this late at night? I answered. "Mr. Alexander." "Come to the hospital." Me: ... I took a deep breath. "Mr. Alexander, it's after hours. And there are no contracts requiring your signature." "Someone told me you're dancing at a club." I froze. Damn it. I'd forgotten. The first time I ever met him was here. He was with his usual group of friends. Even though Alex rarely came to the club anymore, his friends were still regulars. "I am at a club. Is there a problem?" "You..." Alex fell silent. After about ten seconds, he hung up. I stared at the phone, bewildered. Jerk. Jake glanced at my screen. "What the f***, your ex? Does he have no shame? He broke up with you, why is he calling?" Hearing him say that made my teeth ache. "Don't even mention him. He's a pain." Dylan stood rooted to the spot, looking a little shocked. Great. I scared the kid. Well, he was only twenty. He probably hadn't seen this kind of drama before. Jake, ever the instigator, piped up, "Oh, our Jo gave his heart to the wrong man, but luckily he's seen the light now!" I kicked him. "Don't say everything in front of the kid." Dylan's lips curved into a small smile. Damn it, I'm being mocked by a brat. Just as I was about to scold Dylan, I saw him looking at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He said, "You're amazing, Jo. Everyone should like you. It's that guy's loss for letting you go. Anyone you choose to love would be the happiest, luckiest person in the world." My heart skipped a beat. Before I could figure out how to respond, my arm was suddenly grabbed. 4 I turned around, utterly confused. It was Alex's brother, Cody. What was he doing here? Cody's gaze swept over Jake and Dylan, then he pulled me out of the club. "My brother sent me to pick you up." Jake: "Hey, hey, what are you doing? Is this a kidnapping in broad daylight?" I waved a hand at Jake. "It's fine, little bro. You guys carry on. I'll see you later." Dragged out of the club, I was then shoved into a car. "What is wrong with you? Your brother lost his memory, and you've lost your mind? Didn't your whole family want us to break up? Now that we have, what else do you want?" Cody's grip on the steering wheel tightened. "Why don't you choose me instead?" My brain crashed. "What the hell are you talking about? Choose you for what?" "My brother and I look pretty similar, don't we?" Me: ... "Are you serious?" Cody grit his teeth. "We came to this club together that night, when we first saw you dance. It was me who saw you first. I regret ever pointing you out to my brother." "I never thought you'd fall for him so hard." "When you chased my brother, I respected your choice." "But he treated you badly." He turned to look at me. "I thought you'd give up after he pushed you away. I was waiting for you to walk away, so I could pursue you. But you actually kept going for three years, and then you actually ended up together." "I was completely desperate. Then my brother lost his memory." He looked at me with intense seriousness. "Joanna, will you give me a chance to pursue you?" Me: ? What in God's name? In the end, all my complex thoughts condensed into one simple question: "Are you okay?" Cody lowered his head, composing himself. "I'm sorry. I just don't know what else to do. You liked my brother for three years. I've liked you for three years. I just want to fight for a chance." I leaned against the car window, watching him. "Did your brother send you here, or was this your own idea?" "My brother. Someone sent him the video of you dancing." I scoffed. "And your brother told me to go to the hospital?" "My brother told me to drive you home." I crossed my legs. "So you're trying to steal his ex?" "My brother treated you badly. Besides, you two are over. There's no future there." 5 "What do you like about me?" He kept driving, his voice steady. "You're beautiful, you have a great personality. Being with you is so easy. Every time you came to our house, I was genuinely happy, even if it was for my brother." "I'm not telling you all this to cause you trouble. I just want to seize an opportunity for myself. You don't have to feel pressured." I sighed, then sat up straight. "Don't bother. We're not going to happen." He nodded. "I know. I just wanted to try." I was about to say more, but my phone rang again. I pulled it out. It was Marcus, Alex's best friend. We'd hung out a lot over the past three years. "Weren't you just dancing at the club? How'd you disappear after I went to the restroom?" I cleared my throat. "I went home." "So early? I was planning on buying you a drink." "Another time." The other end was silent for three seconds. Then, "I heard you and Alex broke up?" I hummed in affirmation. "Can I pursue you?" My hand twitched, losing its grip. My phone clattered, sliding into the seat gap. As it dropped, it accidentally switched to speakerphone. "Why aren't you saying anything? You two are over, so I'm not stealing anyone. I actually fell for you the moment I saw you, but since you liked Alex, I couldn't say anything." "Is it okay if we meet up tomorrow? I'll pick you up." Me: ... I finally managed to fish my phone out of the gap, sweat trickling down my back. Oh my God. Am I the protagonist of some reverse harem novel? Seriously, I'm a magnet for trouble. I stole a glance at Cody. He didn't say anything, but his jaw was clenched so tight I thought his teeth might shatter. "Uh, that's not really convenient." "Just to talk. No pressure. What if we actually hit it off? I know you're into looks, and I'm just as handsome as Alex." "Haha, we'll see. I'm busy with work these days." "Alright then. Come to the club more often. You danced incredibly well tonight, just like three years ago. Without Alex weighing you down, you're finally living again. Congratulations on your new lease on life." What exactly did I dance three years ago? The cold sweat wouldn't stop. After I hung up, the car fell silent. A minute later, Cody spoke. "That jerk. I knew he had a thing for you. He stared at you blankly just as much as I did these past three years. You don't hit on your friend's partner. Does he have no shame?" Me: ... I couldn't help but think: Then what does that make you, hitting on your brother's ex-girlfriend? This conversation was going nowhere. After he dropped me off at my place, Cody got out of the car too. I stood at my front door, watching him. Was he expecting to come in for tea? Given our current situation, it really wasn't appropriate. Cody seemed to sense my discomfort. "Just making sure you get in safely. Go on." Oh, okay. I nodded and went inside.
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