Chapter 2

When I reached the familiar villa entrance, my key wouldn't open the lock.

I had no choice but to ring the doorbell.

Veronica answered the door.

She yawned before speaking slowly.

"Zachary kept me up too late last night. In a bit he's taking me to try on wedding dresses. What do you need?"

I bit my lip.

"This is my home! Get out!"

"I think the one who should leave is you!"

A Maybach pulled smoothly into the courtyard.

Zachary stepped out of the car, his cold gaze locking onto me.

My eyes stung.

"This villa—you bought it with the first money you made from your startup."

"When we moved in from our rental apartment, you said this was our love nest, and I was the only mistress of this house."

Zachary's eyes flickered, then turned cold.

"I told you, I don't know you at all. The only mistress here is Veronica."

He walked past me.

Lowering his head, he placed a kiss on Veronica's lips.

"Let's go. No matter how expensive the wedding dress, I'll buy it for you. I'll make you the most beautiful bride."

I dug my nails into my palms to keep the tears from falling.

Veronica glanced at me, her eyes hiding a provocative smile.

She wrapped her arms around Zachary's neck, speaking affectedly:

"Thank you, honey."

The corners of Zachary's mouth lifted involuntarily.

I stood frozen in place.

On our wedding night, Zachary had been just as happy when I called him "honey," pestering me to say it over and over.

When I got tired of his pestering, I casually asked if he'd be this delighted if any woman called him that.

Zachary had cupped my face very seriously.

"Vivian, I'm only happy because it's you. If it were anyone else, I'd just feel disgusted."

"You're the only one in my heart. From childhood until now, you've always been the special one."

But it seemed I wasn't so special after all.

Looking at the villa that held seven years of memories between Zachary and me, I bit my lip and rushed inside.

Zachary's angry voice chased after me.

"Vivian Clark! How dare you!"

I headed straight for the master bedroom. The wall where our wedding photo had hung was empty.

The closet was filled with Veronica's clothes, while mine were carelessly tossed in a corner.

I picked up a photo frame that had been placed face-down on the nightstand.

I was smiling brightly, and Zachary had his arm around me, his face full of affection.

"You bumped into Veronica and made her twist her ankle! Apologize to her right now!"

Zachary, who had followed me in, was holding Veronica in his arms like a princess, glaring at me furiously.

I held the photo up in front of him.

"You say you don't know me—then how do you explain this photo?"

He hesitated for a moment, but still insisted stubbornly:

"I have no memory of it. I would only take photos like this with Veronica."

"Stop changing the subject! Apologize to Veronica now!"

I suppressed my heartache and pulled a silver bracelet from the drawer.

Inside the bracelet, our initials were engraved.

"On my eighteenth birthday, you gave me this bracelet. You also said you'd grant me any request."

"Now, I want you to honor that promise. Stop pretending to have amnesia."