Chapter 2

After saying that, Yancey wrapped his arm around Alice's waist and left without hesitation. Grace stared at the string of numbers on her phone. This man, who had just claimed to be her fiancé, showed no concern for her whatsoever; his only focus was defending Alice.

A tightening sensation, like an iron wire constricting her heart, caused her face to pale as a dull ache spread through her chest. Alice appeared fully recovered, while Grace, the one being blamed, felt as though she had barely survived. How could such a man be her fiancé?

She had been missing for three days, yet no one from her family had contacted her. Only a faint memory of having a boyfriend lingered in her hazy mind. Without hesitation, she dialed a number.

A robotic, professional voice—likely an assistant's—answered.

“Ms. Lambert?”

“Hello. Is this Ethan Henderson? I think I lost my memory in a car accident, and I—”

“Mr. Henderson just returned to Druville and is still undergoing rehabilitation. You called with the same excuse before, asking him to pick you up, using the same car accident story. He went, only to be involved in an accident with you. Ms. Lambert, if you have any conscience left, please don't contact Mr. Henderson again.”

“But I—”

The call ended abruptly.

Grace sighed, leaning back against the pillow. A throbbing headache joined the fear and uncertainty creeping into her mind. She glanced at her unlocked phone; at least her payment app was accessible. Handing the phone to the nurse who had entered, she asked, “Could you check the balance?”

Her eyes scanned her transaction history. Just a week ago, she had spent 200,000 dollars—on a pair of men's cufflinks, it seemed. Surely, she wasn't short of money?

The nurse's voice broke her thoughts. “Insufficient balance. Emergency treatment and hospitalization fees total 20,000 dollars.”

Grace lowered her gaze, confusion evident on her face. She'd spent 200,000 dollars a week ago. How could she have less than 20,000 left?

She found a contact labeled "Mom" and called. An angry voice immediately erupted.

“So, you remember to call me, huh? Grace, how old are you? Why are you playing childish games? Yancey and Alice have been secretly dating for a long time. Alice didn't tell you to avoid hurting your feelings. But what do you do? You see them kiss once, drag Alice away, causing a car accident! You're a burden! You should've died! Alice has always been considerate, and all you do is resort to dirty tricks! How did I give birth to such a vile creature?”

Grace started to respond, but then heard Alice's voice.

“Mom, I think Grace might have lost her memory. Maybe go easy on her.”

“Memory loss? How many times this year? What a fool—always the same stunt. If she had any backbone, she'd stay gone. Alice, stop defending her. Haven't you suffered enough? Yancey confessed to you first, but your kindness let Grace cling to him like a fool. She never confronted him, so she takes it out on you. You're too kind, my dear.”

A sharp pain, an unbearable bitterness, filled Grace's heart. Was this truly her mother? Why was she like Yancey—never asking about her well-being or injuries?

Her voice trembling, she asked, “Are you really my mother?”

“What do you mean? Are you trying to give me a heart attack? If you don’t want to acknowledge me, fine! I don’t want a disgraceful daughter! Do you have any idea how humiliating you’ve been chasing Yancey? Stop embarrassing yourself! You got jealous when I bought Alice an extra car. Do you even see her as your sister? I don’t want to see you. Didn’t you lose your memory? Just stay gone! Our family will be more peaceful without you. What a jinx!”

The call ended. Grace stared at her phone, the dull ache in her chest persistent. Tears streamed down her face.

Scrolling through social media, she saw a new post from Alice. It was a photo taken before a massive floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the Druville river, with fireworks in the night sky. The caption read, “With my loved ones by my side.” The reflection showed Yancey and two blurred figures of middle-aged adults.

A sharp pain pierced Grace's chest, nearly doubling her over.