Liam stirred, I quickly withdrew my hand,
feigning sleep.
But my fluttering lashes betrayed me.
“Awake and pretending?”
His low voice, slightly nasal, was endearing.
I laughed, meeting his tender eyes.
“Get up, the chef made your favorite lily and
lotus seed soup.”
“”
He pulled me up, affectionately touching my
head.
Lily and lotus seed soup…
As a child, I loved my grandmother’s lily and
lotus seed soup. After she died, I never went
back to the countryside.
City soups never tasted the same.
Sitting at the table, I took a spoonful.
The taste transported me back to those hot
summer days.
“This tastes exactly like Grandma’s!”
Liam smiled, calling it a secret.
I ate it all, then a car crashed through the wall
and into the courtyard.
Gary got out.
“Liam, get out!”
Bodyguards stopped him, but he roared like a
wild beast.
I knew he was here for me.
I didn’t want to trouble Liam, I stood up.
Liam held my hand, his fingers interlaced with
mine.
“I’m coming with you.”
وو
“Liam! You’ve always competed with me, now
you’re stealing my wife!?”
That was the first time he called me his wife.
For years, he’d only called me names.
The irony made me want to laugh.
I followed Liam, watching Gary struggle in the
courtyard.
But a sharp pain shot through my chest.
“Sarah…”
Gary’s eyes welled up. When we were young,
we were shy.
He’d blush, and ask if I loved him.
I’d always coax him like a child.
But because of my mother’s selfishness, it all
ended.
“Gary, go back. I won’t go with you.”
“My parents are gone, I have nothing to stay for. My mother’s sins have been repaid.”
“We’re even now.”
<
Gary’s eyes turned red.
“Sarah, I didn’t know your mother died, I
wouldn’t have said those things.
“”
“Believe me, I don’t blame you anymore. Let’s
start over, okay?”
“I sent those ten women away, really, you’ll
be the only woman in my life!”
He avoided my eyes.
I shook my head, holding Liam’s arm, looking
down at Gary, coldly.
“Gary, the tenth anniversary was the
hundredth time I said divorce. I decided to
leave after the hundredth time.”
“Gary, love fades. I don’t love you anymore.
“Sign the divorce papers.
99
I turned back to my room, but a suffocating
pain gripped my chest.
I didn’t love Gary anymore.
But the scars remained.
Gary lunged forward, but Liam stopped him.
وو
く
“Gary, if you dare enter, I’ll destroy your
family!”
The Stone family was the most powerful in
South City, far surpassing the Garys.
“If you don’t sign the divorce papers, I’ll
make sure she’ll never be yours again!”
Liam threatened him.
I don’t know how Gary left, only that peace
returned.
That night, Liam sat beside me, watching the
stars.
I saw his familiar profile, and asked,
“Liam, have we met before?”
His pupils constricted. “You remember?”
I shook my head, it was just a feeling.
He looked disappointed, then told me about
spending every summer with me until he was
ten.
I was shocked that I had no memory of this.
“It’s okay, we have plenty of time to make
<
new memories.”
A heavy pain squeezed my chest.
“Liam, I heard about a surgery that can erase
painful memories, can you take me?”
“I want to start fresh with you.”
A month later, we had our engagement party.
Liam held my hand, introducing me to
everyone.
“This dress, I saw it in Italy, one–of–a–kind,
Mr. Stone bought it for you.”
“Sorry, I was faster.‘
“”
He put his arm around me, joking that he’d be
more considerate in the future.
“Sarah!”
A loud voice disrupted the party.
I turned to see a man, confused.
He called my name, but I didn’t recognize
him.
I instinctively held Liam’s arm.
