Chapter 2

"Harrison, I want some of that."

"Alright, open up."

Violet's long lashes lowered as her cheeks puffed out. She giggled as she swallowed the fruit Harrison fed her.

"You haven't changed at all. Still picky like before."

Harrison's slender fingers gently brushed her nose, his eyes filled with sickeningly sweet indulgence.

When he saw me approaching with the therapy tray, Violet's cheeks flushed red as she burrowed shyly into Harrison's embrace.

"Oh, stop it! There's someone else here!"

Harrison looked up at me, his gaze instantly freezing to ice.

The current him had forgotten that I wasn't some outsider.

I was his legal wife of five years.

I gave a bitter smile.

I set down the tray and retreated back to the pharmacy.

My phone vibrated.

A message popped up.

"Harrison's memory has developed selective gaps.

He only remembers his past with Violet. His olfactory nerves are extremely fragile.

To prevent further stimulation, you need to cooperate."

Frustrated, I slapped the phone facedown on the desk.

The moment I turned around, a triumphant face suddenly loomed close.

"What a joke. So what if you spent five years with him? One look at me and he forgot all about you!"

Violet wore a victor's smile.

She pulled down her scarf with a flourish, revealing a large expanse of glaring red marks.

"Your husband is really passionate in bed. Tell me, when the therapy session ends, if he can't help himself and wants me, won't that be awkward for you, the caregiver?"

My eyes fell on those garish red marks.

But my memory dragged me back involuntarily to that rainy night five years ago.

That night, Harrison was in a terrible car accident.

Bright red blood mixed with rainwater, flowing everywhere. His face was deathly pale.

I only saw him for one moment, and my heart nearly stopped from the pain.

I threw away the offer letter I'd just received from a top perfume house.

I pulled him out of the mangled car wreckage all by myself.

I stayed outside the operating room for three days and three nights before he was finally snatched back from death's door.

When he woke up, he'd forgotten the whole world and lost his prized sense of smell.

But he remembered only me. Depended on me.

I dug my nails hard into my palm, forcing myself to look away.

Before I could speak, a tall figure rushed into the pharmacy and pulled Violet into his arms.

"Violet, what are you doing in here?

There are too many smells here—they'll bother you.

Do you know that for the five years you were gone, my heart was empty?

Now that you're finally back, I don't want you out of my sight for even a second."

Burning kisses fell without restraint.

I stepped back and accidentally knocked over a glass beaker on the table.

Shards scattered everywhere.

Harrison paused and turned to look at me.

His expression was nothing short of disgusted. "Why are you still here?"

I looked down in a daze.

At the glass shards all over the floor, like looking at my own heart shattered into pieces.

Yes.

Five stolen years. I should have left long ago.

"I'm sorry. I'll leave right away."

I fled from the pharmacy.

But at the corner of the hallway, I ran into a small figure.

It was Logan.

"You're really leaving?"

He stood with his arms crossed, frowning at me.

I sighed and crouched down, trying to make my voice sound gentle.

"Logan, if you want, you can come with me."

Unexpectedly, Logan suddenly shoved me hard, pushing me to the ground.

"Violet just got back, and you already want to separate us?

Violet's right—if you hadn't been clinging to Harrison all these years, he would have gone to find her!

I hate you!

I froze in place.

The blood in my body felt like it had been drained in an instant.

This was the child I'd raised with my own hands for five years.

To take care of him, I'd given up all my social life and career.

Now, after knowing Violet for just a few days, he already hated me this much?

Fine then.

Since he didn't want to come, I wouldn't force him.

I stood up and dusted off my clothes.

I returned to my cramped guest room.

I opened the closet and started packing.

Nothing but white shirts and black pants.

Not a single pattern, not a splash of color.

After Harrison lost his sense of smell, overly bright colors also triggered physiological dizziness for him.

For five whole years, I hadn't worn a single colorful dress.

As I walked out with my suitcase, Harrison was sitting on the sofa reading a business magazine.

From the second-floor bathroom came Violet's syrupy voice.

"Harrison, I can't find the towels. Can you come in and help me?"

In the past, Harrison was extremely fastidious about cleanliness.

Except for me, if anyone came within three feet of him, he'd feel nauseous.

I thought he would frown and refuse.

But he only paused for a second before closing his magazine and calling back, "Sure, coming."

My feet felt like they were filled with lead.

Rooted to the spot.

Until a gust of wind from outside blew a velvet gift box off the entryway table.

My gaze shifted down.

The box had opened, and a dazzling diamond bracelet lay there quietly.

That was the style I'd lingered on in a brand catalog half a month ago.

At the time, Harrison had wrapped his arms around my waist from behind.

He'd kissed my earlobe, his voice low and husky. "Like it? I'll give it to you for our fifth anniversary."

Now, he stopped in his tracks and walked over to pick up the box.

He looked at the bracelet inside with complete bewilderment.

As if he had no idea how such a thing ended up in his house.

"This is..."

The clock struck twelve.

I summoned every ounce of strength to pull out a proper smile.

"Probably a surprise you prepared for Violet."

Harrison nodded without a hint of doubt and pocketed the box.

"Probably."

I gripped the handle of my suitcase and walked out the door.

It's not that I hadn't hoped he was just momentarily confused.

But I had to face reality.

He didn't remember.

These five years meant nothing to him—just a piece of waste paper he could tear up anytime.

The clock had finished chiming.

The magic was broken.

Cinderella had to return to her swamp.

Every future anniversary, he would spend with another woman.