Faded Oaths

When a kidnapper forces my husband, Liam Waltz, to choose between saving me and our son, he sacrifices me without a second thought. I'm pushed off the cliff, but somehow, I survive. Still, I have lost all my memories. Liam looks absolutely devastated in front of the media. He holds a public funeral for me, only to marry a woman who looks exactly like me a year later—Clara Brown. Four years pass before my memories return. I return to Ardenix, hoping to see my son, Lucas, only to find that he now sees Clara as his mother. And Liam? After four years of thinking I was dead, he only cares about protecting her. "You were gone for four years. I thought you were dead. You didn't think I'd be widowed forever, did you? I'm now the CEO of a publicly traded company. "I can allow you to stay home, but you can't ever show your face in public. After all, Clara is now my legal wife." Instead of heartbreak, all I feel is relief. During those four years of amnesia, I married the one and only heir of Hurrix Corporation. Chapter 1 After regaining my memory, my husband watched reluctantly as I boarded the plane alone. It was time for me to visit my son, Lucas, and my ex-husband, Liam Waltz. Once I touched down, Liam personally came to pick me up at the airport. Despite not seeing each other for four years, he didn't seem the least bit delighted at reuniting with me. Instead, he appeared distant. "We've been doing well for the past four years. Lucas has started school. Though not remarkable in academics, he's really into baseball. His mother…" Realizing his inappropriate use of the term, he quickly changed his words. "Clara thought it'd be great to let him join the baseball team." I couldn't help but hear a trace of warmth and longing in his words when he spoke about Clara. "You knew how I married her three years ago. She's now my wife. I can allow you to stay home, but you can't ever show your face in public." I listened quietly without responding. Truth be told, I was secretly relieved. During those four years of amnesia, I had settled down with my now-husband. I didn't plan on disrupting their life, but something in me wouldn't give up on Lucas just yet. If it weren't for my son, I wouldn't be here now. "You and Clara are different. She was raised in a tough environment and has a timid personality. Be nice and caring toward her, and don't even think about giving her a hard time." I was slightly taken aback. My brows furrowed as I asked, "What makes you think I'd do that?" In the last four years, he had found a new woman, while I had met my one true love. Frankly, I hadn't felt anything for him in a long time. … The car eventually halted outside the villa. Liam said, "I told Lucas you'd be home. He should be coming back around this time after his practice." I entered the villa but didn't catch sight of Lucas. Frowning, he added, "I guess he just doesn't want to see you. I mean, he sees Clara as his mother now—most probably didn't want you to drive her away." I felt a sharp pain in my chest as those words sank in. I understood that Lucas was so little when I left that he probably didn't even remember what I looked like. Meanwhile, Clara had been by his side for three whole years. Perhaps he had long since stopped thinking of me as his mother. Glancing around, I suddenly realized how much the villa had changed from my memories. The vintage paintings I once hung on the walls were gone, replaced by colorful ceramic decorations. The rug and couch I carefully picked out for Liam when we got married were similarly replaced with a different color and style. It was as if I were never here to begin with. I looked out the window and saw the garden filled with blooming lavender and morning glories, though in my memories, Liam used to hate having flowers in the yard. I had even argued with him about it once, but he wouldn't budge. At last, he had changed his ways for Clara. I couldn't help but think back to our wedding day, when he stood before everyone and promised he would only love me for the rest of his life. When I went missing, he cried his eyes out on national television, acting like he couldn't go on living without me. Everyone said he loved me deeply, which was why he married my replica—just to fill the void. Now that I thought about it, they were foolishly, naively wrong. Chapter 2 "As you probably can guess, Clara is using the master bedroom. You can take the guest room for tonight." I shook my head, ready to turn him down, when I heard a voice as sweet as a nightingale's echoing from the stairs. "Darling, is Elena back?" Lifting my gaze, I saw Clara Brown descending the stairs in a delicate white lace slip dress, looking as fragile and timid as a rabbit. Liam immediately stepped forward, shrugging off his jacket to drape it over her shoulders. His expression softened completely, and his voice dropped to a gentle murmur as he leaned close to her ear. "You're still not fully recovered yet. Didn't I tell you not to move around?" "I really wanted to meet Elena," Clara mentioned, scurrying toward me and holding my hands. "I can't believe you're still alive, Elena! I'm so happy you're here!" Her eyes suddenly reddened, and she lowered her head melancholically, as if reminded of something. "Now that you're back, I suppose I should leave." Liam's brow furrowed immediately. "Don't be silly, babe. You're now my wife, the real Mrs. Waltz." Clara's expression instantly brightened into a dazzling smile at Liam's words. Eerily, it bore an uncanny resemblance to mine. I stayed silent, unmoved, watching the two of them wrapped up in their own world as though I were an outsider. "Since you're staying the night, let me show you to your room, Elena!" Clara suggested sweetly, reaching for my hand. Before I could respond, she gripped it firmly and pulled me up the stairs with her. Halfway up, she suddenly let out a startled cry. Her body lurched backward, and she tumbled down the stairs. Liam's expression darkened as he rushed over to hold her. "Clara, are you alright?" She winced in pain, tears rolling uncontrollably down her face. "I'm fine, Liam. I just don't know why Elena would want to push me. Did I… do something wrong?" He cocked his head at me, coldly demanding, "Apologize to her, Elena." I was speechless. "I didn't push her. She slipped." Of course, Liam didn't believe in me. "For the last time, apologize to Clara." His gaze was so piercing that I bit my lip hard and remained silent. How hurtful was that? Clara tugged at his sleeve and meekly said, "Don't hold it against her, darling. Elena must've suffered greatly alone for the past four years. It's only natural that she resents me." Soon, Liam's gaze toward me was replaced with unmistakable disappointment. "I can't believe you've turned out like this, Elena. Out of sheer jealousy, you pushed an innocent woman down the stairs? "I don't think you should stay the night anymore. I'll find you a hotel instead." I didn't plan on staying the night, anyway. My husband was still waiting for me at home. Right then, the doors were pushed open, revealing a boy's silhouette. "Mommy, Daddy, I'm home." Chapter 3 I could no longer suppress my emotions as soon as I saw Lucas. I called out his name as I rushed forward, but he simply ignored me and ran toward Liam and Clara, exclaiming, "Mommy!" My outstretched arms awkwardly lingered midair. Meanwhile, Liam had called the doctor and left in a hurry with Clara, leaving only me and Lucas in the living room. I tried to call out for him again. "Lucas, it's me, Mommy. Your real mommy." He instinctively took a few steps back, his eyes full of wariness. I took a deep breath and forced a gentle smile. "How have you been? Is Clara good to you?" He seemed to have a lot to say when it came to Clara. "She's very good to me. Not only did she not force me into studying, but she also supported my hobbies. Even if I don't do well in class, she'd never punish me for it." Frankly, I disagreed with Clara's way of teaching; hobbies were important, but so was basic learning. Of course, I didn't argue about it. I was content as long as I knew he was happy. "So, are you back to kick her out?" Shock overcame me as I heard those words. I quickly shook my head. "I've actually married someone else. I'm only here today to see you, Lucas." "You married someone else?" Lucas' eyes widened. He was shocked as he questioned, "Daddy was nice to you. How could you get into someone else's bed without his knowledge?" I didn't reply immediately, but frowned. "Who taught you to say such a thing, Lucas?" Realizing he had made a mistake, he quickly sealed his lips and turned to the side. I was baffled at how foreign my son felt to me. I couldn't be sure how exactly Clara had been educating him all these years, but I was confident, judging from his words, that he had been led astray. Bitterness surged in my chest. Before coming here, I thought I could take him away with me if he wasn't doing well. Boy, did I overthink it. He already saw Clara as his mother. There was no way he would ever come with me. Thus, I took off the ruby bracelet from my wrist and handed it to him. "Lucas, if you ever find yourself in trouble one day, bring this bracelet to me. I'll help you. But remember, it only works once." Lucas took it without a word, his expression blank. When I turned to leave the villa, I saw that the bracelet had been tossed into the garden grass. Chapter 4 As soon as I stepped outside the garden gate, Liam came to me. "Clara has decided to forgive you. You won't have to sleep at a hotel tonight. The guest bedroom is yours." He spoke with a tone that radiated selflessness. It was as if he expected me to thank him for it. I turned him down. "No, thanks. I'm just about to leave." He frowned, unimpressed. "You're leaving? Where do you have to go?" "I'm going back to Zentara." A sarcastic laugh escaped from his lips. He thought I was throwing a tantrum. "Playing hard to get as a way to provoke me, huh? I told you, Clara is my legal wife. I can't just let you take away her place." We dated for five years and were married for three. For some reason, it only occurred to me then how much of a jerk he was. Now, everything in the past was starting to feel like a joke. I calmly replied, "My husband's in Zentara. He'll worry if I'm home late." Liam was stunned. It took him a long while before he found his bearings. Pale and confused, he yanked my wrist and questioned, "You married someone in Zentara?" I nodded. "You and I both have our own families to go back to. From now on, I'll be out of your life for good." I struggled out of his grip, but he was surprisingly strong. "I don't believe you," he responded. "I'm a CEO worth over ten million now. Are you really willing to give that up? Even if you married someone else while you had amnesia, staying here should still be the better choice, isn't it?" His urgency felt strange and even a little funny to me. I looked at him with a hint of pity. Thanks to the fortune I left behind, Liam's company had gone public. However, compared to my current husband, it was nothing. Besides, wealth was never what I truly wanted. I slowly pried away his hand. "I don't care about these. I only care about the one I love." His breath hitched. "And what about Lucas? Are you gonna abandon him?" "I heard Clara's been good to him. From now on, she can be his mother without guilt." A black Maybach pulled up just in time, and I recognized it instantly as my ride. I broke free from Liam's hold and got in without looking back. Outside the window, he stood rooted to the spot, his eyes red-rimmed, staring fixedly in the direction I was leaving. Chapter 5 Looking back to when Liam and I first got together, his company wasn't anywhere near this big. We started from scratch, building the business side by side. I stayed up late, drawing countless designs for him, and sealed deal after deal for him at countless dinners. Without me, he wouldn't be where he was. When I married him, I brought significant assets into the relationship—family heirlooms, fine jewelry, and investments under my name. Now that he had moved on to someone else, it was only fair that I reclaimed what was mine from the start. … Back in Zentara, I quickly had someone draft a contract demanding the rights to those design drafts and all the assets I brought into the marriage. Many partners only worked with Liam because of my talent. Once those design rights were reclaimed, a majority of the company's collaborations would fall apart. I returned to the villa in Ardenix with the contract in hand, but it was Clara who answered the door this time. "Liam took Lucas out," she said, smiling. "Is there something I can help you with, Elena? Or… have you changed your mind and decided to come back here?" I said nothing, simply took a seat on the couch, and waited. "I don't plan on doing that. I just need to speak with Liam." Clara maintained her sweet smile, but I caught the subtle flash of something darker in her eyes. She brought me a cup of freshly brewed coffee, but just as she set it down, her hand "slipped". The entire cup of scalding liquid was poured straight onto my lap. I shot to my feet instinctively. My skirt was soaked through, and a sharp sting bloomed across my legs from the burn. At that moment, Liam happened to return home with Lucas. Seeing that, Clara quickly let out a startled scream. Liam ran over, soon finding a small patch of red on the back of her hand where the coffee had splashed—just enough to make it look like I had caused a deliberate mess. "I'm sorry. I didn't know Elena disliked black coffee. I should've seen this coming…" He was furious. "I thought you said you were married, Elena. Why are you here, harassing Clara again? Or should I say, you finally realized how shameful it was to be a mistress and regretted it?" Where did that come from? "Mistress? What on earth are you talking about?" Liam let out a cold snort, his voice dripping with disdain. "That Maybach you left in? It's a custom model with only ten units in the world. You really think some powerful tycoon would be interested in an amnesiac nobody like you? "I looked into it. Every major player in Zentara was already married before you even went missing. So, unless you're some rich man's mistress, what other role could you possibly play?" I was shaking with rage, stunned he would stoop so low as to judge me like that. And then there was Lucas, who stepped in front of Clara, shielding her like I was the intruder. "You're a homewrecker who hurts my mommy! You don't belong in this house! Get out!" he said firmly. Fury surged through me like wildfire. I couldn't take it anymore. I grabbed the nearest ornament on the table and hurled it in their direction. Liam blocked it effortlessly, smirking. "What's wrong? Losing your temper already?" I raised my voice to defend myself. "First of all, Liam, I know your villa has security cameras. If you really want to know if I spilled the coffee, check the footage. "Second, I'm no one's mistress. I married my husband legally in broad daylight, with a proper wedding held in Zentara. And lastly, I have zero interest in whatever ridiculous family drama the two of you have going on. "I'm only here for what I rightfully brought into this marriage. You sign this contract, and I'll be out of your hair." With that, I slammed the contract down in front of him. However, Liam only flashed me a smug, dismissive smile. "So, it's really about the money, huh? Fine. I'll give you what you want for one last time." He picked up the pen, ready to sign, but suddenly paused. His brow twitched as his eyes landed on the name printed at the bottom of the contract. Sitting at the bottom of the contract were the words "Hurrix Corporation". Indeed, the one with global holdings, wealthy beyond imagination, and influence that extended far beyond the business world. Liam flipped through the pages of the contract in disbelief, his fingers trembling ever so slightly. Then, there my name was, no longer bearing his last name. Now, it read: Elena Hurrix.