The Love He Forgot

I kept my vow and pursued Alexander Hayes for three years, confessing my feelings ninety-nine times. Yet he always treated me like a scheming, clingy gold-digger, heaping humiliation upon me and ignoring me completely. Later, when his mistress lost the child in her belly, he pinned me to the bed to punish me without hesitation. Certain that I was the reason the baby was gone, he demanded I give him another one to make up for it. Shannon's POV Alexander Hayes's mistress, Amber Lane, lost her baby and was wheeled into the operating room drenched in blood for emergency resuscitation. I stood in the corridor outside, my palms slick with cold sweat. An hour ago, Amber and I had run into each other at the hospital. She had strutted over, belly protruding, deliberately provoking me, and then somehow tumbled down the stairs. Only the two of us were there at the time. Everyone concluded that I had pushed Amber down the stairs. It wasn't surprising. Ever since Amber got pregnant, Alexander had doted on her unconditionally. Apartments, luxury cars, jewelry—he showered them on her in endless streams. Connections and endorsements were hers for the taking. And me? Everyone knew I had been chasing after him for three years. No matter how many women Alexander fooled around with, no matter how much he treated me like thin air, I refused to leave. With no hope left of claiming the top spot, wouldn't pushing Amber down the stairs be the most obvious move? I had no way to defend myself. Alexander strode over, his expression terrifyingly dark. The moment he laid eyes on me, fury ignited in his gaze. Without a word, the man gripped my wrist and dragged me into an empty hospital room next door, bolting the door behind him. He clamped his hand over my chin, forcing my head up. "The baby is gone. You killed it, do you know that?" My jaw ached under his crushing grip. "Alexander, it really wasn't me! I didn't..." Unable to break free, tears welled in my eyes. "I don't know what happened. I didn't even touch her. Alexander, please believe me!" He suddenly released his grip. Thinking he was finally willing to listen, I was about to speak when he violently shoved me onto the hospital bed. Alexander immediately leaned down and pinned me under his weight, his eyes cold enough to freeze. Trembling in terror, I blurted out in haste, "That baby wasn't even yours!" "I know." He replied without hesitation, catching me off guard. "Whose baby it was doesn't matter." He roughly shoved my shirt up. "You made me lose it, so you'll give me another to replace it." A blast of cold air hit my bare skin, and I shivered uncontrollably. "Stop acting." He leaned in closer, sneering against my ear. "After pretending for so long, wasn't your goal always to climb into my bed?" "What contract? What love? If you hadn't shown your true colors, I almost would've been fooled by this pure, innocent face of yours!" Ever since he was betrayed by his first love in his youth, Alexander had been convinced that every woman who approached him had an agenda. The more genuine the affection seemed, the deeper the scheme. My three years of pursuit and devotion were nothing but an act in his eyes. "I didn't..." "Shut up! When it comes down to it, you're no different from all the other women out there." He gripped my throat. "You're after my money, after the Hayes family's status. Want to be my woman? I'll grant your wish!" Before I could explain, Alexander crushed his lips against mine. A sharp tearing sound followed, and my dress hit the floor in shreds. An endless wave of bitterness washed over my heart. I had tried so hard for three years just to make him fall in love with me again. Never had I imagined that our next moment of intimacy would look like this. "Enough! Stop! Alexander!" Instead of stopping, he grew even rougher. Furious, I sank my teeth into his shoulder, the metallic taste of blood spreading across my tongue. Alexander winced in pain, but then he laughed. "If I stop now, wouldn't your efforts go to waste?" A long time later, he finally straightened up. Looking down at my disheveled state, his eyes brimmed with mockery. "You always acted like a saint, talking about true love, yet you're not even a virgin. Ha!" My body was limp, without even the strength to move a finger. Silently, I stared at this face that was both familiar and foreign, listening to the venomous words pouring from his mouth. Four years ago, whenever he looked at me, his eyes were always filled with deep devotion, so gentle they could melt water. Now, those very same eyes stared at me with undisguised disgust and hatred. I gazed at Alexander in a daze, tears threatening to spill over. "Don't look at me like that." Alexander was inexplicably stung by those tearful eyes, his tone turning frigid. "If you hadn't crossed the line lately, no one would have targeted you. With the baby gone, I've lost a bargaining chip in the fight for succession. This debt is on your head. Everything that happened today is what you deserve." As if that weren't enough, he reiterated what he had said countless times before. "Remember this: between us, there is only a paper contract. You were never supposed to harbor any feelings for me. Not a single shred!" The door slammed shut. I lay powerless on the bed, my chest aching to the point of numbness. The glaring white light from the ceiling stung my eyes. I wanted to leave, but I didn't even have a scrap of clothing to cover myself. For three years, I had stayed by his side without a single regret. I had shielded him from countless drinks, worked overtime with him through endless nights, and helped him secure deal after deal. No matter how many women he held in clubs, no matter which celebrity he trended with on social media, I never made a scene. I had laid my heart bare before him a thousand times, only to be told that I should never harbor any feelings for him. Right then, a noise came from outside the door.Shannon's POV The door swung open, and several sleazy-looking strangers stepped inside. The last man locked the door behind him, their leering eyes roaming over me without restraint. My face drained of color in sheer terror. Yanking the bedsheet tightly around myself, I cowered into the corner of the bed. "What are you doing?" I was trembling violently. "...Did he send you?" Even as I asked, a desperate part of me still hoped I was wrong about him. The leader grinned wickedly. "The client said as long as we don't kill you, anything goes. If you know what's good for you, cooperate, and we'll make sure you enjoy it!" The last shred of hope in my heart shattered completely. Over the past three years, no matter how cold Alexander was to me, no matter how he humiliated me, I always told myself he had simply forgotten—that he didn't truly hate me deep down. Now, I finally understood the depth of his hatred. He hated me enough to destroy me with the foulest, most despicable means. The men closed in, tearing away the protective sheet in seconds. I thrashed with all my might, but my arms were pinned down hard, leaving me unable to move an inch. "Get off me! Don't touch me! Help!" I tried to scream for help, but a hand clamped over my mouth. "The client told us you're quite a treat. We'll take real good care of you..." Vile words assaulted my ears. Greasy hands crawled across my skin, sending waves of numbness through me, while their foul stench made me retch. I couldn't move. I couldn't scream. Only one thought remained in my head: If I can't escape, I'd rather die. I'll jump out the window and end it all. Crash! A deafening sound echoed from the door. A fire axe hacked through the lock, and Julian Vance burst in. His eyes blazed with murderous rage as he sent the closest man flying with a vicious kick. "You're dead meat!" Sensing danger, the rest covered their heads and scrambled out. Julian stripped off his coat, wrapped it around me, and lifted me into his arms, striding out of the room. Had he been a second later, I couldn't bear to imagine what would have happened. I hid at my best friend Tara Brooks's apartment for a week. I didn't return to work at Hayes Corporation, and I ignored every single call from the office. I could hold myself together during the day, but every night brought nightmares. My dreams were consumed by everything that had happened at the hospital—my dress being violently ripped apart by Alexander, his gaze icy and filled with loathing. A pack of men closing in like wolves catching scent of blood, while I ran and ran, unable to escape. Every time, I woke up screaming, drenched in sweat. That night, I jolted awake from another nightmare. Sitting up in bed, I gasped for air, my heart hammering as if it might burst. Just then, my phone rang. The caller ID read: Alexander Hayes. I stared at the screen, my finger hovering over the decline button, but in the end, I answered. The background was loud and chaotic, music clashing with the clinking of glasses. The man's tone was indifferent. "Shannon, Twilight Lounge. Come pick me up." Without second thought, I threw on some clothes and headed for the door. The noise woke Tara. Seeing me heading out, she immediately blocked the doorway. "Are you out of your mind?" Tara shook my shoulders, exasperated and furious. "Did you forget how he treated you? What happened at the hospital was only a few days ago!" "When has he ever lacked women around him? Why does it have to be you picking him up in the middle of the night?" "Whether he lives or dies is none of your business! Why do you keep throwing yourself at him like a glutton for punishment?" My face paled. My best friend was right. Wasn't I just humiliating myself? Yet I hung my head and quietly cut Tara off. "You can call me pathetic, or shameless, or whatever you want. But I can't lie to myself. I can't let him go." Whenever it was a message from Alexander, no matter how much my mind resisted, I simply couldn't ignore it. It was a sickness carved into my bones, one I had no cure for. Tara's anger deflated halfway, her voice softening as she tried to reason with me. "Shannon, you know better than anyone. No matter how much you two loved each other before, the man he is now isn't the Alexander Hayes you once knew. Right now, he's scarier than a demon." Tara was speaking the truth. Four years ago, Alexander was diagnosed with a massive brain tumor. After the surgery, he lost all memories of the years we were in love. His personality reverted to how he had been before he met me—ruthless, cold, and hardened after his first love's betrayal. In what remained of his memory, every woman who approached him harbored hidden motives. Naturally, in his eyes, I was no different. In fact, because I had doggedly chased him for three years, I was even more repulsive than the rest! "He's not like that," I defended him. "He just accidentally forgot me, that's all." Tara choked on her frustration. "Even at this point, you're still defending him?" I clenched my fists, my gaze settling into resolve instead. "I can't give up yet. I haven't fulfilled my promise." Four years ago, the night before the surgery, Alexander refused to sign the consent form, preferring death. He said that if the price of living was forgetting me, he didn't want his life. It was me who swore to him at his bedside: even if you forget me, I will pursue you all over again, confess my love a hundred times, and make you fall for me once more. Only then did he relent and sign his name. So no matter who he has become now, I must see this promise through. Only then will I have honored the deep love Alexander once had for me. Knowing she couldn't dissuade me, Tara let out a long sigh. She turned, brought over a thick coat, and thrust it into my arms with a bitter smile. "It's cold outside. Put this on." "Shannon, sometimes failure isn't the terrifying part. What's terrifying is refusing to believe that you've already failed." I didn't argue, my eyes shining with desperate determination. "You know that other than loving him, I have no other choice." With that, I opened the door and stepped out into the night.Shannon's POV When I arrived at Twilight Lounge, the private room was buzzing with lively chatter. Alexander sat lazily at the head of the table with his long legs crossed, a beauty in a slip dress leaning against him on either side. He shook a dice cup in his hand, looking completely relaxed without a trace of drunkenness. Standing by the door, a wave of bitterness welled up inside me. Tara had been right—when had he ever lacked women around him? Rushing over in the dead of night was purely my own self-delusion. Just as I was about to back out, Alexander spotted me first. Instead of ignoring me like thin air as he usually did, he beckoned me over. "Everyone, my woman is here." Every pair of eyes in the room turned toward me at once. Bundled up in a thick winter coat among women showing bare shoulders and legs, I looked completely out of place. Yet the words "my woman" reached my ears, instantly giving me a surge of courage. Ever since losing his memory, Alexander had never referred to me like that. I straightened my back and walked toward him with composure. A man on the opposite sofa appraised me with a meaningful glance and gave a sinister smirk. "Now that everyone's here, let's begin." "As we agreed earlier, whoever wins takes the Horizon project. The rest accept their loss." Alexander raised his glass and looked my way, agreeing to the man's terms with a smile full of absolute confidence. Only then did I realize that calling me in the middle of the night had nothing to do with him being too drunk to drive home. He wanted me to drink on his behalf to seize the Horizon project. "Haven't you always wanted to be my woman?" Alexander leaned down close to my ear and murmured in a low voice: "Win this round for me, secure Horizon, and the debt for losing the child will be wiped clean. I'll allow you to stay by my side." I couldn't help clenching the hem of my coat. I had no choice. I knew Alexander's temper. Losing Amber's baby had indeed damaged his bid for control over the Hayes family. And right now, Alexander was single-mindedly obsessed with seizing power. If the matter of the child wasn't put behind us, who knew what methods he would use to torment me next time? Those leering, grotesque faces from the hospital room still sneered violently in my nightmares. I didn't dare gamble. Taking a deep breath, I set my resolve. The crowd immediately cheered and pushed me into the center of the lights. Seeing this, the woman opposite stood up. She had a voluptuous figure, her red dress slit up to the hip, and was glaring at me with open provocation. The long table was packed with glasses, ranging from draft beer to red wine, whisky to champagne. The finale was hard liquor mixed with beer, the alcohol content ramping up with every round. A chime sounded, and the competition began. I picked up a glass of tequila and threw it down my throat. The burning sensation scorched all the way down to my stomach, but my expression didn't waver as I reached for the next glass. The woman in red had an astonishing tolerance. Drinking from draft beer to red wine, then from whisky to champagne, she won nine rounds in a row, her complexion steady and even composed enough to touch up her lipstick. My face, however, grew paler and paler. Cold sweat trickled down my back, and my legs trembled so badly I could collapse at any moment. "Is that all?" The woman in red sneered. "Mr. Hayes, your woman's tolerance isn't much to brag about." The onlookers exchanged glances and whispered among themselves. "Looks like Mr. Hayes is going to lose this time." "If he loses this drinking contest to the Sterling family, Horizon is gone." "Why would Mr. Hayes entrust such an important project to a woman like her? Does he trust her that much?" "If she messes up Mr. Hayes's plans tonight, who knows what will become of her!" Round ten began. Only two glasses of mixed hard liquor and red wine remained on the table—the two with the highest proof. The woman in red picked up her glass first and downed it in one go. Putting the glass down, she tilted her chin at me triumphantly. Yet before long, she threw up violently and was hauled away by bystanders. The host turned to look at me. By the rules, as long as I finished this glass and remained standing for three minutes without collapsing or vomiting, I won. But my hands were trembling so badly I could barely hold the glass steady. Everyone was convinced I wouldn't be able to swallow it down. The host spoke up, "Standard rules: after drinking, answer this question: What is the most important day of your life?" Across the littered table, my gaze cut through the crowd and landed on Alexander. He leaned there casually, his expression obscured by the dim lighting. I raised the glass and poured the burning liquid down my throat, already swaying on my feet, consumed by both hatred and heartbreak. I hated Alexander for always pushing me to the brink just to test me. If it was something he wanted, I was willing to trade my very life for it, yet he refused to believe me even a fraction. I even wondered whether he would feel a shred of sorrow if I really drank myself to death at this table tonight. I was terrified of seeing a negative answer in his eyes, yet I couldn't stop myself from looking. Because the most important day of my life was that afternoon six years ago—the day I met him. Even though he broke my heart to pieces later on, that day remained etched into my very soul. Bracing myself against the table to stay upright, I answered earnestly, "The most important day was six years ago, the day I met him." The host loudly declared my victory. Applause and whistles erupted, but I couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed onto the floor. My stomach churned, burning with agony. Yet no matter how severe the physical misery was, it paled in comparison to the pain in my heart. No alcohol, no matter how strong, could numb the agony of being forgotten and hurt by the person who mattered most. Not far away, upon hearing my answer, Alexander crushed the cigarette in his fingers into a mangled ball and hurled it savagely to the floor.Shannon's POV As the early morning breeze blew past, the alcohol rushed straight to my head. I pulled my coat tight around myself, leaning against the entrance of the bar while waiting for Alexander Hayes. We had won the Horizon project, but I couldn't feel the slightest bit of joy. My stomach burned fiercely, and dizzy spells washed over my vision. My balance slipped, and I started falling backward. A hand caught me firmly from behind. "He let you drink like this and just left you out here in the freezing wind?" I turned to see who it was and froze. It was Julian Vance. Alexander's childhood brother and the one who had smashed the lock at the hospital to save me that day. "Julian, about last time, I haven't had the chance to thank you—" "I don't want your thanks." Julian cut me off, an obvious edge of fury in his voice. Furious at how Alexander treated me, and furious that I let Alexander run all over me like this. "Shannon, listen to me. The Alexander of today will never fall in love with you. Never!" "The closer you get to him, the deeper he'll hurt you. Today it was drinking yourself half to death, last time it was that mob at the hospital—what about next time? Will you be this lucky next time?" His voice grew more frantic, genuinely terrified that I would get hurt again. "Leave him! Come to me. I promise you, from now on, I'll never let anyone hurt you again!" As the words tumbled out, heartbroken, he pulled me straight into his arms. I was too drunk and weak to resist; my feeble struggles couldn't break his hold. "Julian, let me go... don't do this..." Suddenly, a heavy fist swung in. Julian stumbled backward from the blow, crashing into a tree trunk. Losing my balance, I fell back into a familiar embrace. Alexander wrapped his arm around my waist, glaring at Julian with chilling hostility. "And here I thought of you as a brother." His voice was ice. "Poaching right under my nose." Julian wiped the blood from his nose and straightened up, refusing to back down an inch. "You don't know how to cherish a good woman, and you won't let anyone else treat her right?" "So what if I'm stealing her away?" "After the monstrous things you did at the hospital, I'm definitely taking her from you!" Alexander gave a cold sneer, tightening his arm around my waist in utter disdain. "You want to cherish her? You want to steal her? Fine." "Get in line. It won't be your turn until I'm sick of playing with her." He looked down at me in his arms and gave me a slight push forward, silently demanding I take a stand. "Don't believe me? Ask her yourself. Even if I don't want her, does she have the guts to leave me?" Standing between the two men, the night wind made me shiver violently. Each of Alexander's words demeaned me more than the last, slicing into my heart until the pain felt almost numb. Yet I turned to Julian, gritting my teeth as I forced out the words. "It's my own fault." "Unless I die, I will never leave him in this lifetime!" Those words were meant less for Julian and more for myself. I was forcing myself to hold on, using love to numb every ounce of pain Alexander inflicted upon me. Julian froze, his face turning pale. Alexander was satisfied. He steered me into the car, shoved me in, and stepped on the gas, leaving Julian far behind. The car tore forward, speeding out of the city and only coming to a halt by the riverbank. The engine died, and silence settled over the car, broken only by the sound of the river lapping against the shore. Alexander didn't get out. He suddenly turned his head to look at me. "Does loving me make you suffer that much?" He had seen right through the agony buried beneath my words. Looking out at the water ahead, I shook my head, replying with utter calm, "I told you I'd love you for a lifetime. A minute less, a single second less, wouldn't count as a lifetime." A strange irritation flared in Alexander. "Enough!" He snapped, "Watched too many movies? You've certainly got your lines memorized!" "Putting on this deeply devoted act day in and day out—aren't you tired of it?" He reached out and pinched my chin, forcing my face around to meet his gaze. He wanted to find a crack in my eyes, a trace of an act. Yet these eyes were so sincere and clean, so pure that it made his entire skin crawl with unease. He had seen the eyes of far too many women—calculating, flattering, feigning deep affection—he could see through them in a glance. Only these eyes eluded him. And if he couldn't see through them, he would tear them apart. Either way, he would never believe I truly loved him! "You claim you love me." He pressed closer again, interrogating me coldly. "Yet in your heart, you're thinking about the man you met six years ago, saying that was your most important day! Shannon, don't you make yourself sick?" I froze for a moment, and then a bittersweet warmth swelled within my chest. He was jealous. He was starting to care about me. I wanted to tell him that the man I had met six years ago was him, that he had simply forgotten. "Alexander, listen to me. The person I met six years ago was actually—" Before I could finish, his jealousy had completely consumed his reason. He suddenly reclined my seat, rolling over to pin me down beneath him. Then he pulled off his belt to bind my hands, lowering his head to crush his lips against mine. "Mmph... stop it!" Unable to overpower him, I bit him on instinct. He let go with a hiss of pain, his rage flaring hotter. "Biting me? Getting bold now, aren't you?" He glared at me viciously, spewing insult after insult. "Did Julian take good care of you this past week? Gave you the courage to act up?" From the moment Julian took me from the hospital, I had been gone for a full seven days! I was stunned. Only then did I realize what he had assumed. Yet before I could explain, Alexander brutally tore my clothes to shreds once again. A punishing kiss descended upon me. "Did he touch you here?" The cold air and his rough kisses sent violent shivers through me. "And here? And here? Did he touch you everywhere?" Every single word trampled me straight into the dirt. All my defenses and confessions jammed in my throat. What was the point of explaining? He never believed me anyway. I threw my head back numbly, letting him force my legs apart. Four years later, this was our second intimate encounter, and Alexander treated me just as violently as before. As if there were some bone-deep hatred festering between us. Much later, silence finally returned to the car. Alexander got up and straightened his shirt, his face etched with disgust, not bothering to spare me even a glance. I saw the hatred in the depths of his eyes. I had imagined Alexander rejecting my love, or giving me the cold shoulder, but I had never imagined he would hate me. It felt as if millions of ants were gnawing at my heart, hurting so deeply that I couldn't make a sound. Pulling my tattered clothes tightly around myself to cover up, I spoke softly. "Alexander, I didn't betray you." He didn't reply. He started the car, driving the entire way in silence.Alexander's POV I stood alone by the floor-to-ceiling windows on the top floor of Hayes Corporation, lost in thought. A long column of ash had gathered at the tip of my cigarette, the ember burning down almost to my fingers before I even noticed. Too much had happened lately, and a certain someone's figure kept flashing through my mind, throwing me into complete disarray. The door pushed open, and Charlie Evans strolled in. Spotting me like this, his interest was instantly piqued. "Now that's a rare sight. Our Mr. Hayes, completely out of it?" He sauntered over, winking and nudging. "Who're you thinking about? Couldn't be your little assistant, could it? Looking at this, she might actually have a shot at becoming the real deal." I stubbed out the cigarette and shot him a cold glare. "How's the investigation into the hospital incident going?" Charlie was in no rush to answer, indulging himself in reflection instead. "Let's talk about something else first. I heard about Horizon. One drinking party, one little assistant, and she snatched such a massive piece of meat right out of the Sterling family's mouth for you. Alex, you're literally making a killing without putting up a dime!" He clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Then again, wasn't Shannon picked up by you from a drinking table three years ago?" "Back then, I laughed at you, saying the great Mr. Hayes had brought home an unknown freeloader. Looking at it now, that investment paid off big time." "A true legend in the investment circle—you can even turn a profit on a stray woman! Brilliant!" Hearing her name, my mind drifted back to last night, when Shannon had said her most important day was six years ago. I remembered the look in her eyes, drowning in sorrow and despair as she stared at me. My expression darkened, and irritation surged in my chest once again. Not wanting to pursue the topic, I deliberately struck at Charlie's sore spot. "Worry about yourself before you worry about me. Bella Reed. You've been in love with her for all these years, but never had the guts to pursue her. You've watched her go through eight boyfriends while you stayed her backup. If you keep holding back, she'll be handing you her wedding invitation next." Charlie flared up on the spot. "That's my choice! Even if I stay her second choice for the rest of my life, it's none of your business!" After snapping, his own momentum deflated, stripping him of the mood to tease me further. Sullenly, Charlie pulled an investigation folder from his briefcase and shoved it onto the desk. "Down to business. The hallway surveillance footage from the hospital has been restored. See for yourself." I opened the folder. The surveillance stills were crystal clear: Amber Lane had intercepted Shannon on her own, looking arrogant and provocative, saying who knows what. She had then shoved Shannon, and in her agitation, slipped on a puddle of water on the floor, tumbling straight down the stairs. From start to finish, Shannon hadn't even lifted a hand. Curiously, the origin of that puddle near the top of the stairs was unknown, suspected to have been splashed there beforehand. However, earlier surveillance records were still unavailable. I gripped the documents tightly, a violent pang twisting my gut. She really hadn't lied. I got up and walked to the window, peering out through the slats of the blinds. Amid the cubicles, Shannon was weaving back and forth holding a stack of files. Her frame looked fragile, yet she walked with her spine held completely straight. The scene from the hospital that day forced its way into my head unbidden. Pinned to the hospital bed, she had fought back tears as she explained, telling me she hadn't touched Amber, even pleading with me to believe her. Yet I hadn't listened at all, focused only on venting my rage. What chilled me even more was what happened after I slammed the door and walked away. I had called in a group of men to frighten her. I thought they wouldn't dare lay a hand on her. It wasn't until I saw Julian carrying her out of the ward that I realized what a catastrophe had nearly unfolded. Had Julian not happened to be on duty at the hospital that day, had he not happened to pass by the door, the consequences would have been unimaginable. An uneasy frustration churned inside me. In all my life, no one had ever unsettled my mind like this. The sensation was as dangerous as it was confounding. Charlie took in my unusual behavior. Dropping his playful smirk for once, he clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Alexander, take my advice. You can't keep hurting someone's heart forever. The day you break it completely and she leaves, she's gone for good." With a darkened expression, I offered no reply. Charlie studied me for a long moment before asking tentatively, "You aren't... still hung up on Sarah Lewis, are you?" My face turned completely black. "I was abroad all those years, so I'm not entirely clear on what happened back home," Charlie said, choosing his words carefully. "But four years ago, you called me. I still remember that call to this day." "You told me you'd met a girl. You said she gave you the courage to start over, and that once I returned, you'd introduce her to me." "After what happened with Sarah Lewis, that was the only time I ever heard you mention wanting to settle down." "Yet when I came back, I never saw that girl. Instead, I saw an Alexander Hayes who was colder and more suspicious than ever before. What on earth did you go through these past few years?" I furrowed my brow. Four years ago? Starting over? I had no recollection of this whatsoever. In my memories, when I was eighteen, I took all my savings and eloped with Sarah Lewis. Only for it to end shortly after... From that day on, I learned that a woman's deep devotion was never to be trusted. They had no genuine heart. As for some girl who gave me the courage to start over? Absolute nonsense. "I know what I'm doing with my own life," I cut Charlie off coldly. "Keep investigating. I want to know who is pulling the strings behind the scenes." Just as Charlie opened his mouth to press further, a frantic knock sounded on the door.Alexander's POV It was a young girl from administration, running so hard she was out of breath. "Mr. Hayes, this is bad! Ms. Lane and Assistant Cole are fighting in the office!" My face darkened, and I strode straight out. Charlie followed closely behind. A crowd of gossiping employees had already gathered outside the reception room, pressed against the glass doors and peering inside. Within the room, Amber Lane had Shannon Cole by the hair, using her other hand to grab the hot coffee from the table and splash it straight into Shannon's face. "Out of the way!" Shoving through the crowd with force, I pushed the door open, slammed it shut behind me, and barked, "Stop it!" The moment Amber saw me, she released her grip, turning to throw herself into my arms and sobbing hysterically. "Alexander, you're finally here!" "It's this bitch! She killed our baby! She deserves to die! You have to get justice for our child!" I didn't answer. My gaze bypassed her, landing straight on Shannon. Shannon's hair and face were drenched in coffee. Her soaked shirt clung to her skin, and her hair was a disheveled mess—the very picture of humiliation. Yet she stood ramrod straight, chin raised, without a shred of fragility on her face. Even after being drenched like that, she stubbornly held back her tears. Looking at that defiant demeanor, an unprecedented flicker of pity stirred in my chest. I had already seen the surveillance footage; she was innocent. I had wronged her, so I wanted to protect her just this once. All she had to do was lower her head, and I would have an excuse to settle the matter publicly right here. I turned Amber around, walked over to Shannon, and said in a low voice, "I'll give you one minute." "Apologize to her, and we'll put this matter behind us." In my eyes, this was already an immense act of grace. Just a single apology in exchange for completely getting off the hook—an absolute bargain. Shannon shuddered. She wiped the coffee from her face, meeting my gaze with stubborn conviction. "I cannot violate my conscience to apologize for something I didn't do." Silence fell over the room. Beside us, Charlie drew in a sharp breath. For the past three years, Shannon had always been submissive toward me, never talking back when scolded, never defending herself when punished. Directly defying me to my face like this was an absolute first. My eyes chilled, fury instantly flaring up. I had given her a way out, and she had kicked it right back into my face in front of everyone! Seeing this, Amber immediately grabbed my arm, weeping even more bitterly. "Alexander, listen to her! She's still unrepentant!" "We can't just let her off! She's the murderer who killed our child!" Her tears fell like rain, her shoulders trembling pathetically—a sight designed to evoke pity. Anyone walking in would have assumed she was the one whose hair had been pulled and who had coffee thrown in her face. Shannon acted as though she hadn't heard a thing, keeping her eyes fixed solely on me. "Alexander Hayes, does what you said at the bar still count?" She was referring to the promise from that night: win Horizon, and the debt regarding the child would be wiped clean. She had won it, gambling half her life to do so. Of course I remembered. Yet she refused to admit her fault, brushed aside my goodwill in front of everyone, and turned around to checkmate me with my own promise. On top of that, she had let Julian hold her! Old grievances piled atop new ones, and the fire in my chest could no longer be contained. Spurred by sheer spite, I reached out and gently pulled Amber into my arms right in front of the entire office. "Don't cry." I lowered my head to comfort her, gentle as if I were a completely different person. "I'm already looking into this. I will definitely give you an explanation." "Your health comes first. Go home and rest properly. Don't worry about the film crew; I'll handle them." Charlie watched from the side, utterly dumbfounded. He had known me for over twenty years and had never seen me speak so softly and deferentially to any woman. Amber was shocked as well. Yet following her astonishment, she continued sniffling in my embrace, pushing her luck even further. "But Alexander, even if she secured Horizon and made a contribution, her crime can't just be wiped clean." "That was a human life, our child—" Before she could finish, a loud bang cut her off. Shannon shoved open the glass door and stormed out without a word. Energized, Amber pointed at Shannon's retreating back, refusing to let it go. "Alexander, look! What kind of attitude is that? She's running because she feels guilty!" "Even if we don't call the police, you can't let this bitch stay by your side anymore. She clearly harbors ill intentions toward you!" Seeing Shannon leave, I shoved Amber away. Amber stumbled backward, bumping against the corner of the desk. She looked up in astonishment, only to meet a pair of eyes frozen solid with ice. The gentleness from moments before had vanished without a trace, replaced by pure coldness. "Whether you want to call the police or sue her, that's your freedom." I looked down at her, as cold as if I were regarding an inanimate object. "However, Amber, you know better than anyone whether that child was actually mine." Amber's face drained of color in an instant, her lips quivering. "What did you say..." "Alexander Hayes, how could you slander me for that bitch? How could you be so cruel!" I didn't bother looking at her anymore. I raised a hand to brush off the wrinkles on my sleeve where she had grabbed it, casting her a look of utter disgust. "Whether you want to remain my friend or become my enemy—the choice is yours." Leaving those words behind, I walked away without looking back. Charlie Evans clicked his tongue, shrugged at Amber Lane, and followed him out. Amber clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. Suddenly, she let out a loud, mocking laugh at my retreating back. "Alexander Hayes, you really think that woman is as pure and innocent as she acts?" "She has more secrets than you could ever imagine!" [Paywall]