Your Lie Cost You Me

A car accident leaves my boyfriend, Ben Cullen, with temporary amnesia. When he wakes up, he's convinced that my best friend, Jean Lyle, is his fiancée. The doctors warn us not to upset him, so I have no choice but to let Jean play along. We agree it's only an act. Once Ben gets his memory back, everything will go back to normal. But six months later, he still doesn't remember me. One day, I come across a post on a local forum. "I lost my memory after a car accident and mistook another woman for my girlfriend. Now I'm in love with her. How do I tell my real girlfriend?" The top reply says, "Easy. Keep pretending you have amnesia. You can stay with the new girl, and if you ever change your mind, just claim your memory came back." The original poster liked the reply. I look up just as Ben and Jean walk through the door. He follows her inside with several shopping bags, looking at her with such obvious affection that there's no mistaking how he feels. That's when it hits me. What started as an act has become real to Ben. Chapter 1 "Noelle, you're home early," Jean Lyle said. "Ben and I picked up a butternut squash at the store. Want me to make that soup you love?" Ben Cullen followed her inside. He gave me a polite nod, then headed into the kitchen. When Ben lost his memory, I couldn't bring myself to leave. So I stayed, even though it meant living like a guest in the home he now shared with Jean. I was his real girlfriend, yet I spent every day watching him dote on someone else. Every time they held hands or hugged in front of me, it tore me apart. I kept telling myself that once Ben got his memory back, everything would go back to normal. Six months passed, but Ben's memory never returned. Instead, I discovered something devastating. Ben had fallen in love with Jean. Jean followed my gaze to Ben, who was busy in the kitchen. She leaned closer and lowered her voice. "I'm sorry, Noelle." I looked down and gave a humorless laugh. "Don't be. I'm the one who couldn't help him remember." Jean had no idea Ben had been faking his amnesia all along. She said, "But don't worry. I'm keeping an eye on him for you. I promise I won't let him fool around behind your back." The irony wasn't lost on me, but I nodded. "I just came back to grab something. I'll be heading out again soon." Just then, Ben called Jean into the kitchen to give him a hand. She immediately turned to me. "Go take care of whatever you need to do, Noelle. Dinner will be ready by the time you get back." I stayed where I was, watching as Jean joined Ben in the kitchen. After peeling a clove of garlic, she held her fingers under his nose. "Do my hands smell?" Ben smiled at her fondly and kissed her fingers. "No. You always smell good." They laughed and teased each other like any other couple. It was exactly how I had once imagined married life with Ben. Except I wasn't the one beside him. Assuming I had already left, Ben asked, "Noelle's been staying with us for six months now. Hasn't she found a place yet?" The question caught Jean off guard, and she stumbled over her answer. "Not yet. I don't like the idea of her living alone, and rent is expensive. "Besides, she's closer to work here, and I feel better having her around. Why are you bringing this up now?" Ben kept peeling the squash as he spoke, his tone firm. "Tell her to move out. Having all three of us under one roof just isn't working. We can't even get any privacy without worrying about her being in the house. "And I don't want you always sacrificing what you want for her. We were supposed to have barbecue ribs and roasted squash tonight because they're your favorites. "But the moment you saw her, you changed the plan and offered to make her favorite butternut squash soup instead. This is your home, Jean. Why do you always act like you're the guest?" Jean didn't respond right away. Then, without warning, she kissed him on the cheek. Chapter 2 Seeing Jean kiss Ben sent a sharp pain through me. She had sworn up and down that she would do her best to keep her distance from him. Whenever I was around, she went out of her way to avoid getting too close. I couldn't remember when that had changed. Now she kissed him without a second thought. "I know you're looking out for me, but let's talk about this later. Finding an apartment isn't easy right now," Jean said. Ben had come prepared. "I asked a friend to check out two apartments a few days ago. They're both close to here and to her office." Jean gave in. "Alright. I'll talk to Noelle when she gets back." Fighting back tears, I slowly looked around the home I had decorated for Ben and me to share after we got married. After Ben lost his memory, I went from calling it home to living there as a guest. All my belongings had been moved into the tiny spare bedroom. Within six months, Jean had erased every sign that I had ever lived there. And now Ben wanted me gone. Their laughter carried from the kitchen. I couldn't bear the sound. I took a deep breath and slipped quietly out the door. Instead of going to the office, I headed to the hospital. I still had one last hope. What if that post wasn't Ben's? What if he hadn't regained his memory after all? What if he only treated Jean that way because he believed she was the woman he had loved before the accident? … "Ben Cullen?" Dr. Campbell flipped through a thick stack of medical records until he found Ben's name. "I called him three months ago to schedule a follow-up, but he told me he'd already gotten his memory back. I remember it was Thanksgiving. I even congratulated him on recovering just in time to celebrate with his family." I froze. That day, Jean's parents came to Vareston with homemade pies. Ben drove to the train station to pick them up himself and couldn't have been more courteous to them. Mom and Dad arrived in Vareston that same day, their arms full of bags. But Ben claimed he didn't know them and had security throw them out. There was no hiding the truth after that, so I finally told them about Ben's accident and memory loss. Mom sighed and tried to reassure me. "All that matters is that he's okay. The doctor said it's only a matter of time before he gets his memory back." So Ben had already gotten his memory back by then. He knew Jean wasn't his girlfriend. He knew that we had been together for four years and were planning to get married. Yet he still chose to pick up Jean's parents and have Mom and Dad thrown out. He was even ready to pretend he had amnesia for the rest of his life. Dr. Campbell noticed that I was lost in thought. "What's wrong? Is something going on with Ben again?" I shook my head, unable to keep the bitterness from my voice. "I just wanted to make sure the blood clot in his brain was gone." Dr. Campbell smiled. "Don't worry. He came in for a follow-up, and he's completely recovered. The wedding can go ahead, and your love life won't suffer either." Back then, Ben was unconscious for a full week after the accident. I took time off work and barely left his side. The one time I went downstairs to pay the hospital bill, I asked Jean to sit with him for a few minutes. That was when he woke up. No matter how hard I tried to explain, Ben insisted that Jean was his girlfriend. Dr. Campbell warned me that Ben's brain was still healing and that we couldn't risk upsetting him. Still, he assured me there was nothing to worry about. "I know how much you love him, and I know the two of you are about to get married. Don't worry. His memory will be back within three months. Your wedding won't be delayed." But fate had other plans. Now, it looked like our wedding might never happen. Chapter 3 As the elevator descended, I found myself replaying Ben's behavior over the last three months. Looking back, his act hadn't been convincing at all. I just hadn't seen through it because I had blamed every inconsistency on his amnesia. I was so distracted that I followed another passenger off on the OB-GYN floor. By the time I realized my mistake, I was already halfway down the hall. I was about to turn back when I spotted Ben, the last person I expected to see there. Wasn't he supposed to be home making dinner with Jean? I stopped outside the door just as a doctor spoke from inside. "You're eight weeks pregnant. Do you plan to keep the baby?" Jean hadn't even opened her mouth when Ben spoke up from behind her. "Yes. We're keeping it." Ben held the ultrasound report as he pulled Jean into a tight embrace. "Did you hear that? We're having a baby!" He immediately started planning the wedding. "We'll get married before you start showing. I'll call my parents tomorrow so we can start making arrangements. I know it'll be rushed, but I promise you won't have to settle for less." Ben had his back to me, but Jean's eyes met mine. My expression gave nothing away. She went pale and shoved him away. Ben followed her gaze and turned around. For a split second, I saw panic in his eyes. "Noelle? I thought you went to work. What are you doing here?" I ignored him and kept my eyes on Jean. I already knew the answer, but I asked anyway, "You're pregnant?" Jean lowered her head, looking pitiful as she avoided my gaze. Ben frowned and stepped between us. "We're engaged. We got carried away and forgot to use protection. Accidents happen." I gave a wry smile, unsure whether I was answering him or reminding myself. "Right. You're engaged to Jean now." On the drive home, Jean sat beside me, staring down at her lap without saying a word. Ben kept an eye on me through the rearview mirror, as if he thought Jean needed protection from me. I looked down at my phone and texted HR back. "I'll take the transfer to Velmora." At the company's midyear review, the executives announced plans to expand overseas. They would select engineers from branches across the country to support the expansion. I happened to be the only engineer in the company who had earned a second degree in Velmoran. Even if Ben had never lost his memory, I could never have handled a long-distance relationship. I had already chosen Ben over my own future once. From now on, I would put myself first. Once we got home, I found out why Ben had rushed Jean to the hospital. She had started throwing up while making dinner, and he'd thought something was wrong with her stomach. Afraid the smell of food would make her sick again, Ben told me to help him in the kitchen instead. Jean hesitated and glanced at me. "But Noelle's never even been in the kitchen." Ben helped her onto the couch. "Then she can learn. You can't be expected to do everything now that you're pregnant." The mention of Jean's pregnancy stung. I turned away and went into the kitchen to wash the vegetables. Ben followed me in and locked the door behind him. "If anything happens to Jean or the baby, you'll have me to deal with." Chapter 4 Ben's threat cut deep, leaving me cold and hollow. I kept my head down so he wouldn't see my tears and did my best to keep my voice steady. "You've got it all wrong. Jean is my best friend. I couldn't be happier for her. Why would you think I'd hurt her?" Ben watched me closely, perhaps trying to figure out whether I knew he had his memory back. After a few seconds, his expression softened. "That's not what I meant. You two are best friends. I'm just saying she'll need you to look out for her." I didn't respond. A little while later, Jean asked me to bring her some ice cream, giving her an excuse to get me alone in the living room. She opened her mouth to speak, then hesitated as tears filled her eyes. Calmly, I asked, "When did it happen?" Jean's face crumpled with guilt as she began to sob. "Ben and I were both drunk that night. I took the morning-after pill, but I still got pregnant. Maybe it was expired or fake." She hadn't told me any of this. Like a fool, I had felt sorry for Ben, convinced his amnesia was the only reason he thought Jean was his girlfriend. And because Jean was my best friend, I had trusted her never to betray me. It turned out I was the only one who had believed any of it. They had crossed the line long before I found out. Jean suddenly dropped to her knees at my feet and slapped herself across the face. "What I did was unforgivable. I betrayed you. I lost my head and made a terrible mistake. Just say the word, and I'll get an abortion tomorrow!" "You don't have to." "No, I'll go right now." Then she looked up at me in disbelief. "Wait. What did you just say?" I pulled my dress free from her grip. "It's not the baby's fault." Jean's eyes went wide. "Then what about you? What are you going to do, Noelle?" Ben came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of food and saw Jean kneeling at my feet. She scrambled to her feet and hurried to explain, "Ben, it's not what it looks like! I tripped, and Noelle was about to help me up." Ben flew into a rage and yanked Jean away from me. "You didn't listen to a word I said, did you? Jean was kind enough to let you stay in our home, and this is how you repay her?" Jean stepped in front of me, sobbing so hard she could barely catch her breath. "This isn't Noelle's fault. Leave her alone!" Ben took a moment to calm himself. When he spoke again, his voice was cold. "Fine. I'll let it go this time, but you're moving out today! Now that Jean's pregnant, we can't have anyone else staying here." Jean froze and turned to me, watching carefully for my reaction. "Okay," I said without hesitation. I went straight to the spare bedroom and started packing. When I reached the door, Jean held onto my hand. "Don't worry. I promise I'll talk to Ben tonight and convince him to let you move back in." "Don't bother." I walked out with my suitcase and immediately called Ian Mercer, a real estate agent I knew. "I want to sell my house as soon as possible." Ben had been faking amnesia for so long that he seemed to have forgotten that the house was mine. My parents had bought it outright as a wedding gift for me.