Chapter 1

The day I was in the car crash,I stood in the emergency room corridor,drenched in blood,and called my boyfriend,Mike Sanchez.

On the other end,his voice came cold.

"Zoey Henson,I know today's our anniversary,but I'm really busy.I don't have time."

The woman who'd hit my car took my side."Wow,your boyfriend's really unreliable.You get in a car crash and he won't even come to the hospital.Not like mine.One phone call,and no matter what he's doing,he drops everything and comes running to me."

There was a lump in my throat,but I defended him anyway."He's been preparing for a really important acquisition lately.Work's been crazy."

The woman shook her head,pulled out her phone,and called her boyfriend,her tone spoiled and sweet."Honey,on my way back into the city I accidentally hit someone.I'm still shaking.I'm at the hospital with the victim,waiting for treatment.Come to First General and stay with me,okay?"

Ten minutes later,a man rushed in,frantic.He pulled the woman into his arms,his voice thick with worry."Baby,as long as you're okay.I'll handle everything else."

The moment I heard that man's voice,my heart skipped a beat and my whole body trembled.

The man who'd just told me over the phone that he was too busy was now fussing over another woman.

Seven years together.Eight times I'd asked him when we could finally get married,and every time he'd pull out two folded slips of paper and make me pick one,ruling that if my slip had writing on it we'd marry,and if not we'd wait another six months.

He always said his life plan came in order.Career first,family later.Marriage wasn't something to rush into.

In that moment,I suddenly understood.

It wasn't that he couldn't marry.It wasn't that he didn't have the time.

His first priority had simply changed long ago.Not his career.Not me.

I took out my phone and opened a chat window that had gone quiet a long time ago.

"Mr.Weston,you once told me I could come on board anytime I was willing.Three days from now,I'll report to work in New York.And I'll bring the project results you wanted as my calling card."

In this world,losing love isn't worth grieving over,because I still have a career I'm proud of.

Three days from now,I'll never see any of you again.

——

In the corridor thick with people,they held each other tight.

It really was a warm,romantic picture.It just would've been better if the leading man weren't my boyfriend of seven years.

My body went rigid.I stepped forward,each step like walking across ice that might crack beneath me.

"Mike,weren't you too busy?No time?"I said softly,cutting in.

He froze,lifting his eyes to meet my shattered expression,and said nothing.

At the same time,a nurse came to my side."Miss Henson,did you reach the person you were calling?Your injuries are serious.We can't operate if no one comes for you."

Head bowed,unwilling to believe it,I dialed his number again,wishing so badly that what stood in front of me was some illusion.

The phone rang for a long time,then went dead.

The woman pulled back from his arms and asked softly,"Who is it that you won't pick up,even after all this ringing?"

He glanced at me,cold,then answered her in a gentle voice.

"Spam call."

A drop of blood fell from my forehead and hit the phone screen with a soft tap.I gripped the phone tight,my heart a tangle of pain.

So in his world,our seven years had only ever been garbage.

The woman stood and came over to me,apologetic.

"I'm so sorry.I was too panicked earlier to apologize properly.Now that my husband's here,I feel better."

"I hadn't driven in so long.Today I just wanted to try out the new car my husband bought me.I never thought I'd crash."

With that,she quickly dug a black card out of her pocket and pressed it into my hand.

"Let's settle this privately.I'll cover all the costs.This is my husband's black card,no limit.Take it!I saw the person you called wouldn't even come.You looked so pitiful,I couldn't bear it."

That black card burned in my palm,as if it would scorch a hole clean through me.

Mike always said everyone at the Research Institute lived modestly and frugally,so he couldn't be extravagant either.

When we went out,I wanted to take a cab and he refused.

For birthday gifts,whatever I asked for,he said no.

Every time I got upset and questioned him,he'd explain coldly,"First,we're not married yet,and if my advisor saw me spending money on you he'd think I wasn't serious about my work.Second,we're at a critical point in our careers.We should be saving,not wasting money on useless things."

But now,the car Mike bought her was a sports car worth millions,and the card he gave her was a no-limit black card.

It felt like my heart had been smashed to pieces.The pain was so deep I couldn't make a sound.What had I gotten out of these seven years?

She rattled on in front of me for a long while,and all I caught was her name.Aileen Swanson.

The name lodged in my throat like a stone.

Back when Mike and I first started dating,a photo once slipped out of the lining of his wallet,with words written on the back:"I'll love Aileen forever."

We fought fiercely that day,and he ripped it to shreds and snapped,"She was my first love.She's been dead a long time.Are you satisfied now?"

The way he'd lost control left a permanent rift in my heart,and that name became forbidden between us.

Later I heard how ugly things had gotten between them back then.He hated her.

Mike walked over to me,snatched the black card away,dug a few small crumpled bills out of his pocket,then turned to her.

"You're always so kind.Handing out that much without worrying anyone might swindle you."

At that,she pouted and cooed,"Oh,that's why I really wouldn't know what to do without you."Then she rose onto her toes and kissed him on the lips.

The sight was too much.How I wanted to tell myself it wasn't real,but that was hard.

Mike smiled,scooped her up,and carried her toward the emergency ward,leaving me standing there.

I stood frozen,my head spinning,when a message popped up on my phone.From Mike.

"I'll explain everything to you.For now,go to another hospital.Don't show up here.If you slip up,she'll get suspicious."

I let out a bitter laugh,turned off the phone,and found the nurse.

"Please arrange the surgery.I can sign for myself."

The nurse looked at me,confused."Weren't you just contacting your boyfriend?He's not coming?"

I shook my head and said,numb,"We broke up.He won't be coming."

In that moment,I suddenly felt that letting go of a seven-year love was actually very simple.

I lay on the cold operating table,my eyes dull,and signed the surgical consent form.

The anesthetic slid into my veins,and in that moment my mind blurred.

If I hadn't gone out on our anniversary to buy Mike flowers,would there have been no crash?Would I never have met her?Would I still be playing dumb,still be in love with him...

When I woke,I was lying in a hospital bed,my head wrapped in bandages.

I opened the message that had just come in.

【Miss Henson,the nurse said you just came out of surgery,so I won't come bother you.Just message me about the medical bills and all that later!】

I didn't answer.

Aileen and I had added each other after the crash.

In that moment,as if punishing myself,I tapped on her bright profile picture and went into her social feed.

Her posts,so full of love,made my chest ache.

【Ugh,the doctor says I might never get my memory back.But my husband says it's okay,he'll take care of me forever!】

【Beautiful weather today,my love by my side.He proposed to me~】

【Just found two blank slips of paper in my husband's suit pocket.Can anyone explain what these are?】

I laughed at myself.

No one recognized those two slips of paper better than I did.The slips that had decided everything about us.

There'd been a time when Mike loved pulling out those two slips,for things as small as whether he'd go shopping with me on the weekend,and as big as marriage and starting a family.

I used to think my luck was just that bad,always drawing the blank slip that meant no.

Only now did I realize both slips had been blank all along.

No matter what,Mike was never going to agree to marry me.