Chapter 2

"What methods did I use to force you?" I laughed bitterly, my whole body trembling as I raised my left hand.

The diamond wedding ring on my ring finger stung my eyes.

"Ethan, this is the matching ring you personally put on my finger five years ago when you knelt in front of the entire company and begged me to marry you! Our initials are even engraved inside!"

I thought this ring he'd personally designed would awaken some sense of familiarity in him.

But Ethan only glanced at it coldly.

Then without hesitation, he removed the men's ring from his own hand and casually tossed it into the trash can.

"You bought a matching ring and think you can scam me?" Ethan's eyes were full of disdain.

I felt struck by lightning, frozen in place, even breathing felt like it was tearing at my lungs.

Susan's eyes reddened as she tugged at his sleeve. "Mr. Grey, Miranda looks so pitiful. What if she really is..."

"Susan, you're just too naive." Ethan's tone instantly turned tender. "Even if she produces a marriage certificate, it would be a fake."

He looked up at me again, his expression changing with chilling speed.

"You've made Susan cry." He pointed at the hospital room door. "Get out with your things! Don't make me call security!"

The door was urgently pushed open from outside.

Lucas came in carrying several brain CT scan films.

Seeing the tense atmosphere, he quickly stepped in front of me. "Miranda, Miranda, calm down! Didn't I tell you outside just now that Ethan can't handle stimulation right now?"

"He threw away his wedding ring!" I said with reddened eyes, grabbing Lucas by the collar. "Lucas, you tell me what's wrong with him? How could a perfectly fine person suddenly forget the past five years completely?"

Lucas's eyes darted around frantically, not daring to meet my gaze.

He coughed twice and forcibly pried my hands away, half-pushing, half-dragging me toward the door.

"The brain impact injured his hippocampus. This type of retrograde amnesia is rare medically, but it does exist. Ethan's memory is stuck five years ago, right before he met you."

"What about Susan?" I gritted my teeth, pointing into the room. "He forgot everyone else, so why is he so devoted to a mere assistant?"

Lucas swallowed, guiltily fabricating lies. "The fire was critical. Susan stayed by his side the whole time. It might be a psychological thing. He subconsciously sees Susan as a lifeline, even mistaking her for his first love."

"First love?" My tears finally fell.

Lucas pushed me out of the hospital room and closed the door behind us.

"Miranda, arguing with him now won't help. He's a patient. The more you push him, the more he'll resent you."

"If you want him to recover his memory, you need to go along with him. Don't try to stimulate him with things from the past anymore."

After saying this, Lucas left and returned to the doctor's office.

I stood alone in the corridor.

Barefoot on one side, my dress hem covered in black soot from the fire rescue.

Through the glass window in the door, I watched the man I'd loved for five years.

He was holding a cup of warm water, carefully bringing it to Susan's lips.

Susan took a sip and smiled sweetly at him. Ethan's eyes overflowed with adoration.

I covered my face and slid down the cold wall to sit on the floor.