Chapter 1

It had been seven years since I was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's.

Esther Logan, the woman I had dumped, returned to our town with her award-winning actor fiancé.

I had completely forgotten who she was. I was barely managing to survive by relying on the sticky notes on the wall.

When Esther saw me, I was dressed in washed-out clothes and staring right back at her. She smiled. "What? Why do you look so sad just seeing me? What happened to all the enthusiasm you had for going after rich women? Can't even be bothered to pretend anymore?"

As soon as she finished speaking, I tugged at the corner of her clothes and asked, "Miss... Hello. May I ask who you are?"

Esther sneered and pulled the man beside her closer.

"Great. Acting like you don't know me now, huh? What, did you run off with some rich woman and lose your mind too?"

I blinked. "Oh... Would... Would you like some water?"

With that said, I turned to pour water for the 'guests', remembering the instructions on the sticky note.

Chapter 1

I followed the instructions on the wall—'Pour water for guests'—and entered the kitchen. I opened the cupboard and took out two mugs with trembling fingers.

The sticky note did not indicate where the kettle was. I searched the kitchen for a while before finding it under the sink.

Esther Logan's voice rang behind me. "Colin Smith, did you drop dead in the kitchen? How long does it take to pour us water?"

I carried the two cups of hot water out, my hands trembling even more. The water splashed onto the tray, making a sizzling sound.

Esther looked at me.

The man beside her, the award-winning actor named Flynn Raymont, stood up and took the tray.

"Colin, it's been seven years. How did you let yourself get to this state?"

He handed one cup of water to Esther, and the other cup was placed heavily on the table in front of me.

I looked at him. "Who are you?"

Flynn's smile froze before he tightened his grip on Esther's arm. "I'm Esther's fiancé, Flynn Raymont. We're getting married soon, so we came back to visit you."

"Oh... Congratulations." I lowered my head, twisting the hem of my clothes between my fingers.

Esther took a sip of water and slammed the cup on the table. "Congratulations? What the hell gives you the right to say congratulations? Colin, who are you trying to fool?"

She stood up and walked up to me, her shadow enveloping me. "Seven years ago, you ran off with that old woman for money, abandoning me. Now, I'm back and have become someone you'll never reach.

"And you're playing the amnesia card with me? You think this will make me pity you and go back to you?"

She reached out, grabbed my chin, and forced me to look at her. "Let me tell you, seeing your face makes me sick."

I looked at her, my eyes unable to focus as my chin throbbed. "Miss, you're hurting me."

"Hurting? You know what pain is? Why didn't you feel pain when you ripped my heart out and stomped on it?"

Chapter 2

Esther pushed me away. She turned around and kicked the wall covered with sticky notes in my house. "Go on, keep on acting. What are these? Your new script to tease women?"

She reached out and began tearing the sticky notes off the wall. "Get up. Brush your teeth. Eat. Don't forget to breathe."

With each note she ripped off, she read it out loud, her voice full of mockery. "Colin, you really are a genius. You even came up with such a trick to gain sympathy."

Those sticky notes were to help with my survival. I slid down from the chair and tried to stop her, but my legs had no strength, and I fell to the ground. "Don't... Don't tear them up..."

I knelt and crawled over to pick up the scattered papers.

Esther watched me crawl on the ground and stepped on one of the notes. She bent down and picked up the note, which read: [Esther, happy birthday.]

She paused. "What? You can't bear to tear this one? This must be the one you wrote back then. What's it for? To remind me how stupid I was back then?"

She forcefully tore the note apart in front of me. The paper scraps fell from her fingers onto my hair and face. I reached out to catch the fragments, but I could not grasp anything.

Flynn came over and grabbed her arm. "Esther, have you had enough? Look how pitiful he is. Why bother arguing with a madman? We came back to film a documentary to promote our town. And to show off your 'forgiving' persona, right? We can use him to let the whole country see what a forgiving woman you are."

Esther's gaze shifted from me to Flynn's face. "You're right. I shouldn't waste my time on a brain-dead piece of trash."

She squatted down and patted my cheek, making my face turn to the side. "Colin, I'll bring a film crew tomorrow to film a documentary. I'll let you be on TV and experience what it's like to be a star, okay?"

I looked at her, speechless and just trembling.

…

The next day, I had just finished eating sandwiches as instructed on the sticky notes when the door was kicked open from the outside.

Esther rushed in with a group of people carrying cameras and equipment. Flynn slipped his arm through hers, smiling.

A woman who looked like a director approached me. "You must be Mr. Colin Smith. We're from the production team of the reality show, 'The Way Home'. Ms. Esther Logan and Mr. Flynn Raymont have returned to their hometown and want to do something for the disadvantaged here.

"We heard you're facing difficulties. We want to document your situation and appeal for donations."

Chapter 3

I shrank into my chair, unable to comprehend the director's words. Who was Esther Logan? Why would she help me?

I looked at the empty wall, my mind blank as well.

Esther walked up to me, and all the cameras immediately focused on her and me. "Colin, it's been seven years. How are you struggling to even feed yourself?"

I looked at her, with only one thought in my mind. "You... were the one who tore the notes yesterday."

Esther's expression darkened, and Flynn beside her immediately stepped in to smooth things over. "Oh, look. His memory really seems to be messed up. Esther, don't take it to heart."

He turned to the camera with pity on his face. "Esther and I have long known about Colin's situation. Seven years ago, he left Esther, and we all thought he had found a better life. We never imagined he'd be living such a miserable life, and Esther has always felt guilty. She feels she wasn't good enough, and that's why he went down the wrong path."

Flynn added, "So, the first thing she wanted to do upon returning was to see him, hoping to make up for the regrets of the past. Esther's so kind. She was betrayed so badly, yet she still came back to help her ex-boyfriend. How magnanimous of her..."

I could not understand what they were saying and only found them noisy. There were so many people here that it was giving me a headache. I stood up, wanting to go back to my room. At least it was quiet there.

"Where are you going?" Esther grabbed my wrist firmly. "Don't go. You're the star today. What? You don't even know how to resist anymore? Didn't you use to make quite a scene back then?"

She forcefully pushed me back into the chair. "Director, we can start."

The director immediately instructed the camera to be pointed at me. "Mr. Smith, may we tour your house?"

Esther answered for me, "Of course. Look around freely. The more detailed you capture things, the better."

The group of people immediately started filming everywhere in my small house.

The camera panned across my faded coat, the steamed buns on the table, and my patched quilt.

My neighbor Muriel Godfrey squeezed in. As soon as she saw the camera, she started talking.

"Gosh, you guys have no idea how glorious Colin was back then. He was two-timing, holding back Esther while flirting with a BMW-driving businesswoman in town. We all wondered how he could be so blind when Esther was such a good kid."

She continued, "Now look, karma! He came back after the businesswoman got tired of him and dumped him. He's lost his mind as well. He just sits at home, spacing out all day. If his parents hadn't died young and left him this run-down house, he would have starved to death on the streets."

Chapter 4

I could not understand what Muriel's words meant and the relationships she referred to, but I could sense those gazes on me. They were unkind and nosy.

Flynn came over and put his arm around my shoulder. "Muriel, don't say that. Those things from the past are over. Colin's current state is heartwrenching."

He said and glanced at the camera, indicating that they should film more of this 'conflict'.

I pushed his hand away and stood up, trying to avoid all this.

"Stop filming... Go away..." My voice trembled.

Esther grabbed me again. "Colin, everyone is helping you. Why are you so ungrateful? Don't you like money the most? After this program airs, many people will be donating to you. You won't have to worry about anything for the rest of your life.

"Or are you just acting? Trying to make me feel sorry for you? You should cry, make a fuss, and curse me as you did seven years ago!"

Her words drew a burst of suppressed laughter from the crowd.

My head started to hurt, and my voice and the images in my mind mixed. I abruptly broke free from her hand and rushed toward the door.

"Get out... All of you get out..." I shouted. Then everything went black, and I lost consciousness.

When I woke up, I found myself lying in a hospital bed. An IV was inserted into the back of my hand, and fluid was dripping into my body.

A doctor in a white coat stood by the bed, frowning. "Are you Colin Smith? I can't get through to your family."

Family? I thought for a long time. A sticky note on the wall said I had an older sister, Elle Smith. However, I had no idea where she was.

"I don't know," I replied.

The doctor sighed. "You fainted due to malnutrition and emotional distress. You must be hospitalized for observation. I've already contacted the police station in your registered residence area using your ID information. They're helping to find your sister."

Footsteps rang outside the door, and Esther and Flynn entered. They carried fruit and supplements, their faces showing concern. A camera followed them in, its lens pointed at me on the hospital bed.

"Colin, you're finally awake? How are you feeling?" Flynn placed the fruit basket on the bedside table. "The doctor said you're fine. You just need to rest and get some nutrition."

Esther stood beside me silently, just watching me.

I looked at them, then at the camera, and shrank further under the covers.

The doctor frowned even more when he saw them. "Who are you? The patient needs absolute quiet. Please leave immediately."

Flynn explained with a smile, "Doctor, we're Colin's friends from The Way Home show. We're just here to visit him and tell the public about his illness through the show, so more kind people can help him."

The doctor was about to say something when Esther spoke up. "Doctor, we won't be here long. Just a few shots and we'll be gone."

The doctor glanced at her, shook his head, and left the ward without saying anything more.

Flynn sat down beside my bed and took my hand. "Colin, don't be afraid. We'll help you. Look, you're sick, and you don't even have anyone to take care of you. When the show airs, your sister will see it and care about you more."

His hand was cold, and I instinctively wanted to withdraw my hand.

Esther saw my movement and scoffed. "What? You won't even let us touch you anymore? Look at the state you're in. What are you still acting so high and mighty for?

"Colin, let me make this crystal clear. You're going to cooperate and finish filming this show with us. Otherwise... Believe it or not, I've got a hundred ways to make you disappear from this town."

My body trembled even more violently. I did not know what to do. I just wanted them to leave.

Just then, the door to the ward was violently flung open. A woman walked in, her eyes sweeping across the room as she spoke in a voice filled with chilling coldness. "Who dares touch my brother?"