Chapter 1

After the car crash, I lost seven years of my memory.

I went from a fresh college graduate to the mother of a six-year-old boy overnight.

My husband, Julian Vance, was a complete stranger to me. He was the CEO of a tech startup, wore gold-rimmed glasses, and looked incredibly handsome and refined. He was patient, attentive, and stayed by my side in the hospital every single day.

My parents and my best friend, Ashley Miller, all told me that marrying Julian was the smartest decision I had ever made.

But to me, everything felt incredibly creepy.

My old phone was gone. My diaries, my old luggage, and all my past belongings had vanished. Every trace of those missing seven years was a total blank.

And everyone seemed to have silently agreed to erase my first love, Gavin Maxwell, from existence.

But I couldn't forget him.

Gavin was the boy who was willing to die for me. We once made a sacred vow.

If we ever got married, we would tattoo each other’s initials over our hearts.

And in the mirror, on my chest, I saw three tiny, chilling letters permanently inked into my skin: GMX.

*

"Chloe, honey, this is your homecoming gift. Do you like it?"

In a living room that felt completely foreign, Julian handed me a brand-new phone. "It’s the latest model. If you don't know how to use any of the features, just ask. I’ll teach you."

"Oh, and I’ve already set up your new SIM card..."

Everything was brand new.

Even the house was new, smelling of fresh paint and expensive wood.

Julian told me our old house had caught fire, burning all our furniture and belongings to ashes. He said he had risked his life to rescue our wedding photo from the flames. It was now hanging in the center of the living room. I stared at it, dazed.

The woman in the photo was indeed me, smiling with pure happiness.

The news reports about the house fire, the photos, and the nasty burn scars on Julian’s arm all proved he wasn’t lying.

Yet, it was almost too convenient. Every single thing that could connect me to my past had logically and neatly vanished.

My dad was chatting warmly with Julian on the couch, while my mom helped the nanny cook dinner while entertaining my son.

Ashley, my best friend, slipped her arm through mine as she sat down next to me. "What’s wrong, Chloe? You look like you're miles away."

"Oh, look at me. I forgot your brain injury caused some memory loss. Do you want me to fill you in on what’s happened over the last few years?"

I nodded slowly. "Yes, please."

Ashley’s explanation was incredibly fast and fluent.

She said that after I graduated from college in 2017, my parents set me up on a blind date with Julian in 2018. We got married by the end of that year.

Then, I got pregnant in 2019, quit my job, and became a stay-at-home mom.

She said Julian treated me like a queen, knew all my habits and preferences, and that everyone in our social circle envied me for marrying such a wealthy, devoted husband.

But...

I felt absolutely nothing for Julian.

My mind was completely filled with Gavin’s bright, sunny smile.

I tried my best to blend into this warm, picture-perfect family setting, but every second felt like I was sitting on a bed of nails. The sheer confusion made me feel like I was living in a completely different reality from them.

I leaned in and whispered to Ashley, "What about Gavin? Why haven’t you mentioned him at all?"

The smile on Ashley’s face froze instantly. She quickly shrugged it off with a scoff. "That loser? He was a total jerk. He dumped you and ran off to another country. No one has heard from him since. Why even bring him up?"

That was impossible.

The man who would have given his life for me would never abandon me.

The tattoo of his initials was still etched over my heart.

Where was he?

Why was Julian my husband now? And why did I have a six-year-old child?

I felt like my head was about to explode, but I didn't dare show it.

I realized that Julian, my son, my parents, and Ashley—everyone was trying incredibly hard to make me accept this version of my life.

They praised Julian endlessly, as if marrying him was the ultimate jackpot of my life.

"Chloe, dinner's ready!"

"I made all your favorites tonight, sweetie," my mom called out.

My mom and the nanny brought the dishes to the table, and Julian gently took my hand to lead me to my seat.

During dinner, they quickly steered the conversation to our marriage. My dad asked Julian if he had managed to save our marriage certificate from the fire.

Julian smiled with relief. "I did. Luckily, I got to it just in time. Only one corner was slightly singed."

He pulled out the certificate. The registration date indeed showed late 2018.

It felt like they were naturally answering all the doubts in my mind.

But in the very next second, Julian made a slip-up.

A slip-up that made me absolutely certain of one thing.

He was not my husband.

*