Chapter 4

I couldn’t hold back. The moment we stepped into the room, I told him what I’d learned about Mia.

He gripped my shoulders. “Who told you? Or who did you hypnotize?”

I was upfront. “No one told me. You guessed the method, didn’t you? I promised not to hypnotize you. I said nothing about your personal assistant.”

His face changed; he clutched my shoulders and blurted, “Grace, nothing happened with Mia. I don’t like her. I’ve always loved you! I’m not refusing to marry you—it’s just the wrong time.” He shook me as he spoke.

“Then tell me—what time is right?” My disappointment only deepened. “It’s not about timing. You don’t trust me. Did you ever once believe my promise not to hypnotize you? Does your suspicion outweigh everything I’ve done?”

“On paper, Mia loses to me in education, ability, looks, resources, and family background. What exactly attracts you to her?”

My barrage of questions turned Adrian from pale to livid; the vein at his temple throbbed and his hands trembled.

“At least Mia is gentle and considerate—she doesn’t push me hard. She’s simple and without schemes. I don’t have to worry about being deceived in front of her.”

His words yanked hard at my heart—as if an invisible hand squeezed it.

The skill I was proud of was, in his eyes, nothing but scheming.

I flung off his hands and gave a cold laugh. “So you finally admit it?”

He staggered, barely keeping his balance; his anger flared. “Admit what? I’ve never said I like her. I promised you there would only be you at my side. But this really isn’t the time to marry you.”

I asked the question I’d held for years. “It’s not timing at all. You’re not sure whether your love is from your own heart—or because I hypnotized you into it. Right?”

His eyes widened; his face grew darker. He said nothing.

Silence was as good as assent.

In that moment, I felt my love for him reach its end.

A hollow opened in my chest; heat rose in my eyes. “Fine. If you’ve fallen for her, I’ll step aside. Since you never believed me, I quit. From now on, you don’t need to worry I’ll hypnotize you.”

Hypnosis can cure amnesia. It can’t cure suspicion.

I turned and opened the closet, packing only what I’d bought myself. Everything he’d given me I left behind.

Adrian stood there with a dark face as the air froze around us.

Dragging my suitcase to the entryway, I took a breath and said hoarsely, “Adrian Carter, from here on, we’re strangers at opposite ends of the earth.”

His face was iron blue; his gaze was complicated and icy. “Walk out that door, and don’t come back. I want to see if you hypnotized me into loving you. I can live without you.”

My eyes were burning as I looked at him. “If it turns out your love comes from your heart, will you regret it?”

Panic flickered—then he hid it. “I don’t do regret.”

“We met because of your hypnosis. We became business partners because of your hypnosis. As for falling for you—must be your hypnosis, too.”

“I figured that even if our feelings were fake, if we worked well we could conquer the market, it doesn’t matter. But you pushed and pushed. A temporary break is best—so we can both see our hearts clearly.”

His words cut deep. My love was spent; disappointment burst its banks. “Not temporary—forever.”

I turned and left without looking back. Tears finally broke free.

Out on the street, I wiped my face, breathing deep. Only then did I realize I had nowhere to go.

Love had made me leap cities to him without hesitation. Hate made me leave him cleanly in one stroke.

Luckily, I’d always been independent—emotionally and financially.

I allowed myself one night to grieve. After that I would shed my skin and live again.

Within a week I bought a small condo downtown as my nest and rented a studio in a prime office building.

I’d spent years in the business world; the network and resources were still there. Starting over wouldn’t be a problem.

Half a month later, Adrian texted me simple check‑ins like “How are you?” “Have you eaten?” “Are you getting used to life after the breakup?” I ignored them all.

I was certain he thought I was only sulking—and hadn’t realized his love for me had come from his own heart.

A month later, a video popped up in a shared group chat—a birthday party for Mia.

She sat pressed to his side, gorgeous and coy, a birthday crown on her head. Eyes closed, she made a wish while a crowd serenaded her.

Adrian’s gaze was indulgent. The moment she blew out the candles, he kissed her—gently, on the lips.