Chapter 2

It was John who pursued me first, giving me little handwritten notes and leaving sweet surprises that made my heart flutter.

He secretly saved most of his living expenses for half a semester just to take me to see the ocean, which I had always dreamed of.

When my beloved grandmother passed away, he was there for me at her wake, despite being just a teenager, holding my hand and promising to always take care of me.

In the monotony of youth, his fiery, genuine love moved me to tears.

But I forgot that promises only hold weight while we're in love.

In the lead-up to the company's listing, he began to subtly distance himself from my connection to the business.

Friends advised me to be cautious and to guard against betrayal.

I chose to trust him.

I returned home to focus on creating a warm family life for him.

From initially not even knowing how to turn on the gas stove, I eventually mastered a variety of dishes.

The happiest part of my day was cooking for him and waiting for him to come home from work.

Watching him enjoy the dinner I had meticulously prepared filled me with joy!

I even fantasized about how happy our little family would be once we had a baby.

However, all of this was just my one-sided fantasy.

John had never seriously considered marrying me.

The day I began to sense something was off was one month before the company went public. John had been so busy that he hadn’t returned home for several days.

He even forgot my birthday.

It wasn’t until the next morning that he came back, looking weary and exhausted.

“Hubby, you’re back!”

I joyfully embraced him, faintly detecting a sweet perfume on his clothes.

I didn’t think much of it; after all, business dealings often involve contact with women, so it was normal for him to carry that scent.

But instead of returning my embrace, John coldly pushed me away, instructing me like a housekeeper, “Get me a change of clothes and run a hot bath. I want to shower.”

I used to love the sparkle in John’s eyes, filled with affection and joy whenever he looked at me.

But I didn’t know when it started, that something had dimmed in his gaze.

It had become unnaturally cold and unfamiliar.

For a moment, I almost didn’t recognize the person who had been by my side for over a decade.

I looked at John’s face and forced a smile. “Honey, do you remember what yesterday was?”

John would surely remember.

This day held many memories for us: the day we were abandoned by our biological parents, the day he confessed his feelings, and the anniversary of my grandmother's passing.

Some of the darkest moments in my life unfolded on this day.

I felt like a leaf carried by the current, tossed and turned in the flood of life, drifting aimlessly without direction.

His presence had been a lighthouse in the dark sea, illuminating my path forward.

I felt immense gratitude toward him, always viewing him through a lens of warmth.

But John had forgotten.

He had forgotten completely.