On their first wedding anniversary, Isabel Ackrea didn't wait for the surprise Benjamin Bagnall had promised. Instead, she got the heartbreaking news that he'd been in a car accident and had crashed into the sea. No one knew if he was dead or alive.

Rescue teams searched for a whole month but only found his black car, which was totally wrecked.

Experts shook their heads and said flat out that there was no chance of survival.

Benjamin's parents were devastated and fell ill one after another.

Everyone accepted that Benjamin was gone.

But Isabel just wouldn't believe it.

How could the man who once held her hand so tightly and promised to be with her forever just disappear like that?

She sold all the jewelry Benjamin had given her. With that money, she hired tons of search teams at crazy prices to comb through the sea day and night without stopping.

She printed tens of thousands of missing person flyers, plastering them everywhere along the coast, showing his photo to everyone she met.

Every day, she copied thousands of words of sacred scriptures in her own blood, praying to all the heavenly deities and divine beings to watch over his safety.

Everyone kept saying she was out of her mind and that she needed to face reality.

But with red eyes, all she could do was repeat over and over, "He won't leave me, he promised!"

A month later, someone snapped a blurry side profile in a tiny fishing village that looked just like Benjamin.

Isabel drove like a maniac for ten hours straight through the night to get there.

And then, right before her eyes, she saw her husband—who had been missing for two months—kissing a woman passionately.

He kissed her so deeply, his fingers tangled up in the woman's hair. It was just like how he used to kiss Isabel.

Isabel froze a few steps away, feeling like her feet were glued to the ground. She couldn't move an inch.

Three minutes later, he finally let go of the woman in his arms. He turned around, and when he looked at her, it was like he was seeing a stranger.

He asked coldly, "Who are you?"

Isabel's heart felt like it had been ripped apart.

One half was filled with overwhelming joy because Benjamin was still alive.

The other half was pure agony because he had forgotten her and even fallen for someone else.

The doctor said he had amnesia. There wasn't any surgery that could fix it, and they just had to leave it up to fate.

With shaking hands, Isabel pulled out their wedding album, flipping through the pages one by one to show him. Her voice trembled with tears but she held onto hope. "Benjamin, look. This is you at graduation proposing to me right in front of all our teachers and classmates.

"This is you booking every drone in the city just to wish me a happy birthday.

"And this is the wedding ring you made yourself. You said you will keep me by your side forever with it."

She truly believed these cherished memories would bring him back to her. He used to love her so much. How could he really forget?

But he waved his hand impatiently and knocked it out of her grasp.

The photo album hit the ground with a loud "thud," and pictures went flying everywhere.

"Ms. Ackrea," his tone was completely cold.

"The past you're talking about. I don't remember it, and honestly, I don't care."

He reached out, pulling the woman next to him close into his arms. His voice was so soft it almost hurt.

"Gianna is the only one that matters to me now."

Benjamin's parents, Harvey and Margot Bagnall, rushed over as soon as they heard the news, crying and begging their son to come home.

Benjamin agreed, but only if he could bring Gianna Dacombe, the fisherwoman who had saved him.

Isabel watched helplessly as her husband—who she'd been married to for a year—moved into their house with another woman.

That night, she curled up on the bed in the guest room. As she listened to the muffled sounds coming from the master bedroom next door, her nails dug deep into her palms until they hurt so much that she couldn't feel anything anymore.

She glanced at the silk nightgown Gianna was wearing. It was a couple's style specially made by Benjamin, with their initials stitched right on the hem.

Her eyes fell on a table full of spicy dishes that looked too bright red for comfort. Once upon a time, Benjamin wouldn't even let chili peppers in the kitchen because he wanted to cater to her taste.

She saw Benjamin standing by her dressing table, gently blow-drying Gianna's hair—a little luxury that used to be hers alone.

Everything was screaming that all the kindness he once showed her was now directed at another woman.

She gritted her teeth and reminded herself. He had amnesia. It wasn't his fault. He loved her so much. He would definitely remember. She couldn't give up on their love, no matter what.

Desperate to help him get his memory back, she finally found out there was a special medicine overseas that could do the trick.

Excited, she rushed to find Benjamin. Only to overhear him talking with a friend outside the door.

"Benjamin, how long are you going to keep this act up? Aren't you worried it'll blow up in your face and Isabel will walk away for good? Don't tell me you've actually fallen for Gianna now?"

There was a long pause in the room before Benjamin spoke up, sounding both helpless and worn out. "The only one I really love is Isabel, but I do have feelings for Gianna... After I got my memory back, I planned to go straight back to Isabel and keep Gianna as my little secret.

"But she cried so hard, saying she came from a humble background and didn't dare ask for anything official. She just begged me to stay and love her for 99 days... My heart melted, so I said yes. I meant to return as soon as those 99 days were over, but who would've thought..."

Benjamin's voice dropped, clearly annoyed that his plan was getting messed up.

"Who would've thought Isabel would show up here so soon? I guess I have to keep pretending."

His friend seemed like he wanted to talk him out of it, but Benjamin cut him off sharply; his tone was so cold that it was chilling.

"Don't worry, Isabel will never let go. She loves me way too much. How could she ditch me when I have amnesia?

"And anyway, the accident happened while I was on my way back to celebrate our anniversary. She'll just feel guilty about it.

"I still have a month left in this countdown with Gianna. After that, I'll make it up to Isabel a thousand times over."

Isabel's mind went completely blank, as if she'd been hit by lightning. Her heart hurt so badly she could barely breathe, and her vision started going dark around the edges.

His amnesia was all just an act!

He had watched her suffer and despair without a care in the world. All for some twisted love game with another woman.

He even planned on keeping that woman as his secret side piece.

He calculated her love, played on her guilt, deceived and hurt her without any remorse and treated her like she was totally clueless.

Over the last two months, she's been plagued by nightmares every single night.

One minute, he called her over the phone and spoke in his sweet voice. "Bella, I've got a surprise for you. Just wait for me to get back!"

The next minute, she saw him and his car go crashing into the deep sea while she stood there frozen, helplessly watching him disappear.

Huge guilt and pain kept tormenting her day in and day out.

She broke into tears for countless nights, blaming herself for everything. If he hadn't rushed back so quickly, would this have ever happened?

If only she had never gotten into this relationship at all!

He had used her pain and guilt just to keep that ridiculous 99-day love promise with Gianna.

Memories came rushing back like a tidal wave.

In college, he was that unapproachable elite guy that all the girls could only admire from a distance, and everyone was curious about who would actually win his heart.

No one saw it coming when he fell for her at first sight. His eyes were always filled with intense affection.

But Isabel, haunted by her parents' messy marriage, kept pushing him away over and over again.

Her parents had been childhood sweethearts and seemed like the perfect couple everyone looked up to.

But when she turned ten, her dad brought home another woman and insisted on getting a divorce, even saying he'd leave everything behind.

Her mom wouldn't agree to it, leading to a bitter standoff that dragged on for two long years.

In the end, her mom killed her dad before taking her own life and set their house on fire, turning it into ashes.

If even a love as strong as her parents' could end so tragically, how could she ever believe in love again?

It wasn't until an earthquake hit while they were interning in the mountains that things changed. In that split second when it felt like the ground was falling apart and the sky was crashing down, Benjamin jumped in front of her without thinking twice—using his body as a shield to create a small safe space just for her.

In the dark, he kept whispering to her, "Bella, don't be scared. I'm right here."

When they finally got rescued, she saw a steel rod sticking out of his stomach, blood soaking half of his body red.

At that moment, all her worries and fears just vanished in an instant.

She held onto his cold hand tightly, tears streaming down like rain, with only one thought in her mind.

"No matter what the future holds, for now, she just wanted to be with him."

After they got together, he treated her even better—loving her like she was everything to him.

But now, for another woman's sake, he watched her suffer without any care.

She leaned against the freezing wall for support before getting back on her feet and heading into the room.

Opening the safe, she pulled out a document. It was their divorce agreement.

Before they got married, he had signed this paper and handed it to her with gentle yet serious eyes.

"Bella, take this. It's my promise to you. If I ever betray you in any way, just take this and walk away. You have every right to leave.

"Our marriage won't end up like your parents'. I'll spend my whole life proving it to you."

She used to think this agreement showed how much Benjamin loved her and that she'd never need it at all.

But who would've thought that just a year later, this very agreement would actually become her ticket out of their relationship.

Isabel went to the courthouse with her divorce papers. After checking everything, the staff member said, "Come back in 30 days to pick up your divorce certificate."

She quickly did the math—one day after their divorce would be exactly when Benjamin planned to get his memory back.

But she was done playing along with this whole amnesia act.

When she got back to the villa, her heart sank at what she saw. The servants were busy packing things up.

The huge wedding photo of her and Benjamin had been carelessly tossed on the floor, and someone had slashed her face in it with a knife.

The couch pillows, rattan chairs, table runners... all those items she'd picked out with so much love were just lying around like trash, covered in dust.

Gianna stood right there in the middle of the living room, bossing everyone around like she owned the place.

"Get rid of that vase, that ornament too. And throw all of this stuff away."

Then she spotted Isabel at the door and smirked proudly.

"Oh, look who's here? Ms. Ackrea, I can't stand looking at these things anymore, so I told them to throw them out. Benjamin said I'm in charge now and I can do whatever I want."

Her eyes were locked defiantly on the empty spot on the wall—where their wedding photo used to hang, a picture Benjamin had hung up himself. Back then, he'd had this goofy grin as he told her, "Bella, I want everyone who visits our home to see right away how beautiful my wife is. I want them all to be envious of me."

Gianna's sharp and nasty words sliced through Isabel's memories.

"Once those junk was cleared away, doesn't the air feel so much fresher, Ms. Ackrea? Don't you think?"

A heavy pain shot through Isabel's chest.

Every single item in that room was something she had added over time, each one filled with her hopes for their home and moments of happiness.

But now they were just the junk that Gianna insisted on throwing out.

She swallowed hard against the tightness in her throat and shot Gianna a cold look. Her voice came out eerily calm.

"Great. That saves me from having to do it myself."

Ignoring the smug look plastered across Gianna's face, she made her way to the bedroom.

In the bedroom, Isabel noticed that her stuff had been tossed around roughly. When she opened the wardrobe, she was shocked to see many of her clothes cut up with a knife.

She didn't waste time arguing and went straight for the locked drawer at the bottom of the wardrobe—only to find it completely empty.

This was where she kept the only thing her mom had left her, a hand-sewn cloth doll.

Panic and anger hit her like a wave, and she rushed downstairs.

Downstairs, Benjamin was sweetly holding Gianna by the waist as they picked out new furniture together, looking just like a happy newlywed couple.

Isabel glared at Gianna, her voice sharp with rage and panic.

"Where's the doll from that drawer?"

Gianna flinched at Isabel's intense vibe, immediately shrinking into Benjamin's arms with an innocent look on her face.

"Huh? That old raggedy doll? It was so dirty. I thought it was trash no one wanted, so I just throw it away."

"You threw it away?"

Isabel lost it in that moment—her mother's only keepsake had actually been tossed out like garbage by this woman.

She raised her hand, ready to slap that hypocritical face of Gianna's.

But Benjamin grabbed her wrist tightly and pushed her away hard.

He gently hugged the scared Gianna, looking concerned, then turned to Isabel with cold eyes and a defensive tone.

"That's enough! It's just an old doll, right? Gianna was nice enough to help you clean up. She didn't mean to mess it up. Is it really worth yelling at her like this?"

Isabel felt crushed by how Benjamin defended Gianna.

He knew better than anyone how much that doll meant to her.

That fire had turned everything into ashes. That cloth doll, hand-sewn by her mom, was the only thing that was left because she had been holding onto it when it happened.

Even though she took very good care of it, the doll still got more worn out every day. She could only keep it safe in a special glass case, too afraid to touch it casually.

It was Benjamin who wanted her to have something meaningful as a memory and went all out convincing a restoration expert to help. He spent months getting that doll back to its original state.

And now he called it a tattered doll.

"Gianna, don't be scared. Let's go."

Benjamin didn't even look at Isabel's pale face filled with desperation. Without thinking twice, he took Gianna's hand and turned to leave.

Gianna leaned into Benjamin's arms, took a quick look back at the heartbroken Isabel, and a smug little smile crept onto her face.

Isabel forced herself to calm down and then rushed over to the servants who were cleaning up outside the door. Her voice held onto one last glimmer of hope.

"Has anyone seen a doll?"

One servant hesitated for a moment before quietly saying, "Mrs. Bagnall... I think I saw Ms. Dacombe toss one in the trash bin by the door this morning."

Hope sparked inside Isabel as she sprinted toward the trash bin at the villa's entrance—only to find it completely empty, looking way too clean.

Shaking with nerves, she pulled out her phone, holding on to that tiny bit of hope as she dialed the number listed on the trash bin.

"Hi... Has all the trash collected from the villa area in the south side of the city this morning been taken care of?"

Her voice was shaking like crazy.

An impatient voice came through the phone.

"The villa area on the south side of town? It just got tossed into the incinerator. It's probably all turned to ash by now. Do you still need anything else?"

The phone slipped from Isabel's hand and hit the ground with a loud "thud."

Turned to ash...

The last thing her mom had left her—just like that, it was gone...

She stood there frozen. The sun was shining down on her, but she couldn't feel a bit of warmth.

Just then, a frantic ringtone suddenly blared out, and a spark of hope flickered back in Isabel's eyes.

"Is this Ms. Ackrea? This is the Emergency Department at Lenox Hill Hospital. Your husband, Mr. Bagnall, has been in a car accident. Please come here right away!"

A car accident? Benjamin?

Isabel's mind went completely blank for a moment, like she was suddenly yanked back to that awful day two months ago when she found out that Benjamin had crashed into the sea.

She felt like a puppet with no strings left. Automatically, she called for a ride and numbly gave the driver the hospital's address.

In the hospital hallway, Gianna was crying hard. When she spotted Isabel, she rushed over—her sad tone dripping with an annoying sense of self-importance.

"Ms. Ackrea, you finally made it!

"During the crash, Benjamin swerved to protect me and ended up really hurt and unconscious! If anything happens to him, I'll never forgive myself!"

Isabel didn't have time to deal with her drama. She forced herself to stay calm and took care of all the paperwork for Benjamin's surgery. She looked composed on the outside, but only her trembling fingertips as she signed showed how much turmoil was going on inside her.

Finally, the red light in the operating room turned off, and Benjamin was moved to a VIP ward.

When Isabel opened the door, she found Gianna lying next to the hospital bed, crying her eyes out.

Benjamin still had an IV drip in his hand. His face looked pale, but with his other hand, he gently patted Gianna's back. His voice was weak but patient as he tried to comfort her.

"Hey, stop crying, Gianna. I'm okay. Your safety is what matters most. If it happened again, I'd still choose to protect you."

Watching this scene unfold made memories rush back into Isabel's mind uncontrollably.

During that earthquake, he had just escaped danger—hooked up to all those tubes and lying in the ICU—too weak even to talk.

When he saw her outside through the glass with tears streaming down her face, he struggled to lift his bandaged hand. He did his best to pull a reassuring smile and silently said, "Bella, don't be scared. I'm okay."

The moment now felt eerily similar to what she remembered—except this time the person he was willing to risk everything for wasn't her anymore.

A sharp pain shot through Isabel's chest, and she just wanted to get out of this suffocating place.

But as soon as she turned around, she caught a glimpse of Benjamin taking off the protection pendant from around his neck—it was still warm from his body. He gently placed it on Gianna; his tone was filled with affection.

"Gianna, this protection pendant really works wonders. I'm giving it to you now because your safety is really important. I want to let it protect you for me."

Isabel felt her blood run cold in that moment. She couldn't take her eyes off that protection pendant because it was something she had prayed for him with all her heart.

She did it hoping he would recover quickly and stay safe.

Keeping it a secret from him, she went alone to the old cathedral up in the mountains—spending an entire day and night climbing its 9,999 steep stone steps. With every step, she'd stop to press her palms together in silent prayer, her forehead sore from resting against the cold stone walls in devotion and her knees aching from those rough steps.

The priest at the cathedral had been moved by how sincere she was. He blessed the protection pendant with holy water and told her it carried years of faith before handing it over to her.

When she gave him the protection pendant, he noticed the faint scrapes on her forehead and knees. His eyes filled with tears. He held onto her hand tightly and his voice choked with sobs.

"Silly girl, was all this effort really worth it?"

She nodded enthusiastically, her eyes shining with determination.

"Of course it was worth it! Benjamin, you once told me that my safety is the most important thing. Now I want to say—your safety matters just as much to me. I want you to be safe, happy, and live a long life."

He held her close, his voice shaking as he promised.

"Alright, Isabel. From now on, this protection pendant of yours will keep me safe. And for your safety—I promise to protect it with everything I've got!"

But at that moment, the protection pendant she had worked so hard to get—he had just turned around and given it to another woman.

The person he swore to protect with his life was now someone else entirely.

Benjamin caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye. His hand patting Gianna's back hesitated for just a second.

He looked up at Isabel and forced a polite smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Ms. Ackrea, thanks for taking care of things this time. I really appreciate your help."

His tone was flat and cold. It was as if he were talking to some random stranger who had done him a favor.

Isabel didn't say a word. She just watched him put on his fake act, keeping quiet. It wasn't until his smile started to fade and she caught a glimpse of guilt in his eyes that a slow, cold smirk crept onto her face.

"Benjamin, no need to thank me. Just think of it as me paying you back."

After saying that, she brushed off the panic flashing across his eyes. She turned away with determination and walked out.

Inside the room, Benjamin's smile fell apart instantly.

The icy look and words Isabel left him with sent waves of panic crashing over him.

He tried to push down the unease bubbling up inside. He thought to himself, "It's fine. There are still 30 days... In 30 days, I'll be back by Isabel's side and I'll work twice as hard to make things right! There's still time."

Not long after Benjamin got out of the hospital, Margot's birthday party took place at the Bagnall's manor. The place was well-lit and buzzing with guests.

During the gift-giving part, Isabel stood up, grabbed a simply wrapped gift box, and walked over.

Her presence immediately quieted everyone around her, and all kinds of looks—curious, sympathetic, even a bit smug—were directed at her.

"Mom, happy birthday!" she said with a smile as she handed over the gift box.

Inside was a special therapeutic salve that she had spent more than a month getting made by an expert in traditional medicine. She'd made countless calls and even traveled to his clinic twice—all because Margot had once casually mentioned having some lower back pain.

Margot looked at Isabel standing there all alone with pity. She took the gift and said softly, "Isabel, you're so sweet. I really love it."

Just then, Benjamin walked over with Gianna beside him in her fancy outfit.

The ruby necklace around Gianna's neck caught Isabel's eye. It was the expensive birthday present Benjamin had bought for her. He had once claimed that only something as stunning as this would be good enough for her.

"Mom, happy birthday!" Benjamin said with a grin, pointing to Gianna.

Gianna quickly held out a super fancy gift box, her voice dripping with sweetness. "Happy birthday, Mom! This is what Benjamin and I picked out for you together. I hope you like it."

When the box was opened, everyone gasped in awe at the stunning emerald necklace inside—it was priceless!

But Margot's smile faded just a bit. She softly told Benjamin, "Thanks so much, Benjamin. That's really too generous."

Gianna felt left out and looked hurt instantly. With tears welling up in her eyes, she turned to Benjamin beside her.

Seeing Gianna like that made Benjamin feel sorry for her.

He reached over and grabbed Isabel's gift from next to Margot. He opened it casually with a half-smirk on his face. His voice wasn't loud but clear enough for everyone around to hear. "Ms. Ackrea really knows how to take shortcuts. My mom has seen all kinds of good things and you give her this cheap homemade salve? That's way too lame to show off."

After saying that, he tossed the gift aside like it was trash. "Get rid of this! It doesn't deserve space here—not everything is worthy of being displayed."

In a flash, the whole room went quiet.

Every single pair of eyes turned to Isabel, and the mockery and pity in those looks felt like they were about to swallow her whole.

Her face went pale instantly, as if someone had slapped her hard in front of everyone—her ears buzzed, and it felt like the world was spinning around her.

Just because Gianna felt a bit wronged, he didn't think twice about taking her genuine feelings, showing them off for everyone to see, and trampling all over them without a second thought.

She dug her nails into her palm, mustering every ounce of strength she had left just to keep herself from collapsing.

Harvey and Margot's faces turned red with embarrassment. They were ready to step in and smooth things over.

But Isabel spoke up first. Her voice came out hoarse and shaky as she rushed to say, "Dad, Mom... I'm sorry. It's kind of stuffy in here. I need some fresh air."

She turned away like she was escaping, forcing herself to stand tall as she walked slowly toward the corner of the terrace.

Just when she leaned against the cold railing, gasping for breath while trying to calm down from all that humiliation and sadness inside her heart, someone followed her over.

"What's up, Ms. Ackrea? Hiding out here all by yourself to feel sorry for yourself?"

Gianna's voice was dripping with pride and sarcasm, her eyes full of challenge.

Isabel shot her a cold look, not wanting to get into pointless arguing. "Just move aside."

"Move aside?" Gianna laughed mockingly, sizing Isabel up.

"Benjamin loves me now, and I'm going to be the lady of this house from now on. If you know what's best for you, you'll just leave—stop being such an eyesore."

Isabel ignored her and tightened her grip on the wine glass as she tried to walk away.

Gianna spotted Benjamin coming in the distance and a sly glint flashed in her eyes instantly.

She suddenly reached out and snatched the champagne glass right out of Isabel's hand.

"Ah!"

With Gianna's intentionally loud shriek, all the wine splashed onto her fancy dress.

"Ms. Ackrea! How... how could you do this to me?"

Gianna's expression changed in a heartbeat, filled with hurt and embarrassment, her voice shaking with tears.

She pointed at Isabel, her body trembling as if she had just faced the worst kind of insult. "I know you look down on me because I come from a fishing village! But you... you can't just splash wine on me like that to humiliate me and then say something like 'to cover up the fishy smell on you'!"

Gianna's accusation hit everyone like a bolt out of the blue. All eyes turned sharply toward Isabel, and whispers started buzzing around the room.

Benjamin rushed over in a few quick steps. Seeing Gianna looking so upset and hearing her tearful words made his anger boil over instantly.

"Isabel!"

He stepped in front of the shaking Gianna to protect her, then shot an angry glare at Isabel.

"Do you even have any manners? So what if Gianna is from a fishing village? She works hard for everything she has, lives honestly, and she's my hero!

"And as for you—splashing wine on her and saying such mean things? Is this how your parents teach you?"

The mention of "parents" felt like a sharp knife digging into Isabel's old wounds. Her face went pale as paper in an instant.

The loss of her parents was a wound that would never heal for her, but he turned it into a weapon—all just to defend Gianna.

It felt like her heart had been ripped open, pounding with unbearable pain. She didn't have the strength to say anything in defense.

Right now, all he could see and care about was Gianna. No matter what Isabel said, it would just be seen as an excuse.

When Benjamin noticed Isabel's face go pale and her shaky figure swaying, his heart tightened. He never meant to hurt her like this.

Luckily, Gianna quickly grabbed his arm and leaned on him, tears trembling in her voice. "Benjamin... please take me away... I can't stand seeing her anymore!"

He took that moment to harden his resolve, pushing aside the uneasy feeling and sharp pain in his chest. Grabbing Gianna's hand, he turned to leave right away. "Let's go, Gianna. I'll bring you to get your clothes changed."

He held onto the sobbing Gianna and rushed off from the terrace as if they were escaping.

Watching them walk away, the last bit of light faded completely from Isabel's eyes.

The banquet was still going on, and as the Bagnall family's so-called daughter-in-law, she had no choice but to head back to the hall.

She felt completely drained—both physically and mentally. Every second felt like torture.

Margot would occasionally shoot her worried glances, which warmed her heart a bit but also made it ache even more.

Even his parents seemed to care about how she felt, but he just ignored her completely under the excuse of having amnesia and hurt her without a second thought.

Before long, Gianna sidled up next to her again. With a teasing tone, she said, "Hey Ms. Ackrea, Benjamin actually scolded you in public for my sake. How can you still stick around here? If I were in your shoes, I'd be looking for a hole in the ground to crawl into!"

Seeing Isabel's total indifference only made Gianna's expression darken. Then she flashed an even nastier smile and dropped a bombshell.

"Ms. Ackrea, guess what? Benjamin—he wasn't really suffering from amnesia at all."

She relished watching Isabel tense up instantly and grip her knuckles so tightly they turned white, waiting eagerly for her to break down and lose it.

But Isabel just slowly turned her head and gave Gianna a cold look, like she was watching some clown put on a silly show.

Gianna was totally furious at how calm Isabel was—it made her feel like all her complicated plans had just become a big joke.

"You knew?"

Gianna's voice shot up high, then she quickly tried to tone it down. The pride on her face shifted to pure anger.

"So you know! Isabel, since you're in the loop about him not really having amnesia, take a good look. Who does he love now?"

Gianna's chest was heaving with excitement, and there was this wild glint in her eyes.

She suddenly leaned in close to Isabel's ear, every word dripping with spite. "You're just his unwanted past. Benjamin loves me now. He's playing along with this whole amnesia thing for my sake. He tossed you aside like garbage.

"Just look at how much he cares about me. He can even lie to you—his ex-wife—for me!"

Right as Gianna screamed that last part in total hysteria, an incredibly loud bang suddenly echoed from above them.

A chandelier hanging in the banquet hall suddenly broke loose and came crashing down right toward Isabel and Gianna, who were standing directly underneath it.

The moment the chandelier started to fall, Benjamin instinctively rushed toward Isabel.

His eyes were wide with fear, and his first thought was to protect her.

But just as he was about to reach out for Isabel, he froze.

He caught a glimpse of Gianna's face next to him, twisted in sheer terror and suddenly his instincts took a backseat. Gianna was the one he felt responsible for during his amnesia.

He quickly pulled back the hand he'd reached out toward Isabel and lunged at Gianna instead.

The heavy chandelier slammed down onto Isabel's back with a dull thud.

Isabel felt an intense pain shoot through her back instantly, like her bones were about to break.

She stumbled forward and fell hard, her knees hitting the cold floor with a loud thump.

At the same time, Gianna—who Benjamin was holding protectively in his arms—let out an over-the-top, flirty cry of pain. "Ah! It hurts so much, Benjamin! My hand... my hand is cut! It hurts so bad!"

She lifted her arm to show a small scratch on her skin, with just a tiny drop of blood coming out.

Benjamin's heart was racing. Without thinking, he glanced at Isabel, who had been knocked down.

She was kneeling on all fours, her clothes ripped open. The skin underneath looked really bad—bright red swelling, purple bruises, and some nasty streaks of blood that kept oozing out.

Her thin body shook slightly from the pain. Her eyes were unfocused and she was sweating cold beads on her forehead.

A sharp pain shot through Benjamin's heart too. He could barely hold back the urge to rush over and pick her up right away.

"Benjamin! It hurts so much! I'm so scared!"

Gianna clung tightly to his arm with tears in her eyes, shaking like crazy—pulling his attention back to herself.

"Get me outta here! This is terrifying! I don't wanna stay here anymore!"

Benjamin quickly scanned the chaotic scene—Harvey and Margot were already rushing over, looking worried.

He thought, "Right, they'll take good care of Isabel. Gianna is hurt and scared." She was the one he should be focusing on right now because he had lost his memory.

He pushed down the faint panic and heartache that bubbled up inside him about Isabel's injury.

His face changed instantly to show concern and urgency for Gianna. Without thinking twice, he bent down and scooped her up in his arms, carrying her horizontally.

"Don't worry, Gianna. I'm taking you to get your wound treated right away."

He turned around with big strides, holding Gianna close, walking off without even glancing back at Isabel lying on the ground.

The sharp pain in her back made it hard for Isabel to breathe, and cold sweat drenched her body in an instant.

She could only watch helplessly as Benjamin walked away without a second thought, cradling Gianna in his arms.

Clearly, she was the one he'd instinctively jumped in to save.

But at the last second, he made himself pick Gianna instead.

Should she feel touched that there might still be some love for her buried deep down? Or should she be angry that he didn't even bother to drop the act when it really mattered—just standing by while she got hurt without doing anything?

Out of nowhere, a sharp pain shot through her lower abdomen, like a cold knife twisting hard inside her stomach.

Suddenly, warm liquid rushed out from deep within her body, running down the insides of her thighs and quickly forming a big, bright red stain on the ground.

Isabel felt dizzy all of a sudden, and then... everything went black.

The sharp smell of disinfectant hit her nose.

Isabel tried to open her eyes, but they felt so heavy, and she just couldn't move. Waves of pain shot through her back and lower belly.

Then, a voice—filled with deep regret and pain—drifted into her ears, shaky and broken. "Isabel... I'm sorry... I really am... I didn't know... I honestly didn't know you were pregnant... I'm so sorry for our baby... We can have another one, I promise..."

Pregnant? Those two words slammed into her already broken heart like a ton of bricks.

She had always dreamed of having a child with him, yet before she even got the chance to know this baby was real, she lost them forever.

And it was all because of him.

"Isabel, please! Don't blame me, just hang in there a little longer. I'll make it up to you over and over again—I'll make it up to our baby..."

Benjamin's voice came through again, filled with nothing but guilt and despair.

But Isabel just thought it was completely ridiculous! Totally disgusting!

To keep up his own lie, he could even ditch her when their lives were on the line.

He didn't even have the guts to give her that fake, cheap apology until she was out cold. And he actually convinced himself that he could win her forgiveness?

She would never forgive him!

The pain and guilt he felt only made her feel this huge wave of irony and an even colder feeling in her heart.

A mix of deep sadness and anger washed over her, pulling her consciousness back into endless darkness.

When she finally opened her eyes again, the first thing she saw was a nurse looking at her with concern.

"Ms. Ackrea, you're awake? How are you feeling? Is your back and lower belly still hurting?" the nurse asked gently.

Isabel tried to speak, but her throat was so dry that no sound came out.

The nurse quickly helped her sit up gently, grabbed a cup of warm water, and fed her slowly, sip by sip.

"Mrs. Bagnall, you... you had a miscarriage... You really need to take it easy," the nurse said with a sympathetic tone.

Isabel nodded, feeling empty and lost inside.

She looked around the ward. Besides the nurse, there was no one else in sight.

Suddenly, she heard muffled arguing coming from outside the door. It was Harvey and Margot.

"Just look at what happened! Our grandson is gone just like that!"

Isabel's heart sank as guilt washed over her.

She almost closed her eyes to pretend she was asleep when Harvey's angry voice cut through clearly.

"Benjamin! You've really messed up this time! That Gianna—you can mess around with her if you want, but with her background? There's no way she deserves to be part of the Bagnall family! Keeping her as a mistress is already more than enough! You need to snap out of this 'amnesia' right now. Go comfort Isabel properly so she can rest and recover and we expect a healthy grandson soon!"

"That's right!" Margot chimed in, her voice urgent.

"Stop pretending that you lost your memory. Get back and live a good life with Isabel. And about that fishmonger woman—just throw her some cash to keep her away. She can never have a kid for the Bagnall family."

Isabel felt like she'd been hit by lightning. It was as if all the blood had frozen in her veins at that moment.

She instinctively dug her fingers into the cold edge of the hospital bed, nearly breaking her nails.

So they all knew. They had known all along that Benjamin was faking his memory loss.

They watched her suffer like an absolute fool, just sitting there like it was some kind of show.

Once upon a time, she really believed how happy she was—with a husband who loved her deeply and in-laws who treated her like their own daughter.

But it turned out everything was a lie. Every single thing was fake.

She thought she had already felt enough pain to be numb, but only now did she realize how painful it was when words hit her like she was pierced by a thousand arrows. It was insufferable.

All the love and guilt she once felt for this family were completely crushed, disappearing into thin air.

Isabel lay on the hospital bed, her eyes empty as she stared at the pale ceiling, her eyes so dry that no tears could come.

It seemed that all her tears had already been shed over the past few months.

At that moment, the door to the ward was suddenly flung open. Benjamin rushed in, his expression more anxious than ever before, with several bloodstains on his clothes. His voice was hoarse: "Ms. Ackrea, I'm sorry to disturb your rest, but Gianna... after learning about your miscarriage, she was overwhelmed with guilt and tried to commit suicide by slitting her wrists. She's lost too much blood and is being rescued right now! The blood bank is running out! Only your blood type matches hers, I'm begging you to save her!"

Isabel looked at him in disbelief; just a few days ago, he had secretly kept vigil by her bedside to apologize.

And now, for Gianna, he could put on that mask of amnesia again, asking her—who had just miscarried—to donate blood to Gianna?

How ridiculous. Gianna, that malicious woman, how could she possibly commit suicide out of so-called guilt!

"What does her suicide have to do with me!" Isabel screamed with all her remaining strength, her voice trembling with weakness and filled with hatred.

"Benjamin, look at me! I just lost my child! I'm still lying in a hospital bed! I don't even have the strength to sit up! And you want me to give her blood? Are you trying to kill me?"

A flicker of guilt and shame flashed in Benjamin's eyes, but it was instantly replaced by worry for Gianna: "I know you just had a miscarriage! But the child is gone! It was an accident! Everyone is heartbroken! But Ms. Ackrea, Gianna is a living, breathing person! She even saved my life, I can't just stand by and watch something happen to her!"

He lowered his head, not daring to meet Isabel's furious gaze, his tone growing more urgent: "And I asked the doctor, your current condition means donating a little blood won't endanger your life! But Gianna can't wait any longer. Please, do it for my sake, for the sake of the woman who saved your husband, I'm begging you to save her, please?"

Husband?

A husband who pretended to have amnesia just to be with another woman, coldly watching her pain and despair?

A husband who couldn't bear to see another woman die, but could watch her get hit by a chandelier and lose her child?

A husband who feigned repentance while she was unconscious, but when she was awake, forced her to donate blood in the name of a lifesaver?

"Beg me?"

Isabel seemed to have heard the most ironic joke in the world. The corners of her pale lips curled into a mocking smile, and she spoke each word with unwavering determination: "Then let me tell you, Benjamin, my answer is—never! I will never give her my blood! Give up on this!"

The last trace of patience in Benjamin's eyes vanished, replaced instantly by cold resolve.

"Nurse!"

He shouted harshly toward the door, his voice so cold it carried no warmth at all.

Several nurses entered at his command, carrying restraints and thick blood-drawing needles. Under Benjamin's icy gaze, they tied Isabel to the hospital bed and prepared to forcibly draw her blood!

"Let me go! Benjamin! You lunatic! I won't give her my blood!"

Isabel let out a piercing, desperate scream, struggling with all her might.

The wound on her back split open again, and warm blood quickly soaked through her hospital gown.

"Ms. Ackrea, if you stop struggling, you won't have to suffer as much!"

Benjamin looked at the glaring bloodstains, a trace of pain flickering in his eyes, but he still steeled his heart and did not let the nurse stop.

The thick needle pierced Isabel's slender arm vein, and bright red blood quickly flowed into the blood bag through the tube.

She felt her body growing colder, her struggles becoming weaker and weaker, and despair engulfed her completely like icy seawater.

When 400 milliliters had been drawn, the nurse looked at Isabel, who was drenched in cold sweat and breathing rapidly, and couldn't help but ask Benjamin:

"Mr. Bagnall, should we continue? The patient is extremely weak right now. If we keep going, she might go into shock or even be in danger of losing her life!"

Benjamin hesitated for only the briefest moment, his gaze sweeping over the blood bag.

Thinking of Gianna, who was still waiting for a transfusion, a trace of reluctance flashed across his face, but in the end he gritted his teeth and said, "Keep going! Gianna is still not out of danger! Everything must be for Gianna's sake!"

Hearing Benjamin's words, Isabel felt the last bit of warmth in her heart completely disappear, leaving only a dead, icy coldness.

She bit her lower lip hard, stopped struggling, and let her tears flow silently and uncontrollably.

She never imagined that, for Gianna, Benjamin could truly be this cold-blooded, caring nothing for her life or death.

The last trace of feeling she had for him in her heart finally vanished completely.

She felt her body growing colder and her consciousness gradually fading.

Before she completely lost consciousness, she seemed to see Benjamin, covered in blood during the earthquake that year, tightly holding her hand and comforting her not to be afraid.

The man who once loved her so deeply was, in the end, truly gone.

Isabel was unconscious for a whole day and night. When she woke up, Benjamin was standing at her bedside.

Seeing her awake, there was no concern on his face at all. He simply informed her coldly, "You're awake? Good, then let me tell you, I'm going to marry Gianna."

Isabel's mind went completely blank. After a long while, she laughed, laughing so hard that tears streamed down her face.

How ridiculous it was—the two of them, one preparing for divorce, the other preparing for marriage.

She slowly closed her eyes, not wanting to look at Benjamin even once more.

Seeing her so determined to shut him out, Benjamin stiffly tossed out, "Get some rest," then turned and left.

In the days that followed, Isabel received messages every day from an unfamiliar number.

The first photo showed dozens of pairs of wedding rings lined up side by side, with the caption: "He said if I liked them, he'd buy them all. Whatever I want, he'll make it happen for me."

The second photo was a side view of Benjamin gently putting a diamond necklace on Gianna, with the caption: "He said only the purest diamond is worthy of someone as flawless as me."

The third photo was of a meticulously decorated wedding venue, with the caption: "He said he'd take care of everything. All I have to do is wait to be the happiest bride."

Isabel looked at them quietly, her face completely expressionless.

A few days later, the doctor informed her that she could be discharged.

She didn't tell anyone. After completing the formalities, she went straight to the courthouse.

When the dark red divorce certificate was handed to her, Isabel's heart was as calm as still water.

The marriage she once thought would last a lifetime ended so lightly, just like that.

Walking out of the courthouse, the sunlight was a little blinding.

She returned to the villa, only to find that everything had changed beyond recognition.

In the center of the living room, a new wedding photo of Benjamin and Gianna was hanging.

In the photo, Benjamin had his arm around Gianna's waist, smiling gently and dotingly—the kind of smile she once thought belonged only to her.

The children's room that she and Benjamin had designed together, full of hope for new life, had been turned into Gianna's luxurious dressing room.

All the furniture she had carefully chosen and arranged had been replaced by brand new items reflecting Gianna's tastes.

She walked straight to the master bedroom, took out the suitcase she had prepared long ago, and packed only a few simple clothes and important documents.

Then, she took out that thick diary.

Inside were records of her despair while searching for him, the pain of watching him and Gianna together, and the agony of knowing he was pretending to have lost his memory.

She placed the divorce certificate on the table, then heavily pressed the diary—filled with all her love, pain, and despair—on top of it.

Benjamin, this is my last 'gift' to you.

After finishing all this, she took one last look at the place she once called home, now nothing but a nightmare, pulled her suitcase, and left without hesitation.

The sunlight shone on her, casting a long shadow behind her, as if completely severing her from everything in the past.