Chapter 1

While helping my boyfriend of seven years with psychological treatment, he fell into a deep hypnotic state and revealed his true feelings.

"It's so exhausting to mix birth control pills into vitamins every time. When will this all end?"

The pen dropped to the floor as I trembled, asking in disbelief.

"Didn't you say we'd get married if I got pregnant?"

He calmly replied in his dream-like state.

"I can clearly distinguish between a marriage partner and a dating partner. Jolene's family is also pressuring her to get married."

I froze, then deleted his memories of me while crying, deciding never to see him again.

But later, he knelt in front of my door in the pouring rain, begging for my forgiveness.

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1

The eyes before me were tightly shut, Dashiell's thoughts lost in chaos.

I covered my mouth, sobbing uncontrollably, seven years shattering like a mirage.

With a bang, Jolene burst in, her smile turning to disgust upon seeing me.

"Didn't big brother Dashiell tell you I was coming?"

I hastily wiped away my tears, remembering Dashiell had said Jolene was coming to discuss the group's hospital affairs and I should make myself scarce.

That's why I always hid in my room when she came, but today I suddenly didn't want to hide anymore.

I wanted to go home, back to my own home.

She eyed my reddened eyes suspiciously, then turned to Dashiell and let out a scream.

Jolene roughly shoved me to the ground, rushing to Dashiell's side.

"What did you do to big brother Dashiell!"

My palm stung fiercely, and a strong surge of emotions nearly brought me to tears.

Dashiell slowly regained consciousness, recognizing Jolene before turning a piercing gaze to me on the floor.

"Who is this? Why are they in my house?!"

Jolene was stunned, her eyes darting between us, before carefully probing him, but Dashiell still looked bewildered.I forcefully suppressed the bitterness. My hypnosis had never been this successful before. He truly had forgotten me.

Jolene was overjoyed but pretended to act natural.

"She's the new housekeeper."

Not wanting Dashiell to see my distress, I turned to leave.

Jolene took large strides to catch up with me and whispered in my ear.

"Where do you think you're going?! I already said you're the housekeeper. You used to show off in front of me all the time. Now I want you to watch with your own eyes as Dashiell falls in love with me!"

I struggled to break free from her, but Jolene just laughed smugly.

"Your mom is still being treated at our hospital. She can't stop taking her medication, right? If you leave now, I'll make sure no hospital will admit her!"

Thinking of my mom, the color drained from my face and I instinctively looked at Dashiell.

It's a lie to say seven years of feelings can be discarded so easily. When I hypnotized him, I still set our song as the trigger to wake him up.

I held onto an untimely shred of hope. In the past, he had set our song as the ringtone for all his apps.

If he heard it just once and woke up, I could convince myself to give us another chance.

Dashiell didn't notice anything unusual about me and irritably rubbed his temples.

Jolene quickly brought him water, not forgetting to turn and scold me.

"What are you waiting for? Go make dinner!""Careful, or I'll fire you!"

The threat in her eyes was too obvious, so I had no choice but to go into the kitchen.

When the food was ready, Jolene rushed to carry it out, and the hot water in her hands splashed directly onto my hand.

My hand instantly turned red, but before I could even feel the pain, a flash of smugness crossed Jolene's eyes as she deliberately shook her hand, causing the dish to spill.

She trembled and fell to the ground, tears falling like pearls.

"Why did you push me?!"

Dashiell came running at the sound and helped Jolene up, his voice tinged with urgency.

"How can you be so careless? Who told you to lay hands on a customer?!"

As he passed by me, he used too much force, and I was knocked to the ground.

My ankle twisted unnaturally, sending a piercing pain through me, and cold sweat beaded on my forehead.

Dashiell didn't notice my predicament at all, carrying Jolene to the couch.

Jolene kept crying and snuggling into his arms, and Dashiell's body stiffened but he didn't refuse.

He was about to fire me in anger when Jolene stopped him and took out a stack of photos from her bag.

The two of them cuddled together, and from a distance, I could see that the stack of photos were all of them smiling together.

The photos of Dashiell and me over these seven years could be counted on one hand, making me feel more and more like a joke.He always used to say he didn't like having his picture taken, but he could make concessions for Jolene time and time again.

"Brother Dashiell, my mom says she misses you. When will you come visit her?" Jolene asked coyly.

Dashiell froze, pondering for a moment, then looked at me with furrowed brows.

Hope flared in my heart, only to be cruelly shattered by his next words.

"Why are you still standing there in the way?"

I struggled to my feet and limped into the room, leaning against the door as I heard Dashiell's low chuckle and agreement.

In my daze, something slid down my cheek. When I raised my hand to wipe it away, I realized my face was wet with tears.

They were the perfect match. I was just an ill-timed dream.

I wiped away my tears and sent a message to my friend, asking her to help find a hospital that could take in my mom.

As soon as Mom was successfully transferred, it would be time for me to wake from this dream.

After a while, Jolene asked me to go out and serve the dishes.

I sat down naturally at the dinner table, and Dashiell didn't notice anything unusual.

He casually picked up a piece of fish and put it in my bowl.

Jolene gritted her teeth in anger, but still forced a smile.

Only then did Dashiell realize what he had done.

At that moment, his phone started ringing.