Chapter 2

Annalise's tone left no room for argument.

The cold phone dug painfully into my palm.

My heart felt like it was being gnawed by countless ants, a dense, throbbing ache.

"Why should I?"

"Why should you?"

"Liam, you almost lost his bones! This is your responsibility!"

Her voice was laced with mockery.

I took a deep breath, suppressing my anger.

"Annalise, aren't you afraid I'll divorce you?"

She acted as if she'd heard the funniest joke ever.

Her voice grew increasingly arrogant.

"Divorce? You wouldn't dare."

"Liam, if it weren't for me, you'd be dead on the streets by now."

"You don't remember anything. Where would you go without me?"

"Besides, my company is thriving now. Can you really give that up?"

Annalise was so confident.

She was right. A week ago, I truly had nowhere to go.

But that was Liam.

Not Julian.

Not me.

I didn't respond, just hung up.

Leaving City Hall, I went to a law firm and drafted divorce papers.

Annalise's company was founded after we got married.

Theoretically, her current assets should be considered marital property.But she saved my life.

I didn't take a penny of that money.

I just wanted to leave her.

I sat in my wheelchair, unable to move freely.

By the time I got home, it was already dusk.

Annalise was sitting on the couch, visibly irritated when she saw me return.

"Where have you been? You're so slow!"

"Don't you know the cemetery closes at night?!"

My hands gripped the armrests tightly.

"I never agreed to this."

"You don't get to refuse!"

Annalise rushed over, roughly grabbed my wheelchair, and shoved me out the door.

"Annalise, let go!!!"

"Liam, I advise you to be sensible. I'm not in the mood to deal with your temper."

No matter how much I struggled, she had no intention of letting go.

Finally, I was exhausted.

I silently allowed her to put me in the car.

"Alright, Liam, I'll let the bracelet incident from last time slide."

"Stop making a fuss. Dean and I are in the past, he's dead."

"From now on, I'll treat you well."

Seeing how terrible I looked, Annalise actually showed some mercy and tried to comfort me.

If it weren't for the bone bracelet still on her wrist.

If it weren't for my name being similar to Dean's.

Maybe I would have believed her.

"In a couple of days, the company has an important negotiation. You'll come with me then.Seeing my silence, Annalise issued another command.

When her company was first established, it struggled to gain a foothold.

Although I had lost my memory, my business instincts seemed to be etched into my bones.

I couldn't bear to see her brow furrowed with worry, so I voluntarily offered to help.

At first, she didn't trust me.

It wasn't until I landed several big deals for her that Annalise finally acknowledged my abilities.

For three years after our marriage, I stood behind her, clearing the path of obstacles.

Ironically, I had nothing to my name.

The only thing she gained.

Was the identity of her first love's stand-in.

My silence, in her eyes, was tacit consent.

She softened her tone and said gently:

"I was wrong about what happened before."

"But you also need to learn to be understanding, Liam. In life, there are always regrets for things we can't have, aren't there?"

"Once this collaboration is over, I'll take you on vacation. Isn't that what you've always wanted?"

She was always like this.

A slap, then a piece of candy.

After so many times, I had become numb.

The car drove to the cemetery entrance in my silence.

Annalise pushed me, stopping in front of a gravestone.

"Dean, I've come to see you again."

Her voice was filled with a love unfamiliar to me.

Surging, almost overflowing.

I looked up at the photo on the gravestone.

The next second, I was stunned.

The person in the photo was my brother who had gone missing while studying in Europe!