Chapter 1

I pursued my older sister’s best friend relentlessly for three whole years before she finally agreed to a secret relationship with me.

However, after five hidden years together, right as I was preparing to propose, I overheard a conversation between her and her friends.

"Your first love is about to return to the country. How do you plan to handle that substitute boyfriend of yours?"

"Make sure you have a solid excuse when you break up with him. Don't make it too ugly, or Cora will never forgive you if she finds out her little brother got hurt."

After a long silence, she made her decision. "Then I'll just fake amnesia. I'll pretend I forgot the past five years. Since it was a secret relationship, nobody will know."

Forgetting actually sounded wonderful. If I forgot, it wouldn't hurt anymore.

So that very night, I went to the top hypnotherapist to completely erase my memories of those eight years.

Yet, once I truly forgot her, the woman who had always been so cold and distant went completely insane, begging me over and over again to remember her.

Chapter 1

"Mr. Robertson, I need to remind you one last time. Once we start the hypnosis, the past eight years of your life will be completely wiped. Beyond that, everyone's brain reacts differently. You could face severe memory confusion or even permanent brain damage. Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?"

I froze. It took me a few seconds to process her words as my mind drifted back over those eight years.

I spent the first three years desperately chasing Phoebe Shaw, piecing her back together after her first heartbreak. Then, for the next five years, I hid in the shadows as her secret boyfriend.

Eight years of my life, stripped down to four painful words: One-sided, pathetic love.

I had built my entire world around her, but she never gave me genuine affection in return.

At the company, I was just her obedient employee. At home, I was a glorified housekeeper. In public, I was merely her best friend’s little brother. And around her friends? I was just a trophy to prove how desirable she was.

She never respected me, not even once. So why was I clinging to these memories?

I took a breath, ready to tell the doctor to start, when my phone suddenly buzzed in my pocket.

The custom ringtone I’d set only for Phoebe blasted through the quiet room, my favorite song. It rang once, twice, three times, each buzz feeling more urgent than the last.

A sudden hope flared in my chest. Was she calling to stop me? Did she somehow know?

I swiped to answer, but before I could speak, her icy voice cut straight through the line.

"Something came up at the office, so I'm not coming home tonight. Hurry up and make dinner, then have it delivered. Make extra chicken wings and steak with red wine sauce."

Anger flared in my chest, quickly giving way to cold realization.

Because I loved her, I couldn't bear the thought of her eating cheap takeout or cold meals. As a wealthy heir born into luxury, I had willingly traded my pride to play her personal chef, slaving over a stove just to keep her cared for. And yet here she was, ordering me around like a servant.

More importantly, Phoebe hated red wine. There was only one person who could make her compromise her own tastes—her ex, David Reed, who had been living abroad.

Right on cue, a man's excited voice echoed from her end of the call.

"Phoebe! I told you that you didn't need to come pick me up at the airport!"

Then she hung up without another word.

Of course, it was David. Only he could make Phoebe abandon her work and drop everything.

When they broke up years ago, Phoebe fell into a deep depression that lasted three whole years, convinced she wasn't good enough. I stayed by her side through every tearful night, reassuring and encouraging her until she finally found the confidence to launch her own business.

The day her company was officially incorporated, she finally agreed to be with me.

"Because of you, I get a second chance," she had whispered. "Will you always stay by my side? The business is just starting out, though, so I can't go public with our relationship yet. Are you still willing to be with me?"

I had agreed without hesitation. For five straight years, I helped her build that company from the ground up, watching it thrive.

Chapter 2

I turned my back on my mentor's high expectations and abandoned my research in architectural history. I cut back on spending time with my family and friends, throwing myself entirely into her career and personal life.

For those eight years, she was my entire world. Yet, as soon as the company turned a profit and expanded, she dumped most of the high-pressure workload onto my shoulders.

Why? So she could free up her own schedule to fly overseas and meet up with her first love, David.

She always assumed I had no idea. But every time they met overseas, David made sure to message me intimate photos of the two of them.

[Phoebe and I can be together out in the open, while she keeps you hidden away in secret back home. It's crystal clear who the real outsider is.]

[She bought me a suit in the business style I love, matching her outfit to mine. Would she ever do that for you?]

Phoebe had never been willing to take photos with me or ever picked out a gift based on my tastes. My closet was packed with nothing but work-appropriate suits.

I had always thought she was simply hyper-focused on overseeing and managing the company. I never realized that everything I received was just whatever David didn't want.

After every one of their dates, David would post a love letter on social media.

[You are the miracle in my mundane life, my one true home in this vast crowd.]

[Meeting you again made me believe in forever.]

[Reunited once more. You're like the brightest star, illuminating my long, dark night.]

And every single photo featured his favorite dish: steak with red wine sauce.

His friends always assumed David and Phoebe were just in a long-distance relationship, flooding his comments with congratulations.

I let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh as my vision blurred with tears. If someone doesn't love you, no amount of effort will ever change that.

The doctor's voice spoke up beside me, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Mr. Robertson, can we begin the procedure now?"

I let out a long sigh, wiped away the tear lingering at the corner of my eye, blocked Phoebe's number, and shut off my phone.

"I'm ready. Let's start."

'Phoebe, your scene in the story of my life has officially ended.

'From this moment on, there is no us.'

…

When I opened my eyes again, three days had passed, and I found myself in a hospital room.

After the nurse informed me that the hypnosis procedure was a success, I was left completely shaken. I stared at my signature on the consent form for a long time.

Just how badly had I been hurt to give up eight years of my memories for no apparent reason?

As time ticked away, I had no choice but to accept this new reality. Leaving the hospital, I went straight to the address that popped into my head.

The moment I stepped inside, the place was a complete mess. A woman's clothes were scattered across the sofa, and leftover takeout sat abandoned on the dining table.

Was I rooming with a slob?

Instinctively, I began tidying up. By the time I realized what I was doing, I froze in place. Growing up, I had never lifted a finger. Since when was I so quick to clean up after someone else?

I scanned the room. The display case was filled with all sorts of flashy figurines, plushies, and preserved flower keepsakes. These were things I had zero interest in, viewing them as superficial gestures that couldn't compare to quality time.

Meanwhile, my absolute favorite ancient architecture models were sitting in the corner, covered in dust. I pulled out one of the models to wipe it clean, only to spot a photograph that had fallen behind the display case.

In the photo, a man who looked remarkably like me had his arm around my older sister Cora's best friend, Phoebe, both of them smiling happily.

Just as I was wondering why a photo of my sister's friend was in my home, the sound of keys unlocking the door echoed from outside. The sharp click of high heels stepped inside.

I turned around nervously, and the person walking through the door was the same Phoebe from the photo.

However, today's Phoebe was no longer as naive as she looked in the picture. Instead, she appeared elegant and distant, exuding the intimidating aura of someone in power.

Chapter 3

"Phoebe? Why do you have the keys to my place?" The question slipped out before I knew it.

Phoebe's brows furrowed, a hint of surprise crossing her face.

Ever since we started dating five years ago, I had rarely called her by her plain name, always using pet names. I had emphasized it to her countless times, even getting upset with her over it, that we were boyfriend and girlfriend after all.

Suppressing her confusion, she scanned the room and instantly complained, "The place is a mess. Couldn't you have cleaned up a bit? Also, where's dinner? I'm hungry."

I stood there, totally baffled. Did this girl have zero sense of boundaries? She ordered people around as if it were her birthright.

Seeing that I hadn't moved, Phoebe's frown deepened. The moment her eyes landed on the photo in my hand, she lunged forward, grabbed it, and tore it to pieces.

"Didn't I tell you not to leave photos around? No one can find out about our secret relationship!"

I froze, stunned at her sudden mood swing.

Secret relationship? With me? As far as my memory goes, didn't she already have a boyfriend?

Sure, I might have had a small crush on her, but I wasn't the type to go around stealing someone else's partner.

"Phoebe, are you sure you didn't mix me up with someone else?"

Phoebe's tone turned dark, becoming even more aggressive. "Damien, what's with the act? You're just upset because I've been staying with David these past few days instead of coming home, aren't you?

"David’s been abroad for eight years and is still adjusting. What’s wrong with me helping him settle in for a few days? Do you really have to be so sarcastic with me?

"It's precisely because you're so insecure, oversensitive, and petty that I don't want to be around you!"

This woman had to be crazy. Why was she picking a fight with me over spending time with her boyfriend?

I let out a sigh, having zero desire to waste my energy on a lunatic, and opened the front door to leave.

Seeing this, Phoebe rushed forward, grabbing the edge of my shirt. Her expression twisted with anger. "You're really committed to this act, aren't you? Can you stop being jealous of David? Being so narrow-minded is so exhausting!"

Out of respect for the fact that she was my sister's friend, I had held back my temper. But seeing her push her luck, did she seriously take my silence for weakness?

I yanked her hand off me and yelled straight into her face, "Phoebe, are you out of your mind?! When did I ever date you? Look at yourself, lashing out. Who in their right mind could ever fall for you?!"

Phoebe stared at me in utter disbelief. "How dare you speak to me like that! Damien, I'm breaking up with you!"

By this point, I had completely run out of patience.

The words came out without a single trace of emotion. "Fine by me."

With that, I walked straight out the door.

…

Phoebe stood there confused, a hint of panic creeping into her voice. "No way... Did he lose his memory?"

However, the very next second, a text in her group chat with her best friends made her instantly relax.

[Phoebe, it looks like Damien found out about your plan to fake amnesia.]

Accompanying the text was a video showing me standing outside a private lounge. My eyes were bloodshot as I gripped the door handle tightly, yet I never pushed the door open to step inside.

Phoebe burst out laughing.

'You silly boy. It was just a casual comment. Why did you take it so seriously? Your fake amnesia act is surprisingly convincing.'

After leaving the apartment, I drove straight to my parents' house.

Standing outside the front door, I hesitated for a moment. I had this strange feeling that I hadn't come back in a really long time, even though, according to my memory, I had only walked out of this house yesterday.

I pushed the door open. Only my older sister, Cora Robertson, was home.

"Well, look who's here. What a rare guest," Cora teased. "Leaving your secret girlfriend behind to come visit us?"

I looked at her, bewildered. "What secret girlfriend?"

"Still playing dumb, huh?"

She pulled out two photos I had once privately saved in my personal cloud album: a pair of custom engagement rings, with "DR loves PS" engraved neatly on the inside band.

Chapter 4

In the other photo, I was holding a woman's hand. Our fingers were tightly intertwined, both of us wearing matching rings.

I stared at it in shock.

Engagement rings with custom engravings? That sounded far too cheesy to ever be something I'd actually do.

"Cora, you really have too much free time on your hands if you're Photoshopping stuff like this just to tease me. Since when did pressuring me to get married get so bizarre?"

Ignoring her stunned expression, I walked straight back to my room to rest.

Cora followed me right inside. "Damien, did you go crazy from a failed marriage proposal or something?"

I rubbed my temples. "No, I just had a memory-erasure procedure done. I forgot a lot of things. And don't ask me why, because I don't remember."

Her playful demeanor vanished instantly, replaced by a look of deep sympathy. She simply told me to rest well and turned to leave.

I vaguely heard her instructing someone to investigate my whereabouts and actions over the past few days, but I didn't pay it any mind and quickly drifted into a heavy sleep.

The next morning, the sound of my phone ringing woke me up.

A colleague claiming to work under me said, "Ms. Shaw is furious. She says she's going to fire you if you don't hurry up and get to some cosmetics company right away."

Was I really the type to clock into an office job and take orders like this? And since when was I ever interested in cosmetics?

Just who had I turned myself into over these past eight years?

Driven by confusion, I rushed over to the company, where my subordinate quickly jogged up to meet me.

"Ms. Shaw is on a rampage today. She said missing four straight days is a major breach of contract, and she's threatening to fire you!"

Stepping into the executive office and seeing Ms. Shaw sitting there, I let out a helpless sigh. Why was it Phoebe again?

Could it be that I really did have a secret relationship with her, completely upending my life and losing myself just for her sake?

Lost in thought, I didn't notice the man sitting on the sofa nearby.

"Mr. Robertson, you've been absent for four days, setting a terrible example for everyone else. Are you trying to stage a protest against me?"

Phoebe spoke in a high-and-mighty tone. "According to company policy, unexcused absences are grounds for immediate termination. However, considering you're a company veteran and we're currently in the promotional push for 'Ocean Blue', I'll give you one more chance.

"You will step down from your position as Department Manager and hand it over to David. You'll take over as the team leader for the promotion department instead."

I frowned. Who cared about being a team leader?

"Don't bother reassigning me. I quit."

Before Phoebe could even open her mouth, the man on the sofa spoke up first. "Phoebe, your eye for talent has really slipped. How do you expect to scale your business with such an uninspired manager? He lacks resilience, too, resorting to resignation threats the moment something doesn't go his way."

Her face turned ashen, her dark brows furrowing tightly in anger. "Damien, can you grow up for once? This is business. Stop mixing your personal feelings with work!"

I maintained a completely indifferent expression. "I'm really resigning. I'm simply not cut out for this kind of work."

David suddenly lowered his head, looking deeply aggrieved. "Is he mad at me for joining the company? He's led so many projects over the past five years, so how could he not be cut out for it? How about this? Damien, you keep the manager position, and I'll just work under you. Would that work?"

Phoebe looked at him with sympathy, but when her eyes turned back to me, they were filled with frustration and rage.

"Damien, stop throwing tantrums! We're at a critical stage for launching 'Ocean Blue', and the company needs David's help.

"Give David the official title, but you'll handle the actual operations behind the scenes while he assists. I'll even throw in a fifty percent raise. Don't push your luck."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Was this self-righteous woman seriously my girlfriend?

Over the past two days, she had done nothing but lose her temper with me or boss me around. Not once had she calmed down to ask what I actually needed. I hadn't felt a single drop of love from her.

Chapter 5

I shook my head impatiently, standing firm on my resignation. I added, "Phoebe, I don't know how I survived the last eight years, but right now, one thing is crystal clear: I'm breaking up with you."

Her eyes widened in disbelief as the corners of her eyes welled up with tears. "Just because of this position? Damien, why are you throwing a fit? I'm doing all of this for our company."

David patted her shoulder sympathetically before turning to speak to me in a serious tone. Yet a faint, smug smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Kid, don't throw away five years over a bruised ego. If you're doing this because of me, then I simply won't join the company. Stop acting so unprofessional."

Looking at the hypocrite standing in front of me, I felt nothing but disgust. My patience ran out, so I turned and walked toward the door.

Phoebe suddenly called out behind me, "Damien, stop right there! If you walk out that door, we're really over."

I let out a cold laugh. "Great. That's exactly what I want."

…

While I was at my desk packing up my things, Phoebe chased after me and grabbed my arm. She insisted I hadn't properly transferred my project files and tried to block me from leaving.

Even though I cleared my computer's password and transferred every single project file off the hard drive, she kept causing a scene.

In the middle of our argument, she knocked my external hard drive off the desk, shattering it on the floor. That drive held years of architectural drawings and research materials I had painstakingly organized.

A flash of genuine anger finally cracked my indifferent expression, which seemed to satisfy her.

"What do you want?" I asked.

She smiled, thrilled. "I want you to stay at the company and help me."

"And if I say no?"

She leaned in close to my ear, her voice vicious. "Then I'll go public with David, and no one will ever know you were anything more than an employee."

I looked at the woman threatening me and found her utterly annoying. "Whatever."

After leaving the building, I immediately contacted my former architecture mentor, Professor Brown.

"Professor, I regret quitting. Is there still a place for me in the research team?"

Looking at the piles of architectural drafts covering his desk, my mentor replied stubbornly, "Nonsense! Do you think academic research is a revolving door where you can just come and go as you please?"

Feeling guilty, I apologized repeatedly, my voice trembling slightly.

"I was wrong. After stepping away from architectural research all these years, I finally realized how deeply I love it. I only feel true happiness when I'm immersed in it. Please, can you give me another chance?"

Professor Brown let out a sigh. "Fine. But you've been out of touch for years, so you're definitely rusty. If you rejoin the team, you'll have to start from the bottom doing basic drafting."

I gladly accepted. As long as I was back on the team, I had a chance to sharpen my skills again.

Meanwhile, Phoebe stormed back into her office, completely disappointed and red-eyed from anger.

David wrapped his arms around her, coaxing her gently. "Damien is just heated right now. He's like a kid; you just need to humor him.

"How about this? At my homecoming party in a few days, invite a bunch of friends and surprise Damien by officially announcing your relationship with him. He's probably just feeling wronged after having to keep it a secret all these years."

Phoebe looked guiltily at him. "That's asking too much of you. It'll steal the spotlight from your homecoming."

"It's fine. This way, you won't have to go through the trouble of hosting a separate event."

When I got home, Cora, who rarely showed weakness, was sitting at a dining table scattered with photos, tears streaming down her face.

The photos were all of me—pulling all-nighters at Phoebe's company, drinking heavily at business dinners on her behalf, which landed me in the hospital with stomach pains, no less than five times. Pictures of me with scars on my hands from cooking for her; doing all the housework and catering to her every need at home.

While I was running myself ragged between home and the office, Phoebe was constantly flying overseas under the guise of "business trips" just to see David.

Cora gathered the photos with a heartbroken expression, her tone gradually filling with rage. "When you suddenly went low-profile after chasing her so intensely for three years, I knew you two had gotten together."

Chapter 6

"But I had no idea she was putting you through so much. Don't worry, your big sister will definitely get payback for you."

The memories gradually sharpened in my mind, yet my emotions didn't ripple in the slightest.

I patted Cora's arm. "I really did forget. I plan to dive back into architecture and do what I truly love. Cora, I'm going to be happy from now on."

Cora opened her mouth to say something else, but a phone notification cut her off.

Phoebe had just posted: [To celebrate David's return, I'll be hosting a party for him in three days, where a major announcement will be made. I hope all my friends can make it!]

She even went out of her way to tag both Cora and me at the end of the post.

What was she up to now? Did she honestly think something like this would make me jealous?

The comments were flooded with speculation, with most people already congratulating her and David on their long-awaited launch.

Cora looked at me with deep concern, fearing I'd be heartbroken. Yet, there wasn't a single trace of hurt on my face, only a look of mild disgust.

"Do you want to go?"

I shrugged indifferently. "Sure, why not? Consider it my final goodbye to those eight years."

Three days later, the moment we stepped into the party, the hushed chatter of the crowd drifted into our ears.

"That's the guy who stole David's girlfriend and forced him to stay abroad for eight whole years. He was even crying inside a private lounge earlier."

"Poor Phoebe, getting stuck with a guy like that. He even seized control of the company she founded."

"Those two poor sweethearts endured an eight-year long-distance relationship, relying on Phoebe flying overseas just once or twice a year to meet up."

"And today, he's actually hijacking David's homecoming party just to force Phoebe into a public confession. Talk about shameless."

I stood there, completely baffled. Were these people living in an alternate reality?

Cora pulled me aside, deep in thought. "Go sit over there, and grab a bite to eat. I'm going to figure out what on earth is going on."

Not long after I sat down, David walked over in a sharp suit. His eyes were swollen, looking as though he had just cried his heart out.

"Damien, you've controlled Phoebe for eight long years. Can't you finally give her back to me?"

What kind of act was he pulling? I gave him a look of pure disdain and turned to walk away. However, he suddenly grabbed my hand with a vice grip.

"If you refuse to let her go, can you at least treat her better? She hasn't been able to swallow a single bite of food these past two days because of you. Please stop giving her the cold shoulder, okay?"

I was just about to snap back at him when a ring on his hand caught the light and flashed straight into my eyes. The initials engraved on that ring looked disturbingly familiar.

Before I could process it, the rapid click of high heels approached from behind. Phoebe rushed in and shoved me backward, sending me crashing into the swimming pool while screaming furiously, "Damien, I never realized you were such a cowardly bully!

"To think I was actually planning to go public with our relationship today! You don't deserve it at all!"

The problem was that I didn't know how to swim. I began thrashing around in the water, desperately trying to stay afloat.

Yet Phoebe couldn't care less. "Stop acting! The pool is only six feet deep. You're not going to drown. I'm just teaching you a lesson. That's what you get for bullying David and lying about having amnesia!"

Just as my consciousness began to fade into darkness, a girl dove straight into the water and pulled me up to safety.

When Cora found out what happened, she rushed over and slapped Phoebe right across the face. Eyes red and voice choking back sobs, she roared, "Damien went through a memory erasure procedure because of you and wiped out eight whole years! He forgot you a long time ago!

"Stay away from him from now on. Otherwise, I will tear your company to the ground!"