He gripped the broken window latch I had pried open, his eyes blazing with fury.

He knew my personality too well. I used to be docile. I would hesitate for a long time before even raising my voice to him, let alone break through a window to escape.

But now, I had dared to brazenly defy him.

He took a deep breath, yet his chest felt as if a boulder was pressing down on it, stifling him.

His anger was mixed with an indescribable irritation and a hint of panic he refused to acknowledge.

The servants in the living room, seeing his dark expression, shrank back, pretending to be busy, fearful of catching his ire.

Rylan walked to the center of the living room, his gaze sweeping over the empty sofa, recalling how I used to wait for him there every morning. But now, there was nothing here.

A sudden emptiness surged within him.

The next moment, he raised his arm and with a swift motion, sent the items on the table crashing into countless pieces.

Rylan stared at the shards on the floor, the veins on his forehead throbbing.

His usual calm and composed demeanor was gone, leaving only a furious rage.

He had expected me to apologize tearfully, trailing behind him like countless times before. But I didn't.

I had not only run away but left without even a word.

"Get everyone here!" he shouted at the servants, his voice a roar, "Send people out to find her! Search every nook and cranny of the city if you must, but find Tessa!"

The servants hurriedly complied, rushing to arrange the search, terrified of the consequences of delay.

Rylan stood there, his gaze dark and menacing.

Suddenly, he bent down, picked up a sharp shard of porcelain, and cut his hand deeply.

He then took a picture of the wound and sent it to me.

...

By the time I received his message, I had already finished washing up and was lying in bed.

Exhaustion swept over me. Several days of hunger and torment had taken a toll on my body.

Just now, to avoid being laughed at, I specifically chased everyone away before wolfing down my food.

My phone was a new one from Aydan.

I ignored Rylan's message and prepared to sleep.

As I was drifting off, I heard Aydan's voice from the next room, speaking on the phone.

Though quiet, I could catch a few words.

"Rylan, Tessa is with me." His tone was calm and steady.

Whatever was said on the other end, Aydan continued, "She's not in great shape. She needs rest. There's no need for you to worry."

Rylan held his phone, his expression dark.

Aydan's call extinguished his frantic anxiety over not finding me, yet ignited a new, inexplicable anger.

"Who was that?" Madeline asked, holding her bag, ready to leave.

"Aydan," Rylan tossed the phone onto the sofa, "Tessa is with him."

Surprise flickered across Madeline's face, then relief. "It's good she's with him. I was worried that something might happen to Tessa if she went out alone."

She said, making a move to leave. "I should get going, I've imposed on you long enough."

Rylan didn't hear her.

He stared out into the dark night, his emotions a tangled mess.

In the past, whenever I saw him injured, I would be the first person to appear in front of him.

But now, I seemed to have cast him aside.

The thought sent a wave of panic down his spine, clutching at his heart until he could hardly breathe.

How did I, who used to only have eyes for him, become so disobedient after losing my memory?

Seeing that he ignored her, Madeline said again, "Rylan, I want to go to the art exhibition in Southbay tomorrow. I heard that the paintings on display this time are magnificent. Will you go with me?"

Rylan snapped back to reality, looking at the gentle Madeline beside him, his irritation slowly dissipating.

Compared to my reckless behavior, she was so much more considerate.

He nodded, "Alright, I'll go with you tomorrow."

...

When I woke up and went downstairs, I saw the agreement lying on the table.

I read it carefully, and after confirming everything was correct, I signed my name without hesitation.

Aydan watched as I signed, a hint of a smile in his eyes, before signing his name as well.

"Let's go to the court," he said naturally, putting the agreement away.

The court wasn't busy, and the process was quick.

When the marriage certificate was handed to me, a sense of unreality washed over me.

Overnight, I was married!

"Snap out of it," Aydan said, taking my hand, "I'll take you out for a nice meal, and then we'll go somewhere this afternoon."

"Where?" I asked, looking up at him.

"To the art exhibition in Southbay. I heard Madeline really wants to go," he replied, a playful glint in his eyes.

After eating, Aydan had arranged for someone to pick us up.

The exhibition hall was large, filled with paintings and sculptures of various styles, and many visitors were there to see them.

I stayed by Aydan's side as he patiently explained the background of each piece.

Suddenly, he remembered something interesting. "You used to love painting."

I tightened my grip on his hand and turned to him.

It was the first time someone had told me about my past.

"Once, for Rylan's birthday, you spent three months drawing a picture for him, and it's said you stayed up all night several times to finish it. You excitedly presented it to him, only for him to toss it aside while he was picking out a gift for Madeline." His fingers gently brushed the back of my hand, his voice devoid of emotion.

My heart felt as if it were being squeezed by something, a dull ache spreading through my chest, yet I still couldn't recall any details.

"Later, Madeline saw the painting and said she liked the colors. Rylan gave it to her." Aydan continued, leading me forward, "You didn't cry or make a fuss, you just never mentioned painting again."

These unfamiliar past events, through his words, formed a vague picture in my mind, bringing a strange sense of melancholy.

At that moment, I suddenly wanted to know about my past.

I wanted to know if Rylan, like a brother to me, was always so biased.

But...

A hint of a smile flickered in my eyes. "Are you trying to sow discord between my brother and me?"

He looked at me instinctively, "Can he be considered your brother?"

True enough, I was just someone Rylan had taken in.

Just then, a familiar voice came from behind us.

"Rylan, this painting is so unique. Let's take a picture here." It was Madeline.

Aydan and I exchanged a glance, a knowing smile in his eyes.

He then wrapped his arm around my shoulders, whispering, "Things are about to get interesting."

I let him hold me and turned towards the voice.

Rylan was standing not far away with Madeline, seemingly aware of our gaze, and they turned to look at us.

Rylan's face darkened immediately upon seeing me with Aydan.

"Tessa!" he barked, anger evident in his voice, "What are you doing here with him?"

Madeline quickly moved to Rylan's side, holding his arm, "Tessa, did you hear we were coming and follow us? There's really nothing between Rylan and me..."

I scoffed, "You and Rylan can do whatever you like."

Rylan stepped forward and grabbed my hand, ordering forcefully, "Tessa, come back with me!"

"I'm not going back." I raised my head to meet his gaze, showing no trace of fear in my eyes. "Rylan, I'm not the same Tessa I used to be. You're neither my biological brother nor someone who truly cares about me. Why do you think you can control my life?"

"How dare you!" Rylan's emotions were completely out of control.

Aydan immediately stepped in front of me, his eyes cold and sharp as he looked at Rylan. "Rylan, don't go too far. If you dare lay a finger on Tessa, I will make Lloyd Group pay the price."

The atmosphere between the two instantly became tense.

I couldn't understand why Rylan was so angry. "Rylan, I don't get why you're so upset. Even when you made me suffer for Madeline, I never stopped you from pursuing your happiness. But now, I'm just with my fiancé, so why are you so furious?"

"It's different! Because you love me!" Rylan's words blurted out, but he was suddenly interrupted by Aydan.

"That's enough." Aydan interrupted Rylan's unfinished words, grabbing his wrist forcefully, making Rylan loosen his grip.

The two were about the same height, and their eyes met in the air, filled with hostility.

"Don't go too far." Aydan's gaze was as sharp as a knife.

Rylan's face went dark, and he shook off Aydan's hand, his chest heaving violently. "Aydan, this is between her and me. It's none of your business!"

"She's with me, which makes it my business."

Madeline stood nearby, looking pale and uneasy as she watched the scene unfold, wanting to step forward but too afraid to do so. She could only whisper, "Rylan, Tessa, let's talk it over calmly. Don't make a scene here."

Rylan's actions paused, his gaze dark and complex as he stared at Aydan, then at me, with an expression I couldn't decipher.

Madeline quickly stepped forward and grabbed his arm, "Rylan, let's go, let's not stay here..."

Rylan glared at me fiercely, then looked at Aydan, and was finally dragged away by Madeline, who was half-persuading him.

Before leaving, he threw out one last comment, "Tessa, you'll regret this!"

As the crowd gradually dispersed, the tension in the air finally eased.

I looked at Aydan's tense profile and couldn't help but tug at his sleeve, "What did he mean?"

Aydan turned around, the coldness in his eyes faded, and his tone was calm, "It's nothing, he's probably just angry and talking nonsense."

"But..." I wanted to ask more, feeling that Rylan's words held some hidden meaning.

"Don't think about it." Aydan interrupted my thoughts, "There's an important dinner party tonight. I need you to come with me."

At that moment, the questions I wanted to ask were on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed them back. Perhaps Rylan was just saying things irrationally because he was so angry.

After all, he had been selfish and domineering, and he probably couldn't stand the fact that I, who used to be completely obedient to him, no longer paid attention to him.

I nodded with a smile, "Sure, I'll go with you."

When I got home and dressed up, I was only greeted by the driver he sent.

The driver told me that Aydan received an urgent project and would be late. He asked the driver to take me there first.

The car smoothly entered the parking lot of the banquet venue. I walked into the banquet hall alone.

As soon as I entered, I felt a burning gaze on my back.

Turning around, I saw Rylan standing not far away, with Madeline by his side.

His gaze bore into me with a smoldering anger.

I ignored him, turned away, and picked up a glass of juice.

Ahead, someone exclaimed, "Someone threw several luxury watches into the swimming pool!"

I didn't want to join the commotion.

Just as I was about to turn around, Madeline suddenly appeared from nowhere and grabbed my wrist, pulling me sharply toward the pool.

"Tessa, I slipped!" She screamed, her body falling into the water, dragging me with her.

The cold pool water swallowed us both immediately.

I choked on a mouthful of water.

In the chaos, I struggled to free myself from her grip, using all my strength to swim to the edge.

Just as I grabbed the side of the pool, I saw Rylan jumping into the water without hesitation, swimming towards Madeline.

I didn't look back, gritted my teeth, and climbed onto the shore.

I barely took a few steps when Rylan's angry shout came from behind, "Tessa! Did you push Madeline into the water on purpose? Apologize to her!"

I stood soaking wet, shivering from the cold, waiting for the attendant's shawl.

"Apologize?" I snorted, brushing water off my face with irritation, "She pulled me down. If anyone should apologize, it's her!"

Madeline had just been pulled out of the pool by Rylan, lying soaked in his arms.

Hearing my words, she immediately burst into tears, pointing at me with a heart-wrenching cry, "Tessa pushed me into the pool on purpose. I was just talking to her, trying to clear up any misunderstandings, but she pushed me into the pool."

I couldn't stand her hypocritical act any longer, so amidst the surprised gasps of the crowd, I kicked Madeline back into the swimming pool. "What I care about is whether you, such a bitch, can stay away from me!"

Madeline shrieked and thrashed about in the water, while Rylan's face turned dark with anger.

At this moment, he couldn't care about anything else, turning around and jumping into the pool again to frantically rescue Madeline.

Once they both climbed out of the pool, drenched, Rylan immediately sent Madeline to a guest room to change clothes.

I, too, wrapped myself in a shawl, watching this spectacle coldly.

Moments later, Rylan returned quickly, his eyes bloodshot, staring at me. "You didn't lose your memory, did you? You're jealous because I like Madeline, jealous of the attention she gets from me, so you keep targeting her. When you used to chase after me, you used such clumsy tactics to attract my attention. It's disgusting!"

His words were malicious, but I sneered.

Just then, Aydan cut through the crowd and rushed over.

Clearly having just received the news, he hurriedly came over.

As soon as he saw me, his face darkened, and he quickly walked to my side. "Tessa, are you alright?"

I didn't respond, turning to look at him.

In Aydan's surprised gaze, I gently pushed him aside a bit, then reached up to grab his collar, reaching up to kiss him.

The moment we kissed, everything around us fell silent.

I released him and pulled out the marriage certificate from Aydan's pocket, holding it up high for Rylan to see.

"Rylan, see? Aydan and I are married. Now I love him, only him. You and that bitch mean nothing to me."

Seeing the marriage certificate, Rylan became angrier.

He stared at the certificate intensely, "What did you say? You're married?"

Rylan's gaze was fixed on the marriage certificate, his eyes swirling with shock, anger, and a hint of panic he hadn't even realized was there.

He took a step forward, his tall frame trembling slightly from the intense emotional turmoil. "Tessa, tell me, this isn't true! How could you dare to do this? How could you marry someone else?"

The surrounding guests had already fallen silent.

The quiet setting made Rylan's disheveled state and my calm demeanor stand out even more starkly.

Rylan's voice suddenly lowered, "No matter how I treated you before, you always stayed by my side. You said you would always wait for me to marry you. Now that you've lost your memory, does that mean you can betray me?"

His words made me frown, a sense of absurdity welling up inside. "Wait for you to marry me? Rylan, are you out of your mind?"

My eyes brimmed with disdain. "I may not remember the past, but I know clearly that you are like a brother to me. Don't you find it ridiculous to say such things now?"

Rylan froze in place, as if he had lost all his strength, and his face instantly turned pale.

In his mind, even if I had lost my memory, I should still hold a place for him in my heart.

After all, the old me was so devotedly following him and sacrificing everything for him.

But the confusion, detachment, and contempt in my eyes were so real, as if I were looking at a raving madman.

This denial pained him more than any harsh words.

It seemed the word "brother" struck a nerve. "I am not your brother. Tessa, have you forgotten how you used to treat me? To stay by my side, you were willing to sacrifice all your dignity, crying and begging me not to send you away. You even..."

"Stop!" I interrupted him, my expression turning cold. "Rylan, can you stop? Listening to this is just disgusting."

I didn't believe a word he said. Who knew if it was a lie he concocted to stop me from marrying Aydan?

"Even if what you're saying is true, it means I was blind to the truth before, but now I've come to my senses. You're my brother in name only. There's no possibility of any other kind of relationship between us. You've never cared about me. I can feel that even with amnesia." I shrugged, taking Aydan's hand. "But none of that matters because I never cared if you cared about me."

Rylan's face turned from pale to dark.

He opened his mouth to retort but found himself at a loss for words.

He had become accustomed to my previous submissive and ingratiating behavior, accustomed to me revolving my life around him, so much so that when I finally treated him like a stranger, he was at a loss.

"I gave you the best life!" Rylan shouted, trying to awaken my memory. "Without me, you would have starved on the streets!"

"Well, I am very grateful for your past kindness." I nodded calmly, pulling a black card from Aydan's pocket and placing it into Rylan's suit pocket.

"The money on this card should be enough to repay you for taking me in back then. Now we're even. From now on, we owe each other nothing and have no further ties." I patted his pocket and stepped back.

Rylan stood stiffly in place.

He had never imagined that his past kindness would be repaid so bluntly with money, which was the greatest insult to him.

Just as he was about to argue further, Aydan stepped forward, shielding me behind him. "Alright, let's not waste time here. I'll take you to try on wedding dresses."

I nodded with a smile, leaving with him.

Rylan watched our intertwined hands, a surge of jealousy and unwillingness he had never felt before rising in his heart.

Whether it was vanity or the desire to destroy what he couldn't have, he simply couldn't bear to see me get married.

"Tessa, as long as I am around, I won't let you two have your way!" He spat out this harsh warning, his chest heaving with barely contained rage.

With that, Rylan turned sharply.

As he passed, guests stepped aside, none daring to meet his gaze.

Not until Rylan's silhouette completely disappeared did the surrounding guests dare to speak again.

I couldn't comprehend Rylan's anger and unwillingness.

In my understanding, we were merely siblings in name, and even that title was false.

I never had any feelings for him, so naturally, his emotions wouldn't affect me.

This scene felt more like an inconsequential farce.

Once Rylan's figure vanished from the banquet hall, I relaxed slightly and turned to Aydan. "Aydan, thank you for helping me out earlier."

Aydan glanced sideways at me, avoiding my eyes. "You don't have to be so polite with me. I'm your husband, and protecting you is my duty."

At the bridal shop, the staff warmly guided us to the VIP section.

A row of wedding dresses hung on the racks, each one exquisitely dazzling.

I picked up a mermaid-style wedding dress and went into the fitting room, but after putting it on, I found I couldn't zip up the back.

I was about to call for an assistant when I heard Aydan's voice from outside. "Need some help?"

I hesitated for a moment, but then I opened the door a crack. "It seems... I can't zip it up."

He pushed the door open and stood behind me.

We were very close. I could smell his faint scent, and my heart inexplicably quickened.

"All done." His voice echoed in my ears, carrying a hint of barely perceptible desire.

I turned to face him, but he quickly averted his gaze, a faint blush coloring his ears, his tone slightly awkward. "It looks great. Really suits you."

Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I suddenly felt dazed.

I stepped forward, looking up at him. "Aydan, have you known me for a long time?"

And perhaps... He liked me?

His body instantly froze, his eyes flickered for a moment, and then he regained his composure. "You'll find out eventually."

Since he didn't want to say, I didn't press further.

But my heart was beating faster and faster.

Later, when my memory returned, I learned that Aydan had known me for a long time—so long that even when I was still infatuated with Rylan, he had already secretly harbored feelings for me.

He agreed to a sham marriage with me because he was afraid I would be hurt by Rylan again.

He prepared the black card in advance to ensure I wouldn't suffer under Rylan's moral coercion.

He didn't dare to say it because he was afraid that after I regained my memory and learned about his love for me, I would mock him.