Realizing she was actually afraid of him, Ariella gave herself a mental slap-she couldn't keep backing down like this, couldn't let him think she was weak.

Lifting her chin defiantly, she met those cold, savage eyes of his and spoke without flinching, "I've told you, my feelings are mine. I have every right to like him-and be with him."

"Damn it!" Lucian cursed under his breath, then without the slightest gentleness, threw her onto the bed and pinned her down.

He never should've gone soft. Should've shown her what it meant to push his limits.

"You still dare talk back?" His tone had shifted, no longer as icy, but the edge in it remained.

Ariella gasped for breath, weakly, then forced out a whisper, "You can't stop me like this."

That faint little sentence was enough to send Lucian's rage skyrocketing. His hand shot up, about to slap that stubborn look off her face-to make her finally understand what self-respect meant.

But the moment her eyes shut tightly in reflex, something in his chest seized-and he froze, hand mid-air.

Instead, he grabbed her chin roughly, squeezing until tears welled in her eyes.

"What is it you want from me? Don't ever say that again!"

"If you really don't want me with Ryan," she said carefully, voice shaking, "there's only one way-end our agreement early. As long as we're no longer 'tied,' I promise you'll never have to see me again."

So that was her plan. Lucian let out a cold chuckle, then leaned close, fixing his gaze on her shimmering eyes.

"Ariella, hear this-there are plenty of ways I can ruin things between you two. And if you think you can walk out of my life? Not a chance."

His tone was so firm, whatever little hope she'd held onto just collapsed.

But she wasn't ready to give up. Meeting his gaze, she asked, "You have Fiona, and you love her. Why can't you just let me go? You don't love me. You don't need me-not in your life, not in your bed. Can't we just end this peacefully?"

She was practically begging now, every word a dent in her pride.

"No."

"Why the hell not?"

"You really wanna know? Fine. I'll tell you. Because I-hate-you!"

He spat out every word like it burned his throat. And she could see it-raw, intense hatred in his eyes.

This wasn't some bluff. He meant every word.

But why? Did something happen when she lost her memory?

"Did I hurt you...?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, her eyes searching his cold, unreadable face.

Lucian let out a sharp snort and yanked his hand away.

He got out of bed, straightened his clothes, and walked out-leaving Ariella lying there in a daze, head full of unanswered questions.

She had to figure out why he hated her so much. Maybe if she understood, she could fix it. Maybe then he'd let her go.

She got out of bed and started looking around the room for any photos of Lucian. She wanted to bring one to Ryan and ask him about it.

She turned the place upside down. Nothing.

Okay then, next time he shows up, she needs to find a way to sneak a picture of him. Can't have another shouting match.

Still sore from what happened earlier and now exhausted from rummaging through everything, she slumped onto the floor, back against the closet.

"Could there be a photo in here?" she muttered, knowing full well the chance was next to nothing.

Still, she got up and opened the closet.

Wait, what's going on here?

Is this...a sleepwear store?

She stared, mouth slightly open, eyes sweeping from one end of the closet to the other.

Nope, she wasn't seeing things. The closet was packed with pajamas.

All sorts-silks, cottons, lace trims-in every color and style imaginable, all perfectly hung up.

Lucian always had a thing for outfits. This apartment even had a dedicated walk-in closet almost fifty square meters, strictly for his clothes, accessories, the works.

But this side? Not a single piece of his usual stuff. Just pajamas. And fancy ones too-brands she didn't even have to squint at to recognize. She knew the price tags by heart.

She opened the other side of the closet. All his usual things were crammed in there now. Looked more packed than before.

Money clearly wasn't the issue here. What she couldn't wrap her head around was why he had gone through all this trouble.

Was it just because she said last night that If he rips her pajama, she'll have to bug a new one? Sounds petty, but who knew with Lucian.

He wasn't the type to go out of his way to please women-not his style at all. Always big on privacy too, never let anyone into his place. Those pajamas? Probably bought them himself and dropped them off when she wasn't around.

It didn't make sense. If he hated her, why would he pull something this... intimate? Ariella could feel that awful tightness in her chest again, sour and heavy.

"Come on, Ariella. Fine, you're stuck with him physically. Happens. But don't let your head go there too."

No matter what he did, the fact was, he had other women in his arms. End of story.

Back in the bedroom, her phone was blaring some pop song. She closed the closet door, padded over barefoot, and picked up. Fiona. She swore under her breath for the hundredth time before answering.

"Fiona!"

"Ariella, why do you keep pushing Ryan away? He's not like what people say."

"I just... don't wanna get caught up with someone that high-profile."

"Silly girl, he's still a person, no matter the background. I can tell he really likes you. Give it a shot, won't hurt. Imagine-if you married into the Sterlings, we'd be under the same roof again every day, we could... mmm..."

The last word trailed off into a breathy, not-so-PG sound.

"What's going on?" Ariella asked, a little stunned.

"Ahh..." There it was again.

"I gotta go, talk later-ugh, stop it..." Fiona mumbled quickly before cutting the line, leaving the aftersound hanging awkwardly.

The final note of that moan still echoed in Ariella's ear. She wasn't some naïve little girl. She knew exactly what kind of sound that was.

Her hand, still holding the phone, suddenly stiffened.

Lucian seriously had no off switch, huh? Didn't he ever worry about overdoing it and wrecking his kidneys? Her stomach churned at the thought.

An hour later, Fiona called back, voice soft and relaxed, like a cat fresh off a nap.

"Sorry about before..." she said sheepishly.

"Fiona, are you... happy?" Ariella asked out of nowhere. Been biting her tongue on that one forever.

"Huh? Of course. He treats me so well-I feel really lucky."

The answer she should've wanted to hear. And yet, that one word-lucky-hit wrong. Like it covered everything. Body and soul.

"Then I'm glad. As long as you're happy, I'm good."

Ariella made up her mind right then: Fiona would never, ever know about Lucian's betrayal. She'd protect her from that truth, no matter what.

Even if the happiness was fake, as long as Fiona didn't look too hard... maybe it could still feel real.

"Why're you talking like some old lady?" Fiona teased gently.

"Just saying."

"Oh right, I'm heading off to the Aegean Sea with Lucian tomorrow for our honeymoon. Anything you want me to bring back?"

They were going on their honeymoon. How perfect. Ariella thought silently, maybe this trip would bring them even closer, maybe after a month, Lucian would finally let her go.

"Let me think about it. I'll text you if I come up with something, okay?" Fiona loved buying her gifts. If Ariella turned her down, she'd be all mopey about it.

"Okay, don't forget! Ryan-"

"Fiona, Ryan's really not my type. Can we stop trying to force it?"

"I've been so tied up with the wedding, barely got time to see you. Ariella, are you hiding something from me?"

Ariella flinched, instinctively pressing her hand to her chest, trying to calm the chaos surging within. No, Fiona couldn't know about her and Lucian. No way.

"Me? When have I ever kept secrets from you?" Her tone was steady now, cool even.

"You've been acting all over the place lately. It's got that 'someone's-in-love' vibe. Come on, spill it."

"If I really had fallen for someone, you'd be the first to know, wouldn't you?"

"True. We did promise we'd be besties for life-no lies, no secrets."

That sentence hit Ariella like a ton of bricks. Her breath caught, and she squeezed her eyes shut as if that could block out the guilt breaking her apart.

All she could say was, "Yeah."

'I'm sorry, Fiona. Not telling you isn't just about sparing your feelings. There's so much you don't know... and Lucian is just part of it.'

Two years ago, things went south fast for the Rios family. Fiona was studying abroad then, and Ariella had reached out to Mr. Ross. He turned his back on her, didn't lift a finger.

That was when she realized-people only cared when it served them. But she never blamed Fiona for it, which is why she never brought it up.

"Fiona, I need to head out now." There was nothing left in her, no strength for one more forced word.

"Alright then. Take care of yourself, okay? Don't make me worry." Fiona's voice was soft as always.

"Okay." Ariella held back her tears and ended the call.

'Fiona, I... I'm not worthy of the faith you place in me. If there's any justice in the universe, let me live with this loneliness as my punishment.'

She tossed her phone on the bed and nearly ran to the bathroom. Cold showers were a no-go for her-she always ended up sick. But tonight? Getting sick was exactly the point.

Lucian wasn't going to show up, not with his honeymoon starting in the morning. She'd spend the night trapped in pain, shivering alone in this apartment.

That was what she wanted. To burn, to ache, to suffer until the guilt swallowed her whole.

It was June-not exactly wintertime-but to Ariella, the water felt like it could cut straight through bone. She shivered, the cold crawling under her skin, but honestly, the chill had already sunk deeper than the body.

She turned the showerhead on full blast over her head, drenching herself as if she could wash the pain away. But her chest still ached. Her mind kept going back to that closet full of pajamas Lucian had bought her.

Seriously? Was she that pathetic-getting tripped up over some clothes like they meant something? Did she really think it was okay to still dream about someone who belonged to Fiona?

The tub was already filled with cold water. She stepped in and sat down, lifting the showerhead again to soak herself all over.

She started to tremble, teeth chattering, skin covered in goosebumps. But it felt... right. Like maybe if she froze herself on the outside, her broken heart would finally go numb too.

No clue how long she'd been in there, but eventually, her body couldn't take it anymore. She was freezing, yet somehow burning up at the same time-her breath was hot, her head fuzzy.

Then the phone rang back in the bedroom. She dragged herself up, swaying a bit, yanked a towel over her dripping body and staggered towards the sound.

It was Mom. She said she'd made dinner and told her and Dylan to come over tonight. Ariella had totally spaced.

"Ariella, what's wrong with your voice?" her mom asked. That's when Ariella noticed how much her throat hurt-like her tonsils had blown up overnight.

"Think I caught a cold," she replied, her voice thick and off.

"You were just fine this morning! What happened? Fell asleep with the AC on?"

"Yeah... I'm okay, Mom. Just not up for going out today. I'll bring him over soon, alright?"

"Alright then, just make sure Dylan takes care of you. Get him to make you some hot tea. And if he can't, I'll whip up a pot and send it over."

"No no no! He's good at that stuff-he's got it. Really." Ariella coughed hard, panicked. If her mom showed up, it'd be a disaster.

"Okay okay, hang up and drink something warm."

"Mm..." Ariella barely held it together until the call ended. Then she broke into a coughing fit that bent her over, her face flushing red, throat on fire and begging for a drop of water, but she clenched her fists and shut down the urge.

The pain in her throat, at least, gave her something else to feel.

Her mom had asked how someone could get sick in just a day.

But what she didn't understand-life crashes fast. Just like how Ariella watched Lucian marry Fiona. It only took a second to have everything ripped away.

Lucian had never told her he loved her. Not once. But she used to think, if she just held on, maybe he'd be moved.

That hope? Gone. And with it, her future crumbled into dust.

Twenty-two. Was that too young to feel this hollow?

She should be in the spring of her life, but her heart-no, her whole world-already felt like late autumn. Dry, brittle, and falling apart.

She still hadn't taken her birth control pill today. She opened the drawer, grabbed the bottle, twisted it open, and swallowed one dry.

That whole process took her a while. After that, the coughing started up again.

Coughing so hard she could barely catch her breath, she finally gave in and slumped on the bed. It was freezing. The blanket was right at her feet, but she stubbornly refused to pull it over herself, letting the chill seep in deeper and deeper.

Her body was caught between burning fever and bone-deep cold. She lay there shaking, her breaths getting hotter and her mind hazier by the second.

In that fogged-up state, Forrest showed up in her head - that sunny guy with just the right touch of roguish charm.

"Babe, you hurting?" His voice was so soft and gentle.

"Why are you such a fool? Come here, let me hold you," he said.

His face seemed to morph... clearer now. Wait, not Forrest-Lucian.

"No! I don't want you! I want Forrest! He wouldn't hurt me. Never!" she choked out, shouting hoarsely, tears streaming down fast.

Then Forrest was back again, gently pulling her into his arms, speaking low and calm.

"Babe, everything will pass. Don't cry. I'll always be here for you."

And in that tender embrace, she felt the tension ease out... soaking in his warmth like she never wanted to let go.

Then suddenly, Lucian's name flashed in her brain.

She was his mistress. Nothing more. The lowest of the low. No way did she deserve Forrest's love.

"I'm sorry. Please... go," she whispered, torn apart inside, but still letting him go. She couldn't be that selfish.

He looked at her for a long time, eyes filled with disappointment, and then finally turned away.

As his figure faded out of view, her heart cracked all over again.

More tears. More cold. More hunger. Ariella woke up soaked in sorrow.

It was the middle of the night. Pitch black. With no moon at the end of the lunar month, the darkness felt as heavy as the ache in her chest.

Turns out the pain in her dream wasn't fake. Neither were the tears on her face.

As she'd guessed, Lucian hadn't come. He was probably lying in bed beside Fiona, planning their perfect honeymoon or some other sweet nothing.

Sleep wouldn't come. Her fever shot up more and more, until she passed out, burning up. Somewhere deep down, she realized she really was all alone.

Abandoned by her birth parents. Dumped by life too. Maybe death was just a way out.

Except-she thought of her mom and dad. They adored her. She was their pride and joy. That thought gave her just the tiniest strength.

She wanted to wake up... but her body wouldn't listen.

When she finally opened her eyes, sunlight poured in. Midday. Guess if you don't die, you just live on.

The ceiling above her spun slowly. Then two dings from her phone broke the stillness- a message. That's what finally yanked her consciousness back.