She lunged at me, weeping, clawing at my face in rage.

Within seconds, deep scratches tore across my skin.

When the two of them were finally done venting, I calmly wiped the blood from my lips.

“Are you finished?”

“How did you become like this?”

“Must you really end this marriage?”

“Yes.”

“Take Rachel away.”

“My in-law—”

“Get out of my way!”

Mr. Green shoved my father violently to the ground, his voice seething with fury.

“Remember this—it was your son who abandoned my daughter. We already lost a son; Rachel is our family’s only bloodline. We won’t let her suffer any more. As for our investment in your business—it’s canceled!”

“Uncle, please calm down. Rachel’s condition isn’t that serious. With careful care, I believe she can recover.”

Mark quickly stepped in to smooth things over.

“This is all my fault. I should have let my daughter marry you instead. At least… you wouldn’t have been so cruel as to abandon her like this.”

“Mr. Green, I—”

“Would you take care of my daughter?”

“I would. Of course, I would.”

“Then come with me.”

After they left, my father stumbled back to his room, his face full of bitter disappointment.

His eyes cut into me, heavy with shame.

My mother wept, begging me to chase after Rachel while there was still time.

If I brought her back, I could not only care for her but also save my father’s manufacturing company.

But I refused.

“David, why are you like this?”

My mother looked at me in disbelief.

“I just… can’t accept it.”

Then I went out alone to the balcony.

Watching Rachel being driven away, I dialed Jessica Carter.

“Jessica, did you find it?”

“David, we’ve been searching at the foot of the Rocky Mountains for half a month. Still no body.”

“Are you sure she’s really dead?”

“I’m sure.”

“Then who is this woman now?”

“I’ve sent someone to investigate. David, I’ll find more people. Even if we have to scour the entire Rocky Mountains, we’ll find the body.”

“Please. Do your best.”

The next day, when Rachel’s relatives learned I had abandoned her, they dropped everything and stormed into my house.

They beat me savagely, leaving me curled on the ground, clutching my head.

One of my ribs even broke.

If they hadn’t worried about killing me, they wouldn’t have stopped.

And yet, miraculously, after just one day in the hospital, I was already able to walk.

By the next morning, I was discharged.

The doctor marveled at my recovery, calling it superhuman.

Leaving the hospital, I immediately drove to meet a friend.

He discovered that Mark owed massive gambling debts and had beaten his wife until she fled.

When I asked him about Rachel, he told me earnestly:

“She really seems to have lost her memory.”

Just yesterday, Mark had taken Rachel to a local church to pray for peace.

My friend arranged for an acquaintance to walk past them, but Rachel acted like she didn’t know the person at all.

“Could she be pretending not to know?”

“No. Her reaction wasn’t staged. It was genuine.”

“Then… maybe she truly doesn’t recognize that person.”

“What do you mean?”

“Never mind. Just keep investigating. Let me know the moment you have anything.”

“Got it.”

Leaving my friend’s house, I rushed to the Rocky Mountains.

By the time I arrived, night had already fallen.

I met Jessica at our agreed location.

She reported the past two weeks of searching: aside from a few animal carcasses, no body had been found at the base of the mountains.

I refused to believe it.

I stayed with them, searching for several more days.

Then my mother called, her voice urgent, not even asking where I was.

“David, you must come back tonight, no matter what.”

“What happened?”

“If you don’t come, Rachel is going to marry Mark tonight!”

I froze.

“Your father-in-law decided to marry your wife off to Mark. The wedding will be held tonight at the Green family mansion. This is your last chance to redeem yourself. If you miss it, you’ll lose her forever.”

“Why did you call that bastard? He doesn’t deserve Rachel!”

The line cut off abruptly.

“David, you’d better hurry back,” Jessica said. “We’ll keep searching.”

I nodded and drove home as fast as I could, speeding recklessly, ignoring every traffic law.

On the way, I called my friend again.

“Check Rachel’s circle of friends. Has anyone gone missing lately?”

“David, I was just about to call you. One of Rachel’s closest friends suddenly disappeared without a trace.”

“Who?”

“Sophia Lee.”

“It’s her?”

My frown eased instantly.

All the questions that had haunted me finally clicked into place.

“Good. Do me another favor—send people to…”

After giving my instructions, I hung up, went home, showered, and changed my clothes.

Meanwhile, my mother sent a dozen frantic messages urging me to hurry to the Green family mansion before it was too late.

By the time I arrived, darkness had fallen.

Just as I was about to enter, the Green family’s bodyguards shoved me back roughly.

“If you take one more step, we’ll kill you!”

“Let him in,” came Mr. Green’s voice from inside.

The guards stepped aside.

When I entered, Mr. Green glared at me, his eyes sharp as nails, pinning me in place.

“You bastard. What are you doing here? Regret it now? Want Rachel back?”

“Too late. Trash like you doesn’t deserve her!”

But my reaction was not what he expected.

I shook my head slightly and said calmly:

“I came to give her my blessing.”

“Don’t you dare talk in that mocking tone!”

Mrs. Green stormed over.

“My daughter deserves a man like Mark—someone responsible—not worthless scum like you!”

“A responsible man?”

I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.

“What are you laughing at, you bastard?”

Uncle Mike strode over, a baseball bat in his hand—the same one he had used to break my rib two days ago.

“Brother, why did you let this piece of trash in?”

“He said he came to give his blessing to Rachel.”

“Ha! You must really have a death wish.”

Uncle Mike raised the bat, his face twisted with rage, ready to strike me down—

At the last moment, Mr. Green blocked him.

“Why are you stopping me, brother? This trash abandoned Rachel, and you still want to protect him?”