"I've decided to join your pharmaceutical research institute and continue with my medical research, Mr. Clark."

Melvin Clark chuckles. "Your husband loves you so deeply. Will he agree to let you go abroad for medical research?"

"This is my decision to make. It has nothing to do with him."

"Alright, then. When will you arrive?"

"In a week."

"Okay. I'll be waiting."

"There's one more thing. Do you need a tester for the memory-erasing potion you developed?"

Melvin's voice turns grim. "Are you saying…"

"Send me a bottle. I'll test it."

It was 9:30 am.

Courtney Lloyd sat propped against the headboard, wrapped in a blanket. The other side of the bed was empty, and she could hear faint, intimate voices coming from the guest room next door.

"Missed me already?"

"I only see you once a month. It feels like forever."

The man chuckled softly. "Then let me take good care of you today."

"Keep your voice down; don't wake Courtney."

"Don't worry, she stayed up late last night. She won't wake up any time soon."

"You're so naughty…"

Courtney recognized the girl's voice immediately. It belonged to Mia Sanchez, a college student who she had provided financial aid for the past four years.

On the first of every month, Mia would visit their home. Courtney would hand her the monthly living expenses, check on her studies, and offer life advice.

Then, Mia would stay in the guest room next to the master bedroom.

Courtney had even arranged Mia's graduate advisor and internship for her.

But instead of striving for independence, the girl's ambition was to steal Courtney's husband.

If that was the case, she could have him.

Courtney had already changed her name to Nessa Hill and reapplied for all her documents.

Once a cheater, always a cheater. She'd decided she would disappear from his world and take a memory-erasing potion to forget about him.

The sounds from the guest room finally stopped.

Courtney lay down and pretended to be asleep. A few minutes later, the mattress dipped slightly beside her, and a heavy arm draped over her waist.

Suppressing the bitterness welling up inside her, Courtney pushed the arm away.

Jesse Hawthorn stirred, mumbling, "Babe, you're awake?"

Courtney felt sick at the pet name.

"Yeah, you'd better get up. You're going to be late for work."

Jesse rolled over to pull her close and kissed her shoulder. "I'm so tired. Stay with me a little longer."

Courtney almost scoffed. Tired from last night's "work," no doubt.

She jokingly asked, "Trouble sleeping last night?"

Jesse nodded earnestly and said, "I dreamed an evil dragon snatched you from me. I fought all night to find you and woke up exhausted."

"No dragon will ever snatch me away."

However, she would leave of her own accord, and he would never be able to find her.

Jesse glanced at the clock. "You're right. It's late. I should get up."

Then, he took a quick shower, got dressed, and knelt by the bed to kiss Courtney. "Come on, get up and wash up. I'll make breakfast."

After Jesse left, Courtney scrubbed her teeth furiously. The thought of him kissing her with lips that touched Mia's moments before made her stomach churn.

When she went downstairs, two people were already at the dining table. Jesse sat at the head, with Mia on his left. Mia was dressed in a plain yellow dress, looking sweet and innocent.

Seeing Courtney, Mia greeted her brightly, "Good morning, Courtney!"

Courtney gave a nonchalant hum in response.

Mia said with a smile, "Jesse made breakfast. Come eat."

Courtney took her seat, and Jesse thoughtfully blew on her cup of coffee before setting it in front of her.

"Careful, it's hot."

Mia watched with admiration. "Oh, I'm so jealous. Jesse loves you a lot, Courtney."

Courtney gave her a faint smile. "He loves you, too."

Just as he'd done the night before. Right into that morning.

Jesse chuckled. "It's not the same. I love you because you're my wife and the love of my life."

"What about Mia?"

"Well, you said she's like a younger sister to you. So, I treat her like my sister as well," he replied.

"Is that so?" Courtney took the cup from him. "You don't have to blow on it. Just let it cool down."

Sensing something off in her tone, Jesse took her and kissed it gently. "What's wrong? Why are you upset? If you don't like the food, I can make something else."

Courtney withdrew her hand and asked, "Jesse, do you love me?"

"Of course," he said without hesitation. "Everyone knows I love you."

"Do you think it's possible for a man to love two women at once?"

Jesse frowned slightly as he answered, "True love belongs to one person alone."

Courtney looked him in the eye and said, "If the day comes when your feelings change, just tell me. I'll leave so you can move on. But please, don't lie to me. My love is precious, and I won't tolerate betrayal."

Jesse smiled. "You don't have to worry. I'll only ever love you. No one could replace you."

"What if someone did?"

"That's not possible."

Courtney added firmly, "If I find out you lied to me, I'll leave you and erase you from my life."

Jesse laughed softly. "That day will never come. I won't give you the chance to leave me."

When he leaned in to hug her again, Courtney stood abruptly as the unpleasantly cloying scent on him that came from his night with Mia repulsed her.

"I'm getting a spoon," she said.

Jesse immediately followed suit. "I'll get it for you."

"No need. I've got it."

In the kitchen, Courtney turned on the faucet and let the sound of running water cover her quiet sobs.

It wasn't that she was weak. It was just that the Jesse she used to know had been so perfect and so good to her that the wonderful memories brought tears to her eyes.

Growing up in an orphanage, Courtney had hardened her heart from being bullied and looked down upon. She'd never planned to fall in love or marry. But then Jesse came along.

He'd rescued her from lecherous clients and had declared she belonged to him.

At first, Courtney assumed Jesse was only interested in her looks just like the others.

Nonetheless, he had done nothing untoward. Conversely, he'd told her gently, "Go home, get some rest, and forget about today. Tomorrow will be a new day."

From then on, he became a constant presence in her life. Occasionally, he would show up at her company for business discussions or run into her at a cafe.

While Jesse had always been gentlemanly and polite, his interest in Courtney was evident.

When they started dating, he treated her like a treasure and never pressured her into anything she wasn't comfortable with.

"Until we're married," he'd said, "you're free to change your mind. I won't force you. I want you to willingly be my wife."

Yet, their engagement had faced opposition from the Hawthorn family.

Not wanting to strain his relationship with his parents, Courtney had tearfully suggested they break up. But Jesse had held her hand firmly and promised, "Don't cry. I'll take care of it."

Afterward, he'd started a business from scratch while enduring relentless pressure from his parents, who tried to force him to comply with their demands.

Jesse had shouldered it all, even drinking himself into half a damaged liver in the process.

Then came the car accident.

At that moment, Jesse had pushed Courtney to safety, while he and the car were struck off the road by a massive truck. The vehicle had rolled violently before catching fire.

The crash had nearly killed him, leaving him with severe injuries and months in a coma. Only Courtney's voice seemed to stir him when she spoke to him at his bedside.

It was then that his parents were moved by Jesse's devotion and finally accepted her.

Courtney cherished their hard-won marriage and the man who had loved her so deeply.

But unexpectedly, Jesse's heart had strayed in just three years.

"Babe, everything okay? You've been gone a while," Jesse called out.

"I'm fine."

Courtney wiped her tears, turned off the faucet, and picked up a spoon. But her hand shook, and the spoon slipped from her grasp and fell to the floor.

As she crouched down to retrieve it, her eyes inadvertently caught a secretive act happening beneath the dining table.

Mia was wearing the heels Courtney had bought for her, and she was lightly grazing the tip of her shoe along Jesse's calf. Slowly, she crept upward to his knee, then his thigh, until...

His hand caught her ankle and gave it a playful squeeze. "Stop being naughty."

"Relax. Courtney's not back yet."

"Behave yourself. Don't do anything in front of her. Wait until we get out later…"

Courtney made a deliberate noise, startling them into stillness. Then, back at the table, she sat down as if nothing had happened.

Jesse served her some vegetables, saying, "Eat more greens, Babe. They're good for you."

Mia cast them an envious gaze and remarked innocently, "I hope I find someone like Jesse someday."

"You will," Courtney replied coldly.

Mia didn't catch the edge in her voice and continued, "No way. Jesse's the most wonderful man in the world. I'm not that lucky."

Courtney stated, "You are."

Just then, Courtney's phone rang.

"Hello, Ms. Lloyd. You have a delivery."

This time, Jesse answered the door before Courtney could. He returned with an envelope and frowned at the sender.

"Voyage Airlines… Babe, did you buy a plane ticket? Where are you going? Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's a gift I redeemed with points," Courtney responded.

Jesse heaved a sigh of relief. "Oh, you scared me. I thought you were leaving me."

Courtney took the envelope from him and said, "Why would I leave you? You didn't betray me."

Jesse grinned. "Exactly. My heart belongs to you alone."

Once, his words would've melted her. Now, it left her cold.

"What did you redeem?" Jesse asked, curious.

"Just a little souvenir."

"Voyage Airlines makes souvenirs now?"

"Apparently."

Courtney returned to her room and opened the envelope. Inside was a plane ticket for a flight to Alorian scheduled for a week later. She had purchased it under the name Nessa.

Her phone also displayed tracking information for an international package—a memory-erasing potion sent by Melvin Clark, expected to arrive within the same timeframe.

Seven days from now would mark the end of Courtney's relationship with Jesse.

From downstairs, Jesse's voice called out, "Babe, are you feeling unwell?"

"I didn't sleep well last night," she replied. "I'm a bit tired and want to take a nap."

"Alright, get some rest. Mia has class this afternoon, so I'll give her a ride on my way to the office."

"Okay."

Courtney didn't sleep. Instead, she moved to the window and looked outside.

Mia clung to Jesse's arm like an overjoyed bunny as he opened the car's passenger door for her.

When she sneaked a quick peck on the cheek, he cupped the back of her head and deepened the kiss. It started on her cheek, moved to her lips, and continued downward…

Courtney didn't see the rest.

The two of them got into the car, but she could see it shaking and rocking.

When it finally ended, Courtney glanced at the timer on her phone.

One hour and 40 minutes.

It seemed the two were perfectly in sync. After indulging themselves the entire night, they still weren't satisfied. She had barely stepped away, and they couldn't wait to go at it again in the car.

When the car finally drove off, Courtney let out a breath of relief and began packing her clothes.

Melvin had told her that drinking the memory-erasing potion would wipe away all her memories. Thus, she labeled her belongings neatly with notes, including her daily items and habits.

Finally, she went to a jewelry workshop. She removed her wedding ring and handed it to the clerk.

The clerk nervously took the ring and asked, "Ma'am, are you looking to exchange this for another design? This looks like a wedding ring. Does your husband's ring need to be exchanged as well?"

"No," Courtney replied. "Melt it."

"What?"

"I said, melt it."

"Understood..."

Half an hour later, Courtney left the shop with a small red velvet box in hand.

When she returned home, she ran into Jesse rushing out in a panic. The house was crowded with people, ranging from police officers to bodyguards, and maids.

Jesse's eyes were red-rimmed, and the moment he saw her, he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Babe, where were you? You scared me to death!"

His grip was so tight that Courtney could barely breathe.

One of the officers chuckled. "Mr. Hawthorn can finally relax now that Mrs. Hawthorn is back."

The maid chimed in, "Mrs. Hawthorn, Mr. Hawthorn was frantic when he couldn't find you at home. He noticed you had packed your clothes and thought you'd left for good. He was so frightened."

"That's right, Mrs. Hawthorn," another added. "Mr. Hawthorn even called for the best private investigator and said we'd all be fired if we couldn't find you."

Jesse clung to Courtney and rambled in distress, "Babe, where did you go? Were you hurt? Are you hungry or cold?"

Courtney pulled away from him indifferently. "I only went out for a walk."

"But I couldn't get through your phone."

Courtney showed him her phone and shrugged. "The battery died, that's all."

"Then what about the packed clothes?"

"I was sorting out old clothes to donate."

Only then did Jesse exhale deeply. He said, "Okay. I'm glad I was just overthinking it. Babe, promise me you'll never leave me. I'd go insane."