Chapter 1My Husband, the World’s Top Hypnotist

My husband is one of the world’s leading hypnotists.

But when the woman he could never forget killed someone in a car accident, he hypnotized me to clear her name.

“Clara is fragile,” he whispered, his voice a soothing poison. “She’s terrified of prison. Just forget this memory and take her place. When you get out, I’ll make it up to you.”

Our five-year-old son nodded along. “Besides, you’re just a useless housekeeper. When you go to jail, Aunt Clara can finally be my real mom!”

A serene smile touched my lips.

I gave them their wish. I forgot them completely.

But now that I’m free of them, my memory wiped clean, they stand at my door every day, begging me to just look at them one more time.

* * *

After serving eleven months, I walked out of the prison gates.

My husband, Adrian, was waiting for me with our son. “Let’s go home. We’re here to pick you up.”

He patted the little boy’s shoulder. “Leo, go help your mother with her things.”

“No way!” Five-year-old Leo ducked behind his father, sticking his tongue out at me. “She’s a convict, not my mom! My mom is Aunt Clara.” He tugged on Adrian’s sleeve. “Dad, isn’t it Aunt Clara’s birthday today? Let’s go celebrate with her. I don’t want to see some jailbird.”

Adrian’s face paled. He shot me a panicked look. “Evelyn, he’s just a child. He doesn’t know what he’s saying. Don’t take it to heart.”

I shook my head. “I won’t. He’s just a boy with a father who never taught him any manners.”

“What?” Adrian froze, his eyes snapping to mine. “Evelyn, how can you say that? This is Leo.”

Leo burst into tears. “I don’t want a convict for a mom! I want Aunt Clara! Dad, let’s go! Send her away! We don’t want her home!”

He wailed, watching me through his tears. When he saw my expression was nothing more than a mild frown, he cried even louder.

Adrian was flustered. “He’s crying. You should comfort him. You used to dote on him more than anything.”

He was right. The person I supposedly doted on was calling me a convict and rejecting me as his mother. It was a good thing I couldn't remember them. How agonizing would it be to be stabbed in the heart by the people you love most?

“I don’t remember you,” I said. “Adrian, let’s get a divorce.”

It was the only logical path. We go our separate ways, and everyone is better off.

Adrian went rigid. A stiff, forced smile stretched his lips. “Don’t be ridiculous. We’re not getting a divorce. You’re just suffering from temporary amnesia due to the trauma. You’ll remember soon.”

He leaned closer, his voice confident. “We are the people you love most in this world. Once you remember, you won’t be able to leave us. Let’s go home. You need to rest.”

He brought me to a three-story villa. I scanned the property, but it stirred no memories. If it weren’t for the fact that the house was filled with things I recognized as my own personal habits and preferences, I would have doubted I’d ever lived there at all.

So, I really had lost my memory. No wonder I couldn’t recall the details of the car accident.

I explored the villa, trying to jog something loose. As I pushed open the door to a cluttered attic, a figure who had been sneakily following me lunged forward, shoving me inside.

I crashed into a pile of junk, and boxes and old furniture came tumbling down on top of me. An old chair leg struck my forehead, and a sharp, hot pain made me break out in a cold sweat.

Clutching my head, I looked back at the culprit standing in the doorway. “You really are a spoiled little brat. Is your father dead? Is that why you turned out like this?”

Leo’s face, which had been pale with shock, twisted into a look of disgust when he heard me insult his father. “It’s your own fault for coming back today. It’s Aunt Clara’s birthday. Dad and I are celebrating with her. You’re not going to ruin it!”

With that, he stepped back and slammed the door shut. I heard the distinct sound of a lock clicking into place.

A sense of dread washed over me. I scrambled to my feet and banged on the door, telling him to open it, but Leo just giggled and ran off.

“You’re a bad woman! You can just stay in there forever!”