Chapter 2The Wife They Wanted to Erase

Mrs. Davis, our housekeeper, saw me and stopped her work. She came over with a first-aid kit.

She looked at me with a sorrowful expression.

"Evelyn... don't cry, sweetie. Did it burn you badly? Let me put some ointment on it."

She soothed me like a child, helping me sit down.

She carefully cleaned the wound on my leg, little by little.

Before, in this house, Mrs. Davis was the only one who truly looked after me, besides Alex. She was one of the people I trusted most.

But now? She'd teamed up with Alex to deceive me.

Every single person in this house, every staff member, had lied to me.

I had lived like a fool in the elaborate lie they'd constructed for me.

Mrs. Davis looked at me, hesitating, as if she wanted to speak but couldn't.

How I wished she would tell me the truth, so at least one person would be on my side.

But she just sighed, choosing to remain silent.

"You should rest today, I'll tell Mr. Alex you're taking the day off!"

"No need, I'll be fine after a little rest."

I stood up, my steps a little unsteady, and walked away.

I returned to the small room I now occupied.

This entire wing was for the house staff, without even an en-suite bathroom.

Inside the room, I buried myself under the covers and cried even harder.

To avoid being heard, I deliberately muffled my sobs.

My tears soaked the duvet, but I couldn't stop crying.

I simply couldn't believe Alex would do this to me.

It wasn't until much later, almost half the day gone, that I finally collected myself.

Then, something hit me.

Before my amnesia, the house was filled with our photo albums, big and small, and that huge wedding portrait in the master bedroom. Where had they gone?

I slipped out of my room, sneaking into a utility closet when the other staff weren't looking.

And just as I suspected, there they were: all the photo albums, big and small, including our wedding portrait.

No wonder I could go anywhere in the house, except this one room, which someone always stopped me from entering.

I thought I had already accepted the fact of Alex's betrayal.

But seeing these photos, brimming with memories, my eyes welled up again.

I could pick up any one of these pictures and tell you exactly when it was taken.

Alex used to say, "I don't want this house to look like I'm alone, so I've filled it with photos of us."

I was always a bit camera-shy.

But with his encouragement, I gradually became more confident.

Now, for Chloe, he had hidden all these albums, erasing every trace of my life in this house.

Looking at the wedding photo, where I smiled radiantly in Alex's arms, I curled my lips in a bitter, sarcastic smile.

After a moment, I grabbed a knife from nearby.

With one swift cut, I slashed through the wedding photo, dividing Alex and me in two.

I kept my half.

I remembered his proposal vow.

He knelt on one knee, kissing my hand.

"I will only ever love Evelyn Hart. I will never cheat or do anything to hurt Evelyn Hart. If I break this promise, I will accept any punishment."

Very well then.

Alex, I will punish you by taking myself away from you forever.