Chapter 1

I found Evangeline York when she was a nameless girl wandering the streets with no memory.

I worked day and night, sacrificing everything to give her a life of luxury.

When she finally regained her memory and returned to the wealthy York family, she forbade anyone from mentioning her past.

Her mother, Mrs. York, looked down at me from her high horse and offered to grant me one wish.

I spoke from my heart. "I want to marry Evangeline."

Mrs. York let out a sharp, mocking laugh.

"Stop dreaming. Evangeline has been in love with someone else since she was a child. Why would she ever love a pathetic loser like you?"

"Since she got her memory back, she's been trying to scrub away the filth of being with you. She bathes three times a day and scrubs her skin until it's raw."

I fought back my tears and buried the feelings that never should have existed.

"Fine," I said, making my choice. "Then my wish is to never see her again."

1．

The television was blaring news about the engagement between the York and Sterling families.

The couple on the screen looked like a match made in heaven, oozing sweetness and love.

Evangeline had a radiant smile on her face, a kind of happiness I had never seen before.

The host described them as childhood sweethearts and praised Silas Sterling for waiting eight years for her.

I couldn't even pretend to be calm. My hands wouldn't stop shaking.

Mrs. York turned off the TV, looking satisfied.

"See that? The only person Evangeline has ever loved is Silas. Only a man like him is worthy of standing by her side."

She crossed her arms and looked me up and down with pure disgust.

"If she hadn't lost her memory, a poor boy like you would never have had the chance to even breathe the same air as her."

I gripped my glass tightly, my pride shattered by the news.

I forced a bitter smile. "Yes, you're right. I see the reality now."

Mrs. York snorted. She looked like she expected me to cave.

"I'll let you know when your flight is booked. I expect you to keep your word. Also, clean up where you sat. When Evangeline comes back, she won't want to smell anything that reminds her of you."

The maid handed me a mop and a cloth, standing over me to make sure I cleaned every inch of the living room.

I wiped the table until it was spotless, trying to block out the news, but memories of Evangeline in my arms kept flashing back.

She used to say, "Caleb, I'm going to marry you."

"We'll get married and be happy forever."

Those words were burned into my brain. It had only been two weeks, but now everything was different.

A sharp crash echoed through the room.

My hand slipped, and the glass hit the floor, shattering into pieces. A shard sliced into my foot, and blood started to seep out.

The maid glared at me and started yelling.

"You're so stupid! You can't even clean a floor properly, yet you actually thought the young lady would marry you?"

I looked up, blinking back tears, and saw Evangeline standing there. I didn't know how long she had been watching.

Her face was dark with anger as she screamed at me.

"Caleb Lennox! Didn't I tell you to stay home and not go out!? Since when do you have the guts to ignore my orders!"

Ever since she got her memory back, she had kept me locked away, forbidden from leaving without her permission.

I thought she was trying to protect me from her family's judgment.

After all, being raised by a poor guy for eight years was a scandal the Yorks wanted to hide.

I was wrong. She just didn't want me getting in the way of her high-society engagement.

the sting of the wound on my foot was nothing compared to the coldness in her eyes.

I started picking up the broken glass, swallowing every question I wanted to ask.

"I'm leaving now," I whispered, sounding pathetic even to myself.

The maid moved to help me, but Evangeline barked an order.

"Let him do it himself! He's so clumsy he can't do anything right. If people find out I'm connected to someone like him, I'll be the laughingstock of the city!"

The glass cut into my palm, but I was too numb to feel the pain.

All I could hear was the sound of her heels clicking as she walked upstairs, still complaining about me.

She didn't even give me a second glance.