Chapter 1
Chapter 1
“Dad, Mom, I’ve made my decision–I’ll marry the Wilson family’s vegetative heir.”
Heard of that, Stella’s parents exchanged glances, a flicker of satisfaction in their eyes.
“James may be comatose, but the Wilson fortune will ensure you never worry about anything,” her father said. “You mentioned wanting to choose among your three childhood sweethearts, but they’ve lost their memories. They only have eyes for Natalie Pierce now. So stop fantasizing they’ll ever remember you.”
Stella Bennett lowered her gaze, her fingernails digging into her palm without feeling the pain.
“I understand,” she whispered.
“Well. The wedding will be early next month–less than two weeks away. Prepare yourself.”
She nodded and returned to her bedroom, where she unlocked her safe.
Inside lay three velvet boxes containing family heirlooms: the Hayes platinum watch with the family crest, the Crawford sapphire bracelet, and the Sullivan emerald necklace.
Once, these treasures represented the most passionate love from three young men.
They had eagerly pressed these heirlooms into her hands, making fervent promises-
“Stella, the moment I take over the family business, my first act will be to marry you.”
“Stella, my grandmother saved this bracelet for her future granddaughter–in–law. Now it’s yours.”
“Stella, this necklace complements
perfectly–just as you complement me.”
Then the earthquake changed everything.
To protect her, they suffered head injuries that erased their memories. When they awoke, they fell in love with Natalie, their housekeeper’s daughter.
Stella refused to accept defeat, trying everything possible.
She brought them love letters they’d written and photos they’d taken, only to watch them tear everything apart in public.
She took them to places from their shared past, hoping to trigger memories, but they threw her into the ocean, nearly drowning her.
She found world–renowned neurologists, only to have them break her hand and coldly sneer:
“People worth remembering aren’t forgotten so easily.”
After all her efforts left her scarred and broken, she still couldn’t make them remember their love for her.
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Oops, They Forgot Me–Now They’re Begging on Their Knees!
0.00%
Chapter 1
So her heart died, and she surrendered.
She removed the three heirlooms and called Adrian Hayes.
“Adrian, where are you all? I have something important to return to you.”
On the other end, Adrian frowned slightly before smirking. “Fine. Twilight Lounge, VIP room 888.”
Stella ignored the contempt in his voice and headed to the lounge with the three velvet boxes.
The moment she pushed open the door, a bucket of foul–smelling dirty water cascaded from above, drenching her completely.
The filthy water soaked through her hair, streaming down her face and blurring her vision, chilling her to the bone.
Instantly, the room erupted with mocking laughter.
“Oh my God, look at her!”
“Serves her right for always stalking Adrian and the guys!”
Stella wiped her face and tried to step forward when her leg caught on something-
THUD!
She crashed heavily to the floor, an excruciating pain shooting through her palms.
Looking down, she saw thumbtacks scattered across the floor, many deeply embedded in her flesh. Blood poured from both hands.
“Does it hurt?”
A deep, icy voice came from above.
Stella looked up to see Adrian Hayes towering over her, disgust filling his eyes.
“Good,” he sneered. “I warned you last time not to show your pathetic face again.”
Lucas Crawford lounged on the sofa, idly flicking a lighter, his tone mocking: “People worth remembering aren’t forgotten so easily. Get it now?”
Maxwell Sullivan kicked away some thumbtacks near his foot, his gaze cutting: “Next time you stalk us, you’ll lose more than just the use of your hands.”
Natalie peeked out from Lucas’s embrace, feigning surprise: “Oh no, Stella! How could you be so clumsy?”
Her words expressed concern, but her eyes gleamed with triumph.
Adrian frowned, covering Natalie’s eyes. “Don’t look, babe. It’s disgusting.”
Stella laughed.
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Chapter 1
She pushed herself up from the floor, blood dripping from her palms, seemingly immune to the pain.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell–I didn’t come here hoping you’d recover your memories,” she said, her voice steady.
“You’re right. Things easily forgotten probably weren’t important. These are your family heirlooms, and I’m returning them to their rightful owners. From today onward, I won’t bother you again.”
With that, she turned and left, her figure fragile yet resolute.
Inside the VIP room, all three men clutched their chests simultaneous
them.
as an inexplicable, piercing pain struck
As if something irreplaceable had been lost forever.
१
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Oons Thou Forgot M
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Stella returned home and silently tended to her wounded palms.
The antiseptic seeped into her flesh, making her fingertips tremble with pain yet it paled compared to the dull ache in her chest.
The next day, she visited St. Gabriel’s Chapel on the outskirts of town.
James Wilson had once been the most brilliant young man in high society–refined, dignified, and pure as daylight.
After a car accident, he became a comatose shell of his former self.
Since she had decided to marry him, their fates would be intertwined, for better or worse.
She wanted to pray for him, hoping he would wake up soon and find peace and joy.
The ancient chapel stood atop a hill with a winding path of stone steps. Stella climbed on her knees the entire way, each step a prayer, the rough stone cutting into her skin with excruciating pain.
But she didn’t mind the suffering.
At the summit, the elderly priest gave her a silver medallion of St. Michael. She carefully tucked it away, whispering: “May my husband find healing and peace.”
As she turned to leave, she spotted Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell standing nearby.
Their knees bore similar wounds–they too had made the painful climb on their knees.
But the medallions they had received now hung around Natalie’s neck.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell…” Natalie’s eyes glistened with tears, clearly moved. “You’re all too good to me.”
Adrian stroked her hair, his voice tender: “Your safety is worth any suffering.”
Lucas smiled softly: “Natalie deserves nothing but the best.”
Maxwell remained silent, simply holding Natalie’s hand in his, caressing it gently.
Stella stood frozen, her heart clenched by an invisible fist.
“Stella?” Natalie spotted her with keen eyes, feigning surprise. “What are you doing here?”
Adrian’s gaze turned cold. “Yesterday you said you’d leave us alone, and today you’re stalking us again?”
Stella shook her head. “I’m not stalking you.”
She walked to the prayer wall where visitors attached their written prayers and placed her card among the others.
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Chapter 2
[May my husband James Wilson wake soon and find peace and joy.]
Lucas caught sight of what she’d written, his expression darkening. “You dare write something like that?”
Maxwell sneered. “Claiming to give up while still fantasizing about us becoming your husband?”
Before Stella could explain, a sudden gust of wind swept through, blowing numerous prayer cards to the ground.
Everyone looked down and froze in shock-
[May Adrian Hayes and Stella Bennett remain together, year after year, never to part.]
[Lucas Crawford will marry no one but Stella Bennett in this lifetime.]
[Maxwell Sullivan loves Stella Bennett, until death do us part.]
Each card bore their names, the handwriting unmistakably theirs.
Adrian’s pupils constricted, Lucas’s fingers trembled, and Maxwell’s breath caught.
When had they written these?
Seeing their reactions, Natalie immediately stepped forward, her voice quivering with fabricated hurt: “Stella, even
if you’re jealous they prefer me, you shouldn’t forge their handwriting to write these things…”
The three men snapped out of their trance, their faces darkening.
Adrian laughed coldly. “Stella, you really are desperate.”
Lucas called his security detail: “This is disgusting. Tear down this entire prayer wall!”
The priest rushed to intervene: “Please, this wall holds the hopes and prayers of countless people. Destroying it means none of their prayers will be answered!”
Maxwell’s gaze turned icy. “Tear it down!“.
With a crash, the prayer wall was demolished.
Stella watched the scene in silence, then suddenly smiled.
What would the sixteen–year–old versions of Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell think if they saw this?
Perhaps they too would find it laughable.
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Chapter 3
Chapter 3
As they descended from the chapel, the heavens opened up with a torrential downpour.
Stella stood by the roadside, soaked to the bone and unable to catch a ride.
A sleek black Lincoln limousine cruised by, its window lowerin. ”
rain’s too heavy.”
Stella shook her head. “No thanks.”
to reveal Natalie’s delicate face. “Stella, get in. The
Adrian scoffed. “Natalie’s being nice offering you a ride. Don’t be ungrateful.”
Lucas impatiently snapped, “Stop playing hard t
get.”
Maxwell pushed the door open. “Just get in. You’re wasting our time
Stella ultimately relented and climbed inside.
The interior was comfortably
Natalie snuggled against Adrian, pouting. “Adrian, my feet hurt…”
He immediately bent down, cradling her ankle in his palm, gently massaging it.
Lucas handed her a steaming
dup. “Here, Natalie. This will warm you up.”
Maxwell draped his jacket over her shoulders. “Don’t catch cold.”
aw f
Stella looked her heart feeling like it was being pierced by countless tiny needles.
Once, they had treated her with the same tenderness.
But now, there was no going back.
Suddenly-
CRASH!
A deafening sound as the car slammed into a guardrail!
In that split second, all three men reflexively lunged toward Stella, shielding her body with theirs!
She froze in shock, dazed by the impact. Her vision darkened as she lost consciousness.
When Stella awoke, she was in a hospital.
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Chapter 3
She had barely opened her eyes when the door was violently kicked open!
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell stormed in, cold fury churning in their eyes.
“Stella!” Adrian gripped her chin, his voice glacial. “What kind of spell did you cast on us?”
Lucas clenched his fists. “We love Natalie, so why the hell did we save you?!”
Maxwell’s gaze turned predatory. “Tell us what you did! Natalie’s been crying non–stop, demanding answers. Happy now?!”
“A spell?” Stella lay in the hospital bed, her pale lips twisting into a mocking smile. “You give me too much credit.”
“Cut the crap!” Adrian tightened his grip on her chin, rage boiling in his eyes. “Whatever you did, Natalie’s been crying inconsolably because of this.”
Lucas stared at her coldly. “Whatever it is, you’ll pay for it.”
Maxwell yanked out her IV line, his voice chilling. “Take her.”
They roughly dragged Stella from the bed. Her knee wounds reopened, blood immediately soaking through the bandages.
“What are you doing?!” She struggled, a sense of doom rising within her.
No one answered.
They dragged her to the hospital’s back entrance, where security guards forced her to kneel on the cold pavement.
In the distance, three luxury cars were parked side by side, engines roaring.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell each got into one.
The next moment-
WHAM!
The first car slammed into her body!
Stella was thrown through the air, crashing hard onto the ground. The sound of breaking ribs was audibly clear.
She curled into a ball, blood trickling from her mouth. Before she could recover-
CRUNCH!
The second car rolled over her body!
Bones shattered, internal organs seemed crushed. She couldn’t even scream, only clench her teeth as darkness flickered across her vision.
Finally-
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Chapter 3
SMASH!
The third car hit her without mercy!
Stella was thrown several yards like a broken ragdoll, finally landing in a pool of her own blood.
Through her fading consciousness, she saw Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell embracing Natalie, tenderly wiping away her tears.
“Do you believe us now?” Adrian whispered soothingly. “We only care about you. For her… we feel nothing.”
Natalie’s tears gave way to a smile as she play pouted. “Promise.
“Of course. Whatever you want,” Lucas affectionately pinched her cheek.
Maxwell didn’t even glance at Stella, simply saying: “Let’s
Stella coughed up blood, then suddenly smiled.
won’t save her again!”
Don’t let this trash sully your eyes.”
“When you remember everything…” her voice was barely a whisper, “you’ll definitely regret this…”
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Chapter 4
Chapter 4
With those words, she slipped into total darkness.
In her dream, she was sixteen again.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell surrounded her, each vying for her choice.
“Stella, pick me!” Adrian cupped her face, his tone commanding.
“Choose me, I’m more dependable than they are.” Lucas smiled, placing her hand over his heart.
“Stella, you can only be mine.” Maxwell embraced her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.
But dream–Stella pushed them away, shaking her head. “I choose none of you.”
“Why?!” All three were desperate.
“Because someday… you’ll all forget me and hurt me,” she said softly.
“Never!” Adrian gripped her wrist. “I’ll only love you my entire life!”
“Stella, don’t reject us…” Lucas’s eyes reddened.
Maxwell held her tightly. “We won’t forget you, ever!”
4
But in the dream, Stella still turned a
walked away, never looking back.
“Miss Bennett! Miss Bennett!”
The doctor’s calls pulled her back to reality.
Stella opened her eyes, her entire body feeling like it had been crushed and reassembled.
“You’ve broken five ribs and suffered internal bleeding. We almost lost you,” the doctor sighed. “You must rest completely.”
She said nothing, staring silently at the ceiling.
In the days that followed, she endured the pain alone.
The voices of nurses gossiping constantly reached her ears-
“Mr. Hayes bought out an entire jewelry district for Miss Pierce!”
“Mr. Crawford chartered a private jet to take Miss Pierce to a tropical island!”
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Chapter 4
“Mr. Sullivan went even further–he gave Miss Pierce an actual castle!”
Stella listened silently, changing her bandages with an expressionless face.
When she was finally discharged, she returned home to find her entire penthouse completely trashed!
The housekeeper trembled as she explained: “Mr. Hayes, Mr. Crawford, and Mr, Sullivan did this. They said… it was to teach you a lesson.”
A chill ran through Stella’s body. Suddenly remembering something, she rushed to her bedroom and searched frantically-
The vintage wedding dress her grandmother had made was gone!
It was the gown her grandmother had sewn stitch by stitch before passing away–the only thing Stella truly treasured!
“Natalie…” She clenched her fists, her eyes turning blood–red.
The hotel ballroom glittered with extravagant lighting.
Natalie’s birthday celebration was the epitome of luxury. When Stella burst in, the sign at the entrance struck her like a slap-
“No Stella or dogs allowed.”
Ignoring the security guards trying to block her, she stormed into the ballroom.
Inside, Natalie was dressed in a couture gown, being treated like royalty by everyone present.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell were presenting their gifts-
A diamond necklace worth millions.
7
A custom–made limited edition sports car.
The deed to a European castle.
Each gift was more breathtaking than the last.
Stella’s appearance brought an immediate hush to the room.
Adrian’s eyes turned glacial. “Who let you in?”
Lucas sneered. “Didn’t you read the sign outside?”
Maxwell simply called security. “Throw her out.”
Stella ignored them, her gaze locked on Natalie. “My wedding dress–did you take it?”
Natalie blinked innocently. “Yes, I took it. I liked it, so I helped myself.”
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Chapter 5
Chapter 5
“Give it back,” Stella stared at Natalie, her voice cold as ice.
Natalie’s eyes welled with tears. “But I really love it… can’t you just give it to me?”
“Have you no shame?” Stella’s fingernails dug into her palms, her voice trembling. “I said, give it back!”
“What’s with the attitude, Stella?” Adrian seized her wrist, his grip nearly crushing her bones. “It’s just a dress. We’ll buy it from you for Natalie.”
He threw a black credit card that hit Stella’s body.
“It’s not for sale,” Stella clenched her fists, nails piercing her palms. “My grandmother sewed it stitch by stitch. There’s only one in the entire world!”
Lucas impatiently frowned. “Are you done yet? If Natalie wants it, it’s hers.”
Maxwell simply gestured dismissively. “Get her out of here.”
Security guards immediately grabbed Stella’s arms, roughly dragging her away.
She finally broke, bowing her proud head in desperation:
“Please, I’m begging you. That wedding dress can’t go to her. I’ll do anything you want, just give it back to me!”
Seeing the brokenness and despair in Stella’s eyes, Natalie’s smile widened with obvious enjoyment.
Natalie’s eyes lit up as she suggested with false innocence: “How about… you be my maid for a day?”
She turned to the three men, pouting pitifully. “When Mom and I worked as housekeepers for the Bennetts, Stella always bullied me… that’s not too much to ask, is it?”
Adrian’s eyes darkened. “Not at all.”
Lucas sneered. “Even if she refuses, we’ll make her agree.”
Guests whispered among themselves-
“Making the Bennett heiress serve as a maid to a former housekeeper’s daughter? That’s beyond humiliating…”
“Weren’t those three men completely devoted to Stella before? If they ever remember, they’ll be consumed with regret…”
Stella closed her eyes, nodding wearily. “Fine. I agree.”
The next morning, Stella arrived dressed in a maid’s uniform, run ragged by Natalie’s demands.
“Stella, get me water. Not hot, not cold, just warm.”
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Chapter 5
“Stella, my shoes are dirty. Kneel down and clean them.”
“Stella, you look like a dog scrubbing that floor.”
She silently cleaned the floor, enduring every humiliation.
Meanwhile, Natalie sat on the sofa in a white dress, enjoying fruit fed to her Adrian, while Lucas massaged her shoulders and Maxwell adjusted her dress.
“Stella, the floor isn’t clean enough.” Natalie giggled, deliberately spilling red wine. “Clean it again.”
Stella silently knelt, wiping again and again..
Natalie then “accidentally” knocked over a bowl of soup, the scalding liquid splashing onto Stella’s hands, instantly raising angry red blisters.
“Oops, sorry!” Natalie laughed without a hint of remorse. “But you used to ‘accidentally‘ spill my food all the time, remember?”
Adrian watched coldly, not intervening but instead wrapping his arm around Natalie’s waist. “Natalie’s so kind, even apologizing to her.”
Stella bit her lip until she tasted blood.
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Chapter 6
Chapter 6
The next day, Natalic finally “mercifully” returned the wedding dress.
But when Stella opened the box, she felt like she’d plunged into an icy abyss-
The dress had been cut to shreds, not a single piece of embroidery left intact!
“Natalie!” She looked up sharply, her eyes blood–red.
Natalie tilted her head with a smile, her tone light: “If I can’t have it, why should you?”
Stella couldn’t control herself any longer. She grabbed Natalie’s collar: “You’re dead!”
Natalie cried out in surprise, deliberately leaning backward and falling with a splash into the swimming pool!
“Help! Adrian-!”
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell rushed over, jumping into the water without hesitation to rescue Natalie.
Soaking wet, Natalie shivered in Adrian’s arms, crying dramatically: “Stella… Stella pushed me…”
“Stella!” Lucas grabbed her throat, his eyes menacing. “You’re asking for death!”
Maxwell ordered his security team: “Put her in the water chamber!”
The water chamber was the most brutal private punishment in high society.
A transparent glass box where victims were locked inside while water levels gradually rose until they nearly drowned, then drained, the torture repeated multiple times.
Stella’s face turned ghostly white as they forced her inside.
She couldn’t swim.
The frigid water rose past her knees, waist, chest… finally submerging her head completely.
She struggled desperately, but oxygen depleted rapidly. Her lungs burned as darkness clouded her vision.
Just as she approached unconsciousness, the water level slowly dropped.
She collapsed on the floor, coughing violently, but before she could catch her breath-
WHOOSH!
The water filled the chamber again!
After three cycles, she was nearly unconscious.
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Oops. They Forgot 1.
Chapter 6
Adrian kicked in the glass wall, yanking her up by her hair, his voice glacial: “You used this fucking hand to push Natalic. Now it will pay the price.”
“I’ve said many times: Natalie is our bottom line.”
He picked up a sharp shard of glass and slashed it across her wrist!
“AHHH-!”
As the glass sliced through flesh, Stella screamed in agony.
Blood gushed out–her tendon had been severed.
When she regained consciousness, she was in her own bed with a private doctor dressing her wound.
“Miss Bennett…” the doctor sighed. “Your tendon is severed. You’ll… never play piano again.”
Stella stared blankly at her bandaged right hand as tears silently fell.
The hand she had once been so proud of…
The hand Adrian had once said he “wanted to hear play piano for a lifetime“…
The doctor hesitated, then retrieved a bottle of medicine from the bottom of his bag, placing it beside her pillow.
“Miss Bennett, this is the neural repair medication you commissioned at great expense… it’s been successful.”
“Just one dose, and they’ll recover their memories.”
“Whether to use it… is entirely your decision.”
After the doctor left, Stella slowly picked up the bottle, her fingers trembling.
Suddenly she smiled, a pale, tragic smile.
“Of course I’ll use it…”
“Otherwise… how will they ever understand the pain I’m feeling now?”
She couldn’t wait.
Couldn’t wait to see their faces when they remembered everything–that gut–wrenching regret.
While Stella recovered at home, she contemplated how to administer the medicine to Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell. Before she could act, however, the parents of all three men arrived at her door with their sons.
Mrs. Hayes immediately teared up, taking Stella’s hand: “Stella, we’ve heard about recent events. These three brats… we’ve brought them here to apologize! Don’t blame them–they lost their memories and forgot you’re the one they love most.”
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Oons Than
Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Adrian stood nearby, his expression dark and impatient. “Mom, what kind of nonsense has she been feeding you?”
Lucas sneered. “Even with amnesia, we remember what’s important. The unimportant things… aren’t worth remembering.”
Maxwell was even more direct: “Natalie is the only one we care about.”
The parents turned ashen with anger. Adrian’s father scolded, “You’ll regret treating her like this once your memories return!”
Stella lowered her eyes, silent for a moment, then suddenly pulled out a gold–embossed invitation from her drawer. “Thank you for your concern, but… I’m getting married,” she said softly.
“What?!” The parents were shocked.
Adrian’s mother opened the invitation in disbelief. “Stella, you can’t be serious? James is in a vegetative state!”
Lucas’s father urgently explained, “Stella, didn’t our families agree? Your future husband would be chosen from among these three…”
Maxwell’s mother anxiously clutched her hand. “Stella, please wait. They’ll remember eventually! When they do, they’ll go mad if they find you’ve married someone else!”
“There’s no need to Owait,” Stella smiled faintly. “I’ve made up my mind. Between us… it simply wasn’t meant to be.”
Only then did Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell realize-
The prayer card she’d written at the chapel hadn’t contained their names at all.
It was… James.
A strange surge of anger and pain instantly flooded their hearts. Their expressions changed dramatically, though they couldn’t understand where these emotions came from.
“The wedding is tomorrow,” Stella said softly. “You’re all invited.”
Adrian finally recovered, his face cold. “I have no interest in attending your wedding.”
Lucas mocked, “We’re taking Natalie to a private island tomorrow. We don’t have time for this.”
Maxwell turned away. “What’s the point of attending a vegetable’s wedding?”
With that, the three men turned to leave.
“Wait,” Stella suddenly called after them.
She walked to the wine cabinet and poured three glasses of red wine. With her back turned to them, she secretly
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Chapter 7
sprinkled the memory–recovery powder into the drinks.
“Since you won’t attend, at least have a toast to my happiness.”
She handed them the glasses, her gaze steady.
Adrian stared at her for two seconds, then smirked and drained his glass in opg gulp.
Lucas and Maxwell frowned but drank theirs as well.
“Terrible,” Maxwell said, slamming his glass down before walking out without a backward glance.
On the wedding day, Stella sat in the dressing room when she received a call from Natalie.
“I heard you’re getting married today? Congratulations!” Natalie’s voice was sickeningly sweet. “Enjoy spending your life with that vegetable!”
She boasted proudly: “Adrian gave me a pink diamond today, Lucas chartered an entire cruise ship for my birthda and Maxwell even transferred shares of the Sullivan Group to me… How should I repay them, do you think?”
Stella checked the time and suddenly smiled.
“Natalie,” she said softly, “this beautiful dream of yours is about to end.”
Natalie’s voice faltered. “What do you mean?”
“They’re about to regain their memories very soon.”
“No! Impossible!” Natalie screamed hysterically. “What did you do?!”
Stella couldn’t be bothered to listen anymore and hung up.
4
At the wedding venue, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson looked at her apologetically. “Stella, though James remains unconscious, our family will never mistreat you.”
Seeing their concerned expressions, Stella felt a lump in her throat.
This was warmth she had never experienced from her own parents.
“Mom, Dad,” she said softly, “I will stay loyal to James for life.”
She walked toward James in his wheelchair.
His eyes were closed, his face pale yet still strikingly handsome, as if he were merely sleeping.
Exquisite floral arrangements and brilliant lights transformed the venue into a dreamlike scene.
The spotlights illuminated Stella, her diamond–studded wedding dress flowing like the Milky Way, breathtakingly beautiful.
With everyone bearing witness, the host began:
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Oops. Thou For…
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Chapter 7
“Does the bride willingly take this man to be her husband, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and
in health, to cherish for all your days, until the end of time?”
Just as Stella was about to say “I do…”
BANG!
The ballroom doors were violently thrown open!
4
Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell stood trembling, their eyes bloodshot.
Their gazes locked onto Stella, their voices hoarse with anguish-
“Stella… don’t marry him.”
“I do.”
Right in front of the three men, Stella gave her answer without hesitation.
The entire wedding venue fell into a deathly silence, unnervingly quiet.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s pupils contracted in shock, hardly believing what they’d heard. Despite being blocked by countless security guards, they fought desperately to push forward, knocking out numerous guards in their attempt.
An overwhelming tide of regret and bitterness washed over them, instantly drowning them in emotion.
Everything that had happened recently replayed in their minds, tormenting them over and over again.
They grew so distressed that their faces turned ashen, their vision narrowing until all they could see was Stella.
“Please don’t marry him, I’m begging you.”
Adrian’s expression crumbled, his typically cold face filled with desperation as he pleaded pitifully.
But Stella didn’t even turn to look at him.
In front of everyone, she announced: “The wedding will continue!”
The host gradually regained composure, suppressing the tremor in his voice to continue the ceremony.
“Now, the bride and groom will exchange rings and share their first kiss as husband and wife!”
Stella opened the ring box and took out two rings.
The three men were nearly driven mad, their eyes bulging with rage. Completely losing all reason, they charged forward like lunatics, determined to take her away.
“Who dares disrupt our family’s wedding!”
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson shouted sternly as their former special forces security guards immediately pinned Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell to the ground.
Knowing their capabilities and the danger they posed, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson had called in dozens of special forces security guards.
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Chapter 8
The guards surrounded the three men, quickly binding their hands and feet and gagging their mouths.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson called the Hayes, Crawford, and Sullivan families.
Shortly afterward, the three sets of parents arrived with dark expressions, growing even angrier at the sight of their
sons.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell! You three insisted on abandoning Stella before, and today, no matter what, you will watch her wedding to the end!”
“When you drank that glass of wedding wine, your relationship with her was already over. Being allowed to attend as guests was a privilege you had to beg for!”
Each of the parents delivered an unforgiving slap to their son’s face.
Though their faces were struck sideways, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s eyes remained stubborn and unyielding.
Lucas struggled fiercely, the restraints cutting bloody marks into his wrists, but he seemed not to notice.
The knife–like pain in his chest nearly suffocated him, his body trembling violently with emotion.
“Stella, you can’t marry him. It was all our fault. We remember everything now. We’re sorry…”
He mumbled through the tape covering his mouth, his forehead damp with sweat, utterly consumed by despair.
But Stella never once glanced in their direction.
In front of all the guests, she took James’s hand and slipped the ring onto his finger.
Their hands, both wearing matching rings, intertwined intimately.
Stella gazed quietly at James’s extraordinarily handsome face, feeling no hesitation in her heart.
Even though he had been in a vegetative state for a year, his frame somewhat thinner, the contours of his muscles were still clearly defined.
Professional caregivers massaged him daily, so he didn’t look very different from before.
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
The tailored suit accentuated James’s tall, long–legged frame. Even seated in a wheelchair, sleeping, he didn’t appear fragile.
His thin lips were pale but conveyed a distant coolness, his stern features suggesting how imposing his presence would be when awake.
Marrying him didn’t seem like such a bad thing after all.
Stella closed her eyes gently and leaned forward to place a kiss on James’s lips.
Her lipstick colored his pale lips red, making his complexion appear more vibrant, as if he might wake at any
moment.
Witnessing this scene, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell felt their hearts being stabbed repeatedly, as if someone was twisting a knife inside them.
Maxwell struggled wildly, breaking down to the point that bloody tears streamed from his eyes.
The guards restraining him were affected by his violent movements, nearly losing their grip several times as he knocked over chairs and tables.
“Stella! You’re mine! You’re supposed to marry me…”
He roared like a wounded animal, completely losing his mind.
Nearby, Adrian and Lucas were in similar states–their eyes bloodshot, bulging with desperation. Despite being restrained by numerous guards, they continued to fight with tremendous strength.
The three families‘ parents wore deeply troubled expressions as they repeatedly apologized to Mr. and Mrs. Wilson.
“We’re so sorry for this. The wedding is done, they’ve seen it. Stella and they have no future together. We’ll take them away immediately!”
With that, the three sets of parents gave their sons no further opportunity to watch, ordering their security teams to drag them home.
In their field of vision, Stella’s figure grew smaller and smaller until she disappeared completely.
The three men reached the breaking point of despair, the last glimmer of light in their eyes extinguished as their struggles gradually weakened.
It was over for them.
The woman they had once wholeheartedly wanted to marry was now wed to someone else.
And they had pushed her away with their own hands.
Chapter 9
Overwhelming pain and despair plunged them into an abyss.
Everything that had happened in these short three months replayed relentlessly in their minds, constantly tormenting them, driving them deeper into despair.
They had lost their memories, forgotten the person they loved most, and had hurt and humiliated her so terribly!
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell were consumed by self–reproach, their eyes moist as tears fell.
The heart–wrenching pain surged like a tidal wave–they only wished that they had been the ones to suffer during these past three months.
The guards threw them onto the floor of a room where they lay with vacant eyes that let in no light.
With a loud bang, the door closed. They were locked together in a pitch–black room, the ropes binding their hands somehow removed.
They lay on the floor in despair, with no desire to struggle.
Suddenly, the room lit up. Every wall displayed projections of how they had tormented Stella over the past few months.
Many were security camera videos–not high definition, but clear enough to show everything they had done to Stella and their expressions of disgust.
Though only a few months had passed, Stella had nearly died multiple times because of them and suffered countless humiliations.
Once they had cherished her above all else, only regretting they hadn’t been good enough to make her choose them definitively.
But now, they had left her broken and wounded, and their former love had completely dissipated.
The videos played over and over, like torture slowly flaying their hearts.
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Chapter 10
Chapter 10
The scenes before them merged with fragmented memories in their minds, nearly driving them insane.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell pounded their chests in anguish–each strike a brutal confession.
At this moment, Natalic tearfully knocked on the door of the darkened room where the three men were confined.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell, are you in there? Let me help you out, please! When you suddenly disappeared, I was so
scared!”
“The memories appearing in your minds are fake–Stella made them up! She drugged you to create these false recollections. Please don’t believe her!”
Natalie panicked, knocking desperately on the door, hoping for a response as she tried to rescue them.
She was genuinely frightened. At the haunted house in the amusement park, they had been protecting her in their arms just moments before, comforting her and shielding her from any frightening scenes.
Then suddenly, they were struck with intense headaches. The love in their eyes visibly vanished completely, their gazes instantly becoming unfamiliar and cold.
Without hesitation, they had pushed her away and ran off like madmen.
Natalie fell to the ground, terrified by the haunted house characters. She had crawled out with her eyes closed, scraping her knees and palms.
Afterward, Stella’s words echoed in her mind–Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell would regain their memories.
It was the wine they drank yesterday!
A thousand thoughts raced through Natalie’s mind; she even considered running away.
But she still clung to a desperate hope–what if they still loved her, even after regaining their memories?
After all, Stella had married someone else. There was no future for them with her.
Why couldn’t she, Natalie, be the one to be with them?
She had developed genuine feelings with them!
Their indulgence and affection over these months had been real, their kindness to her had been real.
She wanted to gamble on how much she meant to them.
Natalie called into the dark room several times without receiving any response.
Just as she was about to leave in defeat, Adrian’s characteristically cold voice suddenly came from inside.
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Chapter 10
“Let her in!”
His voice carried a hint of anger, sounding dangerous, but Natalie was too excited to think much about it. She turned to look around.
The next moment, a guard coldly opened the door, pushed her inside, then closed and locked it again.
The smile on Natalie’s face had barely formed before it froze.
Seeing Lucas and Maxwell approaching with clenched fists, her legs involuntarily weakened, and her heart began
to race.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell, what are you doing? I came to rescue you! Stella doesn’t love you. She’s trying to alter your memories. I won’t let her succeed. Please believe me!”
Her voice trembled as she spoke.
Lucas’s eyes narrowed slightly as he said softly, “Is that so? Do you think we’re all fools?”
As his words fell, his eyes instantly turned cold as his large hand gripped Natalie’s throat, pinning her against the wall.
<
His expression remained calm, as if he were merely crushing an ant. Natalie felt her blood run cold.
“No… Lucas, you can’t do this to me. Did you forget the memories of these past few months? Did you forget your feelings for me?”
Chapter 11
Chapter 11
“You said that regardless of past, present, or future, you would only ever love me. Why are you treating me this way now? What did I do wrong?”
She defiantly lifted her chin, tears welling in her eyes, the corners of her eyes and the tip of her nose reddened, looking pitiful and vulnerable.
.
“You were the ones who said you liked me, and now you’re the ones torturing me. If that’s how it is, I’ll give you back to Stella. I’ll leave with my mother right now. She said she would introduce me to potential matches, and I’ll marry whoever it is!”
“No matter who they are, I’ll marry them. I won’t bother you again. Does that satisfy you?”
As she spoke, Natalie gave Lucas’s chest a light push
step.
Why Join a show of reluctant departure, but she couldn’t even take one
Maxwell’s dark eyes gathered dangerously as
fatihbarat kicked Natalie squarely in the chest.
“Lucas! If you still like her, then get out of my way! Why waste fucking words on her? If she hadn’t deceived us when we woke up with amnesia, telling us we loved her and that Stella always bullied her, how would we have ended up like this!”
He kicked Natalie violently, sending her thin body flying like a broken kite. She crashed into the wall and slid down like a puddle of mud, powerless.
Adrian’s eyes were equally dark, his presence terrifying as he stared at Natalie with a gaze sharp as knives, as if looking at a dead person.
16
He stepped on her hand, and with several cracking sounds, deliberately crushed the bones in her hand.
“If it weren’t for your meddling, we would have eventually regained our memories and fallen in love with Stella again!”
“If it weren’t for you, how could we have hurt Stella over and over, bringing us to this irreversible point?!”
Excruciating pain shot up from her fingers. Natalie turned deathly pale, cold sweat pouring down as her pleas came out weak and breathless.
“It hurts… Lucas, it hurts so much. Please let me go?”
Her broken fingers trembled involuntarily, but no one showed any sympathy.
The Lucas she had pinned her hopes on revealed a sinister smile as he walked straight toward her. “You don’t actually think I still like you, do you?”
His voice was as dangerous as a venomous snake’s hiss. As he spoke, he mercilessly crushed her other hand.
Chapter 11
“How ridiculous. I only hate you. I wish I could slice you into a thousand pieces!”
“How much pain must Stella have felt when she was injured so badly? What you’re experiencing now isn’t even a thousandth of what she endured!”
“Ahhh!” Both of Natalie’s hands were crushed beyond recognition; using them normally again would likely be impossible.
However, her torment was far from over.
Though Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell couldn’t leave, that didn’t mean they were limited to torturing Natalie in this room alone.
They directed the guards to make Natalie experience everything that Stella had gone through, one by one.
For several consecutive days, Natalie endured hell–like torture.
She was already covered in wounds, but the three men showed no intention of letting her go.
Every time they watched the videos of what had happened over these months, their anger reignited.
In just a few short days, Natalie was tortured beyond recognition–her once–delicate features now a hollowed–out mask of suffering.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell remained locked in the darkened room, staring at each other in profound silence.
Punishing Natalie hadn’t brought them the satisfaction or relief they’d imagined.
True, some of Stella’s suffering had been caused by Natalie.
But the vast majority of her pain had been inflicted by them!
They had tortured her with their own hands, systematically destroying all the love in her heart, pushing her toward someone else!
Chapter 12
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell despised their former selves and each other.
During these days, they had barely slept through a single night.
In their dreams, happy memories with Stella would suddenly transform into the image of her in a wedding dress, resolutely marrying someone else.
Countless times they awoke from these nightmares, only to find reality far more cruel than their dreams.
Adrian was terrifyingly silent. Lucas and Maxwell also sat wordlessly in the corner, watching the projected images on the wall, repeatedly whispering to Stella: “I’m sorry.”
On screen, she was hit by cars again and again. Each time the three men saw this, their hearts clenched painfully.
How desperate must she have felt, lying in a pool of blood?
The childhood friends who had always protected her had deliberately hit her with their cars.
One slight difference, and she might have lost her life–creating consequences that could never be undone.
No amount of “I’m sorry” could bring back a life once lost.
The three men felt nothing but emptiness in their hearts.
The door to the room opened at some point.
Their parents entered and, seeing their devastated state, sighed deeply several times.
“We warned you more than once back then. We told you that you would regret treating her that way, advised you to be kinder to Stella, but not once did you listen to us.”
“The situation you’re in now–you deserve it!”
Adrian’s parents‘ voices were ice cold as they glared at the three young men.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell knelt on the ground, heads bowed in silence, not attempting to argue.
Lucas’s parents spoke decisively: “Stella is a good girl. Although James is in a vegetative state, what’s done is done. You made your choices back then, so don’t regret it and go after Stella now!”
“That day, our three families lost all face. Now we’re the laughingstock of high society. If you still obsessively pursue her, don’t blame us as parents for being harsh!”
Maxwell’s parents nodded in agreement. “You have no future with Stella. Give up while you can! You’ve broken her heart completely. She gave you the medicine to restore your memories, so how could she not know your current state?”
Chapter 12
“Her intentions are clear–she doesn’t love you anymore. If you continue to pursue her, you’ll only make her hate you more!”
Finally, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell raised their heads, their eyes showing the same unwillingness to give up and
determination.
“We won’t give up. We will atone for everything we’ve done, but we’ve loved Stella for too long to abandon her!”
Adrian unhesitatingly threw out these words as he slowly stood up and walked out.
Lucas and Maxwell rose in succession.
“Mom, Dad, we made those choices when we weren’t thinking clearly. If Stella wants to see us suffer and regret, I’ll satisfy her. I’ll atone until she forgives me!”
Lucas’s expression was resolute, every word firm and clear.
Maxwell was equally determined as he solemnly stated: “Mom, Dad–don’t worry about this. No matter the consequences, we won’t give up on Stella. You know our personalities; you know threats won’t work. This is our business, not yours!”
Watching the three men leave, their parents exchanged glances, sighing helplessly for a long time, unable to do anything.
The most they could do was confine their sons for a few days–that was the limit.
After all, their children were grown and capable; as parents, they had no real control anymore.
They could only hope the young men would hit the wall and turn back soon.
Because judging by Stella’s demeanor, forgiveness seemed entirely out of the question.
Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Of course, that was exactly what Stella thought as well.
The moment she decided to drug Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s drinks, she was perfectly clear about her intentions.
She wanted to watch them suffer consciously for the rest of their lives.
It was precisely because she understood their past love for her that she could anticipate how much pain and guilt they would feel once their memories returned.
But how could mere emotional suffering compensate for what she endured?
She wanted them to pay back a thousandfold, both physically and mentally–only then would it balance the injuries she had suffered!
Stella sat with James in good spirits, chattering about everything she had experienced with the three men.
As husband and wife, she didn’t want this matter to become a barrier between them.
Even though James was still in a vegetative state, with his awakening remaining uncertain.
After finishing her story, she took a few sips of water and pulled out a medallion she had obtained from St. Gabriel’s Chapel. She unfastened two buttons of his collar and carefully placed it around his neck.
“James, I hope you stay safe and wake up soon.”
Her cascading hair brushed against James’s face, causing his eyelashes to flutter slightly.
Stella noticed this and felt her mind go blank, hardly daring to believe what she’d seen.
“James? Did you just move? Are you waking up?”
However, after waiting several seconds, James showed no further response.
Her tears of excitement rolled down her cheeks and dropped onto his lips. Visibly, his eyelids trembled several times.
Stella quickly pressed the nearby bell to summon a nurse.
“James just moved a few times, like he was responding to what I said. Does that mean he might wake up soon?”
The nurse immediately wheeled James away for a comprehensive examination.
Shortly afterward, the doctor returned with a joyful expression and excitedly told Stella and Mr. and Mrs. Wilson:
“Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, and congratulations to the young Mrs. Wilson. The young Mr. Wilson’s nervous system is gradually recovering function. His brain is now responding to ovtorn – 1
spend time talking to him to stimulate brain
.
Chapter 13
Upon hearing this, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were so moved that tears welled in their eyes. They held Stella’s hands, almost unable to speak through their emotion.
“Stella, did you hear that? James is going to wake up. It’s all thanks to you–you’re truly the greatest blessing our family could have!”
“If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t know when James might wake up. He might have just remained asleep until death.”
Stella nodded along, but inwardly, some concerns arose.
If James woke up, would he accept this arranged marriage?
After all, he had been unconscious during the wedding; they hadn’t obtained his consent.
What if his heart belonged to someone else? What would she do then?
They were already legally married–would she have to step aside?
Mrs. Wilson immediately sensed what Stella was thinking and comfortingly patted her hand.
“Stella, don’t worry. James has always been focused solely on his work, never showing interest in women. But perhaps you’ve forgotten–you two knew each other before.”
“The Wilson and Bennett families come from the same hometown. When you were children, you played together. You clung to him, asking to be carried, refusing to walk. Though he typically disliked other children, he actually carried you all day, refusing to let go, even wanting to take you home.”
Hearing this, Stella was surprised, her fair cheeks unconsciously turning slightly pink.
Mrs. Wilson’s smile widened as she embraced Stella tenderly and continued:
“Stella, we chose you for this marriage partly because we felt sorry for you. Your parents didn’t love you, and those three boys from the Hayes, Crawford, and Sullivan families bullied you so terribly. We wanted to bring you into our family and openly care for you properly–that’s why we proposed the marriage.”
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Chapter 14
Chapter 14
“Don’t worry about a thing. Everything we promised you before the wedding will be honored. James’s shares have already been transferred to your name. You can manage them yourself or have James handle them–it’s entirely your decision.”
“Even if you two eventually find you’re incompatible and want a divorce, we can adopt you as our daughter. No matter what, we’ll always be family!”
Mrs. Wilson’s embrace was incredibly warm and exuded a reassuring fragrance.
Stella couldn’t help but tear up, nodding with a choked voice.
“Thank you, Mom.”
She had no doubt that if any other family of equal standing to the Bennett family had proposed marriage, her parents would have readily agreed.
After all, she meant nothing to them–she was merely a tool for a matrimonial alliance. They didn’t care about her happiness.
Besides her, both her parents had lovers and illegitimate children outside their marriage, maintaining their relationship solely for mutual benefit.
In the past, the Hayes, Crawford, and Sullivan families had been kind to her only because their sons liked her, extending their care to her and considering her a suitable daughter–in–law.
She had been grateful to them, but that goodwill had been completely eroded by countless instances of torment.
However, Stella never expected to be so fortunate as to receive such genuine care from Mr. and Mrs. Wilson.
She wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes and forced a smile as she returned Mrs. Wilson’s embrace.
“Mom, when James wakes up, our family will be complete. I believe that day isn’t far off.”
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson exchanged glances and both nodded with smiles.
“Yes, indeed.”
Having other matters to attend to, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson left after spending some time with James.
J
The spacious hospital room now held only James and Stella.
Looking at his sleeping face, Stella felt completely at peace.
With several caretakers present, she had little to do except talk to him.
As she left the hospital room, she was startled by three figures leaning against the wall by the door.
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Chapter 14
Recognizing who they were, her expression instantly turned cold.
“Why have you come looking for me here? This isn’t a place you should be. I don’t want you disturbing James.”
“James?” Adrian echoed incredulously, his voice hoarse with sadness. “You’ve only met him a handful of times, yet you’re already calling him so intimately?”
Stella walked a few steps away from the room, standing in the garden. Looking at Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell who had followed her, she couldn’t help but laugh scornfully.
“What’s wrong with that? James and I are husband and wife now. Whether I call him James, or husband, or whatever I choose to call him–it has nothing to do with any of you three.”
“Besides, I remember you all started calling Natalie by her nickname just days after losing your memories. What right do you have to question me?”
At her words, the color drained from all three men’s faces.
Lucas’s lips moved, but all he could manage was a dry, “I’m sorry.”
Maxwell, anxious and flustered, quickly explained: “Stella, this is different!”
“We were wrong about Natalie, and we’ll accept whatever punishment you want to give us. But marriage isn’t a joke–this James is just a vegetative patient who can’t even provide you with basic happiness!”
“Even if you’re angry and want to punish us, please don’t play around with something as serious as marriage!”
Adrian nodded in agreement. “Stella, we remember everything now. Natalie has received her due punishment–she’s suffered tenfold for every injury you experienced. We truly understand our mistakes.”
Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Seeing the remorse and pain in the three men’s eyes, Stella felt only satisfaction, without a trace of sympathy.
Only when they truly experienced the same torment and heartbreak she had endured could they genuinely understand her suffering!
With a cold expression, Stella defended James: “James will wake up eventually. He and I are husband and wife, and our marriage is not a joke. I’m being completely rational. From now on, I will only have feelings for James. Whether you acknowledge your mistakes or not is irrelevant to me.”
With that, she turned to leave.
Lucas quickly grabbed her hand, pleading: “Stella, please don’t be so cruel to us. If we hadn’t lost our memories, we would have loved you unwaveringly. It was Natalie who created misunderstandings between us. You can hit me, yell at me, even run me over with a car–just please don’t love James.”
During the seconds they waited for Stella’s answer, all three men were in agony.
In all their years of knowing her, they never imagined that one day Stella would marry someone else, let alone fall in love with another man.
If James truly woke up, would they still have a chance?
The mere thought made Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell feel as if their hearts were being torn apart.
But Stella merely laughed at Lucas’s words.
“Misunderstandings? There were never any misunderstandings between us.”
As the three men attempted to explain, she continued with a cold smile:
“If you truly loved me, even after losing your memories, you would have fallen in love with me again.”
“But you didn’t. After waking up, you believed Natalie’s words just because she was nice to you, took care of you, and spoke ill of me. You didn’t fall in love with me again.”
“If you hadn’t lost your memories, can you guarantee you would never have developed feelings for Natalie? You
can’t!”
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s eyes filled with shock and pain.
Their minds raced with endless questions, even as they instinctively protested:
“No, we wouldn’t have. We only love you…”
But perhaps even they realized their words lacked conviction, as their voices grew increasingly faint.
“Claiming you only love someone is easy enough to say.”
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Chapter 15
“Before, you said you would only ever love me. Then you lost your memories and said you would only love Natalie. What about the future?”
“If you lost your memories again and met someone new, would you claim to love her forever too? Ha, your love comes quite cheap, doesn’t it?”
The three men stood frozen, momentarily speechless, unable to refute her words.
They wanted to prove they wouldn’t fall in love with anyone else, but they had no convincing evidence.
Stella resolutely pulled her hand from Lucas’s grasp and walked away without a backward glance.
Watching her retreating figure, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell felt a pain so intense they could hardly breathe.
After a long while, they finally solidified their resolve.
They would prove to her that they loved only her, and they would atone for their sins!
The next day, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell attempted to visit and apologize, but were turned away by the Wilson family’s security guards.
Unlike the Bennett family, the Wilson family wouldn’t allow them in without Stella’s permission.
The three men stood in the rain outside the estate compound for an entire night.
The security guards notified Stella several times, but received the same answer each time: “Don’t worry about them. If they want to get soaked, let them. They won’t die.”
For a full day and night, the rain thoroughly drenched their clothes, which clung to their bodies, perfectly outlining their figures.
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Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Gradually, all three men’s lips had turned pale, especially the slender Lucas.
They were feverish but refused to leave.
Stella, after carefully dressing herself, got into the car heading to the hospital.
Seeing her through the car window, Adrian instinctively ran after the vehicle, with the other two following closely behind.
“Stella! We’re sorry!”
Stella didn’t look back. She went straight to James’s hospital room and chatted with him as usual.
Her phone kept buzzing incessantly. She had blocked and deleted Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s numbers, so they used other numbers to contact her.
Glancing briefly at her phone, she saw photos and messages about them being hospitalized with fever.
Seeing their flushed faces and vulnerable expressions, she felt only irritation.
Such tactics wouldn’t work on her.
She turned off her phone and peacefully enjoyed her quiet time with James.
The air was fresh after the rain, and her mood was quite good.
When she left the hospital, she was surrounded by bodyguards sent by James’s parents.
Perhaps realizing that approaching her directly was futile and only annoyed her, the three men changed their strategy.
Every day, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell sent her apology videos.
On the first day, they rewrote love letters, bought gifts, photoshopped pictures of them together, and sincerely apologized.
When Stella saw those love letters written with such different mindsets, she felt that the pure–hearted young men who once loved her were gone forever.
The identical or similar gifts they bought based on their memories could never be the original ones that carried their shared history.
And no matter how skillfully the photos were edited, they were ultimately fake.
On the second day, they visited all the places they had been together, apologizing at each location and reminiscing about the past.
16:40
Chapter 16
Stella did not respond.
On the third day, they went to St. Gabriel’s Chapel and rebuilt a prayer wall, placing prayer cards on it.
On the fourth day, they arranged for cars to hit them, landing themselves in the hospital.
They endured every injury Stella had ever suffered, one by one.
Only by personally experiencing the feeling of being near death could they understand that desperation.
Everything they had once destroyed, they tried to rebuild piece by piece.
But what had been destroyed wasn’t those material things–it was her genuine feelings for them.
Stella offered no response, focusing solely on supporting James through his rehabilitation.
During that month, James awakened. The moment his cool gaze fell upon her, Stella felt her heart skip a beat.
Only then did she truly understand what it meant to fall in love.
When James clearly saw her, his cool demeanor instantly transformed into boundless tenderness.
“Stella, you’ve been waiting for me for a long time, haven’t you?”
O
Stella blushed and shook her head. “Not long. As long as you wake up, no amount of time is too long.”
was
The smile on his face barely contained as he restrained himself, drawing her into his embrace with reverence.
“The grievances and pain you’ve suffered–do you need my help to settle them?”
“No need, I can handle it myself,” Stella refused without hesitation, her mind firmly made up..
James showed no disappointment, only smiling warmly as he said, “Alright. My family and I will always be your support.”
She instinctively averted her gaze, feeling her heart pounding wildly as she nodded awkwardly.
For several consecutive days, she accompanied him through rehabilitation.
James’s recovery brought immense joy to the entire Wilson family. They arranged for his discharge and specially organized a celebration.
When Stella and James returned home, they saw the entire house decorated almost identically to their wedding day. Both of them froze, almost thinking they had entered the wrong place.
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Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson approached them with smiles, taking their hands and leading them to change clothes.
“Stella, James, this is to make up for the incomplete wedding ceremony that day.”
The wedding dress was different from the one at their actual wedding–this one was more elaborate and enchanting.
Mrs. Wilson gazed at Stella’s breathtakingly beautiful reflection in the mirror, her eyes brimming with joy.
“Stella, James didn’t get to see you in your wedding dress that day, but from now on, everything between you two will be perfect!”
As she spoke, she helped Stella put on a sapphire necklace, sincerely exclaiming, “Beautiful!”
A warm feeling spread through Stella’s heart as her lips curved upward involuntarily, and she nodded slightly.
After leaving the dressing room, she saw James dressed in a suit that complemented her gown. Though his steps were slow, they were steady as he walked toward her and took her hand.
“Marrying you is the greatest honor of my life,” he said, his deep, magnetic voice resonating in her ears.
The tips of her ears turned red as she earnestly replied, “Mine too.”
Stella and James took the stage and went through the wedding ceremony once more.
This time, after exchanging rings, James lifted her veil and, no longer restraining himself, kissed her deeply.
The wedding was livestreamed globally. Despite their injuries, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell rushed from the hospital to the Wilson residence.
The security guards at the entrance to the estate didn’t stop them this time, but at the mansion’s main gate stood a sign that read: “Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell, and dogs not allowed inside.”
Their photos were marked with glaring red crosses, an unmistakable gesture of humiliation.
By the time they managed to burst in, the ceremony had concluded. Stella and James had changed into different outfits and were enjoying the reception.
One by one, guests approached with champagne flutes, wishing them marital bliss and happiness.
James accepted all the well–wishes graciously, nodding to each one.
Stella stayed by his side, holding his arm and nestling against him.
Noticing he had been standing for too long, she leaned close to his ear and whispered:
“James, you should rest now. Your legs will hurt otherwise.”
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Oons The P
Chapter 17
“Alright.”
James didn’t try to be tough. He allowed a servant to bring a wheelchair and let Stella push him.
He wanted to be with her for a very long time and didn’t want to risk his health.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s gazes fixed on their intertwined hands, staring intently they might have burned holes through them.
“Stella, we apologized. Did you see?” Adrian forced the words out from deep in his throat, his emotions a turmoil of bitterness.
Stella slowly turned her gaze toward the three men and casually remarked:
“Where are the security guards? How did they get in? Wasn’t it stated that they and dogs weren’t allowed inside?”
Her words were met with dead silence throughout the venue.
Countless guests understood the entanglement between them and had witnessed the three men humiliating Stella in the past.
However, they hadn’t expected karma to strike so quickly.
The three men quickly recalled everything that had happened that day, their faces alternating between pale and flushed.
Maxwell was the first to speak, seemingly unfazed: “Stella, don’t send us away. If you want to humiliate us, we’re willing to accept it!”
“We’ll even act as your servants for a day if necessary, as long as we can stay by your side and you forgive us.”
Lucas nodded in agreement. “I feel the same way.”
Though Adrian remained silent, his stance was obvious.
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Chapter 18
As many gathered around to watch, the three hesitantly prepared to bark when a gardener aimed a hose at them, soaking them completely.
With water dripping from their hair and blurring their vision, a car suddenly sped toward them, sideswiping them and knocking them to the ground.
When they tried to push themselves up, countless thumbtacks pierced their palins.
Their already injured hands began bleeding profusely again.
Stella maneuvered around the obstacles and approached them, offering a faint smile.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell, as of today, you’ve experienced all the pain I once felt. I’m satisfied, so I’ve let go of the past.”
Just as hope began to flicker in their hearts, she continued:
“However, I’m married now, as I’ve told you many times. From now on, if I love anyone, it will only be my husband, James.”
“Stop pursuing us. I’m very happy with James and don’t want to be disturbed by you. Let’s put the past behind us. I’ve forgiven you.”
Stella’s nonchalant demeanor resembled a drifting cloud, unwilling to linger for them any longer.
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Chapter 19
Chapter 19
“No! Stella, don’t go!”
Adrian instinctively reached for her hand with his bloodied one, but she dodged it without hesitation.
Lucas licked his dry lips and struggled to speak. “Stella, I’m no worse than James. Anything he can do, I can do too. I’ll treat you better than before. Can’t we start over?”
Maxwell’s face was filled with sorrow and devastation. His hands hung at his sides, clenched tightly, driving the thumbtacks deeper as blood continued to flow through the gaps between his fingers.
As if feeling no pain, he gritted his teeth, his eyes red with emotion. “Stella, you once promised to stay with us forever. I will never give up. The past isn’t over! I won’t allow it to be over!”
“Why should we be the only ones suffering for the past? Stella, this isn’t fair.”
Hearing their words, James’s eyes showed nothing but disgust and coldness.
“Fair? When has love ever been about fairness? Was it fair when you all abandoned Stella for Natalie?”
“You failed to cherish Stella, so someone else will. The only advantage I have over you is that I’ve never loved anyone else.”
With that, he cast a contemptuous glance at them, rose from his wheelchair, and took Stella’s hand as they walked back into the mansion.
As the doors of the He residence closed, he coldly delivered a final message:
“Remove these unwelcome guests and never let them in again.”
Several security guards immediately responded with “Yes, sir” and hurried to escort them out.
For several days afterward, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell couldn’t find an opportunity to see Stella.
The mementos they sent to the Wilson residence, hoping to evoke her memories, were all thrown in the trash without earning even a glance from her.
They had tried everything, yet remained exactly where they started.
Numerous friends in their social circle forwarded them a video clip of Stella and James embracing and kissing beneath fireworks.
Under the brilliantly exploding fireworks, the couple looked like a painting come to life.
Their passionate kiss and the intense love in their eyes when they looked at each other was unmistakable.
Friends curiously asked: “It seems Stella has genuinely fallen for James. What are you going to do now?”
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Chapter 19
“Maybe it’s time to give up. There are plenty of fish in the sea. Women who’d love to be with you could form a line from the city all the way to France. Perhaps it’s time to consider other women.”
Adrian watched the video over and over, his heart so bitter it had grown numb.
But how could he give up on someone he had loved for over a decade?
If he hadn’t lost his memory back then, would he be the one embracing and kissing Stella now?
No one could answer that question.
Sitting alone in his cold room, everything had been restored to how it was before. All the decorations were in styles Stella had liked, yet there wasn’t a trace of her presence.
Dark circles shadowed Adrian’s eyes; he had lost count of how many nights he’d gone without proper rest.
Though he lay in bed with his eyes closed, sleep eluded him.
Stella’s image kept appearing before him.
The first time he saw her, she was like a homeless kitten–obedient yet endearing with her sweet ways.
He couldn’t understand what kind of parents would abandon such a child.
Out of sympathy, he had tried his best to be good to her. Even when two competitors appeared, he didn’t mind.
Instead, he thought that having two more people who loved her would make her more confident and radiant.
16:40
Chapter 20
Chapter 20
When young hearts first stirred, Adrian developed a competitive awareness. He wanted her to focus more on him, so he tried his hardest to win her heart, attempting to open the doors to her affection.
She had been shy and uncertain because Lucas and Maxwell had also confessed to her. In her panic, she hadn’t accepted any of them.
But they hadn’t given up, continuing to treat her well.
When the earthquake struck, he had shielded her without a second thought, hoping only that she would survive.
After losing his memory, he had watched the love in her eyes gradually transform into disappointment and numbness, causing his own heart to ache intensely.
Countless images flashed through his mind, finally freezing on the image of her running toward James.
“Stella!” Adrian’s bloodshot eyes snapped open as he reached out, grabbing only air.
Desperate to see Stella, he made a call to have her followed.
Shortly after receiving her exact location, Adrian grabbed his car keys and left home.
However, when he finally spotted Stella, the name he was about to call out died in his throat.
Stella and James were walking hand in hand, fingers intertwined, like any ordinary couple strolling down the
street.
Occasionally, when something amusing came up, she would laugh with her eyes curving into crescents, playfully swinging James’s hand.
When a cold breeze blew past, she nestled into James’s coat, continuing their intimate walk.
This version of Stella was one Adrian had never seen before.
In the past, even at their closest, there had always seemed to be an invisible barrier between her and the three men.
But with James, things were different.
Exactly how they were different, Adrian couldn’t quite understand.
He watched the scene with a masochistic fascination, with no intention of leaving.
At some point, Stella and James turned a corner and disappeared from view.
The private investigator he had hired went silent, and he could no longer trace her whereabouts.
Almost instantly, Adrian realized that everything he had just witnessed was something Stella or James had wanted
him to see.
16:40
Chapter 20
It was nothing more than a warning.
Adrian wandered aimlessly through the streets, the emptiness beside him mirroring his own sense of loss.
At the bar, Lucas was drinking one glass after another.
The strong alcohol burned his throat, yet he felt increasingly sober.
With a self–destructive obsession, he kept replaying the video of Stella and James kissing. Even when his phone died, he continued staring blankly at the dark screen.
His heart felt hollow. Only the deafening music of the bar kept him from sinking into endless loneliness and despair.
A provocatively dressed girl approached Lucas.
“Hey handsome, I’ve been watching you for a while. Can I get your contact info?” she asked with a flush on her face.
Lucas didn’t even look up, his voice icy cold: “Get lost! Don’t make me say it twice!”
His frustration was evident in his furrowed brow.
The bartender kindly advised, “Miss, you should give up. This gentleman has already rejected countless others tonight.”
Still persistent, the girl asked:
“Did you just go through a breakup? The best way to forget an old relationship is to start a new one. Want to give it a try with me?”
Her words ignited the fury within Lucas.
He laughed coldly, “Is that so? So Stella and James starting a relationship means they’ll forget our past? I don’t accept that!”
Filled with anger, he roughly pushed the girl aside and stormed out of the bar.
With alcohol clouding his judgment, he broke into Bennett’s family home and lay in her room, inhaling the lingering scent of her perfume, murmuring her name until he fell into a deep sleep.
“Stella, don’t forget me… don’t give up on me…”
Meanwhile, Maxwell stubbornly maintained his vigil outside the Wilson mansion.
He had paid a premium price for a villa near the Wilson residence but showed no intention of using it for rest.
His phone lay shattered on the ground, broken by his own hand.
Yet the video from earlier remained seared into his mind.
He had waited outside the villa for a day and night, refusing to leave.
16:40
Chapter 20
Servants and security had tried to drive him away multiple times, but he remained steadfast.
Stella and James hadn’t returned.
Maxwell’s jealousy and resentment toward James grew with each passing moment.
What might they be doing tonight?
They had already kissed–what would come next?
Surely they had shared every intimate moment possible by now?
He clenched his fists tightly and struck the Wilson family’s gate with such force that his hand bled, yet he showed no reaction to the pain.
When Mr. and Mrs. Wilson witnessed this, they smirked coldly before suddenly opening the door and issuing a stern warning:
“Stella has no future with you three. She and James are married, they’ve made it official, and they’re currently on their honeymoon. If you continue to disturb them, we will not be so courteous!”
16:40
Oons Thov Forgot
Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Maxwell faced them without showing any fear. “Marriage means nothing! Our years of feelings for Stella are something James can never match! She’ll realize sooner or later that we’re the ones who love her most and treat her best!”
Mrs. Wilson wasn’t particularly angry; instead, she saw right through his false bravado.
“You should give up while you can, before Stella grows to hate you even more!”
“Security! From now on, don’t allow anyone from the Hayes, Crawford, or Sullivan families near the villa. If they appear, throw them out immediately!”
Maxwell gazed deeply at the Wilson family mansion, knowing full well that his brave words were nothing but empty defiance.
Stella had already let go of their past feelings and memories, but they simply couldn’t do the same!
After getting into his car, he floored the accelerator and sped away, eventually stopping at the Bennett Corporation building.
The receptionist, familiar with his identity, allowed him through without hesitation.
Maxwell made his way unimpeded to the CEO’s office to meet Stella’s parents, whom he had confirmed would be there today.
However, just outside the office door, faint sounds of intimacy reached his ears.
His face darkened considerably.
After what seemed like an eternity, Mr. Bennett’s secretary finally emerged, swaying her hips. Mr. Bennett followed with a satisfied expression, which quickly turned to embarrassment upon seeing Maxwell.
Mr. Bennett cleared his throat and called Mrs. Bennett to the office before sizing up Maxwell:
“Maxwell, what brings you to see us today?”
Suppressing his anxiety, Maxwell spoke sincerely:
“I’m here representing Sullivan Corporation to propose a partnership. I want to marry Stella–you can name your terms!”
Just as he finished speaking, Adrian and Lucas pushed open the door.
“Me too!” they said in unison.
“We have only one requirement: that the Bennett family cuts all business ties with the Wilson family, brings Stella back, and marries her to one of us!”
16:40
Chapter 21
Adrian exchanged quick glances with the other two, all understanding each other’s thoughts.
Their strategy was clear: unite against the common enemy, bring down the Wilson family, then compete among themselves.
A deathly silence fell over the office after these words.
Mr. and Mrs. Bennett stood stunned, unable to process what they’d just heard.
Mrs. Bennett was the first to regain her composure, asking suspiciously, “Stella is already married. You all disliked her before, so what’s the meaning of this now?”
“Do you really want Stella that badly? If we had known, we wouldn’t have arranged her marriage to the Wilson family.”
“Currently, the Bennett and Wilson families have very close business ties that can’t be severed overnight…”
Mrs. Bennett left her sentence unfinished, but her meaning was clear.
Without sufficient benefit, she wouldn’t give up the partnership with the Wilson family.
She frantically calculated the risks and opportunities in her mind.
Mr. and Mrs. Bennett exchanged glances, both showing reluctance.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell represented too many variables. If another memory loss incident occurred, the Bennetts couldn’t guarantee they would find another partner like the Wilson family.
Mr. Bennett’s eyes shifted as he tentatively suggested:
“Stella isn’t our only daughter. We have others who resemble her and are equally accomplished. Perhaps you might consider them instead?”
“We could all form partnerships and succeed together. How does that sound?”
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s expressions instantly darkened.
“We only want Stella! After all these years, shouldn’t that be clear to you? If you don’t want our three families to become enemies of the Bennett family, then persuade Stella to divorce James and return to us!” Adrian threatened, his dark eyes brewing danger.
16:40
Oops Thou ♪—
Chapter 22
Chapter 22
Lucas tossed several contracts onto the table. “Our three families are completely sincere. As long as Stella divorces James, regardless of which one of us she chooses, our three families will continue our partnership with the Bennett family!”
“What’s the matter? With contracts in place, aren’t you reassured? We genuinely care for Stella and don’t want to lose her. We only want to treat her well forever. Between our three families and the Wilson family, surely you must have a preference?” Maxwell added, applying both pressure and enticement.
After much hesitation, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett reluctantly agreed.
The risk was great, but so was the potential reward.
In front of Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett called Stella.
“Stella, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell have regained their memories. They’ve promised to treat you well, just like before, and are willing to marry you. You and James just got married and don’t have much emotional attachment yet, so why not divorce and come back?”
“Mom and Dad miss you. We haven’t seen you for so long and don’t know if you’re being treated well in the Wilson family. Taking care of a comatose patient until he woke up must have been very difficult for you, right?”
“You won’t have to suffer in the Wilson family anymore. We’ll be just like before with the Hayes, Crawford, and Sullivan families. We’ll make more time to come see you.”
”
Mr. and Mrs. Bennett used both soft and hard tactics, confident smiles on their faces, never imagining that Stella would refuse.
On the other end of the call, Stella was nearly suffocated with anger at these ridiculous words. She tightly gripped James’s warm hand, taking several deep breaths to maintain her composure.
“Dad, Mom, what exactly do you see me as? A tool for arranged marriage? Or a chess piece you can manipulate? As long as the Bennett family can make more money, you’ll send me to anyone?”
Mr. and Mrs. Bennett fell into an awkward silence, about to retort when she resolutely continued:
“I will not divorce James. Whatever promises Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell have made to you have nothing to do with me. I’m already married and will never turn back!”
She was utterly disappointed and would no longer allow them to hurt her.
Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, however, were completely enraged:
“We’re thinking about what’s best for you. These three men are familiar to us. They’ve apologized for their past mistakes, so forgive them. It’s good for you and for our family!”
“Good for me?” Stella laughed bitterly. “All you care about is the Bennett family’s interests!”
16:40
! Chapter 22
“Please tell Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell that I will not divorce James, nor will I ever go back to them. Everything they’re doing now only disgusts me!”
“These past few days, they’ve tried every method to see me and ask for forgiveness, but I haven’t met them once. Isn’t my attitude clear enough? If they continue to pursue me, we’ll only have one relationship in the future–enemies!”
“If something like this happens again, don’t bother contacting me.”
With that, she hung up without hesitation.
Since Mr. and Mrs. Bennett had pushed her away and never cared about her life or well–being, why should she consider the Bennett family’s interests?
Even if the Hayes, Crawford, and Sullivan families drove the Bennett family to bankruptcy, it would have nothing to do with her!
As long as the Wilson family was safe, the shares she held would guarantee her happiness for the rest of her life.
James understood her thoughts and comfortingly embraced her.
“Don’t worry, the Wilson family’s market is mainly overseas. Our projects in the city are government–affiliated. If they cause any disruption to the Wilson family’s interests here, the government will step in to control the situation.”
“Besides, I’m here. Trust me, they can’t do much. The Bennett family, however, may not be so fortunate.”
Stella’s anxious heart finally found peace.
16:40
Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Stella stared at the three yellowed cards with their childish handwriting, remembering the circumstances when they had received these cards.
“Stella, giving these as rewards doesn’t make sense. We’ll never need to use them.”
“I don’t believe that. Even the best relationships have arguments.”
“Don’t believe it? We’ll prove it to you!”
“If you don’t want them, give them back to me.”
“We want them, of course we want them! Whatever Stella gives us, we’ll treasure it!”
The memories of those carefree youths joking around were beautiful.
The faces of the boys in her memories overlapped with the three men standing before her, but Stella felt no emotion.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell–we can’t go back. I can’t honor these cards anymore.”
“From now on, if you continue to bother me, the Wilson family won’t let you off easily.”
With that, Stella took James’s hand and turned to leave.
Adrian called out to stop her.
“Stella, this is a cake we made ourselves. Just take one bite, and after that, we won’t bother you again.”
James’s brows furrowed deeply, sensing something wrong.
“Stella, you’ve already had cake. Do you need to eat this one too?”
Stella hesitated for a long time, about to refuse, when Maxwell urged:
“It’s just one bite of cake in exchange for us never bothering you again. Let us spend this last birthday with you–that’s our final wish. After this, we’ll go our separate ways.”
Hearing this, Stella was surprised and didn’t refuse.
She gave James a reassuring look, and under the expectant gaze of Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell, she took a piece of cake with her fork and put it in her mouth.
Immediately, a wave of nausea and greasiness rose in her stomach. She pushed the cake away and quickly ran to the side, retching.
James panicked, hurrying to support her, patting her back and offering her water to rinse her mouth.
The cake fell to the ground!
Chapter 24
James’s eyes reddened as he punched each of them. “Did you put something in the cake? Otherwise, why would Stella react like this?”
Lucas smiled bitterly, his eyes filled with indescribable despair.
“Yes, we did. We wanted her to lose her memory and return to us, but unfortunately, it failed.”
Hearing this, James’s expression darkened further. He quickly called for a doctor to thoroughly examine Stella, fearing that whatever was in the cake might harm her.
The doctor arrived promptly, and the results came back quickly.
James didn’t bother to chase away Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell, allowing them to wait for the results.
The doctor smiled excitedly. “Mr. Wilson, congratulations! Your wife is pregnant. What just happened was morning sickness. She vomited in time and didn’t actually eat the cake, so there’s no problem. Just take good care of her health.”
At these words, James’s mind went blank with joy.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson rushed over, and upon hearing the news, couldn’t contain their smiles.
Seeing the happiness of this family, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell fell into a terrible silence.
At this point, what right did they have to disturb Stella?
She would never forgive them.
The fact that she hadn’t eaten the cake was already her choice.
They looked at Stella countless times with reluctance, not wanting her to actively drive them away, so they left on their own.
This had been their last chance, and they had failed again.
Adrian returned to his company, throwing all his energy into work from then on.
Only this way could he control himself and not think of Stella.
However, every month he would regularly have gifts sent to her–things he thought she might like–delivered to the Wilson family, including gifts for her child.
Lucas, disregarding anyone’s objections, went to St. Gabriel’s Chapel, took his vows as a monk. Every day, he prayed for Stella.
Maxwell completely changed his once carefree nature, traveling
Chapter 1
Chapter 1
“Dad, Mom, I’ve made my decision–I’ll marry the Wilson family’s vegetative heir.”
Heard of that, Stella’s parents exchanged glances, a flicker of satisfaction in their eyes.
“James may be comatose, but the Wilson fortune will ensure you never worry about anything,” her father said. “You mentioned wanting to choose among your three childhood sweethearts, but they’ve lost their memories. They only have eyes for Natalie Pierce now. So stop fantasizing they’ll ever remember you.”
Stella Bennett lowered her gaze, her fingernails digging into her palm without feeling the pain.
“I understand,” she whispered.
“Well. The wedding will be early next month–less than two weeks away. Prepare yourself.”
She nodded and returned to her bedroom, where she unlocked her safe.
Inside lay three velvet boxes containing family heirlooms: the Hayes platinum watch with the family crest, the Crawford sapphire bracelet, and the Sullivan emerald necklace.
Once, these treasures represented the most passionate love from three young men.
They had eagerly pressed these heirlooms into her hands, making fervent promises-
“Stella, the moment I take over the family business, my first act will be to marry you.”
“Stella, my grandmother saved this bracelet for her future granddaughter–in–law. Now it’s yours.”
“Stella, this necklace complements
perfectly–just as you complement me.”
Then the earthquake changed everything.
To protect her, they suffered head injuries that erased their memories. When they awoke, they fell in love with Natalie, their housekeeper’s daughter.
Stella refused to accept defeat, trying everything possible.
She brought them love letters they’d written and photos they’d taken, only to watch them tear everything apart in public.
She took them to places from their shared past, hoping to trigger memories, but they threw her into the ocean, nearly drowning her.
She found world–renowned neurologists, only to have them break her hand and coldly sneer:
“People worth remembering aren’t forgotten so easily.”
After all her efforts left her scarred and broken, she still couldn’t make them remember their love for her.
16:38
Oops, They Forgot Me–Now They’re Begging on Their Knees!
0.00%
Chapter 1
So her heart died, and she surrendered.
She removed the three heirlooms and called Adrian Hayes.
“Adrian, where are you all? I have something important to return to you.”
On the other end, Adrian frowned slightly before smirking. “Fine. Twilight Lounge, VIP room 888.”
Stella ignored the contempt in his voice and headed to the lounge with the three velvet boxes.
The moment she pushed open the door, a bucket of foul–smelling dirty water cascaded from above, drenching her completely.
The filthy water soaked through her hair, streaming down her face and blurring her vision, chilling her to the bone.
Instantly, the room erupted with mocking laughter.
“Oh my God, look at her!”
“Serves her right for always stalking Adrian and the guys!”
Stella wiped her face and tried to step forward when her leg caught on something-
THUD!
She crashed heavily to the floor, an excruciating pain shooting through her palms.
Looking down, she saw thumbtacks scattered across the floor, many deeply embedded in her flesh. Blood poured from both hands.
“Does it hurt?”
A deep, icy voice came from above.
Stella looked up to see Adrian Hayes towering over her, disgust filling his eyes.
“Good,” he sneered. “I warned you last time not to show your pathetic face again.”
Lucas Crawford lounged on the sofa, idly flicking a lighter, his tone mocking: “People worth remembering aren’t forgotten so easily. Get it now?”
Maxwell Sullivan kicked away some thumbtacks near his foot, his gaze cutting: “Next time you stalk us, you’ll lose more than just the use of your hands.”
Natalie peeked out from Lucas’s embrace, feigning surprise: “Oh no, Stella! How could you be so clumsy?”
Her words expressed concern, but her eyes gleamed with triumph.
Adrian frowned, covering Natalie’s eyes. “Don’t look, babe. It’s disgusting.”
Stella laughed.
16:38
Done Th… r—-
Chapter 1
She pushed herself up from the floor, blood dripping from her palms, seemingly immune to the pain.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell–I didn’t come here hoping you’d recover your memories,” she said, her voice steady.
“You’re right. Things easily forgotten probably weren’t important. These are your family heirlooms, and I’m returning them to their rightful owners. From today onward, I won’t bother you again.”
With that, she turned and left, her figure fragile yet resolute.
Inside the VIP room, all three men clutched their chests simultaneous
them.
as an inexplicable, piercing pain struck
As if something irreplaceable had been lost forever.
१
16:38
Oons Thou Forgot M
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Stella returned home and silently tended to her wounded palms.
The antiseptic seeped into her flesh, making her fingertips tremble with pain yet it paled compared to the dull ache in her chest.
The next day, she visited St. Gabriel’s Chapel on the outskirts of town.
James Wilson had once been the most brilliant young man in high society–refined, dignified, and pure as daylight.
After a car accident, he became a comatose shell of his former self.
Since she had decided to marry him, their fates would be intertwined, for better or worse.
She wanted to pray for him, hoping he would wake up soon and find peace and joy.
The ancient chapel stood atop a hill with a winding path of stone steps. Stella climbed on her knees the entire way, each step a prayer, the rough stone cutting into her skin with excruciating pain.
But she didn’t mind the suffering.
At the summit, the elderly priest gave her a silver medallion of St. Michael. She carefully tucked it away, whispering: “May my husband find healing and peace.”
As she turned to leave, she spotted Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell standing nearby.
Their knees bore similar wounds–they too had made the painful climb on their knees.
But the medallions they had received now hung around Natalie’s neck.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell…” Natalie’s eyes glistened with tears, clearly moved. “You’re all too good to me.”
Adrian stroked her hair, his voice tender: “Your safety is worth any suffering.”
Lucas smiled softly: “Natalie deserves nothing but the best.”
Maxwell remained silent, simply holding Natalie’s hand in his, caressing it gently.
Stella stood frozen, her heart clenched by an invisible fist.
“Stella?” Natalie spotted her with keen eyes, feigning surprise. “What are you doing here?”
Adrian’s gaze turned cold. “Yesterday you said you’d leave us alone, and today you’re stalking us again?”
Stella shook her head. “I’m not stalking you.”
She walked to the prayer wall where visitors attached their written prayers and placed her card among the others.
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Chapter 2
[May my husband James Wilson wake soon and find peace and joy.]
Lucas caught sight of what she’d written, his expression darkening. “You dare write something like that?”
Maxwell sneered. “Claiming to give up while still fantasizing about us becoming your husband?”
Before Stella could explain, a sudden gust of wind swept through, blowing numerous prayer cards to the ground.
Everyone looked down and froze in shock-
[May Adrian Hayes and Stella Bennett remain together, year after year, never to part.]
[Lucas Crawford will marry no one but Stella Bennett in this lifetime.]
[Maxwell Sullivan loves Stella Bennett, until death do us part.]
Each card bore their names, the handwriting unmistakably theirs.
Adrian’s pupils constricted, Lucas’s fingers trembled, and Maxwell’s breath caught.
When had they written these?
Seeing their reactions, Natalie immediately stepped forward, her voice quivering with fabricated hurt: “Stella, even
if you’re jealous they prefer me, you shouldn’t forge their handwriting to write these things…”
The three men snapped out of their trance, their faces darkening.
Adrian laughed coldly. “Stella, you really are desperate.”
Lucas called his security detail: “This is disgusting. Tear down this entire prayer wall!”
The priest rushed to intervene: “Please, this wall holds the hopes and prayers of countless people. Destroying it means none of their prayers will be answered!”
Maxwell’s gaze turned icy. “Tear it down!“.
With a crash, the prayer wall was demolished.
Stella watched the scene in silence, then suddenly smiled.
What would the sixteen–year–old versions of Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell think if they saw this?
Perhaps they too would find it laughable.
16:38
Oops. They Forgot Me–Now Thorne n.
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
As they descended from the chapel, the heavens opened up with a torrential downpour.
Stella stood by the roadside, soaked to the bone and unable to catch a ride.
A sleek black Lincoln limousine cruised by, its window lowerin. ”
rain’s too heavy.”
Stella shook her head. “No thanks.”
to reveal Natalie’s delicate face. “Stella, get in. The
Adrian scoffed. “Natalie’s being nice offering you a ride. Don’t be ungrateful.”
Lucas impatiently snapped, “Stop playing hard t
get.”
Maxwell pushed the door open. “Just get in. You’re wasting our time
Stella ultimately relented and climbed inside.
The interior was comfortably
Natalie snuggled against Adrian, pouting. “Adrian, my feet hurt…”
He immediately bent down, cradling her ankle in his palm, gently massaging it.
Lucas handed her a steaming
dup. “Here, Natalie. This will warm you up.”
Maxwell draped his jacket over her shoulders. “Don’t catch cold.”
aw f
Stella looked her heart feeling like it was being pierced by countless tiny needles.
Once, they had treated her with the same tenderness.
But now, there was no going back.
Suddenly-
CRASH!
A deafening sound as the car slammed into a guardrail!
In that split second, all three men reflexively lunged toward Stella, shielding her body with theirs!
She froze in shock, dazed by the impact. Her vision darkened as she lost consciousness.
When Stella awoke, she was in a hospital.
16:38
Chapter 3
She had barely opened her eyes when the door was violently kicked open!
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell stormed in, cold fury churning in their eyes.
“Stella!” Adrian gripped her chin, his voice glacial. “What kind of spell did you cast on us?”
Lucas clenched his fists. “We love Natalie, so why the hell did we save you?!”
Maxwell’s gaze turned predatory. “Tell us what you did! Natalie’s been crying non–stop, demanding answers. Happy now?!”
“A spell?” Stella lay in the hospital bed, her pale lips twisting into a mocking smile. “You give me too much credit.”
“Cut the crap!” Adrian tightened his grip on her chin, rage boiling in his eyes. “Whatever you did, Natalie’s been crying inconsolably because of this.”
Lucas stared at her coldly. “Whatever it is, you’ll pay for it.”
Maxwell yanked out her IV line, his voice chilling. “Take her.”
They roughly dragged Stella from the bed. Her knee wounds reopened, blood immediately soaking through the bandages.
“What are you doing?!” She struggled, a sense of doom rising within her.
No one answered.
They dragged her to the hospital’s back entrance, where security guards forced her to kneel on the cold pavement.
In the distance, three luxury cars were parked side by side, engines roaring.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell each got into one.
The next moment-
WHAM!
The first car slammed into her body!
Stella was thrown through the air, crashing hard onto the ground. The sound of breaking ribs was audibly clear.
She curled into a ball, blood trickling from her mouth. Before she could recover-
CRUNCH!
The second car rolled over her body!
Bones shattered, internal organs seemed crushed. She couldn’t even scream, only clench her teeth as darkness flickered across her vision.
Finally-
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Done TL.
Chapter 3
SMASH!
The third car hit her without mercy!
Stella was thrown several yards like a broken ragdoll, finally landing in a pool of her own blood.
Through her fading consciousness, she saw Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell embracing Natalie, tenderly wiping away her tears.
“Do you believe us now?” Adrian whispered soothingly. “We only care about you. For her… we feel nothing.”
Natalie’s tears gave way to a smile as she play pouted. “Promise.
“Of course. Whatever you want,” Lucas affectionately pinched her cheek.
Maxwell didn’t even glance at Stella, simply saying: “Let’s
Stella coughed up blood, then suddenly smiled.
won’t save her again!”
Don’t let this trash sully your eyes.”
“When you remember everything…” her voice was barely a whisper, “you’ll definitely regret this…”
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Chapter 4
Chapter 4
With those words, she slipped into total darkness.
In her dream, she was sixteen again.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell surrounded her, each vying for her choice.
“Stella, pick me!” Adrian cupped her face, his tone commanding.
“Choose me, I’m more dependable than they are.” Lucas smiled, placing her hand over his heart.
“Stella, you can only be mine.” Maxwell embraced her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.
But dream–Stella pushed them away, shaking her head. “I choose none of you.”
“Why?!” All three were desperate.
“Because someday… you’ll all forget me and hurt me,” she said softly.
“Never!” Adrian gripped her wrist. “I’ll only love you my entire life!”
“Stella, don’t reject us…” Lucas’s eyes reddened.
Maxwell held her tightly. “We won’t forget you, ever!”
4
But in the dream, Stella still turned a
walked away, never looking back.
“Miss Bennett! Miss Bennett!”
The doctor’s calls pulled her back to reality.
Stella opened her eyes, her entire body feeling like it had been crushed and reassembled.
“You’ve broken five ribs and suffered internal bleeding. We almost lost you,” the doctor sighed. “You must rest completely.”
She said nothing, staring silently at the ceiling.
In the days that followed, she endured the pain alone.
The voices of nurses gossiping constantly reached her ears-
“Mr. Hayes bought out an entire jewelry district for Miss Pierce!”
“Mr. Crawford chartered a private jet to take Miss Pierce to a tropical island!”
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Chapter 4
“Mr. Sullivan went even further–he gave Miss Pierce an actual castle!”
Stella listened silently, changing her bandages with an expressionless face.
When she was finally discharged, she returned home to find her entire penthouse completely trashed!
The housekeeper trembled as she explained: “Mr. Hayes, Mr. Crawford, and Mr, Sullivan did this. They said… it was to teach you a lesson.”
A chill ran through Stella’s body. Suddenly remembering something, she rushed to her bedroom and searched frantically-
The vintage wedding dress her grandmother had made was gone!
It was the gown her grandmother had sewn stitch by stitch before passing away–the only thing Stella truly treasured!
“Natalie…” She clenched her fists, her eyes turning blood–red.
The hotel ballroom glittered with extravagant lighting.
Natalie’s birthday celebration was the epitome of luxury. When Stella burst in, the sign at the entrance struck her like a slap-
“No Stella or dogs allowed.”
Ignoring the security guards trying to block her, she stormed into the ballroom.
Inside, Natalie was dressed in a couture gown, being treated like royalty by everyone present.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell were presenting their gifts-
A diamond necklace worth millions.
7
A custom–made limited edition sports car.
The deed to a European castle.
Each gift was more breathtaking than the last.
Stella’s appearance brought an immediate hush to the room.
Adrian’s eyes turned glacial. “Who let you in?”
Lucas sneered. “Didn’t you read the sign outside?”
Maxwell simply called security. “Throw her out.”
Stella ignored them, her gaze locked on Natalie. “My wedding dress–did you take it?”
Natalie blinked innocently. “Yes, I took it. I liked it, so I helped myself.”
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Oops, They Forgot Mo–M
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
“Give it back,” Stella stared at Natalie, her voice cold as ice.
Natalie’s eyes welled with tears. “But I really love it… can’t you just give it to me?”
“Have you no shame?” Stella’s fingernails dug into her palms, her voice trembling. “I said, give it back!”
“What’s with the attitude, Stella?” Adrian seized her wrist, his grip nearly crushing her bones. “It’s just a dress. We’ll buy it from you for Natalie.”
He threw a black credit card that hit Stella’s body.
“It’s not for sale,” Stella clenched her fists, nails piercing her palms. “My grandmother sewed it stitch by stitch. There’s only one in the entire world!”
Lucas impatiently frowned. “Are you done yet? If Natalie wants it, it’s hers.”
Maxwell simply gestured dismissively. “Get her out of here.”
Security guards immediately grabbed Stella’s arms, roughly dragging her away.
She finally broke, bowing her proud head in desperation:
“Please, I’m begging you. That wedding dress can’t go to her. I’ll do anything you want, just give it back to me!”
Seeing the brokenness and despair in Stella’s eyes, Natalie’s smile widened with obvious enjoyment.
Natalie’s eyes lit up as she suggested with false innocence: “How about… you be my maid for a day?”
She turned to the three men, pouting pitifully. “When Mom and I worked as housekeepers for the Bennetts, Stella always bullied me… that’s not too much to ask, is it?”
Adrian’s eyes darkened. “Not at all.”
Lucas sneered. “Even if she refuses, we’ll make her agree.”
Guests whispered among themselves-
“Making the Bennett heiress serve as a maid to a former housekeeper’s daughter? That’s beyond humiliating…”
“Weren’t those three men completely devoted to Stella before? If they ever remember, they’ll be consumed with regret…”
Stella closed her eyes, nodding wearily. “Fine. I agree.”
The next morning, Stella arrived dressed in a maid’s uniform, run ragged by Natalie’s demands.
“Stella, get me water. Not hot, not cold, just warm.”
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Oons Thou —-
Chapter 5
“Stella, my shoes are dirty. Kneel down and clean them.”
“Stella, you look like a dog scrubbing that floor.”
She silently cleaned the floor, enduring every humiliation.
Meanwhile, Natalie sat on the sofa in a white dress, enjoying fruit fed to her Adrian, while Lucas massaged her shoulders and Maxwell adjusted her dress.
“Stella, the floor isn’t clean enough.” Natalie giggled, deliberately spilling red wine. “Clean it again.”
Stella silently knelt, wiping again and again..
Natalie then “accidentally” knocked over a bowl of soup, the scalding liquid splashing onto Stella’s hands, instantly raising angry red blisters.
“Oops, sorry!” Natalie laughed without a hint of remorse. “But you used to ‘accidentally‘ spill my food all the time, remember?”
Adrian watched coldly, not intervening but instead wrapping his arm around Natalie’s waist. “Natalie’s so kind, even apologizing to her.”
Stella bit her lip until she tasted blood.
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Done TL
Chapter 6
Chapter 6
The next day, Natalic finally “mercifully” returned the wedding dress.
But when Stella opened the box, she felt like she’d plunged into an icy abyss-
The dress had been cut to shreds, not a single piece of embroidery left intact!
“Natalie!” She looked up sharply, her eyes blood–red.
Natalie tilted her head with a smile, her tone light: “If I can’t have it, why should you?”
Stella couldn’t control herself any longer. She grabbed Natalie’s collar: “You’re dead!”
Natalie cried out in surprise, deliberately leaning backward and falling with a splash into the swimming pool!
“Help! Adrian-!”
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell rushed over, jumping into the water without hesitation to rescue Natalie.
Soaking wet, Natalie shivered in Adrian’s arms, crying dramatically: “Stella… Stella pushed me…”
“Stella!” Lucas grabbed her throat, his eyes menacing. “You’re asking for death!”
Maxwell ordered his security team: “Put her in the water chamber!”
The water chamber was the most brutal private punishment in high society.
A transparent glass box where victims were locked inside while water levels gradually rose until they nearly drowned, then drained, the torture repeated multiple times.
Stella’s face turned ghostly white as they forced her inside.
She couldn’t swim.
The frigid water rose past her knees, waist, chest… finally submerging her head completely.
She struggled desperately, but oxygen depleted rapidly. Her lungs burned as darkness clouded her vision.
Just as she approached unconsciousness, the water level slowly dropped.
She collapsed on the floor, coughing violently, but before she could catch her breath-
WHOOSH!
The water filled the chamber again!
After three cycles, she was nearly unconscious.
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Oops. They Forgot 1.
Chapter 6
Adrian kicked in the glass wall, yanking her up by her hair, his voice glacial: “You used this fucking hand to push Natalic. Now it will pay the price.”
“I’ve said many times: Natalie is our bottom line.”
He picked up a sharp shard of glass and slashed it across her wrist!
“AHHH-!”
As the glass sliced through flesh, Stella screamed in agony.
Blood gushed out–her tendon had been severed.
When she regained consciousness, she was in her own bed with a private doctor dressing her wound.
“Miss Bennett…” the doctor sighed. “Your tendon is severed. You’ll… never play piano again.”
Stella stared blankly at her bandaged right hand as tears silently fell.
The hand she had once been so proud of…
The hand Adrian had once said he “wanted to hear play piano for a lifetime“…
The doctor hesitated, then retrieved a bottle of medicine from the bottom of his bag, placing it beside her pillow.
“Miss Bennett, this is the neural repair medication you commissioned at great expense… it’s been successful.”
“Just one dose, and they’ll recover their memories.”
“Whether to use it… is entirely your decision.”
After the doctor left, Stella slowly picked up the bottle, her fingers trembling.
Suddenly she smiled, a pale, tragic smile.
“Of course I’ll use it…”
“Otherwise… how will they ever understand the pain I’m feeling now?”
She couldn’t wait.
Couldn’t wait to see their faces when they remembered everything–that gut–wrenching regret.
While Stella recovered at home, she contemplated how to administer the medicine to Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell. Before she could act, however, the parents of all three men arrived at her door with their sons.
Mrs. Hayes immediately teared up, taking Stella’s hand: “Stella, we’ve heard about recent events. These three brats… we’ve brought them here to apologize! Don’t blame them–they lost their memories and forgot you’re the one they love most.”
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Oons Than
Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Adrian stood nearby, his expression dark and impatient. “Mom, what kind of nonsense has she been feeding you?”
Lucas sneered. “Even with amnesia, we remember what’s important. The unimportant things… aren’t worth remembering.”
Maxwell was even more direct: “Natalie is the only one we care about.”
The parents turned ashen with anger. Adrian’s father scolded, “You’ll regret treating her like this once your memories return!”
Stella lowered her eyes, silent for a moment, then suddenly pulled out a gold–embossed invitation from her drawer. “Thank you for your concern, but… I’m getting married,” she said softly.
“What?!” The parents were shocked.
Adrian’s mother opened the invitation in disbelief. “Stella, you can’t be serious? James is in a vegetative state!”
Lucas’s father urgently explained, “Stella, didn’t our families agree? Your future husband would be chosen from among these three…”
Maxwell’s mother anxiously clutched her hand. “Stella, please wait. They’ll remember eventually! When they do, they’ll go mad if they find you’ve married someone else!”
“There’s no need to Owait,” Stella smiled faintly. “I’ve made up my mind. Between us… it simply wasn’t meant to be.”
Only then did Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell realize-
The prayer card she’d written at the chapel hadn’t contained their names at all.
It was… James.
A strange surge of anger and pain instantly flooded their hearts. Their expressions changed dramatically, though they couldn’t understand where these emotions came from.
“The wedding is tomorrow,” Stella said softly. “You’re all invited.”
Adrian finally recovered, his face cold. “I have no interest in attending your wedding.”
Lucas mocked, “We’re taking Natalie to a private island tomorrow. We don’t have time for this.”
Maxwell turned away. “What’s the point of attending a vegetable’s wedding?”
With that, the three men turned to leave.
“Wait,” Stella suddenly called after them.
She walked to the wine cabinet and poured three glasses of red wine. With her back turned to them, she secretly
16:39
Chapter 7
sprinkled the memory–recovery powder into the drinks.
“Since you won’t attend, at least have a toast to my happiness.”
She handed them the glasses, her gaze steady.
Adrian stared at her for two seconds, then smirked and drained his glass in opg gulp.
Lucas and Maxwell frowned but drank theirs as well.
“Terrible,” Maxwell said, slamming his glass down before walking out without a backward glance.
On the wedding day, Stella sat in the dressing room when she received a call from Natalie.
“I heard you’re getting married today? Congratulations!” Natalie’s voice was sickeningly sweet. “Enjoy spending your life with that vegetable!”
She boasted proudly: “Adrian gave me a pink diamond today, Lucas chartered an entire cruise ship for my birthda and Maxwell even transferred shares of the Sullivan Group to me… How should I repay them, do you think?”
Stella checked the time and suddenly smiled.
“Natalie,” she said softly, “this beautiful dream of yours is about to end.”
Natalie’s voice faltered. “What do you mean?”
“They’re about to regain their memories very soon.”
“No! Impossible!” Natalie screamed hysterically. “What did you do?!”
Stella couldn’t be bothered to listen anymore and hung up.
4
At the wedding venue, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson looked at her apologetically. “Stella, though James remains unconscious, our family will never mistreat you.”
Seeing their concerned expressions, Stella felt a lump in her throat.
This was warmth she had never experienced from her own parents.
“Mom, Dad,” she said softly, “I will stay loyal to James for life.”
She walked toward James in his wheelchair.
His eyes were closed, his face pale yet still strikingly handsome, as if he were merely sleeping.
Exquisite floral arrangements and brilliant lights transformed the venue into a dreamlike scene.
The spotlights illuminated Stella, her diamond–studded wedding dress flowing like the Milky Way, breathtakingly beautiful.
With everyone bearing witness, the host began:
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Oops. Thou For…
16:39
Chapter 7
“Does the bride willingly take this man to be her husband, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and
in health, to cherish for all your days, until the end of time?”
Just as Stella was about to say “I do…”
BANG!
The ballroom doors were violently thrown open!
4
Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell stood trembling, their eyes bloodshot.
Their gazes locked onto Stella, their voices hoarse with anguish-
“Stella… don’t marry him.”
“I do.”
Right in front of the three men, Stella gave her answer without hesitation.
The entire wedding venue fell into a deathly silence, unnervingly quiet.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s pupils contracted in shock, hardly believing what they’d heard. Despite being blocked by countless security guards, they fought desperately to push forward, knocking out numerous guards in their attempt.
An overwhelming tide of regret and bitterness washed over them, instantly drowning them in emotion.
Everything that had happened recently replayed in their minds, tormenting them over and over again.
They grew so distressed that their faces turned ashen, their vision narrowing until all they could see was Stella.
“Please don’t marry him, I’m begging you.”
Adrian’s expression crumbled, his typically cold face filled with desperation as he pleaded pitifully.
But Stella didn’t even turn to look at him.
In front of everyone, she announced: “The wedding will continue!”
The host gradually regained composure, suppressing the tremor in his voice to continue the ceremony.
“Now, the bride and groom will exchange rings and share their first kiss as husband and wife!”
Stella opened the ring box and took out two rings.
The three men were nearly driven mad, their eyes bulging with rage. Completely losing all reason, they charged forward like lunatics, determined to take her away.
“Who dares disrupt our family’s wedding!”
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson shouted sternly as their former special forces security guards immediately pinned Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell to the ground.
Knowing their capabilities and the danger they posed, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson had called in dozens of special forces security guards.
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Chapter 8
The guards surrounded the three men, quickly binding their hands and feet and gagging their mouths.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson called the Hayes, Crawford, and Sullivan families.
Shortly afterward, the three sets of parents arrived with dark expressions, growing even angrier at the sight of their
sons.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell! You three insisted on abandoning Stella before, and today, no matter what, you will watch her wedding to the end!”
“When you drank that glass of wedding wine, your relationship with her was already over. Being allowed to attend as guests was a privilege you had to beg for!”
Each of the parents delivered an unforgiving slap to their son’s face.
Though their faces were struck sideways, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s eyes remained stubborn and unyielding.
Lucas struggled fiercely, the restraints cutting bloody marks into his wrists, but he seemed not to notice.
The knife–like pain in his chest nearly suffocated him, his body trembling violently with emotion.
“Stella, you can’t marry him. It was all our fault. We remember everything now. We’re sorry…”
He mumbled through the tape covering his mouth, his forehead damp with sweat, utterly consumed by despair.
But Stella never once glanced in their direction.
In front of all the guests, she took James’s hand and slipped the ring onto his finger.
Their hands, both wearing matching rings, intertwined intimately.
Stella gazed quietly at James’s extraordinarily handsome face, feeling no hesitation in her heart.
Even though he had been in a vegetative state for a year, his frame somewhat thinner, the contours of his muscles were still clearly defined.
Professional caregivers massaged him daily, so he didn’t look very different from before.
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
The tailored suit accentuated James’s tall, long–legged frame. Even seated in a wheelchair, sleeping, he didn’t appear fragile.
His thin lips were pale but conveyed a distant coolness, his stern features suggesting how imposing his presence would be when awake.
Marrying him didn’t seem like such a bad thing after all.
Stella closed her eyes gently and leaned forward to place a kiss on James’s lips.
Her lipstick colored his pale lips red, making his complexion appear more vibrant, as if he might wake at any
moment.
Witnessing this scene, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell felt their hearts being stabbed repeatedly, as if someone was twisting a knife inside them.
Maxwell struggled wildly, breaking down to the point that bloody tears streamed from his eyes.
The guards restraining him were affected by his violent movements, nearly losing their grip several times as he knocked over chairs and tables.
“Stella! You’re mine! You’re supposed to marry me…”
He roared like a wounded animal, completely losing his mind.
Nearby, Adrian and Lucas were in similar states–their eyes bloodshot, bulging with desperation. Despite being restrained by numerous guards, they continued to fight with tremendous strength.
The three families‘ parents wore deeply troubled expressions as they repeatedly apologized to Mr. and Mrs. Wilson.
“We’re so sorry for this. The wedding is done, they’ve seen it. Stella and they have no future together. We’ll take them away immediately!”
With that, the three sets of parents gave their sons no further opportunity to watch, ordering their security teams to drag them home.
In their field of vision, Stella’s figure grew smaller and smaller until she disappeared completely.
The three men reached the breaking point of despair, the last glimmer of light in their eyes extinguished as their struggles gradually weakened.
It was over for them.
The woman they had once wholeheartedly wanted to marry was now wed to someone else.
And they had pushed her away with their own hands.
Chapter 9
Overwhelming pain and despair plunged them into an abyss.
Everything that had happened in these short three months replayed relentlessly in their minds, constantly tormenting them, driving them deeper into despair.
They had lost their memories, forgotten the person they loved most, and had hurt and humiliated her so terribly!
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell were consumed by self–reproach, their eyes moist as tears fell.
The heart–wrenching pain surged like a tidal wave–they only wished that they had been the ones to suffer during these past three months.
The guards threw them onto the floor of a room where they lay with vacant eyes that let in no light.
With a loud bang, the door closed. They were locked together in a pitch–black room, the ropes binding their hands somehow removed.
They lay on the floor in despair, with no desire to struggle.
Suddenly, the room lit up. Every wall displayed projections of how they had tormented Stella over the past few months.
Many were security camera videos–not high definition, but clear enough to show everything they had done to Stella and their expressions of disgust.
Though only a few months had passed, Stella had nearly died multiple times because of them and suffered countless humiliations.
Once they had cherished her above all else, only regretting they hadn’t been good enough to make her choose them definitively.
But now, they had left her broken and wounded, and their former love had completely dissipated.
The videos played over and over, like torture slowly flaying their hearts.
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Chapter 10
Chapter 10
The scenes before them merged with fragmented memories in their minds, nearly driving them insane.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell pounded their chests in anguish–each strike a brutal confession.
At this moment, Natalic tearfully knocked on the door of the darkened room where the three men were confined.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell, are you in there? Let me help you out, please! When you suddenly disappeared, I was so
scared!”
“The memories appearing in your minds are fake–Stella made them up! She drugged you to create these false recollections. Please don’t believe her!”
Natalie panicked, knocking desperately on the door, hoping for a response as she tried to rescue them.
She was genuinely frightened. At the haunted house in the amusement park, they had been protecting her in their arms just moments before, comforting her and shielding her from any frightening scenes.
Then suddenly, they were struck with intense headaches. The love in their eyes visibly vanished completely, their gazes instantly becoming unfamiliar and cold.
Without hesitation, they had pushed her away and ran off like madmen.
Natalie fell to the ground, terrified by the haunted house characters. She had crawled out with her eyes closed, scraping her knees and palms.
Afterward, Stella’s words echoed in her mind–Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell would regain their memories.
It was the wine they drank yesterday!
A thousand thoughts raced through Natalie’s mind; she even considered running away.
But she still clung to a desperate hope–what if they still loved her, even after regaining their memories?
After all, Stella had married someone else. There was no future for them with her.
Why couldn’t she, Natalie, be the one to be with them?
She had developed genuine feelings with them!
Their indulgence and affection over these months had been real, their kindness to her had been real.
She wanted to gamble on how much she meant to them.
Natalie called into the dark room several times without receiving any response.
Just as she was about to leave in defeat, Adrian’s characteristically cold voice suddenly came from inside.
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Chapter 10
“Let her in!”
His voice carried a hint of anger, sounding dangerous, but Natalie was too excited to think much about it. She turned to look around.
The next moment, a guard coldly opened the door, pushed her inside, then closed and locked it again.
The smile on Natalie’s face had barely formed before it froze.
Seeing Lucas and Maxwell approaching with clenched fists, her legs involuntarily weakened, and her heart began
to race.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell, what are you doing? I came to rescue you! Stella doesn’t love you. She’s trying to alter your memories. I won’t let her succeed. Please believe me!”
Her voice trembled as she spoke.
Lucas’s eyes narrowed slightly as he said softly, “Is that so? Do you think we’re all fools?”
As his words fell, his eyes instantly turned cold as his large hand gripped Natalie’s throat, pinning her against the wall.
<
His expression remained calm, as if he were merely crushing an ant. Natalie felt her blood run cold.
“No… Lucas, you can’t do this to me. Did you forget the memories of these past few months? Did you forget your feelings for me?”
Chapter 11
Chapter 11
“You said that regardless of past, present, or future, you would only ever love me. Why are you treating me this way now? What did I do wrong?”
She defiantly lifted her chin, tears welling in her eyes, the corners of her eyes and the tip of her nose reddened, looking pitiful and vulnerable.
.
“You were the ones who said you liked me, and now you’re the ones torturing me. If that’s how it is, I’ll give you back to Stella. I’ll leave with my mother right now. She said she would introduce me to potential matches, and I’ll marry whoever it is!”
“No matter who they are, I’ll marry them. I won’t bother you again. Does that satisfy you?”
As she spoke, Natalie gave Lucas’s chest a light push
step.
Why Join a show of reluctant departure, but she couldn’t even take one
Maxwell’s dark eyes gathered dangerously as
fatihbarat kicked Natalie squarely in the chest.
“Lucas! If you still like her, then get out of my way! Why waste fucking words on her? If she hadn’t deceived us when we woke up with amnesia, telling us we loved her and that Stella always bullied her, how would we have ended up like this!”
He kicked Natalie violently, sending her thin body flying like a broken kite. She crashed into the wall and slid down like a puddle of mud, powerless.
Adrian’s eyes were equally dark, his presence terrifying as he stared at Natalie with a gaze sharp as knives, as if looking at a dead person.
16
He stepped on her hand, and with several cracking sounds, deliberately crushed the bones in her hand.
“If it weren’t for your meddling, we would have eventually regained our memories and fallen in love with Stella again!”
“If it weren’t for you, how could we have hurt Stella over and over, bringing us to this irreversible point?!”
Excruciating pain shot up from her fingers. Natalie turned deathly pale, cold sweat pouring down as her pleas came out weak and breathless.
“It hurts… Lucas, it hurts so much. Please let me go?”
Her broken fingers trembled involuntarily, but no one showed any sympathy.
The Lucas she had pinned her hopes on revealed a sinister smile as he walked straight toward her. “You don’t actually think I still like you, do you?”
His voice was as dangerous as a venomous snake’s hiss. As he spoke, he mercilessly crushed her other hand.
Chapter 11
“How ridiculous. I only hate you. I wish I could slice you into a thousand pieces!”
“How much pain must Stella have felt when she was injured so badly? What you’re experiencing now isn’t even a thousandth of what she endured!”
“Ahhh!” Both of Natalie’s hands were crushed beyond recognition; using them normally again would likely be impossible.
However, her torment was far from over.
Though Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell couldn’t leave, that didn’t mean they were limited to torturing Natalie in this room alone.
They directed the guards to make Natalie experience everything that Stella had gone through, one by one.
For several consecutive days, Natalie endured hell–like torture.
She was already covered in wounds, but the three men showed no intention of letting her go.
Every time they watched the videos of what had happened over these months, their anger reignited.
In just a few short days, Natalie was tortured beyond recognition–her once–delicate features now a hollowed–out mask of suffering.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell remained locked in the darkened room, staring at each other in profound silence.
Punishing Natalie hadn’t brought them the satisfaction or relief they’d imagined.
True, some of Stella’s suffering had been caused by Natalie.
But the vast majority of her pain had been inflicted by them!
They had tortured her with their own hands, systematically destroying all the love in her heart, pushing her toward someone else!
Chapter 12
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell despised their former selves and each other.
During these days, they had barely slept through a single night.
In their dreams, happy memories with Stella would suddenly transform into the image of her in a wedding dress, resolutely marrying someone else.
Countless times they awoke from these nightmares, only to find reality far more cruel than their dreams.
Adrian was terrifyingly silent. Lucas and Maxwell also sat wordlessly in the corner, watching the projected images on the wall, repeatedly whispering to Stella: “I’m sorry.”
On screen, she was hit by cars again and again. Each time the three men saw this, their hearts clenched painfully.
How desperate must she have felt, lying in a pool of blood?
The childhood friends who had always protected her had deliberately hit her with their cars.
One slight difference, and she might have lost her life–creating consequences that could never be undone.
No amount of “I’m sorry” could bring back a life once lost.
The three men felt nothing but emptiness in their hearts.
The door to the room opened at some point.
Their parents entered and, seeing their devastated state, sighed deeply several times.
“We warned you more than once back then. We told you that you would regret treating her that way, advised you to be kinder to Stella, but not once did you listen to us.”
“The situation you’re in now–you deserve it!”
Adrian’s parents‘ voices were ice cold as they glared at the three young men.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell knelt on the ground, heads bowed in silence, not attempting to argue.
Lucas’s parents spoke decisively: “Stella is a good girl. Although James is in a vegetative state, what’s done is done. You made your choices back then, so don’t regret it and go after Stella now!”
“That day, our three families lost all face. Now we’re the laughingstock of high society. If you still obsessively pursue her, don’t blame us as parents for being harsh!”
Maxwell’s parents nodded in agreement. “You have no future with Stella. Give up while you can! You’ve broken her heart completely. She gave you the medicine to restore your memories, so how could she not know your current state?”
Chapter 12
“Her intentions are clear–she doesn’t love you anymore. If you continue to pursue her, you’ll only make her hate you more!”
Finally, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell raised their heads, their eyes showing the same unwillingness to give up and
determination.
“We won’t give up. We will atone for everything we’ve done, but we’ve loved Stella for too long to abandon her!”
Adrian unhesitatingly threw out these words as he slowly stood up and walked out.
Lucas and Maxwell rose in succession.
“Mom, Dad, we made those choices when we weren’t thinking clearly. If Stella wants to see us suffer and regret, I’ll satisfy her. I’ll atone until she forgives me!”
Lucas’s expression was resolute, every word firm and clear.
Maxwell was equally determined as he solemnly stated: “Mom, Dad–don’t worry about this. No matter the consequences, we won’t give up on Stella. You know our personalities; you know threats won’t work. This is our business, not yours!”
Watching the three men leave, their parents exchanged glances, sighing helplessly for a long time, unable to do anything.
The most they could do was confine their sons for a few days–that was the limit.
After all, their children were grown and capable; as parents, they had no real control anymore.
They could only hope the young men would hit the wall and turn back soon.
Because judging by Stella’s demeanor, forgiveness seemed entirely out of the question.
Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Of course, that was exactly what Stella thought as well.
The moment she decided to drug Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s drinks, she was perfectly clear about her intentions.
She wanted to watch them suffer consciously for the rest of their lives.
It was precisely because she understood their past love for her that she could anticipate how much pain and guilt they would feel once their memories returned.
But how could mere emotional suffering compensate for what she endured?
She wanted them to pay back a thousandfold, both physically and mentally–only then would it balance the injuries she had suffered!
Stella sat with James in good spirits, chattering about everything she had experienced with the three men.
As husband and wife, she didn’t want this matter to become a barrier between them.
Even though James was still in a vegetative state, with his awakening remaining uncertain.
After finishing her story, she took a few sips of water and pulled out a medallion she had obtained from St. Gabriel’s Chapel. She unfastened two buttons of his collar and carefully placed it around his neck.
“James, I hope you stay safe and wake up soon.”
Her cascading hair brushed against James’s face, causing his eyelashes to flutter slightly.
Stella noticed this and felt her mind go blank, hardly daring to believe what she’d seen.
“James? Did you just move? Are you waking up?”
However, after waiting several seconds, James showed no further response.
Her tears of excitement rolled down her cheeks and dropped onto his lips. Visibly, his eyelids trembled several times.
Stella quickly pressed the nearby bell to summon a nurse.
“James just moved a few times, like he was responding to what I said. Does that mean he might wake up soon?”
The nurse immediately wheeled James away for a comprehensive examination.
Shortly afterward, the doctor returned with a joyful expression and excitedly told Stella and Mr. and Mrs. Wilson:
“Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, and congratulations to the young Mrs. Wilson. The young Mr. Wilson’s nervous system is gradually recovering function. His brain is now responding to ovtorn – 1
spend time talking to him to stimulate brain
.
Chapter 13
Upon hearing this, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were so moved that tears welled in their eyes. They held Stella’s hands, almost unable to speak through their emotion.
“Stella, did you hear that? James is going to wake up. It’s all thanks to you–you’re truly the greatest blessing our family could have!”
“If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t know when James might wake up. He might have just remained asleep until death.”
Stella nodded along, but inwardly, some concerns arose.
If James woke up, would he accept this arranged marriage?
After all, he had been unconscious during the wedding; they hadn’t obtained his consent.
What if his heart belonged to someone else? What would she do then?
They were already legally married–would she have to step aside?
Mrs. Wilson immediately sensed what Stella was thinking and comfortingly patted her hand.
“Stella, don’t worry. James has always been focused solely on his work, never showing interest in women. But perhaps you’ve forgotten–you two knew each other before.”
“The Wilson and Bennett families come from the same hometown. When you were children, you played together. You clung to him, asking to be carried, refusing to walk. Though he typically disliked other children, he actually carried you all day, refusing to let go, even wanting to take you home.”
Hearing this, Stella was surprised, her fair cheeks unconsciously turning slightly pink.
Mrs. Wilson’s smile widened as she embraced Stella tenderly and continued:
“Stella, we chose you for this marriage partly because we felt sorry for you. Your parents didn’t love you, and those three boys from the Hayes, Crawford, and Sullivan families bullied you so terribly. We wanted to bring you into our family and openly care for you properly–that’s why we proposed the marriage.”
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Chapter 14
Chapter 14
“Don’t worry about a thing. Everything we promised you before the wedding will be honored. James’s shares have already been transferred to your name. You can manage them yourself or have James handle them–it’s entirely your decision.”
“Even if you two eventually find you’re incompatible and want a divorce, we can adopt you as our daughter. No matter what, we’ll always be family!”
Mrs. Wilson’s embrace was incredibly warm and exuded a reassuring fragrance.
Stella couldn’t help but tear up, nodding with a choked voice.
“Thank you, Mom.”
She had no doubt that if any other family of equal standing to the Bennett family had proposed marriage, her parents would have readily agreed.
After all, she meant nothing to them–she was merely a tool for a matrimonial alliance. They didn’t care about her happiness.
Besides her, both her parents had lovers and illegitimate children outside their marriage, maintaining their relationship solely for mutual benefit.
In the past, the Hayes, Crawford, and Sullivan families had been kind to her only because their sons liked her, extending their care to her and considering her a suitable daughter–in–law.
She had been grateful to them, but that goodwill had been completely eroded by countless instances of torment.
However, Stella never expected to be so fortunate as to receive such genuine care from Mr. and Mrs. Wilson.
She wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes and forced a smile as she returned Mrs. Wilson’s embrace.
“Mom, when James wakes up, our family will be complete. I believe that day isn’t far off.”
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson exchanged glances and both nodded with smiles.
“Yes, indeed.”
Having other matters to attend to, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson left after spending some time with James.
J
The spacious hospital room now held only James and Stella.
Looking at his sleeping face, Stella felt completely at peace.
With several caretakers present, she had little to do except talk to him.
As she left the hospital room, she was startled by three figures leaning against the wall by the door.
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Chapter 14
Recognizing who they were, her expression instantly turned cold.
“Why have you come looking for me here? This isn’t a place you should be. I don’t want you disturbing James.”
“James?” Adrian echoed incredulously, his voice hoarse with sadness. “You’ve only met him a handful of times, yet you’re already calling him so intimately?”
Stella walked a few steps away from the room, standing in the garden. Looking at Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell who had followed her, she couldn’t help but laugh scornfully.
“What’s wrong with that? James and I are husband and wife now. Whether I call him James, or husband, or whatever I choose to call him–it has nothing to do with any of you three.”
“Besides, I remember you all started calling Natalie by her nickname just days after losing your memories. What right do you have to question me?”
At her words, the color drained from all three men’s faces.
Lucas’s lips moved, but all he could manage was a dry, “I’m sorry.”
Maxwell, anxious and flustered, quickly explained: “Stella, this is different!”
“We were wrong about Natalie, and we’ll accept whatever punishment you want to give us. But marriage isn’t a joke–this James is just a vegetative patient who can’t even provide you with basic happiness!”
“Even if you’re angry and want to punish us, please don’t play around with something as serious as marriage!”
Adrian nodded in agreement. “Stella, we remember everything now. Natalie has received her due punishment–she’s suffered tenfold for every injury you experienced. We truly understand our mistakes.”
Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Seeing the remorse and pain in the three men’s eyes, Stella felt only satisfaction, without a trace of sympathy.
Only when they truly experienced the same torment and heartbreak she had endured could they genuinely understand her suffering!
With a cold expression, Stella defended James: “James will wake up eventually. He and I are husband and wife, and our marriage is not a joke. I’m being completely rational. From now on, I will only have feelings for James. Whether you acknowledge your mistakes or not is irrelevant to me.”
With that, she turned to leave.
Lucas quickly grabbed her hand, pleading: “Stella, please don’t be so cruel to us. If we hadn’t lost our memories, we would have loved you unwaveringly. It was Natalie who created misunderstandings between us. You can hit me, yell at me, even run me over with a car–just please don’t love James.”
During the seconds they waited for Stella’s answer, all three men were in agony.
In all their years of knowing her, they never imagined that one day Stella would marry someone else, let alone fall in love with another man.
If James truly woke up, would they still have a chance?
The mere thought made Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell feel as if their hearts were being torn apart.
But Stella merely laughed at Lucas’s words.
“Misunderstandings? There were never any misunderstandings between us.”
As the three men attempted to explain, she continued with a cold smile:
“If you truly loved me, even after losing your memories, you would have fallen in love with me again.”
“But you didn’t. After waking up, you believed Natalie’s words just because she was nice to you, took care of you, and spoke ill of me. You didn’t fall in love with me again.”
“If you hadn’t lost your memories, can you guarantee you would never have developed feelings for Natalie? You
can’t!”
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s eyes filled with shock and pain.
Their minds raced with endless questions, even as they instinctively protested:
“No, we wouldn’t have. We only love you…”
But perhaps even they realized their words lacked conviction, as their voices grew increasingly faint.
“Claiming you only love someone is easy enough to say.”
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Chapter 15
“Before, you said you would only ever love me. Then you lost your memories and said you would only love Natalie. What about the future?”
“If you lost your memories again and met someone new, would you claim to love her forever too? Ha, your love comes quite cheap, doesn’t it?”
The three men stood frozen, momentarily speechless, unable to refute her words.
They wanted to prove they wouldn’t fall in love with anyone else, but they had no convincing evidence.
Stella resolutely pulled her hand from Lucas’s grasp and walked away without a backward glance.
Watching her retreating figure, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell felt a pain so intense they could hardly breathe.
After a long while, they finally solidified their resolve.
They would prove to her that they loved only her, and they would atone for their sins!
The next day, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell attempted to visit and apologize, but were turned away by the Wilson family’s security guards.
Unlike the Bennett family, the Wilson family wouldn’t allow them in without Stella’s permission.
The three men stood in the rain outside the estate compound for an entire night.
The security guards notified Stella several times, but received the same answer each time: “Don’t worry about them. If they want to get soaked, let them. They won’t die.”
For a full day and night, the rain thoroughly drenched their clothes, which clung to their bodies, perfectly outlining their figures.
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Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Gradually, all three men’s lips had turned pale, especially the slender Lucas.
They were feverish but refused to leave.
Stella, after carefully dressing herself, got into the car heading to the hospital.
Seeing her through the car window, Adrian instinctively ran after the vehicle, with the other two following closely behind.
“Stella! We’re sorry!”
Stella didn’t look back. She went straight to James’s hospital room and chatted with him as usual.
Her phone kept buzzing incessantly. She had blocked and deleted Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s numbers, so they used other numbers to contact her.
Glancing briefly at her phone, she saw photos and messages about them being hospitalized with fever.
Seeing their flushed faces and vulnerable expressions, she felt only irritation.
Such tactics wouldn’t work on her.
She turned off her phone and peacefully enjoyed her quiet time with James.
The air was fresh after the rain, and her mood was quite good.
When she left the hospital, she was surrounded by bodyguards sent by James’s parents.
Perhaps realizing that approaching her directly was futile and only annoyed her, the three men changed their strategy.
Every day, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell sent her apology videos.
On the first day, they rewrote love letters, bought gifts, photoshopped pictures of them together, and sincerely apologized.
When Stella saw those love letters written with such different mindsets, she felt that the pure–hearted young men who once loved her were gone forever.
The identical or similar gifts they bought based on their memories could never be the original ones that carried their shared history.
And no matter how skillfully the photos were edited, they were ultimately fake.
On the second day, they visited all the places they had been together, apologizing at each location and reminiscing about the past.
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Chapter 16
Stella did not respond.
On the third day, they went to St. Gabriel’s Chapel and rebuilt a prayer wall, placing prayer cards on it.
On the fourth day, they arranged for cars to hit them, landing themselves in the hospital.
They endured every injury Stella had ever suffered, one by one.
Only by personally experiencing the feeling of being near death could they understand that desperation.
Everything they had once destroyed, they tried to rebuild piece by piece.
But what had been destroyed wasn’t those material things–it was her genuine feelings for them.
Stella offered no response, focusing solely on supporting James through his rehabilitation.
During that month, James awakened. The moment his cool gaze fell upon her, Stella felt her heart skip a beat.
Only then did she truly understand what it meant to fall in love.
When James clearly saw her, his cool demeanor instantly transformed into boundless tenderness.
“Stella, you’ve been waiting for me for a long time, haven’t you?”
O
Stella blushed and shook her head. “Not long. As long as you wake up, no amount of time is too long.”
was
The smile on his face barely contained as he restrained himself, drawing her into his embrace with reverence.
“The grievances and pain you’ve suffered–do you need my help to settle them?”
“No need, I can handle it myself,” Stella refused without hesitation, her mind firmly made up..
James showed no disappointment, only smiling warmly as he said, “Alright. My family and I will always be your support.”
She instinctively averted her gaze, feeling her heart pounding wildly as she nodded awkwardly.
For several consecutive days, she accompanied him through rehabilitation.
James’s recovery brought immense joy to the entire Wilson family. They arranged for his discharge and specially organized a celebration.
When Stella and James returned home, they saw the entire house decorated almost identically to their wedding day. Both of them froze, almost thinking they had entered the wrong place.
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Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson approached them with smiles, taking their hands and leading them to change clothes.
“Stella, James, this is to make up for the incomplete wedding ceremony that day.”
The wedding dress was different from the one at their actual wedding–this one was more elaborate and enchanting.
Mrs. Wilson gazed at Stella’s breathtakingly beautiful reflection in the mirror, her eyes brimming with joy.
“Stella, James didn’t get to see you in your wedding dress that day, but from now on, everything between you two will be perfect!”
As she spoke, she helped Stella put on a sapphire necklace, sincerely exclaiming, “Beautiful!”
A warm feeling spread through Stella’s heart as her lips curved upward involuntarily, and she nodded slightly.
After leaving the dressing room, she saw James dressed in a suit that complemented her gown. Though his steps were slow, they were steady as he walked toward her and took her hand.
“Marrying you is the greatest honor of my life,” he said, his deep, magnetic voice resonating in her ears.
The tips of her ears turned red as she earnestly replied, “Mine too.”
Stella and James took the stage and went through the wedding ceremony once more.
This time, after exchanging rings, James lifted her veil and, no longer restraining himself, kissed her deeply.
The wedding was livestreamed globally. Despite their injuries, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell rushed from the hospital to the Wilson residence.
The security guards at the entrance to the estate didn’t stop them this time, but at the mansion’s main gate stood a sign that read: “Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell, and dogs not allowed inside.”
Their photos were marked with glaring red crosses, an unmistakable gesture of humiliation.
By the time they managed to burst in, the ceremony had concluded. Stella and James had changed into different outfits and were enjoying the reception.
One by one, guests approached with champagne flutes, wishing them marital bliss and happiness.
James accepted all the well–wishes graciously, nodding to each one.
Stella stayed by his side, holding his arm and nestling against him.
Noticing he had been standing for too long, she leaned close to his ear and whispered:
“James, you should rest now. Your legs will hurt otherwise.”
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Chapter 17
“Alright.”
James didn’t try to be tough. He allowed a servant to bring a wheelchair and let Stella push him.
He wanted to be with her for a very long time and didn’t want to risk his health.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s gazes fixed on their intertwined hands, staring intently they might have burned holes through them.
“Stella, we apologized. Did you see?” Adrian forced the words out from deep in his throat, his emotions a turmoil of bitterness.
Stella slowly turned her gaze toward the three men and casually remarked:
“Where are the security guards? How did they get in? Wasn’t it stated that they and dogs weren’t allowed inside?”
Her words were met with dead silence throughout the venue.
Countless guests understood the entanglement between them and had witnessed the three men humiliating Stella in the past.
However, they hadn’t expected karma to strike so quickly.
The three men quickly recalled everything that had happened that day, their faces alternating between pale and flushed.
Maxwell was the first to speak, seemingly unfazed: “Stella, don’t send us away. If you want to humiliate us, we’re willing to accept it!”
“We’ll even act as your servants for a day if necessary, as long as we can stay by your side and you forgive us.”
Lucas nodded in agreement. “I feel the same way.”
Though Adrian remained silent, his stance was obvious.
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Chapter 18
As many gathered around to watch, the three hesitantly prepared to bark when a gardener aimed a hose at them, soaking them completely.
With water dripping from their hair and blurring their vision, a car suddenly sped toward them, sideswiping them and knocking them to the ground.
When they tried to push themselves up, countless thumbtacks pierced their palins.
Their already injured hands began bleeding profusely again.
Stella maneuvered around the obstacles and approached them, offering a faint smile.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell, as of today, you’ve experienced all the pain I once felt. I’m satisfied, so I’ve let go of the past.”
Just as hope began to flicker in their hearts, she continued:
“However, I’m married now, as I’ve told you many times. From now on, if I love anyone, it will only be my husband, James.”
“Stop pursuing us. I’m very happy with James and don’t want to be disturbed by you. Let’s put the past behind us. I’ve forgiven you.”
Stella’s nonchalant demeanor resembled a drifting cloud, unwilling to linger for them any longer.
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Chapter 19
Chapter 19
“No! Stella, don’t go!”
Adrian instinctively reached for her hand with his bloodied one, but she dodged it without hesitation.
Lucas licked his dry lips and struggled to speak. “Stella, I’m no worse than James. Anything he can do, I can do too. I’ll treat you better than before. Can’t we start over?”
Maxwell’s face was filled with sorrow and devastation. His hands hung at his sides, clenched tightly, driving the thumbtacks deeper as blood continued to flow through the gaps between his fingers.
As if feeling no pain, he gritted his teeth, his eyes red with emotion. “Stella, you once promised to stay with us forever. I will never give up. The past isn’t over! I won’t allow it to be over!”
“Why should we be the only ones suffering for the past? Stella, this isn’t fair.”
Hearing their words, James’s eyes showed nothing but disgust and coldness.
“Fair? When has love ever been about fairness? Was it fair when you all abandoned Stella for Natalie?”
“You failed to cherish Stella, so someone else will. The only advantage I have over you is that I’ve never loved anyone else.”
With that, he cast a contemptuous glance at them, rose from his wheelchair, and took Stella’s hand as they walked back into the mansion.
As the doors of the He residence closed, he coldly delivered a final message:
“Remove these unwelcome guests and never let them in again.”
Several security guards immediately responded with “Yes, sir” and hurried to escort them out.
For several days afterward, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell couldn’t find an opportunity to see Stella.
The mementos they sent to the Wilson residence, hoping to evoke her memories, were all thrown in the trash without earning even a glance from her.
They had tried everything, yet remained exactly where they started.
Numerous friends in their social circle forwarded them a video clip of Stella and James embracing and kissing beneath fireworks.
Under the brilliantly exploding fireworks, the couple looked like a painting come to life.
Their passionate kiss and the intense love in their eyes when they looked at each other was unmistakable.
Friends curiously asked: “It seems Stella has genuinely fallen for James. What are you going to do now?”
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Chapter 19
“Maybe it’s time to give up. There are plenty of fish in the sea. Women who’d love to be with you could form a line from the city all the way to France. Perhaps it’s time to consider other women.”
Adrian watched the video over and over, his heart so bitter it had grown numb.
But how could he give up on someone he had loved for over a decade?
If he hadn’t lost his memory back then, would he be the one embracing and kissing Stella now?
No one could answer that question.
Sitting alone in his cold room, everything had been restored to how it was before. All the decorations were in styles Stella had liked, yet there wasn’t a trace of her presence.
Dark circles shadowed Adrian’s eyes; he had lost count of how many nights he’d gone without proper rest.
Though he lay in bed with his eyes closed, sleep eluded him.
Stella’s image kept appearing before him.
The first time he saw her, she was like a homeless kitten–obedient yet endearing with her sweet ways.
He couldn’t understand what kind of parents would abandon such a child.
Out of sympathy, he had tried his best to be good to her. Even when two competitors appeared, he didn’t mind.
Instead, he thought that having two more people who loved her would make her more confident and radiant.
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Chapter 20
Chapter 20
When young hearts first stirred, Adrian developed a competitive awareness. He wanted her to focus more on him, so he tried his hardest to win her heart, attempting to open the doors to her affection.
She had been shy and uncertain because Lucas and Maxwell had also confessed to her. In her panic, she hadn’t accepted any of them.
But they hadn’t given up, continuing to treat her well.
When the earthquake struck, he had shielded her without a second thought, hoping only that she would survive.
After losing his memory, he had watched the love in her eyes gradually transform into disappointment and numbness, causing his own heart to ache intensely.
Countless images flashed through his mind, finally freezing on the image of her running toward James.
“Stella!” Adrian’s bloodshot eyes snapped open as he reached out, grabbing only air.
Desperate to see Stella, he made a call to have her followed.
Shortly after receiving her exact location, Adrian grabbed his car keys and left home.
However, when he finally spotted Stella, the name he was about to call out died in his throat.
Stella and James were walking hand in hand, fingers intertwined, like any ordinary couple strolling down the
street.
Occasionally, when something amusing came up, she would laugh with her eyes curving into crescents, playfully swinging James’s hand.
When a cold breeze blew past, she nestled into James’s coat, continuing their intimate walk.
This version of Stella was one Adrian had never seen before.
In the past, even at their closest, there had always seemed to be an invisible barrier between her and the three men.
But with James, things were different.
Exactly how they were different, Adrian couldn’t quite understand.
He watched the scene with a masochistic fascination, with no intention of leaving.
At some point, Stella and James turned a corner and disappeared from view.
The private investigator he had hired went silent, and he could no longer trace her whereabouts.
Almost instantly, Adrian realized that everything he had just witnessed was something Stella or James had wanted
him to see.
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Chapter 20
It was nothing more than a warning.
Adrian wandered aimlessly through the streets, the emptiness beside him mirroring his own sense of loss.
At the bar, Lucas was drinking one glass after another.
The strong alcohol burned his throat, yet he felt increasingly sober.
With a self–destructive obsession, he kept replaying the video of Stella and James kissing. Even when his phone died, he continued staring blankly at the dark screen.
His heart felt hollow. Only the deafening music of the bar kept him from sinking into endless loneliness and despair.
A provocatively dressed girl approached Lucas.
“Hey handsome, I’ve been watching you for a while. Can I get your contact info?” she asked with a flush on her face.
Lucas didn’t even look up, his voice icy cold: “Get lost! Don’t make me say it twice!”
His frustration was evident in his furrowed brow.
The bartender kindly advised, “Miss, you should give up. This gentleman has already rejected countless others tonight.”
Still persistent, the girl asked:
“Did you just go through a breakup? The best way to forget an old relationship is to start a new one. Want to give it a try with me?”
Her words ignited the fury within Lucas.
He laughed coldly, “Is that so? So Stella and James starting a relationship means they’ll forget our past? I don’t accept that!”
Filled with anger, he roughly pushed the girl aside and stormed out of the bar.
With alcohol clouding his judgment, he broke into Bennett’s family home and lay in her room, inhaling the lingering scent of her perfume, murmuring her name until he fell into a deep sleep.
“Stella, don’t forget me… don’t give up on me…”
Meanwhile, Maxwell stubbornly maintained his vigil outside the Wilson mansion.
He had paid a premium price for a villa near the Wilson residence but showed no intention of using it for rest.
His phone lay shattered on the ground, broken by his own hand.
Yet the video from earlier remained seared into his mind.
He had waited outside the villa for a day and night, refusing to leave.
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Chapter 20
Servants and security had tried to drive him away multiple times, but he remained steadfast.
Stella and James hadn’t returned.
Maxwell’s jealousy and resentment toward James grew with each passing moment.
What might they be doing tonight?
They had already kissed–what would come next?
Surely they had shared every intimate moment possible by now?
He clenched his fists tightly and struck the Wilson family’s gate with such force that his hand bled, yet he showed no reaction to the pain.
When Mr. and Mrs. Wilson witnessed this, they smirked coldly before suddenly opening the door and issuing a stern warning:
“Stella has no future with you three. She and James are married, they’ve made it official, and they’re currently on their honeymoon. If you continue to disturb them, we will not be so courteous!”
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Oons Thov Forgot
Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Maxwell faced them without showing any fear. “Marriage means nothing! Our years of feelings for Stella are something James can never match! She’ll realize sooner or later that we’re the ones who love her most and treat her best!”
Mrs. Wilson wasn’t particularly angry; instead, she saw right through his false bravado.
“You should give up while you can, before Stella grows to hate you even more!”
“Security! From now on, don’t allow anyone from the Hayes, Crawford, or Sullivan families near the villa. If they appear, throw them out immediately!”
Maxwell gazed deeply at the Wilson family mansion, knowing full well that his brave words were nothing but empty defiance.
Stella had already let go of their past feelings and memories, but they simply couldn’t do the same!
After getting into his car, he floored the accelerator and sped away, eventually stopping at the Bennett Corporation building.
The receptionist, familiar with his identity, allowed him through without hesitation.
Maxwell made his way unimpeded to the CEO’s office to meet Stella’s parents, whom he had confirmed would be there today.
However, just outside the office door, faint sounds of intimacy reached his ears.
His face darkened considerably.
After what seemed like an eternity, Mr. Bennett’s secretary finally emerged, swaying her hips. Mr. Bennett followed with a satisfied expression, which quickly turned to embarrassment upon seeing Maxwell.
Mr. Bennett cleared his throat and called Mrs. Bennett to the office before sizing up Maxwell:
“Maxwell, what brings you to see us today?”
Suppressing his anxiety, Maxwell spoke sincerely:
“I’m here representing Sullivan Corporation to propose a partnership. I want to marry Stella–you can name your terms!”
Just as he finished speaking, Adrian and Lucas pushed open the door.
“Me too!” they said in unison.
“We have only one requirement: that the Bennett family cuts all business ties with the Wilson family, brings Stella back, and marries her to one of us!”
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Chapter 21
Adrian exchanged quick glances with the other two, all understanding each other’s thoughts.
Their strategy was clear: unite against the common enemy, bring down the Wilson family, then compete among themselves.
A deathly silence fell over the office after these words.
Mr. and Mrs. Bennett stood stunned, unable to process what they’d just heard.
Mrs. Bennett was the first to regain her composure, asking suspiciously, “Stella is already married. You all disliked her before, so what’s the meaning of this now?”
“Do you really want Stella that badly? If we had known, we wouldn’t have arranged her marriage to the Wilson family.”
“Currently, the Bennett and Wilson families have very close business ties that can’t be severed overnight…”
Mrs. Bennett left her sentence unfinished, but her meaning was clear.
Without sufficient benefit, she wouldn’t give up the partnership with the Wilson family.
She frantically calculated the risks and opportunities in her mind.
Mr. and Mrs. Bennett exchanged glances, both showing reluctance.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell represented too many variables. If another memory loss incident occurred, the Bennetts couldn’t guarantee they would find another partner like the Wilson family.
Mr. Bennett’s eyes shifted as he tentatively suggested:
“Stella isn’t our only daughter. We have others who resemble her and are equally accomplished. Perhaps you might consider them instead?”
“We could all form partnerships and succeed together. How does that sound?”
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s expressions instantly darkened.
“We only want Stella! After all these years, shouldn’t that be clear to you? If you don’t want our three families to become enemies of the Bennett family, then persuade Stella to divorce James and return to us!” Adrian threatened, his dark eyes brewing danger.
16:40
Oops Thou ♪—
Chapter 22
Chapter 22
Lucas tossed several contracts onto the table. “Our three families are completely sincere. As long as Stella divorces James, regardless of which one of us she chooses, our three families will continue our partnership with the Bennett family!”
“What’s the matter? With contracts in place, aren’t you reassured? We genuinely care for Stella and don’t want to lose her. We only want to treat her well forever. Between our three families and the Wilson family, surely you must have a preference?” Maxwell added, applying both pressure and enticement.
After much hesitation, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett reluctantly agreed.
The risk was great, but so was the potential reward.
In front of Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett called Stella.
“Stella, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell have regained their memories. They’ve promised to treat you well, just like before, and are willing to marry you. You and James just got married and don’t have much emotional attachment yet, so why not divorce and come back?”
“Mom and Dad miss you. We haven’t seen you for so long and don’t know if you’re being treated well in the Wilson family. Taking care of a comatose patient until he woke up must have been very difficult for you, right?”
“You won’t have to suffer in the Wilson family anymore. We’ll be just like before with the Hayes, Crawford, and Sullivan families. We’ll make more time to come see you.”
”
Mr. and Mrs. Bennett used both soft and hard tactics, confident smiles on their faces, never imagining that Stella would refuse.
On the other end of the call, Stella was nearly suffocated with anger at these ridiculous words. She tightly gripped James’s warm hand, taking several deep breaths to maintain her composure.
“Dad, Mom, what exactly do you see me as? A tool for arranged marriage? Or a chess piece you can manipulate? As long as the Bennett family can make more money, you’ll send me to anyone?”
Mr. and Mrs. Bennett fell into an awkward silence, about to retort when she resolutely continued:
“I will not divorce James. Whatever promises Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell have made to you have nothing to do with me. I’m already married and will never turn back!”
She was utterly disappointed and would no longer allow them to hurt her.
Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, however, were completely enraged:
“We’re thinking about what’s best for you. These three men are familiar to us. They’ve apologized for their past mistakes, so forgive them. It’s good for you and for our family!”
“Good for me?” Stella laughed bitterly. “All you care about is the Bennett family’s interests!”
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! Chapter 22
“Please tell Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell that I will not divorce James, nor will I ever go back to them. Everything they’re doing now only disgusts me!”
“These past few days, they’ve tried every method to see me and ask for forgiveness, but I haven’t met them once. Isn’t my attitude clear enough? If they continue to pursue me, we’ll only have one relationship in the future–enemies!”
“If something like this happens again, don’t bother contacting me.”
With that, she hung up without hesitation.
Since Mr. and Mrs. Bennett had pushed her away and never cared about her life or well–being, why should she consider the Bennett family’s interests?
Even if the Hayes, Crawford, and Sullivan families drove the Bennett family to bankruptcy, it would have nothing to do with her!
As long as the Wilson family was safe, the shares she held would guarantee her happiness for the rest of her life.
James understood her thoughts and comfortingly embraced her.
“Don’t worry, the Wilson family’s market is mainly overseas. Our projects in the city are government–affiliated. If they cause any disruption to the Wilson family’s interests here, the government will step in to control the situation.”
“Besides, I’m here. Trust me, they can’t do much. The Bennett family, however, may not be so fortunate.”
Stella’s anxious heart finally found peace.
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Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Stella stared at the three yellowed cards with their childish handwriting, remembering the circumstances when they had received these cards.
“Stella, giving these as rewards doesn’t make sense. We’ll never need to use them.”
“I don’t believe that. Even the best relationships have arguments.”
“Don’t believe it? We’ll prove it to you!”
“If you don’t want them, give them back to me.”
“We want them, of course we want them! Whatever Stella gives us, we’ll treasure it!”
The memories of those carefree youths joking around were beautiful.
The faces of the boys in her memories overlapped with the three men standing before her, but Stella felt no emotion.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell–we can’t go back. I can’t honor these cards anymore.”
“From now on, if you continue to bother me, the Wilson family won’t let you off easily.”
With that, Stella took James’s hand and turned to leave.
Adrian called out to stop her.
“Stella, this is a cake we made ourselves. Just take one bite, and after that, we won’t bother you again.”
James’s brows furrowed deeply, sensing something wrong.
“Stella, you’ve already had cake. Do you need to eat this one too?”
Stella hesitated for a long time, about to refuse, when Maxwell urged:
“It’s just one bite of cake in exchange for us never bothering you again. Let us spend this last birthday with you–that’s our final wish. After this, we’ll go our separate ways.”
Hearing this, Stella was surprised and didn’t refuse.
She gave James a reassuring look, and under the expectant gaze of Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell, she took a piece of cake with her fork and put it in her mouth.
Immediately, a wave of nausea and greasiness rose in her stomach. She pushed the cake away and quickly ran to the side, retching.
James panicked, hurrying to support her, patting her back and offering her water to rinse her mouth.
The cake fell to the ground!
Chapter 24
James’s eyes reddened as he punched each of them. “Did you put something in the cake? Otherwise, why would Stella react like this?”
Lucas smiled bitterly, his eyes filled with indescribable despair.
“Yes, we did. We wanted her to lose her memory and return to us, but unfortunately, it failed.”
Hearing this, James’s expression darkened further. He quickly called for a doctor to thoroughly examine Stella, fearing that whatever was in the cake might harm her.
The doctor arrived promptly, and the results came back quickly.
James didn’t bother to chase away Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell, allowing them to wait for the results.
The doctor smiled excitedly. “Mr. Wilson, congratulations! Your wife is pregnant. What just happened was morning sickness. She vomited in time and didn’t actually eat the cake, so there’s no problem. Just take good care of her health.”
At these words, James’s mind went blank with joy.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson rushed over, and upon hearing the news, couldn’t contain their smiles.
Seeing the happiness of this family, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell fell into a terrible silence.
At this point, what right did they have to disturb Stella?
She would never forgive them.
The fact that she hadn’t eaten the cake was already her choice.
They looked at Stella countless times with reluctance, not wanting her to actively drive them away, so they left on their own.
This had been their last chance, and they had failed again.
Adrian returned to his company, throwing all his energy into work from then on.
Only this way could he control himself and not think of Stella.
However, every month he would regularly have gifts sent to her–things he thought she might like–delivered to the Wilson family, including gifts for her child.
Lucas, disregarding anyone’s objections, went to St. Gabriel’s Chapel, took his vows as a monk. Every day, he prayed for Stella.
Chapter 1
Chapter 1
“Dad, Mom, I’ve made my decision–I’ll marry the Wilson family’s vegetative heir.”
Heard of that, Stella’s parents exchanged glances, a flicker of satisfaction in their eyes.
“James may be comatose, but the Wilson fortune will ensure you never worry about anything,” her father said. “You mentioned wanting to choose among your three childhood sweethearts, but they’ve lost their memories. They only have eyes for Natalie Pierce now. So stop fantasizing they’ll ever remember you.”
Stella Bennett lowered her gaze, her fingernails digging into her palm without feeling the pain.
“I understand,” she whispered.
“Well. The wedding will be early next month–less than two weeks away. Prepare yourself.”
She nodded and returned to her bedroom, where she unlocked her safe.
Inside lay three velvet boxes containing family heirlooms: the Hayes platinum watch with the family crest, the Crawford sapphire bracelet, and the Sullivan emerald necklace.
Once, these treasures represented the most passionate love from three young men.
They had eagerly pressed these heirlooms into her hands, making fervent promises-
“Stella, the moment I take over the family business, my first act will be to marry you.”
“Stella, my grandmother saved this bracelet for her future granddaughter–in–law. Now it’s yours.”
“Stella, this necklace complements
perfectly–just as you complement me.”
Then the earthquake changed everything.
To protect her, they suffered head injuries that erased their memories. When they awoke, they fell in love with Natalie, their housekeeper’s daughter.
Stella refused to accept defeat, trying everything possible.
She brought them love letters they’d written and photos they’d taken, only to watch them tear everything apart in public.
She took them to places from their shared past, hoping to trigger memories, but they threw her into the ocean, nearly drowning her.
She found world–renowned neurologists, only to have them break her hand and coldly sneer:
“People worth remembering aren’t forgotten so easily.”
After all her efforts left her scarred and broken, she still couldn’t make them remember their love for her.
16:38
Oops, They Forgot Me–Now They’re Begging on Their Knees!
0.00%
Chapter 1
So her heart died, and she surrendered.
She removed the three heirlooms and called Adrian Hayes.
“Adrian, where are you all? I have something important to return to you.”
On the other end, Adrian frowned slightly before smirking. “Fine. Twilight Lounge, VIP room 888.”
Stella ignored the contempt in his voice and headed to the lounge with the three velvet boxes.
The moment she pushed open the door, a bucket of foul–smelling dirty water cascaded from above, drenching her completely.
The filthy water soaked through her hair, streaming down her face and blurring her vision, chilling her to the bone.
Instantly, the room erupted with mocking laughter.
“Oh my God, look at her!”
“Serves her right for always stalking Adrian and the guys!”
Stella wiped her face and tried to step forward when her leg caught on something-
THUD!
She crashed heavily to the floor, an excruciating pain shooting through her palms.
Looking down, she saw thumbtacks scattered across the floor, many deeply embedded in her flesh. Blood poured from both hands.
“Does it hurt?”
A deep, icy voice came from above.
Stella looked up to see Adrian Hayes towering over her, disgust filling his eyes.
“Good,” he sneered. “I warned you last time not to show your pathetic face again.”
Lucas Crawford lounged on the sofa, idly flicking a lighter, his tone mocking: “People worth remembering aren’t forgotten so easily. Get it now?”
Maxwell Sullivan kicked away some thumbtacks near his foot, his gaze cutting: “Next time you stalk us, you’ll lose more than just the use of your hands.”
Natalie peeked out from Lucas’s embrace, feigning surprise: “Oh no, Stella! How could you be so clumsy?”
Her words expressed concern, but her eyes gleamed with triumph.
Adrian frowned, covering Natalie’s eyes. “Don’t look, babe. It’s disgusting.”
Stella laughed.
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Done Th… r—-
Chapter 1
She pushed herself up from the floor, blood dripping from her palms, seemingly immune to the pain.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell–I didn’t come here hoping you’d recover your memories,” she said, her voice steady.
“You’re right. Things easily forgotten probably weren’t important. These are your family heirlooms, and I’m returning them to their rightful owners. From today onward, I won’t bother you again.”
With that, she turned and left, her figure fragile yet resolute.
Inside the VIP room, all three men clutched their chests simultaneous
them.
as an inexplicable, piercing pain struck
As if something irreplaceable had been lost forever.
१
16:38
Oons Thou Forgot M
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Stella returned home and silently tended to her wounded palms.
The antiseptic seeped into her flesh, making her fingertips tremble with pain yet it paled compared to the dull ache in her chest.
The next day, she visited St. Gabriel’s Chapel on the outskirts of town.
James Wilson had once been the most brilliant young man in high society–refined, dignified, and pure as daylight.
After a car accident, he became a comatose shell of his former self.
Since she had decided to marry him, their fates would be intertwined, for better or worse.
She wanted to pray for him, hoping he would wake up soon and find peace and joy.
The ancient chapel stood atop a hill with a winding path of stone steps. Stella climbed on her knees the entire way, each step a prayer, the rough stone cutting into her skin with excruciating pain.
But she didn’t mind the suffering.
At the summit, the elderly priest gave her a silver medallion of St. Michael. She carefully tucked it away, whispering: “May my husband find healing and peace.”
As she turned to leave, she spotted Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell standing nearby.
Their knees bore similar wounds–they too had made the painful climb on their knees.
But the medallions they had received now hung around Natalie’s neck.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell…” Natalie’s eyes glistened with tears, clearly moved. “You’re all too good to me.”
Adrian stroked her hair, his voice tender: “Your safety is worth any suffering.”
Lucas smiled softly: “Natalie deserves nothing but the best.”
Maxwell remained silent, simply holding Natalie’s hand in his, caressing it gently.
Stella stood frozen, her heart clenched by an invisible fist.
“Stella?” Natalie spotted her with keen eyes, feigning surprise. “What are you doing here?”
Adrian’s gaze turned cold. “Yesterday you said you’d leave us alone, and today you’re stalking us again?”
Stella shook her head. “I’m not stalking you.”
She walked to the prayer wall where visitors attached their written prayers and placed her card among the others.
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Chapter 2
[May my husband James Wilson wake soon and find peace and joy.]
Lucas caught sight of what she’d written, his expression darkening. “You dare write something like that?”
Maxwell sneered. “Claiming to give up while still fantasizing about us becoming your husband?”
Before Stella could explain, a sudden gust of wind swept through, blowing numerous prayer cards to the ground.
Everyone looked down and froze in shock-
[May Adrian Hayes and Stella Bennett remain together, year after year, never to part.]
[Lucas Crawford will marry no one but Stella Bennett in this lifetime.]
[Maxwell Sullivan loves Stella Bennett, until death do us part.]
Each card bore their names, the handwriting unmistakably theirs.
Adrian’s pupils constricted, Lucas’s fingers trembled, and Maxwell’s breath caught.
When had they written these?
Seeing their reactions, Natalie immediately stepped forward, her voice quivering with fabricated hurt: “Stella, even
if you’re jealous they prefer me, you shouldn’t forge their handwriting to write these things…”
The three men snapped out of their trance, their faces darkening.
Adrian laughed coldly. “Stella, you really are desperate.”
Lucas called his security detail: “This is disgusting. Tear down this entire prayer wall!”
The priest rushed to intervene: “Please, this wall holds the hopes and prayers of countless people. Destroying it means none of their prayers will be answered!”
Maxwell’s gaze turned icy. “Tear it down!“.
With a crash, the prayer wall was demolished.
Stella watched the scene in silence, then suddenly smiled.
What would the sixteen–year–old versions of Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell think if they saw this?
Perhaps they too would find it laughable.
16:38
Oops. They Forgot Me–Now Thorne n.
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
As they descended from the chapel, the heavens opened up with a torrential downpour.
Stella stood by the roadside, soaked to the bone and unable to catch a ride.
A sleek black Lincoln limousine cruised by, its window lowerin. ”
rain’s too heavy.”
Stella shook her head. “No thanks.”
to reveal Natalie’s delicate face. “Stella, get in. The
Adrian scoffed. “Natalie’s being nice offering you a ride. Don’t be ungrateful.”
Lucas impatiently snapped, “Stop playing hard t
get.”
Maxwell pushed the door open. “Just get in. You’re wasting our time
Stella ultimately relented and climbed inside.
The interior was comfortably
Natalie snuggled against Adrian, pouting. “Adrian, my feet hurt…”
He immediately bent down, cradling her ankle in his palm, gently massaging it.
Lucas handed her a steaming
dup. “Here, Natalie. This will warm you up.”
Maxwell draped his jacket over her shoulders. “Don’t catch cold.”
aw f
Stella looked her heart feeling like it was being pierced by countless tiny needles.
Once, they had treated her with the same tenderness.
But now, there was no going back.
Suddenly-
CRASH!
A deafening sound as the car slammed into a guardrail!
In that split second, all three men reflexively lunged toward Stella, shielding her body with theirs!
She froze in shock, dazed by the impact. Her vision darkened as she lost consciousness.
When Stella awoke, she was in a hospital.
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Chapter 3
She had barely opened her eyes when the door was violently kicked open!
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell stormed in, cold fury churning in their eyes.
“Stella!” Adrian gripped her chin, his voice glacial. “What kind of spell did you cast on us?”
Lucas clenched his fists. “We love Natalie, so why the hell did we save you?!”
Maxwell’s gaze turned predatory. “Tell us what you did! Natalie’s been crying non–stop, demanding answers. Happy now?!”
“A spell?” Stella lay in the hospital bed, her pale lips twisting into a mocking smile. “You give me too much credit.”
“Cut the crap!” Adrian tightened his grip on her chin, rage boiling in his eyes. “Whatever you did, Natalie’s been crying inconsolably because of this.”
Lucas stared at her coldly. “Whatever it is, you’ll pay for it.”
Maxwell yanked out her IV line, his voice chilling. “Take her.”
They roughly dragged Stella from the bed. Her knee wounds reopened, blood immediately soaking through the bandages.
“What are you doing?!” She struggled, a sense of doom rising within her.
No one answered.
They dragged her to the hospital’s back entrance, where security guards forced her to kneel on the cold pavement.
In the distance, three luxury cars were parked side by side, engines roaring.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell each got into one.
The next moment-
WHAM!
The first car slammed into her body!
Stella was thrown through the air, crashing hard onto the ground. The sound of breaking ribs was audibly clear.
She curled into a ball, blood trickling from her mouth. Before she could recover-
CRUNCH!
The second car rolled over her body!
Bones shattered, internal organs seemed crushed. She couldn’t even scream, only clench her teeth as darkness flickered across her vision.
Finally-
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Done TL.
Chapter 3
SMASH!
The third car hit her without mercy!
Stella was thrown several yards like a broken ragdoll, finally landing in a pool of her own blood.
Through her fading consciousness, she saw Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell embracing Natalie, tenderly wiping away her tears.
“Do you believe us now?” Adrian whispered soothingly. “We only care about you. For her… we feel nothing.”
Natalie’s tears gave way to a smile as she play pouted. “Promise.
“Of course. Whatever you want,” Lucas affectionately pinched her cheek.
Maxwell didn’t even glance at Stella, simply saying: “Let’s
Stella coughed up blood, then suddenly smiled.
won’t save her again!”
Don’t let this trash sully your eyes.”
“When you remember everything…” her voice was barely a whisper, “you’ll definitely regret this…”
16:39
Chapter 4
Chapter 4
With those words, she slipped into total darkness.
In her dream, she was sixteen again.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell surrounded her, each vying for her choice.
“Stella, pick me!” Adrian cupped her face, his tone commanding.
“Choose me, I’m more dependable than they are.” Lucas smiled, placing her hand over his heart.
“Stella, you can only be mine.” Maxwell embraced her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.
But dream–Stella pushed them away, shaking her head. “I choose none of you.”
“Why?!” All three were desperate.
“Because someday… you’ll all forget me and hurt me,” she said softly.
“Never!” Adrian gripped her wrist. “I’ll only love you my entire life!”
“Stella, don’t reject us…” Lucas’s eyes reddened.
Maxwell held her tightly. “We won’t forget you, ever!”
4
But in the dream, Stella still turned a
walked away, never looking back.
“Miss Bennett! Miss Bennett!”
The doctor’s calls pulled her back to reality.
Stella opened her eyes, her entire body feeling like it had been crushed and reassembled.
“You’ve broken five ribs and suffered internal bleeding. We almost lost you,” the doctor sighed. “You must rest completely.”
She said nothing, staring silently at the ceiling.
In the days that followed, she endured the pain alone.
The voices of nurses gossiping constantly reached her ears-
“Mr. Hayes bought out an entire jewelry district for Miss Pierce!”
“Mr. Crawford chartered a private jet to take Miss Pierce to a tropical island!”
16:39
Chapter 4
“Mr. Sullivan went even further–he gave Miss Pierce an actual castle!”
Stella listened silently, changing her bandages with an expressionless face.
When she was finally discharged, she returned home to find her entire penthouse completely trashed!
The housekeeper trembled as she explained: “Mr. Hayes, Mr. Crawford, and Mr, Sullivan did this. They said… it was to teach you a lesson.”
A chill ran through Stella’s body. Suddenly remembering something, she rushed to her bedroom and searched frantically-
The vintage wedding dress her grandmother had made was gone!
It was the gown her grandmother had sewn stitch by stitch before passing away–the only thing Stella truly treasured!
“Natalie…” She clenched her fists, her eyes turning blood–red.
The hotel ballroom glittered with extravagant lighting.
Natalie’s birthday celebration was the epitome of luxury. When Stella burst in, the sign at the entrance struck her like a slap-
“No Stella or dogs allowed.”
Ignoring the security guards trying to block her, she stormed into the ballroom.
Inside, Natalie was dressed in a couture gown, being treated like royalty by everyone present.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell were presenting their gifts-
A diamond necklace worth millions.
7
A custom–made limited edition sports car.
The deed to a European castle.
Each gift was more breathtaking than the last.
Stella’s appearance brought an immediate hush to the room.
Adrian’s eyes turned glacial. “Who let you in?”
Lucas sneered. “Didn’t you read the sign outside?”
Maxwell simply called security. “Throw her out.”
Stella ignored them, her gaze locked on Natalie. “My wedding dress–did you take it?”
Natalie blinked innocently. “Yes, I took it. I liked it, so I helped myself.”
16:39
Oops, They Forgot Mo–M
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
“Give it back,” Stella stared at Natalie, her voice cold as ice.
Natalie’s eyes welled with tears. “But I really love it… can’t you just give it to me?”
“Have you no shame?” Stella’s fingernails dug into her palms, her voice trembling. “I said, give it back!”
“What’s with the attitude, Stella?” Adrian seized her wrist, his grip nearly crushing her bones. “It’s just a dress. We’ll buy it from you for Natalie.”
He threw a black credit card that hit Stella’s body.
“It’s not for sale,” Stella clenched her fists, nails piercing her palms. “My grandmother sewed it stitch by stitch. There’s only one in the entire world!”
Lucas impatiently frowned. “Are you done yet? If Natalie wants it, it’s hers.”
Maxwell simply gestured dismissively. “Get her out of here.”
Security guards immediately grabbed Stella’s arms, roughly dragging her away.
She finally broke, bowing her proud head in desperation:
“Please, I’m begging you. That wedding dress can’t go to her. I’ll do anything you want, just give it back to me!”
Seeing the brokenness and despair in Stella’s eyes, Natalie’s smile widened with obvious enjoyment.
Natalie’s eyes lit up as she suggested with false innocence: “How about… you be my maid for a day?”
She turned to the three men, pouting pitifully. “When Mom and I worked as housekeepers for the Bennetts, Stella always bullied me… that’s not too much to ask, is it?”
Adrian’s eyes darkened. “Not at all.”
Lucas sneered. “Even if she refuses, we’ll make her agree.”
Guests whispered among themselves-
“Making the Bennett heiress serve as a maid to a former housekeeper’s daughter? That’s beyond humiliating…”
“Weren’t those three men completely devoted to Stella before? If they ever remember, they’ll be consumed with regret…”
Stella closed her eyes, nodding wearily. “Fine. I agree.”
The next morning, Stella arrived dressed in a maid’s uniform, run ragged by Natalie’s demands.
“Stella, get me water. Not hot, not cold, just warm.”
16:39
Oons Thou —-
Chapter 5
“Stella, my shoes are dirty. Kneel down and clean them.”
“Stella, you look like a dog scrubbing that floor.”
She silently cleaned the floor, enduring every humiliation.
Meanwhile, Natalie sat on the sofa in a white dress, enjoying fruit fed to her Adrian, while Lucas massaged her shoulders and Maxwell adjusted her dress.
“Stella, the floor isn’t clean enough.” Natalie giggled, deliberately spilling red wine. “Clean it again.”
Stella silently knelt, wiping again and again..
Natalie then “accidentally” knocked over a bowl of soup, the scalding liquid splashing onto Stella’s hands, instantly raising angry red blisters.
“Oops, sorry!” Natalie laughed without a hint of remorse. “But you used to ‘accidentally‘ spill my food all the time, remember?”
Adrian watched coldly, not intervening but instead wrapping his arm around Natalie’s waist. “Natalie’s so kind, even apologizing to her.”
Stella bit her lip until she tasted blood.
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Done TL
Chapter 6
Chapter 6
The next day, Natalic finally “mercifully” returned the wedding dress.
But when Stella opened the box, she felt like she’d plunged into an icy abyss-
The dress had been cut to shreds, not a single piece of embroidery left intact!
“Natalie!” She looked up sharply, her eyes blood–red.
Natalie tilted her head with a smile, her tone light: “If I can’t have it, why should you?”
Stella couldn’t control herself any longer. She grabbed Natalie’s collar: “You’re dead!”
Natalie cried out in surprise, deliberately leaning backward and falling with a splash into the swimming pool!
“Help! Adrian-!”
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell rushed over, jumping into the water without hesitation to rescue Natalie.
Soaking wet, Natalie shivered in Adrian’s arms, crying dramatically: “Stella… Stella pushed me…”
“Stella!” Lucas grabbed her throat, his eyes menacing. “You’re asking for death!”
Maxwell ordered his security team: “Put her in the water chamber!”
The water chamber was the most brutal private punishment in high society.
A transparent glass box where victims were locked inside while water levels gradually rose until they nearly drowned, then drained, the torture repeated multiple times.
Stella’s face turned ghostly white as they forced her inside.
She couldn’t swim.
The frigid water rose past her knees, waist, chest… finally submerging her head completely.
She struggled desperately, but oxygen depleted rapidly. Her lungs burned as darkness clouded her vision.
Just as she approached unconsciousness, the water level slowly dropped.
She collapsed on the floor, coughing violently, but before she could catch her breath-
WHOOSH!
The water filled the chamber again!
After three cycles, she was nearly unconscious.
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Oops. They Forgot 1.
Chapter 6
Adrian kicked in the glass wall, yanking her up by her hair, his voice glacial: “You used this fucking hand to push Natalic. Now it will pay the price.”
“I’ve said many times: Natalie is our bottom line.”
He picked up a sharp shard of glass and slashed it across her wrist!
“AHHH-!”
As the glass sliced through flesh, Stella screamed in agony.
Blood gushed out–her tendon had been severed.
When she regained consciousness, she was in her own bed with a private doctor dressing her wound.
“Miss Bennett…” the doctor sighed. “Your tendon is severed. You’ll… never play piano again.”
Stella stared blankly at her bandaged right hand as tears silently fell.
The hand she had once been so proud of…
The hand Adrian had once said he “wanted to hear play piano for a lifetime“…
The doctor hesitated, then retrieved a bottle of medicine from the bottom of his bag, placing it beside her pillow.
“Miss Bennett, this is the neural repair medication you commissioned at great expense… it’s been successful.”
“Just one dose, and they’ll recover their memories.”
“Whether to use it… is entirely your decision.”
After the doctor left, Stella slowly picked up the bottle, her fingers trembling.
Suddenly she smiled, a pale, tragic smile.
“Of course I’ll use it…”
“Otherwise… how will they ever understand the pain I’m feeling now?”
She couldn’t wait.
Couldn’t wait to see their faces when they remembered everything–that gut–wrenching regret.
While Stella recovered at home, she contemplated how to administer the medicine to Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell. Before she could act, however, the parents of all three men arrived at her door with their sons.
Mrs. Hayes immediately teared up, taking Stella’s hand: “Stella, we’ve heard about recent events. These three brats… we’ve brought them here to apologize! Don’t blame them–they lost their memories and forgot you’re the one they love most.”
16:39
Oons Than
Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Adrian stood nearby, his expression dark and impatient. “Mom, what kind of nonsense has she been feeding you?”
Lucas sneered. “Even with amnesia, we remember what’s important. The unimportant things… aren’t worth remembering.”
Maxwell was even more direct: “Natalie is the only one we care about.”
The parents turned ashen with anger. Adrian’s father scolded, “You’ll regret treating her like this once your memories return!”
Stella lowered her eyes, silent for a moment, then suddenly pulled out a gold–embossed invitation from her drawer. “Thank you for your concern, but… I’m getting married,” she said softly.
“What?!” The parents were shocked.
Adrian’s mother opened the invitation in disbelief. “Stella, you can’t be serious? James is in a vegetative state!”
Lucas’s father urgently explained, “Stella, didn’t our families agree? Your future husband would be chosen from among these three…”
Maxwell’s mother anxiously clutched her hand. “Stella, please wait. They’ll remember eventually! When they do, they’ll go mad if they find you’ve married someone else!”
“There’s no need to Owait,” Stella smiled faintly. “I’ve made up my mind. Between us… it simply wasn’t meant to be.”
Only then did Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell realize-
The prayer card she’d written at the chapel hadn’t contained their names at all.
It was… James.
A strange surge of anger and pain instantly flooded their hearts. Their expressions changed dramatically, though they couldn’t understand where these emotions came from.
“The wedding is tomorrow,” Stella said softly. “You’re all invited.”
Adrian finally recovered, his face cold. “I have no interest in attending your wedding.”
Lucas mocked, “We’re taking Natalie to a private island tomorrow. We don’t have time for this.”
Maxwell turned away. “What’s the point of attending a vegetable’s wedding?”
With that, the three men turned to leave.
“Wait,” Stella suddenly called after them.
She walked to the wine cabinet and poured three glasses of red wine. With her back turned to them, she secretly
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Chapter 7
sprinkled the memory–recovery powder into the drinks.
“Since you won’t attend, at least have a toast to my happiness.”
She handed them the glasses, her gaze steady.
Adrian stared at her for two seconds, then smirked and drained his glass in opg gulp.
Lucas and Maxwell frowned but drank theirs as well.
“Terrible,” Maxwell said, slamming his glass down before walking out without a backward glance.
On the wedding day, Stella sat in the dressing room when she received a call from Natalie.
“I heard you’re getting married today? Congratulations!” Natalie’s voice was sickeningly sweet. “Enjoy spending your life with that vegetable!”
She boasted proudly: “Adrian gave me a pink diamond today, Lucas chartered an entire cruise ship for my birthda and Maxwell even transferred shares of the Sullivan Group to me… How should I repay them, do you think?”
Stella checked the time and suddenly smiled.
“Natalie,” she said softly, “this beautiful dream of yours is about to end.”
Natalie’s voice faltered. “What do you mean?”
“They’re about to regain their memories very soon.”
“No! Impossible!” Natalie screamed hysterically. “What did you do?!”
Stella couldn’t be bothered to listen anymore and hung up.
4
At the wedding venue, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson looked at her apologetically. “Stella, though James remains unconscious, our family will never mistreat you.”
Seeing their concerned expressions, Stella felt a lump in her throat.
This was warmth she had never experienced from her own parents.
“Mom, Dad,” she said softly, “I will stay loyal to James for life.”
She walked toward James in his wheelchair.
His eyes were closed, his face pale yet still strikingly handsome, as if he were merely sleeping.
Exquisite floral arrangements and brilliant lights transformed the venue into a dreamlike scene.
The spotlights illuminated Stella, her diamond–studded wedding dress flowing like the Milky Way, breathtakingly beautiful.
With everyone bearing witness, the host began:
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Oops. Thou For…
16:39
Chapter 7
“Does the bride willingly take this man to be her husband, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and
in health, to cherish for all your days, until the end of time?”
Just as Stella was about to say “I do…”
BANG!
The ballroom doors were violently thrown open!
4
Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell stood trembling, their eyes bloodshot.
Their gazes locked onto Stella, their voices hoarse with anguish-
“Stella… don’t marry him.”
“I do.”
Right in front of the three men, Stella gave her answer without hesitation.
The entire wedding venue fell into a deathly silence, unnervingly quiet.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s pupils contracted in shock, hardly believing what they’d heard. Despite being blocked by countless security guards, they fought desperately to push forward, knocking out numerous guards in their attempt.
An overwhelming tide of regret and bitterness washed over them, instantly drowning them in emotion.
Everything that had happened recently replayed in their minds, tormenting them over and over again.
They grew so distressed that their faces turned ashen, their vision narrowing until all they could see was Stella.
“Please don’t marry him, I’m begging you.”
Adrian’s expression crumbled, his typically cold face filled with desperation as he pleaded pitifully.
But Stella didn’t even turn to look at him.
In front of everyone, she announced: “The wedding will continue!”
The host gradually regained composure, suppressing the tremor in his voice to continue the ceremony.
“Now, the bride and groom will exchange rings and share their first kiss as husband and wife!”
Stella opened the ring box and took out two rings.
The three men were nearly driven mad, their eyes bulging with rage. Completely losing all reason, they charged forward like lunatics, determined to take her away.
“Who dares disrupt our family’s wedding!”
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson shouted sternly as their former special forces security guards immediately pinned Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell to the ground.
Knowing their capabilities and the danger they posed, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson had called in dozens of special forces security guards.
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Chapter 8
The guards surrounded the three men, quickly binding their hands and feet and gagging their mouths.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson called the Hayes, Crawford, and Sullivan families.
Shortly afterward, the three sets of parents arrived with dark expressions, growing even angrier at the sight of their
sons.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell! You three insisted on abandoning Stella before, and today, no matter what, you will watch her wedding to the end!”
“When you drank that glass of wedding wine, your relationship with her was already over. Being allowed to attend as guests was a privilege you had to beg for!”
Each of the parents delivered an unforgiving slap to their son’s face.
Though their faces were struck sideways, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s eyes remained stubborn and unyielding.
Lucas struggled fiercely, the restraints cutting bloody marks into his wrists, but he seemed not to notice.
The knife–like pain in his chest nearly suffocated him, his body trembling violently with emotion.
“Stella, you can’t marry him. It was all our fault. We remember everything now. We’re sorry…”
He mumbled through the tape covering his mouth, his forehead damp with sweat, utterly consumed by despair.
But Stella never once glanced in their direction.
In front of all the guests, she took James’s hand and slipped the ring onto his finger.
Their hands, both wearing matching rings, intertwined intimately.
Stella gazed quietly at James’s extraordinarily handsome face, feeling no hesitation in her heart.
Even though he had been in a vegetative state for a year, his frame somewhat thinner, the contours of his muscles were still clearly defined.
Professional caregivers massaged him daily, so he didn’t look very different from before.
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
The tailored suit accentuated James’s tall, long–legged frame. Even seated in a wheelchair, sleeping, he didn’t appear fragile.
His thin lips were pale but conveyed a distant coolness, his stern features suggesting how imposing his presence would be when awake.
Marrying him didn’t seem like such a bad thing after all.
Stella closed her eyes gently and leaned forward to place a kiss on James’s lips.
Her lipstick colored his pale lips red, making his complexion appear more vibrant, as if he might wake at any
moment.
Witnessing this scene, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell felt their hearts being stabbed repeatedly, as if someone was twisting a knife inside them.
Maxwell struggled wildly, breaking down to the point that bloody tears streamed from his eyes.
The guards restraining him were affected by his violent movements, nearly losing their grip several times as he knocked over chairs and tables.
“Stella! You’re mine! You’re supposed to marry me…”
He roared like a wounded animal, completely losing his mind.
Nearby, Adrian and Lucas were in similar states–their eyes bloodshot, bulging with desperation. Despite being restrained by numerous guards, they continued to fight with tremendous strength.
The three families‘ parents wore deeply troubled expressions as they repeatedly apologized to Mr. and Mrs. Wilson.
“We’re so sorry for this. The wedding is done, they’ve seen it. Stella and they have no future together. We’ll take them away immediately!”
With that, the three sets of parents gave their sons no further opportunity to watch, ordering their security teams to drag them home.
In their field of vision, Stella’s figure grew smaller and smaller until she disappeared completely.
The three men reached the breaking point of despair, the last glimmer of light in their eyes extinguished as their struggles gradually weakened.
It was over for them.
The woman they had once wholeheartedly wanted to marry was now wed to someone else.
And they had pushed her away with their own hands.
Chapter 9
Overwhelming pain and despair plunged them into an abyss.
Everything that had happened in these short three months replayed relentlessly in their minds, constantly tormenting them, driving them deeper into despair.
They had lost their memories, forgotten the person they loved most, and had hurt and humiliated her so terribly!
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell were consumed by self–reproach, their eyes moist as tears fell.
The heart–wrenching pain surged like a tidal wave–they only wished that they had been the ones to suffer during these past three months.
The guards threw them onto the floor of a room where they lay with vacant eyes that let in no light.
With a loud bang, the door closed. They were locked together in a pitch–black room, the ropes binding their hands somehow removed.
They lay on the floor in despair, with no desire to struggle.
Suddenly, the room lit up. Every wall displayed projections of how they had tormented Stella over the past few months.
Many were security camera videos–not high definition, but clear enough to show everything they had done to Stella and their expressions of disgust.
Though only a few months had passed, Stella had nearly died multiple times because of them and suffered countless humiliations.
Once they had cherished her above all else, only regretting they hadn’t been good enough to make her choose them definitively.
But now, they had left her broken and wounded, and their former love had completely dissipated.
The videos played over and over, like torture slowly flaying their hearts.
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Chapter 10
Chapter 10
The scenes before them merged with fragmented memories in their minds, nearly driving them insane.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell pounded their chests in anguish–each strike a brutal confession.
At this moment, Natalic tearfully knocked on the door of the darkened room where the three men were confined.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell, are you in there? Let me help you out, please! When you suddenly disappeared, I was so
scared!”
“The memories appearing in your minds are fake–Stella made them up! She drugged you to create these false recollections. Please don’t believe her!”
Natalie panicked, knocking desperately on the door, hoping for a response as she tried to rescue them.
She was genuinely frightened. At the haunted house in the amusement park, they had been protecting her in their arms just moments before, comforting her and shielding her from any frightening scenes.
Then suddenly, they were struck with intense headaches. The love in their eyes visibly vanished completely, their gazes instantly becoming unfamiliar and cold.
Without hesitation, they had pushed her away and ran off like madmen.
Natalie fell to the ground, terrified by the haunted house characters. She had crawled out with her eyes closed, scraping her knees and palms.
Afterward, Stella’s words echoed in her mind–Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell would regain their memories.
It was the wine they drank yesterday!
A thousand thoughts raced through Natalie’s mind; she even considered running away.
But she still clung to a desperate hope–what if they still loved her, even after regaining their memories?
After all, Stella had married someone else. There was no future for them with her.
Why couldn’t she, Natalie, be the one to be with them?
She had developed genuine feelings with them!
Their indulgence and affection over these months had been real, their kindness to her had been real.
She wanted to gamble on how much she meant to them.
Natalie called into the dark room several times without receiving any response.
Just as she was about to leave in defeat, Adrian’s characteristically cold voice suddenly came from inside.
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Chapter 10
“Let her in!”
His voice carried a hint of anger, sounding dangerous, but Natalie was too excited to think much about it. She turned to look around.
The next moment, a guard coldly opened the door, pushed her inside, then closed and locked it again.
The smile on Natalie’s face had barely formed before it froze.
Seeing Lucas and Maxwell approaching with clenched fists, her legs involuntarily weakened, and her heart began
to race.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell, what are you doing? I came to rescue you! Stella doesn’t love you. She’s trying to alter your memories. I won’t let her succeed. Please believe me!”
Her voice trembled as she spoke.
Lucas’s eyes narrowed slightly as he said softly, “Is that so? Do you think we’re all fools?”
As his words fell, his eyes instantly turned cold as his large hand gripped Natalie’s throat, pinning her against the wall.
<
His expression remained calm, as if he were merely crushing an ant. Natalie felt her blood run cold.
“No… Lucas, you can’t do this to me. Did you forget the memories of these past few months? Did you forget your feelings for me?”
Chapter 11
Chapter 11
“You said that regardless of past, present, or future, you would only ever love me. Why are you treating me this way now? What did I do wrong?”
She defiantly lifted her chin, tears welling in her eyes, the corners of her eyes and the tip of her nose reddened, looking pitiful and vulnerable.
.
“You were the ones who said you liked me, and now you’re the ones torturing me. If that’s how it is, I’ll give you back to Stella. I’ll leave with my mother right now. She said she would introduce me to potential matches, and I’ll marry whoever it is!”
“No matter who they are, I’ll marry them. I won’t bother you again. Does that satisfy you?”
As she spoke, Natalie gave Lucas’s chest a light push
step.
Why Join a show of reluctant departure, but she couldn’t even take one
Maxwell’s dark eyes gathered dangerously as
fatihbarat kicked Natalie squarely in the chest.
“Lucas! If you still like her, then get out of my way! Why waste fucking words on her? If she hadn’t deceived us when we woke up with amnesia, telling us we loved her and that Stella always bullied her, how would we have ended up like this!”
He kicked Natalie violently, sending her thin body flying like a broken kite. She crashed into the wall and slid down like a puddle of mud, powerless.
Adrian’s eyes were equally dark, his presence terrifying as he stared at Natalie with a gaze sharp as knives, as if looking at a dead person.
16
He stepped on her hand, and with several cracking sounds, deliberately crushed the bones in her hand.
“If it weren’t for your meddling, we would have eventually regained our memories and fallen in love with Stella again!”
“If it weren’t for you, how could we have hurt Stella over and over, bringing us to this irreversible point?!”
Excruciating pain shot up from her fingers. Natalie turned deathly pale, cold sweat pouring down as her pleas came out weak and breathless.
“It hurts… Lucas, it hurts so much. Please let me go?”
Her broken fingers trembled involuntarily, but no one showed any sympathy.
The Lucas she had pinned her hopes on revealed a sinister smile as he walked straight toward her. “You don’t actually think I still like you, do you?”
His voice was as dangerous as a venomous snake’s hiss. As he spoke, he mercilessly crushed her other hand.
Chapter 11
“How ridiculous. I only hate you. I wish I could slice you into a thousand pieces!”
“How much pain must Stella have felt when she was injured so badly? What you’re experiencing now isn’t even a thousandth of what she endured!”
“Ahhh!” Both of Natalie’s hands were crushed beyond recognition; using them normally again would likely be impossible.
However, her torment was far from over.
Though Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell couldn’t leave, that didn’t mean they were limited to torturing Natalie in this room alone.
They directed the guards to make Natalie experience everything that Stella had gone through, one by one.
For several consecutive days, Natalie endured hell–like torture.
She was already covered in wounds, but the three men showed no intention of letting her go.
Every time they watched the videos of what had happened over these months, their anger reignited.
In just a few short days, Natalie was tortured beyond recognition–her once–delicate features now a hollowed–out mask of suffering.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell remained locked in the darkened room, staring at each other in profound silence.
Punishing Natalie hadn’t brought them the satisfaction or relief they’d imagined.
True, some of Stella’s suffering had been caused by Natalie.
But the vast majority of her pain had been inflicted by them!
They had tortured her with their own hands, systematically destroying all the love in her heart, pushing her toward someone else!
Chapter 12
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell despised their former selves and each other.
During these days, they had barely slept through a single night.
In their dreams, happy memories with Stella would suddenly transform into the image of her in a wedding dress, resolutely marrying someone else.
Countless times they awoke from these nightmares, only to find reality far more cruel than their dreams.
Adrian was terrifyingly silent. Lucas and Maxwell also sat wordlessly in the corner, watching the projected images on the wall, repeatedly whispering to Stella: “I’m sorry.”
On screen, she was hit by cars again and again. Each time the three men saw this, their hearts clenched painfully.
How desperate must she have felt, lying in a pool of blood?
The childhood friends who had always protected her had deliberately hit her with their cars.
One slight difference, and she might have lost her life–creating consequences that could never be undone.
No amount of “I’m sorry” could bring back a life once lost.
The three men felt nothing but emptiness in their hearts.
The door to the room opened at some point.
Their parents entered and, seeing their devastated state, sighed deeply several times.
“We warned you more than once back then. We told you that you would regret treating her that way, advised you to be kinder to Stella, but not once did you listen to us.”
“The situation you’re in now–you deserve it!”
Adrian’s parents‘ voices were ice cold as they glared at the three young men.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell knelt on the ground, heads bowed in silence, not attempting to argue.
Lucas’s parents spoke decisively: “Stella is a good girl. Although James is in a vegetative state, what’s done is done. You made your choices back then, so don’t regret it and go after Stella now!”
“That day, our three families lost all face. Now we’re the laughingstock of high society. If you still obsessively pursue her, don’t blame us as parents for being harsh!”
Maxwell’s parents nodded in agreement. “You have no future with Stella. Give up while you can! You’ve broken her heart completely. She gave you the medicine to restore your memories, so how could she not know your current state?”
Chapter 12
“Her intentions are clear–she doesn’t love you anymore. If you continue to pursue her, you’ll only make her hate you more!”
Finally, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell raised their heads, their eyes showing the same unwillingness to give up and
determination.
“We won’t give up. We will atone for everything we’ve done, but we’ve loved Stella for too long to abandon her!”
Adrian unhesitatingly threw out these words as he slowly stood up and walked out.
Lucas and Maxwell rose in succession.
“Mom, Dad, we made those choices when we weren’t thinking clearly. If Stella wants to see us suffer and regret, I’ll satisfy her. I’ll atone until she forgives me!”
Lucas’s expression was resolute, every word firm and clear.
Maxwell was equally determined as he solemnly stated: “Mom, Dad–don’t worry about this. No matter the consequences, we won’t give up on Stella. You know our personalities; you know threats won’t work. This is our business, not yours!”
Watching the three men leave, their parents exchanged glances, sighing helplessly for a long time, unable to do anything.
The most they could do was confine their sons for a few days–that was the limit.
After all, their children were grown and capable; as parents, they had no real control anymore.
They could only hope the young men would hit the wall and turn back soon.
Because judging by Stella’s demeanor, forgiveness seemed entirely out of the question.
Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Of course, that was exactly what Stella thought as well.
The moment she decided to drug Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s drinks, she was perfectly clear about her intentions.
She wanted to watch them suffer consciously for the rest of their lives.
It was precisely because she understood their past love for her that she could anticipate how much pain and guilt they would feel once their memories returned.
But how could mere emotional suffering compensate for what she endured?
She wanted them to pay back a thousandfold, both physically and mentally–only then would it balance the injuries she had suffered!
Stella sat with James in good spirits, chattering about everything she had experienced with the three men.
As husband and wife, she didn’t want this matter to become a barrier between them.
Even though James was still in a vegetative state, with his awakening remaining uncertain.
After finishing her story, she took a few sips of water and pulled out a medallion she had obtained from St. Gabriel’s Chapel. She unfastened two buttons of his collar and carefully placed it around his neck.
“James, I hope you stay safe and wake up soon.”
Her cascading hair brushed against James’s face, causing his eyelashes to flutter slightly.
Stella noticed this and felt her mind go blank, hardly daring to believe what she’d seen.
“James? Did you just move? Are you waking up?”
However, after waiting several seconds, James showed no further response.
Her tears of excitement rolled down her cheeks and dropped onto his lips. Visibly, his eyelids trembled several times.
Stella quickly pressed the nearby bell to summon a nurse.
“James just moved a few times, like he was responding to what I said. Does that mean he might wake up soon?”
The nurse immediately wheeled James away for a comprehensive examination.
Shortly afterward, the doctor returned with a joyful expression and excitedly told Stella and Mr. and Mrs. Wilson:
“Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, and congratulations to the young Mrs. Wilson. The young Mr. Wilson’s nervous system is gradually recovering function. His brain is now responding to ovtorn – 1
spend time talking to him to stimulate brain
.
Chapter 13
Upon hearing this, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were so moved that tears welled in their eyes. They held Stella’s hands, almost unable to speak through their emotion.
“Stella, did you hear that? James is going to wake up. It’s all thanks to you–you’re truly the greatest blessing our family could have!”
“If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t know when James might wake up. He might have just remained asleep until death.”
Stella nodded along, but inwardly, some concerns arose.
If James woke up, would he accept this arranged marriage?
After all, he had been unconscious during the wedding; they hadn’t obtained his consent.
What if his heart belonged to someone else? What would she do then?
They were already legally married–would she have to step aside?
Mrs. Wilson immediately sensed what Stella was thinking and comfortingly patted her hand.
“Stella, don’t worry. James has always been focused solely on his work, never showing interest in women. But perhaps you’ve forgotten–you two knew each other before.”
“The Wilson and Bennett families come from the same hometown. When you were children, you played together. You clung to him, asking to be carried, refusing to walk. Though he typically disliked other children, he actually carried you all day, refusing to let go, even wanting to take you home.”
Hearing this, Stella was surprised, her fair cheeks unconsciously turning slightly pink.
Mrs. Wilson’s smile widened as she embraced Stella tenderly and continued:
“Stella, we chose you for this marriage partly because we felt sorry for you. Your parents didn’t love you, and those three boys from the Hayes, Crawford, and Sullivan families bullied you so terribly. We wanted to bring you into our family and openly care for you properly–that’s why we proposed the marriage.”
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Chapter 14
Chapter 14
“Don’t worry about a thing. Everything we promised you before the wedding will be honored. James’s shares have already been transferred to your name. You can manage them yourself or have James handle them–it’s entirely your decision.”
“Even if you two eventually find you’re incompatible and want a divorce, we can adopt you as our daughter. No matter what, we’ll always be family!”
Mrs. Wilson’s embrace was incredibly warm and exuded a reassuring fragrance.
Stella couldn’t help but tear up, nodding with a choked voice.
“Thank you, Mom.”
She had no doubt that if any other family of equal standing to the Bennett family had proposed marriage, her parents would have readily agreed.
After all, she meant nothing to them–she was merely a tool for a matrimonial alliance. They didn’t care about her happiness.
Besides her, both her parents had lovers and illegitimate children outside their marriage, maintaining their relationship solely for mutual benefit.
In the past, the Hayes, Crawford, and Sullivan families had been kind to her only because their sons liked her, extending their care to her and considering her a suitable daughter–in–law.
She had been grateful to them, but that goodwill had been completely eroded by countless instances of torment.
However, Stella never expected to be so fortunate as to receive such genuine care from Mr. and Mrs. Wilson.
She wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes and forced a smile as she returned Mrs. Wilson’s embrace.
“Mom, when James wakes up, our family will be complete. I believe that day isn’t far off.”
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson exchanged glances and both nodded with smiles.
“Yes, indeed.”
Having other matters to attend to, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson left after spending some time with James.
J
The spacious hospital room now held only James and Stella.
Looking at his sleeping face, Stella felt completely at peace.
With several caretakers present, she had little to do except talk to him.
As she left the hospital room, she was startled by three figures leaning against the wall by the door.
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Chapter 14
Recognizing who they were, her expression instantly turned cold.
“Why have you come looking for me here? This isn’t a place you should be. I don’t want you disturbing James.”
“James?” Adrian echoed incredulously, his voice hoarse with sadness. “You’ve only met him a handful of times, yet you’re already calling him so intimately?”
Stella walked a few steps away from the room, standing in the garden. Looking at Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell who had followed her, she couldn’t help but laugh scornfully.
“What’s wrong with that? James and I are husband and wife now. Whether I call him James, or husband, or whatever I choose to call him–it has nothing to do with any of you three.”
“Besides, I remember you all started calling Natalie by her nickname just days after losing your memories. What right do you have to question me?”
At her words, the color drained from all three men’s faces.
Lucas’s lips moved, but all he could manage was a dry, “I’m sorry.”
Maxwell, anxious and flustered, quickly explained: “Stella, this is different!”
“We were wrong about Natalie, and we’ll accept whatever punishment you want to give us. But marriage isn’t a joke–this James is just a vegetative patient who can’t even provide you with basic happiness!”
“Even if you’re angry and want to punish us, please don’t play around with something as serious as marriage!”
Adrian nodded in agreement. “Stella, we remember everything now. Natalie has received her due punishment–she’s suffered tenfold for every injury you experienced. We truly understand our mistakes.”
Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Seeing the remorse and pain in the three men’s eyes, Stella felt only satisfaction, without a trace of sympathy.
Only when they truly experienced the same torment and heartbreak she had endured could they genuinely understand her suffering!
With a cold expression, Stella defended James: “James will wake up eventually. He and I are husband and wife, and our marriage is not a joke. I’m being completely rational. From now on, I will only have feelings for James. Whether you acknowledge your mistakes or not is irrelevant to me.”
With that, she turned to leave.
Lucas quickly grabbed her hand, pleading: “Stella, please don’t be so cruel to us. If we hadn’t lost our memories, we would have loved you unwaveringly. It was Natalie who created misunderstandings between us. You can hit me, yell at me, even run me over with a car–just please don’t love James.”
During the seconds they waited for Stella’s answer, all three men were in agony.
In all their years of knowing her, they never imagined that one day Stella would marry someone else, let alone fall in love with another man.
If James truly woke up, would they still have a chance?
The mere thought made Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell feel as if their hearts were being torn apart.
But Stella merely laughed at Lucas’s words.
“Misunderstandings? There were never any misunderstandings between us.”
As the three men attempted to explain, she continued with a cold smile:
“If you truly loved me, even after losing your memories, you would have fallen in love with me again.”
“But you didn’t. After waking up, you believed Natalie’s words just because she was nice to you, took care of you, and spoke ill of me. You didn’t fall in love with me again.”
“If you hadn’t lost your memories, can you guarantee you would never have developed feelings for Natalie? You
can’t!”
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s eyes filled with shock and pain.
Their minds raced with endless questions, even as they instinctively protested:
“No, we wouldn’t have. We only love you…”
But perhaps even they realized their words lacked conviction, as their voices grew increasingly faint.
“Claiming you only love someone is easy enough to say.”
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Chapter 15
“Before, you said you would only ever love me. Then you lost your memories and said you would only love Natalie. What about the future?”
“If you lost your memories again and met someone new, would you claim to love her forever too? Ha, your love comes quite cheap, doesn’t it?”
The three men stood frozen, momentarily speechless, unable to refute her words.
They wanted to prove they wouldn’t fall in love with anyone else, but they had no convincing evidence.
Stella resolutely pulled her hand from Lucas’s grasp and walked away without a backward glance.
Watching her retreating figure, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell felt a pain so intense they could hardly breathe.
After a long while, they finally solidified their resolve.
They would prove to her that they loved only her, and they would atone for their sins!
The next day, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell attempted to visit and apologize, but were turned away by the Wilson family’s security guards.
Unlike the Bennett family, the Wilson family wouldn’t allow them in without Stella’s permission.
The three men stood in the rain outside the estate compound for an entire night.
The security guards notified Stella several times, but received the same answer each time: “Don’t worry about them. If they want to get soaked, let them. They won’t die.”
For a full day and night, the rain thoroughly drenched their clothes, which clung to their bodies, perfectly outlining their figures.
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Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Gradually, all three men’s lips had turned pale, especially the slender Lucas.
They were feverish but refused to leave.
Stella, after carefully dressing herself, got into the car heading to the hospital.
Seeing her through the car window, Adrian instinctively ran after the vehicle, with the other two following closely behind.
“Stella! We’re sorry!”
Stella didn’t look back. She went straight to James’s hospital room and chatted with him as usual.
Her phone kept buzzing incessantly. She had blocked and deleted Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s numbers, so they used other numbers to contact her.
Glancing briefly at her phone, she saw photos and messages about them being hospitalized with fever.
Seeing their flushed faces and vulnerable expressions, she felt only irritation.
Such tactics wouldn’t work on her.
She turned off her phone and peacefully enjoyed her quiet time with James.
The air was fresh after the rain, and her mood was quite good.
When she left the hospital, she was surrounded by bodyguards sent by James’s parents.
Perhaps realizing that approaching her directly was futile and only annoyed her, the three men changed their strategy.
Every day, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell sent her apology videos.
On the first day, they rewrote love letters, bought gifts, photoshopped pictures of them together, and sincerely apologized.
When Stella saw those love letters written with such different mindsets, she felt that the pure–hearted young men who once loved her were gone forever.
The identical or similar gifts they bought based on their memories could never be the original ones that carried their shared history.
And no matter how skillfully the photos were edited, they were ultimately fake.
On the second day, they visited all the places they had been together, apologizing at each location and reminiscing about the past.
16:40
Chapter 16
Stella did not respond.
On the third day, they went to St. Gabriel’s Chapel and rebuilt a prayer wall, placing prayer cards on it.
On the fourth day, they arranged for cars to hit them, landing themselves in the hospital.
They endured every injury Stella had ever suffered, one by one.
Only by personally experiencing the feeling of being near death could they understand that desperation.
Everything they had once destroyed, they tried to rebuild piece by piece.
But what had been destroyed wasn’t those material things–it was her genuine feelings for them.
Stella offered no response, focusing solely on supporting James through his rehabilitation.
During that month, James awakened. The moment his cool gaze fell upon her, Stella felt her heart skip a beat.
Only then did she truly understand what it meant to fall in love.
When James clearly saw her, his cool demeanor instantly transformed into boundless tenderness.
“Stella, you’ve been waiting for me for a long time, haven’t you?”
O
Stella blushed and shook her head. “Not long. As long as you wake up, no amount of time is too long.”
was
The smile on his face barely contained as he restrained himself, drawing her into his embrace with reverence.
“The grievances and pain you’ve suffered–do you need my help to settle them?”
“No need, I can handle it myself,” Stella refused without hesitation, her mind firmly made up..
James showed no disappointment, only smiling warmly as he said, “Alright. My family and I will always be your support.”
She instinctively averted her gaze, feeling her heart pounding wildly as she nodded awkwardly.
For several consecutive days, she accompanied him through rehabilitation.
James’s recovery brought immense joy to the entire Wilson family. They arranged for his discharge and specially organized a celebration.
When Stella and James returned home, they saw the entire house decorated almost identically to their wedding day. Both of them froze, almost thinking they had entered the wrong place.
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Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson approached them with smiles, taking their hands and leading them to change clothes.
“Stella, James, this is to make up for the incomplete wedding ceremony that day.”
The wedding dress was different from the one at their actual wedding–this one was more elaborate and enchanting.
Mrs. Wilson gazed at Stella’s breathtakingly beautiful reflection in the mirror, her eyes brimming with joy.
“Stella, James didn’t get to see you in your wedding dress that day, but from now on, everything between you two will be perfect!”
As she spoke, she helped Stella put on a sapphire necklace, sincerely exclaiming, “Beautiful!”
A warm feeling spread through Stella’s heart as her lips curved upward involuntarily, and she nodded slightly.
After leaving the dressing room, she saw James dressed in a suit that complemented her gown. Though his steps were slow, they were steady as he walked toward her and took her hand.
“Marrying you is the greatest honor of my life,” he said, his deep, magnetic voice resonating in her ears.
The tips of her ears turned red as she earnestly replied, “Mine too.”
Stella and James took the stage and went through the wedding ceremony once more.
This time, after exchanging rings, James lifted her veil and, no longer restraining himself, kissed her deeply.
The wedding was livestreamed globally. Despite their injuries, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell rushed from the hospital to the Wilson residence.
The security guards at the entrance to the estate didn’t stop them this time, but at the mansion’s main gate stood a sign that read: “Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell, and dogs not allowed inside.”
Their photos were marked with glaring red crosses, an unmistakable gesture of humiliation.
By the time they managed to burst in, the ceremony had concluded. Stella and James had changed into different outfits and were enjoying the reception.
One by one, guests approached with champagne flutes, wishing them marital bliss and happiness.
James accepted all the well–wishes graciously, nodding to each one.
Stella stayed by his side, holding his arm and nestling against him.
Noticing he had been standing for too long, she leaned close to his ear and whispered:
“James, you should rest now. Your legs will hurt otherwise.”
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Oons The P
Chapter 17
“Alright.”
James didn’t try to be tough. He allowed a servant to bring a wheelchair and let Stella push him.
He wanted to be with her for a very long time and didn’t want to risk his health.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s gazes fixed on their intertwined hands, staring intently they might have burned holes through them.
“Stella, we apologized. Did you see?” Adrian forced the words out from deep in his throat, his emotions a turmoil of bitterness.
Stella slowly turned her gaze toward the three men and casually remarked:
“Where are the security guards? How did they get in? Wasn’t it stated that they and dogs weren’t allowed inside?”
Her words were met with dead silence throughout the venue.
Countless guests understood the entanglement between them and had witnessed the three men humiliating Stella in the past.
However, they hadn’t expected karma to strike so quickly.
The three men quickly recalled everything that had happened that day, their faces alternating between pale and flushed.
Maxwell was the first to speak, seemingly unfazed: “Stella, don’t send us away. If you want to humiliate us, we’re willing to accept it!”
“We’ll even act as your servants for a day if necessary, as long as we can stay by your side and you forgive us.”
Lucas nodded in agreement. “I feel the same way.”
Though Adrian remained silent, his stance was obvious.
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Chapter 18
As many gathered around to watch, the three hesitantly prepared to bark when a gardener aimed a hose at them, soaking them completely.
With water dripping from their hair and blurring their vision, a car suddenly sped toward them, sideswiping them and knocking them to the ground.
When they tried to push themselves up, countless thumbtacks pierced their palins.
Their already injured hands began bleeding profusely again.
Stella maneuvered around the obstacles and approached them, offering a faint smile.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell, as of today, you’ve experienced all the pain I once felt. I’m satisfied, so I’ve let go of the past.”
Just as hope began to flicker in their hearts, she continued:
“However, I’m married now, as I’ve told you many times. From now on, if I love anyone, it will only be my husband, James.”
“Stop pursuing us. I’m very happy with James and don’t want to be disturbed by you. Let’s put the past behind us. I’ve forgiven you.”
Stella’s nonchalant demeanor resembled a drifting cloud, unwilling to linger for them any longer.
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Chapter 19
Chapter 19
“No! Stella, don’t go!”
Adrian instinctively reached for her hand with his bloodied one, but she dodged it without hesitation.
Lucas licked his dry lips and struggled to speak. “Stella, I’m no worse than James. Anything he can do, I can do too. I’ll treat you better than before. Can’t we start over?”
Maxwell’s face was filled with sorrow and devastation. His hands hung at his sides, clenched tightly, driving the thumbtacks deeper as blood continued to flow through the gaps between his fingers.
As if feeling no pain, he gritted his teeth, his eyes red with emotion. “Stella, you once promised to stay with us forever. I will never give up. The past isn’t over! I won’t allow it to be over!”
“Why should we be the only ones suffering for the past? Stella, this isn’t fair.”
Hearing their words, James’s eyes showed nothing but disgust and coldness.
“Fair? When has love ever been about fairness? Was it fair when you all abandoned Stella for Natalie?”
“You failed to cherish Stella, so someone else will. The only advantage I have over you is that I’ve never loved anyone else.”
With that, he cast a contemptuous glance at them, rose from his wheelchair, and took Stella’s hand as they walked back into the mansion.
As the doors of the He residence closed, he coldly delivered a final message:
“Remove these unwelcome guests and never let them in again.”
Several security guards immediately responded with “Yes, sir” and hurried to escort them out.
For several days afterward, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell couldn’t find an opportunity to see Stella.
The mementos they sent to the Wilson residence, hoping to evoke her memories, were all thrown in the trash without earning even a glance from her.
They had tried everything, yet remained exactly where they started.
Numerous friends in their social circle forwarded them a video clip of Stella and James embracing and kissing beneath fireworks.
Under the brilliantly exploding fireworks, the couple looked like a painting come to life.
Their passionate kiss and the intense love in their eyes when they looked at each other was unmistakable.
Friends curiously asked: “It seems Stella has genuinely fallen for James. What are you going to do now?”
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Chapter 19
“Maybe it’s time to give up. There are plenty of fish in the sea. Women who’d love to be with you could form a line from the city all the way to France. Perhaps it’s time to consider other women.”
Adrian watched the video over and over, his heart so bitter it had grown numb.
But how could he give up on someone he had loved for over a decade?
If he hadn’t lost his memory back then, would he be the one embracing and kissing Stella now?
No one could answer that question.
Sitting alone in his cold room, everything had been restored to how it was before. All the decorations were in styles Stella had liked, yet there wasn’t a trace of her presence.
Dark circles shadowed Adrian’s eyes; he had lost count of how many nights he’d gone without proper rest.
Though he lay in bed with his eyes closed, sleep eluded him.
Stella’s image kept appearing before him.
The first time he saw her, she was like a homeless kitten–obedient yet endearing with her sweet ways.
He couldn’t understand what kind of parents would abandon such a child.
Out of sympathy, he had tried his best to be good to her. Even when two competitors appeared, he didn’t mind.
Instead, he thought that having two more people who loved her would make her more confident and radiant.
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Chapter 20
Chapter 20
When young hearts first stirred, Adrian developed a competitive awareness. He wanted her to focus more on him, so he tried his hardest to win her heart, attempting to open the doors to her affection.
She had been shy and uncertain because Lucas and Maxwell had also confessed to her. In her panic, she hadn’t accepted any of them.
But they hadn’t given up, continuing to treat her well.
When the earthquake struck, he had shielded her without a second thought, hoping only that she would survive.
After losing his memory, he had watched the love in her eyes gradually transform into disappointment and numbness, causing his own heart to ache intensely.
Countless images flashed through his mind, finally freezing on the image of her running toward James.
“Stella!” Adrian’s bloodshot eyes snapped open as he reached out, grabbing only air.
Desperate to see Stella, he made a call to have her followed.
Shortly after receiving her exact location, Adrian grabbed his car keys and left home.
However, when he finally spotted Stella, the name he was about to call out died in his throat.
Stella and James were walking hand in hand, fingers intertwined, like any ordinary couple strolling down the
street.
Occasionally, when something amusing came up, she would laugh with her eyes curving into crescents, playfully swinging James’s hand.
When a cold breeze blew past, she nestled into James’s coat, continuing their intimate walk.
This version of Stella was one Adrian had never seen before.
In the past, even at their closest, there had always seemed to be an invisible barrier between her and the three men.
But with James, things were different.
Exactly how they were different, Adrian couldn’t quite understand.
He watched the scene with a masochistic fascination, with no intention of leaving.
At some point, Stella and James turned a corner and disappeared from view.
The private investigator he had hired went silent, and he could no longer trace her whereabouts.
Almost instantly, Adrian realized that everything he had just witnessed was something Stella or James had wanted
him to see.
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Chapter 20
It was nothing more than a warning.
Adrian wandered aimlessly through the streets, the emptiness beside him mirroring his own sense of loss.
At the bar, Lucas was drinking one glass after another.
The strong alcohol burned his throat, yet he felt increasingly sober.
With a self–destructive obsession, he kept replaying the video of Stella and James kissing. Even when his phone died, he continued staring blankly at the dark screen.
His heart felt hollow. Only the deafening music of the bar kept him from sinking into endless loneliness and despair.
A provocatively dressed girl approached Lucas.
“Hey handsome, I’ve been watching you for a while. Can I get your contact info?” she asked with a flush on her face.
Lucas didn’t even look up, his voice icy cold: “Get lost! Don’t make me say it twice!”
His frustration was evident in his furrowed brow.
The bartender kindly advised, “Miss, you should give up. This gentleman has already rejected countless others tonight.”
Still persistent, the girl asked:
“Did you just go through a breakup? The best way to forget an old relationship is to start a new one. Want to give it a try with me?”
Her words ignited the fury within Lucas.
He laughed coldly, “Is that so? So Stella and James starting a relationship means they’ll forget our past? I don’t accept that!”
Filled with anger, he roughly pushed the girl aside and stormed out of the bar.
With alcohol clouding his judgment, he broke into Bennett’s family home and lay in her room, inhaling the lingering scent of her perfume, murmuring her name until he fell into a deep sleep.
“Stella, don’t forget me… don’t give up on me…”
Meanwhile, Maxwell stubbornly maintained his vigil outside the Wilson mansion.
He had paid a premium price for a villa near the Wilson residence but showed no intention of using it for rest.
His phone lay shattered on the ground, broken by his own hand.
Yet the video from earlier remained seared into his mind.
He had waited outside the villa for a day and night, refusing to leave.
16:40
Chapter 20
Servants and security had tried to drive him away multiple times, but he remained steadfast.
Stella and James hadn’t returned.
Maxwell’s jealousy and resentment toward James grew with each passing moment.
What might they be doing tonight?
They had already kissed–what would come next?
Surely they had shared every intimate moment possible by now?
He clenched his fists tightly and struck the Wilson family’s gate with such force that his hand bled, yet he showed no reaction to the pain.
When Mr. and Mrs. Wilson witnessed this, they smirked coldly before suddenly opening the door and issuing a stern warning:
“Stella has no future with you three. She and James are married, they’ve made it official, and they’re currently on their honeymoon. If you continue to disturb them, we will not be so courteous!”
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Oons Thov Forgot
Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Maxwell faced them without showing any fear. “Marriage means nothing! Our years of feelings for Stella are something James can never match! She’ll realize sooner or later that we’re the ones who love her most and treat her best!”
Mrs. Wilson wasn’t particularly angry; instead, she saw right through his false bravado.
“You should give up while you can, before Stella grows to hate you even more!”
“Security! From now on, don’t allow anyone from the Hayes, Crawford, or Sullivan families near the villa. If they appear, throw them out immediately!”
Maxwell gazed deeply at the Wilson family mansion, knowing full well that his brave words were nothing but empty defiance.
Stella had already let go of their past feelings and memories, but they simply couldn’t do the same!
After getting into his car, he floored the accelerator and sped away, eventually stopping at the Bennett Corporation building.
The receptionist, familiar with his identity, allowed him through without hesitation.
Maxwell made his way unimpeded to the CEO’s office to meet Stella’s parents, whom he had confirmed would be there today.
However, just outside the office door, faint sounds of intimacy reached his ears.
His face darkened considerably.
After what seemed like an eternity, Mr. Bennett’s secretary finally emerged, swaying her hips. Mr. Bennett followed with a satisfied expression, which quickly turned to embarrassment upon seeing Maxwell.
Mr. Bennett cleared his throat and called Mrs. Bennett to the office before sizing up Maxwell:
“Maxwell, what brings you to see us today?”
Suppressing his anxiety, Maxwell spoke sincerely:
“I’m here representing Sullivan Corporation to propose a partnership. I want to marry Stella–you can name your terms!”
Just as he finished speaking, Adrian and Lucas pushed open the door.
“Me too!” they said in unison.
“We have only one requirement: that the Bennett family cuts all business ties with the Wilson family, brings Stella back, and marries her to one of us!”
16:40
Chapter 21
Adrian exchanged quick glances with the other two, all understanding each other’s thoughts.
Their strategy was clear: unite against the common enemy, bring down the Wilson family, then compete among themselves.
A deathly silence fell over the office after these words.
Mr. and Mrs. Bennett stood stunned, unable to process what they’d just heard.
Mrs. Bennett was the first to regain her composure, asking suspiciously, “Stella is already married. You all disliked her before, so what’s the meaning of this now?”
“Do you really want Stella that badly? If we had known, we wouldn’t have arranged her marriage to the Wilson family.”
“Currently, the Bennett and Wilson families have very close business ties that can’t be severed overnight…”
Mrs. Bennett left her sentence unfinished, but her meaning was clear.
Without sufficient benefit, she wouldn’t give up the partnership with the Wilson family.
She frantically calculated the risks and opportunities in her mind.
Mr. and Mrs. Bennett exchanged glances, both showing reluctance.
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell represented too many variables. If another memory loss incident occurred, the Bennetts couldn’t guarantee they would find another partner like the Wilson family.
Mr. Bennett’s eyes shifted as he tentatively suggested:
“Stella isn’t our only daughter. We have others who resemble her and are equally accomplished. Perhaps you might consider them instead?”
“We could all form partnerships and succeed together. How does that sound?”
Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell’s expressions instantly darkened.
“We only want Stella! After all these years, shouldn’t that be clear to you? If you don’t want our three families to become enemies of the Bennett family, then persuade Stella to divorce James and return to us!” Adrian threatened, his dark eyes brewing danger.
16:40
Oops Thou ♪—
Chapter 22
Chapter 22
Lucas tossed several contracts onto the table. “Our three families are completely sincere. As long as Stella divorces James, regardless of which one of us she chooses, our three families will continue our partnership with the Bennett family!”
“What’s the matter? With contracts in place, aren’t you reassured? We genuinely care for Stella and don’t want to lose her. We only want to treat her well forever. Between our three families and the Wilson family, surely you must have a preference?” Maxwell added, applying both pressure and enticement.
After much hesitation, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett reluctantly agreed.
The risk was great, but so was the potential reward.
In front of Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett called Stella.
“Stella, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell have regained their memories. They’ve promised to treat you well, just like before, and are willing to marry you. You and James just got married and don’t have much emotional attachment yet, so why not divorce and come back?”
“Mom and Dad miss you. We haven’t seen you for so long and don’t know if you’re being treated well in the Wilson family. Taking care of a comatose patient until he woke up must have been very difficult for you, right?”
“You won’t have to suffer in the Wilson family anymore. We’ll be just like before with the Hayes, Crawford, and Sullivan families. We’ll make more time to come see you.”
”
Mr. and Mrs. Bennett used both soft and hard tactics, confident smiles on their faces, never imagining that Stella would refuse.
On the other end of the call, Stella was nearly suffocated with anger at these ridiculous words. She tightly gripped James’s warm hand, taking several deep breaths to maintain her composure.
“Dad, Mom, what exactly do you see me as? A tool for arranged marriage? Or a chess piece you can manipulate? As long as the Bennett family can make more money, you’ll send me to anyone?”
Mr. and Mrs. Bennett fell into an awkward silence, about to retort when she resolutely continued:
“I will not divorce James. Whatever promises Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell have made to you have nothing to do with me. I’m already married and will never turn back!”
She was utterly disappointed and would no longer allow them to hurt her.
Mr. and Mrs. Bennett, however, were completely enraged:
“We’re thinking about what’s best for you. These three men are familiar to us. They’ve apologized for their past mistakes, so forgive them. It’s good for you and for our family!”
“Good for me?” Stella laughed bitterly. “All you care about is the Bennett family’s interests!”
16:40
! Chapter 22
“Please tell Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell that I will not divorce James, nor will I ever go back to them. Everything they’re doing now only disgusts me!”
“These past few days, they’ve tried every method to see me and ask for forgiveness, but I haven’t met them once. Isn’t my attitude clear enough? If they continue to pursue me, we’ll only have one relationship in the future–enemies!”
“If something like this happens again, don’t bother contacting me.”
With that, she hung up without hesitation.
Since Mr. and Mrs. Bennett had pushed her away and never cared about her life or well–being, why should she consider the Bennett family’s interests?
Even if the Hayes, Crawford, and Sullivan families drove the Bennett family to bankruptcy, it would have nothing to do with her!
As long as the Wilson family was safe, the shares she held would guarantee her happiness for the rest of her life.
James understood her thoughts and comfortingly embraced her.
“Don’t worry, the Wilson family’s market is mainly overseas. Our projects in the city are government–affiliated. If they cause any disruption to the Wilson family’s interests here, the government will step in to control the situation.”
“Besides, I’m here. Trust me, they can’t do much. The Bennett family, however, may not be so fortunate.”
Stella’s anxious heart finally found peace.
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Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Stella stared at the three yellowed cards with their childish handwriting, remembering the circumstances when they had received these cards.
“Stella, giving these as rewards doesn’t make sense. We’ll never need to use them.”
“I don’t believe that. Even the best relationships have arguments.”
“Don’t believe it? We’ll prove it to you!”
“If you don’t want them, give them back to me.”
“We want them, of course we want them! Whatever Stella gives us, we’ll treasure it!”
The memories of those carefree youths joking around were beautiful.
The faces of the boys in her memories overlapped with the three men standing before her, but Stella felt no emotion.
“Adrian, Lucas, Maxwell–we can’t go back. I can’t honor these cards anymore.”
“From now on, if you continue to bother me, the Wilson family won’t let you off easily.”
With that, Stella took James’s hand and turned to leave.
Adrian called out to stop her.
“Stella, this is a cake we made ourselves. Just take one bite, and after that, we won’t bother you again.”
James’s brows furrowed deeply, sensing something wrong.
“Stella, you’ve already had cake. Do you need to eat this one too?”
Stella hesitated for a long time, about to refuse, when Maxwell urged:
“It’s just one bite of cake in exchange for us never bothering you again. Let us spend this last birthday with you–that’s our final wish. After this, we’ll go our separate ways.”
Hearing this, Stella was surprised and didn’t refuse.
She gave James a reassuring look, and under the expectant gaze of Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell, she took a piece of cake with her fork and put it in her mouth.
Immediately, a wave of nausea and greasiness rose in her stomach. She pushed the cake away and quickly ran to the side, retching.
James panicked, hurrying to support her, patting her back and offering her water to rinse her mouth.
The cake fell to the ground!
Chapter 24
James’s eyes reddened as he punched each of them. “Did you put something in the cake? Otherwise, why would Stella react like this?”
Lucas smiled bitterly, his eyes filled with indescribable despair.
“Yes, we did. We wanted her to lose her memory and return to us, but unfortunately, it failed.”
Hearing this, James’s expression darkened further. He quickly called for a doctor to thoroughly examine Stella, fearing that whatever was in the cake might harm her.
The doctor arrived promptly, and the results came back quickly.
James didn’t bother to chase away Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell, allowing them to wait for the results.
The doctor smiled excitedly. “Mr. Wilson, congratulations! Your wife is pregnant. What just happened was morning sickness. She vomited in time and didn’t actually eat the cake, so there’s no problem. Just take good care of her health.”
At these words, James’s mind went blank with joy.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson rushed over, and upon hearing the news, couldn’t contain their smiles.
Seeing the happiness of this family, Adrian, Lucas, and Maxwell fell into a terrible silence.
At this point, what right did they have to disturb Stella?
She would never forgive them.
The fact that she hadn’t eaten the cake was already her choice.
They looked at Stella countless times with reluctance, not wanting her to actively drive them away, so they left on their own.
This had been their last chance, and they had failed again.
Adrian returned to his company, throwing all his energy into work from then on.
Only this way could he control himself and not think of Stella.
However, every month he would regularly have gifts sent to her–things he thought she might like–delivered to the Wilson family, including gifts for her child.
Lucas, disregarding anyone’s objections, went to St. Gabriel’s Chapel, took his vows as a monk. Every day, he prayed for Stella.
Maxwell completely changed his once carefree nature, traveling around the world doing charity work, but never staying in the city.
Because he feared that if he returned to the city, he wouldn’t be able to resist looking for her.
Chapter 24
Countless unfortunate children called him “kind Brother Sullivan,” but only one person could
“Brother Maxwell.”
That person was the former Stella.
Maxwell completely changed his once carefree nature, traveling around the world doing charity work, but never staying in the city.
Because he feared that if he returned to the city, he wouldn’t be able to resist looking for her.
Chapter 24
Countless unfortunate children called him “kind Brother Sullivan,” but only one person could
“Brother Maxwell.”
That person was the former Stella.
around the world doing charity work, but never staying in the city.
Because he feared that if he returned to the city, he wouldn’t be able to resist looking for her.
Chapter 24
Countless unfortunate children called him “kind Brother Sullivan,” but only one person could
“Brother Maxwell.”
That person was the former Stella.
