After waking up from a coma due to an accident, my husband of three years, Liam Carlisle, suddenly confessed that Evelyn Clarke, his colleague, was his wife.

“You really believe Evelyn is your real wife?” I asked, desperate for some glimmer of rationality.

“Of course, she is,” Liam snapped, his voice filled with emotion. “Evelyn and I got married more than a year ago—right after we broke up, Amelia. Are you still not accepting the facts?”

I stared at him, my breath hitching. His words did not even make sense.

While Evelyn turned her gaze to me, her lips curving into a faint, triumphant smile.

Evelyn, ever the picture of calm manipulation, gently placed her hand on his chest, her voice soothing but insidious.

“Calm down, Liam,” she cooed softly. “She’s just here to visit you. There’s no need to get upset.”

He sighed, his expression softening only slightly under Evelyn’s touch, but his gaze remained fixed on me, filled with annoyance.

Evelyn, wanting to pit us against each other further, turned to me. “Amelia, would you mind looking after Liam for me? I need to let the doctor know he’s awake.”

Without waiting for my answer, she kissed Liam on the cheek and left.

As she walked to me, her eyes briefly meeting mine, the smugness in them unmistakable, her smirk subtle yet cutting. “Good luck,” she whispered in a mocking tone.

I glared at her retreating figure, a storm of anger and confusion brewing inside me.

“What a bitch!” I muttered angrily, I had always had a feeling if she would be a problem to us, but Liam repeatedly promised me that their friendship would not affect our relationship.

So, I directly stormed to Liam furiously.

“Liam,” I began, my voice gone shaky, “we’ve been married for three years. I’m your wife. Evelyn… she isn’t part of this.”

But he only shook his head, his cold eyes narrowing. “I don’t have time for your lies, Amelia. Stop embarrassing yourself and leave.”

“Look at this wedding ring,” I said, holding up my left hand. The small band glimmered faintly under the fluorescent light. “Don’t you remember anything? You picked this ring yourself when you proposed to me.”

Liam barely glanced at it before scoffing. “You even went as far as to make a fake ring? I only have one wedding ring, and it’s this one.”

He raised his hand, revealing a matching band to mine. But then he added cruelly, “The ring Evelyn and I exchanged when we got married.”

The weight of his words crushed me, but beneath my devastation, a flicker of determination sparked.

I felt the world tilt beneath my feet. My voice rose in desperation. “Do you have any proof that you got married a year ago? Where’s your certificate, Liam? Your photos? Anything?”

“Amelia!” he snapped, his voice dripping with disdain, “you’re the one making these ridiculous claims. Do you have any proof that you’re not the one lying?”

My head spun as I tried to process what he was saying, but the only conclusion I could reach was that something had gone terribly, terribly wrong.

“You’ve lost your mind, Liam!” I shouted, the words tearing from my chest. “That accident must have knocked your brain loose!”

Liam’s face contorted with rage. He slammed his fist against the edge of the bed. “What did you just say to me? Are you cursing at me, saying that I was a crazy man?!”

“Yes!” I wanted to yell more, to let all the fury and hurt spilling over inside me explode. But at that exact moment, the sharp beep of my phone pierced the tense air.

I glanced down at it, the glowing letters of the emergency call center snapping me back to reality. The ER needed me.

Evelyn also had been approaching with a doctor in tow. Her sly smile only deepened the pit of anger festering in my chest.

The doctor greeted me politely. “Morning, Dr. Amelia.”

I inhaled sharply, forcing my expression to remain neutral. “Morning,” I replied curtly before stepping aside to let him check Liam up.

Then, I whispered to Liam before walking to the front door. “We’ll continue this conversation later.”

But when I got there, Evelyn, of course, was not done. She followed me, her smug face hovering too close for comfort.

"Have you done convincing Liam, Amelia?" Evelyn's voice came from behind me, smooth and mocking, like nails dragging against glass.

I turned on my heel, barely able to contain my anger. “If I were you, I would stop messing with other people's households right now. It's not funny at all, Evelyn!”

She tilted her head, her expression laced with that same false sweetness that made my stomach churn.

“If I were you,” she began, dragging out her words for effect, “I'd just give up, Amelia. Liam's memories about you are gone now. He only believes you're an ex—his past.”

Her calculated words made my fists clench. I swallowed hard against the lump forming in my throat, trying to suppress the fire roaring in my chest.

But Evelyn was not done. She leaned in slightly, as though to make sure I caught every word of her next statement.

“So please,” she added with a smirk sharp enough to cut, “behave accordingly. After all, that’s all you’ll ever be from now on.”

I stared at her, the heat rushing to my face.

If we were not at a hospital, and I were not an emergency medical professional who needed to maintain a shred of professionalism, I might have slapped her right then and there. Maybe even strangled her.

But I was not going to let her win.

“You might think you’ve won,” I said, my voice low but steady, every word carefully measured, “but lies like yours have a way of crumbling eventually. Enjoy your victory while it lasts, Evelyn.”

Her smirk faltered for a moment, a flash of uncertainty passing through her eyes. She had not expected me to stand firm, but seeing her crack—even slightly—was enough to give me strength.

I did not wait for her to recover or respond. I turned on my heel and walked away, heading toward the Emergency Room while thinking what I should do next.

After finishing my tasks in the ER, I headed straight for the office of the doctor who had treated Liam earlier.

I knocked on the door, and the doctor looked up from his paperwork as I entered. “Is there anything you need, Dr. Amelia?” he asked politely, his tone professional yet warm.

“Yes,” I replied, forcing myself to maintain composure. “I wanted to ask about the patient I was listed as the legal guardian for last night.”

“Ah, your cousin,” he said with a nod, clearly referencing the explanation I had given in the chaos of the emergency room.

My relationship with Liam was a hidden marriage, a decision we made together because of his work as a special prosecutor handling dangerous criminal cases.

For his safety—and ours—we had kept our marriage and even our son, Theodore, a secret.

“Yes, my cousin,” I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside. “What happened to him? Why does he… not seem to recognize me?”

The doctor hesitated, he shifted uncomfortably, glancing at the chart in his hands as if searching for the right words.

I forced him to explain by asking more, “Was there anything wrong during the surgery? Any complications that might explain this?”

The doctor shook his head, offering a reassuring smile. “No, the surgery went smoothly. There were no complications. Physically, he’s recovering well.”

He paused, his expression growing serious. His lips pressed into a thin line before he spoke, “But your cousin has partial amnesia. He… seems to have lost some of his memory.”

The words felt like a punch to the gut, even though I had been bracing myself for something like that.

I tried to keep my voice calm, though the knot in my chest tightened. “Can you explain more specifically?”

The doctor exhaled, his expression sympathetic. “Last night’s accident might have caused significant trauma to his brain. It seems to have affected his memory selectively.

“He’s retained most of his knowledge about himself, his work, and his childhood. But he’s lost some memories from the past few years.”

I folded my arms tightly, as though I could somehow shield myself from the impact of his words.

“But,” the doctor added, “in many cases, patients can regain parts of their memories when exposed to something familiar or emotionally significant from the time period they’ve forgotten.”

A faint glimmer of hope sparked in my mind. And then it hit me—Theodore.

Theodore was the very embodiment of our love, a reminder of the life Liam and I had built together. If anything could jog his memory, it was our son.

I exhaled deeply, the idea giving me a flicker of strength amidst the chaos. “Thank you, doctor,” I said softly, offering him a small, grateful smile.

He nodded, his expression kind. “Take your time, Dr. Amelia. And if there’s anything else I can do to help, don’t hesitate to ask.”

I walked out of the office and hurriedly picked Theodore up from daycare that late afternoon.

My knuckles turned white as I gripped the steering wheel tighter. My voice was low, but firm with resolve. “I should take back what’s mine.”

Once I arrived back at the hospital with Theodore, I held his tiny hand in mine, walking briskly toward Liam’s room.

But as I reached the door and pushed it open, my steps faltered, and my breath hitched at the sight before me.

Inside, Liam was sitting up in bed with Evelyn that was perched on the edge of his bed, leaning in close, her body language intimate as they talked quietly.

Cradled in her lap was her baby—Lucas. She held him with such care, pressing kisses to his forehead as if to complete the illusion she was trying so hard to craft.

“Lucas, look at Daddy,” Liam said enthusiastically, his face lighting up with a joy that made my stomach churn.

Not only had Evelyn labeled herself as Liam’s wife, but she had also brought her son into that charade, feeding into Liam’s fractured reality.

“What are you two doing, actually?!” I demanded, my voice shaking with fury as I stepped into the room, holding Theodore’s hand tightly.

Evelyn turned her head toward me, her eyes widening briefly before a smug smile curved her lips. She rocked Lucas gently, feigning innocence.

“Amelia,” Liam said, his tone cold again as he frowned. “What are you doing here again?”

I stared at him, my anger bubbling to the surface. “I could ask you the same thing, Liam. What’s going on here? Evelyn, what game are you playing this time?”

Evelyn tilted her head, her expression infuriatingly calm. “I don’t understand why you’re so upset, Amelia. Lucas is Liam’s son, after all.”

Her words hit like a slap. I turned to Liam, searching his face for any sign of recognition, any indication he might see through her lies. But his expression remained firm, as if her claim was not outrageous.

“Liam,” I said, my voice trembling, “she’s lying to you. Lucas isn’t your son. Theodore is your son!”

I stepped closer, gently urging Theodore forward. “Look at him, Liam. This is our son. Don’t you remember him?”

“Shut up, Amelia,” Liam snapped, his voice filled with indignation. “Stop making a fuss. This is a hospital. You should know better, considering you’re a doctor here, right?”

I froze, the sting of his words like a slap across my face.

“Even if Evelyn was kind enough to stay friends with you,” he continued, turning his cold gaze to me, “But don’t expect me to acknowledge you and your son.”

“I told you not to be too nice to her,” Liam said, his voice softening as he turned toward Evelyn. “Or she’ll misunderstand her position.”

That cold indifference, the way he dismissed me as though I were nothing, it was how he treated people he did not care about.

And Evelyn—she knew exactly how to play her part. Clutching her arm like a frightened victim, she looked at him with wide, innocent eyes.

“But Liam,” she said softly, her voice trembling just enough to sound sincere, “she’s bringing Theodore, and he’s still your son. As a woman, I know how it feels to want your son to be close to his father.”

Evelyn’s words were carefully chosen, calculated to seem compassionate. But they were laced with venom, designed to paint me as desperate and unreasonable.

Liam’s face hardened, his jaw tightening. “But he’s just a mistake from when I was still dating Amelia, Evelyn,” he said coldly. “I will never admit it.”

The words felt like a dagger to my chest, the air rushing out of my lungs as though I had been physically struck.

Theodore shifted slightly in my arms, sensing the tension but too young to understand the weight of what his father had just said.

My grip on Theodore tightened as I demanded, my voice trembling with a mixture of anger and disbelief, “What are you talking about?

“How could Theodore be a mistake we made back when we were dating? He is our legitimate son after we married for three years.” My sarcasm was cutting, but I did not care.

Turning to Evelyn, I demanded, “When exactly did you ‘explain’ this to him, Evelyn? What did you tell him when he woke up? Tell me!”

Evelyn’s confident mask faltered, her eyes darting nervously between me and Liam. But before she could respond, Liam wrapped an arm protectively around her.

Liam’s eyes narrowed, his voice turning sharp as a blade. “Of course, he is. I told you to abort it back then. Why were you so stubborn?”

The last thread of restraint within me snapped, and I felt a surge of anger fill every inch of my body.

Back then, I had given him everything. When he suffered from a gunshot wound, I stayed by his side, tending to his injuries with trembling hands.

When he got into that terrible car accident and had to stay in the hospital, I barely left his room.

But none of that mattered to him.

Instead of gratitude, he easily forgot the memories we built together. My sacrifices meant nothing to him.

Evelyn smirked, holding Lucas closer as though shielding him. “It’s time you let go, Amelia,” she said smoothly. “Liam has moved on. You should too.”

The bitter laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it. I was done holding back. My grip on Theodore tightened as I approached them, my footsteps echoing in the room.

Without hesitation, I raised my hand and slapped Evelyn across the face. The sharp sound reverberated through the air, startling Lucas into a loud cry and causing Theodore to whimper in my arms.

Evelyn swayed to the side, clutching Lucas protectively as though she were the victim. Her wide eyes darted between me and Liam, her face marked by the red string of my hand.

“How dare you, Amelia!” Liam roared, his voice booming with anger.

The tension exploded into chaos as we argued, our voices overlapping in a cacophony of accusations and denials. Liam’s fury fueled mine, and Evelyn’s faux innocence only made me angrier.

It did not take long for the commotion to draw attention. Nurses and security guards burst into the room, their faces alarmed as they tried to break us apart.

"Dr. Amelia, please step back!" one of the nurses pleaded, her voice firm yet nervous.

I exhaled sharply, realizing I was on the verge of losing control. Theodore’s cries and the guards’ warnings finally brought me back to reality. “Please get out of here before we forcefully pull you out.”

Taking a deep breath, I turned on my heel and walked toward the door, ignoring Liam’s cold glare and Evelyn’s smug silence.

There was no point in wasting more energy on a man who did not recognize me or a woman who thrived on turning my world upside down. Instead, I headed back home with Theodore, back to the one sanctuary we had left.

The next day, however, the true storm began.

The hospital, usually a hub of professionalism, had turned into a web of gossip. Everywhere I walked, I could hear snippets of conversations.

“They said Dr. Amelia was angry in a patient’s room. Is she having an affair?”

“According to the nurse near the room, it’s actually Dr. Amelia who’s in the wrong—she was caught causing a scene!”

“Eh, did you see? Dr. Amelia brought a child yesterday. Does she already have a kid?”

“She said it was her nephew, but what if the child’s hers from some secret affair?”

“Oh my God, and I thought Dr. Amelia was so innocent.”

I gritted my teeth as I walked through the halls, their words cutting like shards of glass. Though their hushed tones feigned secrecy, the weight of their judgment was palpable.

Even in the ER, where everyone prided themselves on professionalism, I could feel their questioning eyes on me.

I did not care. Let them talk. No one truly knew my life. I was the only one who understood what I was fighting for, and I was not about to let their whispers break me.

During my lunch break, I clutched the wedding photo album I had brought from home.

I planned to take it to Liam, to confront his fractured memory with undeniable proof of the life we had shared.

If Evelyn’s lies were taking root in Liam’s mind, I would fight to uproot them.

However, as I walked through the hallway toward Liam’s room, a hand grabbed my arm roughly, pulling me to the side.

Before I could react, I found myself dragged into the women’s restroom.

The door slammed shut, and I turned to see Evelyn, her smug expression even more venomous up close. She crossed her arms, blocking the exit, her demeanor sharp and aggressive.

“You still dare to visit Liam again after the whole hospital is gossiping about you?” she hissed, her voice low but laced with venom. “Come on, Amelia, you should just accept reality and understand his condition.”

Her words stung, but I would not let her see the cracks she was trying to make in my armor. Instead, I straightened my back and met her gaze with a steely glare.

“Are you afraid Liam will remember me if I keep seeing him?” I sneered, clutching the photo album tightly against my chest.

I stepped closer, my voice low but unwavering. “You can manipulate him all you want, Evelyn, but you can’t erase the truth. The life Liam and I shared isn’t something you can overwrite with your lies.”