Walter had once pursued Anne.

Back in high school, they had been deskmates for a while and even participated in competitions together. However, Anne had been resolute and had politely turned him down. When Walter learned that Connor and Felicia were dating, he even got into a fight with Connor.

He could not understand how Connor could give up someone as amazing as Anne.

Later, when Connor and Anne got married, Walter even asked Anne in front of Connor if she wanted to leave with him.

As for Connor, seeing them sitting together made him lose all composure. Ignoring Felicia, who stood beside him, he stormed up and slapped Walter's hand away.

"Speak up!" Connor demanded, pulling Anne up from her seat when she remained silent.

"Speak about what?" Anne steadied herself by leaning on the table, avoiding falling into Connor's arms.

"Maybe you should let Ms.Yule behind you have a word with me?" Anne's tone was indifferent.

Felicia's expression darkened as she watched the two of them standing so close. She forced a sorrowful smile. "Connor, who is she?"

Hearing Felicia's voice, Connor froze for a moment, releasing his grip on Anne's arm.

Anne closed her eyes briefly before answering, "A colleague."

Connor looked stunned as Anne repeated calmly, "We're just colleagues."

"Hello, I'm Felicia, his girlfriend."

It was evident to anyone that something was off, but Felicia maintained her sweet, innocent smile.

Clinging to Connor's arm, she extended her hand toward Anne.

Anne glanced at Connor. His jaw was tightly clenched, and he looked tense.

Why was he nervous? Was he afraid Anne would reveal our relationship? Or was he worried Anne would embarrass Felicia?

Felicia's hand hung in the air, but Anne merely stared at it without any intention of shaking it.

Feeling humiliated, Felicia bit her lip and turned to Connor, tears welling in her eyes.

Tears, the ultimate weapon. Almost instantly, Connor grasped her hand and intertwined their fingers right in front of Anne.

"Ms. Yule, I heard you lost your memory, and it's stuck at three years ago?" Walter, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up. "Do you still remember me?"

Walter's questions seemed simple, but they made Felicia shrink back as if she was deeply wronged. She shook her head timidly.

"That's unfortunate," said Walter, standing up and filling a glass with water.

"Three years ago, when Connor brought you to meet us, I splashed water in your face," he said, pouring the glass of water over Felicia's face, "just like this."

Felicia screamed, and Connor's fist immediately connected with Walter's face. "Who gave you the right to touch her?"

Walter's face turned to the side with blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

As Connor's second punch was about to land, Anne stepped in between them, glaring coldly at Connor.

"That's enough!" she snapped.

Anne grabbed Walter and left.

Watching her retreating figure, Connor felt an inexplicable panic and wanted to follow her.

However, Felicia clung to him with tears streaming down her face. "Connor, are you hiding something from me? Do you like that woman?"

"She…"

Connor almost revealed the truth, but seeing Felicia sobbing uncontrollably in his arms, he recalled the doctor's words.

'Her emotions are very unstable right now, and she's heavily dependent on you. Try not to provoke her, or it might lead to psychological issues.'

If it had not been for him taking Felicia on that trip, she would not have gone missing.

In the end, the responsibility still lay with him.

Connor let Felicia cling to him, watching Anne's figure disappear from sight.

Carrying Felicia in his arms, he felt a mix of guilt and irritation. "She has nothing to do with me. Let me take you home."

A flash of jealousy passed through Felicia's eyes, but she obediently wrapped her arms around Connor's neck and nodded.

…

"Are you okay?" Anne pulled some tissues from the car and carefully wiped the corner of Walter's mouth.

"Anne, what Connor said earlier…"

"Walter," Anne interrupted, taking a step back. "How soon can you draft a divorce agreement?"

Her words created an invisible distance between them.

Realizing he had been too forward, Walter hesitated for a moment. "At least two weeks."

Anne nodded. She knew the financial ties between her and Connor were complicated, and it would take time to sort everything out.

…

"Connor, what time are you coming home tonight?"

Outside, Felicia noticed Anne standing not far away and buried herself in Connor's embrace, gazing at him expectantly as she spoke.

Connor's eyes briefly met Anne's cold, indifferent expression. Suddenly, he found it hard to answer.

However, Felicia pressed on, her shallow breaths brushing against his chin. "Connor, I can't sleep without you by my side."

Connor stiffened. Hastily, he placed Felicia into the car and vaguely replied, "I'll be back."

The car sped past Anne and Walter.

Walter clenched his fists and could not help cursing under his breath.

Turning to console Anne, he found her smiling at him as if she had not seen any of it.

"I'll collect the evidence as soon as possible," she said calmly.

After parting ways with Walter, Anne did not return to the office. Instead, she went straight home.

In the master bedroom, a nightgown lay discarded on the bed. It was hers, but it was evident that Felicia had worn it.

The dress had been part of a surprise she prepared for Connor's birthday that year.

Three years of marriage, with both families urging them to have a child, yet Connor always took precautions with meticulous care.

That night, Anne had stopped him. "Connor, let's have a child."

Connor had responded with a cold laugh, kissing her passionately until she was lost in the moment. In the end, he did not follow through with her wishes.

As she looked at the wrinkled camisole dress, Anne turned pale, her mind consumed by images of Connor holding Felicia in his arms as they slept.

She ran into the bathroom, dry heaving into the sink.

After the nausea subsided, she turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on her face.

Staring at her reflection in the mirror, her face was still striking but haggard. Anne suddenly thought of her time studying abroad.

Back then, she had stood in front of a packed lecture hall, speaking with confidence and grace. She had straight A's, and her name still adorned the school's wall of honor.

At a globally top-ranked university, she had excelled academically and achieved outstanding research results.

People admired her, and every day someone new confessed their feelings for her, only to be turned down with the excuse of focusing on her studies.

Was that the real reason?

Anne knew deep down that it was because she could not let go of Connor.

She had never understood why her decision to study abroad, such a minor thing, had elicited such a strong reaction from him.

All that, and within a year, he found someone else.

She realized it was simply because his love for her had never been enough.

A wry smile spread across Anne's face, a smile that marked the moment she truly let Connor go.

"I have a meeting tonight to discuss a collaboration."

Finally finding a reason to speak with her, Connor blocked Anne in the living room as she came out for a glass of water.

For days, Anne had not only moved into the guest bedroom but also ignored him entirely. At the office, she only spoke to him when necessary for work. At home, she would shut herself in the study.

The investment they last negotiated was at the contract-signing stage. Connor seized the opportunity to start a conversation.

"Got it," Anne replied curtly, finishing her water without any unnecessary words before heading upstairs.

Connor, frustrated, followed her. Just as she was about to close the bedroom door, he reached out to stop it, slipping inside before she could react.

Pinning her against the door, he leaned in and bit her lip.

The sharp pain made Anne frown. "Connor, what are you doing?"

Connor did not know what had come over him.

Anne had ignored him for just a few days, yet it made him so restless that he could not sleep.

Because of his demanding job, Connor had begun showing early signs of arthritis in his neck.

To help him, Anne had learned massage techniques, massaging him every night. She even consulted a doctor friend and spent a lot on specially made patches.

Though Connor often showed frustration, Anne would still coax him into using them.

With things finally quiet, he found he could not adjust to the peace.

Connor stared at her pale, delicate face, his throat tightening. Unwilling to admit he could not sleep without holding her, he awkwardly said, "The patches you bought me are gone."

Suspicious, Anne replied, "Didn't you say you didn't like wearing them?"

"But my neck's been hurting a lot lately," said Connor, his tone self-assured.

He expected her to show concern.

Instead, she calmly said, "I'll send you the doctor's contact. You can buy them yourself from now on."

"But you've always bought them for me before."

"Connor, aren't you tired of this?" Anne pushed him away forcefully. "I'm busy. If you don't have time, you can ask Felicia."

Connor froze. "You're telling me to go to Felicia?"

"Yes." Anne did not hesitate.

Connor grabbed her shoulders tightly. "Anne, I'm your husband. Are you pushing me toward someone else?"

"Oh, you remember you're my husband now?"

Neither of them had brought up what had happened that day.

Even though she had met with Walter for lunch, Connor had taken Felicia to his company. Why should he be the one to back down?

Seeing the anger on her face, Connor suddenly pulled her into an embrace. "Anne, are you jealous?"

Anne froze.

Her reaction seemed to confirm it in Connor's eyes.

He smirked. "I told you, I won't betray you during our marriage."

"Anne, the doctor said Felicia's condition is improving. Just give me a little more time." This time, Connor gave a definite time frame. "In a month, I'll tell her the truth."

Held tightly in his arms, Anne could hear Connor's heartbeat. She momentarily lost focus.

In their younger days, whenever she did not do well on a test, Connor would hold her like this.

Back then, his scent was a clean, refreshing mint.

Instinctively, she took a light breath, but the mint was mixed with a sickly sweet orange scent. She never used a perfume with that fragrance.

Looking up at Connor, she asked, "Do you still love her?"

'Do you still love her?'

'Did you ever love me?'

Connor did not catch the subtext in her question.

His gaze wavered. "Anne, she disappeared because of me. I can't just abandon her."

Seeing the disappointment in her eyes, Connor felt a wave of panic. It was something he had been experiencing often lately.

He leaned in to kiss her.

Anne turned her face away. "You'll be late for your meeting."

"I'll be quick," he murmured, trailing kisses from the corner of her lips down to her neck.

Sensing her resistance, he bit her.

When she shoved him away forcefully, Connor glanced at the mark on her neck. Instead of getting angry, he simply followed her as she moved.

Anne grabbed a dress and went into the bathroom.

The door slammed shut in front of Connor's face.

He rubbed his nose with an amused glint in his eyes.

Leaning against the door, he waited for her, just like he used to wait for her after school years ago.

However, as those memories surfaced, his smile froze.

When he realized what he was doing, his expression darkened.

His mind drifted back to the scene abroad when he saw her in another man's arms, being kissed.