Looking at the man lying in the hospital bed, his head wrapped in layers of bandages as he claimed he'd lost his memory, I almost laughed.
His acting was painfully bad. Yet in my previous life, I never saw through it. I genuinely believed he'd forgotten me, and he fooled me like an i***t for forty years.
I asked quietly, "What did you just say?"
A flicker of impatience crossed Richard Davis's eyes before he repeated himself.
"I want a divorce. I don't know any Sharon Young. The woman I want to marry is Lydia Walker."
As if he was afraid I'd cling to him, he added, "Even if you're my legal wife, I don't know you now. You can't force love."
I nodded. In front of everyone, I answered without hesitation.
"Fine. I agree to the divorce."
The room fell silent. No one had expected me to agree so quickly.
Richard frowned instinctively. "What are you up to now? Yesterday you were threatening to expose Lydia if I divorced you. What's your game this time?"
I didn't answer. Instead, I pulled the prepared divorce agreement out of my bag and signed my name in one clean stroke.
Memories flooded my mind.
Last time, I truly believed Richard had simply forgotten me. I refused to let him go. That decision trapped me in misery for forty years.
This time, I wouldn't make the same mistake.
"Once you've signed, the divorce should be finalized in about a week," I said calmly. "After that, we'll have nothing to do with each other."
I handed him the papers. "Richard, you're free."
The silence in the room was suffocating. None of his friends said a word.
I didn't bother saying anything else. Leaving the divorce agreement behind, I turned and walked out.
The moment the door closed, I heard someone inside lower his voice.
"Richard... what's going on? Is Sharon seriously divorcing you?"
Richard's deep voice answered confidently. "No way. She almost slit her wrist to keep me from divorcing her. She's just throwing a tantrum. Once the divorce is official, she'll come begging me to take her back."
"So... you're really planning to divorce her and marry Lydia?"
This time, Richard was quiet for a long while before speaking.
"I promised Lydia years ago that I'd marry her, and I broke that promise. It's always been my biggest regret. The one I love now is Sharon. Once I've made up for what I owe Lydia, I'll say my memory's back, divorce her, and spend the rest of my life with Sharon."
Marry him again?
I thought, 'Richard, not this time. This time, I was the one walking away.'
I didn't stay to hear another word. Instead, I left the hospital, took out my phone, and made a call.
The line connected almost immediately. Because of the time difference overseas, the man's voice was rough with sleep.
"Well, well. To what do I owe the honor? What made you think of calling me?"
"I lost."
I spoke calmly, "Vincent, didn't you say that if I lost our bet, I'd have to marry you?"
One second.
Two seconds.
Three...
Just as I started wondering if the call had dropped, an excited voice burst through the phone.
"One week!"
"What?"
"I'll be back in one week. We're getting married the day I land."