Chapter 4

The next day, Nora told me Adrian was incredibly busy preparing for the wedding. The scale and extravagance were exactly on par with what we had for ours.

I nodded thoughtfully.

He was so busy, yet he still managed to have someone deliver meals to my apartment every day.

Juggling both sides so perfectly. It must have been exhausting for him.

On the day of the wedding, Nora accompanied me to the ballroom at the Boston Harbor Hotel.

The ceremony hadn't started yet. We sat in a quiet corner, watching Adrian and Claire a short distance away. They were linking arms, surrounded by the bridal party.

"I remember Adrian threw a massive wedding like this for Maya back then," someone laughed. "I didn't expect Claire to get the same treatment."

Hearing my name, Claire tightened her grip on Adrian's arm.

Adrian spoke up:

"Maya and I are already divorced. Today is Claire's wedding. Let's leave the past in the past."

The guests immediately chimed in, whispering among themselves.

"Claire is so much younger and vibrant. Maya could never compete."

"Adrian, Claire is giving you her best years. You better treat her right."

Adrian offered a gentle, reassuring smile.

"Don't worry. I won't let her down."

That tone. It was exactly the same tone he had used when he made his vows to me.

I lowered my eyes. Nora was grinding her teeth in fury.

"What kind of twisted logic is this? Maintaining a relationship built entirely on deceit, and expecting everyone to praise them for being a beautiful couple."

Nearby, the crowd started cheering:

"It's a beautiful day! The bride and groom should kiss!"

"Kiss! Kiss!"

The chanting grew louder. Claire looked up at Adrian, her cheeks flushed.

Amidst the cheering crowd, he reached up, brushed the hair behind her ear, and leaned down to press a kiss to her lips.

The applause and cheers hit a crescendo.

But in that exact moment, the entire world suddenly went dead silent to me.

He couldn't keep his heart faithful.

And now, he wasn't keeping his body faithful either.

A mocking smile curved my lips.

Fortunately, so much of my memory had already been extracted that I didn't feel much pain.

My phone screen lit up. The MBTA App sent a push notification: the next Red Line train was arriving soon.

"Nora, I should go."

She pulled me into a tight hug, her eyes red.

"Go. Leave all this trash behind. Go do what you were truly meant to do."

"As for this wedding, I'll leave them a little parting gift on your behalf."

"I'm off."

I smiled and squeezed her hand, not really caring what she planned to do.

In half an hour, every last trace of emotional memory tied to Adrian would be gone.

I dragged my suitcase out of the ballroom.

Adrian and Claire were holding hands. From the corner of his eye, he seemed to catch a glimpse of my retreating figure.

But he quickly forced himself to look away and stay calm.

The lights in the ballroom dimmed. Adrian and Claire stood in the center of the stage, exchanging rings and gazing sweetly into each other's eyes.

The crowd began chanting for another kiss.

Suddenly, a massive banner dropped from the ceiling of the ballroom.

Nora stood right beneath it, her voice echoing through the venue via a megaphone:

"A marriage built on betrayal. May the cheater and his mistress rot together."

Claire's face drained of color. She instinctively shrank behind Adrian.

Seeing Nora's face, Adrian's expression turned thunderous.

"What nonsense are you spewing? Maya and I are already divorced. Claire is not a homewrecker!"

Nora sneered.

"You want to have your cake and eat it too, and you want everyone to applaud you for being a gentleman."

Adrian's eyes turned ice-cold.

"This is none of your business. Maya won't even remember any of this."

"You idiot."

Nora lifted her chin, staring at him with absolute contempt.

"The pill doesn't work instantly. It takes three full days to completely erase the person she loves most. Everything you've done over the past three days, Maya saw every single second of it."

Adrian's face drastically changed. Nora continued mercilessly:

"You still don't know who the lead developer of that drug is, do you?"

"It's Maya. Your ex-wife."

"And one more thing. There is no reversal compound. Maya has completely forgotten you."

"Now, you can stay with this woman with total peace of mind!"

Chapter 4

The next day, Nora told me Adrian was incredibly busy preparing for the wedding. The scale and extravagance were exactly on par with what we had for ours.

I nodded thoughtfully.

He was so busy, yet he still managed to have someone deliver meals to my apartment every day.

Juggling both sides so perfectly. It must have been exhausting for him.

On the day of the wedding, Nora accompanied me to the ballroom at the Boston Harbor Hotel.

The ceremony hadn't started yet. We sat in a quiet corner, watching Adrian and Claire a short distance away. They were linking arms, surrounded by the bridal party.

"I remember Adrian threw a massive wedding like this for Maya back then," someone laughed. "I didn't expect Claire to get the same treatment."

Hearing my name, Claire tightened her grip on Adrian's arm.

Adrian spoke up:

"Maya and I are already divorced. Today is Claire's wedding. Let's leave the past in the past."

The guests immediately chimed in, whispering among themselves.

"Claire is so much younger and vibrant. Maya could never compete."

"Adrian, Claire is giving you her best years. You better treat her right."

Adrian offered a gentle, reassuring smile.

"Don't worry. I won't let her down."

That tone. It was exactly the same tone he had used when he made his vows to me.

I lowered my eyes. Nora was grinding her teeth in fury.

"What kind of twisted logic is this? Maintaining a relationship built entirely on deceit, and expecting everyone to praise them for being a beautiful couple."

Nearby, the crowd started cheering:

"It's a beautiful day! The bride and groom should kiss!"

"Kiss! Kiss!"

The chanting grew louder. Claire looked up at Adrian, her cheeks flushed.

Amidst the cheering crowd, he reached up, brushed the hair behind her ear, and leaned down to press a kiss to her lips.

The applause and cheers hit a crescendo.

But in that exact moment, the entire world suddenly went dead silent to me.

He couldn't keep his heart faithful.

And now, he wasn't keeping his body faithful either.

A mocking smile curved my lips.

Fortunately, so much of my memory had already been extracted that I didn't feel much pain.

My phone screen lit up. The MBTA App sent a push notification: the next Red Line train was arriving soon.

"Nora, I should go."

She pulled me into a tight hug, her eyes red.

"Go. Leave all this trash behind. Go do what you were truly meant to do."

"As for this wedding, I'll leave them a little parting gift on your behalf."

"I'm off."

I smiled and squeezed her hand, not really caring what she planned to do.

In half an hour, every last trace of emotional memory tied to Adrian would be gone.

I dragged my suitcase out of the ballroom.

Adrian and Claire were holding hands. From the corner of his eye, he seemed to catch a glimpse of my retreating figure.

But he quickly forced himself to look away and stay calm.

The lights in the ballroom dimmed. Adrian and Claire stood in the center of the stage, exchanging rings and gazing sweetly into each other's eyes.

The crowd began chanting for another kiss.

Suddenly, a massive banner dropped from the ceiling of the ballroom.

Nora stood right beneath it, her voice echoing through the venue via a megaphone:

"A marriage built on betrayal. May the cheater and his mistress rot together."

Claire's face drained of color. She instinctively shrank behind Adrian.

Seeing Nora's face, Adrian's expression turned thunderous.

"What nonsense are you spewing? Maya and I are already divorced. Claire is not a homewrecker!"

Nora sneered.

"You want to have your cake and eat it too, and you want everyone to applaud you for being a gentleman."

Adrian's eyes turned ice-cold.

"This is none of your business. Maya won't even remember any of this."

"You idiot."

Nora lifted her chin, staring at him with absolute contempt.

"The pill doesn't work instantly. It takes three full days to completely erase the person she loves most. Everything you've done over the past three days, Maya saw every single second of it."

Adrian's face drastically changed. Nora continued mercilessly:

"You still don't know who the lead developer of that drug is, do you?"

"It's Maya. Your ex-wife."

"And one more thing. There is no reversal compound. Maya has completely forgotten you."

"Now, you can stay with this woman with total peace of mind!"