Chapter 1

York Graham and I had grown up side by side, yet over the course of twenty years, that childhood bond had been boiled down into open hostility.

He resented me for insisting on restoring his memories back then, blaming me for the car accident that nearly took the life of Vanessa Stefan, the woman he cherished above all else.

I resented him for forgetting the promise he had made to marry only me, and for protecting Vanessa more fiercely than he ever protected himself after he lost his memory.

During our seven years of marriage, we slept in the same bedroom, yet a wide space separated us like a silent divide.

On the day I received my diagnosis for ALS, everyone was saying York should divorce me while I could still move, then hurry off and start over with another woman.

Instead, he hid it from me and stayed at St. Mary's Church for two days and two nights, praying for only one thing—that I could stay with him a little longer.

When I was dying, he held my already stiffened body in his arms, his chin resting against my gaunt shoulder. His voice sounded hoarse, as if it had rusted from the inside out.

"Zara, what I owed you in this life has been repaid with seven years of unwavering care. If there is another life, do not appear again. Do not let me remember you. Let me protect Vanessa properly, just once," York said.

My tears fell onto the back of his hand, and only then did I finally understand.

The wish he had made beneath that tree when he was fifteen should have scattered with the wind on the day he lost his memory.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the snowy day when I first found York.

This time, I no longer clung to the hope that he would remember the past. I only wished that he could stay by the side of the person he had chosen and live out his life in peace.

*****

The butler said, "Mr. Graham doesn't remember anything right now. He only acknowledges Ms. Stefan, and he won't come home with us, no matter what.

"We've already reached out to the top memory restoration expert overseas. Just say the word, and he'll get all his memories back in three days."

The familiar words echoed in my ears, just like when I found York Graham in that old bookstore in my previous life.

But this time, I didn't rush them with teary eyes like before. I just shook my head gently, my fingers curled around the ALS diagnosis report I'd just picked up. It was four years ahead of my previous life.

That day, I did two things.

First, I took the diagnosis report to the Graham family and placed the annulment letter in front of his parents, Ethan Graham and Willow Graham.

Second, I went to the photo studio to get a picture developed. In it, York was helping Vanessa Stefan organize the bookshelf, snowflakes resting on their hair.

He reached out to brush the snow off her, his touch so gentle that it could make one's heart ache.

Willow clung to my hand, tears falling nonstop. "Zara, you can't end this marriage. York used to trail after you as a kid, always saying he wanted to marry you. He's only forgotten. Once he remembers, everything will be different."

"Mrs. Graham, he doesn't love me anymore," I said, sliding the photo toward her, my knuckles pale from how tightly I held it.

I added, "I've been diagnosed with ALS. Maybe four years at best.

"Rather than making him live with the guilt of watching me lose even the strength to hold a fork, I'd rather let him go now, so he can live the life he truly wants."

In my previous life, after York disappeared, I spent three years searching for him.

Finally, I found him in that old bookstore at the end of the alley. He was smiling as he handed Vanessa a cup of hot cocoa, saying, "Your stomach is weak, so only something warm is good for her."

I just couldn't let it go, so I made the memory expert restore his memories.

Three days later, he remembered everything. But Vanessa got into a car accident and never woke up again.

After that, whenever York looked at me, all I saw was an icy coldness that never faded.

For seven years after we got married, he looked after me like clockwork, making sure I took my meds, helping me roll over in bed. But deep down, I knew it wasn't love. He was just trying to pay back what he thought he owed me.

Choking back my tears, I said quietly, "York and I are done."

This time, I didn't want either of us stuck in the mess of our past.

After leaving the Graham residence, I headed straight for the old bookstore.

When Vanessa saw me, she quickly shoved York into the back room and blocked my way, her voice shaking. "I didn't hide him. He lost his memory and collapsed at the door. I just—"

"It doesn't matter if you hid him or not," I cut her off, my eyes sliding past her to the crack in the back room door, where York was staring right at me.

His knuckles were pale as he gripped the doorframe, every muscle taut, like a wolf protecting its turf.

Back then, whenever other girls cornered him for his number, he'd hide behind me, tugging at my sleeve and acting all cute.

"Zara, hurry up and tell them I'm yours, or they'll take me away," he said.

But now, he was shielding Vanessa behind him, waiting for me to show the slightest displeasure toward her so he could jump out and defend her.

I glanced away and gave Vanessa a gentle smile. "I'm not here to steal him from you. I'm here to bring both of you home to the Graham residence."

Vanessa was stunned, her eyes round with shock. "Both of us?"

"Yeah." I nodded. "You're the one he cares about now. If you stay behind, there's no way he'll come with us."

I paused for a moment, then added, "Mr. and Mrs. Graham know about you, and they're fine with you two being together."

Vanessa was stunned for a second, then her eyes sparkled with excitement. She spun around, rushed into the back room, grabbed York's hand, and started talking a mile a minute.

When York finally stepped out, he wasn't as guarded as before. He bit his lip and said quietly, "Sorry, I thought you were going to make things difficult for Vanessa."

I looked at him, and suddenly remembered how, when we were kids, he'd give me his only piece of candy, saying, "Zara, you have it. I don't like candy."

But in truth, candy was his favorite.

Sometimes, when someone forgot the past, they really did become a stranger.

I gave a small smile. "It's fine. Let's go back to the Graham residence."

When we arrived at the Graham residence, everyone glanced at York and me. No one really knew what to call me.

I spoke up first, sounding as casual as if I were talking about someone else.

I smiled, "I'm York's childhood friend. We used to climb trees and build rope swings together when we were little. He always said he'd find me a decent guy, but then he lost his memory, and that plan went out the window."

Everyone who knew the real story stayed silent, so York didn't suspect a thing.

He grinned and patted my shoulder, "Once I've got the bookstore sorted out, I'll set you up with someone, someone who'll actually be good enough for you."