Chapter 3

"Everything I'd felt that afternoon, the hurt and the anger, came flooding back again.

I didn't hide anything. I told my parents exactly what happened in the hospital room. "

Mom slammed her hand on the table and shot to her feet. "This is outrageous. If he's cheating, then he's cheating. Why pull this fake amnesia crap?

"I'm going over there right now and clearing this up. The men chasing my daughter could line up for blocks. It's not like she has to marry that trash son of theirs.

"We're calling off the engagement right now!"

Dad hurried up to stop her. "Honey, calm down. Don't do anything rash."

This wasn't just about Ryan and me anymore. It also involved the business ties between our two families.

"So you're telling me you'd throw away our daughter's happiness for the company's interests?"

Mom glared at my dad and tore into him, while I sat there twisting my fingers together and cutting in softly: "Mom, I don't want to break off the engagement either."

Mom's rant stopped cold. She turned to stare at me like I was hopeless. "How did I end up with such a lovesick idiot for a daughter?"

I mumbled, "I like Mrs. Foster's cooking..." Yep. A big reason I wanted to marry Ryan was because I wanted to marry into the Foster family. That way, I could eat Helen Foster's cooking every single day!

Mom let out another long, exasperated sigh. After discussing it for ages, my parents came up with what they thought was the perfect solution. The Foster family had more than one son anyway. If the younger one was trash, then I'd marry the older one.

Dad dealt with Lucas all the time in business, and he couldn't praise the man enough: mature, steady, decent, and with a spotless private life.

After thinking about it for a moment, I said, "Let me think it over."

My mom raised her hand at me. "If you're still thinking about marrying that cheating bastard Ryan, I'll smack some sense into you!"

*****

"The next day, I was lying in bed thinking over my parents' suggestion when Grace unexpectedly asked to meet me.

"

At the cafe, Grace held her cup by the handle and said apologetically, "Anna, I didn't mean to get close to Ryan. The doctor said he hit his head and his memory got mixed up..."

I cut her off right away. "Ryan's memory is mixed up. What's your excuse? Is yours messed up too? When he held you and called you baby, couldn't you push him away? Couldn't you explain anything to him?"

I looked at her and let out a cold laugh. "Grace, if you're going to be a homewrecker, then quit pretending you're innocent. Getting cozy with your best friend's boyfriend right in front of her, does that make you feel accomplished?"

"Grace's eyes turned red instantly, and she looked like I'd bullied her half to death.

"

That harmless, fragile, pitiful act of hers was exactly what had fooled me in the first place. When an older girl dragged her into the bathroom and bullied her, I rushed in and stood in front of her.

"When our classmates left her out, I brought her into my circle with Ryan and our friends.

"

Later, when her family went bankrupt and she couldn't afford tuition, I even begged my parents to help support her through college. I never thought the best friend I'd given my whole heart to would stab me in the back like this.

I took a deep breath. "Grace, from this moment on, we're not friends anymore." I stood up to leave.

"But the woman across from me let out a mocking laugh. ""Do you know what Ryan hates most about you?

"

"""He used to complain to me that you're spoiled, demanding, and a total princess. He got sick of you a long time ago.

Maybe this whole post-crash memory thing is just an act. Maybe he only did it so he could dump you."

"He calls me baby. Bet you're dying of jealousy, huh? I finally beat you for once." Grace burst out laughing.

"I grabbed the coffee on the table and splashed it right in her face.

""Grace, Ryan's just garbage I already threw away. If you want him that badly, go right ahead.

And good luck. A bitch and a bastard really do belong together forever."""