That day, in my last life, the bar was filled with Evan and Samuel’s friends. Most of them knew about our history. I naively thought they would stand up for me, confirm our relationship. So when Evan ordered his men to throw me out, I fought back, desperately trying to tell the truth. I know I must have looked pathetic and crazed, but I couldn’t bear to see him deceived, couldn’t accept our
love ending like this.
Theld up my phone, begging him to just look at our photos together. He ordered his men to destroy the “fake pictures” with a look of disgust. In the struggle, my collar was torn, exposing my shoulder.
Faye let out a tinkling laugh. She turned to Evan, her voice a playful purr. “Evan, darling, what do you mean a ‘twisted obsession“? I
think she has a rather nice figure, don’t you?
Evan ignored my cries, pinching Faye’s cheek with faux affection. “You’re asking for it.”
The crowd chuckled knowingly at their exchange. Not a single person spoke up for me. Even Samuel, who had secretly given me
the invitation, looked away uncomfortably.
As I was dragged out the door, Evan was cradling the back of Faye’s neck, lowering his lips for a deep, passionate kiss…
I snapped back to the present.
Evan was waiting for my response, his patience wearing thin. “Since you don’t seem to understand, let me be perfectly clear. Your
offer to ‘repay me with yourself‘ is the last thing I want.”
His voice was frigid. “You’re not my type. Even before I lost my memory, I wouldn’t have given you a second glance. So stop fantasi
zing about me.”
The bar fell silent. All eyes were on me. Even those who knew our past were eagerly waiting to see the abandoned woman make a
fool of herself.
But Evan’s condescending, holier–than–thou act no longer hurt me. Instead, it ignited a deep, simmering hatred.
I laughed, my tone exaggerated. “So, Mr. Thorne, you’ve spent all this time dramatically warning me off because you thought I was
interested in you?”
The crowd stilled, ears perked.
Evan scoffed. “Don’t play dumb. I know you’ve been contacting my lawyer, trying to dig up information on me.”
Faye burst out laughing again, bending over with the force of it. “Oh, Miss Rhea, just how badly do you want my fiancé? You’re certa
inly persistent.”
The people around them joined in with low, mocking chuckles.
I shook my head, my own smile laced with weary amusement. “Of course, I have to be persistent.”
I slowly reached into my bag and pulled out a single sheet of paper.
As I unfolded it, two large words were visible to everyone; 1.0.U.
“Because if I’m not, your fiancé might just decide to default on the money he owes me!”
4
The IOU in my hand was from three years ago. Back then, Evan had cut ties with his family for me, and they had frozen all his asse
ts I gave him my entire life savings to start his own company.
His eyes had been red as he wrote it out, stroke by stroke. He’d said, “Rhea, I’ll spend my entire life paying back what I owe you.”
I no longer wanted his lifetime. But getting my money back was my right.
My declaration sent a shockwave through the bar. First, the idea of Evan Thorne, the sole heir to the Thorne fortune, borrowing money from a humble acupuncturist like me was absurd. But then they remembered he’d been cast out by his family, and looks of dawning comprehension spread across their faces.
Second, Evan had just finished publicly berating me for harassing him, loudly warning me to love him less, only for it to turn out he
was the one in debt. It was all a self–important fantasy.
The crowd’s whispers grew louder.
“She’s here to collect a debt? Pfft…”
“Not a debt of love, a real, monetary debt!”
The grins on their faces were becoming impossible to contain. The mob is always like that, they side with whoever has the upper
hand,
Evan’s face was a thundercloud. He didn’t even look at the paper in my hand. “Hah Clever little trick. But it won’t work on me. Get ‘out now, before I really lose my temper.”
I
2045
My own face hardened. I held the IOU up high, making sure everyone could see Evan’s distinctive, sharp handwriting. My voice turn-
ed sharp, too.
