Chapter 4

When Zoe woke up again, she found herself locked in a storage room. The wounds on her back had formed thin scabs, but every small movement tore at them and sent agonizing pain through her body. She gritted her teeth and struggled to sit up before knocking on the door. A guard's indifferent voice came from outside. "Ms. Holt said you haven't learned your lesson, so you'll be kept in there for three days with no food or water." He paused and added, "Mr. Holt agreed to it." Zoe slumped against the door and slid onto the ground. Then, she laughed. She'd always known Vera hated her. By a twist of fate years ago, she'd taken Vera's rightful place as the Holts' daughter. That had the latter living in hardship out in the world. When Vera was finally brought back to the Holts, Alder refused to let Zoe leave and doted on her so obsessively that Vera couldn't drive her out. Now, Alder had lost his memories and didn't remember Zoe or his past mad love for her. So, Vera finally had her chance at revenge. Zoe leaned against the icy wall and didn't bother to resist or knock again. After all, she'd leave for good in just a few more days. There was no point in stirring up more trouble at the final moment, and she should just let it be. There were no windows in the storage room, so she couldn't tell day from night. Curled up in a corner, Zoe couldn't sleep from the pain and passed the time by counting her breaths. Every day, Vera would have someone toss in a stack of pictures. They were all intimate shots of Alder and Elara. There was a picture of him holding her waist at a dinner party and whispering into her ear. Another picture had him kneeling to adjust her gown gentlemanly. In another picture, he was seen slipping a diamond ring onto her finger in front of a crowd, pulling her into his arms, and kissing her. On the back of each picture, Vera had screwed mocking words written in red. "This is the fiancée Alder should marry. Who do you think you are? Stop dreaming—he'll never remember you." … The storage room door finally opened three days later. As blinding light streamed in, Zoe squinted and saw Vera standing in the doorway, looking down at her from above. "Alder is going to hold a grand birthday party for Elara. What are you still waiting for? Hurry up and get to work as an attendant!" She sneered. Zoe braced against the wall and forced herself up. Her legs were wobbly, and she could barely stand still, but she had no choice. After hastily applying medicine, drinking water, and gobbling a few bites of food, she was driven toward the ballroom. Just as Vera had said, the party was lavish beyond imagination. The ballroom was transformed into a starlit sky. Crystal chandeliers refracted sparkling light, and the champagne tower stood taller than a person's height. The most eyecatching piece was Elara's birthday party from Alder—a blue diamond necklace worth over 100 million dollars. As he clasped it around her neck, the room erupted in applause. Yet, whispers still spread among the crowd. "Is it true that Alder lost his memory? He used to be crazy about Zoe…" "Keep it down! The Holts sure are bold, rushing to get him a fiancée while he's lost his memory. If he ever remembers, will he tear the Holt family into shreds?" "I heard the memory loss is permanent. The doctors said so." Zoe lowered her head and silently continued her tasks as if none of it had anything to do with her, until a pair of high heels entered her sight. She looked up and met Elara's smiling eyes. "Zoe, did you like the welcome gift I sent you?" Elara asked, gently swirling the champagne in her glass. Her red lips curled into a smile. Zoe looked at her and said, "You don't have to go this far. Alder doesn't have any feelings for me now, and I won't come between you, either." Elara laughed. Her lips curled into a scorn as she snapped, "It's easy for you to say that. I've loved him for years, and you have no idea how elated I was when we finally had a marriage alliance…" Her nails dug into Zoe's arms, and her eyes churned with twisted resentment. "Yet, he turned around and declared you were the only one he'd marry! I loved him so much that I offered my entire billion-dollar company as a wedding gift, but he didn't even blink before throwing me out!" Elara's voice began trembling as she continued, "It was pouring that day. I refused to give up and went to him again, only to see him coaxing you into bed. "He had you pressed against the floor-to-ceiling windows and whispered you were the only one he wanted in this lifetime with such gentleness and affection. "Do you have any idea how helpless I felt? And now, do you think a simple 'I won't come between you' will undo all the pain you caused me?" She stepped back and gracefully adjusted her gown. Her smile was sweet yet cruel as she continued, "Zoe, remember this—I'll make you wish you were dead." With that, she turned and walked away. Zoe stood frozen with cold sweat breaking out across her back. Then, a deep sense of unease crept over her. She set down the tray and was about to leave when Elara's panicked cry rang out. "My necklace is gone!" The room exploded in chaos. "That's the blue diamond necklace Mr. Holt just gave her! Who would dare steal it?" Amidst the chaos, Elara turned to look pitifully in Zoe's direction and pointed at her. "She was the only one I talked to…" Every gaze in the room snapped to Zoe at once. Alder's stare was the coldest of them all.