Chapter 1
After Gideon Ashford pushed me off the cliff, my lost System finally reconnected.
It told me my mission had failed.
Every bond between us would be permanently erased.
From now on, every time Gideon broke my heart, I would lose a piece of my most cherished memories.
I thought about it for a moment, then looked up.
"If I forget everything, does that mean we are completely over?"
"Yes," the System replied mechanically.
"And that's not all."
"The wealth, status, and fame he gained through your system points..."
"...will completely vanish along with your memories."
Just as the System finished speaking, Gideon’s furious voice blasted from my phone.
"Kelly, get back to the lobby and give Talia that vintage sapphire bracelet right now!"
"Don't think playing these pathetic games will win me back."
"Talia is the only one I love. She's the only one who deserves to wear the Ashford family heirloom!"
What bracelet?
I blinked in confusion.
It seemed someone had given me a bracelet once.
He promised to be with me forever.
Who was that again?
I couldn't remember.
Forget it.
If I can't remember, I won't force it.
It probably wasn't that important anyway.
I brushed the dirt off my dress and limped forward.
But some things, I still remembered.
Today was my tenth wedding anniversary with Gideon.
He told me he had something important to say, and asked me to meet him near the Malibu cliffside resort.
I even wore my favorite flowing dress, expecting a romantic anniversary surprise.
Instead, Gideon slapped a manila folder against my chest.
"Sign the papers, Kelly. I want a divorce."
I stared at him, my mind spinning. "What? Today is our tenth anniversary..."
"I'm in love with Talia," he interrupted, his eyes cold and impatient. "I’m thirty, Kelly. I’ve finally found true love, and I am not letting her go."
"True love?" I laughed bitterly, my heart shattering into pieces. "After everything I sacrificed for you, you want me to just step aside for your secretary? I won't do it!"
"Stop being so damn stubborn!" he roared.
He lunged forward to grab my arm.
I yanked it away, and in a fit of rage, he shoved me hard.
My heel slipped on the loose gravel.
Before I could even scream, I tumbled backward over the edge of the cliff.
Thankfully, the resort had safety nets installed.
I only suffered a sprained ankle and a few bruises.
Limping back to the resort lobby, I saw Gideon desperately coaxing Talia.
The floor was covered in luxury boxes.
A Cartier Love bracelet, a Harry Winston diamond necklace, and countless designer bags.
Talia didn't even glance at them.
She lifted her chin arrogantly. "Who wants this basic trash?"
"I want the vintage sapphire bracelet you gave Kelly!"
Gideon was sweating, not knowing how to please his sweetheart.
Then, he turned and saw me.
His eyes instantly lit up.
"Give the bracelet to Talia right now. Stop wasting everyone's time."
"If you just listen to me, I'll make sure you get a fair settlement in the divorce!"
Before I could even react.
Gideon grabbed my wrist and ruthlessly yanked the sapphire bracelet off.
The metal scraped against my fresh cuts.
Cold sweat dripped down my back from the sharp pain.
He didn't even look at me.
He carefully wiped my blood off the sapphires. Then, he gently clasped it around Talia's wrist.
The deep blue stones gleamed under the California sun.
Gideon kissed the back of Talia's hand like a devout believer. He smiled brightly.
"Baby, it looks so beautiful on you."
"A woman like Kelly never deserved to wear something so precious anyway!"
Talia shot me a smug look.
"That's more like it."
"I don't even care how much it costs. I just wanted to know who is most important in your heart."
"Isn't it obvious? That boring housewife Kelly can't even compare to you."
With that, Gideon kissed Talia's cheek heavily.
He shoved past me, heading toward their suite.
With my injured ankle, I lost my balance and crashed hard onto the cold marble floor.
It didn't hurt. It just felt... strange.
Suddenly, people around me started screaming.
They pointed trembling fingers between my legs.
I looked down. A pool of dark red blood was spreading across the floor.
The System beeped urgently in my mind.
"Warning. the Host is currently experiencing a miscarriage."
"Please seek medical attention immediately to avoid life-threatening complications."
A miscarriage?
Oh, right.
Gideon and I were expecting a baby.
Just a few months ago, he was resting his head on my belly, excitedly planning our future as a family of three.
Now, he had forgotten everything.
Maybe it's for the best.
If I forget, I won't feel the pain anymore.
The hotel staff frantically called 911.
I rode in the back of the ambulance to the nearest hospital, completely alone.
Lying in the sterile hospital bed, I opened Instagram.
Talia had just posted a new photo.
"Happy 99-day anniversary! Hubby bought me a Malibu beach house. Feeling so blessed! ❤️"
The photo showed a property deed and two hands with intertwined fingers.
Those were the same hands that used to hold mine while walking along the beach.
Back then, we had nothing.
Walking was our cheapest way to pass the time.
Gideon used to point at those magnificent oceanfront homes and say:
"Kelly, just wait."
"When I make it big, I'll buy the most beautiful house on this beach just for you."
Now he had made it big.
But he fell in love with his secretary instead.
I shook my head with a bitter smile.
The memory of us running together on the beach slowly faded from my mind.
Beep.
A translucent blue screen materialized in front of my eyes, pulling up Gideon's live stats.
[System Alert: Memory 'The Beach House Promise' permanently erased.]
[Target: Gideon Ashford]
[Luck Value: Dropping... Current: 85%]
[Wealth Aura: -20%. Current: 80%]
[Bond Severance Progress: 15% / 100%]
[Countdown to Complete Erasure: 72:00:00]
Just as promised, as my memories disappeared, the empire I built for him was beginning to crumble.
[Notice: Once the 3-day countdown ends, Severance Progress will hit 100%. Target's stats will plummet to zero. Total bankruptcy and ruin imminent.]
I closed my eyes, letting the cold, mechanical light wash over me.
Three days.
In just three short days, Gideon would be left with absolutely nothing.
