The Past is Hard to Recall

As expected, before I could think further, there was a knock at the door.

Winona’s tearful voice came through, laced with desperation.

“Cole, why aren’t you answering my calls? Have you fallen for that bitch Stella and abandoned me and our child?”

As she spoke, she eagerly threw herself into Cole’s arms, wrapping her arms around his neck.

The sound of their wet kisses filled the air.

After a long moment, Cole finally spoke, his breath ragged. “Don’t you already know who I truly love? If it weren’t for the money, to give you and the child a good life, do you think I’d be willing to play along with her?”

“And what about the wedding?” Winona demanded. “I don’t care what you say. You must marry me first, or I won’t feel secure.”

“She’s just a lovesick fool,” Cole sneered. “Don’t be fooled by her cold demeanor at first. Now, she’s head over heels for me. The moment I bring it up, she agrees to anything. She’s so pathetic.”

Even though I had the memories of my past life, my heart still ached so much at this moment that I could barely breathe.

It turned out that Winona was already pregnant at this point.

It turned out that all my wholehearted devotion to him was nothing but "pathetic" in his eyes.

Tears slipped from the corners of my eyes, quickly soaking the pillow beneath me.

The sound of heavy breathing in the living room grew more intense. Through the gap in the door, I could see two intertwined, naked figures on the couch.

Winona’s tone no longer carried the earlier pretense of grievance. Instead, she was playfully coquettish, scolding, "Ah, be careful of the baby! Were you this impatient with Stella too?"

"Of course not," Cole replied with a chuckle. "She always acts so cold and distant. How could she possibly be as fun as you? You’re both due around February. When the time comes, we’ll just swap the babies and everything the Hale Family owns will be ours."

Their vile words filled my ears, each one stabbing deeper into my heart.

Beneath the blanket, my fingernails dug into the palms of my hands. The sharp pain was unable to numb the overwhelming ache in my chest. My entire body felt paralyzed from the anguish.

The two of them continued their entanglement for what felt like an eternity.

Finally, Winona wrapped her arms around Cole’s neck, her voice dripping with flirtation. "I’ve got a new outfit I just received today, want to try it out?"

Without hesitation, Cole picked her up and carried her off to another "battlefield."

Exhaustion overwhelmed me and I drifted into a deep, restless sleep.

The next morning, I called my mother.

When I told her that Cole wanted to hold a ceremony with Winona first, she was so furious that she abandoned her usual composure and burst into a stream of curses.

After hearing me say that I was willing to go along with the family’s arranged marriage, she let out a deep sigh. "Ah, your father and I always felt something was off about Cole. His gaze was never sincere and he didn’t seem reliable. It’s a relief that you’ve come to your senses through this matter. They’ve been urging us, so if you’ve made up your mind, let’s proceed in three days."

Hearing that, I fell silent.

Three days later was the exact date originally set for my wedding with Cole.

Just as I hung up the call with my mother, I heard the sound of the door opening.

Cole walked in carrying breakfast. The moment he saw me, he placed the food on the table.

The scent of gardenias wafted into my nose. It was Winona's favorite. The intensity of the aroma was enough to confirm how "eventful" their night must have been after leaving here.

Frowning, I pushed away Cole, who was reaching out to embrace me. "The smell on you is too strong. It’s nauseating."

He sniffed his arm and let out an awkward laugh, his expression slightly unnatural.

Seeing that I wasn’t planning to pursue the matter, he eagerly opened the breakfast and pushed it toward me. "It’s your favorite, century egg and lean pork congee."

I didn’t touch my spoon. I wanted to argue but realized it was pointless.

The first time he made congee for me, I had already told him that I didn’t like the taste of century eggs. Yet, he insisted on adding them every time, claiming it was my favorite.

Back then, I thought it was just the carelessness of a man.

It wasn’t until this morning, when I used an alternate account to check Winona’s social media, that I realized century egg and lean pork congee was her favorite, not mine.