The Choice to Forget

"I've decided to join your pharmaceutical research institute and continue with my medical research, Mr. Clark." Melvin Clark chuckles. "Your husband loves you so deeply. Will he agree to let you go abroad for medical research?" "This is my decision to make. It has nothing to do with him." "Alright, then. When will you arrive?" "In a week." "Okay. I'll be waiting." "There's one more thing. Do you need a tester for the memory-erasing potion you developed?" Melvin's voice turns grim. "Are you saying…" "Send me a bottle. I'll test it." Chapter 1 It was 9:30 am. Courtney Lloyd sat propped against the headboard, wrapped in a blanket. The other side of the bed was empty, and she could hear faint, intimate voices coming from the guest room next door. "Missed me already?" "I only see you once a month. It feels like forever." The man chuckled softly. "Then let me take good care of you today." "Keep your voice down; don't wake Courtney." "Don't worry, she stayed up late last night. She won't wake up any time soon." "You're so naughty…" Courtney recognized the girl's voice immediately. It belonged to Mia Sanchez, a college student who she had provided financial aid for the past four years. On the first of every month, Mia would visit their home. Courtney would hand her the monthly living expenses, check on her studies, and offer life advice. Then, Mia would stay in the guest room next to the master bedroom. Courtney had even arranged Mia's graduate advisor and internship for her. But instead of striving for independence, the girl's ambition was to steal Courtney's husband. If that was the case, she could have him. Courtney had already changed her name to Nessa Hill and reapplied for all her documents. Once a cheater, always a cheater. She'd decided she would disappear from his world and take a memory-erasing potion to forget about him. The sounds from the guest room finally stopped. Courtney lay down and pretended to be asleep. A few minutes later, the mattress dipped slightly beside her, and a heavy arm draped over her waist. Suppressing the bitterness welling up inside her, Courtney pushed the arm away. Jesse Hawthorn stirred, mumbling, "Babe, you're awake?" Courtney felt sick at the pet name. "Yeah, you'd better get up. You're going to be late for work." Jesse rolled over to pull her close and kissed her shoulder. "I'm so tired. Stay with me a little longer." Courtney almost scoffed. Tired from last night's "work," no doubt. She jokingly asked, "Trouble sleeping last night?" Jesse nodded earnestly and said, "I dreamed an evil dragon snatched you from me. I fought all night to find you and woke up exhausted." "No dragon will ever snatch me away." However, she would leave of her own accord, and he would never be able to find her. Jesse glanced at the clock. "You're right. It's late. I should get up." Then, he took a quick shower, got dressed, and knelt by the bed to kiss Courtney. "Come on, get up and wash up. I'll make breakfast." After Jesse left, Courtney scrubbed her teeth furiously. The thought of him kissing her with lips that touched Mia's moments before made her stomach churn. When she went downstairs, two people were already at the dining table. Jesse sat at the head, with Mia on his left. Mia was dressed in a plain yellow dress, looking sweet and innocent. Seeing Courtney, Mia greeted her brightly, "Good morning, Courtney!" Courtney gave a nonchalant hum in response. Mia said with a smile, "Jesse made breakfast. Come eat." Courtney took her seat, and Jesse thoughtfully blew on her cup of coffee before setting it in front of her. "Careful, it's hot." Mia watched with admiration. "Oh, I'm so jealous. Jesse loves you a lot, Courtney." Courtney gave her a faint smile. "He loves you, too." Just as he'd done the night before. Right into that morning. Jesse chuckled. "It's not the same. I love you because you're my wife and the love of my life." "What about Mia?" "Well, you said she's like a younger sister to you. So, I treat her like my sister as well," he replied. "Is that so?" Courtney took the cup from him. "You don't have to blow on it. Just let it cool down." Sensing something off in her tone, Jesse took her and kissed it gently. "What's wrong? Why are you upset? If you don't like the food, I can make something else." Courtney withdrew her hand and asked, "Jesse, do you love me?" "Of course," he said without hesitation. "Everyone knows I love you." "Do you think it's possible for a man to love two women at once?" Jesse frowned slightly as he answered, "True love belongs to one person alone." Courtney looked him in the eye and said, "If the day comes when your feelings change, just tell me. I'll leave so you can move on. But please, don't lie to me. My love is precious, and I won't tolerate betrayal." Jesse smiled. "You don't have to worry. I'll only ever love you. No one could replace you." "What if someone did?" "That's not possible." Courtney added firmly, "If I find out you lied to me, I'll leave you and erase you from my life." Chapter 2 Jesse laughed softly. "That day will never come. I won't give you the chance to leave me." When he leaned in to hug her again, Courtney stood abruptly as the unpleasantly cloying scent on him that came from his night with Mia repulsed her. "I'm getting a spoon," she said. Jesse immediately followed suit. "I'll get it for you." "No need. I've got it." In the kitchen, Courtney turned on the faucet and let the sound of running water cover her quiet sobs. It wasn't that she was weak. It was just that the Jesse she used to know had been so perfect and so good to her that the wonderful memories brought tears to her eyes. Growing up in an orphanage, Courtney had hardened her heart from being bullied and looked down upon. She'd never planned to fall in love or marry. But then Jesse came along. He'd rescued her from lecherous clients and had declared she belonged to him. At first, Courtney assumed Jesse was only interested in her looks just like the others. Nonetheless, he had done nothing untoward. Conversely, he'd told her gently, "Go home, get some rest, and forget about today. Tomorrow will be a new day." From then on, he became a constant presence in her life. Occasionally, he would show up at her company for business discussions or run into her at a cafe. While Jesse had always been gentlemanly and polite, his interest in Courtney was evident. When they started dating, he treated her like a treasure and never pressured her into anything she wasn't comfortable with. "Until we're married," he'd said, "you're free to change your mind. I won't force you. I want you to willingly be my wife." Yet, their engagement had faced opposition from the Hawthorn family. Not wanting to strain his relationship with his parents, Courtney had tearfully suggested they break up. But Jesse had held her hand firmly and promised, "Don't cry. I'll take care of it." Afterward, he'd started a business from scratch while enduring relentless pressure from his parents, who tried to force him to comply with their demands. Jesse had shouldered it all, even drinking himself into half a damaged liver in the process. Then came the car accident. At that moment, Jesse had pushed Courtney to safety, while he and the car were struck off the road by a massive truck. The vehicle had rolled violently before catching fire. The crash had nearly killed him, leaving him with severe injuries and months in a coma. Only Courtney's voice seemed to stir him when she spoke to him at his bedside. It was then that his parents were moved by Jesse's devotion and finally accepted her. Courtney cherished their hard-won marriage and the man who had loved her so deeply. But unexpectedly, Jesse's heart had strayed in just three years. "Babe, everything okay? You've been gone a while," Jesse called out. "I'm fine." Courtney wiped her tears, turned off the faucet, and picked up a spoon. But her hand shook, and the spoon slipped from her grasp and fell to the floor. As she crouched down to retrieve it, her eyes inadvertently caught a secretive act happening beneath the dining table. Mia was wearing the heels Courtney had bought for her, and she was lightly grazing the tip of her shoe along Jesse's calf. Slowly, she crept upward to his knee, then his thigh, until... His hand caught her ankle and gave it a playful squeeze. "Stop being naughty." "Relax. Courtney's not back yet." "Behave yourself. Don't do anything in front of her. Wait until we get out later…" Courtney made a deliberate noise, startling them into stillness. Then, back at the table, she sat down as if nothing had happened. Jesse served her some vegetables, saying, "Eat more greens, Babe. They're good for you." Mia cast them an envious gaze and remarked innocently, "I hope I find someone like Jesse someday." "You will," Courtney replied coldly. Mia didn't catch the edge in her voice and continued, "No way. Jesse's the most wonderful man in the world. I'm not that lucky." Courtney stated, "You are." Just then, Courtney's phone rang. "Hello, Ms. Lloyd. You have a delivery." This time, Jesse answered the door before Courtney could. He returned with an envelope and frowned at the sender. "Voyage Airlines… Babe, did you buy a plane ticket? Where are you going? Why didn't you tell me?" Chapter 3 "It's a gift I redeemed with points," Courtney responded. Jesse heaved a sigh of relief. "Oh, you scared me. I thought you were leaving me." Courtney took the envelope from him and said, "Why would I leave you? You didn't betray me." Jesse grinned. "Exactly. My heart belongs to you alone." Once, his words would've melted her. Now, it left her cold. "What did you redeem?" Jesse asked, curious. "Just a little souvenir." "Voyage Airlines makes souvenirs now?" "Apparently." Courtney returned to her room and opened the envelope. Inside was a plane ticket for a flight to Alorian scheduled for a week later. She had purchased it under the name Nessa. Her phone also displayed tracking information for an international package—a memory-erasing potion sent by Melvin Clark, expected to arrive within the same timeframe. Seven days from now would mark the end of Courtney's relationship with Jesse. From downstairs, Jesse's voice called out, "Babe, are you feeling unwell?" "I didn't sleep well last night," she replied. "I'm a bit tired and want to take a nap." "Alright, get some rest. Mia has class this afternoon, so I'll give her a ride on my way to the office." "Okay." Courtney didn't sleep. Instead, she moved to the window and looked outside. Mia clung to Jesse's arm like an overjoyed bunny as he opened the car's passenger door for her. When she sneaked a quick peck on the cheek, he cupped the back of her head and deepened the kiss. It started on her cheek, moved to her lips, and continued downward… Courtney didn't see the rest. The two of them got into the car, but she could see it shaking and rocking. When it finally ended, Courtney glanced at the timer on her phone. One hour and 40 minutes. It seemed the two were perfectly in sync. After indulging themselves the entire night, they still weren't satisfied. She had barely stepped away, and they couldn't wait to go at it again in the car. When the car finally drove off, Courtney let out a breath of relief and began packing her clothes. Melvin had told her that drinking the memory-erasing potion would wipe away all her memories. Thus, she labeled her belongings neatly with notes, including her daily items and habits. Finally, she went to a jewelry workshop. She removed her wedding ring and handed it to the clerk. The clerk nervously took the ring and asked, "Ma'am, are you looking to exchange this for another design? This looks like a wedding ring. Does your husband's ring need to be exchanged as well?" "No," Courtney replied. "Melt it." "What?" "I said, melt it." "Understood..." Half an hour later, Courtney left the shop with a small red velvet box in hand. When she returned home, she ran into Jesse rushing out in a panic. The house was crowded with people, ranging from police officers to bodyguards, and maids. Jesse's eyes were red-rimmed, and the moment he saw her, he pulled her into a tight embrace. "Babe, where were you? You scared me to death!" His grip was so tight that Courtney could barely breathe. One of the officers chuckled. "Mr. Hawthorn can finally relax now that Mrs. Hawthorn is back." The maid chimed in, "Mrs. Hawthorn, Mr. Hawthorn was frantic when he couldn't find you at home. He noticed you had packed your clothes and thought you'd left for good. He was so frightened." "That's right, Mrs. Hawthorn," another added. "Mr. Hawthorn even called for the best private investigator and said we'd all be fired if we couldn't find you." Jesse clung to Courtney and rambled in distress, "Babe, where did you go? Were you hurt? Are you hungry or cold?" Courtney pulled away from him indifferently. "I only went out for a walk." "But I couldn't get through your phone." Courtney showed him her phone and shrugged. "The battery died, that's all." "Then what about the packed clothes?" "I was sorting out old clothes to donate." Only then did Jesse exhale deeply. He said, "Okay. I'm glad I was just overthinking it. Babe, promise me you'll never leave me. I'd go insane." Chapter 4 The commotion subsided at last. Before leaving, a police officer said smilingly to Courtney, "I've handled many missing persons cases over the years, but I've never seen a husband as devoted as Mr. Hawthorn. Don't make him worry again." Jesse defended her with a displeased frown. "Courtney only went for a walk. Worrying about her is my business. It's not her fault." The officer shook his head, amused. "You're right. As long as your wife is safe and sound." Courtney apologized to the officers and saw them out. Jesse stayed glued to her side the entire time, unwilling to let her out of his sight. When he noticed the velvet box in her hand, his eyes lit up. "Babe, did you get new jewelry?" Courtney replied, "It's for you." "For me?" "Yes. Your birthday gift." "Thank you, babe! Can I open it now?" "Let's wait until your birthday." Jesse's 30th birthday was a week away; the same day, her flight would depart at 5:00 am. By the time he woke up and opened the velvet box to find a lump of platinum and a diamond, Courtney would've taken the memory-erasing potion and crossed the border. Their story had begun with this ring, so it was only fitting for it to end with it. In the following days, Jesse seemed afraid Courtney might disappear again. He canceled all his work and stayed home with her every day. He cooked meals, watched TV shows with her, and went on walks in the park together. For a moment, Courtney felt as though they had returned to the early days of their relationship when they'd been so in love and loyal to each other. Yet, the endless incoming messages on her phone shattered that illusion. Mia texted, "Courtney, I saw you by the window that day. "I know you saw what happened between me and Jesse in the car. To be honest, we've been together since four years ago, right when you first started sponsoring my studies. "I became his woman when I was 18. I don't want to spend my life treating him like a brother. "Courtney, you gave me money to attend college, opened my horizons, and introduced me to the most wonderful man. "I'll show you that he can't live without me." Then, she sent a video. It was long—an hour and 40 minutes. The moment Courtney saw the duration, she already knew what it was. While Jesse went to buy her a drink, she tapped on the video. Inside the cramped car, Jesse's face was filled with pleasure. He pinned Mia against the seatback, relentless despite her sobbing pleas for him to stop. After that, Mia traced circles on his body and teased, "Do you think this is fair to Courtney?" Jesse merely chuckled and said, "A man's love and lust are separated. I genuinely love her, but I can't get enough of your body either." "So, we'll never be officially together?" "I can give you anything but a title." "What if I want a child?" After a moment of thought, Jesse replied, "Then we won't use protection today. It'll feel better anyway." Courtney couldn't bear to watch any longer and closed the video. When Jesse returned, he handed her a bottle of water and said, "Babe, here. I had the store heat it for you. The weather's cold. It'll help warm you up." Courtney took the bottle. It was indeed warm. Jesse then cupped her cheeks with his hands, and his brows furrowed slightly. "Why is your face so cold? You look pale. Are you feeling unwell?" She turned her face away to avoid his touch. "No. I just saw a video earlier that made me feel sick." "You should skip videos like that next time. Don't watch them." "Yeah, I'll never watch them again." Chapter 5 That evening, Jesse took Courtney to the beach. The place was bustling with people, and he kept an arm securely around her to shield her from the crowd. The next moment, dazzling fireworks exploded in the sky. Soon, the fireworks lit up the entire night sky. "Wow, is someone proposing? This is stunning!" "Look at all those fireworks! Did they buy out the entire supply in the city?"' "How romantic! If a man did this for me, I'd marry him in a heartbeat!" Courtney let out a small smile when she heard that. Young girls were so easily swept off their feet, she thought. A single display of fireworks could win their hearts, and they'd promise a lifetime of love without hesitation. However, Courtney wasn't so gullible. Jesse had asserted that a man's love and lust were separated, but not for her. No matter how much he claimed to love her, betrayal was betrayal, and she could never forgive it. "Babe, look!" Jesse pointed to some fireworks bursting in the sky. It formed two letters—J and H. Jesse Hawthorn. Next, a large pink heart appeared, and afterward, another set of letters—C and L. Courtney Lloyd. Jesse leaned close to her ear and whispered, "I'll love you forever. Let's be together for the rest of our lives, okay?" Before Courtney could respond, he got on one knee and loudly declared, "I love you, Courtney Lloyd. Forever and always, in this life and the next. I'll never stop loving you!" The crowd erupted into applause, mixed with squeals of delight and admiration from the women. One girl asked, "Are you proposing to your girlfriend?" Jesse smiled and shook his head. "We've been married for four years." "Is it her birthday? Or your wedding anniversary?" "Neither." The girl was confused. "Then why go all out like this?" Jesse gazed at Courtney passionately as he answered, "I just wanted my wife to know how deeply I love her. She's been a little unhappy lately, and I wanted to make her smile again." Another wave of awed gasps rippled through the crowd. Courtney found herself the subject of countless envious stares, but only she knew the reality. Her husband had been unfaithful for four years. He'd held another woman's hand, kissed her lips, and spent countless nights with her. A little girl approached, holding out a glow stick. "This is for you. I hope you two stay together forever." Courtney turned to Jesse. "Did you tell her to do that?" Jesse shook his head. "No. I guess she's moved by our beautiful love story." Courtney returned the glow stick to the kid and said, "Thank you, but I can't accept it." She tilted her head dumbfoundedly. "Why not?" Because their relationship was far from beautiful. It was riddled with lies, betrayal, and deceit. Such a love story shouldn't be idolized by innocent children. Jesse gently reassured the little girl, saying. "I'll buy her a glow stick later. Thank you. Now, go back to your parents, okay?" "Mister, you must have a baby girl with your wife. She'd be as pretty as her mom!" Jesse chuckled. "All right, I'll work on it." When he returned to Courtney's side, he half-jokingly suggested, "Babe, let's have a daughter." Courtney asked, "Do you really want kids?" "Actually, I prefer just the two of us. But don't most women want a child with the man they love?" "That's what M—" Courtney stopped herself just in time, nearly blurting out Mia's name. She wanted to confront him and demand to know the truth about his relationship with Mia. Would he continue their affair? How were the three of them supposed to coexist moving forward? But then she noticed the mark on Jesse's neck—a love bite left by Mia, still visible after days. Courtney averted her gaze, unwilling to look further or to raise her questions. It would be pointless anyway. She didn't want to be the type of woman who screamed at her cheating husband in public and caused a scene. She still had her pride. If he wouldn't change, then she would. She'd take the memory-erasing potion, move to a city where no one knew her, and start over. "What were you saying earlier?" Jesse asked. Courtney shook her head. "I was saying that most women think that way, but not me." "You don't want to have children with me?" "No." "Are you scared of the pain or that it'll damage your body? Don't be. I'll love you no matter what." "Let's go home." "Are you mad? I'm sorry, babe. I didn't mean to upset you. It's fine if you don't want kids. We'll stick to just the two of us." Courtney paused mid-step. Exactly. While she wouldn't bear his child, someone else might. He'd spent an hour and forty minutes with Mia in the car that day. For all she knew, Mia could already be pregnant with his child. "What's wrong—" Jesse's phone rang, interrupting him. He glanced at the screen and answered the call irritatedly, "Didn't I say not to bother me for the next few days? I'm with my wife..." Whatever was said on the other end made his expression falter. "Fine, I'll be there soon." Hanging up, Jesse turned to Courtney and said, "Babe, something urgent came up at work. Let me get a taxi to take you home, okay?" "I'll get one myself. Work's important. You should go ahead." "You're the best. Text me when you get home safely." With that, Jesse hurried off in his car. Courtney did hail a taxi, but she didn't head home. Instead, she told the driver, "Follow that car." Chapter 6 Jesse's car stopped at the hospital. Mia rushed into his arms, crying. Jesse held her and comforted her and then draped his suit jacket over her shoulders. Following that, he knelt on one knee and pressed his ear to her abdomen. Mia swatted him playfully. "It's only been a month. You won't be able to hear anything." So, Mia was pregnant. No wonder he'd seemed so distracted when he left. The taxi driver asked Courtney, "Miss, should we stop here too?" "Yes, but don't go yet. I'll pay double the fare." Through the tinted windows, Courtney watched Jesse lift Mia off the ground and spin her joyfully in circles at the hospital entrance, oblivious to everyone around them. Mia giggled happily. "Hubby, put me down! I'm pregnant!" She was already calling him pet names now. Jesse carefully set her down, and Mia wrapped her arms around his neck. "Do you want a boy or a girl?" "A girl. We met the sweetest little girl at the beach today." Mia pouted in dissatisfaction. "I saw it. You set off fireworks for Courtney at the beach, with both of your initials and a giant heart in the middle." "Are you jealous?" "Yes. I want that too." "Not here. Courtney'll see." "Then let's go somewhere else. We can celebrate my pregnancy." "But Courtney—" "You promised you'd give me anything but a title. You can't even give me a fireworks show?" Jesse was clearly in a good mood. After a moment's hesitation, he agreed. "Fine. But the media would spot us if we do it in the country. I'll take you overseas for a vacation." "Hubby, you're the best!" Under the dim lights, Jesse cupped Mia's face and kissed her deeply. A sharp honk from behind startled Courtney. "Miss, the car behind us is honking," the driver reminded her. Courtney looked away. "Let's go." As the taxi pulled away, Jesse and Mia disappeared in the rearview mirror. Before long, Courtney's phone buzzed with a message from Mia. It was a picture of a prenatal check-up report. It read, "Four weeks pregnant. Risk of miscarriage." Mia texted, "Courtney, I'm pregnant with Jesse's child. He was too rough the other day in the car, and I started spotting. The doctor said there were signs of a threatened miscarriage, but the baby would feel safe once they sensed their father. "Now, the baby is healthy and thriving in my womb. It'll be born in eight months. Was that you in the taxi? I know you can't tolerate infidelity. So, why not let me have him? I don't want my child to be born illegitimate." Courtney simply replied, "As you wish." As she neared home, Jesse called. "Babe, did you get home safely?" "Yes." "Good. By the way, I need to go on a business trip for about three days." "Sure. Go ahead." "Are you upset? Forget it. I'll cancel and come home to be with you." In the background, a woman's annoyed huff was audible. It was probably Mia, impatient for their overseas trip. Courtney said, "I'm not upset. You can go." "Really? I'll be back in three days for my birthday. Let's celebrate together." She snorted softly. "We'll see." "Promise me you'll wait for me at home. I'll go crazy if I come back and you're not there—" Courtney hung up. How could he claim to love her while betraying her? She didn't understand, and she no longer cared to understand. Her phone rang again, but this time it was the delivery man. "Ms. Lloyd, your package is here." At her doorstep, she signed for the parcel. It was a vial of memory-erasing potion along with a manual. "Once consumed, all memories will be erased permanently. Please use with caution." Chapter 7 Courtney slept soundly that night. The next morning, she met with staff from a local charity and donated all the clothes she had sorted through. As for her personal items and every gift, letter, or memento Jesse had ever given her, she took them directly to the crematorium. She handed the staff a generous sum of money and had everything burned. Meanwhile, Mia's text messages arrived as expected. "This place is stunning! Thank you, Courtney. If it weren't for you, I'd never have met Jesse. Without him, I couldn't have dreamed of vacationing in such a luxurious place!" Mia proceeded to flood Courtney's phone with photos, and all of them were of Jesse. He applied sunscreen on Mia's shoulders, grilled lobsters for her, and held her close as he kissed her. Courtney didn't bother opening the photos. She shut off her phone and focused on making final preparations to leave. On the second day after Jesse's departure, Courtney went to the bank. She withdrew every cent from her accounts, converted it all into Alorian currency, and closed out all her cards under her name. Next, she visited the local government office to inform them of her move and update her address. Later that evening, she went out for dinner with her closest friends. Starting over with a new identity didn't scare her as she was confident in her ability to build a good life no matter the circumstances. But saying goodbye to her friends was hard. Courtney didn't mention her plans to leave, though. Instead, they ate, sang, and laughed the night away. Mia, however, refused to let up. After a day of leaving her phone off, Courtney turned it back on at home, only to be bombarded with Mia's messages. "Jesse's already looking into early childhood education and baby food recipes. He's such a good man, Courtney. Thank you for handing him over to me." Attached were more photos of Jesse. He was at a desk, seriously taking notes with glasses perched on his nose and a pen in hand. If not for the book title—A Guide to Prenatal Care for Babies—it might have looked like he was analyzing financial markets or academic papers. His desk was stacked with books, ranging from early childhood education to pregnancy care essentials, and preventing postpartum depression. Jesse wasn't just invested in the baby anymore. Unbeknownst to him, Mia had already crept into his heart. His body had betrayed Courtney, and it was only a matter of time before his heart followed. Courtney found herself wondering when Jesse came home to find her gone, would he panic like last time? Would there be frantic calls to the police and private investigators? Or would he shrug it off and assume she was out shopping, then wait for her to return? Or perhaps, by then, his heart would be entirely occupied by Mia and their unborn child. The care he had for Courtney would shrink, little by little, until it disappeared altogether. Courtney stopped her thoughts from wandering further. She had already made her decision. Whether Jesse regretted losing her or not didn't matter anymore. She only knew that leaving him and forgetting him was something she would never regret. On her final day, she slept for a full 12 hours. She woke feeling refreshed, radiant even. Looking at herself in the mirror, Courtney gave her reflection a wide, confident smile. When she left the house, she carried no luggage. Everything she owned had been donated or burned. The only thing she took was a small sling bag. Inside were Nessa's ID, passport, visa, and a one-way plane ticket to Aloria. Besides that was a small vial of memory-erasing potion. The last tie to Courtney was her phone. She used it to call a taxi one last time. Upon arriving at the airport, she transferred the driver the full balance of her account and got down. The driver hurried after her while exclaiming, "Miss, you must've made a mistake! The fare was only 18 bucks, but you paid me 1,800." Courtney smiled. "It's yours. Thank you for driving me to the airport." "This is way too much! I can't take it." "You didn't just take me to the airport. You took me to the starting point of my new life." She said her goodbyes to the driver, then removed her SIM card, snapped it in half, and tossed it along with her phone into the trash. With that, every link to Courtney Lloyd was erased. She asked the staff at the airport for a pen and paper, then wrote herself a letter. "Nessa, when you read this, your new life begins. Don't dwell on the past, and don't try to uncover who you used to be. Trust me, move forward with determination. You have what it takes to live a brilliant life. "Also, never believe in love or any nonsense men spout. People change. No one is ever truly reliable. The only person you can count on is yourself. You must love yourself first and foremost." She folded the note and slipped it into her pocket, ready for herself to find when she woke. The airport speakers announced the final boarding call. "Passenger Nessa Hill, your flight is about to depart. Please proceed to Gate H25 immediately." Courtney pulled out the vial of memory-erasing potion and downed it. The liquid was bitter, but she savored it like the sweetest nectar. Then, she boarded the plane without looking back.