The Dead Ex-Fiancee He Destroyed Came Back as a Billionaire

Start Reading

I have severe prosopagnosia. Every face looks the same to me.

The only thing I ever recognized was the red burn scar on the back of my fianc Abner Harding's neck.

I gave him that mark the night I carried him out of a burning building on my back, nearly dying in the process.

He always held my hand tight in crowdsIt doesn't matter that you can't tell people apart, Maud Simmons. As long as I can find my bride in a sea of faces, that's enough.

When I went to his private villa looking for him, I heard soft moaning through a half-open guest room door.

I pushed the door wider. A man and a woman, tangled together.

Abner's voice was hoarse, coaxingBe good, Wendy. Just a little longer.

Tomorrow, after I cut the cake with her and get the Simmons family heirloom to trade for the controlling shares, I'll take you abroad to treat your leg.

Every time I look at her standing there, too stupid to even recognize who I am, it turns my stomach.

The laughter from inside was sweet and coy, but the triumph underneath couldn't be hiddenAnd yet you put on that devoted lover act every single day. I'm getting jealous~

Outside the door, I said nothing. My gaze locked on the red mark shifting on the back of his neck.

So all this time, he believed the person who wrecked her legs saving him from that fire was my younger sister, Wendy Simmons.

All this time, he had the wrong person. And everything I felt for him, he ground under his heel.

Let that fire have taken me, too, then.

I went home.

Locked the bedroom door behind me.

Took out my phone, scrolled through my contacts, and dialed the overseas number.

Doctor, I agree to fly to Los Angeles next month for the surgery.

A pause on the other end. Then relief crept into his voice.

Miss Simmons, you've finally come around. Your severe prosopagnosia was caused by nerve damage to the brain from the fire. If you keep putting this off, the condition will only deteriorate. Has Mr. Harding agreed to come with you?

No.

I cut him off.

I'm going alone. Set up confidential processing for me.

I hung up, pulled open the drawer, and dug out the thick photo album.

In every picture, Abner had his arms around me, smiling gently.

Those photos were the only happiness I had left from the past three years.

I picked up the scissors.

One clean cut.

Split the two of us apart.

His half went straight into the trash.

The next morning.

The sound of a car engine dying in the driveway below.

The bedroom door swung open.

Abner walked in carrying the cold of early morning on his coat and a bag of crab roe buns from that old shop on the south side of town.

Maud, you awake?

His voice was warm and smooth.

I sat on the edge of the bed.

Looking at his face, which to my eyes was still nothing but a blank page.

Then he turned to pour water at the table, and the dark red burn scar on the back of his neck came into view.

I stared at that scar.

Last night's turns my stomach stabbed straight into my brain nerves.

He brought the water over and held the bag of buns out to me.

Wendy's leg was hurting badly last night. I took her to the hospital and stayed with her.

Sorry I didn't make it back for dinner.

He reached out to stroke my hair.

I turned my head away.

Dodged his touch completely.

His hand froze in midair.

Maud?

A thread of displeasure slipped into his voice. What's wrong? Are you upset I wasn't here?

Wendy was wheeled in.

I'm sorry, Maud.

Her eyes were rimmed red, her voice soft and fragile.

It's all because of my legthe doctor says it's damage left over from the fire. Every time the weather changes, the pain is unbearable.

Abner was just worried something might happen to me. Please don't be mad at him.

Every word she spoke.

Abner's spine went a little straighter.

He turned to look at Wendy, and in his eyes was a guilt I couldn't quite make out.

I stared at that wheelchair.

The fire, all those years ago. The one whose legs were crushed under a fallen beam wasn't Wendy.

It was me.

The building had been thick with rolling smoke. Wendy was curled in the safest corner, shaking.

I was the one who carried Abner out on my back.

By the time the rescue team arrived, I'd already lost consciousness completely.

But Wendy seized the moment, throwing herself over Abner's body, sobbing, I finally got you out.

When I woke up.

Abner already believed she was the one who'd saved his life.

I tried to explain.

Wendy dropped to her knees right in front of him, crying at meYou already have two healthy legs, and now you want to steal this from me too?

Abner looked at me then. His eyes were full of cold disappointment.

Maud, I never imagined you were not only blind, but this rotten inside.

Later, the damage settled in for good.

My shattered legs kept me bedridden for a full year of hellish rehab before I could stand again, and the nerve damage to my brain left me with severe prosopagnosia. I could never hold on to a single face again.

But I never said another word about that fire.

Looking at it now.

I stood up without so much as a glance at the steamer of crab roe buns.

It's fine.

My voice was flat. Go ahead and eat. The sight of them makes me sick.

Something shifted in Abner's face.

He grabbed my wrist, brow tight.

Maud, it's your birthday. Don't start throwing a fit first thing in the morning.

He lowered his voice.

Wendy's suffered enough. She'll be in that wheelchair for the rest of her life. You're the older sister. Can't you be a little more generous?

I pried his fingers off, one by one.

Sure. I'll be generous.

I walked straight into the bathroom and slammed the door shut.

Outside, Abner and Wendy fell into a brief, dead silence.

Then Wendy's muffled voice came through the door.

Wounded. Tearful.

Abner, is she still jealous? Maybe you should just stop worrying about me

Don't be silly.

His voice dropped to something so tender it turned her stomach.

As long as she hands over the heirloom today. Tomorrow I'll fly you to Switzerland.

Be good. One more day.

He walked over to the bathroom door and knocked.

Maud, get dressed and come downstairs. I've set up a party for you at the Harding estate.

I looked at the face in the mirror, pale from years of holding everything in.

I splashed cold water over it, hard.

The birthday banquet was in the grand hall of the Harding estate.

To my eyes, every face in the room was a blank sheet of paper with no features at all.

I couldn't tell who was coming up to greet me. All I could do was cling to Abner's arm.

He dipped his head close to my ear, his voice low and coaxing.

Don't be scared. Stay with me.

After we cut the cake, take out the key to the Simmons family jade token and transfer it to my name in front of the elders.

That way the Harding family can legitimately inject capital and save your grandfather's company.

Simmons Group was my grandfather's life's work.

That jade token was the sole key to the Simmons family's controlling shares.

I said nothing.

I let him lead me to the stage.

A massive seven-tiered cake was wheeled out.

Wendy rolled her wheelchair closer, a long cake knife in her hand.

Happy birthday, Maud.

She smiled sweetly and held the handle out to me.

I had just reached out my hand.

Wendy let out a sudden shriek.

Her whole body tipped forward with the wheelchair, lurching violently toward me.

The knife edge swung straight at my face.

My heart seized and I stumbled back on instinct.

Abner was right beside me.

He let go of my hand almost reflexively and shoved me hard out of the way.

Wendy, watch out!

He lunged forward and pulled her tight against him, shielding her with his entire body.

That shove of his.

It snapped the heel clean off my shoe.

I lost my balance completely and crashed backward into the champagne tower.

CRASH

Hundreds of glass flutes hit the floor and shattered.

Jagged shards drove deep into my palms and knees.

The entire hall went silent.

I lay sprawled in the wreckage, pain drilling through my palms.

Abner held Wendy tight and turned to glare at me.

Not a trace of concern in his eyes.

Only rage.

Maud! What the hell is wrong with you!

You know her legs are bad! You can't even hold a knife steady and you nearly killed her in front of everyone!

His voice rang brutal and sharp through the open hall.

I gritted my teeth and pulled the largest shard out of my palm.

Blood dripped onto the expensive carpet.

I braced against the floor and slowly stood.

My gaze locked on the red mark shifting across the back of Abner's neck.

Abner.

My voice came out dry and rough.

The jade token you want. I put it in a bank vault before I left the house.

His fury cut off mid-breath.

He froze for a beat.

His eyes darted, and his tone wrenched into something entirely different.

Why would you put it in a bankMaud, I wasn't yelling at you. I was just so worried about Wendy.

He let go of Wendy, strode over, and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to press against my bleeding hand.

I turned my body aside and avoided his reach.

Tomorrow.

I stared at him. Come to the bank tomorrow. I'll give it to you then.

Something feverish and greedy flashed through the depths of his eyes.

Good. I'll go with you myself.

That night.

He came to my room carrying the first-aid kit, insisting on cleaning the cuts on my knees himself.

Maud, today was my fault.

He knelt on one knee in front of me, his hand wrapped around my calf.

The moment I saw Wendy fall, all I could think of was the fire. How she broke her legs trying to save me.

I owe her my life. I can't not repay that.

He looked up, his fingers tracing lightly over my ankle.

Once the share transfer is done tomorrow, we'll go file for the marriage license.

Every day I have left after that is yours.

I looked at his blurred face.

Listened to every word of that pretty little speech.

Then I jerked my leg free.

No need. I'll put the medicine on myself.

At the dinner table.

Abner had specifically ordered the kitchen to prepare a whole crispy fishmy favorite.

He picked out the bones with care.

I sat beside him, holding my chopsticks in silence.

Just as I thought he would place the fish in my bowl.

His chopsticks paused in midair.

Changed direction.

And set the fish down in Wendy's bowl.

Wendy, eat more.

He turned to me with a look that said I should understand.

Maud, Wendy's been burning through a lot of energy with her physical therapy lately. She needs the nutrition.

You can pick out the bones yourself, right?

Wendy pinched her chopsticks and deliberately let the couple's bracelet on her wrist catch the light, giving it a little shake.

Her voice dripped honey as she made a show of declining. Abner, Maud hurt her hand. You should give it to her instead.

She's fine. Just surface wounds.

Abner's voice was certain, dismissive.

My knuckles went white around my chopsticks.

I set them down.

I'm done eating.

I stood and walked upstairs without looking back.

Abner didn't follow.

He was murmuring to Wendy, coaxing her to drink her soup.

Back in the bedroom.

I pulled the suitcase out from under the bed.

Then I opened the jewelry box in the drawer.

The engagement ring Abner had slipped onto my finger himself I twisted it off.

Set it beside the empty case that had once held the jade token.

The truth was, I'd already transferred full control of the overseas trust fund linked to that token. Every cent had been donated to the orphanage my grandfather supported while he was alive.

Abner could tear that bank apart brick by brick. He'd never see a dollar of Simmons money.

I'd booked a one-way ticket to Los Angeles. Tomorrow, noon.

The bank trip was nothing but a ruse to get him out the door.

That night,

I slept better than I had in months.

The next day, rain came down in sheets.

Abner stood by the car with an umbrella, waiting for me.

Wendy sat in the back seat, window rolled down.

Maud, I want to see Grandpa's heirloom too. It's so boring sitting at home all day.

Abner backed her up without missing a beatThen she'll come along. I'd worry leaving her here by herself.

I didn't argue.

I opened the passenger door and got in.

Rain blurred the windshield into nothing.

Maud, once you've got the jade token, we'll sign the transfer agreement right there at the bank. I've already arranged for the lawyer to wait in the VIP room.

Fine.

Eyes closed. One word. That was all I gave him.

We were passing through an intersection beneath an overpass when it happened.

From the side, a heavy truck loaded with steel rebar lost control completely.

Brakes screamed through the rain.

The massive cab came hurtling straight at our right side.

Watch out!

My seat the passenger side would take the first hit.

Abner didn't hesitate.

He wrenched the steering wheel hard, swinging my side of the car directly into the truck's path.

At the same time, he unbuckled his seatbelt and threw his body to the right, shoving Wendy's head down in the back seat, pinning her beneath him.

Wendy! Get down!

He was screaming, raw and wild.

CRASH!!

A deafening explosion of metal.

The car broke in half.

The impact ripped the passenger door clean off.

I was thrown from the vehicle.

My body rolled across the wet asphalt a dozen times before slamming into a concrete barrier.

The savage, splintering pain of bones breaking apart.

I lay facedown in the cold, filthy rainwater pooling on the road.

Blood ran from my forehead, sealing my eyes shut.

A few meters away, inside the gutted wreck,

Abner kicked the crumpled door open.

He climbed out with Wendy in his arms.

Wendy! Wendy, don't scare me!

He'd shielded her so completely she didn't have a scratch. Only her face was white with shock.

Abner, I'm so scared

I lay in my own blood and raised my hand with everything I had left.

Reaching toward him.

Ab

My voice was so faint I couldn't even hear it myself.

Blood covered my face, filled my eyes. I couldn't see anything.

But I could hear him. The crunch of broken glass under his shoes as he took one step toward me.

Then Wendy let out a small, thin whimper of pain, and his footsteps reversed instantly, carrying him back to her without a second's pause.

In the distance, an ambulance siren cut through the rain.

Abner snapped his gaze away.

He clutched Wendy tight and screamed at the first ambulance as it rolled to a stop.

Doctor! Her first! She can't take the shock, and she's got an old injury on her leg!

The paramedic jumped out, took one look at me bleeding in the distance, and shouted back.

That woman over there is hemorrhaging! She needs treatment now!

Abner planted himself in front of the ambulance doors.

He shoved Wendy inside.

Maud Simmons is tough as nails! She's not going to die!

Wendy's already disabled. If you keep stalling and something happens to her, can you afford to take responsibility?

The doors slammed shut with a bang.

The ambulance screamed away.

My arm dropped to my side.

The blood-slicked key slipped from my palm.

A faint clink against the pavement.

I closed my eyes for good.