"I want us to break up!"

"No. Give me one reason why you suddenly want to break up with me. You said after graduation, we would go to college together. Why are you changing your mind now? Where's your promise, Ly?"

"Sorry, I'm bored."

"Bored? Or do you already have another man in your life?"

"There's nothing to discuss. The point is, you and I can no longer be together."

Flashes of the past resurfaced in Alger's mind as he saw the beautiful girl he knew so well walk into the cafe.

For five years, Alger had struggled to forget those memories. He even chose to study abroad, distancing himself from everything in his past. But upon returning to his home country, he was unexpectedly reunited with the very girl who had deliberately left him with deep scars. The girl he had once loved dearly—the same girl who had inflicted the most painful wound—was now standing right in front of him.

Alger's gaze sharpened as he clenched his fists under the table.

"Why is she back after causing so much pain?" he thought.

"There she is!" Hellena exclaimed excitedly as she spotted Lily walking gracefully through the café entrance, flashing her sweet smile.

"So, the person Mom was talking about..."

"Yes, it's her. She's beautiful, isn't she?"

She looked completely different from five years ago. Lily had returned as a grown woman, a career-driven lady whose beauty was undeniable. But that wasn't what Alger saw. What he saw was the deep pain of having his ex-girlfriend appear before him again—as the person his parents had chosen for him. When did they even get to know Lily? He had no idea. But one thing was certain—he never expected that coming home would mean facing his past once more.

"What kind of cruel fate is this?" Alger thought.

He pushed his chair back, ready to leave, but his father, Daniel, held him back.

"I told you, how long are you going to be like this when it comes to women? She's a good person from a respectable family. Just listen to us for once. Your mother and I only want the best for you. We also want you to get married. We're getting older, and the company needs an heir. We want grandchildren."

"So, this is why you called me back home? Do you even know who she is, Mom?"

"Yes, I know her well enough," Hellena replied firmly. "I'm tired of your constant rejection of women. I've tried countless ways to introduce you to someone, yet you always avoid it. You refuse to have any relationship at all. I don't care about your past. You're healed now. How long will you keep drowning in old wounds? It's over. Look ahead, Alger. Stop looking back."

Alger remained silent as the sound of heels grew closer and finally stopped in front of him.

"Good evening, Uncle, Auntie," Lily greeted politely, her eyes meeting the two older figures before her. Not to mention, her gentle smile—one that could captivate anyone.

"Good evening, dear. Have a seat. Let me introduce you—this is my son."

Lily shifted her gaze toward Alger and gave him a polite nod.

"Good evening, Young Master."

"Don't be so formal. Didn't I tell you? Just call him Alger. He may be reserved, but he has a kind heart," Hellena whispered.

Lily forced a small, awkward smile and nodded. Truthfully, she felt slightly uncomfortable under the intense and sharp gaze of the man sitting across from her.

"Don't stare at her like that. You'll scare her away. And listen, I don't want you rejecting her. That's final. She's my last choice for you," Hellena murmured.

"Al, this is Lilyana. And Lily, this is Alger—the son I've been telling you about. He refuses to come home and keeps his distance from women," she whispered.

Daniel simply smiled knowingly. He was well aware of the bond between Lily and Hellena. After all, Lily worked as a secretary in his office. And perhaps, after tonight, Daniel would assign her as Alger's secretary—giving them the chance to get to know each other better.

Lily extended her hand toward Alger. But he didn't reciprocate. Instead, the man smirked coldly, his sharp gaze piercing through her.

"Don't pretend to be innocent and clueless."

Lily furrowed her brows and withdrew her hand. "What do you mean? Have we met before?"

"You shouldn't even have to ask that. Don't be a hypocrite."

Sensing the rising tension, Daniel quickly changed the subject, cutting off the heated exchange between Alger and Lily.

"Don't mind him. That's just how Alger is when he wants to reject someone. Oh, by the way, where's your father? Is he still abroad and unable to accompany his daughter tonight?"

Lily nodded slowly, forcing a thin smile. "Papa is overseas, Uncle. You already know about his situation, don't you?"

"I hope you recover soon and can be with us again," Hellena responded.

Honestly, Hellena felt sorry for Lily, who had to go through all this—especially since all her problems revolved around her family, yet she had no idea about it.

"So, you approached my family just to drain them financially? Turns out, you're still the same. Such a sly person."

Lily was used to receiving harsh comments from business associates or people around her because of her close relationship with her company's director. But this time, it felt different. The words that came out of Alger's mouth struck her heart deeply.

She had no idea what kind of relationship she and Alger had in the past, but the incident left her struggling to recall any memories.

"Did Alger and I know each other before? Why can't I remember anything? Why won't my memories come back?" Lily wondered as she gently hit her head.

"Why are you silent? Are you pretending to be dizzy because you can't answer? Don't act innocent when, in reality, you're just a player."

Lily stood up with a faint smile. "I may not be on the same level as you, but sorry, your accusations won't make me admit to anything." Her gaze shifted to Alger's parents. "Excuse me, Uncle, Auntie. I need to use the restroom."

Alger's parents could only let out a heavy sigh. Their eyes returned to their son, who sat there nonchalantly.

"What do you mean, Alger? We've known her for a long time. She's a good girl, and—"

"You don't know her true self. She's been Dad's secretary for two years, hasn't she? You should have told me first who you were choosing instead of springing it on me like this," Alger replied as he stood up.

"Where are you going? Is it polite to leave just like that at such an important event, Al?"

Alger smiled bitterly behind his pain, then turned back to look at his parents. "You want me to accept this arranged marriage, don't you?"

"We just want you two to get to know each other better. Whether you're compatible or not..."

"I'll accept this engagement. Tell Lily that. Because I know this is what she wants. And I'll prove that she's not the right choice for me."

With that, Alger left the café. He wasn't sure whether he should be happy or sad about what he had just said.

"Are we wrong, Papa? Are we wrong for sacrificing our son because of our past mistakes? I'm afraid that if Lily regains her memory, she will hate us and blame us for this."

Daniel gently stroked Hellena's back and shook his head.

"Trust me, Lily is not the vengeful type. Even if she had a past with Alger that didn't end well, I believe she will be able to accept everything. As for the other matters, don't speak about them carelessly. I will do my best to make amends."

In the bathroom, Lily stared at her reflection in the mirror. She had tried countless times to remember who Alger was, but everything remained dark. She couldn't recall anything—whether it was from the past or moments that might have involved Alger in her life.

"If only I could escape from this family... If only I weren't dependent on them... Maybe I wouldn't be entangled in their family's mess. And maybe I would have never met someone who enjoys belittling others."

For the umpteenth time, Lily let out a deep sigh, trying to stay strong despite the wreckage of her life after her mother's passing.

"Alright, Ly. This is for Papa. You have to ignore that arrogant man's words."

The beautiful girl grabbed her bag from the sink and returned to the cafe. Her eyes scanned the room, searching for Alger, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Looking for Alger?" Daniel asked when he noticed Lily glancing around. "He had to leave for something urgent. But don't worry, aside from being your fiance, he will also be your new boss starting tomorrow."

"What?" Lily was stunned, blinking in disbelief.

Hellena chuckled at the girl's reaction and nodded.

"Alger has accepted you as his fiancée. Can you fulfill the request we made back then? Don't worry, dear, your father's treatment won't be stopped. Deep down, Alger is a good man. He may be cold towards women, but I'm sure he will eventually accept you."

"I will try, as per your request. I won't forget all the kindness you have shown to my father. Let's just say I'm repaying your kindness."

"We're doing this because we know you're different from other girls, and your father has also agreed to this arrangement. I already see you as my own daughter, Lily. I don't want you to end up with the wrong man. Trust me, Alger is actually a caring and kind person."

Lily nodded, though she wasn't sure how else to respond.

"I will try my best," she said with a small smile.

"Even if it means sacrificing my heart and feelings," she added silently in her mind.

Hellena nodded. "Will one year be enough for you to change Alger?"

Lily looked confused and shifted her gaze to Daniel, who gave her a confirming nod. Something didn't feel right. How did it come to this? Could it be…

"What do you mean, Auntie? I don't quite understand."

"We know you don't like our son, and we also know it will be difficult for you to get close to him because of his attitude. So, we are giving you one year to be with Alger. But if, after that, you two aren't meant to be, we won't force you to stay with him. Do you understand what we mean?"

"So, this is just a fake marriage?"

"I never said that. Honestly, I don't want you two to separate no matter what happens. But we can't predict the future, especially given how cold Alger is towards you."

Lily didn't respond. She simply lowered her gaze, staring blankly.

Seeing her silence, Hellena reached out and gently held Lily's hand, offering a small smile.

"Don't think too much about it. I don't intend to make this a contract marriage, and I'm not doing this for my own benefit, Lily. I'm only doing this to make sure you don't feel pressured or get hurt. But if you can make Alger fall for you, I would be delighted. We shouldn't be selfish about this decision, but we hope you'll stay together and have adorable children one day."

Hellena's reasoning didn't make sense. She claimed it was about changing her son's attitude, but deep down, she was only trying to atone for the past mistakes that had ruined Lily's life.

"I'm sorry, Lily," Hellena thought to herself as she stroked the girl's hand. "I'm sorry for using Alger as a way to make things right. But I believe he will come to love you, and you will finally find happiness."