Part 3He Forgot Me, But His Heart Remembers

The very next morning, I stopped waking up early to force him into having breakfast with me. I stopped sending daily briefs to Grandfather Sinclair.

Declan obviously did not care about my sudden absence. Surprisingly, Grandfather Sinclair did not call to reprimand me either.

I spent my days lounging around the sprawling estate, snacking, and binge-watching television. I was just biding my time, waiting for the System's final cue to vanish.

An entertainment news segment flashed across the screen, detailing Declan's latest romantic exploits. He always had a revolving door of tabloid rumors, mostly smoke and mirrors. But not a single article ever linked him to me.

Even when we visited the ancestral estate and paparazzi caught us in the same frame, Declan would either physically block me from the lens or spend exorbitant sums to kill the photos. He treated any association with me like a plague.

Ever since our engagement was forced upon him, he had kept his name out of the gossip rags. But this time was different. The woman in the headlines was the actual female lead. She was Olivia, a stunning, highly capable prodigy who had just returned from overseas and was immediately parachuted into an executive role at the Sinclair conglomerate.

The wedding planner called again to confirm dress fittings and casually asked me to nail down the groom's tuxedo style.

Sure, why not. Declan had met his destined soulmate; he had zero time for this charade. The wedding was doomed anyway, so I just played along to keep up appearances.

While I secretly arranged my international visa, Declan started leaving before dawn and returning long after midnight. We rarely crossed paths.

Until one random Tuesday afternoon.

He burst through the front doors, looking frantic. He practically tore through the mansion, hunting for something. He flung open a second-story window, spotted me walking the dog in the courtyard, and froze. He was sweating, his chest heaving as he stared down at me with wild desperation.

I jumped. Did he find out I had been secretly skimming cash from his black card? I only took five thousand at a time. Would a billionaire CEO really lose his mind over a few grand?

"Do you need something?" I called up, suddenly feeling very guilty.

He let out a shaky breath. The frantic energy drained from his face, replaced by a deep frown. He stayed silent for a long time before speaking. "Have you seen my black onyx tie clip? Never mind. Asking you is worse than asking this fat dog."

The dog, Tank, tilted his head in confusion.

I stood there utterly bewildered. I wasn't even sure which one of us he was insulting. But at least I was safe. I really thought he was coming after me for the twenty grand missing from his account.