My Boyfriend Forgot Me One Time Too Many

"That's right. Call me your sisterinlaw." The moment I admitted I was his brother's girlfriend, my boyfriend went white.

For the past three years, every time he faked amnesia, I'd patiently chase him all over again.

But this time, to "test" my love, he brought another woman home and kissed her right in front of me. He wasn't clean anymore. I felt a quiet pang of regret.

Then I remembered what I'd overheard him telling a friend yesterday: "Celeste's been a little cold with me lately. Time to push her buttons one more time, and hard.

If she passes the test, I'm proposing." Too bad he'd never get my answer. Because I was switching up the test. Chapter 1 Zander went deathly pale.

His thin lips parted and closed and parted again, but he couldn't get the words "sisterinlaw" out. Watching him struggle made my heart clench. Such a pretty puppy.

Shame he'd gotten dirty. I pressed my lips together, a little regretful. What I regretted was that after almost three years together, Zander still didn't know me well enough.

The two things that matter most in a man are chastity and looks. I could give in to looks and play along every time he faked amnesia. But I wasn't taking on something dirty.

In thirty seconds flat, I'd done my postmortem and was ready to break up with him. Zander, meanwhile, was still biting his lower lip, his face dark.

I took a deep breath and was about to speak, but the girl across from me smiled and beat me to it. "Hi, sisterinlaw." She tilted her head, her voice sugary sweet.

I froze for a second. Before I could stop myself, my eyes locked on their joined hands. The girl gave Zander's palm a light squeeze.

He pressed his lips together, a vein throbbing at his temple, and grudgingly forced it out through his teeth: "Hi, sisterinlaw." So obedient.

I stretched my mouth into a smile that didn't reach my eyes. When Zander saw my stiff expression, his tight jaw loosened a little.

He raised an eyebrow slightly and introduced her. "This is my girlfriend, Mia Winters." Oh. So it was her.

Zander's little childhood sweetheart, who'd come back from overseas two years ago. If I remembered right, the fake amnesia had been her idea. She'd said: abuse breeds loyalty.

Only by losing him over and over would I learn to cherish him. After the last few tests, Zander believed it completely.

So his face relaxed, and when he spoke again, he had more composure. "You're really my brother's girlfriend? How come he's never mentioned you?" I gave a small twitch of my lips.

That was all the answer he got. "Wait, that doesn't add up. My brother isn't even home today. So what's his girlfriend doing here?" Zander still wouldn't give up.

He kept hammering away at who I was.

He wanted to expose my lie as fast as possible and get the plot back on track, so I'd do what I'd always done: relive the old days with him and help him find his "memories." Unfortunately for him, this time even fate wasn't on his side.

When the butler brought in the tea, he happened to answer the question for me. "Zander's home too? What's the occasion?

Elliot just texted that he's coming by as well." Hearing that Elliot really was coming, Zander looked so sick you'd have thought someone had died.

Chapter 2 I shrugged and spread my hands, as if to say: See? Today I'm your sisterinlaw, whether you like it or not.

After a brief silence, Mia covered her mouth and laughed. "Honestly, Elliot. Not telling us he's seeing someone is one thing, but bringing just anybody to the family house?

Doesn't he know only Hale wives are allowed in here?" "Oh?

Then Zander must have already made up his mind about you." My voice was light, but my eyes were locked on the diamond ring on Mia's hand. I'd heard about that Hale family rule too.

So when Zander asked me to meet him at the family house tonight, I'd thought he was going to propose.

Even his assistant had secretly texted me a headsup that he'd bought a diamond ring, and told me to wear full makeup whenever I went out for the next few days.

But now that ring was on another woman's hand.

At my words, panic flashed in Zander's eyes, and he shook off Mia's hand on reflex. "I didn't—" He'd barely gotten a word out when Mia wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his cheek from the side. "Aw, is my baby shy?

Don't mind him, sisterinlaw. Zander's just a little macho.

He doesn't like being loveydovey in front of outsiders." "Oh," I said airily, my gaze mocking. "Then he's not a man worth keeping." Zander had nearly bitten through his lip.

He knew I hated macho men more than anything. But the act had come this far, so all he could do was force himself to rally and say: "Not really… I just lost my memory.

Oh, right—haven't we met before…" "No." I cut him off. With the plot going nowhere, Zander lowered his head, his voice muffled. "Oh. Sorry." He looked pitiful.

His freshly dyed black hair fell over his forehead, hiding whatever was in his eyes. For a moment, I faltered. I asked myself: Was Zander really that unforgivable? No.

He just loved me too much. That was why someone else had been able to get to him. I'd enjoyed his beauty and his passion, so I ought to shoulder his sensitivity and insecurity too.

So I looked up and held Zander's gaze, dead serious. "I'll give you one more chance. Did you really lose your memory? Think before you answer." The air froze.

The huge living room was hollow with silence, except for the old brass clock on the wall. Ticktock, ticktock. It was suffocating.

Zander's fists were clenched tight, his palms slick with sweat. He opened his mouth several times, but every time, he swallowed the words back down.

Finally, Mia claimed she was thirsty and sweettalked him into going to the kitchen with her for some water. Only then, visibly relieved, did he flee the living room.

I glanced at my watch and stayed where I was. Three years together. I decided to give him three more minutes.

Only a wall away, their voices drifted to my ears without the slightest effort. "What do I do? I think Celeste's really mad." "Mad is good. It means our push is working. Relax.

Remember the other times? No matter how mad she got, didn't she always come right back like a good girl and make it up to you?" Zander said nothing. Mia huffed. "What?

You don't trust me? Zander! I sacrificed my innocence and my reputation to put on this act with you!

If you chicken out now, I'm never speaking to you again!" "Of course I trust you, it's just… fine. We'll do it your way." Zander hesitated a few seconds, then gave in.

He didn't believe in my love, yet he treated Mia's nonsense like gospel. Chapter 3 In that case, there was nothing left to hold on to. Three minutes were up.

I looked away, turned, and left. Goodbye. Zander. The second I stepped out of the mansion's front door, winddriven rain slammed into my face.

By the time I got into the car, half of me was soaked through. I closed my eyes for a moment and suddenly wanted to laugh. See? Feel sorry for a man, and you pay for it.

If I hadn't waited those three minutes, I wouldn't be in such a mess right now. Fat raindrops pounded the windows, and the whole world felt heavy and stifling.

I pulled out a couple of tissues and dabbed at my hair, trying my best not to think about Zander. It's fine. It was only three years. I zoned out for a while.

When the rain showed no sign of letting up, I sighed and started the car. Bad luck. Pure, plain bad luck. But worse was still to come.

I'd barely made it two hundred yards when a tire blew. On top of that, my phone died. Whatever regret and pity I'd had left vanished fast.

I clenched my fist and slammed it into the steering wheel. Zander really was my jinx. Knock, knock. Someone tapped on the window. I frowned, then froze the instant I looked up.

Zander? No. He was colder than Zander.

He was tall and lean, in a sharply tailored charcoal suit buttoned all the way to the top, the collar closing around his beautiful Adam's apple.

Everything about him gave off an air of untouchable restraint. Same face, but this one looked a lot more expensive. I stared at him, dazed, forgetting even to blink.

The umbrella tilted up a little, and he pressed his phone screen against the window.

A few words stood out plainly: [Do you need help?] I snapped out of it and instantly shoved my portable charger back into my bag.

I curved my lips into a smile. "That would be so nice of you, thank you." No wonder Zander had kept his brother hidden for three years. So they were twins.

I really did like that face. Outside, rain and mist blurred everything into a white haze. I asked Elliot to drop me off at the nearest subway station.

He glanced at me, seemed about to say something, then stopped. He handed me some tissues and gestured for me to dry my hair. Not bad. He had a good sense of boundaries.

Plus one point. I vaguely remembered Zander saying his brother had never dated anyone and was a total good boy. If that was true, he could have another ninetynine points.

The car moved along at a steady speed, and the whole ride was quiet. I didn't rush to make conversation. For one thing, when you're on the hunt, you can't look too eager.

For another, I knew perfectly well… He couldn't speak, and he couldn't type right now either. If I started talking, all it would do was embarrass him.

Only when we reached the station, after I'd said thanks and was about to get out, did I turn back as if I'd just remembered something and give him a sheepish smile. "Um, my phone's dead.

Could you lend me a little cash? I can leave my driver's license with you." Elliot was stunned for a few seconds.

Then he obediently opened his wallet, pulled out a hundreddollar bill, and handed it to me. I blanked. People still carry cash these days? "Oh, I don't need that much.

Five bucks is plenty. Besides, the ticket booth's closed at this hour, and the machines don't take hundreds." Evidently. Elliot didn't have a five.

He pressed his lips together, gathered his courage, and typed a line on his phone: [It's pouring.

Can I drive you home?] [I'm not a bad guy.] [I can leave my driver's license with you too.] "Deal. Let's swap licenses, then." I smiled and went on: Chapter 4 "Kidding.

With a face that pretty, of course you're not a bad guy." Elliot's face flushed.

His fingertips trembled as he typed a few words: [You're prettier.] After a moment's pause, he pointed to his throat. [Sorry.

I can't talk.] I blinked in understanding and deliberately leaned in a little closer.

Feeling his body go stiff, I smiled, scrolled up the screen, rested my fingertip on "You're prettier," and said softly: "Oh, I don't know.

You're a pretty smooth talker." This Elliot was nothing like the way Zander had described him. There wasn't a trace of spoiled temper in him. Quite the opposite.

He was polite, and he knew his limits. Innocent and beautiful. Once you looked at him, you couldn't look away. The rain stopped, and I waved goodbye to Elliot.

As I walked into the lobby carrying two grilled chicken skewers, Zander and Mia rushed out of nowhere. "Where did you go?

Who drove you home?" "Who was that guy holding the umbrella for you?" "You left your car on the side of the road, your phone's off—Celeste Radcliffe, do you have any idea how worried I was?" Zander was soaked from head to toe, his eyes frighteningly red.

I, on the other hand, stepped around him, my face blank