Playing Dead Chapter 1

During the year we were madly in love, Julian died in a tragic car accident.

Everyone expected me to fall apart, but I didn't shed a single tear, nor did I cause a scene.

Two years later, I accidentally walked into the wrong private room at a club. Julian was sitting there, passionately making out with a young girl.

His friends scrambled to explain things to me:

"The car crash was really bad, Mia. Julian was in a coma, practically a vegetable. He only just woke up, but he has amnesia... We didn't want you to live in constant anxiety, so we kept it a secret."

Julian gently pushed the girl away, walked up to me, and furrowed his brow.

"So, I hear you're my fiancée? Even though I have no memory of you, seeing as you've been so devoted to me all this time, I suppose I can fulfill the promise and marry you."

I smiled faintly and replied, "They're messing with you. We don't know each other."

Julian didn't know that on the very day he "died," I received a video.

In the video, Julian was laughing and telling his friends:

"The thought of only sleeping with Mia for the rest of my life after we get married? I just can't do it.

"I'm going to fake my death and play the field for a few more years. Make sure you guys comfort her, don't let her do anything drastic."

He also didn't know that during the two years he was playing dead...

I had found someone else.

* * *

The friends in the room froze for a second before frantically trying to persuade me:

"Mia, how can you say you don't know him? We were the ones who kept it from you, it wasn't Julian's fault!"

"Yeah, Mia, we did it for your own good. We didn't want you worrying yourself sick. Now that Julian is finally awake, please, don't throw a tantrum."

The room was filled with accusatory tones.

Before I could respond, a mocking scoff cut through the noise.

Julian stood up from the sofa, a cigarette pinched casually between his fingers. He spoke with a lazy, arrogant drawl: "If she says we don't know each other, then fine. Saves me the trouble of taking responsibility."

The girl standing next to him immediately clung to his arm, looking up at him with a mix of shyness and nervous excitement:

"Julian... I know you! If she's going to be so ungrateful... I-I'll gladly marry you, okay?"

Julian didn't answer her. He just cast a cold, indifferent glance in my direction, then wrapped his arm around the girl's waist and leaned in to kiss her.

Seeing this, his friends immediately formed a human wall, blocking my view.

They tried to comfort me:

"Mia, Julian has amnesia. You know he loved you more than anything before the accident."

"Yeah, Mia. You just need to show him some love and care so he can get his memory back. Stop acting like a spoiled brat."

I opened my mouth, ready to tell these 'friends' exactly where they could shove their advice, but a sudden, sharp pain shot through my abdomen.

My face instantly drained of color. I didn't stay a second longer. I turned around and walked straight out of the room.

I left so quickly that no one inside even had time to react.

Only after I was completely gone did they turn to Julian, sighing heavily:

"Julian, you took it too far. Mia is genuinely hurt and jealous. Her face went completely white. What if she really dumps you over this?"

Julian smirked, sitting back down on the plush sofa.

"Mia is easy to manage. We haven't seen each other in two years; there's no way she doesn't miss me.

"Besides, I supposedly have amnesia right now. Once I'm done having my fun, I'll just tell her my memory came back and that my actions weren't my own. I won't even need to apologize. I'll just crook my finger, and she'll come running right back."