A Love Forgotten (Arianna and Elijah)

Chapter

87

After the check-up, the wound on my forehead had healed, leaving only a faint scar.

I stared at the reflection of a haggard woman in the mirror. The vibrant, youthful version of myself at 18 had become a distant memory, and I'd come to accept who I was now.

But there was still a deep ache in my chest. Seven years of my youth, and all the love I gave, led me to this miserable end.

I wiped the fog from the mirror with a harsh stroke and began applying makeup meticulously. No one would laugh at me. I won't allow it. No one!

So, when I appeared in front of Mr. Webb, I was a completely new person-fresh and radiant. I used my bangs to cover the scar on my forehead, and for the first time in a long while, I felt alive again. When Teri saw me, her eyes lit up. "Ari!"

I gave a bitter smile. "Do I look okay?"

Her eyes sparkled with amazement. "More than okay! Ari, you're stunning!

"I've always said that when you dress up, you can wipe the floor with all those fake girls a million times over Jocelyn? Please. She's not even in the same league as you, in looks or style."

I squeezed her hand. "I'm fine now, but Elijah isn't. He doesn't deserve me-he only deserves someone like Jocelyn."

Teri's eyes welled up with tears, and she suddenly threw her arms around me, sobbing. "It's about time! You horrible person! You've worried me for seven whole years! You finally realize how amazing you are. Ari, you deserve so much better!"

Her sobbing pulled at my heartstrings. It was only now that I realized how much pain and helplessness my best friend had carried, watching me chase after Elijah all these years

My eyes reddened, and I patted her gently. "Don't cry, Mr. Webb is watching us. Let's get to work."

Teri hastily wiped her tears and nodded. "Yeah! Let's get down to business."

She added one last thing. "Ari, you've got this."

I smiled at her before turning to sit across from Mr. Webb and his team..

Mr. Webb adjusted his glasses and smiled faintly. "Alright. Let's begin." He leaned forward slightly. "But first, one last question for Ms. Ariana"

"Go ahead," I said.

Mr. Webb's expression turned serious. "Ms. Ariana, are you truly determined to go through with this divorce?"

I nodded. "Yes." After my response, I couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Webb, why do you keep asking me this?"

Mr. Webb's face became even more solemn. "Because as we've reviewed your case, we've found that this divorce will be extremely challenging. And there's substantial evidence that might hinder your ability to recover marital assets." His tone was grave. "Ms. Ariana, you need to be prepared for a long and difficult legal battle."

I nodded again. "I'm ready."

Mr. Webb shook his head. "No. I don't think you understand. This case will be harder than you can

imagine. Your reputation will take a hit-you'll face slander, insults, and challenges you can't yet foresee."

I

I fell silent. Mr. Webb waited patiently for my answer.

After a full minute, I looked up, my gaze steady. "Yes, I'm ready. I'll face it all."

The conversation and evidence gathering with Mr. Webb's team was a hundred times harder than ! expected.

Because of my memory loss, I couldn't recall any of the agreements Elijah and I had made, either before or after the marriage. I didn't even understand how I'd been persuaded to transfer 50 million dollars to his

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The evidence collection was proving to be a nightmare, but luckily, Mr. Webb's team was incredibly experienced.

They traced every possible lead, piecing together clues about the situation back then. They even obtained financial records from Elijah's company during that period.

After several rounds of questioning that afternoon, my head felt like it was spinning out of control. The constant effort to recall left me dizzy and disoriented.

Teri noticed how pale I looked and pulled me aside to rest multiple times. However, I shook my head but pushed through four straight hours of interrogation from the lawyers

By the time Mr. Webb and his team left, I was utterly drained, slumping back into my chair. My mind was. in a haze like it had been scrambled beyond recognition

The vertigo from my concussion flared up again, and I dry-heaved a few times but couldn't bring anything

1. up.

Teri's voice was full of concern. "Ari, take a break. I'll get you some water."

She left the room to fetch it, and I leaned back in the chair, angrily knocking my head with my fist. Exhausted, I buried my face in my hands