Back to before the engagement, my husband regretted choosing Bai Yueguang and went crazy
This car accident happened on the way home
for Thanksgiving.
When I opened my eyes again, my husband Tom
and I were back in the world before we started
dating.
Last time, we had been married for seven years.
We treated each other with respect, but he
never wanted me to have a child.
It turned out that he still had feelings for his
high school sweetheart.
This time, I decided to let him go.
I disappeared from his life, deleted his phone
number, and removed him from my Facebook
friends list, then took a different path.
Seven years later, he became a hotshot trader
on Wall Street, frequently making headlines,
and finally got together with that girl he had
almost dated.
Sarah Jenkins.
They officially confirmed their relationship at
our high school reunion.
Seeing me alone, he dared to sneer at me.
“Ashley,” he said slowly, “I know you’ve always
thought I was the best man you’ve ever been
with. You don’t need to be sad for me, you
know.”
I just rolled my eyes and took my son’s hand.
Tom’s face turned pale.
He opened his eyes wide and stammered, “You
have a child? But… you always said you would
love me forever. That you only wanted to have
children with me!”
Chapter One
The first time I saw Tom again was at that
reunion, yeah.
I’d just finished a crazy shift at the hospital
–
–
triple bypasses back to back — and was in no
mood to dress up.
I walked straight into the ballroom, ready for some pizza rolls and bad decisions.
914
Tom was smack–dab in the middle of the
crowd, arm around Sarah, lapping up all the attention.
“Tom, you’re killing it, man! You’ve only been on Wall Street a few years, and you’re already the next Warren Buffett! You’re making us look good, bro!”
“Seriously! I heard some big–shot hedge fund
guys are paying you just for a quick chat. That’s more than I make in a year!”
“Hey, Tom, I’m thinking about dabbling in
stocks. Hook a brother up with some insider info, will ya?”
Someone piped up, “So, Tom, are you and
Sarah finally gonna tie the knot?”
<
9:10
914
Tom gave Sarah this googly–eyed look, like she
was the Mona Lisa and he was seeing her for the first time.
“Yep. We’re getting engaged December 20th.”
More whooping and hollering.
Some loudmouth asked, “Hey, Tom, you still
keep in touch with Ashley? You guys were like, head–over–heels back in the day. I heard your first song was about her!”
Hearing my name, I saw Tom’s smile twitch.
Sarah, standing right next to him, gave a brittle little laugh.
“Oh, honey, you’re too much. Tom and I are
getting married. High school crushes don’t last,
and neither do high school loves. He’s totally over Ashley!”
Everyone chuckled, falling all over themselves
to say how perfect they were.
Except that song?
Tom wrote that song for me, the night he asked
me to be his girlfriend.
I strolled into the ballroom, trying to look like I
had my act together.
Some eagle–eyed classmate spotted me right C
away.
“Ashley! What took you so long?”
“Dude, why are you wearing sweats? Should’ve
dressed up a little!”
“You come straight from work? What are you
doing for a living these days anyway? A few
success stories here. I’m sure that someone
<
would be able to help!”
3
LI TUL
A bunch of them gave me the once–over,
snickering at my outfit.
I ignored them, just giving a little wave and
trying to look presentable.
From the moment I walked in, Tom’s eyes were glued to me.
“Long time no see,” I said, trying to sound
breezy.
Tom blinked, his expression unreadable. Then
he sneered, “Ashley, you haven’t changed a bit.
Still unambitious as ever.”
Sarah shot me a look that could curdle milk.
She squeezed Tom’s arm, all sweetness and light, like she had to remind everyone who he belonged to.
<
9:10
914
“Tom, you can’t say that about our old
classmate! She’s probably doing the best she
can, we shouldn’t rub it in her face that you
turned out to be rich!”
She sized me up, her smile sharp.
“But seriously, Ashley, what are you wearing? A little dated, right? You’re not getting any
younger. A woman needs to take care of
herself, otherwise she’ll never find a husband.
No guy wants a slob!”
“Need to borrow some makeup?”
The room erupted in laughter.
Sarah was decked out in designer everything,
makeup perfectly contoured, hair styled to
perfection
—
every inch the rich girl.
And I was coming off a 24–hour shift, looking
like I’d been dragged through a hedge
<
I was rocking some comfy sweats I grabbed at
Target, and that just didn’t compare.
“No, thanks,” I said. “I’m good.” I went to the
buffet table, loaded up a plate. I had earned
myself a solid meal.
As I ate, Tom sauntered over and slapped a
check for ten grand right in front of me.
“This is…a little something to help you out,
from one friend to another,” he said. “Get
yourself a decent job, buy some new clothes,
learn to love yourself.”
“Ashley, what’s done is done. Don’t get stuck in
the past.”
“If it wasn’t for you…” He trailed off, then shook
his head. “Never mind. The point is, don’t let me
leaving mess up your life. Okay?”
I looked up, puzzled.
<
What the heck did I do last time to make him
jump ship so fast?
We were sweethearts.
He had his music dreams, I wanted to be a
—
doctor both expensive hobbies.
Someone had to give.
I, like an idiot, gave up my med school spot and
got a job.
My paycheck would fuel the dream.
He’d fail, get discouraged, mope around.
And I’d pat him on the head, telling him it would
all be okay.
I thought he knew I loved him.
<
924
Then, one day, he asked for a new guitar, and I
told him we couldn’t afford it.
He trashed the room, smashing his old guitar to pieces.
“You know what? If I’d gone to college with
Sarah, like she wanted, I wouldn’t be living like this!”
“I regret being with you.”
He stopped playing guitar soon after, lost the dream.
And those words, “I regret being with you,” kept me up at night.
I tried one last thing, held him close and
whispered, “Tom, I want to have a baby.”
He shoved me away, disgust written all over his
face.
<
“Can we even afford a kid? And I told you, I
hate kids! I don’t want one with you!”
Those words shattered any hope I had.
That semi–truck during our last holiday was a
mercy.
I pushed the check back. “I don’t take money
from strangers. Thanks, but no thanks.”
*
