Expired Love
Chapter 1
Before marrying Ashton Summers, I died in a
fire.
He locked me in the cramped dressing room,
ignoring my cries for help.
He said if I hadn’t gotten the teacher to
rescue him from that fire years ago, he and
Brittany, the prom queen, wouldn’t have been
caught by their parents.
They wouldn’t have been forced apart, and
Brittany wouldn’t have killed herself.
When I opened my eyes again, I saw the thick
smoke of that day, eighteen years ago.
L
But I chose to do nothing.
“Hey, Liv, I think there’s a fire near the
equipment room.”
A familiar voice pulled me back from my
wandering thoughts. I opened my eyes, my
heart pounding.
The gingko tree outside the classroom
building, its leaves falling like rain, the worn-
out track on the old field, and my best friend,
Maya Miller, standing beside me.
Had I been reborn?
“Let’s go tell the teacher,” Maya said, pulling
my hand towards the building.
L
I didn’t move. I even tugged her back. “Don’t.”
Maya stared at me, confused. “There’s a fire!
Even though no one’s supposed to be there at
this time, we still have to tell a teacher so
they can put it out!”
“What’s wrong?”
Looking at her familiar, young face, how
could I tell her that the person standing
before her was no longer the Olivia Benton
she knew?
I was Olivia Benton, but I was over thirty, and
I had died once.
In my past life, Ashton and Brittany were
secretly dating, and I was their unwitting
<
The night before the placement exams,
Ashton, trying to rescue Brittany from bullies
who had locked her in the equipment room,
climbed through the high window and spent
the entire night with her.
Knowing this, when I saw the fire, I panicked
and ran to get a teacher.
Ashton and Brittany’s secret was out.
Their parents were called, and all hell broke
loose.
Ashton’s family locked him up and forced him
to take the exams. Under pressure from his
family, Brittany was forced to leave school.
Not long after, we heard she jumped from the
seventh floor.
<
I never thought it had much to do with me
until years later, when the man I loved,
Ashton, locked me in the dressing room on
our wedding day and set me on fire.
He said he hated me.
He said if it wasn’t for me telling the teacher,
he and Brittany wouldn’t have ended up like
that.
But I wasn’t trying to tell on them.
I was trying to save them.
Reborn, I decided to do nothing. “I heard
yesterday there’s a fire drill at school today,
probably in the equipment room.”
<
Maya looked skeptical. “Really?”
“Yeah.” I squeezed her hand and walked
toward our classroom.
This time, I did nothing.
And yet, Brittany and Ashton were still
discovered.
The gym teacher, preparing for class,
discovered the fire and found Brittany and
Ashton
but it was too late. They were both
near death, barely clinging to life in the ICU.
Ashton missed his placement exams.
I, however, did well on the exams, earning a
thirty–point bonus for college applications.
く
In my past life, because Brittany had died,
Ashton focused on his studies, aced his SATs,
got into Harvard, and went on to get his
Master’s and PhD. He landed a five–million-
dollar salary straight out of school, elevating
his family’s social status. He was the epitome
of youthful success.
And I was always in his shadow.
Second in the state, I got my Master’s but
stopped there. Worse, to take care of him
during his PhD, I gave up my own career and
spent years by his side, devoted and
supportive.
Utterly foolish.
This time, I decided to live my own life.
く
When I visited the hospital, Ashton was
arguing fiercely with his mother.
Seeing me, Mrs. Summers grabbed my hand,
wanting me on her side. “Liv, Ashton always
listens to you. Talk some sense into him!”
“At a time like this, with the SATS just three
months away, he’s skipping studying to take
care of some girlfriend!”
“Girlfriend? This is not the time for romance!”
“I don’t think that girl is decent. What decent
girl spends the whole night with a boy?!”
Mrs. Summers patted my hand angrily.
I quietly pulled my hand away, smiling politely.
く
“Mrs. Summers, Ashton is an adult. I’m sure
he has his own reasons.”
Ashton looked at me, suspicion in his eyes.
Mrs. Summers was also taken aback. I usually
agreed with her, but this time, I subtly
refused.
“Mom, don’t worry,” Ashton said patiently,
suppressing his emotions. “Even if I don’t
study for these last few months, I can still
easily get into Harvard or Yale.”
He turned to me, his tone impatient. “What
are you doing here?”
I handed him the flowers, my voice flat. “My
parents asked me to see if you needed
anything.”
く
“No, so you can go now.” He took the
flowers, his gaze hostile. “Olivia, I suggest
you remember your place.”
“We’re just childhood friends, nothing more.
You’d better not interfere.”
In a flash, I understood.
Ashton had been reborn too.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have said such a thing.
out of the blue.
Brittany lay in the hospital bed, the white
sheets making her skin look pale as snow.
Her bloodless face resembled a sleeping
beauty, sacred and untouchable.
Me wonder cho was Aohton’s white moonlight
<
No wonder she was Ashton’s white moonlight.
I put down the gift money my parents had
prepared and turned to leave when I saw
Brittany’s eyes suddenly open.
Ashton rushed to her side, excitedly taking
her hand. “You’re finally awake.”
“Brittany, this time I will protect you.”
He squeezed her hand, overcome with
emotion.
But when Brittany saw me, she pulled her
hand away and coughed weakly, covering her
mouth. A blush rose on her cheeks.
She looked at me, her eyes filled with
complex emotions.
<
“Ashton, please don’t do anything that could
be misunderstood.”
“It’s inappropriate with your fiancée
watching.”
To outsiders, Ashton and I seemed like the
perfect couple. However, the fiancée thing
was just a misunderstanding.
It started as a joke between our parents,
overheard and spread around school.
Neither Ashton nor I had ever bothered to
correct it.
I didn’t because… I had liked him.
As for Ashton, I never understood why he
く
But now, faced with Brittany’s challenge,
Ashton said frankly, “Brittany, don’t
misunderstand.”
“Olivia and I are just family friends, we grew
up together, that’s all.”
He even glared at me threateningly, as if… if I
dared to deny it, he would light another fire,
just like last time, burning me alive.
My nails dug into my palms, but I forced a
smile. “Brittany, you really don’t need to
worry.”
“Ashton and I aren’t even friends.”
“Just acquaintances.
<
Ashton looked stunned, clearly not expecting
me to say that. Of course, in my past life, I
had been willing to give up everything for him,
to be a stay–at–home wife, obedient and
doting.
I turned to leave.
“Olivia…” Ashton called after me.
I looked back. “Yes?”
“Boyfriend,” Brittany whined, hooking her little
finger around Ashton’s palm. “I’m so hungry.
Is there anything to eat?”
“I want you to make me something. Okay?”
“Okay.”
