No more childhood sweetheart
Chapter 1
Fifteen years, best friends forever. Everyone
said Liam was head–over–heels for me.
Then my freaking sister shows up out of
nowhere, and he ships me off to Hicksville,
USA, population: dirt. Says I need to “reflect”
on my actions.
Three years in that one–horse town felt like a
lifetime sentence.
And then he shows up, sees me scrounging
for scraps with the damn pigs, and suddenly
he’s Mr. Shocked–and–Appalled.
Claims he made a mistake, wants me back.
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I just look down, pat my barely–there baby
bump, and tell him to get the hell out.
- 1.
Liam found me while I was trying to sneak a
bite of pig slop, leaning on my bum leg.
Heard there was some big shot visiting the
town today, everyone was rubbernecking, so
it was my only chance to sneak into Farmer McGregor’s pigpen. Someone in the distance
was shouting what sounded like my name.
“Ashley? Ashley Carter?!”
Whatever. I just kept shoveling it in. A chance
to actually eat something? No way I was
passing that up.
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Whatever the hell it was, it hit my stomach
like a lead weight, but it stopped the gnawing,
the cramping. I stuffed my face, didn’t care if
I choked.
Hard to believe that just three years ago, I
was Ashley Carter, spoiled princess of the A-
list, living large in LA. Now? Living like a
freaking feral animal.
All thanks to my ex–fiancé and his little Miss
Secretary.
My parents, bless their hearts, bought their
garbage too. Listened to the lies, sent me
here to “think about what I’d done” and
haven’t bothered to call in three years.
Did they even realize what this place was
It’s the kind of town where half the wives are
probably kidnapped, where women are just
property, good for taking a beating.
Suddenly, someone grabbed me, hauled me
away with a force that nearly ripped my arm
off. I flinched, braced for a beating.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to, I’m just so hungry, I’m
sorry…‘
The guy just stared at me, like he couldn’t
believe his eyes. “Ashley, what are you.
doing?”
“It’s Liam!”
Liam? The name rang a bell. Oh right, my ex-
fiancé, the same guy who dumped me in this
hellhole in the first place.
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My brain felt like it was coated in cotton. I
looked up, slowly, at the preppy jerk standing
in front of me.
Yup, it was Liam alright, my former fiancé,
the mastermind who dropped me off here.
And his little partner–in–crime was right
behind him, gagging like she was about to
lose her lunch, holding her nose like I was
radioactive.
Liam spun around, grabbed her, and hauled
her away.
He planted a kiss on her forehead. “Easy,
babe, it’s disgusting, I know. You’re gonna
ruin your dress.”
Then he gave me this weird, almost guilty
<
look. “Come on, Ashley. Three years is
enough. Let’s get you out of here.”
Get out? Leave this place behind?
I wiped my mouth with my chapped,
frostbitten hands, tried to hide the scars that
covered my skin.
I may have been a princess once, but now I
was just dirt.
I just nodded, followed them, limping like a
broken doll.
In the car, Brittany asked me if I was doing
okay.
I closed my eyes, pretended to sleep.
Why wasn’t I happy that I was going home?
Probably the hate, simmering inside of me.
I hated them both. Liam and Brittany,
screwing around behind my back, then
framing me for assault to keep me quiet. My
parents ate it up, shipped me off here to rot
for three years.
And then there’s Kevin.
My boyfriend. I was finally getting out of here,
but what about him?
Brittany bit her lip. “Ashley, I was just asking,
I was just wondering if you are alright, I
just…‘
99
her
Liam always bor white knight stopped
Liam, always her white knight, stepped in. He
grabbed my arm, yanked me up, hard, nearly
throwing me off balance.
I instinctively put my hands over my stomach.
“Brittany’s talking to you! Did you lose your
manners in the sticks? What, you think it’s
still three years ago and everyone has to kiss
your butt, huh?!”
He was staring at my leg, this weird mix of
anger and resentment in his eyes, like he
hated me for being weak.
I clutched my stomach, fighting the pain, and
mumbled, “I heard you. I’m fine.”
Liam started to say something else, but
Drittony grabbed his arm “It’s okay babe
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Ashley just got back. Whatever she did, it’s in
the past. Just calm down.”
Liam glanced at my stomach, then wrapped
his arms around Brittany. The rest of the ride,
they were all over each other, talking baby
talk, all sickeningly sweet.
And I just stared at the back of their heads,
thinking.
What would they do if they knew they were
driving home with a woman who was burning
with hate, a woman who wanted to tear them
both apart?
Probably nothing.
They wouldn’t see it coming, and they never
would.
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I would just have to wait for my chance.
