10
Amber’s POV.
The following year, through sheer determination, I exceeded Winthrop University’s admission score by thirty points. But instead of heading to the capital, I chose to stay in Blackberry Hollow for my studies.
My business was just starting to take off and I wasn’t willing to abandon it halfway.
What I didn’t expect, however, was to run into an old acquaintance–Nick.
He had taken the college entrance exams the same year I did, yet somehow, he was already a professor here.
Watching him shine, I couldn’t help but wonder–if my acceptance letter hadn’t been stolen, would I have had a future just as bright?
Nick, as if reading my thoughts, simply smiled. “I’m just a junior lecturer. It’s nothing impressive. You have a big world ahead of you, Amber. I believe in that.”
Encouraged by his words, I threw myself into my studies.
By day, I attended lectures, absorbing everything I could. By night, I worked tirelessly on my business, often staying up until dawn.
Finally, my efforts paid off. By my third year, I was selected for an overseas exchange program. At the same time, my business flourished–I had established my own factory, securing financial independence.
As my flight took off, I was surprised to find Nick seated next to me.
He offered a sheepish smile. “The school is sending me abroad for training. Coincidentally, it’s the same
university as yours.”
But I knew the truth–there were no faculty slots for international training that year. I didn’t call him out on it,
though.
I was well aware of how much Nick had looked out for me over the years. But after everything I’d been through, after the heartbreak I had barely clawed my way out of, I wasn’t ready to accept someone new.
No Longer Yours, Dear Husband
The following years flew by in a blur. I completed my studies overseas, earning both my master’s and doctorate degrees. Nick was always by my side–not as a professor, but as the one managing my growing business abroad.
I watched as he negotiated with foreign investors in their fluent language, his confidence unwavering. And yet, no matter how busy he was, he never forgot to drape his coat over my shoulders whenever the cold set in.
One evening, as we stood outside, the winter air crisp around us, I finally realized–it was time to move on. It was time to give this man, who had stayed by my side for so long, an answer.
Turning to him, I said, “This New Year, take me to meet your parents.”
Nick blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting my words. I took his hand and smiled. “I want to get married.” His face lit up like a child’s on Christmas morning. That very night, he booked our flights back home.
Upon landing, we went straight to the department store, loading up on gifts before heading to his family home to discuss our engagement.
That was when Ryder appeared.
I spotted him in the town square, holding up a faded photograph, stopping every passerby to ask if they had
seen me.
Then, his gaze landed on me.
His eyes widened in disbelief before he broke into a desperate sprint.
Grabbing my hand tightly, he choked out, “Amber, I finally found you! Come home with me!”
I yanked my hand away, meeting his gaze with cold indifference. “Excuse me, sir. Do we know each other?”
Ryder froze, staring at me as if I had just stabbed him in the chest.
“Amber, it’s me! I’m Ryder. Your husband! “You don’t remember me?” he exclaimed, pointing at himself. “Look, I still have our picture!”
He held up the worn photograph. The edges were frayed, the image faded, but there I was–an eighteen–year–old girl, smiling shyly, blissfully unaware of the lies she had been fed.
But that girl was gone.
I wasn’t that naive, lovestruck fool anymore, blindly believing in Ryder’s carefully crafted illusions. I turned away, ready to leave, but Ryder stepped in front of me, blocking my path. His expression twisted with desperation, his gaze flickering toward Nick.
“It’s because of him, isn’t it? I know him. Seven years ago, in the hospital, he was always lingering outside your ward.” Ryder spat, his hands curling into fists.
“You didn’t come back all these years because of him, didn’t you? He kidnapped you, didn’t he?!” His voice
cracked with anger, his face contorted with rage.
“You bastard–stealing another man’s wife–I’ll kill you!” With that, Ryder lunged at Nick, fists raised, ready for a fight.
Ryder raised his fist, but I immediately stepped in front of Nick, shielding him.
“That’s enough, Ryder!” I snapped. “This has nothing to do with Nick! You’ve already made your choice. You picked Sage–so go be with her and stop harassing me!”
“I didn’t!” Ryder denied frantically. “Amber, I swear, I never chose her! She lied to me! Everything she said was a
lie–even the pregnancy. It was all fake!”
He took a desperate step forward, his voice trembling. “Amber, my heart has always belonged to you. Come home with me. If you want to study, I’ll support you. Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you, just please… be with me.”
For three long years, I had begged for his love, his loyalty, his devotion. And now, after everything, he was finally offering it to me–when I no longer wanted it.
He lost me the moment he burned my college acceptance letter.
No Longer Yours, Dear Husband
He lost me when he pushed me toward that speeding car–for her.
He lost me when he killed our child with his own hands.
He and I–we were done.
“Ryder,” I said, my voice calm but ice–cold, “you and I were never married. And those three years? I’ll count them
as charity–wiped from my memory, gone for good.” My voice was cold, detached. “If you keep causing trouble, I’ll
call the police.”
Ryder’s expression crumbled as panic flashed in his eyes. “What do you mean we weren’t married? We were together for three years, why do you-”
“Because you and I never registered our marriage.” I cut him off with a single sentence.
He froze. Then, as if the truth had physically struck him, he collapsed to the ground. Yes, he had taken me as his wife, but there had been no wedding, no ceremony, no legal documents. Just a simple red–background photo of the
two of us.
I had begged him to make it official, time and time again. But he always had an excuse, always found a way to
avoid it.
Later, I finally understood why. Ryder had never wanted to fully commit–because deep down, he had always been waiting for Sage. Well, at least he saved me the trouble of filing for divorce. I walked away from him for good,
stepping into a new chapter of my life. From this moment on, we were nothing to each other.
Nick took me home to meet his parents and they welcomed me warmly, treating me like family from the start. As
we sat together, they shared countless stories of his childhood, laughing at his mischief and recalling his dreams.
It was then that I learned Nick had liked me for years–since we were students. He had kept his feelings hidden,
knowing I was engaged. And later, when I was abandoned and then married off to Ryder, he could only stand by and
watch helplessly as I was trapped in that nightmare.
He had regretted it ever since.
If only he had been braver back then, would things have turned out differently?
But fate had finally given us a second chance.
That night, the sky lit up with fireworks, exploding in dazzling colors.
Nick’s family had arranged an entire fireworks display just to welcome me. Standing beside Nick, I intertwined
my fingers with his, warmth spreading through my chest.
Happiness, I realized, was so simple.
Later, when Sage found out Ryder had come looking for me, they had a vicious fight. Enraged, she threatened
him, using their past as leverage against him.
But Ryder snapped.
He grabbed a knife and attacked her in a blind rage.
By the time it was over, Sage lay on the ground, her lower body drenched in blood. Screaming, she crawled toward the door, begging for help. When the police arrived, Ryder was still standing over her, his face twisted in
madness, yet eerily calm.
“This is what she deserves,” he murmured. “If it weren’t for her, Amber and I would still be together. We would’ve grown old together, had a beautiful child.”
His voice grew darker, his eyes unfocused. “She ruined me. She ruined everything!”
Ryder’s confession unraveled the truth behind everything that had happened, exposing every crime the Calloway Family had tried to bury.
As a result, the entire Calloway Family was sentenced to prison.
As a result, the entire Calloway Family was sentenced to prison.
Sage survived but was left paralyzed from the waist down. With no one willing to care for her, she was forced to beg on the streets. But no one would give her a second glance. Everyone remembered the cruel things she had done and even the most compassionate passersby refused to spare her a single scrap of food.
One cold New Year’s Eve, she froze to death alone on the streets.
When Nick heard the news, he gently asked me, “Do you want to arrange for her burial?”
“No.” I didn’t even hesitate.
She once forced me to the edge of despair, telling me it was simply my fate. Now, she had met her own end and I had the same answer for her. It was her fate.
Another spring came, bringing with it new beginnings. With a child growing inside me, I married Nick, the man who had always been by my side. Not long after, I gave birth to a beautiful set of twins. From that moment on, our lives were filled with warmth, laughter and the love of a family finally complete.
No more turbulence. No more pain.
Just happiness, simple and pure.
(The End)
