(07
Her words slammed into me like a freight train. My stomach churned violently and I clutched at my midsection, the emptiness inside me an unbearable contrast to the horror of her confession.
“As for your baby,” she continued, her tone faux–sympathetic, “Tragic isn’t it? Ryder kicked it out of you himself.” She clicked her tongue in mock pity. “But hey, what can you do? The Calloway brothers have always loved me more.”
She tilted her head, her eyes shining with cruel amusement. “Remember when I said I wanted to go to school? One brother stole your acceptance letter and took me away, while the other let rats gnaw on you in the woodshed.”
I felt my nails dig into my palms, my body trembling with rage.
“Oh, and do you know why Ryder saved you back then?” she added, feigning an innocent pout. “Because I called him. I told him if he left you to die, people might start asking questions. That’s the only reason he ever took you to a doctor.”
Sage took a step closer, leaning in just enough for her perfume to suffocate me. “You’ll never beat me, Amber,” she whispered, her voice venomous. “You never have and you never will.”
My body moved before I could think. My hand shot up, ready to slap her across the face–not for myself, but for my baby. For the life that was stolen before it had a chance to begin.
But before my palm could connect, a vice–like grip clamped around my wrist.
“Amber!” Ryder’s furious voice rang out. “Have you lost your damn mind? Sage just got out of surgery and you’re trying to hurt her?”
His face twisted with disgust as he yanked my arm down. “I should’ve known you were this cruel. I should’ve never saved you back then!”
I stared up at him, my breath shuddering. “Ryder,” I whispered, my voice raw, “the woodshed always had cats in it. You really think I got the plague by accident?”
For the briefest second, his expression faltered. His pupils shrank, his grip on my wrist loosening. He knew exactly what I was talking about.
Yet still, he shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He turned away, pulling Sage into his arms. “But leave Sage alone. She is innocent in all of this.”
“Innocent?” I laughed, the sound bitter and hollow. “She’s lying to you. She was never pregnant!”
“Enough!” He shot me one last glare. “Stay away from her If you ever touch her again, I swear, I’ll divorce you.”
No Longer Yours, Dear Husband
My fingers clenched around the fabric of my dress, my nails digging into my skin.
It was over.
I had no reason to stay anymore.
I went to the hospital and requested an official record of my miscarriage. Then, I made my way to my old school, where I found the archived files from three years ago. My heart clenched as I flipped through the papers–each one
stamped with the same three words: Accepted for Enrollment.
Tears welled in my eyes.
This was my punishment for loving the wrong person.
I gathered the documents, placed them in an envelope along with the signed divorce papers and mailed them to Ryder.
Then, with nothing but the money Nick lent me, I went to the school where I had first been accepted and officially canceled all enrollment under the name “Amber.”
After that, I didn’t go to the capital to wait for the new semester to start. Instead, I took the little money I had and headed south to Cypress Hollow.
Nick once told me that the south was a land of endless opportunities.
I wanted to save up some money for my education.
And more than anything, I wanted to sever all ties with my past–for good.
Third POV
Ryder had spent the past seven days at home with Sage, yet there had been no sign of Amber.
Growing restless, he had gone to the hospital, only to be told that she had been discharged a week ago.
A faint sense of unease crept into his chest. Amber and Sage had lost their parents young and were taken in by the Calloway Family. She had no relatives, no close friends. If she hadn’t come home after leaving the hospital, where could she have gone?
Then it hit him–the school.
Whenever they argued and she refused to go home, she would always stay at the school.
