Chapter 1

We crashed on the way home for Christmas, me and my husband, Fred. I woke up, and bam, we were back before we even started dating. Last time around, we were married for seven years, all polite smiles, but he wouldn’t even think about having kids with me. Turns out, Fred was still hung up on his high school sweetheart. So, this time, I decided to let him go. We ghosted each other on social media, kept our distance, and went our separate ways. Fast forward seven years, and he’s this hotshot stock trader, partying at our high school reunion with his darling, Ashley. Seeing me still single, he just had to get in a dig. “You know, Sarah, I get it. I’m like, the best guy you ever had, twice over. But you don’t have to mope around forever!” I just ignored him and took my son’s hand. Fred’s face went white. His eyes were bloodshot as he demanded, “Didn’t you say you’d love me forever? That you only wanted to have my babies?”

The reunion was the first time Fred and I had been in the same room for years. I’d just finished a bunch of surgeries and was too tired to dress up, so I went to the party in my scrubs. Fred was holding court in the middle of the room, his arm around Ashley’s waist, soaking up all the attention. “Freddy, you’re killing it! A few years on Wall Street, and you’re already the next big thing? You’re making us all proud!” “Seriously, I heard some bigwigs are paying Fred just for his advice. I heard he got like fifty grand! That’s a year’s salary for some people!” “Hey, Fred, I’ve been dabbling in stocks. Hook a brother up with some inside info, will ya?” Someone piped up, “So, Fred, are you and Ashley getting engaged?” Fred looked all gooey at Ashley. “Yeah, we’re making it official on December 20th.” Everyone cheered and congratulated them. Then some old classmate had to ask, “Fred, do you ever hear from Sarah? You guys were, like, the power couple back in the day. Didn’t you write a song for her?” I saw Fred’s smile freeze when he heard my name. Ashley, standing next to him, just laughed and said, “Oh, you know how it is. High school crushes never last. He’s totally over Sarah!” Everyone laughed, going on about how perfect Fred and Ashley were. But I remembered that song. Fred wrote it for me when he asked me out. Last time around, he was my college sweetheart, and we fell hard for each other. He was so sincere back then, looking me right in the eye, “Sarah, I swear I’m telling the truth. Eyes don’t lie.” I believed him. Too bad he lied to me the first time. I walked into the party, trying not to make a scene. One of the sharper classmates saw me. “Sarah! Where have you been?” “Why are you wearing scrubs? You couldn’t change?” “Did you just get off work? Where are you working? Let’s get one of these success stories to help you find something easy.” A bunch of people started making fun of my clothes. I smiled and kept my head up. From the moment I walked in, Fred’s eyes hadn’t left me. I just said, “Long time no see.” Fred looked surprised and then smirked. “Sarah, you haven’t changed a bit. Still aiming low.” Ashley glared at me. She hugged Fred tighter, like she was marking her territory. “Oh, Fred, don’t be mean! Maybe she’s had a hard time. Don’t rub it in.” She looked me up and down, sneering. “But seriously, Sarah, what are you wearing? You’re not getting any younger. You need to take care of yourself, or you’ll never find a guy. Who wants a slob?” “Want me to lend you some makeup?” The room cracked up at that. Ashley was dripping in designer clothes and makeup, rich-girl vibes all the way. I was coming off a 24-hour shift at the hospital. I was exhausted, and my scrubs came from a store down the street. I couldn’t compete. “No, thanks. I’m good,” I said, and sat down to eat. After all, I hadn’t had anything to eat in a day. I was enjoying my food, when Fred came over and dropped a $10,000 check in front of me. “This is, you know, because we used to be something. Use it to get yourself together. Find a better job, buy some new clothes, take care of yourself.” “Sarah, the past is the past. Don’t get stuck in it.” “If it wasn’t for you…never mind. It doesn’t matter.” “Just don’t ruin your life because of me, okay?” I looked up at him, confused. He wasn’t saying something, and I was curious about what I did to make him so eager to dump me this time around. The first time, we were high school sweethearts and college lovers. He wanted to be a musician, and I wanted to be a doctor. Both of us spent a lot of time and money on our careers. Someone had to give. Because I loved him, I gave up my chance to go to medical school so I could start working and help him chase his dreams. He failed, got discouraged, and wallowed. I was there when he came home, and I always made him feel better. I thought he knew I loved him. But when he wanted a new guitar, and I couldn’t afford it, he smashed his old one. “You know what? If I had gone to America with Ashley, I wouldn’t be stuck in this dump!” “I regret being with you.” He stopped playing guitar and gave up on his dream. I spent the rest of our marriage crying myself to sleep because of “I regret being with you”. I tried to get back with him one last time. “Fred, I want to have a baby with you.” He shoved me away, with disgust written all over his face. “Can we even afford a baby? And I told you before, I hate kids! I don’t want to have a baby with you!” That was the last straw. We were in a car accident and died. I wasn’t scared, I was relieved. Now we were here, we had chosen to forget about the past, and it wasn’t necessary to bring it up. I pushed the check back. “No, thanks. I don’t take things from strangers.”

He frowned. “Strangers? What’s that supposed to mean?” I said, “I can buy my own clothes. Whatever I do, I like my job, and I’m not ruining my life. Give that money to someone who needs it.” He stood there, holding the check, his lips pressed together. Ashley came over, saw the check, and figured out what was going on. She was furious, but she kept up her sweet act. “Sarah, you don’t want our help? Okay, we’ll make it more practical.” “I just opened a nail salon downtown. You can come work there as a trainee. The pay isn’t great, six grand a month, but you’ll learn a skill. If things get tough, you can open your own salon.” “What do you say? It’s better than what you’re doing now.” I kept eating, ignoring them. “Thanks, but I like my job. I’m not looking to change.” Some classmate shouted, “Sarah, don’t be stupid! Fred and Ashley are being nice, giving you money and a job! Take it!” “Yeah, you’re a mess. Who cares about pride? You’re just here to find help anyway! Stop acting like you don’t need it!” Ashley faked a laugh. “Hey, guys, calm down! Maybe Sarah likes what she does!” She turned to me, “Sarah, we’re just trying to help, because we used to be friends. Don’t let pride get in the way!” I couldn’t understand why they were pushing so hard. “Really, thanks, but no thanks.” Ashley kept smiling, but her eyes were full of hate. Fred clenched the check in his fist. “You’re hopeless. I can’t help you! You’re going to die poor!” After that little speech, a bunch of the old guys swarmed around me, trying to get me to drink. “Sarah, you look so pathetic. Take a shot, and I’ll give you a grand.” “If you’re really desperate…I’ll throw in some extra.” They were being gross, and everyone was laughing. Nobody helped me. I frowned. This reunion was nothing like I expected. If I wasn’t waiting for someone, I’d have walked out. I was about to call security, when Fred put out his cigarette and grabbed one of the guys by the arm. He looked furious. “Back off.” The guy yelled, “Hey!” Ashley grabbed Fred’s sleeve. “What are you doing?” He still looked ice-cold. “Being a decent human being. This is a reunion, not a freak show.” He shoved the guy away. The guy didn’t argue, but he glared at me. I looked at Fred, surprised he’d help me. Ashley practically ground her teeth to dust, but she laughed. “I heard the CEO and his son are in the conference room upstairs. Maybe we’ll get to see the richest guy in town!” Everyone got excited. The richest guy in town was hot, rich, and apparently only in his 30s. He also had a five-year-old son, but nobody had ever seen his wife. “Maybe we’ll see his wife! I have to put this on TikTok!” “This is big news!” Soon, a bunch of bodyguards escorted a little boy into the room, and everyone went nuts. “That’s the rich guy’s son! He looks just like his dad!” The guy who had been harassing me before, was no longer angry at me and became a different person. “Sarah, if it wasn’t for Ashley, you’d never see the CEO’s kid! You should get on your knees and thank her! Maybe you’ll get a job, or even marry some guy who makes six grand a month!” Whatever. I ignored him and kept looking at the kid. Everyone was fawning over him, trying to take pictures and videos. Even Ashley, put on a cute act as she went up to the little boy. “Hey there, sport, what do you want to eat? I’ll buy it for you.” She reached out to pinch his cheek. But nobody expected what happened next. The boy, surrounded by bodyguards, ignored all the adults and walked right up to me. He smiled and jumped into my arms. “Mommy, you’re here!”