Lost in a Childhood Crush

Chapter 1 After years of loving Niall Pritchard, I never believed it would end this way.

That day, both Freya Wilde—his childhood sweetheart—and I were kidnapped.

“Mr. Pritchard, you have a choice today—your new love or the one from your past. You can only keep one.”

Niall clenched his fists tightly, anger and uncertainty flickering in his eyes. “What if I want to take them both?”

“You’re welcome to try.” The armed kidnappers’ cold laughter echoed through their voice modulators. “I don’t have much patience. Three… two…”

“I choose Freya!”

I looked at Niall in shock.

When our eyes met, I saw only guilt and panic staring back at me. “I’m sorry, Janice. I owe Freya my life. But from now on, I promise to spend every breath making it up to you.”

I smiled through the veil of tears blurring my vision. “But I don’t owe her a damn thing. The moment you chose her, everything between us was over.”

His eyes reddened, too.

Silence hung between us, but in the end, he still picked Freya.

Watching their figures grow smaller in the distance, bitterness welled up inside me, and tears slipped down my cheeks.

How utterly ridiculous. The man who once promised me his whole heart had just given me up for another woman. But why?

Only three months ago, we were still hopelessly in love.

Then Freya returned. Trouble trailed her like a storm cloud, but Niall turned a blind eye. The love that once belonged to me quietly slipped away, settling in Freya’s arms instead.

I still couldn’t believe how easily I had been discarded.

“Mrs. Pritchard, looks like you’re not all that important to your husband, huh?”

I lowered my eyes, fighting back the pain and fear tightening my chest.

“Murder is a crime. No matter what your employer’s paying, I can double it. Don’t let a reckless moment cost you your life.”

“We may be kidnappers, but we’ve got our own principles. A promise is a promise. I’m sorry to disappoint.”

Principles. These days, even criminals kept their promises. Meanwhile, the man who once pledged eternal love to me had already let his promise slip away.

I shut my eyes in despair, whispering a silent prayer, “Niall… may we never meet again, not in this life, nor the next.”

But the pain I was expecting never came.

Suddenly, Niall showed up with the police, and the kidnappers were swiftly taken down.

He wrapped me in his arms. “Janice, it’s over. You’re safe now. Everything’s alright.”

I let him hold me, every bit of strength leaving my body.

Safe? How could I ever feel safe? The moment he chose Freya, it was as if a thousand blades pierced me, each one tearing a fresh, bleeding wound. The pain was unbearable.

The memory of Niall turning to her haunted my thoughts without mercy.

A sharp, searing pain ripped through my head. Suddenly, darkness engulfed me, and I collapsed into unconsciousness.

Chapter 2 When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in a hospital room.

The first thing I noticed was Freya’s gaze—seemingly innocent, but charged with a subtle challenge.

“Janice, you’re awake,” she whispered. “You must be furious… but you misunderstood Niall. Choosing me first was just a temporary move.

“He’s a good man. There’s no way he would ever abandon you. This is all on me. I was the one who upset you so much that you fainted.”

Tears gathered in her eyes, and she lowered her head, her sobs barely audible.

Niall’s gaze softened, flickering with sympathy. “Freya, none of this is your fault. Don’t blame yourself. Janice, it’s all on me. Please, don’t hold Freya responsible.”

I watched them both in silence, a faint smile playing on my lips.

Niall held my hand, visibly uneasy. “Janice, are you feeling okay?”

“Let’s talk.”

His eyes quickly darted away, pretending not to hear me. “You must be hungry. I’ll go get you something to eat.”

“Niall, you can’t keep running away.”

“I’m just stepping out to get you some food.”

Ignoring me, he grabbed Freya’s hand and fled in panic. I knew right then he wouldn’t be coming back today.

There was a time when he truly loved me.

He had once been pursued by ruthless business rivals. When danger came too close, he stood in front of me without a moment’s hesitation.

Not once did he look down on my background. Instead, he pulled me out of the toxic family I was born into. Despite his parents’ objections, he gave me a lavish wedding and treasured me like a priceless gem.

Every single moment of those five years was a testament to his love. But despite everything, he still chose to leave me for Freya.

I wiped away my tears and took a cab home.

He never returned, nor did he answer any of my calls.

At 1:00 am, my phone rang. It was one of Niall’s childhood friends.

“Janice, please, you have to come see Niall. If he keeps drinking like this, he won’t survive much longer.”

It was clear he was punishing himself, hoping his self-destruction would earn my forgiveness.

“Janice, Niall really does love you. Please come.”

I sighed helplessly after ending the call. Though I no longer loved him, I didn’t want him to die. After all, he had once been a good man.

I decided to drive to the bar.

Just as I reached the private lounge, Freya’s voice cut through the noise. “Niall, stop drinking! Are you trying to kill yourself?”

Through the crack in the door, I watched Niall yank his hand free from Freya’s grasp, his anger burning bright.

“Get out of my sight. If it weren’t for you, Janice wouldn’t have turned her back on me. I’ll never forget the resolve and heartbreak I saw in her eyes. This is all because of you! Why did you have to come back? Why?”

“Niall, calm down. You were the one who chose me that day. Don’t you already know the answer? Did I ever force you? Come with me—now.”

At that moment, Niall finally lowered the bottle and went quiet.

He had always been distant and cold to everyone but me. This was the first time I’d ever seen him make a compromise for another woman. Even his childhood friends looked shocked.

“Niall, my stomach hurts… Do you think something could be wrong with our baby?”

Baby?

Freya was expecting. He had actually gotten her pregnant. All this time, they’d been together behind my back.

At that moment, it felt like I was sinking into a cold, endless void.

Without hesitation, Niall scooped Freya into his arms, concern written all over his face. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll take you to the hospital.”

“But you’ve been drinking. You can’t drive.”

“Then don’t just stand there like idiots. Call a cab right now!”

He was like a furious lion, his eyes burning with rage.

His friends were left stunned by his outburst. “O-Okay, we’ll get one for you!”

I had no idea he cared so much about Freya. It only made me feel even more like a joke.

Feeling numb, I climbed back into the car, my eyes fixed on him as he gently but urgently helped Freya into the back seat.

He held on to her tightly, worry written across every line of his face. He kissed her forehead and the corner of her mouth. Drawing near, he murmured gentle, reassuring words.

I followed them in silence all the way to the hospital. They never came out of the building that night.

Alone, I stayed in my car until dawn.

Chapter 3 By morning, Niall finally emerged, his clothes wrinkled and messy. The hickeys on his neck and collarbone were impossible to miss. They weren’t there yesterday, which meant they had to be from last night.

Freya was already pregnant, for heaven’s sake. Why was he still tangled up with her?

Before long, Niall returned, carrying bags of takeout.

It was obvious Freya was doing fine. If she weren’t, she wouldn’t have the appetite to eat that much.

I closed my aching eyes and drove away.

Maybe it was just my imagination, but I could have sworn I felt someone’s gaze on me from upstairs as I left.

When I got home, I didn’t even bother washing up. I collapsed into bed, utterly drained.

Half asleep, I felt a gentle kiss brush against my cheek. Without thinking, I instinctively struck out at whoever was there. The sharp sound jolted me wide awake.

Niall’s left cheek was flushed bright red, but he didn’t lash out. Instead, his eyes held a desperate, pleading look.

“Janice, you’re awake! You must be starving. I brought all your favorite dishes—lobster risotto, clam chowder, beef stew—”

“Niall, where did you spend the night?”

He faltered for a second before looking down. “You didn’t come for me, so Richard took me back to his villa. I just stayed there for the night.”

Even though he was bundled up now, the hickeys on his neck were still visible.

I couldn’t believe he had learned to lie to me.

With his gaze lowered, it was obvious he was hiding his guilt, afraid I’d see right through him.

“Where is she now?”

“Who?”

“Freya. Your childhood sweetheart.”

Niall’s eyes immediately reddened, tears spilling down his cheeks. “Janice, please don’t act this way. I’m sorry. I deserve all the blame. I know I’ve let you down, but I couldn’t bring myself to abandon Freya.

“Her father was once our family’s driver. One day, I insisted on going out. Though he tried to stop me, I wouldn’t back down. Reluctantly, he drove me anyway.

“During the journey, we were involved in a car accident, and he gave his life protecting me. Because of that, Freya was left an orphan.

“If it weren’t for me, her father would still be alive. She wouldn’t have been left alone… I owe her everything.

“But Janice, I had it all planned. I was going to save Freya first and then come back for you. Even if it meant risking my life, I would have rescued you. Please, I’m begging you. Don’t leave me!”

But unfortunately, I was no longer Niall’s first choice.

“Is that it? Do you have anything else to say?”

He looked at me, his eyes shadowed by turmoil.

In the end, he chose to keep the truth to himself. “No.”

“How’s Ms. Wilde?”

“She’s doing fine.”

“Niall—”

Just as I was about to reveal everything, his phone rang. The name “Freya” flashed across the screen. With a hint of irritation, he declined the call.

Still, Freya kept trying. Finally, he set his phone to silent.

“Answer it. What if it’s something important?”

“What could she possibly want other than causing trouble?”

His annoyance appeared sincere, though he didn’t realize the gentle affection underlying his words.

A bitter ache rose within me. “Just answer it.”

“Alright. I’ll do whatever you want, honey. Just say the word.”

With that, he grabbed his phone and stepped over to the window.

Since when did he start hiding from me every time he took a call?

“Didn’t I tell you not to call unless it’s something urgent? What do you want now? Alright, alright. I get it.”

After hanging up, he turned toward me, a hint of hesitation in his eyes. “Hey, baby, I need to step out for a bit.”

“Alright.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you curious where I’m going or what I’m doing?”

A smirk played on my lips. “That’s your freedom. It’s none of my business.”

“But before, you always—”

“You said it yourself. That was before. Just leave me alone, and don’t disturb my sleep.”

I used to love Niall with all my heart. I was jealous, desperate to have him only for myself. But now, that love had faded completely. I didn’t care where he went or what he did anymore.

Still, letting go of him wasn’t easy, especially knowing I’d once loved him with everything I had.

Niall draped the blanket over me and stayed quietly by my side. I lost count of how long he lingered there. By the time I drifted off to sleep, he hadn’t moved an inch.

When I woke, the sun was sinking below the horizon, and Niall was gone.

I stared around at the empty house, feeling slightly dazed.

There was a time when I genuinely believed I was the luckiest person alive. Love was scarce in my family, but Niall filled the emptiness they left behind. He gave me the freedom to live boldly.

But now, his heart belonged to someone else.

I realized it was time for me to go.

But before leaving, I had to see his parents one last time. Though they never fully accepted me, they were the ones who raised Niall, the man who once loved me like I was his entire world.

After freshening up, I packed the car with health supplements and drove to their home.

Just as I reached the door, laughter and chatter drifted out from inside. The sound hit me like a lightning bolt straight to the chest.