Chapter 1
Just because I blacklisted my boyfriend’s first love’s salon, he dumped me-five months pregnant-in the Olympic wilderness.
Ten years together, Jake was always the perfect boyfriend.
Until he took me to his first love-Bethany’s hair salon for a haircut.
She butchered my hair on PURPOSE.
My modeling agency banned her salon after the massacre.
Jake’s payback? Left me for dead in those mountains.
After seven days crawling through hell, what did I hear when I finally made it back?
“Come on, it was just a little lesson. Thinks she’s hot shit? She’s knocked up with nowhere to go-she’ll crawl back like she always does.”
That’s when something inside me snapped.
I booked the abortion that same hour.
Jake thought he had me trapped?
Big Mistake-the trap was all HIS!
“Dude, look at her-totally let herself go. Even her own family’s cutting her off. And she’s still trying to come for Bethany? Over some hair? Just pay the damn fee and move on. She messed with Beth, now she’s paying for it.”
I stood frozen outside the door, Jake’s words hitting me like a punch to the gut.
Seven days fighting my way through those mountains, covered in mud and soaked from constant rain.
Right up until this moment, I’d been praying-hoping against hope-that someone else had left me out there to die.
“Jake, man, aren’t you worried she’ll find out and dump your ass?”
Jake let out this cold laugh.
“Whatever. She’s stuck with me now. Nobody else is gonna touch her, and she’s totally obsessed with me anyway. Pretty sad,
honestly.”
Jake’s words sliced through me like razor blades.
He was dead certain I’d never leave him.
I forced out this bitter smile and ran to the corner store to use their phone.
“Dad? It’s me, Mia.”
His irritated voice came through loud and clear:
Hiking Trin? Honey His Duneral Was My Comeback Tour!
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“Why are you calling me? I dumped your stuff outside. Figure it out yourself. Don’t call me again-you’re a disgrace!”
Click.
He hung up before I could say another word.
Jake was right. Nobody wanted me anymore.
Even my own father had given up on me.
Ten years ago, Jake saved my life after that climbing accident. Gave me a second chance.
He said my eyes were the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
Later I figured out the truth-my eyes looked exactly like Bethany’s.
He’d been looking through me at her this whole damn time.
I walked barefoot through the rain straight into the hospital.
“Hi, I need to schedule an abortion.”
After all the tests, the doctor shook her head:
“Look, you’re not eating enough and you’re really weak. Your uterus is pretty thin, and you’re far along. If you do this, you might not be able to get pregnant again. Ever.”
My face went white, hands shaking.
“Just do it.”
I couldn’t even take care of myself. How could I be selfish enough to bring a baby into this nightmare?
Surgery scheduled for next week.
I dragged my broken body home.
“Mia, Jesus, look at you. What a mess. Can’t sit still even when you’re knocked up.”
Jake’s voice was pure mockery.
His friends were all snickering behind their hands.
He’d been acting for ten years straight. Ten years of my heart down the drain.
I didn’t respond, just headed upstairs.
Funny how that oversized wedding portrait of us looking so in love is still hanging above the bed.
Oh, right. I’d almost forgotten-our wedding was supposed to be next month.
Probably just another chance for him to humiliate me, wasn’t it?
Timing it perfectly for when I’d really start showing.
Let everyone see the knocked-up bride.
My phone buzzed with messages from my agent.
She’d managed to buy me some time on that three-hundred-thousand-dollar penalty.
Now I felt nothing but bitterness.
Dead end, no way out.
That night, Jake spooned me from behind, his hand on my belly.
“You and the baby… you’re both okay, right?”
“Please, stop with the constant doubts. If I really did hook up with Beth, do you honestly think you could compete with her? Look at yourself-Jesus, fat as hell.”
Olivia Harris is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy DaisyNovel. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.