He Waited For His Ex I Married His Rival

Chapter 2

To my surprise, Linden Rockefeller replied almost instantly.

Linden: Of course. Did Asher hurt you again?

Right after that, he called me, his voice urgent. "Alana Rosewood, where are you? I'll come get you right now!"

"No," I said, pushing down the ache in my chest. "This is between him and me. I'll handle it myself."

He went quiet for a few seconds, then I heard his low, warm laugh.

"Alana, you are the top designer who closed Milan Fashion Week. Back then, people lined up just to get one of your sketches . . . Asher is nothing. He doesn't have to keep you trapped." He paused, his voice softening. "Do what you need to do. I'll be here."

I held my phone tight, and tears finally fell.

He was right. Not long ago, my shows would shut down whole streets.

But I gave all that up, just because Asher said, "Small cities are better for starting out."

I followed him, building everything from nothing.

Now I carry his child, waiting for the wedding he promised this year. The wedding that will never happen, I'm done waiting.

After I hung up, I turned to leave, but Sienna and her friends blocked the side door of the church.

"Stop right there! You made Sienna cry, and you think you could just walk away?" A blonde girl grabbed my wrist hard. "Asher said, You're coming back to apologize to her!"

Behind them, Asher walked over slowly. Sienna leaned against him, crying softly, looking so helpless.

"Please," she said. "Don't ruin my wedding with Asher, okay?"

Asher looked down at me, his voice cold. "Apologize to her. Then I'll pretend none of this ever happened."

I watched him step in front of her to protect her, and everything came back to me.

Once, someone threw a drink at me in public. He stood right where he stood now, face hard, and said, "She's mine. Touch her, and you'll answer for me."

Back then I thought that love was only for me. Now I see, it was never real.

"And if I won't?" I looked straight at him, my voice cold.

The blonde girl shoved me hard. "Who do you think you are? You have no right to talk to the future Mrs. Brooks like that!"

I stumbled backward, losing my balance. My lower back hit the stone steps hard, and a sharp, tearing pain shot through my belly.

Warm blood ran down my legs, staining the white wedding dress bright red.

I curled up on the ground, unable to speak from the pain.

"Alana!" Asher's eyes went wide. He started toward me, but Sienna grabbed his arm.

"Asher, remember what she did before? She took pills just to force you to marry her. She's faking this too. She just wants your pity."

Before she finished, she swayed and leaned into him, her voice weak. "My head hurts so much… today's my birthday. I just want this to be over."

Asher looked down at her, then at me, curled on the ground, bleeding. His face tightened for just a moment.

"Sienna saved my life once. I can't leave her." He lifted her gently into his arms, his voice heavy. "Take a taxi to the hospital yourself."

He walked away, carrying her, without a single glance back.

Cold wind blew through the open side door. I lay there, and I started laughing, laughing so hard tears mixed with blood ran down my face.

So that was it. To him, the life of my baby meant less than Sienna saying her head hurt.

I pulled out my phone and dialed that number again.

"I've made up my mind," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "Let's get engaged in three days."