I Saved His Future And He Made Me Pay With My Life Chapter 09

I Saved His Future And He Made Me Pay With My Life Chapter 09

On the day Sav sued him for sexual assault, Ben was sitting in his postgraduate prep class at Willow

Creek Preparatory Academy.

When the officers from the Willow Creek Police Department showed up, the whole class exploded.

He was taken in for questioning and held for two days.

Due to insufficient evidence, no charges were filed. But the news spread through the entire town of

Willow Creek.

Everyone was whispering.

Ben got some girl pregnant and refused to take responsibility.

Nobody believed he was innocent.

Sav’s family showed up at the preparatory academy, demanding he step up.

Marry her, or pay up.

Ben knelt before Camilla, pressing his forehead to the floor.

“Mom, I never touched her. I swear.”

Camilla looked at him, her eyes dry, swollen, and red.

“What good is it if I believe you? Does the world believe you?”

Ben gritted his teeth and went to confront Sav.

She sat in the living room, holding a heating pad, her face pale. The look she gave him wasn’t just hate. It was something else.

“You came,” she said, smiling.

It wasn’t a smile an eighteen-year-old should have.

“I had an abortion. I can’t have kids now. Did you really think you could just redo senior year and escape me?”

“If I’m miserable, you’re going to be miserable too.”

Ben clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.

“What do you want?”

Sav stood, walked over to him, and tilted her head back to look at him.

“Marry me.”

“In your dreams.”

Then wait and see, she said, patting his shoulder. Her face was eerily calm.

“Ben, don’t forget. You’re the one who did this to me.”

“My reputation is already ruined. I don’t care how much lower I sink. But you? You just try studying hard. Let’s see which school will dare to accept you.”

Ben went home and locked himself in his room. He didn’t come out for three days.

Camilla knocked. No answer.

Panicked, she called a locksmith.

When the door opened, Ben was sitting on the floor. On the table beside him sat a bottle of prescription Ambien. Still sealed.

Camilla rushed over and hugged him, sobbing uncontrollably.

“If you die, I won’t go on living either.”

Ben’s eyes were red, his voice so hoarse it was almost a whisper.

“Mom, I can’t go on.”

I heard all of this from Kat.

After graduation, I went to Ashford University. I got a new number. Cut ties with everyone from that

life.

Except Kat. She still messaged me sometimes, mentioning Ben.

“He’s lost so much weight. I saw him on the street the other day and barely recognized him.’

“Sav showed up at his house again, demanding $500,000.”

“Camilla sold the house. They moved away. No one knows where.”

I read every message, but I never knew what to reply.

Freshman year, winter break. I went home.

Christmas wreaths hung at the gatehouse of Willow Creek Estates. Bright red, festive.

Mom was busy in the kitchen. Dad was watching TV. Everything was normal.

During dinner, Mom suddenly brought up the Ashfords.

“You heard Camilla and Ben moved away, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Such a shame. A good kid, ruined like that.”

Mom sighed, glancing at me with hesitation.

“Scarlett, I need to ask you something. Tell me the truth.”

“Did you like Ben back in high school?”

My fork paused. Then I smiled.

“Mom, that was a long time ago.”

Mom stared at me for a few seconds. Her eyes suddenly turned red.

“You were always making him study guides, tutoring him. I saw it all. I wasn’t against it. I just felt

bad for you…”

“Mom.”

I put down my fork, looking at her seriously. “I’m really good now. Truly.”

Mom wiped her eyes and nodded, saying nothing more.

On December 26th, it snowed.

I bundled up in my North Face down jacket to buy bubble tea. Turning the intersection of Maple & Main, Willow Creek, I saw a man.

He wore a black Carhartt jacket. His hair was long. His cheeks were sunken. He looked like a tree bent by the wind.

veted Genius

It was Ben.

He was carrying a DoorDash delivery bag, rushing to make a drop-off.

He saw me too. Froze.

Snow landed on his shoulders, on his eyelashes. He didn’t move.

I hesitated for a second, nodded in greeting, and kept walking.

“Scarlett.”

His voice was raw as he called out.

I stopped, hearing his hoarse voice again behind me.

“…Merry Christmas.”

He said it softly. Something else followed.

“I’m sorry. I regret everything…”

The wind carried it away. I didn’t catch it.

I just paused, then said, “Merry Christmas.”

Then I walked on.

Behind me, it was silent. The snow kept falling.

I knew he stood there watching me.

But so what?

In this life, I was just grateful I escaped him. Grateful I didn’t repeat the tragedy.

See? Even when I gave him exactly what he wanted, Sav, they still had no happy ending.

So why blame me in my past life?

My phone buzzed. A text from Dec.

“Hey Scarlett, is the snow beautiful at Ashford?”

I smiled.

“It’s beautiful.”

I pulled up a photo of Ashford University in the snow and sent it to him.

Dec was thrilled.

“I’m doing a PG year too. You’re my motivation. I’m coming to Ashford to follow your footsteps.”

Warmth spread through my chest. I smiled.

“Good. See you at Ashford Commons.”

I pocketed my phone, stepping onto the snow, walking forward one step at a time.

The snow fell heavier, covering the trail of footprints behind me.

Just like the path I’d walked to get here.

Just like the pain of my past life.

Like a dream that never existed.