My Husband Saved My Cousin Instead of Me Chapter 10

My Husband Saved My Cousin Instead of Me Chapter 10

I sucked in a sharp breath. Horrific memories came rushing back.

It was freshman year of high school. Cecilia had a competition and sweet-talked my Dad into buying her a

one-of-a-kind ballet tutu.

That dress cost so much my dad actually considered pulling me out of school-just so I could work and

bankroll her dance career.

I flat-out refused. I screamed that if he made me drop out, I’d take a pair of scissors to that dress and cut it

to pieces.

But before the competition, Cecilia saw her rivals were miles ahead of her and panicked. Right in front of me,

she sliced that dress to pieces and shrieked, “Aunt Miriam! Uncle Duncan! Sage destroyed my dress so I can’t

compete!” She sobbed like a fragile, broken doll.

Dylan stepped up to back her story. He wouldn’t even look at me. Said I was vicious-that I grabbed the

scissors and ruined her chances on purpose.

Dad didn’t even ask me if it was true. He just hauled off and slapped me. Twice. So hard I thought my

eardrum had burst.

With a mouth full of blood, I swore I’d never done it. I told them Cecilia put Dylan up to it. Check the fingerprints if they don’t believe me. The scissors were brand new. Only Cecilia touched them.

But Mom wiped the scissors clean with a wet cloth and glared at me with furious disappointment. “Shut your

mouth! That girl practically starves herself for her competitions-nothing but cucumber slices and water. You really expect me to believe she’d do something like this?”

Under that thunderous rage, Dad threw me out of the house and told me to think long and hard about my

mistakes.

I had nothing. No money. No food. I went two days without eating. By the second night, I was curled up under a highway overpass, hoping no one would find me. Someone did. A homeless man. I almost didn’t get away.

I told Gavin the whole story from start to finish. Back then, he wanted to destroy Cecilia. But now, all he said

was, “Sage, maybe it’s time you took a long, hard look in the mirror.”

The past hung there like smoke. Pathetic, unwanted tears started falling. It turns out the person who knows

how to love you the deepest also knows exactly how to gut you.

Gavin’s expression shattered into panic. “Sage, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it ”

“Your father’s been feeding me so many stories about the awful things you did, and your mother backed him

up.”

“I know you’re not that person, but parents are never completely wrong. There’s got to be a ton of

misunderstandings here.”

I laughed. The sound grew more and more hollow. “I once thought you were my oasis, Gavin. The one thing that would save me. But you’re exactly like them. All of you. Exactly the same.”

“Fine. I’ll leave. I’ll never look back. Just sign the papers. Go be with Cecilia. She can have you.”

furiously wiped my face and yanked a document out of my bag. The instant Gavin saw the words “Divorce

Settlement Agreement,” his pupils shook.

“No way. How the hell do you already have this ready? You promised me-no matter what I did, you’d never

leave.”

He unbuckled his seatbelt and locked his arms around me. It wasn’t a hug. It was a cage. He held on like letting go would kill him.

“Don’t forget-you don’t even have the marriage certificate.”

“I won’t let you find it, not in this life. Even if I have to die, I am not letting you go.”