I Saved His Future And He Made Me Pay With My Life Chapter 01

I Saved His Future And He Made Me Pay With My Life Chapter 01

I was scrolling through Instagram when I saw the post.

Thirty minutes before the college admissions portal closed, Sav Beaumont bragged she’d switched Ben Ashford’s Ashford University application to Landon Technical College.

I couldn’t ignore it. I sprinted to Ben, told him, and we switched it back to Ashford with a minute left.

The day Ben got his acceptance letter, Sav scribbled a message in lipstick on a mirror, then jumped from the Grand Willow Hotel’s rooftop.

After graduation, Ben married me.

During my postpartum recovery at the private birth center, he froze everything, then dumped Blair’s Death Sauce straight into my eyes.

I’ll never forget the hatred that contorted his face as I died.

“Scarlett Whitmore, none of this would’ve happened if it weren’t for you.”

“Who gave you the right to rat on my application?”

“I wanted her to change it. It’s just a stupid school. Was a degree really worth her life?”

Ben’s grip tightened. He dragged me, hemorrhaging and screaming, to my knees before Sav’s framed photo on the memorial table.

We both bled out on the floor. Mother and child. Dead.

I opened my eyes. Back to the day I saw that post.

[Didn’t want to do long distance with my bf, so I took matters into my own hands and switched his Ashford app to a tech school! Surprise!]

I lowered my gaze and closed the app.

This time, I’d watch the show burn without lifting a finger.

Before closing the app, I scanned the comments.

[Holy shit, you’re actually psychotic.]

[Ashford to a community college? You’re not a girlfriend; you’re a curse.]

[Hope you get struck by lightning.]

Most comments were harmless, at least.

Last time, I recognized Sav instantly. I hadn’t even read the comments.

I hadn’t caught my breath. My knees, still bleeding from the fall, never got checked.

I’d dragged Ben to the college admissions portal, beating the deadline by a hair.

Ben had been pale, pissed. “That’s not funny, Sav. I don’t care if you’re mad, but you don’t mess with my future.”

Sav burst into tears, shrieking.

“Ben Ashford, you don’t love me anymore!”

“You promised! Forever, no matter what! You liar!”

She shot me a glare sharp enough to cut glass.

“It’s her. Scarlett Whitmore. She turned you against me.”

“I’ll kill myself then. You two can be happy together.”

She ran for the ledge. Ben caught her waist just in time.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I was just scared.”

“You’re my girl. Why are you dragging Scarlett into this?”

He coaxed her. “Fine. I’ll visit every other week, even if it’s long distance. Okay?”

They made up.

I swallowed the bile rising in my throat and walked out, closing the door behind me.

I didn’t know Sav had already decided I needed to die.

The day our acceptance letters arrived at Ashford Manor, she jumped.

A message written in lipstick on the mirror, “Scarlett Whitmore, I hate you. You killed me.”

I turned white. “No. Ben, I didn’t do anything.”

Ben said nothing. He carefully folded the photo of the mirror.

He was quiet for a long time. Then he looked at me, his voice empty.

“You shouldn’t have seen that. It’s not your fault.”

I thought it was over.

It wasn’t. Ben hated me for six years.

After we graduated from Ashford, he married me.

On the day I went into labor at the private birth center, he finally showed his teeth.

He pinned me down, his breath searing my skin.

“Scarlett, I dream about her every night.”

“She asks me why I haven’t avenged her. Why I sleep next to her murderer.”

I struggled, terrified. “Ben, you’ve lost your mind!”

He didn’t answer. He forced my head down toward the memorial table.

“Who asked you to stick your nose in this?” he roared. “I wanted her to change it! A degree isn’t worth a life!”

So, yeah.

Second chance or not, I was done.

Let them play their stupid games.

“Hey, Scarlett, you coming to the graduation party at Ashford Club tonight?”

Dec Harrington texted. [Bring Ben too.]

I hesitated, then replied.

[I’ll be there. But Ben’s on his own.]