At night, I worked at a small diner, bussing
tables, washing dishes, until my back ached
and my feet throbbed.
But this exhaustion felt… grounding.
A month later, I had settled into this busy but
fulfilling routine.
<
Then I saw Jake standing at the bottom of
the dorm building.
“Sarah! Why did you do this?”
“Why did you put Chloe’s name on the
marriage license? Why didn’t you come to
New York?!”
His voice was filled with anger and confusion.
I looked at him coldly. “I don’t want a
husband whose heart belongs to someone
else.”
“It’s disgusting. It’s agonizing.”
He stared at me in disbelief. “How can you
talk like this? You were never like this
before.”
I turned away, nausea rising in my throat.
I couldn’t bear to look at him, not even for a
second.
“Jake, I just want to focus on my studies and
start a new life.”
“Chloe is the one you’ve always wanted, isn’t
she?”
“You two should cherish each other and leave
me alone.”
He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
“What are you talking about? I’ve always
thought of Chloe as a sister!”
I scoffed. “What kind of siblings cuddle and
sneak kisses?”
<
I’d once walked in on him kissing a sleeping
Chloe. The tenderness in his eyes was
something I would never forget.
Shame flickered across his face, quickly
replaced by anger. “Sarah, don’t talk
nonsense! There’s nothing going on between
Chloe and me!”
“Your so–called ‘sibling affection‘ is utterly
repulsive to me.”
“Let me go, and let yourself go.
His face turned pale, but he didn’t know what
to say.
I remembered the fear of being a burden
when I first arrived at the Millers‘. I often went
hungry.
L
I remembered the fear of being a burden
when I first arrived at the Millers‘. I often went
hungry.
One night, I was so hungry I snuck out to the
yard and ate leaves. Jake saw me.
He shared his snacks with me, comforting
me, “Don’t worry, Sarah. I’ll protect you.”
That moment of warmth had trapped me.
That’s why, in my past life, even though Jake
didn’t love me at first, I still married him.
For the next few days, Jake lingered around
campus.
I avoided him, determined to have no contact
with him.
<
- 11.
But I didn’t expect him to go to the dean and
try to withdraw me from school.
When I was called to the dean’s office, Jake
was sitting there stiffly.
Fury boiled inside me. “Jake, what the hell
are you doing?”
“What gives you the right to try and force me
out of school?”
“I want you to come home with me.”
He stood up, walked towards me, and
reached for my hand.
I recoiled, dodging his touch.
く
I recoiled, dodging his touch.
“Home? To watch you and Chloe be lovey-
dovey?”
His face stiffened, then anger flared. “Sarah,
don’t be ridiculous. We’re married.”
“Running off to Miami like this… what are we
supposed to do, live apart forever?”
His audacity made me laugh.
“Jake, Chloe is your wife!”
“Her name is on the marriage license, and
she’s the one in your heart!”
His face turned an ugly shade of green. He
gritted his teeth. “That was a mistake!
く
I recoiled, dodging his touch.
“Home? To watch you and Chloe be lovey-
dovey?”
His face stiffened, then anger flared. “Sarah,
don’t be ridiculous. We’re married.‘
“Running off to Miami like this… what are we
supposed to do, live apart forever?”
His audacity made me laugh.
“Jake, Chloe is your wife!”
“Her name is on the marriage license, and
she’s the one in your heart!”
His face turned an ugly shade of green. He gritted his teeth. “That was a mistake!
Mistakes are meant to be corrected!”
“My past behavior made you misunderstand. I won’t do it again.”
My heart sank.
I’d heard those words before, in my past life.
Only to watch him turn around and go right
back to Chloe.
I turned to the dean, my voice earnest. “Dean
Thompson, I really want to continue my
studies here. Please don’t let him withdraw
- me.
The dean looked at me, then at Jake, and
after a moment of consideration, he said,
“Mr. Miller, seeing as you have no official
<
connection to Ms. Miller, you have no
authority to withdraw her from this
university.”
I breathed a sigh of relief.
Jake started to speak, but the dean cut him
off.
“Mr. Miller, if there’s nothing else, please
leave. I have work to do.”
- 12.
Jake continued to haunt me like a ghost.
His constant harassment became unbearable,
affecting my studies.
To make matters worse, Chloe arrived.
L
“Jakey, please, let’s go home and get a
divorce!”
“I don’t want this. I don’t want to steal my
sister’s husband.”
“I’m… I’m a terrible person…”
She clung to Jake’s shirt, sobbing
dramatically.
Jake pulled her into a comforting embrace,
patting her back.
“There, there, Chloe. Don’t cry. It’s not your
fault.”
“We’ll go home right now. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have put you through this…”
Chloe continued her pitiful crying act, then
made a move to kneel before me.
“I’m sorry, Sarah. Please don’t be mad at
Jake. I know you misunderstood about him
and me.”
“Don’t kneel, Chloe. It’s my fault, I’m sorry
you were put in this position, we will go home
now” he said, glaring at me, as if accusing
me of being unreasonable.
A crowd of students had gathered, whispering
and pointing.
I couldn’t stand this farce any longer. I turned
and walked away.
Let them put on their show. I wasn’t going to
be a part of it.
<
- 13.
Chloe had her ways, because Jake didn’t
show up again that day.
I threw myself into my studies, joining the
math club, where I met Ethan Carter,
He was tall and thin, with dark–rimmed
glasses, and a bright smile.
He was brilliant at math and often helped me
with my studies.
We became good friends.
Just when I thought my life was finally on
track, Jake’s letters started arriving, one after
another, relentless,
<
“Sarah, are you still mad at me? I know I
messed up. Come back.”
“Sarah, Chloe is pregnant. It’s my child.”
“I know it’s hard for you to accept, but please
believe me, you’re the only one I truly love.”
“Sarah, this has gone on long enough. What
do I have to do to make you forgive me?”
