If There's Another Life

After using me for his revenge, Alexander Sterling filed for divorce and kicked me out.

The snow was heavy that day.With his child in my womb and a limp from saving his life, I hobbled away.

He stood there with Fiona Wright, his new girlfriend, in his arms, a cigarette between his fingers,lazily enjoying my misery.

Life after that was hard.

Desperate for money, I agreed to marry a man in his forties, becoming a stepmother to his eight-year-old son.

But the night before the wedding, Alexander kidnapped me.

His expression was terrifying, colder than I'd ever seen. His voice scraped like ice:

You killed my child behind my back. Now you are playing mommy to some old man's brat.

Scarlett Montgomery. How dare you?

The day Alexander kicked me out, the snow was relentless.

I was holding my six-year-old sister Sophie's hand, almost to the gate, when the butler, Mr. Evans, called out:

Miss Montgomery. Mr. Sterling says anything belonging to the Sterling family stays. Including the goose down coat you're wearing and those Sorel boots.

I understood. Lowering my gaze, I silently stripped off the coat and boots.

Outside, the wind whipped snow against my face. I shuddered violently from the cold.

Barefoot, I stepped into the deep snow and looked back at the mansion's second floor.

Alexander lounged there, Fiona Wright clinging to him, a cigarette in his other hand, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle of my downfall.

Fiona's eyes gleamed with triumph.

She tossed a grey cashmere scarf down from the balcony, her voice light with laughter.

Trash like this doesn't deserve you, Alex. Mr. Evans, make sure it goes in the dumpster.

That scarf I'd knitted it for Alexander myself, just two months ago.

He'd smiled then, wrapping it around his neck, kissing my hand. My wife is so talented, he'd murmured.

Everything changed in a blink.

The Montgomery fortune vanished. My father went to prison.

Alexander no longer bothered pretending.

The day he forced me to sign the divorce papers, he looked at me with pure contempt and said every word deliberately to break me:

Scarlett, ever wonder why I never wanted you facing me when we fucked?

Ever wonder why I'd soak in the tub for an hour afterwards?

Because you disgust me. The sight of your face makes me sick. Touching you was a chore.

If it wasn't for destroying your family, did you honestly think someone like you, throwing yourself at me, could ever catch my eye?

His cruel words cut into me like a dull knife, the pain so sharp I could barely breathe.

Tears flooded my eyes. I finally accepted he'd never loved me.

So I never told him about the baby.

It was pointless.

With oceans of hatred between us, our story was doomed to end from the start.

That child never should have existed.

With no money, I could only go to a back-alley clinic for the abortion.

My luck was rotten. I hemorrhaged during the procedure and nearly died on the table.

I woke to find Sophie crying by my bedside.

I smoothed her fine hair. It's okay, sweetie. I'm fine.

I said I was fine, but fear coiled deep inside.

If I died what would happen to Sophie?

It was just the two of us now. I had to survive, to raise her well.

Making money was brutal.

Dancing was all I knew.

But four years ago in that car crash, my leg was shattered in order to save Alexander.

It healed, but my left foot was left with a slight limp. Not too obvious, but noticeable if you looked closely when I walked.

I could never dance professionally again.

To survive, I decided to sell wonton soup from a street cart.

I'd been spoiled since I was a kid. I learned to make wontons only because Alexander loved them.

I never imagined that skill would become mine and Sophie's lifeline.

The cart did okay. Even standing in the freezing wind until midnight, fingers raw with frostbite, I never complained.

I just never expected Alexander and Fiona to show up at my stall.

Dressed in designer labels, arm-in-arm, they looked perfectly matched.

Making my poverty scream even louder.

Fiona looked me over, covering her mouth with a tinkling laugh.

My, my. Who'd have thought the Montgomery heiress would end up looking like a beggar?

I needed the business. I kept my voice flat. If you're not buying, please leave. Don't block my customers.

Fiona instantly played victim. Alex, look! Scarlett's being mean to me again!

Alexander, ever her champion, shot me an icy glare. Be polite to Fiona, or I can't guarantee your little cart will be here tomorrow.

A blatant threat.

Alexander held all the power now. I was in no position to fight him.

I clenched my fists inside my sleeves, bit my lip and stayed silent.

Fiona smirked. Again.

Alexander turned to her, voice softening. You said you wanted wontons. Still want some?

Fiona nodded. Yes.

Business was business. I desperately needed the money.

I took a deep breath, pointing to the QR code. Payment first.

The Venmo notification chimed for 0-05. I dropped the wontons into the boiling broth.

I thought that night was just an unfortunate coincidence.

But the next day, Alexander's men showed up and smashed my cart to pieces.

Fiona had been hospitalized with food poisoning.

And the only thing she'd eaten the night before was my wontons.

No prizes for guessing Fiona framed me.

I didn't understand. She had Alexander. She'd won. Why couldn't she leave me alone?

From that day, Alexander sent people to harass me daily.

Even when I moved my cart, he could always found me.

My business was ruined. I couldn't even make next month's rent.

Desperate, I called Alexander, begging for mercy:

Fiona's poisoning wasn't my fault, Alexander. Please, just believe me this once?

He didn't. His tone was hard.

I'll let you go on one condition. If you get on your knees and kowtow to Fiona. Apologize for twelve hours straight. Do that, and we're done. Otherwise, that cart is scrap metal.

This was the man who once vowed to pluck stars from the sky if I shed a single tear.

Now, to please Fiona, he'd humiliate me without a second thought.

But no matter how far I'd fallen, I wouldn't crawl like a dog.

I wiped my tears, fury burning my throat. Alexander Sterling, bullying a woman? You're pathetic.

I must have been blind to ever love you.

His breathing hitched, sharp and angry. You think I wanted your love?

Scarlett, you were just a tool for my revenge. Nothing more.

The words were cruel, but my heart was numb. It couldn't hurt anymore.

I gritted my teeth, firing back. Oh? Well, for me, you were just a human vibrator.

I hung up before he could respond.