He Called Me Washed-Up. So I Took Everything

For ten years, I built my life around Julian Evans, a man six years my junior. He hated condoms, but promised he'd marry me the day I got pregnant.

On Christmas Eve, I held a positive pregnancy test, planning to surprise him.

Instead, I saw him wrapped around a younger girl outside a bar, kissing her passionately.

His friends laughed and cheered them on.

"Julian's got good taste! Chloe is so young and hot!"

"You should've seen it. When Julian brought up marriage, that desperate Stella practically launched herself at him."

"Even if Stella did get knocked up, she'd be nothing next to Chloe. Am I right?"

I clutched the pregnancy test in my hand, my fingers digging in, my knuckles white. I could barely breathe.

Julian chuckled dismissively. "Are you kidding? Who'd be stupid enough to marry his old practice girl?"

"Julian's only with that old lady because she's loaded and does whatever he says. The age thing? That was never a factor."

"Can't even imagine her in bed. It's gotta be stale."

I stood rooted to the spot, the blood in my veins turning to ice.

Old woman. Sugar mama.?I'd never thought those words would come from Julian. Not from his mouth.

"Big night, Julian! Aren't you spending Christmas Eve with Chloe?"

My phone screen lit up. A text message from Julian popped up. "Working late. Don't wait up."

I stared at the words, a sick, cold dread tightening around my chest.

My pale face stared back from the dark screen.

If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes tonight, I would never have believed that every "working late" was a lie.

Julian pulled the girl onto his lap, his hand gripping the back of her head as he kissed her like he was drowning.

"Stella's pathetic, someone cut in. Just end it. Dragging it out is crueler."

Julian pulled back, lighting a cigarette.

The rising smoke blurred his expression.

"She loved me for ten years. She helped me build this from nothing. She gave me her youth.If I dump her now, she'll break. Just give it a little more time."

A ringing filled my ears.

I hurled the pregnancy test into the trash, grabbed a bottle, and charged at their booth.

The glass exploded against Julian's skull. Shards rained down as a dark line of blood snaked from his temple.

I blinked. Then the tears came, hot and sudden, against my will.

Julian went rigid. He shoved Chloe Miller off his lap as if shocked by a live wire.

"Baby, what are you... what are you doing here?"

Chloe glanced at me sideways, a smirk tugging at her lips. "It was just a joke, Stella. Don't tell me you're that petty?"

Julian's face darkened. "Shut up!"

Ignoring the blood on his face, he gently wiped away my tears. His voice softened. "It was all just a game, don't take it seriously."

"Don't cry, I'll take you home to celebrate Christmas Eve right now, okay?"

Chloe, teary-eyed, tugged on his arm. "What about me?"

"She ruined our Christmas Eve! Typical old hag, always sticking her nose where it doesn't belong!"

Julian turned his back, shrugging dismissively, his fingers flying across his phone in his guy's SnapChat group. "Can't help it. Older women are just petty and hot-headed."

"I'll go back and handle her."

I turned and walked away.

My chest ached, numb. My mother's words suddenly echoed clearly in my mind.

"Stella, was it really worth giving up your family fortune for a man who had nothing?"

"If he truly loved you, he would have married you already. Why wait until now?"

"Listen to your mom, come back and agree to the arranged marriage."

I wiped away my tears, pulled out my phone, and called my mother.

"Mom, I was wrong. I'll come back soon. The marriage... I'll do whatever you say."

Half an hour later, Julian found me on the rooftop.

He always knew.

Whenever we fought, I'd hide up here, letting the cold wind clear my head, forcing myself to calm down.

He rushed over like a madman, pulling me away from the edge of the stairs. We stumbled, falling to the ground.

His embrace was warm, but my heart was utterly cold.

Without a word, a torrent of accusations rained down on me. "Stella, are you out of your mind?!"

"It was just a joke! Did you really have to try and jump?"

I froze. "What?"

He reined in his anger, his voice softening. "Good thing you're okay..." He sighed, pulling me to my feet and holding me tight.

"My silly girl, how could I ever think you're old? I've just been so busy lately... Once this period is over, we'll get married."

"Besides, in my heart, you'll always be my eighteen-year-old princess."

As he said this, his face held a rare tenderness. It was as if the humiliating scene at the bar had never happened.

I suddenly couldn't tell which side was the real him.

But none of it mattered anymore.

Suddenly, he pulled a cake from behind him. "Today marks ten years since we got together."

"The first year I started the company, I got taken for everything. Everyone laughed. They said I deserved it. But you never left. You believed in me when I had nothing."

"Without you, I would have given up."

"Money was so tight back then, but I always got you the cake."

"No matter how hard it got, I couldn't let my little princess go without."

"Stella, you're my life. Thank God...we made it."

His voice was low, hoarse, with a barely perceptible catch.

So, he remembered.

He remembered all those dark, cold winters in that damp basement, with me by his side, when he couldn't see the light.

He had everything now. And the first thing he wanted was to replace me.

"Make a wish." he said, his eyes bright with expectation.

I met his gaze, my voice level. "Let's break up."

Splat.

The cake hit the floor. The two little frosting figures, once nestled side by side, split cleanly apart.

Just like us.

The tenderness in his face cracked, then fell away completely-shock flooding in, chased instantly by a scalding rage.

"Stella, you better not regret this!"

He turned and stormed downstairs, heading home.

He trashed the apartment we'd decorated together as our future home.

He ripped up our photos, smashed the clay figurines we'd made together...

The final crash was him slamming the door shut as he stormed out.

Thirty minutes later, Julian, who almost never posted on Ins, updated his story for the first time ever.

"Clothes are best new, and so are women."

The photo showed him and Chloe locked in a passionate kiss beneath a sky full of fireworks.

I forced out a cold laugh. Casually, I liked it and commented, "Congrats."

A friend request popped up on my phone. I recognized Chloe's profile picture immediately. "Thanks for giving him back to me."

Julian called right away, his voice harsh. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. Congrats on getting back together."

"You're the one who broke up with me. Don't come crying back, begging me to return!"

Julian's voice returned to its usual nonchalant tone.

He probably thought I was just playing games, and casually hung up.

I had naively thought that even if the whole world turned against me, he wouldn't. But the truth was, I had been so utterly wrong.

Looking around the house that once held so much promise, it suddenly felt foreign. This was never my home.

That night, I tossed and turned in the messy apartment, unable to sleep.

That year, Julian worked six jobs a day, just to get us out of that dark, dismal basement.

Now, we could afford the most luxurious homes, but some things could never be bought back.

For ten whole years, I'd been used to revolving my entire life around him, giving him everything I had.

And now, it was time to let go.

Tears streaming down my face, I burned all our photos. All the keepsakes holding our memories went into the trash too.

I pulled out my phone and booked an abortion for the next day.

But in the hospital hallway, I ran into Julian and Chloe.

Unlike before, there was no hysteria this time. I pretended not to see them, not caring why they were there.

Julian walked over, sneering. "Didn't we agree it was over? What's this? Stalking me now?"

"You flatter yourself." I didnt bother to look up.

"Stella, just say the word, beg me, and I'll come back."

A cold laughter burst out of me at his nonchalant expression. Those words. He'd said the exact same thing five years ago, the day I caught him.

The day I caught Julian cheating was my birthday, and also the day I had my first miscarriage.

I had hidden the ultrasound photo inside a gift box. I'd booked a hotel room, decorated it with care, dreaming of a perfect surprise. But when I opened the door to our floor, I saw him with another woman, heading into the room next door.

In that moment, I charged forward like a madwoman. I grabbed her hair, slapping her hard several times. Then I repeatedly punched Julian's chest, breaking down in tears.

"Why?! Why are you doing this to me?!"

He frowned, pushing me away. "Enough! Acting like a lunatic, aren't you ashamed?"

"Can you stop being so dramatic?"

"What successful man doesn't have a few women on the side?"

He wanted me to kneel and beg him. Looking at his cold face, I panicked completely.

I was so insecure, terrified of losing him, and even more terrified of my child growing up without a father.

In the end, I spoke in a hushed, pleading voice. "I'm pregnant..."

"Just cut ties with her, and I can pretend none of this ever happened."

A sinister flicker crossed his eyes, quickly replaced by a gentle expression.

He helped me back home, doting on me, preparing nutritious meals. But that night, without any warning, I miscarried.

We both thought it was because I was too weak, compounded by extreme emotional distress.

He held me tight, kneeling on the floor, crying as he apologized. "I'm so sorry, Stella, it's all my fault..."

"I've already ended things with her."

"I swear, I'll only ever be good to you, never again."

I was so stupid to believe him. Thinking back, that woman was Chloe all along! For five years, they were never truly apart!

The hospital announcement called my name, pulling me from my memories. I turned to leave, Julian's disdainful voice trailing behind me.

"Let's see how long you can keep up that tough act!"

I swallowed all my tears and lay on the operating table. I wondered if the baby would have looked like me. But now, there was nothing...

When I walked out of the hospital, my face was utterly devoid of color. I opened my phone, and a car surveillance video popped up.

In the video, two intertwined figures were eagerly tearing at each other's clothes.

"If I got pregnant, would you drug me to miscarry, just like you did to Stella?"

Chloe pressed a finger to Julian's lips. "How could she ever compare to you? Old and boring. You're my sweetheart."

"If it wasn't for her status as a Hayes heiress, how could I have endured that old hag for so many years?"

"Once we're married in a few days, we'll figure out how to completely ruin her health. Then everything from the Hayes family will be ours."

Julian eagerly pinned her hands behind her back, his movements growing more intense. Heavy breathing filled my ears, mingled with the sounds of their bodies colliding.

Tears fell uncontrollably onto the phone screen. My throat felt constricted, unable to make a sound.

So, my first miscarriage was never an accident. Julian didn't just want my support; he wanted to take everything from me, to essentially inherit my family's fortune and discard me!

I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek, trembling as I saved the video.

Soon after, the police station called. "Miss Hayes, a vehicle registered to you is involved in an assault. We need you to come in for questioning."

I rushed to the police station. The front of my Bentley was utterly wrecked. It was my 30th birthday gift to myself, truly special.

The police said the person hit was still in the hospital. Chloe, snuggled into Julian's embrace, tearfully recounted her story to the officers.

"I really didn't mean to hit anyone. We were... in the car at the time. I panicked and accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake."

"Besides, this isn't even my car."

All my rage exploded. I clenched my fists and lunged, slapping Chloe hard across the face. "Ah!" Her head snapped to the side, a bright red handprint blooming on her cheek.

Julian ignored my pale face, immediately shielding Chloe behind him. His face grim, he grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the police station.

"Stella, are you insane?! This is a police station! How dare you hit Chloe!"

"What were you two doing in my car?" I stared straight at him.

His eyes flickered away, but Chloe's sobbing instantly ignited his fury. "It's just an old car! How many years have you had it? Why are you still treating it like a treasure?"

"Stella, you're older, you should be more mature! More magnanimous!"

"The girl was publicly humiliated. You'd be smart to take the fall for her, after all, it's your car!"

I raised my hand and slapped him. "Julian, you bastard!"

I could barely believe those words came from his mouth.

He once said, "I'll never let you suffer even the slightest grievance."

"I'll give you the best future, promise you the most magnificent wedding."

The vows had long rotted away. The young man who once loved me like his own life was long dead.

He froze for a second, then his tone grew even colder: "I'll get you a top lawyer. You'll only be in jail for a few days anyway."

"Chloe isn't like you. She's so timid; if she went in, she wouldn't want to live once she got out."

"Dream on!" I shrieked, my voice raw, and turned to leave.

"Stop her!"

"Don't let her get away!"

Julian's bodyguards rushed over, twisted my arms behind my back, and pinned me to the cold ground.

Smack! Smack!

Julian's hand came down twice, hard. The blows cracked against my cheek, and I tasted blood at the corner of my mouth.

A sharp, pulling pain tore through my lower abdomen, locking my body in a violent tremble.

I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek, glaring at him.

Julian calmly wiped my blood from his hand. "I told you not to touch her!"

Before I could move, he seized my wrist, forced my thumb down, and pressed my print onto the statement.

"When you get out, we'll get married."

I watched Julian walk away with Chloe, tears and blood streaking down my face.

My fists clenched until my nails bit into my own palms. I threw my head back and laughed, a raw, ugly sound ripped from my throat. It turned into a cough, and I tasted blood.

A whole week crawled by before Julian finally remembered I existed. He stood outside the police station, bouquet and diamond ring in hand. He waited from dawn till dusk, but I never showed.

A passing officer informed him. "Don't you know? Miss Hayes was picked up by her fianc days ago."

Julian froze. Then his phone buzzed, the screen lighting up with a news alert. His pupils shrank to pinpoints. For the very first time, raw, gut-wrenching fear flooded his eyes!