Died For Their Vows, Back For My Revenge Chapter 01
The day I signed the marriage license with Nolan Barrett, Tessa Hayes went out and got wasted.
She demanded, by name, that I come pick her up.
My parents lost their minds. They begged me, screamed at me, shoved me toward the door.
Even Nolan turned on me, his face dark with accusation. “You got what you wanted. So stop acting so goddamn selfish. If anything happens to Tessa, how the hell do you plan to fix that?”
In my last life, that was exactly how they guilted me into going after her alone.
I walked straight into Murphy’s Bar, straight into a spiked drink. A group of men took turns with me while I couldn’t move.
Afterward, I wanted to call the police. My parents blamed me for being reckless. They threatened to kill themselves if I ruined the family reputation.
Nolan ignored my pleas and divorced me. Then he married Tessa, the one who orchestrated the whole thing.
My mind shattered completely. I jumped from the top floor of their wedding venue.
When I opened my eyes again, I was back. Back to the day everyone was forcing me to go pick up Tessa.
***
“Lydia, honey, I’m begging you, alright? She’s a young girl out there by herself. I’m scared to death something’s gonna happen.”
“Sweetheart, just go. If you hadn’t snatched away the guy Tessa was in love with, she wouldn’t be out drinking herself stupid right now.”
My parents hammered at me from both sides, one sentence after another. As if I’d be the villain if Tessa so much as stubbed her toe.
None of them knew what happened before.
In my last life, Tessa drugged my drink.
She watched as those men dragged me away. Not long after, pictures of me spread everywhere. Even with the blurring, everyone who mattered knew exactly who it was.
But my own parents? They shielded Tessa. Then they turned around and called me shameless.
I closed my burning eyes and turned toward the door.
Before I took two steps, Nolan grabbed my wrist.
“Lydia Barrett.” His grip locked tight. “She sees you as her real sister. How can you be this selfish?”
I was done with his accusations. I yanked my arm back.
But Nolan held on like his hand was welded to my bones. His voice dipped into a threat. “You really want to act like a child? Don’t make me…”
Two years together, and he always sided with Tessa. He used our relationship as a weapon against me.
Tessa cried, and he threatened to leave me.
Tessa felt wronged, and he postponed the wedding indefinitely.
They were childhood sweethearts who grew up side by side. I was the other woman who swooped in and stole him away.
In my last life, I always caved. Every single time.
Even though I was Victor and Diane Hayes’s biological daughter. Even though I was Nolan’s lawfully wedded wife.
Whenever Tessa’s name came up, I was the one they threw away.
But not this time.
I stopped fighting. I looked at him, my voice completely flat. “You want a divorce? Fine. I’ll give you one.”
The room went dead silent.
Nolan’s eyes went cold, a flash of disbelief cutting through. Then he let out a sharp laugh.
“Lydia Barrett. You’re threatening me? Be careful. You’re gonna burn yourself.”
He pulled me toward the door and shoved me into the car.
But when he tried to let go, I grabbed his arm instead.
“Nolan. Since you care about her so goddamn much, you got the balls to come with me?” I held his stare. “Because if you don’t, I’m jumping out of this car halfway there.”
Nolan stared at me, his face tight. Then he climbed in.
Maybe he didn’t like my attitude, because the whole drive over, he wouldn’t stop running his mouth. “What do you think is going to happen? Tessa just wants to spend time with you. You’re reading way too much into this.”
My nails dug into my palm so hard I nearly snapped them.
In my last life, I spent my days after the assault crying until I couldn’t see straight. Nolan turned it around on me.
“You’re a grown woman,” he said. “Why weren’t you more careful? Why did you just drink that drink?”
“You think this doesn’t mess me up? The whole world knows my wife made me look like an idiot.”
