Three Years For His Fiancée Chapter 01
I had loved Julian Reegan for ten years.
At 18, Julian funded my college education, and I gave him my virginity.
At 22, I hid in the crowd and watched as Julian got engaged to Kimberly Ashton.
That night, Julian slipped into my bed and held me from behind. “Nina, once I take control of the Reegan family, I’ll call off the engagement and marry you.”
At 24, I gave birth to twins and handed them over to Kimberly to raise.
Hearing the children I carried for ten months call Kimberly their mother, I cried the entire night.
At 28, Kimberly killed someone in a car accident.
Julian came to me, looking troubled. “Nina, Tony and Lexie can’t grow up without a mother.
“Kimberly has agreed to break off our engagement if you take the blame and go to prison for her.
“The kids and I will wait for you to get out.”
I looked at the man I had loved for ten years, realizing this was the closest thing to a promise Julian had ever given me.
I nodded and simply said, “Okay.”
***
“I’ll take you to turn yourself in tomorrow. Don’t worry, I’ve got everything arranged.”
Julian looked relieved as he stood up and hurried out the door.
“Tony is making a fuss. He wants me and Kimberly to have dinner with him. I’ll be heading back now. I love you, Nina.”
I sat there, watching his back disappear as I fell into deep thought.
I came from the countryside and got into Stanford University through sheer effort. I was supposed to have a bright future. Instead, I became Julian’s kept woman.
It wasn’t supposed to turn out this way.
I took out my phone and dialed a number I hadn’t called in years.
“Does the promise from ten years ago still stand?”
“Of course.”
A man’s low voice came through. “In three days, no matter where you are, I’ll come pick you up.”
After hanging up, I thought about packing my things. But since I was heading to prison, I didn’t see the point in that.
After sitting in silence on the couch all night, I finally picked up a pair of scissors and cut off my waist-length hair.
Julian once casually said he liked my long hair, and I kept it that way for ten years.
Together with my chopped-off hair, my love for him was gone.
Just as the sun rose, Julian came to pick me up.
His eyes swept over my short hair, visibly shocked. “Nina, you cut your hair…”
He knew how much I treasured my dark, auburn hair. I spent so much effort taking care of it, and even losing a single strand upset me.
“It’d be difficult to maintain my hair once I’m inside.”
I lifted my head and forced an awkward smile, then looked out the window.
The black Maybach sped all the way to the detention center.
“Nina, it’s just three years.
“I swear, when you are released, the kids and I will be here to pick you up.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I stayed silent.
Oblivious to how I was feeling, Julian kept talking about his plans for the next three years.
I had already wasted ten years on Julian. Did I really want to waste another three?
After being forced into the orange uniform, I walked into the prison.
The guard assigned me to a ten-person cell, clearly impatient. “Get in! Behave and get yourself together!”
I was shoved hard and fell straight onto the concrete floor.
A sharp gasp escaped me.
Before I could even cry out in pain, fists rained down on me. “She’s the one we’re supposed to take good care of, right?”
The female inmates exchanged glances and hit me even harder.
Panicking, I curled up in the corner, shielding my head as best I could.
I didn’t know when their beating finally stopped.
Three days. I only had to survive three days in prison. Then I’d be free.
That was the only thought in my mind as I hid in the corner, drifting into a daze.