Chapter 1
My husband, Freddie Berry, abandoned me on the side of the highway while I was in labor, just so he could rush off to his ex-girlfriend's birthday party.
From that day forward, it was as if I vanished from the world.
Freddie even made a bet with his buddies. "She won't last three days before she comes running back to me, just wait and see."
Ten days later, he blocked all my cards and sent me a threatening message: [Get your ass back here right now, or don't make me regret ever cutting you any slack!]
A hundred days later, he barged into my best friend's place, demanding she hand me over.
My best friend shoved photos of the car crash right in his face.
"Snap out of it! Your wife's been dead for ages. You were the one who had to ID her body, remember?"
Eight months and nine days into my pregnancy, Freddie took me to get a prenatal checkup.
While we were on the highway, his phone rang.
"Freddie, I'm back in the country," a woman's voice said.
He had it on speaker, and I knew right away it was Georgina Moss.
I shot Freddie a nervous look, and sure enough, his expression shifted immediately.
He looked nervous, excited, and couldn't hide his anticipation.
"It's my birthday today. Can you come see me? I'll be waiting for you at our usual spot," Georgina said.
"I'm on my way," Freddie replied.
As soon as the call ended, my heart just dropped.
"Please, don't go," I begged, crying my eyes out in the passenger seat. "Freddie, you promised me. You swore you'd put her behind you."
Freddie's face twisted in irritation.
"Seriously, it's just her birthday. What are you bawling about?" he snapped.
Maybe the baby could sense how upset I was, because out of nowhere, I felt a sharp kick and sucked in a cold breath. "My stomach hurts..."
Freddie shot me a dismissive look. "Cut the act!"
"I'm really in pain!" I pleaded.
Thinking I was just faking it, Freddie grew even more impatient. He stomped on the brakes, not caring about anything else. "Get out!"
I stared at him in disbelief, like I'd never really known him until now.
"Alyson, get out. Don't make me say it a third time," Freddie snapped.
His face was cold as ice, and his tone was pure command.
Ever since we were kids, whenever he got like this, I knew I had no choice but to obey, or else I'd pay a price I couldn't afford.
I got out of the car.
My pants were drenched. My water had just broken, right there on the side of the highway.
Freddie slammed the gas and disappeared down the road, hell-bent on making it to Georgina's birthday, not even a second thought for me.
He didn't look back once, leaving me stranded in the rush of traffic, clutching my swollen belly, scared out of my mind and utterly alone.
That was the moment my heart finally broke for good.
Turns out Freddie never really loved me.
I was such an idiot, so blind, so low!
I couldn't believe it took me this long to face reality.
When we were kids, Freddie once gave me a piece of candy. It was the first time I'd ever tasted something so sweet.
But now, thinking back, it was nothing but a bit of charity he tossed my way on a whim.
To him, I was just like any stray dog you'd see on the street.
I was just a bastard kid, after all.
My dad never gave a damn, my mom didn't want me, and even my grandparents on her side never liked me either.
They kept me fed, but all they ever did was call me a little bastard and blame me for ruining my mom's whole life.
No one ever loved me, but Freddie was the one who gave me the illusion that I could be loved.
He once rescued me from the mud and never let any kid bully me.
He'd spend his pocket money on cute little dresses for me, and take me out for fried chicken and burgers.
Even the first spicy snack I ever tasted, Freddie was the one who shared it with me.
That was why I spent twenty years tagging along after him, his loyal sidekick, never once complaining.
He wasn't bad to me, really, just like with his crew, he always made sure nobody got the short end of the stick.
It all changed one night, eight months ago, when Freddie and Georgina finally called it quits.
He got completely wasted.
He kissed me, and then he took me to bed.
The next morning, he just walked out, didn't say a word, and didn't even look back.
I pretended nothing had happened and kept tagging along after him like his loyal shadow.
But a month later, I found out I was pregnant.
Feeling all kinds of anxious and unsure, I finally worked up the nerve to tell Freddie about it.
My heart was torn in two; part of me was sure Freddie would force me to get an abortion, but another part couldn't help secretly wishing he'd let me keep the baby.
Freddie went silent for a few seconds, then said, "Let's get married."
I was so shocked that tears of joy started streaming down my face.
I hugged him tight, sobbing until my face was a total mess.
He cupped my cheeks, both annoyed and amused, wiping away my tears as he complained, "You look so pitiful when you cry, just like a stray dog on the street."