After rebirth, I abandoned my childhood sweetheart

Chapter 1

I can’t believe it, I’m reborn.

Neon lights flashed outside, and the air inside was stifling.

I pinched my palm hard.

Ouch, it’s not a dream.

Well, not exactly.

I already died once, so even if it’s not a dream, I shouldn’t be able to feel pain.

“Ashley,” a man’s husky voice echoed in my ear.

A shiver ran down my spine.

Not only was I reborn, but I was reborn on that fateful night.

“Ashley,” Josh whispered, his kiss landing on my lips.

I turned my head, the heat now on my neck.

No.

He wasn’t calling for “Ashley.” He was calling for “Olivia,” Chloe’s nickname.

In my past life, I thought he had finally noticed me, and I foolishly gave myself to him.

Later, I learned that Josh had always loved Chloe.

He was just drunk and mistook me for her.

“Josh, snap out of it!” I shoved him away with all my strength.

I had a crush on him for ten years.

After that night, he hated me for ten years.

Thankfully, this time, nothing had happened yet.

Josh paused, looking down at me.

The room was dark, but the light from outside illuminated his face.

Even drunk, his skin was pale, and his eyes were calm.

It was enough to fool me in my past life into thinking he was sober.

“Ashley?” He finally seemed to recognize me, a flicker of something in his voice.

But in the next second, his eyes became clouded and complex.

He cupped my face urgently and kissed me again.

I brought my knee up, kicking him hard and pushing him away.

I ran out the door.

Chapter 2

Breathing in the cold night air, I pulled out my phone, checking the time again and again.

I was sure.

I really was reborn!

I rushed home, memories of my past life flooding back.

Josh and I were childhood sweethearts, our families close friends.

Tonight, Mrs. Evans had called, saying Josh wasn’t answering his phone and asking me to check on him.

I always knew the code to his apartment.

I opened the door and found him drunk.

I had been in love with Josh for years.

Hearing him call out “Ashley” over and over, I couldn’t resist.

I didn’t go home that night. The next morning, my parents and Josh’s parents found us in bed together.

Our clothes were scattered on the floor.

Our parents had always wanted us together, and this seemed to seal the deal.

I was about to graduate from college, and our wedding was quickly planned.

I was ecstatic.

My years of silent longing had finally come to fruition.

I thought Josh was happy too.

He was always reserved, never one to show his emotions.

But he went with me to choose a wedding dress, to pick out a ring, never once saying “no.”

Until our wedding day.

A beautifully dressed girl sobbed in the audience.

Everyone thought Josh was kissing me, but he was gritting his teeth in my ear:

“Ashley, are you satisfied with this outcome?”

Chapter 3

Before that day, I didn’t know Chloe.

Josh was two years ahead of me in school. We were in the same city but went to different colleges.

I had never heard of him liking any girl.

Let alone having a girlfriend.

Josh gave me a wedding night I’ll never forget.

He accused me of drugging him that night.

He raged that I had planned everything, that it was all intentional:

“Ashley, your malice is chilling.

“Your love is disgusting.

“You wanted to be with me so badly, so I granted your wish!

“You ruined my happiness, and you’ll never find happiness in your life either!”

He slammed the door and began a decade of icy hatred towards me.

Chapter 4

I slapped my cheeks hard, took a deep breath, and went upstairs.

“Ashley, back so soon? Is Josh okay?”

Hearing my mom’s voice and seeing my dad reading in the living room, my eyes welled up.

It’s so good.

It’s the scene I missed the most.

After marrying Josh, I didn’t dare go home for years.

“Ashley?”

I mumbled, “Yeah, he’s fine.”

He really was fine.

On my way back, I called an ambulance for him.

Let the doctors find out if there were any drugs, and what kind.

“Ashley, come here. What does this line say? Help Dad take a look.”

Suppressing the unease in my heart, I pretended nothing was wrong, went over, and chatted with my parents for a long time before returning to my room.

As soon as I entered, I saw photos of Josh and me covering my desk, from childhood to now.

I opened the drawer; my diary was still there, untouched.

I remembered Josh reading my love for him aloud, word by word, right in front of me.

Then tearing the pages one by one.

My girlish secrets scattered everywhere, him sitting at this desk, his face mocking and disgusted:

“You wanted to possess me when you were ten.

“Ashley, you’re a freak.

“Well, those things, only a freak could do them, right?”

Chapter 5

What terrible crime did I commit?

To have my innocent childhood affection labeled as “freakish.”

It wasn’t until Chloe left the country that I learned the whole story.

In a private tea room, Chloe sat poised and proper, a far cry from the girl who sobbed at our wedding.

“I’m getting married, Miss Grant, can you delete those videos now?”

I was bewildered.

She smiled and handed me her phone.

It showed a chat log.

The profile picture and nickname were both “me.”

“Leave Josh if you know what’s good for you.

“He and I are childhood sweethearts, we have a childhood promise. Don’t you have any shame?

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t leave, I’ll post the video on the school forum and let everyone see who Josh is really with!

“Ruin myself? Does it matter? Nothing matters without him!”

I clicked on the video.

It was from that night.

Almost instinctively, I took out my phone.

Chloe was indeed in my contacts, but our chat history was empty.

Chloe smiled again:

“Actually, that night, I was kind enough to tell Mrs. Evans that Josh was drunk and needed someone to take care of him.

“I didn’t expect Miss Grant to repay us like this.”

She spoke words of condemnation, but her eyes held undisguised triumph:

“For Josh’s reputation and future, I had to break up with him.

“Miss Grant, are you happy now?”

Her words and expression were so contradictory that I realized she was preventing me from recording.

But she couldn’t resist gloating.

She twirled the large diamond ring on her finger.

Just as she was about to leave, she lowered her voice and revealed her true colors:

“Mrs. Evans opposed our relationship.

“She looked down on me and believed you and Josh were the perfect match.

“Too bad…”

Chloe stood up, leaning close to my ear:

“Ashley, you two will never have a good life!

“Josh will never forget me.”

Chapter 6

Chloe was right.

Josh and I didn’t have a good life.

I finally understood why he hated me so much.

But it had been three years.

Three years of a broken marriage.

He didn’t believe me then, and three years later, he didn’t even want to hear my voice.

I told him to let it go, but he refused.

I wanted a divorce, but he wouldn’t agree.

He threatened my parents’ company, determined to keep me bound to him, to force me to endure his coldness for the rest of my life.

I thought that was it between us.

From childhood sweethearts to sworn enemies, it was both pathetic and ridiculous.

But Chloe’s second sentence was also right.

Josh couldn’t forget her.

In our ninth year of marriage, Chloe returned from abroad, divorced.

Josh and she were seen everywhere together, holding hands, kissing passionately.

Good for them.

I was finally free.

I deliberately chose Chloe’s birthday to call Josh.

A divorce agreement, what a perfect birthday gift for Chloe.

Josh was silent for a long time.

“Come here, talk to me in person,” he finally said, when I thought he would refuse again.

I glanced at the heavy snow outside: “I have no other requests, just my parents’ company. I won’t take a penny more than what’s yours.”

“After today, there’s nothing to discuss.” Then he hung up mercilessly.

I knew he had no feelings left for me.

I took the agreement and left.

But the snow that day was too heavy.

So heavy that when I stepped on the brakes, the tires skidded.

There was an elementary school just ahead, and I swerved, flipping the car.

I was so unwilling.

Even in death, I was still Josh’s wife.

Chapter 7

[Ashley?]

My phone vibrated. It was a text from Josh.

Had he gone to the hospital and sobered up?

I didn’t reply.

I checked my contacts. Chloe was already there.

I had no memory of adding her.

[Ashley, where are you?]

Another text from Josh.

I frowned.

Although his mother was against them at this point, he and Chloe hadn’t completely broken up.

Why was he looking for me instead of Chloe after sobering up?

I exited the chat and saw many unread messages.

It was the beginning of my senior year, the class group chats were buzzing.

[Sarah: Ashley, have you packed? Don’t be late tomorrow!]

I was stunned for a few minutes before I came to my senses.

At this time in my past life, Sarah and I planned to go to Seattle to look for jobs.

After what happened, I thought I was with Josh, so I stayed in the city.

The Seattle trip was canceled.

I quickly replied to Sarah:

[Sarah, how about we change our plans?]

Sarah: [?]

Me: [Let’s go to New York!]

Sarah: [New York?]

Sarah was my best friend.

I was thinking about how to explain when her message arrived:

[New York sounds great! I’m in! I’ll follow you anywhere!]

I smiled.

After some discussion, I got up and repacked my bags.

When I finished, I threw the photos on the desk, the diary in the drawer, and my phone card, all into the trash.

Chapter 8

I went to New York.

No one knew except Sarah.

Even my parents thought I went to Seattle.

Chloe’s game was half-played, and I didn’t fall for it like last time.

I wasn’t sure what other tricks she had up her sleeve.

Ten years of entanglement, ten years of love and hate.

Josh, Chloe, this time, I didn’t want anything to do with them.

But a month after arriving in New York, Sarah whispered mysteriously:

“I heard Josh is looking everywhere for you.

“He’s practically turning Seattle upside down.”

He’s looking for me?

Why?

I had pushed him hard that night; his head hit the wall pretty hard.

Was he still holding a grudge?

Whatever.

I thought I knew him, thought our connection was special.

It was just an illusion.

A fragile facade.

In the second month, Sarah found a job, but I was still taking my time.

“Ashley, you didn’t trick me into coming here only to stay, did you?”

Of course not.

In the third month, I finally got the news I was waiting for.

A junior from high school said he had a project that lacked funding and asked if I was interested in investing.

Last time, I was just waiting to graduate and marry Josh, so I declined when I heard it was in New York.

Later, my junior became very successful.

A self-made billionaire in ten years.

This time, I wouldn’t miss out.

Chapter 9

I gathered all the money I could, even borrowed some from my parents, and joined Alex’s team.

One of my biggest mistakes in my past life was giving up my career after marriage.

Josh had been so cruel, yet I still held onto hope.

I thought there was a misunderstanding between us.

That as long as I was good enough, our childhood bond would overcome any obstacle.

Two years later, when I finally woke up, I had no place, not even in my parents’ small company, let alone Josh’s Evans Corp.

“Ashley, how do I look?”

There was an industry gathering tonight, and Alex was trying on suits.

I rolled my eyes.

In two lifetimes, people called me “Ash,” “Ashley,” or if they were younger, “Miss Grant” or “Ms. Grant”.

Only he called me “Ashley”.

“Kind of like a waiter.”

Alex went to change.

“Makes your legs look short.”

Alex went to change again.

“Too old-fashioned.”

Alex continued to change.

By the fifth suit, I couldn’t help but laugh.

I stopped teasing him.

“Perfect, very handsome, you’ll outshine everyone.”

Alex, beaming, went to pay.

This guy, no wonder he’d be successful.

Smart, good-tempered, never condescending.

A breeze to be around.

In the car, we went over the list of attendees again.

For a startup, connections were crucial.

This kind of gathering was a great opportunity to network.

I just didn’t expect to see Josh there.

Chapter 10

It was my sixth month in New York.

Also, the sixth month of my rebirth.

After contacting Alex, I stopped using all social media and didn’t contact any of my old friends.

Of course, I didn’t go back to my old city either.

Even my graduation procedures were handled by Sarah.

I noticed Josh soon after entering.

He and Chloe stood together, a handsome couple, well-matched.

“You know them?” Alex whispered.

I was momentarily speechless.

I was just surprised.

Evans Corp always focused on manufacturing; they hadn’t ventured into the gaming industry in my past life.

Josh shouldn’t be here.

But then, something even more “shouldn’t be” happened.

Josh seemed to sense our gaze and looked over.

Amidst the crowd, our eyes met.

His eyes suddenly reddened:

“Ashley.”

Almost instantly, he pulled his arm away from Chloe’s and strode towards me.