Broke Ex Wants Me Back After I Marry Rich

Edward Harrington frowned in displeasure when he noticed the disgust on my face.

"Audrey, what's with that look?" he asked impatiently.

"Didn't I leave you a note explaining everything? Lily needed to get away, so I took her to Marinova to help her relax. We'll get married when I get back. It's just three years. What's the big deal?"

When he saw the icy look on my face, he stopped short. After a brief pause, he deliberately softened his tone in an attempt to comfort me.

"I know it wasn't fair to make you wait three years. That's on me."

He took a step closer.

"That's why I'm making you our bridesmaid as compensation. You'll see the whole wedding up close. Lily and I are just putting on a show. Once the baby is born, everything will go back to normal. You're the only one I love."

I stared at that smug, self-righteous expression plastered across his face, and a wave of nausea crashed through me.

I covered my mouth, suppressing the nausea, but a scoff slipped through my fingers.

"Edward, what makes you think I'd wait for you?"

Edward's gaze dropped to my ring finger.

The diamond ring on my hand reflected dazzling sparks beneath the lights.

His expression darkened completely, and he let out a mocking laugh.

"Audrey Calloway, are you seriously trying to play hard to get with me now?"

He lifted his chin and gave the ring on my finger a smug, dismissive look. "Do you really think putting some fake glass ring on your finger is enough to get a reaction out of me? Wake up. Even the ring I casually bought for you before I left was worth more than that cheap thing. Stop playing these pointless games and behave yourself."

Behave yourself.

Those two words hit me like a wave, dragging me back years into the past.

It had been winter back then too, but the cold had felt even harsher than it did tonight.

We had just gotten off work at the restaurant and were walking past a jewelry store downtown.

Through the massive display window, a diamond ring caught the light and sparkled so brilliantly that it stopped me dead in my tracks.

Edward looked at it too, but his eyes weren't on the ring. They were locked on the terrifying string of zeros dangling beneath it.

He wrapped his fingers around my freezing hand and held on so tight that my fingers hurt. His voice trembled as he said, "Audrey, when I finally have enough money saved up, I'm going to buy you the most beautiful ring in the world and ask you to marry me. I'll make sure everyone knows you're the most precious person in my life."

The freezing wind cut against my face, but my heart burned hot like a flame.

My eyes stung with tears as I nodded.

"Okay. I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes."

And just like he promised, his business took off. Then, one night, he tossed a velvet box at me like it was nothing.

Inside lay nothing but a cheap, shoddily made ring grabbed from a convenience store clearance shelf.

He didn't bother to kneel. He just propped himself against the doorframe and flashed that lazy smile.

"Wear this for now. I'll get you a better one later."

The very next day, he flew to Marinova with Lily to see the blue ocean and skies she had always dreamed of.

The anger and humiliation I had buried instantly rushed back to my head.

Just as I was about to tell him to get lost, a slap came swinging toward my face.

"Audrey, how dare you seduce Edward again!"

I saw it coming. A split second before Lily Monroe could touch me, I raised my arm to block her.

Without a moment's hesitation, I struck her across the face.

Lily clutched her swollen cheek as tears streamed down her face.

"How dare you hit me!"

The moment Edward saw that, fury exploded across his face.

"Are you crazy?" he roared and immediately pulled Lily into his arms, carefully checking the injury on her face.

When he looked back at me again, his eyes were as cold as blades.

"Lily's pregnant. How could you hit her that hard? What if something happens to her? Can you take responsibility for it?"

Lily leaned weakly against his chest, crying even harder.

But when her gaze flicked toward me, the venom and smug triumph in her expression were unmistakable.

Just as Edward was about to say something else, my phone rang.

It was Ray Cullen, Scott Miller's secretary.

I swiped to answer the call, and a respectful male voice came through.

"Mrs. Miller, Mr. Miller just finished his meeting and specifically asked me to remind you..."