Freedom Led Me Home 13

Posted by ADMINMMADMIN, ? Views, Released on October 28, 2025

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Although Ethan and I were officially dating, I still set three ground rules with him.

First, we couldn’t tell others about our relationship. I wasn’t ready yet, and I felt a bit

insecure.

Second, we couldn’t live together before marriage because I believed in being

independent before loving someone.

Third, I hadn’t thought of yet…

Ethan listened to my conditions and explanations very seriously, nodding in agreement.

“Other people have sweet romances, we should too. Besides, I’ve waited eight years, so getting to know each other better is good.”

I felt lucky to have met someone so understanding.

Sometimes I couldn’t help but think that if we had gotten together in high school, the result might not have been this good.

After working overtime frantically and with Ethan’s guidance and help, I successfully landed the China project.

And there was even a hidden bonus – he accompanied me to China to negotiate business and we even had a small vacation for a few days.

I saw him at his most innocent, at his most spirited, and also saw him navigate the

business world with ease.

To be honest, there’s a fundamental difference between a genuine rich heir and a spoiled rich kid. He was stunningly handsome.

Successfully completing the big deal, I looked at the $3,600 bonus in my bank account

and finally felt a bit more confident.

Ethan treated the whole team to dinner, and everyone ordered without hesitation,

choosing a Japanese restaurant that cost about $180 per person.

Ethan and I arrived last after handling some work. Just as we reached the restaurant

entrance, we ran into Jack and Rose who were also there for dinner.

Seeing Jack again felt like a lifetime had passed, though it had only been a month.

Jack exploded, “So you broke up with me for him!”

I crossed my arms, looking at Rose who was practically glued to his arm, and said calmly, “My breaking up with you has nothing to do with anyone else. It’s simply because I don’t love you anymore.”

My voice was soft and gentle, but Jack couldn’t take it.

“You’re lying. You can’t possibly not love me. I get it now, you’re just using him to make me jealous, right?”

Jack suddenly seemed to realize something and looked at Ethan cockily, “Hey, bro, do you know how long she chased after me? Three whole years. She’d bring me breakfast rain or shine. When my stomach was upset, she learned how to cook.”

“I barely attended any classes in college, she helped me with attendance. Even when

she failed a few courses and had to retake exams, she didn’t mind. She almost couldn’t

graduate…”

So he knew everything all along, he was just pretending not to know.

I thought I would be very angry, but at that moment I was surprisingly calm. Looking at him was like looking at a stranger. So this is what it feels like to not love someone

anymore.

Ethan looked at me worriedly, and seeing that I was fine, he relaxed.

As he was about to step in front of me, Rose spoke up pitifully, “Jack, do you still have feelings for Lily?”

“How could I?”

Jack puffed up like an angry rooster, looking at me with disdain, “How could I possibly still have feelings for her?”

Then he looked at Ethan’s designer outfit, sized me up, and sneered, “Looks like you’ve climbed up the social ladder. Bro, let me tell you, don’t underestimate this woman. She’s

vain and materialistic.”

I laughed coldly, not afraid of embarrassment, and retorted, “In the five years we were together, I spent at most $45,000 on you, and I spent no less than that on you too.”

“Besides, when I was in college, my conditions were better than yours, and I had plenty of guys chasing me. You say I’m vain and materialistic? You’ve really damaged your brain with all that drinking over the years. You believe whatever others say about me without ever using your own brain to think.”

Jack was stunned by my words, unable to respond.

Ethan chuckled, “Thank you, brother. Thanks to you not cherishing her, I got such a wonderful girlfriend.”

The love in his eyes was too obvious.

I loved this blatant favoritism. It felt like I had someone to rely on.

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Freedom Led Me Home

Status: Ongoing

Chapter 1 Summary – “After Leaving the Jerk, I Married My High School Crush”

Part 1: The Last Straw

Lily had spent three years loving Jack — a man who took her loyalty for granted.
When she caught him at a bar, his hands around his childhood sweetheart Rose, he didn’t even look guilty. Instead, he rolled his eyes and accused her of being dramatic.
That night, Lily realized the only drama she’d been living was loving a man who never saw her worth.

Part 2: The Breakup

Jack sat on the couch, irritated, calling her immature. His tone was cold, dismissive — as if she were the problem.
But Lily was done explaining, done defending herself.
As he walked to the bathroom to take a call, she followed silently — and heard the truth for herself.
Rose’s voice floated through the door, soft and flirtatious. “Jack, she’s not giving you a hard time, is she?”
Jack’s voice, gentle and patient — a tone Lily never received — replied, “Of course not, don’t worry.”
That was the moment her heart stopped loving him.

Part 3: The Quiet Escape

While they laughed behind the closed door, Lily quietly packed her things.
She didn’t cry. She didn’t scream. She simply left — suitcase in hand, dignity intact.
Before stepping out, she sent one last text:

“We’re done. Don’t contact me again.”
Then she blocked his number — and finally walked away from years of humiliation.

Part 4: The Mockery

Minutes later, her phone buzzed nonstop.
Jack’s friends flooded the group chat, mocking her breakup like it was a running joke.

“Playing the runaway game again, Lily?”
“She’ll be back in a week, like always.”
Their cruel laughter hit harder than she expected. But instead of breaking down, she typed one last message:
“You’re right. I did keep coming back. But this time, I’m gone for good.”
And with that, she left the chat forever.

Part 5: The Painful Realization

That group had always been her silent torture — a reminder of how one-sided her relationship had become.
She used to scroll through every message just to see Jack’s name, hoping for affection, a hint of care.
But all she found was mockery, flirtation, and proof that she’d been nothing more than background noise in his world.

Part 6: The Doormat Years

She remembered how she used to wash his sports clothes, buy him gifts, and even skip meals to surprise him with things he wanted.
He never thanked her. Never looked at her the way he looked at Rose.
All those years of love were wasted on someone who couldn’t even say her name with warmth.
And yet — she had loved him. Deeply. Foolishly.

Part 7: The Turning Point

As she drove away from the apartment, something inside her shifted.
For the first time, Lily felt peace — not because she stopped caring, but because she finally cared about herself.
She didn’t need revenge, or closure.
She just needed to start over.

Part 8: The Unexpected Post

Days later, while Jack bragged online about his “freedom,” Lily made her own quiet statement — a photo on Instagram of her marriage certificate.
The caption was simple:

“Some endings come with better beginnings.”
Within minutes, the internet exploded.

Part 9: The Beggar Returns

Jack showed up at her door that night — eyes red, voice trembling, begging for another chance.
“Lily, you can’t be serious! Who did you marry? Tell me this is a joke!”
But Lily only smiled, calm and radiant.

“You told me I was dramatic, remember? So here’s my final act.”
She closed the door — this time for good.

Part 10: The Full Circle

The man she married wasn’t a stranger.
He was her high school crush — the boy who once waited for her after class, who used to say, “You deserve better, Lily.”
Years later, he kept his promise.
And as Lily stood beside her new husband, she realized that sometimes, losing the wrong person is the only way to find the right one.