Freedom Led Me Home 3

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

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I was woken up by the glaring sunlight – I had forgotten to close the curtains last night.

Looking at my phone, I saw it was already past 10 AM. I stretched my sleep–softened limbs, realizing it had been ages since I’d slept so well.

Jack liked to stay up late, often going out drinking with his friends. I would often wake

in the middle of the night to pick him up when he was drunk, take care of him, and then go to work exhausted the next day, missing out on several promotions.

“From today on, everything stays in the past. It’s time for a fresh start, I muttered to myself, my lips curving into a smile.

I made myself a simple breakfast of egg noodles in my tiny kitchen. The aroma was inviting, and paired with a glass of milk, I thought I might even regain some of my

complexion.

Life without Jack wasn’t as bad as I had imagined.

To keep myself from overthinking, I went to the nearby supermarket to stock up my fridge. From now on, I’d pack my own lunch for work and wouldn’t have to envy my colleagues anymore.

As I passed by a cosmetics store, a sales assistant approached me. “Miss, we have a special offer today. You get a free face mask with every $20 purchase.”

I found myself staring at the bold red lipstick on the assistant’s lips.

I used to be that vibrant and lively too, but Jack said he preferred me with light makeup, so I stopped buying dark lipsticks.

“Miss, this color would look great on your fair skin,” the assistant said enthusiastically.

Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I couldn’t help but smile.

Seeing that I had bought quite a lot, the assistant offered to do my makeup. I nodded.

Since I was already looking good, why not go all out?

Instead of rushing to the supermarket, I decided to do some shopping. I bought a white suit, a silk dress to wear underneath, and some knee–high boots. Then I got my long hair cut short and dyed it a light brown with soft waves. It looked pretty good.

Today’s shopping spree cost me three months‘ salary.

They say retail therapy is the best cure for a broken heart.

When Samantha saw me at the hotel entrance, she was shocked and circled around me

several times.

“Wow, Lily! I expected to see a dejected divorcee, not this! If I had known breaking up would make you look this good, I would have told you to dump that jerk ages ago!”

I felt a bit smug. “Not bad, right?”

Samantha happily linked her arm with mine and we walked into the private room,

grinning.

This hotel was one of the top luxury hotels in the city. Jack and I had dined here before. The food was incredibly expensive and required advance reservations.

I felt a bit nervous. “Samantha, if we need to split the bill tonight, could you cover for me first? I’ll pay you back when I get my paycheck.”

If I had known we were eating here, I would have bought one less outfit.

Samantha chuckled. “You don’t know? This hotel belongs to the Gu family. How else do

you think our class monitor could book a private room here?”

Ethan Gray entered the room surrounded by classmates. He was wearing a light–colored suit with a black knit sweater underneath, and gold–rimmed glasses perched on his nose.

Well, now I knew what “gentle and refined looked like in the flesh.

Five years had matured him, his features more chiseled and defined.

Just as I looked away, our class monitor joked, “Lily, you’ve become even prettier after all these years. Ethan was just asking if you were coming tonight.”

I was startled and looked at Ethan in surprise.

Although we had been desk mates in high school, we rarely spoke. He was the golden boy, and I was just an ordinary classmate.

Ethan greeted me with a gentle smile. “It’s been a long time, Lily!”

His voice was pleasant, deep with a hint of warmth.

My heart fluttered a bit, and I politely nodded with a smile.

Samantha excitedly squeezed my hand and whispered, “Hey, I think you two have a

chance.”

Yeah, right. I knew my place. It was okay to have a crush, but showing it would be

impolite.

I chose a seat near the door, keeping my distance from the group of successful people.

Just then, Ethan took a seat too, just two seats away from me.

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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.