Divorce Papers in My Baby’s Gift Box? Fine—I Signed Them! Chapter 02
Dec kept teasing.
[Why isn’t he your problem? You two grew up together. You’re basically joined at the hip.]
[And didn’t you guys promise to go to Ashford together?]
I laughed at myself and typed back quickly.
[He has a girlfriend now.]
Silence lingered for a few seconds.
Then Dec replied, [Sav Beaumont? That rebel girl? They won’t last.]
[Ben Ashford is a top student. You’re clearly a better match. You’re meant to go to Ashford together.]
[That girl will be lucky to get into Landon Tech. They aren’t even in the same league.]
I curled my lip slightly, neither confirming nor denying it.
My past life taught me that being “in the same league” didn’t matter.
What mattered was where Ben’s loyalty lay.
Clearly, whether in my past life or this one, Ben would only choose Sav.
In everyone else’s eyes, she was just a troublemaker who hung out with sketchy crowds.
But in Ben’s eyes, she was a goddess. A once-in-a-lifetime star.
Senior year, she wore a white sundress and a flower crown, holding up a poster board outside.
Big letters: Ben Ashford, I Love You!
Straight-laced Ben had never been chased like that.
Under Sav’s relentless offensives, he fell hard.
To go on dates and see movies, he skipped countless study halls during senior year.
I spent late making copies of study guides for him.
Those notes were thrown into a bonfire in a bronze garden urn because of her “choose me or her” ultimatum.
In three months, Ben dropped from top 20 to 136 in our class ranking.
I was the one who informed Camilla Ashford. Every weekend, they locked him in Ashford Manor to force tutoring sessions.
He managed to get a decent score on the mock exams because of that.
“Scarlett, you just want me to fulfill my promise and go to Ashford with you, right?”
“I’ll apply to Ashford, but on one condition—”
“You stop obsessing over me.”
That’s how Ben negotiated with me on application day.
My eyes burned.
“Do you really think I forced you to study just so I could date you?”
Ben didn’t know. After he agreed to date Sav, I’d already given up.
Pushing him to get into Ashford was just a deal I made with Camilla.
I just didn’t want to see Camilla break down over his stupidity.
Two hours before the graduation party at Ashford Club, I walked into Willow Creek Florist.
Before I reached the door, someone slammed into me.
“Well, look who it is. My boyfriend’s little rival.”
“Can’t stay away even after graduation? Desperate to be the other woman?”
I looked up into Sav’s malicious eyes.
Her voice was loud, drawing a crowd of gawkers.
People pointed at me.
“I’m just buying flowers for a classmate,” I said.
I turned to leave, but Sav followed.
“Cut the act. I found that 5,000-word love letter you wrote him junior year!”
“Acting smart, but you’re just someone who knows how to chase guys…”
Rage boiled up inside me. I glanced instinctively at Ben.
He was looking down, hiding a smirk. When he caught my angry stare, he half-heartedly grabbed Sav’s arm.
“Enough, babe.”
“Didn’t you want the best roses? Hurry up before they’re gone.”
He stepped forward, deliberately leaning in to kiss her forehead right in front of me.
“And besides, who cares about some childhood friend?”
“I only have eyes for you.”
I felt physically sick.
I paid for the bouquet and left quickly.
Ben called after me as I left.
“Don’t be mad at Sav, Scarlett. That’s just how she is.”
“She only overreacted because she heard we both applied to Ashford. She’s just jealous. Don’t take it personally.”
I paused, said nothing, and hailed a taxi.
Halfway there, I took a detour to pick up another classmate, then headed to The Emerald Room at Ashford Club.
By the time we arrived, a crowd had gathered at the entrance.
As I walked in, I heard people shouting.
“I just saw that post today! I can’t believe you did that!”
“Sav Beaumont, that’s messed up!”
“Mind your own business. Are you delusional?”
Sav picked at her nails, blowing bubbles with her gum.
“Maybe worry about getting a boyfriend instead of my business. Look at those blemishes on your face. You really believe Ben Ashford would ever be interested?”
Kat Montgomery stomped her foot. “Stop changing the subject! I’m talking about the post! Don’t you get it? Your selfishness could ruin his whole life!”
Ben walked up.
He chuckled, wrapping an arm around Sav’s waist. “Really?”
“Whose life am I ruining?”
Kat froze. She stared at the person she was defending—the guy who was now hugging the culprit.
Her eyes turned red.
“Ben, do you even realize your girlfriend changed your…”