Blossom Years: My Promise to You

After my divorce from Gideon Ford, my belly grew bigger by the day.

My parents and the daughter theyd raised as their own were frantic, hounding me daily to get an abortion.

In my last life, I did it. Furious at Gideons wandering eye, I went through with the procedure out of spite. He hated me for it, and any thought of reconciliation vanished. It wasnt long before he married Serena, the girl who had taken my place.

Then my familys empire collapsed. Tainted by divorce and the abortion, I was an outcast. I drifted from place to place, my body wrecked by complications from the surgery, plagued by chronic illness. I died on a cold winter street, alone.

Meanwhile, Gideons business flourished, expanding across the country. Serena jetted around the world, living a life of pampered ease.

Everyone said I got what I deserved, that I was born to suffer.

When I opened my eyes again, the first thing I did was call Gideon.

This life, Im keeping the baby. And Im keeping the money.

...

Youre divorced. Walking around with a baby bump is a disgrace. Listen to your mother and get rid of it.

Shes right, Annalise, Serena added, her voice syrupy sweet. You already have a reputation for being rough around the edges, growing up in the countryside. Now, with this people are saying you have no shame at all.

My mother and Serena took turns, their words like little barbs, desperate to push me into the clinic.

Last time, their goading worked.

I threw away my last bargaining chip.

And Serena had seized her chance, becoming the next Mrs. Ford. After I died, she even forbade my parents from burying me in the family plot.

A bitter, metallic taste filled my throat. Looking at Serenas impatient eyes, I actually smiled.

The next second, the front door burst open and Gideon stormed in.

His breath came in ragged gasps. The man who was always the picture of calm control was pale with panic.

The baby you didnt did you?

Before I could answer, Serena jumped in. Gideon, dont be mad at Annalise. It was a moment of weakness.

She spoke as if it were already a done deal, shooting me a warning glance while trying to comfort a suddenly rigid Gideon.

The baby is fine, I said, cutting her off.

The murderous look on Gideons face softened instantly. He rushed to my side, helping me to my feet and guiding me to his car.

Come home with me. We can talk this through properly.

In the rearview mirror, Serenas face was a mask of livid, twisted rage.

I let out a soft scoff. When I turned my head, my eyes fell on a tube of lipstick left on the passenger seat. It wasnt mine.

Gideons brow furrowed. He opened his mouth to say something.

I calmly looked away.

An awkward silence stretched between us before Gideons assessing gaze landed on my face. You seem different, he said, his tone loaded with meaning.

I just hummed in agreement. Is that a bad thing?

Before, I was a live wire. I couldn't tolerate a single speck of dust in my eye. If Serena so much as held his hand, I would raise hell. Id scream at him, slap him, refuse his touch. Id force him to write letters of apology, promising it would never happen again.

In the beginning, hed indulge me, coaxing and calming me down. But gradually, he grew tired of it.

One day, in front of a house full of guests, hed mocked me. You were a stray they picked up out of guilt. Unloved by your mother or your father. Who do you think you are to act so high and mighty in front of me?

I had shattered like a clown in the spotlight, my heart splintering into a thousand pieces. He knew me too well; he knew exactly where to stick the knife to make it hurt the most.

Humiliation and rage blinded me. Back then, I refused to believe I couldn't live without him.

So, at my furious insistence, we divorced.

But after eighteen years in the countryside, my parents, though theyd brought me home, had never taught me how to stand on my own two feet.

My life after the divorce was just as miserable as hed predicted.

Gideon watched me now, his expression unreadable.

Suddenly, his phone rang. When he answered, my mothers anxious voice crackled through the speaker.

Gideon, somethings wrong with Serena! She drove off in tears. I dont know where she went. Can you please help me find her?

When it came to Serena, my mother always turned to Gideon, without a single thought for my feelings. It made sense, in a way. The two of them had practically grown up together, childhood sweethearts.

Until I was found at eighteen and brought back into the family. Gideon had fallen for me at first sight.

I remember standing in the grand foyer of the Ross mansion, wearing a threadbare coat and pants that were too short. A circle of impeccably dressed young men and women had surrounded me, laughing. My face burned with shame, but I held my back ramrod straight.

It was Gideon who had silenced them, who had led me away to another room.

After that, he started creating accidental encounters. He taught me the rules of high society, bought me elegant dresses and heels that fit. I was so insecure back then, convinced he was looking down on me. I acted like a hedgehog, bristling with spikes, lashing out at him with sarcasm. But Gideon never got angry.

Instead, when others called me a country bumpkin or a wild child, he was the one who threw the punches to drive them away.

So when we announced our engagement, it wasnt just Serena who hated me. My own mother resented me for stealing the perfect husband she had picked for her darling daughter.

Its okay, I said now, my voice even. If you need to go, go. I can take care of myself.

The reflection in the car window showed a face devoid of emotion.

Gideons hands tightened on the steering wheel, his expression darkening. As if to spite me, he dropped me at the house and sped away with a roar of the engine.

I, on the other hand, couldn't wait to get inside. The staff, unsurprised by my sudden return, took my coat.

Maam, your bath is drawn. Would you like to wash up? one of them asked gently.

I shook my head. Not yet.

I wandered slowly through the villa, admiring the elegant decor and the antique furniture Id personally chosen. I ended up at my vanity, gazing at the collection of priceless jewelry.

In my last life, after the divorce, all of this had gone to Serena. When the scandal of a man marrying his former sister-in-law broke, my mother had blamed me.

Whats the use in blaming others when you didnt cherish what you had? Its better to keep it in the family, right?

My father acted as if it had nothing to do with him, staying out all hours of the night.

Even though I was their only biological child, I wasnt worth a fraction of Serena. The family affection I craved had always been nothing more than a joke to the outside world.

Shaking off the memories, I soaked in a hot bath and then fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

I was jolted awake by a sharp click. The chandelier overhead suddenly blazed to life.

Blinking away the sleep, I saw Gideons dark, stormy face looming over me.

Is it morning already? I asked, my voice hoarse.

A humorless laugh escaped him. Didnt I say we needed to talk? You went to sleep without waiting for me?

Before I could respond, he started explaining, as if seeking praise. I found Serena outside a bar. I took her home and came straight back here.

The air hung silent for a moment. I realized he was waiting for my reaction.

I nodded slowly, forcing a dry laugh. Thats good.

Thats good? he repeated, his voice cracking. He grabbed my wrist, his grip painfully tight. Why did you come back? For the baby, or His eyes turned red. Or for me?

A sharp sting shot up my arm. I winced.

Neither, I thought. I came back for myself.

Seeing his insistent gaze, I lied. For both. Im going to be a mother. Its time I grew up, dont you think?

As for him, it didnt matter. As long as the money was good, he could do whatever he wanted. Just like before, when sleeping with me never stopped him from running off to comfort Serena.

Gideons expression tightened, a flicker of loss in his eyes. Annalise, he murmured, why do I feel like somethings off with you?

He glanced at my bored face, then down at his empty phone screen. A sudden surge of anger flooded him.

Do you have to be like this? So passive-aggressive, so lifeless! Isnt it enough that I give you whatever you want? What more do you want from me?

I looked at him, feeling a wave of exhaustion. I dont want anything. Youre overthinking it.

But his expression didnt soften. He stared at me for two long seconds, then stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

In the days that followed, I focused on my pregnancy. Gideon was buried in work. We didnt speak for nearly three months.

I stopped being frugal. I spent money as I pleased. I even went with friends to a high-end male revue. Caught up in the fun, I impulsively stuffed a wad of cash into a dancers waistband.

The dancer grinned, took my hand, and pressed a brief, stinging kiss to my knuckles. For a fleeting moment, I felt a flicker of understanding for why people were so drawn to infidelity.

The next second, my phone rang. It was Gideons number.

When I answered, I heard shuffling noises, and then Serenas unsteady voice. Annalise, Gideons drunk. Can you come and get him?

The dancer was now guiding my hand over his chiseled abs. I answered distractedly, Just send a driver.

Its settled then! You have to come! she insisted, and hung up.

I sighed in annoyance but ended up going to the Ross house anyway.

When I pushed the door open, the sight that greeted me was Serena, lying underneath Gideon. Her face was flushed with satisfaction. They were tangled together like two snakes in a death grip.

Now I understood why shed insisted I come myself.

Ah! Annalise! Serena gasped, clutching a sheet to her chest as tears streamed down her face. Im so sorry! Gideon and I we were both so drunk.

Gideon seemed to snap out of a daze. He stared at me for a second, then shoved Serena away roughly. He lit a cigarette, his expression devoid of explanation, his eyes calm to the point of provocation.

The scene threw me back in time.

Ever since wed married, Serena had been a ghost haunting our lives, seeping into every crack. My birthday, Valentines Day, our anniversaryshe always found a way to interfere. And whenever I broke down, Gideon would lecture me. Just be more understanding. I owe her this. Itll stop once she comes to terms with it.

But Serena never came to terms with it. She spread rumors in our social circle, calling me a homewrecker and a parasite. She circulated old photos of me working as a waitress and handing out flyers. At my own birthday party, she played a recording of my abusive adoptive parents beating me.

That day, I became the laughingstock of the city.

But I had survived all of that. What was this, compared to everything else?

So, to their utter astonishment, I walked over, picked up a jacket, and draped it over Serenas bare shoulders. I dont blame you, I said, my voice as gentle as an older sisters.

Then I turned to face Gideon, whose face was a thundercloud.

I saw a sapphire necklace I really like, darling, I said earnestly. Could you transfer ten million to my account?

Youre not going to ask why? Gideons eyes were a frightening shade of red.

I kept the same understanding smile on my face. You have your reasons. I get it.

Gideons tall frame seemed to rust over. His eyelashes trembled, and a bitter smile twisted his lips.