I Hate That I Loved You

In order to force me, a pregnant woman, to have an abortion and get a divorce, my ex-husband, Henry Jones, imprisoned me in a basement and subjected me to relentless torment.

He even went so far as to target my family—my father was falsely accused of crimes and, unable to bear the shame, he jumped to his death. My mother was devastated, she fell gravely ill and never recovered.

Just when I was on the brink of death, my first love, Elijah—the one I had heartlessly broken up with years ago—descended like a savior from the heavens.

“Yvonne, do you regret your choice back then?”

“If you beg me, I’ll take care of everything for you.”

I looked at my dying mother, curled up on a hospital corridor bed, and the enormous medical bill in my hands.

Without hesitation, I played my part.

“I don’t regret it. You know why I left you back then—it was to protect you...”

Elijah’s face darkened with rage, his hatred burning so fiercely that he looked ready to tear me apart.

What he didn’t know was—I was telling the truth.

——

He gave me a large sum of money, handled my father’s funeral, and paid for my mother’s treatment. The only condition was that I become his secret mistress.

I knew it was punishment, but I had no other choice.

I needed money, and Elijah was no longer the penniless student he once was. He had wealth—enough to buy my life outright.

For the next three years, scandal after scandal surrounded him. He frequented places of debauchery, each outing more outrageous than the last.

Each time, I was ordered to wait outside.

Except this time—this time, he sent me a message, telling me to come up.

The moment I stepped into the room, I heard the last voice I ever wanted to hear—my ex-husband, Henry.

“You really went all out just to make Yvonne come crawling back. Framing her father, driving her mother to sickness—aren’t you afraid that if she finds out the truth, she’ll stab you in your sleep?”

“If she kills me, her mother will die too.”

As soon as those words came out, a deafening silence descended. Then, a voice tinged with fear rang, “You paid me to put on a show and force Yvonne to leave. Now that you’ve got what you wanted, we’re even after this final payment.”

“Tsk, a used-up woman, and yet you treat her like a treasure, Mr. Ross.”

The weight of their conversation was staggering. My mind replayed their words over and over, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t recall any prior connection between Elijah and Henry.

Standing outside the private room, my whole body trembled uncontrollably.

I had thought Elijah’s appearance in my life was mere coincidence.

I never realized that everything had been a carefully orchestrated trap, designed just for me.

As Henry pushed open the door, I quickly hid around the corner.

A second later, Elijah emerged, his arm wrapped around a woman’s waist.

I turned to leave, but before I could take a step, his hand caught me.

“Why are you here? Spying on me?”

“Or did you know your dear ex-husband was coming and just couldn’t resist a peek at your old lover?”

His reaction told me one thing—he wasn’t the one who sent the message calling me up.

I looked at the woman in his arms—his newest girlfriend, the one he swore he would marry.

“You must be Yvonne. I’m Sophia, Elijah’s fiancée.” Sophia smiled.

“You're just as stunning as they say. No wonder Henry still can’t forget you.”

With just a few casual words, Sophia set Elijah’s fury ablaze.

His bloodshot eyes locked onto me as he gritted his teeth. “Do you really still pine for Henry that much? Is one glimpse of him enough to satisfy you?”

“Yvonne, are you a masochist?” His voice trembled with suppressed rage.

For three years, he had tormented me in every way imaginable, believing that I was still in love with Henry.

And for three years, I had stubbornly refused to deny it.

The pure, youthful love we once shared had long since been twisted beyond recognition in our endless cycle of pain and revenge.