My Firefighter Husband Abandoned Me to Save His Childhood Sweetheart

I was forced to follow Hugh Pierce everywhere.

Maybe it was some lingering obsession, but I couldn't move more than 30 feet away from him.

So I had no choice but to watch as he brushed the stray hairs from Gia Lowell's forehead.

The look of pained tenderness on his face made me remember what it was like before we got married.

Back then, I had no idea his childhood sweetheart, Gia Lowell, even existed.

All of Hugh Pierce's tenderness and affection had been reserved for me.

When I got my period, I would be in absolute agony.

Hugh Pierce would get so worried he couldn't sleep all night. He'd stay by my side, gently rubbing my stomach with his big hands and coaxing me to sleep.

One scorching summer day, I was craving a green bean popsicle.

Hugh Pierce had just gotten off work and hadn't even slept. He ignored my protests and bought a whole case, telling me, "When you're with me, you'll never have to wait for anything you want to do or eat."

Once, on Memorial Day, I leaned against my mom's gravestone and whispered to her, telling her all about Hugh Pierce.

"Mom, you and Dad can rest easy. Your daughter found a good man."

"His name is Hugh Pierce, and he's proven with his actions that he's truly good to me."

"I think I'm going to marry him someday."

Thinking about it now, I just want to slap myself.

Who's ever a perfect boyfriend right from the start?

I was just the one who planted the tree, and now she's the one resting in its shade.

Now that Gia Lowell was back from abroad, Hugh Pierce's heart was starting to waver.

And I, his actual wife, had become an obstacle in their path.

Now that I'm dead, I've cleared the way for Gia Lowell.

Talk about rotten luck.

Gia Lowell was taken to Civitas Hospital.

The doctors immediately got to work, cleaning and stitching the wound on her left hand.

Hugh Pierce stayed with her the entire time.

He got her water, paid the bills, and picked up her prescription.

During the consultation, he even insisted the doctors run a full check-up on Gia Lowell, using the excuse that she'd had pneumonia once before.

Meanwhile, all Gia Lowell had to do was sit in her wheelchair and enjoy being waited on by Hugh Pierce.

A few family members of other patients gathered around, gossiping.

"That young man is so handsome. I should introduce him to my daughter."

"Don't even think about it, Mrs. Warren. Can't you see he's already taken?"

"What a sweet young couple!"

...

My lips twisted into a sneer.

'Hugh Pierce, you always said you just thought of Gia Lowell as a sister.'

'People aren't blind. The fact that they mistake you for a couple means you've already crossed the line. How long are you going to keep lying to yourself?'

...

By the time the whole ordeal was over, it was the middle of the night.

Gia Lowell's eyes filled with concern as she reached out to caress his face.

"Hugh, you were busy fighting that fire yesterday, and you've spent all night taking care of me. You must be exhausted."

"I'm so worried about you."

I was so disgusted I could have gagged.

So I floated in front of Hugh Pierce and mimicked Gia Lowell's cloying tone. 'Oh, Hugh, I'm just *so* worried about you.'

But Hugh Pierce pulled away.

He ignored Gia's crestfallen expression, tucked the blankets around her, and made a convenient excuse. "Gia, I'm like a brother to you. Of course I'm going to take care of you."

Hugh didn't leave the room until he saw Gia Lowell's eyes drift shut.

Out in the hallway, he pulled out his phone.

Aside from messages from the Fire Department and his colleagues, our chat log was completely silent.

The last message was the one I'd sent from inside the fire, begging him for help.

He looked agitated.

'I was confused.'

'Shouldn't Hugh Pierce be relieved that he wasn't hearing from me?'

'After all, ever since Gia Lowell came back, Hugh Pierce had been leaving my messages on read and complaining that I was distracting him from his work.'

'So who was this little act for?'

Hugh Pierce opened our chat. He hesitated for a long time, his thumb hovering as if he were about to start a video call.

Suddenly, a scream erupted from Gia Lowell's room.

"Fire! It's everywhere!"

"Hugh, where are you?"

"Don't leave me! I'm so scared!"

Hugh immediately shoved his phone away and rushed into the room.

"Gia, what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"

Gia Lowell buried her face in Hugh Pierce's chest.

This time, Hugh Pierce froze for a second, but he didn't push her away.

Like a wounded fawn, Gia Lowell nestled into Hugh's arms and murmured, "Hugh, actually... there's something I haven't told you."

"My injury... it was caused by Maeve."