After My Rebirth, My Ex-Husband Begged on His Knees

Everyone in the Capital Circle said the same thing: Xavier Henson loved me like I was his whole world.

No matter how many women threw themselves at him, he never so much as glanced their way. He'd made his promise in front of everyone.

Maggie Pruitt is the only woman I'll ever love. No one could ever take her place.

Then the earthquake hit.

His stepmother and I were trapped in the same stretch of rubble. Xavier Henson, the man who never lost his composure, was screaming at the rescue team like a man unhinged.

"Get her out first! My stepmother! Did you hear me? Her first!"

I was curled around my swollen belly, shielding it with everything I had.

"Xavier, please... save the baby... he hasn't even been born yet..."

He didn't spare me a single glance. Not even from the corner of his eye. He just kept shoving the search-and-rescue workers aside, howling at them to dig in her direction.

That woman, his so-called "elder," walked out without a scratch.

My baby and I were buried under steel and concrete forever.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back. Ten minutes before the earthquake.

I didn't warn Xavier.

Instead, I forced my trembling legs to carry me out the door and dialed my father's number.

"Dad, Xavier's lost his mind. I want a divorce."

I made it to the open field and collapsed into a crouch, gasping for air. The memory of being crushed under the rubble was still seared into every nerve. I could feel the weight of it, the dust filling my lungs, the silence that came after.

I pulled up my phone again and called my best friend, the divorce attorney Renata Simmons.

"Where are you right now? The earthquake hits in five minutes. Find somewhere safe. Now."

"Trust me!"

Renata didn't ask questions. She threw on clothes and ran to an open lot. Once I knew she was safe, I kept talking.

"I need to figure some things out. I'm going to need your help after this."

"Done."

I hung up and looked back toward the building.

In this new life, I hadn't told Xavier Henson or Tilda Fox about the earthquake.

If the two of them were so deeply devoted to each other, it would be a shame for them not to experience the thrill of life and death firsthand.

In my previous life, Xavier had treated me like a treasure. He indulged my every whim, catered to my every need. Everyone in our circle knew it. I'd believed it too.

I'd been so sure that a life with him meant happiness. That nothing could go wrong.

I never imagined that the person in his heart was never me.

After I died, Xavier held a press conference himself. He told the world that I was the other woman. That he and Tilda had always loved each other, and I was the one who'd forced my way between them.

After that, public opinion turned on a dime. I became the woman everyone felt entitled to curse.

Even my family wasn't spared. They never set foot in this country again.

And Xavier and Tilda walked into the spotlight together, the golden couple everyone envied.

This time around, I swore I would make them pay for every last thing they'd done.

The earthquake came soon after. People around me scrambled in every direction, searching for open ground. The building in front of me buckled and collapsed, exactly as it had before.

A second later, I saw Xavier sprint toward the wreckage, face white with panic. He dropped to his knees and started tearing at the rubble with his bare hands.

I had never seen him fall apart like this. He was screaming at the top of his lungs.

"Tilda! Where are you?!"

A question surfaced in my mind, sharp and bitter. If she mattered this much to him, why had he married me? Why had he been so good to me? Why hadn't he just married her from the start?

My hand drifted to my stomach. When I'd told him I was pregnant, his face had lit up with pure joy. And still, when it came down to it, he'd thrown me and our child away for Tilda Fox.

I watched him claw at the debris without stopping, his fingers shredded and slick with blood, until the rescue team arrived. He staggered toward them, voice cracking.

"Someone's trapped! Get her out!"

This time, Tilda was the only one buried. They pulled her free quickly.

The first thing she did was throw herself into Xavier's arms.

He held her, murmuring soft, gentle words against her hair. The sight drove into me like a needle, piercing so deep my whole body shook.

It didn't take long for the truth to find meright there in their conversation.

Tilda had been nestled against Xavier's chest, her eyes rimmed red. The moment she noticed people nearby, she pulled away and retreated into a corner to keep up appearances.

But Xavier didn't care anymore. He went after her, pulling her back into his arms.

"Tilda, I was so afraid I'd lose you just now."

She struggled against him. "Xavier, stop it. I'm your stepmother now!"

His expression shifted. He pressed her against the wall, his voice raw.

"I never wanted you to be my stepmother. We grew up togetheryou and me, that was always the real thing!"

"If I wasn't afraid that marrying you would set tongues wagging and hurt you, do you think I would've married Maggie?"

"She was nothing but a shield to keep people from talking. You're the only one I've ever loved."

Tilda stopped struggling. She wrapped her arms around him.

Every word hit me like ice water filling my lungs. My legs gave out, and I crumpled to the ground.

With trembling hands, I pulled out my phone and called Renata.

"Renata, I need you to draft a divorce agreement. You're my lawyer."

Her voice spiked immediately. "What happened? Did Xavier do something to you?!"

I didn't answer her question. "Just do what I'm asking. Please."

Then I called my father.

"Dad. I'm getting a divorce."

Silence on the other end. Then his voice came through, steady and warm.

"Alright. I'm here, sweetheart. No matter what happened, I'll always be right behind you."

The second I hung up, the tears broke free.

So that was the truth of my last life. Every bit of it had been one-sided. Every tender moment, every loving gestureall of it performed. Love really could be faked.

When the ambulance arrived, Xavier rushed to carry Tilda onto the stretcher, hovering over her as though she might shatter.

He never once looked for me.

I stared at the place that had once held all my happiness. Now it was rubble. Just like what Xavier and I had beenreduced to nothing.

I didn't hesitate. I turned and walked away.

By the time Renata came to pick me up, I was barely holding it together. The look on my face startled her.

"Maggie?"

I glanced up at her but said nothing. She didn't push. She just took me home.

Once we were inside, she handed me the divorce papers she'd already drawn up.

"Take a look. See if there's anything you want to add."

I shook my head, signed my name, and set the papers on the table.

"Send them to Xavier. Get his signature."

Renata opened her mouth, closed it, then spoke anyway.

"I don't know what happened. But I know it wasn't your fault. If he refuses to sign, we go to courtand when that happens, you have to tell me everything."

She softened her voice. "For now, go take a hot shower and get some sleep."

I nodded and went to my room. When I picked up my phone, a new post from Tilda glowed on the screen.

Got hungry in the middle of the night and someone didn't mind cooking for me from scratch~ My baby is the absolute best!

Attached was a photo of Xavier in the kitchen, sleeves rolled up, busy at the stove.

A bitter laugh escaped me. So it wasn't that he couldn't cook. He just couldn't cook for me.

I remembered a night when I'd had a fever. For some reason, all I wanted was seafood chowder. I'd begged him for what felt like forever.

He never made it.

Then Tilda posted again.

Fresh homemade seafood chowder~

Something inside me snapped clean. Not brokereleased.

Why was I wasting a single tear on a man who had never loved me?

In that moment, Renata's words echoed through my mind. I flipped my phone around and screenshotted both of Tilda's posts, saving them.

A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips. Since you love showing off so much, let's make sure everyone gets a good look.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Xavier was personally feeding Tilda seafood chowder, one spoonful at a time.

Suddenly, Tilda let out a little gasp, her voice laced with feigned concern.

"Xavier, where's Maggie? I haven't seen her all day. You don't think something happened to her, do you?"

Xavier froze. He pulled out his phone and dialed my number, again and again. No one picked up.

An unexplainable unease crept over him. Tilda, who had been watching his every reaction from the corner of her eye, felt a flash of jealousy. She spoke up again.

"Don't worry. Why don't you check with the rescue team first, see if there were any casualties that day?"

Xavier nodded and contacted the rescue team. After a round of questions, he learned there had been no casualties during the earthquake.

Tilda continued, her tone light and casual.

"Maggie's young. She probably just got caught up having fun somewhere."

Xavier's brow furrowed. Displeasure flickered across his face.

"But you went through something this serious, and she couldn't even be bothered to come check on you? She's family. That's just disrespectful."

Tilda shook her head gently.

"It's fine. I really don't mind."

Xavier reached over and flicked her forehead affectionately.

"That's because you're too understanding for your own good."

"If she's fine, then I won't bother with her for now."

On my end, I was giving Renata her final instructions.

"He should be at the hospital with his precious stepmom. Just go straight there and get him to sign."

"I'll walk away with nothing. As long as I get the divorce, none of the rest matters."

Renata nodded firmly.

"Relax. Your best friend happens to be one of the top divorce attorneys in the city. Consider it handled."

After she left with the agreement, my phone rang. It was my dad.

"Maggie, I couldn't stop him. That childhood friend of yours from the Delgado family already hopped on a plane back to the States to find you!"

"You're going to have to deal with this one yourself!"

Before I could get a single word in, he hung up, guilt practically radiating through the dead line.

I stared at the darkened screen and let out a helpless laugh.

"Thanks, Dad. You really know how to make my life harder."

I hadn't seen Max Delgado in five years.

Back at the hospital, Tilda had somehow ended up in Xavier's arms. Renata walked in on exactly that scene, and she exploded. She jabbed a finger straight at Xavier's face.

"Well, well, well! No wonder Maggie's been a wreck. You've been sleeping with your own stepmother! You disgusting piece of trash!"

Xavier's brow creased. His voice came out flat and cold.

"Watch your mouth. What goes on between me and my stepmother is none of your business."

"And if you don't know how to speak properly, I'd be happy to teach you."

But Renata wasn't the type to be intimidated. She scoffed right back at him.

"You think being some Capital Circle golden boy gives you the right to push me around? I'm a Simmons. Try me."

"You look so polished on the outside. Who knew you were this rotten underneath? What an act."

Xavier was about to lose his temper, but when he registered her last name, he reined himself in. His tone shifted, measured and low.

"So. What exactly are you here for?"

Renata let out a cold laugh and straightened her blazer.

"Allow me to reintroduce myself. I'm your wife's divorce attorney."

The words landed like a slap. Xavier shot to his feet.

"What did you just say? Maggie wants to divorce me?"

"That's impossible. She would never."

Renata tossed the divorce papers onto the table in front of him, her smile dripping with contempt.

"Sign. Now. Unless you'd prefer we do this the hard way in court."

Xavier picked up the divorce papers in disbelief, flipping through them again and again. His gaze finally landed on my signature, but he still shook his head.

"No. Not possible. Tell Maggie to come say it to my face."

Renata rolled her eyes. "She doesn't want to see you. Either sign, or wait for a court summons."

She turned to leave, but Xavier stopped her.

"Wait. Tomorrow. I want to see her at the place we first met."

"Tell her to bring the papers."

Renata didn't even look back. "I'll pass it along."

After Renata left, Tilda finally spoke up. "Xavier, Maggie must have misunderstood something. Let me go talk to her tomorrow and clear things up."

When Renata got back, she threw her arms around me, her voice cracking. "Maggie, I really thought you were happy. I had no idea Xavier was such a piece of garbage."

She pulled back, steadying herself. "He said he'll sign tomorrow, but only if you bring the papers yourself. To the place you two first met."

"Are you going?"

I went quiet for a moment, then nodded. "I'm going. He has to sign."

The next day, I arrived to find Tilda sitting alone on a park bench. The moment she spotted me, she walked straight over.

"Maggie, how could you just divorce him like this?"

I took a step back. "Where's Xavier?"

A flicker of amusement passed through her eyes. "He'll be here any minute. Just wait."

The next second, Tilda grabbed my hand and threw herself to the ground, clutching her ankle and crying out in pain.

The force of it sent me crashing into the park bench. My stomach slammed against the edge.

My face went white. I pressed both hands to my abdomen and looked up to see Xavier cradling Tilda, his face twisted with fury as he glared at me.

"Maggie, I never thought you could be this vicious!"

I didn't answer. My hands were shaking. I pointed at the divorce papers.

"Sign... them...!"

Xavier froze for a beat, then snatched up the papers in a rage, scrawled his name across them, and hurled them at my face.

"You've gone too far this time, Maggie. Don't you dare expect me to forgive you!"

He turned and strode away with Tilda in his arms. Over his shoulder, I caught Tilda raising an eyebrow at me, a smug taunt written all over her face.

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. I pulled out my phone and dialed 911, then pressed my palm gently against my lower belly.

"I'm sorry, baby. Mommy can't let you be born into a family like this..."

I couldn't hold on any longer. Everything went dark.

When I opened my eyes again, I was in a hospital bed with an IV drip in my arm. Xavier sat beside me.

His expression was complicated, unreadable. He spoke softly.

"The baby's gone. It's gone. We can have another one later."

"Just come with me now and apologize to Tilda. I'll forgive you. We'll pretend today never happened."

I let out a cold, scornful laugh.

"Xavier, you're delusional. I'm never apologizing, and I never want anything to do with you again."

Xavier shot to his feet. He grabbed the IV needle and ripped it out of my arm. The sharp sting tore a cry from my throat, but he didn't care. He yanked me up from the bed in one rough motion.

"Tilda's been crying ever since she got back. She keeps blaming herself, saying it was all her fault. She swallowed her pride and went to find you first, and you can't even do the same?"

I struggled with everything I had, but Xavier didn't so much as glance at me. He dragged me down the hall to Tilda's room and threw me to the floor.

"Apologize!"

My eyes burned red. Tears pooled but refused to fall. I clenched my teeth.

"She fell on her own. Why should I apologize?"

Something flickered in Xavier's eyes, a brief crack of hesitation. But then Tilda burst into tears on the bed, and before anyone could speak, she slid off the mattress and dropped to her knees in front of me.

"Maggie, I'm so sorry. If it weren't for me, you and Xavier would never have ended up like this. Once my foot heals, I'll leave. I'll go far away from you both."

"Please don't divorce Xavier. Please?"

I stared at Tilda in utter disbelief. Whatever flicker of hesitation Xavier might have felt vanished in an instant. He grabbed the back of my head and slammed my forehead into the floor.

"Apologize to my stepmother, Maggie!"

"You have no respect. No matter what, Tilda is my stepmother. She's our elder!"

I struggled, but it was useless. My body was growing weaker by the second from the miscarriage. Blood streamed down my forehead from where it had struck the ground, and just as consciousness began slipping away, a voice cut through the room, shaking with fury.

"Xavier. Touch her one more time. I dare you."