Chapter 1
After my parents died in a car crash, Dad’s best friend Maverick Rhodes took me in.
He was ten years older and insisted I call him Uncle.
One night, I got drunk and confessed my feelings–he was disgusted. Forced me into an arranged marriage.
When my husband was about to beat me to death, I made one last desperate call to Maverick:
“Uncle, I’m dying. Could you take in my three–year–old daughter? Like you took me in?”
But he just coldly refused. Didn’t believe a word I said.
The line went dead, crushing my final hope.
God, I regretted everything.
If only I’d never loved Maverick-
Never would’ve been forced to marry Derek Hartwell.
Never would’ve become his personal punching bag.
And he never would’ve driven a broken bottle straight through my heart.
With my last breath, I crawled to my baby girl.
I reached out to hold her–but my hand passed right through her.
So I was already dead.
I wanted to cry, but ghosts have no tears.
Listening to Bella call for Mommy in her feverish sleep, I felt my soul shattering.
That’s when I heard a car engine outside…
I knew I was dying, so I didn’t call 911. Instead, I dialed Uncle Maverick Rhodes.
The ringtone echoed through the basement a few times before someone picked up.
“What now?”
Maverick still couldn’t stand me–his tone ice–cold as always.
I pressed my hand against my bleeding stomach, struggling to hold onto my last breath.
“Uncle, I’m dying. Could you take in my daughter Bella the same way you took me in?”
Bella was only three, and her father Derek Hartwell was a psychotic bastard who loved using his fists.
I couldn’t even imagine how my poor baby would survive after I was gone.
All I could do was beg Maverick
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Chapter 1
“Uncle, I was wrong,”
“I’ll never bother you with my feelings again. Please, just come save my daughter.”
“Bella’s burning up with fever. Derek locked us in the basement–he doesn’t care if we live or die. I barely managed to hide my phone to call you.”
“Are you done with this shit?”
Maverick still didn’t believe me.
“Paisley Morrison, you’ve been married five years and pulled this dying act dozens of times. Haven’t you gotten tired of this performance yet?”
“Maverick, you ready? Come help me check out this wedding dress.”
Another voice burst through the phone–cheerful and sickeningly familiar.
It’s Chloe Crawford. My college roommate and my former best friend.
The day after I confessed to Maverick, they got together.
Maverick warned me again:
“Paisley, I’m tying the knot with Chloe day after tomorrow. You and Derek just be good to each other.”
“Stop calling me.”
Chloe couldn’t resist chiming in, all fake concern.
“Paisley, you’ve been married to Derek for five years, and every time you call your uncle it’s either about divorce or claiming you’re about to be
beaten to death.”
“Everyone in Boston knows Derek’s been crazy about you since high school.”
“When you catch a cold, he flies doctors in from all over the country to treat you at home.”
“When you were pregnant and craving sour stuff, he bought an entire cherry orchard so you could have fresh fruit even in winter.”
“Nobody loves you more than he does. Keep lying like this and you’ll break his loving heart.”
But I wasn’t lying.
I wanted to beg Maverick one more time.
But I couldn’t speak anymore. I felt like all my blood had drained out.
The call ended quickly, crushing my last hope.
God, I regretted everything.
If only I’d never fallen for Maverick.
When he took me in at fourteen, he was actually good to me–practically spoiled me retten.
But ever since I confessed on my twentieth birthday, he refused to see me and married me off to Derek
Derek was a lunatic. Happy? He’d beat me. Upset? He’d beat me.
At first I reached out to Maverick, even called the cops
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Chapter 1
But Derek was slick as hell. The police bought his sob story and decided I’d hurt myself to frame him.
Then when I had Bella, Derek started threatening her life.
That’s when I stopped calling the cops or begging Maverick for help.
Every beating left me writhing in agony, every inch of my skin screaming.
I was severely depressed, living only for Bella’s smile, teetering on the edge of a cliff every single day.
Wanting to jump, but too scared to jump.
Finally, drunk Derek stabbed me in the heart with a broken bottle. I was dying.
But what about my baby girl?
T
She was only three years old, so tiny and helpless.
“Mommy…” That was my Bella calling for me!
Using the last of my strength, I crawled over to her.
Her tiny body was curled up in the corner, her cheeks flushed with fever.
“Bella!”
I reached out to hold her, but my hand actually passed right through hers.
In the basement’s dim light, I cast no shadow.
So I was already dead.
4
“What am I gonna do, baby girl? How can Mommy save you now?”
I wanted to cry, but ghosts don’t have tears.
Listening to Bella call for Mommy in her feverish sleep, I felt my soul shattering.
That’s when I heard a car engine outside.
I shot out of the basement. No matter what, I had to save my baby.
My spirit passed through the heavy basement door as I rushed to the front entrance of the villa.
A Mercedes was parked outside, someone getting out.
“HELP! Please, somebody HELP US!”
I tried to rush through the door but locked eyes with the driver.
It was Maverick Rhodes.
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