Part 3My Toddler Husband Found Me

After that day, I stopped asking him for help. I stopped waiting for him.

I poured everything into my applications. I wanted to prove I wasn't the "distraction" he painted me as. I wanted Stanford for me.

On the day the results came out, I ran to his house, heart hammering. But when I opened the door, the living room was full of our classmates. They were throwing a surprise party for Madison’s eighteenth birthday.

Nathan pulled me into the kitchen, his voice a low hiss.

"Madison’s never had a real birthday party. I thought today was the perfect day to celebrate her win. I didn't invite you because I knew you’d make it weird. You’re sensitive, Hailey. I was doing you a favor."

So, once again, it was my fault. If I felt hurt, I was "sensitive." If I spoke up, I was "difficult."

Madison walked in then, holding a plate of cake, looking every bit the guest of honor. "Oh, Hailey! You're here! Come in, make yourself at home. Don't be a stranger."

The territorial subtext was deafening.

When she left, Nathan looked at me. "By the way, when you fill out your final commitment forms, make sure you put down State."

"State?" I stared at him. "Your dad said your stats were high enough for Stanford. You were a lock."

Nathan cleared his throat, avoiding my gaze. "Madison... her scores weren't what she hoped for. She’s only getting a full ride at State. I can't let her go there alone. She needs someone to look out for her."

It felt like a thousand needles piercing my chest. The "standard" he had set for me—the Ivy League requirement—had never existed for her. He would move mountains for her mediocrity while I had to be perfect just to be noticed.

"And if I don't?" I whispered.

Nathan’s jaw set. "Then the deal is off. I’ll never be with you. The girl by my side will be Madison. She actually appreciates what I do for her."

He walked away, confident he had won. He thought he had me in a cage of my own making.

I stood there for a long time, and then, I started to laugh. The tears came, but they weren't for him. They were for the girl who had almost let him ruin her life.

He knew exactly how Madison felt about him. He had been playing us both, keeping me as the backup plan while he chased the "damsel in distress."

He didn't realize that I had finally learned the difference between a man and a shadow.

When I submitted my commitment, I didn't hesitate. I chose Stanford.