Behind Prison Walls: A Second Chance at Love Chapter 1

Six years ago, I went to prison for Ethan's accidental assault.

Six years later, I stood at the prison gates and watched Ethan ride past in a wedding car.

And his bride was the very person who had landed me in jail all those years ago.

The officer escorting me out handed over my belongings and asked casually:

"You got out two years early for good behavior. Didn't you call your family to pick you up?"

I looked away and took the bag, my voice hoarse:

"My mom's health isn't good. She's in the hospital."

"What about your husband?" the officer added.

I paused, then fished out the marriage certificate from the bottom of the bag, revealing the seal that had long since faded.

"This?"

I pulled at the corner of my mouth in something like a smile.

"It's fake. Three bucks for a rubber stamp."

* * *

This was the certificate she and Ethan had obtained before her imprisonment.

Back then, his eyes had been calm as he promised that no matter how long it took, she would be his only wife.

She had always believed what he said, until the stamp gradually faded and peeled away over these six years.

The officer looked embarrassed and turned to watch the luxurious convoy disappear into the distance, changing the subject:

"What a spectacle. I heard it's a merger between the Pierce and Taylor families. The groom is the young master the Pierces found a couple years ago."

"Apparently he spent years struggling in the slums. Who would've thought? One day he's nobody, the next he's a wealthy heir."

Sophia Bridge lowered her eyes gently.

Yes, who would have thought that a guy who had to deliver packages to save up for tuition a few years ago was the Pierce family's lost heir?

And who could have imagined that after returning to his birth family, he would marry Clara Taylor—the woman he once despised most?

In college, Clara had used the Taylor family's influence to pursue him relentlessly.

And because she was his supposed childhood friend, she constantly made trouble for Sophia.

So Ethan had hated Clara with a passion.

Until Clara was publicly rejected by Ethan yet again. Humiliated and furious, she called people to corner him.

When Sophia arrived, she threw herself in front of him without hesitation, blocking the blows and shoving someone away.

But that person fell down the stairs and ended up in a vegetative state.

Afterward, Clara sued her for intentional assault. She was sentenced to eight years in prison.

At first, Ethan came almost every day. Even when he couldn't see her, he would stubbornly stand outside the prison.

Later, Ethan could only make it once every few months. On visiting days, she could only stare out the empty window, though she understood his life was difficult and his work demanding.

Then for two full years, he never appeared again.

And in her day-after-day waiting, she had actually been preparing herself.

Seeing him get married today with her own eyes finally shattered that last sliver of hope.

She picked up her bag, said goodbye to the officer, and headed toward a slum area well-known throughout River City.

The alley was narrow and cramped, but it had been home for her and Ethan for several years.

But when she reached the entrance, she stopped abruptly.

The rows of dingy low houses had vanished, replaced by a massive shopping mall.

She stood there almost dazed, not knowing where to go.

The lady running a food stall by the road saw her and exclaimed:

"Sophia? You're back!"

It was Mrs. Wilson, who used to live next door.

Sophia's throat felt tight as she pointed at the mall:

"When... when was this demolished?"

Mrs. Wilson sighed and looked up at the mall's sign, her tone complicated:

"Two years ago. Right around when that Pierce heir returned to his family."

Sophia's heart skipped a beat.

"If you ask me, your mom shouldn't have been so soft-hearted and taken him in back then. Such a beautiful child—you could tell he wasn't from an ordinary family."

"Look, once he grew up and went back to his wealthy parents, he thought living here was embarrassing. He bought up everything and had it demolished, said he wanted to give his fiancée a new mall."

"This place was run-down, sure, but a lot of people could only afford to live here. Even with compensation, it wasn't enough to survive on. So plenty of folks didn't want to leave. In the end, a construction crew came and forced everyone out. Those who refused were driven away anyway."

It was summer, but Sophia felt cold all over. Instinctively, she didn't want to believe Ethan could do such a thing.

But Mrs. Wilson's words were crystal clear, leaving no room for disbelief.

Mrs. Wilson packed up her stall, shook her head, and said wearily:

"I don't know where you've been these years, but take my advice—even though you two grew up together, he's a Pierce heir now. Not someone people like us can reach anymore."

With that, she pushed her cart away, leaving Sophia standing alone.

Sophia didn't know how long she stood under the blazing sun until someone shoved a flyer into her hand, snapping her back to awareness.

The glossy paper showed a photo of Ethan and Clara together.

The man wore a tailored suit, his features refined and distant—nothing like the green boy in her memories.

Below was a line of gold text:

"Celebrating the Pierce-Taylor union. Our hotels offer three days of complimentary stays and meals."

Sophia clutched the flyer tightly.

She knew she and Ethan now lived in two different worlds.

She had no intention of disturbing his bright future, but she was worried about her mother.

Before going to prison, she had entrusted her chronically ill mother, who had been hospitalized for years, to Ethan's care.

Following the address, she found the hotel. One glance told her it was luxurious beyond measure.

And all she had was a six-year-old outfit, washed until it was nearly white, standing out awkwardly.

She also saw Ethan coming downstairs.

Money really did transform people. His perfectly tailored suit accentuated his broad shoulders and long legs, his bearing aloof and distant.

When he saw her, Ethan paused briefly, as if encountering an insignificant old acquaintance.

He stepped forward and spoke unhurriedly:

"Why didn't you let me know you were getting out early? I could have arranged for someone to pick you up."

Sophia was speechless, momentarily unsure what to say.

Ethan paused, then spoke again.

"What happened back then—I owe you for that."

"I'll compensate you. But I hope you won't disrupt today's wedding."

Sophia took a deep breath. She lifted her head, meeting his gaze directly.

"No need to go to such trouble. I only came to ask which hospital my mother is in now."

As if not expecting this reaction, Ethan paused, but quickly replied:

"She's at a nursing home under the Taylor family. The environment is excellent."

"Assistant Chen will take you there."

With that, he called someone over and turned to leave.

But Assistant Chen approached with an embarrassed expression, stammering:

"Miss Bridge... your mother actually passed away a year ago."

"As for the body, it was donated to the medical school according to her wishes."