Chapter 1

1: 1

At the housewarming for our new home, everyone started egging each other on to play the King's Game.

The childhood friend who drew the King card laughed and gave the order:

"Number Five, open the smart door lock and delete the least important fingerprint in it."

Russ Delgado flipped over his number card. It was Five.

He looked down, tapped a few times, and my phone lit up with a notification:

【Your door access has been revoked.】

Over the roar of laughter in the room, he pulled me into his arms as if it were nothing.

"Don't be upset. They're just messing around."

"After the party's over, I'll register you again."

This was the ninth time he'd deleted my fingerprint.

Every time he re-entered it, he'd kiss my forehead and say,

"You can come by whenever you want. There will always be a place for you here."

But the next time I stood outside that door, what greeted me was always the same line:

【This fingerprint has no access.】

I was about to ask him how long this newly registered fingerprint would last, when the childhood friend laughed out loud.

"Russ, you still haven't given your wife permanent access?"

"When Lucy Winfield moved in last month, didn't you just register her straight in as the lady of the house?"

The whole room went silent.

I looked at the door-lock account.

In the row for permanent residents, another woman's name stood out plainly.

Russ was quiet for a moment, then his tone turned almost impatient.

"Lucy just got back to the country. She has nowhere to stay for now."

"You don't even live here much. What difference does permanent access make?"

I didn't say anything else. I just slid the ring off my ring finger and set it in his palm.

Then I turned and called the agent.

"That marital home. Put it up for sale tonight."

……

Russ stared at the diamond ring in his palm, frozen for two seconds, brows drawn tight.

The few friends who'd been drinking in the living room stopped, all their eyes landing on me.

Russ stepped forward and grabbed my wrist.

"Olivia Henson, it's just door-lock access. Do you really have to take off your ring in front of all these people and blow it up like this?"

I looked at him and said nothing.

Lucy, sitting on the sofa, set down her glass.

"Olivia, don't get the wrong idea. I'm only staying temporarily. Russ registered my fingerprint because he didn't want it to be a hassle for me to come and go."

"If it bothers you, I'll move out tomorrow and stay at a hotel."

She started to get up as she spoke.

Russ immediately let go of my hand, turned, and walked over to press her back down by the shoulders.

"A girl like you, staying at a hotel? This is your home."

Then he turned his head, eyes fixed on me, his tone hard.

"Lucy's only staying a few days. Are you only satisfied if you force her out in front of all these people?"

"I registered the fingerprint. If you've got a problem, take it up with me. Don't make things hard for her."

Russ and I had each paid half the price of this house.

And now I didn't even have the right to register my fingerprint on the front door.

I gave him a glance, turned, and walked into the master bedroom.

I pulled open the drawer, took out the purchase contract, and slipped it into my handbag.

Russ heard the movement and came to the bedroom doorway.

Seeing that I was getting ready to leave, his face shifted.

He took two steps forward and reached out to grab my arm.

Lucy's voice came from the living room.

"Russ… my stomach hurts so much. Maybe it's from the iced champagne I just had. A cramp."

Russ stopped and turned, hurrying back toward the living room.

I'd just walked out of the bedroom, right into the hallway, in his way.

Without a second thought, Russ shoved me aside.

The force sent me stumbling back two steps, and the small of my back slammed hard into the corner of the solid-wood cabinet in the hall.

The pain spread instantly.

I leaned against the cabinet and sucked in a sharp breath.

Russ had already crossed to the sofa, steadying Lucy by the arm.

He turned his head and shouted at me,

"What are you still standing there for? Go get a glass of hot water from the kitchen!"

The sharp pain in my lower back dragged a throbbing ache down into my belly, wave after wave.

I clutched my stomach, hurting too much to catch my breath.

Seeing that I didn't move, Russ simply bent down, scooped Lucy up, and strode for the door.

"Forget it, can't count on you! I'll take her to the hospital."

He carried her out.

The security door slammed shut with a bang.

Five seconds later, the smart lock gave a beep as it locked.

The friends could tell something was wrong and left one after another.

The living room was empty.

By the entryway, Lucy's high heels lay kicked off across the floor.

Her coat had been tossed on the sofa, and her half-finished champagne still sat on the coffee table.

Enduring the pain, I took out my phone and called a real estate agent I knew.

"Kieran Finch, this place downtown. I need you to list it for sale right away."

"Yes, urgent sale. Two hundred thousand under market is fine, as long as you find a buyer as fast as possible."

The call ended and the screen went dark.

I pressed a hand to my stomach and gripped my bag tight.

I pushed open the front door and walked out without looking back.