Chapter 3

I slumped to the floor, the world spinning around me, everything swelling and shrinking in sickening waves, tears falling before I could stop them.

That day had been our fourth anniversary, mine and Harrison's.

It had also been the day I was five months pregnant, the day the baby's heartbeat stopped and I was forced into an abortion.

I remember how lost I was, calling Harrison over and over, and getting nothing back.

I called Edwina. Her coworker told me she'd been in a rear-end collision on the highway and was unconscious.

When I opened my eyes again, he was sitting by the hospital bed, holding my hand, his eyes red and swollen.

"Fee, I'm sorry. I got back too late."

"There was unrest where I was on the trip. Our partner company moved us to a safe place. I caught the fastest flight I could, but I still couldn't—"

His voice broke midway, and his tears struck the back of my hand.

"We'll have another baby. We will."

I threw myself into his arms and sobbed, cursing him under my breath.

"You bastard. Why did it take you so long to come back!"

But deep down all I could think was, thank God he's safe.

What a joke it turned out to be. The two people I loved most, in the very moment I needed them, were busy doing everything they could to betray me.

And I stayed foolishly wrapped up in a fake love and a fake friendship, never knowing a thing.

I took a wrench from the tool room, smashed open the locked drawer, twisted off the bottle cap, and poured the pills into my mouth.

Just as I was about to swallow, my phone rang.

My first thought was Harrison. I meant to confront him before I died.

But the second the call connected, I came fully back to myself.

"Hello, is this Fiona?"

"How long ago did I buy this dump of a house off you? Why the hell haven't you moved out yet?"

"Keep it up and I'll smash the whole place to the ground!"

The word "house" hit me. I spat the pills out and rushed for the old family house.

Dad had handed it to me before he died. He said it was the best thing he could ever leave me in this life.

The moment I reached the door, I saw a fat man kicking at it.

I threw myself at him like I'd lost my mind, and one kick sent me sprawling.

A bone-deep pain shot through my back. I pushed myself up slowly, my voice raw.

"What do you think you're doing? This is my house. Who gave you permission to touch it?!"

"Touch it again and I'm calling the police!"

The fat man let out a cold laugh.

"Call the police? On what grounds?"

"On the grounds that I'm the owner of this house! Fiona!"

I planted myself in the doorway and refused to move an inch.

Another man, the thin one, smacked the fat man on the head.

"You idiot, quit wasting words on her!"

Then he pulled out a document and handed it to me.

"Calling the police really won't do you any good."

"This house was transferred to Ms. Edwina Pruitt half a year ago. It's her personal property now."

"If you keep squatting here and won't move out, we're the ones who should be calling the police."

I snatched the document and looked at the signature on the transferor's line, and a shudder ran through me.

My own name, written in my own hand, sat right there at the top.

I forced down the fear in my chest, took out my phone, and called Harrison. No one answered.

A car pulled up at the door. Harrison helped Edwina out of it, both of them moving carefully.

I rushed over and flung the document in his face, my chest heaving.

"Harrison, didn't you say no one lived in this house, that it was only for renting out?"

"Then what is this?!"

Harrison glanced at the document, his voice calm.

"Eddie hasn't been sleeping well since she got pregnant. This is the only place she can sleep soundly."

"You frightened her today. Consider this house an apology gift."

"It's sitting empty anyway. Doesn't matter who lives here."

Edwina bit her pale lip and tugged at Harrison.

"Forget it, Harrison. I've already done so many things to wrong Fee. I can't take this house."

Harrison gave her hand a squeeze. When his eyes turned to me, there was no warmth in them at all.

"Fiona, it's just a house. Don't be so eager to fight over things."

Pain throbbed through my head in waves. I clenched my palms and forced the words out.

"Just a house? I'm fighting over it?"

"This is my home. My parents built it brick by brick!"

"If you want to take her inside today, you'll have to do it over my dead body!"

Harrison's brows drew tight, his eyes cold to the bottom.

"Fiona, don't forget, your mother's still at the care facility."

"On the little you make from part-time work, do you really think you can afford it?"

My heart lurched, and my hands at my sides shook without stopping.

A few minutes later, I stepped aside.

I watched their figures disappear through the door, watched it close tight.

I couldn't hold it in any longer. I broke down and wailed.