To help Adrian Spencer get over his feelings for his cousin, his mother made a deal—with Zoey Landon, the girl who had been secretly in love with him for years.

They signed a contract.

It gave Zoey ninety-nine chances.

If even once—just once—Adrian chose her, she’d get what she wanted: to become his wife.

But if he never did, she’d be sent overseas for good. No return. No exceptions.

Zoey knew how hopelessly obsessed Adrian was with Claire Spencer.

Still, she signed without hesitation.

Ninety-nine chances.

She refused to believe he wouldn’t choose her—not even once.

But what she didn’t see coming was…

Once the contract took effect, Adrian Spencer’s mother, Linda Spencer, introduced Zoey Landon to him as his potential fiancée.

Everyone thought he’d push back. But to their surprise, Adrian agreed right away.

There was a look in his eyes Zoey had never seen before—panic. “As long as you leave Claire alone, I’ll do whatever you want,” he said.

And just like that, Zoey and Adrian were together.

Claire Spencer moved in too, staying with them under the title of Adrian’s cousin.

After they got together, Zoey treated Adrian with nothing but care—always attentive, always saying yes.

Slowly, Adrian started to warm up. He wasn’t cold anymore. He even began responding to her on his own.

Zoey thought she was getting close.

That the contract would be fulfilled any day now.

But what she didn't expect... was that in the next ninety-three chances, not once did Adrian choose her over Claire.

On the ninety-third attempt, Claire bought a bottle of acid—and tried to throw it in Zoey's face.

Zoey dodged. But her arm got caught. The acid burned through her skin, leaving it blistered and raw.

And even then, Adrian still took Claire's side. Just like always.

“That’s enough, stop being mad. I already punished her,” he said.

“What punishment?” Zoey asked, still clinging to the tiniest sliver of hope.

“Claire hates the heat. I told her she can’t turn on the air conditioning all day.”

Zoey stared at him in disbelief.

She stepped back and pointed to the open, festering wound on her arm.

“Adrian, do you know what would’ve happened if that acid hit my face?”

Adrian frowned. He paused, then said, “Yeah, I know.”

But he quickly added, "Claire just couldn't stand seeing me with you. She lost control for a moment. Don't blame her. If anyone's to blame, it's me—I should have handled this better."

Zoey let out a bitter laugh.

In that moment, it hit her—she had completely underestimated how far Adrian would go to protect Claire.

Even if she was almost disfigured, even then… Adrian still defended her.

Zoey took a deep breath. She didn’t push it any further. She just gave a sharp, cold laugh.

“Fine. Don’t blame her. Blame me—for ever getting involved in the first place. I’m supposed to be your partner, but I feel more like the other woman.”

As soon as she said that, Adrian realized she was truly upset. He rushed forward and pulled her into his arms.

“Okay, okay… this is my fault. Let me make it up to you. I’ve been working out, and I’ve finally got those abs you like—you want to see?”

As he spoke, he gently placed his hand on her shoulder, his eyes full of a kind of soft desperation, like he was trying to win her over for the first time.

Just as things were beginning to shift between them, an obnoxiously loud ringtone cut through the air.

The name of the song? “The One and Only.”

It was Claire’s custom ringtone.

The moment Adrian heard it, he picked up the call without hesitation.

“Adrian, I’m on the rooftop. I saw you with another woman. I’m going crazy with jealousy.”

“Don’t do anything stupid. I’m coming now.”

Adrian hung up and immediately pulled away from Zoey.

He threw on a jacket in a rush. “Zoey, Claire’s on the roof. I’m worried she might do something. I have to go.”

Zoey frowned. “She pulls this twenty times a month. Has she ever actually jumped?”

But Adrian didn’t respond. He didn’t even hear her. He was already halfway out the door.

All he left behind was, “I’ll finish this conversation when I get back.”

Zoey stood there, staring at the space he left behind, heart sinking.

She didn’t wait for him like he said.

Instead, she opened the memo app on her phone—and noted down one more reason Adrian had left her behind.

When she was done, she looked around at the empty bedroom. A wave of bitterness washed over her.

She silently counted down.

Five more chances.

And then she’d be gone from Adrian’s life for good.

Zoey had a dream about the first time she met Adrian.

Back then, she was mischievous and had snuck out of the villa during an adult gathering.

As the sun set, Zoey was forgotten on the side of the road.

She called out helplessly for the adults, but no one answered.

Staring at the unfamiliar intersection, she could only crouch down and cry.

Just then, a little boy's voice suddenly came from above her.

"Hey, crybaby, stop crying. I'll take you home."

She wiped away her tears and smiled as she reached for Adrian's hand.

But the moment she touched him, Adrian's expression changed. He yanked his hand away and glared at her.

And just like that, every memory of Adrian walking away from her came rushing back.

The first time: Claire pressed a lit cigarette against Zoey's chest, screaming for her to die.

But Adrian only held Claire tighter, saying to Zoey, "Claire didn't mean to hurt you. She's just sick."

The second time: Claire hurt Zoey's pet dog—the one she'd raised since childhood—seriously.

The veins in Claire's neck bulged as she snarled, "If I see Adrian smile at you one more time, next time it won't just be a dog that hurts!"

When Adrian came home, his first words were, "Claire, did the dog bite you?”

The third time: Claire sabotaged Zoey's car engine. Zoey slammed the brakes just in time, but still ended up with a mild concussion.

When Adrian arrived at the hospital, he looked at Claire with lingering fear and whispered, "Thank God it wasn't you who got hurt."

At this point in her memories, Zoey jolted awake from the dream, her back drenched in cold sweat.

When she came downstairs, she saw that devil of a woman flashing her a smug and provocative smile.

But the moment Adrian turned around, Claire’s face changed.

The smugness disappeared, replaced by a sweet, innocent smile.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have thrown acid at you."

Hearing Claire's apology, Zoey wondered if there was something wrong with her ears.

Claire had hurt her so many times—this was the first time she'd ever apologized.

Just as she was processing her shock, she suddenly noticed the kiss marks on Adrian's neck.

She understood everything with dawning realization. So Claire's apology had been bought with this.

He really was willing to go that far.

Adrian's brow relaxed upon hearing the apology.

"Zoey, don't hold grudges against Claire. No matter how much Claire acts like a child, it doesn't change the fact that you're my girlfriend."

Zoey gave a self-mocking smile and murmured under her breath, "Not for much longer."

But at that moment, Claire tugged on Adrian's hand and pouted, “Adrian, you promised that after I apologized, you'd take me racing."

"Of course~ When have I ever broken a promise to you?"

Adrian's eyes were completely focused on Claire—he couldn't hear what Zoey was saying at all.

Only when he and Claire reached the door did he remember that Zoey had been speaking to him.

He turned back. “What did you just say?"

"Nothing."

Relieved, Adrian turned and left with Claire.

After the door closed, Zoey pulled out her phone and searched for flights abroad.

Fortunately, there were seats available on international flights for the next month—no need to compete for tickets.

Zoey remembered her parents' messages urging her to come abroad and reunite with them soon, and a flash of loneliness crossed her eyes.

Perhaps spending the rest of her life overseas wouldn't be such a bad choice after all.

The next morning, Zoey got ready for work like she always did.

Just as she was about to leave, Adrian wrapped his arms tightly around her from behind.

While holding her close, he opened an elegant gift box in his hands—inside was a pair of dazzling earrings, sparkling under the light.

He gently picked them up and carefully fastened them onto Zoey’s ears, his touch light, almost reverent, like she was something rare and fragile.

“I’ve been spending all my time with Claire these past few days,” he murmured. “I know I’ve been neglecting you… please don’t take it to heart.”

Zoey forced a faint smile. “Okay.”

Maybe it was because she was getting ready to leave—for good—that she found herself being unusually generous.

After he put the earrings on her, she said goodbye and headed out the door.

But as she left, she had the strange feeling someone was watching her.

She brushed it off and drove to the office, just like always.

During her usual walk-through of the company’s cold storage area, Zoey was startled to see someone who absolutely shouldn’t have been there—Claire.

Claire stormed toward her, grabbed her arm, and yanked her inside the cold room. Her voice was low, but wild.

“What the hell did you do to Adrian? Huh?! Even I’ve never gotten a gift from him, so why would he give you earrings like those?!”

Zoey stayed calm. “It’s just a pair of earrings. If you want them, I’ll give them to you.”

But Claire wasn’t listening. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she suddenly lunged, clawing at Zoey’s ears.

The earring hooks tore at Zoey’s earlobes, sending a sharp jolt of pain through her. Her ears turned red and swollen in seconds, with streaks of blood seeping out before the earrings were finally ripped off.

Claire clutched them in her fist, her voice shaking with venom.

“Why is it always you? Why do you get to take everything away from me so easily? I was here first! Adrian belongs to me! If I see you trying to seduce him again, I swear, I’ll kill you.”

Zoey opened her mouth to speak, but Claire suddenly kicked her hard, knocking her to the ground.

As Claire stormed off, Zoey’s heart dropped.

She knew exactly what Claire was about to do.

“No!” Zoey screamed after her, panic rising in her throat.

But the door slammed shut.

No matter how hard she pounded on it, no one came.

She yelled for help until her voice went hoarse, but the thick, insulated walls swallowed every sound.

Ten minutes passed. Her fingers felt frozen solid, like ice was growing under her skin.

Twenty minutes passed. Her body started to shut down. She couldn’t speak anymore—her jaw just wouldn’t move.

Her temperature kept dropping. Curling up on the floor, Zoey squeezed her eyes shut.

There was only one key to the walk-in freezer, and Claire had it.

Which meant Zoey’s chances of getting out alive were close to zero.

She truly hadn't expected Claire's obsession to reach such a disturbing level.

All over a pair of earrings—just earrings—and Claire had tried to kill her.

An hour passed. Zoey’s body had gone numb. She couldn’t even lift her arms anymore.

Her vision dimmed.

And then, just as everything was going dark—

She felt a pair of strong arms grab her.

---

The next time Zoey opened her eyes, it was already the following day.

Blinding white walls came into view first. Then the sharp sting of disinfectant hit her nose.

She was… in a hospital?

She wasn’t dead?

Before she could react, someone pulled her into a firm embrace.

“Zoey, you’re awake! Thank God—how are you feeling?”