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?”

“If the staff hadn’t mentioned you missed a meeting, I wouldn’t have even realized you were locked in the walk-in freezer.”

Zoey took a long time to process everything.

When she finally spoke, her face was blank. “Do you know who did it?”

Adrian hesitated, then gave a small nod.

Without another word, Zoey picked up her phone and started dialing 911.

Adrian panicked. He rushed over and hit the end call button, then pulled her into his arms.

His voice trembled with guilt.

“Zoey, please—don’t call the police. If you do, Claire’s future will be ruined.

“I’m the one who let her down. Don’t blame her. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me. I didn’t give her enough attention.

“If I’d just bought her a pair of earrings too, none of this would’ve happened.”

Zoey stared at him in disbelief. Her lips had gone pale.

“You really think this is about earrings?”

Adrian didn’t say a word. And that silence told her everything.

She had truly underestimated just how far Adrian’s blind devotion to Claire went.

Looking at the tubes in her arms, the bruises on her hands, Zoey let out a quiet, bitter laugh.

“Four left.”

Maybe he really did feel guilty, because for the next two days, Adrian stayed by her side, taking care of her like never before.

He even moved his work setup to the hospital.

He was so attentive he made sure her water was the perfect temperature before handing it to her.

Just before Zoey was about to be discharged, a doctor suddenly rushed into the room and called out to Adrian.

“Mr. Spencer? Are you related to Claire Spencer?”

Adrian looked confused but nodded. “Yeah.”

“She was just brought into the ER with self-inflicted injuries. She tried to slit her wrists. We just managed to stabilize her.”

The color drained from Adrian’s face. He didn’t say a word—just bolted out the door.

After that, Zoey never saw him again.

Not a single visit. Not even a text.

She told herself Claire must be in serious condition. That Adrian was too busy caring for her to even send a message.

When the day of her discharge finally came, Adrian still didn’t show.

She checked herself out alone, signing all the paperwork at the front desk.

But just as she was walking across the hospital lawn, she saw him.

Adrian was pushing Claire in a wheelchair, laughing—genuinely, from the heart. The sun shone down on them like something out of a picture book. They looked happy. Perfect.

A soft breeze swept past, blowing Adrian’s tie across Claire’s face. Her eyes narrowed slightly, filled with longing.

Zoey thought she was over it. But watching them like that still made her chest ache.

Claire spotted her first.

She whispered something to Adrian, and he nodded. Then he walked off toward the payment counter, leaving her alone.

Claire wheeled herself slowly toward Zoey, one push at a time.

She smiled, but her voice was venom.

“Such a shame. Even all that, and I still didn’t manage to kill you.”

Zoey said nothing. Claire’s smirk deepened.

“You probably don’t know this, but I hurt myself on purpose. I wanted to see who Adrian would pick. You or me. Turns out, it wasn’t even a contest.”

Zoey wasn’t surprised. She’d already guessed.

But what stung was knowing Adrian never once questioned it.

Even when the truth was obvious, he’d find a way to excuse her. Every time.

Zoey’s gaze dimmed, but her voice was strangely calm.

“You didn’t need to go that far. Adrian’s always chosen you.”

Claire’s tone turned icy.

“Don’t think I believe a word you say. Not unless you leave. And if you don’t—this won’t stop.”

Zoey answered quietly, “I will leave.”

Claire didn’t believe her. But Zoey didn’t care anymore.

She walked out of the hospital and flagged down a cab.

The breeze outside was light, and the view was beautiful. But Zoey couldn’t enjoy any of it.

She hadn’t expected Adrian to abandon her twice in such a short time.

Now that there were only three chances left on the contract, she felt oddly calm.

Maybe she had always known.

As long as Claire was an option, Adrian would never choose her.

This whole deal—this gamble—was doomed from the start.

And she’d lost.

Completely.