I froze.

My stomach was already twisting with hunger.

I was rarely this desperate; even my voice came out pleading.

"Jordan, can we let it go this time?"

"No."

"Jordan…"

I stared at him, dazed.

The payment app on his phone stayed pointed squarely at me.

"We agreed. My money is my money."

"I…"

"By the way."

Jordan scrolled through his statements.

"After you passed out at the station, there was another twenty-five hundred in medical fees.

"The officer covered it for you. I paid her back.

"When are you planning to pay me back?"

My hand clenched tight around the hem of my shirt.

The other rested awkwardly on my belly.

"I don't have any money."

My voice was so small I could barely hear it myself.

"If you don't have money."

Jordan sighed.

"Then you don't get to eat this meal."

"Jordan, I…"

"Charity Chavez, take it away."

"Wait!"

My hand shot to Charity's arm.

I turned back to him, eyes red.

"Can I put it on a tab?"

Jordan didn't answer.

My voice cracked.

"I'm begging you…"

Charity's hand stopped where it was.

She looked at Jordan, uncertain.

"Fine."

"Thank you."

The next second.

The calculator on Jordan's phone was in front of my face.

"Going by the current bank lending rate, I'll set you an annual rate of three percent, a monthly rate of zero point two five percent.

"Your nutrition fees and hospital fees come to six thousand dollars.

"If you clear it within three months, in the end you'll owe me

"six thousand and forty-five dollars."

"Jordan…"

My voice wouldn't stop shaking.

"Do you really have to work this out down to the last cent with me?"

Jordan's eyes narrowed.

"Not down to the last cent enough."

My fist trembled.

I forced the words out.

"I can't come up with that much…"

"Then leave it on account. Compounding interest."

An IOU was set on the table.

"Pay it in three months, it's six thousand and forty-five.

"Pay it in half a year, it's six thousand and ninety.

"In a year, it's six thousand one hundred and eighty.

"Whenever you pay, that's when the price is set. Work it out for yourself.

"If you agree, sign, and eat."

Looking at that IOU.

My head swam in waves.

My stomach was already cramping from hunger.

With a shaking hand I picked up the pen.

The moment I signed my name.

Jordan set a bowl of porridge in front of me.

"That'll do."

The porridge smelled good.

Steaming hot.

It was the best bowl of porridge I've had in my life.

But I cried while I ate it.

When the meal was over.

I was the one who washed the dishes.

I knocked on the door of Jordan's study.

"The dishes are all washed. Count it as five dollars in wages for me."

He didn't look up.

"Mm."

"If there's nothing else you need me for, I'll go rest."

"Fine."

I braced my lower back and turned to go.

"Ada Fox."

I turned my head.

Another agreement lay on the table.

"The allocation of usage rights for each area of the house. Prudence drew up the agreement."

I picked it up, disbelieving.

Reading the terms out loud, one by one.

"First floor, second floor, third floor, all the private property of Party A, Jordan Simmons.

"Any usage fees incurred by Party B, Ada Fox, during use: thirty dollars per hour.

"Aside from household chores, every other activity incurs a usage fee. Including passing through."

"If you have no questions, sign."

Jordan held the pen out to me.

I put the agreement down.

"Jordan, are you saying I have to pay you rent even to sleep?"

"You don't have to sleep in my areas."

I froze.

He pointed at the supplementary clause.

"The fourth-floor attic is a shared marital area for Party A and Party B. Party B, Ada Fox, may use it free of any usage fee."

"The attic…"

My voice shook.

"There's only four square meters up there, and it's stacked with junk…"

Jordan didn't look up.

"Then you can keep signing IOUs."

I said nothing more.

I lowered my head.

And signed at the bottom.

The moment the last stroke was done.

My tears landed on it too.

"It's signed."

He took it.

The pad of his thumb brushed that little smear of tears.

He didn't care.

That night.

I curled up in the last two square meters of the attic and slept.

The next morning.

But I found the attic door had been swapped out for a steel security door.

I gripped the iron bars with both hands and shook them hard.

"What is this? Let me out!"

"Madam, do you wish to use the common areas?"

The butler stepped forward, smiling.

"My stomach hurts. I want to go to the hospital."

"Of course. Down these stairs, at your walking pace, it's about five minutes to the front gate.

"The usage fee comes to two dollars fifty. How will you pay?"

"I…"

I stood there as if nailed to the floor.

"Madam, this is on Mr. Simmons's instructions. To honor the agreement, you must follow the terms exactly.

"Only once the usage fee is paid may you leave the room."

My belly cramped in waves.

I pressed my hands to it.

Tears welled in my eyes.

"I… I really don't have any money right now. It all went to paying Jordan back.

"Please, just let me out first. Once I earn some money, I swear I'll pay it back…"

The butler shook his head.

"The agreement states no debt on credit."

"But…"

"What's all this noise about?"

The click of high heels.

Prudence had a new pair of emerald drop earrings.

The latest release.

Debut price of three million.

They caught the light and glinted as she moved.

I clung to the iron bars, my hair a mess.

The glinting stung my eyes.

The butler forced a smile. "Madam isn't feeling well. She wants to go out."

At the word "Madam,"

Prudence's mouth curled into a sneer.

She glanced at my belly. "The doctor already said she's still a month out from her due date.

"You've all been with Mr. Simmons for years. Can't you see through a cheap little act like this?"

"But…"

"None of you deal with her. Except for the housework assigned to her in the common areas, if she wants out of that attic at any other time, she pays the usage fee. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Ms. Butler."

"Prudence!"

The pain in my stomach left my voice raw.

I knew.

If I didn't seize this chance.

I might really never get out.

I stretched my arm through the gap in the security door.

My hand caught her earring and yanked.

Prudence shrieked.

The shriek turned into a cry of pain.

"Let me… out…"

"Ms. Butler! Quick! Someone help Ms. Butler!"

The servants didn't dare pull hard at the two of us.

Terrified I'd rip the earring clean out of Prudence's ear.

With no other choice.

The butler opened the door.

I threw myself out, past caring.

Stumbling, lurching forward.

Slap!

A slap landed on my face out of nowhere.

I dropped to the floor.

Jordan stood over me, and behind him Prudence trembled, clutching her ear.

Just moments ago.

Everything here had reached Jordan through the intercom.

"Drag her back for me!"

"Jordan! My stomach really hurts! I have to go to the hospital!"

"What, are you telling me you're going into labor?"

Jordan narrowed his eyes.

"Jordan, I…"

Both my arms were hoisted up.

The security door closed in front of me again.

I sank to the floor, both hands gripping the iron bars.

"Jordan, it really hurts…"

"Fine."

He crouched down on one knee and held out his open palm to me.

"Usage fee, two fifty. How will you pay?"

"Jordan!"

I sobbed until I shook. "You know every cent I had went to paying you back!"

"So?"

"So…"

I choked on the words. "I don't even have two dollars fifty…"

"Then there's nothing to discuss."

"Jordan…"

My hand reached through the gap in the security door.

Jordan slid his arm around Prudence's waist.

My hand couldn't reach.

I could only stretch it out in hopeless desperation through the contractions.

"Jordan! Come back! Something's going to happen to the baby!"

"Jor…

"Jordan…"

My hand dropped.

Something warm spread beneath me.

The pain wasn't as sharp anymore.

My mind.

Slowly went dark too.

A day later.

The backlog of housework was assigned up to the attic.

The butler looked troubled. "Madam… has been in the hospital a full day."

"Isn't she still a month from her due date? Where would she get the money to check in early?"

"No… Mr. Simmons. The baby's gone."

Jordan froze.

"It was a miscarriage. Damaged heart function plus physical exhaustion."

Only then did Jordan notice.

A small dark-brown stain on the attic floor.

Seeped into the seams of the boards.

Impossible to scrub out.

His breath caught.

Slow footsteps came from the stairwell.

I was back.

"Ada."

He strode toward me.

I raised my eyes slowly.

I pulled an envelope out of the huge canvas bag.

"Ten thousand. For you."

"Ada?"

"The divorce agreement. That's for you too."