Chapter 1
On New Year's Eve, Steven drove all night from Riverside City to Northbridge City just to spend the holiday with me.
When he pulled me into his arms and said, "Vivian, happy New Year!" my heart raced.
The next second, Steven grabbed my hand and pulled me outside. "Come on! I've got a surprise for you."
Twenty minutes later, Steven drove me out to a villa on the edge of Northbridge City.
The place was pure luxury, glowing against the night like a beacon.
Steven pulled me inside, and I froze. "Steven, what's this?"
"I got you a New Year's present. Do you like it?"
Right after he spoke, the whole villa lit up.
A bunch of guys and girls popped out of the shadows, yelling, "Surprise!"
"Steven, you move fast!"
Amid the cheers, a flirty female voice chimed in.
*****
When I took in the scene, my breath caught in my throat.
The place looked like a war zone.
Leftover food was scattered across the tables, wine bottles were toppled on the coffee table, and red wine had been spilled all over the elegant carpet.
Suddenly, footsteps snapped me out of it.
Leona Morrison walked over, grabbed Steven by the collar, and pulled him down closer.
She stood on her tiptoes, their breaths almost touching.
"Thirty-five minutes and twenty seconds to bring her here. Looks like you won this one."
Steven glanced at me and gently brushed Leona's hand away.
He pulled me over to the couch and sat down. "Alright, like we agreed, each of you has to take a penalty shot."
"And don't forget what you all just bet."
Leona grinned, slipped off her bracelet, and handed it over. "No big deal, I can afford it. Here you go."
Then the others started tossing cash and jewelry onto the table.
They acted all casual, but I could tell everything was pricey.
I glanced at Steven, puzzled, silently asking with my eyes what was happening.
Steven patted my shoulder and introduced me to everyone. "This is my girlfriend, Vivian Becher."
Then he looked at me. "Leona's my colleague. You've met her before."
"And the rest are Leona's friends. It's New Year's Eve, after all. The more the merrier."
I clenched my fists, my palm stinging.
"So... was all of that just part of your game? Am I just a prop to you guys?"
Steven's smile faded, his expression growing somber.
He stayed silent, while Leona just swirled her wine glass.
Her brows knitted, her voice sharp. "Ms. Becher, it's just Truth or Dare.
"Come on, Ms. Becher, don't tell me you're such a buzzkill you can't even handle a simple game like this."
Steven caught the look on her face, and when he turned to me, his voice had turned cold.
He said, "Vivian, it's New Year's Eve. Don't spoil the fun."
I looked at him and suddenly, he felt like a total stranger.
Steven used to be genuine, gentle, and always knew how to treat people right. But ever since Leona came into the picture, he just wasn't the same anymore.
He'd leave me behind to deal with Leona's car accident, or give her a ride home whenever it rained.
So why did Steven do all that?
Leona was the boss's daughter at his company, and he couldn't risk upsetting her.
Was it really just about not offending her, or was he hoping to get ahead at work? Maybe only Steven knew for sure.
I never confronted him about it. I just kept holding onto that last shred of hope, waiting for him right where I was.
But now, I was done waiting.
Just as I was about to stand up and leave, Steven suddenly pressed his hand firmly on my shoulder, keeping me in place.
"Leona, she hasn't really been to parties like this before. Don't get upset. Let's keep the game going."
Leona glanced at me, her lips pulling into a cool, dismissive smile.
"Alright, the more the merrier. Let's spice things up a bit."
She threw a dice cup in front of me. "Roll the dice. Loser drinks, and whoever gets the lowest score has to strip."
"So, Ms. Becher, think you can handle it?"
"I'm not interested in joining your game..."
Before I could finish, Steven forced my hand down onto the dice cup.
He leaned in close, his breath brushing my ear. "Just play along with her."
I wanted to pull away, but I couldn't break free from Steven's grip.
Leona piped up again when she saw what was happening.
She smirked, lips curling. "Oh, didn't Steven mention you've got diabetes, Ms. Becher? Guess that means you can't drink, huh?
"Let's make this interesting. One round, winner takes all.
"If I lose, the villa's yours, just like Steven promised.
"But if you lose, you have to take off that pump you're wearing. How about it?"
Her gaze zeroed in on the insulin pump at my waist.