Chapter 1
After I came back, I stormed into the bank with my ID and shut down that savings account ending in 6666.
In my previous life, Eric Grant always had some excuse about cash flow and borrowed my card.
I was blinded by love, even setting the PIN to his birthday.
That all blew up when debt collectors kicked my door in, and I saw my name listed as the emergency contact on his loans.
He spent every dollar I earned on his games and overpriced toys.
When I finally confronted Eric, he was cuddling his mistress, trying on a Rolex charged to my own card.
He shoved me during the fight, and my head slammed against the counter.
Then I saw his phone light up with a message.
[Mr. Grant, we're happy to tell you that loans under Ms. Sutton's name have been approved.]
Then I snapped awake, and suddenly it was the day he first borrowed my card. A message popped up.
[Babe, just grabbing some cash from your card. I'll pay you back later.]
Another lie.
Eric, time to settle up.
*****
I paused for several seconds over the ATM screen before hitting confirm.
The moment the card ending in 6666 was swallowed by the machine, I could feel my heart racing, like it might burst right out of my chest.
My phone buzzed in my pocket.
It was Eric.
Seeing his name pop up made me pause for a second.
Memories from my previous life surged up all at once.
He was holding his mistress at the luxury counter, the Rolex on his wrist gleaming under the lights.
All paid for with my card.
I rushed over and grabbed his sleeve. When he turned, his eyes were full of pure impatience.
"Are you done?" he snapped.
He pushed me hard.
I stumbled back, my head hitting the counter.
Honestly, I didn't feel much pain.
Everything just went black.
The last thing I saw was his phone screen lit up.
I would never forget what I saw.
[Mr. Grant, we're happy to tell you that loans under Ms. Sutton's name have been approved.]
Claire Sutton—that was me.
The phone wouldn't stop buzzing in my pocket.
I took a deep breath and declined the call.
As I walked out, I caught my reflection in the window of the bank lobby—pale, with dark shadows under my eyes.
It was the look of someone haunted by nightmares for too long.
However, my eyes were sharp and focused.
Eric, you were going to pay me back for everything you took from me this time. You were not getting away with it again.
As soon as I walked out of the bank, my phone buzzed again.
It was a local landline this time.
I stared at the screen for several seconds before swiping to answer.
"Hello? Is it Ms. Sutton?" came a robotic female voice.
She said, "This is Prime Capital. Mr. Grant applied for a loan under your name, and we need your confirmation."
I ended the call and blocked the number without hesitation.
This very phone call had been the start of my nightmare in my previous life.
Back then, I was such an idiot that I blurted out, "What loan? I don't know anything about that."
And the woman replied, "Mr. Grant gave us your ID photo and bank information. If you don't confirm, it will affect your credit."
I freaked out and called her back, desperate to explain.
And from there, I fell into a pit of debt—paying for him until there was nothing left.
My phone finally fell quiet.
Sunlight warmed my body.
I glanced up, and the sky was so bright that it hurt my eyes.
It was Friday. Three hours remained until the first time Eric asked to borrow my card.
Seven days until he tricked me into being the co-signer of his loans.
Three months before debt collectors started harassing my parents, forcing them to move overnight.
I still had time.
I gripped the bank card cancellation receipt in my pocket so hard that it hurt a bit.
Eric, the game was on.
And this time, I called the shots.