Chapter 5

I arranged to meet Agent Alex and Mr. Lewis at Central Cafe. Getting out took effort.

"Mary Carter blocked the living room and mocked me for going out.

""Carrying a baby and always darting out the house? Anyone would think you’re not pregnant with a child, but a ticking time bomb."" Her words were perpetually sharp and unkind."

I slipped my shoes on without glancing at her. "I have a prenatal checkup scheduled with the doctor." I gave her an unarguable reason in a calm tone.

Sure enough, her expression flickered. No matter how much she disliked me, she cared deeply about the grandson in my belly.

"A checkup? Why didn't you say anything?" she asked. I lied without missing a beat. "The hospital called. One of my test results was off, so they want a follow-up." David came out at once. "Should I go with you?"

I refused right away. "No need. I can go by myself. You stay here and keep Mom and your brother company." My tone was flat, but the distance in it left no room for argument.

David still wanted to say more, but Mary impatiently waved him off. "Fine. Let her go alone. What good would you do going with her? It's not like you can give birth for her. Leave early, come back early, and don't wander around."

I ignored them, walked straight out, took a deep breath of the fresher air, and headed to the cafe.

Agent Alex and Mr. Lewis were already there. Mr. Lewis was a mild-looking man in his forties who wanted a place in my school district for his son.

We skipped the small talk and got straight to business as Alex slid the contract over to me."Ms. Summer, please go over the contract. All clauses follow what we agreed on yesterday."

"""The full purchase price is 2.1 million dollars. The funds will be deposited into the escrow account within three days, and we’ll proceed with the property transfer immediately afterward.""

""Mr. Lewis is making this offer in good faith."""

Mr. Lewis nodded. "I like the layout and decor. As long as the title is clear and there are no disputes, I'm fine with the price and payment terms."

I took out the folder I'd brought: the deed, my ID, and proof-of-residence documents. "The house is in my name alone. It's premarital property, with no dispute."

After Alex and Mr. Lewis's lawyer checked everything, we started signing. I wrote "Sarah Summers" slowly and firmly.

Every stroke felt like saying goodbye - to the me who swallowed every grievance, to that suffocating house, and to my useless husband.

After I signed, Mr. Lewis immediately transferred a thirty-five-thousand-dollar deposit to my account. "Pleasure doing business, Ms. Summers." "You too." For the first time in ages, I felt steady.

When I left the cafe, the sun was perfect. I didn't go straight back. That place couldn't be called home anymore. It was a mess I still had to deal with. Instead, I found a quiet restaurant, ordered a lunch I liked, and ate slowly.

David sent a message: [How did the checkup go? What did the doctor say?] I stared at the words on the screen, my expression utterly impassive.

I only replied: [I'm fine.] Then I silenced my phone and tossed it into my bag.