"I was going to sell a kidney on the black market if I couldn't come up with the money."
She wept, tears rolling down her cheeks like rain on pear blossoms.
Her acting was terrible.
But Giles bought every word.
He pulled her into his arms, his voice aching with tenderness.
"Lissa, why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"I didn't want you to worry..."
She leaned against his shoulder, crying even harder.
Giles looked at me and spoke slowly.
"Fine. One million."
A cold smile tugged at the corner of my mouth.
He was just like all my exes before him, trying to squeeze money out of me.
I kept my expression neutral.
"Deal."
I took out a pen and paper and wrote an IOU.
Ivy Gilbert hereby owes Giles Weiss one million dollars, to be repaid within one month.
Lissa took the IOU, glanced at it, and tucked it away carefully.
She smiled at me. There was a hint of triumph in that smile.
I smiled back.
Four more days.
After four days, we'd see who had the last laugh.
On the final day, I'd already packed my bags.
Two hours left until the one-year pact expired.
Over those four days, I'd listened to Giles and Lissa in the master bedroom every night. I'd watched them cuddle on the couch. I'd endured Giles's constant jabs.
"Number Twelve, go take out the trash."
"Number Twelve, get out of the bathroom. Lissa needs to shower."
"Number Twelve, the food you made is too salty. Lissa can't eat this."
Number Twelve.
He didn't call me by my name. He called me "Number Twelve."
I endured it.
That morning, Giles got a phone call.
"Really? That's amazing!"
He was shaking with excitement.
"Gilbert Group wants to produce my album! And they're getting a famous songwriter to write the songs!"
Lissa was just as thrilled.
"Giles, you're going to be a star!"
I sat in the spare bedroom listening, a small smile curving my lips.
A Gilbert Group album?
A famous songwriter?
I'd arranged that a month ago.
Back then, I still thought Giles was someone worth investing in. I wanted to give him a hand up.
Looking back now, the irony was rich.
Giles's voice drifted in from outside the door.
"The second it hits midnight, I'm going public with our relationship."
I shook my head in my room.
Did he seriously not read his contract?
There was a clause in that signing agreement.
During the contract period, the artist shall not publicly disclose personal relationship status without authorization. Any violation will be treated as breach of contract...