Chapter 1: Seven Days Until Freedom

Five years after marrying Derek Harrison, the system’s voice echoed in my head: You can finally go home. My heart thudded—freedom tasted close enough to touch.

With only seven days left before I could leave, I stopped caring where Derek went or what he did. He handed most of his paycheck to the leading lady and even gambled his future for her. Yet now, my indifference seemed to rattle him more than any fight ever did.

Later, while I was out shopping, the familiar beep of the register and the chill from the dairy aisle pressed in. A cashier I knew from the neighborhood gave me a curious look. “Picking up something for your mom?” she asked.

“Yeah, I’m heading home,” I replied casually. My voice sounded lighter than I felt, but I forced a smile anyway. My fingers drummed on the counter, a quiet rhythm that steadied me while the hum of the store’s old refrigerators filled the silence.

Derek, who was beside me, suddenly looked up in surprise. He blinked, shifting his weight from foot to foot, as if seeing me for the first time, his brows knitting together.