Chapter 1

In just one month, my brand-new car had been involved in nineteen accidents.

My fiancé was the one driving it every single time, but whenever something went wrong, I was the one left to clean up the mess.

Over the course of thirty days, I became a regular at the local precinct and the courthouse. Even the rookie officer at the front desk started looking at me with pity.

This time, the police called just as I was about to board a flight to close a massive contract.

"Hello, ma'am. This is the police department. A vehicle registered under your name was just involved in a severe hit-and-run. A victim is critically injured, and the driver abandoned the car and fled the scene."

If I missed this signing, my promotion and years of hard work would go right down the drain.

Just as I opened my mouth to respond, a text from my fiancé, Vincent, popped up on my phone.

"Where are you? Mia took your car and hit someone. It’s registered under your name, so get over here and handle it."

I took a breath and spoke calmly to the officer on the line.

"I don't have the car. I can give you the driver's identity, the bars he frequents, and where he's hanging out tonight. Please contact the actual person behind the wheel instead of dumping the blame on the owner by default."

I sent Vincent one final text before blocking his number.

"Stop expecting me to ruin my future just to wipe your little girlfriend's ass."

What Vincent didn't know was that this time, they had hit the sister of a notorious mob boss.

I didn't return until late at night, three days after the deal was signed.

As I rolled my suitcase up to my front door, I noticed a sliver of light spilling out from underneath. Voices echoed from inside.

The second my hand touched the doorknob, the door was pulled open from the inside. Vincent stood there, completely expressionless.

"You blocked me?"

The living room lights were blazing. Mia was curled up on my couch, wearing my silk nightgown.

Vincent's mother, Helen, sat beside her. A pile of expensive fruit I had just bought was half-eaten, the peels tossed carelessly onto my hardwood floor.

"This is my place, Vincent. You're trespassing. Get the hell out," I said coldly, dragging my suitcase inside.

Vincent grabbed my wrist, squeezing hard enough to make me wince.

"We're just borrowing your place for a bit. Drop the attitude. There's something you need to do tonight."

I looked up at him, letting out a sharp scoff. "Do what? You break into my apartment and expect my cooperation?"

He shoved me toward the coffee table and pointed at a stack of papers. "Didn't I text you before you blocked me? Stop playing dumb. Besides, what's yours is mine. Do you really have to be this petty?"

Before I could find my footing, Helen chimed in. "Look who finally decided to show up. If you have any conscience at all, do what needs to be done. Don't make things hard for Vincent."

Mia immediately followed, her voice soft and trembling with tears. "Summer... I swear I didn't mean to... I just panicked. My legs are still shaking. Please, I'm begging you, help me."

She leaned toward me, but Vincent placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "Do you see this? She's terrified, and you're still standing there with a stone-cold face?"

Ignoring them, I looked down at the stack of papers. Vincent shoved them directly in front of me.

"Hurry up. Stop wasting time."

I flipped open the first page. The very first line sent a chill straight down my spine. They had already forged my signature on the accident report, explicitly stating that I took full responsibility.

When my eyes caught a particular name, it all clicked. No wonder they were panicking like this.

They had hit the only sister of a ruthless cartel boss.

I shut the folder. "Who forged this? I had no idea, and I didn't sign it. Forging legal documents is a crime."

Vincent’s eyes flickered for a fraction of a second before turning utterly impatient. "Does it really matter right now? Just press your thumbprint so we can settle this."

I let out a bitter laugh. "Vincent, I'm not pressing anything. Whoever drove that car takes the heat. The accident report should state the truth: a pathetic man couldn't keep his hands to himself, handed my keys to his side chick, and caused a disaster."

Helen’s voice spiked into a screech. She snatched my custom ceramic mug from the table and hurled it straight at my face.

"Summer, you little bitch, who do you think you're talking to? The car is in your name! If you don't take the fall, who will? You think a girl like you still gets to marry into my family?"

The mug slammed hard against my cheek, sending a burst of stinging pain through my face before shattering on the floor. My heart hardened.

I bent down, pretending to pick up the broken shards, but Vincent stepped firmly on the back of my hand.

"You dare try to fight back? Press your thumbprint right now. After that, I'll take you to the station, you pay a fine, and this whole thing is over."

"Over?" I gasped through the pain, glaring up at him. "Over what? I bought that car a month ago, and it's already had nineteen accidents! I had to clean up every single one. You think you can just say it's over and make it disappear?"

Vincent’s expression darkened. His fingers clamped around my wrist like a vice, tightening until bone ground against bone.

"Now isn't the time to bring up old shit."

I tried to yank my arm away, but he used his weight to drag me toward the table.

Realizing I couldn't break free, I slipped my other hand into my coat pocket, unlocked my phone by touch, and started a voice recording.

A faint chime sounded, freezing the room for a split second.

The next moment, Vincent lunged, wrenching the phone right out of my grip.

He tossed it to Helen, who shoved it straight into her pocket without a second glance.

"Trying to record us? You think you're some big shot just because you stepped through the door? Stop embarrassing yourself."

Vincent blocked my path. Just as I moved to step around him, Helen's phone rang.

She answered and immediately put it on speaker.

"Yeah, she's back. Giving us an attitude. Talk some sense into your daughter."

My mother's voice came through loud and clear.

"Summer, just listen to them. A woman is supposed to make sacrifices for her man. Stop making a scene. You've already handled it so many times, what's one more?"

A lump formed in my throat, choking me. Then my father's voice cut in.

"Don't make this ugly. Be obedient."

My heart went completely cold. To my parents, that was all I was worth.

Vincent smiled, looking thoroughly pleased with himself. His grip tightened, forcing my hand down.

I struggled, my fingernail leaving a jagged scratch across the paper.

Helen marched over, planting her heavy hands onto my shoulders and pinning me in place. The pressure made it hard to breathe.

"Even your parents said so! What else do you want? Trying to be a rebellious, ungrateful daughter?"

Vincent grabbed an ink pad, pried my index finger open, and shoved my pad into the red ink.

Gritting my teeth, I fought with everything I had. "Vincent! Are you seriously doing this?"

Without looking at me, he slammed my thumb hard against the document.

"Smack."

The moment the red print stained the paper, all the fight seemed to drain out of my body.

Vincent let go, wiping his hands in disgust as if he had just touched trash.

Beside us, Mia's soft sniffling stopped. She let out a breath of relief. "Thank you, Summer..."

I instinctively reached for the document, but Helen swept it out of my reach, remarking coldly, "See? Wouldn't it have been easier to just cooperate from the start?"

"Vincent, you forced a signature on a legal document. That's a felony," I said, my gaze secretly darting toward a hidden corner of the room. "Are you really not worried about the consequences?"