Affection Score: Absolute Zero

I sat down. River breeze hit my face while lights across the water broke into trembling gold.

The first bite of cake melted on my tongue, sweet cream mixing with bitter coffee liqueur. I closed my eyes.

So good.

So this was what being alive felt like.

The comments went quiet for a second before slowly scrolling again—

[He's eating like it actually matters...]

[Why do I suddenly feel bad for him?]

[If I only had ten days left, I'd want one good meal too.]

[You really think Heidi's gonna let him off this easy? No way.]

Neither did I.

So when my phone buzzed and Heidi's name lit up the screen, I wasn't surprised.

I answered without saying a word.

"Rowan, where are you? I'm worried about you." Her voice sounded tired.

"Eating."

"Come home." Her tone softened. "We both need to calm down. I promise I won't bother you tonight. You can sleep in the guest room. We'll talk tomorrow, okay?"

That tone.

For six years, every time I got upset, she used it.

Gentle. Patient. Pulling me right back into the cage.

And then everything went back to normal.

"Heidi." I stared out at the river. "Remember my senior showcase at film school?"

She went quiet for a beat. "Why are you bringing that up now?"

"I played this guy locked in a house. At the end, he burned the whole place down with himself inside." I scraped at the cake. "You said it was too extreme. Said nobody in real life would be that stupid. Now I get it. He wasn't stupid. Fire was the only thing he had left."

Her breathing turned heavier. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying"—I finished the last bite of cake—"for the next ten days, I'm living for myself. Don't look for me. Don't bother me. Don't use my family against me. After ten days, if I'm still alive..."

I smiled.

"Then we can keep playing your game."

***

I checked into the most expensive hotel in the city—the presidential suite.

Paid with the backup card Heidi gave me.

The comments kept rolling—

[The presidential suite??? Dude's living it up.]

[Using Heidi's money for this is actually insane.]

[He's got less than ten days left. Let him spend it.]

I tossed my suitcase by the door and slid into a rose-petal bath.

The countdown pulsed in my head—

[8 days 14 hours 32 minutes]

Eight and a half days left.

My phone stayed dead silent.

Heidi never called back.

That wasn't like her.

Late that night, I lay across the massive bed.

The comments had slowed—

[He's actually sleeping? Dude's fearless.]

[What's Heidi doing right now? Looks like she's tracking his phone.]

[Honestly, being watched like this sounds suffocating.]

Right when I was about to fall asleep, violent pounding slammed against the door.

I jerked upright.

The comments exploded—

[WHAT WAS THAT?!]

[Someone's breaking in!]

[Is that Heidi?]

[I'm actually stressed.]

Before I could react, the door got kicked open.

Heidi stood there, eyes bloodshot, rage burning through them.

"Rowan Rayner." Her voice came out rough as she walked in.

I grabbed the collar of my robe on instinct.

She stopped right in front of me, her shadow swallowing me whole. "Where's Andy?"

I froze. "What?"

"Cut the act." She yanked my wrist, grip painfully tight. "Where did you take Andy? Talk!"