A new game was making the rounds in Victoria’s circle. Pretend You’re Broke for a Month. It was the ultimate loyalty test for the men in their lives. To make it authentic, the challenger’s friends and family were all in on the charade. Even her company would install a “new boss” for the duration. Dressed in a five-dollar t-shirt and a sanitation worker’s cap, Victoria Davenport went to find the man she loved, her confidence unshaken. Instead, Ryan stared at her in disgust and had security throw her out. She stood there for a long time, stunned, before her trembling fingers dialed another number. “Liam? I’m broke. I have nowhere to go.” On the other end of the line, a little girl’s voice chirped with comfort. “Mommy, don’t be scared. You can have my room.” 1 The call from my ex-wife came while I was frosting a cake. My daughter, Thea, who had been playing a game on my phone, answered it without a second thought. I don’t know what was said, but a moment later, the four-year-old’s face lit up. She came tearing toward me, one of her little sneakers flying off in her excitement. “Daddy, it’s great! Mommy’s broke! She can come to my birthday this year!” Broke? The call was still connected. The screen read: Victoria. The last time she’d called was Christmas. She only ever contacted me for holidays. It was always the same request: come to her parents’ house, play the part of the happy, devoted husband, keep the old folks happy. The moment we stepped out of her parents’ estate, she would snatch her hand from mine, her touch turning to ice as she rushed off to appease Ryan. Her back seat would be piled high with gift boxes, the passenger seat a shrine of red roses just for him. I would stand there, clutching the ten-thousand-dollar check—her ‘performance fee’—and feel nothing but the biting wind. No heartbreak, no longing. Just the cold, hard relief of knowing Thea and I had rent for the next six months. Hearing she was broke, my only question was why she wasn’t calling her precious Ryan, the man she’d showered with endless affection. Why was she calling me, the man she couldn’t stand to look at? Victoria’s voice was tentative. “Liam, I don’t have a place to stay. I haven’t eaten all day. Can I… can I come stay with you?” “No,” was on the tip of my tongue. But then Thea tugged on my sleeve. Her eyes, big and dark like purple grapes, were wide with a mixture of hope and pleading. “Daddy, please? Just for one birthday? All the other kids have their mommy and daddy with them.” I looked down at her, and a sharp pang went through my chest. I knew how much she craved a mother’s love. Victoria did love Thea, in her own way. She’d take her to Six Flags, buy her designer dresses, send entire collector’s sets of princess figurines. But one day, Thea had come home with her head hanging low and whispered that she would never “bother Mommy” again. I dropped the spatula, stormed over to their villa, and with the strength I’d built from bussing a thousand tables a day, I slapped Ryan across the face, again and again. I shoved his head in the toilet and flushed, giving his filthy mouth a long-overdue cleaning. Victoria never asked to see Thea after that. But today was Thea’s birthday. All she wanted was to have both her parents with her. I relented. “Thea misses you, Victoria. You can come over for dinner.” On the other end, she let out a breath. It was the sound of someone realizing they hadn’t lost everything after all. “You’re still at The Crestwood, right? I’ll be right there.” I froze. “The what? I’ve never lived there.” My apartment was in Maple Creek, close to Thea’s preschool. The street outside was lined with food stalls. At night, you could hear the muffled bass from the karaoke bar across the road, and the exterminator’s van made its rounds like clockwork. It was a universe away from the luxury condo building Victoria had just named. There was a long silence on her end before she asked for my current address. Even in cheap, worn-out clothes, she still carried an air of unmistakable grace. The moment she stepped through the door, Thea launched herself at her legs. Victoria stroked her hair, a fond smile on her face, but as her eyes scanned our small two-bedroom apartment, the warmth vanished, replaced by an arctic chill. “This is where you have my daughter living?” 2 My hand, holding a teacup, stopped mid-air. The apartment was a nice rental, clean, with a simple, light-wood aesthetic. From the appliances to the cartoon-themed play mat on the floor, Thea had picked everything out herself, and I had paid for it. I might struggle, but I had never, ever given Thea a reason to feel ashamed of where she lived or what she had. And Victoria’s first act upon entering my home was to criticize it. Then again, she and Ryan lived in a 5,000-square-foot villa. Of course this felt cramped to her. I tossed the tea bag I was holding into the trash and pulled my daughter close. “Thea, honey, why don’t you go to your room and see if you can find the birthday present Daddy hid for you?” Her face lit up, and she scampered off. The moment she was gone, my smile disappeared. I fixed Victoria with a glare. “‘This place?’ Weren’t you the one just begging to come to ‘this place’? You don’t even have ‘this place’ to go back to anymore. What right do you have to judge me?” Victoria quickly composed herself, her mask of poise sliding back into place. She was playing the part of the broke girl now, not the CEO. She sat down on the sofa, looking slightly out of place. “You misunderstood. I just meant… why aren’t you living in the house I gave you?” I had no idea what she was talking about. “What house?” When we divorced, I left with a single suitcase and a three-month-old Thea. The only cash I had came from selling the watch my parents had left me. Victoria’s brow furrowed. “Liam, you gave me a child. Even if I didn’t love you, I would never neglect my own flesh and blood. I had my assistant, Quinn, purchase a house for you and set aside a substantial settlement. You didn’t take it?” A house? A settlement? This was the first I was hearing of it. The realization dawned on me. “I never saw a dime. Are you broke and trying to shake me down for money you think you gave me?” Her eyes narrowed, a flicker of genuine regret crossing her face. “Liam, I would sooner beg on the street than try to con you. You are the person in this world I have wronged the most.” Our past played out like a bad soap opera. I was the orphaned son of the man who had saved her father’s life. The Davenports took me in when I was eight. Mr. Davenport doted on me. Mrs. Davenport loved my quiet nature. And Victoria, two years my senior, treated me like a cherished younger brother. She fought off the bullies who picked on me. She took me hiking to see beautiful landscapes, to animal shelters to help me heal. She painstakingly pulled me out of the abyss of grief. And I, in turn, poured my secret adoration into a diary. Liam loves Victoria. Will Victoria ever love Liam? The answer came my senior year of college. Victoria proposed to me. I was ecstatic, believing she loved me too. I foolishly went with her to the courthouse. Nine dollars and we were married. I didn’t know that her father, while giving me 10% of the company’s stock, had made Victoria start at the bottom. She wasn’t marrying me; she was marrying a shortcut to the life and career she wanted. After the wedding, I was lost in a dream. I cooked for her, ironed her suits, picked her up from late-night meetings. But after she gave birth, she had an affair with a cloying, obsequious intern. Ryan, who was half a year older than me. She said Ryan understood her. He was her soulmate, their love was real. What she felt for me, she said, was just familial affection. Her father, sharp as ever, saw right through Ryan’s calculating façade. He swore that creature would never set foot in their house. So Victoria came up with a compromise. She wouldn’t divorce me—I was her shield, there to placate her parents. But she would give Ryan everything a husband deserved, short of a marriage certificate. It was ten days after Thea was born. Me, the man who had always bent to her will, snatched the fruit knife from the counter and, without a moment’s hesitation, plunged it into my own stomach. Marrying Victoria was my mistake. My youthful naivete, my stupid, love-sick blindness. Her cheating, her treating me like a glorified housekeeper—I deserved all of it. But I would die before I let her dishonor my daughter. Blood pooled on the floor. Victoria froze. Panic, terror, and guilt washed over her face. She pressed her hands to my abdomen, her fingers trembling uncontrollably. “Liam, don’t you die.” 3 I was stubborn. If she didn’t agree to a divorce and give me full custody of Thea, I would kill myself. If I was saved, I’d do it again, until I was dead for good. And if I died, I knew her father would make Ryan’s life a living hell. To protect Ryan, Victoria signed the papers. The day I left, she made one last demand. The divorce had to be a secret. On holidays, I had to come back and play the happy husband for her parents. I agreed. On one condition. I would be paid for my performance. Ten thousand dollars a visit. For Victoria, the woman I was willing to die to get away from, to have to turn around and pay me for my time… it was the ultimate humiliation. Her face tightened, her voice dripping with venom. “Don’t you have any feelings for me at all? Is money all you care about? Fine. I won’t give you a single penny. I’ll wait for you to come crawling back, broke and pathetic, begging me for help.” She was true to her word. The “financial compensation” mentioned in the divorce agreement never materialized. I did end up broke and pathetic for a while, but I clawed my way back up on my own. I never begged her for anything. Recalling the past, Victoria pressed her fingers to her temples. “I was just angry. You were a single father with a baby. I would never have actually abandoned you.” “Your angry words were my reality for four years.” My retort silenced her. She looked around the room again. While our things weren’t cheap, it was clearly not the home of a wealthy man. Ryan wore socks that cost hundreds of dollars; the shirt on my back was years old. Victoria picked up her phone and dialed her assistant, Quinn. “Mr.… Ms. Davenport, how can I help you?” It was clear Quinn was still adjusting to the temporary change in leadership. Victoria’s voice was unconsciously commanding. “Four years ago, the house I had you purchase in The Crestwood, and the eight-million-dollar settlement. Did you deliver it personally to my ex-husband?” Eight million dollars? Thea and I could have lived comfortably for the rest of our lives. Quinn hesitated. “Well… you’ll probably have to ask Mr. Ryan about that…” Him again. A surge of pure hatred rose in my chest. Ryan had already taken so much. If he dared to steal from my daughter, I would make him regret it. At seven o’clock, I brought the custom-designed ‘Poppy the Lamb’ cake to the table. Thea squealed with delight. “Wow, Daddy, you’re the best! I love you so much!” Messages flooded the parents’ group chat. “Did your dad make that himself? It looks even better than the custom one I ordered from the bakery! I’m so jealous!” “Thea’s dad is so talented. He can do fox face paint, make handmade purses, carve fruit into flowers, and now this amazing cake…” These past four years, I’d done every odd job imaginable to make ends meet. It had forced me to become a jack-of-all-trades. Thea carefully cut the cake, giving the first piece to me and the second to Victoria. “Mommy, this is the first birthday you’ve ever spent with me. I’m so happy.” Victoria, who had been staring blankly at her phone, snapped back to reality and accepted the plate with exaggerated enthusiasm. I knew what she was thinking about. Today was also Ryan’s birthday. For the past four years, she had celebrated with him. It wasn't a coincidence that my daughter and my rival shared a birthday. When she was nine months pregnant, Ryan, no longer content with sending me taunting texts and photos, decided to escalate things. He would mail me the cheap trinkets that came with the luxury goods Victoria bought for him, little humiliations in a box. Then he showed up at the hospital for a face-to-face confrontation. It was his birthday, and Victoria had just given him a wedding band, promising him the wedding of the century. He had come to personally invite me and my unborn child. In a fit of rage and grief, I had a foolish, tearful fight with Victoria. When she realized her affair was exposed, the shock sent her into premature labor. She hemorrhaged. We almost lost both of them. For the first time, Victoria scolded Ryan. He had looked at her with tear-filled eyes. “I just want to be with you out in the open…” And in the end, she had pulled him into her arms, her heart softening. “Hush. Keeping him around is how I protect you.” On the other side of the wall, I stood in the NICU, looking at my tiny, fragile daughter. All I felt was disgust and utter despair. 4 The pain of that memory was a knife twisting in my gut. Which is why, hearing that Victoria was broke, my only thought was that she deserved it. After the cake, I told her it was time to leave. “I have nowhere to go,” she pleaded, her voice small. I pushed her firmly out the door. “Not my problem. Go find him.” The hallway light flickered on, then off, leaving her in darkness. She stood outside my door for a long time before her body slid to the floor, her head bowed in defeat. Of course, Ryan had been her first stop. Victoria had thought that after four years of being lavished with affection, of having every whim catered to, Ryan would be frantic upon hearing of her misfortune. She imagined he would move heaven and earth to help her. All he had to do was sell one of the properties she’d bought him. That would be enough. He would have passed her test. She didn’t want to make it too hard for him. But when Ryan saw her standing there in a sanitation worker’s uniform, a look of involuntary disgust flashed across his face. A needle pricked her heart. He quickly masked it with a smile and welcomed her inside, assuming this was all part of some elaborate birthday surprise. A prank, leading up to a grand reveal. But a moment later, his phone buzzed. It was a group chat with Victoria’s wealthy friends. “The Davenports are finished. Even her parents fled the country overnight.” “The company was sold and they’re still a billion in debt. Victoria will be paying that off for the rest of her life.” “Not necessarily. She bought Ryan all those houses and luxury items. He can sell them to pay it off. Of course, then he’ll have to live a simple life with her.” Someone remembered. Isn’t Ryan in this chat? Another friend cursed. He was immediately kicked from the group. Ryan’s eyes widened. The cruelty of it was breathtaking. Just yesterday, they were calling him their dear friend. Now, they kicked him out with an insult. The storm was coming, and he had to save himself. “Your family is bankrupt? What’s that got to do with me? Do we have a marriage license? Do your parents even accept me? Why should I have to sell my property for your family’s problems?” Victoria’s heart hammered against her ribs. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. This couldn’t be the gentle, understanding man she loved. “What are you saying? I’ve given you everything but a ring on your finger! I practically tore my heart out for you. I gave up my husband and my child for you.” She thought appealing to his sentiment would work. She was wrong. Ryan let out a derisive laugh. “You gave me those things willingly. I’ve never heard of someone asking for a gift back. I slept with you for four years. You didn’t expect that for free, did you?” He leaned in closer. “Besides…” Seeing the raw pain in her eyes only made him more contemptuous. “A woman who would abandon her own husband and child… you think I’d ever truly trust you?” “You almost died giving birth to a daughter you don’t even care about. How do I know you wouldn’t do the same to me if someone new came along?” Victoria swayed on her feet, unable to form a rebuttal. Ryan was tapping away on his phone. “Since you’re useless to me now, let me tell you a little secret. You want to know why your husband was so desperate to divorce you?” “From the first time you slept with me, I sent him everything. Pictures from our dates. Pictures from our bed. Pictures of every gift you ever gave me.” “I have to hand it to him, he put up with it for a long time. I had to push him to a complete mental breakdown before he finally snapped. I’m not as stupid as he is. I wasn’t going to be your free nanny and sperm donor…” A lightning bolt seared through Victoria’s mind. So, Liam had given her chances. So many chances. Ryan dropped the act entirely. “Listen, Victoria, I dug through all your social media the day I started at the company. I know everything you like. You thought we had this amazing connection? It was just me doing my homework… God, it was exhausting trying to keep you entertained.” Victoria finally snapped. She lunged forward, her hands closing around his throat, a primal scream building inside her. “You… you were only after my money! You used me! You destroyed my marriage! You nearly killed my child! My father was right. You’re poison!” Before she could finish, security guards Ryan had called dragged her away and threw her out of the building. It was the end of June, but Victoria was shivering, an unnatural cold seeping into her bones. Just then, her phone buzzed. A group chat named “His True Colors.” The same friends from before were waiting for the results. “Tori, we just put on the performance of a lifetime. Is Ryan selling his condos to save you as we speak?” Victoria’s fingers flew across the screen, her knuckles white. “His last name is not Ryan. It's the one I threw away. And I'm going to get him back.” 5 At 7:20 the next morning, I opened my door to find a tall figure sprawled across my welcome mat. I stepped over Victoria’s waist. Thea, her backpack on, giggled and hopped over her. Victoria sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, and scrambled to her feet. She instinctively reached out and took Thea’s hand. I was about to knock her hand away. But then Thea beamed, her smile wide and bright. “Mommy, can you wait at the school gate for a little while after you drop me off? I want everyone to know I have a mommy. Then they’ll stop saying mean things about Daddy, and those other moms will stop bothering him…” “Thea!” I cut her off sharply. Victoria looked at me, her expression filled with a sorrow I hadn’t seen before. I used to be as harmless as a sloth. Now I was sharp-edged and defensive. She could only imagine the kind of harassment and gossip that could forge such a transformation. Victoria lifted Thea into her arms. “Okay. I won’t just wait for a little while. From now on, Mommy will be with you and Daddy every single day.” She reached for my hand. I pulled away. Filthy. Victoria was nearly six feet tall. Standing at the entrance to the preschool, she was impossible to miss and caused an immediate stir. “Thea, is that your mom? She’s so pretty! She and your dad look perfect together.” “Why does your dad look so mad? He’s not even talking to your mom…” I wanted nothing to do with her, but the matter of the house still needed to be resolved. For now, we were temporary allies. I got on the bus and sat in the very back. Victoria sat down next to me. As the bus lurched forward, I immediately moved to another seat. Not used to public transport, she tried to follow, lost her balance, and stumbled, hitting her head. A cold smile touched my lips. The house had people living in it. An elderly couple. The moment they saw Victoria, they pulled her inside. They were Ryan’s parents. Victoria was stunned. I laughed. It all made perfect sense now. Ryan had stolen the house meant for me and Thea and used it to house his own parents. The penthouse was over 3,000 square feet, with marble floors and smart home technology throughout. A dozen beautifully decorated rooms. Even their dog had its own room. In our small rental, Thea slept in the master bedroom, which was barely 150 square feet. We had to use vertical space just to fit all her things. This kitchen was equipped with an automatic food processor, a stir-fry machine, and a dishwasher—a completely hands-off setup. Meanwhile, I spent my days chopping fruit at a bubble tea shop until my hands ached so badly I could barely lift them. At night, I’d slap on a pain patch and force myself to cook dinner. The more I thought about it, the more a crushing weight settled on my chest. I had to crouch down, taking deep breaths to keep from blacking out. Four years of exhaustion washed over me in a tidal wave. The first year after the divorce was the hardest. Major companies saw “single father with a three-month-old infant” on my application and politely declined. I had to take cash-in-hand jobs at places with flexible, tolerant environments. A one-year-old is expensive and gets sick easily. Money disappeared as soon as it came in. I started working multiple jobs. I lived on coffee, often working around the clock, sleeping in my clothes. I had no one to rely on, not a single family member to give me a hand. My spirit was a rubber band stretched to its absolute limit. It was about to snap. My knees buckled. Victoria rushed to my side, her arms wrapping around me, her voice laced with a genuine, forgotten tenderness. “Liam. Liam, don’t think about it. I’m here now. I’ll protect you. I won’t let anyone hurt you again.” When I was a kid, other students used to taunt me for not having parents. Victoria would march right over and start a fight. I’d patch up her scrapes, and she’d make me the same promise, that she would protect me for life. But in the end, all the storms in my life had been brought by her. If she hadn't lost everything, would she have ever remembered that old promise? 6 Victoria’s panic was palpable. She hoisted me up by my shoulders, trying to drag me. I was gasping for air, like a drowning man. She wanted to take me to the hospital. I pointed across the street to the bubble tea shop. “Just… get me a milk tea.” Half a cup of the warm, sugary drink later, the color returned to my face. It was a stress-induced condition, something akin to a panic attack. A little sugar, and it would pass. Victoria stared, dumbfounded. Then she said, “Well… I’ll take you out for a proper meal.” In her sixty-dollar sneakers, she started walking towards a high-end restaurant. I grabbed her arm. “Aren’t you broke? You need to save your money.” The confident stride faltered. She seemed to remember her role and tugged awkwardly at her cheap clothes. I found a hole-in-the-wall diner. Victoria’s expression was a mix of confusion and disgust. “Can you even eat food this cheap?” I understood. She and Ryan would order takeout that cost upwards of three hundred dollars. I used to be a delivery driver; I made a few bucks per order. I’d seen those expensive orders come through more than once, but I always passed them to my colleagues. The delivery address was my old home. I refused to serve my ex-wife and her lover. Now, Victoria devoured a five-dollar plate of beef stir-fry and two bowls of rice. “Ask Quinn,” I said, “if that house was registered under my name and Thea’s.” When she got the confirmation, a massive weight lifted from my chest. Thank God, Quinn was reliable. After we ate, I went straight to the County Registrar’s Office to report a lost deed. Forty minutes later, I had a new, official copy in my hand. Owners: Liam C. and Thea C. I ran my thumb over the crisp red cover. I felt grounded for the first time in years. Next, I stopped at a digital superstore. An hour later, I knocked on the penthouse door. “Sir, Ma’am, I’m very sorry, but this property belongs to me and my daughter. Your son has been illegally occupying it for four years. I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” Ryan’s parents weren’t malicious people, so I treated them with respect. When they saw the new deed, their faces went white. His father immediately called his son. “How could you take someone else’s house? You told us Victoria gave it to us out of respect! I’ve never taken a penny that wasn’t mine in my entire life. You’ve brought shame on this family.” From the other room, Victoria called out, “I gave you no such thing.” I twisted the knife. “He didn’t just steal the house. While my ex-wife was pregnant, your son interfered in our marriage, directly causing its collapse. After the divorce, he stole the settlement money and property that was meant for me and my daughter—the very home you’re living in. Because of him, my daughter and I have struggled for four years.” Ryan’s father’s eyes were wide with horror. He stomped his foot in anguish. I then showed him every single taunting message Ryan had sent me. I’d saved them all. Victoria’s ears turned bright red. She shrank away into a corner. So, the cheater was capable of shame after all. The Ryan in those messages was lewd, shameless, and arrogant. His father looked like he was about to have a stroke, crying out, “How did I raise such a shameless monster!” With that, he tried to kneel before me. “Young man, I am so sorry! Please accept my apology!” I helped him up. Ryan wasn’t here yet. It wasn’t time for kneeling. When Ryan arrived, he was greeted by several hard slaps from his father. Even after the beating, Ryan held his head high. “So what if I took his woman and his house? Is the world a fair place? Am I supposed to be like you, all high and mighty, and stay poor my whole life?” He looked from me to Victoria, not an ounce of remorse on his face, only a smug satisfaction. “Even without this place, I have four other properties, two luxury cars, and twenty million in the bank. Countless designer goods. Right now, I’m the richest person in this room!” “The two of you,” he sneered, “one is bankrupt, the other is a wage slave. You think you can fight me? Let’s see if you can even afford a lawyer. Let’s see how long you can last.” 7 Ryan’s audacity was unlike anything I had ever witnessed. Without him, my daughter should have been living like a princess, carefree and provided for. He was still gloating. “Liam, if you get on your knees right now and bow to me a hundred times, I’ll forgive you and your daughter.” Thump. Thump. With tears streaming down their faces, his parents fell to their knees before me, bowing their heads to the floor. “This is a sin! Young man, our whole family has wronged you. We failed as parents. We’ll move out immediately.” The scene stunned Ryan into silence. I didn’t tell the old couple to get up. Instead, I mirrored his earlier arrogance. “You see that? You hurt me and my daughter without a second thought, and the consequences fall on your parents.” “There’s nothing wrong with ambition. But ambition should drive you to work hard and succeed, not to abandon your morals for a shortcut. Anything given to you can be taken away at any moment.” Ryan’s face darkened. I suspected Victoria, for all her infatuation, hadn’t willingly gifted him every single car and property. He was preying on her weakness for him. I pressed my advantage. “You know why you can’t have a child? Because you built your life on my pain and suffering. You’ve severed your own fate with any future children. Even a soul would be too ashamed to be born to a father like you!” I’d noticed the herbal medicines at the villa the last time I was there. I had worked in an apothecary once; I recognized them immediately as fertility treatments. His deepest insecurity exposed, Ryan’s face contorted with rage. He lunged at me. Victoria, who had been silent until now, stepped between us, grabbing his arm. And that was all. Ryan smirked, looking at me with the confidence of a winner. Of course. Victoria had always been on his side. Unconditionally. The last time I’d forced Ryan to drink toilet water, she had rushed in and shoved me so hard my back slammed into the sink. I’d crumpled to the floor, the pain so sharp it took me five minutes to get up, watching helplessly as she fussed over him and led him away. Right or wrong, Victoria always left me to stand alone. My hope flickered and died. Even though I had given up on her long ago, a small part of me wished she would, for once, stand up for her own daughter. “Liam, I’ve got him. You hit him. Hit him until you’re satisfied.”
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