Your Bet, My Exit のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 1 - チャプター 10

The next night, our class met up for dinner.Somehow, Nolan's friends had scored the SAT prep class roster.They checked every name. Mine wasn't there.They traded looks and cracked up."Nolan, Hailey was all 'I don't need you to take me overseas.' She didn't even sign up for SAT prep!""Guess she's counting on you to take her anyway. I thought she had a spine. Turns out she was just acting tough.""No kidding. College overseas? That'd look great on her résumé. An orphan like her would do anything for that."Everyone talked while Nolan sat in a corner, head down, jabbing at his phone.He smirked. "Yeah. Like she'd ever make it overseas on her own."Almost everyone shot me a dirty look. Then the whispers started."So that's why Hailey blew off the SAT. She had a better deal.""We thought she threw her future away for love. Guess she had it all figured out.""Keeping Nolan Caldwell happy pays better than a Westbridge degree. Smart. Kiss some rich guy's ass while the rest of u

I scrambled up and ran to the door. "Let me out! You're going to kill me!"Shaking, I pounded until it finally creaked open.Hope surged—then I saw a stranger's face.He stared at me, blank-faced. "Ms. Hart, Mr. Caldwell's orders. You're not leaving until you've had every shot."A sharp sting pierced my arm.I looked down. The first shot was already in my arm.I begged. It changed nothing.Then came the second. The third. The fourth...My arm turned red, swollen, and sore. Then the redness and swelling spread across my body.I rolled onto my side and threw up. My whole body jerked. I could barely breathe.I'd lost count of the shots when the door opened again.My eyes widened. With strength I didn't know I had, I jumped up, shoved past everyone, and ran.I had no idea where to go. I just had to get out alive.An hour later, a kind stranger took me to the police station. I was barefoot, my soles torn and bloody.I looked up, eyes bloodshot and full of hate."I want to rep

My legs nearly gave out.My ears roared, but Nolan's voice cut through."What, You thought finding your mom would make you rich? Make you one of us? I found her ages ago."He paused, his voice cruel. "She's been dead for years. Too broke to stay alive."She died not long after dumping you at the orphanage. Her illness was treatable. She just couldn't afford it."Even if she were alive, she'd still be broke. Come overseas as my live-in assistant. I'd pay you every month. Probably more than you'd make on your own..."I couldn't take another word. Shaking, I screamed and hung up.Everything was silent.The old gravestones looked cold and creepy.They'd scared me since I was little.Nolan had even had streetlights installed along my alley so I wouldn't have to walk home in the dark.Now darkness was all I could see...Shaking, I hurried toward the main road.But the farther I went, the more deserted it got.My shoes rubbed my feet bloody. I kept going.If I stopped, I might

I pressed a hand to my forehead.The pain brought tears to my eyes. My ears rang, drowning out Nolan's words.When my head cleared, Leona was in his arms, trembling."Nolan, please stop liking me."As long as you do, Hailey won't leave me alone. She locked me in the fitting room! I thought I was going to die!"My face went pale. "Are you serious? I was shopping the whole time you were in the fitting room. I wasn't anywhere near you!"Nolan gently squeezed her hand. "Don't worry. She'll pay for this."He stood and came at me, eyes dark. "Hailey, you crossed the line."Leona's claustrophobic! Half an hour? A few minutes could kill her!"You pulled that sick stunt to keep her away from me? You're out of your damn mind!"He squeezed my wrist like he was trying to crush it.I looked at his furious face and laughed. It was that ridiculous.'He's so full of himself. What would his face look like if he knew Leona had been playing him all along?'Nolan stared. "You think this is fu

Three days later, Nolan sat in his Canara apartment.The entire 2,150-square-foot apartment had just a bed and a couch. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, city lights glowed under a bright moon. He kept swirling his wine, too restless to enjoy the view.Two hours left in the day. Still no word about Hailey.'She's really not reapplying? No way. What's she going to do with just a high school diploma? Deliver food? Wash dishes? She doesn't want that life.'Nolan rubbed his forehead and called Terrence again."You told every school in Bayport not to take Hailey, right?"Terrence sounded tired. "Yes, sir. They all know. Ms. Hart hasn't signed up for any SAT prep courses."'Then what the hell is going on?'He couldn't figure it out.Out of habit, he got up to grab ice from the fridge.A few steps later, he stopped.There was no fridge here. No ice, either.When he'd rented the apartment in Canara, he'd been clear. "I need a big place