Chapter 1

After my mother passed away, Dad came up with a bizarre rule for our house.

Everything my sister and I wanted was decided by a lottery draw.

Who got new clothes, whose favorite diner we ate at, who got to go on weekend trips with Dad—it all came down to him drawing wooden sticks from a box.

Unfortunately, my name was never picked.

When I grew up, Dad said he could only afford college tuition for one child.

He used the exact same method.

My sister won again.

I had no choice but to work part-time jobs and take out substantial student loans to finish my degree.

Five years into my career, Dad suddenly called me.

"Summer, I can help buy a house for one of you."

"You and Chloe each put a hundred thousand dollars into the family trust. Whoever wins gets that two hundred thousand, plus my savings, to buy a house."

I didn't want to play along, but Dad called relentlessly, even threatening to show up at my office.

I went home, but I told him I wouldn't transfer a cent until I'd seen the draw for myself.

Yet the night before the drawing, I accidentally knocked over the lottery box.

Two wooden sticks tumbled out by my feet. Both had my sister's name on them.

His so-called fair rules were rigged for Chloe all along.

My phone buzzed.

It was Julian, an old friend I'd only recently reconnected with. He wanted to know if I still wanted him to come home with me for Thanksgiving.

I let out a bitter laugh and typed back a single word:

"Yes."

Thanksgiving Day, the day of the draw.

Seeing my packed bags, Chloe burst out laughing.

"Summer, you really have no shame! Are you that desperate to make Dad buy you a house?"

She swung around to Dad and leaned into his side, whining.

"Dad, I'm not like Summer. She's only after your money."

"Even though she acts like this, you still favor her."

Dad chuckled and cut her off gently.

"Stop talking nonsense."

"I treat both of you equally."

"Since you were little, everything in this house has been decided by the draw. Buying a house is no different."

Dad brushed Chloe's hair back.

They took it for granted that we would go ahead with the draw.

Neither of them bothered to ask what I thought.

It had been five years since I started working, and this was the first house-fund drawing since Dad set up the family trust account.

Nearly a thousand miles away, my grandmother could only guess how I was doing through our phone calls.

She had called several times urging me to come home.

I could only say, "Soon."

When "soon" would actually be, I didn't know.

After all, Dad still wanted to play his little lottery game with Chloe.

Remembering how I hadn't been picked a single time growing up, I fought down the burning sting behind my eyes.

I walked forward and looped my arm through Dad's.

"Let's go. Time to draw."

A faint smirk touched my lips.

"Grandma's waiting for me to come home for dinner."

As Dad was pulled forward, Chloe's hand slipped off his arm.

She gritted her teeth, glaring at me with blatant malice.

"Summer, seriously."

"What makes you so sure you'll win the down payment?"

A smug grin crept back onto her face.

"All these years, you haven't been picked once!"

"Maybe God just doesn't like you."

Seeing how confident she was, it was clear she knew Dad had rigged the box.

My name was never inside. How could I ever be drawn?

My chest felt like it was being pricked by a thousand tiny needles.

Still, my steps didn't falter.

Dad brought out the wooden box.

He shook it twice and casually pulled out a stick, tossing it onto the floor.

Clack.

The moment the stick hit the ground, Chloe began chattering with Dad about her house-hunting plans.

Remodeling, shopping for furniture, throwing a housewarming party, going on a celebration trip...

No matter what Chloe said, Dad nodded along unconditionally.

"You're truly impossible," he said, affectionately rubbing her head. "I don't know how any future husband will put up with you."

Chloe sniffed.

"They say daughters are their fathers' greatest treasures. I'm going to cling to you forever and never get married!"

"Nonsense," Dad said with a chuckle.

Watching them laugh together, I felt like a complete outsider once again. I lowered my gaze.

Then I spoke up, cool and quiet.

"You haven't even checked whose name was drawn."

Chloe scoffed reflexively.

"Summer, you really won't give up until you hit a brick wall, will you?"

"You honestly think there's any chance you could..."

Realizing she had nearly slipped, Dad slapped a hand over her mouth.

He flashed me an apologetic smile.

"Chloe's just careless with her words. She didn't mean anything by it."

"Let's look at the stick now."

He bent down slowly to pick it up, his face already adopting a practiced look of regret.

"Summer, look, I'm sorry I can't give the down payment to—"

His voice caught in his throat.

He finally saw the name carved into the wood.

Summer Reed.

His other daughter.