Chapter 1

For our honeymoon, Andrew Sanchez's female friends brought along the whole clique, insisting on joining us.

A beach honeymoon turned into a three-day, two-night immersive murder-mystery game on a private island.

Minnie Henson clung to my arm, wheedling.

"Queenie, five of us together is so much more fun. Isn't that better than just you two off on your own?"

When the game started, she took it on herself to draw everyone's character scripts.

The character she handed me was the mistress.

She and Andrew drew the roles of lovers.

And I stood there watching the two of them run the story as if no one else existed.

The confession, the hand-holding, the embrace.

When the plot reached the chapter where the lover is discovered by the female lead, Minnie slapped me, and my cheek swelled up in an instant.

She feigned panic.

"I got a little too into it. Queenie, you're not upset, are you?"

Andrew stroked her hair to comfort her.

"It's just a game. She won't hold it against you."

I couldn't sleep that night, so I went out for a walk and stumbled into the room where the scripts had been drawn.

The four scripts were still lying on the table.

I opened them, and every single one was blank.

So this whole game had only one person being toyed with, and it was me.

I canceled the marriage-license appointment we'd booked for fourteen days later.

Since they loved playing lovers so much, refusing to indulge them would only make me look unreasonable.

...

I put my phone away and walked out of the room.

I came face to face with Andrew and Minnie in matching couples' outfits.

Their fingers were laced together.

The moment Andrew saw me, he reflexively let go of Minnie's hand.

"What are you doing wandering around out here this late?"

Seeing my eyes land on their clothes, Minnie stuck out her tongue.

"Queenie, the script says Andrew and I have to wear matching couples' outfits, so I borrowed yours. You won't be mad, will you?"

Andrew had prepared those two outfits.

In three years together, we'd never once worn matching outfits, because he thought it was childish.

I'd assumed this was a honeymoon surprise he'd arranged for me.

Now I could see it clearly.

The clothes had never been meant for me at all.

I clenched my fists and said nothing.

Just as the air turned awkward, two of the other friends came over carrying armfuls of bags.

"Andrew, everything's ready. We can head out now."

"Get back quick after the sunrise, before Queenie Cobb notices and starts a fight with you again."

They only spotted me after they'd finished speaking, and froze on the spot.

"What are you doing here?"

I tugged at the corner of my mouth.

"Sorry. I showed up on my own honeymoon and ruined the mood for everyone."

Andrew's face darkened at once.

"Queenie Cobb, quit with the snide remarks."

"We didn't tell you because we've got a couples' task coming up, and we didn't want to upset you when you saw it."

He lifted a hand and rubbed at his brow, his voice impatient.

"Get some rest. Wait for us to come back."

This script had five characters in total. They were two couples, and I was the extra one, the mistress.

I looked at him.

"I didn't say I was going."

I turned to leave after that, but Minnie caught my arm.

"Since you're already up, we obviously can't just leave you here alone. Come watch the sunrise on the beach with us."

She turned to Andrew and wheedled.

"Let's all go together."

Andrew gave her a doting smile.

"All right, whatever you want."

Twenty minutes later, we drove out to the beach.

The predawn sea wind carried a chill. Andrew took off his jacket and draped it over Minnie.

Out of the corner of his eye he caught me standing with my arms wrapped around myself, and he grabbed a blanket from the car and pushed it into my arms.

"Wrap up. Don't catch a cold."

Minnie's face changed. She rushed over and yanked the blanket out of my hands.

"You little slut, flirting with Andrew right in front of me. Have you no shame at all!"

The next second, she flung the water in her hand at me.

Before anyone could react, she offered her explanation.

"It's an immersive murder-mystery, so everyone has to play their part. It's no fun if someone keeps breaking character."

"Right now Andrew and I are the couple. Queenie, surely you're not a sore loser?"

Water dripped down the strands of my hair.

I looked at Andrew.

"You want to keep playing this too?"

Andrew frowned.

"Queenie Cobb, don't put on that pitiful act. Right now your role is the mistress no one can know about."

"You agreed to play this game, so don't go ruining the mood."

I found it unbelievable.

"Play it among yourselves. I'm taking a boat and leaving."

The other guy, Quinn Dickerson, blocked my way.

"You can't leave right now."

"This is an immersive murder-mystery. Once the game starts, a boat only comes to pick us up after it's played out to the end."

"You're already here. Finish the game before you go."