He Kept a Scorecard for Our Love, So I Left Him at ZeroChapter 1

On our seventh anniversary, my boyfriend pulled out his relationship scorecard again.

"A hundred points earns you one wish. You're sitting at ninety."

Before I could respond, his new assistant leaned over.

"Ethan, I haven't missed a day all month, and I've been working late. Doesn't that earn me something?"

The next second, Ethan smiled and handed her one of the IMAX VIP tickets.

"You earned it. Tonight's ticket is yours."

Before I could question him, he turned to me.

"You made us leave ten minutes late this morning. That's a ten-point deduction, so no wish for you."

I stared at the ticket in her hand, too exhausted even to feel angry.

On New Year's Eve, I had failed to secure a table at his favorite restaurant. He wiped out all my points and took his assistant to see the fireworks.

When I was running a fever and too weak to iron his shirts, he docked fifty points and tossed my medicine in the trash.

Every time I cried, he accused me of being dramatic.

"Rules are rules. If you mess up, you face the consequences. Why can't you take responsibility?"

But when one person makes all the rules, the other person never has a chance.

This time, I did not argue. I did not try to take back the ticket.

I simply pulled out my phone and bought a train ticket.

If he could erase my score, I could erase us.

* * *

Ethan Cole saw me staring silently at my phone and assumed I was sulking.

He curled his long fingers and rapped impatiently on my desk.

"Ava, stop acting like a victim."

"I came up with the point system because you're always putting things off. It's supposed to help you get your act together."

"You made us ten minutes late this morning. Actions have consequences."

"If you can't handle one simple rule, how are you supposed to lead a team?"

Chloe Reed stood beside him and carefully slipped the IMAX ticket into her designer handbag.

It was the same bag Ethan had given her for her birthday last month and charged to the company.

She leaned over my cubicle wall, planting both hands on the divider. She could not quite hide the smugness in her voice.

"Don't be mad at Ethan, Ava. The system keeps the whole team accountable."

"I could give you the ticket back if you want."

She offered, but her hand never moved toward her purse.

Ethan's expression hardened. He stopped even the pretense of her returning it.

"Why would you give it to her?"

"She broke the rule. The consequence is the whole point."

"Besides, you landed two major clients this month. You earned the reward."

He turned and looked down at me. Then he pulled a gold-embossed reservation card from inside his suit jacket and tossed it onto my keyboard.

It struck the keys with a sharp click.

"Go to the restaurant early and settle the bill for tonight."

"If the private room looks the way I want, I might give you the ten points back."

"After the movie, I'll bring Chloe over for a late dinner."

I stared at the reservation card. The sheer nerve of it was almost funny.

It was our seventh anniversary, and he was taking his new assistant to an IMAX movie. Meanwhile, I was supposed to settle the bill and decorate the restaurant like hired help.

Even our anniversary dinner had become another task through which I had to earn his approval.

For once, I did not cry and beg him to spend the evening with me.

I did not ask why another woman was taking my place on our anniversary.

I simply picked up the card.

Printed across the front were the words: SKYLINE, TABLE FOR TWO.

"Fine."

Surprise flickered in Ethan's eyes.

Usually, by this point, I would already be fighting back tears and pleading my case.

He mistook my calm for surrender.

He adjusted his tie, satisfied, and his tone softened.

"Good. At least you're being reasonable."

"And don't screw it up again, or your score goes straight to zero."

Without another glance at me, he headed for the elevators with Chloe.

She walked at his side, chatting brightly about the movie.

I sat at my desk and watched them disappear around the corner. Then I opened the train app on my phone.

My ticket had originally been booked for tomorrow.

I changed it to eight o'clock that night.

If I was ending everything, there was no reason to wait.

Beneath the clear desk pad lay a printed spreadsheet.

Ethan had personally titled it RELATIONSHIP CODE OF CONDUCT.

Ten points off for being late. Twenty for talking back.

Thirty for serving something that did not fit his meal plan.

The ways to earn points were far more demanding.

Handling every household chore perfectly for an entire week earned only five.

In his game, I was always running myself ragged just to keep a passing score.

I pulled the sheet from beneath the cover, placed it with the reservation card, folded both twice, and dropped them into the wastebasket under my desk.

Then I shut down my computer, unplugged my flash drive, and packed my personal belongings into a canvas tote.

I did not tell anyone I was leaving.

I picked up my bag and walked out of the company Ethan and I had spent five years building together.