Chapter 1

The last time the system had appeared was when I gave up on the main quest and chose to stay for Harvey's sake.

The price was my body breaking out in oozing sores and boils. I was in agony, barely human.

Back then, Harvey was busy traveling for work. I never said a word.

When I gave birth to our daughter, I had a hemorrhage so severe that even the doctors recommended terminating the pregnancy. I begged them to save the baby.

I spent a week in the ICU. My body still hasn't fully recovered.

I told myself it was all worth it.

And now, I find out that just as I got pregnant, my husband was already crawling into bed with his own brother's widow.

Disgusting.

'System... can I take my daughter with me?'

[No. That would violate the laws of this world.]

I was silent for a long time. Finally, I replied, 'Then take me out.'

The system flickered.

[Protocol initiated. Countdown: 24 hours.]

Harvey was watching me. He softened his voice.

"Listen, honey. Lydia's had it rough since my brother died. She's not here to tear our family apart—she's here to join it. Nothing's going to change how I feel about you."

It was as if he'd forgotten the day he got down on one knee and promised me, "You're the only one I'll ever love."

I dimly remembered Lydia coming over once. I'd poured her a cup of hot chocolate, just being friendly.

Harvey snatched it out of her hand and threw it in the trash. "She's allergic to chocolate," he said.

I thought he just had a good memory. I forgot that he'd never once remembered I'm allergic to strawberries.

His mother shot me a disapproving look.

"Jennifer, a woman needs to be gracious about these things. You couldn't even produce a son. Lydia is carrying the McKinzie family's first grandson.

"If it weren't for Harvey's kind heart—remembering all those years you've been together—by all rights, Lydia should be the first wife and you the second."

I clutched my daughter tighter.

And then, my daughter reached her little hand toward Lydia and giggled. She knew Lydia.

My whole body started shaking.

So while I wasn't looking, Harvey had already been bringing our daughter to meet her stepmother.

Harvey saw it too.

"See? Even Ellie loves Lydia.

"Tell you what—I'll spend Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays with you. Lydia can have the other three days. That's fair, isn't it?"

How ridiculous. I was supposed to be grateful that he was graciously allowing me to share my husband with another woman.

The man standing in front of me was a stranger.

If he really needed to take care of Lydia, there were a thousand other ways to do it. He chose the most disgusting one.

When he was lying to me all those months, did he ever think about me and our daughter?

A sharp pain stabbed through my heart.

"Forget it."

My voice was hollow.

"We're done."

Something clattered to the floor.

It was the ring he'd given me when he chose to give up studying abroad just to end our long-distance relationship. Back then, everyone said he was crazy. He just smiled and said, "My wife is where I belong. So that's where I'm going."

He'd made the ring himself. It wasn't worth much. But to me, it was priceless. I never took it off.

Now it lay at his feet, reflecting the shock on his face.