Chapter 1

I stood at the door of the church chapel and watched my wife, Olivia Spencer, lean into the arms of another man. That man was my younger brother, David Spencer.

David complained, “This rosary really digs into the skin.”

“Then, take it off for me.”

Olivia had always treasured her rosary. She would not even let me touch it. Yet, my brother was teasingly lifting it between his lips and pulling it from her neck. He tossed it to the floor like it was worthless.

There was no pain sharper than comparison.

At that moment, the world I had held together for six years completely fell apart. My years of persistence and devotion suddenly became a joke.

Back in my room, I clutched my chest and sank to the floor. My face was drained of color.

“System, I request to exit the mission world.”

After saying that, I tried to get up, but my stomach churned violently. The taste of blood surged up my throat.

Then, I coughed it up.

At the same time, I heard the system’s familiar mechanical voice in my mind.

“Termination request received. Host will be transferred to the next mission in seven days. Please prepare accordingly. The romance mission has concluded. The system will no longer penalize the host for forcibly remaining in the mission world.”

As the blood left my mouth, the unbearable pain that had plagued my body disappeared almost instantly.

I let out a bitter laugh. So, this was what it felt like not to be in pain.

I had been in this world for ten years. The system gave me a mission to win over Olivia, the holy maiden of high society. However, I ended up losing my heart to her.

After we got married, the mission was complete. I should have left this world.

However, I chose to stay for Olivia, who was already pregnant with our child. For that, I had endured six years of constant pain.

The penalty imposed by the system was unceasing pain, day and night, far beyond what any human could bear. All these years, I treated that pain as a bittersweet burden. I never once regretted it.

I had felt that way until I saw what happened in that chapel. My heart was broken.

I regretted it.

Fortunately, it was not too late. I still had a way out. I could still cut my losses.

I would die on our sixth wedding anniversary as revenge for Olivia’s betrayal.

I composed myself and opened the door. My son, Bryan Spencer, was standing there holding David’s hand.

I had just witnessed my wife cheating on me with him. The sight of him stirred an immediate sense of disgust within me.

I frowned and said coldly, “What are you doing here?”

The cheerful and easygoing smile on David’s face dimmed at once. Looking hurt, he lowered his head and said, “You don’t want to see me, Hugh? If that’s how you feel, I can leave now.”

Before I could respond, Bryan reacted first. He clenched his fists and threw himself at me, hitting me as hard as he could.

He shouted with every strike, “I hate you, Daddy! You are always so mean to Uncle!”

My heart ached. I could feel a chill spreading through my limbs.