Chapter 1

Click.

At the sound of the door opening, Chris Carter poked his head out from the kitchen, a cartoon-printed apron tied neatly around his waist.

His face lit up with a fawning smile, his voice carrying a spark of anticipation.

"Hey babe, glad you're back. I figured you could use a good meal after your day. I made those spicy-sweet wings you love, some ribs, and a pot of my famous soup to help you unwind."

But Katie Jenning's beautiful face was as cold as frost. Without sparing him a glance, she swung her Chanel handbag onto the entryway cabinet with a heavy thud.

Her eyes raked over him, her lips curling into a sneer.

"Cook, cook, cook! Chris, is that all you're good for? Hanging around the kitchen? What the hell do you actually do?"

"Look at Cynthia's husband—he just made Managing Director last month. He's pulling in over a million a year! And Casey's husband? He runs his own firm and just bought a luxury condo downtown last week! And then there's you. You're a joke. You're pathetic."

The smile on Chris's face froze, like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over his head, chilling him to the bone.

"I... Katie, you're the one who said you wanted me to handle things at home. That you needed a partner so you could focus on your career without any distractions."

"Ha!" Katie barked a bitter, scornful laugh. "And you actually believed that? God, I must have been out of my mind to ever pick you!"

"Stop hiding behind that excuse! The truth is, you're a deadbeat. You live in my house, you spend my money, and you don't contribute a single damn thing!"

Her words crushed his heart like an invisible fist, but Chris forced down the bitterness, squeezing out a smile uglier than a grimace as he carried steaming dishes to the table.

"Let's... let's eat first. The food's getting cold."

"Eat, eat, eat! That's all you ever know!" Katie's fury flared higher at the sight of his meek submission.

With a sudden sweep of her arm, she struck the plate he held.

Food and porcelain exploded across the polished floor, soup splattering, shards scattering in every direction.

Chris stared at the mess, pain flickering deep in his eyes. Wordlessly, he turned to fetch a broom and dustpan.

"Enough!" Katie's voice pierced the air like an ice pick. "Chris, I've had it with you! I can't stand the sight of you anymore! We're getting divorced!"

She strode to the entryway, pulled a neatly folded stack of A4 papers and a Parker gold pen from her Chanel bag, and slapped them onto the coffee table.

"Sign it. Now." Her eyes were as cold as ice, her voice devoid of warmth.

Chris froze. His gaze locked on the bold words stamped across the top of the document—Divorce Agreement—searing into his vision like red-hot iron.

"You... you're serious? You had this prepared all along?"

Arms crossed, chin raised, Katie radiated arrogance and finality. "Of course. I've tolerated you long enough."

Chris's heart sank into a bottomless pit. He didn't want this, not at all.

In his mind, the memory of a rain-soaked night years ago flashed vividly: the fragile figure who had thrown herself forward to drag him from beneath an out-of-control truck. That life-saving grace had burned into his heart. That was the very reason he had willingly washed his hands of ambition to cook and care for her in silence.

"Katie... can't we talk about it? Tell me what I've done wrong. I can change..." His voice trembled with pleading.

"Change? Into what? Can you conjure up a Fortune 500 company? Wake up tomorrow with a genius IQ for business? You're a waste of space—you're just dead weight, mooching off me and sucking the life right out of me." Her tone dripped disdain.

Each venomous word pierced him like an arrow, shredding the last of his pride.

Just then, a crisp electronic chime rang in his mind.

[Daily Intelligence System Activated!]

[Warning: Host's marriage is in critical condition. Family status on the verge of collapse. Dignity at an all-time low!]

[Beginner Mission Triggered: Divorce immediately!]

[Mission Reward: Exclusive Divorce Starter Pack]

[Caution: If the host continues to grovel and remains in this pathetic state, the system will unbind instantly. Host will be marked as irredeemable trash—doomed forever!]

'Daily Intelligence System? Beginner mission? Divorce Starter Pack?' Chris's mind exploded like fireworks.

After years of reading webnovels at home, he knew these tropes by heart—system, unexpected wealth, the legendary return of the war god.

But to actually have one descend on him now?

He glanced at Katie's cold, scornful face.

Divorce? Of course! He would not live as a useless man forever!

He drew in a deep breath. Determination flared in his eyes. He snatched the Parker pen from the table.

Under Katie's stunned gaze, he didn't even bother to read the terms. He flipped to the last page and scrawled his name in bold, sweeping strokes: Chris Carter.

Katie had expected him to grovel, to beg like a whipped dog. She never imagined he would sign his name so cleanly, without a word of protest.

It felt like a punch landing on empty air, and the lack of resistance only infuriated her more.

"Fine! Great! Chris, I guess you've finally grown a spine!"

She stormed into the bedroom, yanked drawers open, and returned moments later, slamming their marriage certificate and IDs down on the counter.

"Let's go! We're going to the courthouse right now. I can't stand to look at you for another second."

At the courthouse, the clerk went through the standard script. When asked, both declared in unison that they were divorcing of their own free will.

No hesitation. No last-minute argument.

Thump. The notary's seal came down.

Two final divorce decrees, printed on heavy paper, were slid across the counter.

Almost the instant Chris accepted his, that electronic voice sounded in his mind again.

[Congratulations, Host, for completing the beginner mission: Divorce Immediately!]

[Exclusive Divorce Starter Pack unlocked!]

[You have obtained three daily intelligence reports.]

[Alert 1: Your ex-wife Katie is currently being pursued by a wealthy heir with a powerful family background.]

[Alert 2: The subway Line 3 you plan to take home will suffer a complete shutdown due to equipment failure in one hour. Recommended: Bus 107.]

[Alert 3: The old Westridge Terrace apartment complex is set to be approved for redevelopment in three days. Compensation for property owners will be extremely lucrative. Recommendation: Acquire all available units in the area immediately. Profit margin is projected to be massive.]

Chris clutched his divorce certificate, emotions swirling.

The intel sounded almost too good to be true.

Was it real?

Especially that third report... If it were true…