My wife, barely 22, had never known true joy. Her best friend, worried she was wasting her youth, engineered a plan to get her drunk and send her into the senior's room. That night, she, shy and wanting to escape, was pulled into his arms and taken with reckless abandon. From that moment, he became the indelible mark on her heart, her deepest desire. Seven years into our marriage, at a high school reunion, my wife, a CEO, feigned losing a game. Egged on by her best friend, she declared she would marry her 'one true love' and make it public. Amidst the cheers and commotion, my wife eagerly shoved divorce papers at me, demanding my cooperation: "It's just a game, why are you taking it so seriously?" I was silent for a long time. Everyone expected me to explode in a fit of rage. Instead, I took the papers and said, indifferently: "Fine, we'll divorce. But you owe me three things." She promised wholeheartedly, urging me to sign, even frantically vowing: "Don't say three, even three hundred! And when we remarry, I'll give you the most lavish wedding imaginable!" But she didn't know. The moment she decided on divorce, my mission failed. I was slated for deletion by the system. Only by completing three tasks could I cling to a sliver of hope. 1 Seeing my signature, Sarah gleefully tucked the papers away. Everyone exchanged knowing smiles. It dawned on me then that this entire reunion was a setup, orchestrated for me. Behind Sarah, a virtual screen abruptly appeared, displaying blinding blood-red text: "MISSION FAILED." A mechanical voice pierced my mind: "Host, you must maintain your marriage with your target for a full seven years to nullify the life-for-life contract. You have ninety minutes remaining until the contract expires, and you will be annihilated in forty-eight hours." The voice abruptly shifted tone: "However, considering your predicament, if you complete three urgent tasks within the time limit, you may be granted a chance to survive." "First task initiating now—" "Make Sarah openly confess her true feelings for you." I let out a bitter laugh. I'd just signed divorce papers. Now I was supposed to get her to confess her love to me? Chad abruptly stood up, adopting a self-righteous pose: "Sarah! If Ethan's trying to make things difficult because of me, I, Chad, will gladly drink three shots as penance!" Sarah looked at him with an expression full of tenderness: "Don't worry, he can't cause any trouble." I smirked, a self-deprecating twist of my lips. Seven years ago, on our wedding day, Sarah had originally planned to elope for love, but Chad had fled with her money. After that, she became convinced I'd interfered, treating me like an enemy. Our childhood sweetheart bond devolved into a bitter marriage. I'd always believed that treating her with genuine affection could eventually melt her cold heart. For the past two years, she'd gradually settled down, even coming home early to celebrate our anniversary. But then, Chad returned. Only then did I realize she had never forgotten him. She'd even set up this elaborate scheme just to marry him. She'd even forgotten that today was our seventh wedding anniversary. Now, the seven years I'd stolen, had to be returned. But I still wanted to live. I opened my mouth: "Sarah, first thing—confess your true feelings for me, in front of everyone." "It has to be just like you did for Chad, all those years ago." Sarah froze, her eyes wide with disbelief. The private room erupted in chaos: "Ethan, stop making trouble! You're already divorced, why humiliate Sarah like this?" "Sarah, don't listen to him! He's clearly just trying to be difficult!" How ironic. These people had once benefited from my help, but now that Maxwell Corp. was powerful, they were quick to kick me while I was down. Chad's face was flushed with indignation: "Ethan, you truly are despicable! Sarah, I'll never let you endure such humiliation!" My own wife, expressing her feelings to me, was considered humiliation to him? I coldly surveyed the room, then tiredly covered my mouth: "Sarah and I are having a private conversation. It's none of your business." "Sarah, if you don't want to confess, then we won't get the divorce finalized either." After all these years together, I knew her temperament well. Sure enough, she frowned, saying impatiently: "I thought you'd be reasonable today, but you're still playing games. If I confess, will you really finalize the divorce?" It seemed she was genuinely desperate to tie the knot with Chad. "Yes." Sarah's face darkened. She spoke as if going to her death: "Ethan, stay with me. I'll always make sure your protein shake is blended just right, so every sip feels as comforting as a warm spring breeze..." Chad's eyes welled up with tears. He whispered, trembling: "Sarah, you actually remember..." The room erupted in applause, everyone marveling at Sarah's devotion, how she hadn't forgotten their old vows in eight years. Watching the two of them exchange tender glances. I felt my stomach churn. I stood up and left the table: "Excuse me, I can't stay." Behind me, waves of mocking laughter followed, deriding me for my self-inflicted humiliation. As I was leaving, my best friend, Mike, rushed over, demanding answers: "You really divorcing Sarah? Are you out of your mind?! You gave up the billionaire heiress to marry her, you practically broke your knees for her, and now you're letting that scumbag Chad swoop in and pick up the pieces?" I remained silent. Back then, when Maxwell Corp. was on the brink, I refused a strategic marriage and broke ties with my parents to save her. My family shunned me, and as her husband, I couldn't interfere with anything at the Maxwell Corp., leaving me in an awkward position. Yet, the moment Chad returned to the country, Sarah immediately made him Vice President, even putting him in charge of billions of dollars. Love or not, it was starkly obvious. I pulled out a cigarette pack, lit one, and with a detached expression, mocked myself: "You think he's scum, but Sarah treats him like gold. What can I do?" My friend sighed, patting my shoulder: "I'll always have your back, buddy. Maybe it's for the best that you're finally moving on." As we spoke, Sarah came downstairs, her face radiant with happiness, discussing with Chad: "Chad, let's go take wedding photos first, then buy rings. When we get the marriage certificate, I'll have a thirty-car motorcade pick you up!" Her gaze met mine. Sarah's upturned lips straightened, and she coldly scoffed: "Ethan, there are still two more things. If you cause any more trouble and don't finalize the divorce with me, I'll make your life a living hell!" I lowered my gaze and smiled bitterly. She didn't know I'd wanted to keep my distance from her for a long time, but I had no choice but to interact with her just to stay alive. Seeing her walk away, I called out to the System: "Did that count as completed?" "Barely satisfactory." The System's tone remained unchanged. "Now, initiating Task Two." "Go on a date with Sarah for one day." 2 My fingertips trembled, ashes scattering onto the floor. "Are you serious? Sarah putting up with me today is a miracle. If I ask her to go on a date with me, she'll think I'm messing with her!" The System was cold and indifferent: "Host, you have no right to question. You may choose to abandon the task and be annihilated." Late at night, I tossed and turned, thinking about the System's task. BANG! Sarah kicked open the door, grabbing my collar. In the darkness, her eyes blazed with astonishing fury: "Are you satisfied? Because of your little scene today, Chad went home sick, and I had to nurse him all night until his fever broke!" I peeled her hand off me, a smirk twisting my lips: "It was just a game. Couldn't you have called it off? Who's going to get serious with a CEO like you?" Sarah choked, then sighed softly: "It was just a game, why didn't you play along?" I said nonchalantly: "Second thing: tomorrow, cancel all your appointments and spend the day with me." Sarah's face instantly went cold: "Ethan, are you serious right now? You're really pushing your luck!" She slammed the bedroom door shut and left. A bitter taste filled my mouth. I knew that would be the outcome. The next morning, however, she still knocked on my door, a scowl on her face: "I lost millions today because of you. What do you want, just say it quickly." Because of me? More like, to finalize the divorce with Chad as quickly as possible. The System told me the date itself wasn't important; the key was for Sarah to continuously spend six hours with me. I took Sarah to the mall to kill time. The entire time, she had her face buried in her phone, never looking up. Occasionally, she'd pause outside a men's clothing store or a luxury boutique, and with a wave of her hand, buy a stack of things. All of it for Chad. In seven years of marriage, she'd never bought me anything. The shirt I was wearing was pilling from being washed so many times. To get back at me, she'd competed with my family's business. My dad had called me a traitor, and the industry had blacklisted me. No one knew that beneath my polished exterior, I was living on the meager income from online freelance jobs. By midday, Sarah was clearly impatient, so I quickly took her to a hot pot restaurant. Just as we ordered, her expression changed as she looked at her phone. She made a call, her voice anxious and worried: "How can you not eat? No appetite without me? Okay, I'm coming back right now!" She turned, grabbed her purse, and hurried to leave: "Something urgent came up at the office. I have to go." I knew this had to be Chad's doing. "Are you coming back?" My task wasn't complete yet. She thought for a moment, then nodded: "Yes." But to my surprise, she returned with Chad. Sarah meticulously cared for Chad, feeding him, wiping his mouth, acting as if she were nursing a bedridden patient. They looked like a loving couple, while I was just a stranger sharing a table. Whatever I wanted to order next, Chad would point to it and demand it for himself. I had no appetite. I pushed my chopsticks away. He looked incredibly smug, exclaiming with exaggerated flair: "The food Sarah feeds me is truly exceptionally delicious..." Under the table, he deliberately stomped on my foot. A vein throbbed in my temple. I glanced at the time. Thankfully, just watching a movie would be enough to hit the six-hour mark. I forced myself to tolerate him. But then, we found there were only two tickets left at the movie theater. Chad spoke first, his eyes red and watery: "Sarah, you and Ethan should go. I know he's just using the divorce as an excuse to spend time with you, but it's okay, I won't be a third wheel! I'll leave right now!" Sarah panicked, quickly pulling him back: "What are you talking about? Forget the stupid movie. I'll just spend the whole afternoon with you instead, okay?" I pleaded gently: "Sarah, just watch this movie, and I'll let you go. I promise I won't bother you anymore." To my shock, Sarah shoved me away. The popcorn I was holding spilled all over the floor. "Ethan, stop acting! I've told you I could never like someone as selfish, conceited, and arrogant as you. Chad is generous and kind enough not to blame you, but that doesn't mean I'll indulge you. Me accompanying you to the mall today was already being more than gracious!" She took Chad's hand and turned to leave. "WARNING: HOST IS NEGLECTING TASK. ELECTRIC SHOCK PUNISHMENT. PLEASE PERSUADE SARAH TO RETURN WITHIN ONE MINUTE." The next second, a powerful electric current surged through my body. I instantly fell to my knees, my kneecaps hitting the ground with a loud thud, my entire body convulsing. Gritting my teeth, I pleaded with all my might: "Sarah! Please, watch this movie with me, or I'll die! Please..." Sarah turned around in a hurry, her pupils constricting as she saw me kneeling on the floor. She instinctively took a step forward. "Sarah, you go. Ethan is usually so healthy, but he suddenly collapsed now. He must be seriously ill. Go with him, don't worry about me," Chad suddenly interjected. Sarah's steps halted. Her expression turned cold: "Ethan, now you've learned to fake falls? Stop playing the victim. Don't make me look down on you." She left me there. No matter how much I called out, she never looked back. After a long while, the System's punishment ended. I was pale, like I'd been pulled from water. Many people gathered around, offering to take me to the hospital. The System issued a stern warning: "Task Two completion rate is only fifty percent. If Task Three cannot be perfectly completed, Host, you will still be annihilated." The display panel changed, showing only one line of text: "MAKE SARAH PROPOSE TO YOU." I laughed a vacant, hollow laugh, losing all strength and collapsing onto the ground. This was an impossible task. When I opened my eyes again, I was in a hospital. My friend quickly brought me water, his voice sympathetic: "The doctor said your organs are failing and you won't live more than three days. Does Sarah know? Is this why you're divorcing her?" I knew this was a side effect of the System's punishment. Three days? Only twenty-four hours left. I still didn't want to beg and have Sarah pity me. After all, I was once a privileged heir. I still had my pride. I shook my head: "No, Mike. As my friend, I have one favor to ask. After I die, just tell everyone I went abroad to travel and settle down. Don't let anyone see how pathetic my death was." My friend's eyes turned red. He wiped his face: "You saved Sarah's life during that avalanche, but she thought Chad saved her, and she's misunderstood and tormented you for all these years, you—" The phone on the table rang frantically. It was Sarah calling. 3 I struggled to get up and stop him. On the other end of the line, Sarah paused for a second, then scoffed coldly: "Did Ethan tell you to play along with his little act? What's a fall going to do?" "Tell him to hurry up and say the last thing so we can get it over with. I don't have time for his games." Seeing her so anxious, I took the phone and said seriously: "The third thing is simple. Just propose to me. Tell me you want to marry me." CRASH! An ear-splitting sound came from the other end of the line. Something seemed to have fallen over. Sarah panicked: "Chad, what's wrong? Don't scare me!" The next second, she started cursing at me over the phone: "Ethan, are you out of your mind? Are you crazy? I'm not playing your games anymore. You can go or not go to get the divorce finalized, I don't care. In thirty days, we'll automatically be divorced anyway. I'm not like you, desperate for survival. I can wait!" She hung up. My chest ached. I knew Sarah wanted to get rid of me, but I hadn't realized she despised me so much. The System was still urging me to complete the task. But now I had no leverage over her left. What else could I do? Fatigue washed over me like a tidal wave. Even if I were to go and beg Sarah on my knees, she'd just think I was pulling another trick. If that's the case, I might as well die with some dignity. With that thought, I called her. She answered impatiently: "If you're going to talk any more nonsense about me proposing to you, just drop dead!" She didn't know her words would be prophetic. My voice was calm: "That was just a joke. See you at the Registry Office tomorrow morning." Sarah sounded surprised: "That's it? You're being this cooperative?" "Don't want to? Fine then." "Wait! You better not be playing any tricks!" She quickly agreed. Nine in the morning, outside the Registry Office. Sarah started swearing because I was one minute late: "Ethan, what are you doing now? You were definitely faking that illness yesterday! They say evil weeds live long, so you'll probably live to be a hundred!" Her girlfriends also looked on with mocking expressions. They were all waiting for Sarah and Chad to get their marriage certificate, specifically holding party poppers, ready to celebrate. I found it amusing. Before, whenever Sarah and I made plans, she was never on time. She'd stand me up repeatedly, deliberately enjoying my miserable appearance. Today, I was only one minute late, yet she was so agitated. "Yeah, I was doing it on purpose. I've changed my mind. The third thing is, I want you to carry me inside to finalize the divorce!" From here to the entrance, it was less than a hundred yards. Sarah looked at me skeptically: "That's it? So simple?" Chad still rushed out to object, as if I were committing some unforgivable crime: "Sarah's a delicate woman, how could she possibly carry you that far? Forget the divorce papers then! I'll wait for you forever, Sarah!" Everyone's faces turned sour: "Ethan, you're shameless! This is clearly a trick. You obviously don't want the divorce to go through!" I curved my lips into a smile, perfectly at ease. Sarah, however, said decisively: "Fine. But if you cause any more trouble once we're inside, I'll make your life a living hell." She walked up to me. I jumped onto her back without a single reservation. Sarah let out a small 'huh?' She had mentally prepared herself, expecting me to be heavy. But to her surprise. I was too light. Terrifyingly light. Before, I loved car racing, mountaineering, and rock climbing. My muscle mass was significant. She instinctively asked: "Have you been starving yourself?" I said flatly: "Just too disgusted by you and Chad to eat anything." Sarah's red lips pursed: "That's enough of that." Back when we got married, she was practically forced into the Registry Office by ten bodyguards, her head bowed as she got the marriage certificate, a look of pure disgust on her face. Now, she walked steadily, step by step, towards the Registry Office, but it was to divorce me. In a daze, I remembered that year, when I was seventeen. Sarah was caught in an avalanche while skiing. I rushed into the snowfield, ignoring everything, my throat raw from shouting, until I found her. At that time, she had snow blindness, and her leg was bruised on a rock, unable to stand. I carried her on my back down the mountain for a day and a night, even cutting my hand to make sure she had sustenance to regain her strength. In her daze, Sarah's hot tears streamed down my neck: "You're so good to me. I'm going to marry you!" I chuckled wryly, coaxing her not to break her promise. By the time we reached the bottom of the mountain, I should have died from hypothermia. That's when the System bound itself to me. It said that my love for Sarah was truly magnificent, and as long as I could stay married to her for seven years, it would grant me health and longevity. I agreed, secretly thrilled, thinking it was a freebie. I was sure we'd be happy together. But to my shock, when I woke up, I saw her confessing her love to Chad in front of the entire student body. She had said she would marry me. But what I got was her endless gratitude towards Chad. I'd tried to explain, but she didn't believe me. "The person who saved me was gentle and reliable. You're so glib; how could it possibly be you!" Snapping back to reality, I whispered into Sarah's ear: "Sarah, we're even now." She stopped walking: "What did you say?" 4 My throat tickled, and I couldn't stop coughing up blood. The System's punishment yesterday had zapped my internal organs, ruining them. Even though I covered my mouth, a drop of blood still splattered onto Sarah's delicate, pale neck. She became furious: "Ethan, are you trying to die? Coughing on my neck, how disgusting! Wipe it off!" I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, then gently pushed her head, which had turned towards me, back into position. I said calmly: "Look ahead, not at me." Sarah quickened her pace, approaching the divorce certificate window. Before she could put me down, I jumped off her back myself, grabbing a tissue to wipe her neck. She still felt it wasn't enough, pulling out tissue after tissue, as if she'd been contaminated by something vile. I couldn't help but speak: "Sarah, since you've decided to be with Chad, then don't let him down." Sarah frowned, finally looking me directly in the eye: "What nonsense are you talking about? It's just a day, and you're already so petty you can't stand it? Don't worry, when this game is over, I'll give you a luxurious wedding. I won't go back on my word." A faint, weak smile touched my lips. On the divorce papers, I fumbled around, trying to find the place to sign. My vision was the worst of all my failing organs. Sarah took my hand and pointed to the spot, scoffing mockingly: "What's wrong with your eyes? Are you so sad about divorcing me that you cried yourself blind?" I scoffed: "More like you and Chad gave me a stye from all the eye-rolling." Since Chad returned to the country, it had been a long time since Sarah and I had bantered like this. Sarah angrily punched me once: "Ethan, you're still as rude as ever!" I let out a pained groan and took a long moment to recover. Her face suddenly changed: "Are you really sick?" I acted nonchalantly: "No. Hurry up and get this done. I'm planning to go abroad for a few days. Plenty of fish in the sea, why bother with one single flower?" Upon hearing this, everyone couldn't help but sneer, looking at me with expressions that screamed 'stop acting,' full of contempt. Sarah's expression remained grim. She suddenly stood up. "I'm not doing it." "Not doing it?" Chad exclaimed in surprise, then his eyes grew teary and he said, aggrieved: "Sarah, if you can't bear to, that's okay. I'm willing to be punished. I'm just a little allergic to alcohol, I won't die. I'll go buy some liquor right now!" I was speechless, not understanding what Sarah meant. I deliberately provoked her: "Stop making a fuss. Or are you really just clinging to me?" Sarah, as expected, couldn't stand the provocation and quickly signed. "If it wasn't for your pathetic, sickly face, I would..." She stopped speaking. Then, with a grim face, she took the divorce certificate and turned to sit with Chad at the marriage certificate window. Everyone crowded around, their faces beaming with joy. From this point, it was no longer my concern. I turned to leave, but Sarah suddenly called out to me: "Don't go! After Chad and I get our marriage certificate and post it on social media, I'll immediately divorce him and remarry you!" Divorce and remarry? Was she treating this like a game? I gave a perfunctory nod and walked out of the Registry Office. On the virtual screen, the countdown showed thirteen hours remaining, enough time for me to settle my affairs. But to my shock, my vision turned blood-red: "HOST ETHAN, MISSION FAILED. DETECTING OFFICIAL DIVORCE BETWEEN TARGETS. COUNTDOWN ZEROED!" I never expected the System to have a trick like this up its sleeve. I instinctively grabbed the doorframe of the Registry Office and collapsed.
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