I could see the "Happiness Index" hovering above Ethan’s head. When I was chasing him, it was at 10%. From dating to marriage, it climbed from 10% to 100%. But after seven years of marriage, his Happiness Index dropped to 60%, and never went back up. Even when I got pregnant, it only bumped up by 1%. Then one day, I overheard him talking to the new intern at his firm. It was just a simple greeting, but his Happiness Index spiked to 80%. After that, Ethan’s Happiness Index stayed high, never coming down. The day I caught them in bed together, he shielded Chloe and stared at me coldly. "Chloe didn't do anything wrong. I initiated it. Don't touch her." I froze for a moment. Staring at the 92% above his head, I smiled and closed the door for them. "Keep going." Swallowing my grief, I summoned the system that had been silent for years. "His Happiness Index is about to hit 100% again. This time, I'm ready to leave this world." ... "Seven years ago, when you got married, Ethan's Happiness Index reached 100%. You rejected me then, refusing to leave this world and return to your own." "This is your last chance. Are you sure?" The system's cold, robotic voice echoed in my head. I looked down at my worn silver wedding band and smiled. "I'm sure. I'm ready to leave." The system chimed. "Understood. Your request has been logged. The day his Happiness Index reaches 100%, you will leave this world. Good luck, Host." As the system's voice faded, the sounds of the real world rushed back in. The door wasn't very thick. I could hear Chloe's fearful voice inside. "Mr. Sterling, I heard your wife is really intimidating. Anyone she thought was a threat got completely ruined. Is she going to come after me?" Ethan chuckled, his tone teasing. "What, are you admitting you're mine now?" "Don't worry. I'll protect you. She's pregnant, after all. Just don't provoke her." The sounds quickly turned intimate again. I walked downstairs with a bitter smile, my heart heavy with sorrow. The truth was, I wasn't the one who "ruined" those women. Ethan handled them himself. He did it to make me feel secure. Back when Ethan first fell in love with me, his Happiness Index was at a solid 100%. He avoided other women like the plague. If someone hit on him, he'd immediately turn around and brag to me. "Baby, I didn't give her my number!" Once, a woman slipped something into his drink and tried to get him into bed. He literally slammed his own head into the wall until he bled just to stay awake and get away. "Baby, I won't ever have anyone but you. Never ever." "So, please don't agree to that system of yours. Don't leave this world." I stared into his red, tearful eyes, my heart melting completely. I called out to the system right then and there, refusing to leave. After that, he woke up every day like he'd just had a nightmare, holding me tight, terrified I'd vanish. But everything changed after Chloe started at his company. His Happiness Index was no longer tied to me. His joy, anger, sorrow, and delight had nothing to do with me anymore. His eyes, his heart, they were all focused on this young girl. Ethan knew I could see the numbers above his head. Whenever I confronted him, his patience would just wear thinner. "Are you done? I work myself to the bone every day. What's wrong with needing someone to provide a little emotional support? Isn't that normal?" "If you keep throwing fits, get out. Let's see where you'd even go in this world without me." Looking at the man who was completely different from the one I married, I suddenly woke up. He was so sure I wouldn't leave him. That's why he hurt me with such reckless abandon. "Make some chicken soup for Chloe. She's hungry. Extra cilantro." The man's voice broke into my thoughts. I looked up to see Ethan walking downstairs, drying his hair. He seemed to have forgotten I'm allergic to cilantro. I was heavily pregnant. Standing for just a few minutes made my back ache. Yet he wanted me to cook for his mistress. My heart was so broken it felt numb. I looked up and saw the number: 93%. There was no guilt in his eyes, only pleasure. "You were very good just now, Maya. You didn't make a scene and embarrass Chloe." "See? Isn't this better? The position of Mrs. Sterling will always be yours. Tell me, what do you want to buy?" I stared blankly at the hickey on his neck. When we were madly in love, he loved for me to leave marks on him, calling it "self-defense." "Now other women will see I have a wife when they look at me! It's great!" But we hadn't been intimate in years. This time, he let Chloe leave her mark. Who was he defending himself against? Me? I forced a smile and pulled out a divorce agreement I'd printed earlier. "I saw a new bag I liked. It's a bit pricey, and accounting wouldn't approve it. Just sign this." Ethan took the pen, but then paused. He frowned at my bare ring finger. "Where's your ring? This is the first time you've taken it off since we got married. Why?" His Happiness Index dipped to 90%. I paused, glanced at the silver ring I'd thrown in the trash, and smiled. "I was afraid Chloe might get mad if she saw it." Ethan chuckled, reaching out to hug me gently, but I dodged him. His smile stiffened. He signed the paper and handed it back. "What's gotten into you today? You're so sweet. I'll buy you however many bags you want." "I'm going to keep Chloe company. Bring the soup up when it's done, then get some sleep. Thanks, honey." 95%. Watching him walk upstairs, I sent the divorce agreement to my lawyer to be notarized. Once I got the confirmation, a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Just 5% more, and I could leave this world forever. Goodbye, Ethan. I hope we never meet again. It was 3 AM by the time the soup was done. My back was screaming. I carried it upstairs. The door was slightly ajar, and I could hear laughter from inside. I pushed the door open, but froze in my tracks. The projector was playing a video from my acting days—the time I was almost assaulted by a director and caught on camera by paparazzi. In the video, I was screaming, begging for mercy. The sound made my ears ring. I'd been tricked into going to a hotel room. My clothes were almost completely ripped off. Ethan had burst in and saved me. After that, I quit acting and never appeared on screen again. He bought the rights to that video for the price of a mansion, swearing he'd never let anyone see it. Now, Chloe was watching it. She giggled, hitting pause. The video paused right on the frame where I was stripped down, looking completely terrified. I was trembling violently, feeling the same humiliation and shame as if I were being stripped bare all over again. Chloe smiled sweetly at me. "Maya, I grew up watching your TV shows! Everyone always wondered why you quit acting. I guess this is why~" "Your body isn't even that great. Why would a director want to assault you? Were you trying to seduce him and it backfired? Hahaha!" It felt like a giant hand was squeezing my throat. I couldn't speak. A second later, the projector clicked off. Ethan stepped forward to grab my arm, his voice low. "Chloe found the flash drive in my safe. She's young, she was just making a joke. Don't take it personally." The safe? I froze for a second, then snapped my head toward the safe I hadn't been allowed to open for seven years. It was wide open. Gold bars and valuables were scattered everywhere. Even our marriage certificate had been ripped to shreds and tossed on the floor. Seeing I wasn't responding, a flash of impatience crossed Ethan's face. "We can get a new marriage certificate. Stop sulking." When he put it in the safe years ago, he said to me with the utmost seriousness: "I'm never giving you the chance to take this. We're never getting divorced, ever!" The number above his head plummeted to 92%. I snapped back to reality, swallowing the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. I smiled. "I'm not mad." "The soup is ready. Come eat." I bent over painfully, trying to set the bowl on the table. Crash! Chloe smacked my arm, knocking the bowl over. The boiling hot soup, hidden beneath a layer of oil, splashed all over me. My stomach cramped violently. I was numb with pain, my instinct to seek help taking over. "Ethan, our baby—" Before I could finish, Chloe's eyes filled with tears. She held up her slightly red pinky finger. "Ethan, it hurts." Ethan's face darkened instantly. He scooped Chloe up and headed for the door. He completely ignored how pale I was, how much pain I was in. He paused for a second, looking back at me with a bone-chilling glare. "Maya, is this jealousy supposed to be cute?" "If you ever intentionally hurt Chloe again, you can pack your bags." His Happiness Index tanked to 85%. Fighting the agonizing pain, I grabbed my phone and called 911. I kept pinching the web between my thumb and index finger to stay conscious, not stopping even when the skin tore and bled. I finally made it to the hospital. I forced myself to sign the consent forms before they took me into surgery. When I opened my eyes again, my stomach felt... empty. Tears slid down my cheeks. My baby was gone. That night, the door to my hospital room opened. Ethan stood in the doorway, his Happiness Index skyrocketing to 97%. "Honey, our son is going to have a little sister! Chloe's pregnant!" I stared at him, overwhelmed by a deep, hollow sadness. When I got pregnant, his Happiness Index only went up 1%. Now, it jumped over 20 points. Seeing my blank stare, Ethan walked over and gently stroked my hair. "Don't worry. You'll always be Mrs. Sterling." "When Chloe has the baby, we'll put it under your name, okay?" "But Chloe doesn't want to keep the baby right now. She was so scared when you spilled that hot soup on her." "Go apologize to her. Promise it will never happen again, and we can put this whole thing behind us. Be a good girl." When I didn't say anything, he frowned, losing patience. "Look, I know it was an accident. But the damage is done. She's young and naive. Why are you picking a fight with her?" "You still have the title. She's already making a huge sacrifice by being with me without one. Of course I have to cater to her." "Are you going to apologize or not?" In the past, I would have thrown a fit. I would have made sure everyone was miserable. But now, I just smiled calmly. "Okay. I'll apologize." Ethan looked genuinely shocked. "Really? You're not going to make a scene this time?" I threw off the covers and got out of bed. "There's no point in making a scene. As long as you're happy." Ethan grinned. He wrapped his arms around me happily and kissed my forehead. "Good girl. You're the best, honey." His Happiness Index hit 98%. I smiled and relaxed my clenched fists. The last shred of affection I had for him vanished. The man who once stood in front of me, swearing to be on my side forever, was gone. The Ethan standing before me wasn't the man I loved anymore. He grabbed my hand, leading me out of the room, when he suddenly remembered. "Oh right, why are you in the maternity ward? Is our son okay?" "What happened to your hand?" The cut on my hand was bleeding again. He quickly pulled out a Band-Aid he always carried and put it on me. I used to be so clumsy, always bumping into things. He'd carried Band-Aids for years just for me. But now, it didn't touch me. It just felt fake. I pulled my hand away and pushed the door open calmly. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it." Chloe was huddled on her hospital bed, shivering. When she saw me, the tears started flowing. "What are you doing here?! Wasn't burning me enough?!" Ethan rushed over and held her, looking deeply concerned. "Maya is here to apologize." I bowed my head. My voice was quiet, but firm. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have burned you. It won't happen again." "I can't hear you." She pouted, acting like a spoiled child. Ethan shot me a look. I raised my voice. "I'm sorry." "Not sincere enough. Get on your knees and kowtow three times. Then I'll forgive you." I snapped my head up. Ethan was frowning, nodding at me. His eyes were full of a heavy threat. I smiled, dropped to my knees, and quickly slammed my head on the floor three times, shouting: "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" My voice echoed through the whole ward. Even Chloe was stunned. She stared at me in shock. She probably never thought I'd actually do it. After all, I used to be so proud. Ethan rushed over and grabbed my wrist tight. He looked completely conflicted. "Maya, what the hell is wrong with you?" He was gripping me so hard it hurt. "You've been acting weird the last couple days. Are you playing hard to get?" I smiled, refusing to engage in an argument. "Don't you like this better?" He stared at me for a moment before slowly letting go. "If you think you're so tough, keep acting like this. We'll see how long you last." It was so weird. I wasn't mad, I wasn't fighting with him, I wasn't making a fuss. And he was actually upset about it? His Happiness Index dropped 1%? Before I could even process that, a flurry of camera flashes blinded me. A mob of reporters blocked the doorway, their lenses all aimed at me. "Miss Maya! Is the casting couch video leaked online real?! Did you initiate it?!" "Is this why you quit acting? Because your attempt at sleeping your way to the top failed?" "Please give us a direct answer! Is it a deepfake, or is it really you?!" One reporter shoved a phone in my face. I froze. My brain exploded. It was the exact same video Chloe had been watching. She leaked it! I spun around to see Chloe cowering in Ethan's arms. "Ethan, I don't want people calling me a homewrecker! I don't want my picture taken!" I lunged forward, grabbing Ethan's arm, my voice trembling. "Chloe uploaded that video! She's doing this to humiliate me—" Smack! A slap landed hard on my face. My head snapped to the side. For a second, I went deaf in one ear. Ethan's voice sounded far away, but it was incredibly cold. "Where would Chloe even get that video? Maya, I thought you were actually behaving, but you were just setting up this whole show." "Framing Chloe on purpose? Is this fun for you?" "I was going to let you keep the title of Mrs. Sterling, but you just had to pull a stunt like this." He shoved me hard, sending me crashing to the floor. He wrapped his arm around Chloe and faced the cameras confidently. "The video is real. It's Maya and a certain director." "As her husband, I was kept in the dark for seven years. I only found out the truth today. I'm announcing my divorce from Maya immediately! I'll be pursuing legal action against her!" "This is Chloe. She's the future Mrs. Sterling, and the woman I love!" Chloe finally stopped hiding. She giggled, planting a kiss on his lips. "Hubby~" "Wow!!! You guys look so good together!!! I ship it so hard!" "Keep shooting! This is huge! They're gorgeous together! Congratulations!" "When did you two start dating? When's the wedding? Where is it going to be?" The reporters instantly latched onto the bigger scoop, completely abandoning me. As Ethan turned to leave, he paused and glanced back at me. The look in his eyes was pure disappointment. Then he turned and walked away, never looking back. But I saw it. The number above his head, surrounded by the crowd, slowly ticking up. A few steps out the door, it hit 100%. A blinding white light enveloped me. The system's voice chimed. "Ethan's Happiness Index has reached 100%. Congratulations, Host. Initiating departure sequence." "I will arrange for your identity in this world to be properly disposed of according to normal world logic. No one will ever find you." "3... 2... 1... Departure successful!" I slowly closed my eyes and whispered. "Goodbye, Ethan. And I hope to never see you again." The white light vanished, and the Maya who had just been pushed to the floor disappeared without a trace. Ethan, as if reacting to some kind of spider-sense, whipped his head around, his face turning pale. "Where's Maya?"
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "574834", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel