After I failed the mission, the system began to unravel my memories, thread by thread.

I was done letting my world revolve around Theodore Calloway like I used to.

And I was done trying to stop him from moving his cousin into his home to take care of her for the rest of his life.

It was meant to be the perfect ending for everyone.

But when I died, Theodore’s desperation drove him to the edge of madness, and he begged for one final glimpse of me.

I thought our story had ended there.

Then, the system dragged me back to save a world that was already starting to fall apart.

When I returned to the Calloway Residence with my son, Theodore hurried toward me, a little boy clutching his hand. His eyes were red-rimmed, his voice unsteady.

"Amanda, are you leaving us?"

I blinked.

Because to me, they were nothing but strangers.

Five Days Before I Forget You

Clinging to the last fragments of my memory, I summoned the system.

"Take me away," I whispered. "I'm tired."

A cold mechanical voice answered in my head, "Five days from now, I'll come for you."

I opened my mouth to speak, but the presence had already slipped away.

Silence pressed in, and a bitter laugh escaped me. "Okay."

Once, I believed marrying Theodore Calloway meant forever. I believed we would grow old together, side by side.

But in just six years, everything had quietly fallen apart.

Polly Bennett, the housekeeper, called out from the front hallway, "Mr. Calloway, you're home."

Theodore stepped inside. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his handsome face damp with rain. His usually immaculate suit clung to him now, rumpled and soaked, making him look unexpectedly vulnerable.

"Amanda," he said, his voice soft with complaint, "the rain was coming down so hard. I waited for you outside the publishing house for ages. Why didn't you come get me?"

Raindrops clung stubbornly to his lashes as he gazed at me, wounded and expectant.

I watched a single drop fall, bursting apart as it struck the floor. Lowering my gaze, I murmured, "I forgot."

For six years, I never failed him.

Whenever it rained, I came for him, remembering he once said his favorite thing was walking in the rain with me.

No matter what, I always showed up—until today.

Yet forgetting to pick him up was just a small slip.

The truth was, I had forgotten things far more important.

The system warned me from the beginning: the second male lead would always remain in that position. Regardless of how much he loved me, his heart would never fully belong to an outsider forever.

I hadn't believed it.

I was so certain Theodore would love me for life that I made a bet with the system.

If he stopped loving me, all our memories would vanish, and I would gradually sense my life slipping away, forced to stay conscious as I moved step by step toward my own demise.

Lately, my memories had begun unraveling faster.

The things that mattered most were blurring at the edges.

Still, I pretended, convincing myself none of it was real.

Theodore took my hand, his face filled with both frustration and concern.

"Are you still upset because I took care of Ruby that day while you were sick?" he asked. "Since when are you this petty, Amanda? You wouldn't even bring me an umbrella?"

I was quiet for a moment before answering, "I really did forget. My memories are being taken—"

"Enough," Theodore cut in, frowning with clear irritation. "Amanda, are you seriously using that story again? The system, leaving, disappearing—I understand you're upset, but you've used that excuse too many times."

The words died on my tongue.

I stared at him, hollow and numb. 'He never believes me. Not even once.'

I turned away and let silence answer for me.

Once, I would have explained everything, fighting to make him understand.

But now?

Only five days remained.

Whether he believed me or not no longer mattered.

A Pendant Built on Lies

Theodore clapped once.

Moments later, a servant appeared, holding a velvet jewelry box. Inside, an emerald pendant rested against black satin, shimmering softly beneath the lamplight.

"Amanda," Theodore said, lifting it from the box, "I had this made for you. There's only one in the world. It's perfect for you."

His gaze lingered, wrapping me in warmth and tenderness.

"Tomorrow's your birthday. Let's spend the day at the lake with Noah and see the flowers."

His voice was low and gentle, almost like a caress against my skin.

I stared at the pendant in his hand.

Even with my limited knowledge of jewelry, I could tell it was valuable. The emerald was vivid, and the craftsmanship was exquisite.

I looked up at him. "Does anyone else have one like this?"

He did not even hesitate.

"Of course not," he replied with a smile. "I picked it out for you. It's one of a kind."

That was a lie.

I had already seen that same pendant on Ruby Sinclair.

A sharp twist gripped my chest, slowly melting into a heavy, lingering ache.

Theodore moved closer and fastened the necklace around my neck, his touch gentle and deliberate.

When I met his eyes, for a fleeting moment, I felt like the only person in his world.

I almost believed it.

By the time I came back to myself, he was already tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear, his touch as gentle as ever.

He was still tender, still close, still soft in all the ways that had once mattered most.

So why did he suddenly feel so unfamiliar, like a stranger in his own skin?

…

Six years ago, Theodore was still young—the admired eldest son of the Calloway family, born into privilege and raised with expectations so heavy they would shape the rest of his life.

He'd received an offer from one of the best universities in the world. His family had expected him to go abroad, build an impressive future, and come back with even more to his name.

Then, he met me.

I was an orphan, rootless, with no family, no history, and nothing that made me worthy in anyone's eyes.

His family opposed us from the beginning. They looked down on me, looked through me, and made it clear I would never be enough, but I refused to disappear.

I would not become just another woman forced to share her husband and call it love.

And for me, Theodore gave it all up.

He stayed.

He gave up the life his family had planned for him and married me instead.

To everyone else, Theodore was cold, distant, and unreadable.

However, I had come to know another side of him.

I knew the man who sulked for my attention, laughed with his head on my shoulder, and held me close while whispering love until I believed nothing could ever break us.

I looked at him now and saw the affection still shining in his eyes. For one heartbeat, it almost seemed as if nothing had changed.

But there was something else, faint and unnameable, like a hairline crack beneath flawless glass.

Theodore wrapped his hand around mine. "Amanda? What's wrong?"

I came back to myself and shook my head. "Nothing. Let's just go."

In five days, I would be gone.

Maybe this trip was my silent farewell.

After all, I had spent six years loving him.

…

The next morning, breakfast was already waiting for me downstairs.

I was still recovering, and my body hadn't fully regained its strength. Just sitting upright for too long made me tired.

We hadn't been in the car very long before Noah started whining in the back seat.

"Daddy, can we bring Ms. Sinclair, too?" he asked. "She said she'd finish the story she was telling me and promised me a new toy. It's boring when it's just Mommy. She never does anything fun."

The air in the car changed instantly.

Theodore's expression darkened.

"Noah." His voice turned sharp enough to make the boy freeze. "That's enough. Today is family time. Don't be rude."

Noah seemed to realize too late that he'd said the wrong thing. He turned to look at me, suddenly cautious.

"Mommy… I'm sorry."

I didn't answer.

I just turned toward the window and watched the scenery blur past.

He Let Go of Me First

From Noah's tone, it was clear they had met many times before.

But strangely, my heart didn't ache the way it usually did. I felt calm.

Theodore took my hand and whispered, "Noah's still young. Don't overthink it, okay?"

I gently withdrew my hand from his grasp.

The pain inside me grew sharper, each movement sending a jolt through my bones as if invisible hammers pounded relentlessly.

"I know," I replied quietly.

It had rained heavily the day before, and the road leading to the lake had been washed out. We had no choice but to get out and walk.

Noticing how weak I was, Theodore instinctively reached for me, his hand hovering with concern.

Then, a panicked scream tore through the air.

"Get away from me! All of you, get away!"

I looked up.

Ruby was surrounded by several men, her face streaked with tears. The moment she saw us, she cried out, "Help me! Theodore, help me!"

Her voice trembled violently, and her terror was impossible to ignore.

Without hesitation, Theodore let go of me and rushed toward her. "Don't be scared!" he shouted. "I'm here!"

Weakened by pain, I stumbled the moment he let go, crashing hard onto the unforgiving ground.

Jagged gravel bit into my side, tearing my skin and sending a white-hot burst of pain through me. Warm blood spilled quickly, gritty with embedded stones.

Though I had grown accustomed to pain after so many punishments, a muffled gasp still escaped my lips.

When I looked up, my husband was already holding Ruby, his face tight with panic.

Clenching my jaw, I forced myself upright, refusing to stay down.

Ruby was crying, her voice soft and trembling. "I thought I'd never see you again, Theodore."

Before she could finish, her body went limp.

Theodore's eyes reddened as he scooped her into his arms and rushed her back toward the car. Noah burst into tears too and ran after them on his short little legs.

"Hurry! Take us to the hospital! Ms. Sinclair fainted!"

The driver looked at me, bloody and alone, as if he wanted to say something.

Yet, Theodore's furious voice came from the car first. "What are you waiting for? Move!"

The engine roared to life, and the car sped away.

I stood there in a daze.

From beginning to end, not one of them looked back at me.

Blood soaked through my dress, and pain pressed into every nerve until even breathing became difficult.

Still, I remained silent.

I only stood there and watched them disappear.

With their departure, it felt as if another fragment of my memory slipped away too.

"It's alright," I murmured to myself. "I'll be leaving soon anyway."

Glancing at the blood trickling from my wound, I ripped a strip from my dress lining and pressed it firmly to stem the flow.

Limping and half-dazed by pain, I began the long walk home from the mountain.

Hours slipped by as I trudged onward.

…

When I finally reached the city outskirts, Theodore finally sped toward me in his car, looking panicked.

"Ruby fainted," he explained the moment he got out. "In that situation, I had no choice."

He hurried over to me, his voice tight with urgency. "Amanda, I panicked."

The guilt and worry on his face looked real enough. When he grabbed my hand, his fingers were trembling.

I only looked at him quietly.

Then, with some effort, I pulled my hand free and asked, "When are we getting divorced?"

Theodore froze. "Divorced?" he repeated. "When did we ever say anything about divorce?"

He stared at me, stunned. "Amanda, what's wrong with you? Why are you saying things like that?"

He stepped toward me, reaching out as if to touch my forehead.

Then, he finally saw the blood, the tear in my dress, and the wound I had been carrying all along.