The world got swallowed by a massive game, and half the population walked right in.

Only the first person to reach the top of the spender leaderboard could bring someone back to reality.

Fail a level three times, and monsters tear you apart into code.

Nolan dropped a billion dollars and took the #1 spot.

Between me and his childhood friend Bianca, he didn't even hesitate. He picked her.

When Nolan saw me, his voice went ice-cold. "I already dumped everything I have into this. Wait till I recharge again. I'll bring you back."

I smiled. Didn't buy it for a second.

He'd never cared about me. Still didn't realize I was the one who built this game.

They had no clue staying on top meant constant recharges. Slip once, and you get dragged back in.

And every dollar he spent? Straight into my account.

When Nolan got pulled back again, he sneered at me. "Damn it. Still stuck with you. Bianca's coming to save me. You're pathetic. Without me, just stand here and wait to die."

I wondered if that childhood friend of his would ditch her rich sugar daddy and burn everything just to save him.

When Nolan Cluny hit #1 on the spender leaderboard, everyone thought he'd save his wife.

He walked right past me and pointed at his childhood friend, Bianca Horren.

In a flash, she was out—back in the real world.

They held each other tight. And me? I felt like a stranger, watching someone else's happy ending.

If the guy who dropped a billion to save the girl he loved hadn't been my husband on paper, I might've been moved too.

Nolan noticed I was still standing there. A wall of light split us.

Reality on one side. The game on the other.

Behind me, people dropped to their knees, crying. I was the only one calm.

Nolan frowned. "I already put all my money into this. I can only save one person at a time. Serena, be reasonable. Bianca's family goes way back with mine. She got dragged in because she came to see me. No matter how you spin it, I'm saving her first. You're my wife. You should back me up."

I let out a short, bitter laugh.

Ten years with Nolan. I gave him everything, ran myself into the ground. Even after heart surgery, I was still up all night clearing his levels and handling the company.

And I couldn't even get one honest word.

The rules were simple. Only the #1 spender could pull someone out.

Everyone else had to grind through brutal physical levels alone.

And me? Like this—I was just waiting to die.

I clenched my fists and forced a smile.

'Fine. I'll show you who really runs this game.'

I sneered at Nolan. "Are you really doing this for those reasons, or just for yourself? You know the answer. We both do. The second you leave, I'll die in here."

The room shifted. Eyes turned sharp, cold, judging.

No one wanted a cheating jerk and his side piece walking out alive, stealing someone else's shot.

Nolan went quiet. Bianca caught the vibe and stiffened.

She rushed over, clutching his arm, her eyes watering. "Nolan, Serena, please don't fight because of me. I know Nolan saved me out of gratitude. He cares about loyalty. When his parents died, my parents took him in like family. That's why he chose me. Serena, don't get the wrong idea..."

Nolan looked at her even softer.

In a few words, Bianca turned herself into the fragile, understanding angel—and Nolan into some loyal hero stuck choosing old debts over his wife.

And me? The jealous, unreasonable idiot.

People started pointing.

"He's just paying back a debt. That's not wrong. The people who raised you come first."

"Yeah, and that girl seems so sweet. She didn't mean to take the wife's place."

"Standing next to someone that considerate, the wife's being way too aggressive."

Every word hit like a punch.

In that moment, I was trash on the ground—anyone could step on me.

Nolan's voice was flat. "Serena, I'll come back and save you."

I smiled. No way he'd drop another billion on me.

Half a month ago, when he found out my treatment cost $100,000, he'd shrugged it off.

"Let's skip it. Heart surgery's risky. You've got a few more years without it. If it goes wrong, the money's gone too."

I knew what mattered to him—his money.

And now he could burn a billion on Bianca.

My heart went cold.

Bianca stepped closer. The smug, mocking look in her eyes didn't even try to hide.

"Serena, do your best in the levels. You don't have money to save yourself, so you'll have to grind to survive. Nolan and I will watch from home and cheer you on."

I let out a cold laugh, glanced at the tattoo on her arm, then at Nolan. "If you were the one trapped in there, you really think Bianca would lose everything to save you?"

Nolan snorted, grabbing her hand. "I trust Bianca. She'd spend everything on me. Stop trying to come between us."

I smiled, sharp and mocking. "Then that tattoo on her arm—did you tell her to get it?"

Nolan froze. Bianca instantly covered her arm, panic flashing across her face.

Nolan's gaze went cold. "Bianca. Let me see."

Tears streamed down as she slowly revealed the tattoo.

N.C.

"Nolan, I've liked you since we were kids, but I never had the guts to tell you. So I secretly got your initials tattooed. I thought... at least this way, it'd be like I had you once."

By the end, she was a sobbing mess. Nolan pulled her into his arms.

His voice softened. "Don't worry. I'm not leaving you. You love me this much—how could I let you wait all these years for nothing?"

Bianca sniffed. "What about Serena?"

Nolan looked at me, eyes cold. "Serena, I'll find a way to save you, but it'll take time. Once my company's cash flow settles, just stay alive in the game as long as you can. If you die before I get the money... then it's fate. And I hope you can give Bianca and me your blessing."

I almost laughed. I said nothing.

The tattoo on Bianca's arm wasn't Nolan's.

It belonged to her sugar daddy.

Nolan's uncle.

Nathan Cluny.

But if Nolan wanted to believe her, fine. Not my problem.

After Nolan left, I stayed.

Everyone thought I was dead either way.

I slipped into a blind spot in the cameras. There was a door.

I went through it—and suddenly, I could see everything. The game. The real world.

All of it.

The $1 billion Nolan spent? Already sitting in my account.

Seriously?

My own husband didn't even recognize the game I'd spent ten years building.

He'd said it over and over: "You don't get games. Stop messing with projects. I'm not putting a cent into you. Quit wasting time and stay home—learn how to cook."

The day before launch, all the data got wiped.

Nolan wouldn't even check the cameras. He shut my team down on the spot and erased everything I'd built.

I never thought my game would come back like this.

I watched my balance climb and smiled.

Nolan had no clue every dollar spent in here landed in my account.

And now? I could walk out anytime.

I knew every level. Every move.

The next day, the spender leaderboard reset—and everyone showed up again.

Most of them looked wrecked. Bleeding, drained, barely standing.

I blended into the crowd.

Across from me, Bianca locked onto me, eyes wide. "You're not eliminated?"

I let out a short laugh. "What, you that eager to see me dead?"

Bianca choked, eyes going glossy as she looked at Nolan. "Nolan, I was just surprised. I didn't think Serena would twist it again."

He rubbed her head, his expression softening.

Then he turned to me, ice-cold. "Serena, our marriage was arranged. I drew your name. I've tried to be a decent husband, but the only person I love is Bianca. You split us up once. This time, let us be."

The nerve.

All I felt was disgust—and like I didn't even know him.

Yeah, ours was arranged.

But I really loved him. That's why I swapped every name in the drawing for mine.

Because I loved him, when his parents died and he had no power in the inheritance fight, I begged my parents to help him.

When Nathan tried to get him killed and he almost died at sea, I was the one who saved him.

All I had was a distress signal, but I still refused to eat or drink on that ship. I pushed it until the crew had no choice but to keep searching.

That's how they found Nolan—stranded on a deserted island.

He was barely alive—completely dehydrated. I cut my wrist and fed him my blood.

Half-conscious, he opened his eyes. Saw my swollen, red eyes. The blood on my wrist.

For the first time, he looked at me gently. His voice was rough. "Silly girl. Saving me like that—you don't care about yourself?"

I held him and sobbed, barely able to breathe. "Nolan, don't leave me. Please don't let anything happen to you."

He hooked his pinky with mine and smiled. "Relax. I'm not going anywhere."

But later, when Bianca needed blood after a car crash, Nolan dragged me to the hospital in the rain—even though I had a fever—just to bleed me for her.

They'd already taken 200 milliliters. The nurse saw how pale I was and hesitated.

Nolan shoved her aside and kept it going.

"Serena, you saved me with your blood once. You can save Bianca too. Just this once. I won't divorce you."

After that, I was basically her blood bank.

The life-or-death moment that once tied us together turned into my nightmare.