Almost biting through my lip, I forced the words out.

"Calvin! Please, just watch the movie with me. If you don't, I'll die. Please..."

Calvin turned around, startled.

The second he saw me on the floor, his eyes widened, and he instinctively took a step toward me.

Then Molly spoke.

"Calvin, go ahead. Rhea's always been healthy. If she suddenly collapsed, it must be serious. Stay with her. Don't worry about me."

He stopped.

His face went cold.

"Rhea, now you're faking a collapse too? Stop acting weak. Don't make me look down on you."

He walked away.

No matter how many times I called after him, he never looked back.

After a long time, the punishment finally ended.

My face was ghostly pale, like I'd just been dragged out of water. People started gathering around me, offering to take me to the hospital.

The System's voice cut in, cold and sharp.

[Task Two completion rate: fifty percent.]

[If Task Three is not completed perfectly, you will still be erased.]

The panel shifted.

Only one line remained.

[Make Calvin propose to you.]

A hollow smile tugged at my lips as I sank to the floor.

This was impossible.

***

When I opened my eyes again, I was in a hospital room.

Sasha quickly handed me some water.

"The doctor said your organs are failing. You probably don't have more than three days left. Does Calvin know? Is that why you're divorcing him?"

I knew it was the aftermath of the System's punishment.

Not more than three days?

I only had twenty-four hours left.

I still didn't want Calvin's pity.

I used to be the daughter of an old-money family. I still had my pride.

I shook my head.

"No. Sasha, for the sake of our friendship, I need you to do one thing for me. After I die, tell everyone I moved overseas and settled down. Don't let them see me die like this."

Sasha's eyes turned red. She wiped at them.

"Back during the avalanche, you were the one who saved Calvin. He thinks it was Molly. He misunderstood you and put you through hell all these years, and you—"

My phone started ringing on the table.

Calvin.

Sasha answered, and this time she couldn't hold back.

"Calvin, do you even know Rhea's sick?"

I struggled up and tried to stop her.

There was a pause on the other end.

Then Calvin let out a cold laugh.

"Did Rhea tell you to play along? She just fell down. What's supposed to happen? Tell her to hurry up and say the last condition so we can get this over with. I don't have time for her games."

Hearing the impatience in his voice, I took the phone and spoke seriously.

"The third thing is simple. I just need you to propose to me."

Crash.

Something slammed into the floor on the other end.

Calvin's voice instantly changed.

"Molly? What's wrong? Molly, don't scare me!"

The next second, he snapped.

"Rhea, are you out of your mind? I'm done playing along. Finish the court filing with me—or don't. I don't care anymore. My lawyer already has everything ready."

Then he hung up.

A sharp pain stabbed through my chest.

I knew he wanted me gone.

I just never thought he'd hate me this much.

The System kept pushing me to finish the task.

But I had nothing left to use against him.

What else could I even do?

Exhaustion hit me all at once.

Even if I begged Calvin, he'd just think I was acting.

If that was the case, I'd rather die with some dignity left.

With that thought, I called him again.

He answered immediately, irritation clear in his voice.

"If you're calling to bring up that proposal crap again, then go die."

He had no idea how right he was.

My voice stayed calm.

"I was kidding before. Meet me at the county courthouse tomorrow morning."

Calvin sounded surprised.

"That easy? Since when did you become so reasonable?"

"Don't want to? Forget it."

"Wait. You'd better not be pulling anything."

He agreed almost instantly.

***

At nine the next morning, we were standing in the hallway outside the county courthouse.

The family court office and county clerk's office were on the same floor, separated by nothing but a hallway.

Because I was one minute late, Calvin immediately snapped.

"Rhea, what now? So you were faking being sick yesterday too? People like you always stick around. You'll probably live to a hundred."

His friends looked just as smug.

They were all waiting for Calvin and Molly to get their license, holding confetti and ready to celebrate.

I almost laughed.

Back then, whenever Calvin and I made plans, he was never on time. He stood me up over and over, enjoying watching me wait around like an idiot.

Now I was one minute late, and he was already annoyed.

"Yeah, I did it on purpose. I changed my mind. For the third thing, carry me on your back into the family court office so we can finish the filing."

It wasn't even a hundred yards from here.

Calvin narrowed his eyes at me. "That's it?"

Molly rushed over like I'd committed some unforgivable crime.

"Calvin's the CEO. How can you treat him like a servant and make him carry you? So what if the divorce isn't finalized today? I'll wait for Calvin forever!"

The others immediately frowned.

"Rhea, seriously? That's shameless. You're doing this on purpose. You just don't want the divorce finalized."

I smirked and waited.

Calvin finally spoke. "Fine. But if you pull anything in there, I'll make your life hell."

He stepped in front of me.

I climbed onto his back without hesitation.

A quiet sound escaped him.

He must have felt it immediately.

I was too light.

Alarmingly light.

I used to be fearless. I loved racing, mountain climbing, anything with adrenaline. I used to be strong.

He asked, "Have you been starving yourself?"

I answered flatly, "You and Molly make me too sick to eat."

His expression hardened. "Enough."

Back when we got married, ten bodyguards had dragged him into the county clerk's office in this same building and forced him to sign the marriage paperwork. He'd looked disgusted the whole time.

Now, in the same courthouse, he walked toward the family court office with steady steps, determined to end our marriage.

In a daze, I thought back to when I was seventeen.

Calvin had gotten caught in an avalanche during a ski trip.

I ran into the snow without thinking. I screamed his name until my throat felt shredded before I finally found him.

Snow blindness had blurred his vision, and he'd slammed his leg against a rock. He couldn't even stand.

I half-carried, half-dragged him down the mountain for a day and a night.

I even cut my wrist and fed him my blood so he'd have the strength to keep going.

Half-conscious, his hot tears soaked into my neck.

"You're so good to me. I'll marry you!"

I laughed and told him he better not break that promise.

By the time we made it down the mountain, I should've died from hypothermia.

That was when the System attached itself to me.

It told me our love was extraordinary. If I stayed married to Calvin for seven years, it'd give me health and a long life.

I agreed without hesitation.

Secretly, I was thrilled.

It felt like a gift.

Of course we'd be happy.

But when I woke up, I saw him confessing to Molly in front of the entire school.

He said he'd marry her.

I was the one who saved him.

What I got in return was his endless gratitude toward Molly.

I tried to explain.

He didn't believe me.

"The person who saved me was gentle. Like an angel. You're rough and bossy. How could it possibly be you?"

Snapping out of my thoughts, I leaned close to his ear. "We're even now."

He stopped.

"What did you say?"

My throat suddenly burned, and I started coughing up blood.

Yesterday's punishment from the System had damaged my organs.

Even with my hand over my mouth, a drop of blood splattered onto Calvin's neck.

He instantly lost it. "Do you have a death wish? You coughed on my neck? That's disgusting. Wipe it off."

I wiped the blood from my lips, turned his head forward, and spoke calmly.

"Watch where you're going. Not me."

Calvin picked up his pace and carried me into the family court office.

Before he could set me down, I hopped off and grabbed a tissue to wipe his neck.

He still looked annoyed, yanking out tissue after tissue like I'd gotten something disgusting on him.

I looked at him.

"If you're choosing Molly, then don't screw her over."

He frowned and finally looked at me.

"What are you even talking about? It's one day. You seriously can't handle that? Relax. Once this game's over, I'll give you the luxury wedding I promised. I don't go back on my word."

A weak smile pulled at my lips.

I reached for the paperwork, feeling around for the signature line.

My eyesight had taken the worst hit once my organs started shutting down.

Calvin grabbed my hand and moved it to the right spot.

Then he smirked.

"What, are your eyes messed up now? Divorcing me got you crying yourself blind?"

I let out a quiet laugh.

"No. Watching you and Molly together was so gross my eyes tapped out."

For a second, it felt weird.

It had been a long time since we'd talked like this.

Calvin shoved me. "You seriously never say anything nice."

A groan slipped out, and I had to steady myself for a second.

His expression shifted. "Are you actually sick?"

I answered lightly, "No. Just hurry up and finish this. I'm going overseas for a while. Plenty of fish in the sea, right?"

The people behind us snickered, not even trying to hide the contempt on their faces.

Calvin's expression darkened.

Then he suddenly stood up.

"We're not getting divorced."

"Not getting divorced?" Molly cried out. Her eyes instantly turned red. "Calvin, if you can't let her go, it's okay. I'm willing to take the punishment. I only have a mild alcohol allergy—I won't die. I'll go buy the drinks right now."

I just stared at him.

I had no clue what he was doing.

So I pushed him. "Cut the act. Or what? You actually can't let me go?"

Calvin took the bait.

He snatched the papers and signed them fast.

"If I hadn't seen how pale and pathetic you look, I—"

He cut himself off.

***

Calvin's lawyer had already pulled some strings, so our uncontested divorce went from filed to finalized that same morning.

Calvin took his copy of the divorce papers, and we walked out of the family court office.

The second we stepped into the hallway, his friends crowded around him, practically buzzing with excitement.

They were heading straight for the county clerk's office.

None of that had anything to do with me anymore.

I turned to leave when Calvin suddenly called after me.

"Don't go. Once Molly and I get the marriage certificate and post it online, I'll remarry you right away."

Divorce, then remarry me?

Did he seriously think this was some game?

I gave him a half-hearted response and walked out of the courthouse.

On the virtual screen, the countdown showed thirteen hours left.

Enough time to wrap everything up.

Then my vision suddenly flashed red.

[Rhea Reid—mission failed. Divorce confirmed. Countdown reset to zero.]

I never saw that coming.

The System still had one last move.

I grabbed the courthouse doorframe and dropped to the floor.