Chapter 1

My mission to win over Michael Hawthorne had failed.

As I was about to be erased, the magical System for guiding me through the storyline gave me one last chance.

The System's mechanical voice dinged in my head: [Host, I have ten wishes here. If Michael fulfills one of them, you'll be able to return to the real world.]

But Michael messed up the first nine wishes.

Every time, he'd drop everything and run off the moment he answered the call from Vivian Lane, his first love.

The last wish was to watch a movie together.

With ten minutes left in the film, Michael suddenly stood up. "Vivian is not feeling well. I need to go check on her."

I grabbed his sleeve, trying to stop him. "There is only ten minutes left. It'll be over soon."

He yanked his arm away. "Sophia, are you heartless? You can watch the movie anytime, but Vivian can't wait."

Michael, I couldn't watch the film whenever I'd like to. I was dying.

*****

I frowned, holding up my hand as I swore to Michael. "Give me ten minutes, and I promise I'll never bother you again."

Michael looked down at me. Suddenly, he let out a cold laugh. "So you know how tiresome you are?"

I slowly lowered my head, my voice no longer as strong as before. "I'm really sorry. But I have no other choice. I only want ten minutes—"

"Enough." Michael cut me off sharply. He looked at me, his patience completely gone. "Last time it was the art exhibition, the time before that it was the sunrise. Sophia, you're so annoying."

Michael strode to the door, grabbed his suit jacket from the coat rack, and paused at the doorway. "Pause the movie. I'll come back and watch the rest with you."

It was too late. The mission couldn't be suspended.

Without bothering about anything else, I rushed over and blocked Michael's path, gripping the doorknob tightly behind me. "Michael, I know you don't love me and you hate being stuck in this arranged marriage.

"Give me ten minutes. I promise I'll vanish from your life for good, okay?"

With an indifferent expression, Michael arched an eyebrow. "Then I wish you'd vanish right now." His voice was icy.

He anxiously checked his watch without bothering to look at me and urged, "Move."

I looked up at him. "Michael, I'm dying. You're the only one who can save me. Please, I'm begging you. Ten minutes will be enough for me."

"Not this again. I told you, there is nothing between Vivian and me. She is on her last breath. Do you have to be so heartless?"

He thought Vivian was struggling for life and called me evil-minded. So he returned all my devotion to him in such a cruel way.

Vivian only twisted her ankle, but she claimed it was a car accident, and Michael bought every word.

But when it was really my life on the line, nobody believed me.

I should've known that Michael's heart was made of stone, and no one could melt his heart.

We'd known each other for many years, from the time when I was sixteen to twenty-six years old. I guessed it was time to face reality.

I slowly closed my eyes, let out a weary sigh, and released the doorknob, stepping aside to let him pass.

I managed a stiff, robotic smile and said, "Michael, I really won't bother you again."

"There is nothing going on between Vivian and me. As soon as I know she is fine, I'll come back. It won't take long," Michael said.

I shook my head softly. "Don't bother."

It didn't matter anymore. My world had left me behind. I wondered where I'd end up after I was dead.

Michael caught something weird in me and stammered, "A-Are you keeping something from me?"

I managed a faint smile, held the door open for Michael, and turned to leave.

There were ten minutes left. I wanted to see how the film ended. My life never got a proper ending, but at least the movie would.

I shuffled toward the couch in my slippers.

Suddenly, Michael grabbed my arm. "Something is off about you today."

He hung his suit jacket back on the coat rack and glanced at his watch. "I'll give you ten minutes."