Chapter 1

In the fifth year of Harry Bingham ditching me repeatedly for Joan Denton, his police partner, the long-silent system finally came back online and gave me a one-way ticket out.

For the last three days, I stopped acting like a bitter wife, stopped checking up on him.

I let him hang the lucky charm he'd originally bought for me around Joan's neck.

I let him spend his days off at the amusement park with her while I waited alone in the hospital for his signature before surgery.

The day I was supposed to leave was my twenty-eighth birthday. I was by the river, alone, letting the wind hit my face.

He showed up in uniform with Joan, blocking me at Clement Bridge. He knocked the birthday cake out of my hands and shoved me hard against the railing.

His voice was cold as he demanded to know why I'd leaked Joan's location to a suspect.

He said, "Why didn't I realize before how selfish and vicious you are?"

My wrists were already bruising under his grip, but I felt nothing. I didn't even cry.

"Yeah," I said calmly. "I'm jealous of her. And I'm as vicious as it gets.

"Detective Bingham, I wish you both a lifetime of peace."

Then, before he could react, I wrenched free and jumped off the bridge.

The raging river swallowed me whole, erasing every trace of my existence.

*****

The mechanical voice that had been silent for five years suddenly rang out in my mind.

It announced, [Host, the system is back online.]

[Your attachment level in this world has dropped to zero. Your one-way return ticket has been issued.

[Three days remain until mandatory extraction.]

I was sitting on a cold plastic chair in the hallway of Norwood Hospital, clutching a consent form that needed a family member's signature.

The stabbing pain in my stomach made me hunch over, unable to help myself.

I didn't hesitate. In my mind, I answered, calm as ever, with just one word. "Okay."

The nurse walked over, holding my chart, her brows furrowed in concern.

"Miss Winston, your surgery isn't too risky, but you still need a family member to sign off and stay with you," she said. "Still can't get ahold of your boyfriend?"

I looked at my phone screen, which showed a dozen missed calls to Harry Bingham.

None of them were answered.

"Sorry. Let me try one more time," I said to the nurse.

I hit redial and pressed the phone to my ear.

The dial tone dragged on forever. Just when I thought it was about to cut off again, someone finally picked up.

But it wasn't Harry's voice I heard. Instead, there was the rush of wind from a roller coaster and a woman's bright laughter.

"Hello, Lenora?" the woman said. "Harry's getting me some cotton candy. He left his phone in my bag."

It was Joan Denton, Harry's partner on the police force.

My heart skipped a beat, and the pain in my stomach twisted even harder.

I forced the words out despite the pain.

"Put Harry on the phone. It's urgent," I said.

Joan said playfully on the other end, "Oh, Harry's back.

"Lenora, don't be mad, okay? Today's the day I officially became a detective, and Harry said he'd celebrate with me at the amusement park."

She handed the phone over, and Harry's impatient voice came through.

"Lenora, what do you want now?" Harry snapped. "Didn't I tell you I had a case at the station today?"

I listened to his lie. I didn't even have the strength to expose them.

"Harry, I'm at Norwood Hospital. The doctor says I need surgery for my stomach polyps ASAP, and I need you to sign the consent form," I said.

There was a brief silence on the other end.

Then Harry gave a cold, mocking laugh.

"Lenora, if you're going to lie, at least make it believable," he said with a sneer. "You were so lively arguing with me two days ago, and now you expect me to believe you suddenly need surgery?

"Joan got her badge today. As her mentor, what's wrong with me relaxing with her for a bit?

"Do you really have to use such petty tricks to compete for my attention right now?"

I tried to speak, wanting to tell him I wasn't lying, that I was really hurting.

Just then, Joan chimed in, "Harry, did you get my strawberry cotton candy?"

Harry's tone immediately turned gentle.

"Yeah, I got it. Come on, let's go queue up for the carousel you wanted to ride," he said.

Harry's voice turned icy as he spoke into the phone. "Don't call again. I'm busy."

Then he hung up.

I stared at the dark screen. In that moment, five years of sticking it out felt like nothing but a joke.

The nurse let out a sigh next to me.

"Your boyfriend's not coming?" she asked.

I slipped my phone back into my pocket, picked up the pen, and signed my name on the consent form.

"He's dead," I said. "I'll sign it myself. If anything happens, I'll take responsibility."

The nurse paused for a moment, then turned to arrange the surgery.

I leaned back in the chair, staring up at the harsh, white incandescent lights overhead.

The system asked, [Host, you used to rush over and demand answers whenever something like this happened.

[Why not this time?]

I closed my eyes.

"There's no need anymore," I replied. "Why bother fighting when I'm already dying?"

*****

By the time the surgery was over, it was already night.

With the anesthesia still lingering in my system, I could barely stand as I made my way back to the apartment Harry and I shared.