Chapter 7
Emily's hand paused, trembled slightly, then she quickly drew it back.
The System's static buzzed in her mind, a timely reminder.
It said: [Host, this is your last day.]
When Ethan woke up, Emily was already bustling around in the kitchen.
Ethan knitted his brows, a bit puzzled. He asked, "You know you could've just ordered breakfast. Why are you up so early?"
Emily shook her head and said, "I wanted to cook for you today."
She smiled with that same gentle warmth as when they'd first met.
Ethan found himself momentarily dazed, lost in her smile.
Over the past two years, they'd had so many arguments, and she always had that perpetual scowl that sucked the air right out of the room, making him feel like he was suffocating.
Ethan felt Emily had become a different person after all that Claire drama.
He thought to himself that having a bit of competition really did spice up a marriage.
For the first time, Ethan figured maybe Claire getting involved in Emily's life wasn't such a dumb thing after all.
Ethan grinned and nodded. He said, "Man, I haven't tasted your cooking in forever, Emily. Can't wait."
Emily just laughed softly and playfully pushed him out of the kitchen.
Little did he know, this was the last time she'd ever cook for him.
Two hours later, Emily had the whole table covered with delicious food for lunch.
Just as Ethan was about to dig in, his phone suddenly buzzed.
He peeked at the caller ID, his face darkening a bit. He set down his fork and walked outside to take the call.
Emily couldn't hear a word he was saying, but the System told her outright.
The System said: [Claire's stomach feels off, and she wants Ethan to be with her.
[Host, wanna bet whether he'll choose you or her?]
Emily's face turned pale.
At that exact moment, Ethan hurried out of the room.
He said, "Emily, something urgent came up at work. I'll be back soon."
His lie was flawless, not even a hint of hesitation.
Emily reached out and caught Ethan just as he was heading out. She said, "You said you'd stay with me."
The emotion in her eyes sent a wave of inexplicable dread through Ethan.
But after a brief pause, he pulled free from her grasp. He said, "I told you I'll be back soon. Just wait for me at home."
Emily's eyes brimmed with tears.
She choked out, "Will you come back tonight?"
The raw emotion in her words was almost suffocating, and Ethan couldn't shake a wave of anxiety.
Still, he swallowed his unease, just nodded, almost dismissively. He said, "Of course."
With that, he strode out of the house.
Emily just stood there, waiting for him to come back.
When there were only 5 hours, 22 minutes, and 12 seconds left on her countdown, she heard movement at the door.
But it wasn't Ethan who walked in—it was Sophia.
Sophia thrust her phone toward Emily's face, flashing the photos.
In the photo, Ethan was holding Claire close, the pain and love in his eyes cutting deep into Emily's heart.
Sophia said, "You see? Ethan really does care about Claire. She gets hurt, and he's there, taking care of her himself."
Then she handed Emily a bank card and added, "I know what you want. There's 3 million in this account. Just sign the divorce papers, and the money is yours."
Before Sophia could finish, Emily pushed the card away and said, "I don't need your money."
Sophia was on the verge of losing her temper, but Emily picked up the pen and signed the papers without a second thought.
Seeing Emily cooperate, Sophia left with the divorce papers, satisfied.
The room was silent once more. Emily watched the countdown from the System—only four hours left on her timer.
She reheated the dishes on the table.
Then, she picked up some paper and a pen and began writing her will.
As her final moments approached, Emily found herself surprisingly calm.
By the time she finished writing her will, there were only two hours left on the countdown.
For those two hours, Emily did nothing—she just sat there on the couch, waiting.
She wasn't even sure if she was waiting for death or for Ethan to finally come home.
It wasn't until the System's static echoed in her mind that she snapped out of her daze.
The System said: [Punishment in effect. Beginning erasure process.
[Erasure starting now. 10, 9, 8...]
Pain radiated from deep within Emily's bones, growing fiercer, more unbearable every second.
It was as if her veins were surging with countless jagged shards of glass, tearing her apart from the inside.
Emily couldn't stay upright any longer; she slid off the couch, agony so acute it felt as if she were being sliced apart, piece by piece—until the countdown reached zero.
She coughed up a gush of blood, her throat burning as agony tore through her body, ripping her apart from the inside.
Just before her consciousness faded, her eyes drifted to the food on the table—cold once again, untouched.
Even now, she was still mourning the fact that she wouldn't get to share one last meal with Ethan before the end.
The System announced: [3, 2, 1.
[Erasure complete. Host eliminated.]