Chapter 1

After ten years of trying to capture Harry Wright's heart, the System finally ruled my mission a failure.

The punishment? All my emotions would be wiped out, and then I'd just fade away in this world.

For the last three months, I became unusually docile.

When Harry pulled the funding from my passion project just to please his childhood sweetheart, Julia, I smiled and said, "It's okay, as long as she's happy."

On our wedding anniversary, he left me behind to spend Julia's birthday with her. I replied, "Take care, no need to hurry home."

Harry figured I'd finally learned to behave, so he pushed his luck and brought Julia home to stay the night.

He pointed at the master bedroom and said, "Julia's scared of the dark. You'll sleep in the guest room tonight."

I nodded, moved out of the master bedroom without a single complaint, and casually left the signed divorce papers on the nightstand.

Harry watched me walk away, cold and indifferent, and for some reason, he felt uneasy. He said, "Rose, don't fake it. Tomorrow morning, I want you to make oatmeal for me."

The next morning, he didn't get any oatmeal.

Instead, he received a death certificate from the hospital, and the doctor handed him a phone.

He found just one line in the phone's notes. [Harry, I don't love you anymore. You're free now.]

*****

I was fixing Harry's tie when that cold, robotic voice sounded in my head.

The System: [Host, you failed the mission. In ninety days, you'll exit this world. Cause of death: natural causes. Punishment activated: your emotions will be stripped away.]

Harry shoved my hand away, so hard that my skin flushed red in an instant.

If this had happened before, I would've teared up, carefully asking if he was hurt or if something was wrong.

But now, the System had stripped away the last bit of love I felt for him.

My heart, which used to beat and ache for him, suddenly felt hollow, like a dried-up well.

I calmly withdrew my hand, glanced at the crooked tie, and said, "Tie it yourself."

Harry froze for a moment, clearly not expecting me to react like that.

He frowned, a flicker of disgust in his eyes. "Rose, are you pulling your push-and-pull tricks again this early? Julia's back in town. I don't have time for your drama."

Julia. Julia. His childhood sweetheart, the one he was obsessed with, the one he couldn't get out of his head, even after marrying me.

Back then, just hearing her name would make me jealous, lose it, and start interrogating him like a madwoman.

Now, the name Julia just sounded empty and meaningless to me.

"Oh," I said, heading to the kitchen and picking up a slice of toast. "Got it."

My lukewarm attitude left Harry speechless, and his temper spiked.

He marched over and yanked my wrist. "Rose, what's with this attitude? Julia just got back and she's not feeling well. I'm heading to the airport to pick her up, so don't embarrass me over there."

Pain registered in my wrist, but I didn't so much as wince.

My sense of pain seemed to fade right along with my feelings.

I took a bite of my toast, looked up at him as if he were just another passerby. "I'm not going. Have fun."

Harry stared into my eyes, searching for any trace of anger or jealousy, even if I was faking it.

But he came up empty. My eyes were lifeless, like stagnant water.

Harry let go of my wrist, annoyed, and snorted. "Better be. I'm not coming home tonight."

"Okay," I replied.

I answered so fast that Harry stopped in his tracks as he reached the door.

Harry glanced back at me, his gaze mixed with curiosity and a strange unease.

But I was already drinking my milk, not even bothering to look his way.