Chapter 2 · Mission Failed, Love Erased

The door slammed shut.

On the System panel, the countdown to my death started ticking: 89 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes.

I finished the last piece of bread, grabbed my phone, and called my lawyer.

I said, "Donald, I need you to draft a divorce agreement. I waive all property claims."

Money meant nothing to me now. I was dying soon anyway.

Harry hadn't come home for a week straight. And my feed was filled with photos Julia posted.

There were shots of Harry's back as he walked with her at the amusement park, his hands peeling shrimp for her, and even a misaligned kiss photo of the two of them on a late-night street.

Her captions were always dripping with fake innocence. [After all this time, I'm so glad you're still here.]

I casually liked one of them.

System notification: [Emotional detachment progress: 10%. Your body is starting to break down.]

Right after I set my phone down, Harry's call came in.

He sounded smug. "Rose, saw the feed? Don't think hitting 'like' makes you look generous. If you show up at the office and ask nicely, maybe I'll consider coming home for dinner tonight."

I just found his childish threat hilarious. "No thanks, I'm busy," I said.

"Busy doing what? Just rotting at home?" Harry scoffed. "Oh, and that CloudPeak project you've been working on for three years? I'm planning to pull the funding."

My fingers paused as I gripped the phone.

CloudPeak was the result of countless sleepless nights and relentless effort. I even drank myself into a bleeding ulcer just to secure it for Harry's company.

I used to treasure it more than my own life.

"Why?" I asked, my voice still calm.

"Julia wants to open a gallery, and I've got my eye on the CloudPeak venue. I'm planning to renovate it for her," Harry said, sounding completely justified, with a hint of vindictive satisfaction in his voice.

He continued, "You're probably tired of that project anyway. Just let Julia have it. She'll be thrilled."

Harry was willing to crush all my hard work, just to see Julia smile.

If this had been the old me, I probably would've rushed to the office, crying and begging him to stop, or maybe even lost it and screamed at him.

But now, all I felt was relief. That project carried too much proof of how much I loved him.

Maybe it was better if it all goes up in smoke. Just let it go.

"Okay," I said softly into the phone. "Doesn't matter, as long as she's happy."

There was a dead silence on the other end.

After a long pause, Harry's voice came through, angry and frustrated. "Rose, what the hell are you playing at? Wasn't that project your whole life?

"You risked everything for it, and now I say I'm pulling the plug, and you don't even say a damn thing?"

"You said it yourself, Miss Jackson's not in good health. She needs something to make her happy," I replied, even helping him out with an excuse. "A gallery is perfect for her. It's quiet, classy."

Harry hung up.

Half an hour later, Asher messaged me. [Mrs. Wright, Mr. Wright blew up in the conference room. He smashed his cup and said you... said you were being ungrateful.]

I sent back a smiling emoji and tossed my phone aside.

A wave of fierce pain suddenly twisted through my stomach. I curled up on the couch, drenched in cold sweat.

System notification: [Physical punishment initiated. Pain restored and multiplied by ten.]

My vision blurred from the agony, but I actually laughed.

So this was the cost of letting go of him.

It was almost a relief. At least this pain wasn't as bad as loving him used to be.

Chapter 2

The door slammed shut.

On the System panel, the countdown to my death started ticking: 89 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes.

I finished the last piece of bread, grabbed my phone, and called my lawyer.

I said, "Donald, I need you to draft a divorce agreement. I waive all property claims."

Money meant nothing to me now. I was dying soon anyway.

Harry hadn't come home for a week straight. And my feed was filled with photos Julia posted.

There were shots of Harry's back as he walked with her at the amusement park, his hands peeling shrimp for her, and even a misaligned kiss photo of the two of them on a late-night street.

Her captions were always dripping with fake innocence. [After all this time, I'm so glad you're still here.]

I casually liked one of them.

System notification: [Emotional detachment progress: 10%. Your body is starting to break down.]

Right after I set my phone down, Harry's call came in.

He sounded smug. "Rose, saw the feed? Don't think hitting 'like' makes you look generous. If you show up at the office and ask nicely, maybe I'll consider coming home for dinner tonight."

I just found his childish threat hilarious. "No thanks, I'm busy," I said.

"Busy doing what? Just rotting at home?" Harry scoffed. "Oh, and that CloudPeak project you've been working on for three years? I'm planning to pull the funding."

My fingers paused as I gripped the phone.

CloudPeak was the result of countless sleepless nights and relentless effort. I even drank myself into a bleeding ulcer just to secure it for Harry's company.

I used to treasure it more than my own life.

"Why?" I asked, my voice still calm.

He continued, "You're probably tired of that project anyway. Just let Julia have it. She'll be thrilled."

Harry was willing to crush all my hard work, just to see Julia smile.

If this had been the old me, I probably would've rushed to the office, crying and begging him to stop, or maybe even lost it and screamed at him.

But now, all I felt was relief. That project carried too much proof of how much I loved him.

Maybe it was better if it all goes up in smoke. Just let it go.

"Okay," I said softly into the phone. "Doesn't matter, as long as she's happy."

There was a dead silence on the other end.

After a long pause, Harry's voice came through, angry and frustrated. "Rose, what the hell are you playing at? Wasn't that project your whole life?

"You risked everything for it, and now I say I'm pulling the plug, and you don't even say a damn thing?"

"You said it yourself, Miss Jackson's not in good health. She needs something to make her happy," I replied, even helping him out with an excuse. "A gallery is perfect for her. It's quiet, classy."

Harry hung up.

Half an hour later, Asher messaged me. [Mrs. Wright, Mr. Wright blew up in the conference room. He smashed his cup and said you... said you were being ungrateful.]

I sent back a smiling emoji and tossed my phone aside.

A wave of fierce pain suddenly twisted through my stomach. I curled up on the couch, drenched in cold sweat.

System notification: [Physical punishment initiated. Pain restored and multiplied by ten.]

My vision blurred from the agony, but I actually laughed.

So this was the cost of letting go of him.

It was almost a relief. At least this pain wasn't as bad as loving him used to be.