Chapter 1
Before I died, I sent Jenson Lindsey a video. He told me, "Just get it over with and die already."
He didn't want me hanging around and messing up his plans to marry another woman.
I never told him that I was only pretending to die after finishing my job as the expendable side character.
But when I faked my death, Jenson completely lost it.
He clutched my urn as he searched every corner for me. No one was allowed to say I was dead.
The day he finally tracked me down, I was heavily pregnant, waddling to a prenatal check-up with Jenson's sworn enemy by my side.
Jenson froze, stunned on the spot.
With tears brimming in his reddened eyes, he fell to his knees in front of me. "Barbara, I'll raise this child. Please, don't be with him. I'm begging you."
*****
Right before I jumped into the sea, I shot Jenson a video. It just happened to be the day he was marrying someone else.
Jenson picked up, impatience written all over his handsome face. "Can you not haunt me already? What the hell do you want?"
I pulled off a forced, awkward smile. "Nothing. Just thought that as your ex-wife, I should wish you congratulations."
Jenson gave a cold, mocking laugh. "Barbara, as far as I'm concerned, the best kind of ex-wife is one who's dead."
He drawled, "Want to wish me congratulations? Then take the plunge. Call it my wedding present. How's that sound?"
I sighed and got to my feet. "Fine, it's your big day. I'll play along."
I stood up, letting Jenson see exactly where I was—right at the edge of the cliff. "Congrats on getting married, Jenson. Your present's coming up."
Jenson shot me a look full of disdain. "Barbara, you seriously think you can do it? Probably shaking so hard you can barely stand."
I just smiled, ended the call, and without a hint of hesitation, stepped straight off the cliff.
I thought, 'Jumping into the sea is not that big of a deal.
'I will not stick around just to wind up a beggar, violated by some random creep, living worse than a stray.'
The icy seawater flooded my nose and lungs, stinging sharply and coldly.
Every memory of my life played on fast-forward in my head, and most of it was about Jenson.
After being in love with Jenson for five years, I had a dream.
In that dream, the whole world turned into a cheesy romance novel, with Jenson as the male lead. However, I wasn't the female lead.
I was nothing but cannon fodder, while Ramona Garza played the star.
In the dream, Jenson acted like I was out to bully Ramona, no matter what I did. He'd rescue her repeatedly. Eventually, they ended up in bed.
I was left to wander the streets, broken and alone.
When I woke up, a voice blasted in my head, calling itself the System. It turned out the main program had bugged out, handing me the plot ahead of time and making me the ultimate wildcard.
The System was there to keep me in line, watching my every move so I wouldn't stray from the storyline.
Right then, the System was shrieking in my ear, "Why aren't you doing what you're supposed to? Your character's a coward.
"Are you jumping into the sea just to freak Jenson out and beg him to take you back? Messing up the script like this, and the whole world will collapse in three months."
My life was fading, but I still managed to crack a smile.
Living a life worse than my nightmare for some so-called world stability was impossible for me.
This world tore me up so badly that all I wanted was to burn it.
As my life slipped away, I felt a twisted kind of satisfaction. My soul drifted over to the hotel where Jenson was getting married.
I wanted to see if marrying the woman he supposedly loved would look any different from when he married me.
It turned out that nothing changed.
Jenson slid the ring onto Ramona's finger, his eyes brimming with a tenderness that was almost suffocating.
Just like he did when he married me.
Their wedding rings glimmered under the crystal chandeliers, shards of light scattering everywhere.
At that time, I recalled the rings Jenson and I once wore.
Right before our divorce, his ring hadn't seen polish or care in ages. It was so lifeless and dull.
In the end, Ramona lost Jenson's ring for good.
Jenson had personally designed the ring, with his vow engraved deep inside the band. It read: [If I ever betray my wife, Barbara Lindsey, may every day of my life be restless and full of misery.]
However, his vows was shattered when Ramona showed up.
I let out another sigh.
Jenson must've heard something, because he glanced up right at me, his brow all scrunched up.
Instantly, I hid behind the crystal chandelier, holding my breath and praying he wouldn't spot me.
Jenson just stared at the ceiling for ages. Ramona nudged him, asking what was wrong, but he just shook his head. "Nothing, just felt weird for a sec. Maybe I'm just wiped out lately."
After a moment, Jenson looked Ramona right in the eyes and made his promise. "I swear that you're the only one I'll ever love for the rest of my life."