Chapter 1 · Watching Everyone's Death Countdown Timer

I could see the countdown to death above everyone's head.

And the time was running out today for my wife, Winifred Foster.

For ten years, she had maintained the illusion that she couldn't conceive.

But today, she brought home a five-year-old child, along with her longtime lover.

She revealed everything to me in front of her relatives, who immediately rallied to her aid and urged me to be magnanimous.

"Randall, it's tough on Winie too. As you know, women love kids. Just think of him as your free son. It's a win-win situation for all."

I watched the rapidly ticking countdown above her head, which currently showed [00:01:30].

Then I stated firmly, "I won't accept this child of dubious origin."

Winifred looked at me as if I were a fool in denial.

She wrapped her arms around her lover's waist with a gloating expression and declared, "Whether or not you accept the father and son, I won't abandon them. From now on, I'll stay with you during the day and go to his place at night..."

At this point, the timer showed [00:00:10].

I replied placidly, "In that case, I want a divorce."

Her eyes widened in shock. She was about to erupt in fury when she suddenly clutched her chest and collapsed to the ground.

Her timer had turned red and stopped at [00:00:00].

The moment Winifred collapsed, the living room fell silent.

Gulliver Barton, who had been gloating at me just a while ago, was horrified. The next instant, his scream shattered the silence. "Winifred! Winifred, what's wrong? Wake up!"

The five-year-old boy simply stood there looking very lost. Before long, he also burst into tears.

I stood where I was and watched the unchanging timer above Winifred's head slowly fade into nothing.

She was dead, without a doubt.

"Quick! Call an ambulance!" someone shouted.

"It's you, Randall! You're the one who drove her to death!" Gulliver yelled at me with bloodshot eyes.

I took out my phone and leisurely called for an ambulance.

Following that, I called the police emergency line.

"Hello, police? My wife just died suddenly, and I suspect the man next to her had something to do with it," I said.

My voice wasn't loud, but everyone in the living room heard me clearly.

Gulliver stopped sobbing abruptly. He stared at me in disbelief.

"What... What rubbish are you talking about? Why would I hurt Winifred?" he shouted.

I turned my eyes away from Winifred's dead body.

The ambulance and the police showed up almost at the same time.

The paramedics checked her on the spot and then shook their heads ruefully.

"She died about ten minutes ago. Most likely due to sudden heart failure," one of them said.

The police cordoned off the living room and started questioning everyone.

My in-laws rushed over as soon as they heard what happened. The moment my mother-in-law saw Winifred lying on the floor, she fainted at once. My father-in-law had to scramble hurriedly to catch her.

When the old woman finally came to, she immediately lunged at me with her hand raised, ready to hit me.

"You useless good-for-nothing! Did you poison her food? My daughter was perfectly fine. How can she drop dead like that?" she screamed.

The police held her back before she could hit me.

I stared at her face, all twisted with rage, and saw the timer above her head. It showed [3 years, 2 months, 11 days].

There wasn't a lot left, but it was more than enough for her to suffer.

In the eyes of the police, my unnaturally calm demeanor made me the most suspicious person.

"Mr. Gutenberg, please come with us to the station to assist with the investigation," one of the officers said.

I nodded, picked up my phone, and left with the police.

As I walked past Gulliver, he was holding the kid, looking at me with a mix of spite and glee.

He thought I was finished.

I looked at the timer above his head. It showed [52 years, 6 months, 3 days]. A barely noticeable smile crept across my lips.

*****

The interrogation room lights were so bright they hurt my eyes. The officer sat across from me and asked some routine questions. I answered all of them without any emotion.

"So, how was your relationship with your wife?" the officer asked.

"We were married for ten years," I replied.

"What's your response when she brought her lover and their child home?" the officer continued.

"I refused to let her bring the kid home," I replied.

The officer rapped his knuckles on the table and leaned closer as he scrutinized me.

"And why did you ask for a divorce?" he asked again.

"Because she wanted me to stay in the same house with her lover and their kid. I find that disgusting," I replied frankly.

The officer went quiet. He seemed to be assessing whether I was telling the truth or not.

I added, "Winifred had a hereditary heart condition. She never told anyone about it, not even her own parents.

"She had to take her meds regularly, but I guess she got too worked up today and forgot to take them."

The officer immediately made a few phone calls to verify my testimony.

I sat placidly in the chair, waiting to see what they had in store for me.

From a young age, I already had the ability to see the countdown timer above people's heads. The timer was never wrong.

Chapter 1

I could see the countdown to death above everyone's head.

And the time was running out today for my wife, Winifred Foster.

For ten years, she had maintained the illusion that she couldn't conceive.

But today, she brought home a five-year-old child, along with her longtime lover.

She revealed everything to me in front of her relatives, who immediately rallied to her aid and urged me to be magnanimous.

"Randall, it's tough on Winie too. As you know, women love kids. Just think of him as your free son. It's a win-win situation for all."

I watched the rapidly ticking countdown above her head, which currently showed [00:01:30].

Then I stated firmly, "I won't accept this child of dubious origin."

Winifred looked at me as if I were a fool in denial.

At this point, the timer showed [00:00:10].

I replied placidly, "In that case, I want a divorce."

Her eyes widened in shock. She was about to erupt in fury when she suddenly clutched her chest and collapsed to the ground.

Her timer had turned red and stopped at [00:00:00].

The moment Winifred collapsed, the living room fell silent.

Gulliver Barton, who had been gloating at me just a while ago, was horrified. The next instant, his scream shattered the silence. "Winifred! Winifred, what's wrong? Wake up!"

The five-year-old boy simply stood there looking very lost. Before long, he also burst into tears.

I stood where I was and watched the unchanging timer above Winifred's head slowly fade into nothing.

She was dead, without a doubt.

"Quick! Call an ambulance!" someone shouted.

"It's you, Randall! You're the one who drove her to death!" Gulliver yelled at me with bloodshot eyes.

I took out my phone and leisurely called for an ambulance.

Following that, I called the police emergency line.

"Hello, police? My wife just died suddenly, and I suspect the man next to her had something to do with it," I said.

My voice wasn't loud, but everyone in the living room heard me clearly.

Gulliver stopped sobbing abruptly. He stared at me in disbelief.

"What... What rubbish are you talking about? Why would I hurt Winifred?" he shouted.

I turned my eyes away from Winifred's dead body.

The ambulance and the police showed up almost at the same time.

The paramedics checked her on the spot and then shook their heads ruefully.

"She died about ten minutes ago. Most likely due to sudden heart failure," one of them said.

The police cordoned off the living room and started questioning everyone.

My in-laws rushed over as soon as they heard what happened. The moment my mother-in-law saw Winifred lying on the floor, she fainted at once. My father-in-law had to scramble hurriedly to catch her.

When the old woman finally came to, she immediately lunged at me with her hand raised, ready to hit me.

"You useless good-for-nothing! Did you poison her food? My daughter was perfectly fine. How can she drop dead like that?" she screamed.

The police held her back before she could hit me.

I stared at her face, all twisted with rage, and saw the timer above her head. It showed [3 years, 2 months, 11 days].

There wasn't a lot left, but it was more than enough for her to suffer.

In the eyes of the police, my unnaturally calm demeanor made me the most suspicious person.

"Mr. Gutenberg, please come with us to the station to assist with the investigation," one of the officers said.

I nodded, picked up my phone, and left with the police.

As I walked past Gulliver, he was holding the kid, looking at me with a mix of spite and glee.

He thought I was finished.

I looked at the timer above his head. It showed [52 years, 6 months, 3 days]. A barely noticeable smile crept across my lips.

*****

The interrogation room lights were so bright they hurt my eyes. The officer sat across from me and asked some routine questions. I answered all of them without any emotion.

"So, how was your relationship with your wife?" the officer asked.

"We were married for ten years," I replied.

"What's your response when she brought her lover and their child home?" the officer continued.

"I refused to let her bring the kid home," I replied.

The officer rapped his knuckles on the table and leaned closer as he scrutinized me.

"And why did you ask for a divorce?" he asked again.

"Because she wanted me to stay in the same house with her lover and their kid. I find that disgusting," I replied frankly.

The officer went quiet. He seemed to be assessing whether I was telling the truth or not.

I added, "Winifred had a hereditary heart condition. She never told anyone about it, not even her own parents.

"She had to take her meds regularly, but I guess she got too worked up today and forgot to take them."

The officer immediately made a few phone calls to verify my testimony.

I sat placidly in the chair, waiting to see what they had in store for me.

From a young age, I already had the ability to see the countdown timer above people's heads. The timer was never wrong.