2
2/8
00:04
Chapter 1
I hid in the bathroom, my accumulated frustration finally boiling over.
“You popped the champagne too soon! You’re a real credit to your boss, you know that?!”
00.04
The System was just as frantic. [It’s all your fault! Why did you have to remind him it was your birthday?! Can’ t men just put away their cheap guilt?!]
My head was pounding. The relentless overtime had drained every last drop of my energy. I leaned weakly against the sink.
The System’s voice was small. [Maybe… you could ask him to sleep with you now?]
I let out a cold laugh. “How about I ask him to die for me instead?”
If only it were that easy. The architect of this game had plugged every possible loophole from the very begi- nning. Words like “sleep with me” or “die” were restricted. And the reasons for my requests couldn’t be repe- ated. After seven years, a marriage proposal was one of the few viable options left.
We were at a stalemate.
The sound of the faucet echoed in the small space. I sat on the toilet lid, trying to think of another request
that would guarantee rejection.
Suddenly, my phone rang. An unknown number.
I answered, and a gentle woman’s voice came through.
“Miss Crawford? This is Raina Lin.”
My hand shot out and gripped the edge of the sink.
At my silence, Raina let out a soft, triumphant laugh.
“You probably don’t know me very well, but that’s alright. I know you very well.”
“I’ve eaten the lunches you made for Stefan. I’ve worn the white shirts you washed for him. The last time he left your birthday celebration to come find me, he still had a strand of your hair caught on his tie clip.”
I leaned against the cool porcelain of the bathtub, my voice like ice. “And?”
Raina laughed again. “Are you genuinely stupid, or just pretending? Don’t you get it? Last year, on your birthd- ay, I gave him my first time. This year, I chose your birthday to come back, and he forgot all about you. Do I really need to spell out who Stefan Goldberg truly loves?”
I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Seven years had etched fine lines around my eyes. The eyes that once lit up at the mere sight of Stefan were now filled with a weary numbness.
I took a deep breath. “No, you don’t. Because Stefan is going to marry me.”
The other end went silent. Then, Raina’s voice turned sharp. “You don’t have to say things like that to spite me. You can’t win against me.”
3/8
00:04
Chapter 1
Stefan was knocking on the bathroom door.
00:04
I hid the phone behind my back, swung the door open, and asked in a soft voice, “Will you come with me to try on wedding dresses tomorrow?”
Stefan froze for a second, then wrapped his arms around me. His voice held a rare, gentle indulgence. “Of course. On our wedding day, you’ll be the most beautiful bride.”
I hung up the phone, fighting back a wave of nausea as I accepted Stefan’s kiss.
Raina, I thought, you’d better not let me down.
