After entering an infinitely-regressing system, I managed to conquer Shane ninety-nine times straight.

Using everything I’d learned, I ended up sleeping with him and getting pregnant.

However, the system announced that my mission had failed.

Confused, I questioned the system, only to hear a recorded conversation.

"I wasn't the one who slept with her that night.

"Of course, the system would judge it as a failure once she got pregnant.

"If she didn't look like Celine, I would have never chosen her.

"I'm done playing this boring little game…"

That was when I realized that in this game of love, being sincere was the real joke.

What they didn't know was that, without me, this world would have never existed at all.

"Host, if the mission is terminated, you will die, and the world will collapse. Are you sure?

"Your sister's condition has already worsened. If you go to another world and start a new mission all over again, I'm afraid…"

I couldn't help the bitterness that welled up in my heart upon hearing the System's words.

The reason why I came here in the first place, and accepted the mission to conquer Shane, was to save my sister, who had cancer.

However, I became trapped in Shane's sweet lies, unable to pull myself free, nor tell what was real or fake.

I only realized later on that the only woman he loved was his deceased wife, Celine Ashcroft.

Because I bore a stunning resemblance to her, he brought me home and took care of me carefully… that was, until the day I got into a car accident which left me with a scar, disfiguring half my face.

He didn't bring me to the hospital, instead stripping me bare and throwing me on the streets, letting men with ill intentions point and gawk at me.

From that day on, his attitude toward me changed completely, and he treated me like I didn’t exist.

This world was full of danger. Once, I was kidnapped by criminals. After barely managing to escape, I called Shane for help.

His voice was icy cold. "Did you think I'd even spare you another glance if you didn't look like Celine? Consider this punishment for allowing your face to be hurt."

Later, he took me to the hospital for plastic surgery, and ordered the doctor to operate without anesthesia.

Even now, as I lie on the operating table, I still remember that fear, and the feeling of the ice-cold scalpel as it pierced my skin.

After the surgery, I developed a high fever, yet he still refused to let the doctor cure me. He said this was to remind me that I was only a substitute, and that if my face was ruined, then I would be worthless.

I could only force a bitter smile when I heard that.

After my face healed, he treated me kindly again, just like before. But every night after it was over, he would go stand before Celine’s portrait and tell her that he didn’t love me, and that he was only trying to make up for his regrets.

One day, he said that if I went to learn techniques from prostitutes, he'd be willing to sleep with me,

For the sake of completing the mission, I went in with anticipation and stayed there for half a month.

But then, the System played a recording of Shane's voice, and it struck me like a thunderbolt.

"Shane, are you sure you want to let her sleep with another man? That punishment's brutal!

"Even if she knew, she wouldn't leave you either."

"Of course! Her mission's to sleep with me, after all, so now that she thinks she's close to succeeding, she wouldn't just give up."

Each and every word stabbed into my heart like knives, and it hurt to even breathe. I failed the mission. I couldn't save my sister, and didn't even win Shane over. So this was what it was like to be deceived.

Shane spoke with disgust, "People like her are just revolting, coming to this world with fake feelings and ulterior motives.

"Not killing her outright was the biggest mercy I could give."

Shane and the others burst into uncontrollable laughter, shattering the last trace of hope I had.

I closed my eyes, tears streaming down my face as I pulled my lips into a bitter smile.

"Yes, I'm sure. Terminate the mission.

"I want to leave this world as soon as possible and take on another mission."

After the System confirmed my request, I returned home.

I had been forced to learn many different techniques and positions to sleep with Shane, and I even relented and wore a mask that belonged to Celine, all to complete my mission.

Laughably, that person wasn't even Shane, but a random man he'd gotten from the streets. No wonder the mission failed!

When Shane came home and saw me there, his tone softened considerably.

"Since you’re pregnant, don’t run around. Go lie down on the bed.

"Come over and drink some milk, it's good for your body."

There was no love in his eyes, only mockery.

It was as if he were waiting to see a good show, waiting to see how I wouldn’t leave even after knowing the child wasn’t his.

I smiled, ignoring the milk in his hand, and turned back to my room to pack my things.

Perhaps because I no longer had any expectations, my whole body felt much lighter.

Instead, his hand froze midair, his body stiffening noticeably.

-

The door opened, and a woman walked in. She wore a pale yellow dress and moved with graceful elegance.

The woman looked exactly like Shane's deceased wife, and for a moment, I even believed that she'd come back to life. Even her gaze and expressions were oddly similar.

"Let me introduce you. This is Eve Schubert. From now on, she'll be my personal secretary.

"If there's anything, just tell her."

Eve sat delicately on the sofa, but I registered the arrogant glee in her eyes from where I stood just fine.

I chuckled without much of a care. This wasn't the first woman he brought back, and it wouldn't be the last.

Not long ago, he brought three women back with him and ordered me to bathe them, and even to teach them positions that he liked. Then, he told me to stand outside the door as he exchanged intimate words with them.

Another time, while he was accompanying me to the hospital, he spotted a woman that looked like Celine. He immediately threw me out of the car and ordered me to walk all the way to the hotel where they checked in, to wait.

Every time, after it was all over, he would say sweet words to me, "If we're talking about resemblance, you're still the most similar to her."

After that, I'd have to hide my sorrow and stay by his side, time after time. For the sake of my mission, what choice did I have other than swallowing my pain and suffering, helping him to take care of each woman he brought home?

This time was no different.

"She's young, so you'll need to teach her about… those matters.

"Also, she's allergic to dust, so you have to clean every corner of the house. It'll break my heart if she has an allergic reaction."

Shane's arm was wrapped around Eve's waist, his gaze gentle.

Eve lowered her head bashfully. "I only sneezed a few times because of dust, and you remembered!"

"When I saw how uncomfortable you were, I was frantic inside. I couldn’t bear to see you suffer like that."

I almost laughed at the irony as I witnessed this.

There was no way there was dust at home. After all, I was allergic to dust too.

Once, because I accidentally broke a cup his late wife had used, he locked me in the garbage room overnight. My allergies spiked violently, and it was only until the second day that I was sent to the hospital by the cleaning staff who found me.

"Any later, and she would have died!" The doctor said, but Shane replied nonchalantly, "Oh, stop exaggerating. She's tough, so she wouldn't die."

Yet, now, he remembered Eve's discomfort so clearly.

I dug my nails into my arm to steady myself.

Even though I told myself it didn’t matter, I still couldn’t suppress the tearing pain in my heart.

After confirming the System’s next assigned mission, I prepared to return to my room to shower, only to see Shane and Eve, naked and tangled together in bed.

The look in his eyes as he gazed at her was terrifyingly gentle.

So this was what he looked like when he truly loved someone.

I froze on the spot, and I couldn't help but mock myself.

Meanwhile, Shane said, "Eve wanted to take a look at your room. I figured you wouldn't mind.

"Sleep in the living room tonight. Oh, Eve also needs milk before bed, so warm it up and bring it over later."

Eve wrapped her arms around Shane's neck, her face glowing with happiness.

That smile pierced straight into my heart. I immediately lowered my head, unwilling to look at them.

"Aw, you remembered that I drink milk before bed? I'm so happy!"

"Something this small makes you happy? You’re too easy to please, Eve."

Shane's indulgent words made my chest ache. I sniffed quietly, refusing to let the tears fall.

Not hearing the answer he expected, Shane looked at me in displeasure.

"Do you even remember what I said just now?"

"Yeah, I do."

Seeing my calm expression, he stepped toward me, wanting to ask something, but Eve deliberately cried out, "Ahh, there's a bug! What if I get an allergic reaction?"

Shane could only turn around and scoop her into his arms, though his gaze lingered on me just the same.

"Alright, you can go now. I'll go see you later."

Seeing my lack of a reaction, he thought I was unhappy.

"I have to stay by Eve's side because she just got here, but don't think too much about it. The one I love most is still you."

I would have gotten happy in the past, thinking that he still thought of me fondly, but now I just turned around and left.

-

After warming the milk, Eve came out of the bathroom wearing my pajamas, lazily leaning against the armrest.

"How pitiful. You're basically a servant for a man who doesn't love you, and you even need to serve his new lover."

I didn't know what she was trying to do, but seeing how I didn't react in the slightest, she stormed over and raised her hand, slapping me across the face.

The sharp sound caught Shane's attention.

"What are you doing?!"

Even looked startled for a split second, then quickly regained her composure, slipping effortlessly into the role of the victim as she began to sob.

"I-I just wore her pajamas, and she called me a disgusting, shameless witch!"

The moment those words left her mouth, Shane frowned and looked at me.

My heart sank.

I was just about to explain when Eve hurriedly cut me off. "I couldn't help but try and defend myself, and she slapped me! It's all my fault for wearing her pajamas, so I'll take them off and apologize…"

The concern in Shane’s eyes nearly overflowed. For a brief moment, it even made me feel jealous.

Smack!

Before I could react, my left cheek was burning with pain.

I stared at Shane in disbelief as his hand hovered in midair again, only for him to lower it when he saw my reddened eyes.

"She didn't bring any sleepwear, so what's wrong with her wearing one of yours?"

Finally, I couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Shane, so whatever she says is the truth now?! Am I really that petty in your eyes?

"I don’t owe you anything for coming to this world!"

He had never seen me lose control like this before. A flicker of uncertainty crossed his face, but he quickly resumed his superior stance.

"Well, it doesn't matter! No matter what she does, endure it!

"You want to clear your mission and save your sister, right? Then isn't it alright if you apologize for something as petty as this? I won't make things too difficult for you if you do."

Shane looked at me with contempt, as if to say this was already the greatest mercy he could offer, that I should hurry up and comply,

I nodded slightly, a cold smile on my face.

Was there any use in explaining if he wasn't going to believe me, anyway?

"I won't apologize, so punish me however you want."

Upon those words, anger flared in his eyes.

I knew this would anger him. I treated it as the last time I would ever endure his humiliation, and the final blow to completely kill any lingering feelings I had.

"Get two people in here and strip her!"

I stood there numbly as I was stripped completely naked. He ordered me to stand there as punishment, before leading Eve away by the hand.

The calmer I became, the more memories came up in my mind.

Calmly, I closed my eyes and called upon the System. "Help me get rid of the child."

"It’s still a life. Are you sure?"

Since I had decided to leave, this child no longer had any reason to exist other than as a reminder of my past.

"Yes, I'm sure."

The System hesitated. "If we do it now, you’ll suffer severe backlash. It would be better to wait until tomorrow and go to the hospital."

However, seeing how resolute I was, the System carried out my commands, clearing the baby from my womb.

I clutched my stomach and wailed in agony as blood drained down my legs, but my heart had never felt so light.

Now, our final tie had been severed.

At some point, Eve appeared to watch the spectacle. She picked up a basin of cold water and poured it over my head.

As I shuddered violently from the cold, she said, "You looked like you were in pain, so I helped you cool down a little. Do you feel better now?"

She looked at me sideways, a mocking smile tugging at her lips.

"Seeing you like this puts me in such a good mood, so I'll let you in on a little secret.

"I'm the one who advised Shane to drag some random man to sleep with you, you know? He didn't hesitate at all, clapping his hands as he agreed…

"Why, he even said that the punishment sounded very interesting!"