2

The moment the call ended, the skies opened up, unleashing a torrential downpour.

I stared at the wilted roses and the lopsided cake in my hands, unable to suppress a bitter chuckle.

"Guess I'm the one running out of time here."

Ariana had no idea that I was clinging to this strange world for her sake.

Six years ago, I was blind, given a chance to regain my sight.

That opportunity came with a mission: to win over Ariana.

But after I succeeded, I fell for her.

I sacrificed everything from my old life to stay by her side.

Yet, the System had its doubts. "Host, people's hearts are fickle. If Ariana ever changes her mind, you'll face erasure from this world."

At that time, I shrugged it off. "Ariana loves me too much to ever stray."

Later, I received the news about Marvin's heart failure.

Ariana became obsessed with getting a divorce, all to fulfill Marvin's dying wish.

Little did she know that fulfilling that wish would cost me my life.

Noticing my low spirits, the System chimed in, "As long as you haven't signed the divorce papers, you won't disappear. I think you still have a chance to change Ariana's mind."

I gazed out at the relentless rain, lost in thought.

I thought, "Can I really change anything?"

But when I saw a post from Marvin on social media, I felt my resolve crumble.

It was a candid shot.

Marvin, in a hospital gown, rested his head on Ariana's shoulder.

She looked at him with such tenderness, peeling an orange with a smile dancing on her lips.

The caption read: [Who says childhood friends can't compete with fate? Ariana has only ever peeled oranges for me.]

From the moment I met her, I knew Ariana despised peeling citrus.

The lingering scent annoyed her, which was why we never kept oranges at home.

If we ever bought some, it was always me who peeled them for her.

So, she could break her own rules after all.

She just wouldn't do it for me.

With that realization, I turned to the System and said calmly, "Forget it. There's nothing left to fight for."

My heart had already turned to stone.

From the moment Ariana decided on the divorce, my fate was sealed.

What difference did it make if it happened sooner or later?

The System's voice softened. "Alright, Host. But before you're erased, I can grant you one wish."

I couldn't help but laugh bitterly. "A wish? Can you make Ariana fall back in love with me?"

The System paused, contemplating.

"I can only do what's within my power, like deciding how you're erased."

"What does that mean? A terminal illness or an accident?"

"Something like that."

That method of erasure seemed to lift any burden from Ariana's conscience.

So, I thought long and hard.

"How about this? After I'm gone, donate my heart to Marvin?"

Marvin needed a heart transplant to survive.

An accident or illness would only sadden Ariana for a short while.

I wanted her to feel guilt, to regret how she treated me during this time.

I wanted her to hear my heartbeat every time she got close to Marvin in the future.

The System fell silent for a moment.

"Host, are you sure? What if Ariana doesn't care?"

I let out a resigned chuckle.

"She wouldn't. I know Ariana well. She'd be devastated even if she lost a pet," I said.

After all, I had donated my heart to her beloved.

I wanted her to regret it for the rest of her life.

"In that case, let me spice things up for you."

"Spice things up? How?"

"Let's make it so that the cause of death is a car accident on the way to an early diagnosis of stomach cancer, and Ariana is the indirect cause of the accident.

"So, if she knows you donated your heart, she'll feel even more guilty. She needs to understand that it's her fault you died. If it weren't for her, you wouldn't have had to leave this world."

"Alright."

I thought, "Becoming a doctor has always been Ariana's dream since her school days.

Her ideal is to save lives, but how will she feel if she learns she has indirectly caused someone's death, especially someone close to her?

And to make matters worse, that person has donated his heart to her beloved."

I couldn't help but smile at the thought.

Once she knew the truth, she'd be living in a state of despair and guilt for the rest of her life.

3

I had forfeited my chance, so the System began to accelerate the erasure process.

The moment I woke up the next morning, I felt a gnawing discomfort in my abdomen.

The System chimed in, its tone dispassionate as always, "It's just early-stage stomach cancer. If treated promptly, you'll be just fine."

"If Ariana wavers even slightly in her obsession with Marvin, that car accident won't occur."

I realized the System was offering me an escape route.

But I was prepared to disappoint it.

Only by letting everything unfold as it was meant to would Ariana feel the full weight of her pain.

The pain in my stomach intensified, and soon, I broke into a cold sweat before slipping back into unconsciousness.

Time passed—how long, I couldn't say—until I was jolted awake by the shrill ring of my phone.

Rubbing my eyes, I noticed a few missed calls from Ariana.

Just as I was about to dial her back, I heard the sound of a keypad being tapped at the front door.

She walked in, dragging a massive suitcase behind her.

Seeing me lying on the sofa, she was annoyed.

"Arthur, didn't we agree to finalize our divorce today? What's taking you so long?"

I blinked at her, suddenly remembering that we'd planned to finalize the divorce.

Her annoyance grew as she noticed my dazed expression.

"Come on! Get a move on! What are you waiting for?"

I pressed my hand against my abdomen, feeling pale and clammy.

"Ariana, I'm not feeling too well today. Can we push this until tomorrow? It's not like this is some race."

I used to be in good health, so I'd never imagined stomach cancer could be this debilitating.

A memory flickered through my mind—my father passing away from late-stage stomach cancer.

He'd hidden his pain from me, not wanting to burden me with his suffering.

It hit me how much agony he'd endured without a word.

But my uncertainty only seemed to fuel Ariana's impatience.

"Arthur, if you're looking for excuses, at least make them more convincing. Quit stalling! Hurry up and get ready. I'll just pack my things while I'm at it."

Before I knew it, she was shoving me toward the bathroom.

She genuinely seemed eager to wrap things up.

Trying to steady myself for the day ahead, I reached for a painkiller from the medicine cabinet.

Maybe it would relieve some of the discomfort.

On my way to the kitchen to grab some water, I caught sight of Ariana's open suitcase, and my heart sank.

Among her clothes, a few packages lay unopened, all addressed to her. My eyes narrowed, and I could hardly believe what I saw is a lacy black nightie, sultry and scandalous.

Ariana had never worn anything like that around me in our years together.

Back then, I'd teased her for being so conservative.

Ariana'd said with a dismissive wave, "You know me, I'm not the risqué type."

I thought, "So who exactly is she planning to impress with that little outfit? Marvin?"

Emerging from the bedroom, she clutched an armful of her clothes, her gaze catching mine as I stared at the suitcase in shock.

She quickly followed my line of sight, panic flashing across her face.

She hurried to cover the package with her garments, then zipped the suitcase shut, looking a mix of flustered and defensive.

"Oh, um, I bought that for you—intended to wear it for you, actually. But it ended up stuck in my car's backseat, and I totally forgot about it."

Her eyes darted away, betraying her unease as she fumbled through her explanation.

Ariana seemed to forget that I'd previously complimented how lovely she looked in white lace—and how black lace wasn't really her style.

Besides, I had also made it clear that I didn't like that tacky style.

If she had genuinely bought it for me, why in the world would she choose something I didn't even like?

Her justifications felt like a flimsy veil over a truth she didn't want to confront.

Deep down, even she had to realize how absurd this all was.

I suddenly felt a tightness in my chest, unsure if it was the painkillers kicking in.

If only painkillers could heal a broken heart.

I couldn't help but wonder when exactly Ariana had started to drift away.

What had caused her change of heart?

Why was she the one who had made those vows, yet it was her who broke them first?

What had I done to deserve all of this?

Seeing my pale face, Ariana rushed over to support me.

"Arthur, what's wrong? It's really not what you think. Don't get lost in your own thoughts.

"Marvin and I are just good friends, nothing more," Ariana insisted.

4

I thought, "Marvin? Good friends?

Who gets married to their "good friend"?

Who kisses their "good friend" in a car?"

Not long ago, when I refused to agree to the divorce, Ariana had stormed off in a huff.

Worried about her, I checked her dashcam footage through an app on my phone.

What I saw shattered me. Ariana and Marvin were locked in a passionate kiss, lost in their own world.

They kissed for what felt like an eternity before she finally dropped him off at the hospital, reminding him to get some rest.

Maybe they had been involved long before Marvin's heart failure.

Otherwise, why would Ariana have grown increasingly distant after coming home?

She thought I was oblivious, but now, in this moment, she was still trying to cover her tracks.

Did she really believe her actions were seamless?

No matter how much I loved her, I could no longer trust her like before.

As Ariana frantically tried to explain herself, I pushed her hand away in disgust.

"Aren't we getting a divorce? Let's go; we don't want to keep anyone waiting."

Ariana hesitated, searching my eyes for something—anything—before her gaze fell flat, meeting only the emptiness within me.

On our way to the courthouse, I gazed out the window at the rapidly passing streets, nostalgia washing over me.

I remembered taking this same route with Ariana when we went to get our marriage license.

Back then, we had nothing, no house, no car, not even a penny to our names.

We had taken the bus to the City Hall.

But we were filled with hope for the future.

Now, we had everything but each other.

In an attempt to make amends, Ariana insisted I could propose any terms for our divorce.

I chuckled softly. "How about transferring all the assets to my name?"

Even though I was on the brink of being erased from existence, I didn't want her to use that money for Marvin.

If I had to go, I'd rather my money go to charity than line Marvin's pockets.

Ariana's expression soured at my request.

"Why? The money we've saved over the years isn't just from your efforts!"

I calmly explained, "Didn't you say this was just a temporary divorce? So, what's the worry? You don't trust me to hold onto it? Or maybe you never intended to remarry me at all."

Her face stiffened momentarily, but she quickly denied it.

"Who said that? Once this whole Marvin thing blows over, we'll definitely get back together."

"Then what's the issue? You should have nothing to worry about."

After a moment of awkward hesitation, she finally relented.

But deep down, I knew she wouldn't be around for a reconciliation.

Once the divorce paperwork was finalized, Ariana grabbed her suitcase and headed back to the hospital.

I, on the other hand, feeling unwell, returned home.

When I got back, the System reminded me with its usual monotone voice, "In approximately three days, you will be involved in a car accident because of Ariana, leading to your heart donation surgery."

I sighed, "So soon?"

The System said, "In three days, Ariana is set to marry Marvin. If she gets the right heart for donation then, she'll be overjoyed. But if she finds out that the donor was you and that the reason for the donation was because of the car accident caused by her, she'll be devastated.

"After all, to make someone fall hard, you first have to let them climb high enough."

The System's methods of torment were as sophisticated as ever.

5

When I got home, I lay on my bed for the entire afternoon, lost in thought.

By evening, I finally opened my phone and was startled to see a new message from Ariana: [Arthur, are you home? Let's have dinner together tonight.]

This was the same Ariana who wouldn't pick up my calls when I refused to agree to the divorce. Now, she was the one reaching out, wanting to share a meal.

It felt surreal, almost like a cruel joke. But as soon as I remembered that she was planning to marry Marvin less than a week after we signed the divorce papers, a wave of nausea washed over me.

I didn't want to see her, nor did I want to have dinner with her.

So, while my stomach wasn't feeling too terrible, I took all the things Ariana had left behind and packed them up. I headed downstairs and handed the box to the cleaning lady, hoping to rid myself of the last remnants of her presence.

Once that was done, I realized it was getting late.

I turned on my phone, planning to scroll through some videos to distract myself.

But as soon as I unlocked the screen, I noticed a friend request from someone I didn't recognize.

The request came through a phone number, which struck me as odd since my social circle was pretty small.

I couldn't recall giving my number to anyone.

Curiosity got the better of me, so I accepted the request. Almost instantly, I received a picture from the other end.