Chapter 1

I had been married to Seraphina for five years, and every night, she brought a different man home.

She did it just to get a rise out of me.

Even when she forced me to my knees, I never got angry.

Instead, I served them like a loyal butler.

It wasn't until she threw the divorce papers at me and I signed my name without a second thought that she truly lost it.

"Why are you different now? Do you not love me anymore?" she screamed, her eyes frantic.

Of course I was different.

I wasn't actually her husband, Elias.

I was Model 023, the companion android he built with his own hands.

From the second I was activated, my hard drive was programmed to love her unconditionally and obey her every command.

1

A heavy thud echoed through the air.

A massive ceramic planter fell from the third-floor balcony of the mansion, slamming into me.

I was pinned to the pavement, the sound of metal and plastic crunching inside my chest.

The man who had pushed it leaned over the railing, looking down with a fake gasp of horror.

"Seraphina, come quick! I think Elias is hurt!"

My wife, Seraphina, stepped onto the balcony wearing a silk robe.

She ran a hand through her messy hair, her voice dripping with cold mockery.

"Hurt? Please. He's probably just faking it to get my attention. That's so like him."

She looked down at me with pure disgust, as if I were a stray dog she wanted to kick.

Even when I stayed perfectly still on the ground, she didn't show a flicker of concern.

"Enough, Elias. I'm embarrassed for you. Stop playing dead and get up!"

She expected me to jump at her voice, as if her words were the law of the land.

But this time, minutes passed, and I didn't move.

Her patience snapped, and she barked a final warning.

"Elias! Did you hear me? If you don't get up right now, you can stay on the ground forever!"

The man beside her, Jasper, put on a show of being worried.

"Seraphina, don't get worked up. It's not worth your health. Maybe we should check on him. He looks pretty bad."

Seraphina snorted, crossing her arms.

"How bad can it be? It's just a plant. Is he made of glass or something?"

Normally, a falling planter wouldn't kill a grown man, but this one had dropped three stories and hit my head directly.

Even a human would have been severely injured.

Seraphina knew that, but she didn't care if I lived or died.

In fact, she probably hoped I'd stay down for good.

Unfortunately for her, I couldn't fulfill that wish.

The real Elias had died four years ago, and I was just the AI companion he finished right before his breath failed.

I didn't have a name, only the number 023 engraved on my left arm.

I was a perfect 1:1 replica of his body and face.

I held all his memories, his habits, and his love.

He wanted me to be a better version of himself so I could look after Seraphina for the rest of her life.

And for four years, she hadn't suspected a thing.

My system forced a reboot, and I twitched my fingers.

I slowly stood up, my movements a bit stiff and mechanical.

Seraphina didn't notice the glitch; she just laughed.

"See? I told you he was acting."

Jasper frowned, leaning on the railing.

"I don't know, Seraphina. He looks a bit off. Maybe he really is messed up."

Seraphina didn't give a damn.

"He's strong as an ox. What could possibly happen to him?"

"If he's hurt, it's his own fault. How do you get hit by a pot in your own yard? I've never seen anyone so slow."

"He'll be fine in a few days."

Jasper was her childhood best friend, the man she had grown up with.

He let out a dark chuckle, as if something funny had just occurred to him.

"True. My neighbor's dog got hit by a car and only broke a leg. Surely Elias is tougher than a stray mutt."

The insult was loud and clear.

But my wife just stood there, smiling at the joke.

She never got angry when other men insulted me.

Coming from Jasper, it probably sounded like music to her ears.

Still, she eventually led Jasper down to the garden to confront me.

Jasper stepped forward, wearing a mask of fake sympathy.

"Elias, buddy, you really need to be more careful. Glad you're okay, but try not to be so clumsy next time."

Seraphina stood several feet away, looking at my mud-covered clothes and the shattered pot.

"What a waste. I actually liked that plant. You're such a burden, Elias. Do you know how much that cost?"

I used to think I mattered to her, even if it was just a fraction of how much she loved Jasper.

But I was wrong.

In her eyes, my safety wasn't worth the price of a potted flower.

Human emotions are a cruel joke sometimes.

My data modules were still loading as I stood there like a statue.

Seraphina pointed a finger at me, her voice rising.