Chapter 2

02

The finals began, but I didn't follow Seraphina's orders.

This was my final dance on the professional stage, and I was going to give it everything I had.

I played like a man possessed.

Soon, both my teammates and my opponents were nothing more than background noise to my performance.

This clearly enraged Ryker.

The moment the match ended, he ripped off his headset and slammed it against the side of my head.

The crowd gasped as blood began to trickle down my forehead.

But the data was already on the giant screens; I had the highest score of the match.

By the rules, the MVP trophy belonged to me and no one else.

Seraphina and Ryker approached me backstage, her eyes cold enough to freeze my soul.

"You really will do anything to climb higher, won't you?" she hissed.

"But I told you, you don't deserve to stand on that podium."

I closed my eyes, refusing to look at her beautiful, twisted face.

Years ago, I thought I could win a trophy and finally confess my love to her as an equal.

I didn't know that Ryker had leaked my address to our biggest rival's owner.

That owner offered me a fortune to throw the game, and I refused him instantly.

But Ryker took photos of us meeting and drugged my water, causing me to play like a ghost.

Our team's value plummeted, and Seraphina's father died of a heart attack from the stress of the loss.

Because there wasn't enough proof of match-fixing, I wasn't banned, but Seraphina blamed me for his death.

She bought the land the orphanage sat on and used the matron's cancer treatments to blackmail me.

That was how she forced me into that three-year marriage.

On our wedding day, she threw a handful of change at my feet while lounging in another man's arms.

"Go buy some protection for us with that," she had laughed.

"You didn't think I actually loved you, did you? I just want to see how much of a dog you'll be for money."

I picked up every single coin that day, my spirit completely broken.

Since then, Ryker had become her favorite, and I had been forced to boost his stats and lose on purpose.

I had tried to investigate the truth for years, but she never listened to a single word.

Now, my heart was a barren wasteland, and I just wanted the honor I had earned.

The awards ceremony began, but Seraphina signaled the medical team to stay away from me.

The blood on my face had dried into a sticky crust, and my head was spinning.

I sat there, barely conscious, waiting for my name to be called.