Chapter 1

1

I had been with Sierra for eight long years when she accidentally walked in on my secret conversation with the System.

Thinking on my feet, I spun a lie, telling her I was an operative sent from another dimension just to make her fall in love with me.

From that day on, Sierra stopped coming home at night, turning into a completely different person.

She let her rich friends mock me ruthlessly, and she even forced me to watch her cozy up to other men.

Little did she know, that so-called mission was nothing but a story I had made up on the spot.

My real task had already reached its end, and I was about to leave this world forever.

The day she finally realized I was slipping through her fingers, she completely lost her mind, tearing the entire city apart just begging me to stay.

...

In this universe, Sierra and I had been a couple for eight years.

Today was my birthday. The clock on the wall ticked past eight in the evening, but the penthouse was still dead silent.

Instead, her Instagram story popped up, showing her in a VIP lounge with her arms draped around two handsome male models, acting way too close for comfort.

Even though the sight chilled me to the bone, I could not stop myself from sending her a text, asking if she was coming home tonight.

Sierra answered almost immediately with a FaceTime call.

She angled her phone around the private booth, making sure everyone in the room was in frame.

On my screen, she and her wealthy girlfriends were each cuddled up with hired eye candy, their hands wandering freely.

Sierra turned the camera back to herself. Her lips, painted in dark cherry lipstick, curled into a mocking smirk before she gave an order: "Kiss me."

Instantly, two male models leaned in, each planting a kiss on her cheeks.

One of them even gave a playful wink directly into the lens. "Don't worry, bro! We're taking real good care of your lady tonight!"

Sierra looked straight at me, her smile dripping with smug satisfaction.

She loved nothing more than rubbing salt in my wounds.

Six months ago, Sierra was the devoted girlfriend everyone envied, but now, everyone around us just looked at me with pure pity.

...

In this world, Sierra was a powerhouse CEO running a billion-dollar empire.

My System task had been simple: build her into a corporate titan before her destined male lead appeared in her life.

When we first met, she was just a broke college girl living on financial aid and cheap mac and cheese.

Her toxic family had given her nothing but deep insecurity and a stubborn, defensive shell.

Back in that cramped, drafty studio apartment, I could already see the ruthless businesswoman she would one day become.

Her confession of love had come out of nowhere. To ensure the mission went smoothly, I accepted and became her boyfriend.

Everything went according to plan until last month, when Sierra caught me speaking to the System interface. In a panic, I lied and claimed my task was to win her heart.

From that moment on, her attitude toward me did a complete one-eighty. She started bringing different men around, blatantly showing off their intimacy right in front of me.

I would be lying if I said it didn't hurt.

After eight years together, even a heart of stone would have developed real feelings.

I couldn't understand why she turned so vicious so fast. Even if she believed my feelings were fake, I had built her empire from the ground up, so we could have just parted ways peacefully.

Instead, she chose to humiliate me at every turn.

It made me realize what a massive mistake it was to catch feelings during a job.

Fortunately, I had kept my wits and never revealed my true mission. God only knew what crazy things she would have done if she knew the truth.

Staring at the video call, my throat tightened. I spoke up quietly, "Today is my birthday."

Her answer was colder than ice. "So what? Who gives a shit about your birthday?"

I let out a bitter laugh. What an idiot I was, still holding onto hope that she might care.

I hung up the phone and looked at the gourmet dinner going cold on the dining table. I forced myself to pick up a fork.

Before I could swallow a few bites, another text from Sierra flashed on my screen: "I drank too much to drive. Come get me."

The last thing I wanted was to face a room full of pretty boys, but knowing her reckless friends, I still worried for her safety.

Besides, Sierra was finalizing a massive corporate acquisition this week. Once that contract was signed, my mission would be complete.

I told myself to hold out just a little longer. Maybe Sierra was counting down the days until I vanished, too.