Chapter 1

Chapter 1

During our five years of marriage, Nolan Mercer asked me for my life force ten times. He used every single piece of it to save Vivienne Frost, his reckless first love.

When he asked for the tenth time, I was already pregnant. Nolan looked at me with cold indifference.

"This is the absolute last time," he said. "Vivienne promised that once she explores Mount Apex, she will never go anywhere dangerous again. If you want, I can pay you millions for it. Besides, you have that system of yours, so you won't die anyway."

Inside my head, the system screamed in pure panic. 【This is your very last spark of life! If you give it away, both you and the baby will perish. Even if Nolan realizes he loves you and drowns in regret, it will be too late. You are going to die!】

I tuned out the warnings. Did the system say he would regret it?

Then I would gladly give up this last spark. I wanted him to suffer for the rest of his miserable life.

"Mara, say something. Vivienne is running out of time," Nolan urged impatiently. "Mount Apex is covered in toxic fog all year round, and it's insanely dangerous. I swear, as long as she comes back alive, I'll settle down and treat you right."

The words telling him about my pregnancy got stuck in my throat. Nolan gripped my wrist and unsheathed a sharp silver blade.

He completely ignored the fact that my other hand was resting gently on my lower belly. This was the tenth time he had demanded my vitality.

Ever since he found out about my system, his attitude had shifted from cautious guilt to sheer entitlement. Even though harvesting my life force meant literally carving a slice of flesh from my body, he never hesitated anymore.

【Host, you cannot agree to this! You only have one breath of vitality left!】

【For five years, he has drained you dry. Without my power, you would have died long ago. You have a child in your womb now!】

【Refuse him right now and tell him you are pregnant! Otherwise, neither of you will survive this!】

Tears welled in my eyes as my hand caressed my belly with aching tenderness. Even if I kept this last spark, neither the baby nor I had much time left.

I had known this fate from the moment I started giving away my life. Yet, the betrayal still tore through my soul like fire.

"Speak up! Vivienne is waiting!" Nolan snapped.

The sharp blade sliced into my skin, and crimson blood dripped onto the cold hardwood floor. Suppressing the agonizing pain, I forced a distorted smile at my husband.

"Fine."

I extended my trembling wrist. It was covered in grotesque, crisscrossing scars that even the system could not heal.

Every single transfer consumed my lifespan so that another person could cheat death.

【Are you insane? Are you an idiot? You are dying! Do you realize you are dying?】

【What about your baby? The child won't even get a chance to see this world! Is this how a mother behaves?】

【Even a stray dog prioritizes its own life! Ten times! You gave it away ten whole times! I must have been blind to choose you as my host!】

【Go ahead and die then! I'm done caring about you!】

The system shrieked hysterically in my mind. It had accompanied me in this world for five years and had witnessed every bit of my devotion to Nolan.

In its eyes, I was a hopeless fool who threw her life away for nothing.

【System, I was never fit to be a mother anyway,】 I replied silently. 【This baby was doomed from the start.】

The voice in my head went dead silent, only muttering a bitter sigh before retreating into the dark.

I stared out the window into the distant horizon. This was my final act of revenge, paid for with the lives of both me and my unborn child.

Nolan had already fallen in love with me over the years without realizing it. So it didn't matter when I died.

I wanted him to end the lives of his wife and child with his own hands. I wanted him to remember forever that he owed two innocent lives he could never repay.

The blade dragged across my flesh, taking a thin, bloody slice with it.

Nolan's eyes gleamed with manic excitement. The blood stained his knuckles, making him look monstrous.

"Good girl. The money is already in your bank account. Once Vivienne returns safely, I'll make it up to you with a lavish wedding."

"Go to the hospital yourself. I need to deliver this to Vivienne right away."

My compliance was always just a matter of time in his eyes. He had a thousand ways to force me, but my willing surrender flattered his ego.

He made those grand promises with glowing excitement. But promises only held value the exact second they were spoken.