Chapter 10
My body kept getting weaker
Each day, I was awake for less and less time.[]
Medicine wasn’t working.
So Ethan turned to faith.
He started chasing miracles.
He climbed the nine hundred and ninety–nine steps of an old hilltop church.
Dropping to his knees at each one.
Inside, he prayed in front of every single cross and statue, all one hundred and eight of them.[]
Someone caught it all on video, and the footage went viral.]
Feople online, dueless about the full story, were touched by his devotion.
“Dear God, why do you tear soulmates apart?”
“What is love, if not the reason we live and die?”
-0
Only a few commenters raised an eyebrow:]
“Isn’t that the CEO of Ashbourne Corp?”
“Wasn’t he trending for cozying up to that actress not long ago?“]
Ethan tried to erase his past.
to.]
But some things don’t disappear just because you want them to.
Maybe there was a part of me that still loved him when I agreed to the new program.]]
But that part?
It’s long gone.
Now, all I want is to move on
To be done with this ridiculous tragedy.
One night, I woke up to Ethan crying and clutching me like I was already gone.
Over and over, he begged me not to leave him.]
“Lillian if I could trade places with you, I would.”
7 swear I would
Then the system came back online
“Mission accomplished ()]
Tthan has fallen completely for you.”
Your strategy is complete. You may now choose
Stay and grow old with Ethan
Or move on to a new world, and a new life.
I looked at Ethan’s bloodshot eyes and asked the system.
Chapter 10
“Can I talk to him?“]
Ever since the last time I woke up. I’d been mute-
Like something was holding my voice hostage.[]
The system agreed
A second later, I whispered his name:
“Ethan
His whole body froze.
Then he looked at me, stunned and overwhelmed.]
You you can talk?”
I nodded.
He pulled me into a hug, tears falling all over again.
That night, we talked about everything.[]
He said when he first saw me, curled up in a corner, I looked like a scared little mushroom.]
He told me he’d never forget the day he proposed-[]
That it was the happiest day of his life.]
Ethan clung to those memories like a drowning man to a rope.
He held me like he never wanted to let go.[]
“Lillian… I love you so much.”
He fell asleep with his arms around me,]
Smiling like a kid who’d just had the best dream.]
The system wouldn’t shut up.
“If you stay, you’ll be rewarded with a new, healthy body.”
“Then you and Ethan can-“]
“No,” I cut it off.
I looked away from Ethan and said.
“Send me to the new world.”
The system hesitated.
“But he understands now. He regrets everything.”
I don’t forgive him.1
Some hearts are too broken to be put back together.]
And this kind of love?]]
I don’t want it
The system went quiet for a long time!
Finally, I heard it whisper, “Okay ”
The first morning light crept across the bed.
Ethan stirred in his sleep, still holding me
Chermen 1
“Lillian,” he mumbled. I had the best dream.”
We were walking hand in hand and we just kept going until our hair turned gray“]
You’ll stay with me forever, right?
There was no reply]]
Lillian
He turned and kissed my cheek.[]
And frore
Tears slid down his face.]
Lillian
