Life After You

Elijah Morris has been fooling around for four out of the five years we've been married. And from the very first month, he openly betrays me.

Meanwhile, I spend my time warding people off with expensive contracts, one after another. Eventually, all that's left between us is constant fighting.

One day, his younger stepsister, Abigail Wright, returns. And just like that, he finally settles down. That's when the system tells me that I can finally go home.

For the next five days, I no longer ask about his schedule. I don't care if he is with Abigail, nor do I care if she is pregnant with his child. I even move out of the master bedroom myself, listening to them going at it all night.

The fifth day after Abigail's return is our wedding anniversary. Elijah bursts into the room, tears up our marriage certificate in front of me, and smashes my most treasured vase into pieces.

He grips my throat tightly and growls, "Why did you put mango in Abby's cake? She's allergic, and she almost died! How could you be so cruel?"

For the first time, I don't argue with him. Instead, I go along with his accusations. "So what?"

I then pick up a shard from the broken vase on the floor under his disbelieving gaze. Then, I draw it across my artery.

Just like that, I end my life in this world.

Elijah Morris kicked out all his flings today when his younger stepsister, Abigail Wright, returned. He even took her out for a joyride in his sports car.

Meanwhile, I stayed home, cleaning up the mess we made after our latest argument.

I had just received news that he'd bought out every digital billboard nationwide to celebrate his reunion with Abigail. As he leaned in to kiss me, I gently pushed his chest to stop him. However, he kissed me even more forcefully.

After the kiss, I looked up at him with tears in my eyes. "Abby's back, isn't she?"

It was obvious that I was implying he shouldn't be bothering me now that his beloved was home.

The system notified me that I could finally go home, and I didn't want to sink any deeper into this twisted relationship. Yet, Elijah seemed to misunderstand, chuckling before pinning me against the wall.

My wrists felt like they were about to shatter under his grip.

He snarled, "Oh, so you still remember that Abby and I only broke up because of you and your dirty tricks, you shameless thing! How do you still have the nerve to mention Abby? You disgusting woman!"

I froze.

Years ago, it was Abigail who had drugged Elijah and slept with him, only to regret it later. She even begged me on her knees to take the fall for her.

At the time, I had already completed my mission with Elijah. He loved me and spoiled me, but he became a completely different person overnight. He turned into someone cold and distant, convinced I was a despicable woman.

Looking through Elijah's eyes, I saw Abigail from that encounter two years ago, smiling mockingly as her words seemed to pierce my heart.

She'd said, "This was part of my plan all along. Eli's mind is full of me now. And you? You're nothing!"

That was when I realized that everything I'd done had just been a stepping stone for their relationship.

I whispered, "I'm willing to step aside for you two. Let's get a divorce. Wouldn't that make you both happier? Or is this all just some twisted game to you both?"

I tried desperately to hold back my tears, but they streamed down my cheeks anyway.

Elijah leaned in almost tenderly to lick away my tears. "Don't even think about a divorce. If it weren't for you, I would've been with Abby a long time ago. You're just going to have to watch."

I tried to pull away from him, closing my eyes to avoid looking at him. However, his hands kept roaming over my body, as if telling me I was only fit to be the third wheel in their love story.

The next second, his phone rang. I watched him rush away, finally able to breathe again.

The call was from Abigail, of course. She had called him just because there was a power outage at her home, and she was scared to be alone. It was such a small thing, yet it was enough to summon him immediately.

I went to the bathroom and used a washcloth to scrub the places Elijah had kissed, desperately trying to suppress the nausea rising in my chest. When I finally composed myself and unlocked my phone, I saw people all over the country posting pictures of their billboards.

I threw my phone to the ground in a fit of fury. I closed my eyes and asked the system, "If I leave, will he never be able to find me again?"

When the system confirmed it, I smiled for the first time in a long while.

Seven years ago, I followed the system's instructions to save a tragic second male lead named Elijah Morris.

Back then, his family had gone bankrupt, his parents had died, and he was raising a helpless stepsister, working three jobs to keep them both alive. He had no hope for his future and only wanted to give Abigail a better life.

I came to the fast-food restaurant where he worked and took his hand, beginning to help him through his struggles.

He once spent three months of his salary on a necklace to make me smile. His eyes were bright with excitement as he confessed to me, "I'll only ever love you in this lifetime!"

I stayed silent. After all, I didn't belong to this world. I was the daughter of a wealthy family who had made a deal with the system because Dad was critically ill.

The moment Elijah uttered those words, the system told me that my mission was complete and that I could choose to stay in this world or leave.

I didn't decide immediately, planning to stay another year.

During that year, when I said I wanted a star from the night sky, Elijah immediately bought one for me. When I wanted memories that belonged to us, he invested in a game based on our love story that later became a global hit. When I wanted to travel with him, he canceled his work and booked plane tickets.

Hence, I decided to stay and help him build his business empire. Yet one month later, everything between us turned upside down.

A year after our marriage, Elijah received a letter from Abigail telling him she had always loved him. From then on, he started living it up with other women. He also used an entire room to display Abigail's photos.

And now, I was finally about to escape it all and leave him forever.