The Wedding of the Dreamy Beloved

My treatment was hellish. Despite enduring the pain, my condition only worsened. Chemo had robbed me of nearly all my hair.

As time painfully dragged on, I found myself lucid less frequently, with doctors bracing my mom for the inevitable.

Eventually, the truth about my sickness reached Matt.

When my brother Jack saw me, reduced to skin and bones and tethered to machines, he broke down—just like when we were kids.

After my mom broke the news that I didn't have long, Jack rushed to tell Matt everything.

Matt wasted no time, catching the next flight with Jack to be by my side.

Seeing him there, I froze. I wanted him to leave, but even speaking took too much effort.

Tears filled his eyes as he whispered, "Ava, did you leave me because of this? Our time is running out. I don't want to waste these last moments angry at you."

His plea was a wake-up call. Yes, my days were numbered. If I had to choose where to spend them, it had to be with Matt.

I opted to come back home for treatment, but my luck ran out the next day when I fell into a deep coma. All I could hear was Matt's agonizing cries, but I couldn't respond.

Time lost all meaning, but eventually, that mechanical voice echoed in my mind, "Vital signs critical. Initiate system binding? The Host has to marry someone within two years, and failure results in termination. System's existence must remain secret, or immediate termination will follow."

Driven by a will to live, I tied my fate to the System, selecting Matt as my objective. Miraculously, I began to recover.

My mom's tears of relief flowed as she mused that the talisman Matt had prayed for must have worked.

Holding that talisman, I felt a surge of warmth. Matt had knelt for every step of the 999 he climbed to secure it.

Little did I imagine that Matt would be the one to bring about my downfall.

The door creaked open, snapping me back to reality. My mom, seeing me awake, smiled through her worry. "Ava, you gave me such a scare. Are you okay? Should I get the doctor?"

The concern in her eyes was unbearable, knowing the pain my death would cause. But I hated the hospital's sterile smell more than anything.

I'd spent almost a year in a hospital three years ago, constantly haunted by the shadow of death. I refused to spend my final moments in such a place.

"I'm feeling better, really. I just want to go home," I said, craving the comfort of my own space.

My mom hurried to pack my things, calling the driver and soothing me, "Ava, just focus on getting better. As long as your dad and I are here, Matt doesn't get a say in the wedding plans."

A wedding? What wedding? My life was ticking away. I responded vaguely.

Walking through the hospital corridor, there was Matt, locked in a kiss with the pale-faced Summer. It was only the second time I'd ever laid eyes on her.

My mom's hand shook with fury as she yelled, "Matt Hayes!"

Startled, Matt pushed Summer away, and she staggered. He quickly steadied her.

Turning to me, guilt written all over his face, Matt stammered, "Ava, what are you doing here?"

My mom, icy and furious, shot back, "Matt, you've embarrassed Ava enough today. She passed out because of you. And for another woman? Consider our families' alliance finished."

Matt opened his mouth to speak, but my mom cut him off, pushing him away. Summer, standing behind him, gave me a defiant look. She'd never had the nerve to confront me before, but clearly, Matt had given her the courage to face me now.