The System Told Me To Die

Sterling and I had been together for ten years and married for seven. I truly believed we would have a perfect life together, just like in a fairy tale.

But I was wrong. Reality is never a fairy tale.

Sterling grew tired of me and found another woman.

The System judged my mission as a failure and decided to terminate me.

Perhaps because I hadn't had it easy all these years, it kindly let me choose my own way to go.

I looked at our wedding photo. We were both smiling so brightly, with only each other in our eyes. Our past love seemed like such a mockery now.

I curled my lips into a bitter smile and said, "Then let me die by his hand."

Sterling grabbed his car keys, his eyes full of warmth as he stared at his phone. He looked like he couldn't wait to leave.

I reached out and tugged at the corner of his jacket. For the hundredth time, I asked, "Can you stay? I really don't feel well..."

Maybe because I had said this too many times, Sterling knit his brows. His eyes were filled with nothing but disgust.

"This trick again? Waverly, are you ever going to stop?"

"Do you love me so much that you've lost all your dignity? One minute it's a headache, then it's your legs, then it's your heart. What, am I your oxygen? Will you die without me?"

His words were incredibly humiliating. Anyone with a shred of self-respect would have stood tall and walked away. But I couldn't. Because I really was going to die.

I came here with a mission of redemption. Sterling was the absolute protagonist. I lived off his love. Once he loved someone else, I would be erased.

So even though he insulted and loathed me, I had to beg for a tiny bit of his affection.

"I will die," I said, looking up at him, enunciating every word. "If you leave me, I really will die."

Sterling's expression froze for a moment.

The next second, he curled those lips that had kissed me thousands of times. He used the most vicious curse to push me into the abyss. "Then go ahead and die already!"

He heartlessly pulled his jacket from my grip and strode toward another woman.

I fell back onto the sofa like I had lost all gravity. The pain in my chest made my vision blur.

"You saw that, right? It's useless. He really doesn't love me anymore," I said to the System in my head.

The System seemed a bit regretful and let out a long, helpless sigh.

"Why... did he become like this?"

I understood the System's confusion. After all, it had watched us meet, get to know each other, and fall in love.

This man who now looked at me with pure hatred once held me in the palm of his hand. He had sworn to the sky, the clouds, the mountains, and the seas that he would never leave me. He had promised to love me with his life.

I clutched my chest and stared blankly at the ceiling. Even though I had realized the truth long ago, it still hurt.

"People change. Promises don't have an expiration date."

"But you'll die!" The System sounded anxious. "If you just hold on for one more month, the seven-year observation period will be over. You'll get a whole new life. We can't give up now!"

"Try one more time!" the System urged. "Just one month. You'll be free. Then, you can live however you want, and it won't matter who that man goes to!"

Those were the rules of this world. The fairy tale protagonists had to survive the seven-year itch together.

I listened to the System and decided to make one last attempt.

This ten-year marathon had come this far. I was only a step away from the finish line.

I really didn't want to die.

At the music awards gala, I sat down next to Sterling.

In seven years, Sterling had used his incredible voice and my songwriting to create many hit records. He became a superstar with millions of fans.

We were also seen as the model couple in the eyes of the public.

When I sat beside him, the camera flashes kept going off. All eyes were on us.

Compared to the others, Sterling's reaction was more surprised.

"What are you doing here?"

I smiled and took his arm. "We're a married couple. Where you are is naturally where I should be."

I was gambling.

I was betting on the final interests that bound us together.

Sterling had many endorsements and contracts that included me. Even for those songs, over eighty percent of the copyrights were in my name. That was the proof of how much he once loved me.

If we divorced, he would lose half the empire he had built.

Faced with the flashing cameras, Sterling didn't pull his hand away.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

I thought I had won the bet. But toward the end of the gala, Sterling slapped me in the faceDmetaphorically.

Luna Moon showed up.

This rising starlet hadn't even been in the industry long. She didn't have to do anything. She just stood there, looking at Sterling with tearful eyes, and I was utterly defeated.

"Sterling Vance and Waverly Rhodes' love is truly timeless. We heard rumors of a divorce, but it seems those were just lies," a reporter said.

"Who said they were lies?" Sterling interrupted the reporter.

The reporter froze, not knowing how to react.

My heart began to race. I stepped forward and grabbed Sterling's sleeve. "Sterling, what are you trying to..."

Sterling didn't look back. Just like countless times before, he violently shook off my hand in front of everyone.

He looked into the cameras and made a cold, final announcement.

"My marriage with Waverly Rhodes has reached its end. We will be divorcing soon. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other."

After saying that, he didn't care about the chaos he caused. Under the flashing lights, he walked toward Luna and took her hand.

I saw Luna smile through her tears. She playfully punched his chest.

He was so gentle. He shielded her with his arms, making sure she didn't face a single drop of the storm. He left me alone to face the hurricane.

"Ms. Rhodes, are you really getting divorced?"

"How will the assets be divided? Will you give the songs back to Sterling? Can he still perform them?"

"It's rumored Sterling asked for a divorce a long time ago and you refused. Is it true you've been clinging to him desperately?"

Countless cameras and microphones were shoved in my face. The lights blinded me. A sharp ringing filled my ears. My heart pounded harder than ever. The intense pain made my legs buckle. My vision went black, and I collapsed heavily to the ground.

As my consciousness faded, I went back to when I first met Sterling.

Back then, he was only fifteen. He was a teenager full of spirit, but reality had worn him down far too early.

As the protagonist, he had a heartbreaking past. His mother died young, and his father was a drunk and a gambler who abused him. He was often beaten nearly to death.

The System found me and told me to win him over. I was to save him and help him out of the shadows.

I had no family and was terminally ill. I had lost hope in the world. When the System said I'd be cured if I succeeded, I agreed.

I remember my first day at the prep school. Sterling sat in the back row. He was skin and bones. There were bruises all over his exposed skin. His hair was like wild grass, covering his eyes. He radiated gloom. Nobody wanted to go near him.

Luna was a little princess back then. She was wearing a beautiful dress. As she walked in, Sterling, who was heading out to the restroom, accidentally blocked her path.

"Hey, Freak. Didn't I tell you to stay out of my way?"

She covered her nose, looking at Sterling with pure disgust.

"Why do you smell so bad? Do you even shower?"

Sterling didn't say a word to her. He just kept his head down, shrouded in gloom and low self-esteem.

This infuriated Luna. "Are you deaf? I'm talking to you!"

She raised her hand to slap him.

I swear, I wasn't thinking about the mission then. I just didn't think Luna should hit people.

So, I stood in front of Sterling.

"Well, look at that. Someone's actually protecting this little freak?"

She had a group of people around her. They all looked mean. In my past life, I rarely went to school because of my illness, so this made me nervous.

But I didn't back down.

"The principal's class is next. If he finds out you're doing this, things won't end well for you."

The principal was a good man who hated bullying. Even if Luna's family was wealthy, he wouldn't let it slide.

Luna gritted her teeth. She told me to "just wait" and then walked off.

I sighed in relief and turned to Sterling. "Are you okay?"

He didn't even look at me. He just walked right past me.

Looking back now, his coldness was probably because I had "bullied" his crush.

It turned out Luna's threats were always real.

She didn't do anything to me openly, but the petty tricks never stopped. Nasty words were written on my desk. My books would go missing.

These things didn't bother me much, but they were annoying.

One day, I wanted a drink of water. As soon as I touched the cap, I felt something was wrong. Everyone was glancing at me, waiting for something.

Instinct told me to open it. The water had been replaced with a red liquid. The metallic, pungent smell made me want to gag.

When they saw I didn't drink it, they looked disappointed.

Luna rolled her eyes and turned away. "How boring."

I took the bottle, walked up to Luna, and tilted it. The liquid poured out slowly, soaking her entire outfit.

The world went silent. Luna froze, then let out a piercing scream.

"Waverly, are you out of your mind?"

"Yeah, I am," I said. My heart was racing, but I stood my ground. These people were bullies. Tattling to teachers didn't work. You had to make them afraid of you.

I stared at Luna with fierce eyes. "I know your family has money and power. I have nothing, but I'm not afraid of anything either."

"I only have this one life. If you want to play, I'll play until the end. My life isn't worth much. I don't mind taking you down with me!"

Maybe my words scared her. The usually arrogant Luna didn't dare say a word. she just stared at me in shock.

I knew she was afraid. I knew those petty tricks would stop.

And I was right.

Luna didn't bother me anymore. Even Sterling, who I had protected, wasn't bullied as much.

I began the long days of chasing after Sterling.

I brought him breakfast. I filled his water bottle. I talked to him constantly.

People around us called me a desperate girl, but I didn't care.

I wanted to live, and I wanted him to live well, too.

I stopped thinking about the mission.

I could tell Sterling was resisting my presence. He never ate anything I brought him. He barely spoke to me.

I was worried. Not about the mission, but because he was so thin. He looked like he'd blow away in the wind. He needed nutrition.

Just as I was at my wit's end, Luna was sent abroad to study by her family.

That was when Sterling started to change.

He began eating the bread I brought. He started drinking the milk.

I was so happy. I didn't stop to think about why.

The boy lifted his thin face and looked at me with stubborn eyes. "I owe you this. I'll pay you back later."

"No worries," I said with a wave and a smile. Seeing his health improve made me feel great.

Later, I got to know more about Sterling. He was a very hardworking and smart kid. He could understand the hardest math problems after hearing them once.

But I needed a lot of time.

The thing he said most to me was, "You still don't get it?"

I would just grin, pull a candy out of my pocket, and put it in his palm. I'd make a pleading gesture. "Could you please explain it one more time, Mr. Genius?"

Sterling would roll his eyes and call me childish. But with his ears turning slightly red, he'd take the colorful candy from my hand.

One year passed. Sterling had gained some weight, but his affection level for me hadn't moved at all.

Until one day, I went to find him and saw his father tying him up to beat him.

"You brat! Tell me where you hid my money!"

Sterling's hands were tied. He glared at the drunk man with red eyes, gritting his teeth in silence.

"Damn it!" the man cursed, swinging a belt at Sterling.

A red welt immediately appeared on his skin.

That was the weight I had worked so hard to help him put on!

I panicked and rushed over to shield him.

"What are you doing here?" Sterling yelled.

"You'll be beaten to death if I don't come!" I said, quickly untying his ropes.

The man saw another person and started hitting me too. He whipped me several times. The pain made me scream.

Sterling told me to run, but I wouldn't. I just kept trying to untie him.

Finally, we both ran away, covered in injuries.

When we got back to my place, the first thing Sterling did was try to pull my shirt off.

"Wait, don't..."

Sterling's hand stopped at the red welt on my shoulder. His eyes were filled with clear pain.

"Does it hurt?"

"Nope." I grinned. "I've got thick skin. Doesn't hurt at all..."

My words were cut short by Sterling's kiss on my shoulder.

Time seemed to stop. I could hear my heart thumping wildly.

The boy's hot breath touched my skin. He said firmly, "I will never let you feel pain again."

What happened later?

Later, I felt pain every single day.

Soon after, Sterling's father was arrested for illegal gambling. Nobody cared about Sterling. He was truly homeless. I suggested he move in with me.

We went to school together, graduated together, and fought for his musical dreams together.

To write lyrics for him, I, who was terrible at literature, read countless books. Every song I wrote was something I wanted to say to him.

To get him a chance to show his face, I drank until my stomach bled at networking events.

When he finally started getting famous, haters attacked him. I was the one who rushed forward and took a knife for him.

He proposed to me in the hospital, swearing to love me forever.

"Waverly, I will treat you well from now on. I will only ever love you!"

Then we got married. I thought we were fairy tale characters. But then Luna came back. Sterling left me for her again and again. I became a different person, begging him to stay, watching him grow to hate me more and more.

I opened my eyes. The ceiling looked unfamiliar. It took a moment to realize I had fainted at the gala.

"That bastard Sterling. How could he do that to you? Has he forgotten how he got to where he is today? Who took a knife for him? Who drank until they got a stomach hemorrhage to get him a deal?" my best friend, Cora, ranted.

Seeing me awake, she scolded me for being weak, for being a fool for love, for staying with such a man!

I smiled. "Don't worry. I'm going to leave him."

I was going to die anyway. I might as well have some dignity.

"Really?" Cora was overjoyed. "You're not lying!?"

Once she was sure I really wanted to end the marriage, Cora almost jumped for joy. She wanted to throw a party immediately.

But as I looked at the news on my phone, the light in my eyes faded.

Sterling hadn't just announced our divorce. He had filed a lawsuit against me to fight for the rights to the songs. He was even willing to pay penalties to terminate the contracts we shared. To him, I was like a swamp. He wanted to escape even if it meant tearing himself apart.

I looked at his coldness. I said to the System, which was debating how I should die, "Don't bother with anything else. Let me... die by his hand."

10

I thought I would be devastated, but making the decision actually felt like a relief.

The world wasn't all bad to me, but it wasn't great either. Other than Cora, I didn't have much to miss.

Probably because my whole life had been occupied by Sterling.

I hadn't noticed before, but now that I checked, I actually had quite a bit of money.

I had to plan this money out. Otherwise, wouldn't it just benefit Sterling and Luna after I died?

I made a will. I split my money into several parts. One part for Cora, and the rest to start a foundation for orphans.

After that, I started planning my death.

I wanted it to look good, but then I thought, what's the point of looking good when you're dead?

11

To find my end, I invited Sterling over.

The water in the private pool shimmered under the sun. Sterling walked toward me.

He was dressed in expensive clothes, looking handsome and sharp. On his wrist was a seven-figure watch. He was a far cry from that poor boy who was bullied in school.

The universe had repaid him for everything he lacked.

"What now?" he said impatiently. He had reached the point where seeing me disgusted him.

My chest started to ache again. I was about to reach for it when I saw his furrowed brow. His eyes clearly said, "not this trick again."

Whatever. I was dying anyway. A little pain didn't matter.

I lowered my hand and pushed the documents toward him.

"The division of assets. You haven't signed yet."

I had to finish this before I could die in peace.

Sterling paused, then glanced at me suspiciously. He seemed surprised by how cooperative I was.

After all, for all these years, I had never agreed to a divorce, even when he and Luna were flaunting their affair in my face.

"Are you really agreeing to the divorce?" Sterling asked. He sounded like someone who had won the lottery and couldn't believe it.

"The paperwork doesn't lie," I said.

Sterling looked at me and then back at the documents.

His profile was very handsome. I remembered how, early in our relationship, I would kiss his jawline. He would laugh, saying it tickled, and then pull me into his arms, burying his face in my neck.

I loved those intimate embraces.

Now, Sterling confirmed the documents. Even though the terms were harshDhe couldn't sing most of his hits anymore and had to give me most of his assetsDhe signed without hesitation.

Even though I knew this would happen, seeing his decisiveness still made my eyes sting.

"Have you thought this through? You won't be able to sing your songs anymore," I asked.

Sterling simply said, "Luna doesn't like me singing songs you wrote."

That one sentence felt like a sword through my heart.

He really loved Luna. He was willing to throw away his livelihood for her.

I looked at him, confused.

"Why do you like Luna?" I asked.

"Don't you remember what she did to you?"

Sterling's cold face shifted slightly. Then he said, "The past is the past. No need to bring it up."

He turned to leave. I gritted my teeth and rushed forward to hug him from behind.

"Sterling, did you ever love me?" I asked.

His coldness made the last ten years feel like a joke. Could all that time and all those memories really vanish so easily?

"Let go!" Sterling's voice was harsh.

I wouldn't let go. He started to pry my fingers away. It hurt.

"Did you really never love me at all?"

I wasn't satisfied. Ten years. Ten whole years. Did he really not care about me at all? Even just a little bit? I wanted to know I wasn't just a clown. I wanted to know our sweet memories weren't just bubbles.

"No! The only one I've ever loved is Luna!" Sterling was fed up. "Waverly, do you have no shame?"

Shame?

I was giving up my life. Why would I care about shame?

I held onto him tightly. The clear pool water reflected our struggling figures.

"You love Luna? What do you love about her? That she poured water on you? That she had people surround you? Or the slaps she gave you?"

My words must have hit a nerve. He violently pried my hands off. He looked like he wanted to break my wrists. His eyes were red with rage, looking like he wanted to consume me.

"Shut your mouth!" He looked terrifying, but I only felt more excited. This was the first and last time I'd be myself.

"Why can't I say it? Sterling, you say I'm pathetic, but even I wouldn't love someone who hurt me!"

"Luna treated you like a dog, and you just knelt there wagging your tail! You think I'm disgusting? How are you any better?"

Sterling's face grew darker. A storm was brewing in his eyes.

"Shut up!"

He shoved me hard.

*Splash!*

My whole body fell backward into the clear pool water. Coldness instantly surrounded me. In the middle of the splashing water, I saw Sterling's startled and panicked face. He instinctively reached out his hand.

12

I stared at that hand, imagining he would pull me up. That he would save me. Only he could save me.

But Sterling pulled his hand back.

He signed my death warrant.

"Don't think these tricks will make me change my mind. I've had enough of being tied to you all these years. You did a lot for me, but I've already paid you back. Let's just end this cleanly. We don't owe each other anything."

*We don't owe each other anything.*

I finally understood. To him, I was just a burden. I relaxed my body and let myself sink deeper.

Let it end. This life lived for someone else.

Sterling stood on the edge. Seeing no movement in the water, he frowned.

"Waverly, stop playing games. Get up! I know you can swim!"

"Sterling, what are you doing?" I heard Luna's voice from underwater.

"Why are you here?" Sterling asked. My words hadn't created any distance between him and Luna.

"You and Waverly didn't come out, so I was worried. Why is she in the water?"

"She's practicing. Ignore her."

Luna glanced at the water. "Right, she's a great swimmer. But... these jokes of hers are getting old."

"Don't talk about her. Let's go. I'll take you to pick out a wedding dress," Sterling said. He sounded lighthearted, like he had dropped a heavy weight.

"Really?" Luna sounded ecstatic. "Did you divorce her?"

"Yeah."

Gradually, my consciousness blurred. I couldn't hear anything anymore.

I was grateful to the System. It blocked the pain, so I didn't feel the agony of dying.

I was just a bit cold.

This world, these things, these people... they were all so cold.

I closed my eyes for the last time.