Chapter 1

My son, Kaden Watt, shouted at me menacingly, “I don’t have to pretend anymore! I bet you didn’t know that I could hear your conversations with the System. I never once thought of you as my father. Every bit of it was an act. A man that desperate makes me sick.”

My wife, Silvia Watt, walked in with her true love, her affectionate eyes reflecting hostility.

“If it weren’t for fear of the System punishing Simon Bartone, I would’ve filed for divorce a long time ago.

My son doesn’t deserve a spineless man for a father. Watch yourself, or I’ll come after you.”

The trio stood there, as if they had their perfect ending.

I curled my lips.

Well, who was to say that I wasn’t acting too?

A player in a game could never fall in love with NPCs.

Chapter 1

Kaden Watt’s words hurt me for a split second, but I quickly let go of the moment.

More than feeling upset, I was relieved.

It was a good thing that Kaden could only pick up on conversations between the System and me. Otherwise, he would’ve seen right through my fake affection.

The exposure could have been a major setback for my mission progression.

As I stood there in a daze, Kaden charged forward and tore into me.

“Dad, chosen players like you make me sick! You never cared about anyone else’s consent. You forced Mom to be with you. I feel disgusted that your blood runs in me. I regret every moment being related to you.”

As my six-year-old bore malice unbefitting of his age, Silvia ran her fingers along his hair with a faint smile before nudging him to Simon Bartone.

“Kaden is right. Every second by your side in the last few years made my skin crawl. Now that your System is gone, I could keep you around so long as you stay out of drama.”

With her tone dripping with generosity, Kaden wasn’t having it.

“I want him away from us! You and your System should leave us alone!

“You have no shame! Ptooey! Get lost! I want Simon to be my dad.”

Eyeing his opportunity, Kaden lunged at me like a cannonball, but Simon held him back in time and shuffled his hair.

“Kaden, you shouldn’t talk to your father that way. He might not have approached things in the most respectful way, but he’s just a man obsessed with your mother. We shouldn’t stoop to a pathetic loser’s level, or it’ll reflect poorly on your upbringing.”

Furrowing his brows, Kaden let out a spat.

“Simon has a point. You’re just a pathetic loser with no spine!”

His eyes fixated on my face, eager to search for any hint of pain in me to feel superior.

Not even flinching, I let out a friendly smile.

These people were nothing more than non-player characters to me.

Heck, I could say that they were merely codes that needed debugging.

Characters stuck in a game had no right to mock those on the outside anyway, and certainly not an elite player like me.

I had conquered at least eight hundred worlds, if not more. When it came to love, I put myself first.

Unconvinced, Kaden sneered at my joy, his finger up my face.

“Just drop it, Dad. I know you. I bet you’re dying inside, but you want to put on a brave face anyway. Tell you what. If you apologize now and get on all fours to give me a ride, I’ll consider letting you be my father still.

“But you’re not getting Mom. She’s with Simon. They are meant to be together.”

To be honest, I wasn’t keen on having a delusional and silly boy for a son.

However, years of caring for him filled my chest with slight heaviness.

Silvia met my gaze with indifference, her expression reflecting arrogance and pity.

“Calvin Townsend, as you can see, the boy can’t stand you. Given who you are, you aren’t even fit to be his father. You’ve always been an outsider. Simon is different. He’s smart, good-looking, and comes from a good family. He gets along with Kaden well.

“He’ll be a great father to Kaden once we get married.

“I have only stayed with you to keep the System from punishing Simon.

“My son deserves better than a coward. Watch yourself, or I won’t be so kind next time.”

Chapter 2

I was curious as to what these people would do to me. Lounging back, I took in the looks on their faces.

Believing they had reached their happy ending, these people felt entitled to put me on trial.

However, I had steered them to this very conclusion.

“Sure, I agree with you.”

My composed response didn’t give away any aggression or trace of emotion.

Confused at first, Silvia quickly turned furious.

“Are you actually accepting our terms?”

“Yes.”

I flashed my pearly white, my expression devoid of any heartbreak.

Simon pulled Silvia into his embrace and calmed her down with assurances.

“Calvin has no reason to be upset since he’s getting a chunk of your fortune from the divorce, Silvia. All he lost was a few years. You were the one carrying the child to full term. Why would he care? He can just walk away with a massive payout. For all we know, he could’ve pretended to be a loving family man.”

Silvia’s dull eyes lit up.

Kaden broke free from Simon’s hold and kicked me in the knee.

“You have no right to Mom’s money. I know you. You’re putting on an act to get Mom’s attention. Of course, you love me. You can’t keep away from us, you filth. You must be wishing that Simon would drop dead right away. Too bad. Mom doesn’t love you at all, and neither do I.”

With Kaden’s reasoning stroking Silvia’s ego, the mother and son heaved relief and stared me down.

“You can have the money, Calvin, but nothing else. Quit the acting. Nothing you say or do can change the fact that the marriage is over.”

“You are welcome to attend my wedding to Silvia.”

The trio was on the same page, not giving me a chance to get a word in.

While speechless, I could understand where they were coming from.

I had been at the family’s beck and call, catering to their every whim.

There was no way they would entertain the idea that I felt nothing for them.

It was pointless to state facts when they had already made up their minds.

A top female CEO in a story could never understand what it was like to be a regular working man like me.

I would not mix my job with romance. However, for the characters, it was their real-life experience.

Shaking my head, I stopped paying them any attention.

Occupied with having her happily-ever-after with Simon, Silvia didn’t go after me. The last thing on her mind was me anyway.

Come to think of it, our encounter was quite absurd.

Back then, Simon’s family sent him abroad for his studies. It was bad enough that Silvia lost the love of his life, but her family business was on the verge of bankruptcy too.

Hitting rock bottom, Silvia lost significant weight and nearly ended herself.

That was when I came in. The System put me in that time and place to pull her through her darkest days.

I poured a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into caring for her. In the end, I successfully led her down the aisle.

Of course, my heart was never in it. Even during our most intimate moments, I went on autopilot mode with the System’s help.

I drew a strict line between work and reality. This world was just a brief stopover for me.

Once I was to leave, everything here would return to dust.

Kaden was a byproduct of the storyline’s progression. It was in my plans to provide him with a decent upbringing.

However, love was never part of the deal. I would never make the mistake of staying in the world for a child.

Chapter 3

Anyway, the child, with just a bit of time with Simon, turned on me completely.

The divorce was finalized in a week. Without another word, Silvia hurried away to embrace her true love.

That night, the romantic merger between the Watts and the Bartones was featured everywhere.

The approach was classic Silvia. True to her heart, she couldn’t wait to stake her claim and announce her engagement.

I turned on the TV with a blank face. The wedding was a huge deal, held at the city’s swankiest hotel, complete with fireworks and synchronized drones.

The history between Silvia and Simon had been rewritten into the perfect romance, wiped of any trace of my existence.

Given all the romantic gestures and lavish spending, it must be real love. No one would’ve spent that much otherwise.

I stared at the transfer transactions with multiple digits. I didn’t lose out for sure.

Before I could change the TV channel, my phone rang. It was Kaden. Standing in the thick of the celebration, he struggled to lift his phone to show me the embracing couple.

While I scratched my head, Kaden tensed his facial muscles and said, “See that? Mom and Simon are made for each other. Don’t try to come between them, or I won’t let you get away with it.

“Don’t forget that the System is gone. You only have me and Mom left. We can ruin you if you don’t stay in your lane.”

I was baffled by his confidence.

The System merely took off to submit the task completion while I enjoyed a month off.

I would not stay in any world for anyone, especially not for two thankless snakes.

I saw the writing on the wall when Simon returned from abroad to deal with his family’s struggling business.

Silvia never actually fell in love with me. I had been through many worlds to recognize true affection and the fickle human nature.

Upon learning about Silvia and Simon’s secret rendezvous, I asked the System for a progress update.

Having worked alongside for years, the System knew me better than anyone else.

To facilitate my swift exit from the world, the System changed the objective of the mission. My task would be complete when the target felt heartbreak and grasped what it meant to love and appreciate.

The situation was the ideal outcome. At that point, I didn’t have to deal with her anymore. It didn’t matter whether her love for me was genuine.

The mission progressed swiftly, nearing an end.

I would be gone in two weeks.

“There you go again, Dad. Don’t play dumb. I won’t sympathize with you. Save your acting for the Oscars!”

At this age, Kaden wasn’t thinking far. The only thing on his mind was to show off how happy his mother was, so I could back off.

Without hesitation, I hung up and shut out his angry screams.

Since I couldn’t take Silvia’s generous settlement with me, I needed to splurge instead of wasting my time on something so trivial.

My friend, Kelsey, having heard what happened, came over to keep me company. She was the only one I could have a meaningful conversation with.

Not one to be stingy with good friends, I picked out the most extravagant bridal gown in the store for her wedding in the future.

The retail assistant processed the transaction with thrill and chattered away.

“Sir, you must love your wife a lot. It reminds me of the romance between Mr. Bartone and Ms. Watt. They grew up together, and he came back years later from abroad to take her hand. It’s like a fairy tale.”

I spotted the clip playing on the retail assistant’s phone, knowing what she was talking about.

With a pale face, my good friend tried to intervene, but I held her hand down with a smile.

“They are a match made in heaven for sure. One is a moron, and the other’s an idiot. They should stay together, so the rest of the world is safe from them.”

I didn’t raise my voice, but it carried across the bridal store.

Chapter 4

“What’s that supposed to mean, Calvin?”

There was a loud thud against the door. I looked toward the source of the noise and found Silvia there.

Speed must be Silvia’s game. She was just at her engagement a minute ago, and now, she showed up at the bridal store.

Simon grimaced hard, swaying on his feet.

“Silvia, don’t get upset with Calvin. I ruined your marriage. I’m happy just to be with you. I deserve whatever insults he throws my way.”

His tearful eyes, paired with the quiet hurt look, were enough to tug at heartstrings.

Silvia took strides ahead and tore me a new one, her finger up my nose.

“You said you were fine with the arrangement. What are you doing at a bridal store anyway? Are you trying to ruin our wedding plans?

“I knew it was too good to be true. You were too quick to give in, and here you are.”

Hiding behind Silvia, Simon clung close to her with their fingers interlocking.

I was screaming in my head, dying to pry open their skulls just to see how much dead weight sat where their brains should be.

Annoyed, Kelsey narrowed her eyes at Silvia and judged her from head to toe.

“You’re not even that good-looking. It takes some huge ego for you to think that Calvin’s obsessed with you.

“Hate to break it to you, but he’s buying the gown for me.”

Out of respect for me, my friends would be courteous and treat Silvia like royalty.

Having been disgraced in public, Silvia turned red and whipped her hand across my face.

The sound of the slap was loud enough to draw a crowd from outside the store.

With my head whipped back, thoughts ran through my head.

I didn’t see the attack coming. Surely, the System could offer some kind of compensation.

Silvia assumed that she had broken me.

She pulled a sulking look and let out a dry explanation.

“That’s what you get. I warned you that there would be consequences if you pulled some stunt.

“Don’t test me, or you’ll never see your son again.”

I spat and let out a sneer.

“You should count yourself lucky that I don’t hit women, Silvia. Get over yourself. You’re not the center of my universe. I’m only here for my friend. Well, if you want to talk about relevance…”

I paused for dramatic effects. Silvia’s gaze locked onto me, and her fists clenched.

“I’m spending your money.”

Even when I made myself perfectly clear, Silvia was having none of it.

She seemed to live in her own little world. Narcissism was second nature to her.

“Just drop the tough guy act, Calvin. You’re only doing this to guilt-trip me. I mean, why else would we run into each other in a bridal store? Coincidence? I think not. Either way, I’m not falling for your antics. Your acting sucks. Don’t quit your day job.”

Silvia drew close while wearing a look that suggested she had figured everything out.

I was tempted to slap the ignorance out of her, but rationality held me. I could never lay a hand on a woman.

Turning on my heel, I pulled a punch square on Simon’s face. The place turned into a madhouse.

Livid, Silvia pulled me off Simon and kicked me aggressively.

“Have you had enough? You’re violent because I can read you like a book. You haven’t learned anything at all. I feel embarrassed that I was actually married to you. Leave us alone!”

I latched onto Simon despite the bloody scratches across my skin.

Silvia called security to pry us apart.

“Calvin, are you saying that you don’t care about your son or me? I told you what would happen if you didn’t watch it. You can forget ever seeing your son again.”

I scoffed in disdain. It was not as if I wanted to spend time with the dense kid.

Bearing a smug look, Silvia took off with Simon in hand.

Chapter 5

That night, I got a call from Kaden.

His little face, bearing some resemblance to mine, looked in distress.

“How many times do I have to tell you, Dad? Don’t ruin Mom’s chance at a happy life. Why won’t you stop making everybody miserable?”

Kaden fell into contemplation, seemingly weighing his options on what to do with me before letting out a sigh.

“Grow up, Dad. Mom is getting married next week.”

I nearly burst out laughing when Kaden mentioned the wedding. The wedding was the opportunity I had been waiting for.

My disappearance at the right time would push Silvia to devastation. By going through the raw heartbreak, Silvia would then learn to love and cherish.

Oblivious to my plans, Kaden simply grew frustrated with my long silence.

“Did you hear me? Can you have some self-respect? You’re making me look bad.”

Kaden fired off one angry line after another.

“Yeah, sure, of course.”

I brushed him off with a nod before blocking his number.

Life was bliss without the presence of the idiotic mother and son.

Before I knew it, the day of Silvia’s wedding arrived.

Just to be petty, Silvia went out of her way to send me an invitation.

I put on my best suit with a smile and took my assigned seat at the venue.

Kaden looked dapper in his little white tuxedo. As the ring bearer, he led Silvia down the aisle to their idea of a happily-ever-after.

Everyone else was beaming with well-wishes and excitement while I was nothing but derision.

Two strangers kept their eyes on me. I caught them glancing at me at least a dozen times since I showed up.

I knew that Silvia had hired the duo to keep watch over me. She was dying to see me miserable. At the same time, she couldn’t have me ruin the wedding.

As I shrugged in resignation, the officiant began his speech on the couple’s tumultuous but sweet love story.

“Hear that, Dad? The prince and the princess live happily ever after in the story. You’re not even a knight in shining armor. The best you’ll ever be is the villain.”

“Yeah, yeah, sure.”

My half-hearted response stood out against Kaden’s discolored face.

“Mr. Simon Barone, you may now kiss your bride.”

“Player, the exit portal is now open. Ten-second countdown initiating.”

Amid the overlapping voices, Kaden’s eyes widened, and he shrieked out loud.

He shouted the same way when the System went away the other day.

It was a glitch that Kaden could hear the System, but it didn’t change the fact that I was going home.

“What are you on about, Calvin? Are you playing these sounds to mess with me? Mon said that you’ve stayed behind in the world for us. There’s no way you’re leaving. Stop pretending!”

Driven by rage, Kaden clutched me and sank his teeth into my skin.

“Five, four…”

With the countdown nearing an end, Silvia emerged in a hurry. Assuming that I had hurt Kaden, she unleashed hell with her heel.

“Three, two…”

“Stop him, Mom! He’s trying to leave! He has no right to leave.”

The wedding turned into total mayhem. Pulling an anxious look, Kaden clung to my neck as if his life depended on it.

“One.”

As reality sank in, Silvia grabbed my wrist.

Unfortunately for them, the pull of zero gravity ripped me free as my soul left my body, leaving them with only a lifeless shell to hold.