Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The physical pain came so swiftly that I had no time to dwell on the metaphorical knife Oliver had plunged into my heart.

I was admitted to the hospital, gritting my teeth to endure the agony that should have belonged to Sylvie. This was the backlash of the system's power; no medical equipment could detect any abnormalities, and painkillers were ineffective.

Oliver instructed the hospital to give me a private room, then left with the newly revived Sylvie.

Before leaving, Sylvie feigned concern, asking, "Are you sure it's okay to leave her like this? She looks like she's in a lot of pain."

Oliver dismissed her worries, "Don't worry about her. She was fine the last two times. It's only this time, when saving you, that she's in so much pain. I don't know who she's trying to fool."

"Let's go. I promised to take you out for some fresh air."

I forced a bitter smile.

I had exchanged my life for Oliver's twice before, not wanting to burden him with guilt, and only reappeared once I had recovered. I never expected this to become evidence for his malicious assumptions about me.

He never visited me again.

In that claustrophobic hospital room, I became swollen and jaundiced. My waist ached as if it were being drilled into, and all my joints felt like they were being slowly sliced and ground by blades.

I couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, and sometimes the pain was so intense that I couldn't breathe.

Sylvie, however, wouldn't let me be. She feigned kindness, constantly sending videos of Oliver to the nurses, ordering them to make sure I watched them.

This was the Harris family's hospital; the nurses didn't dare disobey.

Thus, my suffering had a soundtrack.

In a restaurant.

"Oliver, why hasn't Verena been discharged yet? Could she really be sick?"

Oliver snorted, "The hospital equipment can't find anything wrong with her. She's as healthy as a horse. Sick? What a joke. Don't worry about her. Look at yourself, you're so thin it breaks my heart."

In a bar.

"Oliver, truth or dare! Be honest, how did Verena manage to win you over? She must have some extraordinary qualities, right?"

Oliver laughed maliciously, "She does, especially in bed. Want to give it a try?"

"Oliver, you're so bad! Haha!"

Every word was a precise humiliation.

Sometimes, I couldn't even tell if it was my heart or my body that hurt more.

Both pains pierced through my very soul.

The system scolded me for saving Sylvie.

I didn't want to save this manipulative woman who constantly stirred trouble between Oliver and me either.

But I had no choice.

If I didn't save her, Oliver would definitely break up with me.

Without him, I couldn't survive.

When the system brought me to this world, my original body was already on the brink of death.

Only by winning over Oliver, staying with him, and having him accompany me on my birthday each year could I gain another year of life.

My life depended on him.

The system sighed and said, "As usual, after these few days, your body will die. I'll insert your memory chip into a lifelike robot. You'll have to be a robot for a few days."

"Luckily, your next birthday is in just ten days. Once that scumbag spends your birthday with you, you'll be revived."

The unbearable pain lasted for three whole days.

When I was discharged, no one could tell that I was now a robot.

No one came to pick me up, so I went home alone.

When I opened the door, the lights were dim, and the air was filled with the aroma of food.

The dining table was set with gourmet dishes, and candles flickered romantically.

Oliver and Sylvie sat at the table, her hand resting on his shoulder, the light reflecting off the engagement ring on her finger piercing my eyes.

It was my cherished engagement ring.