Chapter 1 Chapter 1

"Host, are you sure about this?" the system's voice echoes in my mind. "Your mother's illness is getting worse. If you reset and start a new world, she might not live to see you succeed." Upon hearing that, I felt something twist painfully inside me. Five years ago, I took on this mission to save my mother, who was dying of cancer. At first, everything seemed to go my way. I got caught up in Zachary Pierce's charm and started believing in the fantasy. Reality, though, woke me up with a slap. Just because I touched a photo album that belonged to Yvonne Shaw and didn't wear the red dress she used to adore, Zachary left me stranded in a slum in a foreign country. He even took my passport. I barely escaped being assaulted, stumbled into the street, and got hit by a car. It was only after I landed in the hospital that I finally managed to call him. Zachary's voice was cold as he said, "If you didn't look so much like Yvonne, do you really think I'd spare you a glance? This is just a lesson. Once you've thought it through, I'll come get you." After that, he went even further. He forced me to climb thousands of steps just to pray for his deceased lover. Once, he let people strip me bare and abandon me on a mountaintop ski slope. Another time, he kicked me into the ocean just to retrieve a lost bracelet, even though he knew I couldn't swim. He called them "tests of sincerity". Meanwhile, he and his buddies would laugh behind my back, making bets on how many humiliations it would take before I gave up. A few months ago, Zachary changed his tune. He said he wanted a child with me. Watching his affection score finally shoot up, I was naive enough to think my suffering might actually pay off. But the laughter coming from that hospital room hit me like a freight train. "Zach, does this make it the 100th? We've finally hit 100 pranks on her if we count the baby.""I'll bet she never walks away. The baby's not hers, but it's still Zach's. After all she's put up with, what's one more?""Exactly. Every time Zach bumps his affection score a little higher, she comes back wagging her tail." Every word was like a knife, carving up whatever was left of my pride. That was when I finally realized that Zachary had known who I was from the very beginning. He could even control his affection score. "She's just a pathetic player. I won't stop until I've completely ruined her. Just wait and see!" I heard Zachary's laughter through the door. Whatever hope I had left was dead and gone. I closed my eyes, forcing back tears, and managed a crooked smile. "Yes," I said to the system. "Let's end it. The sooner the better. Send me somewhere new. I'll find a new target." Once I got the system's approval, I returned to the hospital room. I just stood there, quietly watching the baby sleep in his crib. I went through so many painful injections, with bruises all over my stomach, just for the chance to bring him into the world. I could still feel the ache from the retrieval needle. Just thinking about it made me shiver.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

I never imagined the baby had been conceived using an egg that belonged to Yvonne, frozen and stored all this time. "Regina, why are you out of bed?" Zachary asked. He and his friends strolled into the hospital room, acting all friendly. "We're here to help you pack up," he added. "The doctor says you're good to go home. Oh, and we brought you some seafood chowder. Go on, have a bowl." His affection score kept rising and falling, now stuck again at 99 percent. But when I looked closely, there wasn't a trace of love in his eyes—just that same mocking glint his friends all had. They were waiting for me, someone with a seafood allergy, to go along with it as usual and choke it down. I smiled and thanked Zachary, but this time, I didn't touch the chowder. I turned away and quietly packed my belongings, leaving the room before anyone could stop me. "You take the baby," I said, tossing the words over my shoulder. Zachary's smile froze, and his eyes darkened. His friends started snickering, nudging him to step up, so he forced a grin. "Sure, I'll hold him." … When we got home, I opened the front door and saw a woman standing in the middle of the living room. She wore a red dress, with sleek black hair and perfectly trimmed bangs. Her lips were curved in a pretty, dimpled smile. I stood there stunned. She looked exactly like Yvonne, right down to the dimple in her cheek when she smiled. "Regina, let me introduce you. This is Belle White. I've been sponsoring her for a while. Now, she wants to stay with us as a live-in nanny." His friends exchanged glances, repeating the word "nanny" with knowing grins. Zachary let out a low laugh. His gaze was fixed on Belle, and he made no effort to hide the desire and satisfaction in his eyes. Truth be told, I'd seen scenarios like this more times than I could count. Zachary always claimed in public that I was his girlfriend, but he never got tired of bringing home women who looked like Yvonne. He especially loved parading them in front of me. The last time I was sick, his friends brought home a woman dressed in a nurse's uniform. While I was feverish and delirious in my room, Zachary was hooking up with that woman in the room next door. Another time, at a banquet, he picked the starlet who looked the most like Yvonne from a lineup. After Zachary had satisfied his desire, he would try to comfort me, saying, "You're still the best. You look the most like her." Then, he'd casually add a few points to the affection score, like tossing a treat to a well-trained pet. So, I'd swallow the pain, force a smile, and see his latest fling out the door. When I was pregnant, he toned it down for a while, but I always knew he kept a mistress on the side. Sure enough, today he just couldn't resist showing her off. "You're good at baking, right?" Zachary asked. "Belle has a sweet tooth. She's allergic to mangoes but loves chocolate. Make it with the imported chocolate. That would be nice. He added, "Oh, and she rescued a stray cat. From now on, bring it with you." Zachary beamed at Belle, looking at her like she was the most precious thing in the world. Belle's eyes filled with grateful tears. "I only mentioned it once, and you actually remembered." "Of course," he replied smoothly, "I remember anything important." I almost laughed out loud. He could remember all these details about Belle, but never noticed the hives that broke out on my face whenever I ate seafood, or the fact that I'd once been scratched by a cat and had a lingering fear of them. But why should he care? I wasn't important. I was just someone for him to toy with. That night, I changed for bed and walked into the bedroom, only to find them already lying there. Belle was nestled in Zachary's arms, her face flushed a bright red. Zachary's eyes were filled with desire. He didn't even bother pretending anymore. He just glanced at me, his lips curling in a mocking smile. "Belle didn't have anything else to wear."

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

"Your closet has clothes in her size," Zachary said. "Why don't you take the guest room tonight?" Belle pulled the blanket aside, revealing the light pink slip she was wearing. Her smile was smug, laced with barely hidden mockery. "Regina, you don't mind, right?" she asked. "Those clothes were never really for her anyway," Zachary chimed in. "Whoever fits them, wears them." I understood exactly what he meant. Every dress in this bedroom had been chosen by Zachary to match Yvonne's taste. Now that someone even more like her had come along, I was just expected to quietly step aside. "Go get some rest, Regina," he said. "Trust me, you'll always be number one in my heart. You know better than anyone whether I love you or not." He gave me that same teasing smile, looking so sure of himself. With the affection score stuck at 99 percent, he clearly believed I'd keep quiet and feel thankful for whatever bits of affection he threw my way, just like a dog begging for scraps. Sure enough, I did exactly what he expected. I walked out without saying a word. But just as I closed the door, my phone lit up with a string of messages. "Didn't you all say I should provoke her just when she thinks I'm finally done with other women? We've done everything but hook up in front of her, and she still doesn't say a word.""Zach, weren't you planning to up the ante next time? You just can't shake this chick.""Wait, Zach, you sent that to the wrong group! Hurry, delete it!" One by one, the messages were deleted. I stared at the screen, my chest tightening as pain surged through my numb heart. I used to think 99 percent on the affection score meant something real. I was happy but also afraid, constantly walking on eggshells around Zachary, treating every rare moment of tenderness like it was gold. But it turned out, raising the affection score was just a way to make fun of me. They only did it to watch me suffer. It wasn't long before Zachary called. "Regina, can you bring Belle a glass of milk? Didn't you see my message?" he asked, testing the waters. I pretended I hadn't seen any of the messages. "No, I was just about to check on the baby." That seemed to put him at ease. When I brought the milk, he even gave me a rare compliment. … The next morning, I woke up to the sound of the baby crying. The baby had somehow crawled out of his crib and landed on the floor, wailing at the top of his lungs. His bottle was empty, and he was so hungry he tried to suck on it anyway. Zachary stood by, totally clueless about what to do. Even though I wasn't the baby's real mother, the sight of him crying on the floor made my heart clench. I got his formula ready and picked him up, feeding him quietly. "What's with all the noise?" Belle's voice floated down from the upstairs landing. She leaned lazily over the railing, wearing a loose slip with the hickeys clearly visible on her neck. "Oh, shoot, I totally forgot about the baby," she said. "This is Zach's fault. He kept me up all night." She glanced at me, her eyes full of smug delight. "I'm gonna have to talk to him about this nanny gig. If he keeps tiring me out like this, how am I supposed to do my job?" She made a show of blushing, then picked up a torn nightgown and tossed it down the stairs. "Sorry, Regina," she said, barely containing a laugh. "Zach got a little too rough. It looks like your sleepwear didn't survive." She covered her mouth, waiting for a reaction, but I just held the baby and stared right past her. Things like this happened too often for me to care anymore. I'd learned that silence hurt less. Last time, I spilled tea on one of his mistresses, and Zachary immediately accused me of being jealous. There was a time when I was so desperate to boost his affection score that I let him pour scalding water on my thigh and said nothing, just so he'd see me as loyal. The skin on my thigh had never healed. It stayed puckered and dark, a mark that would never fade.

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

After putting the baby to sleep, I went out to hire a proper nanny. By noon, I brought the new nanny back. As we entered the nursery, I noticed the baby napping. However, his cheeks were an odd, vivid red. His little face was scrunched in pain instead of peaceful sleep. The experienced nanny, Catherine Dawson, hurried over to check on the baby. As soon as she did, she drew in a sharp breath. "This baby has been given sleeping pills, and not just a small amount," she said, her voice filled with panic. "He's having an allergic reaction. It looks like he's going into anaphylactic shock." My heart tightened. I grabbed the baby and ran down the stairs. "Hurry! We need to get to the hospital right now!" But as I reached the front door, Belle stepped in front of me. "Where are you going, Regina? Why are you taking the baby out?""You gave him sleeping pills? He's just a baby! Were you trying to kill him?" My voice shook with rage as I glared at her. Belle was stunned. She looked down at the baby in my arms. When she noticed his splotchy skin, panic flickered in her eyes. "He wouldn't stop crying. I just gave him a little sleeping pill so he'd sleep for a bit. What's the big deal?" she snapped, then quickly stepped in front to block the way again. "You can't leave. The baby's fine. You can't run off to tell Zach…" I gave a short, cold laugh. After handing the baby to Catherine, I grabbed Belle by the hair and yanked her aside. "Catherine, take a cab and get the baby to the hospital." Belle screamed, flailing wildly. A glass on the coffee table crashed to the floor, and the shards scattered. One of them sliced her cheek open. "Enough!" Zachary's icy voice cut through the room as he stormed in. His eyes landed on the cut on Belle's face, and his chest heaved with barely contained rage. He raised his hand to slap me, but the moment he saw my face, he hesitated. I looked so much like Yvonne. Then, without warning, he kicked me hard in the stomach. The force sent me sprawling. Pain exploded through my body. Zachary glared at me. "Are you jealous of Belle? I guess I've been too easy on you lately!" Then, he pulled Belle up and led her out, leaving me on the floor. Catherine and I managed to get the baby to the hospital just in time. He recovered without any serious complications. But I wasn't so lucky. My abdominal wound reopened, and I had to stay in the hospital for a few days. Zachary didn't show any concern for me. Only his affection score kept fluctuating before settling back at 99 percent. When I finally came home, I saw Zachary and his friends laughing loudly through the door that hadn't been completely shut. "She really hit Belle? Not bad! It looks like giving her a 99 percent affection score finally gave her some guts. We can finally see something new. A soft little pushover was fun for a while, but it got boring.""Too bad about Belle, though. She was the best lookalike yet. That face is ruined now.""Aren't you going to check on Regina, Zach? The baby's still in the hospital too." Zachary just scoffed. "Come on. I've got control of the affection scores. She'll come crawling back, just like always." I found it laughable and pathetic. He still had no idea that I no longer cared. I stepped inside and handed Zachary the baby's hospital records without saying a word, then went straight upstairs. "Whoa, she's got a backbone now? Zach, aren't you going to sweet-talk her?""She's had your kid and now she's got some nerve. It looks like she's trying to stake her claim." I didn't slow down. I ignored all of them and shut the door behind me.

Chapter 5 Chapter 5

I curled up behind the door, pulling my knees tight to my chest. The tears I'd been holding back for so long finally spilled over, dropping to the floor. It felt like every ounce of pain and humiliation from all these years was finally breaking loose, pouring out of me. I cried until my eyes felt completely dry. Then, just as I'd gone quiet, the system's voice sounded in my mind. "Host, your request has been approved. We can take you away soon. The next world is already set up for you." I sat there stunned as more tears fell. But this time, they came with a sense of relief, like I was finally ready to let go. "Okay," I whispered, and then I let myself drift into a heavy sleep. For a moment, I thought this might finally be the peaceful night I'd been longing for. But in the middle of the night, thick smoke jolted me awake, stinging my lungs. I opened my eyes and saw flames licking up the walls, crawling hungrily toward the ceiling. My survival instinct kicked in. Covering my mouth, I forced myself to my feet and rushed for the door. The moment I opened the front door of the villa, I saw Zachary lying on the ground, coughing. When he saw me, his face lit up with surprise and relief. But then, his expression changed, as if he suddenly remembered something. "Oh no! The baby's still inside! Regina, just go! The fire's too big. We can't get back in…" My heart plummeted, and I felt as if a vise had tightened around my throat. "I'll go. I know where the baby is," I said firmly. Without looking back, I turned and plunged straight into the fire. Every inch of my skin burned, but I pushed through the pain and hurled myself against the nursery door until it burst open. However, the crib was empty. For a second, I stood frozen. Then, I ran through the house, checking every room. Panic clawed at my insides. "Baby, where are you?" My voice was raw, each shout ragged and hoarse, but the baby was nowhere to be found. Just as I was about to give in to despair, an image flashed through my mind—a vision the system projected. I saw Zachary and his friends in the yard, passing around a pair of binoculars. "Move! Let me see! She's still looking for the baby. She doesn't even know the baby's not in there." Someone snatched the binoculars, zooming in. "Damn, Zach, you really went all in! You're gonna lose a villa for this one!" Zachary just laughed, not even trying to hide his smugness. "Whatever. I bet she won't leave me, not even after this. Her mission's not done.""I'll take the other side. I bet she finally leaves. Seriously, this is brutal!" The system kept streaming their conversation straight into my mind. As I watched them laughing, the flames flickered all around me, lighting up my pale face. Just then, my phone rang. It was Zachary. His voice was light, almost cheerful. "Sorry, Regina, the baby isn't inside. Anyway, he's not your baby. I used Yvonne's egg. Did you actually think I could ever fall for you? I've been planning this for a whole year. Surprised?" As soon as he finished speaking, the affection score dropped from 99 percent to zero. So, that was his final blow. He wanted to take away the very last bit of hope I had. But I let him down. I didn't cry or scream. I just gave a quiet laugh and said, "Thanks, Zachary. Thank you for finally setting me free." Then, I hung up and told the system, "I'm ready. Let's go."