I Bet My Soul on His Loyalty

In order to stay by Samuel Hudson's side, I decide to give up on the one-billion-dollar reward offered by the system. At the same time, I've used up all of the luck I've accumulated just to trade for a chance to fully heal Samuel's legs. But the price I need to pay is that I have to bind my life force to Samuel's devotion toward me. If he cheats on me physically or emotionally, my soul will be extracted from my body forcibly, leading to my eventual destruction. The moment I go through with the binding process, I find myself hesitating for a moment. But the sight of Samuel kneeling on one knee while proposing to me lovingly makes me believe him. I believe him with my whole heart when he promises to stay devoted to me forever. Because of this, I'm content with being the woman who will endure everything for her lover's sake. So, I tap the "confirm" button firmly. For the next seven years, Samuel and I continue to love each other as passionately as ever. Together, we've overcome countless challenges and survived many low tides together. But on our wedding anniversary, while I'm making soup for Samuel in the kitchen, I begin coughing violently all of a sudden. Soon, I spit out a huge glob of dark blood. Then, I look down to see my body starting to become transparent. In fact, my fingers can no longer touch the glass on the counter. At the same time, alarm bells begin ringing in my mind. [Warning! Samuel's affection level has dropped below the critical threshold. Destruction protocol is now activated.] Chapter 1 Stella's POV I gasped heavily for air, raising my hand in terror. I instinctively reached for the glass of water beside me to support myself, but my hand went straight through the solid glass. With a sharp crash, the glass hit the floor and shattered into pieces. [Warning! Samuel's affection level has dropped below the critical threshold!] [Contract violation detected! Penalty in effect! Destruction protocol initiated!] [Time Remaining Until Death: 71 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds...] I could see a row of crimson countdown numbers materialize out of thin air above me. I fell weakly onto the tiles covered in glass, letting the pieces cut into my calves as my entire body shook violently. It had been seven years, and I had thought I would never see that warning again. I still remembered how Samuel Hudson, my husband, got down on one knee to propose to me, his eyes brimming with tears as he said, "You, out of all the people in the world, are the only one for me in this lifetime, Stella." Yet now, the system had coldly informed me that Samuel no longer loved me. I forced myself through the unbearable pain, feeling as if my organs were being crushed, and used my trembling left hand to take out my phone and call Samuel. It rang for a long time before someone finally picked up. I then heard a young, coquettish female voice come through the phone, speaking with a playful, sleepy drawl that held an obvious note of provocation. "Who's calling?" I instantly felt my blood run cold. I recognized that voice. It belonged to Xena Baker, the supporting female lead in Samuel's new show—a young woman who had just turned 20 years old, with facial features that looked remarkably like mine when I was young. "Get Samuel on the phone," I said flatly, my voice hoarse. I heard the rustling sound of clothing come from the other end of the line, followed by Samuel's familiar and somewhat annoyed voice. "What exactly are you trying to do when the production team and cast are having a dinner gathering, Stella? Why do you have to call me repeatedly? Do you really distrust me this much?" I looked up at the crimson countdown ticking away in midair, a bitter feeling washing over me. "Can you return home tonight, Samuel? You see, I've made your favorite soup, and today is our—" Samuel cut me off before I could finish. "I'm busy right now. You used to be so cooperative, Stella. You know I've never liked explaining myself, so don't push my buttons. Xena is drunk, so I'm merely looking after her. "I was going to return home once she's fine, but seeing how unreasonable you're being, I won't come back tonight after all. You should take this time alone to reflect on your behavior, Stella." He instantly ended the call, the busy tone echoing through the empty villa. I sank onto the floor as my phone screen lit up with a push notification for the latest entertainment headline. "Samuel Hudson, the Award-Winning Actor, Spotted Shielding Xena Baker, a Rising Actress, From Cameras Late at Night. He Even Took off His Haute Couture Suit Jacket to Cover Her, Sparking Major Romance Rumors!" In the photo, Samuel held Xena securely in his embrace, the anxiety and devotion in his eyes looking exactly the way he used to look at me seven years ago. It was then that the system stated flatly, "You ought to see reality for what it is, Stella—Samuel betrayed you long ago." I stared at the photo, then at the splash of necrotic blood on the table, my tears finally falling silently. Chapter 2 Stella's POV I looked up at the crimson countdown again. [Time Remaining Until Death: 47 hours, 15 minutes, 08 seconds.] I was weak to the absolute limit; even walking from the bedroom to the living room made me gasp for air, and I began coughing up blood more and more. I still didn't want to meet my end filled with regret, though. In the afternoon, I applied heavy makeup to conceal my pale complexion and took a cab to Samuel's production set. I had just reached the perimeter of the set when I witnessed a glaringly painful scene. They had just wrapped up the scene under the artificial rain. Samuel didn't even bother to wipe the water off his own body; instead, he rushed over with a dry towel to wipe Xena's hair, his eyes brimming with tenderness. He was worried that Xena would catch a cold, so he went as far as taking off his custom haute couture suit jacket to wrap it securely around her shoulders. "Thank you, Samuel—you're so kind," Xena said, looking up and smiling delicately. Those surrounding crew members were whispering among themselves, praising Xena and Samuel as the perfect couple, a match made in heaven. I froze on the spot while the cold wind swept through my thin garments, recalling the time when his absolute gentleness belonged to no one but me. I then stepped forward, my complexion pale. Samuel turned around, and a look of panic flashed in his eyes the second he saw me, though it quickly changed to deep annoyance and cold indifference. He gripped my wrist hard enough to break it and forced me into a quiet corner of the prop room. He then lowered his voice and demanded aggressively, "What are you doing here? Do you think the paparazzi haven't taken enough photos yet?" I noticed the faint lipstick stain on his collar, a stabbing pain going through my chest. I didn't quarrel with him this time, nor did I throw a tantrum like last time. I simply clutched the hem of his clothes submissively and said with bloodshot eyes, "Please have dinner with me, Samuel." I raised my head and looked at the face I had once sacrificed my life to keep healthy. "How about tonight, Samuel? Why don't we go to the restaurant where we had our first date? I swear I won't bother you again after this meal is over, Samuel…" Samuel paused, clearly caught off guard by how calm I was. He looked at my pale face and furrowed his brow deeply. He probably found my passive approach today quite tactful, or maybe he feared I would make a scene on set and ruin things for him and Xena. Regardless, he finally nodded in assent. "Got it. I'll head straight over at 7:00 pm. Get out of here quickly, and don't get photographed by the paparazzi here." It was finally 7:00 pm. I made a reservation for a table by the window at the upscale Farocian restaurant where we had gone on our first date. I ordered a full spread of Samuel's favorite dishes from back then. I could hear the melodious sound of a violin echoing through the restaurant, and outside the window lay a dazzling cityscape alive with traffic and lights. I sat silently in my seat, watching the crimson ticking away in midair—a display only I could see. [Time Remaining Until Death: 41 hours, 30 minutes, 12 seconds.] I could sense the time slowly ticking away as the dishes on the table gradually turned cold. I picked up the glass of water beside me, staring at the faintly flickering translucent outline of my fingers while silently waiting for the end of this relationship. Chapter 3 Stella's POV Samuel finally showed up at 9:00 pm. He didn't even remove his coat when he took his seat at the table. He was clearly distracted the whole time, his brow furrowing deeply as he checked his phone every half minute. I suppressed the metallic taste of blood in my throat and pushed the already-cut steak toward him. "You should have some of these, Samuel. You used to love this the most—" Samuel's phone suddenly vibrated at that moment. He noticed the caller ID, and that indifferent expression of his instantly disappeared, replaced by undisguised anxiety. He answered the call right in front of me without any hesitation, his tone instantly turning gentle and completely different from before. "What's the matter, Xena?" Xena's tearful voice could faintly be heard from the other end of the line. "Samuel, the hotel suddenly had a power outage… I'm really scared of the dark… Can you please come over, Samuel?" "You have nothing to be afraid of, Xena! You should stay where you are—I'll be right there!" Samuel's expression shifted abruptly. He immediately rose to his feet, grabbed his car keys, and prepared to head out. "Samuel!" I grabbed the hem of his clothes, my eyes brimming with tears. My grip was so tight that my fingers were turning pale, and my body even started to flash with a faint, transparent outline again from the emotional distress. I stared at him fixedly, my voice cracking with emotion while saying, "You'll never see me again once you walk out that door, Samuel…" I wasn't lying about it. With a few hours remaining on the countdown, his departure would mean a final farewell. Samuel stopped and turned back to look at me. He remained silent for quite some time before saying, "Xena is nyctophobic, so she's very vulnerable right now." He slowly pried my fingers off me, looking at me with a cold expression as if I were a mad person making trouble. He instantly turned and marched out of the restaurant after dropping those remarks. He left with absolute determination, never turning around once. In the dead of night, I dragged my dying body back alone to the empty villa. I didn't even turn on the lights. I used the moonlight to find a paper and pen and calmly started writing my farewell letter. I didn't blame anyone in the letter. I simply detailed the choice the system presented to me seven years before. I explained how I walked away from a one-billion-dollar cash reward and completely emptied my luck points, all to buy a chance for Samuel to stand up again after he was left crippled in a car accident. I packed all our old photos together into a cardboard box once I finished writing the letter, removing the last traces of my life in the villa. It was then that the countdown reached the final ten seconds. [Time Remaining Until Death: 10, 9, 8…] I collapsed onto the carpet beside the couch as a stabbing agony ripped through my organs like a dozen blades cutting through them. I curled up from the pain and coughed up a mouthful of necrotic blood, instantly staining the pure white rug Samuel loved. [3, 2, 1. Destruction protocol executed.] I could feel an irresistible, violent force ripping my soul from my body the moment the system's mechanical voice dropped. Following the agonizing pain, my consciousness plunged into infinite darkness, and my soul completely vanished. In that instant, only a lifeless shell remained, lying quietly in a pool of blood. Chapter 4 Third-Person POV It was the following morning when Samuel pushed open the front door of the villa. He still carried the faint scent of Xena's perfume, his face showing the exhaustion and irritation of someone who had stayed up all night. "I'm home, Stella! S-Stella?" Samuel loosened his tie while changing his shoes, casually looking over the living room—then abruptly froze. He noticed Stella lying still on the carpet next to the couch. Samuel furrowed his brow, a trace of annoyance crossing his face. "Why are you still lying on the floor when you're not even a child anymore? You'd better get up now. Otherwise, your stomach will act up from the cold again. Come on now…" There was no response from the person on the floor, so Samuel marched over and grabbed her shoulder. "Why are you still throwing a tantrum—" Samuel's voice stopped mid-sentence. He felt a freezing, ice-like temperature beneath his hand. She was rigid and completely lifeless. He froze all over, then suddenly flipped Stella over. He was met with the sight of Stella's pale complexion and dried necrotic blood around the corners of her mouth, her chin, and even her neck. Her eyes, which had once looked at him with nothing but tenderness, were closed tight, completely devoid of life. "S-Stella? Stella!" Samuel's mind instantly went completely blank. He then, with a trembling hand, reached out to check for her breath, but there was nothing. He backed away in sheer panic, but his foot struck an envelope on the coffee table. He then noticed the words written on the envelope. "To Samuel Hudson." He opened the letter with trembling hands and skimmed through it. He noticed the terms like "one-billion-dollar cash reward", "traded points to heal your legs", and "cheating results in immediate death" in the letter. He widened his eyes in terror and yelled, "T-That's impossible! You're definitely lying to me, Stella!" Just as he was screaming on the verge of a total breakdown, a flat, emotionless mechanical voice rang out abruptly through the villa. [Stella Shepherd's death has been confirmed. Destruction protocol concluded.] Samuel snapped his head up and whipped his gaze around the space, looking exactly as though he had seen a ghost. That mechanical voice kept ringing out, sounding like a judgment from Death itself. [Due to contract termination, the leg recovery reward issued to Samuel Hudson—the target—is now permanently rescinded.] "W-What—" Samuel felt a sharp, ripping agony tearing through his knees before he could even understand what was happening. Samuel's legs instantly gave out beneath him, accompanied by the sickening crunch of bones breaking and nerves severing. He screamed in agony and collapsed heavily to the floor, landing on his knees right before Stella's lifeless corpse.