Leaving Them Was My Last Act of Love

Lately, the husband whom the Jeston heiress had loved for years seemed like a completely different person. A month ago, during a heavy downpour, Sierra Parker forgot her husband, Caleb Finch, who had been at the airport waiting for her to pick him up, instead choosing to accompany her late cousin's husband, Riley Cross, for a round of karaoke. Caleb, who usually possesses a petty streak, didn't even get angry this time. He simply caught a taxi home alone. Two weeks ago, Sierra forgot Caleb's birthday entirely while she stayed out to nurse the drunk Riley. Caleb didn't stay up waiting for her like he always did. Instead, he cleaned up the mess and headed to bed. Two days ago, Sierra abandoned Caleb while he's running a high fever, all because Riley nearly scalded himself. Even their daughter, Amelia Finch, was worried about Riley. When they crossed paths at the hospital, Caleb merely sat down and received his IV drip in silence. He forgot their vows to grow old together and even Amelia's words of appreciation for how hard he had worked to care for their family over the years. Now, Sierra wants to bring Riley into their home and support him for the rest of his life. Seeing the sadness in Caleb's eyes, she merely purses her lips. "Caleb, we've been married for seven years. I'm only letting Riley move in with us. You don't have to threaten to walk out on me." Amelia looks equally annoyed with him. "Dad, stop being so dramatic. Isn't it a good thing to have another person around to look after me?" Silently enduring the loss of his memories, he calls out to the system, "System, I'm ready to go now." Chapter 1 "I'm handling another mission runner in the Other World. Just hang tight for three days. Once your body gives out, I'll be there to take you home." The familiar, mechanical voice buzzed inside my head, leaving me in a trance. My face paled as I forced the corners of my lips into a bitter smile. "I'll be waiting." Seven years ago, I gave up everything to stay in this world, utterly convinced that Sierra Parker and I would grow old together. I never expected to hear from the system again. Yet here we were, exactly seven years later, watching reality tear our marriage apart at the seams. The front door clicked open, signaling that Sierra was home from the office. She was stunning, with a slender, elegant build. The distant look she usually brought home from the office vanished into a soft, affectionate smile the second she spotted me. She hurried over, dropping onto the cushion right beside me and wrapping her arms tightly around my neck. "Caleb, where was my lunch today? I'm absolutely starving." She pouted, her voice laced with a hint of grievance. "You always drop off my food." I stared at her as she exaggerated her dismay. Looking down, I said, "I forgot." Sierra was a workaholic who routinely blew past lunch whenever a major project caught her attention. That terrible habit had eventually led to her developing stomach issues, which drove me to spend months perfecting a custom diet just to nurse her back to health. Even now, she would still suffer from stomach pain whenever she went too long without eating. Because I couldn't stand seeing her in pain, I spent the last seven years making homemade stew and delivering it right to her office desk every single day, rain or shine. That day was the first time I had missed a single delivery. But a forgotten lunch was the least of my worries. I had been losing track of a lot more lately. In the past, the system warned me that no mission runner ever got a happily-ever-after with their target. I refused to believe it, arguing that Sierra was different from anyone else. The system made a bet with me right then. If her feelings ever wavered, my memories of our life together would begin to slip away, and my physical health would deteriorate until I died. Parts of my memories had already vanished, but I had only just realized the truth. Sierra's heart now belonged to someone else. She leaned in closer, pressing her forehead against mine as she searched my eyes. "Did you really forget? Or are you giving me the cold shoulder because I spent the weekend at the hospital looking after Riley, so you're starving me on purpose?" I shook my head. "I really forgot. The system is erasing my—" "I've heard enough." Sierra let out a helpless sigh and stood up abruptly. "We've been married for seven years. Haven't I treated you right? You and I both know this whole system thing is just a story you made up, so stop threatening to walk out on me just to get your way." Chapter 2 Sierra's words left me paralyzed on the couch, unable to do anything but stare at her. The truth was, she had never believed me. To her, my warnings about losing my memories and leaving this world were just a pathetic bluff. If this were a few months ago, I would've scrambled to defend myself. Now, I couldn't care less. With my countdown down to three days, whether she chose to believe me or not was entirely irrelevant. Just then, Sierra set an elegant box in the palms of my hands and popped it open to reveal an incredibly expensive watch. "Come on, honey. I don't want to argue anymore. I'm sorry, okay?" she said. "It's a custom, limited-edition piece from Amora. There are only two of these in the entire world, and it's going to look amazing on you. "Tomorrow is our anniversary, so let's take Amelia and spend the weekend out at Yearnerwood. Just the three of us. What do you say?" There was a soft, pleading look in her eyes. I could tell this was her way of compromising. I looked down at the watch. It was a masterpiece of understated luxury, featuring a flawless band accented by a ring of deep blue diamonds that caught the light, casting a sharp, brilliant starburst effect across the room. I was certain it cost a fortune. "Is this just for me?" I asked quietly. "Or did anyone else get one?" Sierra offered a warm, reassuring smile. "It's my peace offering to you. Of course, it's just for you." She was lying through her teeth. I had seen Riley Cross wearing the same watch on his wrist. A dull ache flared up in my chest, though it didn't completely rip me apart the way it used to. Instead, a real, physical pain was beginning to take over my body. Sierra gently fastened the watch around my wrist. The affection in her eyes was unmistakable, identical to, and perhaps even more intense than, the way she used to look at me. Yet as I looked at her now, she felt like a total stranger. Seven years ago, Sierra was the most celebrated heiress in Jeston. As the heir to her family's business empire, she had been groomed to take over the entire company. But because I was an orphan who couldn't offer her family any corporate leverage, she flatly rejected an arranged marriage, handing the entire inheritance over to her younger sister, all just to marry me. Now, she ran Parker Group as its ruthless deputy CEO. She was a force to be reckoned with, commanding both fear and respect from everyone around her. But the moment she came home, she would rest her head against my shoulder, whispering sweet nothings into my ear. Everyone always said she loved me to a fault. And looking at her now, she still seemed entirely devoted to me, but I could no longer get through to her heart. Sensing my silence, Sierra gave my cheek a playful, affectionate pinch. "Not in the mood for Yearnerwood? We can go anywhere else you want." I looked her dead in the eye, a faint ripple of emotion flickering in my gaze. "No, Yearnerwood is fine." I only had three days left before my time ran out. Yearnerwood was the place where I fell in love with her, and I wanted it to be our last beautiful memory together. … The next morning, the three of us loaded into the car. I was still recovering from the flu and lacked the energy to do much, so I just rested my head against the headrest. We hadn't even been on the road for two minutes when our daughter, Amelia Finch, spoke up from the backseat, her voice bursting with excitement. "Mom, the weather is so nice today! Can we invite Mr. Cross to join us? He isn't a total buzzkill like Dad. Dad hates loud noises, he can't run, and he barely even talks. He's so boring." Sierra's expression hardened instantly, and she shot a stern glare at Amelia. "Amelia, watch your mouth," she snapped. "Today is a very important day for your father and me." After being chided, Amelia seemed to realize she had crossed a line. She shrank back into her seat, pouting as she looked over at me. "Please don't be mad at me, Dad," she uttered cautiously. She had obviously been spending a lot of time with Riley. Instead of speaking up to break the tension as I had done in the past, I just kept my mouth shut and stared out the window. Chapter 3 Sierra wrapped an arm around my shoulder. "Amelia is just a kid, honey. She doesn't know any better. Don't take it to heart." The moment her skin brushed against mine, a blinding bolt of pain shot down my shoulder. My body spasmed, and I forced her arm off me, keeping my voice low. "I get it." When we arrived at Yearnerwood, we stepped out into the wilderness. The park was famous for its raw, untouched terrain, meaning the ground was littered with fallen branches and jagged rocks, while leaves formed a canopy that blotted out the sky. Worried about my balance, Sierra insisted on linking her arm through mine to anchor me as we walked. Since I only had three days left anyway, I didn't fight her. I just let her lead the way. All of a sudden, a series of sharp, frantic screams cut through the path ahead. I looked toward the noise and spotted a tall, handsome man sprawled on the ground, surrounded by a cluster of hissing, aggressive king ratsnakes. The second I heard that distinct voice, I knew it was Riley. He was the widower of Sierra's late cousin—her cousin-in-law. Hearing our footsteps, he whipped his head around. The moment his eyes landed on Sierra, tears streamed down his face, and he let out a raspy cry for help. "Sierra! I'm terrified of snakes!" Sierra froze in shock before sprinting toward Riley. She ripped herself away from me so violently that the sudden loss of momentum threw me off balance. "Don't panic! I'm coming!" she yelled. My body was incredibly frail, and because I had been leaning almost all my weight against her, the abrupt loss of support sent me crashing onto the ground. A sharp branch tore a deep, jagged gash down my leg. Blood immediately began soaking through my jeans, and the gravel shredded the skin on my arm. Cold sweat broke out across my forehead, the agonizing sting forcing a sharp groan from my throat. By the time I managed to drag myself back up, Sierra had already rescued Riley. "Those things were everywhere. I thought I'd get bitten and die out here without ever seeing you again..." Riley sobbed, his face completely white as he clung to Sierra. He choked on his next breath, his eyes rolling back as he went totally limp right there in her arms. Sierra's eyes reddened. Supporting most of his weight, she hauled him toward the car and climbed inside without casting a single glance back at me. Amelia scrambled into the back seat right behind them, tears welling in her eyes. "Step on it! Get to the hospital now. Mr. Cross must've been bitten!" The driver glanced at me, standing completely abandoned in the wilderness. "But what about—" He didn't even get the question out before Sierra shut him down with a roar. "What are you waiting for? Keep sitting there, and you're fired! Get us to the hospital right now!" The driver swallowed the rest of his question and looked away. He slammed his foot onto the gas pedal, and the car sped off, vanishing in a cloud of exhaust. I stayed silent throughout the entire ordeal. Sierra and Amelia didn't care enough to notice I was missing, let alone see the blood dripping from my leg. In the end, the driver was the only person who even remembered my existence. I stared blankly at the fading taillights as a wave of pain washed over me, threatening to take me under. I looked down and spotted two familiar emerald charms dangling from a low branch nearby. They belonged to Sierra and Amelia. Years ago, a brutal outbreak had swept through the city, and both Sierra and Amelia caught the virus. Their conditions deteriorated so fast that they ended up in the ICU, their lives teetering on the brink of death with no treatment in sight. Completely out of options, I took matters into my own hands and made a grueling, hundred-mile pilgrimage on foot to Redstone Hill. I offered a desperate prayer to the heavens at every single mile marker just to secure those two emerald charms to protect them and turn their luck around. Chapter 4 Now, those emerald charms were left behind, rotting away in the weeds of an overgrown forest. I crouched down, collecting the charms from the dirt before shuffling over to a nearby creek. Without hesitation, I tossed them directly into the rushing water. They cracked against a boulder beneath the surface of the water, shattering into pieces. The roaring current instantly swept the fragments downstream, and with them, another massive block of my memories vanished into thin air. Pretty soon, I'd be just like those emeralds, making a quiet exit from this world. "Guess this place doesn't guarantee happily ever after," I muttered. Sierra and I fell in love right here in Yearnerwood. I never expected this would be the exact spot where we'd hit the end of the line. Staring down at the nasty, bleeding wound, I tore a strip of fabric from my shirt and tied it around the wound as a makeshift tourniquet. I endured the pain as I began the long, agonizing limp back toward civilization. I had been walking for hours and had barely reached the outskirts of town when Sierra finally tore down the road in her car. "Honey, I thought Riley had been bitten. It was an emergency, and I panicked—" But king ratsnakes weren't poisonous, and she knew it. She lunged forward and locked me in a desperate hug. "This is all my fault, Caleb. I'm so sorry. Please tell me you aren't mad." Sierra looked frantic, a bead of sweat tracing down her forehead to the tip of her nose. I couldn't match her intensity. Pulling away from her, I kept my voice flat. "When do we file for divorce? I'll sign the papers, no questions asked." At those words, Sierra's eyes flickered with surprise. "H-Honey, what are you talking about?" she stammered. "I'm not divorcing you. We're in this for the long haul." Her eyes darted down, finally catching the dark, crimson stain soaking through the makeshift tourniquet on my leg. Shock and concern twisted her features. "You're bleeding. I'm taking you to the hospital." As she spoke, she grabbed my hand to pull me toward the car, but I held my ground, pushing her arm away. "If we don't end things, where does that leave Riley?" I asked. Sierra's brows knitted into a frown. "Caleb, Riley is moving into our place. My cousin passed away, and he's drowning in grief. What's wrong with looking after him? Besides, Mom's the one who suggested it." "He's family," she continued. "Even if I go out of my way to take care of him, he's never going to take your place. You're always my priority." Was he just family? I tugged at the corners of my lips. "I don't want another man living under my roof, especially not for the rest of our lives." Sierra's expression soured. "Caleb, I love you. You're my husband. He's only moving in because my mother can't stand seeing him stay in that empty house, surrounded by memories of my cousin. I couldn't say no to her. "We've made it through seven years together, so don't tell me you doubt my feelings for you. I'm caught in the middle here. Can't you give me a little grace?" "Let's not waste any more time," she snapped. "I need to get you to the hospital, and I've got things to handle later." When she noticed that I was about to argue, she looked away. I lowered my head, keeping my mouth shut as I climbed into the car. This was the same woman who willingly walked away from the Parker family fortune just to be with me. She had stood up to her family and declared her love for me. She managed to pull off a miracle back then, but now that her mother was asking her to take care of her late cousin's husband, she couldn't say no. Whenever Riley was in danger, she completely abandoned me even if I needed her just as much, throwing herself into taking care of his problems without a second thought and even forcing my own child into his life. Why was it so hard for her to just admit that she had checked out of our marriage? But I supposed facing the truth could be terrifying. After all, falling for one's dead cousin's husband wasn't exactly a great look. Once we reached the hospital, Sierra handled my registration at the front desk without uttering a single word to me. Before she left, she offered a cold, parting remark. "Get some rest." Chapter 5 Sierra left without a single backward glance, leaving me with nothing but a view of her back. A violent wave of pain suddenly tore through my body, but just as quickly, another massive block of my memory vanished into thin air. With it, the heartache instantly faded. I forced my body back to the house, stumbling the second I stepped through the front door. Upon seeing this, the butler, Joanne Irwin, instantly rushed over to catch me. "Mr. Finch, you're incredibly weak," she said. "Should I have a doctor come by to check on you?" I shook my head. I had brought this agony upon myself. It was the price I chose to pay for love when I decided to stay in this world. The system warned me that my health would fail within three days, so it made sense that it would hurt. If nothing else, the pain was a lesson I would remember forever. "I'm fine," I said. "I'm just tired." I collapsed onto the bed and closed my eyes, drifting off to sleep. It wasn't long before a series of panicked screams from the hallway jolted me awake. Trying to see what was happening, I made my way toward the door, but Riley swung it open violently before I could even reach it. He cradled a bloodied dog in his arms as tears streamed down his face. "Caleb, I'm so sorry," he sobbed. "I just wanted to come by and get a feel for the place since I'm moving in in a few days. But this dog suddenly got aggressive. It was barking at me and tried to bite me. I got scared, so I kicked it. "I didn't even use that much force, but the thing just went crazy. You know how terrified I am of dogs, and I couldn't find anyone to help me, so I threw a rock at it to protect myself. I didn't think it would…" He stood there looking completely victimized, tears trembling on his eyelashes. "I'm sorry. You can punish me however you want." Amelia sprinted into the room right behind him. The second she saw Riley crying, she threw herself at me, begging for mercy on his behalf. "Dad, please don't be mad at Mr. Cross. He didn't mean to do it!" My head was still groggy from sleep, and I could only stare blankly at the bloody lump on the floor. Teddy was a rescue I picked up off the streets years ago. He was smart and full of energy, always tearing up the house whenever he got a little too playful. But he always listened to me. Whenever Amelia or Sierra would upset me, Teddy would put on a fierce act, growling at them just to defend me. Now, he was nothing but a corpse. A wave of dizziness hit me, and I parted my pale lips to speak. "Amelia, Teddy was your pet, too. Are you honestly okay with him dying like this?" Guilt flashed across Amelia's face, and she lowered her eyes in silence, tears streaming down her cheeks. A flicker of resentment and disdain crossed Riley's eyes, but he instantly dropped to the floor and said weakly, "Caleb, if you're mad at me, I'll stay on the floor until you're satisfied." Amelia panicked at the sight, tugging at his arm to drag him back up as she burst into tears. "Dad, stop being a bully!" At that moment, Sierra walked through the front door. Seeing Riley on the ground over a dead dog sent her into a fury. She ordered the staff to take Riley home, and Amelia quickly followed them out. Sierra stood before me, looming over me as she said icily, "It's just a dog, Caleb. We can buy a new one tomorrow. Are you seriously kicking up a fuss over this?" My chest tightened, and I stared at her blankly. I had to fight through the agonizing spasms racking my body for a long time before I could force a raspy whisper past my lips. "When we first brought Teddy home, he was so tiny and sick that his fur was falling out in patches. You're the one who ran yourself ragged driving him tgeto every veterinary hospital in the city just to save his life. You nursed him into the dog he was. "The old Sierra would've never treated him like some disposable piece of garbage. She would've never told me to just buy another one." Chapter 6 My words seemed to strike a nerve, and Sierra's face drained of color as she avoided my gaze. "But Teddy is gone," she argued. "Nothing is going to bring him back. Are you seriously going to hold a grudge and make Riley grovel over a pet?" She reached out, trying to take the small body from my arms. "We can adopt another one just like him. We can start fresh." "Forget it," I muttered, pulling away from her touch. "Teddy was one of a kind." I carried Teddy out to the backyard, walking over to the maple tree. It was his favorite spot to run around, so that was where I buried him. Sierra stood behind me, completely silent. Her heart dropped right then. A sudden look of panic flitted across her face, and she stared at me. She immediately pulled Joanne aside and told her to watch over me, terrified that I might leave. Later that evening, I sat under the maple tree to catch my breath while Joanne kept watch over me. "Mr. Finch, even if you and Ms. Parker are in the midst of an argument, you shouldn't bottle it up. You're going to make yourself sick," said Joanne. "Were Sierra and I arguing?" I blinked, realizing I couldn't remember what exactly had happened. It seemed as though I would soon lose all of my memories. At my words, Joanne's jaw dropped in shock. She stayed quiet for a long moment before offering a cautious whisper, "Tomorrow is the day Riley moves in." "That's great." A faint smile touched my lips. Tomorrow, Sierra would be bringing another man home to look after for the rest of her life, and the system was taking me back to my real world. It worked out perfectly. We were both getting a fresh start. Joanne must've thought I was just putting on a brave face, because her eyes suddenly filled with tears. "Mr. Finch… if you need to cry, just let it out." But I didn't have any tears left. It wasn't a facade either. I kept trying to think, but I couldn't remember why I had fallen for Sierra in the first place. Every single vow we had ever made to each other had been wiped clean from my mind. The pain kept me tossing and turning all through the night. I fought the agony until dawn, when the loud crackle of fireworks finally erupted outside. Right on cue, that long-awaited voice buzzed in my head. "Welcome back, host. Just a heads-up. Your death is going to be incredibly rough." I smiled. "I don't care. I'm not afraid of the pain." In the next second, a blinding pressure exploded behind my eyes. My mouth hung open, gasping for air that wouldn't come. The suffocating pressure left me as desperate as a fish out of water, rolling helplessly across the mattress. It hurt so much worse than I had expected. Upon hearing the commotion, Joanne burst into the bedroom and froze in horror. She then scrambled to get her phone, rushing back out the door in a panic. "Mr. Finch, what's wrong? I'm calling an ambulance and getting Ms. Parker right now!" "No… thank you…" Despite the blinding agony, I managed to curl the edges of my lips into a smile, my voice laced with genuine gratitude. "Joanne… I'm going home…" She stared at me, dumbfounded, as the weight of my words seemed to click. Tears instantly streamed down her face. "Take care, Mr. Finch." Just then, the sounds of a lively celebration drifted from the front door. I caught the distinct, sweet ring of Sierra's voice carrying over the crowd. "Riley, I'll take care of you for the rest of your life, just like my cousin used to. From now on, this is your home." Amid the cheers and congratulations downstairs, I drew my last breath on that bed, slipping into an eternal slumber.