Chapter 1

Everyone in Chama Bay knew that the mafia boss, Dakota Thomas, loved me with her whole being and was terrified I would leave.

She would walk through a field of bullets to keep me safe. Yet, on our wedding night, she did not even come home.

When she got back, she was holding a weak and dark-lipped man and said, “Jackson, Pierce got poisoned to save me. I can’t watch him die!”

Worried that I would not forgive her, she cut six gashes into her arm. Blood stained her shirt.

When the wedding ended, I heard her underlings teasing her.

“You went to see Pierce before even taking off your wedding dress. How tempting must that man be?”

Dakota let out a low chuckle. “The last time I was with him, we didn’t leave the house for three whole days. So, what do you think?”

I was stricken and summoned the system in despair.

[I wish to leave this universe.]

The system’s cold voice sounded.

[Once you depart from this universe, all memory of you will cease to exist.]

[Counting down: Seven days until universe departure.]

Chapter 1

When I came back to myself, Dakota Thomas was rushing toward me with her bridesmaids.

“There’s been an emergency in Martina Cove, Jackson. We have to get over there!”

As she spoke, Dakota hugged me and planted a light kiss on my forehead.

“I’m sorry, darling. I’ll make it up to you when I get back.”

I expressionlessly rubbed my forehead where she had kissed me.

How many times had those lips kissed Pierce Lawhon?

Agitation flashed across Dakota’s features. Her grip tightened around my hand.

“Are you mad at me, Jackson? I know tonight is our wedding night, but I have no choice. It’s really an emergency, and I have to go.”

I suddenly felt like I was staring at a stranger. I had loved that woman so deeply for seven years.

Just a second before, she had been recalling her moments with another man. Almost immediately, she could turn around and act like she was so very devoted to me.

“Let’s get a divorce, Dakota!”

Dakota stiffened. She looked at me with hurt clear on her face.

“Are you still mad at me about Pierce, Jackson? He took a bullet for me. Plus, he got drugged this time saving me. Should I not help him?

“Didn’t we agree that everything is in the past now? It’s our wedding day.”

Although Dakota sounded coy as she spoke, she was still adamantly defending Pierce with every word.

I scoffed to myself. I was surprised that Dakota still remembered that it was our wedding day.

How dare she? How could she run off to her lover on the first day of our marriage?

My heart clenched as I quivered with rage.

Right then, Dakota received a WhatsApp message. She glanced at it, her shoulders stiffening. There was confusion in her eyes.

Having known her for so long, I knew how she reacted when she was genuinely moved.

Dakota looked away and gently patted my back. Her voice was tender as she said, “Alright, Jackson, stop throwing a tantrum. I’ll make things up to you when I get back!”

After that, she turned and left.

I felt my heart gradually freeze over, and I stood there in a daze for a long time.

My phone buzzed and startled me back to reality.

Pierce had sent me a picture.

A chill ran down my body when I opened the picture. It was a shot of Dakota’s medical report, showing her positive pregnancy results!

[I’m sorry, Jackson. Dakota is pregnant with my child. Please let us be together!]

My hands began to tremble uncontrollably.

In the three years I had been in that universe, I had been dumped into the icy sea to save Dakota. Because of it, my body had been too damaged to produce children.

Even so, Dakota had said that she would always love me even though I could not give her children.

To ease my worries, she even got a tubal ligation.

Yet, she was pregnant with another man’s child!

[Sure.]

I replied to Pierce and turned off my phone.

Dakota came home early the next day. Her friends and Pierce, whose eyes were red and swollen, accompanied her.

The moment he saw me, Pierce fell to his knees before me. He sobbed as he said, “I’m sorry, Jackson, I shouldn’t have sent you that message. Dakota said she’ll only keep the baby if you agree to it.

“I’m begging you, Jackson. Please let us have this baby!”

As he spoke, he threw himself at my feet and begged pitifully.

Chapter 2

Dakota looked down at Pierce with heartache clear in her gaze. However, she did not stop Pierce so that they could get my blessing.

Dakota’s friends could not bear to watch and dragged Pierce upright.

Annoyed at my indifference and Dakota’s inaction, Dakota’s friends started expressing their displeasure.

“Even if you don’t like it, Jackson, we can’t stand by the sidelines any longer. Pierce took a bullet for Dakota. It’s not too much to ask to let them keep the baby, right?

“Besides, you can’t have kids. In my opinion, Dakota should marry Pierce and keep the baby!”

At that, Dakota yelled, “Shut up!

“I said it before: Jackson is the only person who will ever be my husband. As for Pierce, I’ll think of a way to make this work!”

As she spoke, Dakota revealed a knife scar. She softened her tone and begged me. It was bizarre to watch, as she was the coldest and toughest person I knew.

“Jackson, I’ve already repaid you with my body. Pierce can’t bear to give up the baby. I’m begging you, let us keep it! You can’t have children, so I’ll have the baby acknowledge you as its father. You will be its dad.”

My heart clenched painfully. I had so much to say, but in the end, I only spat out a single word.

“Fine!”

In any case, I only had six days left before I disappeared from that universe forever. Nothing would matter any longer.

When I agreed, Dakota let out a relieved breath. She looked at Pierce in excitement.

I quietly turned and headed to my room, but Dakota stopped me.

She took a warm fleece blanket and laid it over me. She rubbed my cold-reddened ears caringly.

“Why are you wearing so few layers? What are you going to do if you get sick, huh?”

Right then, Dakota still acted like the woman who only had me in her heart.

Yet, her next words chilled me all over.

“Pierce got hurt and is weak right now, Jackson. Let’s give him the master bedroom, alright?”

I looked at Dakota in disbelief. She was actually asking me to let another man into our marriage bed?

Plus, she was the one who had so carefully decorated the room.

Dakota sheepishly avoided my gaze. She continued, “Don’t worry, I’ll get him to leave once he’s better!”

I had completely given up on Dakota at that point. I lowered my gaze and said, “Okay.”

Dakota kissed my forehead and said, “I knew you would be so understanding, Jackson.”

She walked over to Pierce and rubbed his hand as she led him into the master bedroom.

I clenched my icy fingers as my entire body shook.

…

I did not know how long I had lain in bed in a daze.

In the realm between sleep and waking, I was suddenly dragged up from bed.

Dakota’s eyes were red-rimmed as she interrogated me in a frenzy, “Where have you taken Pierce?”

I looked at her in confusion, but before I could say a thing, she wrapped a hand around my neck.

“Have I cossetted you too much these past years, Jackson Hale? Is that why you’d dare to go so far? Why can’t you just let him off?”

I could barely breathe because of the grip around my neck. She only let go just before I passed out.

I panted raggedly and looked at her helplessly. “I haven’t done anything!”

Dakota became even more incensed. “Who else could it be if not you? I only went out for a moment, and only you two were home! Why did Pierce suddenly disappear?

“You put on such an understanding front, only to be filled with so much jealousy because I’m pregnant with Pierce’s baby. When did you become so wicked, Jackson?”

When I heard that, I could no longer hold back my emotions. Tears started to stream down my face.

Dakota seemed to be moved. She had never been able to handle my tears before.

Dakota was about to reach out to comfort me when the phone suddenly rang.

After she answered the phone, the look Dakota shot me became even more vicious.

Once she hung up, Dakota dragged me outside. “How skilled you are at acting pitiful, Jackson? I nearly fell for it! You’ll pay if anything happens to Pierce!”

I did not even get the chance to put on shoes as she dragged me off. As we passed the stairs, I tripped and fell to the floor. My knees landed heavily on the edge of a stair, and I cried out in pain.

Dakota did not seem to notice anything. She still hauled me forward with a firm grip on my wrist. My knees were scraped bloody.

Chapter 3

The car sped down the street. I had never seen Dakota so agitated after that one time I got hurt saving her.

We arrived at an island.

Several of Dakota’s friends immediately came over. “Pierce is over there, Dakota!”

Following their gazes, I saw Pierce tied up on a rusting metal rack. He was unconscious.

Her friends continued, “We’ve looked around. The abductors have escaped.”

As they spoke, they looked at me in confusion.

Pierce was very quickly released and brought down. He looked at Dakota weakly. “I knew you would come and save me, Dakota!”

As he spoke, he looked at me with a wronged look on his face.

“If you can’t accept me, Jackson, I could leave. Why did you have to do this? What if Dakota loses the baby from getting agitated?”

I shook my head furiously. “It wasn’t me. I didn’t do anything—”

Before I could finish speaking, Dakota slapped me.

She picked Pierce up and looked at me haughtily.

“You’ve gone too far this time, Jackson. Stay here and reflect on your actions!”

After saying that, she turned away and left with Pierce.

Pierce turned to shoot me a challenging look.

A piercingly cold breeze blew in from the sea, and I shivered with cold.

The island was deserted. Staying there would only spell my death.

Just then, the system’s notification tone rang in my ear.

[Five days until universe departure!]

I let out a bitter laugh. That was good. I would be gone in five days anyway. It would be better to disappear without a trace.

However, after some time, just as I was about to lose consciousness, Dakota appeared.

Dakota caressed my face with heartache plain in her expression. “What am I going to do with you, Jackson?”

I looked at her weakly, but her blurry face would not come into focus.

The system pinged again. [Two days until universe departure!]

I grimaced before losing consciousness.

When I next awoke, Dakota was sitting vigil beside me. She clasped my hand and said gently, “Jackson, you’re finally awake.

“That was just a little lesson for you; I hope you’ve learned it. But whatever happens, I will always love you.”

“No, I didn’t do it! I wasn’t at fault!”

Ice ran through my veins. I shook as I tried to escape from Dakota, but no matter how I struggled, I could not do it. It felt like my feet had been bound together.

I threw off the blanket and stared in shock.

My feet were shackled by heavy metal chains. They made it very hard to move around.

Dakota’s voice was cold as she said, “I knew you wouldn’t admit your wrongs so easily. You will remain in this room, Jackson. I’ll let you out once the baby is born!”

I had not eaten in three days and had gone through days of emotional turmoil. I suddenly tasted blood in my mouth, and I spat out a mouthful of blood.

Dakota panicked and hurriedly leaned forward to hug me. “Are you alright, Jackson?”

Right then, Pierce walked in.

He covered the wounds from his abduction as he cried. “Dakota, my arm hurts so much!”

Dakota instantly forgot about me and pulled Pierce outside.

Before he left, Pierce turned and looked at me. He feigned concern and said, “But Jackson…”

Dakota interrupted before he could say more. “Ignore him. He’s always playing it up for sympathy! You wouldn’t have been abducted if not for him, and your arm wouldn’t be tormenting you so much!”

I watched them both leave and closed my eyes in disappointment.

It seemed that, to Dakota, I was someone who only faked my pain and grief, but every tear Pierce shed was real.

The system sounded again just then.

[One day until universe departure! The system will grant you one wish before departure.]

I groaned.

“I want Dakota to know the truth!”

I wanted to see how Dakota would react once she knew what had truly been happening.

The robotic voice of the system was cold.

[Acknowledged. Truth-revealing procedures activated.]