Chapter 1

Waking up from the car crash, I could only say "Yes" and "No," and I had to tell the truth.

My wife pulled a chair to my bedside and took out a small notebook filled with questions.

"Mason, do you have a secret stash of money?"

"...Yes."

"Is it over fifty thousand?"

I closed my eyes. "Yes."

She turned to the next page, staring intently at me.

"Mason, tell me, are you cheating on me?"

My name is Mason Carlos, thirty-two years old, an ordinary employee at a mid-sized company.

Three days ago, I was hit by a car while crossing the street. My head hit the edge of a flower bed, and I passed out on the spot.

When I woke up, my wife, Eve, was leaning over the bed, her eyes red-rimmed, her nose a little red, clutching a tissue.

I opened my mouth, wanting to say, "Honey, I'm fine."

But only two words came out of my throat: "No."

Eve paused. "No to what?"

I tried again.

"Yes."

Eve looked at me, tears still in her eyes, her expression shifting from worry to confusion.

The doctor was called in quickly.

They took three CT scans and two MRIs. Finally, the attending physician pushed up his glasses and explained to us with a very academic expression.

"The patient's brain sustained an impact, resulting in a rare focal lesion in the language center. Currently, he can only produce two syllables—'Yes' and 'No.' The recovery time is uncertain; it could be three months, or it could be..."

He paused. "Permanent."

Eve's face turned white then.

But I was more concerned about something else—I realized I couldn't lie.

I discovered this after the doctor left.

Eve sat back down by the bed, peeling an orange for me, and casually asked, "Are you in a lot of pain?"

I wasn't actually in that much pain anymore.

But I instinctively wanted to say "Yes" to gain sympathy.

However, my mouth opened, and my throat felt like it was being choked, unable to make any sound.

I tried again: "...No."

Eve's hand stopped peeling the orange.

"Not hurting?"

"Yes."

【Wait, my mouth is out of my control?】

She glanced at me with an unreadable expression, then put an orange segment into my mouth. "Then why did you make me cry for three days?"

"Yes."

【No! I wanted to say no!】

I squeezed my mouth shut, but the "Yes" had already popped out.

Eve looked at me again, that gaze very subtle.

She put down the orange, sat up straight, like a different person.

"Mason, I have a question for you."

"Yes."

【Why did I say yes again?】

"Do you have a secret stash of money?"

The question felt like a needle pricking my back.

I wanted to shake my head, close my mouth, pretend to be unconscious—but my mouth was no longer my own.

"Yes."

Eve's pupils visibly dilated.

She slowly pulled out a small notebook from her bag, opened the first page, which was densely filled with questions.

【When the hell did she prepare this?!】

"Is your secret stash over ten thousand?"

"Yes."

"Over fifty thousand?"

"Yes."

"Over a hundred thousand?"

My mouth started to twitch.

"...Yes."

"Over... five hundred thousand?"

The ward was so quiet you could hear the liquid dripping from the IV bag in the next bed.

My lips moved, my throat felt like a traitor lived inside it.

"...Yes."

The pen in Eve's hand dropped to the floor.

As she bent down to pick it up, I distinctly heard her take a deep breath, then slowly exhale, like she was doing yoga meditation.

"Mason."

"Yes."

"Do you think it's better to be alive than dead?"

For the first time, I felt that telling the truth could also be a form of torture.

"...Yes."

"Then you'd better pray that half a million is still there." She closed the notebook, a smile on her face that sent shivers down my spine. "Otherwise, I'll help you re-experience a car crash."

I lay in the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling, with a strong premonition—my disaster had just begun.

Sure enough.

Eve turned to the second page.

"Have you secretly looked through my phone?"

"Yes."

"Do you think the steak I cook isn't tasty?"

"...Yes."

"Was the name you called out in your sleep your ex-girlfriend's?"

My breath hitched for half a second.

"No."

Eve raised an eyebrow. "Whose was it then?"

I opened my mouth—but this question couldn't be answered with "Yes" or "No."

I could only produce a muffled airflow sound.

She rephrased the question. "Was it a game character's name?"

"...Yes."

Eve rolled her eyes, clearly not believing it.

But she couldn't refute it—because it really was the name of my game character.

I subtly exhaled in relief.

【This damn ability sucks, but at least it can't answer open-ended questions. So, as long as she doesn't ask precise yes-or-no questions, I still have a glimmer of hope—】

"Is your secret stash hidden in that false-bottom drawer in the study?"

"Yes."

【Damn it.】

"Is the bank card password your birthday?"

"No."

"My birthday?"

"No."

"Your mother's birthday?"

"No."

She paused. "Is it... six zeros?"

"No."

"Six eights?"

"No."

She took a deep breath, her gaze sweeping over my face inch by inch, like a scanner reading data.

"Is it... the date you first asked me out?"

My throat rolled.

"...Yes."

Eve froze for three seconds.

Then she lowered her head, her hair covering half her face, her voice a little muffled. "You really... your way of hiding money is so old-fashioned."

She turned the page and continued asking.

But I noticed the tips of her ears were red.

【Okay, at least I gained a few points back this round.】

Just as I was sighing in relief, she looked up, her gaze sharp again.

"Mason, have you ever secretly deleted SnapChat messages with other women?"

"No."

"Really no?"

"Yes."

"Then have you deleted SnapChat messages with other men?"

My mouth twitched. "Yes."

Eve's expression froze.

"...What?"

I wanted to explain that I'd deleted messages with Wyatt that were just us sending each other memes, because they took up too much memory—but only "Yes" came out of my mouth.

She stared into my eyes for a full ten seconds.

Then slowly pulled out her phone.

"I'm calling your mother."

【There's no way to refute this question; I'm completely done for.】