Chapter 10: The System’s Ultimatum

Marcus left quietly.

He didn’t slam the door or say goodbye—he just faded away, like an extra when the camera pans elsewhere. But he still woke me up before he left.

“From now on, you have to come here at this time every day. I’m not running a charity.”

He stood in the doorway, backpack slung over one shoulder, voice flat but eyes unreadable. Lately, there had been quite a few expenses on the card I gave Marcus—not a small sum.

Of course, I never asked where the money went, but I wanted my due return.

Recently, my dad’s company had also run into a series of problems.

It started when news broke that I wasn’t really engaged to Caleb Foster, and the company’s stock price nosedived.

Then, competitors swarmed in, snatching business.

Finally, even partners turned on us, wanting a piece of the pie.

My dad was so busy he was spinning, but he still didn’t force me to marry into a powerful family.

He’d come home late, jacket wrinkled, tie askew, muttering about leverage and hostile takeovers. I told him, we’re all extras. If it comes to it, just take a buyout offer.

But my dad wouldn’t. He said this was his life’s work.

I understood. From any angle, my dad’s business moves were already optimal.

But we’re supporting characters.

We’ve been kicked off the table by the main group.

We can’t fix it.

My dad sold several properties to get cash for the company.

When I went to sell my car, I ran into Caleb Foster’s father.

He seemed to be waiting for me on purpose.

“Still unwilling to marry, Miss Lillian?”

He stood beside his Cadillac, arms crossed, sunglasses hiding whatever calculations flickered in his eyes. I looked at him, exasperated. With so many enemies attacking our company at once, it was hard not to think he was behind it.

But I couldn’t understand why, even now, he still insisted on marriage.

I asked, “What benefit does marrying Caleb bring you?”

He smiled. “Isn’t this the plot you should follow, Miss Lillian?”

I opened my mouth to protest.

He snapped his fingers, and suddenly it was like the world hit fast-forward—memories flickering past my eyes, all ending with my dad alone on that rooftop.

The mysterious man raised his brows, expression flat. “Do you know the butterfly effect? In the original ending, this character didn’t have to die, but because you didn’t follow the plot, the main character’s arc wasn’t fully developed. So, extra plot appears. Lillian, you caused this character’s death.”

My mouth went dry. I couldn’t speak.

“I know what you want to ask. I’m the system. You can think of me as the god of this world.”

His tone was casual, as if discussing the weather, but the weight of his words pressed down on me, squeezing the air from my lungs.

…