12
Charlotte jumped up frantically, pulling at her hair, demanding, “Why? I completed the quest. Why won’t you give me my reward?”
She couldn’t imagine facing Adam and Noah’s wrath without the system’s help. She would be torn to shreds.
The system’s voice was cold and detached.“Host, I have reminded you that that substantial rewards require completing the mission through personal effort. Since Sylvia Lawrence voluntarily transferred her 99% Affection Points to you, this does not qualify as your mission success.”
Charlotte was stunned. After a moment, her eyes lit up. She said excitedly, “Then send me back to the real world! I don’t want to stay here! Yes, I want to go back!”
The system doused her hope.“Apologies. Once the Host chooses to remain in this world, return is impossible. If you die here, your physical body in the real world will perish in an accident. Good luck.”
With that, the system vanished. No matter how desperately Charlotte screamed, there was no response. She stared in terror at Adam and Noah blocking the office door.
Regret flooded her. She dropped to her knees, trembling.“I’m sorry, Adam, Noah! I shouldn’t have hurt Sylvia. I was just scared of losing you!”
Seeing Charlotte’s tears and snot, Adam felt nauseated. How could I have betrayed Sylvia for this creature?
He first met Charlotte at his entertainment company, where she was a trainee. Once, he and Noah overheard her speaking to the System:“I don’t want them to hurt Sylvia for my sake. Even if my affection points never reach 100%, I’ll accept erasure.”
Hearing this, he and Noah looked at each other and said simultaneously, “Let’s help her.”
Thus, they sacrificed Sylvia. Now, regret gnawed his bones.
He decided not to show mercy. He looked down at Charlotte as if she were roadkill.“Investigate Sylvia’s death. If Charlotte orchestrated it, destroy her publicly.”
Charlotte’s body slumped; her face turned ashen.
Adam dispatched professionals to investigate. The results came quickly.
Charlotte had staged her own kidnapping to crush Sylvia’s spirit. She even manipulated her fans by falsely claiming Sylvia slandered her, inciting their violence.
crazy
Reading the report, Adam and Noah felt suffocated. They couldn’t believe that they had hurt their beloved sister for this viper.
Seeing their grief, the bodyguard felt pity.“Sir, the surveillance footage from Miss Lawrence’s final moments… perhaps spare yourself…”
“Play it. I can handle it,” Adam said, taking a deep breath.
15.15
< 12
The bodyguard hesitated before playing the footage.
The video showed Sylvia–bound, her white coat blooming crimson with stab wounds. Her face contorted in agony, tears mixing with blood.
From the familiar exterior walls and style, Adam and Noah recognized it was outside their villa.
Sylvia lifted her head, silently begging for rescue.
Upstairs, Noah laughed over whiskey, his back to the window. On screen, Sylvia’s eyes dimmed.
