Live in a New World

The day Ian Shorts returned home with the divorce papers and his mistress, I was vomiting blood profusely due to the system's penalty.

Ian looked at my pale face and said, "You should've been dead long ago."

I didn't reply.

It didn't matter, Ian. I was about to be erased from this world.

But why did you attempt suicide so many times after I disappeared?

Under the butler Daniel Pauley's watchful gaze, I vomited again in the bathroom.

Ian and his mistress Zoe Johnson were still together now.

After freshening up, I listlessly ate my breakfast.

The familiar sound of a car engine came from outside, and Daniel, more excited than me, ran out to take a look.

"Mrs. Shorts, Mr. Shorts has returned!" he announced, awkwardly tapping his hand.

"Oh no, I forgot to make breakfast for him too."

Saying this, he hurried into the kitchen.

Honestly, I wanted to say there was no need.

Ian certainly wasn't here for breakfast.

With steady footsteps, Ian approached me.

He was wearing a black trench coat today, and the collar revealed a white shirt underneath.

I felt a bit dazed, recalling our school days when he always wore wrinkled white shirts.

"Having breakfast?" he remarked.

What else would I be doing, eating you?

I lowered my eyes, aware that I had only a week left.

Then there was no need to cater to Ian's emotions anymore.

Normally, if I acted this way, Ian would have stormed off, but this time, I didn't hear him leave.

How strange!

I looked up to see Ian pressing his lips together, his expression cold and stern.

I hadn't noticed just now that Ian was still clutching a contract in his hand.

My heart skipped a beat.

Right, according to the system's timeline, Ian was going to divorce me.

I lowered my head weakly, feeling a bitter ache in my chest.

I said, "Mr. Shorts, you could have just sent the divorce papers through your assistant. Why bother coming yourself?"

I looked at him again, and Ian's face darkened, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the contract.

"Since you know what it is, find a time to sign it," he said, placing the contract on the table and tapping it.

He was about to leave when my mocking laughter stopped him.

He said, "You think I let you down?" Evelyn, you're no longer the heiress of the Riley family anymore."

The familiar pain surged through me.

I stopped him, "Ian, do you hate me that much?"

His eyes showed a moment of shock.

"Have you forgotten? Without me, you were just a poor student living off free meals..." I retorted.

Ian smirked, "So what? Weren't you always trailing behind me?"

His words left me speechless.

Yes, our beginning was my one-sided pursuit.

In the brief silence, Daniel heard the commotion and came out.

Seeing my pale face, Daniel hesitated before speaking up, "Mr. Shorts, please say less. Mrs. Shorts hasn't been feeling well lately..."

Ian's eyes flashed with coldness. "Not feeling well? Is she dying?"

Then he laughed dryly. "You should've been dead long ago."

His words chilled me to the bone.

How could he say such words?

Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded outside, and Zoe peeked from the doorway. "Ian... why isn't it over yet?"

She was innocent as a daisy.

Ian turned slightly, blocking my pale face from her view.

"It's nothing," he said. "It's all over."

With that, he took a few steps toward the door.

"Ian!" I called out, stopping him.

He turned back impatiently, warning me with his eyes not to speak recklessly.

I pressed my lips together, realizing our years of affection seemed like a joke.

"It's all over," I said, holding up the contract. "I'll sign it."

Hearing this, Ian finally relaxed his expression.

"I'm glad you've come to terms with it," he said. "Don't worry, I'll ensure your future is secure."

But Ian, I had no future.

After an accident, I came to this world.

The system told me that if I could stay with the male protagonist for ten years, I would succeed in my task and have a chance to reincarnate.

But if my task failed, I would disappear completely.

On the surface, it seemed like a gamble, but back then, I thought the task was easy.

I, Evelyn Riley, beautiful and from a wealthy family, the only daughter of the Riley family.

And Ian was just a poor college student.

Pursuing Ian was just a small case for me.

I believed Ian would choose me.

Seeing my confidence, the system warned me, "Host, the task is emotionally and physically taxing. Don't be overconfident."

But I was full of confidence. After all, I had taken over someone else's body. It wasn't the real me.

How could I take it seriously?

On the first day of the task, I found Ian eating in the university cafeteria.

His tray held only plain rice and a bowl of soup.

He was really making the most of the free meal.

I sat across from him with a cup of coffee.

The sunset's glow streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, making Ian's eyes suddenly bright.

He seemed to think of something, and his eyes dimmed.

But clearly, my gaze made him uncomfortable.

He gritted his teeth and spoke, "Hey, there are plenty of empty seats around."

I glanced around. Indeed, there were many empty seats.

Other curious students stared at me with malicious smiles.

What did they know? In ten years, Ian would be the richest man in Aetheria.

I nodded, placing the coffee on the table, showing no intention of leaving.

I said, "There are many empty seats, but I prefer sitting across from you."

Under my bold verbal confession, his ears turned red instantly.

But his words were harsh, "I know you, the Riley family's heiress. But I'm busy and have no time to entertain you."

At that time, he maintained his dignity despite his circumstances.

I watched Ian stand up, stunned for a second.

His gaze swept over the onlookers, his back stiffening further.

Just as he was about to leave, I quickly stood up.

"Wait," I said.

Ian hesitated, stopping in his tracks.

"I have time to be entertained by you," I blurted out, unsure why I said such a foolish thing.

I only remember the muffled laughter around me and Ian's shocked expression as he turned back.

That day, I went home feeling a bit down, thinking I had messed up my first meeting with Ian.

But the system told me, "Host, well done. You've got Ian under your spell."

Soon I found this task was easy.

I soon got together with Ian.

Despite many doubting us, Ian's exceptionally handsome face won them over.

Once he transformed his image, he was a real heartthrob.

After we got together, I helped Ian improve his personal image.

Soon, many people looked at Ian with surprise.

I knew he was the protagonist of this world, so he was destined for success.

He worked part-time while participating in technical competitions, winning first prize.

During his internship, he joined the city's best financial company.

We lived in a rundown rental, experiencing poverty and happiness together.

I did this with a bit of selfishness.

No one would forget those who stood by them during tough times.

That was what I thought back then.

One day, Ian accidentally saw my phone screen light up with a message from my mom, "I didn't raise you to live in slum."

Ian's face turned visibly red.

I was about to explain when Ian pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly as if he would break me.

His voice was hoarse in my ear, "Evelyn, I'll work hard. So, please don't change your heart."

He didn't know he was the protagonist and I couldn't change my heart.

But I still felt the wetness in my eyes.

I cried out in my mind, realizing I had fallen in love with the protagonist while still conscious.