"But shares alone?" I tilted my head. "That hardly seems enough. If this is a conquest mission, the System must value sincerity above all else."
Orson's eyes lit up. "Renata, what do you suggest?"
I let the words drop slowly, deliberately. "Why not remove me entirely? Make Miss Pruitt co-CEO. That way, the System will register a massive leap in her capture progress—might even clear the stage right there."
The conference room went deathly still.
The smile on Orson's face froze mid-curve.
"Renata, cut the passive-aggressive nonsense. The shares are just to tide things over. The CEO position stays untouched."
"You've already agreed, haven't you?" I slid the document toward myself. "Then sign."
The papers glided across the table and stopped in front of me.
I picked up the pen. No hesitation. My signature flowed onto the page.
[Strip Progress: 15%]
The System's voice echoed in my mind.
[Detected: Host has voluntarily severed financial ties with the male lead. Strip acceleration initiated.]
Orson watched me sign and exhaled, visibly relieved.
"There we go, Renata. Material things—why cling to them so tightly?"
"Once Willow's better, I'll take you abroad. A nice vacation."
Willow clutched the contract, her gratitude dripping with false sweetness.
"Thank you, Renata… You're so kind. I'll definitely repay you someday."
Repay me?
I studied the greed glittering in her eyes.
No need to wait. Soon enough, you'll discover just how scalding this "gift" really is.
When I returned home, I found my belongings packed and dumped in the living room.
Servants bustled in and out, hauling furniture from the master bedroom.
Orson stood on the staircase, orchestrating the chaos like a conductor.
"Toss that mattress—Willow can't sleep on anything that firm. Get something softer."
"The curtains too. She likes pink."
He spotted me and beckoned with a lazy wave.
"Renata, perfect timing."
"The feng shui master said the master bedroom has the best energy for healing."
"Willow's been getting weaker by the day. She needs to stay there—let the room's energy restore her."
"And to keep her safe, I'll be staying with her for a while."
I looked down at the luggage scattered across the floor.
My books. My clothes. Our wedding photo.
The glass over the photo had shattered. A jagged crack ran straight between our smiling faces.
"So where do I sleep?" I asked.
Orson pointed toward the ground floor.