<Live with a system>> Chapter 32
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Inside the coffee shop, Riley quietly observed Ethan. The crisis left him visibly haggard and exhausted.
“Riley… he began, his voice filled with regret.
Riley thought of Ethan and Chloe and felt a surge of nausea.
“Ethan, do you know? When I started grad school, I applied for financial aid. The school investigated my background. The administrators asked why I applied for that when my family
as so rich.
as
Ethan looked at her with red eyes. Riley smiled faintly, continuing, “They thought I was one of those people who applied for subsidies to buy luxury goods. I told them I’d cut ties with my brother, but nobody believed me.”
Ethan’s eyes filled with tears. His voice was hoarse with regret, “Riley… I’m sorry.” Riley blinked slowly, putting up a wall between them.
‘It wasn’t so bad. I started working at eighteen and finally understood how hard raise me.”
you
you, or that
worked to
my
Ethan wept openly, the weight of his guilt finally breaking him.
life was Riley sighed, her voice level.“I’m not saying I couldn’t survive without incredibly difficult without you. But I always wondered why you
But I always wondered why you treated me that way. Did I cause you trouble? Why would you hate me? Ethan, you were my only family back then.” She repeated, “My only family.” She said no more, tears welling up
tears welling up but not falling.
‘I will never forgive you,” she said calmly.
Riley left the coffee shop. At the end of the road, Alex was leaning against his car. He was wearing a mask and hat, looking tall and imposing. They got in the car together. Riley, her eyes red, asked, “Alex, do you think love can last forever?”
Was it a passionate infatuation, physical attraction, or a comfortable companionship? Or would it be the everyday struggles and disappointments, yet a desire to build a life together? Alex wiped away her tears, “It’s our connection. I’ll always love you.”
The long–silent system beeped.
“Host,
congratulations. You’re going to write your own happy
ending.”
Riley tried to talk to the system, but it just disappeared. She smiled, “Alex, let time give us the
answer.
Epilogue
Alex was on a popular singing and dancing show. Because of his popularity, he was always in the top three. Evelyn said to Riley, “Having a husband like Alex must be easy.”
Riley said, “No. He calls every day.”
“I shouldn’t have asked.”
Alex complained after rehearsal.“I danced for twelve hours! I’m just too
Riley was already immune to that.“Really? Is your waist okay?”
tired.”
15.19
(L with a system) Chapter 32
“I thought I proved to you last night that my waist was fine.”
Riley was speechless.“Be careful.”
Riley hung up. A crew member asked, “Mr. Reed, can we air this?”
Alex, who was always nice to the staff, smiled.“Whatever.”
He never hid the fact that he was married.
The End.
Every turn of the page is a new beginning.
I look forward to meeting you again in the next story!
