He Broke Me With Lies, So I Left His World Forever

Six years into our marriage, my husband suddenly woke up.

He shoved me off the bed, eyes filled with undisguised disgust. Loretta Butler, my body was being controlled by a Player before. He used my body to win you over, and that's the only reason I married you.

Now his mission is over and he's gone, so I want a divorce.

After that, he showered his first love, Victoria Cox, with affection and ground me into the dirt.

He was intimate with Victoria right in front of me. Made me hand-wash her underwear.

He even tossed a used condom onto my head, his voice dripping with contempt. I already told you the real Frederick is back. What are you trying to do? Summon that vanished Player to take over my body again?

I shook my head, eyes brimming with anguish. I just can't believe it's true. Maybe you just lost your memory somehow.

His lip curled in revulsion and he had someone throw me out of the mansion.

I stood outside the gates all night in the pouring rain until I collapsed.

Through the haze, I heard Frederick's voice, talking to a friend.

Aren't you afraid she'll find out the truth and leave you? I'd love to see how you plan to clean up that mess.

I'm just making up for a regret from my youth. You know how it is. The one that got away always keeps your heart racing.

Once I've had my fun, I'll just tell her the Player is back in my body and that I've already driven him out. Problem solved.

Loretta loves me so much, she'll believe every word.

A cold smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. So it was all a lie.

Since you love playing the Player game so much, Frederick, then this Player should leave for good.

The truth is, I really am a Player. I only stayed because I fell in love with Frederick Harding.

Now it was time to go.

I called out to the System in my mind and told it my decision.

A mechanical voice I hadn't heard in six years echoed through my head once more.

Understood, Host. I will arrange your departure in one week. Once confirmed, this choice is permanent. You will never return. Are you certain you wish to leave?

Permanent departure meant I would never see Frederick again. The thought sent a dense, spreading ache through my chest.

Then Frederick's voice drifted over again. Honestly, if Victoria hadn't gone abroad to chase her dreams back then, I never would've agreed to be with Loretta. I only did it to spite her.

Truth is, whenever I missed Victoria so badly it drove me crazy, I'd pretend Loretta was her and take everything I wanted. And Loretta loved me so much she gave in to every demand, no matter how far I pushed.

I even went too far once and she lost the baby. She cried for weeks, blaming herself. But it was me. I'd switched her vitamins with birth control pills. She still has no idea I never wanted her to carry my child.

My heart tore open all over again. So that miscarriage was because of him.

And I'd spent all that time drowning in guilt, convinced it was my fault, putting myself through acupuncture and herbal treatments until my body was wrecked, all trying to get pregnant again.

In the end, I was nothing but a joke.

When I opened my eyes again, the only thing left in them was resolve.

Confirmed. I'm leaving.

Understood, Host. The departure countdown begins now. In one week, this body will be pronounced dead.

You're awake, so get up and cook. Stop playing dead.

Victoria's stomach is bothering her today. Make her some congee. Cook it longer so it's thick. Got it?

Frederick walked over, every inch of him radiating authority, like I existed only to follow orders.

When I didn't respond, he grabbed me and hauled me off the bed. My knees cracked against the marble floor, and the pain ripped a sharp breath from my lungs.

Frederick seemed to realize he'd gone too far. Something uneasy flickered behind his eyes.

If you want someone to blame, blame yourself for stealing Victoria Cox's place. You made her suffer for six years. This is your punishment.

Everything you're doing right now is penance. You know that, right?

Penance?

If I hadn't overheard that conversation, I would have believed him. I would have carried the guilt, convinced he was right, that some stranger had hijacked his body and forced him into a life with me against his will.

But now I knew the truth, and all I felt was how absurd it was.

The fever had drained every ounce of strength from my body. I braced one hand against the wall and forced myself upright.

Frederick, what exactly am I supposed to be atoning for?

None of this had anything to do with me. I had a husband who loved me. Then one day I woke up and he told me everything before that wasn't really him, that someone else had been controlling his body.

But what did I do wrong? I woke up and the man I loved was gone, and all that was left was your cruelty.

He went rigid for a second. He hadn't expected me to push back. Not me, the woman who had taken every blow without a word.

Guilt surfaced in his eyes, then vanished just as quickly, replaced by that familiar cold mask.

How do I know you two weren't in on it together? Putting on this innocent act to get my sympathy.

Remember, Victoria wants dinner in two hours. Make sure it's ready.

I looked at him, my face completely blank. I'm not making anything. The Frederick who loved me is gone, and you already pushed through the divorce. There's no reason for me to stay. I'm leaving, and after today, we never see each other again.

It was true. The day after he'd told me that story, he had dragged me to sign the papers.

Panic crossed his face for just a moment before he seized my wrist, his voice dripping with mockery. Is this some kind of game? Playing hard to get? I put you through hell and you never left. Now you suddenly want to walk away? Nobody's buying that.

I didn't respond. I started gathering a few pieces of clothing, the bare essentials. Then I spotted the bottle of vitamins I'd been taking every day. I picked it up and looked at him, my voice quiet and sharp. Frederick, are these really vitamins?

He stiffened. Then, in a flash of anger, he knocked the bottle out of my hand. The person living with you before wasn't me. How would I know what's in there?

I laughed bitterly to myself. Of course. He would never admit it. Not now.

But everything you have in this house came from me. I supported you for six years. If you really want to leave, cook one last meal. Then you can go.

Fine.

I didn't stay to watch the shock settle across his face. I walked straight to the kitchen and started preparing dinner.

In the living room, Frederick was watching a movie with Victoria.

It was Flipped. My favorite.

The night Frederick came running through the rain to tell me he wanted to be with me, I'd been at home watching that exact film.

That night, he wanted me like a man possessed.

Later I found out Victoria had left that very same day. But I refused to think too hard about it. I told myself time would fix everything.

I was still lost in the memory when Frederick walked over and slammed the kitchen's glass door shut.

The cooking smell is drifting into the living room. Victoria feels sick. Don't open this door until the food is done.

It was over ninety degrees outside. The kitchen had no air conditioning. The heat pressed in like a steam room, and with the fever still burning through me, the sealed air was suffocating.

It's boiling in here. Can I at least crack the door open? Just a sliver, so I can breathe.

Frederick locked the glass door from the outside.

Open a window if you're hot. Stop being dramatic.

The air coming through the window was just more heat. By the time I finished cooking every dish, my head was swimming and my legs could barely hold me up.

Victoria blinked her wide eyes and offered to help me carry the plates out. Then she picked up the kitchen knife and slashed it across her own wrist.

Frederick came storming in and slapped me hard across the face.

Loretta, all I asked you to do was cook a meal, and you slashed Victoria out of spite? Have you lost your mind?

I stumbled back against the wall, shaking my head. I didn't cut her. She did it to herself.

Frederick let out a cold laugh. Victoria's had low platelets since she was a kid. Her wounds don't heal easily. She'd have to be insane to risk her own life like that.

I went rigid. I hadn't imagined Victoria would go that far just to frame me.

Victoria's eyes were red and brimming with hurt. Maybe she just felt I wasn't worthy of eating the food she made.

She mocked the burn scars on my legs too. Said you'd grow disgusted with me sooner or later.

Frederick's gaze slid to the pot of hot soup beside him, and a cruel smile twisted his lips. You mocked Victoria's burns? Then you should feel it for yourself. Consider it your apology for cutting her.

The moment I realized what he was about to do, cold sweat broke across my skin. No, that soup was just made, don't

The scalding soup hit me head-on. I threw my arm up on instinct to shield myself.

Blisters erupted across the entire length of my arm in an instant, the skin too ruined to look at.

Something flickered in Frederick's eyes, a flash of something almost like pain, and he stepped forward. Victoria grabbed his sleeve.

Frederick, my cut really hurts. I've lost so much blood.

He stopped looking at me. He scooped Victoria into his arms and carried her out. I'm taking you to the hospital.

Two steps toward the door, he glanced back at me. For one stupid, desperate second, I thought he was going to bring me along, that he actually cared about my arm.

Instead, his voice was ice. Have this place cleaned up before I get back. Otherwise, don't expect my forgiveness.

Over his shoulder, Victoria flashed me a triumphant smile.

Whatever was left inside me went dead. I gritted my teeth, rinsed the soup and grime off the wound, took a needle and punctured the blisters one by one. Yellowish fluid seeped out. Then I dug through the cabinet for a tube of burn ointment and treated myself.

That tube was from the time I'd burned a tiny red mark on my hand. Frederick had bought it for me. He'd been so worried he nearly cried.

Now, even if my entire arm rotted off, he wouldn't care.

The ointment was too small. There wasn't enough to cover the whole wound, but I had no other choice.

Frederick had already frozen every one of my cards. I didn't have a single dollar to my name. I couldn't afford a hospital.

I cleaned the kitchen, set the finished dishes on the dining table, and headed for the door.

The climbing roses in the yard had all been ripped out, replaced with a garden full of red roses, because Victoria liked roses.

Frederick had bought this mansion in the first place because I loved those climbing roses.

None of that mattered anymore.

I pulled the front gate shut behind me and made it two steps before Frederick seized my arm.

Loretta, you think you can just run after what you did? Do you have any idea

His grip tore at the wound. A strangled sound escaped my throat, and only then did he notice the blisters under his fingers. He let go, then wiped his hand on his jacket in disgust.

Victoria lost too much blood because of her condition. You're coming to the hospital to give a transfusion. Now.

Before I could refuse, he shoved me into the car.

Then I was pushed into a treatment room. She's the one who cut Victoria. Draw her blood.

The doctor took one look at me and hesitated. Sir, she's badly burned and running a fever. She needs treatment first. She's not fit to donate.

Frederick didn't waver. Draw her blood. Or you won't be practicing medicine much longer.

The thick needle slid into my vein. I felt the blood pulling out of me, and my body grew colder and colder.

Take more. Victoria's fragile.

Eventually everything went dark. Somewhere in the haze, words slipped out of me on their own.

Frederick, the truth is, I'm the Player. One more week and I can leave you forever.

Frederick was already turning to go. He froze mid-step and spun around. What did you just say?

I kept talking. I'm leaving, Frederick. For good.

Frederick's chest hollowed out for a split second, a bad feeling rising through him, and he was about to step forward and demand an explanation when the urgent shouts of Victoria's attending doctor pulled him away.

Ms. Cox is having a rejection reaction to Ms. Butler's blood.

The blood is contaminated. There's something toxic in it.

The next time I opened my eyes, I was in the basement of the mansion.

When he saw I was awake, Frederick seized me by the throat, his eyes bloodshot, his gaze murderous enough to grind my bones to dust.

Loretta, you vicious bitch. Victoria almost died because of you. Do you understand that?

His hand was crushing my windpipe. I didn't know what had happened, but whatever it was, Victoria had done something to frame me. She always did.

But the week wasn't up yet. I couldn't die now, or I'd never make it back.

I thrashed with everything I had and rasped out an answer. I was half-dead myself. How could I possibly hurt her?

He let go with a cold laugh. Still won't admit it. You really are beyond saving.

Before the blood draw, you secretly injected a substance into your own veins that you knew would trigger an allergic reaction in Victoria. That's why she went into rejection during the transfusion.

Do you have any idea how close she came to dying? The doctors had to replace every drop of blood in her body three times before they brought her back.

My eyes went wide. I hadn't imagined Victoria would go this far to set me up.

I didn't do it. You're the one who dragged me there to give blood. I had no warning, no time to prepare. How could I have poisoned anything?

And the entire hospital is staffed by your people. How would I even know exactly what she's allergic to, let alone get my hands on the right drug?

Frederick stiffened. A flicker of doubt crossed his eyes. Then Victoria burst through the door, pointing at me, her voice shaking with fury and grief.

You want to know how she knew? Because she went through my medical file at home. She found out exactly what I'm allergic to.

And during the chaos of the emergency, she injected herself with the allergen before the blood draw.

Frederick, the doctors detected the drug in her blood. That's a fact no one can deny.

Frederick slammed his foot down on the burn wound on my arm. The raw, blistered skin split open, and blood seeped out mixed with thick yellow fluid.

The pain ripped a plea out of me. Frederick, I didn't do it. I was already leaving. I had no reason to do any of this.

The moment I mentioned leaving, his expression turned savage. Stop with the act. Where exactly do you think you're going?

You're staying right here until you admit what you did. When you're ready to own up, I'll let you out.

The basement door slammed shut again. I curled up on the concrete floor, shaking from the pain. System, can you pull me out now?

Host, the full week is required. Please hold on a little longer.

So I gritted my teeth and held on. But there was no medicine in the basement. No food. No water. The fever was burning through me, and before long, I blacked out.

When I came to, my whole body was scorching. My lips were cracked and peeling, my throat on fire.

I lay on the basement floor, helpless, waiting to die. Somewhere between consciousness and delirium, I heard laughter filtering in from outside. Music. It sounded like they were throwing a party.

I didn't know how much time passed. I felt myself growing lighter, and then, slowly, I drifted free of my own broken body.

The basement door flew open. Frederick rushed in, elated, shouting.

Loretta! A Player took over my body before, but I've fought my way back. I'm me again. You

Then he saw my rigid, rotting body. His legs gave out and he crumpled to the floor. Loretta!