The So-Called Unattainable, and the Abyss of Human Greed

I had been remarried to Sabrina Blake for three years.

She cut off all contact with other men on her own and reported everything to me, so much so that even my only good brother couldn't help but say with feeling:

Man, this is great. You've finally come out the other side.

Until the day of my mother's funeral.

My wife, who had been unable to conceive for years, suddenly handed me a medical report in front of everyone:

"I'm pregnant."

"It's my second child."

"The baby is your good brother Joseph Henson's."

While I stood there stunned.

My wife stepped forward, knelt down beside me, and gazed at my mother's portrait with a soft little laugh:

"Your mother was a mistress once, so no wonder her instincts are so sharp. The marriage certificate really was fake."

"My husband is actually Joseph. You're just like your mother, both of you nothing but the other woman."

The whispers of everyone around me filled my ears. I clenched my fist hard and asked in a trembling voice:

"Why?"

The woman lowered her head and gave a casual little laugh:

"I only remarried you because I lost a game of truth or dare with Joseph. You and I have known each other since we were born, and honestly, what I feel for you now is more like family."

With that, the woman took out a red invitation and handed it to me:

"Tonight is our firstborn's christening dinner. You're Joseph's best brother, so remember to come on time."

The blood in my whole body froze in an instant, and the long-absent voice of the system sounded above me:

"One hundredth deception achieved. The system is about to begin the sever-all-love program."

"Twelve-hour countdown, starting now."

...

The system's prompt kept repeating in my ears, and I jerked my eyes up to look at Sabrina Blake.

It was only in this moment.

That I realized in barely three years since our remarriage, Sabrina Blake had deceived me a full hundred times.

Seeing that I stayed silent and gave no reaction, the woman impatiently stuffed the invitation into my arms:

"I'm going ahead. Joseph gets anxious in crowds, and I still need to be there at the dinner to look after the guests."

"Come help out early."

"Oh, right, bring a bouquet of lisianthus from the shop before you come. Today is also Joseph's and my seventh wedding anniversary, and I want to surprise him."

When she mentioned Joseph Henson, Sabrina Blake's eyes held a tenderness I had never seen before.

The woman didn't even wait for me to speak. She stood up and hurried off.

The whispers and pointing fingers of the people around me filled my ears. I knelt before my mother's portrait, my body trembling uncontrollably.

My gaze fell on a photograph, one Sabrina Blake must have dropped in her hurry just now.

It was a family photo.

In the photo, Sabrina Blake and Joseph Henson each held a hand of the little boy, their faces beaming with happiness.

And their parents sat in the middle, holding, of all things, bouquets from my shop.

The photo was dated last Tuesday, the day the doctor issued my mother's critical-condition notice.

Before she passed, my mother's last wish was to take a family photo. I called Sabrina Blake, but she said she was away on a business trip and couldn't make it back in time.

So it turned out she wasn't on a business trip, and it wasn't that she couldn't come back. At that very moment she was at a family dinner in a restaurant right across from the hospital.

A family dinner without me.

"Excuse me, your time is up. Please leave as soon as you can," a staff member came over to prompt.

When I came back to myself, I stared at the person in front of me, my face full of disbelief:

"What do you mean, time is up? Didn't we rent this venue for the whole day?"

"No, sir. Ms. Blake rented it for one hour."

I froze.

The next second my phone rang. It was a message from Sabrina Blake:

I only rented the venue for your mom's funeral for one hour. Save the money, just get through the motions and be done with it.

You should be finished over there by now. Come to the dinner, I need you for something urgent!

I clenched my fist hard, looked up at my mother's portrait, and she was still smiling gently at me.

"Hello, I want to pay extra to extend the rental."

"I'm sorry, the rest of the time has already been booked. Ms. Blake reserved a week to hold a memorial for her husband's dog."

I have never kept pets.

Joseph Henson was the opposite. He kept over a dozen dogs.

The corner of my mouth twitched, and in my heart I made a decision.

I took a cab to the dinner.

Even though I had braced myself, my heart still lurched violently when I saw the scene.

The most luxurious restaurant in Northport City.

On the stage now, Sabrina Blake and Joseph Henson stood with their fingers laced together, looking down at the little boy before them, the happiness of the family of three almost spilling over.

I watched Sabrina Blake take a pendant from around her neck, then crouch down and, with a tender look on her face, fasten it around the little boy's neck.

I heard her say:

"Mommy hopes you'll live your whole life safe, healthy, and blessed."

My gaze fell on the pendant, and my lips curled into something like a sneer.

Two years ago, Sabrina Blake had suddenly fallen ill and was rushed to the emergency room. The doctors said her chance of surviving was less than thirty percent.

That night, while Sabrina Blake was being worked on in the emergency room, I, who had never believed in gods or spirits, went to North Ridge.

Only because I happened to overhear a passerby say the North Ridge chapel answered prayers best of all.

A night of heavy snow.

I bowed my forehead to the ground with every step, and by the time I reached the top my forehead was smeared with blood.

That day, I prayed for this protection charm.

I still remember how, when she woke that day and saw me covered in blood, then touched the protection charm against my chest, Sabrina Blake held me and wept.

She said:

"Wilfred, let's stay together always, okay?"

Perhaps sensing my gaze, Joseph looked up at me.

By the time I reacted, he was already standing in front of me, punching me in the shoulder.

"Buddy, you finally made it! I've been waiting forever."

"Justin, come here, this is the godfather I told you about. Say hello!"

Joseph smiled and pushed the little boy toward me.

Sabrina walked over and stood beside Joseph. As if something had suddenly occurred to her, she frowned and seemed to explain.

"Back when the baby was born and needed a name, this was the first one that came to mind."

The corner of my mouth twitched.

Back then, before Sabrina was diagnosed as infertile, I had always wanted a child so badly that I'd even picked out a name for him.

Justin.

To meet and know each other, eyes meeting, hearts pledged.

What I never imagined was that, years later, my best friend and the woman I loved would have a child, and that their child's name was even one I had chosen.

A strange sense of absurdity welled up from deep inside me.

Seeing that I stayed silent, Joseph stepped forward, his face full of guilt.

"Wilfred, are you angry?"

"Hiding it from you really was wrong of me, and I apologize, but Rina and I are truly in love."

"You're my best friend. Can you give us your blessing?"

I looked up.

Right now Joseph's eyes were full of pride and showing off.

I lowered my head, my gaze falling on my left hand.

There was a scar there that ran all the way up my arm.

Three years ago.

Joseph had called me late one night, saying he was drunk but had an emergency, and asked me to come get him in Bristol.

Without a word, I drove to Bristol.

On our way back, we were suddenly caught in a mudslide, and by the time I realized what was happening, a boulder was already hurtling straight at Joseph.

No time to think, I threw myself over him and shielded him.

Ever since, my left arm was left disabled, unable to bear anything heavy.

Following my gaze, Joseph gave a soft sigh, as if recalling it.

"Actually, three years ago, the emergency I mentioned was that Rina had accidentally miscarried, and I was rushing back to see her."

"Mostly I was really worried about Rina's health. Before this second child, she'd already miscarried three."

As if something struck me, I abruptly looked up at Sabrina and opened my mouth to speak, but the woman nodded and said casually,

"That's right."

"All three I lost were yours."

"Honestly, I never really wanted to have children with you."

"After all, your family has bad genes. I was afraid a baby would turn out like your mother, prone to mental illness."

My heart felt like it was being clenched hard by an invisible hand.

"All right!" Joseph stepped forward and threw his arm around me, just like the old days.

"From now on the three of us will live well together."

"I've already talked it over with Rina. The second child will take your surname, and from now on we'll be the happiest family of five."

It was even more absurd.

But Sabrina smiled and hooked her arm through Joseph's, her tone very gentle.

"Joseph really is the most thoughtful."

With that,

the woman looked up at me, her voice utterly displeased.

"You've had a sour face this whole time. Who are you putting on that face for?"

"You and Joseph are good friends. Can't you learn something from him?"

"Wilfred Rowe, you're a grown manwhat are you making a fuss about?"

From the moment I walked in until now, I clearly hadn't said a single word, yet she said I was making a fuss.

I gave a sarcastic twitch of my lips.

Pushing down the turmoil inside me, I turned and walked away.

But behind me the little boy grabbed my hand, tilted his head up at me, and said,

"Godfather, I want a horsey ride!"

A nameless rage surged up in my heart.

Without a word, I raised my hand and shoved the little boy away, but the next second Sabrina reached out and stopped me:

"Didn't you hear him?"

"Justin said he wants to ride the big horse."

We stood there deadlocked.

Joseph was the first to break the impasse, stepping forward and slowly bending down as if to get down on the ground:

"Justin, your godfather's very tired today. Daddy will play with you..."

But the next second.

The man let out a muffled groan, and when he spoke again there was a suggestive note in his voice:

"Rina, we really overdid it last night. My back's a little sore now."

At that.

A shy flush crossed Sabrina's face, a shyness I had never seen before.

She reached out and helped the man up, then turned and grabbed hold of me just as I'd started to step away again:

"Joseph wore himself out last night. You come and play with Justin."

Then the woman waved her hand carelessly, and several bodyguards closed in around me.

"Friendly system reminder: six hours left on the countdown."

Watching the bodyguards itching to move in, and with time running short, I curved my lips slightly into a very faint smile:

"Sure."

The next second.

Joseph had already set the little boy on my back, an expectant note in his voice:

"Then let's get started!"

The little boy laughed and squirmed and shouted nonstop on my back:

"Giddy up! Giddy up! Giddy up!"

"Faster, horsey, faster!"

We wove through the crowd, and all at once everyone turned to look.

When they saw me.

People fell to gossiping without the slightest restraint:

"Oh my God, isn't that Wilfred Rowe? Isn't that kid on his back Sabrina and Joseph's?"

"Yeah, can a grown man really be this shameless? Joseph and Sabrina are such a loving coupledon't tell me he's throwing himself at them to be the third wheel?"

Nothing but jeers and insults filled my ears.

I swayed, my body stumbling, and the next second a little boy's scream came from behind me:

"Ah!"

"Help!"

By the time I came to my senses, I'd been pushed to the ground, and the drinks beside me went down with me, splashing all over me.

In an instant.

Liquor mixed with filth, and I was a wretched mess from head to toe.

When the slap landed on my left cheek, a burning pain shot through me and wouldn't stop.

I looked up.

I met Sabrina's furious eyes, as if I were some unforgivable villain:

"Wilfred Rowe, how dare you?"

The woman took a deep breath, seeming to fight hard to hold something back:

"You've made a complete mess of Justin's first-toast celebration!"

"Apologize to Justin!"

She was ordering me to apologize to her and Joseph's child.

Seeing me stay silent, the woman seemed even angrier:

"Wilfred Rowe, do you think that just because your mother is dead, the whole world has to grieve along with you? Does your mother deserve that?"

"Do you deserve that?"

"Don't imagine that just because I have you in my heart, you can provoke Joseph again and again! Let me tell you, my patience has its limits too!"

"Rina, it's fine. Justin only got a scrape. It hurts me to see it, but I don't want this to come between the two of you."

"Let's just let this go."

At that.

Sabrina turned her head and looked with aching tenderness at the father and son a little way off, her voice full of guilt:

"Baby, I won't ever let you two be bullied."

When her gaze fell on me again.

The woman seemed to think of something, a slight curve to her lips. She turned to her bodyguard and gave the order:

"Go to the villa, dig out every robot in the basement, and bring them here."

My head snapped up toward her.

Eyes bloodshot, I roared at Sabrina Blake:

"Sabrina Blake!"

"You were the one who took those robots?"

"Why? Why?!"

My family carries a rare hereditary disease, and only by developing a special-performance robot can it be fully cured.

For a full ten years, I worked on that research day and night.

I was just one step away, just short of putting them into clinical trials, but before my mother passed away those robots suddenly vanished.

I combed through all the security footage at home, questioned everyone who had come to the house, and searched every corner.

But nothing. Not anywhere.

In the end, I could only watch helplessly as the person I loved most slipped away from me, powerless to do anything.

During that time.

Sabrina comforted me again and again, saying:

"We'll find them. We'll definitely find them."

The woman seemed quite satisfied with the pained state I was in now. She stepped forward, took the little boy's hand, and said offhandedly:

"It was nothing, really."

"Right around then, Joseph suddenly wanted to enter a robotics competition, so I took them over and let him study them."

"Joseph finally showed an interest in robots, so of course I gave him my full support."

Her words done.

The woman leaned back into Joseph Henson's arms, her eyes full of tenderness as she looked at him.

"Ms. Blake, here are the robots you asked for."

When I saw those robots, I ignored the pain in my body and struggled up, staggering toward them.

The next second.

Sabrina waved her hand, and several bodyguards surrounded me again.

Then she said:

"Hand these robots out to the guests. Consider them gifts for coming to my son's naming celebration!"

I fought and struggled with everything I had, but in the end I could only watch helplessly as the robots were passed into the guests' hands, switched on, and toyed with at their leisure.

Once a special-performance robot has been activated, it can never be used a second time.

In an instant.

My ten years of effort came to nothing.

As I slumped to the floor, my face deathly pale, the woman's gaze settled on my face.

As if she couldn't bear it, she finally stepped forward and reached out a hand to me:

"Get up. I'll forgive you this once, but there can't be a next time. You"

My phone rang.

It was the hospital calling, and a strange unease surged up in my chest.

"Hello, is this Mr. Rowe? Someone came to the hospital this morning and said something to your grandmotherwe're not sure what. The shock was too much for her, and she's in emergency care right now"

I couldn't make out the rest.

A tremendous ringing filled my world.

A flicker of worry crossed the face of the woman in front of me. Her mouth opened and closed as if she were saying something, but I couldn't hear a word.

I shoved the woman to the ground and stumbled out.

When I got to the hospital, the door of the emergency room opened, and once again I saw the doctor shake his head.

Joseph Henson's sister stood off to one side.

When Sabrina and Joseph came rushing over, I was gripping Joseph's sister's throat with all my strength, my eyes bloodshot.

Sabrina stepped forward and forcefully pulled the two of us apart. Without a word she raised her hand to slap me again, but I caught her wrist backhanded.

When she met my red eyes, the woman froze, a flash of pain in her own:

"Wilfred, you"

The next second.

My palm landed across the woman's face:

"Sabrina Blake, did I forget to let you know? We're through."

The system's voice sounded again from above:

"Countdown complete. The Sever All Love program is now officially activated!"