The Stand-In Walks Away

At first, I was angry. I wanted to confront Emily.

Why did she stand me up? Why did she lie to me?

But when the system announced the mission was complete, and Emily coldly told me it was over between us, I suddenly understood.

I was never anything more than a stand-in. I had no right to demand answers.

My disappointment came from wanting something I should never have wanted. I also forgot that my original goal was just to go home.

I had truly let go. But Emily didn't believe me. She lifted her gown, hurried down from the stage, and forcefully shoved a card into my hand.

"There's one million on here. Take it."

The system would send me home in three days. I couldn't take anything from this world with me. There was no point in taking her money.

I raised an eyebrow and was about to refuse again when Emily guessed what I was going to say. She cut me off without room for argument.

"Chris, I've known you for years. I know exactly what schemes you're hiding. If you don't take this money, it's because you're planning to go behind my back and hurt Kyle, aren't you?"

"I won't—"

"I don't believe you. Unless you take the money and swear in front of everyone here that you will never harm Kyle."

I looked at the burly bodyguards surrounding me.

Emily's face grew colder and colder.

I understood. Unless I said what she wanted to hear, she wasn't going to let me leave.

And making a scene only works on someone who loves you. Now that the person she truly loved was back, all my tactics were useless.

"Fine. I swear I won't hurt Kyle. Emily, are you satisfied now?"

I didn't call her by her nickname "Em" like I used to.

My cold tone made Emily frown uncomfortably.

She looked uneasy, thinking I was being sarcastic and hadn't truly given in.

"If you think this compensation isn't enough, we can keep talking—"

"How about I talk with you?"

Before anyone realized it, Kyle had walked off the stage and was standing in front of me, cutting Emily off.

Emily panicked. She quickly shoved me hard, terrified that I might suddenly attack and hurt her Kyle.

But in that moment, Kyle's hidden hand came out. A bottle came crashing down on my head.

The bottle shattered. Blood streamed from my head.

"A stand-in daring to make demands? Who do you think you are?"

Kyle's face twisted with rage. As I stood there dazed, he grabbed another bottle and kept smashing it against my head.

The bodyguards just watched as red wine soaked my entire body. They even took a step back, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire.

Within moments, I collapsed unconscious in a pool of blood.

Right before I blacked out, I heard Emily's frantic, tearful screams.

"Useless idiots! Why didn't any of you stop Kyle? Now his hand is cut by the glass!"

I closed my eyes.

She not only let Kyle hurt me, but she also ignored my split-open, seriously injured self and ran to fuss over a tiny scratch on Kyle's hand.

Kyle was the only one she ever loved. Every bit of affection and indulgence I had received was just because I reminded her of Kyle.

When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed.

Emily's face was full of smiles. She bustled around my bedside, personally taking care of me. It was as if everything I had just been through was an illusion.

But the sharp pain throbbing from my forehead made it painfully clear that it had all been real.