Chapter 1
“Congratulations, Quill. You’ve completed five years of companionship. In just seven more days, you’ll leave this world and bring your family back to life in the real world.”
Quill Milton couldn’t hold back his tears of joy upon finally hearing the system’s voice he’d longed for over five years.
He wasn’t originally from this world. Five years ago, his wife and child in the real world became comatose after a car accident. Devastated by grief, he unexpectedly bonded with a companion system.
The system informed him that if he accompanied Aspen Sanders, the richest woman in this world, and her child, Nora Milton, for five years, his family would be resurrected. Quill had agreed without hesitation.
Quill knew that Aspen loved Corey Hudson from the first day he arrived in this world. Unfortunately, Corey despised the idea of marriage and valued his freedom.
Corey abandoned his family and disappeared without a trace right after Nora was born. It was at that moment Quill entered the picture.
He pretended to fall for Aspen and went to great lengths to approach her. He treated her with care, and ultimately succeeded in marrying her.
He worked tirelessly to care for Aspen and raised Nora with painstaking effort for five years. Yet, their hearts gravitated back to Corey as soon as he returned.
People mocked and ridiculed Quill because of this, and they called him a joke. But he didn’t care. His real wife and child would be revived in seven days, and he could finally go home.
Suddenly, a message notification chimed from his phone. He glanced down at it and saw that it was from Aspen.
“Lux Club. Stomach hurts. Bring some medicine over.”
The message was brief and to the point. Quill walked to the window, opened it, and saw large snowflakes fluttering down.
The bitter cold struck him the instant he opened the window, making him shiver uncontrollably. Going out in such weather felt like torture.
He sighed in resignation and closed the window. He went looking for the medicine and got dressed before stepping out.
There was no choice. The companion system’s rules forbade him from refusing any requests from the mother and daughter.
Quill then hurried to the designated private room in the club. Just as he was about to push the door open, he heard one of Aspen’s friends inside.
“Aspen, are you going to divorce Quill now that your beloved Corey is back?”
Quill froze in place. The next moment, Aspen’s voice, magnetic, soft, and slightly tinged with alcohol, responded, “I won’t.
“Corey is naturally free-spirited and hates being tied down. I love him and just want him to be himself. Quill is attentive and reliable—he does whatever needs to be done. He’s perfect as a husband and father.”
As soon as she finished speaking, five-year-old Nora’s childish voice followed.
“He’s better suited to be a nanny. He’s taken great care of Mommy and me all these years. But no matter what he does, I’ll only ever have one dad.”
As soon as Nora spoke, everyone burst into laughter. “Nora nailed it with that description!”
“But is Quill really that obedient?” One person asked curiously, and someone chimed in with a reply the next moment.
“Of course! Quill’s reputation as a people-pleaser isn’t exaggerated. Just wait and see for yourself.”
With that, the person turned to Aspen. “Aspen, can I borrow your watch for a moment?”
Aspen gave her a cool glance. It was as if she already understood her intention, but she said nothing. Slowly and deliberately, she removed her watch and handed it over.
Then, the person intentionally threw the watch in an elegant arc out the window and into the lake below with a loud splash.
At that moment, someone approached and noticed Quill standing outside the private room. “Quill, why are you standing out here? Why didn’t you go in?”
As they spoke, they pushed him into the room before he could react.
Quill stumbled inside. The group was far from feeling guilty, and they seemed even more delighted by his arrival.
“Quill, you’re just in time! Aspen’s watch accidentally fell into the lake. Can you fish it out for her?”
Quill turned to Aspen and remained silent for a moment before asking, “Do you really want me to retrieve it?”
Aspen nodded while maintaining her casual demeanor. Nora’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she added, “Aren’t you always the one who does whatever we ask? And willing to do anything for us?”
He pulled his lips into a tight line and shook his head after hearing Nora’s words. “No, not always. Only for seven more days.”
Aspen furrowed her brows, not understanding what he meant. “What did you just say?”
But Quill didn’t even glance at her again. Instead, he walked straight to the window.
The private room was on the second floor, and the distance from the window to the lake wasn’t particularly high. He stepped onto a stool without hesitation, climbed over the window, and jumped straight into the lake.
The loud splash echoed as he hit the water. It was the dead of winter, and the icy lake water bit into him, making his entire body tremble.
He clenched his jaw tightly to keep from sinking, and he could hear the sounds of the crowd’s jeering followed closely behind.
“See? I told you Quill is head over heels for Aspen and Nora. He jumped in because of a simple instruction!”
“Honestly, I kind of wish I had such a hardworking and devoted husband.”
Before the words were fully out, Aspen shot the speaker a cold look. But her mind kept drifting back to what Quill had said earlier.
“Only seven more days.”
She let out a sarcastic laugh, thinking he was just throwing a tantrum. But what did it matter? Even if he was upset, it still took just one word from them for him to jump.
