He Stole My Sixty Years Of Hard Won Lifespan Chapter 05

He Stole My Sixty Years Of Hard Won Lifespan Chapter 05

The staff member’s voice broke the silence.

“From this moment on, all of Mr. Evan Pierce’s Time Account Sharing Permissions to your account have been frozen.”

Almost instantly, my comm wristband started ringing nonstop.

“Evan Pierce” flashed across the screen.

He called like a madman, over and over again.

I let it ring until people throughout the lobby began staring at me.

Only then did I answer.

“Mira.”

His voice carried that familiar helpless chuckle, like he was humoring a childish tantrum.

“Are you done yet?”

He paused before softening his tone.

“Restore the link, come home, and apologize to Lena. I’ll let this whole thing go. Have I ever really held anything against you?”

I stayed silent.

He didn’t sound surprised.

Instead, he sighed softly, almost sounding wronged.

“Mira, I know you’re upset, but try looking at it from my side. Lena’s

—

health is so fragile. What else was I supposed to do?

“You’re my girlfriend. Be the bigger person.”

“Come home, and I’ll make it up to you. Okay?”

Be the bigger person.

I listened to his familiar voice while eight years of memories flashed through my mind.

Our first candlelit dinner.

The awkward way he’d peeled shrimp for me.

After I completed a High-Risk Task, he’d wrapped me in his arms and whispered,

“Mira… you’re my hero.”

But he’d also stood beside my hospital bed after I was critically injured, saying he had an important meeting to attend.

He’d signed the paperwork…

Then walked away without looking back.

And when it came to the lifespan I’d traded my life for—

He’d called me selfish.

I’d finally understood.

Love didn’t disappear all at once.

It was worn away…

—

Disappointment after disappointment.

“Evan.”

I spoke quietly.

“Goodbye.”

Then I ended the call.

Before he could dial again, I took off my comm wristband and tossed it into the nearby trash can.

The countdown on my wrist read:

3 hours remaining.

I looked up at the enormous portal glowing with an eerie blue light at the end of the hall.

Across its surface were two words.

The Null Zone.

It was the final destination for everyone abandoned by the Time System…

The final destination for those whose lives were about to run out.

No one ever came back.

Dragging my suitcase behind me, I walked slowly toward the portal.

*****

Early the next morning, Evan woke on the couch in the guest room.

—

He’d stayed with Lena until well past midnight, only closing his eyes after he was sure she’d calmed down.

He stepped into the hallway and instinctively glanced toward the master bedroom.

The door stood open.

The bed was perfectly made, as if no one had slept there.

He remembered Mira storming out the night before with her suitcase and let out a scoff.

“So she really didn’t come back.”