My Husband’s Happiness Reached 100% When I Left Chapter 01

My Husband’s Happiness Reached 100% When I Left Chapter 01

I can see the Happiness Index above Damian Ashford’s head.

When I was chasing after him, it was 10%.

From dating to marriage, it climbed from 10% to 100%.

But after seven years of marriage, his Happiness Index dropped to 60% and never rose again.

Even when I got pregnant, it only ticked up by 1%.

Then one day I caught him talking to the new intern at the company.

It was just a simple greeting, but his Happiness Index spiked to 80%.

After that, Damian’s Happiness Index kept climbing, and stayed high.

The day I caught them in bed together, he stood in front of Brielle Foster, his face cold as he looked at me:

“Brielle didn’t do anything wrong. I was the one who wanted this. Don’t touch her.”

I froze for a moment, staring at the 92% above his head, then smiled and closed the door behind them.

“Please, continue.”

Fighting back the ache in my chest, I called out the System that had been dormant for so long.

“His Happiness Index is about to hit 100% again.”

“This time, I’m willing to leave this world.”

……..

“Seven years ago, on your wedding day, Damian’s Happiness Index also hit 100%. You refused me then—you didn’t want to leave this world and go back to your own.”

“This is your last chance. Think carefully.”

The System’s cold notification chime sounded.

I lowered my eyes to the ring finger where a worn silver band still sat, and smiled.

“I’ve thought about it. I’m willing to leave.”

The System chimed:

“Understood. Logging your decision now. The day his Happiness Index reaches 100%, you will leave this place.”

“Host, please hold on a little longer.”

As the System’s voice faded, sound around me slowly sharpened.

The door wasn’t soundproof. I heard Brielle’s frightened voice:

“Mr. Ashford, I heard your wife is terrifying—that anyone who’s ever gotten close to you over the years has been dealt with. Am I going to end up like that too?”

Damian let out a low, teasing laugh:

“What, are you admitting you’re mine now?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you. She’s pregnant, just don’t provoke her.”

The sounds from inside quickly turned intimate.

I walked downstairs with a bitter smile, feeling nothing but grief.

The truth was, I was never the one who dealt with those other women.

It was always Damian himself.

He did it so I would feel safe.

Back when Damian fell in love with me, his Happiness Index sat at a solid 100%, and he avoided other women like the plague.

If someone tried to flirt with him, he’d turn around and practically skip over to report to me:

“Baby, I didn’t add her on anything, I swear!”

Once, someone slipped something into his drink to try to get him into bed.

He’d rather slam his head against a wall until it bled than lose consciousness.

“Baby, there’s never going to be anyone but you. Not ever!”

“So—can you please not agree to whatever your System is offering? Please don’t leave this world?”

I stared into his red, tear-filled eyes and my heart went soft, useless.

I called up the System right then and refused to leave.

For a while after that, he woke up every morning like he’d been startled out of sleep, clinging to me like he was terrified I’d vanish.

Then everything changed once Brielle came to work at the company.

His Happiness Index stopped being tied to me at all. His moods had nothing to do with me anymore.

His whole heart, his whole world, belonged to that girl.

Damian knew I could see the number above his head.

Every time I confronted him, he just grew more impatient.

“Are you done? I’m exhausted enough as it is. Is it so wrong that I need someone to make me feel good for once? That’s not exactly unreasonable, is it?”

“If you keep this up, get out. Let’s see where you’d even go, without me, in this world.”

Watching him become someone so unrecognizable, I finally woke up.

He was certain, absolutely certain, that I would never leave him—that’s why he felt free to hurt me however he pleased.

“Make Brielle some soup, she’s hungry. Extra cilantro.”

The man’s voice drifted down as I looked up—to find Damian coming downstairs, toweling off his hair.

He’d apparently forgotten I was allergic to cilantro.

I was getting further along, and my back ached just from standing, but he wanted me in the kitchen cooking for Brielle.

The pain had gone numb by then.

I looked up and saw the number: 93%.

There wasn’t a trace of guilt in his eyes. Only pleasure.

“Annika, you were good just now. You didn’t embarrass Brielle.”

“See, wasn’t that easy? The position of Mrs. Ashford will always be yours. Now—what do you want to buy?”

I froze, staring at the mark on his neck, momentarily lost in thought.

Back when we loved each other most, he used to like me leaving marks on hisbody too, calling it “protection”.

“If other women see marks on me, they’ll know I’m taken. Easy!”

But we hadn’t been intimate in years.

This time, it was Brielle who’d left the mark.

Was it to keep me away?

I tugged at the corner of my mouth and pulled out a divorce settlement agreement I’d printed a while back.

“I saw a bag I like. It’s a little pricey. Finance won’t approve it. Just sign here.”

Damian took the pen. His hand paused.

He frowned at my bare ring finger.

“Where’s your ring? This is the first time you’ve taken it off since we got married. Why?”

92%.

I paused, glanced at the silver band sitting in the trash can by my feet, and smiled:

“I was worried it would upset Brielle to see it.”

Damian smiled, moved to pull me into a gentle hug—I stepped away before he could.

His smile faltered for a second, then he signed without another word and handed it back.

“What’s gotten into you today? So well-behaved. Buy as many bags as you want.”

“I’m going to go keep Brielle company. Send the soup up once it’s ready, then get some sleep. Thanks, honey.”

94%.

I watched him head back upstairs, then sent the divorce agreement off to be notarized.

When I got confirmation it was done, the weight on my chest finally lifted.

6% to go, and I’d be free of this world forever.

Damian—let’s never see each other again.