Ethan lay awake on the couch that night, staring at the ceiling. The discovery of the inheritance document gnawed at him. If Lila had married him just to secure her claim, what did that mean for their future? Was he just a convenient pawn in her plan?
The system's voice interrupted his spiraling thoughts:
"New task: Strengthen your bond with your wife. Reward: $800."
Ethan groaned softly. The tasks were getting harder to navigate. How was he supposed to "strengthen their bond" when their entire relationship seemed built on secrets and ulterior motives?
He sighed, deciding that the best course of action was honesty—or at least as much honesty as he could manage without violating the system's strange rules.
The next morning, Ethan approached Lila cautiously. She was seated at the dining table, as usual, her laptop open and a cup of tea steaming beside her.
"Morning," he said, sliding into the chair across from her.
"Morning," she replied without looking up, her fingers flying over the keyboard.
Ethan drummed his fingers on the table, searching for the right words. "Lila, can we talk?"
She glanced up, her brow furrowing slightly. "About what?"
"About us," Ethan said carefully.
Lila closed her laptop, leaning back in her chair. "Okay. What's on your mind?"
Ethan hesitated, then took a deep breath. "Why did you really marry me?"
Lila's expression didn't change, but her eyes sharpened. "What do you mean?"
"You barely know me," Ethan said, his voice soft but firm. "And yet, you dragged me to the courthouse like it was the most natural thing in the world. Why?"
Lila studied him for a long moment, her gaze unreadable. Finally, she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "Does it matter?"
"Yes, it matters," Ethan said, frustration creeping into his tone. "If this is supposed to be a real marriage, I deserve to know what I'm getting into."
Lila's lips pressed into a thin line. "Fine," she said, her voice colder than usual. "You want the truth? Here it is: I needed a husband. You were convenient."
The bluntness of her words hit Ethan like a punch to the gut. "Convenient?"
"Yes," she said, her tone unwavering. "You were there at the right time, in the right place. I didn't have the luxury of waiting for someone else."
Ethan stared at her, a mix of anger and disbelief bubbling inside him. "So that's it? I'm just… a tool to you?"
Lila sighed, rubbing her temples. "It's not that simple, Ethan."
"Then explain it to me," he said, his voice rising slightly.
She hesitated, her guard visibly cracking for the first time. "There are… conditions tied to my family's estate," she admitted. "Conditions that require me to be married. If I don't meet them, everything my mother worked for will go to waste."
Ethan sat back, processing her words. "So this is about money?"
"It's about more than that," Lila snapped, her composure slipping. "It's about preserving something that matters. Something she cared about. You don't understand what it's like to have that kind of responsibility."
Ethan's jaw tightened. "You're right, I don't. But I do understand what it's like to feel used."
Lila flinched, her gaze dropping to the table. For a moment, neither of them spoke.
"I didn't mean to hurt you," she said quietly. "I just… didn't know what else to do."
Ethan ran a hand through his hair, his emotions a whirlwind of confusion, frustration, and something else—sympathy. As much as he hated being manipulated, he couldn't ignore the vulnerability in her voice.
"Why didn't you just tell me?" he asked finally.
"Would you have agreed?" Lila countered, meeting his eyes.
Ethan opened his mouth to respond, then closed it. She had a point.
The rest of the day passed in a tense silence. Lila returned to her laptop, and Ethan busied himself with small tasks around the apartment, his mind racing.
That evening, as they sat down to another quiet dinner, Lila spoke up.
"I know I've put you in a difficult position," she said, her tone uncharacteristically soft. "And I don't expect you to forgive me. But I meant what I said yesterday—sometimes, you have to jump in and figure things out as you go."
Ethan looked at her, surprised by the sincerity in her voice. "Is that what you're doing? Figuring things out?"
Lila nodded. "I don't have all the answers, Ethan. But I do know one thing: I need your help. And I'll do whatever it takes to make this work—for both of us."
Her words hung in the air, and for the first time, Ethan saw a glimmer of hope. Maybe this marriage wasn't entirely a sham. Maybe, just maybe, they could turn it into something real.
The system's voice chimed in his mind:
"Task completed: Strengthen your bond with your wife. Reward: $800 has been deposited into your bank account."
Ethan's phone buzzed, but he barely noticed. For once, the reward didn't feel as important as the progress they'd made.
As they cleared the table together, Ethan glanced at Lila, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"Alright," he said. "Let's figure this out—together."
Lila looked at him, her eyes softening. "Together," she agreed.