Chapter 3From Love to Leverage

Killing him was out of the question.

This was a world with laws, and if Asher actually died, I wouldn't be getting away with it. But knowing his vindictive nature, just letting him go wasn’t an option either. He’d make my life a living hell.

An idea sparked in my mind. I dragged his unconscious body onto the bed and consulted with my new partner.

“001, can you hack Asher’s phone and get those guys to come back?”

001 sounded personally offended. 【Is that all you think I’m capable of?】

I was confused. “What’s wrong with that?”

【With my capabilities,】 001 declared haughtily, 【I could summon a hundred men.】

“Uh…?”

I politely declined its attempt to flex its muscles. The original thugs soon shuffled back into the room, their eyes wide with terror the moment they saw me. They instinctively tried to bolt.

I blocked their path. “Let me get the pictures I want, and I’ll double whatever he paid you.”

With a nod, I pointed toward Asher, who was still out cold on the bed.

The men exchanged nervous glances, but the allure of money won out in the end.

After leaving the hotel, I found Isabelle waiting outside, her beautifully manicured hands clenched into fists, her eyes blazing with fury.

“Why are you the only one who came out? Where’s Asher?”

A strange smile played on my lips. “Who knows? Maybe he’s… enjoying himself.”

Isabelle’s nails dug into her palms as she hissed a threat. “I’m warning you, Asher is mine. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll crawl out of our lives like the dog you are.”

I patted her shoulder with faux sympathy. “Oh, honey, it’s not just ‘your’ world.”

It’s a world for the seven of you.

“?”

Back at my apartment, the adrenaline finally wore off. I collapsed onto the sofa, completely drained, and struck up a conversation with 001.

“So, 001, I’ve been meaning to ask. Why did you choose to bind with me?”

001 seemed preoccupied with something, taking a moment to reply.

【My performance has been number one for years. It’s gotten boring. I’d never seen a Host as spectacularly bad as you, so I figured, why not? You were such an unprecedented failure, it was a professional curiosity. Even if it’s a dumpster fire, I have to see how it burns.】

“Excuse me?”

Are you even trying to be polite?

001 must have realized it had been a bit harsh, because it quickly added another comment.

【Honestly, you’re not that bad. You just got stuck with a defective system. 3412 was from the last batch of faulty units. It was just bad luck. It wasn’t your fault.】

I was so used to being berated and blamed by my old system that hearing those words…

It wasn’t your fault.

You’re not to blame.

My nose tingled, and I felt an overwhelming urge to give 001 a hug.

Too bad it didn’t have a physical form.

The sentimental moment passed quickly, and 001 was all business again.

【We can’t switch targets until the current one is dead, so I’m giving you two options. Option one: continue pursuing Asher. Option two: kill Asher and we pick someone new. Your choice.】

I hesitated. “There’s no way Asher will fall for me after I beat him half to death. But I don’t really want to be a murderer either…”

001 made the decision for me. 【Simple. We stick with him for now. You just do exactly what I tell you to do.】

At one in the morning, Asher slowly regained consciousness. He rubbed his aching neck and tried to sit up, but a flicker of movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He saw a woman sitting by his bed.

She wasn’t speaking, just quietly peeling a piece of fruit.

Hearing him stir, I turned my head, held up the fruit knife, and gave him a bright smile.

“Asher, do you love me?”

“?”

“A GHOST! AHHHHH!”