Chapter 4From Love to Leverage

I pressed the tip of the knife against his neck, a silent warning to shut up.

The cold steel did its job, and Asher fell silent, beads of sweat popping up on his forehead.

“Be… be careful. Don’t let it slip.”

I repeated my question. “Asher, do you love me?”

He gritted his teeth. “Isabelle is the only one in my heart. No matter how much you force me, I will never love you.”

I casually withdrew the knife and stuck it into a slice of apple.

“Fine. I’ll ask you again tomorrow.”

“…”

For the next few days, I made a habit of popping up in front of Asher at random times. I’d beat him up, then ask him if he loved me. If he didn't answer, I'd repeat the process.

“001, is this really going to work?” I asked one day.

【There is a ninety-nine percent chance of success.】

I lowered my eyes. “And the other one percent?”

【The other one percent is that you beat him to death.】

“…”

After nearly two weeks of this torment, Asher’s mental state was hanging on by a thread. The moment he tried to call the police for help, I conveniently presented him with the photos and videos from the hotel room.

That broke him. He fell to his knees, begging me to leave him alone.

“What did I ever do to you to deserve this hatred?”

I looked down at the tear-streaked face of the man who had once held my life in his hands. “If you didn’t like me,” I asked coolly, “why did you let me get close? You enjoyed everything I did for you, treated me like your personal servant, and then threw me away like trash.”

Don’t think I didn’t know. His signals had always been mixed. Every time I was about to give up, he’d toss me a scrap of affection, a breadcrumb of hope, just to keep me hooked. He got used to my devotion, all while telling his friends I was nothing more than a dog he could summon and dismiss at will.

If it weren’t for that useless old system holding me back, I would have killed him myself long ago.

Asher’s face went pale. He shut his eyes in resignation.

“If that’s what this is about… fine. I’ll do it. I’ll be your boyfriend. Is that good enough for you?”

I stared at him. “So, do you love me?”

“…”

“I guess you don’t love me enough,” I said thoughtfully. “See you tomorrow.”

“…”

I slipped out of Asher’s apartment through the window, oblivious to the venomous glare he shot at my back.

He muttered under his breath, “Evelyn… I’ll make sure you die.”

Then, he dialed a number.

“Isabelle, can you help me with something?”

Back at my place, I collapsed onto the bed, rubbing the ache in my temples.

“How can Asher be so stubborn? My arms are getting tired from beating him, and he still won’t just say he loves me.”

001’s voice was calm. 【If he won’t say it, it means you haven’t been cruel enough. Next time, break both his legs, lock him in the house, and starve him for a few days. If he says he likes you, he gets a sip of water. If he says he loves you, he gets food.】

The more I listened, the more I started to feel a little creeped out.

Just as I was about to ask where it learned these… techniques, my phone rang. It was Asher.

He was trying his best to hide the hatred in his voice, speaking in a soft, gentle tone. “Evelyn, you wanted to hear me say I love you, right? Come to the abandoned factory on the outskirts of town tomorrow. I have a surprise waiting for you there. You have to come. I’ll be waiting.”

Before I could even respond, he hung up.

A heavy silence fell between me and 001.

Me: “He must think I’m a complete idiot.”

The trap was so obvious, he wasn't even trying to hide it.

001: 【…He’s already been through so much. Just humor him.】