Chapter 3Erasing the Substitute: A Script Unwritten

I turned around and dumped the cake and the toy straight into the trash can.

Then, I pushed the door open and walked in.

"I agree to the divorce."

I looked at Leo, my emotions a tangled mess. "Leo... Mommy didn't know you liked Auntie Chloe so much. I also didn't know... that you hated being my son so much."

"Making you suffer the plot penalties with me... that was Mommy's fault."

A flash of embarrassed anger crossed Leo's small face. He had been caught.

He didn't know how to lie yet, nor how to hide his true feelings.

He just stuck his neck out and accused me: "Mommy was eavesdropping! Bad Mommy! This is exactly why I don't like you! You're bad!"

Even though I was mentally prepared.

Hearing the child I carried for nine months say he hated me with his own mouth...

It still made my nose sting.

Arthur looked surprised, but he didn't stop Leo.

He seemed to gather his thoughts, finally just nodding. "Fine. Sorry for keeping it from you for so long."

"I'll have my lawyer send you the divorce agreement. Whatever you want as compensation, just name it."

"Let's get this over with quickly... I owe Chloe too much. I can't wait to make it up to her anymore."

Leo huffed and yelled, "Me too! Auntie Chloe is so nice, but Mommy was so unreasonable and chased her away! I don't want a mommy like this!"

My heart turned completely to ash.

A few years ago, Chloe had tried to harm Leo several times.

Even if the plot hadn't dictated it, I would have found a way to get rid of her for Leo's sake.

I thought I had succeeded.

But looking at them now.

I had been played.

"WARNING—"

"Abnormality detected in the plot's conclusion! Severe character deviation!"

The System's alarm and a piercing siren exploded in my head.

"Host, please repair the plot within seven days, or the scenario will be forcibly terminated!"

I clutched my head in agony.

Wasn't the plot over?

"System, what is going on?" I asked frantically.

"...Apologies, Host. It seems we were both deceived."

"Plot monitoring is conducted solely from the Host's perspective, and characters actively deceiving the System is unprecedented... This was an oversight on our part."

The System's mechanical voice hummed slowly.

"However, since this System also failed to detect the character anomaly, we will bear a portion of the responsibility."

"Even if the plot repair fails within seven days, your points will still be awarded."

A wave of relief washed over me.

When I snapped back to reality, Arthur and Leo were staring at me nervously.

They knew that whenever I spaced out like that, I was communicating with the System.

"Is the System back? What's going on? Didn't you say the plot was over?" Arthur's tone was laced with anxiety. "It's not going to punish Leo or Chloe, is it?"

Leo covered his mouth, his big eyes darting around. "I-I take back what I just said!"

I waited a moment.

Seeing that neither father nor son had any intention of showing concern for me, I suddenly laughed.

"No, it won't," I said, a bitter smile on my lips. "Also, Leo, happy birthday."

"Your birthday present is your freedom."

I immediately abandoned any thought of repairing the plot.

I just had to wait out the seven days for the failure, and then I would be forcibly extracted.