Chapter 2The Heart You Stole Is Dead

Midnight. Outside the window, fireworks erupted, casting flickering shadows across the sterile walls of my room.

Evie’s Instagram updated.

“He told me he was hurting, so I wanted to bring a little light into his world. 99 fireworks for the man who deserves the moon.”

The photo showed Jasper sitting up in a VIP hospital bed, the sky behind him exploding in gold and violet. The shot was intimate. He was looking at the camera, a smirk playing on his lips.

The comments from her inner circle—the people who had always looked down on me—were already rolling in.

"Jasper is so lucky. Evie, you're the best."

"Finally, the power couple is back together!"

"Matches made in heaven. So happy for you two!"

My hand shook as I scrolled. My finger slipped, accidentally hitting the 'like' button. I panicked, trying to undo it, but the post vanished instantly.

A second later, a text from Evie popped up.

“Adrian, why are you still up? That post was just PR to keep Jasper’s investors happy. Don't overthink it. And don't be jealous.”

I stared at the screen, my thumb hovering over the keyboard. I didn't know what to say.

Then, another message arrived. Not from Evie. From Jasper.

It was a screenshot of Evie's private story—the one I was blocked from seeing. It was a montage of them. Candid photos, wine nights, them laughing in the back of a limo.

Jasper: “Know your place, Adrian. Stop clinging to a woman who doesn't belong to you.”

Jasper: “She’s the one asking me to marry her now. Just thought you should know.”

My vision blurred. A dull roar filled my ears.

Whenever Evie talked about Jasper to me, it was always with "hatred." They had been the "it" couple in college, engaged and everything. Then her family went bankrupt. Jasper hadn't just left; he’d run. He found a wealthy heiress and dumped Evie with a two-hundred-dollar check and a slap to the face.

"You're a charity case now, Evie. Don't call me again. You're beneath me."

On the day of our engagement, Jasper had sent a cake. Evie had smashed it on the floor, her face twisted in disgust.

And yet, here she was. Deleting posts the second I saw them, curating a private world for him while keeping me in a box.

The "hatred" was just a cover for the fact that she could never let him go.

I felt the last of my strength drain away. I went to my profile and changed my avatar—a photo of us together—to a blank white square.

I looked at the date. Five days left.

The fireworks were still going off outside. They sounded like gunshots.

Being sick is a slow, heavy process, but the time seemed to bleed away. Evie didn't come back. Jasper, however, made sure I was kept in the loop. Every two hours, he sent a new update of their "domestic bliss."

He sent a photo of their living room. A massive, blown-up portrait of their "wedding shoot" was already hanging on the wall.

When we got engaged, I’d suggested taking photos. I’d spent weeks researching studios.

Evie had just rolled her eyes. "I hate stuff like that, Adrian. It’s performative. It’s meaningless."

Apparently, it wasn't meaningless when it was Jasper.

With one day left on my clock, Evie finally showed up. She looked exhausted but moved with a cold, relentless authority.

"Tomorrow," she said, not looking at me. "You’re coming to my wedding."

I didn't need the System to tell me there was no love left in her voice. Just a command.

"I don't want to go."

She bit her lip, that familiar flash of annoyance crossing her features. "Jasper wants you there. You have to come. You told me once you’d do anything for my happiness, didn't you?"

I looked at her, truly looking at her, wondering how I’d ever seen a soul in those eyes. She claimed this was all revenge, but I was the only one being punished.

A violent coughing fit seized me. Blood flecked my chin.

She didn't move. She didn't even flinch. She just glanced at her watch.

"The doctor says you're stable enough. Stop the drama, Adrian. I'll have a car pick you up tomorrow."

She left, and the silence of the room felt like a tomb.

“System. Can I choose the exact moment?”

The voice was flat. “Yes.”

"Good." I closed my eyes, a strange sense of peace settling over me.

The next day, I was escorted to the venue. The decorations were breathtaking—and hauntingly familiar. It was the exact design I had put together for our wedding, three years ago.

Jasper appeared behind me, his voice dripping with smug triumph.

"I found these plans in a box of your stuff when we were clearing out the villa. I thought they were decent, so I used them. You should be flattered."

I turned to look at him. He was wearing a suit that cost more than my first car. He leaned in, whispering so only I could hear.

"See? The moment I came back, she came crawling. She doesn't care about you, you pathetic lapdog."

I felt a surge of revulsion and stepped back. He took the opportunity to throw himself backward, collapsing onto the floor with an exaggerated cry.

"Adrian! I know you hate me, but you can't just push me!"

My eyes widened. Before I could speak, Evie charged out from the wings, shoving me aside so hard I hit the wall. She knelt by Jasper, her voice frantic. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Then she turned to me. Her eyes were like shards of ice. "How dare you? Who gave you the right to touch my husband?"

Jasper clutched his chest, shooting me a wink from behind her shoulder.

I looked down at my shaking hands. "I didn't push him."

"Jasper wouldn't lie about that," Evie said, her voice thick with disappointment. "I didn't realize you were this pathetic. Sit down and stay quiet for the ceremony. Don't make me regret bringing you."

She led him away. I was forced into the front row by her security team. I could feel the eyes of her friends on me—pity, mockery, amusement.

The ceremony was a blur of expensive flowers and hollow vows. Then came the toasts. Jasper took the mic, looking every bit the victor.

"I want to thank one person specifically," he said, looking directly at me. "Adrian. Thank you for taking such good care of Evie while I was gone. You kept her warm for me. I’d love for you to come up here and share in our joy. Tell everyone how happy you are for us."

The guests cheered. Evie looked at me, her expression dead. "Get up there, Adrian. You heard him."

I stood up. My legs felt like lead. As I walked toward the stage, I spoke to the voice in my head.

“System. Now. Let me go.”

“Initiating self-destruct sequence. Countdown: 5... 4...”

I reached the stage and took the microphone. I smiled. It was the first real smile I’d had in years.

"3..."

The room went silent. I couldn't hear the crowd anymore. I could only hear Evie and Jasper whispering to each other a few feet away.

"Look at him, Evie," Jasper snickered. "He looks like a stray dog waiting for a scrap."

"He is," she whispered back.

"2..."

"Do you still love him? Even a little?" Jasper asked.

"No," she said, her voice clear and cold. "I never did. He was a foster kid with a savior complex. I used him. That’s all."

"1..."

I looked her in the eye. "Evie," I said, my voice steady through the speakers. "I hope you get exactly what you deserve. And I hope we never meet again—not in this life, or any other."

“Mission failed. Host deceased.”

A torrent of blood erupted from my mouth, splashing across her white designer gown. I saw the flash of pure, unadulterated horror in her eyes as my knees gave out.

The world screamed, and then, finally, there was nothing.