2026-07-31 06:38:55The loud buzz of Ethan Cole’s alarm pulled him out of his sleep.
5:00 a.m.
He reached for his phone and turned it off before it could ring again. His room was small and old. The ceiling had water stains, and the fan above his bed made a loud creaking sound every time it turned.
He sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes.
Another day.
Another sixteen hours of delivering food.
Another day of chasing money that was never enough.
His phone vibrated.
Loan Payment Due Today.
Ethan looked at the message for a few seconds before locking the screen.
“I’ll pay it somehow.”
He had been saying those same words for almost a year.
After washing his face, he put on his faded delivery uniform. The shirt had been washed so many times that its color had almost disappeared. His shoes were worn out, but buying a new pair wasn’t an option.
Every dollar mattered.
He picked up his helmet and walked outside.
The morning air was cold.
People were already rushing to work while he climbed onto his old delivery bike.
It took three tries before the engine finally started.
“Come on… don’t fail me today.”
The bike coughed before moving forward.
…
By ten o’clock, Ethan had already completed twelve deliveries.
His stomach growled.
He hadn’t eaten breakfast.
He stopped outside a convenience store and checked his wallet.
Twelve dollars.
He needed to make that money last until payday.
After thinking for a moment, he bought a bottle of water instead.
“That’s enough.”
As he was about to leave, his phone rang.
The screen lit up with a familiar name.
Chloe ❤️
A tired smile appeared on his face.
“Hey, babe.”
“Are you busy?” Chloe asked sweetly.
“Just working.”
“I saw a handbag online.”
“It looks so beautiful.”
Ethan already knew where the conversation was going.
“How much is it?”
“Oh, it’s not expensive.”
“Only one thousand eight hundred dollars.”
Ethan almost dropped the bottle in his hand.
“Eighteen hundred?”
“Yeah.”
“You’ll buy it for me, right?”
He forced a smile.
“I… I’ll try.”
“I knew you would.”
“You love me.”
“Of course.”
“You’re the best.”
She hung up without asking if he had eaten or how work was going.
Ethan stared at the black screen for a long time.
Then he smiled bitterly.
“I’ll find a way.”
He always did.
…
The rest of the day passed quickly.
Some customers ignored him.
Some shouted because their food arrived two minutes late.
One man even threw a drink at him because the fries weren’t hot enough.
“I’m sorry, sir.”
“Sorry?”
“You think sorry fixes everything?”
The customer slammed the door in his face.
Ethan quietly cleaned the soda from his uniform.
He didn’t complain.
He couldn’t afford to lose his job.
By evening, his legs felt like they were made of stone.
He had completed forty-six deliveries.
His phone buzzed again.
This time, it was a message from the jewelry store.
Your order is ready for pickup.
A genuine smile appeared on his face.
He had almost forgotten.
Today was their third anniversary.
He had spent six months saving for a ring.
It wasn’t big.
It wasn’t expensive.
But it was all he could afford.
He rode straight to the jewelry store.
The elderly owner recognized him immediately.
“Young man, you’re finally here.”
Ethan smiled.
“I’ve been looking forward to today.”
The old man handed him a small black box.
“I gave you a small discount.”
“I know you’ve worked hard for this.”
Ethan looked at the ring inside.
A simple silver band with a small diamond.
To many people, it wasn’t much.
To Ethan…
It was everything.
He carefully placed it inside his backpack.
“Thank you.”
“I hope she says yes.”
The old man smiled warmly.
“I hope so too.”
…
As Ethan walked outside, his phone rang again.
It was Chloe.
“Where are you?”
“I’m on my way.”
“Ryan invited some friends to Skyline Restaurant.”
“You should come.”
Ethan frowned.
“Ryan?”
“Yeah.”
“You’ve heard me mention him before.”
“He’s just a friend.”
Ethan didn’t like Ryan.
He had met him twice.
Both times, Ryan acted like Ethan didn’t exist.
Still…
He trusted Chloe.
“I’ll be there.”
“Good.”
“And Ethan…”
“Yes?”
“Don’t embarrass me.”
The call ended.
Ethan stood there quietly.
Those three words stayed in his mind.
Don’t embarrass me.
He looked down at his delivery uniform.
It was stained from a whole day’s work.
He wanted to go home and change.
But Chloe hated waiting.
“I’ll go like this.”
“She won’t mind.”
After all…
She loved him.
Didn’t she?
…
Half an hour later, Ethan arrived at Skyline Restaurant.
Luxury cars filled the parking lot.
Men in expensive suits walked through the entrance.
Women wore elegant dresses and sparkling jewelry.
Ethan suddenly felt out of place.
He looked at his worn shoes.
Then at the ring inside his backpack.
He smiled.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“I’m here for Chloe.”
He walked inside.
Several people turned to look at him.
Some frowned at his uniform.
A waiter approached him.
“Can I help you?”
“I’m looking for Chloe Harris.”
The waiter checked a tablet.
“Private Room 307.”
“Third floor.”
“Thank you.”
Ethan took a deep breath and climbed the stairs.
With every step, his heart beat faster.
Tonight…
He would ask the woman he loved to marry him.
He imagined her smiling.
He imagined putting the ring on her finger.
He imagined the small house they would one day buy together.
He imagined a future.
A happy one.
When he reached Room 307, the door wasn’t fully closed.
Laughter came from inside.
Then he heard a man’s voice.
“A delivery rider?”
“You’ve got terrible taste, Chloe.”
Everyone laughed.
Then…
Chloe laughed too.
“Oh, don’t worry.”
“It won’t be for much longer.”
Ethan stopped walking.
His smile slowly disappeared.
His hand tightened around the ring box inside his backpack.
A strange feeling rose in his chest.
He stepped closer to the door.
Ryan’s voice sounded again.
“So…”
“When are you dumping him?”
Chloe laughed without hesitation.
“Tonight.”
Ethan’s heart skipped a beat.
He stood frozen outside the room.
His fingers slowly reached for the door handle.
He pushed it open…
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Chapter 146: The Woman Who Was Never Sophia
The blade pointed at Ethan’s throat.He did not move.The woman sitting across the table watched him with eyes that held centuries of anger, though she looked no older than twenty-five.“Tell me,” she repeated. “Why did you steal my name?”Ethan glanced at the system message still floating above the table.[FOUNDATIONAL VICTIM: IDENTIFIED.][NAME: SOPHIA.][STATUS: DECEASED BEFORE FIRST CREATION.][CAUSE OF DEATH: UNKNOWN.]The woman followed his gaze.“That thing has always been a liar.”“Then tell me your name.”She laughed bitterly.“You still think a name is something you can demand.”“No. I think it’s something you have the right to give me.”The blade stopped moving.For the first time, uncertainty crossed her face.Ethan continued carefully.“I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what happened between us. And I won’t pretend I remember something I don’t. But if you believe I took your name, I need to understand why.”She studied him.“Do you remember the first woman you loved?
Chapter 145: The Million Lives He Could Not Remember
The screams did not stop.They came from every direction, pouring through the doors that had appeared across the white space. Some were filled with rage. Others carried the terror of people who had waited too long for someone to remember them.And some were silent.Those were the worst.Ethan stood motionless as millions of faces stared at him.He recognized none of them.Yet every time he looked into someone’s eyes, something inside him recoiled as if it remembered being responsible for their pain.The boy lay at his feet.The silver blade had shattered, leaving a dark wound in his chest. Blood spread beneath him, but the wound did not close.Ethan dropped beside him.“Stay with me.”The boy looked up at him.“You’re doing it again.”Ethan froze.“What?”“You’re looking at me like saving me will make everything else disappear.”Ethan glanced at the doors.The faces behind them were still screaming.“I won’t let you die.”The boy closed his eyes.“That’s what you said before.”Ethan s
Chapter 144: The Boy Who Died Before Creation
Ethan couldn’t breathe.The boy kneeling in the white space had his face.Not a resemblance. Not another version of him created by the machine. Not an alternate possibility that had taken a different path.It was Ethan.The same eyes. The same mouth. The same small scar beneath the left eyebrow that had appeared after his reconstruction. Even the way the boy held his shoulders, as if preparing for a blow he knew was coming, was painfully familiar.But the boy was younger.And there was a blade buried in his chest.Ethan stared at the blood spreading across the white floor.“No.”The boy looked at him.“You said that before.”Ethan took a step forward.“No, I didn’t.”“You did.”The boy’s voice was weak, but there was no confusion in it.“You said you weren’t going to let me die.”Ethan stopped.Behind the boy, the original First Choice stood silently, watching them with an expression that was almost satisfied.Noah struggled to move toward Ethan.“Don’t listen to him,” he said.The si
Chapter 143: The Choice That Should Never Have Existed
Noah screamed.Ethan had heard people scream in pain. He had heard them scream in fear, in anger, and in the final moments before death.This was different.Noah’s scream came from somewhere deeper than the body. It tore through the white space beyond the beginning and reached every reality connected to the original agreement.For one terrible moment, every world went silent.Then the doors in the Hall of Unchosen Lives began slamming shut.One after another.Thousands became hundreds. Hundreds became dozens. Behind each closing door, a possibility lost its connection to the world that had allowed it to exist.Ethan stood before the silver door, his hand still pressed against its surface.“Noah!”He struck the door with his fist.“Open!”The door did not move.A system message appeared before him.[COMPLETE AUTHORITY RESTORATION: 100%.][THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACTIVATED.][FOUNDATIONAL AUTHORITY: FIRST CHOICE.][ENDING AUTHORITY: FIRST ENDING.][WITNESS AUTHORITY: UNRECOGNI
Chapter 142: The First Sin Was Mine
For several seconds, Ethan forgot how to breathe.The child stood beside the little girl, holding her hand as though they had known each other for years. His face was identical to Ethan’s, but his eyes carried a sadness that did not belong to any child.He pointed at Ethan.“The first betrayal was committed by someone who wanted to make sure you could never choose freely.”Then he said the words that shattered the silence.“That person was you.”Ethan stared at him.“No.”The child did not look away.“You don’t remember.”“I remember the first choice. I remember the white room. I remember leaving the girl behind.”“Those are the memories you were allowed to keep.”The child’s voice was quiet.“But you don’t remember what happened before the white room existed.”Caelum stepped forward.“Who are you?”The child turned toward him.“You know who I am.”Caelum’s face went pale.“No. You were destroyed before the First World began.”“That’s what you were told.”“I watched Sophia end your ex
Chapter 141: The Woman Who Taught Death to Choose
Ethan could not move.The woman stood at the end of the corridor with one hand resting on the little girl’s shoulder. Her face was calm, almost gentle, but the words she had spoken continued to echo in his mind.I am the reason you were never supposed to become human.Behind Ethan, the stranger who had called her Mother remained motionless.The little girl clutched her drawing against her chest.Nobody spoke.Then Ethan took a careful step forward.“What do you mean?”The woman studied him.“You have spent your entire existence trying to understand what you are. You have searched through memories, questioned authorities, and challenged every rule that threatened someone you wanted to protect.”She paused.“But you have never asked the most important question.”Ethan’s voice was tight.“Which is?”“Why did you need to become human in the first place?”He stared at her.“I was created to experience a life.”“By whom?”“Adam.”“Adam created the conditions that allowed your existence. He
You may also like
Secretly The Quadrillionaire's Heir
Viki West125.8K viewsIncredible Oliver Storm
Dragon Sly108.3K viewsFrom Trash Bag to Cash Bag
Zuxian127.3K viewsWISH TO BE RICH
South Ashan81.1K viewsThe Founder Who Ruled A Country
Veyron16 viewsFrom Doormat to Doomsday Billionaire!
Rholle Petz267 viewsThe Overnight Billionaire's Revenge
A.S ASHEBA51 viewsThe Drowned King Returns
Gracy159 views