The Supreme Life System

Chapter 1

Micheal Jordan sat outside the ICU. Elbows on his knees. Just staring at those closed doors. His little sister was in there. Doctors doing everything they could. She was all the family he had left. Losing her… no. He couldn’t let that happen.

Doors opened. Doctor came out looking serious.

“Are you Micheal Jordan?”

“Yes. How is she?”

Doctor hesitated. “Critical. She needs treatment right away. Hospital wants a hundred thousand before they start.”

Micheal just stared. “A hundred thousand?”

“Yes. We can’t wait.”

Doctor gave him that pity look and walked off. Left Micheal standing there with nothing. A hundred thousand dollars. He didn’t have it. No savings. No real job. Only reason he had a roof was because he was the live-in son-in-law of the rich Ben family.

He pulled out his phone. Called his wife.

Rang a few times. Elizabeth finally picked up.

“What do you want?” Cold as ice.

“Elizabeth… I need help. My sister’s in the ICU. Doctor says she needs a hundred thousand for emergency treatment.”

Silence.

Micheal waited. Then, “I know we don’t get along. This isn’t about me. She’s dying. I don’t have anyone else.”

Her tone didn’t change. “Come home.”

Call ended.

Micheal didn’t waste time. Headed straight for the Ben estate. Hoping once she heard how bad it was she’d at least help.

Three years back his life flipped. Saved some old man from getting jumped on the street. Old man turned out to be Thomas Ben. Head of the whole Ben family. Thomas was grateful. Brought Micheal in. Arranged the marriage to his granddaughter Elizabeth.

At first Micheal thought he’d finally found a real family. Then Thomas died. Everything changed. Bens stopped treating him with any respect. Elizabeth got colder. To them he was just some useless guy who married into money and brought nothing.

Walked into the mansion. Heard voices from the sitting room. Elizabeth’s. And another that made his stomach tighten. Stepped closer. Stopped in the doorway.

Elizabeth on the sofa in a silk robe. Mark — her old boyfriend — right next to her. Arm casually behind her. They looked way too comfortable.

Micheal’s face tightened. Forced it down. He was here for his sister. Not to fight about the marriage.

Elizabeth noticed him. Slowly lifted her wine glass.

“He’s here again.” Voice full of irritation.

Mark glanced over. Smiled like he’d only just noticed. “I suppose I should make myself scarce.”

Elizabeth didn’t even look at him. “Stay.”

Mark leaned back. Hand still on her thigh.

Micheal’s eyes flicked to that hand. Half a second. Then away. He’d seen enough. Tonight wasn’t the night.

“Elizabeth. I need a favor.”

She took a sip. “That’s a new way of putting it.”

Ignored the dig. “My sister got admitted today. Condition got worse. Doctors won’t start until they get the money.”

“How much?”

“A hundred thousand.”

Elizabeth turned the glass in her hand. “And you came here thinking I just have a hundred thousand sitting around for you?”

“I came because you’re my wife.”

Mark gave a short laugh.

Micheal looked at him. “Something funny?”

“Nothing. Just didn’t know you still thought of yourself as her husband.”

Elizabeth kept her eyes on Micheal. “How soon do you need it?”

“Right now.”

“And what are you offering in return?”

“I’ll pay it back.”

“With what?”

Micheal didn’t answer right away. They both knew there was no good answer.

Elizabeth set the glass down. “You don’t have a job. Account’s basically empty. Lived off this family three years. Even if I handed you the money today, what makes you think you’d ever pay it back?”

Micheal’s hands clenched. Tried to keep his voice steady. “I’m not asking for me. Asking for my sister. She raised me after our parents died. Worked herself to the bone just to keep us going. Now she’s in the ICU because her body’s giving out. I don’t have anyone else.”

Elizabeth looked unimpressed. “And that somehow makes her my problem?”

“I thought you’d at least get that I can’t just ignore this. Doctors need the money before they can do anything. I don’t have it.”

“You came to the wrong person.”

Micheal stared at her. Trying to understand how she could brush it off so easy. “I’m not asking you to give it. Lend it. I’ll find a way to pay every dollar back.”

She picked up the glass again. Slow sip. “With what? Lived in this house three years and still haven’t built anything of your own. Now you want my family to put up another hundred thousand because you suddenly have a problem?”

“My sister’s life isn’t a problem.”

Mark, who’d been listening, smiled and leaned back. “I think you’ve got it wrong, Micheal. Elizabeth isn’t saying no because she can’t afford it. She’s saying no because she doesn’t want to spend that kind of money on you.”

Micheal turned on him. “I wasn’t talking to you.”

Mark shrugged. “Then don’t have the conversation right in front of me.”

Elizabeth put the glass down hard. “Enough. Micheal, I’m not giving you the money. Keep asking if you want. Answer isn’t changing.”

Micheal looked at her a long second. Then nodded. “Fine. At least I know where you stand.”

Elizabeth reached for a thin folder. Set it on the table. “Since we’re talking about where we stand… something else.”

Micheal looked at the folder. Didn’t touch it.

“What is that?”

“Your divorce papers.”

He stared.

She pushed it closer. “I’ve already signed. Want you to sign yours tonight.”

Micheal’s face hardened. “Tonight?”

“Yes. No point dragging it out. Once you sign, pack your things and leave.”

Looked around the big house. Then back at her. “Leave?”

“You heard me. Room cleared by tomorrow morning.”

Micheal let out a quiet laugh. No humor in it. “So after three years I get one night?”

Elizabeth’s voice stayed calm. “You knew this marriage was over a long time ago. I’m just making it official.”

Micheal looked down at the papers. Didn’t open them. His sister fighting for her life. And the woman who’d been his wife three years telling him he no longer had a place in the only home he’d known.

Picked up the folder slowly.

“I’ll sign them.”

Elizabeth looked satisfied. “Good. Be gone by tomorrow.”

Micheal held the papers at his side. Looked at her one last time. “Don’t worry. You won’t have to tell me twice.”

Turned toward the stairs. Before he could take another step her phone rang. She answered without even glancing at him.

“Yes, I’ve decided. Keep the main hall. Everything ready before the guests get here tonight. No last-minute changes.”

Micheal stopped on the stairs. Listening in spite of himself.

“Decorations need to match the gold and midnight-blue theme. Champagne tower done properly. Don’t want the cheaper setup we talked about earlier.”

Mark’s face lit up.

Elizabeth glanced at him while still talking. “Yes I’m serious. It’s Mark’s birthday. Want everything perfect.”

Micheal slowly turned around.

She didn’t notice him watching. “How much is the final cost?”

Short pause.

“Three hundred thousand? That’s fine. Send the invoice. I’ll handle it tonight. Don’t care what it costs. Want him to remember this birthday.”

Micheal stood halfway up the stairs. Staring.

Three hundred thousand dollars.

Minutes ago he’d stood in front of this same woman begging for a hundred thousand to save his sister. She’d refused without blinking. Handed him divorce papers. Told him to get out by morning. Yet she was ready to drop three times that on a birthday party for Mark.

Looked at Mark. Smiling while Elizabeth made the arrangements. Same man who’d once walked away from her. And she was willing to spend a fortune to make him happy while Micheal’s sister lay in an ICU waiting for treatment that might never come.

Micheal turned away. Went upstairs without another word. He’d come here thinking his wife might be the one person who could help. Now he knew he’d been wrong.

Walked out through the gate of the Ben estate. Just kept moving down the street. No real destination. Divorce papers still in his hand. Sister still in the hospital. For a moment everything felt far away. Mind kept circling back to Elizabeth. The three years they’d been married.

He’d really loved her at the start. Spent years trying to make it work. Hoping one day she’d stop treating him like an outsider and actually accept him as her husband. Never asked for much. Not even when she refused to share a room with him. Or made it clear she didn’t want him getting too close.

Three years of marriage. Elizabeth never let him sleep with her. Not once. Never been intimate. Micheal had respected that. Thought if he just gave her enough time she might come around.

Now walking away from the house. Couldn’t help wondering what any of those three years had been for.

Went into the marriage with a wife. Leaving it without ever really being a husband.

Bitter smile tugged at his mouth. “So I’m actually going to leave this marriage a virgin.”

Thought might’ve been funny under different circumstances. Tonight he couldn’t even manage a real laugh. Wife threw him out. Sister’s life hanging by a thread. No idea where the money was going to come from.

Kept walking. Not really watching the road. Until a sudden shout cut through.

“Watch out!”

Micheal turned. Car speeding straight at him. Driver looked like he’d lost control. Not enough space to get clear.

Tried to step back. Too late.

Split second he thought of his sister. Whether he’d ever get the chance to save her. Then another thought hit him. Even now it felt almost ridiculous.

“If I’m really going to die here… at least I’ll have one regret.”

Looked at the car coming at him.

“I never even got to sleep with my own wife.”

No time left.

Car slammed into him hard. Hit the ground. Everything went black.