Chapter 1My husband Jax drops off an AI robot at our place.
That same night, he flies out and disappears.
Even when I miscarry and nearly bleed out, calling him three hundred times—nothing.
I can't wrap my head around why he just left, whether he's even alive.
Get so desperate I almost throw myself off the roof.
Only the AI robot grabs me, begging over and over:
"Vesper, just hang on a little longer. He'll be back soon."
Clinging to that promise, I barely make it through severe depression for six whole months.
Until I go back to the hospital for a follow-up.
That's when I see him—Jax, with my best friend.
Quinn stands there with her pregnant belly, laughing:
"You've been faking this whole disappearing act for half a year just to stay with me. Aren't you worried something might happen to Vesper?"
Jax steadies her. Smiles:
"She'll be fine. The AI's programmed with data from when I was eighteen."
"Back then, I would've died protecting her. So nothing bad's gonna happen."
My hands shake so bad I don't know what to do.
Then the AI, always so quiet, suddenly speaks up.
For the first time, it goes against its own programming.
"Vesper, stop waiting... Leave him."
Jax forgot—when he was eighteen, he couldn't stand seeing me hurt, not even a little.
...
I froze.
Meanwhile, outside the OB office, they were still joking around.
"So does the AI robot you got her have sex function?"
Quinn playfully smacked his arm, all flirty.
"I want an eighteen-year-old version of you too. Bet the stamina's way better~"
Jax tapped her nose affectionately.
"Of course not."
"But seriously, your appetite's crazy. Six months of me, day and night, and you're still not satisfied?
"Be good. You're due any day now."
As Quinn listened, she happened to glance my way.
The second I saw her looking, I grabbed the robot and bolted, practically running out of the hospital.
Sitting on the steps outside, I forced myself to take deep breaths.
So Jax never actually disappeared.
He just left the robot with me while he stayed by Quinn's side.
My phone buzzed.
I looked down—Quinn had posted again on Instagram.
[Boyfriend came with me to my checkup. He's more nervous than I am.]
I hesitated, then clicked through to her profile with trembling hands.
Scrolling down, matching up the timeline.
Six months ago.
The night Jax left without a word, I cried until sunrise.
That same night, Quinn posted a picture of an empty box of condoms on her nightstand:
[Three months pregnant, and my boyfriend finally came to stay with me!]
[Went at it all night. Told him to be careful with the baby, but he wouldn't listen.]
Three months ago.
When I miscarried, that's when I found out I'd even been pregnant.
That night, when they handed me a critical condition notice.
I called Jax three hundred times. Not one answer.
And Quinn posted:
[He says we can't cheap out on baby stuff, insists on picking everything himself.]
The picture showed a trunk stuffed with cribs, bottles, tiny clothes.
I smiled bitterly and kept scrolling, numb.
Turns out, all those nights over the past six months when my depression hit hard and I wanted to die—
Her feed was full of traces of Jax.
[He says restaurant food isn't healthy enough, has to make it for me himself.]
[Belly's too big to bend over, so he kneels down to put my socks on.]
[Threw up on my nightgown, he got up in the middle of the night to wash it.]
And under every single post, I'd left a like.
Even though Quinn never once let me meet this "boyfriend" of hers.
Just then, a message from Quinn popped up.
[Vesper, are you at the hospital? I think I just saw you.]
I locked my screen and headed home.
On the way, I opened the pinned chat.
Wall-to-wall messages I'd sent over the past six months.
[Jax, I can't find you. Where are you?]
[I'm sick. Can you please come home and see me?]
[Did I do something wrong? Is that why you left?]
A whole screen—just me talking to myself.
Finally, I slowly typed out a few words.
[Jax, let's get a divorce.]
Chapter 2
By the time I got home, it was late.
The quiet house suddenly rang with a notification sound.
"Important incoming call detected. Answer?"
The AI robot—Reid—flashed a blue light in its eyes.
I flinched and looked at my phone.
[Jax Calling.]
After six months, thousands of missed calls, and countless ignored messages...
He was finally reaching out. A video call.
I hesitated, then answered.
Jax's face appeared on screen.
The second he saw me, panic flickered across his expression before he could hide it.
"Vesper, we're fine. Why are you suddenly talking about divorce?"
I gave a bitter smile.
So all it took was me asking for a divorce, and he'd show up.
Six months of begging, humiliating myself—none of it mattered as much as that one word.
"Where are you?"
Jax paused before answering quietly:
"Still overseas."
He pressed his fingers to his temple like he was exhausted.
"Vesper, I'm sorry. I know you've been waiting alone this whole time."
"Six months ago I got pulled into a locked-down project. They took everyone's personal phones."
"Just got access back today, saw your message, and called you right away."
His explanation was full of holes.
I fought to stay calm.
"When are you coming back?"
Jax's tone was vague.
"Soon. Just wrapping up some loose ends. I'll fly back the second I'm done."
His so-called "loose ends" probably meant sitting with Quinn in the delivery room, then getting her and the baby settled.
I looked down, not wanting to see his face anymore.
"Fine. You're busy."
He caught my coldness and softened his voice even more.
"Babe, wait for me to come home."
"I promise I'll never just leave you like this again."
He was about to say more when a woman's voice came through on his end:
"Jax, come to bed already..."
Jax's expression immediately turned panicked.
"Vesper, I've got something urgent to handle. Let Reid keep you company. Get some rest. Gotta go."
He cut the call in a rush.
I sat on the couch, staring at the black screen in my hand, frozen for a long time.
Not long after, I got a message.
Still the first one he'd sent on his own in six months.
[Vesper, three days max. I'll be home.]
I didn't reply.
Just turned off my phone and looked over at the AI robot.
"Reid, book me a flight to Lisbon in three days. One way."
Reid's eyes flashed blue.
"Command received. Processing... Ticket purchased."
The flight confirmation popped up on my phone right away.
I thought for a moment, then spoke again.
"Also, I want to order a custom AI robot. Of myself."
Reid connected me to the AI manufacturer's hotline.
I only requested basic functions and gave simple instructions.
Meanwhile, Quinn called me twice more.
I didn't pick up.
The next morning, Jax sent me his check-in messages.
[Vesper, did you eat breakfast?]
[It's getting cold out. Make sure you dress warm.]
[When I get back, you can punish me however you want.]
Quinn sent a few messages too, saying she had something urgent.
I didn't respond to any of them.
Just watched as Reid helped me pack.
Chapter 3
Until evening.
Someone knocked on the door.
I was confused—had Jax come back early?
But when I opened it, standing there was Quinn, heavily pregnant.
"Vesper, you've been ignoring me for days. I've been so worried about you!"
I didn't bother with small talk, cutting straight to it.
"Skip the act. What do you want?"
She flinched at my coldness.
Then her eyes swept over the half-packed luggage inside.
She knew for sure now—I'd seen her and Jax at the hospital.
But she still called me Vesper, all buddy-buddy.
"Vesper, I'm having a C-section tomorrow."
"But the private hospital's blood bank is running low, and they can't find my rare blood type. I had to come ask for your help."
I answered coldly.
"I don't want to help. I've got things to do. See yourself out."
After I firmly refused, she sighed.
"Then I'm sorry. I don't have a choice."
Next second, two people in white coats stepped out from behind her, along with four bodyguards.
"What are you doing..."
I tried to shut the door, but it was too late.
The four guards forced it open and shoved their way in.
The doctor pinned me down on the couch, preparing to draw blood by force.
"LET GO OF ME!"
I fought back as hard as I could.
"HELP ME!!"
Only Reid rushed over.
"Detected harm to Vesper Castellano. Cease immediately."
But two of the guards grabbed a metal sculpture nearby and slammed it into Reid's back.
Once... Twice... Third...
I watched helplessly as half of Reid's body got smashed to pieces.
Quinn looked away, uncomfortable, and said lightly:
"Forget the robot. Just draw the blood."
In desperation, I fumbled for my phone with one hand and called Jax.
Thankfully, he picked up.
"Jax! Quinn broke in with people—she's trying to force me to give blood!"
But after a brief silence...
Jax's breath grew heavy on the other end.
"Vesper, I'm the one who sent her."
In that instant, I even forgot to struggle.
He kept talking.
"I was worried something might go wrong on the operating table."
"The hospital's blood bank was running low, and you two happen to have the same rare blood type, so..."
"It's just a little blood. You'll be fine."
But he didn't know—I'd miscarried.
The doctor warned me I couldn't lose any more blood, or I could go into shock.
I fought, but it was useless. The cold needle pierced my vein.
On the other end of the line, Jax's voice stayed right by my ear, cruelly soothing me.
"Vesper, don't be scared. It'll be over soon."
"When I get back, I'll help you recover, okay?"
The blood bag slowly filled.
My vision started to blur.
I could only see Reid still trying to crawl toward me.
Every time he got a little closer, someone kicked him back. Parts scattered everywhere.
Once the bag was full, the doctor pulled out the needle.
Jax finally sounded relieved.
"Vesper, get some rest. I'll be home soon."
Then he hung up.
Quinn was leaving with her people.
Right before she walked out, she paused without turning around.
"Vesper, since you already know, you should realize—sometimes playing dumb is better for everyone."
The door slammed shut.
I looked over at Reid in the distance.
His body had caved in, shattered shell scattered around him.
I tried to stand, but collapsed onto the floor instead.
All I could do was grit my teeth and drag my weak body toward him, inch by inch.
His system was severely damaged, still repeating in fragments:
"Don't hurt Vesper..."
I grabbed his cold mechanical hand, trembling.
"Reid, we need to go..."
I tried to help him up.
But half his body had been smashed to bits.
One arm had been thrown across the room.
Only his humanoid head remained intact, staring at me quietly.
"Vesper, I'm glad you're okay."
