Nathan took a deep, weary breath. The dust and sweat caked on his skin were like silent witnesses to his long journey. The worn backpack slung over his shoulder felt heavy, burdened not just by its physical weight but by the months of grueling labor in the dark, suffocating mine shaft. His eyes, accustomed for so long to nothing but rock and mineral, ached for the sight of one thing: Lisa's face.
He could still smell her scent, the jasmine fragrance that had comforted him on lonely, cold nights in the mining barracks. It was what kept him going. Every time the sledgehammer struck stone, every time his hands were raw and blistered, every time exhaustion nearly defeated him, he would clutch the small locket in his pocket—a picture of Lisa smiling. He had made a promise to her. A promise about their future.
"Wait for me, my love," he had whispered the night before he left, gazing into Lisa's sparkling eyes. "I'll go, I'll work hard. I'll save every single cent in your savings book. When I return, I will propose to you, we'll have a small house, and we'll start our life together."
Lisa had nodded, her eyes welling with tears. "I will wait for you, Nathan. Be careful out there."
And Nathan had kept his promise. He took double shifts, ate meager meals, and endured the gnawing loneliness. He sent his money to Lisa every month, to be saved. "You hold onto it, my love," he wrote in one expensive, rare text message due to the scarce signal. "For our future."
In his bag now, feeling heavy and precious, was a small velvet box. A simple gold ring with a single amethyst, Lisa's birthstone. It wasn't fancy, but it was the result of three months of relentless extra work. It was a symbol of all his sacrifice.
He imagined Lisa's expression. Shock, then a blush, then tears of happiness. She would nod, and Nathan would slip the ring onto her finger. He had replayed that scene over and over in his head during the entire trip home.
He arrived at Lisa's house. The familiar house with the small garden her mother always tended. His heart pounded wildly, filled with adrenaline and uncontrollable longing. He straightened his worn flannel shirt, hoping he looked somewhat presentable.
He knocked on the door, a smile already spreading across his face.
However, the person who opened the door wasn't Lisa, or her mother. A man in a crisp white linen shirt, chino pants, and shiny loafers leaned against the doorframe. He looked comfortable, as if he owned the place.
"Yes?" the man said, eyebrows raised. "Can I help you?"
Nathan was silent for a moment, his brain trying to process. "I… I'm Nathan. I'm here to see Lisa."
The man's face changed, from indifference to a small, almost condescending smile. "Oh," he said. "Nathan. The miner. Lisa mentioned you'd be back today. Come in."
The miner? Lisa mentioned? Nathan stepped inside, a sense of dread beginning to coil in his heart. The atmosphere in the house felt different. There was the smell of expensive coffee and new furniture.
And then, Lisa emerged from the kitchen. She was more beautiful than he remembered. Her hair was styled neatly, and she wore an elegant summer dress. But what made Nathan freeze was the way she stood—close to the strange man, their arms touching.
"Nathan," Lisa uttered. Her voice was flat, devoid of the warmth or surprise he had anticipated.
"Lisa, I…" Nathan fumbled for words, his hand reaching for his bag. "I'm home."
"I can see that," Lisa replied, her eyes refusing to meet his.
The man slid his arm around Lisa's waist—a gesture of ownership that made Nathan's stomach churn.
"Nathan, this is Boy," Lisa said, finally looking at Nathan, but her eyes were cold. "He's… my boyfriend."
Nathan's world crumbled. A roaring sound in his ears drowned out everything else. He heard his own voice, sounding distant, "What? Boyfriend? Lisa, we… we're engaged. I left to work for us."
Boy smirked. "The world turns, friend. You were gone for months, left her all alone. I came along, we met at the cafe where she works part-time. These things happen."
"These things happen?" Nathan snapped, his blood boiling. "I was in the mines, working like a slave, thinking of you every second! And you… you…" He looked around. A new flatscreen TV, a leather sofa, an expensive coffee machine in the corner. Things Lisa's family could never have afforded.
Then, something more terrible seized his mind. His money. His savings.
"Lisa," he hissed, his voice hoarse. "My money. Our savings. Where is it?"
Lisa's face turned pale. Boy stepped closer, his posture more defensive.
"About that…" Lisa began, biting her lip.
"We used it for capital," Boy interjected smoothly. "We opened a small cafe. Our Corner Cafe. My idea, of course. Lisa agreed. It was a better investment than just waiting."
Nathan felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He gasped for air. All the muscle aches, all the cold, lonely nights—all of it was for this. For betrayal. For being robbed by the woman he trusted.
"You… you used my money… the money from my sweat… for capital… with him?" Nathan gritted out, each word feeling like glass in his mouth.
"It wasn't just for me, Nathan!" Lisa retorted, suddenly defensive. "It was for my future! Boy has vision, he has plans! What did you offer? A hand-to-mouth existence as a miner's wife? I need more than that!"
Nathan fell silent. The pain, the anger, the betrayal were so profound they paralyzed him. He looked at the woman he loved, and all he saw now was a stranger—greedy and cold. The room spun. He felt like screaming, smashing everything, or perhaps just screaming and losing his mind. His head swam, his vision spotted. He felt madness creeping through his veins.
This isn't real. This is impossible. I must be dreaming.
Just as he thought he would explode or faint, a voice that was utterly inhuman, clear, and mechanical, echoed inside his head, cutting through all the chaotic whirlwind of thoughts.
[DING! System downloading for host. Host has acquired the Level 1 Bed Power System.]
Nathan blinked, startled. He looked around. Lisa and Boy were still staring at him with a mix of discomfort and smug superiority. They hadn't heard anything. It was only in his head.
"I… I have a system?" he thought, bewildered. Like in a novel or a game? But… for what? At a time like this? The absurdity of it almost overpowered the pain. I got a bed power system? What good is that? To humiliate myself further?
[Ding!] the voice chimed again in his mind. [Host is given a choice. Choice A: Scream like a madman in front of your ex and her new lover. Reward: 10 million Rupiah transferred immediately.]
Nathan almost let out a bitter laugh. Scream like a madman? He was about to do that without the system. And 10 million? That wasn't even a tenth of the money she had stolen.
[Choice B:] the mechanical voice continued, in the same flat tone. [Enter Lisa's mother's room and use the Level 1 Bed Power System on Lisa's mother. Reward: 300 million Rupiah transferred immediately.]
Nathan gasped. His mind could barely process it. What? That's insane. That's immoral. That's evil. Lisa's mother, Mrs. Sari, was a kind woman who had always treated him well. She was a widow who lived a simple life.
He stared at Lisa. He saw the way Boy looked at him like he was trash. He felt the gold ring in its velvet box, which suddenly felt incredibly cheap and pathetic. He remembered the dark mine tunnels, the torturous longing, and the betrayal that hurt more than any physical blow.
His disappointment twisted into something else. Something dark, cold, and calculating. The burning anger was extinguished, replaced by a freezing ice.
They had robbed him. They had shattered his dreams without remorse. Lisa chose Boy for his money and "vision," hadn't she?
Fine. If that was the game, he would play. And he would play to win.