"Elric, don't be a baby. It's just a house—you can buy a new one. Just sign it over."
Bitch, I'll sign the neighbor's large dog's shit over to you and gift-wrap it with a bow.
This would have been Elric's answer if not for the bright blue, floating window that had suddenly plastered itself across his vision like an unskippable ad. No matter how much he blinked or slightly turned his head, the damn thing stayed perfectly centered in his sight, glowing with obnoxious cheerfulness.
"Elric, you know I love you, but..."
All of Lily's carefully rehearsed words slipped into his right ear and immediately escaped out the left, leaving behind nothing but faint echoes. His brain had officially gone on strike. Every bit of his attention was locked onto the ridiculous glowing rectangle hovering a foot in front of his face, pulsing softly like it was proud of itself.
MONEY-LOSING SYSTEMThe more money you lose, the more powerful you become.
Host: Elric Williams
Age: 24
Money Lost: None
Power Points: 00
Lose money to activate the system.
He slowly shifted his gaze toward Lily and the slick-haired lawyer sitting across the cheap wooden coffee table. Both of them were still babbling away in their own little dramatic world, completely oblivious to the system interface floating in mid-air. The lawyer kept adjusting his glasses with practiced efficiency, while Lily leaned forward with that familiar mix of fake sympathy and hidden excitement in her eyes.
So I've finally cracked after sixteen brutal hours straight at work, Elric thought, a tired chuckle almost escaping his lips. Most overworked guys get hallucinations of beautiful women or flying pink elephants. Me? I get a sarcastic, blue floating spreadsheet mocking my financial ruin. My own brain is bullying me now. Fantastic.
He wondered if this was what the beginning of schizophrenia felt like. Didn't people usually see more interesting things? Ghosts, religious visions, or at least something entertaining? A naked girl or two would've been a nice consolation prize. Instead, the universe had decided to troll him with a glowing video-game-style notification that looked like it belonged in a budget mobile game.
Maybe my mind is just trying to invent a ridiculous justification for handing over the house, he mused. A pretty twisted coping mechanism, but at least it's creative.
Still, the bigger question gnawed at him: should he actually go through with giving up the house?
According to the agreement the cheap lawyer had drafted on what looked like slightly yellowed paper, Lily would walk away with both the house and the car. In return, Elric would keep the $30,000 currently sitting in their joint savings account. Even better, there would be no alimony payments and no claims on future earnings from either side. Clean break.
Lily's so-called "acting career" consisted of occasional bit parts in low-budget movies where she mostly stood in the background looking concerned or sipping fake coffee. It barely brought in enough money to cover her skincare routine, let alone count as proper work. When he looked at it logically, giving away the house didn't feel like complete financial suicide.
Besides, it was just a modest, slightly creaky little house he had inherited from a grandmother he hadn't even known existed until the lawyer called him two years ago with the news. If some optimistic buyer fell in love with its "charming vintage character", they might actually pay somewhere between $200,000 and $250,000. Not bad for a property that still smelled faintly of mothballs and old potpourri.
As for this floating blue annoyance? He still had no clue what to think.
"Close," he murmured inwardly, directing the thought at the screen like a mental voice command.
To his mild surprise, the glowing window obediently faded away into thin air.
Elric let out a long, shaky breath of relief. Well, even if I've gone completely insane, at least my brand of crazy comes with an off switch. User-friendly mental breakdown achieved.
"Okay. It's fine. You can take the house and the car." Although he didn't feel much real emotion anymore, he forced himself to put on a decent performance. His voice dropped into a heavier, slightly theatrical tone. "Although this house held so many precious memories for me..."
Looking at Elric as he launched into his impromptu sob story, Lily's mouth twitched visibly. She clearly wanted to roll her eyes but managed to hold back.
What bullshit memories? she thought. You didn't even know you had a grandma until the day she died and the inheritance papers arrived. You once spent twenty minutes complaining that the backyard was just 'a patch of dirt.'
But she stayed silent, generously allowing him his moment of manufactured nostalgia.
"Okay, Mr. Elric, please sign here." In the end, the lawyer interrupted him with clear impatience sharpening his voice. "You can talk to Ms. Lily later if you'd like."
The cheap lawyer's face screamed that he had better things to do — probably three more similar cases lined up before lunch and a strict personal policy against overtime. Elric almost felt sorry for the man. Almost.
Every single action has consequences, Elric thought as he picked up the cheap plastic pen. I'll treat this whole dumb loss as the final price tag for my stupid decision to marry this woman in the first place.
Without any further hesitation or dramatic pauses, Elric leaned forward and signed his name on the dotted line with a firm scratch of the pen.
"Mr. Williams," the lawyer continued, efficiently shuffling the papers with bureaucratic speed, "as of this moment, you forfeit all claims to future monetary gains from Ms. Thorne's earnings. Likewise, Ms. Thorne cannot claim any portion of your future income. The house and vehicle will transfer to Ms. Thorne's ownership. You retain the thirty thousand dollars currently in your savings account. Is everything clear?"
Elric gave a distracted nod, barely registering the words.
"Elric, you know—" Lily began softly, perhaps sensing a tiny flicker of guilt or wanting to offer some empty, soothing words.
But Elric had already pushed his chair back and stood up abruptly. He turned and headed straight for the door.
Although a small, bitter part of him still wanted to stay and fight — to throw every bit of her hypocrisy back in her face and make her feel at least a fraction of the disappointment he carried — he simply couldn't be bothered anymore. The emotional energy just wasn't there.
Because the exact moment his signature had dried on the paper, the blue screen had exploded back into existence right in front of him. This time it was brighter, bolder, and somehow even more smug than before.
MONEY-LOST DETECTEDCalculating value...
House: $275,000 Vehicle: $15,000 Total Loss: $300,000
Power Points Earned: 3
Congratulations! System Activated.
Elric froze mid-step on the worn wooden floor, staring at the glowing notification that only he could see. His heart hammered wildly in his chest like it was trying to escape.
What... the hell?