Chapter 1

My boyfriend and I were the most talked-about game designers in the industry. The romance game we co-created, "Heartbeat Echo", was about to launch.

At the press conference, the investors asked us to put on the game’s matching heart-rate wristbands and play through the "Couple's Synergy" level live on stage.

Amidst the roaring cheers of the crowd, we easily made it to the final stage. The screen was about to flash the "Perfect Match" achievement.

But a second before the completion animation played, the system's cold electronic voice made an announcement.

My heart rate was 135. His was 80.

His heart didn't even skip a beat for me.

Maybe it was time for me to let go.

The lights at the venue were so bright they made me dizzy.

On the giant digital screen, the game characters Vincent and I designed were hugging tightly, celebrating the unlock of the "Perfect Match" achievement.

Below the stage, the applause and cheers were deafening.

"They are literally the perfect couple! So sweet!"

"Heartbeat Echo" is going to be a massive hit!"

But I was the only one who clearly heard that cold, mechanical voice just now.

"Chloe, heart rate: 135."

"Vincent, heart rate: 80."

Eighty.

That's just the normal resting heart rate of an adult male.

And we had just finished the final stage of the "Couple's Synergy" level—a level we designed together.

The animation on the screen kept playing. The heroine I designed had eyes shining with happiness, while the hero Vincent coded was leaning down to kiss her.

But in reality, Vincent, standing right next to me, was completely calm.

His heart didn't even beat faster from the electric atmosphere in the room.

Meanwhile, my heart was racing wildly, and my hands and feet were ice-cold.

The host's enthusiastic voice echoed through the microphone: "Incredible! As expected of our star Creative Director and Lead Programmer! Only a perfect couple in real life could make a game that understands love so deeply!"

Vincent picked up his microphone and gave the crowd a slight smile.

He said, "Thank you, everyone. We just did our job. The success of this game belongs to the whole team."

His response was flawlessly professional, drawing another round of applause.

He didn't look at me once.

On my wrist, the heart-rate band felt like it weighed a ton.

The flashing numbers silently mocked my spiked heart rate of 135.

How pathetic.

The very game I designed had used cold, objective data to slap me right in the face.

After the launch event was the after-party hosted by the investors.

I didn't have much of an appetite, so I stood in a corner with a glass of champagne.

Many people came over to congratulate me. I smiled and thanked them one by one, but my mind was completely blank.

I saw Vincent surrounded by a crowd.

Next to him stood a young, unfamiliar woman with short hair and black-rimmed glasses. She looked sharp and capable.

She was talking to Vincent excitedly, and Vincent was listening intently, nodding from time to time.

Our publisher, who was standing beside me, nudged my arm.

"Chloe, that's Bree, the new genius programmer. She just came back from studying abroad. She's absolutely obsessed with Vincent's next-gen rendering pipeline."

I followed his gaze.

Bree was looking up at Vincent, her eyes filled with undisguised adoration.

She said, "Vincent, your vision is so ahead of its time. If we can pull this off, it will completely revolutionize the industry!"

A smile crept onto Vincent’s face—a smile I hadn’t seen in a very long time.

He said, "It's just an idea for now. Implementing it will be quite difficult."

"No, we can definitely do it!" Bree's voice was firm. "You are literally the architect of this entire game's universe!"

The people around them let out a collective, friendly laugh.

Someone joked, "Looks like Vincent has found his intellectual soulmate."

Vincent didn't deny it. He just smiled.

He finally noticed me, raising his glass in my direction as a brief greeting.

Then, he turned right back to Bree, continuing their passionate discussion about technical details.

The scene looked so harmonious, like a perfect painting.

A painting that had no room for me.

I downed my champagne, the bitter taste spreading from my tongue straight to my heart.