Chapter 3

I soaked comfortably in the bathtub as the system voice rang in my head again.

[Day 2 of being single: reward of one million dollars, Vitality +1.]

[Current Vitality: 7 points.]

[Current account balance: two million dollars.]

I looked at my pale face in the mirror, a smile curving my lips.

Before the wedding, I'd suffered acute heart failure. The doctor said I had less than a month to live.

Then this [Single Life Extension System] suddenly appeared, giving me hope to survive.

As long as I stayed single, I could live and gain enormous wealth.

Chase men?

I'd rather make money and extend my life, living my ideal life on my own terms.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

I was puzzled. Who would come looking for me here?

I wrapped myself in a bathrobe and looked through the peephole. It was actually Vivian. How did she know I was here?

I opened the door. Vivian stood there with an arrogant expression.

She looked me up and down, her eyes landing on my bathrobe, filled with jealousy and contempt.

"Clara, you're really something! You reject the marriage and still end up living in a place like this. Which old man are you latching onto now?"

I leaned against the doorframe, looking at her lazily. "What do you want?"

Vivian was infuriated by my indifferent attitude.

"Mom and Dad are about to die from anger! The company's going bankrupt! And here you are, living the high life!"

She tried to push her way in.

I blocked her with my arm. "This is my home. You're not welcome."

"Your home?" Vivian acted like she'd heard the biggest joke. "Clara, don't forget—you've got Sullivan blood! You destroyed the Sullivan family. You need to take responsibility!"

"How should I take responsibility? Go back and marry Damien in your place?" I laughed coldly. "Vivian, you were the one who refused to marry him. Now you're blaming me?"

Originally, the marriage between the Sullivan and Garrett families specified the eldest Sullivan daughter—Vivian.

She was the one who despised Damien for being disabled. That's when Mom and Dad set their sights on me, the illegitimate daughter.

They promised me that if I obediently married him, they'd give my mother a large sum of money so she could live comfortably.

For my mother's sake, I agreed.

But the week before the wedding, my mother died suddenly of a heart attack.

And I was diagnosed with the same heart condition around that time.

Not a single member of the Sullivan family came to see me.

They only cared whether I could show up at the wedding on time.

From that moment, I was completely done with the Sullivan family.

"You... you're talking nonsense!" Vivian's eyes shifted. "I just... I already had someone I liked!"

She became more agitated, her voice rising.

"Clara, I'm warning you—you'd better go apologize to Mr. Garrett right now and beg him to spare the Sullivan family! Otherwise, I'll make sure you can't stay in New York!"

"Oh? Really?" I raised an eyebrow. "I'd like to see how you'll make that happen."

With that, I shut the door directly in her face.

Vivian's cursing echoed from outside. I pretended not to hear.

Wasting even one word on someone like her was wasting my Vitality.

The next morning, my name was trending.

#Sullivan Bastard Daughter Publicly Rejects Marriage, Humiliates Disabled Tycoon#

#Ungrateful Clara#

#Sullivan Corporation on Brink of Bankruptcy#

I clicked in. All the comments were attacking me.

They said I was materialistic and shallow, that I rejected Damien because of his disability, that I was a gold-digger through and through.

There were even "insider sources" claiming my private life was messy, that I'd already hooked up with other men.

Below were several blurry photos showing a girl with a similar build to mine being intimate with different men.

I recognized her immediately. Vivian.

She was truly vicious—to destroy me, she'd even release her own scandals and pin them on me.

The comment section was full of attacks.

"This kind of woman should be fed to sharks!"

"I feel sorry for Mr. Garrett, being deceived by this bitch."

"The Sullivan family must have terrible karma to raise such an ungrateful wretch."

I read these comments without anger. I actually found them somewhat funny.

This generation of internet users was so easily manipulated.

I ignored the online storm and leisurely made myself a lavish breakfast.