Chapter 1

After I successfully completed my mission, I married the man I was supposed to win over.

On our wedding night, I confessed a secret to him.

I told him the System had given me ninety-nine Regret Pills.

Every time he did something to betray me, I would take one.

Once the pills were gone, I would vanish from his world forever.

He pulled me into his arms, his heart aching for me, and swore he'd never let me regret a single day.

But three months into our marriage, his childhood sweetheart returned to the country.

The first time he stayed out all night, he realized I didn't scream or throw a fit.

I just cried once and quietly swallowed a pill.

That was when he started becoming reckless.

On our tenth anniversary, his little sweetheart, Sutton, pulled another suicide stunt.

Without a second thought, he abandoned me and left.

The next day, he came back with hickeys all over his neck, begging for my forgiveness.

I didn't cry this time. I just lowered my eyes and asked a simple question.

"Can I take another Regret Pill?"

He didn't even care. "Do whatever you want. It's not like you're going to run out."

I just smiled and let him bring Sutton into our home.

What he didn't know was that there were only three pills left in the box.

Once those chances were gone, I was leaving him for good.

1.

"Ma'am, what kind of drama are you stirring up now?"

Mrs. Gable, the housekeeper, looked at my suitcase with a face full of disgust.

"Mr. Sterling is so good to you. He only brought that poor girl home out of the kindness of his heart. Do you really have to be so difficult?"

She stood there with her wrinkled face twisted, lecturing me non-stop.

I looked at her coldly.

I suppose I had been too gentle for too long.

She had completely forgotten that I was the one who signed her paychecks.

Even when the security guards I called dragged her out, she still looked like she couldn't believe it.

"I've looked after Mr. Sterling since he was a boy! How dare you do this to me?!"

I ignored her.

I opened the drawer of my nightstand and pulled out a small box.

Inside, three white pills sat quietly.

Soon.

I would be free very soon.

Late that night, Jaxson Sterling came home.

Finding me sitting on the sofa, he hesitated before walking over, his tone cautious.

"Mrs. Gable just said a few wrong things. Was it really necessary to fire her? She's old and has no one else. Throwing her out like that was cruel."

I looked at him calmly.

"She's a housekeeper. She tried to boss around her employer. Shouldn't she be punished?"

Jaxson immediately snapped back.

"She's been with my family since my mother's time! She's practically family. You're being way too much."

"So, you're saying I should treat her like my own mother?"

Noticing the coldness in my voice, Jaxson frowned.

"What's wrong with you? Are you going through menopause or something? You were never like this before."

I had always been the type to settle scores.

I only hid my claws because he hated strong women.

To win him over, I had suppressed my true self for years.

Before I could speak, he signaled the butler to bring over a bowl of chicken broth.

"This is your favorite. I went out of my way to get it for you. Just try it."

We were still husband and wife, after all.

I swallowed my anger and reached out to take the bowl.

Suddenly, his assistant rushed in, looking panicked.

"Mr. Sterling, it's bad! Miss Vance is having an episode! She's trying to end it all!"

Jaxson's face went pale instantly.

The bowl of broth slipped from his hands and shattered into a million pieces on the floor.

As I watched him sprint away, even the butler couldn't help but mutter.

"Ever since Mr. Sterling moved that Sutton woman next door, she's pulled this stunt a dozen times a day. She keeps saying she misses her dead parents. They've been gone for ten years! If she really wanted to go, she would've done it by now."

The butler sighed as he cleaned up the mess.

"If you ask me, ma'am, you're too nice. Every time Mr. Sterling comes home, that woman starts her act, and he falls for it every single time."

I waved my hand dismissively.

"Let's just drop it. Thanks for the help."

The butler shook his head and carried the trash away.

Once he was gone, I opened the box.

I took one pill and swallowed it, letting the bitterness spread through my mouth.

There were only two pills left.

Two more times, and I could finally leave.

Jaxson, I really didn't misjudge you.

Maybe you aren't a monster, but when love dies, the result is always the same.