Seven times, I married the same man. Seven times, he divorced me for his first love.

The first time we got married, he had told me, "From today on and for the rest of my life, I'll only love you alone."

But every time his first love returned to the country, he would change his tune. "Can't you be more understanding? How could you bear to let Ria be accused of seducing a married man?"

The first time we divorced, I made an attempt on my life in a desperate bid to stop him from leaving me. Yet, even after I was sent to the hospital in an ambulance, he didn't even come to visit me.

The second time we divorced, I set aside my status and pride to apply for the position of an assistant at his company, all so I could spend more time with him.

By the sixth time, I had learned to pack up my belongings without making a fuss and move out of his house.

Despite my initial hysteria, I gave in more and more each time, and eventually accepted the situation obediently.

Every single time, he would remarry me again on our previously agreed-upon date, only for history to repeat itself.

At last, one day, after I learned that his first love would be returning to the country once more, I voluntarily gave him the divorce agreement. Much like before, he promised to remarry me after some time.

But little did he know, I would be leaving for good this time.

…

"Since Aria is returning to the country, let's get a divorce."

Expression blank, I handed the divorce agreement I had already signed to my husband, Caleb Jenson.

A surprised look crossed his face, but he quickly regained his composure before signing the document with practiced movements.

This was the first time I had proactively offered him the divorce agreement.

Nonetheless, just like the previous six times, he still casually promised me, "I'll remarry you once she leaves in a month."

In the past, I wouldn't have felt assured by this promise. In fact, I might have even forced him to make a solemn vow or write up another legally binding document.

However, this time, I felt absolutely nothing. My emotions didn't stir, and I didn't even feel the urge to reply.

"Melissa Summer, are you listening to me?"

Caleb's brows were deeply furrowed. It seemed he was quite upset at my silence.

Even so, I merely nodded and replied with a non-committal hum. "Yeah."

I never paused as I carefully packed my clothes into my suitcase.

If Caleb said he would remarry me on a particular date, then he would definitely do so. He was known in the industry for being a man of his word, so there was no need to doubt him.

Instead of being a married couple, we were more like two people who would have to sign two contracts every year—one for marriage and the other for divorce.

To date, I had already signed 12.

I distinctly remembered how, back during our first wedding, he had assured me that he would never cheat on me during our marriage.

There was no denying that he had kept his promise. After all, once we divorced, he had the freedom to be with whomever he pleased.

Unfortunately, I was the one who paid the price, as I became known in social circles as a plaything that he could call over and dismiss with a wave of his hand whenever he wanted.

Hence, my abnormal behavior today left Caleb floundering. This wasn't a surprise, considering my hysterical behavior the previous few times we divorced. He also couldn't forget how I had even been desperate enough to harm myself.

Noting how much more familiar and quick my movements were this time as I packed my suitcase, he said somewhat sullenly, "Maybe I should be the one to move out this time—"

With a loud click, I shut my large suitcase and locked it, thereby cutting him off.

"I've already spoken with Talia, and she's agreed to let me stay with her for a few days."

Caleb seemed to have thought of something, as his expression abruptly darkened further.

"Don't tell me you're playing hard to get again? Are you planning on becoming my assistant and sneaking into my company to keep an eye on me?

"Melissa, get a life, will you? Can't you live without a man?"

I immediately understood the underlying meaning in his words. He simply didn't want me to head to the company and disturb his lovey-dovey moments with Aria White.

After all, it was a rare occasion for Aria to return to the country, so he hoped she could become his personal assistant and be by his side at all times.

Previously, after our second divorce, I had applied to be Caleb's assistant. Carrying his favorite latte, I pushed his office door open in anticipation, only to see him locked in a passionate kiss with Aria, who was sitting in his lap.

Unable to hold myself back, I got into a catfight with Aria, but then Caleb slapped me with enough force to send me to the ground.

A crowd had already gathered outside his office, eager to watch the drama unfold.

Everyone assumed that I was Caleb's wife, so the looks they shot Aria were filled with disdain.

Seeing that, Caleb, unable to bear the thought of Aria suffering from humiliation and nasty gossip, disregarded my tears and shaking head as he snatched my handbag. Then, in one swift motion, he dumped the contents all over the floor.

The dark red divorce certificate was a stark contrast against the white flooring, practically screaming my current relationship with Caleb for all to hear.

From then on, every time Caleb and I divorced, he would post it on his social media.

Everyone knew that Caleb truly loved Aria; I was simply the unwanted wad of gum who shamelessly refused to leave him.

Nonetheless, Caleb's concerns this time were entirely unwarranted.

Without any hesitation, I grabbed my suitcase and turned to say, "Don't worry, I won't disturb you two ever again."

Caleb simply stared at me in suspicious confusion for a while. It wasn't until I opened the door and took a step out that he hurriedly reminded me, "We're remarrying on the 13th of next month. Don't forget!"

Upon hearing that date, I was momentarily dazed.

What a coincidence it was that I happened to be leaving the country on that date.

Chapter 2

As I expected, after Aria returned to the country, Caleb completely forgot about me.

In contrast to my past self, who would obsessively search for Caleb after our divorce and preemptively lie in wait at the places where he would appear, I spent my days having fun with my best friend, Talia Winston. We ate whatever we wanted and drank whenever we wanted.

In the blink of an eye, there were only 20 days left before I was to leave the country.

That day, Talia and I were waiting for our food to be served when Caleb and Aria happened to walk into the same restaurant. Caleb's arm was wrapped around Aria's waist as they laughed and chatted with each other, looking like a match made in heaven.

"Melissa?"

Almost immediately, Caleb caught sight of me.

Aria snaked her arms around his neck in an affectionate gesture, a saccharine sweet smile curving on her lips.

"Melissa, what a coincidence! You're here to eat too?"

As my gaze turned to Aria, Caleb instinctively took a step forward to hide her behind him. I knew it was because he was worried I would lunge forward to attack Aria as I had in the past.

Defying his expectations, I didn't do so, and even held back Talia, who was about to protest in outrage on my behalf.

I let out an unbothered laugh. "Yeah, what a coincidence."

When Aria realized I was backing down, her smile became even more smug.

"So sorry, Melissa, but Caleb promised to book out the entire restaurant so he could eat with me alone. I'm afraid you two will have to change locations."

Then, she turned to Caleb and swung his arm playfully, cooing, "Isn't that right, Caleb? Hurry up and say something, or else Melissa will think I'm deliberately picking on her."

The moment Caleb locked eyes with my indifferent gaze, a hesitant look appeared on his face. Nevertheless, in the end, he still nodded at me.

Though he hadn't said a word, his silence spoke volumes.

Talia was already rolling up her sleeves, looking ready to start a fight, but I gently pushed her arm down.

"It's fine. We can head somewhere else."

Somewhere with no Caleb around. As my departure date neared, I didn't want to waste any more time on meaningless conflict with my ex-husband. After all, to be a proper ex, I had to treat him like he was dead, didn't I?

The restaurant manager was a prudent man who knew how to read the room. Choosing the right moment, he approached Caleb and Aria to say respectfully, "Sir, ma'am, you two really are a loving couple. It truly makes one envious!"

Hearing that, Caleb shot me a complex look, seemingly wary that I would say something. At the same time, he almost seemed curious about my response.

However, I pretended as though I hadn't heard anything as I grabbed Talia's arm to drag her out of there.

Not expecting my indifference, Caleb stared dazedly at my retreating back. Despite Aria calling him multiple times, it wasn't until her tone turned impatient that he slowly turned away.

Chapter 3

I thought that the encounter with Caleb at the restaurant would be my last interaction with him before I left the country. However, the day I officially resigned from my position as Caleb's assistant, he video-called me at night.

This had never happened before, so I had to force myself not to reject the call. Instead, I swiped to answer in voice-only mode.

Caleb's voice immediately came through, sounding displeased. "Why did you switch the call to voice-only?"

I replied with the first excuse that popped into my mind, "I didn't put on any makeup, so it isn't convenient to video-call."

The instant those words left my lips, I regretted them. There was a saying that women only put makeup on for people they wanted to please. My random excuse made it sound like I wanted to please him.

Unsurprisingly, Caleb laughed, suddenly appearing to be in a great mood.

"We're practically an old married couple by now. There's nothing about you that I haven't seen."

His teasing, almost flirtatious, words made me deeply uncomfortable. I asked coldly, "Did you need something?"

Acutely detecting the standoffish tone of my voice, Caleb subconsciously straightened from his initially languid pose. "I heard from the HR department that you've resigned?"

I merely hummed in affirmation, not planning to explain. Silence immediately fell between us.

Subsequently, Caleb's tone turned playful, though to my ears, it sounded like he was straining to keep the conversation going.

"I guess it's good that you've resigned. I mean, you were the CEO's wife, yet instead of enjoying your position and status, you insisted on becoming my assistant. Isn't that just putting yourself through unnecessary suffering?

"Speaking of that, though. I have to say you truly didn't seem to take your job seriously. You hardly ever came in to work, yet I still had to pay you every month. Because of that, everyone in the company knows that you were hired through nepotism. They're even accusing me of showing favoritism."

I interrupted him impatiently, "Don't you need to go spend time with Aria?"

Caleb couldn't stop himself from retorting, "It's not like I'm in any sort of relationship with her. Why do I need to spend time with her?"

However, the instant he finished speaking, he fell silent as he abruptly remembered that I was nothing but his ex-wife too.

Guilt surged in him, and he said, "I know I'm doing you wrong when it comes to our divorce, but I'm just worried that others would gossip about Ria if we didn't…"

I nodded. Aria didn't deserve to be the subject of nasty gossip, but I absolutely deserved to become the laughingstock of society.

In a frosty tone, I said, "If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up."

"Wait!" He sounded anxious as he went on, "Our wedding anniversary is on the 12th. Zachary Young's concert happens to be on that day. I know you want to go, so I'll go with you. Let's attend the concert together, alright?"

For a very brief moment, I had the urge to tell him the truth. However, before I could speak up, Aria's voice drifted over the line, sounding like it was coming from further away.

"Caleb, I forgot to take my towel. Could you help me grab it?"

Caleb didn't immediately answer; instead, he stared at my name on his phone screen. Clearly, he was feeling conflicted.

Not a hint of emotion was on my face as I urged flatly, "Go on, then."

Only then did he slowly stand up, though he still didn't put down his phone.

"Melissa, wait for me a moment. I'll be right back."

With that, he strode in the direction of the bathroom.

To no surprise, I heard the sound of Caleb's and Aria's lips smacking together in a kiss before Caleb let out a grunt. Following that, the bathroom door was slammed shut with a loud bang.

A mocking sneer twisted my face as I ended the call.

At that moment, Talia excitedly invited me to go clubbing with her. Without a second thought, I set down my phone and got up to link arms with her.

Indeed, there were still plenty of things in the world for me to enjoy, a fact that I used to be blind to. Now, however, why should I allow myself to wallow in hurt and sadness for a man who had become nothing but the past?

Chapter 4

The days without Caleb in my life passed in a blur, and before I realized it, there were only a handful of days left before I would be leaving the country.

Even though I hadn't interacted much with Caleb in that time, I still learned how he and Aria were doing from Talia.

Rumor had it that he and Aria had gotten into a huge fight, to the point that Caleb had completely disregarded her dignity and left her at a banquet, even slamming the door on his way out. Some insider gossip even claimed that I had been the reason for their argument.

After hearing that, I did nothing but smile calmly, utterly unfazed.

I was no longer the blind, lovestruck fool of the past who would constantly check social media for any news of Caleb and Aria. I even used to stalk the accounts of anyone who knew them, all so I could immediately rush back to Caleb's side at the first sign of things going south between him and Aria, to tell him that I was the one who loved him the most.

For couples madly in love, any arguments that happened were usually forgotten the next day. So what if I was the cause of their lover's spat? Hadn't I always been just a small part of their game?

However, I did notice that after the fight, Caleb had been calling me more and more frequently. Too bad for him, I would either reject the call or use all sorts of excuses to avoid seeing him.

The day before I was to leave the country, Caleb invited me to the concert.

"I've already bought the tickets. See you there, okay? I'll be waiting for you. It's our wedding anniversary today, you won't reject me again, right?"

He had never once lowered himself to beg me in such a desperate tone before. In the past, all he needed to do was take just one step toward me, and I would walk the rest of the way as fast as I could to meet him, all so I could please him.

Eventually, I realized that Caleb would take back even that one measly little step if it was for Aria's sake.

Nonetheless, I genuinely didn't know what to say, for today wasn't even our true wedding anniversary—it was the anniversary of our fourth remarriage.

After so many divorces and remarriages, I was the only one who tirelessly continued to remember everything to do with him without fail.

In the end, I still agreed to his invitation, as I really did want to go to Zachary's concert.

However, the night of the concert, I waited and waited, yet there was still no sign of Caleb.

Just then, my phone chimed with a message. Tapping into it, I saw it was a voice message from Caleb. He had an apologetic tone to his voice as he spoke. In the background, I could hear the clamoring of a concert crowd, along with Aria's light laughter.

"Sorry, Melissa, but Aria suddenly wasn't feeling too well, so I had to take her to the hospital. We still have plenty of opportunities to celebrate our anniversary together in the future. Once Aria leaves tomorrow, we can go do whatever you want, okay?"

At that moment, a melodious singing drifted out from the venue, signifying that the concert had finally begun.

"Thank you for the special invitation here,

To witness your love.

I keep reminding myself,

To stop running away."

I exited the chat window and checked my Instagram. This was the first time I had opened the app in a month.

The first thing that caught my attention was the story Aria had posted just minutes ago, which showed a selfie of her and Caleb at the concert.

"I'll give up all our memories,

To let you have the love you want.

Still, I refuse to believe,

That this is fate."

The song continued, its lyrics seemingly mocking me for still holding on to a small sliver of hope when I agreed to Caleb's invitation.

But now? That sliver of hope had been well and truly crushed.

This was already our seventh divorce—shouldn't I have learned my lesson long ago?

Thankfully, this would be the last and final time.

Free of any lingering attachments, I turned and headed for the airport, where I sat for the rest of the night.

At 7:00 am, I checked-in for my flight. Caleb sent me a text, asking when we would remarry, but I didn't bother replying to him.

At 8:00 am, I queued up to board the plane. This time, Caleb called me. Instead of answering, I blocked his number.

By 9:00 am, I was already seated on the plane. Just as I was about to turn on airplane mode as reminded by the air stewardess, I received a call from Talia.

However, it was Caleb's voice that came over the line, sounding thick with anxiety.

"Melissa, where are you?"