I, Xavier Locke, had married the same woman, Melanie Slater, seven times.

But for the sake of her first love, Leonard Blueman, she divorced me seven times.

The first time we got married, she told me, "I'll only love you for the rest of my life."

But every time Leonard came back to the country, she sang a different tune. "Can't you be more sensible? How can you bear to stand by and let Lenny be called a homewrecker who snatches a married woman from her husband?"

The first time we divorced, I cut my wrists to make her stay. I was taken to the hospital in an ambulance, but she never showed up even once to see me.

The third time we divorced, I humbled myself and applied to be her assistant at her company. I did that just so I could see her a little more.

By the sixth divorce, I had learned to quietly pack my things and move out of the home we shared.

My hysteria, my repeated backing down, and my tolerant compromises brought me nothing—just Melanie repeatedly divorcing and remarrying me. Time and time again, she pulled the same trick.

With history repeating itself, I decided enough was enough. After hearing that Leonard was coming back again, this time, I handed her the divorce papers myself.

As always, she set a date for our next remarriage. But what she didn't know… was that I was leaving for good this time.

"Leonard is back in the country again. Let's get divorced."

I, Xavier Locke, handed the signed divorce papers to my wife, Melanie Slater, with a numb expression.

For a brief moment, Melanie looked startled, but she quickly regained her composure. With practiced ease, she signed her name on the agreement.

Just like the previous six times, she casually made the same promise. "Lenny will leave in a month. I'll remarry you by then."

Even in the past, those words had never given me any sense of security. I'd force her to swear on it or sign a written promise. But this time, I felt nothing at all. I couldn't even muster up the desire to respond to her.

"Xavier, are you even listening to me?" Melanie frowned, clearly dissatisfied with my silence.

I nodded slightly and replied, "Yeah."

My hands didn't stop moving as I folded my clothes one by one and packed them neatly into the suitcase.

Whenever Melanie said we would remarry, she always kept her word. In the business circle, it was widely known that she was a woman of her word. There was no doubt about that.

It was just that our relationship didn't feel like a marriage in the traditional sense. We were more like business partners, signing and renewing agreements at a scheduled time. For marriage. Or... for divorce.

Each year, I would sign those two "agreements". Up until now, I had signed them 13 times.

I remembered what she said to me at our first wedding. She promised that she would never betray me during our marriage. Indeed, she never did.

After all, once the divorce was finalized, she was free to be with whoever she wanted to be with. The only price was that I became known to everyone as a convenient boy toy whom she could summon and dismiss as she pleased.

But my calmness that day seemed to throw Melanie off balance. After all, she vividly remembered how hysterical I had gotten, to the extent of harming myself, during our previous divorces.

Now, as she watched me pack faster and more efficiently than before, she sounded somewhat uneasy when she spoke. She suggested, "Maybe this time, I should move out instead…"

With a loud click, I closed the large suitcase, cutting off her unfinished sentence.

"I already told a friend I'd stay at his place for a few days," I said in a deadpan voice.

Melanie's expression soured, as if something suddenly occurred to her.

She sneered, "Don't tell me you're playing hard to get now, but you'll show up as my assistant again to secretly keep tabs on me? Can't you find something of your own to do? Is it really that hard living without a woman?"

I instantly understood the implicit meaning behind her words. She didn't want me hanging around her office, lest I interfere with Leonard and her canoodling.

After all, Leonard rarely came back to the country. So, of course, Melanie wanted him to stay by her side at all times as her main assistant.

After my second divorce from Melanie, I applied to be her assistant and passed the interview. Carrying her favorite latte, I pushed open the door to her office with a heart full of anticipation. But what I saw made me freeze. Melanie was sitting on Leonard's lap, kissing him passionately.

Upon seeing that, I couldn't hold back and started beating Leonard up. I had barely landed a few punches before Melanie stood between the two of us.

Outside the office, a crowd had already gathered to watch the drama unfold. Everyone thought I was still their CEO's husband, so they all looked at Leonard with open disdain.

To protect Leonard's reputation and spare him from gossip, Melanie ignored me even when I shook my head at her vehemently with red-rimmed eyes. She snatched my messenger bag from me and dumped its contents onto the floor.

Out came the divorce papers, and it exposed to everyone the true state of our relationship.

From that day on, every time we divorced, Melanie made sure to announce it publicly on her social media. Everyone now knew that Melanie loved Leonard and that I was the shameless one who refused to leave her side.

But this time, her worries were unnecessary.

I grabbed my suitcase without hesitation and said, "Don't worry. I won't bother you two again."

Melanie looked at me suspiciously for a while. But when I pulled up the handle of the suitcase and stepped toward the door, I heard her somewhat anxious voice from behind me.

"Don't forget that we're remarrying on the 13th of next month," she reminded.

I froze for a moment.

What a coincidence. That was the exact date I planned to leave the country.

…

After Leonard returned, Melanie didn't think of me once. I, too, was no longer the pathetic man I used to be. I did not stalk her, nor did I gather every bit of information just so that I could go and wait for her at the location where she might appear next.

Instead, I spent my days with my best friend, Kieran Talbot. We ate and drank as we pleased. At night, we would treat ourselves to midnight snacks and beer. Needless to say, I had a great time.

Time flew, and there were only 20 days left before my flight.

One evening, Kieran and I were at a restaurant waiting for our food. By pure chance, Melanie and Leonard happened to come to the exact same restaurant.

Leonard had his arm around Melanie's waist as they walked in, chatting and laughing. They looked every bit the perfect couple.

"Xavier?" Melanie's gaze locked on to me immediately.

Leonard pulled her close, smiling like he was the happiest man on earth. "What a coincidence, Xavier! Are you having dinner here too?"

Upon noticing my gaze settle on Leonard, Melanie instinctively stepped forward and blocked him from view.

I knew what she was afraid of. She was scared that I might lose control again and start a fight with Leonard like before. However, I didn't. I even stopped Kieran, who was already bristling on my behalf. I gave a small, indifferent smile. "Yeah. What a coincidence."

Seeing me back down, Leonard smiled even more smugly. "Sorry, Xavier. Mel promised to reserve the whole place for me. You'll have to go somewhere else to eat."

He nudged Melanie playfully. "Right, Mel? Tell him, or he'll think I'm picking on him."

Melanie tilted her chin at me demandingly, looking so sure of herself. She seemed to be saying, "Do what he says, or I'll refuse to remarry you in the future."

Kieran was already lifting his hand to hit him, but I gently pressed down on his arm. Calmly, I said, "It's fine. We'll go somewhere else."

I wasn't doing this for them. I was going overseas soon. I didn't want to waste another minute arguing pointlessly with my ex-wife. As a proper ex, I should start treating Melanie as if she were dead to me.

The restaurant manager, who sensed the tension, quickly stepped forward with a flattering smile. "You two look so in love. How enviable."

At his words, Melanie's expression grew complicated as she shot me a glance. She seemed to be wary that I might say something unwanted. At the same time, she seemed to be gauging what I would say next.

I just ignored that comment and stood up like I hadn't heard it at all. Pulling Kieran with me, I made my way out.

Melanie clearly hadn't expected my lack of reaction. She stared blankly after me, watching my back as I walked away.

Leonard called Melanie's name several times. His tone had already taken on an impatient edge before Melanie finally responded by reluctantly tearing her gaze away.

I had thought that the encounter at the restaurant would be the last time Melanie and I crossed paths before I left the country.

But on the very night I officially resigned from my job as her assistant, she video-called me. That in itself was such an absurd, unprecedented event that I had to physically stop myself from declining it immediately. Instead, I switched the call to voice only and answered.

Her voice came through, and she sounded peeved. "Why did you switch to voice?"

I replied casually, "I'm not dressed. It's inconvenient to have a video chat."

Melanie laughed when she heard that. My reply somehow put her in a better mood. She teased, "Come on, we've been married long enough. I've seen everything there is to see."

Her flirtatious tone made my skin crawl.

I asked coldly, "What do you want?"

Sensing the chill in my voice, she instantly dropped her languid tone and sat upright. "I heard from HR that you resigned."

"Yeah." I didn't bother explaining anything.

Awkward silence ensued.

Then, with a light tone that sounded forced, like she was just searching for something to say, she added, "Good thing you quit. Honestly, what were you thinking? You could just be the CEO's househusband, but you insisted on working as an assistant. You sure like to suffer, don't you?"

She gave a small laugh before continuing, "And you weren't even that dedicated. I barely saw you in the office, yet I had to pay you every month. In the end, the whole company found out that you were my husband, and they all said I played favorites."

I cut her off, feeling irritated, "Shouldn't you be with Leonard right now?"

Without thinking, Melanie mumbled under her breath, "It's not like he's anyone special to me. Why do I have to be with him all the time?"

But as soon as she said it, she fell silent. It was because she suddenly remembered that I was just her ex-husband now.

She spoke again, but she sounded diffident this time. "The divorce was my fault. I just don't want people talking badly about Lenny…"

I nodded stoically. Right. Leonard shouldn't have to put up with gossip, but I should be the laughingstock and subject of every idle conversation in the circle.

My voice turned even icier as I said, "If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up."

"Wait!" Melanie cried out anxiously. "Our wedding anniversary is on the 12th. Nate Zaleski's concert is on that day. I know you've been wanting to go. We'll attend the concert together, okay?"

For a brief second, I almost told her the truth that I was leaving.

But before I could speak, I heard a familiar male voice in the background through the phone. "Mel, I forgot my towel. Can you bring it to me?"

Melanie didn't respond right away. She stared at the screen that displayed my name in a daze, torn between the two of us.

With a stoic expression, I urged, "Go ahead."

Melanie hesitated for a moment longer before standing up slowly. "Give me a moment, Xavier. I'll be right back."

She started walking toward the bathroom.

As I expected, I soon heard the faint, unmistakable sounds of kissing. Then came Melanie's muffled moan, followed by the sharp slam of the bathroom door closing.

I ended the call with a derisive scoff.

Right at that moment, Kieran called out from the living room excitedly. He asked me to hit a nightclub with him. Without hesitation, I put my phone down and got up.

There were still so many things in this world that could put a smile on my face.

In the past, I was so blind that I was unable to see past one woman. But I was starting afresh now. Why should I waste another second of my life mourning someone who already belonged to the past?

…

Without Melanie around, time passed by quickly. When I came to realize it, there were only a few more days left before my flight overseas.

I hadn't been in contact with Melanie since the last call. Still, I heard bits and pieces about her and Leonard through Kieran.

Apparently, they had a huge fight. In fact, the fight was so bad that Melanie walked out of a banquet. She left Leonard behind without regard for his dignity in public.