Chapter 1
Seeing me sign, my husband, Liam Sterling, happily put away the divorce papers.
Everyone exchanged glances, a smirk of triumph on their faces.
That’s when I finally understood: this reunion was a setup, a carefully laid trap just for me.
On the virtual screen behind Liam, four blood-red words screamed:
“CAPTURE FAILED.”
The system’s electronic voice drilled into my mind:
“Host, only if you marry your target for seven years can you offset the life-for-a-life exchange. You’re just an hour and a half short of seven years. In 48 hours, you’ll be erased.”
Its tone shifted:
“However, seeing your pitiful state, you can survive if you complete three tasks within the deadline.”
“Now issuing Task One.”
“Make Liam Sterling confess his love to you in public.”
I laughed out loud.
I just signed divorce papers, and now the system wants him to confess his love to me?
Clara Davis stood up, her pretty face tight with resolve:
“Liam, if you have to agree to Avery’s unreasonable requests because of me, then I’ll gladly accept punishment. I’ll drink three shots of vodka!”
Liam’s eyes were filled with heartache:
“It’s fine, she can’t stir up any trouble.”
I gave a self-deprecating laugh.
Seven years ago, on our wedding day, Liam was supposed to elope for love, but Clara ran off with all his savings and disappeared.
After that, he firmly believed I was behind it and constantly clashed with me. We went from childhood sweethearts to bitter enemies.
I thought that if I genuinely loved him, I could eventually win him over.
For the past two years, he had almost accepted our situation, even remembering to leave work early to celebrate our wedding anniversary.
But then, Clara came back.
Only then did I realize he had never forgotten her, and he’d even set up this elaborate scheme just to marry her.
He’d even forgotten that today was our seventh wedding anniversary.
Now, the seven stolen years were finally to be returned.
But I still wanted to live.
I spoke up:
“Liam Sterling, the first thing I want you to do is confess your love to me.”
“Confess to me exactly how you confessed to Clara Davis back then.”
Liam froze, his eyes wide with disbelief.
The private room erupted:
“Avery, don’t be unreasonable! You’ve already signed the divorce papers, there’s no need to be so petty and embarrass Liam!”
“Liam, don’t listen to her nonsense! She’s just trying to cause trouble!”
It was truly ironic. These people had received many favors from me in the past. Now that Sterling Corp. was so powerful, they constantly mocked me.
Clara’s face was flushed with anger:
“Avery, you’re really just messing with him! Liam, I won’t let you suffer this humiliation!”
My own husband confessing to me was a humiliation in her eyes?
I coldly scanned the room, then yawned:
“I’m talking to Liam Sterling. Does it concern you to interrupt?”
“Liam Sterling, if you don’t confess, I’m leaving. And I won’t bother with the divorce certificate.”
After so many years together, I knew his temper.
His brows furrowed, and he said impatiently:
“I thought you were being sensible today, but it turns out you just thought of a new trick. If I confess, you’ll obediently get the divorce certificate?”
It seemed he was truly desperate to marry Clara and make it official.
“Yes.”
Liam’s face darkened, and he spoke as if facing death:
“Avery, be with me. I’ll buy you two bottles of milk every day and warm them with my body heat, so you always drink them at room temperature…”
Clara’s eyes welled with tears, and she murmured:
“Liam, you still remember.”
Everyone in the room couldn’t help but applaud, marveling at Liam’s deep affection, still remembering his confession to Clara Davis eight years ago.
Watching the two exchange increasingly loving gazes,
I felt a wave of nausea and left my seat:
“I have to go. Something came up.”
Behind me, the room erupted in laughter, mocking me for shooting myself in the foot.
As I walked out, my best friend, Chloe Miller, somehow heard the news and rushed to the restaurant, demanding answers:
“Did you really sign the divorce papers with Liam, are you insane? You begged on your knees to marry him, giving up a marriage alliance with a billionaire’s son, and now you’re just divorcing him, letting that trash Clara snatch him up?”
I was silent.
Back then, the Sterling family was on the verge of bankruptcy. To help Liam, I gave up a marriage with the son of a billionaire and resolutely married him. My parents were furious and disowned me.
I was ostracized by my family, and even as the CEO’s wife, I couldn’t interfere with anything in the Sterling family, leaving me in an awkward position.
But Liam, after Clara returned to the country, immediately arranged a Vice President position for her without a word, even putting her in charge of billions of dollars.
Love and lack of love, it was very obvious.
My sky-high heels had rubbed my heels raw, and I uncomfortably shifted my stance, unable to stop myself from scoffing:
“You think she’s trash, but Liam treats her like a treasure. What can I do?”
Chloe sighed, giving me a supportive squeeze:
“Men are like shoes, if they don’t fit, we just get new ones!”
As she spoke, Liam came downstairs, dotingly ruffling Clara’s hair:
“Clara, let’s go take our wedding photos first, then buy rings. When we go to the registry office, I’ll have a convoy of thirty cars pick you up!”
His gaze met mine, and Liam’s lips tightened into a thin line, his voice cold:
“Avery, there are still two things left. If you’re playing games, I won’t make it easy for you!”
I lowered my eyes and smiled bitterly.
He didn’t know I had wanted to keep my distance from him for a long time; I was only forced to interact with him to stay alive.
After he walked away, I called out to the system in my mind:
“Was that task completed?”
“Barely satisfactory,” the system’s voice was flat. “Now, issuing Task Two.”
“Go on a date with Liam Sterling for one day.”