Chapter 1

After Alpha Ethan cheated on me, I was so furious I filed for divorce immediately.

Ethan chased after me for half a year, swearing he'd never see Ivy again.

Only then did I finally agree to remarry him.

On our one-year remarriage anniversary, I brought a gift to the bar he frequented, wanting to surprise him.

Instead, I accidentally caught him kissing Ivy.

His friend asked him:

"If you love Ivy, why did you remarry Ava?"

Ethan answered with a laugh:

"I promised Ivy I'd find her a prank target. Ava, being wolfless, is the perfect choice, isn't she?"

I endured the immense physical and emotional pain without rushing out to make a scene.

Instead, I planned to fake my death.

Ethan Miller, this time I'm truly done with you.

"Ms. Summers, your death staging package is now active. Everything will proceed according to plan in seven days."

Hearing the voice of the death staging agency employee on the phone, I let out a long breath.

In seven days, I would disappear completely from Ethan Miller's world.

After hanging up, I circled the date seven days from now on the calendar in red.

The vivid red seemed to mock my foolishness over the past year and a half.

Ethan Miller came back carrying an insulated bag while I was still staring at the calendar in a daze.

He set down the bag and, as always, wrapped me in his arms, asking gently:

"What are you doing? You seem so lost in thought."

Feeling the warm chest behind me, bitterness welled up in my heart.

Five years of marriage and one year of remarriage, and I never knew Ethan Miller was such a good actor.

So good that I thought he'd truly let go of Ivy and had a change of heart.

So good that I believed he truly couldn't live without me, which was why he pursued me relentlessly for half a year after our divorce, insisting on remarrying.

I shook my head. "Nothing. Just thinking about some things."

His gaze fell on the circled date on the calendar:

"Is seven days from now some important day?"

"Yes." I suppressed the bitterness in my heart and said meaningfully, "That day I'll give you a surprise."

Ethan stroked my hair affectionately. "Then I'll look forward to it."

"But forget about seven days from now for now, honey. Do you remember what day today is? Today's our one-year remarriage anniversary. I personally mixed you an anniversary special drink. Come taste it."

Looking at the strangely colored drink he brought out, my heart couldn't help but tremble.

I remembered at the bar party today, someone had asked Ivy with a laugh what prank she planned to pull on me today.

She mixed various spirits, hot sauce, bitters, and some silver together, saying with a smile:

"I'm in a good mood today, so I'll let Ava off easy. I'll just livestream her drinking this 'Hell's Special' and call it even."

I never expected Ethan would actually bring this thing back and lie to me, calling it an anniversary drink.

He clearly knew I didn't have my own wolf and my body was weak.

Silver, which had no effect on powerful werewolves, could kill me.

A sharp pain pierced through my heart. After a long moment, I managed to say in a trembling voice:

"I don't feel well today. I don't want to drink alcohol."

Hearing this, the smile on Ethan's face faded considerably:

"Why are you unwell again?"

"Avy, this is my heartfelt gift after all. Just take one sip, then I'll make you some calming tea, okay?"

He brought the glass to my lips.

I looked into his eyes, trying to find a trace of guilt about deceiving me.

But there was none.

His eyes were sincere, as if he truly just didn't want me to reject his gesture.

Suppressing the sharp pain in my heart, I nodded slightly.

"Okay, I'll drink it."

The harsh liquid slid down my throat, bringing a burning and nauseating sensation.

I knew the camera hidden somewhere had already recorded my ugly expression drinking this thing.

On the other end of the livestream, Ivy must be laughing triumphantly right now.

Ethan set down the glass with satisfaction and went to brew tea.

Watching his figure enter the kitchen, a chill rose in my heart.

Ethan used to be nervous for so long even when I got cut by a knife.

Yet to amuse Ivy, he didn't hesitate to make me drink this dangerous liquor.

He truly had no love left for me at all.

I didn't get to drink the tea Ethan brewed before I was sent to the hospital due to silver poisoning.

In my hazy consciousness, I heard someone gently coaxing me:

"Avy, don't be afraid. The pain will stop soon."

I couldn't tell if I was dreaming. Only after waking up did I see Ethan sleeping with his head on the hospital bed.

His face was full of exhaustion. He must have been taking care of me for a long time.

His phone beside his hand kept vibrating.

I picked it up and opened it to see Ethan's friends posting in a group chat:

"Ava's expression drinking that 'Hell's Special' today was priceless. I saved the GIF!"

"Yeah, but why was Ethan in such a hurry to send Ava to the hospital? Don't tell me he felt bad for her?"

Ethan replied below:

"Stop joking. It wouldn't look good if Ivy saw."

"I'm just playing the part. If I don't comfort her properly this time, how can I keep tricking her into cooperating next time?"

So it was all an act again.

I gave a bitter smile and put the phone back in its place.

Ethan soon woke up. Seeing I was fine, he breathed a sigh of relief:

"I'm sorry, Avy. It's my fault. I shouldn't have made you drink that alcohol."

I didn't speak, just looked at him quietly.

He seemed uncomfortable under my gaze and soon stood up with his coat:

"There's something at the company. I need to go handle it. I'll come see you later."

The moment the door closed, I shut my eyes, and tears finally slid down uncontrollably.

Ethan Miller, six more days.