Chapter 1

On Women's Day, my husband Frederick sent me a muscular man with a bow tie around his neck.

"This is the latest companion robot. Let him keep you company from now on. Vivian is pregnant, so I need to spend more time with her. Stop bothering me."

He spoke impatiently, then turned and left.

But I looked at the lifelike robot with a face remarkably similar to my childhood friend Xavier's, and smiled with delight.

That evening, I sent Xavier a message:

"You knew my marriage contract expires today and I'm single again, so you came early to pursue me?"

"Yes."

Xavier replied to my message.

"Eight years of repaying a debt—finally over."

With his sigh, my thoughts drifted back to when I was eighteen.

My parents both died suddenly in an accident.

I couldn't handle it at the time. My mental breakdown led to several hospitalizations.

Then Grandpa Frederick suddenly appeared, arranged for top doctors, and helped me recover.

He had only one request—that I help support his good-for-nothing grandson, Frederick.

I agreed.

From then on, I began my love-hate relationship with Frederick.

He went from initially finding me annoying to showing unnatural care and protection.

He would clumsily make me necklaces by hand on my birthday.

He would make my favorite macarons during my period.

His clumsy love moved my heart.

So when he confessed with a blushing face at graduation, I said yes.

But everything changed when his first love, Vivian, returned to the country just before our wedding.

He denied everything between us, publicly claiming I was just a housekeeper his grandfather hired to take care of him.

Grandpa Frederick was so angry he nearly died. As he took his last breath, he held my hand and asked me to marry Frederick for three years and protect him for three more.

Today is the last day.

I rubbed my temples and stood up to pack my things.

But unexpectedly, Frederick came back and brought me a small cake.

"Eat it. I remember you like these."

I looked at the mango on the cake and smiled bitterly, shaking my head.

He forgot—I'm allergic to mangoes.

Vivian is the one who likes mango cake.

I tugged at the corner of my mouth and just asked him, "Why did you come back?"

He said proudly, "It's all because Vivian is so kind. She insisted that since today is Women's Day, I should come back and keep you company."

"See, this is the grace a proper wife should have. You should learn from her."

I froze. Vivian always did this—displayed her magnanimity at inappropriate times.

But they both forgot that I'm Frederick's legitimate wife.

Not wanting to say more, I just stared at the clock, quietly spacing out, hoping he'd leave quickly.

But Frederick loosened his tie and lay sideways on the sofa, showing no intention of moving.

His face full of hopeful fantasies: "I hope Vivian has a girl, just like her—kind and lovely."

Then he looked at me critically:

"Look at you—your personality is so unlikable, always controlling people. Nobody wants you."

"And I've been thinking about the future too. When the child is born, it needs to be legitimate, so you'll have to give up your position as Mrs. Frederick."

"Don't worry, I already talked to Vivian about it. You can stay here afterward to take care of Vivian and the child. After all, Grandpa originally had you take care of me, so you should be quite skilled at being a housekeeper."

As his constant belittling continued, my heart still couldn't help but ache.

Just as I was about to tell him about the contract, the doorbell rang abruptly.

Vivian had arrived.