Chapter 1The Husband Reset

My husband, Alex, got into a car accident and lost his memory. He reverted to his nineteen-year-old self—his wildest, most rebellious phase.

When I went to see him, he treated me like a complete stranger, his eyes cold and distant.

"Wife? Are you kidding me? There's no way I got married!"

Seeing how resistant he was, I had no choice but to leave.

But ever since that first meeting, he’s been popping up in front of me 800 times a day, claiming it’s just a "coincidence."

A month later, he was bragging to his friends about getting my number.

They broke down on the spot: "Bro, you spent a whole month just to get your own wife's number?"

* * *

Alex was in a car accident. I booked the earliest flight back.

When I arrived at the hospital, he had just fallen asleep.

The doctor said Alex was fine, just a mild concussion. But the impact caused temporary amnesia.

As for how long "temporary" meant—maybe a month, maybe a year, maybe longer.

His memory was stuck at nineteen.

His wildest, most untamable age.

His friends warned me that Alex didn't remember marrying me and it might take time for him to accept it.

I was prepared. Even when he first found out he was going to marry me years ago, his attitude wasn't exactly warm.

Not as resistant as now, but definitely cold.

Asking a nineteen-year-old Alex to accept a wife was a tall order.

I took a deep breath. "I'll come back tomorrow. Call me when he wakes up."

"Okay, sister-in-law."

The next day, before I heard from his friends, the hospital called.

"Mrs. Sterling, can you contact your husband? We've searched the entire hospital and can't find him. He's not on the security cameras."

"It looks like he climbed out the window."

My breath hitched.

It was hard to imagine the nineteen-year-old Alex doing something so reckless.

In the years we’ve been married, he’s always been calm and composed.

I’d heard stories about how wild he used to be, but climbing out of a hospital window?

After leaving work, I called his friend, Ben. It turned out Alex went straight from the hospital to a club to find them.

When I arrived at the private room, Ben and the others were being pressured by Alex to drink.

"Alex, I really can't drink anymore."

"Me too, man. I quit drinking years ago."

"Alex, stop drinking. Sister-in-law is going to kill us."

"Yeah, it's been a day. She must be worried."

Alex raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "Sister-in-law? You guys trying to skip out on drinks again?"

Ben looked like he wanted to cry. "Alex, you really don't remember you have a wife?"

"Stop messing with me. I wouldn't get married even if I was dead. Giving up my freedom? No way. Besides, guys who let their wives control them are spineless!"

Alex still thought Ben was just the prankster friend taking advantage of his amnesia.

He definitely didn't believe he was married.

The sound of me pushing open the door was drowned out by the loud music.

Ben saw me first.

A chill went down his spine. "Alex, stop talking."

I walked into the room and picked up a bottle from the table.

Except for Alex, everyone sat up straight.

Alex leaned back on the sofa, looking up annoyed. "Do the waitresses here just barge in without knocking?"

His voice cut off the moment he saw me.

After locking eyes with me, Alex started frantically adjusting his tie and shirt.

He buttoned the top two buttons, then reconsidered and unbuttoned them.

He pulled his collar down a bit, revealing a hint of his chest.

Nineteen-year-old Alex... quite the show-off.

Ben and the others couldn't bear to watch Alex dig his own grave any longer. They were about to warn him, but I silenced them with a look.

As I left, I heard everyone in the room let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Alex, why is your face so red?"

Alex looked incredulous. "Me? Blushing? Impossible!"

Luke, who was always a bit dense, immediately opened his front camera. "It is red! Wait, Alex, do you know who she is?"

"Cough."

Ben interrupted him sharply.

They were more afraid of offending me than Alex.

"Someone must have spiked the drinks. Check it out."

Alex picked up his glass, then slammed it down. "Done drinking. Going home."